Rosie's mother passed away two weeks later with Rosie by her bedside, in the short space of time, they had partly healed the rift between them, though Rosie had dearly wished things could have been different between them and they had been closer
she had not shed a tear, locked up in a wall of numbness, she needed to be strong to get through this time, or she would completely fall apart, espicially on the day of the funeral.
It was a small private affair with only Rosie and Larry Edge and Adam with their partners and wives in attendance, Bono was back in America, but she did recieve an expensive spray of flowers with a message of sympathy from him and Fay with a message od regret they couldn't be there in person in a way Rosie was glad they they were not.
She had only become aware he had been back in Dublin for a few days before going back to America when Adam had asked her if she had seen him.
When she had looked puzzled and shook her head, Adam frowned ""Strange he asked me what hospital your mum was in, then said he was going to see how you were"
Rosie with too much on her mind about her mother had just shrugged "Well he never turned up, guess he had something more important to do and forgot"
"Maybe"Adam had replied still bewildered, he had been postive that Bono was going to see Rosie.. he might have changed his mind for some reason which he couldn't fathom, he guessed he would get an explaination the next time they saw him.. so he dismissed it It didnt matter anyway he, Edge and Larry where there for Rosie, helping her whatever way they could through this difficult time, tactufully none of them made any remark about Bono not being there for the funeral.
But if they thought that Rosie was not in Bono's thoughts on the day of the funeral they were wrong. Across in America, where dawn was just setting in, Bono sat in a chair by the window of his LA apartment. He was taking a long draw from his cigarette slowly exhaling the smoke and staring through the blue grey whispy cloud it created at the first signs of light creeping into the sky, thinking about what was happening now in Ireland, he had been sitting there for some hours unable to sleep, finding no comfort in the warmth of Fay's body as she lay sleeping in his bed.
Now she stirred, reaching out for him, aware that he was not next to her, she opened her eyes and seen his silohette sitting in the chair across the room from her, she pulled her expertly shaped arched eyebrows into a small questioning frown, and sat up a little surveying him, he seemed lost in his own thoughts unaware of her presence until she spoke.
"Bono babe what are you doing sitting there all alone?"
His head turned in her direction she noticed a faint smile on his lips, "Just couldn't sleep" he told her as he then turned to crush his cigarette out amongst the other cigarette buts that overflowed in the ashtray on the nearby table before continuing, "I was just thinking about Rosie the funeral will be about now.. I still feel I should have been there in person"
Fay sighed, then threw back the bedsheets and stretched her long lithe legs onto the floor to get out of the bed and come over to him, placing herself on his knee, and wrapping her arms around his neck, her forehead resting against his as she looked into his blue eyes.
"But you know how much I need you here" she pointed out, her finger tracing a circle on his bare chest "I mean I don't know what the big deal is, she probably won't be even missing you that much, and she has the other guys from the band with her, I am sure they are taking very good care of her and making sure she is alright"
"Yeah I guess you are right" Bono replied flatly thinking how his presence probably wouldnt be over welcomed.
Fay felt a small sense of irritation rising up that he didn't seem convinced. Ever since Bono had learned about Rosie's mother, he had become withdrawn and distracted from her, and she didn't like it, it had took her all her effort and power of womanly wiles to keep him with her and convince him she needed him with her in America, when he had wanted to return to Dublin for the funeral, she had even shelled out a fortune in an expensive flower arrangment to send to Rosie, thinking this would satisfy him..
But it seemed not, Fay being very territorial with her men, resented that Bono was thinking about Rosie and not her, even if it was only concern about her grief, she had always sensed there was a connection between the two of them, and she thought she had successfully broken it, the two seemed to be at odds for a while now. But then Rosie's mother had to go and take ill and ruined it all, Fay cursed the woman.
She attempted to try and make Bono forget about Rosie, by pressing herself against him "You are getting cold, why don't you let me warm you up" she spoke in a suggestive husky voice her lips found his, tempting him teasing him into a long searching kiss wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, and when he started to respond she was feeling pleased with herself, but then even lost in the depth of the kiss Bono suddenly envisioned Rosie's face, looking pale and weary like that day he had seen her in the hospital, and all his ardour disappeared he found himself pulling away from Fay.
"I'm sorry.. I am not really in the mood, to tell you the truth I don't think I am very good company at the minute" he then told her, "Actually I think I just want to go and take a walk and be alone for a while"
Fay realising there was no good pushing him to try and get her own way, and she reluctantly got up of his knee, she wasn't going to lower herself to plead with him to stay with her "Please yourself," she told him, "It's your loss" she took herself over to the bed sulking a little but Bono didn't seem aware of it as he hastily got dressed and left the room.
****************************************************
Circumstances brought Rosie and Bono together soon enough in London, with the European tour to take of, it was the first time he had set eyes on her from the time in the hospital, he had never felt in the least awkward around her until now. Suddenly he didnt know what to do or say as they sat together along with the other band manager and tour manager in a small conference room in a hotel, at first there was no problem because it started of as business talk about the forthcoming tour, but when they decided to have a coffee break, he found himself not wanting to avoid her any longer, and made his way around to her, she had been busy chatting to Larry and hadn't notice him come up behind her till he enquired.
"So how are things going?"
She swung around to face him, realising this was the first chance they had spoken person to person in over a month, it was a little strange for her, she felt as awkward as he did but managed a small smile "I am doing ok" she replied.
"Good" Bono nodded there was another pause before he added, "Sorry I wasn't around for the funeral, did you get the flowers ok?"
"Yes they were lovely thank you" she returned this strained polite conversation was something they had never had to cope with before, and she shifted uneasily in her chair, not sure what to say or where to look
"I am really sorry about your mom.. it must have been very difficult for you" he then said
"Yes it has" she replied quietly, "But I think I am managing, the guys have been a great help" she shot a smile at Larry "I don't know if I could have got by this without them"
Bono got the feeling once more of being the outsider, but pushing such a petty personal thought aside he went on
"Well I just wanted to let you know, that the four of us had a discussion earlier, and we decided if you feel you can't handle the tour yet, we would be willing to put it off for a few more weeks.. y'know to give you some time as its only been a few weeks from the funeral and you have been through so much"
"No" Rosie shook her head adamantly "I don't want you to do that, I won't let you do that, I will be fine.. in fact I think it would be the best thing for me to get out on tour, it will keep my mind occupied"
"Are you sure?" Larry then asked with a small frown of concern, he knew how emotionally and physically exhausted Rosie was from she had learned about her mother, she had hardly slept running back and forth ot the hospital.. then the funeral. "Really Rosie we would understand if you wanted to wait a while"
Rosie shook her head "Its ok Larry I will be fine, believe me.. I think being on the road will be good for me" she assured him
Larry and Bono exchanged looks
"Well you heard the woman" Bono finally spoke up trying to liven up the awkward atmosphere "I guess the tour will be starting of on schedule after all" he smiled, his hand resting on Rosie's shoulder and giving it a gentle encouraging squeeze, letting her know he was supporting her desicion.
And she rewarded him in return with something he hadn't seen from her in a long while which was an inkling of a warm smile.
she had not shed a tear, locked up in a wall of numbness, she needed to be strong to get through this time, or she would completely fall apart, espicially on the day of the funeral.
It was a small private affair with only Rosie and Larry Edge and Adam with their partners and wives in attendance, Bono was back in America, but she did recieve an expensive spray of flowers with a message of sympathy from him and Fay with a message od regret they couldn't be there in person in a way Rosie was glad they they were not.
She had only become aware he had been back in Dublin for a few days before going back to America when Adam had asked her if she had seen him.
When she had looked puzzled and shook her head, Adam frowned ""Strange he asked me what hospital your mum was in, then said he was going to see how you were"
Rosie with too much on her mind about her mother had just shrugged "Well he never turned up, guess he had something more important to do and forgot"
"Maybe"Adam had replied still bewildered, he had been postive that Bono was going to see Rosie.. he might have changed his mind for some reason which he couldn't fathom, he guessed he would get an explaination the next time they saw him.. so he dismissed it It didnt matter anyway he, Edge and Larry where there for Rosie, helping her whatever way they could through this difficult time, tactufully none of them made any remark about Bono not being there for the funeral.
But if they thought that Rosie was not in Bono's thoughts on the day of the funeral they were wrong. Across in America, where dawn was just setting in, Bono sat in a chair by the window of his LA apartment. He was taking a long draw from his cigarette slowly exhaling the smoke and staring through the blue grey whispy cloud it created at the first signs of light creeping into the sky, thinking about what was happening now in Ireland, he had been sitting there for some hours unable to sleep, finding no comfort in the warmth of Fay's body as she lay sleeping in his bed.
Now she stirred, reaching out for him, aware that he was not next to her, she opened her eyes and seen his silohette sitting in the chair across the room from her, she pulled her expertly shaped arched eyebrows into a small questioning frown, and sat up a little surveying him, he seemed lost in his own thoughts unaware of her presence until she spoke.
"Bono babe what are you doing sitting there all alone?"
His head turned in her direction she noticed a faint smile on his lips, "Just couldn't sleep" he told her as he then turned to crush his cigarette out amongst the other cigarette buts that overflowed in the ashtray on the nearby table before continuing, "I was just thinking about Rosie the funeral will be about now.. I still feel I should have been there in person"
Fay sighed, then threw back the bedsheets and stretched her long lithe legs onto the floor to get out of the bed and come over to him, placing herself on his knee, and wrapping her arms around his neck, her forehead resting against his as she looked into his blue eyes.
"But you know how much I need you here" she pointed out, her finger tracing a circle on his bare chest "I mean I don't know what the big deal is, she probably won't be even missing you that much, and she has the other guys from the band with her, I am sure they are taking very good care of her and making sure she is alright"
"Yeah I guess you are right" Bono replied flatly thinking how his presence probably wouldnt be over welcomed.
Fay felt a small sense of irritation rising up that he didn't seem convinced. Ever since Bono had learned about Rosie's mother, he had become withdrawn and distracted from her, and she didn't like it, it had took her all her effort and power of womanly wiles to keep him with her and convince him she needed him with her in America, when he had wanted to return to Dublin for the funeral, she had even shelled out a fortune in an expensive flower arrangment to send to Rosie, thinking this would satisfy him..
But it seemed not, Fay being very territorial with her men, resented that Bono was thinking about Rosie and not her, even if it was only concern about her grief, she had always sensed there was a connection between the two of them, and she thought she had successfully broken it, the two seemed to be at odds for a while now. But then Rosie's mother had to go and take ill and ruined it all, Fay cursed the woman.
She attempted to try and make Bono forget about Rosie, by pressing herself against him "You are getting cold, why don't you let me warm you up" she spoke in a suggestive husky voice her lips found his, tempting him teasing him into a long searching kiss wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, and when he started to respond she was feeling pleased with herself, but then even lost in the depth of the kiss Bono suddenly envisioned Rosie's face, looking pale and weary like that day he had seen her in the hospital, and all his ardour disappeared he found himself pulling away from Fay.
"I'm sorry.. I am not really in the mood, to tell you the truth I don't think I am very good company at the minute" he then told her, "Actually I think I just want to go and take a walk and be alone for a while"
Fay realising there was no good pushing him to try and get her own way, and she reluctantly got up of his knee, she wasn't going to lower herself to plead with him to stay with her "Please yourself," she told him, "It's your loss" she took herself over to the bed sulking a little but Bono didn't seem aware of it as he hastily got dressed and left the room.
****************************************************
Circumstances brought Rosie and Bono together soon enough in London, with the European tour to take of, it was the first time he had set eyes on her from the time in the hospital, he had never felt in the least awkward around her until now. Suddenly he didnt know what to do or say as they sat together along with the other band manager and tour manager in a small conference room in a hotel, at first there was no problem because it started of as business talk about the forthcoming tour, but when they decided to have a coffee break, he found himself not wanting to avoid her any longer, and made his way around to her, she had been busy chatting to Larry and hadn't notice him come up behind her till he enquired.
"So how are things going?"
She swung around to face him, realising this was the first chance they had spoken person to person in over a month, it was a little strange for her, she felt as awkward as he did but managed a small smile "I am doing ok" she replied.
"Good" Bono nodded there was another pause before he added, "Sorry I wasn't around for the funeral, did you get the flowers ok?"
"Yes they were lovely thank you" she returned this strained polite conversation was something they had never had to cope with before, and she shifted uneasily in her chair, not sure what to say or where to look
"I am really sorry about your mom.. it must have been very difficult for you" he then said
"Yes it has" she replied quietly, "But I think I am managing, the guys have been a great help" she shot a smile at Larry "I don't know if I could have got by this without them"
Bono got the feeling once more of being the outsider, but pushing such a petty personal thought aside he went on
"Well I just wanted to let you know, that the four of us had a discussion earlier, and we decided if you feel you can't handle the tour yet, we would be willing to put it off for a few more weeks.. y'know to give you some time as its only been a few weeks from the funeral and you have been through so much"
"No" Rosie shook her head adamantly "I don't want you to do that, I won't let you do that, I will be fine.. in fact I think it would be the best thing for me to get out on tour, it will keep my mind occupied"
"Are you sure?" Larry then asked with a small frown of concern, he knew how emotionally and physically exhausted Rosie was from she had learned about her mother, she had hardly slept running back and forth ot the hospital.. then the funeral. "Really Rosie we would understand if you wanted to wait a while"
Rosie shook her head "Its ok Larry I will be fine, believe me.. I think being on the road will be good for me" she assured him
Larry and Bono exchanged looks
"Well you heard the woman" Bono finally spoke up trying to liven up the awkward atmosphere "I guess the tour will be starting of on schedule after all" he smiled, his hand resting on Rosie's shoulder and giving it a gentle encouraging squeeze, letting her know he was supporting her desicion.
And she rewarded him in return with something he hadn't seen from her in a long while which was an inkling of a warm smile.
