Virtual American Gothic - Third Season 
Episode Four

Prom Queen

by Rosebuck <Rosebuck@aol.com>
Story by Rosebuck and Roguewriter

NOT TO BE ARCHIVED TO A WEB PAGE WITHOUT 
THE AUTHOR'S PRIOR CONSENT.

Special Guest Stars:

Sela Ward as Lila
Julianne Phillips as Leanne

**********************************************

Dry, brown leaves pushed themselves against the window above 
Ben's sleeping head.  Autumn seized the ground, and the sky, and 
the very soul of the day.  Merlyn flickered into being, a gentle smile 
on her lips as she looked down into Ben's restful face.  She reached 
out, and found with pleasure that she could stroke his soft brown hair, 
could feel the length of him beside her. 

He blinked awake, a slow, unsure smile creeping over him.  

"Merly?" he croaked, and wished he hadn't, his morning voice grating 
his ears.

"Mornin' Ben.  Sleep well?"  

"As well as can be expected, I suppose," he admitted.

"Do I trouble your sleep, Ben?"

He chuckled.  "You've been doin' that for the longest time."

"I remember what it was like to dream.  It was one of the few things I 
could do like everyone else, once upon a time."

"You look golden," it popped out, surprising him as much as it did 
her.  He blushed like a schoolboy.

"Do I?  I like that."  She looked down at the black dress shrouding 
her body and her golden glow.  "It must be because I'm happy, for 
the first time in ever so long."  Sadly,  "It won't last."

"Did you mean it?"  Ben ducked his head.  "When you said you loved 
me?"

She smiled sweetly.  "I did.  I've never felt quite like this about anyone 
else, before."

Ben shook his head in denial.  "I'm not much of a man.  I'm a coward 
and a fool."  He stared up at the ceiling.  "I used to think that everything 
I was and could be came from Lucas.  You showed me different."  His 
eyes returned to hers, filled with pain.  "I don't think I'm very good at 
being my own man."

"I like the man you are."

Merlyn leaned forward, her brown eyes holding all the secrets of the 
universe.  Tentatively, he brought his lips closer to hers, caught up in 
the magic of the moment.

The door shook with a resounding knock.  "I got to get to school, 
Dad."

Startled, Merlyn vanished.

"Don't..." but it was too late.  Ben passed his hand through his hair, 
heaving a sigh.  He'd forgotten all about getting Benjie to school.  
"Yeah, Benjie, I'll be right there."

**************************

Ben leaned against the counter of his cramped kitchen.  His son was 
dressed, eating breakfast, his lunch already packed, all without a 
word to his father. "I could have used another half an hour of sleep.  
It's my day off, you know."  Benjie pushed away from the table.  
"Well, I'll drive you, if you'd like."

"Whatever."

"If you've only got one word to say, you could at least make it civil,"  
Ben complained in exasperation.

Benjie gave him the stare.  The one kids have given their parents since 
the beginning of time, the one that says that parents don't understand 
anything, and are probably too stupid to ever figure it out.

The phone rang.  Ben grabbed it, almost in relief.  "Ben Healy."

"Ben?  It's Rita.  Listen, I got to make this short, but can you pick me 
up at 7:15 instead of 7:00 tomorrow? I've got to run an errand after 
work."

"Tomorrow night?  Right.  That concert you wanted to go to." 

"Don't you tell me you forgot, Ben Healy.  I've waited five weeks for 
you to take me to this concert.  You promised, after you missed my 
birthday."

"Yeah, Rita, but a lot of things have happened since then."  Ben 
watched, astounded, as his son's face perked up.  "I've got Benjie 
to think about now."  Benjie was adamantly shaking his head.  "I 
guess he's old enough to watch himself for a night,"  Ben hesitantly 
added.  Benjie's head motion changed, becoming a strenuous nod.  
"All right, 7:15 it is."  Benjie actually grinned.  "Goodbye."  

Ben Jr. grabbed his books and jacket off the counter.  "She's real 
nice, and I think she's awful sweet on you."

Dumbfounded, Ben watched his son leave the room.

*******************************

"Have a good day!"  Ben yelled after Benjie, who was halfway 
across the school parking lot in record speed.  Like so many other 
times these days, he doubted his son had heard him. 

Shaking his head, he got back into his old car, staring out at the 
school. "Damnit, Barbara Joy, where are you when I need you?"

"Right here."

Ben spun around.  Barbara Joy, the mother of his son, the DEAD 
mother of his son, was sitting in the seat next to him, sprinkles of 
decaying earth still clinging to her hair, the dress she had been 
buried in looking rumpled.

Ben screamed. 

************************************

The cool breeze made the sides of Lucas Buck's duster flap 
against his legs as he strolled down Main Street.  His eyes flitted 
from one side to the other, checking out "his people."  He didn't 
like the uncomfortable feeling that he was distant from their lives. 
That he could no longer slither into the dark corners of their minds 
and pick out the secrets that were most useful to him.  What he 
needed was a little R & R.  Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted 
exactly what he was looking for, a college student, her red hair 
ablaze in the weak sunlight. He pulled a confident smile from his 
repertoire, and ambled over to her.

"Ma'am, don't you know loitering is against the law?"  His gaze 
swept over her with appreciation.  "I'll go easy on you this time.  
You'll have to do a little community service," he said, suggestively, 
employing his considerable charm with every word.

Her eyes fell to the bright pink flyer resting on top of her notebook.  
Looking back up at him, her face revealed irritation.  "I'd rather pay 
a fine.  If I give you a twenty, will you buy yourself a clue?"  With that, 
she stalked into the drugstore.

Lucas blinked in surprise.  Where the hell did that come from?  What 
was she, a journalist major? 

************************************

With great gulping breaths, Ben tried to steady the heart that was 
beating like the black engine of a freight chugging along at top speed.  

"Missing me, Benjamin Healy?  I wouldn't have guessed from that 
dinky little plot you buried me in. And that casket, was it a bad joke?  
Who would want to be surrounded for eternity by that awful color!"   
She shook her dress out.  Little crumbs of dirt flew at him.

"You like green!"  he protested, voice shaking still, his mind latching 
on to that firm fact.

She rolled her eyes.  "Not *puke* green.  I really thought you'd do 
better by me for my last reward.  I guess I should have known."  She 
looked into the side mirror and fluffed her hair.  More dirt and debris 
fell.  "I'm a mess!"  she complained.  She turned back to him.  "This 
otherworld stuff is very complicated, I'm still learning.  I'm sure 
there's some way I can appear without looking like I was just dug up."

"Shouldn't you be wearing white?"  

"Why?"  She frowned.  "For that matter, why'd you bury me in this 
old thing?  I haven't worn this since high school."  She smoothed out 
the material.

Ben looked down.  "I know."  He admitted,  "I had it in a box at my 
apartment.  I never told you I took it with me when I left."

"You did?"  BJ's face softened.  "That's so sweet, Ben."  He looked 
up into her eyes.  "We really let things get out of hand, didn't we?"

Ben's breath came out in a whoosh.  "I'm so sorry, Barbara Joy.  
About all of it.  I should have taken care of things.  I should have 
been there for you."

"There's no getting away from that, is there."  She sighed, too.  "But
there's no going back, either."  Worry creased already present lines 
on her face.  "How's Benjie?  Is he going to be OK?"

"It's been hard on him,"  Ben carefully acknowledged.

"I can't let him see me, I'll scare him for sure.  I expect you to help 
me out, Ben Healy.  You have to let me know what's going on with 
him.  I've got to take care of my son."

"I can take care of Benjie, just fine!"

"And you've been doing such a good job of it,"  she said, sarcastically.  
"That boy has to grow up in a town that's run by Lucas Buck.  That 
thought has scared me for years.  He needs someone who can protect 
him from Lucas.  Benjie needs ME."

Before Ben could reply, his former wife was no longer sitting next to 
him.  "Damn!"  It still hurt, how little she thought of him.

***********************************

When Lucas Buck entered the Sheriff's Department, he was feeling 
worn and achy.  A walk through town had always been a source of 
energy for him.  This reversal was very unnerving.  The security of his 
inner office, the sense of power it always brought him, beckoned to 
him.  He brushed  past the desk where his deputy was on duty.

Floyd looked up.  "Nice day, Lucas."

Lucas stopped.  "What?  Have you been out there, Floyd?  It's as 
cold as a witch's teat out there.  And as dreary as her.....Never mind."

"Oh."  Floyd deflated.  "I kinda liked it, real autumny."

"Autumny?  You been reading the dictionary again, Floyd?"  Shaking 
his head, Lucas diverted himself to the coffee pot.  A cup would do 
him some good.  "Any eclairs left?"

"Saved you one,"  Floyd admitted,  "but then I got hungry.  So, I 
guess not."

Lucas took a deep breath, he didn't need to be wasting his energy 
on Floyd.  "I'll just have a donut."

"Lucas,"  Floyd began, looking down at a pink paper on his desk,  
"what do you think of women's rights?  I mean, are women really 
being oppressed by the male hierarchy?"

"Put a lock on that dictionary, Floyd, and give me the key.  You're 
going to hurt your brain. You don't want ol' Doc Crower taking a 
look at it, now do you?"  Lucas tossed aside another lame donut, 
all the good ones were gone. "Who got a bee up your bonnet?  
Karen on your case?"

"Karen and I broke up last month. She dropped a few things off 
for me this morning."  Floyd chewed his lip, wondering if he should 
show Lucas what Karen had added to the top of the pile.

Lucas abandoned the box of donuts.  Taking his mug, he headed 
for the seat of his power, so to speak.  "I'll be in my office.  No 
one is to disturb me.  Got that, Floyd."

"Yes, sir, Lucas."  Floyd picked up the pink flyer again. A photo 
of Lila Sweet, a beautiful and poised woman, occupied  the center 
of the page.  For three hundred dollars he could take her seminar, 
"The Southern Woman's Independence:  The Second Secession!" 
at the Middlebrook College Auditorium in just three days time.  

Karen had started saying things like "the oppression of women by 
the male hierarchy," right before they broke up.  He'd only said he'd 
rather kiss her than keep talking, and boom! it was over.

Floyd tossed the flyer back on his desk.  Women!  

*****************************

Lucas sat up in his chair, the air around him crackling.  "I can feel 
you, bitch," he said low, dangerous.

"Can you see me?"  Her voice came from behind him, but he wasn't 
fooled.  He looked straight in front of his desk.  He couldn't see her, 
only sense her, but he wasn't about to let her know that.

"What have you done to me?"  Slowly, she began to materialize, right 
where he expected her.

"Don't blame me, your loving brother got you into this mess.  You might 
let him know that fooling with your cosmic existence isn't good for your 
cosmic health.  He's going to send the both of you into oblivion one of 
these days."  He leaned back in his chair, coming to the conclusion that 
she was worse off then he was.  "Feeling a little woozy?" he asked as 
she wavered in and out in front of him.

"I don't understand," she cried, too wrapped up in the disappointment 
to think about what she was revealing,  "I was doing so well, I was 
touching things!  He could see me, feel me."

"Oh, my guess is, your mixed feelings about me are effecting how 
much control you have right now."  He wasn't going to tell her he 
had no idea why this was happening to her.

"I have no mixed feelings.  I hate you!"  she spat.

"Sure about that?"  

She dissolved in a way he was sure must have been painful.  Lucas 
smiled.

*****************************

Ben was driving around town, not sure where to go, what to do. The 
radio clicked on without him touching it.  A song played, familiar 
words that caused an ache in his heart,  "The house is haunted with 
the Echo of Your Last..."  Merlyn's voice sang along in his ear.  He 
pulled over to the side of the road. 

He felt her touch on his chest, and slowly, she coalesced, curled 
up against him like a lost child.  She trembled in his arms.  "You're 
the only one who can feel me, really see me."  

"Are you sure?  You're as plain as day to me."  He stroked her hair.  
"You feel a bit different, tingly, like.  Kinda tickles."  He smiled, hoping 
to see hers in return.  He hated how lonesome she looked.  Where was 
the termagant that had tormented him with a foul smell, hounded him to 
dig up the truth, whatever the cost? 

"Does it feel the same as before?  Before Lucas came back from the 
dead?"

"Well, no,"  he admitted.  "But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing,"  he 
rushed to say.

"What's the point, Ben?  What's the point of loving you if I'm like 
this?"  she wailed.  She blinked out.

The women in his life had to stop doing that!

*********************

The Bentley place was a fine old house in an upscale neighborhood 
on the east side of town. When Dora Bentley came in from the garden, 
a basket of  late blooms on her arm, she was pleasantly surprised to 
find the sheriff in her living room.  "Good morning, Lucas.  To what 
do I owe the pleasure?"  She leaned over to give him a swift peck 
on the cheek, before placing the basket on the sideboard. 

"It's all my pleasure, I assure you,"  Lucas answered, coming up 
behind her.

Self-consciously, she checked out her own reflection in the mirror 
above the sideboard, before shifting her eyes towards Lucas Buck's 
confident image.  "I thought you'd given me up for good.  It's been 
quite a while."

"Not that long," he responded, smoothly.   Gently he removed the 
scarf from her head, releasing the soft silver curls.  Dora had always 
refused to dye, even though she had found her first gray hair at age 
twenty-two. 

"You've been busy, you've had a wedding to plan, and then a 
funeral."  Dora took a step away from him, ostensibly, to remove 
her coat. 

"Are you sore about that?"  He took her hand in his.

"That you didn't invite me?  Of course, darling.  I thought I was one 
of your 'special' friends.  It does make me wonder why you're here, 
now."  She didn't want to think about his strong hands and curving, 
searching lips.  Or how easy it would be to forgive him.  Pride was 
something she could claim as her own.

She pulled her hand away, moving towards the sofa.  A pink paper 
on the coffee table caught her eye.  "Whatever it is, I'm not available.  
I've become very involved with the Women's Garden Club and the 
Guild, and my life is much too full at the moment to add...complications.  
I'm even taking a seminar this week."  She handed him the flyer.

Lucas glanced down.  The woman in the picture was stunning, her dark 
hair, clear eyes, and even features, overcoming the limitations of the print 
job.  Then he looked at the text.  "The Southern Woman's Independence:  
The Second Secession!"  Chuckling, he handed the advertisement back 
to Dora.  "You have got to be kidding."

Dora bristled.  "I am not.  It's about time for a change."

He smirked in response.  "I can't believe you'd pay good money for 
this."

"Why would you care?  You're not feeling threatened by this, are you, 
Lucas?"  She gathered the basket and headed for the door.  "I know 
you can show yourself out."

*********************************

Lucas pulled his Crown Vic into the parking lot of the college auditorium.  
A small crowd of mostly women had gathered near the front steps.  A 
placard advertising the seminar rested on an easel on the sidewalk.  A 
table with some chairs in front were set up for those signing up for the 
event.  Lucas recognized Lila Sweet from her picture. Lucas got out of 
his car, walked in front of it and leaned against the hood, arms crossed.

Lila finished chatting with a mother pushing a bundled up baby in a stroller.  
She moved to the top of the steps.  Clearing her throat, she gained the 
attention of those around her.

"Good afternoon, my name is Lila Sweet.  The woman in blue, with her 
blonde hair pulled back in a pony-tail, is my friend and colleague, Leanne 
Peters.  You may wonder why we are here, pestering you about what 
many consider a dead issue.  Don't let anyone tell you that your concerns, 
the concerns of the ignored majority of this country, are a dead issue."  
She spoke with assurance and flair, capturing the attention of her listeners, 
including a particular one observing from the parking lot.

"I'm not going to keep you here long, not when you can listen to me in 
the comfort of a heated auditorium in just a few days time,"  she continued, 
smiling.  The women present laughed in appreciation.  "I know you have 
busy lives, and most of you are probably wondering, why bother coming 
to hear this woman speak?  The fact of the matter is that we women have 
been cheated. We were told our lives would be made better, our 
independence would be established.  But it wasn't. Yes, most of us 
have jobs now.  Jobs in addition to the old ones of wife, mother and 
housekeeper that we used to have.  That we *still* have.  And where 
are the men?  Ever notice that the term couch-potato was coined for 
men?"  She paused, allowing time for another laugh.  "I'm not just going 
to talk and get you all riled up.  No.  I'm offering more.  I'm going to teach 
you skills to gain more independence, the real thing.  Skills that will show 
you how you can make a difference for other women around you.  Maybe 
you don't have a man right now, and believe me, I don't think you need 
one."  Another smile, a swift glance to the attractive man leaning against 
his car.  "But you still aren't independent, are you?  Take the first step, 
find out with me what you can do to make your life better.  We're known 
as Southern Belles, aren't we?  Maybe we need to change that, maybe 
we need to be known as Southern ReBelles?"

The crowd started clapping, and Lila gracefully stepped down, 
pressing hands like a politician.  Lucas allowed the applause to die 
before creating his own.  All eyes turned to him.  He nodded at Lila, 
appreciation obvious. She read the covert skepticism that the others 
missed.  He walked forward, and she couldn't help noticing the sexual 
invitation in his rolling gait.  This was a man who knew women.  Quite 
a few, she was certain. 

More women lined up to sign up for the seminar.  Seeing that Leanne 
was busy collecting money and had everything under control, Lila once 
again climbed the steps, heading inside.  She felt his touch on her elbow.  
"Good afternoon."

"You're quite a rabble-rouser, Miss Sweet.  Excuse me, Ms. Sweet."

 "I guess I'll take that as a compliment, Mr.?"

"Sheriff will do.  Sheriff Lucas Buck.  I'll assume you have a permit for 
all this...brouhaha."

She raised her eyebrows, but responded casually,  "Leanne can show it 
to you." 

He nodded, not truly interested in matters like permits.  She turned and 
opened the door.  She could feel him following her, but she ignored him.  
She stopped at the box office.  Leaning in through the window, she called,  
"Morris, you wanted to speak to me?"

A tall, thin man with graying hair and thick glasses came out through the 
little door on the side. "Yes ma'am, Miss Sweet.  Hello, Sheriff."  Morris 
blinked in surprise.  He paused to gather back his thoughts, and Lila took 
the opportunity to slyly turn herself just enough to catch sight of Lucas.  
"Ah, yes, Miss Sweet, there's a matter of the rental fee."

"Well, of course.  We'll pay it right before the seminar.  After the 
proceeds are all counted."  

"No, ma'am, that has to be done now."  Morris shook his head.  "Or 
else, I can't let you have the space."

"Really?"  Lila took the offensive, doing so with a smile on her face.  
"Why do I have a feeling that if this was a convention of say....fly 
fishermen, you wouldn't even bother asking for a rental fee in the 
first place.  It's that kind of attitude that makes it necessary to have 
a seminar like this one."

Lucas leaned close to her and whispered,  "Morris doesn't fish."

Lila didn't spare him a glance, her concentration on the older man.  
"The good ol' boy network, and we women are the victim of your 
jaundiced perspective once again. These women are scraping, and 
using money for kid's clothes, to get to this seminar so they can see a 
better tomorrow.  Four thousand dollars is a lot for me to come up 
with right now, when I'm holding reservations for seats with a paltry 
down payment just so these women can get a chance to come."  

Lucas thought of the stack of twenties and fifties, cash only, that he 
had seen Leanne deftly tuck into a strong box on her lap outside.  
He started to smile.

"Well, ma'am, I'm sure you read the contract when you signed it," 
the manager began, but couldn't continue beneath the pressure of 
Lila's smiling gaze,  "but I guess I can make an exception for a young 
lady like yourself.  You'll have to pay before house lights go down, 
you understand?"

"Of course, and thank you, Morris, for being so understanding."  
Lila kissed him on the cheek.  Morris shuffled his feet in embarrassment 
and pleasure.  He turned back towards the business office.

"You handled him like a pro, how long you've been doing this?"

She replied, "I've given this seminar six times."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."  He raised his hands.  
"Don't mind me, I'm just enjoying the show."

He followed her outside, his eyes never leaving her as he passed by 
to the curb.  Turning towards his car, he moved forward with a 
purposeful stride, and this time Lila Sweet was the one who couldn't 
keep her eyes off him.

*******************************

Ben stood in the gazebo at the park.  The river flowed by, and he 
wished he could just dump his cares into it's peaceful arms, and never 
think of them again.  

"Is it cold, today?  It looks it."

He jumped, almost clear out of his skin.

"BJ!  Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I would think you'd be used to it, by now,"  she responded.  "Lucas 
does it all the time."  She smiled.  "Remember when I went in to labor, 
it was because Lucas had given me such a fright?"

He nodded.  "I remember.  If I wasn't so worried, I'd have been furious 
with him.  But all I could think about was getting you to the hospital."  

"And later he told me I should be grateful, cause I was so late, and if I 
hadn't delivered when I did, I would have needed a C-section."

"That's Lucas Buck, through and through,"  Ben said, sourly. 

 A gleam entered her eye.  "Watch!"  she commanded.  She passed 
through the rail of the gazebo, turned and came back.  She giggled.  
"What do you think?  Not too shabby.  I've been practicing."   She 
sounded young, happy, carefree.  It was like he was seeing her with 
new eyes.  Or maybe with old, the BJ of long ago.

"I hated losing you, BJ,"  he said, thinking not of her death, but of the 
divorce.

She stopped her experimenting to face him.  "I remembered the dress,"  
she said, softly.  "I'm sorry I didn't before.  It's my prom dress.  It's 
faded now, but it was a beautiful moss green, delicate and dreamy."

"You were the prettiest girl there.  And I was the proudest fellow."  
Briefly, he was taken back to those glory days.

"I wanted to be prom queen so badly."  She gave an unconvincing 
laugh.  "I could be so silly when I was young.  I minded so much that 
Sarah Pinkerton got to be queen just because she was there with Abel, 
and he was the most popular guy in school."   She frowned, falling back 
into comfortable bitterness.  "Abel asked me to go with him.  I could 
have been prom queen.  I could have done a lot of things if I'd never 
been your girl, Ben Healy."

Her sharp tone ended the moment for him. Ben looked out over the 
water, its dark flowing arms calling for his woes.  "I guess that's true, 
Barbara Joy."

"Ben?"  Merly was on the other side of him, seeking the pain in his 
heart, ready to smooth it out with a loving touch.

BJ's mouth hung open.  She snapped it shut.  "Who the hell is *she*?  
My God, Ben, she's a...she's a..."

"Ghost,"  Ben supplied with a little wry twist to his lips.

"Don't you think that's pretty desperate?"  BJ snapped.  She vanished, 
leaving behind the smell of dead leaves.

"That was Barbara Joy, my dead ex-wife," he said, as explanation.  
"She's come back to protect Benjie cause I'm a useless sack of..."

"No, you're not!"  Merly cut him off.  "You have a good heart.  Some 
of us understand the value of that."

"Ain't good enough, you got to have backbone to make it worthwhile."  
He bowed his head.

She took his face in her hands, tiptoed up, and gave him the sweetest 
kiss he'd ever had.  He lost himself in the beauty of it.  Her lips left a 
tingle even after she had drawn away.  He held her to him, wishing he 
could will strength into her.  But the kiss, and it's beauty, had taken too 
much concentration, and she faded into a golden glow.

*************************************

 "Floyd,"  Lucas swung through the front door with a lightness to his 
step,  "Things are definitely warming up.  I'm off to have lunch with...
someone very special.  Don't call me, not even if a herd of water buffalo 
are stampeding down Main Street, you got that?"

"Sure Lucas.  I let the buffalo stampede."

Lucas leaned over Floyd's desk.  "No," he said with exaggerated 
patience,  "you call Ben."

"But it's Ben's day off,"  Floyd protested.  

"I don't care."

Floyd frowned, but nodded.  "Got it, Lucas."

Lucas spotted the pink flyer.  "What on earth are you doing with this?"  
he picked it up and waved it in Floyd's face. 

Happily, Floyd lifted a pink ticket.  "I'm going to that seminar."

Lucas' brow furrowed in bewilderment.  "Why?"

Floyd grinned, knowing he had finally figured out why Karen had given 
him the flyer.  "So I can find a new girlfriend.  There's going to be lots 
of women there."

"Floyd, sometimes you astonish me."

*******************************

Caleb wasn't really sure why he had agreed to having lunch with his 
father.  He didn't owe Lucas anything, at least, that's what he kept 
telling himself, and he didn't honestly believe he could get Lucas to
ease up on Doc Matt and Ms. Holt.  He had to try, though, for his 
own peace of mind.

"Can I have the corn dog?"

"You can have whatever you want.  You're a growing boy, order 
two,"  Lucas suggested.

"I want to grow up, not out,"  Caleb said, not meaning it to sound 
surly, but it did.  He'd have to do better than that if he was going to 
get Ms. Holt back her house.  He tried smiling.

Lucas shrugged, eyeing his son with cynicism.

Behind Lucas, Caleb saw a woman stand up.  She was beautiful 
enough to be on TV.  She tugged her sweater down in place.  It 
stretched over her breasts, and he caught a glimpse of pink bra 
through the design of the knit, before the sweater relaxed to normal.  
Caleb's breath speeded up.

Noting that his son had found something else more interesting than a 
conversation with his father, Lucas turned.  Leanne Peters gave a nod 
in his direction. Lucas watched a flush steal over Caleb's face as she 
came by.  

Lucas chuckled.  "Ain't nothing to be ashamed about, finding a woman 
attractive.  Bound to happen sometime."

"Don't know what you're jawin' about,"  Caleb insisted, hunching a 
shoulder.  He caught the look of amused tolerance on Lucas' face, 
and scowled.  "I ain't hungry, after all.  I best get back to school 
before I miss class."  

"I thought you didn't care if you missed class."  

"How am I supposed to get a good education with an attitude like 
that?  What kind of daddy are you?"  

"The only one you've got."  Lucas stood up, his face suddenly cold.  
"Remember that."

*************************************

Ben nearly turned away from Selena Coomb's front door.  It opened 
without the prompting of a knock.

"Ben Healy, well, who'd have thought it?"  

"I don't suppose I have a right to be here," he began, and then couldn't 
continue.

She looked at his woebegone face, and realized she had a choice.  
She made it.  Taking his hand, she pulled him through her door.  "It 
was a mistake coming to you so soon after the explosion, with selfish 
reasons, because I was lonely."  She led him through the living room 
to the kitchen.  "I was just about to make myself tea, herbal.  Would 
you like a cup?"

He smiled with relief,  "That would sure be nice."  He looked about 
the kitchen, spotting the row of food dishes along the wall.  "You got 
more cats then I remember."

"They multiply."  She gave a little half-laugh.  "They aren't the only 
ones."  The kettle on the stove whistled, she pulled it off.   "What 
brings you here, Ben?"  she asked quietly.  She poured the steaming 
water over the tea bags.

He didn't know how to tell her about BJ coming back from the dead, 
or Merlyn's confession of love.  "Mostly cause I owe you an apology."  
He did, but it was still a lie, he was here because he didn't know where 
else to go.

"Apology accepted."  She smiled.

He smiled back.  He saw her shift her back with discomfort.  "Turn 
around," he commanded.

She threw him a puzzled look, but complied nonetheless.  She felt his 
hands on the small of her back.  "Ben Healy, are you getting fresh with 
a pregnant lady?"

"Only if she lets me."  His fingers pressed in to the knot of muscle he 
knew he would find there.  "This was BJ's favorite thing when she was 
pregnant."

Selena moaned.  "I can see why.  You're a handy man to have around."

"Thank you, kindly, Miss Coombs,"   he replied, suddenly feeling more 
like a normal fellow.

***********************

Lucas strolled out of Caleb's school.  He had hoped to keep Caleb 
with him for the rest of the day, but this sheriff knew when to cut his 
losses where a certain freckle-faced youngster was concerned..  

Over on the street, Lila Sweet and her assistant were hanging flyers 
on telephone poles.  Lucas recognized opportunity when he saw it.  
When Lila turned around, he was behind her.  

"The school-yard?  Don't know very many ten-year-olds with three 
hundred dollars in their back pockets."  He hooked his thumb into the 
belt loop on his jeans. 

Lila arched her eyebrow.  "Mothers pick up their children from school."

"Ah."  Shaking his head with appreciation,  he noted,  "You don't miss 
a trick."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," she replied, innocently.  "Don't 
you have bad guys to throw in jail somewhere?"

Leanne sent Lila a knowing look,  "I'll hang these up on the other side," 
she offered.

Once Leanne was on her way, he said,  "I've always preferred picking 
up bad girls.  I've got the nicest handcuffs.  Would you like to inspect 
them?"

Lila caught her breath.  "Sheriff, I don't have personal experience with 
handcuffs, myself.  Perhaps, you'd care to demonstrate?  Then I could 
be on *top* of the situation?"  A smiled played at the corners of her 
mouth.

Lucas outright grinned.  He stepped closer, about to respond, when 
Sherry Lomax turned the corner with Jane Peet at her side. Lucas 
started, feeling like someone had appropriated his trick.  Hell, he 
should never have been surprised by their appearance.  The invitation 
to Lila died on his lips.  

Lila had spotted them over his shoulder before Lucas caught wind of 
the women, and had turned back to posting the flyer, all business.  "Do 
you always make it a policy to hassle women activists, Sheriff?  Just 
what are you afraid of?  The defacement of this lovely telephone pole?"  
she said, loudly.  "I can't believe you would have gone out of your way 
to pester me about it if I was a man hanging an ad for a gun show.  
You're just another member of the good-ol'-boy network."

Under his breath, Lucas commented,  "You get a lot of mileage out 
of that phrase, don't you?"

She threw him a look that was both irritated and amused.  The ladies 
stopped, giving her sympathetic glances, and making a point of reading 
the flyer.  Wishing Lila a good day, they moved on.

"Hooked,"  Lucas said.

"Shush, they'll hear you," she whispered, and smiled back at them.

Lucas smiled.  "Good day, Ms. Sweet."

He crossed the street to where Leanne was plastering more flyers on 
city property.  He spoke to her for a moment, and then went back to 
his car.  As soon he had driven off, Leanne was at Lila's side.  "He's 
got to be the best looking man in this town," Leanne remarked.

Lila sighed.  "Oh, he's positively luscious.  But he could kill this for us.  
I'm not losing my head when we have 250 seats to sell.  He isn't worth 
chancing that much money."

"Relax.  We've already sold over 200 seats."

Lila's eyes widened.  "Already?  Let's celebrate."  She patted her purse.  
"I have an empty checking account, and a whole lot of checks.  And I 
need a new outfit."

Smiling to herself, Leanne agreed,  "So do I."

************************************

Dark night feels at home in Trinity's Sheriff's Department.  Leanne 
Peters swallowed with unease as she entered, only a lamp on one of 
the desks lighting her way.  "Sheriff Buck?"  she called.

"Ms. Peters."

She jumped.  Catching her breath, she turned on him.  "How did you 
do that?  You scared me silly."

He smiled. 

"You said to meet you here, dressed for dinner."  She let her coat fall 
open, revealing a blue dress with a low scoop neck. 

He surveyed her.  "Nice."

Caleb barreled into the Dept. at high speed.  "Lucas!"  He ran full-tilt 
into Leanne.  Jumping back, he flushed scarlet, apparently forgetting 
whatever had lit the fire under his bottom.

"Caleb, this is Leanne.  Leanne, this is Caleb, your dinner partner."

Caleb's eyes went round as saucers,  "Oh, no!"  he protested.  "You 
didn't!"

Leanne straightened to her full height.  "If this is a joke, it's not funny."  
Seeing Caleb's embarrassment, she leaned over and kissed the top of 
his head.  "Don't worry, honey, I don't blame you."

"Would it kill you?"  Lucas asked Leanne.  "He's an orphan."

"If Caleb wants to have dinner with me, and he asks, I'd be happy to 
take him.  But I don't know what this is,"  her gaze swept between 
them,  "and I don't want any part of it." She moved to the door.  "Leave 
the poor kid alone."  

Lucas shrugged. Caleb groaned and ran into Lucas' office.  He 
collapsed into a chair.  "I thought woman were nothing but trouble."

"They have their uses,"  Lucas replied, taking his seat.  He waited.

"Rose is sweet on Benjie Healy."  Caleb scowled.  "Boone gets all 
goo-goo eyed over Hannah Daley in our class.  Everything and everyone 
is changing.  I don't like it."

"Hannah Daley pretty?"  Lucas leaned back in his chair.

"I guess.  She's just a kid."

Lucas nodded.  "Well, you've seen more than other kids your age, I guess 
it makes sense that you'd be interested in a woman with more experience."  

Caleb slid further into the seat, his frown deepening.  "I ain't interested in 
nothin',"  he claimed.

"Uh-huh."  Lucas paused.  "You have any entertaining dreams about 
Leanne, last night?"

Jumping to his feet, Caleb exclaimed,  "Don't you do that!  You stay 
out of my dreams!  If I want to talk to somebody, I'll talk to Doc Matt 
when he isn't being mushy over Ms. Holt."

"I wouldn't count on that any time soon."  Lucas cocked his head to the 
side.  "My door's always open."

"Don't care."  Caleb ran through it, and slammed it shut.

*********************************

Morning broke with newfound warmth, this day brighter than the last.  
Merlyn sat cross-legged on Ben's bed beside him, watching him sleep.  
She felt so strong in his presence, as if her love shored her up the way 
her presence had shored up Caleb's life force at the moment of his death, 
and kept him tied to this world, so many months ago.  

She brushed the hair off Ben's face.  His eyes fluttered open and he smiled 
at her.  "I could get used to this," he admitted.

"So could I."

Remembering what day it was, and what he had promised to do, and 
everything else in his complicated life, he groaned.  He sat up.  "There's 
something I got to tell you," he began, and then stopped at the stricken 
look on her face.  "No, don't, no one died, or anythin'.  I just promised 
Rita I'd take her to a concert tonight, after work.  It means a lot to her.  
She's been real good to me."

"Oh," she digested the information. "I think you should go, Ben, if it's so 
important to your friend."

"Rita's a little more than a friend.  We've been seeing each other.  And 
things have gotten... involved.  Benjie likes her, too."  He passed his 
hand through his hair, thinking about the night they had spent together 
before BJ's funeral.  He still had a scratch that hadn't healed.  "I should 
have told you before."

She looked him in the eye.  "Ben, I didn't tell you I loved you to keep 
you tied to my side.  You have your own life to live.  I can't give you 
what someone like Rita can."

"Someone alive, you mean?  But I'd give anything to bring you back."  
He leaned forward, and kissed her full on the lips.  His eyes closed, 
savoring the delight of her tingling softness.  Her lips changed, losing 
the tingle.  He opened his eyes. 

And fell off the bed.  Barbara Joy sat in Merly's place.  "It worked!"  
she gloated.  "I'm really getting the hang of this dead business.  It's kinda 
fun."

"Where's Merly?"  he demanded, standing up.

"Oh, don't worry about your little mid-life crisis, she's just fine."  BJ 
smiled, smugly.

It didn't last long.  BJ disappeared, her face showing consternation as 
she left, and Merlyn was back were she belonged.

"What happened?"  Ben asked, reaching for her, to see if she was all 
right.  His hands passed through her.  He stared at them in shock.

"She took me by surprise.  It won't happen again, I promise."  Her 
voice sounded faint, faraway.  

"Are you OK?"  he asked, frantically.

"I'll be fine," she lied.  She had no idea whether she would be or not.  
It had taken so much energy to oust Barbara Joy.  "I'll be back."  She
evaporated.

Ben sat down on the bed, his head in hands.

*************************************

Selena Coombs stretched her bounty like a cat.  Lucas watched every 
expanding curve with appreciation.  "No reason we can't..."  he began.

"Perish the thought, I'm not in the mood."  She frowned,  "I'm hungry."  
She got up from the couch and headed for the kitchen.

"You keep this up and you're going to rival Old Bessie."  He followed 
her.

 "I am not a cow!"

"Well, don't have one,"  he grinned.  The grin disappeared.  On the 
table was a familiar pink paper.  He picked it up.  Shaking his head, 
he denied,  "No way. You are not wasting money on this garbage.  
Buy the baby some clothes, or a crib, or whatever babies need."

 "I'll spend MY money anyway I please.  Now get out."

His face stone-cold, he tore the flyer to shreds.  The door slammed 
behind him.

****************************************

"Oh, my, am I glad I decided to have lunch with you, after all."  Lila 
wrapped her arms tighter around Lucas' body.  They lay together in 
a seedy hotel room.

"I don't recall eating lunch.  I think you were hungry for something 
else."

She chuckled.  "I wasn't the only one." 

"It's a pity you're leaving this afternoon."  He watched, and waited.

"That's true."  She sighed and smiled.  "Have sex, will travel."

"It would be nice if you were planning on actually giving that seminar 
tonight.  I would have liked to hear what you had to say, but I guess 
you've never done that part, have you?"  Lila paled.  "Didn't think so.  
I want half the take."

She was out of bed in a flash.  "Oh, no, this is my gig.  Leanne and I, 
have worked hard for this."  Gaining confidence from his passive silence, 
she continued.  "I'm not letting some man profit from the new women's 
revolution, it wouldn't be right."  She grabbed her clothes, dressed, and 
left.

Lucas stood up and faced the mirror.  Looking at his reflection, and 
past it, he said,  "The taste of Sweet victory."

****************************************  

Ben pulled his car into drive of Rita's bungalow.  She was out the front 
door before he had reached the walkway. She wore a tailored satin 
evening dress in emerald green, and a pearl choker with an emerald 
pendant attached.  

"Wow!"  His eyes widened.  "You look amazing."

"Thank you, Ben,"  Rita answered, sweetly.  She tucked her hand into 
his arm and leaned against him.

The feel of her against him took him by surprise.  He wrapped his arm 
around her.  It felt so good, so warm, so real.  Guiltily, he wished he 
could take the thought back.  

"You're just hot to trot, these days, Ben Healy!  They're lining up 
around the block."  BJ stood directly in front of them.  Her dress had 
been restored to its former glory, the green soft and subtle.  Her hair 
was in a bun surrounded by baby's breath like on the night of their 
prom.

Ben looked at Rita in a panic, but she remained calm, apparently 
unaware of his past wife.  "Something wrong, Ben?"  his date asked.

Ben swallowed.  "Uh, no."  And wondered if his anger showed.

"Fatherhood cramping your style, Ben?  A dead woman in your bed, 
a live one on your arm?  If this is what I'm being replaced with, I want 
to make sure she's good mother material."  BJ's gaze swept over Rita.  
"I never did like her.  But at least she's alive.  That's one thing going for 
her."

With deliberation, he led Rita right through her.  They drove away, 
leaving BJ fuming.

A swirl of leaves and debris formed in front of her, a large rock 
skittered across the drive, stopping at her feet.  It lifted into the air, 
and then dropped to the ground with sudden force, shattering. BJ 
looked back at the car turning the corner of the street.  "You haven't 
heard the last of me, yet, Ben Healy."

"Let him be,"  Merlyn said.  She emerged out of the shadows, her dress 
absorbing the light around her.  Anger stained her voice.  "Haven't you 
done enough to him over the years?"  The ring on her finger emanated 
warmth.  

"I counted on him, and all he ever did was let me down.  I'm just looking 
out for my son's interest.  If you don't understand that, too bad."  BJ 
shrugged.  She winked out.  Merlyn followed suit.

***************************************

Leanne closed the car trunk on their baggage and that all-important 
carjack.  "I cannot believe we had a flat tire.  We'll be lucky if we get 
there in time."  Lila opened the driver's side door.  "You could have 
helped more,"  Leanne pointed out, as she went to the passenger side.

"You're better with cars. You still have that key you lifted?"  Leanne 
nodded, and Lila smiled with relief.  "Something has got to go right, 
you'll see."

The back roads to the Auditorium were clear of traffic.  Lila floored it 
until they reached the building.  She screeched to a halt.  Leanne threw 
her a look of disapproval.  Lila shrugged.  They hurried up the stairs, 
opened the stage door, turned right, and bumped into someone in the 
darkness.

"Evening, ladies," said the voice Lila dreaded hearing.  "Right this way."  

To their surprise, he led them through the route they had intended.  The 
building was eerily silent.  At the business office, Lila turned to the sheriff.  
"Not half, that's way too much.  How about a third?  That seems fair to 
me."

 "No can do,"  Lucas smiled, easily.  "Where's the money you already 
have?"  

There was something dangerous about him.  Lila looked at Leanne.  
Reluctantly, Leanne took off her shoulder bag and handed it to Lucas.

"Have a heart, not the whole amount,"  Lila tried, smiling with as much 
sexual allure as she could fake.

Lucas carried the bag out into the hall and passed into the empty lobby.  
Lila and Leanne followed.  Quickly calculating how much was there, 
Lucas turned to them.  "That will take care if it.  Don't worry, ladies, 
I have a surprise for you two 'Sisters'.  I sent a notice for everyone who 
signed up to come early.  They're getting a night's entertainment, and a 
full refund."

Lila stepped closer to him. "But I can't,"  she protested,  "I'm not 
prepared!"

"I am."  He smiled and swung open the theater doors.  Drawn like 
moths to the flame, Lila and Leanne entered the house, their eyes 
glued to the large movie screen above the stage.  In full living color, 
a ten-foot version of Lila, handcuffed to a bed, called out to an 
unrecognizable lover,  "Make me your love slave!"

The flesh and blood Lila made a little choking sound in the back of 
her throat.

Leanne turned on Buck.  "How can you be so cruel?"

"I'll assume that's a rhetorical question."  With flair, he closed the 
double doors in front of him.  Leanne could hear the whistled notes 
of  "There's No Business Like Show Business" as they receded in 
the distance.

***********************************

Looking over his shoulder, Ben hastily led Rita out of the theater.

"That was so weird.  Where do you think that wind came from?  
The musicians couldn't read their music, and the curtain came down a
t the wrong time.  I've never seen anything like it,"  Rita exclaimed.

Ben took Rita by the hand and led her down the sidewalk.  A trash 
can tipped over in front of them. Rita hopped back, trying to avoid 
garbage all over her  new shoes. 

"I've had enough of this,"  Ben muttered.  

Barbara Joy appeared in front of him.  A rhinestone tiara glittered on 
top of her head.  "The question is, how much can she take?"  BJ pointed 
at Rita.  "She's going to have to put up with a lot if she's going to be your 
girlfriend, Ben.  I should know."

"Stop it!"

"Stop what, Ben?"  Rita looked at him in confusion.

"Not you,"  he shook his head.  "I just...I want to get out of here."
 
Rita smiled.  "Come here."  She led him down an alley, behind a 
restaurant that had gone out of business.  In the back, there was a 
garden patio, with tables and chairs, and a bench under a darkened 
window.  She gently pulled him down next to her on the bench.   "We 
can talk here."  And promptly kissed him, leaving him no chance to say 
a word.

Her lips moved with his, warm and supple.  Flesh against flesh.  He felt 
his body respond to her invitation.

"How sweet,"  BJ said.  She stood right beside his date.

He pushed away from Rita.  A potted plant rose into the air, and gently 
returned to its spot.  BJ looked around her.  "You stay out of this!"  she 
demanded to the air.

Merlyn shimmered into being beside Ben.  "You have no right to do 
this."  She no longer glowed golden, but her dress shone as black as 
midnight.  Buck's ring gleamed on her finger.

Ben pulled Rita to her feet, and moved away.  The back door of the 
restaurant swung into his face.  "Ow!"

"How did that...?"  Rita began, but stopped when she saw the blood 
on Ben's face.  "Oh, Ben!" She whipped a handkerchief out of her 
purse and judiciously applied it to his nose.  "Hold your head back."

His eyes skyward,  he watched in horror as  the awning over their 
heads begin to sway.  It stopped.  "Leave them be!"  Merlyn 
commanded, her voice resonant with fury.

"This has got to stop!"  Ben insisted.

"It'll stop bleeding soon,"  Rita reassured him.  

He groaned.  "Let's just go home."

BJ rushed at Rita, but before she could do any damage, Merlyn 
placed herself in front of the woman.  BJ began to waver, nonexistent 
flames licking at her feet. "Do not interfere with him again,"  Merlyn 
said.

She turned to Ben and saw his dismayed expression.  "Ben?  She 
hurt you."

"What's happened to you?"  She looked so different. 

"Nothing,"  Rita responded with confusion. 

"I didn't mean you,"  he replied, flustered.  Blood gleamed on his face.  

Rita stepped back with distaste.  "I don't know what's got into you 
tonight, Ben Healy.  Give me a call when you get your head screwed 
on straight."  She turned on her heel and left.

He twisted back to see that the flames around BJ had disappeared 
and so had Merlyn.  "It's all over,  BJ."

Chastened,  BJ began to fade out.  Her pitiful whisper floated back to 
him,  "Don't throw me away, Ben."

************************************

Lucas kissed Dora, and rolled onto his stomach.  She took his silent 
invitation.  Digging her fingers into his muscles, she began a slow, 
sensual massage of his strong firm back.  "I guess you changed your 
mind about a couple of things," he commented.  No one could give a 
backrub as good as Dora's, not even Selena, and it was exactly what 
he needed.  "You didn't show up for the seminar."

She straddled him to get a better angle.  "I started thinking.  The 
Southern Woman has always been independent.  It's the Southern 
Man that leans on his womenfolk."  Lucas grunted with derision.  
"Where would the South be right now, if it weren't for mothers and 
sisters and wives?"  She leaned forward, closer to his ear.  "Even 
mistresses?" He could feel her obscenely large diamond-studded 
wedding band cold against his skin.  "It's the South  that is dependent 
on her womenfolk.  That Sweet woman must be a Yankee in 
Confederate clothing."

His eyebrows raised.  "You just might have a point there, Dora."

***********************************

Ben sat alone at the bar, an untouched whiskey in front of him.  What 
was the point of booze when he was seeing things when he was sober? 
He was scared.  Deep down in his gullet scared.  But not for himself, not 
this time.  Would it have been better, he thought, if Lucas Buck had just 
done the job right?  Crack!  All over. No turning back.  No COMING 
BACK.

He downed the drink.  It burned down his throat.  The music ended, and 
began anew, the jukebox playing the same song.  "The house is haunted..."

"Can I have this dance?"  She said tentatively.

Ben turned to stare at Merlyn.  Hesitantly, he nodded.  They walked to 
the middle of the room, and he gathered her into his arms.  She no longer 
tingled to the touch.  She was strong and solid, warmth and power surging 
beneath his hands.  A force to be reckoned with.  Like the man who had 
murdered her.

He buried his face into her hair. 

************************************

Dawn broke, tender and clean, morning light softening the edges of the 
steel girders, sparkling the flowing waters of the river.  Merlyn stood on 
Johnson Bridge.  The ring on her finger burned like the dawn, soft, bright 
and true.  Her heart burned, too, the agony of her love as pure as the 
rapture.  Anger arose from the mixture, simmered in her jumbled thoughts.

The dawn had coaxed two fisherman out of their warm beds, and into 
the cold aluminum of a rowboat.  Merlyn watched