Day 8

Richie awoke first the next morning and smiled at the woman in his arms. Kissing her head, he slipped from the bed and showered, getting the feeling of the plane off of him. Coming out in a towel he saw that she was still out cold, he pulled the blankets up over her all the way. He left her a note on his pillow and kissed her head. Feeling a smile curl on his lips as he watched her sleep, he headed down to the kitchen and fixed breakfast for himself. Settling in on his patio with a plate of eggs, toast and a mug of coffee, he watched the morning crowd on the beach enjoying the vast ocean in front of him. A little after 11 his cell phone rang and answered seeing it was his daughter.

“Morning cupcake,” he answered with a smile. He put his feet up preparing himself for a long conversation with a giggling 11 year old.

Cynthia woke around 10:45 and groaned when she looked at the clock. She had hoped it was before 7, even 6. The way she felt she couldn’t believe she had gotten almost 12 hours sleep. Weak, fatigued and a splitting headache, she slowly sat up in bed and leaned back against the headboard, pleading with the room to stop spinning.

“What is this? I haven’t felt like this in such a long time. This can’t be happening so soon,” she thought in a panic. “Not yet, this is going so fast, what is this? Fuck I flew, that must be what this is. The time change, the flight, and it was all so quick. Shit this is so bad, he’s gonna know. He’s gonna want me to tell him. I have to go. I can’t do this to him. This isn’t fair.”

Cynthia put her hand on her chest and closed her eyes laying back on the sea of pillows, slipping back to sleep. Around 12:30 Richie came back upstairs and sat on the bed next to her, brushing the hair off of her face.

“Wake up baby,” he cooed.

“Rich,” she mumbled.

“Well there better not be another guy in my bed talking to you,” he teased. “Now it looks like you got up halfway and then decided it was time to go back to bed.”

“Only you in your bed,” she said softly. “I didn’t mean to sleep so late, it was a long couple of days,” she rambled.

“It’s ok, I remember what it’s like. I just got worried about you and came to check on you. And as much as I love you in this dress, I’m sure you want to get out of it and a shower.”

“Actually I’m not feeling great, I think I’ll take a bath,” she said biting her lip.

“You’re not feeling well? What’s wrong, should I call a doctor,” he asked trying to read her face. “You are looking a little extra pale.”

“No! Don’t call a doctor. I mean I’m sure it’s just from all the travel, I’ll be fine tomorrow,” she added quickly. “Can you just help me to the bathroom?”

Richie thought for a minute before he answered. “If you’re not better in the morning I’m calling the doctor we have on tour, he’s right in LA. I don’t want to hear an argument from you either.”

“I’ll be fine in the morning, I’m feeling better than before. Promise. Just help me into the bathroom. Please?”

“Ok baby,” he said picking her up gently. “Bath or shower?”

Cynthia wrapped her arms around him tightly, feeling stronger than before. “Shower works, I’m feeling better than I did an hour ago. You even got the room to stop moving, you’re good Mr. Rock Star.”

“Uh-hu,” he said rolling his eyes. “Shower baby,” he said kissing her softly and started the water for her.

Cynthia gave him a weak smile as he walked from the bathroom and she let her dress pool at her feet. Stepping into the shower she let the water wash over her and she began to feel a little better. After as long of a shower that she could manage, she wrapped herself in a towel before going back to the bedroom. Digging through Richie’s clothes, she slipped on an old Giant’s tee shirt with a pair of her short shorts. She sat on the bed as she brushed out her wet hair and tried to come up with a plan for the day. When she had finished, and was satisfied with her plan she slowly walked down to the living room where she heard the TV on.

“Well there she is, Miss America,” Richie teased.

“Yeah, yeah, you know I’m worth the wait,” she smirked as she sat on the couch next to him.

“Oh I know it,” he said running his hand over her hair. “Felling better?”

“Much,” she said giving him a soft smile.

“Good, so what are we doing today? Sky diving? Scuba diving? Getting our pilots license,” he teased.

“No,” she said quietly biting her lip.

“What’s wrong Darlin’,” he asked watching her.

“Well I was thinking, maybe, now that you know that I know who you are,” she stammered nervously.

“Baby I’m still the man I was five days ago, don’t get all nervous on me,” he said running his hand over her cheek.

“I know, I’m sorry,” she said taking a deep breath. “Will you show me what you do?”

“You want me to dig out old bootlegs,” he asked confused.

“No, kinda. No, shit this isn’t coming out right. Will you play for me?”

“Music?”

“No I was hoping we could break out Candyland,” she said rolling her eyes. “Yes music you dope,” she said poking his chest.

“Umm, ok.”

“I mean you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she said biting her lip.

“No, it’s ok. It’s just that no one has asked me that in a long, long time.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

Richie shrugged. “The women I’ve been with either leave at dawn, or like that fact that Richie Sambora has money rather than the fact that he can play a tune.”

“Well I like that fact that Richie make me feel special and he may be ok at this whole music thing.”

“May be ok,” he asked raising an eyebrow.

“Well I haven’t heard anything yet,” she said crossing her arms.

“Well than would like you like the guitar or the piano?”

“Seeing as I was a child prodigy on the keys, I think we’ll start there to compare.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Well all I see is you procrastinating. What’s the matter, chicken,” she teased.

“That is it my dear,” he said picking her up carrying her into his great room and over to the piano bench.

“So Mr. Rock Star did we just relocate or are you actually gonna play me something.”

Richie smiled as he let his fingers run over the keys letting tedious scales echo through the large room. Once he felt he had warmed up sufficiently, he started to play Journey’s Faithfully. Cynthia smiled as she heard the opening notes and softly started to hum along. As the first verse started Richie began to sing softly and Cynthia looked up at him seeing his eyes closed, obviously lost in the music. Tripping over a few notes, he brought the song to a close and kissed her head.

“You remembered,” she said feeling tears come to her eyes.

“Hey, when a beautiful woman tells me her favorite love song I listen and remember so I can woo her mercilessly,” he smiled.

“You ass that was so sweet, ulterior motive and all,” she said resting her head on his shoulder.

“I know,” he teased. “So what did you think?”

“Eh, it was ok. Technically speaking of course.”

“Just ok,” he pouted.

“Well you did mess up, it ain’t perfect baby,” she smiled innocently.

“Then I guess you have to show me what you can do,” he said sliding over on the bench.

“Are you sure you can handle this genius?”

“Oh baby I can handle you, I think you know that,” he smirked mischievously.

“That’s just what I let you think,” she said closing her eyes seriously as she stretched out her fingers. Taking a deep breath she extended her right index finger and placed it over a high C on the piano. Keeping a straight face she played the upper part of Heart and Soul, lasting about 20 notes before she lost fingering and let out a dramatic sigh. “Your subpar performance has obviously thrown me off and I believe the damage is irrevocable.”

Richie sat, biting his tongue so he wouldn’t laugh. “Oh you don’t say.”

“I do, in fact I insist. You don’t win the preschool talent show for nothing. But now I am afraid that my talent is permanently damaged.”

“I’ll just have to see what we can do about that,” he said kissing her temple.

“I think you’ve done more than enough,” she sighed. “Better stick to the guitar.”

“Or I can just see if I can fix my mistakes,” he said pulling her on his lap and placed his fingers over hers on the keys. “Let’s start nice an easy.”

“You may need to,” she smiled.

“This masterpiece is called, Mary Had A Little Lamb,” he said playing over her fingers.

Cynthia leaned back against his chest and followed his lead sitting for hours the rest of the afternoon in his arms. Richie played for her and did the best he could to teach her is passion and by dinner time she was proving to be a fast learner.

“Just like riding a horse,” she had told him. “I had four years of formal training you see, just because it ended when I was 8 doesn’t make it any less meaningful.”

The music had lifted Cynthia’s spirits, for her scare that morning, and agreed to go for a walk on the beach with him after their takeout dinner. They sat and watched the sunset together before walking back to Richie’s house. Sitting on the patio for almost an hour, Richie led them back inside when the cool air became unbearable for their summer attire.

Cynthia heard the door close behind her and smiled to herself. “Come on Mr. Rock Star, one more time,” she paused. “With feeling,” she said and sauntered back to the piano sitting on the bench.

Richie rolled his eyes at her and sat next to her on the bench wrapping his arm around her. “What will it be this time?”

“Heart and Soul,” she said readying herself, using her whole hand as Richie showed her rather than her own technique.

Richie nodded and placed his left hand over the keys while he left his right around his waist. Counting them down they played it flawlessly and Cynthia squealed when she hit her last note.

“Nailed it! I told you I would,” she smiled proudly.

“I know you did and you again proved me wrong. It’s been so long since there’s been music in the house like this,” he said pulling her closer.

“There must be music in this house all the time.”

“There is, work music, but not this kind,” he said looking down at her as she looked at him puzzled. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s a very good thing baby,” he said kissing her gently.

“I’ll take the compliment I guess.”

“You’ll take it before I even give it to you,” he teased. “But thank you.”

“You are very welcome. Now I think there is a big bed waiting for us and I believe there was talk earlier in the day of bootlegs.”

“Bed I can do, but bootlegs? Seriously?”

“Come on, I wanna see you in action,” she whined.

“You’ll see me in action alright,” he smiled picking her up and running up the stairs with her putting her on the bed.

Cynthia closed her eyes, letting the uncertainty of the morning rush over her. Thinking quickly she opened her eyes, avoiding his. “Ok I get it, you’re embarrassed about the spandex and hair, I’ll google you in the morning.”

Richie sensed her hesitation and backed off her slightly. “The King of Swing doesn’t embarrass easily. I looked damn good,” he said kissing her cheek and left the room coming back a few minutes later with a DVD in his hand and popcorn in the other. “Ready to be in awe?”

“I’m ready to watch, maybe I’ll like what I see,” she said sitting up against the pillows.

Richie put the DVD in and put the bowl of popcorn on the night table. “Ok change for bed first, then movie time. We don’t need to fall asleep in clothes two nights in a row.”

“Yes Dad,” she teased.

“Hey, you know you were thinking the same thing,” he said pulling a tee shirt from his drawer.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said moving to the end of the bed so she could stand.

Richie stood in front of her and carefully pulled down her shorts tossing them with the rest of the dirty clothes in the corner. Cynthia raised her arms when Richie moved his hands to the hem of her shirt and Richie sent that across the room as well. He gently moved his hands over her chest, stopping slightly on the slightly darker patches and scars that were there. Sure he had noticed them since the first night they were together but he yet to feel this connected to her. Music was always the way to his soul, and he knew that. He opened himself to her in a way he hadn’t been able to for years. They, more or less, spent the afternoon bearing their souls to each other and were left connected in a way neither of them imagined they would.

Cynthia closed her eyes when she felt his hands and willed her body not to tense under his touch. “What happened to you baby,” he asked softly.

“That is a long, long story,” she said looking up at him, putting a fake smile on.

“See it’s just you and me in that big bed tonight. I got all the time in the world.”

Cynthia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from wincing at his words. “That is a story for another day.”

“Ok baby,” he said slipping the new shirt over his head. “It’s bootleg time,” he said stripping to his boxers before pulling her back into bed with him. “That works…for now,” he thought to himself.

Cynthia leaned back against him and settled herself between his legs running her hands over his thighs lightly. “Welcome to the Slippery Tour,” Richie smiled as he started the DVD.

They spent the next hour or so watching the DVD, stopping more than once so Cynthia could accurately and effectively taunt him, before Richie felt her fall asleep in his arms. Watching the remainder of the DVD himself before moving her next to him in bed he kissed her softly. He flicked the TV off and grabbed his phone quickly sending Jon a text. “I think I’m falling for her hard. Damn Johnny, I think I’m in love…”Richie turned his phone off, so it didn’t wake them in the morning and he pulled Cynthia close as he fell asleep.