Chapter 15

After the frontpage in the newspaper and the fight between the two of them Richie thought it will be better to keep some distance. It was hard for him to say it but all he was thinking was how to protect her from the spotlights. The band just announced a new album and a world tour after that. He knew the press will go crazy. That was what he was thinking while he was driving to Jon's house for the meeting.

He rung the bell and Jon opened the door seconds later. "Hey man!" Jon said and Richie walked in. "Hello to you too!" Richie answered with his eyebrows raised. "What is it Jon?" he asked him while they were walking to the kitchen. He knew him for 10 years now and he could tell something was up but he didn't know what.

In the kitchen they found Dorothea who was eatting some ice cream. "Hey Dot. Are you doing okay?" Richie asked and sut next to her. "Pretty good." "Where did you found ice cream on the 10th of January? We live in New Jersey not in Brazil." "Jon bought it for the New Year's but none ate it. And i was thinking how is it possible having this delicious ice cream in front of you and don't want to eat it all. I just can't understand you people!" Dorothea's answer was a little bigger than Richie was expecting.

Dorothea took the ice cram and left the kitchen without saying a word. Once Richie was sure she couldn't hear them he turned to Jon and asked. "Is she okay?" "Yeah, isn't she beautiful?" Jon answered with his arms crossed while he was resting on the counter. "Are you okay? Did you smocke anything? You were the one who said these belong to the past if you remember." Jon looked at him "Jesus Richie! Of course not! When the time is right you'll know. Just wait a little longer." Jon answered.

In the next minutes the rest of the guys were sitting on the living room waiting for Alec. "Man i'm going home." David finally spoke and stood up. "Dave wait. He'll be here in a minute." Jon answered. "You said that 45 minutes ago, Jon."Tico jumped in. "Is the third time in a raw that he's late. We should talk to him." Tico added.

The bell rung. "There he is!" Jon said hoping he'll see him when he'll open the door. Once he opened the door Alec was there but not the Alec he knew. "Hey, yo Johnny boy!" he said and walked in. "Where have you been?" Jon asked and closed the door. "We have been waiting for you since 5." David said with a pleasant look on his face.

"What?It's 5 o'clock now. We have a meeting." Alec answered with a voice of a 4 years old. "Alec are you okay?" Richie asked him and walked closer. "Yes, Teek i'm fine thank you." he answered. All the others looked at each other. They knew now he was highed, again. "Jon call him a cab to take him home." Tico as the older spoke. It was the best they can do for now. "Yeah sure." Jon said and left to the kitchen were the phone was.

Richie walked closer to Alec who was starring out of the window. "Hey..." he said and toucked his right shoulder with his hand. "Don't touch me!" he yelled and Richie took a few steps back. "I want to see if you're okay..." he answered. "You never cared about me, you piece of shit!" he looked him in the eye before he even now he punched him on the face.

Richie covered his nose with his hand. he saw the blood in his hand and Alec's crazy eyes while Tico and David were trying to calm him down. Alec with paranarmus power managed to escape from both of them. He took the vase from the table and threw it with all his strength to the wall while Jon was running to the living room when he heard some noice.

Thankfully, God was with him and vase broke a few meters away. "What the fuck is going on here?" he asked and looked around. From highed Alec to bleeding Richie. Dorothea heard the vase breaking and walked down a few steps from the stair. As soon as Jon saw her he yelled. "Dot go upstairs NOW!" Dorothea did as he said and disappear.

Jon was now mad. Not being afraid of anything and anyone took him from his coat and threw his out of the house without saying a word. When he came back Tico and David were cleaning the mees Alec left behind. "What the fuck happend guys?" Jon asked. "He attacked in Richie and punched him." David answered first. "And then he threw the vase on the wall for no reason." Tico added.

Jon couldn't believe it. "Is Richie alright?" "We think so. He's in the bathroom trying to stop the bleeding." David said and flidded a bag with all the broken glasses. Jon sut heivy on the couch. "Hey, man don't be like this. We knew this day will come." Tico said. Jon was the one who brought Alec on the band. he knew that somehow feel responsible of what happend. "Is not your fault Jon. We have warned him many times." David jumped in.

Richie walked in the living room with a lot of paper around his shollen nose. "Is he gone?" he asked. "Yeah, i put him on the cab. Are you okay?" Jon answered. "Yes, i'm fine. the bleeding stopped but the bathroom is a little bloody." Richie said and sut next to him on the couch. "That's the least i'm worrying about." Jon paused for a few seconds. "What if Dot was there he threw her the vase? I don't want anything to happen to them because of me."

All three of them looked at each other and then at Jon. "Is Dot pregnant?" Tico asked. "Yes she is. We leant a few days ago. She's 4 months. Her due is late May." "Man tha's awesome. Congratulations!" Richie said and hugged him first then David and last but not least Tico. "Thank you guys!" Jon answered and smiled.

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Richie was waiting outside of the hospital for Kate. It's been more than 5 days he hasn't seen her that was driving him crazy. Smocking his cigarette he was looking the shapes that the smocke was making before they're gone in the New York night sky. He was enjoying it because he knew Kate hated it and he has to respect that.

After throwing the butt on the ground he looked at the entrance of the hospital and saw Kate walking out. He wore the best smile of his and opened his arms. Kate hugged him tight. She has missed him too, more than she was willing to admit. She was kissing him for a long time. She couldn't get enough of him and he couldn't get enough of her. They both got lost at each other and totally forgot where they were standing.

"We should get going." he said and jumped in the car. After Kate sut next to him he drove away. "How was your shift?" Richie asked. "Good but too many operations. I can't feel my arms." she answered. "You should get a special treatment then." he looked at her and smiled. Kate saw him better and opened her eyes wide. "Richie oh my God! What happend to you?" "Oh the nose? It's nothing really."

"When did that happend?" "When we have the meeting with the guys. Alec came highed and he punched me, that's all." Richie replied. "You call that nothing?" Kate asked back suprised. "It wasn't the first time he was highed on a meeting. But now he's out and we must find an amother bass player for the album." Richie sighed.

"What about Hugh? He was the one who played the bass on the first song so why not?" Kate answered a few seconds later. Richie looked at her suprised. "And how do you know about Hugh? I've never told you anything about this." "Helen told me because i asked her. You know i feel strange being your girlfriend and don't know your greatest hits." Kate told him and looked down.

"You don't have to feel this way. Being my girl doesn't includes knowing all the songs i wrote." Richie answered. "Too late for that. I'm listening to Slippery When Wet now." Kate answered and laughed. "You're unbelievable!" Richie answered and smiled.

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Kate looked up at him while he was holding her close. His eyes were looking at the door but she was sure his mind was somewhere else. "What are you thinking?" she asked him a few minutes later. Richie looked down at her her smiled. "You haven't said a word since we had sex. Was i that bad?" she knew sex  wasn't her best part but she was trying to be as good as him. 

He laughed out loud. He kissed her foarhead and he answered "Of course not. I was just thinking about us." Kate was starring at him. She didn't really liked his answer. he could think many things about them, good and bad. Richie saw that suprised look on her face. He felt her heart skip a little. 

"The new album will be realised in October." he said. "Oh... that's good." she answered trying hard to hide her sadness. She knew what an album means. "What about the tour?" she asked." "It's a hits album with two new songs. We need a new album to go on tour." Richie answered. "We'll have one soon. Now that David is back on the studio with us and not helping April with the twins it won't much. Plus, we need him for the shooting." 

When Kate heard 'shooting' she looked at him. "Oh i'm sorry, i should had told you that first. We'll start filming a video clip for Always on Friday." Richie said. "Really? Where?" Kate asked. "I have no idea. Jon told me earlier he had an idea. He made some calls and he found the starts and the place." he said. 

She didn't like this much. he was spending all his time in the studio for the last five months now. They were together for 1,5 year now. She got used to his lifestyle and him gone the most of the days. But she was gone all the day too. She was spending almost all her day in the hospital or studying in her office. 

Richie looked at her and he knew what she was thinking. It's been a long time since they could spend two days together without having to go somehwere. But he had already took his decision. "Kate?" he asked taking a deep breathe. Kate looked at him. He had the surious look on his face and that made Kate's heart start racing as long as her mind. "Whould you like to move in with me?" he asked leaving Kate speechless. 

Chapter 14

The doors closed behind them as they walked away almost running. Arriving at Richie's car he said "I'm sorry for what i said about your mother..." Kate looked at him. "I didn't mean to talk to him like that but he turned me on when he talked you that way." he put his arms around her waist. "Ι was sure something like that will happen." Kate answered.

She looked at him "Can we please get out of here? We give them too much attetion." He smiled. "Okay. Where do you want to go?" he asked her. "I don't know..." she said as she was thinking a nice place. "We can go to my place, if you want. Order something to eat." he came up with an idea. "That sounds good." she answered and smiled.

"I'm sure you'll love the view to the Central Park, especially now that is snowing." Richie said as they both got in his car. A thin line of snow covered it. "I love it already." she smiled. "I hope is not far away from here, i'm freazzing." she added as she was trying to warm her body. "No, in a few minutes we'll be there." Richie answered and drove away.

As he promised in a few minutes they walked in the dark but her warm apartement. Richie turned on the lights. "Welcome!" he said smiling and closed the door behind him. "Wow! This is what i call a nice view." Kate said with wide eyes and walked closer to the large windows where the snowed Central Park was the star. 

Richie smiled behind her. "I'm glad you like it." "What not to like?" she turned to face him. "It's really beautiful." he smiled and kissed her. "Thank you darlin'." he answered after the kiss. "So what do you want to eat?" she asked him. "Do you like chinise?" Richie asked hoping for a possitive answer. "Of course and i do!" she answered and looked at him. "Oh thank God! I'm the only one of the guys who likes chinise. Now i know i'm not alone!" he said and went to the kitchen to find the menu. 

After ording their dinner Kate jumped in the shower. So Richie find the time to relax and write some music. He took the notebook and the guitar and shut on the couch. He read what he had already wrote but nothing could express what he was feelling right now. He found the next blanc page and start writting. 

Life is a road

forever winding 

where it leads us i don't know

In it together

for better or worse

searching for a pot of gold

Time leaves a trail of broken hearts

o many arrowsjust keep missing their mark

But baby that ain't us

Nothing else matters if you're in it for love

Together we can olny go higher

We can reach any rainbow that we're 

dreaming of

Nothing else matters at all

when you're in it for love, baby

He read it again and it was all that he had felt since he met Kate and then her family. He knew this one is going to be a ballad. Lighting up a cigarette and taking the guitar in his hands already  knowing the rythme in his mind. It didn't take long to start singing alone the lyrics he just wrote. 

The melody filled the whole apartement inclouding the bathroom, where Kate just finished. She wrapped a towel around her body and walked out listening him singing. She had never heard him singing a ballad. The only song of his she has ever heard was Livin' On A Prayer and that's on the radio. She was standing here listening him playing and she could tell that was way more relaxing than a shower. 

He paused on the first verse to write down the music and continue his cigarette. After blowing the smocke he sung the first verse. Kate walked closer to him when he finished. "That was really beautiful." she told him smiling. Richie turned his head and said "I thought you were in the shower." "I was but the melody told me to get out and hear it. You should finish this one." He left the guitar next to him on the couch and finished the cigarette. Blowing the smocke he said "Maybe. I don't know yet." he answered.

The bell rung. "Food time!!' Richie said exited but hungry. He got up and opened the door. After paying the delivery man closed the door. "You want some wine darlin'?" he asked her. "Sure. I think i saw a bottle of a red one in the kitchen." "That's true. I'm never running out of alchool, cigarettes and guitars." he said. Richie left the bag on the table in front of the couch. "I'll go get the wine." he walked in the kitchen and came back seconds later with the wine and two glasses.

Kate had already put out their food. He sut next to her. "You know about what you said before about alchool and cigarettes do you know how much damage cause to your body? From the smell to cancer." "You don't really like it?" he asked back. "I hate it, to be honest. I'm not telling you to stop both of them just try to drink and smock less." he said and start eatting. "Well, right now that will be a little hard. We're writting a new album and when i write i smock and when i'm nervous i drink." Richie answered.

Kate didn't like his answer. She was sure that she'll hear an answer like this. But now she has better things to worry about. "New album?" she paused. Richie took a bite and looked at her. She was just starring at him. "And that means lots of hours in the studio?" she asked again. "Yeah." "And a tour after the album?" "Yeah." he answered. He knew she didn't want to hear this kind of answer but this is what it going to happend.

Next morning Kate walked in her office. She left her bag while Helen walked in the office. "Kate just stay calm." she told her. "Good morning to you too, Helen." "You should not be this happy." "And why is that?" Kate asked without knowing a thing. "Because of this." Helen said and showed her a newspaper. The frontpage was a picture of her and Richie walking in the entrence of his house hand in hand.

Kate froze. She read the big title: 'Bon Jovi's guitarist finally found his Bad Medicine'  She found the page 14 where there was more details. Kate scanned them. "Kate are you okay?" Helen asked as she saw her friend looking upset. With fast moves she took her staff and left the office while she told Helen "Cancel all my dates for today." Kate said and got her purse while she opened the door.

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Richie opened the door of his house while his mother's head turned to face him. "Richie what are you doing here?" his mother asked him and stood up. "Have you seen the blue-grey notebook? I have five songs there and we have a meetting today for the new album. Jon will kill me..." he explained while he closed the door. 

"I think i saw it in your bedroom. You left it the night you returned from the tour. Is David alright now?" Joan asked him. "Yeah, he is the David you know." he replied and walked up the stairs. He arrived at his bedroom and found the notebook he was looking for right in the middle of the desk. 

The door opened and Adam walked in yelling "Joan! Joan!" he closed the door behind him. "What is it, Adam?" she asked back suprised. He was very happy and with a hige smile on his face. "Richie has a girlfriend!" he answered proud of his son. But Joan couldn't believe him right away. "Did Caleb came up with a story again?" "No, he didn't!" he paused and showed her the newspapar he was holding. 

"You could no tell that a rumour. They say he found his Bad Medicine!" he added. Joan took the newspaper in her hands and she read this with her own eyes. Adam was right. "When he'll come down he'll explain this." Joan said. "Is he here?" Adam asked.

Richie walked down the stairs with the blue-gray notebook in his hands. "Hey pop!" he said with a smile. Adam turned and faced him. With a big smile on his face he gave hm a hug. "Why you didn't tell us?" Richie was starring at him having no idea. "Tell you about what?" he asked and looked both of his parents.

"About the doctor. It's not right learning it from the news!" Joan answered while she had already read the article. Richie froze as he heard his mother. His mind was trying to understand what he just heard. "You said from the news?" he asked when he found his voice. "Here look from yourself." his mother passed hm the newspaper.

And there he was at the entrance of his apartement building hand-in-hand with Kate. He read the title and roll over to the page 14 where the whole article was. He scanned for a few seconds not believing what was reading. He knew she was going to be mad about this, but he didn't know how much. Reading the article he was getting mader and mader about the dicovered all these. He was trying hard to keep this as mush as could as a secret but he couldn't hide it anymore. 

"You should come over for dinner sometime." Joan broke the silence. "Your mother is right. It would be nice to meet her." Adam added. "I don't know. We don't want to rush things. And after this i'm not sure if she wants to see me again." Richie looked down to his feet for a second. "I gotta go." he said and he stood up rapidly. Before his parents could say anything he was already gone.

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Richie walked in the hospital knowing that Kate will be there mad as Hell waiting for him. When he arrived at her office he knocked and walked in. Once he walked in Helen was there reading some folders. "Have you seen Kate?" was the only thing he asked. "She was there half an hour ago." helen answered and got up. "You saw the newspaper too?" she asked him. "Yeah, my father brought it home. They want to meet her really bad." Richie answered. Kate had told him that Helen can be trusted. She knew more than ten years and she knews everything.

"Do you want your parents to meet her?" "The point is what Kate wants. We only are dating for a month. I don't want to rush things and make her feel unconfortable. Especially after meeting her family." Richie said. "I don't think your parents have anything to do with hers." Richie looked at her more suprised than ever. "What? I've seen them on the grocery store. I live in Woodbridge too and i'm a fan." Helen answered smiling. "That explains a lot."

"You should go to her house. She has no else to go." Helen said after a few seconds silence. "Yes. Thank you for hearing me out Helen." he told her and smiled. "That's what friends are for!" Helen smiled back while Richie had already left the office.