Let's make a date
Not sure, of restaurants in Teri’s area, outside of the
famous Wooster Street Pizza place Pepe’s. Richie had his assistant Deni make a call;
she got them a private table. Frank Pepe always had a private table at the
ready. The establishment was used to famous people, who, stopped in for a slice
or two. From President’s, to Rock Stars they all ended up at Pepe’s private
table at some point. Hell, Frank, and Dean ate there. In Richie’s mind, that
was the highest praise. Casual it is.
There is enough time for nice dinners, and all that hearts and flowers crap.
This is a first date. I may not even like her outside of a great lay. Richie decided.
Teri had tried a few times to reach Richie through the day.
She finally left a message for him to call when he was free, and she would try
to be available. Susan, Teri’s Production Coordinator took Teri’s phone and
kept it with her so this important call wouldn’t be missed. Teri being Teri
would most likely, put the cell down, as she does her walkie-talkie. Lose it,
and miss Richie’s call. Teri added
Wanted as Richie’s ring tone. It had them both humming the Bon Jovi song all
day.
When it DID ring, it was of course, the most inopportune
time. Susan had decided on a coffee run, word got out among the crew. She was
picking up coffee for fourteen people. All with different wants.
Muttering under her breath, as she waited at a nearby Starbucks. Macchiato, Frappuccino, double espresso, mocha
latte… this bullshit gotta stop. Next time it’s Dunkin Donuts Box of Joe, or
nothing. She planned to talk to Teri about it at their morning wake up Teri,
meeting tomorrow. Susan started to hum. Yikes, THAT’s another thing I’m gonna
tell Teri. Wanted is stuck in my head. I’m still singing… Crap it’s the phone
not my singin’! Susan dug for the
phone in her pocketbook and actually got it in time.
“Teri’s phone.”She warned.
There was no way she was going to answer and
have Richie say something, she really didn’t need to hear. As it was, Susan
wondered if she could see if any other band member was single. They were all
sexy bad boy rockers.
“Hey, she around? This is…”
Susan cut him off as she got her drinks and started to her
car with her cell under her chin so she could carry the beverages.
“I know who it is. I’m at Starbucks, and you’re on speaker,
cuz, I’m trying to juggle fourteen different fucking coffee concoctions, to my
car. This is the last time I say out loud, I’m doing a coffee run. They’re like
locust!”
“Want me to call back?” Richie asked as he grinned. The band
was the same way.
“Nah, just give me a second. I parked in front hold…. FUCKIN’
A!”
Richie waited, he figured she probably dropped everything;
He listened for the fourteen cups of coffee concoctions to hit the ground.
After a few moments, Susan was back on the phone.
“Sorry about that. I forgot to take my keys out of my pocket,
had to put all this shit down on my car.”
“No drop?”
“No drop. I’m not Teri’s PC for nothing my friend.” She said
in a smug tone.
Richie laughed aloud. He heard the car start and figured she
was on her way back to the theatre. He would hang on. Richie wanted to know how
things were going for Teri.
“She doing okay?”
“Actually, better than okay. Usually by now, she is a bear
to live with. It always seemed nothing is good enough for her. It could be
perfect but, she always pushes for the best performance we can give her. For SOME reason, she is very happy today. Any
idea why?” Susan asked. She knew the answer.
“No clue Suzie.”
Richie said, as he adopted a pet name for her. Susan hated
the name Suzie, but for Richie Sambora to say it… It’s all more than good.
Susan made it back to the theatre in no time. She talked with
Richie about this show a little bit. Susan filled him in on a few of Teri’s
ideas. He was intrigued.
“Hang on; I gotta call for back up. No way in hell I’m gonna
carry all this inside.” She put her phone on top of the coffee, and used the
walkie-talkie to get some help. The words ‘I’m back with coffee!’ had people
running to the stage door to give a hand. She grabbed her own coffee and Teri’s,
then went to find her boss.
“Hey Ter, I got your coffee and your boyfriend.”
“Thanks for the coffee. I don’t have a boyfriend.” Teri
replied as she took her caffeine from Susan’s hand.
“No problem Ter. I’ll just tell Richie I’m free to date
him.”
Teri’s eyes got wide. A grin engulfed her whole face, as she
put her hand out for the cell. Susan obliged and gave her the phone.
“Hey you! Sorry about that. I gave my cell to Susan, so I
wouldn’t miss your call. I lose my walkie-talkie all the time. Didn’t want to misplace
the cell too.”
Richie grinned at another little piece of information. Teri
put’s stuff down and forgets where it is.
“No worries Darlin’. Suzie and I were just gettin’ better acquainted.”
“Suzie, huh?” Teri questioned a she looked at her PC with a
raised eyebrow.
Susan shrugged.
“Your timing is great. I was just thinking about a break.
Hang on,” Teri called out to the crowd. “Ten minutes everyone. Grab some water,
a smoke, or whatever. Back on stage in ten.”
As she walked away from the stage, she heard Al her stage
manager reiterate Teri’s break.
“You heard the lady, ten minutes and we are back. Enjoy your
break.” He then grabbed his own coffee from the dwindling pile, and went to sit
down, to relax for a bit.
Teri meandered outside through the lobby. She knew smokers
would be by the stage door. She wanted a little privacy, and decided on the
front of the theatre for a smoke, coffee, and Richie would work.
Richie got quick to the point, as, he knew his time was
limited.
“Okay, since I only know of one place for dinner out in
Connecticut. I got us a table for Wednesday night.”
Teri cringed a little. She usually gave the cast Friday off
before Saturday opening night not Wednesday. She didn’t even think of it ‘till
just now. She changed around some daytime meetings but never thought about tech
rehearsal.
What the fuck am I
going to do? I totally forgot about Wednesday rehearsal when I made plans with
Richie… FUCK! Why didn’t I put that in my calendar? Cuz you always remember
tech Wednesday dufus.
“It’s totally casual. I figured we could go there, and just hang
out for dinner,” He continued not knowing Teri was in a dilemma. “Do you like
Pizza? I got us a table at Pepe’s.”
Teri pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it. First, date and its pizza? From a normal
every day guy sure. But I thought …. Oh, forget it. Answer his question.
“Love Pepe’s. You got a table?”
“Yeah. Frank Pepe’s an old friend.”
“Aaahhh… Sounds good. It will be fun to go. I usually do
take out. The wait for a table is regularly hours long. This will be a blast.”
They talked a few more minutes. Both knowing time was not on
their side.
“Hey Richie?”
“Yeah?”
“Bring your toothbrush.” Teri simply stated.
Message received. He smiled his dimple smile into the phone.
“I will. See you soon Bright Eyes.”
It was Teri’s turn to smile into the phone.
“Yeah, see you then.” Her voice was husky.
After they hung up, Teri took a sip of coffee, and looked
over the small grassy area in front of the theatre. She stamped her feet like a
little kid.
“YYYYIIIIEEEE!” She screamed.
She hugged herself, and swayed back and forth. With a smile
as big as big could be.
I have a date with
Richie Sambora!!
