Friday 22 January 2016

Chapter 14 Special delivery



After a very pleasant flight across the country with Teri, they went their separate ways at the airport not at all in line with Richie’s carefully laid plans. Al actually waited for Teri at luggage claim and after a quick hello to Richie, he hurried her to the waiting car as the driver got her luggage. Time was of the essence for her.

As he watched Teri take off with Al, he plastered on his public smile, and signed autographs as Deni ushered him out of the terminal. He told himself that she would be on tour with him soon and they would be able to see where this was going.

 Richie got into his own waiting car, and set off to Jersey for a couple of days of writing. With what Teri told him on the way to the east coast, it didn’t look like they would get much if any time together before he left damn it. The mile-high club is one he didn’t want to engage in on a public flight. Been there, done that.  Is that all she is to you? A good lay? Richie contemplated that as he looked out the window on the trip south. No, she’s more than that. He knew deep down this relationship was good. She got him as an artist, she got him as a man. He got her as an artist, and is figuring her out as a woman…. I think.
****                                                   ****                                                   ****                                                   
Weary, Richie and David shuffled into the hotel.
“Where are we?” David asked.
“No clue man. Haven’t been like this in a long time.”
“Yeah, the circus is back in town. We haven’t toured this hard since Doc left.”
Richie’s mouth formed a grim line at the thought. If he waited for Jon, he could have just slipped up the service elevator, and been in his room without all the fan bullshit they just went through. Why couldn’t they use the service elevator too? Because SOMEONE had to deal with the fans. Give them what they want and all that shit. He loves his fans but not tonight.
Paul, their tour manager waited for them in the lobby. He passed out room keys as they stopped in front of him.
“Rich, your package came. I put it in your living room.”
“Thanks man. Late wakeup call, okay?”
“If you consider nine late, then okay.”
Richie looked at Paul.
“Interviews start at ten.”
“It’s already after three in the morning!” David exclaimed.
“No worries Dave, you’re free till sound check.”
“Fucker.” Richie said.
“Who, Paul, or me?”
“You man. Always you.”
They both lumbered to the elevator. Once on their floor, David followed Richie to his suite.
“Where you goin’?”
“Too wound to sleep. Figured I’d come in for a drink, then try to catch some ZZZ’s.”
They entered the rooms. Rich put his carry-on next to the nearest chair. David raided the welcome basket. Found a bottle of Bourbon, put a couple of ice cubes in each glass and brought it all to the coffee table.
“What’s that?”
“Don’t know.” Richie replied he sat on the couch and looked at the brown box in front of him.
David poured a good helping of the brown liquid over the ice, and passed a glass to his friend, as Richie grabbed the box.
“It’s from Teri.” David said as he looked over Richie’s shoulder at the UPS box.
The boys knew a little about her from Jon. Richie was trying to keep it to himself for as long as possible. Knowing this crew as well as he did, it was for the best.
“I can see that Dufus. Get me something to open it with.”
David found a pen on the desk and brought it over. There was nothing to open the box with other than that. They carried neither keys, nor scissors, with them so David had to make due. Richie took the pen after he shot a look at his friend.
“What? Best you got.”
He jammed the pen into the packing tape on the box. All thoughts of sleep forgotten as he opened the package of a box wrapped in brown paper with UPS tracking info on it as well as Fragile and Do Not Drop stickers.  What the hell could she have sent? He wondered as the carton was opened.
Inside, on top, Richie found an envelope, which he put aside. There was bubble wrap around more bubble wrap. Richie took out the first package. He undid the padding, and found Chocolate Chunk Cookies. They looked homemade. A smile formed on his lips. The second package was more cookies. This time Oatmeal Chocolate Chip. The smile widened. Those were his favorite. There must be eight dozen cookies here.
As he sat back to enjoy his letter from Teri, Richie didn’t notice that David had picked up one of the bags, and happily started to munch on the cookies. The keyboard player groaned at how good they were.
“Stop that Dufus. Those are mine.” Richie said. He took the bag out of David’s hands as he heard him moan with pleasure. But, not before the keyboardist grabbed a few more cookies. He sat back a happy boy. Booze forgotten the cookies were fantastic.
Hey you!
So, I was thinking after we talked on the plane. What could do to brighten your day? It sounds like the tour is getting long and you need a good break. Only another few days until I join you. I can’t wait!
Anyway, I can barely cook. My best friend Gloria (You met her at the Little Shot reception.) says I can burn boiling water. (ha-ha-ha) But, I CAN bake! Go figure.
I hope these put a smile on your lips my friend. I always say, Store bought cookies are fine., But, homemade shows you’re loved.
There’s enough to share, but, if what you said about David is true that he is the original cookie monster, I’d hid a few just for you.
At that, Richie snapped his head up to find David with his hand back in a bag of cookies as he grabbed a few more. Richie snatched the zip lock bag out of his friend’s hands.
“Dufus.” He said to his friend with a grin.
David smiled, content now with cookies in his belly. He sat back and sighed.  Richie continued with his letter.
He liked that Teri remembered those little things they talked about. And talk they did. Usually late in her night from whatever town he was in.
So, this is my first tour with you. I am so excited and have packed… Twice…  Yup, girly girl shining through.  My original plan was to bring some scripts I wanted to read. The plan was to get as much work out of the way as possible so we can enjoy ourselves. Now I will bring a couple of books I have been putting off reading due to lack of time. I can’t wait! It may just be a good thing the theatre issues came up when they did. Now I have time for reading for pleasure! Oh, I keep forgetting to ask you.

Know anyone who can get a couple of tickets to the Bon Jovi concert in Montana? My niece lives there and I would love to have her come to the show. It’s a stop on the schedule you gave me. We will be there while I’m on tour! I haven’t seen her in a couple of years. Hint, hint. And yup. I didn’t want to ask you a favor like that face to face. It’s a biggy. This way I don’t have to hear you say no… I WILL pay for them Of course. And a car for her to get to the arena, and dinner for all of us. She’s a great kid. I think you will like her. She’s my baby girl.
See you soon!
Teri








He grinned. Yup, of course he can do the whole experience for her niece. The limo, VIP tickets, M & G, dinner, and whatever shit they were giving to the fan club. He’s got that one covered easy. Now, the purple heart is another matter. Not that he thought anything of it himself but, knowing the female mind as well as he does his own, by many years studying the female form … No, wait… the female…. Oh, the hell with it. I got cookies.
Richie started to put the cookies back in the box when he noticed something else.  There was another envelope on the bottom. Inside was a few pictures. Some were regular photographs and one was a newspaper clipping. There was a post-it on the top, which simply said. To remember me.
The pictures were of the two of them last time they were together.  On the back Teri wrote. Date with a rock star... One had Teri sitting very close. The other had them laughing at something someone said. Another had Richie with his arm around Teri’s waist.
He grinned.
The last was a newspaper clipping of the two of them that the funny papers got. The headline read:
Who is the Mystery Lady with the King of Swing?
It showed them crossing the street in New York City holding hands as Richie looked out for traffic so they could safely get across the road.  Teri drew a smiley face on the edge of the paper.  This HAS to be the weekend we met.
Richie put the pictures back in the envelope.
“Okay, Davey, time to go.”
Grumbling David stood.
“One more for the road?”
He held up one of the cookie bags.
“One, then go.”
David took two. Smiled and left for his own bed.
Richie finished up; the cookies were back in the box. Then, on second thought, he took some of each and put them in the spare zip lock bag Teri was smart enough to include, then hit his bed to sleep. But, not before another look at the pictures. He slept well.
After his interviews the next morning, Richie snuck out to get some fresh air, and do a little shopping. He stopped at the nearest drug store, and picked up some odds and ends he wanted. He could have had someone do this for him, but Richie needed to get out and away from the Jovi madness. Once back on his hotel floor, he saw David as he paced like a caged lion outside his room.
“Where you been?” David asked annoyed he had to wait.
“Skydiving.” Richie said. Sarcasm in his voice as he held up the bag with Rite-Aid clearly marked.
“So, come on let me in.”
Richie ignored David. Before he could get the door open, Tico joined them
“Sup?” Richie asked.
They entered his suite.
David started to look around.
“Okay to put on coffee?” Tico asked.
“Good idea.” Richie replied as he placed his bag from the drug store on the bar.
“What you doing Dufus?” He asked David.
“Where are they?”
Richie smiled. Teri nailed it on the head.
“Where’s what?” He asked playing dumb.
“The damned cookies!”
From the coffee pot, Tico chimed in.
“Heard about ’em, you gonna cough ‘em up?”
Before Richie could answer, there was a knock on the door. He opened it to see Jon on the other side. David had found the box of cookies. He put them on the coffee table and sat. Tico placed mugs and coffee paraphernalia on the same table.
“Those them?” Jon asked as he flopped down in one of the chairs.
“Yup.” David replied as he opened the box.
Word spreads fast among them Richie thought as he shook his head. He sat down and accepted the coffee from Tico. As they ate the cookies, you could hear appreciative moans of contentment from all corners of the room.
“If she looks as good as she cooks, you hit a home run Rich. Don’t let this one go.” Tico said around bites. Richie laughed.
“She looks better than she cooks. She’s known to burn boiling water!” He said with a smile. Richie kept just how beautiful he thought she was away from the boys. He didn’t need their jokes right now. Give them any info and they use it.
The cookies were a big hit. The four of them talked about the snack at odd times. Like when they were at sound check or in a car as they headed to or from some show.
“Gee, some cookies would be great right now.”
“Well dufus, if you didn’t eat ‘em all there would have been some left!” Jon complained to David.

Teri, without even being on tour made a hit with the boys. Richie smiled and sat back. 

Tuesday 5 January 2016

Chapter 13 Up up and away





After a grueling, but exhilarating tour leg, the guys had a few days free before they were back on the road. So, they all went their respective ways to see family while they could. Teri would join them the following week. Richie wanted to spend a little time with her now. He didn’t want to wait. Ava was staying with him while he was home so he had time with her too. His PA was taking care of some of his business deals in the works so he was as free, well, as free as can be for 48 hours. He could hook up with tour in Jersey as easy as flying and meeting up with the boys in Texas which is their next show. As it happened Teri was back in California for a few essential meetings with Don. She was heading home in a few days too.

He picked up the phone to “talk” to Jon about his plans.

“Jacob.” said Jon’s youngest into his father’s phone as he tried to sound like his dad.

“Hey, Jakey it’s Uncle Mookie.” Richie said with a smile.

 “Hey, Uncle Mookie wassa up?” Richie laughed aloud as the child sounded exactly like Jon.

“Hey, Brutha man wassup?” He replied.

“Daddy’s watchin’ me. I took his phone to take calls. No one lets me. He’s in his work room.”

 “Does Dad know you got the phone dude?”

 “Nah, what fun’s in that Mookie?” Richie laughed again at both the reasoning behind the phone in Jon’s youngest 
hands and the shortened nickname.

“Jake, where the hell’s my phone?” Jon bellowed as he went to make a call and couldn’t find the phone he knew he left on his desk.

“Uh oh, gotta go Mook. Dad’s mad.” Jacob said as he handed the phone over to Jon.

 “Ya think?” Richie replied. He was still laughing as he heard Jacob try to talk his way out of his dad’s wrath for taking the phone. ‘ALL the kids answered the phones but me.’ Was Jacob’s excuse as to why he answered Dads business phone. He figured if he reminded his Dad that his brother and sister did then he should too. The last thing Jake said as he ran to play in his room was. “It’s okay it’s Uncle Mookie.”

“But what if it wasn’t…” The sentence trailed after Jon’s youngest as the child ran to play. Jon shook his head and turned his attention to the phone call.

“Hey Rich, wassup?”

 Richie lost it. He laughed hard. There were tears in his eyes and he spewed the sip of coffee he took waiting for Jon to pick up the phone all over his patio. Ava just shook her head as she jumped back into the pool with a couple of friends she had over.

“Man, you better watch out, you sounded exactly like Jakey.”

 “Don’t cha mean Jakey sounded like me bro?”

 “Nope.”

 “Ha, ha, Rich, very funny.”

Richie got to the point.

“So, you gonna write this week? I need an excuse to head east. I wanna spend time with Teri.” Jon sighed.

“Richie, man why do you need an excuse? That’s so not like you.”

 “She’s different man. I’m not sayin’ anything. I just want to explore my options.” Jon mulled that over. With a long suffering sigh, he said.

 “Okay, when am I gonna write?”

“Thursday.” Richie replied.

After a shake of his head he said into the phone.

“Hey Rich. I have a bunch of stuff running around in my head. Wanna come out Thursday and see if we can get a song or two out of it?”

“Sure man that would be great and you know what? Teri is heading back East Thursday so maybe I’ll hook up and take the same flight. It’s just as easy to meet the band in Jersey to start the next leg as it is to fly out from LAX. I’ll call you with details. Bye.” Richie hung up. But, not before he heard the chuckle coming from his longtime friend.

With a shake of his head and a look over at the kids in the pool he continued. Ava had a few friends over this afternoon and he was sitting on the porch keeping an eye on them. Not that they needed it but Richie felt better if he was around. It was too beautiful of a day to be inside anyway.

“Okay that was easy. Now let’s see about the next obstacle. I’ll take the biggest one first.” Richie got more comfortable then hit the appropriate phone number.

 “Hello Ma?”

When he finished his call and had tentative dinner plans with his mother to meet Teri on his next tour break he called Teri. He was such a mother’s boy that he wanted her to love each of his girlfriends and this one was different. He wasn’t totally ready to explore what that meant, but she was. Richie thought it would be hard to tell his mom about Teri. She had sat him down and talked to him about all the girls he was dating at once. Richie laughed and explained they were just “dates” for the event nothing more. That mollified her and he was able to tell her a little about Teri without going into details yet.

“Teri’s phone this is Susan."

“Suzie Q my friend, how are you?” Richie asked. He was very happy with the knowledge that his plans were falling into place. He stretched out on his chair and got comfortable.

“There is only one person who can get away with calling me that. Richie Sambora, wass up?

Richie smiled at Susan’s question.

“Not too much. Teri around?” He got right to the point.

“Yes and no,” Susan quipped. “Technically she’s here but she’s on a conference call with Al. There’s a major issue in Connecticut that may close us down unless something is figured out.”

“Not good. Have her call me when she frees up.” Richie said. His mind already on different things like dinner for the kids. Do you think they would want sushi or burgers?

“Yup, will do. It may not be for a couple of hours.”

“No problem, it’s all good. I have dinner plans tonight, but, have her call any time. I’ll take it. My kid will understand.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll let her know. Have fun with your daughter. Good taking to you Richie.”

“You too Suzie Q.” Richie was in a great mood.

They rang off.

An hour later Susan brought Teri up to speed about what she missed while in her crisis.

“And finally, Richie called. He said to call him when you free up.”

She at length told her about her new name from Richie. But with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. She is out for retribution. For sure.

 “Figures I missed that call. The one I would have loved to take.”

Teri went into the bedroom to make her call to Richie. They briefly talked as he was leaving for a dinner out with the girls.

 Richie called back after word to talk some more.

 “Hey you. How was dinner with?”

“It was fine thanks. Typical actually.  She wanted Sushi for dinner. I’m all over that. Love it.

Teri tucked that away for later. She never tried it but was willing to give it a shot.

“So tell me more about you?” She asked of him.

“Like what?”

“Oh I don’t know. What’s your favorite kind of food? ”He smiled. It was typical question that couples ask in the beginning of their relationship. He got more comfortable on the couch.

“Restaurant, Homemade or store bought?”

“Oh, homemade. I think that shows love. Store bought is fine but if you take the time and effort to make something from scratch it shows how much it means.” Teri crossed her fingers as she said this. Gloria always said she could burn boiling 
water.

It was Richie’s turn to tuck that away. Maybe someday she will… There I go again. But this time I think it’s a good thing. Let’s move this up a notch.

“Before I forget. Suzie Q is looking for retribution you may want to be on your toes around her. She is known for her paybacks around the theatre.”

“Speaking of Suzie, does she handle your personal stuff as well as the theatre?”

“Nah. I do the personal stuff myself. I actually am spending the evening taking care of a ton of things. I was thinking of hiring someone but why do I need two assistants?”

“Just a thought. I have three. I was surprised you only had Suzie as you are so busy.”

“Mmmm Something to think about. When I have time to think, that is.”

“Listen I talked to Jon and we are going to do some writing on the last couple of days of our down time. I thought we could fly East together.”

“Oh yeah? You’re leave that soon? Now this is cool.”

“Yeah I thought so too. Just give me your flight info and I’ll have Deni take care of it.”

“So, tell me more about all your assistants. Who does what? I really do need someone to keep me on time and someone to pick up my juggling act of appointments and commitments.”

They talked for about an hour more when simultaneously, Ava started to call her dad and Teri’s other phone started to ring.

Richie promised he would be in touch about the flight. As he hung up Teri heard his daughter wheedling her way into dad picking up pizza, ice cream and other goodies for the girl’s spontaneous sleep over.

 Teri smiled a bit jealous of Richie’s evening plans as opposed to her spending the evening on the phone with Al hashing out details on their fix to keep the theatre not to mention the show alive outside of some pretty big issues the physical building was having. If they couldn’t work it out at an acceptable cost to the board. The theatre would be in 
danger of being shut down.


Richie called Deni to have the tickets moved around so they are together on the flight and Teri with a sigh called Al. She didn’t see any way around this one.