The morning was not kind to Madison. She felt like she had been flattened by a steam roller. Noticing that Joanna had already gotten up, she dragged herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The quick shower did not do much and she wondered if she could just go back to bed, but she heard the murmur of voices coming from the sitting area and decided to go seek some coffee.
Wrapping her wet hair up in a towel, she put on her shorts and the penguin T-shirt and walked out of the bedroom.
"SURPRISE!"
There were a dozen silvery balloons floating around the room, bouncing off the ceiling as the roses tied to their ribbons kept them from flitting about aimlessly. On the coffee table sat an artfully arranged medley of fruit with one candle spilling over its wax melted by the flickering light. Situated around the 'cake' were a few beautifully wrapped presents.
Madison looked around and saw the smiling faces of Joanna, Kris and Patti, jubilant that they had managed to pull this off. David stood next to them, his wide grin making it obvious that he had had a helping hand. Tico and Hugh stood behind them, with Hugh holding the streamer of the one balloon that screamed 'Happy Birthday!' Jon was off to the other side, holding out a cup of coffee to her. Even the sisters were there, though their amusement seemed to be in the state of Madison's dishevelment. Richie's eyes heated as strands of wet hair escaped her towel and were framing her face in a way that conjured up other thoughts. He shook those thoughts out of his head and grinned at her, "Happy Birthday, darlin'."
This was a hundred times worse than she had imagined.
Richie noticed her slight hesitation and came up behind her. "Are you alright? It's just a candle, darlin'."
Moved by his obvious concern, she smiled up at him, "I'm fine." Then, removing her towel, she turned to the others, "thank you. It's been quite a while since someone had surprised me wearing my pajamas."
"Yeah, I would be surprised, too, if someone was wearing my pajamas." David yelped as that remark earned him a slap upside his head and he turned and scowled at Kris.
Following a hearty breakfast that was catered in, Madison blew out the one candle on her 'cake' and opened the presents. The girls had managed to find a bead store and had gotten her a set of fine European jeweler's tools. So that's what they were doing when I was in the art store. The guys gave her silver charms of famous London landmarks. She was surprised that the sisters had a gift for her; a key chain with little stars, hearts and tags emblazoned with the Coach logo. "They're beautiful! Thank you so much."
Jon thought his gift was a bit wacky, but Richie had insisted that she would love it. And he was right. The tiny brooch with a medallion of a man's head was received with laughter and a big hug.
Richie was a bit nervous about his gift. It was not something he would traditionally give to a girl, but when he saw it, it made him think of Madison. It was artsy and unusual and fit in with the styles of jewelry he'd seen her wear. He had seen it in one of her art magazines during the flight and ordered it and Jon's gift right after the dinner.
"Oh my god! I love it!" Madison immediately took it out of the box and put it on. Richie helped her fasten the necklace and she modeled it for everyone. He then frowned, "hey, how come I don't get a hug and a kiss?" He did.
"What is it?" Jon came to examine it up close. Joanna and Kris touched it, feeling its soft, malleable material. "It looks like a tattoo." David was trying to read the writing; 'My latest fantasy is about jumping on a moon walk...' "Cool."
Richie once again staked his claim by wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her free of them. Jon rolled his eyes, yet again.
*****
"We leave for sound check at two, girls. Be sure you're back in time for the ride to the arena."
"What's 'sound check'?" Madison wanted to know.
"That's when we test out the equipments and run through some songs. We need to make sure everything is working properly in each venue."
"Do I have to go? There's another place I really wanted to check out before we leave tomorrow."
Richie wanted Madison there with him, but he understood her need. "I wish you would come with us. But if you're going to go off on your own, take your pass with you so you won't have any trouble getting in."
After the men left for their interviews, the girls were lazing around their suite trying to decide what to do. Lunch was the farthest thing from their minds after that huge breakfast and they chose to just shop around near the hotel.
Madison was trying to get Joanna to go with her but she might as well have tried to move a mountain. "Are you nuts? Why would I miss a Bon Jovi sound check to go see another church with you?" Madison sighed and relented as she did not want to go roaming in an unknown town alone.
*****
"What are you doing with all those travel brochures?"
Lindsey was watching her sister spreading out the pamphlets on the bed. "Madison wants to go somewhere but not by herself. Just checking to see where she might want to visit."
"You're going to go sightseeing with your nemesis?" Lindsey was incredulous.
"No, Einstein. You are."
"What? No way. I'm not missing sound check."
"Look, Linds, I did not have to bring you, you know." Nina glared at her sister. "You will go with her wherever she wants to go. Besides, you owe me. You gave her my key chain."
"We couldn't just go empty handed," Lindsey reasoned.
Nina ignored her. "This will give me enough time to get to Richie.......alone." Nina smirked and patted herself on the back for this fleeting moment of genius.
"But I don't have a pass to get in..." Lindsey trailed off as Nina held out an all access pass to her.
"Always thinking ahead, huh, sis?"
1 comment:
I have been checking the visuals and they are realling adding a lot to the overall feel of this story.
Poor Nina, she just has no clue.
Still wondering when Maddie is gonna tell Richie about Micah whom I still THINK is her son.
Still pondering...
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