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.

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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.