GraceRyan
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Okay, I started this little tale a few months ago. Now that life has settled, I've tried to go back and finish it up and string together some half finished scenes - to no avail. Last night, it struck me that the best way to do this now is through flashbacks. I hope you will bear with mynew direction.
This is, of course, a complete work of fiction. Member of the band and celebrity at large are figments of my hyperactive mind.
Larry stood by the window and watched his children play in the chilly February mist. They didn’t seem bothered by the raw day. Ann was in town doing the shopping and he was left to keep an eye on things at home. It was two months since being thrust back into his domestic life. On the outside, he appeared to be settled. His insides toiled and fought him everyday. Especially on days like this. The house was quiet. He had free time for his mind to carry him away….to remember what it felt like to live. He often thought back to what started it all. Would he have done things differently? What was the moment it all changed? Was it the Carnival last year? Being drunk and covered it sweat and booze? When he pushed her against the wall and kissed her so hard their teeth clacked? No, it was November…..
It was Thanksgiving Day in America. Larry had a large table moved into his suite to accommodate the road crew and band. After talking with Abby, he decided to celebrate Thanksgiving here in New Zealand. He made certain all the standard dishes were prepared for his guests, primarily Abby. She was so unhappy to miss the holiday with her family. He only wanted to make her happy. He only hoped she wouldn’t miss them more. In the corner of his suite, he had a Christmas tree twinkling with lights and brightly colored balls. He knew she loved Christmas.
When Abby walked through the door, her eye lit up as took in the sights and smells of Thanksgiving. The small smile on Larry’s lips proved that he had done this all for her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him talking to cooks and wait-staff. He fussed over seating arrangements. She chuckled as Bono was placed on what she referred to as the ‘kiddie’ table where he would chatter through the whole meal to sound technicians and wardrobe.
Everyone drank and ate heartily, except Larry and Abby. She nursed two glasses of red wine throughout the evening. Her heart thundered in her chest as she exchanged coy glances with him. It was the gesture she had waited for. She lingered behind as people filed out of the celebration. She prayed that Bono would not drink and poke around all night. He had more stamina that she did for parties. Luckily, Bono had a telephone appointment that he was certain to keep. He muttered something about being back later if the party raged late.
“I think we’ll move it to the bar downstairs,” Larry replied quickly. He didn’t want to encourage an all night session in his suite.
Abby and Larry chatted as the hotel staff bustled around them returning his room to a room. He was always amazed how easily they could fall into conversation for hours without missing a beat. Abby fell silent and watched the tree twinkle. The lights seemed a bit lower than before.
She turned to him on the sofa. “Did you do this for me?”
Suddenly, he felt embarrassed. “I did it for everyone….” He met her gaze. “But mostly for you. I just wanted to make you happy, Abby. It was a bonus that others got to enjoy it.”
She sniffled. “It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me…I’m supposed to be running around making sure you’re happy.”
“I am,” he said softly. “For the first time in a really long time.”
Larry moved closer to Abby. He just wanted to be as close as possible to her. As the distance closed between them, she wondered if it really would happen this time. His lips met hers softly, just brushing them. He held his face close to hers – taking in her scent. She lunged towards and kissed him hard. He was momentarily taken aback but quickly tangled his fingers in her long blonde hair. Every emotion he had swallowed for so long rose to the surface and burned his skin.Quickly, his fingers fumbled for the buttons on her navy blue blouse. She took a sharp breath as finger brushed her skin; but she went to work on his shirt. All his black and white thoughts converged into an ink spot of grey in the shape of her form. He needed to be closer to her. Wrong or right, even if just for tonight. Just so he would know how she felt.
Abby pulled away. “Are you sure about this?”
Why did she have to be the voice of reason now? He thought. Her big blues stared at him. It would be one night, right? They were adults. They could handle this.
“Abigail…I haven’t been this sure in years. I’ve wanted this for so long,” his voice shook with longing. At that moment, he would promise her anything.
She slid his shirt off his shoulders. She had seen him naked from the waist up for years now; but tonight he wasn’t parading around backstage.
He took her hand. “C’mon…”
She pulled back to look at him; wondering if she should let him go through with this. Everything could change. His crooked grin weakened her resolve to save his soul. She followed him into the bedroom.
The car door slammed and brought Larry back to Ireland. The kids rushed over to see what mummy bought them at the store. He looked down at his rumpled shirt. He had been twisting the bottom with his fingers as he thought back to the night he made love to Abby.
“Larry, can we have a bit of help here?” Ann called from the kitchen doorway.
He had to leave those warm memories behind as he tugged on his hooded sweatshirt to help unload groceries from the car.
This is, of course, a complete work of fiction. Member of the band and celebrity at large are figments of my hyperactive mind.
Larry stood by the window and watched his children play in the chilly February mist. They didn’t seem bothered by the raw day. Ann was in town doing the shopping and he was left to keep an eye on things at home. It was two months since being thrust back into his domestic life. On the outside, he appeared to be settled. His insides toiled and fought him everyday. Especially on days like this. The house was quiet. He had free time for his mind to carry him away….to remember what it felt like to live. He often thought back to what started it all. Would he have done things differently? What was the moment it all changed? Was it the Carnival last year? Being drunk and covered it sweat and booze? When he pushed her against the wall and kissed her so hard their teeth clacked? No, it was November…..
It was Thanksgiving Day in America. Larry had a large table moved into his suite to accommodate the road crew and band. After talking with Abby, he decided to celebrate Thanksgiving here in New Zealand. He made certain all the standard dishes were prepared for his guests, primarily Abby. She was so unhappy to miss the holiday with her family. He only wanted to make her happy. He only hoped she wouldn’t miss them more. In the corner of his suite, he had a Christmas tree twinkling with lights and brightly colored balls. He knew she loved Christmas.
When Abby walked through the door, her eye lit up as took in the sights and smells of Thanksgiving. The small smile on Larry’s lips proved that he had done this all for her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him talking to cooks and wait-staff. He fussed over seating arrangements. She chuckled as Bono was placed on what she referred to as the ‘kiddie’ table where he would chatter through the whole meal to sound technicians and wardrobe.
Everyone drank and ate heartily, except Larry and Abby. She nursed two glasses of red wine throughout the evening. Her heart thundered in her chest as she exchanged coy glances with him. It was the gesture she had waited for. She lingered behind as people filed out of the celebration. She prayed that Bono would not drink and poke around all night. He had more stamina that she did for parties. Luckily, Bono had a telephone appointment that he was certain to keep. He muttered something about being back later if the party raged late.
“I think we’ll move it to the bar downstairs,” Larry replied quickly. He didn’t want to encourage an all night session in his suite.
Abby and Larry chatted as the hotel staff bustled around them returning his room to a room. He was always amazed how easily they could fall into conversation for hours without missing a beat. Abby fell silent and watched the tree twinkle. The lights seemed a bit lower than before.
She turned to him on the sofa. “Did you do this for me?”
Suddenly, he felt embarrassed. “I did it for everyone….” He met her gaze. “But mostly for you. I just wanted to make you happy, Abby. It was a bonus that others got to enjoy it.”
She sniffled. “It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me…I’m supposed to be running around making sure you’re happy.”
“I am,” he said softly. “For the first time in a really long time.”
Larry moved closer to Abby. He just wanted to be as close as possible to her. As the distance closed between them, she wondered if it really would happen this time. His lips met hers softly, just brushing them. He held his face close to hers – taking in her scent. She lunged towards and kissed him hard. He was momentarily taken aback but quickly tangled his fingers in her long blonde hair. Every emotion he had swallowed for so long rose to the surface and burned his skin.Quickly, his fingers fumbled for the buttons on her navy blue blouse. She took a sharp breath as finger brushed her skin; but she went to work on his shirt. All his black and white thoughts converged into an ink spot of grey in the shape of her form. He needed to be closer to her. Wrong or right, even if just for tonight. Just so he would know how she felt.
Abby pulled away. “Are you sure about this?”
Why did she have to be the voice of reason now? He thought. Her big blues stared at him. It would be one night, right? They were adults. They could handle this.
“Abigail…I haven’t been this sure in years. I’ve wanted this for so long,” his voice shook with longing. At that moment, he would promise her anything.
She slid his shirt off his shoulders. She had seen him naked from the waist up for years now; but tonight he wasn’t parading around backstage.
He took her hand. “C’mon…”
She pulled back to look at him; wondering if she should let him go through with this. Everything could change. His crooked grin weakened her resolve to save his soul. She followed him into the bedroom.
The car door slammed and brought Larry back to Ireland. The kids rushed over to see what mummy bought them at the store. He looked down at his rumpled shirt. He had been twisting the bottom with his fingers as he thought back to the night he made love to Abby.
“Larry, can we have a bit of help here?” Ann called from the kitchen doorway.
He had to leave those warm memories behind as he tugged on his hooded sweatshirt to help unload groceries from the car.
