Chapter 100

“Gimme the keys!” Kim told him outside in the parking lot. Grudgingly he handed over the car keys for the black SUV.

“Get in the car, Jon!” she said sternly when he hesitated and turned back to the Stadium. He sighed, but got in.

“Tell me where to go, ok?” her voice got softer when they were leaving the parking lot and joined the light traffic. He only nodded and stared out of the window.

For the next 20 minutes he didn’t say a word with the exception of the direction to the beach. Kim kept her thoughts to herself and gave him the time to calm down from his outburst.

When she pulled into a small parking space right at a deserted beach, she looked at him and saw him rubbing his tired eyes. He didn’t sleep very well last night. He couldn’t stop thinking and worrying about the show.

“Walk with me…” she gently tugged at his hand.

“Yeah.” She could barely hear his mumbled answer.

Silently they walked bare-feet through the warm sand for a while. Kim wondered why nobody else was at this calm and peaceful section of the beach.

“I was too harsh, right?” Jon suddenly asked and stopped. Kim looked at him and nodded.

“A little … yes.” He sighed and sank down on the sand.

“Dammit!”

“Hey, Obie knows you…he knows how important it is for you. I’m pretty sure when you talk to him tonight everything will be fine again.” Kim said and sat down next to him.

“You think so?” Jon asked a little unsure.

“Yeah, you should have seen Obie last night. When the sound went out he barked orders and introduction. He really tried to get everyone working together to make the sound come back. He was probably even more frustrated than you.”

“Why?” Jon turned to her surprised.

“Why?” Kim chuckled. “Because the sound system is his baby…and it wasn’t working. I don’t know a lot about those technical things, but I do know that men take it very personal when things ain’t working they feel responsible for.”

“Yeah, we are like that.” He agreed and looked at her with a soft smile.

“I’m sorry that I freaked…” carefully he put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close.

“I know…I just need some time to get used to it. I haven’t really seen you like this before.” She admitted and leaned her head against his shoulder.

“I didn’t scare you, did I?” he asked worried. Kim chuckled lightly.

“Fran maybe a little, you know she has her problems with it…me, well… as I said I don’t know you like that. I wasn’t sure what would happen when I stopped you.” Jon stared at her for a full minute.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

“It’s ok,…really Jon, …”

“No, it’s not. You shouldn’t worry about shit like this…not right now.” He said rather forceful. Kim pulled away from him.

“Ok, look…just to get one thing straight,…yes, I nearly got raped, …yes, I do have problems right now getting close or intimate with you, but that doesn’t mean you have to treat me with kid gloves in every situation that might come up during the day.”

“Kim, I just…”

“You don’t help me with that…someday I have to be able to walk through the streets alone again, Jon. I know you wanna protect me, but I need to get my independence back…and that has to happen rather fast, because you’ll be leaving in a couple weeks for Europe.”

“I just don’t want you get hurt again, Kimi.” He told her in a choked up voice. She blinked away the tears that forming in her eyes.

“I know honey, but we have to go on with our life. We can’t let this ruin everything.” He sighed deeply at her words.

“You’re right. But I have to admit…it’s tough for me. I’ve never been through anything like this before.”

“I know…but I hope everything will be fine. I was able to get through this once…all alone. This time I have you…that makes it easier for me.” Kim told him softly while staring out onto the calmly blue waves.

Jon watched her smiling. He hadn’t seen her thins relaxed in days. Maybe they were doing the right thing to get through this nightmare.

“So, tell me…why is no one else here?” Kim looked at him curious. Jon blinked about the abrupt change of topic.

“Uhm….Apartment…I have an apartment over there.” He pointed at a rather small two story building across the street.

“You have an apartment here?” she asked surprised. He never mentioned it before.

“Yeah, already for years. It was one of the first places Dot and I got after the huge Tour in the `80s ended. I only keep it, because of the portion of this private beach.”

“Wow.” Kim mumbled.

“And the places comes in handy when you have small children with you, that need to go to the bathroom every five minutes while you are at the beach.” Jon grinned when Kim chuckled softly.

“So Dot is using the places too?” she asked.

“Nah, she said it reminds her too much of the being of my career. Screaming fans and groupies that were crawling over her to get to me. She never set a foot back into that apartment after we bought our first house together.” Jon said with a sparkle in his eyes. It seemed he had very fond memories of those first years of his career.

“So, we could stay there for a while?” Kim asked hesitant.

“Uhm…yeah, sure…but it’s not really big.” Jon was truly surprised by her request.

“I don’t mind. I like the peace and quiet here. There is something special about this places.” She  said and stared into the waves again.

“Well, let me make some calls and get our stuff  and we are ready to crash here tonight.” Jon promised.

Chapter 99

“This can NEVER, I repeat….NEVER…. happen again! What the hell was wrong last night?” Jon asked angrily.

Kim and Fran looked at each other worried. It was now four days after the wedding. Last night the band played their first show at New Meadowlands Stadium and the unthinkable happened…the sound vanished during Runaway.

Kim never saw so many worried face. The whole technic crew ran around like crazy. Obie was yelling instructions, but it didn’t help. For nearly two minutes no sound was leaving the huge speakers.

The girls weren’t sure Jon and the others realized it until he came backstage for a short clothes change. He was fuming. Kim and Fran made sure to stay out of his way. No need to get into the line of fire.

And now, 12 hours after the show he ordered everyone to the Stadium and was still mighty pissed.

“Did you find the mistake, Obie?” he asked rather harsh. Obie took a deep breath and rubbed his tired eyes. Kim wasn’t even sure the technic crew went home after last night’s show. They all looked like walking zombies.

“Jon….you know it’s not that easy….” Obie tried to tell him as calm as possible. Luckily he had worked with Jon so many years he could handle his temper. But he also knew that this time his boss had every right to be mad.

“Then make it easy!” Jon bellowed frustrated.

Kim and Fran flinched at his loud voice, but Obie and the other people in the room stayed calm. Kim watched worried how Jon clenched his hands to fists and pressed his jaw together. He wanted to scream out his whole frustration, but was working hard on controlling himself. She knew he would hate himself later for getting into the role of the boss and push everyone around.

“We’ve been checking everything since last night, but it’s a whole lot of equipment, it’s too many wires, too many places were the problem can be. We have 500 miles of cable, 1,200 speaker cases and more than 250 light fixtures. I’m not even sure there was a problem in our system and not in the electric system of the Stadium. It’s all new as well.”

“O, I don’t need a rundown of our stage…I need you to fix it. Fast! I want everything to be ready for sound check this afternoon!”

“You wanna do another sound check?” Rich asked confused. It was the first time one of the band members dared to interrupt Jon’s anger. As expected he earned the stink-eye.

“Do you really think, I’m going out there tonight, not knowing if this fucking system will fail again? Are you insane?” Jon pressed through clenched teeth. Richie raised his hands defensively.

“Ok, ok…bro, calm down…”

“Calm down, calm down…how the fuck should I calm down….there were 60.000 people out there last night….60.000 that didn’t get a perfect show, but had to sing alone.”

“You gotta admit they were pretty good.” David said grinning. He had the nerves to show Jon the youtube-videos this morning. Jon’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he took a step towards David. He was close to losing his control.

“Ok, that’s it. Jon come on, we take a little walk….you wanted to show me your favorite Jersey beach…on come.” Kim stepped forward and grabbed his right arm hard. He look at her angrily, but she only stared back.

“I gotta stay…”

“No, you don’t.  You gotta rest for tonight’s show to give your 110% and I’m pretty sure Obie and his team will do everything to make things work. You would only be in the way.” She pulled him to the door.

“We make it work, Jon.” Obie promised. Jon looked at him and nodded sternly.

“Come on, Jon.” Kim pushed him through the door and gave Obie an encouraging smile. She nearly laughed out loud when he mouthed the words ‘thank you’. Jon would have driven everybody insane when he would have stayed.

“Well, that was…intense.” Fran said and leaned her head against Richie’s shoulder. “Not exactly what I expect for our honeymoon.”

“I know, darling. I’m sorry. But you know he’s a perfectionist. Last night just got to him.” Fran nodded.

“Yeah, how about we try to get away from here for a couple hours as well and let everyone do their work.” Fran’s voice had a very conspiratorial tone. Rich grinned. He knew what his new wife wanted and he sure wouldn’t say no to it.

“Good idea, darling.” He placed a long kiss on her lips before pulling her out of the room.

“When you need me earlier, give me call, Obie.”

“Yeah, sure…” Obie mumbled and looked at David, Tico, Bobby and Hugh, who were still in the room.

“How about you guys get out of here as well.” Tico looked at him surprised. His tone was clear, they didn’t really have an option. It was more of an order something that didn’t happen very often during the last two decades and that showed under how stress Obie really was. Tico looked and David unsure.

“Any idea?”

“How about pool at my place?” David suggested.

“Sounds good. Hugh, Bobby?” Tico turned to the other two men. They nodded and left as well. Obie sighed deeply before turning to his crew.

“Any idea where to start?” he asked the other technicians.

Chapter 98

“Good morning.”

Jon and Kim were the last to enter the big living room were the catering services put up a breakfast buffet for all of them. Only Fran and Richie were still missing, but they all were rather sure they wouldn’t show up at all today.

“Hey, we already thought you wouldn’t come down.” David told them from his spot on the couch.

“Yeah, well…we didn’t sleep very well.” Jon told him while handing Kim a cup of coffee. The women in the room immediately shot Kimberly a worried look, but none of them said something. A tensed silent was forming in the room and Kim wished somebody would say something…anything.

“Got disturb by the newlyweds as well, huh?” David asked grinning and earned a push from Lexi’s elbow in his ribs. Kim grinned lightly. You could count on him to save a situation.

“Ouch, dammit.” He cursed and looked at his wife frowning. She nodded her head towards Richie’s mom, who was sitting with them as well and enjoying the richly buffet.

“What? I’m pretty sure Momma S. knows what her son and Fran were doing last night.” They all chuckled lightly. Joan slowly sat down her cup of tea.

“Of course, I do. You kids really have to stop thinking people don’t have a sex-life anymore just because they have passed the 70 mark.” They all stared at her and Jon was sure it was a good thing Rich wasn’t here.

“And as far as I could tell from last night’s sounds, Richie did pretty good….just like his dad, I may add.” The old lady told them dryly.

Tico grinned lightly and Ali hid her smile by studying the assorted cheese at the buffet closely. But the rest of them had less luck and soon they erupted in loud cheerful laughter.

“What did the kids say?” Jon asked while sitting down with some scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. All the children were sitting in the huge TV room right now and were having breakfast there.

“Well, I think the younger ones were in sugar-coma and didn’t hear it.” Tico said and sipped at his coffee. The other adults nodded.

“And the older ones probably know what was going on. I mean, let’s face it, your daughter is off to college next year.” David said grinning. Jon choked at his bacon and Kim tapped his back a little worried.

“DAVID!” Lexi looked at him with squeezed eyes.

“Your twins will leave high school soon too, right David.” Richie’s mom asked innocently.

“Uhm,…yeah, well….not next year.” David stuttered.

“Yeah, but soon enough. And they are your kids.” Jon pointed out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” David asked and looked at Jon a little offended.

“Well…remember, … I knew you when you were just 16…” Jon chuckled softly when David turned his full attention to his coffee. Kim shook her head lightly and smiled.

“What is it, Kim?” Tico asked amused.

“It’s funny. You are so sure, your children aren’t even thinking about intercourse…yet alone having it. You are just like the parents I met at the Adolescent Health Center.”

Especially the men looked at her stunned for a second.

“Ok, is there something you know…we don’t know? And with ‘we’ I mean ME!” Jon moved around on the couch anxious. Kim smiled and shook her head.

“No, Jon. I have no idea if any of your children has or had intercourse.” She clarified softly.

“All I can tell you, is that the kids today seem to run in a different speed.” They looked at her confused. She sighed.

“Well, they are rather curious. How does it work? How does it feel? What can I do? What shouldn’t I? What is appropriated and what belongs into the category of ‘wild fantasy’.” Jon groaned and shook his head. Kim smiled and continued.

“… and at the same time they wanna know what to do to protect themselves. Especially the girls are very curious about the different options of protection. And they all tell you, they won’t leave that responsibility to the boy. Pretty smart, in my opinion.” The women in the room nodded agreeing.

“You wouldn’t believe how many 12 or 13 year old kids come to the center with very specific questions.” She ended her little monologue. There was silence for a couple of seconds.

“Did you just say…12 or 13?” David was barely able to bring out the words while Jon just paled and set his breakfast aside. Kim was pretty sure Rich would have reacted the same when he would have been here. The only man who was still calm and in balance was Tico. With a 6 year old son, he probably thought he was on the save side.

“I believe you in a minute, Kim.” Ali said and sat down next to her.

“I think it even starts earlier…and well, it’s probably all innocent at the beginning, but Hector told me straight out last week that he has a girlfriend.” Something clashed behind them and they all turned around to see Tico carefully picking up his scattered plate from the floor.

“Mi amor, are you ok?” Ali got up. He stared at her.

“Apparently not. Why didn’t you tell me? Who is she? And what the hell are they doing together?” his deep voice echoed back from the walls.

“Well, well, well…Tico. You shouldn’t forget the are still children. Only 6 years old.” Richie’s mother, who observed the scene the whole time very quiet, pointed out. Tico sighed.

“Yes, of course, ma’am. You are right.” He sank down on a chair.

“It’s fine, mi amor. He is very sweet with her. You know, carrying her books, opening the door for her and holding her hand. There is nothing dramatic.” Ali assured her husband.

“Relax man, he is just the gentleman that you are. He is copying you. Dave, Rich and I are the ones with a real problem here.” Jon told him dryly.

Chapter 97

“Finally.”

“What?” Fran turned to him with a questioning look on her face.

“Finally, I’m alone with you.” Rich said and locked the door. She laughed lightly and moved over to the mirror to take off the heart shaped sapphire necklace.

“I still can’t believe your mom gave me this necklace.”

“She loves you.” He told her and stepped behind her. She searched his eyes in the mirror.

“Still…it must be worth a fortune.” Fran carefully put the necklace back in the satin box.

“Probably.” Rich replied lightly while his focus was already on the zipper of her wedding dress.

“Probably? Come on Rich, this necklace is over 250 years old. Of course it’s worth a fortune.” She spun around and looked at him with anger. His lack of acknowledgement really pissed her off.

“Whoa, whoa…ok, you are right. But mom didn’t gave it to you, because of the financial value, she gave it to you, because YOU are worth having it.” Fran’s expression softened.

“Sure, but still… you could at least acknowledge that one of your ancestors went through a lot of trouble to make his wife happy.” Rich nodded with a serious look on his face.

“I do. And I plan on follow that tradition and make my wife very happy…tonight.” His voice turned into a deep growl when he leaned forward and nibbled at her shoulder.

“Richie!” she pulled away from him and brought some distance between them. Her dress swished with every step she took over the thick carpet.

“What?” he looked at her amused.

“I don’t know.” She sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“It’s different.” She added after a few seconds.

“Different? What do you mean?” he frowned lightly and moved closer to her.

“I don’t know.” She shook her head in disbelieve over her own words. Rich smiled softly.

“Hey…it’s still us, darling. We are the same people we were this morning. Nothing is different.” He knelt down in front of her and softly took her hands in his. His brown eyes locked with her emerald green ones.

“I love you, Frannie.” He whispered and kissed her deeply.

Fran sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Rich pulled her back to his feet without breaking the kiss a single second. With his clever fingers he had the zipper of her dress open and broke the kiss. Fran moaned at the loss of contact when he stepped back.

“Here, let me help you.” He offered her his hand so she could step out of the pile of white satin, which now lay disregarded on the floor.

“God, you are so beautiful.” He whispered and let his gaze wander of his wife’s body hungrily. He already knew she was wearing stockings. There was no chance he could miss it when he was kneeling at her feet early during the reception to remove the ivory lace garter with a satin center-tied light blue bow from her thigh.

What he missed though, was the white lace garter belt, which kept those sexy stockings in place together with a white nearly see-through lace corsage and the tiniest white lace string he had ever seen.

“Well, there’s no doubt, who’s the bride here.” He said while stepping close to her again and let his hands ran over the thin bodice that cupped her breast lovingly.

“Richie…” she arched into his touch and pressed herself close to him.

“How about we get you out of this nice little outfit, so I can see what’s under it.” He whispered in her ear and reached for the hooks on her back. She chuckled softly.

“You know very well what’s under it and…you can nearly see it already….I can’t see anything though. Just this stupid black suit and white dress shirt.” She pouted and tugged at his clothes. He grinned.

“What me to take it off?” he asked in a husky voice. She nodded and licked her lips.

“Slowly?” his low voice nearly made her come instantly.

“Yes.” she whispered and sat down on their bed. Rich smirked and tossed his jacket aside. Very slowly, he opened one button after another of his dress shirt and let it glided down his tanned and toned torso.

He could hear a small whimper from his wife when he flexed his biceps and posed for her a second. She was laying down on the bed now and was touching herself with her right hand.

“Do you like the show, darling?” he asked with darkening brown eyes. He never stripped for a woman before as far as he remembered, normally they did  it for him, but he had to admit it had something very erotic.

When his hands reached for the waistband of his trousers, she moved closer to the edge of the bed. His eyes gleamed when he saw the hunger in her nearly black eyes by now. He dropped his pants and watched her licking her lips as soon as she spotted his already proud standing erection.

“You want this, right?” his right hand moved up and down his twitching member.

“Yes.” Fran nearly fell out of bed.

“Wanna taste it before I fuck you crazy?” he walked towards the bed. She nodded eagerly and as soon as he was close enough her gorgeous full lips were sucking him.

“God, darling…yes…” he growled deeply and grabbed a wistful of her dark brown hair to guide her. Her head bobbed up and down and he could feel a familiar tingle in his whole body.

“Stop!” he barked.

Fran let go of him immediately and looked at him a little shocked. His breathing was strong and lust was shining in his dark eyes.

“We don’t want it to be over with, right darling?” his voice was hoarse when he let his right index finger ran so softly over the hem of the lace corsage. Fran shivered. He was barely touching her and yet she was close to come.

“Now, I wanna taste you!” he growled low in her ear.

Fran squealed surprised when he flipped her over without warning and un-hooked her corsage. In a split of a second her soaked panties were gone and all that was left were the garter-belt and white stockings.

“That’s what I want.” He whispered and lashed down on her dripping wet and ready pussy.

“RICHIE!”

She arched her back of the mattress as soon as her husband’s mouth tasted her. His tongue licked her roughly and his lips found her sobbing clit. When he sucked, she screamed out her release and he was sure everybody in this building knew what they were doing.

He kept her hips in place and stopped every bigger movement and continued to lick and kiss her while watching her trembling body. When she was calming down his hands travelled up her waist to her full breast. Lovingly he kneaded them and gently tugged with his teeth on her rock hard rosy nipples.

Her body jerked at the stimulation. He helped her to angle her right leg and finally entered her in a long deep push.

“Richie…” it wasn’t more than a whisper.

“Yes, my love.” He kissed her slightly parted lips softly and picked a slow pace. Her eyes fluttered open and locked with his.

“Oh, Richie…” she pulled him down for a lingering kiss. Their lips stayed locked until they found their sweet release.