Chapter Seventy-Eight

Picking up the shirt from the chair, Stephanie stepped in front of the mirror and slid the gray jersey over her navy tank top.  She left the buttons open and ran her hand lovingly down the placket.  She had bought the Yankee away jersey for Mark for his thirty-fifth birthday.  He always razzed her that it wasn’t authentic because it had Jeter’s name over the 2 on the back, but he loved it anyway. 

She sighed, sadly. 

The missing was getting easier every day, but today, it was a little tough.  She was wearing his shirt and going to see their favorite team play in a park and against a team he would have loved to see.  Her eyes stung and she took a deep breath, tucking the emotions away.  Determined to have a good time today, she gripped the lapels and straightened the polyester over her shoulders.  

Combing her fingers through her hair she pulled the dark mass into a ponytail and grabbed her hat. She needed to get going. She was picking up Darcy and the traffic was certain to be hideous this time of day.

Snagging her keys off the hook by the door, she checked her purse one last time for the tickets and hopped into the car.  She paused for a minute.  Reaching into her purse she fished out her phone.  She wanted to send Richie a text before getting caught up with Darcy and the game.

<3:45 p.m.> Hey you, just checking in. I’m headed to Anaheim with Darcy, but I wanted to touch base. Love you, miss you, talk to you soon.

Dropping the phone into the cup holder, she plugged in the charger and backed out of the driveway.  The first week hadn’t been so bad.  She had found enough to keep her busy that she only missed him every other minute.  But it had gotten easier.  It was hard to find time to touch base with a nine hour time difference, but they were doing their best.

She had taken her laptop to bed one night and he Skyped her at four in the morning.  She had been half asleep but she didn’t care. She’d gotten to see his face that was worth a little lost sleep.

Texting was becoming a regular habit.  That and email seemed to be the easiest and best way to keep in touch. And, as promised, he sent pictures.  Not of himself, but of some of the sights he had been able to get out and see.  They were in Finland for a show today? Tomorrow? Whichever.  Just the thought had her excited about traveling with him next month.

Her phone chimed with an incoming text. Pulling into Darcy’s driveway she picked up the phone and smiled.

<4:06 p.m.>Hey yourself Sweetheart. Have fun, stay safe and go Yankees. Heading to Stadium soon. Love U, Miss U

She set the phone back down just as Darcy got in the car.  “Hey girlfriend. How are you?!” They had talked on the phone, but hadn’t seen each other since Stephanie left ICM.

With a warm smile Stephanie leaned over for a hug.  “I’ve been good, Darce, real good.”

Darcy buckled her seatbelt and turned in her seat.  “Good, because I have a bone to pick with you missy.”  Her tone was playful and stern at the same time.

“Me, what did I do?!”  Stephanie couldn’t imagine what she might have done to have gotten her in trouble with Darcy.

“You” Darcy started and unfolded the paper in her hand, turning it so Stephanie could see, “didn’t tell me that your ‘Richard’ was Richard Sambora.  That’s what you did!”

Stephanie laughed and took the paper from her hands. The picture was from the airport the day she had dropped Richie off. Her face was cradled in the palm of his hand and her hand was on his wrist.  She smirked.  Another second or so and the shot would have had them in a full lip lock.

She handed the paper back to Darcy.  “I’m sorry.  I should have told you.”  She back out of the driveway and headed toward the freeway.

Darcy tucked the paper back into her bag.  “So why didn’t you?”

Stephanie thought about that day in her office when she had gotten those huge flowers and she told Darcy that her guy’s name was Richard. “I don’t know. I guess I just wasn’t sure enough about what was happening between him and me. That and it was too freaking surreal to think that I was dating Richie Sambora.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe it some days.” She slowed for traffic and tuned to look at her friend. “Forgive me?”

Darcy pretended to stew about it.

“Well?”  Stephanie turned into the parking lot for the stadium.  “Come on Darce, you can’t be that upset with me about this.”  She rolled down her window to pay the man to park her car. 

“$25 miss.”

Stephanie dug in her purse, silently cursing the exorbitant amount it cost to park at a sports stadium.  She handed over the bills, “here you go.”  She took the proffered ticket and placed it on her dashboard.  “Ridiculous” she muttered as she rolled the window up and followed the line of cars around and down a row.  She eased her car into a spot next to an SUV and shut it off.  Taking the keys from the ignition she looked over at her friend.  “You’re killing me here Darce.  Say something will ya?”

Darcy smiled, “well, of course I forgive you.  But you need to tell me everything.”

They got out of the car and followed the crowd toward the entrance gates.  “Everything?”  Stephanie was a little afraid of how just exactly how much everything was going to consist of.

Darcy laughed and tucked her arm through Stephanie’s as they approached the line to get in.  “Everything girl” she paused as they got to the head of the line and had their bags checked.  Once they were inside and found their seats, Darcy resumed their conversation.  “I want to know every little and probably not so little detail.”

Stephanie shook her head and laughed.  Darcy was shameless.  She was going to need beer to get through this conversation.  She waved at a vendor that was making his way through their section.  A lot of beer.