Famine

Chapter Eleven

   Chapter Eleven

   Jonah did meet with Cheryl in Bordeaux, France, like she said,  Jonah held his first overseas lecture there among in their famous wine-growning country.  His French hosts were especially appreciative, presenting him with a bottle of vintage wine from the 1960's.  It was one of but three from their historic cache.  Most of the members of their local historical society did not know their stocks were that old.  Cheryl had but a few hours with Jonah because her Tour de France women's race ran through Bordeaux.  She had but hours to share with him before she had to get a minimum amount of sleep and maintain a regimen of the proper food to provide her the energy to compete.

   Cheryl finished the race in eighth place, well ahead of her team.

   Audiences were not huge most of the time, but the holographic rights that brought his image into millions of homes more than paid his salary, expenses, and made a profit for the museum.  Cheryl sometimes attended his lectures in person for moral support.  During the next weeks, she was still in a rigorous training program, she obtained special permission to accompanying him on her touring bike.  That allowed her to maintain her level of fitness while enjoying Jonah's company they took bike trails along the dikes of Holland, past German castles on the Rhine, the streets of Monte Carlo, and by the beaches by France's Riviera, populat among tourists over the centuries.

   Jonah's lecture tour took him down to Mombassa, in Kenya, just as Cherly's touring season came to an end.  It annoyed her that Jonah had taken a separate hotel room next to her instead of rooming with her.  she let it pass unti they were alone.  They had dinner on the balcony of her room, a nice meal of halibut and local vegetables.  Their wine was superb.  It was rare for Cheryl to wear a dress, but that night Cheryl was stunning, sensuous.  They got up and moved to the edge of the balcony.  They kissed and looked back out at the deep blue Indian Ocean waves rolling onto the beach below.  A cool dry breeze blew with gentleness out to sea.  Not every part of Africa deserved its reputation for the hot climate the world's people thought it was.

   "What's wrong with me?" Cheryl demanded.  "What more can I do?  We're not children.  You have been married, and I have lived with men before, hunks.  But I love you and offer you my body here and now.  Let's take out pleasure that we desrve.  Tonight there's room in my heart only for you.

   Jonah took hr into his arms.  Cheryl, you remind me of myself the way I was attending the university.  Iived for the moment, thrilled to have young coeds clawing my back at night. I neglected my studies for half of my college career.  I decided to wise up and get my education.  Then she came along, and I never was the same after that.  Now I believe in marriage and committment.  You want me to love you?  I do, but I cannot live together with you nor even go into you tonight.  That may be enough for you but not for me."

   "You still love Michelle, don't you?"

   "Of course>'

   "But why?  She's dead."

   "But I still love her."

   "How is it possible to love someone who is dead?  We are nothing but flesh that appears a while and then disappears like the morning midst perhaps a hundred years from now.  So before we evaporate, let us take our share of physical pleasure."

   "Cheryl, do you know what a widow is?"

   "I think that I know, I need to ask Rene, I guess."

   "Widows were common in my time becuse life was so much shorter.  You'll live to be a hundred fifty, I bet."

   "Get to the point, Jonah.  I can't wait to a hundred fifty for your answer."