Chapter 18 Your chariot awaits

The two were just sitting around their hotel room one day. No interviews, no sound check, and not enough down time to do anything. So they decided to stay in and linger over another cup of coffee and relax. Richie was watching the morning news when Teri approached the “Darlin’” conversation.

She walked over and sat on the couch next to Richie. Then she snuggled up to his side, and tucked her feet under one of the couch cushions. Richie put his arm around his girl and kept watching the news.

“Richie?”

“Mmmm.”

“Can we talk?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Now?”

“Huh? Ter, can it wait for a commercial?”

Teri sat back, took Richie’s arm from around her shoulder, and let it flop onto his lap. He never even noticed she was annoyed.

Okay, I’m pissed, but there is no reason to be. I’m annoyed that he won’t talk to me. He has no clue what I want to talk about, or that it’s important. To me. To talk. About it. Now. When he is watching the news. Okay, my timing sucks. There is no reason to be mad at him. But, damn it. He should KNOW. I want to talk this out. He shouldn’t brush me off until a commercial. He’s such an ass.

But, he has such a cute ass… And he’s so gentle and kind. He loves to cuddle too.

Okay. Hormones. Stop. Please. My period is over and I’m gettin’ a bit annoyed with all this up and down you are doing with my moods.

A commercial came on and Teri waited for Richie to take the lead. He didn’t. Teri was even more annoyed. Even after the conversation she just had with herself.

“Are you ever goin to talk to me?” Teri questioned.

Richie looked up. Whoops. Hormonal woman in the room.

“Sorry honey, he soothed. What’s up?”

Mollified, Teri decided she could talk to him, now that she had his attention.

“Why do you call all the girls ‘Darlin’?”

Talk about an outta the blue question. He thought.

“It’s become your signature. I don’t wanna be called that because, it makes me feel like one of the masses. If that’s all I am to you, then I’m outta here. Time for me to go home and find a new job.”

“First off, you need an assistant, not a job.”

Teri glared at him. That was so beside the point.

Richie saw the error of his ways. He knew he’d better nip this one in the bud. It could get ugly real fast. So he thought fast, the thought again. Nah, on second thought I probably should just tell her the truth. It’s not worth the repercussions. He rationalized.

“When I was in high school, I had girls all over me. I was on the basketball team. I was also in a Garage Band. After the accordion of course, and that was sooooo cool. It made me a “Bad Boy Rocker” in my high school. You know what I mean, There were girls along the way too through my California, and then when Bon Jovi started there were too many girls to count!”

“I didn’t go looking for them. Honest!” He said after a look from Teri. It was the universal, ‘And you expect me to believe THAT’ look all men around the world are very aware of.

 “They came after me. By the bus load. I mean hundreds! I couldn’t think of any logical reason to turn all that sex down. So, I didn’t. When it started happening in Bon Jovi I got the label ‘King of Swing’ and all that other shit."

“I got married and my ‘Tom Follery’ days stopped on a dime.” But, up until then it was like I was open season.  They hunted me down. I didn’t have to go after them at all.

“Did you ever hear the story about how David bribed Tico to sell tickets? I think those assholes made a ton of money that night from the waiting girls. T was a carnival barker. You know what I’m talking about. ‘Step right up. The line forms here to slee…, see Richie…” Red Alert!  Red Alert!  Another of THOSE looks.

 “Anyway, What the hell! I wasn’t hurtin’ anyone,” He declared. “So, after that, I found it was easier to call every girl I met as Darlin’ It made them feel special and I didn’t have to worry about their names. Hell, when they feel special they tend to put out more.” Okay, maybe a little TOO much information. With that last one.

Teri was quiet. She thought about it for a minute. She part of her couldn’t see anything wrong with it at the time. She just felt bad for all those girls…. Over all those years…. Feeling they were special by being called Darlin’. The other half of her was pissed off. Not even trying to remember their name? There were SO MANY?

“So, when you call me darlin’, I’m one of the masses. Not sure I want that my friend.”

Richie decided he wanted to show her she was “Not one of the masses.” He just didn’t know how.

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

They fell asleep. On their own sides of the bed that night. Okay, Teri should be off her period today. Maybe I counted wrong. He rationalized. But, still… There ARE things we could do … and have done in the not so distant past….

The next morning Teri informed Richie her period was over. It had been a very long few days. Thank God, she normally has a short one. This shit doesn’t happen when on tour. We planned it out. Richie grinned and didn’t give it another thought as he grabbed Teri around the waist and bent his head in for a kiss. A long one.

Teri succumbed to Richie’s advances even though she was pissed. But, maybe it was more indignation for those poor girls who …  Wait a minute. What’s wrong with it? In Richie’s mind, and probably the mind of more men than I care to think about, it’s okay. If the girls don’t know and haven’t figured it out let them live the fantasy. As Richie’ said it DID make them feel special. Though the end result … Aww hell. Teri. You spent enough time on this. It is what it was. You can’t change the past and he knows how you feel. Even if he says it with that bad cockney accent.

Teri smiled and went about her day. As far as Richie was concerned it was hormones so he too went about his day. All was good. They flew from one gig to the next as usual. Everyone was in a good mood which was getting rare as the tour progressed.  Lemma was harassing Jon which was quite funny. He was trying to get Jon to hire Teri as their cookie baker. He thought she should come on board in that capacity.

“… AND, Teri can keep old Romeo here sane, and calm,

Jon took one look at Teri’s gaping mouth.

“Man, you better get yourself out of the dog house before we talk about hiring the cookie girl here. Besides we still have a ton left Teri checked a suitcase just for the cookies!

David looked at Teri and decided it was in HIS best interest to shut up about the cookies. For now… He would come up with plan B. It better be quick though. Really quick.

***                                          ***                              ***                                                                  

Teri laughed to herself, as they got to their room for the night.

“What’s so funny?” Richie asked as he came out of the bathroom after he put his bathroom stuff on the counter. Teri would put it away in its usual places later.

She started to sing to him.

“Another op’nin, another show,
In Philly, Boston, or Baltimo’
A chance for stage folks to say hello
Another op’nin’, of another show.…”  

 from Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate musical. Teri sang it as she danced over to Richie.

 “I keep hearin’ that in my head every time we hit another damn hotel room. I am so sick of the same shit day after day. Don’t know how you do it baby. I’m beginning to go a little batty here.”

Richie agreed.  A plan formed in his mind

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

“Hey, do we have any cookies left?” Richie asked as he headed to the living room where he last saw the container of cookies earlier that day when they got to their room.

Teri went to say something but, saw that Richie was already in the living room. Well, He’ll find out soon enough. She thought.

“LEMMA. DAMN IT MAN!,” Richie stomped to the door, yanked it open and yelled again into the hallway.

 “LEMMA!”

Tico opened his door.

“What the fuck man?” He questioned. Annoyed at the disturbance to his phone call. He held the phone in his hand as he stood in the hall.  

“Lemma finished the cookies.”

“Already?” Tico asked.

Richie upturned the empty container as proof.

“Gotta call you back.” Tico said into his phone.

Life is as usual on the road.

           

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

The days began to blend together. One day was the same as the next. Get up. Get on the plane. Get to the hotel. Unpack, then the boys did interviews. Get to sound check. Do the show. After party then some sleep. Get up. Get on the plane. Get to the hotel...

Out of the blue Richie said one afternoon as they were lounging around their hotel room after some beautiful, slow, passionate sex.

“Ter, how would you like to cut free for a day?”

“What do you mean?”  Teri questioned.

“Take off. Be free. Go sightseeing. See a movie. Do what normal people do?”

“Baby, your life is far from normal. How do you propose this little dream of yours is gonna happen?”

“I rented a car, and we’re gonna to drive to the next gig.”

“What!” Teri screamed. “No way baby, no way. Where are we going?  How long? How did this happen?”

Richie looked at Teri, and smiled a broad dimple filled smile. She called it his honest smile. Not one for the fans, or cameras, but a true smile that only people close enough to him recognize and know it as sincere.

“Well, not long honey. Only about 39-40 hours but, it will be enough time to cut lose and be normal. We’ll leave after the gig tomorrow night and have almost two whole days to get to our next gig. We have a turnaround day so it will work perfectly.

After the show, the couple said good bye to their friends, grab their overnight bags and left the venue quickly. The rental car waited outside the stage door for them.

“Honey, the car’s perfect.” Teri said.

Richie rented a mustang for them.

“I hope you’re gonna be comfortable. I wanted a great car and this was the best I could find.”

“After being cramped up in the plane seat, I think I can deal with this one just fine Rich. It’s more than perfect for us.”

Richie took their overnight bags and stowed them in the trunk. He then went around to Teri’s door and opened it.

“Your chariot awaits M’lady.” He stated and bowed deeply.

Teri gave a low curtsey.

 “Why, thank you kind sir.” Teri gave him her hand the way a princess would, by her fingers only, and he helped her into the car.

“Baby, we are free -  let’s roll.”

Richie hit the gas, did a donut in the parking lot, and they roared out of the lot into the street, then onto the highway.

“So, what’s the game plan Captain Richie?”

“We’re gonna drive for about six hours until we get to our next show city, and then we have a day and a half, well under that bit it sounds good, before the guys show up.”

“Oh, I don’t think I knew we were that close to the next arena. This will be perfect. Good planning on your part Hon. I love your idea. So, what hotel are we staying at? Oh wait, I have the schedule in my bag. I didn't look at it today.”

She leaned over the back of the bucket seat to grab her purse. Richie whacked her upturned ass.

“Sit your ass down girl. I’m drivin’ here,” He said with a bad Jersey accent. I don’t need no distraction of your ass waving in the air. My concentration’s on your ass not the road. So sit it down girl.”

After Teri sat with a pout. Richie ran his free hand down her leg.

“No hotel, little one. I rented a house for twenty-four hours. It’ll be a home. Maybe not our home, but a place we can be where there’s no wake up calls, or the guys, or vocal warm ups, or the guys, or band business meetings, or the guys, or interviews, or the guys, or anything. We can decide to do what we want, when we want. Just like real people.”

Teri tucked the “Real people.” Comment away to mull over at another time.

“I love it. And I love you for thinking of it. This is so perfect.” Teri leaned over and kissed Richie’s cheek. He took her hand as he drove down the highway. They are quiet, lost in the thought of being totally alone for hours and the bliss that will bring them. 

Teri fell asleep on the drive. Her head was against the door window, and she was curled up in a ball. Richie tugged her hair.

“Huh?”

“Rise and shine sleepy head we’re here.” He sang out.

“Baby, I slept the whole last part of their drive.  I’m so sorry.”  Teri said as she looked at her watch and noticed the time.

She looked around the car, and, saw burger wrappers, fries’ containers, a couple of empty soda to-go cups, and it smelled like onion rings. The windows were up and the top was down.

“My man had a little fast food feast I see,” Teri said with a smile. “Did you save me a one?”

“Yup, I dropped a few on the floor, let me get them for you.”

“WHAT!!!” Teri laughed. “No way I want a food.”

“And baby, I want you.”

“Feed me first mister, or there’ll be no nookie for you.”

Richie slammed the car into reverse. Headed out of the driveway, and down the road, before Teri knew what was going on. He swung into a fast food place on the main road. He ordered three burgers, three extra-large fries. (The burgers were so big you couldn’t get your hands around it.) A couple of chocolate shakes, a vanilla one for Teri, and a few orders of onion rings. Pulled around to the window, paid for the food, and almost threw it all at Teri as he slammed the car into gear again and drove back to the house. By this time Teri laughed so hard she has tears in her eyes.

“Honey, I would have been fine with a piece of gum.” She dissolved into a fit of the giggles.

“Gum, GUM, GUM! You wanted GUM!”

“Just sayin babe."