The Sauna Part 236

“Baby, I don’t want you to go, but I understand why you want to be with her. I’m worried about Cherie too” Jon said sadly.

Once I’d hung up the phone, I realized just how vulnerable she really was and that made me more apprehensive. Cherie dealt with her fear by minimizing the danger and that only increased the risk. I didn’t know what else to say, but maybe I could convince her in person. I wanted to protect her and there seemed to be no other way..

“I don’t want to go, Jon, but I just don’t feel right without being there. Jim will be careful, but Cherie’s not listening and I couldn’t live with myself if something happens that I could have prevented” I explained, pleading with him to understand.

“But what about you? You aren’t really safe and he’s angry with you now as well” Jon argued.

“He won’t assault her when there’s a witness. I can’t let her see him alone” I persisted.

“Then I’m sending Rick home with you. I’m not letting you walk into a volatile situation without some protection” he replied firmly as I started to pack.

I stopped and looked into his eyes and I could see there was no point in resisting. I really didn’t believe I was in jeopardy myself, but I saw the dread on Jon’s face. Cherie couldn’t take offense if I had my own bodyguard and Rick’s very presence would be threatening enough to keep Dave in check. But that was the problem, I thought suddenly. If Dave felt intimidated, he’d be on his best behavior and that would only serve to further confuse Cherie’s perception. She needed to see Dave as he was, not cowed into submission by a foreboding presence.

“Jon, I have an idea” I said abruptly. “We could send Rick, or someone else, to follow and watch Dave! That wouldn’t undermine Cherie and Dave would never know, so he’ll show his true colors and she’ll still be protected” I exclaimed, excited at this new solution.

“You’ve got something there… that could work” he replied thoughtfully. “I’ll call Rick right away and see who he thinks would be best for the job” he smiled as he pulled out his phone and dialed.

Rick offered to go himself after hearing the details from Jon and I felt better knowing he’d attend to it personally. I trusted Rick completely and he understood how delicately the situation needed to be handled and I thanked him for volunteering. He had a few questions which I promptly answered and said he’d be on the next flight out of Germany and he’d keep us posted.

I sat down heavily and Jon put an arm around my shoulder, drawing me closer. I laid my head against him and he stroked my arm, soothing me with his words.

“It’s for the best, Trish. She needs to see Dave as he is and he might be too well-behaved if you’re there. And this way, you’re safe here with me” he said, sounding relieved as he kissed the top of my head.

“I know. I just feel like she needs me and I’m letting her down by being so far away” I frowned.

“She knows you’re there for her, babe. She wasn’t ready to hear what you said and she needs to see for herself what an ass Dave can be” he reminded me. “Although for the life of me, I can’t understand how she could think about going back to him” he added.

“This is her second marriage and she feels like a failure because her first husband was also abusive. She thinks it’s her fault” I explained.

“I didn’t know that, but doesn’t she see the same pattern repeating again? Doesn’t she see the warning signs?” Jon wanted to know.

“Dave isn’t as bad as Don, not yet anyway” I said wearily.

“Are you ready for breakfast? I’m starving!” he suggested.

“Yeah, I’m kind of hungry now too. Are we meeting the guys?” I asked, now that I was getting familiar with the touring routine.

“They’ll already be down there” he answered, checking his watch, as we hurried to join them.

***********

It was nice to have a day off to recuperate and we decided to check out the sights in Bavaria, beginning with Neuschwanstein Castle, the gem of the south. The guys had done surprisingly little sight-seeing during their travels as the hectic pace during a typical tour just wasn’t conducive to exploring the sights. I was glad that this limited tour was a bit more laid back, although I still found it a bit grueling at times.

My enthusiasm at breakfast had been inspiring and everyone decided to tag along, so we rented a limo and headed off for the Alps. I was looking forward to shopping in Garmisch and Oberammagau and I remembered the fabulous wood carvings I’d seen many years ago when I had visited with my ex-husband. The ride itself wasn’t long and we were treated to breathtaking scenery on the drive.

“I’ve always seen pictures of Neuschwanstein, but we never managed to actually see the castle when we were here before” David shared.

“When I was here with my ex I wanted to see the castle, but we never had enough time either. I’m so glad to see it for the first time with friends” I smiled.

“It’s nice having you with us, doll. Jon’s far less of an ogre when you’re around” David beamed.

“That’s so very true. Usually we’d head to the venue so he could oversee all the preparations and harangue all the roadies. It’s great to have a chance for some fun for a change” Richie grinned, nudging Jon.

“Hey, c’mon! I’m not that bad. We’ve always managed to have a good time” Jon piped up in his own defense.

“Yeah, Jon, sure we have. That time you were sick and stayed back in the hotel except for the shows. Remember that guys? We had a blast seeing the sights in Denmark” Dave said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I remember that. There were blondes and brunettes, red heads and that raven-haired beauty…” Richie said wistfully and Tico whistled.

“Man, Richie, that was a long time ago… I’d almost forgotten those days” he said, stroking his chin as his mind drifted back.

“Shit, leave it to Richie to dredge up that memory” Hugh laughed, shaking his head.

“See? That’s why I can’t leave them alone” Jon said with a wink.

“Yeah right, Mister Innocent. Like you’ve never indulged” David spoke up.

“Not me. You have me confused with my lecherous twin” Jon protested.

“Yeah, right. We never saw much of the Kidd after you married Dot” Richie said thoughtfully.

“Well, somebody had to be the adult and act like a grown up” Jon admitted.

“You were worse than my fuckin’ mother on tour, man. He was brutal” Dave turned to me, looking for sympathy.

“Now c’mon, guys! Give me some credit. I know Jon wasn’t always a Saint!” I prodded.

“Nah, not in the old days when he used to be fun. The Kidd knew how to party, but once he got married, he changed and turned into an asshole” Dave said with a hint of seriousness.

“I was just trying to keep it together, guys. I didn’t wanna fuck up” Jon tried to explain.

“We know, man, we know. But you really did change and we all felt the pressure” Tico agreed.

“I just wanted us to be the best we could be and we had to buckle down and be serious” Jon said defensively.

“Serious like a heart attack” David muttered.

“Hey, we were all under pressure and we all handled it badly. Jon wasn’t the only prick in the band” Richie reminded them.

“Yeah, that’s true, man. Doc drove us all pretty hard and that’s where Jon got it. But it’s good to feel like your friends again. It sucked being your hired hands” Dave mumbled under his breath.

“Shit, Dave, you’re more than a friend. You guys are my brothers. I never meant to treat anyone badly. We wouldn’t be where we are without each other” Jon apologized.

David’s words hit their mark and Jon felt ashamed. He knew he’d behaved like a bastard back then and he knew he still got that way when he felt stressed and unhappy. The last year had been rough and he realized he’d punished the guys for the end of his marriage and he was determined to repair the damage he’d done.

“I promise, things will be different from now on. We don’t need the money and we’ve already reached the top. It’s time we enjoyed it” he announced.

“Amen, bro, Amen” Richie said softly.