Chapter 12 Date night

Let me apologize for this being so long in posting. My beta reader has had some issues and never got around to my stuff. Speaking of that, I edited this not my editor so please forgive the errors.

 - Teri

Lounging in her suite Teri is on the phone.

“Hey Richie.”

“Teri, Welcome to California. How was your flight?” 

“Well, I made it here no problem. I didn’t know if you still had any time to get together before that damned event we have this week.”

Teri noticed she slipped in a we instead of I. She held her breath, it was way too early to consider them a we. She doesn’t know what made her say that.

“I’m still free for dinner Tuesday night.  He didn’t even acknowledging if he heard Teri’s Freudian slip.

“Sounds good. And let me say once again a big thank you for doing the event this week. Don’s receiving an award and I just don’t want to be a third wheel with him and his wife AGAIN.”

“No problem. It’s fine. I’ve done one or two of those things.” He said with a smirk at how understated the comment was.

Tuesday night arrived quickly. So much so, Susan had to push her employer into the bedroom so she could shower and dress for her dinner with Richie. Teri, when reading scripts gets lost in the story 

line and usually is so engrossed in it that she loses all track of time.

Teri had showered, dressed, and was putting on her jewelry when there was a knock on the suite’s door.

“I got it.” Susan yelled

She opened the door to Richie who had some flowers in his hand.

“Hey Rich, how are ya?” Susan asked as he entered the foyer. After a brief hug hello, Susan motioned with her hand for Richie to proceed her into the living room. He went and sat on the couch.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Susan asked.

“I’m good thanks.”

Oh, I bet you are, Susan thought.

Teri walked into the living room of her suite. She was wearing a cobalt blue dress that stopped just below mid-thigh. It was soft flowing silk. The color of blue was a good choice.

Richie was in a leather jacket, shirt unbuttoned half way down his chest, and jeans.

They looked cute. Susan thought as she asked if she could snap a few pictures to help remember the occasion. The couple obliged and were quickly on their way.

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As they made their way back to Teri’s, the two decided to forego the hotel bar which they talked about stopping in at for a night cap in the comfort of her suite those award things can go on forever. 

Richie grabbed a bottle of wine and two glasses from the small bar. They made themselves comfortable on the couch. Teri kicked off her heels and Richie took off his tux jacket.

“As far as award shows go this one was pretty good.” Richie said as he put his jacket on a chair in the room.

“It was. I am so happy for Don. He deserved to win.”

“And, his win is your win. What are you going to do?”

“Well, the extra money Don is going to throw at the theatre and show is appreciated. I can give raises to my key staff and up the budget per department. “

“Don brought up a good point tonight.”

“Which point was that?” Teri inquired.

“He said you haven’t taken a vacation in at least 2 years.”

“Has it been that long? I didn’t realize that. Wait, where was I when this conversation took place?” Teri asked with a smile.

“You were doing the ladies room thing with Don’s girlfriend. I think you should take a vacation.”

The wheels were turning in Richie’s head.

“When is this show done and the next one begin?” He wanted to know.

“Well, we have 3 more weeks until it closes.”

“How about doing a little traveling?”

“Mmm, I was just thinking of that. It’s only a few weeks break so I can’t do anything to crazy but I was thinking of maybe sitting on the beach somewhere exotic like Tahiti or Hawaii.”

“How about coming on tour with us?”

“Tour?  Seriously?” Teri questioned. It sounded great.

The two talked about logistics and made their plans. Teri would hook up with the band right after the show closed for a week.

After they talked about fligts and looked at Richie’s tour schedule the two moved on to other subjects.

“So tell me something Richie. I’ve been wondering ‘bout this. Best and worst of a Bon Jovi show?”

“Huh?” Richie’s mind was on … other things.

 “I was thinking about my shows tonight and every time one closes I ask myself best and worst. The best for this show is… The worst is… So tell me about Bon Jovi and the best and worst for you."

Richie sat back on the couch and Teri snuggled in under his arm. They were comfortable and content as they talked over a nightcap of a great bottle of red the hotel always provided for Teri’s stay. 

 “Best is performing.  Always. The worst has a few layers. First of course, is being away from your family as much as I am. I worry about Ava all the time. Especially now after the divorce. Her grades are slipping a bit. When I am home, I really work hard on her studies with her. I am strict and sometimes that doesn’t follow through as well as I would like when I am not around.”

“The second is the travel. I’m so used to flying, and sleeping almost anywhere I can. It’s un-natural and fucks you up. You don’t know day, or night anymore everything is upside down. This must be what it’s like working third shift when you work overnight and sleep all day.”

“The worst of all is the silence. After tens of thousands of screaming fans singing along to your songs, partying and having a great time with you, boom as suddenly as it started it ended. You go back to the hotel and get into bed. Then, nothing. Not a sound. It is the worst. To be alone and know that it’s just you. You tend to look at your life, what you are doing with it. You know what I mean. You feed into the loneliness and self-doubt about yourself as a person, not a performer or a celeb. You can see it all, the bad all of it. Self-doubt creeps in. Am I really a good performer? Can I go out again and do this on my own? I miss that man. I miss being the front man. I have for all the groups I’ve ever been in besides the damn Jovi machine. “

Teri moved closer and snuggled under his arm.

“Tell me about the guys.” She said.

He understood what was going on. She wanted to know if they would accept her. She wanted to know what to expect. If, their relationship got to that point of course.  They have all had significant others or a casual hook up ask the same question. It’s a legitimate question. Richie got comfortable 

and started to tell her about the guys.

“Well, let’s start with David. He is the class clown. The first one to think up pranks and the first to execute them. Good or bad it doesn’t matter. It’s all about the laugh for him. Oh, and FYI he LOVES sweets. We always have cake, or cookies, or whatever on the plane for David. He’s happiest when he’s eating. “

“Tico? He’s the “father figure” of the group. He’s older and tolerates David on the outside but on the inside he loves him. They are the best of friends. He is the one we all go to for sound advice. The one who keeps us sane.

“And then there’s Jon. My best friend. The guy who holds the group together. Since Doc was let go Jon has been making all the decisions. He is to blame for extra performances and he is to thank for the money we make. There was a little trouble with what we made financially a while ago but we got that all straightened out. “

“What about you?” Teri asked Richie. She was interested in his response.

Richie thought for a moment. He knew his answer had to be truthful but not. There are things that the guys agreed they would take to the grave.

“Me? I’m Jon’s right hand. I’m the one he bounces things off on. The one out of all of us that takes a lot of interviews either alone or with Jon. I produce the albums with him, and am just around when he needs me. A consigliere if you will. “

“I hear you like a good practical joke too. I also hear you are the master mind behind quite a few pranks on the road.”

Richie grinned. He forgot for the moment she was a fan.

“And, you like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.”

Richie looked at her.

She smiled.

“I read it in some magazine. Teen Beat I think.”

Laughter poured out of Richie.

“Teen Beat magazine? You read Teen beat?”

Teri blushed a little.

“Sure, there was this article about the band I saw it on line, so, I found the issue on eBay and bought it to read the whole thing.”

“Was it good? He asked.

“Nah, it was stuff I already knew.”

She snuggled in even more and Richie kissed the top of her head.

They were content to sit their quietly in their own thoughts.