Robert Bookend is a long lanky hard looking sort of fellow, whose grey hair was approaching silver. He did however metamorphose when he smiled and smile he did a lot after meeting Emerald Singer at the library club meeting. Bob as he was known to his friends had joined the group to listen to others opinions of books and poetry since he was an avid reader. Emerald was already a much liked member with many friends there.

Their almost immediate respect for each other grew into friendship from the very beginning. Emmy as Bob called her could light up a room by just walking into it with her warm and open attitude. She was a nurse by occupation but an artist at heart. Bob on the other hand had one of those government jobs that no one talked about and had lived all over the world, never in one place too long. Emmy had spent most of her life near Atlanta where they both lived. Emmy had dark beautiful hair and bright sparkling eyes that matched her name. It was the one physical trait they shared.

For the two of them the library meetings grew into phone calls and emails in between meetings then to coffee and dinners and long walks along park trails and drives on country roads. Their love became so apparent to everyone that it was no surprise to any of their friends when Bob presented Emmy with a tiny teddy bear one evening with a heart shaped diamond ring on his tiny arm as he asked her to become his wife, Emmy tears in her eyes had said yes.

Their wedding ceremony had been a small affair with their friends and the two’s grown children in attendance from the different places they lived. Their honeymoon had been for two weeks in Italy where Bob took Emmy to all the places she had wanted to see there, Rome, the Isle of Capri, Pompeii, Milan and Venice.

They still attended the library meetings regularly and took long drives or sometimes week end trips around the nearby states especially to the coastal beaches both on the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico.

Then one night as they were sitting in their living room in front of the fireplace in each other’s arms Bob looked at Emmy and asked her a funny question.

“Baby do you like French food?” he queried.

“Bob Bookend you are not thinking of so long a trip so soon just for some specific dish are you?” Emmy asked almost laughing.

“No sweetheart not to France this time but I know this great little restaurant between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas that makes the most perfect Steak A’ Poivre anywhere and there are a few other things in that area I would like to show you.” Bob had answered her.

“Baby isn’t there some where just a little closer we could go for dinner?” Emmy said to him now smiling and laughing.

“Cool I knew you would agree.” Bob answered as he took his wife in his arms and they slowly lay back on the floor giggling and kissing each other for a long time before going to bed that night.

Two weeks later they were getting off a plane at DFW airport. Bob picked up the rental car he ordered and they drove to the Hilton where their room was ready. Since it was late in the evening they had supper in the hotel that night, went outside for a short walk in the night air and then returned to their room to relax.

Once inside they quite playfully undressed each other while sharing passionate kisses and then rolled onto their bed and made love before cuddling in each other’s arms to sleep for the night. The next morning they awoke took a shower together and dried each other off before getting dressed and going down to breakfast. Afterwards they went outside got in the rental car and Bob drove them off to the northeast of Dallas.

About two hours later Bob pulled the car onto a grassy area in front of an old church beside an unkept cemetery with a sign over it that read “REHOBETH”. They got out of the car and Bob walked them over to a couple of headstones only a grave apart, both stones inscriptions were still readable.

“Baby this is my great-grandfather John and this is his mother Eliza.” Bob told Emmy.

“This is terrible my husband, it looks as though no one has been here in years. But thank you for bringing me and introducing me to them.” Emmy said putting her hand in his.

“It’s been probably 4 since I was here myself.” Bob told her, “Not many of us left that know where this is I am afraid.”

After pulling a few weeds at both graves and a couple of others and making some small improvements they returned to the car and started back for Dallas. Once there Bob drove her around the city showing her the high lights of the large Texas city.

Once back in their hotel they rested a short while then got up and dressed for what Bob had told her was a different treat for the night. He drove them into Fort Worth and pulled into a large parking lot outside a large building with bright neon lights all over it proclaiming “Billy Bob’s Over Texas”.

“Sweetheart what is this place it looks so big” Emmy asked her husband.

“Baby this is the largest Saloon in the United States, and we are going to dance the night away.” Bob told her a huge bright smile crossing his face as he opened her car door for her.

“mmmm, this looks very interesting sweetheart. You are a gem.” She said smiling just as big as her husband.

Once Bob had paid their cover charge and they walked inside Emmy’s bright eyes opened wide in amazement at what she saw looking around inside.

Bob started laughing quietly looking at his wife and started to explain. “This was once the Fort Worth Stockyards Building many years ago Baby. An ex-football player named Billy Bob with backers bought it decades ago and turned it into a Fort Worth attraction. Here let me show you around.”

As they walked he pointed out the several different restaurants, multiple bars and the bandstand with a large dance floor. Then as they walked farther he showed her the indoor carnival style shooting gallery, the ball rolling game horse racing area like there is at some amusement parks and fairs and then pointed to the large door at one end of the saloon that led to a full sized indoor rodeo area where men could ride real livestock, not just a mechanical bull like in the movie years ago about Giley’s outside Houston Texas.

“My dear baby this place is an indoor amusement park for adults.” Emmy said and chuckled. “I bet my husband spent a few nights in here.”

“I cannot deny that baby, at one time in my younger days I was in here almost every other week. You might not believe it but it was for business though. A lot of my clients at the time would always want to come here for dinner.” He told her.

“I can see why.” She said winking at Bob and smiling again.

After they had a fine Mexican dinner in one of the restaurants, they took a table around the dance floor and shortly a band took stage starting to play popular music from the 60’s and 70’s. for the next 3 hours they danced as much as they could, seemed like they did not miss even one slow dance holding onto each other smiling and embracing as they danced. Finally completely spent and so happy with their night the two of them left and returned to their hotel for a good night’s sleep.

The next morning they arose rested but a little achy from so much dancing the night before. Showered together again, dressed for another outing and went down to breakfast. Once in the car outside Bob drove them out of Dallas this time a little to the southwest.

Over an hour later they passed a small town named Glen Rose and continued a while more until Bob pulled them into a small parking lot in front of two life size Dinosaur statues.

“Sweetheart where have you brought me now, these are not more of your ancestors are they?” Emmy asked a little smirk on her face.

“Aw come on baby I am not that old. No, this park was not here decades ago when I was first here but the tracks were.” Bob told her as he got out walked around and opened her door.

“Tracks, what are we looking at?” She asked.

He walked her holding her hand over to edge of a stream and then pointed to the rock creek bed. “There Baby see the large tracks in the rock bed that make trails back and forth across the creek?”

“My gosh Baby yes I do, what are they from” Emmy asked.

“ Well there over 60 million years old and from that type of dinosaur at the parking lot. Back then this was a mud shoreline to an inland sea or large lake. The tracks probably go farther both directions under the ground we are standing on. I first saw them when I was quite young. I thought you might enjoy seeing them too.” Bob told her.

After walking around the park a while they returned to their car and drove back to Dallas by way of some extended country driving in the central Texas rolling hills.

Once they had rested a while, they began to get ready for the promised French dinner. First they showered each other and they did not get in any hurry doing it, Bob and Emmy enjoyed washing and rinsing each other leisurely then almost played at patting each other dry with the fluffy large towels. The two of them even toyed at helping each other into their clothes for the evening out to dinner. These two enjoyed taking a lot of time lovingly preening and dressing each other almost as much as the reverse possibility for some.

Bob drove them into Grand Prairie close back to the area where DFW airport was. They small shopping center he drove to was rather non descript as was the outside of the restaurant itself. But once they stepped inside the entrance doors all perception changed. It was almost like stepping into a fine restaurant in New York, Chicago or San Francisco.

As soon as they stepped inside the head waiter’s face lit up like a Christmas tree as he came directly to Bob and clasped his hand while starting a long stream of French seeming to not take a breath. Finally he slowed down long enough to restart his welcome in English.

“Monsieur Bookend it has been so long where have you been and who is this too beautiful lady for you?” The man asked.

“Charles, I have missed you and your wit. You are right she is too beautiful for me but she has shown me the kindness of becoming my wife. Charles this is Emerald my wife, Emmy this is Charles the best Maitre D’ west of the Mississippi River and an old friend.” Bob said introducing his wife and Charles.

“Hello Charles, it seems my husband has been here a few times before.” Emmy said in greeting with a small smile on her face.

“Oui Emerald Monsieur Bob is one of our favorite people, we have been missing him for a long time now. Please follow me I will seat you at a special table for this evening.” Charles told her and lead the way to one side of the restaurant.

Once they were seated at a quite table Charles left and went through the doors to what appeared to be the Kitchen. Almost immediately two other men came out the same doors and walked directly to their table. A very similar set of greetings was exchanged between them and Bob with likewise introductions. They turned out to be the chef Pierre and the head saucier Rudolph.

“I can see Mrs. Bookend how you caught our long lost friend, you are much too beautiful for him.” Pierre said to Emmy.

“Why thank you Pierre, but I think it is possible that Mr. Bookend has had a few lovely ladies here before. However I am the only one he will be here with again, Know that because I do not share.” Emmy retorted back to the chef.

“Oui Madam, I will say this of my friend, your husband. He is above all else an honorable gentleman.” Pierre answered quickly and with deep reserve.

“That I also believe Pierre or I would not be Mrs. Bookend, I was only playing at his friends.” Emmy said as she tipped her head slightly.

“Ah, Oui again Emmy you had me, we will be good friends too I trust.” Pierre said.

‘Oui, pierre we are now.” Emmy replied smiling.

With this the chef and saucier both went back into the kitchen. Bob and Emmy talked quietly and laughed at the meetings. Emmy asked of Bob’s times here and he related a couple of stories before Charles and the waiter brought out the dinner.

After a couple of bites while Bob looked at Emmy she turned to him and said. “Husband of my heart this is simply wonderful. You were right again this steak would be worth traveling that far to have.”

“Yes my darling there are few meals anywhere that I relish near as much as this steak here. The combination of Pierre’s preparation and completion with Rudolph’s Marcella sauce cannot be equaled. And now here with the love of my life to enjoy it with everything is perfection.” Bob said looking into the mesmerizing eyes of his wife.

“You are a sweet talking devil Mr. Bookend and I love it.” Emmy said smiling.

After their meal was over the wine finished and a simply great coffee served and enjoyed, Charles came over and instead of the bill looked toward the kitchen door where Pierre and Rudolph now came out joining Charles at the table and Charles spoke.

“Madam Bookend we would like to offer the poor meal as our wedding present to you in condolence for the oh so poor catch you have made.” He said with his head bowed.

“Da” was all Rudolph added before starting to chuckle out loud.

“You two old fools. Emerald we seriously would like you to accept our belated wedding gift, even if we do joke with your husband. Please understand it has been a long time since we had the pleasure of his company and he is dear to us all greatly. Although I cannot for the life of me remember why since he has been away so long.” Pierre said to her.

“Thank you gentlemen very much. I will see that we do not make it so long before the next time I promise.” Emmy told all three.

Once they had made their parting salutations and left for their hotel Emmy talked with Bob as they drove and as they did her hand rested on his shoulder.

“Baby Charles and the others seem very attached to you, may I ask why?” she asked.

“I have always told you I will keep no secrets from you my darling. It started a long time ago, a friend of mine introduced me to them at dinner one night, the first time I was there. I had the steak a’ poivre and was sold instantly on the first bite.” Bob hesitated just a moment, then continued. “a few years later when the economy of this area was not so good and it looked as if they might lose their location due to the center going bankrupt, I showed them a way to buy it for themselves and withstand the recession in the area. Now they own the strip center in the clear.”

“Baby no wonder they are so attached to you. Do you do this kind of thing often.” She asked

“No baby only a couple of times when I found people I really cared about in a short term dilemma.” He said rather mater-of –factly.

 Emmy thought about this as they drove to the hotel. She knew there was still much her husband took lightly about himself that made him who he was that she had first fell in love with.

After reaching their hotel and then back in their room, they spent a very long time undressing each other and then dressing for bed before they lay down and even thought about going to sleep. The next morning they checked out of the hotel drove to DFW airport checked their rental car in and later boarded their plane back to Atlanta and home. Emmy watched out the window as they flew and occasionally she looked over at her husband and they looked into each other’s green eyes and kissed several times.

When they had finished putting their luggage and clothing away they went outside and took a walk along the nearby streets. Holding each other’s hands and talking softly of their trip. As they neared home again Emmy looked at Bob and said. “I love you my husband I think I have my whole life.’