The ride to her aunt's house was uneventful with Mike pointing out landmarks and stopping to take some photos. Madison marveled at the quaint architectures, especially in the neighborhood of Clay Arsenal.
Joanna wanted to take Madison shopping the next day for last minute items before their flight to New York. Her suitcase was already bulging but she needed to be sure she had everything. "I'm sure they sell stuff in New York, too, Joanie."
Joanna eyed Madison critically. "Do you have any idea how much things cost there?"
"Joanie is very budget conscious." Mike smiled at Joanna.
"I'm not cheap, if that's what you're trying to say, Mike!"
"Oh no, sweetie, I would nev...."
"Please! Don't call me that.....ugh!"
Mike turned back to his driving without saying another word.
Madison watched the curious exchange between the two but refrained from making a comment. For now.
Aunt Toshi was ecstatic that Madison had come. Though she was proficient in English after so many years in America, she often reverted to the comfort and familiarity of broken in English mixed with Japanese when among friends and family. "Maddie-chan! Oh, I miss you so much! You hungry? Come, come, we eat now."
The dinner table chatter was rife with questions and twenty five years of catching up.
"Do you have anything planned in New York, Madison? Other than meeting the band, I mean." Mike was trying make small conversation.
"Actually, I have a couple of artist friends there. I told them I would call when I got in." Madison hoped she would get a chance to see them.
"You're telling me that you'd rather see your friends than hang out with Bon Jovi?!" Joanna was incredulous.
"Joanie, we'd probably have a formal meeting or something, but it's not like they're going to want to run around with us."
"The letter says that we would get to know the guys in the band", Joanna insisted, "how's that gonna happen if we don't hang with them?" "Just think, we're going to be a part of their intimate circle!"
Oh...my...god.......somebody needs a reality check. Madison just gave her a half smile.
Thanking her aunt for a delicious homemade dinner, they made their way back to Joanie's apartment. Mike dropped them off promising to pick them up tomorrow at three for the ride to the airport.
"Joanie, I really think your expectations are too high", Madison tried to reason, again.
"Maddie, why are you so pessimistic?" Joanna was rechecking her bags. "Do you know how long I have waited for this? Why can't you just be happy for me?"
Madison sighed, "I just didn't want you to get your hopes up. But you're right. You should enjoy this moment."
Joanna eyed her wondering if she was being sincere or sarcastic.
Madison decided to change the subject.....to one she'd been keeping quiet about.
"Why are you so mean to Mike?", she asked as she settled down on the bed. "I mean, I think he's such a sweet guy."
"Maddie, if I don't keep him in check, he'll start thinking that he's my boyfriend."
"Well, isn't he? Sort of?"
"Look Madison, I know you and mom want to marry me off to the first available guy, but I have standards."
"What are you talking about? He's nice, attentive and obviously wants to please you. And he has a good job, doesn't he?"
"Mmm hmm....yeah, sure. He's a computer science instructor at the university. He's really good at computers and remembering useless data." "I don't think he can get any other kind of job. Can you believe he's actually tried out for the police academy?" Joanna snorted. "He wimped out during the first week. Then there was the fire department. Couldn't pass the CPAT." "I suppose he'll try out for the FBI next."
"He just wants to prove himself to you, Joanie."
"Hmph. He just watches too many movies. Believe me, he's no catch."
Madison fell asleep wondering what Mike saw in Joanna.
Joanna wanted to take Madison shopping the next day for last minute items before their flight to New York. Her suitcase was already bulging but she needed to be sure she had everything. "I'm sure they sell stuff in New York, too, Joanie."
Joanna eyed Madison critically. "Do you have any idea how much things cost there?"
"Joanie is very budget conscious." Mike smiled at Joanna.
"I'm not cheap, if that's what you're trying to say, Mike!"
"Oh no, sweetie, I would nev...."
"Please! Don't call me that.....ugh!"
Mike turned back to his driving without saying another word.
Madison watched the curious exchange between the two but refrained from making a comment. For now.
*****
Aunt Toshi was ecstatic that Madison had come. Though she was proficient in English after so many years in America, she often reverted to the comfort and familiarity of broken in English mixed with Japanese when among friends and family. "Maddie-chan! Oh, I miss you so much! You hungry? Come, come, we eat now."
The dinner table chatter was rife with questions and twenty five years of catching up.
"Do you have anything planned in New York, Madison? Other than meeting the band, I mean." Mike was trying make small conversation.
"Actually, I have a couple of artist friends there. I told them I would call when I got in." Madison hoped she would get a chance to see them.
"You're telling me that you'd rather see your friends than hang out with Bon Jovi?!" Joanna was incredulous.
"Joanie, we'd probably have a formal meeting or something, but it's not like they're going to want to run around with us."
"The letter says that we would get to know the guys in the band", Joanna insisted, "how's that gonna happen if we don't hang with them?" "Just think, we're going to be a part of their intimate circle!"
Oh...my...god.......somebody needs a reality check. Madison just gave her a half smile.
Thanking her aunt for a delicious homemade dinner, they made their way back to Joanie's apartment. Mike dropped them off promising to pick them up tomorrow at three for the ride to the airport.
"Joanie, I really think your expectations are too high", Madison tried to reason, again.
"Maddie, why are you so pessimistic?" Joanna was rechecking her bags. "Do you know how long I have waited for this? Why can't you just be happy for me?"
Madison sighed, "I just didn't want you to get your hopes up. But you're right. You should enjoy this moment."
Joanna eyed her wondering if she was being sincere or sarcastic.
Madison decided to change the subject.....to one she'd been keeping quiet about.
"Why are you so mean to Mike?", she asked as she settled down on the bed. "I mean, I think he's such a sweet guy."
"Maddie, if I don't keep him in check, he'll start thinking that he's my boyfriend."
"Well, isn't he? Sort of?"
"Look Madison, I know you and mom want to marry me off to the first available guy, but I have standards."
"What are you talking about? He's nice, attentive and obviously wants to please you. And he has a good job, doesn't he?"
"Mmm hmm....yeah, sure. He's a computer science instructor at the university. He's really good at computers and remembering useless data." "I don't think he can get any other kind of job. Can you believe he's actually tried out for the police academy?" Joanna snorted. "He wimped out during the first week. Then there was the fire department. Couldn't pass the CPAT." "I suppose he'll try out for the FBI next."
"He just wants to prove himself to you, Joanie."
"Hmph. He just watches too many movies. Believe me, he's no catch."
Madison fell asleep wondering what Mike saw in Joanna.
*****
Richie booted up his computer the minute he checked in at the Four Seasons.
From lurking on the forum, he has learned that two of the winners were actual members. Instead of just the fans that he thought might be frequenting the forum, he now had confirmation that one of them was the author of some of the raunchiest fan fictions he's ever read. Bingo. This was going to be an added source of entertainment during the tour.
Let's see what those girls are up to today. I swear they have the most unbelievable imaginations! They actually have some great set list ideas, too. I should run some of these by Jon and see what he thinks.
Well, well, well.....what have we here?
*****
After checking in at the airport the next day, Joanna excused herself to go to the ladies' room and Madison used this opportunity to talk to Mike.
"I know it's not really my place to say this but why do you allow Joanie to treat you like she does?"
Mike studied his shoes. "She's not like that when we're alone. Just when there's other people around." Mike shrugged, "we talk a lot. About our dreams and what we fear, about the movies we see.....I don't know, it's just different when there's no one else there."
"She thinks I'm not sexy or manly enough." Mike's interest in his shoes increased. "I don't even know why she's so crazy about that band. What did they ever do?"
"Well, I remember reading somewhere that they help the victims of Katrina and the homeless. It's not about lifting heavy things or jumping through hoops of fire, Mike."
He shrugged, again.
"Have you ever tried to stand your ground?" Madison couldn't stop herself, "I mean, not let her push you around like that?"
"Thought about it. I get really angry sometimes, but if I blow up, she might not want to see me again. It's not worth it. Not being with her, I mean."
"You really love her, don't you?"
"Yeah, I guess I do."
*****
"Joanie, why are we making two stopovers just to go to New York? Isn't it like just over that hill or something?"
"Stop complaining, Maddie. I saved us a ton of money by not booking a direct flight."
"How much?"
"$58.72.....each!" Joanna smiled at her triumphantly.
Why would they charge us less to keep us in the air longer?
Elsie had the right idea:
"You're shitting me, right?"
1 comment:
Love the tidbits of information. Richie found out that one of the winners writes raunchy fan fic - LOL on that one!
Joanie is sweet to Mike in private but not in public and she seems to have changed from the younger girl Madison knew. So is Joanie the fic writer?
And can't wait til they meet the Jovi men - oh Richie, what ya gonna do, you bad man!
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