The Sauna Part 278

Jon woke up refreshed, but he winced when he recalled how he’d fallen asleep last night. I was still sleeping soundly when he began nuzzling my ear and soon I was wide awake too.

“I’m up and awake, and incidentally, so’s Lil’ Jon” he teased and it was my turn to groan.

Jon began tickling me until I could barely breathe and I begged him to stop.

“Not until you let me redeem myself” he said with an impish little laugh.

I nodded indulgently as he released my arms and climbed over me, grinning wickedly. Jon was most certainly in fine form this morning and he lavished my body with attention until I was once again begging for mercy. As I lay there beside him, panting and exhausted, he preened like a peacock.

“I hope you’re satisfied with yourself” I commented, my voice sounding ragged.

“Only if you’re satisfied, babe” he leered menacingly.

“Oh yeah” I reassured him, my body still shuddering.

“So what have you got planned for today? We’ve got almost twelve hours before tonight’s show” he asked, flopping down on the bed and stroking my arm.

“I’d been thinking about the City to Sea Walkway, but right at the moment the ferry trip or the cable car seem more like my speed” I replied honestly.

“Let’s order breakfast and take a quick shower and we can see how you’re feeling after that” he winked.

I was feeling better after a shower and I pulled up the websites on the computer as we sat down to eat. Jon had ordered a full breakfast since he’d worked up an appetite, but the strawberries and kiwis with champagne appealed to me most. We sat down together and reviewed our sightseeing options and finally decided to go with the Dominion Post Ferry trip.

“Just you and me, no Richie or Jim?” Jon suggested and I agreed readily, relishing my time alone with Jon more than anything else.

We finished our breakfast and headed down to the lobby where the concierge arranged for a car to take us over to Queen’s Wharf where we could purchase our tickets for the ferry. The waterfront itself was impressive, and we could have easily spent the day in one of several museums, but the shimmering waves and sunshine were calling on such a glorious, mild summer day.

We purchased our tickets and boarded the ferry, finding an uncrowded spot on the deck where we could soak up the sun and get a good view of the harbor. Our first stop was Matiu/Somes Island, a unique nature preserve. The island had had a varied history over the years, but in the eighties it was reforested with native plants and trees and a major conservation effort had managed to clear the land of all non-native species of predators. Many endangered species were then reintroduced and it had since become a haven for indigenous wildlife.

We arrived on the island where our bags were thoroughly checked for any potentially harmful pests and we learned that rats brought in aboard sea-faring ships were largely responsible for much of the destruction of the once prolific population of lizards, including skinks, geckos and the famed tuatara. Even native species of insects were encouraged here and I wrinkled my nose at the picture of the giant weta, but I appreciated that nature required all manner of critters to maintain the delicate balance of wildlife.

Jon and I disembarked and began our leisurely stroll round the island. We could see the city of Wellington across the bay and we were actually close enough still to overhear the faint sounds of traffic off in the distance. I concentrated more on the sounds of the birds as the island was a paradise for avian lovers. The striking hue of the blue bay against the lush forest and craggy bluffs left me speechless and we settled ourselves down in a particularly sunny area and gazed out at the raw beauty surrounding us. Jon sat down behind me and sighed as he draped his arms round my neck, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“It sure is beautiful in this part of the world” he said, half to himself.

“In all those years you’ve been touring-you never realized all this was here?” I asked questioningly.

“Mostly just what I saw from the window of a plane or a hotel room. The ‘lost weekend’ in Australia was largely spent chasing women and drinking myself into a stupor. What a waste” he observed sadly.


“Jon, you were young and you had a lot thrown at you all at once. You were overwhelmed. You fared a lot better than most kids who achieved fame as quickly as you did” I reminded him.

“Yeah, in some ways that’s true. I’m glad I never got into drugs, but I missed an awful lot too. What I did see I was often too tired or too drunk to appreciate and that I regret. But I am grateful to have another opportunity now” he smiled, aiming the camera in my direction.

He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from my face and our eyes met and locked. I felt a fierce need to comfort and protect him and I could imagine the child he had been when I looked in his eyes. I could still see traces of a young man’s wonder and awe, framed by the wisdom his wrinkles had brought him. Goddess, how I loved this man for who he had been, who he was and who he would always be. Jon had the soul of a wandering minstrel and he was borne to tell the tales of the things he had seen. His raw passion for life gave him his wings, but experience tempered his vision with the depth that comes from bittersweet understanding. No wonder his music spoke to my soul.

I pulled out my sketchbook which I had brought with me as I studied his face, trying to capture all that I felt at that moment. He smiled to see me so engrossed in my task and he was glad I had found my way back to my art. I had toyed with the idea for some time, but something about this quiet moment inspired me and soon I had a rough sketch that began to reflect the man that I saw. I showed it to Jon and he wiped a tear from his eye, suddenly realizing that no one had ever known him as deeply as I did.

“By the Gods, Trish, I’ve stood on a stage in front of thousands of people and I’ve posed for more shots through a photographer’s lens than I ever would have dreamed possible. But no one has ever seen me the way that you do. I feel naked before you. I hope I can always like what I see in the mirror of your eyes” he sighed.

I pulled Jon against me, cradling his head on my breast as I stroked the silken strands of his hair. His heart soaked up my love like a dry sponge, letting it fill him until he felt no more trace of the emptiness that had been with him since he was a child. This is what it was like to be loved for who you are, not what you are, he thought to himself.

We stayed there on the hilltop, holding each other until the sun was high in the sky and we knew it must be approaching noon. I gathered my things and we made our way back to the dock and watched together as the ferry approached.


***************


It was lunchtime when we arrived in Days Bay and we walked the short distance to Eastbourne in search of a café where we could take advantage of the beautful weather. We’d overheard another couple talking on the ferry about a restaurant named the Cobar and if the food was anything like the view we knew we were in for a treat.

The restaurant was pretty busy for a Monday afternoon, but we were able to get an outside table in the sun with a gorgeous view of the shore. We both opted for the green tea smoked chicken salad accompanied by an expresso instead of our usual wine. I was anxious to stroll through the village and do a little shopping while Jon would have been content to take a nap on the beach, but we actually had time for a little of both.

The warmth of the sun and the fresh breeze from the bay was rejuvenating as we strolled through the town, leisurely browsing the collection of shops and just soaking up the local color when my cell phone began humming.

“Trish? It’s Jack. I just wanted to let you know that everything’s fine and there has been quite a bit of excitement here at Backstage” he explained enthusiastically.

“Were you able to set up the credit for the fans who’d been misled and refund their money?” I asked anxiously.

“Yep, we got everything straightened out and there’s been a lot of positive feedback so far. I think it was a great idea and it really seemed to convey that you both value the fans and people are really responding. In fact, I think that the news has been spread by the existing members since we’ve had record numbers of new people registering all of a sudden. The only thing I’d suggest is posting a picture of the guitar you plan to raffle off, if you can get one” Jack replied.

“I think we can manage that, but Jon will have to decide which one he’s willing to part with” I laughed.

“Okay, just email me the pic once you decide and I’ll post it on the main page. Otherwise, we’re good to go” he reassured me.

“Thanks Jack- Jon and I are so grateful for everything you have done. I think we might just manage to turn things around after all” I breathed with a sigh of relief and Jon nodded in agreement.

I’d found the book I was looking for by a local author who’d written about her experiences growing up there as a young girl. Katherine Mansfield was a local icon and I was looking forward to reading more about her life in New Zealand in her book ‘At the Bay’. Jon was pulling me in the direction of the beach and I relented, having found a few souvenirs and my reading material; I was ready to follow his lead and dig my toes in the sand and relax.

The beach wasn’t crowded and we found a spot easily and settled down to enjoy the afternoon sun. We’d picked up a blanket and a bottle of wine during our jaunt in the town and Jon was soon stretched out and comfortable, lying beside me. We looked like typical townies and blended right in with the locals, though I’d noticed that no one had really approached Jon despite his lack of any particular disguise beyond sunglasses.

“I love it here” he announced, as if reading my mind. “It’s almost like being home. No one gets crazy over celebrities here” he yawned.

“I’ve noticed that too. It is nice not to worry about being mobbed everytime we go anywhere” I agreed, opening my new book as he laid his head in my lap.

“Wake me up before four so we don’t miss the ferry back” he mumbled before closing his eyes for a nap.