Chapter Eighty-Two

Looking over her shoulder, Stephanie slipped into her office and pushed at the door until it was open just a crack.  Ava was a sweetheart, but if you looked up overbearing in the dictionary, Stephanie was sure the girl’s picture would be there next to the word.  Yikes.  She certainly took her home health care duties to the extreme.  Not that Stephanie wasn’t grateful for the help, but chill girlfriend.  You’re 15 not 50 and you’re definitely not my mother.  All in all things hadn’t been that bad, but Stephanie needed a few minutes to herself. 

Booting up her laptop, she flexed her fingers.  The swelling had gone down in her right hand and the bruises were fading to a sickening yellow and green, but it was still difficult to make a fist.  Her wrist still ached too.  She once again wondered if something was broken in there and not just sprained.  She’d find out later that afternoon at her follow-up appointment.  She was just glad she made it late enough in the day that Ava would be gone by then.  Heather was coming to pick her up.  Her nursemaid duties were officially over as of this afternoon. 

Glancing at the computer screen, she worked the mouse and got herself on Google and opened her mail.  She tried to stay caught up on her phone, but it was a never-ending battle.  She skimmed through most of what was there, replying to a few before composing one to her friends.

To:     The Girls

From: Q
Re:     Ouch

Hey girls, hope you’re all well and good.  Don’t know if you heard anything about a baseball fan getting assaulted/attacked outside a Los Angeles Sports Bar almost two weeks ago, but that was me.  I’m fine, a little bruised and battered, but hanging in there.

I attached two pictures, one from right after the incident happened and one from yesterday (Ava has been snapping pics and sending them to Richie so he can see that I’m on the mend).  As you can see, I’m a virtual kaleidoscope of colors.  It’s fabulous…not.  :P

Oh, and speaking of Richie, he’ll be back in Cali for a week and then I set off with him for Turkey and all the rest of the tour dates over in Europe.  I have to say, I’m pretty excited.  I’ve never traveled overseas before.

Miss you girls, talk soon.

Love you all,

Q

Stephanie sat back and rubbed her side.  Her ribs still pained her from time to time.  She hoped flying wasn’t going to be a problem.  She was still pondering that when she got a response to her email.

To:     Q

From: Catte
Re:     Ouch

Holy shit Q, that was you?!  I read about that online after it happened, but never thought it could be you.  Are you really okay?  What the hell happened?  And why were you at a bar alone?  And what does the other guy look like?  ;)

 Catte

Stephanie chuckled.  Leave it to Catte to ask that question.

To:     Catte

From: Q
Re:     Ouch

I hope his balls are still somewhere up around his stomach never to return and I’m pretty sure his nose will forever be slightly off center of his face.  ;)

I’m okay.  Honestly, though, I was scared shitless and just acted on instinct.  And I wasn’t alone.  I had stepped outside to make a call while my friends finished up their beers and settled up the bill.  It all happened so fast. 

Scary fast.  She shook her head, no more of that. “I’m fine” she told herself.

But I’m fine and it’s over, mostly.  Charges are pending and I’m sure jail time will be in their future.  But you can rest assured I won’t be going to any sports bars after a game any time soon.

She looked up to find Ava standing in the doorway.  Dammit, she’d been found. 

Gotta run.  Will talk again soon.

Q

She closed the email program and shut lowered the lid of the laptop, “well, Ava, you found me.  Now whatever are you going to do with me?”

~

The battered leather carry on bounced in the chair when he slipped it off his shoulder.  His rolling suitcase was parked next to it.  Richie dropped heavily into the matching chair with a loud sigh.  He had left the hotel before the others, the temptation of the honor bar in his room had grown nearly impossible to ignore.  And he didn’t want to fall back on his old demon crutch.  Not with this one last show left before finally heading back home.  He’d sit here in the quiet of his dressing room until the others arrived.  Maybe he’d call her.  Maybe he’d dig out his notebook and try to write a little something.  Maybe he’d just noodle around with his guitar. Anything to pass the time until he could walk out on stage and forget everything but the music for just a little while. 

Lifting his hip, he pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled through the pictures.  Ava had been staying with Stephanie and sending him pictures of her at least once a day.  He stopped on the picture that had come through just a little while ago.  The bandage was off her forehead and her eye was nearly back to normal.  The pretty swirl of brown and green was still ringed slightly with red, but it was a vast improvement to where it had been two weeks before.  Her wrist was still bandaged as well.  The sprain wasn’t healing as fast as her face apparently.

He stared at her face.  That fabulous face.  He had never been so worried as he had been two weeks ago when Darcy answered the phone and told him what had happened.  He had wanted to pack up and head home right then.  He still couldn’t understand what could have driven a guy to attack a woman half his size over a fucking baseball game.  His hand curled into a fist at the thought.  He’d love to accidentally on purpose run into the bastard and have a go at him.  Teach him to pick on somebody his own size.  Richie flexed his fingers and took a deep breath.  No sense getting his mad on all over again when he was half a world away and she was nearly healed. 

But still.

He sighed and tucked the phone away.  He had a few hours to kill and no booze to drink away the minutes.  He reached for his guitar and his notebook, opening to a song he started back in Vegas and hadn’t finished.  He had been looking for another verse and he picked up his pencil and started to write.

But I don’t need 1000 words
I need you safe in my arms
I’ll be standing strong-
I’ll keep holding on
When life tries tearing us apart

He continued with the bridge and a repeat of the chorus.  He strummed through the whole thing once more, lending his voice to the words.

 “Sounds good.”

Richie’s head jerked up and his fingers stilled on the strings.  “What’re you doing here already?”  He thought he was the only one who had left early.

Jon sauntered in and sat down.  “I was just looking for a few quiet minutes before the crazy starts.”  He gestured to the notebook and guitar.  “You working on solo stuff?”

Richie set the guitar aside.  “Just playing around with some stuff.  Trying to clear my head.”

Jon studied his friend thoughtfully for a moment.  “I know you’re worried about her.”  He looked around and saw the suitcase.  “You leaving right after?”

Richie nodded, “yeah, I just need to see her, you know?”

Jon nodded, “I get it.  We were all worried and not just about her, you know.”

Needing something to do, Richie stood and paced.  “I know.  That’s why I came here instead of staying at the hotel.”  He looked pointedly at Jon.  “No temptation here.”

Jon stood and met his friend in the middle of the room, “she’s okay?”

Richie pulled out his phone and showed him the latest picture.  “She seems to be.”

Jon studied the pretty woman in the picture.  “She certainly looks a hell of a lot better than she did.”  He too couldn’t understanding taking your anger and frustration out on a woman. 

Richie just nodded and stuck the phone back in his pocket.

“It’s hard being away when shit happens, bro.  I get it.  But if she’s truly the right woman for you, she understands that you can’t always be there and she won’t hold it against you.” 

Brown eyes studied blue.  “I know. She wasn’t upset that I wasn’t there.  She’s the one that told me to stay for fuck’s sake.  She’s gets it, better than most.”

The commotion outside the door told them their quiet time was over.  Jon smiled at his friend.  “So let’s give them one hell of a show tonight and then I can put your ugly ass on a plane home.”