Chapter Forty-Three

Author's note:  I fudged the dates for the concert.  I know the dates were the 14th and 15th, but it worked better for the story if I did it this way.   Thanks and enjoy!


 

“Okay, thank you so much.  I’ll call again next week for the location and time.” 

Stephanie hung up the phone and smiled.  She had finally made the call to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity and there was a new project starting up and they were grateful for her offer to help.  She actually felt excited about the prospect of getting involved again.  She smirked.  Dr. Grace would be so proud. 

Pushing back from her desk she stood and stretched.  She was slowly finding the new rhythm her life had taken on.  The steps were different, new and while she was struggling right now, she’d get them eventually.  She rolled her shoulders.  Hopefully her new partner wouldn’t get tired of waiting for her to master them. 

She sat back down and started to gather her things and shut down her computer.  Thinking about her partner, she wondered what Richie was doing.  He had been gone for a week now and, while they had talked nearly every day, it wasn’t the same as him just showing up at her house or enjoying a meal together.  She picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder.  She supposed she would have to get used to this, all the traveling he did.  Picking up her attaché she headed toward the door.  She’d just have to find things to keep herself busy.

Or, maybe, she thought as she slipped out the door and over to her car, maybe she could go see him.  He might like that.  Wouldn’t he?  She tossed her purse and bag onto the passenger seat and started the car.  She’d check the schedule and see where they were going to be for more than one night.

When her car was safely parked in the garage and she had changed into her most comfortable I-feel-like-a-slob-and-I-don’t-care clothes and had a glass of wine poured, she booted up her laptop and headed right over to the BJCT website the girls had started to see where the band was playing that week.

She took a sip from her glass and scanned the page.  She couldn’t help the smile.  They were headed to Toronto later in the week.  Two shows were scheduled over Valentines.  Setting her glass down, she opened a new tab and brought up the ticket-bastard website.  Sending up a silent prayer she searched for a ticket for the first night.  They came back with one crappy-up-in-the-rafters seat.  She sighed and changed her search parameters, hoping for something slightly closer.

She frowned when the next best seat came back behind the stage.  I suppose looking at his ass is better than not seeing him at all she thought as she clicked the “purchase” button.  She completed her transaction and then started the process all over again for the show on Valentine’s Day.  Considering the ticket she got for the first show, she didn’t get her hopes up for one much better for this show. 

She had to rub her eyes and make sure she was seeing things right when the screen popped up.  She had to be seeing things.  That couldn’t be a pit ticket she was looking at.  Could it?  Tugging her glasses off she leaned in, making sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her.   She grinned and clicked “purchase” before her time ran out.  How the hell had she gotten that lucky?

She spun giddily around in her chair as the purchase went through.  Damn.  She had never been that close at a show since 1989.  Stopping the chair she turned back to the computer.  She needed to make airline reservations and she needed to see if there was a room left somewhere in Toronto for that weekend.  First, though, she needed to send off an email to her girls and see if she could find out what hotel might be the best one to try.

To:     The Girls

From: Q

Re:     Back in the Swing of Things

Hey girls, guess what?!  I’m going to Toronto for the two shows over Valentines.  I got a craptastic behind the stage ticket for the first show, but on Valentines, holy hell.  I scored a first row pit ticket!  I have no idea how there was even one left, but it’s mine.  I can’t even tell you how excited I am. 

Richie doesn’t know I’m coming yet.  I haven’t decided if I should tell him or surprise him.  I’m leaning more toward the surprising.  What do you all think?

Oh, do you guys know a good hotel?  I need a room.  :P

Thanks. 

Love to you all…

Q

Dropping her email down to the bottom so she could keep working, she closed the ticket-bastard tabs and started hunting down airfare.  She only winced a little at the over-inflated charge she had to pay, but it would be worth it in the end.  Besides, she had enough money to last three lifetimes.  Why not spend a little on something utterly frivolous and totally indulgent?

Glancing down she noticed she had an email.  Pulling it up she smiled, her girls had gotten back to her already.

To:     Q

From:  Willow

Re:     Back in the Swing of Things

First, you go girl!  It’s about time you got back on the horse.  Can I just say I’m jealous?!

You might want to get in touch with NorwichLiz about the hotel, but I’m guessing the Four Seasons is a good place to start.

I say go for the surprise.  I’m sure he’ll love it.

Have a blast and send pictures!

Love you lots-

Wils

Stephanie smiled widely. She had the best friends.  She opened a new tab and searched out the Four Seasons in Toronto.  Crossing her fingers, she typed in her dates and hit “enter.”  Before she could even take a sip of her wine, the hotel came back.  They had one room left for that weekend.  Scrolling down through, she saw it was a suite.  The price per night scared her more than a little.  Holy crap.  That was a lot of money to pay for a place to sleep.  Her fingers hovered over the mouse. 

Taking a deep swallow of wine she glanced back at the screen.  Fuck it she thought and clicked “reserve.”  

Taking her e-tickets from the printer she slipped them into her decorative manila folder for safekeeping.  She’d talk to her boss on Monday about taking a couple of days off.  Hell, she could take her computer and work from the hotel if she had to.  She would be flying in on Saturday and would have the better part of the day to work if that’s what her boss wanted.   

Closing down her computer, she drained her glass of wine and set it by the sink.  Grabbing her phone she headed up the stairs and filled her tub with steamy water and frothy bubbles.

It was almost time for her nightly call from Richie.  She just had to hope she could keep the excitement out of her voice and not spill the surprise.