We reached Neuschwanstein Castle by noon and the splendor of King Ludwig’s creation kept us all spellbound. It seemed like a fairytale as we approached the castle and I snapped one picture after another, each view more majestic than the last. We weren’t allowed to take photos of the inside, but the paintings that decorated so much of the interior were captivating. They were inspired by the medieval legends of Parsifal and Lohengrin and our guide shared that the King had been quite a devoted fan of Richard Wagner who immortalized these characters in his operas.
The tale of the King himself was rather fascinating and shrouded in mystery and we learned that his fabled madness may have been a concoction of lies which were used to depose him. He was found drowned the day after his “arrest”, alongside the psychiatrist who had him committed and his death had originally been ruled a suicide. His younger brother had been incapacitated by genuine mental illness and Ludwig’s eccentricity was well-documented, so their may have been a grain of truth to the rumors, but the two drownings remain a source of contention.
“These paintings are exceptional” Tico commented as we studied the images while we listened to Wagner’s opera in the background.
“The King was quite progressive if he was in fact mad” Hugh observed as he read about the hidden flush toilet and how Ludwig had been responsible for bringing electricity into modern Bavarian life.
“And he was a patron of music and art” added Jon.
Richie had been rather quiet during the tour, but he appeared to be taking it all in. He stood motionless in the Singer’s Hall and sighed deeply as I came up to stand beside him. He looked rather pensive and sad as he spread his arms wide, indicating the vast expanse of the hall.
“How sad that he never lived to see even one performance here in the venue he designed” he reflected.
“It seems his life was rather tragic in many ways” I agreed, reading over the book I had purchased at the beginning of the tour which described how his private letters reflected his struggles with homosexuality in a Christian world.
We were all somewhat subdued as we left the castle and headed towards the nearby town of Oberammagau, famous for their wood carvers. The mood lightened as we entered one of the shops and my eyes lit up as I spied some of the most elaborately detailed examples of wood carvings. There were statues and figurines, many crafted into the shape of medieval figures.
“Look! This one was made for me!” David cried as he held up a small replica of a medieval jester and we all nodded our assent.
I chose an especially lifelike carving of a stag being led by a maiden and Jon smiled as I showed him my find.
“A willful wild beast being tamed by a beautiful damsel… it reminds me of us” he grinned shamelessly. “Is there anything else that you’d like for your birthday, babe?” he asked, his eyes glowing with love.
“A cuckoo clock! I would love a cuckoo clock from the Black Forest” I squealed with delight as we moved to another part of the store to browse through the collection.
There was something for everyone and Richie found an exquisitely carved mandolin to add to his collection. He plucked a few notes and I recognized instantly the chords to one of my favorite songs- ‘The Battle of Evermore’ by Led Zeppelin.
“Oh Richie, do you know it? Can you play it for me?” I begged and he smiled as the shop owner brought over a stool for him to take a seat.
Richie played the song while he sang the words softly and I had tears in my eyes as I listened to the sweet strain of the mandolin. A small crowd had gathered to hear Richie play and when he was finished, they thanked him with a round of applause. Richie attracted a following wherever he went, whether with or without the rest of Bon Jovi. The shop owner nodded his approval as Richie handed him the money for his purchase.
“You make the instrument sing” the man commented and Richie returned the compliment with one of his own.
“It’s one of the finest that I’ve ever seen. I’d be honored to own it” he said simply and the owner beamed as he told Richie about how he had always wished he had been blessed with the gift of music.
We left the shop with our purchases and returned to the limo for the ride back to Garmisch where we would have dinner before returning to Munich. It had been a rather exceptional day and we were all feeling mellow when we reached the restaurant and settled into our seats. Jon ordered wine, but most everyone preferred beer as we were in Bavaria after all.
Our meals were impressive as we sampled the wienerschnitzel and a variety of sausages along with sauerkraut and dumplings. The portions were generous and covered in rich sauces and gravies and I felt almost decadent as we devoured our meals. The Germans knew how to indulge and tonight was no exception as we savored the local cuisine and lingered over our coffees and desserts. I helped myself to some of Jon’s dampfnudlen and I traded him some of my apfel strudel as I loved the cinnamon dumplings smothered in vanilla sauce.
“Now this is my idea of dining” Tico grinned as he patted his belly and Dave burped in agreement and we all laughed.
There was an accordion player who entertained all the guests while we ate and we enjoyed seeing the traditional slap dancers who appeared periodically. They were accompanied by what I thought was a master yodeler and I was tremendously impressed with the show as well as the food.
The warmth of the atmosphere as well as the free-flowing beer had loosened everyone’s tongues and the guys regaled me with ribald stories of their misspent youth. I felt rather special to be included in their bawdy behavior and I rather liked my new status as “one of the gang”. It felt like a family and I was no longer just an honorary member when even Hugh joined in the teasing.
“So Jonny, are you gonna let Trish come out to play with us a little more often now? It seems she can hold her own with the lot of us, so maybe you’ll share her a bit more?” Hugh prodded Jon.
“I’m not so sure- I’m still a selfish bastard when it comes to my lady” he grinned.
“Aaawww, c’mon, man. We won’t bite and she needs a bit of entertainment once in a while” David winked.
“Yeah, and some intellectual stimulation” Hugh added, with emphasis on the word intellectual.
“And a change of scenery from a hotel room” Tico joined in.
“And you can always come visit the dark side when you get bored with blondie” Richie snickered to me as he cocked his head to one side and waggled his eyebrows.
Jon made a face and I giggled at the sight of those infamous duck lips. I planted a kiss on that adorable pout as I stood to make my way towards the bathroom. I was feeling a bit tipsy from all of the wine and the shot of Jagermeister that was a traditional part of all German meals. I tottered and steadied myself with a hand on Jon’s shoulder, but I looked around at the faces of all the guys as they smiled up at me.
“I’ll keep that in mind if Jon gets worn out and needs a break anytime soon” I winked back at Richie “but so far he seems to be managing to keep up on his end” I announced with a smirk before staggering off, followed by a series of whistles and hoots.
“Shit, Jon, you lucky bastard” Dave pronounced as he gave him a shove.
“Don’t think I don’t know it, bro” Jon said as he flashed Dave a shit-eating grin. “See why I’m selfish?”
“Yeah, man, don’t rub it in” Richie smiled, shaking his head.
It was getting late as I made my way back to the table and we had a two hour drive back to Munich, so we finished our drinks and Jon paid the bill. The guys were all able to handle their liquor far better than me and both Jon and Richie helped me out to the car. Tico held the back door while Jon got in first and Richie guided me into Jon’s arms. I giggled a bit as I fell over sideways and landed with my head in Jon’s lap. The two exchanged looks and Jon shot Richie a glance as he started to speak.
“Don’t say it bro” Jon chuckled as he helped me sit up and I rested my head on his shoulder.
Richie sat down beside me as the rest shuffled into their seats and we settled in for the ride back to Munich. It had been a wonderful day and I felt grateful to have been fully accepted into Jon’s “inner circle”. I no longer felt like simply Jon’s wife; I had earned my spot with the guys by sharing both good times as well as the bad.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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.
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.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Sauna Part 235
Morning came incredibly early and despite how tired I’d been, I’d slept rather restlessly. I was worried about Cherie, and for that matter, Jim. There was no telling what Dave would do once he discovered that Cherie had hooked up with him.
The sunlight was streaming in through the window and I slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Jon who was still sound asleep. I called down to the desk and ordered some coffee, but I was too tense to be in the mood for any breakfast. It was just barely eight in the morning where we were, but it was mid-afternoon in Colorado and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I looked over at Jon and thanked the God and the Goddess for my incredibly good fortune in being blessed with the love of my life.
I walked to the bathroom and splashed water onto my face and looked in the mirror. I noticed small, tiny lines near my eyes and the new strands of gray in my hair. I had circles under my eyes and I realized I looked a bit haggard. I’d be forty-five in a couple of days and I looked it, I thought to myself. Jon still appeared ageless to me, but I was feeling my years and it showed. My muscles were sore and I’d gained a few pounds. Why couldn’t women age gracefully in the same way that men did?
I turned on the shower and took a deep breath. The hot water felt good and it always revived me, but I was still moving slowly when I felt Jon’s arms slip around me. I leaned back against him and closed my eyes. My well-seasoned body still held his attention as he slid his hands over my breasts and my nipples stiffened in answer to his touch.
“Couldn’t sleep, babe?” he whispered softly into my ear.
“No, I wanted to call Cherie before it gets any later” I replied, turning to face him.
“How about a little distraction first?” Jon purred.
I smiled as he kissed me and I melted against him. He always seemed to know just what I needed and when I needed it. I closed my eyes and sighed as I thought about how lucky I was. I felt the lightest of touches as Jon’s lips brushed my eyelids and his hands ran through my wet hair, pulling it back off my shoulders. I felt my concerns melt away as I dissolved in his caress and he murmured my name.
Our lovemaking was tender yet passionate as we moved into a familiar ritual and I took comfort in the ordinary intimacy that had become such a constant source of fulfillment these days. Jon loved me so well and in so many ways; sometimes he was gentle and sweet, other times ardent and intense, but always profound. Our coupling seemed to reflect our most urgent need at the time and I always drew strength from our oneness.
We stepped out of the shower and I toweled off, a smile still lingering on my lips as I watched while he shaved. The coffee was waiting outside the door and I poured my first cup, swallowing deeply as I dialed our number in Colorado. Jim answered on the fourth ring.
“Hey Trish, what’s up? It’s snowing to beat the band here, what’s it like over there?” he said pleasantly into the phone.
“The sun’s shining and it looks warmer than it is” I smiled, looking out the window as Jon sat down next to me on the bed.
“Everyone’s doing good. Wanna say hello to Eddie? He’s right here on my lap” Jim teased as he placed the phone down and I heard the steady sound of a contented cat purring loudly into the receiver.
“Hi Eddie! Mommy misses you, baby” I cooed and Jim laughed as he brought the phone back to his ear.
“I’m guessing you didn’t call to talk with the cats? What’s up?” he repeated.
“I’ve got some disturbing news” I began.
“Are you okay? Is everything alright with Jon?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
“We’re fine, it’s you two I’m worried about. Dave called me last night” I announced.
“Shit. I figured that would happen eventually” he replied through gritted teeth.
I relayed the essence of the phone call with Dave and expressed my concerns and Jim understood. He knew Dave wouldn’t sit back and wait for Cherie to come straggling back home and he’d wondered how long it would be before he began searching for her himself. He wasn’t sure where it was going between the two of them, but he knew he was in a precarious position.
“I’ll let you talk to Cherie” he agreed as he handed her the phone.
“What’s happened?” she asked anxiously.
“It’s Dave” I began again before launching into a repeat of what I’d told Jim. “Cherie, have you decided what you’re going to do?” I wanted to know.
“I don’t really want to go back to Dave, but I can’t just leave it like this. I know I need to go home and get back to work and my vacation time is nearly used up, I’ve just been putting it off” she explained.
“What about Jim?” I pushed.
“I don’t know, but he can’t come with me right now anyway and that’s probably for the best. I know I need to face Dave and see what’s left of our marriage but I’m afraid” she said, her voice suddenly breaking.
“Cher, it’s okay. We’ll get you a bodyguard” I offered hurriedly.
“Oh God, Trish! Do you think it’s that bad?” she stammered.
“I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t take any chances” I advised.
“I know he’ll be hurt and I’m just afraid that he won’t want to listen. I’m afraid he’ll talk me into giving him another chance, that’s what I meant. I don’t think he’ll get violent, though. You should hear all the messages he’s been leaving. Oh Trish, he really sounds sorry and he’s worried about me” she elaborated.
I rolled my eyes as I looked over at Jon who was listening. I didn’t expect it, but he grabbed the phone and interrupted.
“Cherie, listen to me. I’m a guy, okay? I know guys and he isn’t sorry. He was still making excuses when he was talking to Trish just last night and he’s angry now too. Don’t be naïve. We’ll get both you and Jim some protection, alright?” he insisted.
“Jon, you don’t know him that well. He really loves me and he’s going to be so upset. He wants us to work it all out. Maybe I’m being selfish. He made a mistake. Everyone’s entitled to a second chance, right?” she pleaded, hoping he’d understand.
“Cherie, listen to Trish, okay? Please?” he hissed through his teeth as he handed the phone to me. He didn’t know what else to say.
“Cherie, I love you and I’m scared for you. I know it’s hard to accept that Dave isn’t the person you thought he was, but he isn’t and you are in danger. You didn’t hear him last night and I know you want to believe that he means what he says, but please let us get you some security. Cherie, I’m scared for you” I said again, emphasizing the point.
“Just let me talk to him, Trish. He’s not like those guys that you’ve worked with. He isn’t a batterer, he was never violent before this incident. This was the first time and he’s sorry. He knows he was wrong. I don’t want to go back, but he’s my husband…” she sobbed.
“There’s always a first time. Don’t you remember how it started with Don?” I reminded her, hoping the memory of her first marriage might lessen her denial and squelch the ambivalence I heard in her voice.
“But Don was different. He was an alcoholic” she said, making excuses.
“But he apologized too and he swore up and down he’d never hurt you and remember what happened?” I kept pushing.
“It’s not the same. I need to call Dave and hear what he says. I haven’t been returning his calls and he hasn’t had a chance to even explain. I owe him that much. Please, Trish, let me handle this my own way” she said finally.
Her words jogged me back to my clinical training and I bit my tongue. She needed our support, but I’d do more damage than good if I kept contradicting her. She was determined to hold onto her denial and I knew I’d undermine her confidence if I kept insisting that she see it differently. If she called Dave, she’d either see his attitude change just as I had or she’d get sucked into believing his bullshit and agree to give him another chance. But it wasn’t my decision and I needed to honor her request despite the opinion I held.
“Okay Cher, okay. But I’m here if you need me and we’re more than willing to hire someone to make sure you’re safe. Just say the word” I relented.
“Thanks, Trish. It means a lot, but I don’t think it’ll be necessary. I don’t really want to go back, but he is still my husband and I need to hear what he has to say. I don’t know what I’m gonna do right now, but I know I need to talk to him first” she said resolutely.
Jon shook his head and began pacing while I said goodbye to her and spoke again briefly with Jim. I encouraged him to be careful and I let him know there was danger, but beyond that I felt stymied. Jon was clearly frustrated too and he grumbled as soon as I’d hung up the phone.
“She just doesn’t get it, does she? I just don’t understand…” he lamented.
“I know, I know” I agreed as I stepped into his arms. “I just wish I was there. It’s so hard to try and do this over the phone” I complained.
The sunlight was streaming in through the window and I slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Jon who was still sound asleep. I called down to the desk and ordered some coffee, but I was too tense to be in the mood for any breakfast. It was just barely eight in the morning where we were, but it was mid-afternoon in Colorado and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I looked over at Jon and thanked the God and the Goddess for my incredibly good fortune in being blessed with the love of my life.
I walked to the bathroom and splashed water onto my face and looked in the mirror. I noticed small, tiny lines near my eyes and the new strands of gray in my hair. I had circles under my eyes and I realized I looked a bit haggard. I’d be forty-five in a couple of days and I looked it, I thought to myself. Jon still appeared ageless to me, but I was feeling my years and it showed. My muscles were sore and I’d gained a few pounds. Why couldn’t women age gracefully in the same way that men did?
I turned on the shower and took a deep breath. The hot water felt good and it always revived me, but I was still moving slowly when I felt Jon’s arms slip around me. I leaned back against him and closed my eyes. My well-seasoned body still held his attention as he slid his hands over my breasts and my nipples stiffened in answer to his touch.
“Couldn’t sleep, babe?” he whispered softly into my ear.
“No, I wanted to call Cherie before it gets any later” I replied, turning to face him.
“How about a little distraction first?” Jon purred.
I smiled as he kissed me and I melted against him. He always seemed to know just what I needed and when I needed it. I closed my eyes and sighed as I thought about how lucky I was. I felt the lightest of touches as Jon’s lips brushed my eyelids and his hands ran through my wet hair, pulling it back off my shoulders. I felt my concerns melt away as I dissolved in his caress and he murmured my name.
Our lovemaking was tender yet passionate as we moved into a familiar ritual and I took comfort in the ordinary intimacy that had become such a constant source of fulfillment these days. Jon loved me so well and in so many ways; sometimes he was gentle and sweet, other times ardent and intense, but always profound. Our coupling seemed to reflect our most urgent need at the time and I always drew strength from our oneness.
We stepped out of the shower and I toweled off, a smile still lingering on my lips as I watched while he shaved. The coffee was waiting outside the door and I poured my first cup, swallowing deeply as I dialed our number in Colorado. Jim answered on the fourth ring.
“Hey Trish, what’s up? It’s snowing to beat the band here, what’s it like over there?” he said pleasantly into the phone.
“The sun’s shining and it looks warmer than it is” I smiled, looking out the window as Jon sat down next to me on the bed.
“Everyone’s doing good. Wanna say hello to Eddie? He’s right here on my lap” Jim teased as he placed the phone down and I heard the steady sound of a contented cat purring loudly into the receiver.
“Hi Eddie! Mommy misses you, baby” I cooed and Jim laughed as he brought the phone back to his ear.
“I’m guessing you didn’t call to talk with the cats? What’s up?” he repeated.
“I’ve got some disturbing news” I began.
“Are you okay? Is everything alright with Jon?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.
“We’re fine, it’s you two I’m worried about. Dave called me last night” I announced.
“Shit. I figured that would happen eventually” he replied through gritted teeth.
I relayed the essence of the phone call with Dave and expressed my concerns and Jim understood. He knew Dave wouldn’t sit back and wait for Cherie to come straggling back home and he’d wondered how long it would be before he began searching for her himself. He wasn’t sure where it was going between the two of them, but he knew he was in a precarious position.
“I’ll let you talk to Cherie” he agreed as he handed her the phone.
“What’s happened?” she asked anxiously.
“It’s Dave” I began again before launching into a repeat of what I’d told Jim. “Cherie, have you decided what you’re going to do?” I wanted to know.
“I don’t really want to go back to Dave, but I can’t just leave it like this. I know I need to go home and get back to work and my vacation time is nearly used up, I’ve just been putting it off” she explained.
“What about Jim?” I pushed.
“I don’t know, but he can’t come with me right now anyway and that’s probably for the best. I know I need to face Dave and see what’s left of our marriage but I’m afraid” she said, her voice suddenly breaking.
“Cher, it’s okay. We’ll get you a bodyguard” I offered hurriedly.
“Oh God, Trish! Do you think it’s that bad?” she stammered.
“I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t take any chances” I advised.
“I know he’ll be hurt and I’m just afraid that he won’t want to listen. I’m afraid he’ll talk me into giving him another chance, that’s what I meant. I don’t think he’ll get violent, though. You should hear all the messages he’s been leaving. Oh Trish, he really sounds sorry and he’s worried about me” she elaborated.
I rolled my eyes as I looked over at Jon who was listening. I didn’t expect it, but he grabbed the phone and interrupted.
“Cherie, listen to me. I’m a guy, okay? I know guys and he isn’t sorry. He was still making excuses when he was talking to Trish just last night and he’s angry now too. Don’t be naïve. We’ll get both you and Jim some protection, alright?” he insisted.
“Jon, you don’t know him that well. He really loves me and he’s going to be so upset. He wants us to work it all out. Maybe I’m being selfish. He made a mistake. Everyone’s entitled to a second chance, right?” she pleaded, hoping he’d understand.
“Cherie, listen to Trish, okay? Please?” he hissed through his teeth as he handed the phone to me. He didn’t know what else to say.
“Cherie, I love you and I’m scared for you. I know it’s hard to accept that Dave isn’t the person you thought he was, but he isn’t and you are in danger. You didn’t hear him last night and I know you want to believe that he means what he says, but please let us get you some security. Cherie, I’m scared for you” I said again, emphasizing the point.
“Just let me talk to him, Trish. He’s not like those guys that you’ve worked with. He isn’t a batterer, he was never violent before this incident. This was the first time and he’s sorry. He knows he was wrong. I don’t want to go back, but he’s my husband…” she sobbed.
“There’s always a first time. Don’t you remember how it started with Don?” I reminded her, hoping the memory of her first marriage might lessen her denial and squelch the ambivalence I heard in her voice.
“But Don was different. He was an alcoholic” she said, making excuses.
“But he apologized too and he swore up and down he’d never hurt you and remember what happened?” I kept pushing.
“It’s not the same. I need to call Dave and hear what he says. I haven’t been returning his calls and he hasn’t had a chance to even explain. I owe him that much. Please, Trish, let me handle this my own way” she said finally.
Her words jogged me back to my clinical training and I bit my tongue. She needed our support, but I’d do more damage than good if I kept contradicting her. She was determined to hold onto her denial and I knew I’d undermine her confidence if I kept insisting that she see it differently. If she called Dave, she’d either see his attitude change just as I had or she’d get sucked into believing his bullshit and agree to give him another chance. But it wasn’t my decision and I needed to honor her request despite the opinion I held.
“Okay Cher, okay. But I’m here if you need me and we’re more than willing to hire someone to make sure you’re safe. Just say the word” I relented.
“Thanks, Trish. It means a lot, but I don’t think it’ll be necessary. I don’t really want to go back, but he is still my husband and I need to hear what he has to say. I don’t know what I’m gonna do right now, but I know I need to talk to him first” she said resolutely.
Jon shook his head and began pacing while I said goodbye to her and spoke again briefly with Jim. I encouraged him to be careful and I let him know there was danger, but beyond that I felt stymied. Jon was clearly frustrated too and he grumbled as soon as I’d hung up the phone.
“She just doesn’t get it, does she? I just don’t understand…” he lamented.
“I know, I know” I agreed as I stepped into his arms. “I just wish I was there. It’s so hard to try and do this over the phone” I complained.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Sauna Part 234
The guys enjoyed their performance at the Heineken Music Hall and had even thrown in a few acoustic numbers for good measure. The audience was appreciative and they’d thrown tulips on the stage as a tribute and I had to laugh as I remembered Obie’s comment about that years ago. I noticed Jon smirking too when it happened and knew he understood what they meant after I’d explained it when he’d asked so many months ago.
The guys were pumped after the show, but I was exhausted. We’d left the venue immediately after the encore and we were now on our way to the next stop in Germany. I was finding the schedule rather grueling and I hadn’t exactly adapted to the rock star lifestyle as quickly as I’d hoped. I was glad this wasn’t a full tour and Tico laughed when I commented about the hectic pace they maintained.
“We’re trying to break you in gently, Trish. This is easy compared to a regular tour” he reminded me.
“I know, I know” I yawned, wondering where they got all their energy.
“Babe, it’s okay. We’re just used to this. Go ahead and take a nap” Jon suggested, watching as I struggled to keep my eyes open.
I felt like a wimp, but I didn’t resist and I let my head drop back onto the seat and closed my eyes. I fell asleep almost instantly while Jon took this opportunity to talk to the guys privately. He’d wanted to discuss something with them for some time, but he wanted it to be a surprise and now was the perfect moment. He gestured to all the guys to follow him as he walked toward the seats at the back of the plane.
“Trish’s birthday is coming up in a few days and I want to do something special to celebrate. Any suggestions?” he ventured.
“What day is it? Do we have a show that day?” Tico wanted to know.
“It’s three days from now and we’ll still be in Germany, but there’s no show that day” Jon answered.
“Geez, Jon, it’s a little late to start thinking about it now. Don’t you have any ideas yourself?” Richie chided him.
“I have plenty of ideas for what to do privately, bro” Jon grinned. “but none of them involve all of you assholes.”
Richie made a face and the rest of the guys laughed, but the best idea they could come up with was a surprise dinner together. Jon felt rather bad as he wanted to do something special, but being so far away made it impossible to invite any guests and he resigned himself to the fact that there wasn’t any better way to celebrate. He phoned Rick and asked him to get someone to arrange a surprise dinner party at a good restaurant and left it at that. He’d just have to make up for the lack of excitement in other ways.
It was a short flight and we touched down in Munich at around one o’clock and Jon shook me gently after we’d landed. It felt like I’d just fallen asleep and I was still a bit groggy as we disembarked and headed for the limo. The guys had all settled down a bit too and we were glad to reach the hotel. We’d just about gotten to bed when my cell phone went off and I checked the caller ID. It was a Buffalo number and I took a deep breath before answering.
“Hello?” I said warily.
“Trish? It’s Dave. Am I catching you at a bad time?” he asked, his voice sounding anxious.
“We’re just about ready for bed. It’s after two here in Germany” I explained, somewhat annoyed.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t too sure about the time zones, but I needed to talk to you. I’m really worried. Cherie and I had a fight and she left. She said she needed some time to herself to think about things, but she hasn’t been answering my calls and it’s been almost two weeks. I was hoping she was with you. Have you heard from her?” he asked hurriedly.
“She isn’t with me, Dave. I have spoken to her and I know about what happened and she’s pretty upset, but she was safe the last time I spoke with her. If she’s not answering your calls, she probably isn’t ready to talk” I said rather flatly.
“You’ve heard from her then? Do you know where she is? Trish, I really messed up. I’ve got to talk to her and try to explain” he insisted.
“Dave, I know where she is, and she’s safe. More than that- I can’t tell you. She’ll contact you when she’s ready” I explained curtly.
I really had little sympathy for him and I’d been prepared for the eventual call. He’d brought this on himself and I was secretly glad he was anxious. He should be. I made no attempt to comfort him and I’d emphasized the fact that she was safe, hoping he’d get the implied meaning in that.
“Trish, please. I need to tell her how sorry I am. It’ll never happen again, I swear. I just lost it. You know how she is, she just pushed me too far and I lost it. Please tell me where she is” he pleaded again.
“No, I won’t do that” I responded.
Dave changed his tactic and I could hear the edge in his voice.
“I thought you were our friend, but I can see you don’t really care. You’ve got your life now and you don’t give a shit about our marriage. If you were a friend, you’d be trying to help us” he sneered.
“I see it differently” I replied, unwilling to be manipulated.
“Why won’t you let me talk to her?” he demanded, now blaming me.
“Because I’m respecting Cherie’s wishes” I said pointedly.
“What about me? I made a mistake and I’ve paid the price. Trish, dammit, tell me where she is” he screamed.
Jon took the phone then and I didn’t stop him. I’d dealt with batterers plenty and I knew Dave was no different. He didn’t get it and he wasn’t going to get it. He was furious with me now because I wasn’t intimidated and he hated women he couldn’t control. There was nothing more I wanted to say.
“Listen, man, you don’t get it, do you? You hit her and there’s no excuse for that. Get some help, man” Jon said with finality and hung up the phone.
Jon looked at me then and I could see he was pissed. I was really just tired as I’d been expecting Dave’s call. In fact, I was surprised it had taken so long. Only his pride had kept him from calling sooner and I knew he was feeling desperate. I knew it would get a lot uglier before it was over.
“Shit. He really is an asshole. He just doesn’t get it, does he?” Jon said disgustedly.
“No, he still wants to blame Cherie. I hope she can see that he’s not gonna change” I shook my head sadly.
“Should we call her and Jim and warn them?” Jon wondered.
“I’ll call her when we get up. It’s still early over there and she won’t be up yet and it’s not a conversation I wanna have right at the moment” I yawned.
“Yeah, she’s safe for the moment. He couldn’t find her out there and we should get some sleep” he nodded, yawning himself.
“Oh, he’ll find her, Jon. Believe me, he won’t give up quite that easily. But he won’t find her right away. But now he’ll really start looking. He’s getting desperate now if he called me and admitted she’d left him” I explained.
“Should we get her some security? Do you think he’d show up there?” Jon offered anxiously.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea, but let’s go to sleep. We’ll deal with it in the morning and we need to talk to Cherie and see what she wants. Okay, babe?” I smiled.
“Okay, but remember, anything she needs. Anything” he added with emphasis.
“Thanks love. We’ll call her when we get up” I agreed.
I snuggled against him, grateful for the fact that he understood. I wasn’t so sure about Cherie, though. I had to let her call the shots, and I hoped that she’d made her decision and was ready to end it with Dave, but I knew how hard that would be for her to give up on her marriage. I also knew that if she did plan to end it, she’d be in the greatest danger she’d ever faced. Most women who ended up dead were murdered when they tried to leave, even in situations where there’d been no prior injury. I needed to make sure she understood the risks because failing to do so could be deadly.
The guys were pumped after the show, but I was exhausted. We’d left the venue immediately after the encore and we were now on our way to the next stop in Germany. I was finding the schedule rather grueling and I hadn’t exactly adapted to the rock star lifestyle as quickly as I’d hoped. I was glad this wasn’t a full tour and Tico laughed when I commented about the hectic pace they maintained.
“We’re trying to break you in gently, Trish. This is easy compared to a regular tour” he reminded me.
“I know, I know” I yawned, wondering where they got all their energy.
“Babe, it’s okay. We’re just used to this. Go ahead and take a nap” Jon suggested, watching as I struggled to keep my eyes open.
I felt like a wimp, but I didn’t resist and I let my head drop back onto the seat and closed my eyes. I fell asleep almost instantly while Jon took this opportunity to talk to the guys privately. He’d wanted to discuss something with them for some time, but he wanted it to be a surprise and now was the perfect moment. He gestured to all the guys to follow him as he walked toward the seats at the back of the plane.
“Trish’s birthday is coming up in a few days and I want to do something special to celebrate. Any suggestions?” he ventured.
“What day is it? Do we have a show that day?” Tico wanted to know.
“It’s three days from now and we’ll still be in Germany, but there’s no show that day” Jon answered.
“Geez, Jon, it’s a little late to start thinking about it now. Don’t you have any ideas yourself?” Richie chided him.
“I have plenty of ideas for what to do privately, bro” Jon grinned. “but none of them involve all of you assholes.”
Richie made a face and the rest of the guys laughed, but the best idea they could come up with was a surprise dinner together. Jon felt rather bad as he wanted to do something special, but being so far away made it impossible to invite any guests and he resigned himself to the fact that there wasn’t any better way to celebrate. He phoned Rick and asked him to get someone to arrange a surprise dinner party at a good restaurant and left it at that. He’d just have to make up for the lack of excitement in other ways.
It was a short flight and we touched down in Munich at around one o’clock and Jon shook me gently after we’d landed. It felt like I’d just fallen asleep and I was still a bit groggy as we disembarked and headed for the limo. The guys had all settled down a bit too and we were glad to reach the hotel. We’d just about gotten to bed when my cell phone went off and I checked the caller ID. It was a Buffalo number and I took a deep breath before answering.
“Hello?” I said warily.
“Trish? It’s Dave. Am I catching you at a bad time?” he asked, his voice sounding anxious.
“We’re just about ready for bed. It’s after two here in Germany” I explained, somewhat annoyed.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t too sure about the time zones, but I needed to talk to you. I’m really worried. Cherie and I had a fight and she left. She said she needed some time to herself to think about things, but she hasn’t been answering my calls and it’s been almost two weeks. I was hoping she was with you. Have you heard from her?” he asked hurriedly.
“She isn’t with me, Dave. I have spoken to her and I know about what happened and she’s pretty upset, but she was safe the last time I spoke with her. If she’s not answering your calls, she probably isn’t ready to talk” I said rather flatly.
“You’ve heard from her then? Do you know where she is? Trish, I really messed up. I’ve got to talk to her and try to explain” he insisted.
“Dave, I know where she is, and she’s safe. More than that- I can’t tell you. She’ll contact you when she’s ready” I explained curtly.
I really had little sympathy for him and I’d been prepared for the eventual call. He’d brought this on himself and I was secretly glad he was anxious. He should be. I made no attempt to comfort him and I’d emphasized the fact that she was safe, hoping he’d get the implied meaning in that.
“Trish, please. I need to tell her how sorry I am. It’ll never happen again, I swear. I just lost it. You know how she is, she just pushed me too far and I lost it. Please tell me where she is” he pleaded again.
“No, I won’t do that” I responded.
Dave changed his tactic and I could hear the edge in his voice.
“I thought you were our friend, but I can see you don’t really care. You’ve got your life now and you don’t give a shit about our marriage. If you were a friend, you’d be trying to help us” he sneered.
“I see it differently” I replied, unwilling to be manipulated.
“Why won’t you let me talk to her?” he demanded, now blaming me.
“Because I’m respecting Cherie’s wishes” I said pointedly.
“What about me? I made a mistake and I’ve paid the price. Trish, dammit, tell me where she is” he screamed.
Jon took the phone then and I didn’t stop him. I’d dealt with batterers plenty and I knew Dave was no different. He didn’t get it and he wasn’t going to get it. He was furious with me now because I wasn’t intimidated and he hated women he couldn’t control. There was nothing more I wanted to say.
“Listen, man, you don’t get it, do you? You hit her and there’s no excuse for that. Get some help, man” Jon said with finality and hung up the phone.
Jon looked at me then and I could see he was pissed. I was really just tired as I’d been expecting Dave’s call. In fact, I was surprised it had taken so long. Only his pride had kept him from calling sooner and I knew he was feeling desperate. I knew it would get a lot uglier before it was over.
“Shit. He really is an asshole. He just doesn’t get it, does he?” Jon said disgustedly.
“No, he still wants to blame Cherie. I hope she can see that he’s not gonna change” I shook my head sadly.
“Should we call her and Jim and warn them?” Jon wondered.
“I’ll call her when we get up. It’s still early over there and she won’t be up yet and it’s not a conversation I wanna have right at the moment” I yawned.
“Yeah, she’s safe for the moment. He couldn’t find her out there and we should get some sleep” he nodded, yawning himself.
“Oh, he’ll find her, Jon. Believe me, he won’t give up quite that easily. But he won’t find her right away. But now he’ll really start looking. He’s getting desperate now if he called me and admitted she’d left him” I explained.
“Should we get her some security? Do you think he’d show up there?” Jon offered anxiously.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea, but let’s go to sleep. We’ll deal with it in the morning and we need to talk to Cherie and see what she wants. Okay, babe?” I smiled.
“Okay, but remember, anything she needs. Anything” he added with emphasis.
“Thanks love. We’ll call her when we get up” I agreed.
I snuggled against him, grateful for the fact that he understood. I wasn’t so sure about Cherie, though. I had to let her call the shots, and I hoped that she’d made her decision and was ready to end it with Dave, but I knew how hard that would be for her to give up on her marriage. I also knew that if she did plan to end it, she’d be in the greatest danger she’d ever faced. Most women who ended up dead were murdered when they tried to leave, even in situations where there’d been no prior injury. I needed to make sure she understood the risks because failing to do so could be deadly.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Sauna Part 233
It was just before three and I dialed the Fan Club again but it went straight to voicemail. I looked at my watch and frowned. Where was Matt? It was after nine in New Jersey and I suspected he was simply avoiding my calls and now I was angry. I wanted to get this resolved. I shot off an email advising him that Jack had my approval and that I expected Matt to resolve the “problem” by the end of the day and I cc’ed it to Jack. It was time to leave for the airport and I closed up the laptop and looked up at Jon.
“Matt’s avoiding me and I’m beginning to lose patience” I explained. “He’s got until the end of the day to get this resolved before I consider taking another route.”
“What exactly is the problem, babe? What do you need him to do?” Jon inquired.
“He needs to give Jack the access he needs to the website in order to implement the changes I’d asked him to make and he’s been making excuses and refusing to give him the passwords” I grunted as we grabbed our bags and headed for the elevator.
“What changes?” Jon asked, more curious now.
I explained the plan we’d devised to incorporate an adult only section as part of Backstage and how we would insure that only adults could get access via a refundable fee with a credit card. Jon nodded his approval, but gave Matt the benefit of the doubt.
“Do you know what Matt’s objections are? Maybe there’s a reason why he’s been stalling” he offered as we made our way into the lobby.
“Jon, c’mon! He’s just being difficult because it wasn’t his decision. Has he contacted you about this?” I wondered.
I put my hand on his arm and stopped him from walking as I looked at him searchingly. I needed to know that Jon was not discussing the situation with Matt without my knowledge and I needed him to truly trust me on this.
“No, that’s not what I meant. I don’t know what the issue is, but I’d like to believe that Matt wouldn’t fuck something up without a good reason. I thought you wanted to get him on board rather than just demand he comply with your wishes” he said pointedly.
He was right. Maybe I was being overly sensitive as I had anticipated that Matt would challenge my authority at the first opportunity. I really hadn’t explored what his objections might be or what the inherent difficulty might actually exist with enabling Jack’s request. I looked down at the floor, ashamed at my own reactivity.
“You’re right. I do need to approach this differently” I nodded, dialing Matt’s number once more.
The call went to voicemail again and this time I left a more conciliatory message for Matt, explaining that I wanted to hear any concerns he might have or to be advised of any problems he was encountering. And I asked him to call me as soon as possible. I wouldn’t have liked it myself if someone demanded I do something and I was sorry that I’d overreacted.
Jon smiled as we joined the guys in the lobby and one of the road crew came forward to take our bags. I looked around and I didn’t see Rick and I’d kept meaning to ask Jon where he was as I hadn’t seen him hardly at all.
“I haven’t seen Rick all the time we’ve been in Europe. Jon, where is he? Is he alright?” I asked.
“Rick’s here, he’s just really busy when we’re on tour. He’s probably already in Holland to set up security. He’s usually always ahead of us, but you’ll most likely see him tonight” Jon reassured me as we threaded our way through the crowd who’d been anxiously waiting for a glimpse of the band.
*************
Matt was fuming as he read over my email and deleted my messages from his voicemail. Who the hell does she think she is? She thinks she can just dictate to me and I’m gonna jump like my brother when she bats her eyes? Well, fuck her, that ain’t gonna happen. And there’s no way I’m letting her turn this Fan Club into some forum where a bunch of frustrated housewives can drool over my brother and post all their filthy comments. He scowled as he dialed the phone, knowing his mother would have similar thoughts.
“Hello?” Carol answered on the fourth ring.
“It’s me, mom. I need your help” he said hurriedly into the phone.
“What is it now, darling?” she replied, rolling her eyes at her husband.
“It’s Trish, mom. She’s trying to turn Backstage into some filthy adult site and I’ve stalled her as long as I can. You’ve got to call Jon” he replied, sounding a little excited.
“Tell me what happened” Carol demanded.
Matt shared the recent events and made sure to embellish his role in delaying any action. He painted a picture of how Jon’s image would suffer and that he’d no longer be able to protect his brother’s shiny reputation if I was successful. Carol listened and nodded, lowering her voice so that John Sr. would not overhear her.
“I have a better idea. Let her web designer have access to the site and make all the changes they want. Go ahead and announce the new “adult only” site and make sure that you give full credit-and responsibility- to Trish for all the changes that are coming. Make it obvious to Jon that we are fully cooperating and even supporting her” Carol instructed.
“And then?” Matt agreed, grinning conspiratorially.
“When it comes time to open the “new” section, we’ll make sure nothing works. We’ll also make sure that no one who pays for the enhanced privileges gets the refund she’s promised. Once the fans get frustrated and angry, they’ll blame her completely and Jon will beg us to take over again and she’ll be humiliated” she finished with relish.
“Mom, that’s perfect! She’ll look like the incompetent fool that she is and we’ll come to the rescue when Jon realizes the mistake he made leaving things up to her” Matt chirped gleefully.
“Now make sure that you bend over backwards to show Trish that you’re 100% behind her. We need to make sure that she trusts you completely so that she leaves the details all in your hands. She mustn’t get wind of any problems until it’s too late. Understood?” Carol hissed.
“Absolutely. Mom, you’re a genius!” Matt said indulgently.
“Now get off the phone and get to work! You’ve got plenty to do, so get moving. Make sure you tell her what a fantastic idea she had and that you were able to manage all the necessary details to put her plans into action” she prompted.
“I will, mom, I will” Matt promised before hanging up.
He logged into the website and posted a notice about the upcoming changes, making certain to give me full credit for all that was coming. He smiled genuinely as he wrote his glowing tribute to Jon’s wife and encouraged everyone to submit their application fee as soon as the form was available. He hailed me as brilliant and innovative, making it crystal clear that I was solely responsible.
Matt even emailed the web designer, and apologized for the delay and provided him with the password and settings he needed to access the site. he assured him that he had the green light to add all the new features immediately and that he would take care of the procedures for registering the membership who requested full access. The only thing left was to contact his loyal flunkies and get them on board. He needed their help to set up the registration and payment scheme that he and Carol had plotted.
Matt licked his lips as he dialed my cell number as he was anxious to show his allegiance. The sooner everything happened, the sooner the fans would rebel and then he could resume his rightful place at the head of the Fan Club. And then Carol would see how loyal and faithful he really was and she’d realize how much she needed him too.
***************
We had settled onto the plane for the short ride to Holland and Vicky had made sure we all had our drinks and a snack. It would be early evening when we arrived since we’d be losing an hour and we’d have barely enough time to eat and get to the venue. We were flying to Germany immediately after the show, so I’d see Amsterdam from the back of a limo and I was beginning to understand the toll that touring could take. I lost my remaining notions of romance about the whole venture when we were whisked off to dinner directly from the airport.
We piled into the restaurant and were quickly herded over to a large table. There was no need to order as one of the crew had already called in ahead and soon the table was littered with numerous Indonesian dishes and Richie explained that this was what was called a rice table. There were more than twenty different varieties to try, each more delicious than the next, and I learned that Holland had a history of embracing various cuisines from other cultures as they had few things that were truly unique to them.
My cell phone rang just as we started to eat and I checked the number before deciding whether to answer. I was genuinely surprised to see it was Matt and I answered immediately.
“Trish?” he said, sounding pleasant enough.
“Hi Matt. Did you get my messages?” I said, swallowing my first bite of food.
“Yes, that’s why I’m calling. I just wanted to assure you that there is no problem with implementing the changes you’d asked for and I wanted to apologize for the delay. There were a few technical hurdles to overcome, but that’s all been taken care of and your web designer has all the information he needs now. We’re all excited to see how this new feature works and we’ve got the registration process set up and a few fans have already registered since I posted the announcement” he replied smoothly.
“Uhm, that’s wonderful” I said hesitantly, a bit astonished to hear him concede so easily.
“There was a bit of delay while we determined how best to enable the registration and track it, but that’s all been worked out and we should have smooth sailing from here. I’ll let you know if we run into any glitches, so don’t worry as I know you must have plenty to do right now” he added.
I was grateful to hear that he seemed to be on board since I had anticipated an argument and I was relieved that he wasn’t actually fighting me. Perhaps Jon had been right when he’d advised me to hear him out and not jump to conclusions.
“Thank you for taking care of that, Matt. We were just having dinner before the show tonight in Amsterdam, but I’ll check on how things are progressing sometime tomorrow when we get settled in Germany” I explained.
“I’ll let you go and finish your dinner. Don’t worry about a thing and say hello to Jon for me, okay?” Matt said affably.
I hung up the phone and shook my head, still rather shocked by the turn around. I noticed that Jon was watching me and I looked up and met his eyes.
“Matt said to say hello” I told him.
“Is everything okay now?” Jon asked warily.
“It all sounds good” I replied, uncertain as yet about what to think.
“Matt’s avoiding me and I’m beginning to lose patience” I explained. “He’s got until the end of the day to get this resolved before I consider taking another route.”
“What exactly is the problem, babe? What do you need him to do?” Jon inquired.
“He needs to give Jack the access he needs to the website in order to implement the changes I’d asked him to make and he’s been making excuses and refusing to give him the passwords” I grunted as we grabbed our bags and headed for the elevator.
“What changes?” Jon asked, more curious now.
I explained the plan we’d devised to incorporate an adult only section as part of Backstage and how we would insure that only adults could get access via a refundable fee with a credit card. Jon nodded his approval, but gave Matt the benefit of the doubt.
“Do you know what Matt’s objections are? Maybe there’s a reason why he’s been stalling” he offered as we made our way into the lobby.
“Jon, c’mon! He’s just being difficult because it wasn’t his decision. Has he contacted you about this?” I wondered.
I put my hand on his arm and stopped him from walking as I looked at him searchingly. I needed to know that Jon was not discussing the situation with Matt without my knowledge and I needed him to truly trust me on this.
“No, that’s not what I meant. I don’t know what the issue is, but I’d like to believe that Matt wouldn’t fuck something up without a good reason. I thought you wanted to get him on board rather than just demand he comply with your wishes” he said pointedly.
He was right. Maybe I was being overly sensitive as I had anticipated that Matt would challenge my authority at the first opportunity. I really hadn’t explored what his objections might be or what the inherent difficulty might actually exist with enabling Jack’s request. I looked down at the floor, ashamed at my own reactivity.
“You’re right. I do need to approach this differently” I nodded, dialing Matt’s number once more.
The call went to voicemail again and this time I left a more conciliatory message for Matt, explaining that I wanted to hear any concerns he might have or to be advised of any problems he was encountering. And I asked him to call me as soon as possible. I wouldn’t have liked it myself if someone demanded I do something and I was sorry that I’d overreacted.
Jon smiled as we joined the guys in the lobby and one of the road crew came forward to take our bags. I looked around and I didn’t see Rick and I’d kept meaning to ask Jon where he was as I hadn’t seen him hardly at all.
“I haven’t seen Rick all the time we’ve been in Europe. Jon, where is he? Is he alright?” I asked.
“Rick’s here, he’s just really busy when we’re on tour. He’s probably already in Holland to set up security. He’s usually always ahead of us, but you’ll most likely see him tonight” Jon reassured me as we threaded our way through the crowd who’d been anxiously waiting for a glimpse of the band.
*************
Matt was fuming as he read over my email and deleted my messages from his voicemail. Who the hell does she think she is? She thinks she can just dictate to me and I’m gonna jump like my brother when she bats her eyes? Well, fuck her, that ain’t gonna happen. And there’s no way I’m letting her turn this Fan Club into some forum where a bunch of frustrated housewives can drool over my brother and post all their filthy comments. He scowled as he dialed the phone, knowing his mother would have similar thoughts.
“Hello?” Carol answered on the fourth ring.
“It’s me, mom. I need your help” he said hurriedly into the phone.
“What is it now, darling?” she replied, rolling her eyes at her husband.
“It’s Trish, mom. She’s trying to turn Backstage into some filthy adult site and I’ve stalled her as long as I can. You’ve got to call Jon” he replied, sounding a little excited.
“Tell me what happened” Carol demanded.
Matt shared the recent events and made sure to embellish his role in delaying any action. He painted a picture of how Jon’s image would suffer and that he’d no longer be able to protect his brother’s shiny reputation if I was successful. Carol listened and nodded, lowering her voice so that John Sr. would not overhear her.
“I have a better idea. Let her web designer have access to the site and make all the changes they want. Go ahead and announce the new “adult only” site and make sure that you give full credit-and responsibility- to Trish for all the changes that are coming. Make it obvious to Jon that we are fully cooperating and even supporting her” Carol instructed.
“And then?” Matt agreed, grinning conspiratorially.
“When it comes time to open the “new” section, we’ll make sure nothing works. We’ll also make sure that no one who pays for the enhanced privileges gets the refund she’s promised. Once the fans get frustrated and angry, they’ll blame her completely and Jon will beg us to take over again and she’ll be humiliated” she finished with relish.
“Mom, that’s perfect! She’ll look like the incompetent fool that she is and we’ll come to the rescue when Jon realizes the mistake he made leaving things up to her” Matt chirped gleefully.
“Now make sure that you bend over backwards to show Trish that you’re 100% behind her. We need to make sure that she trusts you completely so that she leaves the details all in your hands. She mustn’t get wind of any problems until it’s too late. Understood?” Carol hissed.
“Absolutely. Mom, you’re a genius!” Matt said indulgently.
“Now get off the phone and get to work! You’ve got plenty to do, so get moving. Make sure you tell her what a fantastic idea she had and that you were able to manage all the necessary details to put her plans into action” she prompted.
“I will, mom, I will” Matt promised before hanging up.
He logged into the website and posted a notice about the upcoming changes, making certain to give me full credit for all that was coming. He smiled genuinely as he wrote his glowing tribute to Jon’s wife and encouraged everyone to submit their application fee as soon as the form was available. He hailed me as brilliant and innovative, making it crystal clear that I was solely responsible.
Matt even emailed the web designer, and apologized for the delay and provided him with the password and settings he needed to access the site. he assured him that he had the green light to add all the new features immediately and that he would take care of the procedures for registering the membership who requested full access. The only thing left was to contact his loyal flunkies and get them on board. He needed their help to set up the registration and payment scheme that he and Carol had plotted.
Matt licked his lips as he dialed my cell number as he was anxious to show his allegiance. The sooner everything happened, the sooner the fans would rebel and then he could resume his rightful place at the head of the Fan Club. And then Carol would see how loyal and faithful he really was and she’d realize how much she needed him too.
***************
We had settled onto the plane for the short ride to Holland and Vicky had made sure we all had our drinks and a snack. It would be early evening when we arrived since we’d be losing an hour and we’d have barely enough time to eat and get to the venue. We were flying to Germany immediately after the show, so I’d see Amsterdam from the back of a limo and I was beginning to understand the toll that touring could take. I lost my remaining notions of romance about the whole venture when we were whisked off to dinner directly from the airport.
We piled into the restaurant and were quickly herded over to a large table. There was no need to order as one of the crew had already called in ahead and soon the table was littered with numerous Indonesian dishes and Richie explained that this was what was called a rice table. There were more than twenty different varieties to try, each more delicious than the next, and I learned that Holland had a history of embracing various cuisines from other cultures as they had few things that were truly unique to them.
My cell phone rang just as we started to eat and I checked the number before deciding whether to answer. I was genuinely surprised to see it was Matt and I answered immediately.
“Trish?” he said, sounding pleasant enough.
“Hi Matt. Did you get my messages?” I said, swallowing my first bite of food.
“Yes, that’s why I’m calling. I just wanted to assure you that there is no problem with implementing the changes you’d asked for and I wanted to apologize for the delay. There were a few technical hurdles to overcome, but that’s all been taken care of and your web designer has all the information he needs now. We’re all excited to see how this new feature works and we’ve got the registration process set up and a few fans have already registered since I posted the announcement” he replied smoothly.
“Uhm, that’s wonderful” I said hesitantly, a bit astonished to hear him concede so easily.
“There was a bit of delay while we determined how best to enable the registration and track it, but that’s all been worked out and we should have smooth sailing from here. I’ll let you know if we run into any glitches, so don’t worry as I know you must have plenty to do right now” he added.
I was grateful to hear that he seemed to be on board since I had anticipated an argument and I was relieved that he wasn’t actually fighting me. Perhaps Jon had been right when he’d advised me to hear him out and not jump to conclusions.
“Thank you for taking care of that, Matt. We were just having dinner before the show tonight in Amsterdam, but I’ll check on how things are progressing sometime tomorrow when we get settled in Germany” I explained.
“I’ll let you go and finish your dinner. Don’t worry about a thing and say hello to Jon for me, okay?” Matt said affably.
I hung up the phone and shook my head, still rather shocked by the turn around. I noticed that Jon was watching me and I looked up and met his eyes.
“Matt said to say hello” I told him.
“Is everything okay now?” Jon asked warily.
“It all sounds good” I replied, uncertain as yet about what to think.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Sauna Part 232
Now that we’d satisfied our more prurient interests, we settled into bed and relaxed. I called Jim to check on the cats and Jon flipped through the stations for something to watch on TV. The report from Colorado was positive and the cats were all fine and apparently so were Cherie and Jim, he assured me with a chuckle. I guessed Cherie was probably blushing from head to toe. I filled them in on the recent events and discussed our itinerary for the next stop on the tour as we were heading for Holland tomorrow.
Jon called the kids and spoke with Dot first while she gave him the scoop on all the important information before turning the phone over to Stephanie. I listened in while she and the kids chatted about school and their friends and all the normal stuff that is the highest priority when you’re young. Jon’s face appeared animated as he listened attentively and offered suggestions for each little crisis they shared. He loved being a dad and it showed.
“I know you really miss the kids and I can tell that they miss you too” I observed.
“Yeah, I do. It’s the hardest part about being on tour, but at least I’m not missing you too” Jon nodded, pulling me closer while I snuggled into his warmth.
“Are you missing your boys?” he asked, his eyes crinkling with a smile.
“Yeah, I do miss them already. I miss Eddie especially. Jim said he cried for two days when we left” I admitted.
“I know, darlin’, I know he’s your baby” he said, comforting me in his arms.
He kissed the top of my head, soothing me like a child while I nuzzled my face into his chest. I loved the scent of the man and there was something innately reassuring about the steady beat of his heart. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, combing it lightly and stroking his temple. Jon closed his eyes and sighed, allowing me to console him as he slipped off to sleep beside me.
**********
Soon it was morning and Jon woke with a yawn, feeling peaceful and rested. He’d have been content to lay there all morning, but his bladder had other ideas and he reluctantly pulled himself away from my arms. I rolled over and stretched, still sound asleep and he made his way to the bathroom to heed nature’s call. When he had finished, he crawled back in bed and woke me with his kisses and purred in my ear.
“How about breakfast in bed this morning?” he whispered.
“As long as I don’t have to get up yet” I replied, still half asleep.
He chuckled and sat up, reaching for the room service menu and dialing the desk. He was hungry and he didn’t want to wait until all the guys were up and he guessed it had been a late night as we fell asleep and never heard Richie return to his room.
“Good grief, Jon. Are you planning to invite all the guys to our room to have breakfast in bed? You ordered enough food for an army!” I teased, rolling over to face him.
“I’m hungry, babe!” he grinned sheepishly before he proceeded to nibble my neck.
“Careful now, I don’t want to wear turtle necks the whole time we’re in Europe” I warned him.
Jon chuckled as he rolled me onto my back and straddled me. His kisses were tender and gentle and my body responded, beckoning him to take me completely. He eased himself in and I arched my hips forward as we began a leisurely rhythm, taking our time as we built towards the crescendo. We had just finished our lovemaking when we heard a knock on the door.
“Room service!” Jon grinned and sprang from the bed to answer the door.
He rolled in the cart and I sat up in bed, watching as he removed one cover at a time, revealing each item for me to see the selection. It was a mini buffet and I was suddenly hungry myself as I reached for a slice of cranberry soda bread and covered it with a liberal amount of apricot preserves. The coffee was calling as Jon filled his plate with eggs benedict and black pudding and I poured a cup for us both.
“I’ve never had that before” I commented, referring to the eggs benedict, and he lifted a forkful to my mouth for a taste.
“Mhmmnn, that is good” I agreed, savoring the richness of the flavors.
Jon scooped a small portion onto my plate and I added some fresh fruit to balance the heaviness as I wasn’t used to such a big breakfast. I nibbled on bacon, but passed on the black pudding once Jon told me what was in it.
“Just try a bite. It tastes better than it sounds. Richie loves it” he coaxed.
I made a face and squinted my eyes, but I opened my mouth for a bite. Hell, if I’d already eaten eel, why cringe over a bit of blood sausage? He gave me a small piece and I had to admit that it wasn’t as horrible as I’d thought, but I shook my head to decline any more. The Potatoes O’Brien looked more appealing.
There was another knock on the door and I set down my plate to go answer it. I greeted a bleary-eyed Richie and invited him in to join us for breakfast and his eyes lit right up when he saw the array Jon had ordered.
“Someone was hungry this morning” he commented, raising an eyebrow at Jon.
“Yeah, we worked up an appetite” Jon winked back as Richie helped himself to the feast, including a generous portion of black pudding on a plate.
“Well, I’m glad you ordered the entire menu, man. I’m starving” Richie commented, stuffing his face with a mouthful of food.
“So, what did you all do last night? We never even heard you get in” I wondered.
“We went to a new pub that had been recommended and we sampled all the various whiskey and beer that they brewed on the premises. Shit, I never knew there were so many” Richie grimaced, holding his head.
“No wonder you look like shit” Jon nodded.
“So how was your tour of the highlands?” Richie asked me, ignoring Jon’s bait.
“It was fabulous, honestly! Let me show you!” I gushed, jumping up to retrieve the camera.
We scrolled through the pictures I’d taken while Richie finished his breakfast and we described where we’d been. The pictures weren’t bad, but the small preview screen on the camera hardly did justice to the phenomenal landscapes we’d seen or the magnificence of the castle, but Richie recognized the scenery.
“Loch Lomond? I remember how breathtaking that place was. Elaine took me there when I visited her here for the first time” he said a bit wistfully, remembering happier times.
I nodded quietly, acknowledging his memory and wondering if he’d ever be able to enjoy the beauty of Scotland without having it spoiled by the association with Elaine. Jon had finally finished his breakfast and I was beyond full myself, but there was still plenty of leftover food. It was a shame to waste as much as we did, but even Richie was stuffed and everything was cold now, so there was no point in inviting the guys to come and help finish it off.
“I think I’ll head back to my room and get some more sleep. What time do we need to catch the plane for Amsterdam?” Richie asked.
“Not until this afternoon, we should leave here about three. Go get your beauty sleep, man” Jon smirked, checking the schedule he’d had programmed into his phone.
“Awww, fuck you, bro” Richie scowled. “See ya later Trish and thanks for breakfast” he grinned, giving me a peck on the cheek as he got up to leave.
Jon made some phone calls to settle some details about the upcoming shows while I checked my email and wrote to my dad about what had been happening. I had several replies from the lawyer with additional questions about information I wanted in the RFP’s and I answered the questions and added more details. There was an email from the web designer I’d hired to restructure the Fan Club website and I frowned as I read what he’d written.
“What’s wrong, babe? You look irritated” Jon observed.
“It’s Matt again. Apparently he hasn’t been cooperating with Jack-the web designer-and has been giving him shit and that’s holding things up. I’ve got to call him and get this thing moving” I announced, trying to curb my annoyance.
“Let me know if you need me to step in” Jon offered, recognizing my need to deal with Matt myself, but assuring me of his support.
“I will, but right now I need to address this first” I explained.
I dialed the number for Matt at the Fan Club. It was still early and I didn’t expect Matt to be in, but I left him a voicemail directing him to cooperate with Jack in whatever way would facilitate getting the job done. I wasn’t really surprised that Matt was putting up roadblocks, but it still got on my nerves and it was frustrating to try and coordinate everything via long distance.
It was moving towards afternoon and we needed to shower and pack before leaving in a few hours and I turned my attention to re-packing our bags. It didn’t take all that long and since I didn’t expect Matt to return my call without further prompting, we decided to shower and then I’d follow up with another call before we headed out for the plane. The warmth of the water began to work out the tension I felt and the sight of Jon’s naked body provided ample distraction.
I let myself lean into his arms as he lathered my back and I nipped at his neck. He met my overtures with a low, throaty chuckle as his hands slid around to cradle my breasts. I looked up into his eyes which twinkled with pleasure as he smiled down at me. I drew his face closer and our lips met in a mutual kiss. I felt his cock stiffen against me and he cupped my ass, lifting me off the floor of the shower.
I twined my legs around his hips like a vine encircling its’ arbor and he slid me onto his thickened shaft in one easy movement. In just a few strides he had me backed up to the wall and we were well on our way to finding release. Jon’s unshaven whiskers scratched my skin as he nuzzled his chin between my shoulder and neck and I shivered with the thrill of his roughness.
I thrust my hips forward, grinding harder against him as I drew him deeper into my heat. His fingers dug into my flesh as he groaned and I contracted my muscles, pulling his orgasm from further inside him. He stiffened and quivered, filling me with his seed, and my own excitement became multiplied as I felt him pulsing within me. His whispered encouragement brought me over the edge.
“Come for me baby. Let me feel you explode” he breathed in my ear.
My body responded to the verbal command and I bucked suddenly with the force of my climax, wringing the last bit of cream from his depth. He smiled with relief as I shuddered and twitched, lost in the throes of my own release. My head dropped onto his shoulder and he slumped slightly as his knees began to give way and he slipped from my grip as he lowered me back to my feet. We grinned at each other and giggled, like lovers sharing a dirty little secret and Jon folded me against his chest as he sighed into my ear.
“I love you, Trish. I’ve really met my match” he said resolutely and I laughed. Jon gave back just as good as he got.
Jon called the kids and spoke with Dot first while she gave him the scoop on all the important information before turning the phone over to Stephanie. I listened in while she and the kids chatted about school and their friends and all the normal stuff that is the highest priority when you’re young. Jon’s face appeared animated as he listened attentively and offered suggestions for each little crisis they shared. He loved being a dad and it showed.
“I know you really miss the kids and I can tell that they miss you too” I observed.
“Yeah, I do. It’s the hardest part about being on tour, but at least I’m not missing you too” Jon nodded, pulling me closer while I snuggled into his warmth.
“Are you missing your boys?” he asked, his eyes crinkling with a smile.
“Yeah, I do miss them already. I miss Eddie especially. Jim said he cried for two days when we left” I admitted.
“I know, darlin’, I know he’s your baby” he said, comforting me in his arms.
He kissed the top of my head, soothing me like a child while I nuzzled my face into his chest. I loved the scent of the man and there was something innately reassuring about the steady beat of his heart. I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair, combing it lightly and stroking his temple. Jon closed his eyes and sighed, allowing me to console him as he slipped off to sleep beside me.
**********
Soon it was morning and Jon woke with a yawn, feeling peaceful and rested. He’d have been content to lay there all morning, but his bladder had other ideas and he reluctantly pulled himself away from my arms. I rolled over and stretched, still sound asleep and he made his way to the bathroom to heed nature’s call. When he had finished, he crawled back in bed and woke me with his kisses and purred in my ear.
“How about breakfast in bed this morning?” he whispered.
“As long as I don’t have to get up yet” I replied, still half asleep.
He chuckled and sat up, reaching for the room service menu and dialing the desk. He was hungry and he didn’t want to wait until all the guys were up and he guessed it had been a late night as we fell asleep and never heard Richie return to his room.
“Good grief, Jon. Are you planning to invite all the guys to our room to have breakfast in bed? You ordered enough food for an army!” I teased, rolling over to face him.
“I’m hungry, babe!” he grinned sheepishly before he proceeded to nibble my neck.
“Careful now, I don’t want to wear turtle necks the whole time we’re in Europe” I warned him.
Jon chuckled as he rolled me onto my back and straddled me. His kisses were tender and gentle and my body responded, beckoning him to take me completely. He eased himself in and I arched my hips forward as we began a leisurely rhythm, taking our time as we built towards the crescendo. We had just finished our lovemaking when we heard a knock on the door.
“Room service!” Jon grinned and sprang from the bed to answer the door.
He rolled in the cart and I sat up in bed, watching as he removed one cover at a time, revealing each item for me to see the selection. It was a mini buffet and I was suddenly hungry myself as I reached for a slice of cranberry soda bread and covered it with a liberal amount of apricot preserves. The coffee was calling as Jon filled his plate with eggs benedict and black pudding and I poured a cup for us both.
“I’ve never had that before” I commented, referring to the eggs benedict, and he lifted a forkful to my mouth for a taste.
“Mhmmnn, that is good” I agreed, savoring the richness of the flavors.
Jon scooped a small portion onto my plate and I added some fresh fruit to balance the heaviness as I wasn’t used to such a big breakfast. I nibbled on bacon, but passed on the black pudding once Jon told me what was in it.
“Just try a bite. It tastes better than it sounds. Richie loves it” he coaxed.
I made a face and squinted my eyes, but I opened my mouth for a bite. Hell, if I’d already eaten eel, why cringe over a bit of blood sausage? He gave me a small piece and I had to admit that it wasn’t as horrible as I’d thought, but I shook my head to decline any more. The Potatoes O’Brien looked more appealing.
There was another knock on the door and I set down my plate to go answer it. I greeted a bleary-eyed Richie and invited him in to join us for breakfast and his eyes lit right up when he saw the array Jon had ordered.
“Someone was hungry this morning” he commented, raising an eyebrow at Jon.
“Yeah, we worked up an appetite” Jon winked back as Richie helped himself to the feast, including a generous portion of black pudding on a plate.
“Well, I’m glad you ordered the entire menu, man. I’m starving” Richie commented, stuffing his face with a mouthful of food.
“So, what did you all do last night? We never even heard you get in” I wondered.
“We went to a new pub that had been recommended and we sampled all the various whiskey and beer that they brewed on the premises. Shit, I never knew there were so many” Richie grimaced, holding his head.
“No wonder you look like shit” Jon nodded.
“So how was your tour of the highlands?” Richie asked me, ignoring Jon’s bait.
“It was fabulous, honestly! Let me show you!” I gushed, jumping up to retrieve the camera.
We scrolled through the pictures I’d taken while Richie finished his breakfast and we described where we’d been. The pictures weren’t bad, but the small preview screen on the camera hardly did justice to the phenomenal landscapes we’d seen or the magnificence of the castle, but Richie recognized the scenery.
“Loch Lomond? I remember how breathtaking that place was. Elaine took me there when I visited her here for the first time” he said a bit wistfully, remembering happier times.
I nodded quietly, acknowledging his memory and wondering if he’d ever be able to enjoy the beauty of Scotland without having it spoiled by the association with Elaine. Jon had finally finished his breakfast and I was beyond full myself, but there was still plenty of leftover food. It was a shame to waste as much as we did, but even Richie was stuffed and everything was cold now, so there was no point in inviting the guys to come and help finish it off.
“I think I’ll head back to my room and get some more sleep. What time do we need to catch the plane for Amsterdam?” Richie asked.
“Not until this afternoon, we should leave here about three. Go get your beauty sleep, man” Jon smirked, checking the schedule he’d had programmed into his phone.
“Awww, fuck you, bro” Richie scowled. “See ya later Trish and thanks for breakfast” he grinned, giving me a peck on the cheek as he got up to leave.
Jon made some phone calls to settle some details about the upcoming shows while I checked my email and wrote to my dad about what had been happening. I had several replies from the lawyer with additional questions about information I wanted in the RFP’s and I answered the questions and added more details. There was an email from the web designer I’d hired to restructure the Fan Club website and I frowned as I read what he’d written.
“What’s wrong, babe? You look irritated” Jon observed.
“It’s Matt again. Apparently he hasn’t been cooperating with Jack-the web designer-and has been giving him shit and that’s holding things up. I’ve got to call him and get this thing moving” I announced, trying to curb my annoyance.
“Let me know if you need me to step in” Jon offered, recognizing my need to deal with Matt myself, but assuring me of his support.
“I will, but right now I need to address this first” I explained.
I dialed the number for Matt at the Fan Club. It was still early and I didn’t expect Matt to be in, but I left him a voicemail directing him to cooperate with Jack in whatever way would facilitate getting the job done. I wasn’t really surprised that Matt was putting up roadblocks, but it still got on my nerves and it was frustrating to try and coordinate everything via long distance.
It was moving towards afternoon and we needed to shower and pack before leaving in a few hours and I turned my attention to re-packing our bags. It didn’t take all that long and since I didn’t expect Matt to return my call without further prompting, we decided to shower and then I’d follow up with another call before we headed out for the plane. The warmth of the water began to work out the tension I felt and the sight of Jon’s naked body provided ample distraction.
I let myself lean into his arms as he lathered my back and I nipped at his neck. He met my overtures with a low, throaty chuckle as his hands slid around to cradle my breasts. I looked up into his eyes which twinkled with pleasure as he smiled down at me. I drew his face closer and our lips met in a mutual kiss. I felt his cock stiffen against me and he cupped my ass, lifting me off the floor of the shower.
I twined my legs around his hips like a vine encircling its’ arbor and he slid me onto his thickened shaft in one easy movement. In just a few strides he had me backed up to the wall and we were well on our way to finding release. Jon’s unshaven whiskers scratched my skin as he nuzzled his chin between my shoulder and neck and I shivered with the thrill of his roughness.
I thrust my hips forward, grinding harder against him as I drew him deeper into my heat. His fingers dug into my flesh as he groaned and I contracted my muscles, pulling his orgasm from further inside him. He stiffened and quivered, filling me with his seed, and my own excitement became multiplied as I felt him pulsing within me. His whispered encouragement brought me over the edge.
“Come for me baby. Let me feel you explode” he breathed in my ear.
My body responded to the verbal command and I bucked suddenly with the force of my climax, wringing the last bit of cream from his depth. He smiled with relief as I shuddered and twitched, lost in the throes of my own release. My head dropped onto his shoulder and he slumped slightly as his knees began to give way and he slipped from my grip as he lowered me back to my feet. We grinned at each other and giggled, like lovers sharing a dirty little secret and Jon folded me against his chest as he sighed into my ear.
“I love you, Trish. I’ve really met my match” he said resolutely and I laughed. Jon gave back just as good as he got.
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Sauna Part 231
We woke to glorious sunshine the next morning and decided to skip our usual breakfast ritual as we were still quite stuffed from yesterday’s meal. Jon ordered coffee from room service while I sat down at the laptop and tried to finish the contracts I hadn’t completed before leaving Colorado. Jon went for a run to work off the extra calories and I appreciated the chance to concentrate on the work I’d put off.
I was ready for a diversion by the time he returned and he needed a shower, so our timing was perfect as we turned on the water to bathe. It was our last day in Scotland and we’d be leaving tomorrow for Amsterdam.
“Do you think we could rent a car and take a drive through the countryside? I’d love to get out of the city and just see the land” I said wistfully as Jon soaped up my back and I stretched, enjoying the feel of his hands on my skin.
“Sounds like a plan, babe, but I’m thinking a limo might be a better idea” he said suggestively as his hands slid around to my breasts. “We wouldn’t want to get lost” he murmured into my ear.
“And it would leave your hands free for other purposes” I smiled, considering the possibilities.
“You’re reading my mind” he chuckled.
We finished our shower and dressed casually in our loosest clothes as we both still felt a bit bloated. Jon called Richie to explain we were planning a romantic day in the country and he immediately understood the implications.
“Lucky bastard” Richie teased.
“You know it, bro” Jon said with a smirk and we were off on our way.
The limo arrived within the hour and we informed the driver that we wanted to see the Scottish highlands and lochs and he immediately suggested Loch Lomond and the surrounding area. It wasn’t that far from Glasgow and it was a popular area with tourists as it hosted much of the filming for ‘Rob Roy’. My eyes lit right up when he said that as it had been one of my favorite movies and my mind immediately conjured up scenes from that and ‘Braveheart’, another one of my favorites. Our driver-turned-tour-guide grinned as he went on to explain that we would also be able to stop in and tour Stirling Castle and we both nodded enthusiastically.
The drive to Balloch took only about thirty minutes and we arrived on the southern shore of Loch Lomond. It had rained earlier in the morning, but the now brilliant sunshine had created a rainbow which greeted us as we approached. We drove eastward around the Loch, heading toward Stirling and the scenery was awe-inspiring to say the least. There was something about this area of Scotland that brought to mind images of fairies and water sprites and my imagination seemed to kick into high gear. Neither Jon nor I seemed the least bit concerned with our erotic agenda as we found ourselves captivated by everything that we saw.
We passed by the castle and proceeded to move upward along the eastern coast to Ben Lomond and the weather was mild enough to get out and walk. I was glad we’d worn comfortable clothing and shoes as the terrain was a bit rocky in spots, but the climb to the summit was well worth the effort. Looking down on the expanse of the Loch, Jon slipped his hand into mine and took a deep breath.
“I am so glad we decided to do this today. I can surely appreciate why this place was immortalized in song” he said quietly and began softly singing the verse of an old song that I recognized.
‘Oh, ye’ll tak’ the high road, and I’ll tak’ the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.’
“Such a sad song, though. Let’s hope it’s not true, Jon. Perhaps we can come back some day when we have more time to spend here?” I asked with a twinkle in my eye.
“Count on it, baby. This place just speaks to my soul” he purred, squeezing me in his arms.
I filled up a memory card with pictures I took of everything that we saw and I found myself feeling forever grateful to Jon for exposing me to one of the most breathtaking places I had ever seen. He and I were like kindred spirits in the way that we appreciated the beauty of nature; our passion for the land was borne from a lifetime of living and loving with the gifts that the God and Goddess had bestowed upon us.
“We should probably head back to the castle if you folks still want to see the inside before they shut down for the day” our driver informed us, clearing his throat.
We reluctantly left Ben Lomond and returned to Stirling Castle just in time to catch the last tour of the day. Our time in Scotland was far briefer than either of us would have liked, but we knew that someday we’d have an opportunity to spend greater time here. Stirling Castle was the seat of numerous battles, lying strategically near the lowest crossing point of the river Forth, and was a critical factor in enabling the victor to control central Scotland. The three battles between William Wallace, Edward I and Robert the Bruce which were so eloquently recreated in the movie ‘Braveheart’ were fought over Stirling Castle.
I bought several books on the history of the castle and the surrounding area with a bevvy of fabulous photographs that were far superior to any that I could have taken. The romance of legends was highly appealing to both Jon and I and there was even a theory that Camelot was in part based on the castle.
We had missed lunch again in our quest for adventure and Jon’s stomach growled loudly as we climbed back into the limo. Food was definitely in our future and the next stop on Jon’s agenda. Our driver suggested The Harviestoun Country Hotel & Restaurant and we readily agreed, anxious to slake our appetites as quickly as possible. The fact that they were well known for their wines didn’t hurt the decision either.
We ordered the breaded brie wedges with cranberry sauce to begin while we perused the extensive menu for other masterpieces of authentic Scottish cuisine. Jon favored the grilled sea bass as he wanted to stick with something a bit lighter. I vascillated between several tempting items and finally decided on the chicken stuffed with smoked applewood cheese for my entrée after Jon ordered the smoked duck and fennel with orange salad to share simply to speed my selection and end the debate.
Jon treated our driver as well, though he declined to join us for dinner and took a seat at the bar instead. We chose a red wine that sounded enticing and it complimented our meal very well. We had placated our hunger quite admirably when the waitress began to recite the desserts. We both agreed to split a sticky toffee pudding as we wanted to avoid the discomfort of being overfull after yesterday’s over-indulgence. I was beginning to fancy Irish coffee now that I’d gotten over my withdrawal from Tim Horton’s.
It was dark when we reached the hotel and Richie wasn’t around and had apparently joined Tico and the guys for some dinner and late night carousing. We had the evening all to ourselves and the hotel had a sauna with our name on it. We changed into our robes and grabbed some fresh towels and headed down to rekindle fond memories.
The hotel sauna was large and spacious and there were a few other guests enjoying the facility with us. We made small talk with another couple who appeared to be about the same age as us and learned they were here along with their kids on a holiday. The older daughter was watching the little ones while mom and dad took a break by themselves and Jon and her husband exchanged stories about the trials and tribulations of having a teenage daughter.
The lack of privacy curtailed our plans for romance, but the sauna felt good and it was pleasant to spend time with another couple without the chaos and drama that seemed to follow us lately. Sharon and Kyle were a refreshing breath of normalcy in an otherwise exceptional life and we joked about marriage and kids and even pets with the easy understanding that comes with shared life experiences. It was nice to feel just like normal folk for a change.
We returned to our room, sweaty and in need of a shower and an opportunity to fulfill the desires that had been simmering all day. Our passion for each other had taken a back seat to the Scottish countryside and our hope for an interlude in the sauna had been sidelined as well. Now we were alone and we were anxious to make good on our lustier intentions.
“Shower?” Jon asked with a glint in his eye.
“I’ll race you there” I laughed as we made a beeline for our destination.
I was ready for a diversion by the time he returned and he needed a shower, so our timing was perfect as we turned on the water to bathe. It was our last day in Scotland and we’d be leaving tomorrow for Amsterdam.
“Do you think we could rent a car and take a drive through the countryside? I’d love to get out of the city and just see the land” I said wistfully as Jon soaped up my back and I stretched, enjoying the feel of his hands on my skin.
“Sounds like a plan, babe, but I’m thinking a limo might be a better idea” he said suggestively as his hands slid around to my breasts. “We wouldn’t want to get lost” he murmured into my ear.
“And it would leave your hands free for other purposes” I smiled, considering the possibilities.
“You’re reading my mind” he chuckled.
We finished our shower and dressed casually in our loosest clothes as we both still felt a bit bloated. Jon called Richie to explain we were planning a romantic day in the country and he immediately understood the implications.
“Lucky bastard” Richie teased.
“You know it, bro” Jon said with a smirk and we were off on our way.
The limo arrived within the hour and we informed the driver that we wanted to see the Scottish highlands and lochs and he immediately suggested Loch Lomond and the surrounding area. It wasn’t that far from Glasgow and it was a popular area with tourists as it hosted much of the filming for ‘Rob Roy’. My eyes lit right up when he said that as it had been one of my favorite movies and my mind immediately conjured up scenes from that and ‘Braveheart’, another one of my favorites. Our driver-turned-tour-guide grinned as he went on to explain that we would also be able to stop in and tour Stirling Castle and we both nodded enthusiastically.
The drive to Balloch took only about thirty minutes and we arrived on the southern shore of Loch Lomond. It had rained earlier in the morning, but the now brilliant sunshine had created a rainbow which greeted us as we approached. We drove eastward around the Loch, heading toward Stirling and the scenery was awe-inspiring to say the least. There was something about this area of Scotland that brought to mind images of fairies and water sprites and my imagination seemed to kick into high gear. Neither Jon nor I seemed the least bit concerned with our erotic agenda as we found ourselves captivated by everything that we saw.
We passed by the castle and proceeded to move upward along the eastern coast to Ben Lomond and the weather was mild enough to get out and walk. I was glad we’d worn comfortable clothing and shoes as the terrain was a bit rocky in spots, but the climb to the summit was well worth the effort. Looking down on the expanse of the Loch, Jon slipped his hand into mine and took a deep breath.
“I am so glad we decided to do this today. I can surely appreciate why this place was immortalized in song” he said quietly and began softly singing the verse of an old song that I recognized.
‘Oh, ye’ll tak’ the high road, and I’ll tak’ the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.’
“Such a sad song, though. Let’s hope it’s not true, Jon. Perhaps we can come back some day when we have more time to spend here?” I asked with a twinkle in my eye.
“Count on it, baby. This place just speaks to my soul” he purred, squeezing me in his arms.
I filled up a memory card with pictures I took of everything that we saw and I found myself feeling forever grateful to Jon for exposing me to one of the most breathtaking places I had ever seen. He and I were like kindred spirits in the way that we appreciated the beauty of nature; our passion for the land was borne from a lifetime of living and loving with the gifts that the God and Goddess had bestowed upon us.
“We should probably head back to the castle if you folks still want to see the inside before they shut down for the day” our driver informed us, clearing his throat.
We reluctantly left Ben Lomond and returned to Stirling Castle just in time to catch the last tour of the day. Our time in Scotland was far briefer than either of us would have liked, but we knew that someday we’d have an opportunity to spend greater time here. Stirling Castle was the seat of numerous battles, lying strategically near the lowest crossing point of the river Forth, and was a critical factor in enabling the victor to control central Scotland. The three battles between William Wallace, Edward I and Robert the Bruce which were so eloquently recreated in the movie ‘Braveheart’ were fought over Stirling Castle.
I bought several books on the history of the castle and the surrounding area with a bevvy of fabulous photographs that were far superior to any that I could have taken. The romance of legends was highly appealing to both Jon and I and there was even a theory that Camelot was in part based on the castle.
We had missed lunch again in our quest for adventure and Jon’s stomach growled loudly as we climbed back into the limo. Food was definitely in our future and the next stop on Jon’s agenda. Our driver suggested The Harviestoun Country Hotel & Restaurant and we readily agreed, anxious to slake our appetites as quickly as possible. The fact that they were well known for their wines didn’t hurt the decision either.
We ordered the breaded brie wedges with cranberry sauce to begin while we perused the extensive menu for other masterpieces of authentic Scottish cuisine. Jon favored the grilled sea bass as he wanted to stick with something a bit lighter. I vascillated between several tempting items and finally decided on the chicken stuffed with smoked applewood cheese for my entrée after Jon ordered the smoked duck and fennel with orange salad to share simply to speed my selection and end the debate.
Jon treated our driver as well, though he declined to join us for dinner and took a seat at the bar instead. We chose a red wine that sounded enticing and it complimented our meal very well. We had placated our hunger quite admirably when the waitress began to recite the desserts. We both agreed to split a sticky toffee pudding as we wanted to avoid the discomfort of being overfull after yesterday’s over-indulgence. I was beginning to fancy Irish coffee now that I’d gotten over my withdrawal from Tim Horton’s.
It was dark when we reached the hotel and Richie wasn’t around and had apparently joined Tico and the guys for some dinner and late night carousing. We had the evening all to ourselves and the hotel had a sauna with our name on it. We changed into our robes and grabbed some fresh towels and headed down to rekindle fond memories.
The hotel sauna was large and spacious and there were a few other guests enjoying the facility with us. We made small talk with another couple who appeared to be about the same age as us and learned they were here along with their kids on a holiday. The older daughter was watching the little ones while mom and dad took a break by themselves and Jon and her husband exchanged stories about the trials and tribulations of having a teenage daughter.
The lack of privacy curtailed our plans for romance, but the sauna felt good and it was pleasant to spend time with another couple without the chaos and drama that seemed to follow us lately. Sharon and Kyle were a refreshing breath of normalcy in an otherwise exceptional life and we joked about marriage and kids and even pets with the easy understanding that comes with shared life experiences. It was nice to feel just like normal folk for a change.
We returned to our room, sweaty and in need of a shower and an opportunity to fulfill the desires that had been simmering all day. Our passion for each other had taken a back seat to the Scottish countryside and our hope for an interlude in the sauna had been sidelined as well. Now we were alone and we were anxious to make good on our lustier intentions.
“Shower?” Jon asked with a glint in his eye.
“I’ll race you there” I laughed as we made a beeline for our destination.
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