Before you start chapter 19. Let me apologize for the long inexcusable wait between chapters. Life got in the way. So much so I had no interest in writing. This is my catharsis, and I enjoy it a lot. So to say I had no interest tells you I was not in a good place.
Please enjoy the chapter. I'm sure you (like I had to) will want to go back a chapter or two to catch up. Please do. I am already thinking about chapter 20. Let's get back on track and see what is happening cuz... I'll Always Walk Beside You.
- Teri
Teri is home from her tour time with Richie. She had a
fitful night’s sleep, which she is attributing to sleeping alone for the first
time in a few weeks. It was tough at times being with him. He gets all moody.
Teri kept her mouth shut. She figured it was how he was on tour and since she
was his ‘guest’ she had no right to say anything.
She had a ton of stuff to do. Laundry, grocery shopping,
going through her mail. Yiesh, the list went on and on.
But, none of that could happen until she called her Gloria.
They have been sporadically talking, but, it wasn’t enough. She needed her best
friend and wanted to catch up on life. Teri sat back in a comfy chair. Picked
up the phone and called her friend.
“How soon can you be here?” Teri
“Under 20 minutes, I was waiting for your call. Figured you
had laundry, and grocery shopping to do, not to mention an attack on your mail.
I baked muffins and scones so we can eat. I know you haven’t yet.” Gloria
stated.
“You know me too well Glor. I’ll put on coffee, and see you
in a few. “
The girls hung up. Gloria grabbed the basket of muffins, and
scones she made that morning and was on her way.
She walked into the house. Front door unlocked and open. The
screen door letting in light, and the sound, and smell of the ocean. It was a
beautiful day. Sun shining, birds singing. Gloria chuckled to herself. She was
beginning to sound like a musical. I
guess being around Teri for all these years is rubbing off in me. She mussed
with a smile.
The women hugged when Gloria hit the kitchen with her basket
of goodies.
“You know, if you wore a red cape, I would swear on bibles
you were a real life Little Red Riding Hood.” Teri said as she peaked under a
linen napkin that was covering the goodies.
Teri set out mugs and cream for their coffee. She poured as
Gloria made herself comfortable on the kitchen bench that went around the
banquet table.
“You know you really need to redecorate this.” Gloria said
for the umpteenth time.
“I know, every time I start to work on it, something else
more important takes its place.”
“We spend too much time talking about life at this table. I
wish you would do something about it.”
This was old news to Teri. She and Gloria talk about it at
least once every few months and it has been that way for years.
“So how was tour?” Gloria asked. She dug into the basket for
a cranberry orange scone for herself. She put a poppy seed muffin on a plate
and placed it in front of Teri.
“Glor, I’m not sure I could do that full time like the guys
do. Hell, two weeks was long enough.”
Gloria gave her friend that “Seriously?” look.
“Okay, maybe right now, two weeks was long enough and I’ll grow
to be okay with more time.”
“Did you know that they put up a sign to tell everyone what town they are in? Hell, Newark is IN New Jersey. You would think they were excited to be near home. I asked Richie about it. He patiently reminded me that not everyone on the tour is from New Jersey.”
Gloria smiled. She could see how excited her friend was
about her last couple of weeks.
“So, what about Richie? Before you left you were concerned
about bout being with each other twenty-four hours a day.”
“I was hon, I really was. It seems the more time we spent
together the more we didn’t want to be away from each other if that makes any
sense. He’s climbing the ladder and becoming my guy best friend. And we KNOW
you are and will always be my best friend. Guy or girl. But, you know what I
mean.”
Gloria was thoughtful so she gave a half smile to Teri.
“Okay, let’s get it out there. Is it because of his fame
that you are attracted to him?”
“I wondered that myself during the past couple of weeks and
I can honestly say no. It’s not the fame, the money, the glamor of it all. It’s
the man. The guy who is sweet, and grumpy in the morning, and thoughtful, and
has a short fuse at times, and loving. Boy, is he ever loving.”
“Enough!” Gloria exclaimed. “I don’t need THOSE details,
thank you very much.”
The two grinned.
“Can you put up with him on the road all the time?
Especially you without a project right now?”
“I don’t know Glor, I just don’t know. Want to say yes. But,
not sure I can. I am though getting over the groupie thing. I watched all of
them. You know, if they wanted to the boys could have any girl. ANY of them.
I’ve seen it. I’m privy to their codes. They actually[TP1]
have codes for shit like that. Which girl they want for the night. They talk
into a second microphone which is out of the way but in plain sight if you get
what I mean. I see the girls throw themselves at the boys.”
The two talked more and it was decided that Teri’s next
project with Gloria’s help would be to redecorate her kitchen. Teri wanted some
improvements as well as cosmetic stuff. They dug in with gusto.
*** *** *** ***
Later that evening after Gloria left, Teri’s outer thigh
started to tingle in a burning sort of way. It had been going on for a month or
so. Teri forgets about it because eventually the pain subsides. It doesn’t go
away but it does subside.
Teri was calling Richie, but kept missing him. He tried her,
and of course she was in the shower and didn’t hear the phone. They finally
hooked up really late for Teri, and really early for Richie, but they both
wanted, no… needed contact. Life just
isn’t the same without Richie. Teri thought as she got into bed. She
resigned herself to the fact that while he is in Europe, or Australia, or
wherever the hell he was contact would be harder than normal. And it’s not easy
either with a three-hour time difference between Connecticut and California.
“Hey you.” Richie said. He was tired. They were in the
middle of a grueling part of the tour. It seemed like they were performing
nightly.
“Hey you,” Teri replied. “How was the show?”
“Okay I guess. I don’t know what day it is anymore. We
decided to do a quick round of making nice to those “Important,” people then
headed back. I’m just laying here havin’ a drink to unwind.”
Teri noticed he was drinking more than she was used. His
phone calls were always the same on that regard. ‘Havin’ a drink to unwind.’
“Well, the kitchen is done.” Teri said with pride. It was a
long six weeks. Luckily, Gloria knew a guy who was a contractor and could
understand all Teri wanted AND get it done in an amazingly short time.
‘Oh yeah?” Richie sat up on the couch. Teri deserved his
attention for a minute, before he passed out.
The jet will leave early in the
morning. So, he needed at least a little sleep before then.
“Did they get the
tile, right?” He had a big hand in the design. Teri figured it would be nice
for him as he was spending a lot of time at their, whoops, HER house.
“Um hmm. I’ll take pictures in the morning and get them to
you since you are tied up for another few weeks.” She didn’t mean it to but the
sentence came out sarcastic.
“What’s your problem?” Richie snapped. He picked right up
and pounced on her cynical reply.
“Nothing. I wish you are here more that’s all. No need to
get huffy. You are getting a short fuse lately. This is nothing to get pissy
about.” Teri stated. She admittedly was a little huffy. Well, he didn’t have to say it like that! She justified to herself.
“How the fuck am I huffy? And, I do NOT have a short fuse.”
Richie got up and started to pace the suite. One end to the other back and
forth. He kept prodding Teri and she kept the sarcasm going on her end.
“Well, for one thing, you seem to blow up at the littlest incident.
You want an example? How about when I started to pack to come home, and you
were pissed because it didn’t fit into your ‘plans’. Or, then there was the
time when I mentioned I would love some red meat and you wanted sushi. And my
favorite was when we were talking to my contractor by teleconference and you
started yelling at him when he mentioned the project wouldn’t be done as
originally planned. Richie, it was done the day before I came home. I WASN’T
EVEN IN THE STATE and wouldn’t[TP2]
be for a few more days. Not that you remembered that. It’s always about you. I
went and had a few meetings remember. I DO work you know. It may not be as
glamorous as your work but it pays the bills. Hell, forget that. I am very
proud of my work. As a director, I need to keep many personalities soothed. I
need to work with creative people…”
“And I’M NOT CREATIVE?” Richie bellowed into the phone. He
flung his cell across the room. Anger overtaking any logical thoughts. The
phone broke into 3 pieces as it fell with a crash onto the tile floor in the
foyer of his suite.”
“Fucking great. See what you did now?” Richie yelled at
Teri. Logic again overtaken by anger.
He looked at the phone pieces, sighed and picked up the
phone next to the couch in his suite. He’d have to wait for Deni to make her
way back to his room after doing some errands he needed to be done.
“I’m sorry,” He said into the phone. Richie thought he had
this rage under control. “I thought I had this under a tight rein. Guess it
needs work.” He said ruefully.
“I’m sorry too,” Teri said contrite. “I pushed your buttons.
Knowing it was going to piss you off.”
“Touché.” He replied as he sat back on the couch.
“Now tell me all about the kitchen. I’m really interested.
You have my undivided attention. At least until Deni gets back. She needs to do
a couple of more things for me. “Richie said as he glanced over at his phone on
the ground.
Great chapter, Welcome back
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