Danni~

I’ve been checking up on everyone these last few days, appearing long enough to let him know I’m here, but not letting him talk to me.  It’s probably best that I back off and let him get used to me not being here.  But when he can’t see me, he starts to ignore everyone else around him trying to find me, without telling anyone what he’s doing.  That just confuses everyone else and makes them more concerned.  I can see it on their faces.  They watch him, look at each other, and try to engage him into conversation. 

 

None of this is good, for either of us.  I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to be doing.  I never thought I’d be a ghost, doomed to haunt life.  I know I’m not alive.  I haven’t been tired or hungry for days.  I haven’t had to go to the bathroom, I don’t smell, my hair isn’t dirty or anything.  I know I’m not alive, so that whole ‘go to the light’ theory is crap.  The theory of not knowing they’re dead is pretty much blown out, too.  So, what’s going on?  What is this?

 

And poor Kevin…if I had a heart, it’d go out to him.  He is simply despondent, and trying so hard to keep going.   He’s not eating, barely sleeping.  I don’t think I’ve seen an honest smile cross his face with anyone.  Polite, sad, weak, fake…  He’s empty and alone, and I don’t know how to help.  All I can do is be with him, sit with him, and I don’t know if that’s hindering or helping at this point.  Right now, he’s sleeping…tossing, turning, and mumbling.  I reach out and brush my fingers along his cheek, attempting to comfort those nightmares and haunting in his head.  He groans lightly and settles for a little bit, turning towards my touch.  Does he know it’s me?  Is my touch warm in his dreams?

 

 

Kevin~

The movie sucks, but you’d never know it by looking at us.  We’re giddy, slightly tipsy, and have a case of the giggles.  What makes me realize that the movie really is as truly bad as we think it is is that no one shushes us up.  And I relish being in the darkened theatre with her, my arm around her shoulders or holding her hand.  People are talking, and I may still be seeing the flash bulb lights in my eyes, more so than usual.  But I’m pretty sure it has to do with the cute flowery dress Danni’s wearing.  There’s that sexuality clinging to her, like her aura.  She’s just charged with it, energizing the air around her.  No one misses it.

 

After the movie, we go through the media swamp and answer all sorts of questions.  I’m asked about the album, the upcoming tour, who I’m with, how the movie was…  She doesn’t let go of my hand once and any sound-bite they have, we’re going to be in it together. 

 

There’s dinner, some more drinking, going out to a club, sobering up, and now we’re here, back in her little bungalow in the hills, sitting outside on the back patio with wine, breathing in the cooler air before it turns dusk, tired, but I get the feeling that neither of us want this night to end.  She’s got her feet in my lap, and I’ve just got my hands resting on her ankles, feeling the smooth skin beneath my palms and fingertips.

 

“So…” 

 

“So…”  I look over to her, and she’s tilting her head to the side, watching me with a slight smile.  “Now what?  Know anywhere good for breakfast?”

 

“I might,” she answered.  “But I don’t have the energy to move.”  I put my glass down on the wood planks of the deck, and begin massaging her feet, and her head drops back, her arms slide off her belly and she moans. 

 

Yeah, I was looking for some kind of pleasing reaction, but even I’m too tired to filter my brain from that sound, and my body’s been teased all night with me behaving myself and isn’t listening to my stern ‘knock it off’ anymore.  I can only shift a little in the lounge chair, hoping to hide my reaction and wait this one out. 

 

“You’re lethal,” she says, lifting her head up to look at me, a slight smile returning to her face.  I can only return a fairly smug smile in return and keep working my fingers along her skin, around her feet and ankles, and up to her calves.  I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing, or how I’m doing it.

 

She figures it out, though.  Her hands lay on mine and her legs drop down, one fluid movement, and then we lean together to kiss, long, deep, and heated.  Without a word, without awkwardness, it just happens and I know what it means to be alive.

 

 

It’s dark when I wake up, my body still feeling hers from the dream and all I do is moan in the agony of the desire and lack of release.  “Were you dreaming of me, Baby?” she asks.  I roll over into the pillow and scream.  She’s always fucking awake!  Wide awake!  “I’m sorry…” she mumbles apologetically.

 

“Yes!”  I yell into the pillow before rolling over.  “Yes, I was dreaming of you…our first night together.”

 

“Tell me about it?”  She’s whispering in my ear and I close my eyes, missing the feel of her breath against my skin when she used to do that. 

 

“You were there,” I groan.  Tired…so fucking tired.

 

I know…but I want to hear what you felt,” she whispers.  “Tell me what you were thinking.”

 

“Nothing,” I answer breathlessly.

 

“That’s not true.  You were feeling me.  What did it feel like?”

 

“Soft,” I mumble, hearing my voice crack.  Her skin was so soft, “warm.”

 

Keep talking…”

 

“Danni…”

 

“Tell me, Kev,” she pursues.  I want to know what you were thinking.  I remember that night so well and man, I was so relieved when we finally got there.  I thought for sure that as soon as you touched me I’d come.”

 

“You were so ready, I remember.  As soon as I touched you.”

 

What?  What about that?

 

“You were already so wet…when I slipped my fingers between your legs and you moaned so quietly.”

 

“It felt so good.  I’d been thinking of you doing that that entire night.  And knew, as soon as I kissed you, that I couldn’t let you leave without having sex.”

 

“So you’re telling me I was set up?” I ask, turning my head to her.  She’s lying next to me, leaning up on her elbow and looking down.  “I was actually seduced?”

 

“No, I think it was pretty mutual there,” she giggles.  I just wasn’t going to turn you down once we started.  I liked the way your hands felt on my skin, and the way you tasted…sweet from the wine, salty after going down on me.”  I can feel my body stiffen with the remembered desire and I close my eyes trying to take a deep breath.  You have an amazing tongue, Kevin,” she whispers seductively.  “And very skilled hands.”

 

“You weren’t all that bad yourself, you know,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady and my hands from touching myself.

 

Go ahead,” she urges quietly.  Show me what you liked me to do to you.”

 

“I’m not that flexible.”

 

She giggles.  “Oh, is that what you liked?  All those times when I snuck my hand onto your lap were wasted?”

 

“Hell, no!” I protest.  “But what I liked best was feeling your tongue slip over me, and the heat of your breath and mouth.”

 

“That’s what I liked too.  When you slid your tongue inside and pulled on my clit with your lips.  It would drive me out of my skin.”

 

“I know…that’s why I did it,” I confess.  “It was amazing.  We were amazing.  I loved touching you…I loved being able to feel your desire and pleasure, how you’d be so sweet and wet when I tasted you, so open when I entered you…  The best…God, I loved it when I could watch you come.  You were so fucking sexy when you were out of control like that.  I loved the sound you made…short little gasps and quiet moans right before you’d tilt your hips up.  And I knew you were close when you put your hand on my shoulder and stopped rubbing the back of my head.”

 

“Then what?”

 

“I’d hope that I would be able to slip inside of you…”  I can’t do it.  I can’t keep talking to her like this.  I’m aching all over, trying to breathe.

 

I’d reach down and slide my hands over your dick,” she starts.  And yeah, she did.  “And you’d make this strange sound in your throat as you closed your eyes.  God, that was so beautiful when you did that.  You are so beautiful when you’re raw like that, completely lost in sensation.  And I’d slide my thumb over the tip…remember?”  Like I’d forget?  Especially now?  “Go ahead…do it,” she encourages.  Imagine my hands touching you, Baby.  What they do to you…that’s right…and I’d slide my thumb over and around…just like that, yeah...  Don’t forget, one hand had to run over your chest and belly.  I loved to feel your muscles so tight like that, listen to the way you breathed hard and heavy.  And I’d guide you inside me…right?”  I curl my hands around my erection and lift my hips up, feeling the warmth of my palms tighten against myself.  “Did you like being inside of me?”

 

“It was…wonderful…so wet and warm and tight.”

 

“You filled me so perfectly, Kevin.  I loved how you felt inside of me…watching you grind into me was so hot…I was so lucky to have you that way…how you drove yourself deeper and deeper…faster and faster…  Can you remember, Baby?  Can you feel it like that now, Baby?”  I can remember, and my hands rub along my cock so fast that I come all over my belly and drop against the mattress completely exhausted.  “That’s what I loved the best,” she continues.  “That look on your face, just like now.  So relieved and content and full of pleasure and love.” 

 

I reach over and grab some tissues, tossing them onto the floor once I cleaned up.  I don’t have the energy right now to get up and be clean about it, my entire body is just shaking.  “I miss making love with you, Danni,” I mumble, feeling completely spent.

 

“I miss it too, Baby,” she says softly.  She doesn’t say anything for a while, and I can feel myself starting to drift back off into sleep, forcing myself to stay awake and talk to her.  “Don’t, Sweetheart…sleep.  You can sleep now.”

 

 

Danni~

Who the hell is that?”  I completely interrupt him molesting some slut on the way up to the bedroom.  He’s been out with Nick most of the night and I left them alone, waiting here for him to come home.  And he comes home with…with…  They’re giggling and she’s squealing in giggles before he covers his mouth over hers in a sloppy tongue kiss.  And how does he react?  He waves his hand at me, shooing me away!  What the hell are you doing?”  But he just ignores me, shoos me again and continues bringing the trash into our bedroom. 

 

I can’t watch this.  I’d never, ever, seen him like this, and we’d…well, we weren’t always sweet and gentle, or sober.  But he’d always respected me and I can’t see any respect here.  I just…  He makes me sick and sad and disappointed and I leave, waiting out the screams and fake giggles, fake moans and loud grunts that fade to silence. 

 

I come back into the room and find her snuggled up with him in the bed and I just want to vomit.  I don’t understand why he’s doing this, or how he could.  He’s so much better than this!  He’s so much more respectable than this!  He’s so much more mature than this!  And her!  The slut!  How dare she be curled up and comfortable in his arms!  That’s my place!  That’s where I’m supposed to be – not some pick up that doesn’t know about him, or care!  She’s on my side of the bed and I’ll be damned if she’s going to stay there!

 

I may not have much to fight with, but she’ll have frostbite before the night is over and I plaster myself directly over her.  In minutes, she’s shivering, curling up closer to Kevin, but it doesn’t do any good because, damn it, when she moves, I’m moving with her until she’s out of my bed and away from my husband!  I can see her breath, and now she’s so cold, she’s woken him up.

 

“Danni,” he mumbles.

 

“No, Tammy,” she corrects him and I giggle.

 

Go ahead…tell HER you see dead people, Kevin.” He sits up, she’s shivering and hugging herself and I cling to her.

 

“Can you turn the air conditioning down?” she asks.

 

It ain’t on, Honey,” I answer her snidely.  Get used to it or get out of our bed!

 

“I’ll be right back,” he says, pulling the blanket from the foot of the bed and shoving it at her.  See what I mean?  Could he be more rude?

 

“What the fuck are you doing?” he seethes at me in a low growl, going across the hall into the spare bedroom.  “What is your problem?”

 

“What is my PROBLEM?  You bring some TRAMP into our bed…after last night… and you’re asking me what MY problem is?”

 

“You know what?  I’m a widow, Danni!  I’m supposed to be getting on with my life, remember?  I’m tired of going to bed alone every night!  I don’t want to jerk off for the rest of my fucking life and, so what if I bring someone home for the night?  It’s not like I’m married and can have you anymore!”

 

I don’t know what to say but I feel completely broken, useless, pointless, an inch tall and…this is what I have to look forward to, isn’t it?    For the rest of my existence, I have to look forward to watching him bring other women into our bed, fall in love maybe, have children…with me being some insignificant bystander.  I don’t care what he tells me, but I am being punished if this is what I have to do.  This isn’t even punishment, this is cruel and unjust evil.

 

“Oh my God, Danni…” he whispers, his entire demeanor breaking apart.  “I didn’t mean that.  Please…don’t look like that.  I didn’t mean that…”

 

You’re right though,” I tell him.  You have to get on with living…and that’s part of it, isn’t it?”

 

“She’s not…”  He sighs and wipes his mouth with his hand.  “It’s not like…”

 

You hooked up, Kevin.  You went out and found a warm body.”  I don’t have tears to cry, but my voice breaks anyway.  You’re lonely.  I understand that now.  I’m sorry.  I got…jealous and I really don’t have a right to be jealous like this, do I?  I’m…non-existent now and we really don’t have…  I’m sorry, Kevin.  Go back.  I’ll keep out of your way.  I nod at him, forcing myself to look brave, or at least attempting it, and apparently, I’m failing miserably because he sits down on the spare bed and keeps looking at me.

 

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Danni,” he says quietly.  “I don’t want anyone…I just needed something...something physical because every time I want to reach out for you, I can’t touch you.  I tried a substitute…and it…  It’s not what I want either.”

 

Go back before she leaves and make her sign the non-disclosure agreement,” I tell him, trying to keep my voice steady. 

 

“I’m sorry, Danni,” he says, slowly standing up.

 

Make her sign the agreement.”

 

 

Kevin~

When I wake up, my ‘hook-up’ is still sleeping next to me, snoring and smeared make-up.  I didn’t think I could feel more hollow than I did before last night, but this morning, I feel more empty.  Danni’s right, I’m better than this.  I know better than this.  I’m not going to find any kind of satisfaction in meaningless sex.  I didn’t mind it before…long before.  But after I was with Danni, once we were married, it was like I finally understood what sex was supposed to be about.  But I just couldn’t face another night alone.  I just wanted a body next to me when I fell asleep, just so I could sleep, but it was wrong.  It was all wrong.  It didn’t feel right.  It didn’t sound right.  It didn’t move right, or snuggle the way I was used to.  It made it worse, I could barely sleep, and when I did, I couldn’t stop dreaming about Danni, making this, waking up to Tammy, that much worse.

 

Why does everything I do remind me more sharply of what I don’t have anymore?  When does this stop?  When do I stop dividing my life between ‘with Danni’ and ‘after Danni?’  And when does this ‘it gets easier’ crap start to happen, because so far, I don’t see it happening.

 

Tammy rolls over, making a strange sound as she stretches next to me.  “Good morning,” she purrs, and I remind myself that I need to be polite.  This isn’t her fault.  She can’t help that I’m not even remotely interested in her, especially since I’m the one that may have given her that signal by fucking sleeping with her last night.

 

“Did you sleep well?” I ask politely, finally able to pull my arm back from her and get out of bed.

 

She sits up, pulling the blanket up over her and attempting to smooth her hair down.  “Yeah.”  She at least seems to be catching on that this isn’t anything permanent.  “How about you?”

 

“Fine.”  Awkward…I forgot how awkward this can be, asking someone to leave after having been intimate.  I pull on a tee shirt, thankful I put on a pair of boxers before going back to bed after my fight with Danni. 

 

God, I want to just erase last night completely. 

 

“Would you mind if I took a quick shower?” she asks nervously, I think, trying to feel out the situation.

 

“Ah…no, that’s fine.”  I attempt to offer her a smile and point out the bathroom, going downstairs to consider alcohol or coffee.  Part of me isn’t all that sarcastic, though, but I choose to make coffee just so Tammy doesn’t have some more stories to tell.  Non-disclosure agreement or no, she’s going to tell her friends.  What a mess.  I’m sorry and a total stranger is taking a shower in our bathroom.

 

Eventually she comes down and I politely offer her something to drink…and the non-disclosure agreement.  Another really awkward moment.  Usually Carlos, or one of the fellas on duty gets to do the dirty work, but I forced Carlos to go home after he escorted us back here.  There’s another lecture I’ll get later today.  She’s kind about it, reads it over silently and neatly signs her name, placing the pen down on top of the contract when she’s finished.  “I should be going,” she finally says.  I walk her to the door, kiss her cheek and finally take a breath once the door is closed behind her.

 

“She’s gone,” I call out, hoping Danni can hear me and might appear, but there’s nothing.  “Danni?  Please…I’m sorry.”  Still no response.  “It’s not gonna happen again.”  I head further into the living room.  Silence.  “Danni?  Come on, you have to believe me.  I didn’t mean anything by it.”  Nothing.  “Damn it, Danni!  This isn’t fair!  Where the Hell are you?”  Still no reply and I pace the room, waiting.  She wouldn’t leave after last night.  We have to talk about this.  I mean, sure, I definitely hurt her, but she wouldn’t just disappear. 

 

Not that I blame her.  I saw that look on her face last night.  I completely crushed her, and I think the part that scares me, is that I meant to.  I wanted to piss her off in retaliation for…  Like she had a choice!  But I couldn’t stop myself and the words flew out of my mouth before I could think.  And she needs to know I didn’t mean it.  I really didn’t.  “Danni, come on!  Is this the new silent treatment?  Are you out there listening to me?  You know I didn’t mean it!”

 

What’re you yelling about?”  She appears in the kitchen doorway, still looking dejected and rejected. 

 

“She’s gone,” I say, stepping closer to her, but she bites her lips and just nods.  “Danni, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean…”

 

You didn’t have to,” she interrupts.  You were right.  It doesn’t matter anymore.  Officially, I have no hold on you anymore and you have to have a life without me.  You don’t need my approval.

 

“But…”

 

She shakes her head, attempting a weak smile.  No, buts, Kevin.  You don’t.  I had no right getting jealous, even if it was trashy and meaningless...   She lifts her hands up, stopping herself from finishing the sentence.  Even if it wasn’t what I…whatever.  I had no right getting jealous and maybe this is one of those things that…well, maybe it’s time I stopped being here so you CAN move on.  I’m not helping…”

 

“Stopped being here?  No…no, you can’t leave me again, Danni, you can’t!  I can’t do this again so soon.  I can’t lose you again so soon.  You can’t…” 

 

Kevin, calm down.”  She’s panicking now, her eyes bugging out as she looks at me.  I can’t move, totally frozen where I’m standing.

 

“You can’t, Danni.  Not over something stupid like this!  I was stupid!  It won’t happen again!  Don’t…please, don’t leave me again.”

 

Slow down, Baby,” she says gently, watching my eyes intently.  Take a breath…it’s going to be okay.  I won’t go, all right?  I won’t…just, calm down.  It’s okay.”

 

“Not again,” I tell her, slowly shaking my head and feeling hot tears.  “I can’t…not again.”  I rub my face with my hands, willing myself to get it together and chill out, but just the thought of having to say good-bye…really knowing I’m going to be on my own without her forever…  I can’t handle that.

 

Kev?” she questions cautiously.  I let my hands drop to my sides and look up at her.  You had a really rough night, drank way too much more than what you’re used to, and just had sex for the first time since all this happened.  It’s okay to be a little freaked out.  I’m sorry I said anything about going away.  You’re in no frame of mind right now to be coherent.”

 

“You’re sounding like a therapist again,” I say tiredly.

 

Occupational hazard,” she answers, trying to comfort me with a warm, sympathetic smile.  But I know I’m right.  It’s all good things, though.  It’s another step.  It’s all good, Baby.”

 

If it’s all so good, why do all these ‘good things’ make me feel like I should never bother getting out of bed?  I knew I should have stayed home.

 

 

Carlos~

“She’s getting off?” Kevin screams at me in disbelief, eyes wide, his face filling with color.  “She kills someone?  And she’s getting off?”  I lift my hands, trying to put them on his shoulders to steady him, but he pushes past me to pace the living room.

 

“She’s not getting off, Kev,” I try to explain.

 

“I fucking knew I should have gone!” he continues furiously.

 

“Yeah, because you’re so rational.”  Okay, I shouldn’t have said that.  Of course he’s not going to be rational.  Who in their right mind would be?  He storms over and I think he’s going to take a swing at me, but all I really have to do is look at him and he backs off.  I’d take the blow, for what it’s worth, but I don’t mind avoiding it.  “Look, I know you want her to rot in jail, but Kevin, she’s not a cold blooded killer.  She’s fucking sick and she’s not going to get off and roam free.  She’s being institutionalized.”

 

“She killed Danni!” he screams at me.

 

“I know,” I tell him, but if he heard her, what she was saying…he just might believe it too.  “Kevin, she’s a total nutcase, but she never meant to kill Danni.  She only meant to scare her.”

 

“Manslaughter?  Can’t she go away for involuntary manslaughter?”

 

“Not in her frame of mind, no,” I answer.  “Look, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but it’s just the truth.  She’s not stable.  She was at some concert and you smiled at her in the crowd and she thought you were meant to be together.  In her mind, all those love songs you sing are about her.  She went to the hotels, she went to the venues, she got into parties so you would hook up with her, and when you didn’t, she decided you were scared to make the first move.  Then, when made herself available to you – it was the night you saw Danni in that video. She thought it was Danni’s fault you weren’t together.  All she wanted to do was to get Danni to leave you, that was her whole plan.  Danni would leave and you’d be available for her again.  She went into hiding after she was killed because she was afraid you’d blame her for it.”

 

“She was afraid I’d blame her?” he asks in shock.  “Who the fuck else is there to blame?”

 

“It was an accident.  She grabbed Danni’s arm, and when she released, Danni pulled away and lost her balance and fell.  She didn’t push her.”

 

“She broke the restraining order,” he argues.  “If she didn’t violate the restraining order, Danni would still be alive!”

 

“She’s sick, Kevin.  They can’t put her away because she’s mentally unstable.  Delusional Disorder; she’s fixated on you and doesn’t understand reality.  Danni’s own notes from her sessions helped prove it!  I don’t know how else to make you understand that.”

 

“That’s not…”  He sputters, unable to finish his thoughts he’s so pissed off.  “So she’s just…”  Kevin turns and punches his fist directly through the wall.  I told you I didn’t want him hitting me.  “All of this!  All this time!  And she’s going…  There’s nothing…”

 

“She’s not roaming the streets, Kevin.  She’s not off.  She’s got a long time in a psychiatric hospital coming to her.”

 

“That’s not…”  He flexes his hand, probably feeling the sting from punching the wall, but then he swipes it over a table, clearing it in one swift scoop, kicking at the wall when he’s finished and just screams furiously.  I know it doesn’t seem fair, and part of me wants her to rot in jail too, but I saw her and she’s a nut job.  Going on and on about how he’d leave little messages to her in their songs, and in the videos.  Her biggest worry was that Kevin might be mad at her, but once he realized that she didn’t actually mean to kill Danni, he’d understand and take her back.  I mean, really, how fucked up is that?  

 

I don’t blame Kevin’s rampage, though, which is why I’m not trying to stop it.  A few broken dishes or figurines or something is nothing for the minute satisfaction it’s going to bring him, and quite honestly, it’s a release he’s needed to get rid of for weeks.  All that anger held up inside of him has to find its way out.  I’m gonna let it come out and be here just to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself in the process.  

 

And the good thing about these kinds of fits is that they don’t last long.  It takes up a lot of energy really fast and leaves you feeling completely drained.  So, once Kevin finishes throwing a few things and kicking a few more walls he sits down right where he was standing and breaks down, releasing the rest of it.  This is the breakdown we’ve been waiting for, the real release and understanding of what all had happened, and the mourning that goes with it.  It’s too much to hold onto, and Ronnie’s verdict was just enough to send him into it.

 

I walk over and squat next behind him, resting my hand on his shoulder.  “That’s just not right,” he cries, shoulders shaking, his voice muffled in his hands.  “She’s dead!  She’s dead and she doesn’t even…it’s not right!  It’s not fair!”

 

 

Kevin~

Howie’s in the studio when I come in and looks up at first surprised, but then a little scared.  “How’d it go?” he asks hesitantly.

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I answer sharply and sit down at the mixing console, and turning on the playback from where we left off a few months ago.  “Where’s everyone else?  Did we get Brian to actually leave his fortress?”

 

“Brian’s coming in next week,” he says.  “And you’re early, so no one else is here yet.  Your appointment was…”

 

“Well, fuck the appointment,” I snap.  “I don’t need to see a fucking shrink for him to tell me I suffered a big loss and I’m under stress.”

 

“That’s not the point, and you know it,” he argues, giving me the ‘you’re an idiot’ look.  “It doesn’t have to be forever, but Kevin…”  I keep playing with the sound and ignoring him.  Kevin!  Man,” he softens his tone as he looks at me, “you need something…someone to talk to.  We’re concerned about you.”

 

“Well, don’t be!  I’m fucking fine!” I push back from the console and glare at him.  “You know, I can’t believe any of you!  My wife was killed!  I think I have a right to be a little out of sorts, don’t you?”

 

“We’re not saying…”

 

“The hell you’re not!” I interject.  “I’m sorry if I may have changed a little!”

 

“Kevin!  We don’t have a problem with you changing.  Shit, all of us have changed since this happened!  But…”

 

“The hell with it.  Fuck it all!”  I don’t even bother to look back and just storm out of the studio.  It’s not worth it anymore. 

 

 

“So, they think you’re corrupting me,” she laughs into the phone.  “You kept me out way too late, I’m afraid.  If only they knew the kinds of things I was showing you, Mr. Richardson!”

 

“Well, they should have a hint by the picture they have of us on page 37 in US magazine.”  We’re lip-locked at one of the clubs we hit last week, her back against a brick wall.  I remember exactly what happened afterwards, and I can assure you we weren’t at that club much longer.  “I think that was the last picture of that night.  Remember the brick wall?”

 

Danni squeals in my ear but then she covers her mouth because the sound gets muffled.  “Oh my God!”

 

“Another second and that picture wouldn’t have been fit to print,” I tease her. “Which means, you know it’s out there – us groping at each other,” I chuckle and AJ lifts an eyebrow at me.  This might be the first time I’m not excusing myself and talking quietly in a corner when I have a girlfriend.  I’m not giving them a tell-all, but I’m not exactly keeping quiet about anything either.  Whatever they over hear is fine with me.  I’m having the time of my life right now, and I don’t care who’s listening.

 

“It’s worth groping, Baby,” she murmurs in my ear.

 

I clear my voice and move on.  “So…what’s your schedule like today?”

 

“I’m actually on my way back into the conference,” she tells me. 

 

“So soon?”

 

“Duty calls, Baby,” she says.  “I’ll call you when I get a break?  You going to be around?”

 

“I should be.  We’re in the studio today.”

 

“Love to your boys…and you.”  She makes a playful smooching sound and the phone clicks off. 

 

AJ’s got that amused smirk on his face and he’s holding back a giggle.  “Dude, you are so…”

 

“Yeah, I know,” I interrupt and slip my phone back into my pocket.  “And lovin’ every second of it.”

 

“Is that because you get to rub it into everyone’s face?” he asks, resting his arms on the table in front of him.  “All those nay-sayers that said it wouldn’t ever happen?”

 

“To be honest, it’s because…it’s right.  And I don’t care who knows, or what anyone says about it.”  I look down to the picture in the magazine and run a finger over Danni’s face, wishing with everything in my body that I could touch it for real.  Every time my phone rings, I can usually guess when it’s going to be her.  I can almost hear it in the ring tone, even if I know that’s impossible.  “It’s just what it’s supposed to be.  Everything I ever wanted it to be.”

 

Everything I ever wanted it to be...  Why was it ripped out from under me?  Why do I have to try and pick up what’s left of this?  Everything I ever wanted it to be and now it’s all pointless.  It’s all gone and the person responsible for it is getting off…but I’m the one they want talking to a shrink?  I’m the one that’s having issues?  Maybe, if Karma’s really swift, they’ll give me the same fucking shrink!  Or she’ll have her session next door to me…at least then, if I saw her, I could fucking kill her myself and claim I was insane too. 

 

Fuck it all…  What’s the God damn point anymore?