Chapter 57

Geena sighed; she was really worried about her friend. What the hell happened? Shaking her head she turned back to the screen. The live stream was on tonight, but the question was did she really wanna see him again? Yeah I'm gonna watch it, something ain't right with Bri and I gotta fix it somehow. Maybe getting her to watch them on stage will push her into talking. Hell she deserves a bit of happiness dammit.

In Seattle, Richie paced back and forth in the arena, his eyes glued to the tiny purple cell phone in his hands. It had kept up the buzzing, off and on at all odd hours, firming his gladness that he'd kept it. She'd been gone for days and she'd not checked into anywhere online, not that he could tell. Her name had never flashed into that whose online box at least. He could only hope she'd went to her friend. Flipping the phone open he scrolled through the contacts, grinning at the one that simply said G. Pushing send he brought the phone to his ear and waited.

Geena's cell went off. Glancing at the number she couldn't stop the frown. What the hell Bri is here? Taking a deep breath she answered, "Hello? "

"Hello Darl... I mean Geena." He cleared his throat and hoped she wouldn't hang up on him. "You know who this is right?"

Geena pulled the phone away looked at it for a second with widened eyes. It was Bri's phone but it was Richie? OH yes that’s right she said he had her phone. "Yea I would have to be a real dumb ass not to know your voice. "

He managed a chuckle, "Yeah well I guess you have me there." He blew out an exasperated breath and forced himself to continue. "Please tell me you've seen Sabrina."

"She's here,. She just got here today," Geena answered. "So what the fuck happened? "

He groaned at the shimmer of anger in her voice. So Bri hadn't told? "I was stupid. Remember the night of the get together I had you pour her a glass of wine? I just wanted to help her calm down. Once she fell asleep, she kept shivering at the sound of the phone buzzing. Remind me to find out where Jared is so I can kill the fucker ok?"

He shook his head to clear the thought and continued, "before I knew it Id finished off the glass, then the bottle trying to keep her calm. When she woke up she blamed herself. Said she'd made me fall off the wagon with her problems. She bolted Geena, I've been trying to figure out where too for days. I need to get her back here. You gotta help me."

Geena heard the desperation and longing in his voice and knew she had to help him "Ok , what do you want me to do ? I'll do what I can but she is a stubborn thing. "

"All you have to do is keep her there. I'll handle the rest." His true smile started to slide onto his lips. "He is missing you, that ugly mug I call a friend, he just won’t admit too it. I know you'll be listening tonight. You pay attention to that, ok Geena? And keep her there. Tie her down if ya have to."

"You're just saying that so I'll help you. I wasn't gonna watch but for you I will. You owe me big time," Geena teased.

"Darlin I never say shit I don’t mean. Twenty five years? I've learned to read the man. And he’s giving me stink eye. Time to rehearse that solo of mine." With that he flipped the phone closed, his brain whirling with plans, his thoughts on the girl this solo would be all about.

Geena shut her phone wondering exactly what Richie meant. Pay attention to what, how crazy Jon made her with his singing? Sure, she'd promised to keep Bri there at all costs, but she knew if Bri wanted to leave badly enough nothing would stop her, not even threat of death.

"Whatever Sambora" She mumbled as she opened her email, only to find an email from BonJovi.com. Probably some blurb about the live feed tonight. As she clicked the link shock raced through her system. "Whoa, Richie on the beach , Bri has to see these," she hissed softly. She right clicked and saved the one of Richie sitting in a beach chair looking out to the ocean as her desktop. He looked so sad and lost she just knew it would get to Bri as soon as she saw it.

Back in the Seattle arena Jon's brow flicked up as Richie moved up to the mic. "Where the fuck ya been man?"

"Had to make a phone call," Richie said as he strummed a few cords.

He snorted, "You never make fuckin' calls during rehearsal."

"Well If you must know I called G," Richie said matter of factly

The instant surge of anger coated jealousy rose. "Why the fuck you callin' her?"

Richie bit back a grin at the dominant male roar of possession. "Oh just to say hi," his brows waggled as he egged his friend on.

He felt the urge roaring and tamped it down with ruthless precision. He couldn't kill him now, He needed him on stage. "You better come up with better excuses."

"Oh she is gonna be watching tonight," Richie added as he strummed and fine tuned his guitar.

He felt a little of the ache suddenly vanish, his mind winging back to the request from Jovimistress on Twitter. "Well I would hope so." He glanced at his friends thoughtful face.

"Seriously why did you call?"

"To see if Bri was there," Richie's mood suddenly changed from joking to serious in a flash.

The fact she'd ran when he drank had amazed him, and more than anything it had jerked Richie straight. Hell had it been any other moment in time, he would have just picked right back up where he left off, communing with his friend in a bottle. He’d learned better though. You might slip, but instead of beating yourself up, you just tried again. This time it was important to not just try but to do. He had to get the girl back.

"Was she there?" He hoped she was, oddly he now believed that Bri was right for him.

"Yea she is."

He shook his head, "Is that why you pushed for the song you wanted to do man?"

Richie nodded, a devious gleam in his eyes. "Geena promised to make her watch too."

Jon started to laugh, "She won’t see much, maybe the first 4 or 5 songs. You aren’t up til after that man." He stopped a moment to study his friend. "You're heading that way when we're done here aren't you?"

"Yea, well maybe we can get the song to them somehow. Get it up on that You Tube thing. And to answer your question I sure the hell am," Richie said with determination.

Jon grinned, "I'll send a cd with ya. Enough camera's around here, you know we record the shit." He turned back to the mic and grinned, "Now sing fuckhead, shows in just a couple hours."

"Yes bossman " Richie saluted and started to rehearse the song that would hopefully bring his girl back to him.