Saturday night
was entertainment night and Richie had promised to play some songs, showing
them how to play real guitar. He hoped Fred was still the only one that knew
his secret.
Maybe, he thought to himself, he should tell Sarah, she had been so honest about her life. Maybe he should tell her about his, just so she knew in case something did happen between them.
After dinner Richie helped cleaning the kitchen just because Sarah was. It would give him some time with her.
He stacked up all the plates at the table and followed Sarah to the kitchen. “How are you Sarah?” He asked when he put the plates on the counter next to the sink. There was no dishwasher; they were supposed to do the dishes together, team work. “Pretty good.” Sarah turned on the water, filling the sink.
“No exciting events?” Richie asked, not really know what to say anyway. He grabbed a towel out of a drawer. Sarah chuckled. “Here? Nothing at all.”
Richie dried the first plate Sarah handed to him and put in on the counter in front of him. “So are you coming to my concert?” He changed the subject.
Sarah chuckled again, he started to like that sound. “You’re having a concert?” She asked. “Yeah last week we played guitar hero, tonight I’m showing everyone I’m a real guitar hero.” He explained.
Sarah looked up from the dishes. “You play guitar?” Richie faced her. “Yeah, I thought you knew.” Had he told her? He thought he did. “I don’t think you mentioned it. It will be nice to hear some music. I don’t really listen to music.”
Richie looked astonished, no music? He couldn’t live like that. “Really, don’t you have a favorite song or band?” Richie asked amazed.
“No,” Sarah thought, “not that I can think of.” Richie smiled as he put all the plates away in the cupboard. “Maybe you’ll like some music I’ll play tonight. I was gonna ask if you wanted to hear a specific song but I guess not then.” He stood up again. “No, I’m sorry, but I’m sure I’ll like it.’ Sarah let the water run away and helped Richie put away the last of the dishes.
2 hours later Fred started pushing Richie to get his guitar while they were watching tv.
Finally Richie gave in and got up to walk to his room to get his guitar
When he came back the lights in the living room were turned down, except a standing lamp behind a chair that was placed in front of the tv. Other than that light and the lights in the open hall it was dark in the room.
Even the couches and chairs had moved to look like an audience, nicely in a row and behind each other. Richie thought it was nice, this way it looked like a small show, something private.
Fred and Tina were sitting on the front couch but he didn’t see Sarah. His heart sunk and he felt disappointed. He really thought she would be here.
Richie sighed and walked up to the chair. He sat down and placed his guitar on his lap. It was pretty dark and he couldn’t really see anybody’s face.
He placed his calloused fingers tips on the strings over the frets, pressing down and strummed with his other hand over the strings.
He hadn’t really put thought into what he was going to play, hoping the audience would tell him what to play. Just requests for tonight. He had only picked out a few songs, hoping he could fill up the rest with what the group wanted to hear.
Maybe, he thought to himself, he should tell Sarah, she had been so honest about her life. Maybe he should tell her about his, just so she knew in case something did happen between them.
After dinner Richie helped cleaning the kitchen just because Sarah was. It would give him some time with her.
He stacked up all the plates at the table and followed Sarah to the kitchen. “How are you Sarah?” He asked when he put the plates on the counter next to the sink. There was no dishwasher; they were supposed to do the dishes together, team work. “Pretty good.” Sarah turned on the water, filling the sink.
“No exciting events?” Richie asked, not really know what to say anyway. He grabbed a towel out of a drawer. Sarah chuckled. “Here? Nothing at all.”
Richie dried the first plate Sarah handed to him and put in on the counter in front of him. “So are you coming to my concert?” He changed the subject.
Sarah chuckled again, he started to like that sound. “You’re having a concert?” She asked. “Yeah last week we played guitar hero, tonight I’m showing everyone I’m a real guitar hero.” He explained.
Sarah looked up from the dishes. “You play guitar?” Richie faced her. “Yeah, I thought you knew.” Had he told her? He thought he did. “I don’t think you mentioned it. It will be nice to hear some music. I don’t really listen to music.”
Richie looked astonished, no music? He couldn’t live like that. “Really, don’t you have a favorite song or band?” Richie asked amazed.
“No,” Sarah thought, “not that I can think of.” Richie smiled as he put all the plates away in the cupboard. “Maybe you’ll like some music I’ll play tonight. I was gonna ask if you wanted to hear a specific song but I guess not then.” He stood up again. “No, I’m sorry, but I’m sure I’ll like it.’ Sarah let the water run away and helped Richie put away the last of the dishes.
2 hours later Fred started pushing Richie to get his guitar while they were watching tv.
Finally Richie gave in and got up to walk to his room to get his guitar
When he came back the lights in the living room were turned down, except a standing lamp behind a chair that was placed in front of the tv. Other than that light and the lights in the open hall it was dark in the room.
Even the couches and chairs had moved to look like an audience, nicely in a row and behind each other. Richie thought it was nice, this way it looked like a small show, something private.
Fred and Tina were sitting on the front couch but he didn’t see Sarah. His heart sunk and he felt disappointed. He really thought she would be here.
Richie sighed and walked up to the chair. He sat down and placed his guitar on his lap. It was pretty dark and he couldn’t really see anybody’s face.
He placed his calloused fingers tips on the strings over the frets, pressing down and strummed with his other hand over the strings.
He hadn’t really put thought into what he was going to play, hoping the audience would tell him what to play. Just requests for tonight. He had only picked out a few songs, hoping he could fill up the rest with what the group wanted to hear.
Richie
played the first 5 songs he had picked out; none of them were Bon Jovi songs.
He didn’t feel like playing them right now but he had a feeling either Fred or
Jerry would ask for Prayer anyway. If they asked, he’d play it.
When he finished the first 5 cover songs, he put his guitar down on his lap. “Any requests?” He asked looking around the dark room.
“What can you play?” Someone asked but Richie couldn’t see who it was, hadn’t he just proved he could play pretty much everything by doing 5 cover songs? “Anything you like.” He answered, he was sure he’d know whatever song they would ask for.
“Do you know Old Time Rock ‘n Roll?” Richie chuckled. “Of course I do.” He picked his guitar up again and started playing the song he had played more than a few times in the last 2 years.
At the end of the song, more people started requesting songs, he didn’t have to ask anymore, and near the end they’d just shout the next song. It was fun to just play what he felt like or what other people wanted to hear. That way he made them happy, and he liked that.
Just like on tour, all those happy fans that were enjoying themselves just because he was playing, and the rest of the band, but him mostly of course, who could resist the guitar player anyway. At least he could play guitar, unlike Jon.
Finally there it was, Prayer, and it was Fred that asked for it. Richie looked around the room again before picking up his guitar. He couldn’t believe Sarah hadn’t showed up. He was so sure she was going to, she even sounded a little excited when they talked about it, but she wasn’t here.
He started the opening chords to the song and sung it acoustically. Richie liked played this version, it was a change to the song he played every night at a concert.
When the song finished he looked over at the group again to hear to next song but there at the end of the hall, where the lights were still on, at the top of the stairs he saw Sarah standing.
Then he knew what to play and ignored what the rest had said and played Pretty Women. Sure he wanted to play something more meaningful but that was the first song he could think of and it had been on the set list a lot lately.
Sarah sat down at the top of the stairs watching over the group to Richie. Thanks to the light behind him she could see him perfectly. From the top step she had a perfect view and could still hear what he was singing.
Richie was so happy Sarah was finally there, he wanted to put his guitar down and go give her a huge hug but he couldn’t do that, he was performing and he was almost sure it would scare Sarah.
He played another few songs and got up. When everyone applauded he smiled and made a little bow. Then he left the room and walked up the stairs.
Sarah stood up. “That was really good.” She smiled up at him. “Thanks, it got a whole lot better when you showed up.” He said sincere.
Sarah’s expression turned surprised, did he just say that. Richie saw surprise and a little bit of panic on her face. “No,... I meant… That eumh…” He shook his head; he meant it was great she was there and that he was happy she showed! “You’re my friend and it’s nice that you came to watch. That’s what I meant” He explained.
Sarah chuckled, he was sure he liked that sound, so sweet. “And I thought I was going to be the nervous one.” She smiled at him, she surprised herself again by saying that but for some reason she hardly felt nervous now. That was strange but she was ok with it.
“I’m sorry.” Richie said. “I just didn’t want to say anything that would upset you.” He explained carefully.
“I know you wouldn’t do anything like that. It’s hard for me but it’s ok.” Sarah said, and she meant it. She was going to trust him, on everything.
“Why didn’t you come down?” Richie asked as he sat down on the step beside her. “Look how many people are there.” Sarah pointed to the room. “But we all have dinner and stuff together too.” Richie said confused. “Yes, but during dinner nobody talks to me, they might have said something tonight and there were more people than just our group, the staff was there too.” Sarah explained.
She was right, there were more people than just their group, which only was about 20 people but he understood she was scared of people. At least she had made it in the end and he got to play her a song, even though she probably didn’t realize it was for her.
Go to the next chapter
When he finished the first 5 cover songs, he put his guitar down on his lap. “Any requests?” He asked looking around the dark room.
“What can you play?” Someone asked but Richie couldn’t see who it was, hadn’t he just proved he could play pretty much everything by doing 5 cover songs? “Anything you like.” He answered, he was sure he’d know whatever song they would ask for.
“Do you know Old Time Rock ‘n Roll?” Richie chuckled. “Of course I do.” He picked his guitar up again and started playing the song he had played more than a few times in the last 2 years.
At the end of the song, more people started requesting songs, he didn’t have to ask anymore, and near the end they’d just shout the next song. It was fun to just play what he felt like or what other people wanted to hear. That way he made them happy, and he liked that.
Just like on tour, all those happy fans that were enjoying themselves just because he was playing, and the rest of the band, but him mostly of course, who could resist the guitar player anyway. At least he could play guitar, unlike Jon.
Finally there it was, Prayer, and it was Fred that asked for it. Richie looked around the room again before picking up his guitar. He couldn’t believe Sarah hadn’t showed up. He was so sure she was going to, she even sounded a little excited when they talked about it, but she wasn’t here.
He started the opening chords to the song and sung it acoustically. Richie liked played this version, it was a change to the song he played every night at a concert.
When the song finished he looked over at the group again to hear to next song but there at the end of the hall, where the lights were still on, at the top of the stairs he saw Sarah standing.
Then he knew what to play and ignored what the rest had said and played Pretty Women. Sure he wanted to play something more meaningful but that was the first song he could think of and it had been on the set list a lot lately.
Sarah sat down at the top of the stairs watching over the group to Richie. Thanks to the light behind him she could see him perfectly. From the top step she had a perfect view and could still hear what he was singing.
Richie was so happy Sarah was finally there, he wanted to put his guitar down and go give her a huge hug but he couldn’t do that, he was performing and he was almost sure it would scare Sarah.
He played another few songs and got up. When everyone applauded he smiled and made a little bow. Then he left the room and walked up the stairs.
Sarah stood up. “That was really good.” She smiled up at him. “Thanks, it got a whole lot better when you showed up.” He said sincere.
Sarah’s expression turned surprised, did he just say that. Richie saw surprise and a little bit of panic on her face. “No,... I meant… That eumh…” He shook his head; he meant it was great she was there and that he was happy she showed! “You’re my friend and it’s nice that you came to watch. That’s what I meant” He explained.
Sarah chuckled, he was sure he liked that sound, so sweet. “And I thought I was going to be the nervous one.” She smiled at him, she surprised herself again by saying that but for some reason she hardly felt nervous now. That was strange but she was ok with it.
“I’m sorry.” Richie said. “I just didn’t want to say anything that would upset you.” He explained carefully.
“I know you wouldn’t do anything like that. It’s hard for me but it’s ok.” Sarah said, and she meant it. She was going to trust him, on everything.
“Why didn’t you come down?” Richie asked as he sat down on the step beside her. “Look how many people are there.” Sarah pointed to the room. “But we all have dinner and stuff together too.” Richie said confused. “Yes, but during dinner nobody talks to me, they might have said something tonight and there were more people than just our group, the staff was there too.” Sarah explained.
She was right, there were more people than just their group, which only was about 20 people but he understood she was scared of people. At least she had made it in the end and he got to play her a song, even though she probably didn’t realize it was for her.
Go to the next chapter
Now I would love a private show with Richie. I am a jon girl to the core but I would have to be blind and deaf not to see and hear the beauty that lives in Mr. Sambora. I hope Sarah and Richie realize that they have a special connection. Thank you for a new post : )
ReplyDeleteOh this was so nice. I love that Richie is taking it slow. (Richie girl here) I hope Sarah keeps working hard on her therapy so she can move forward with Richie. I think he really likes her a lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update. Looking forward to the next installment.