Chapter 104

RIchie rolled over and reached for Bri and all he found was an empty spot , he shot straight up and looked "Not again where the fuck ? " Richie threw the covers off slid on his jeans and quickly dialed Jon's number. G had to know where she went this time. So help me God, if she took off on me again, especially today, I won't speak to her for a fuckin' month.

He growled as the cell rang, picked it up saw it was Richie and snorted. "Fuck off I'll see you later man," he muttered to the ringin phone before turning over, ignoring the phone and hoping to settle back into sleep. Idiot, calling me so early, you deserve to be ignored.

Richie growled as the phone went to voice mail, his finger punching the speed dial again. "Fucker don't hang the fuck up ."

He picked the phone up, opened it and growled, "go back to bed."

"Where's G? I wanna know where Bri is NOW! You hang up on me again and I will come and bang on your door. You know I will, " Richie spat.

"You bang on my door and wake up a woman who spent the night puking and I'll cut off that dick your so proud of. She hasn't talked to Geena. Go BACK TO BED."

'Do you know where she is ? I can be just as grouchy as you asshole. "

He grinned with his eyes closed. He had an idea of where Bri was, but fuck if he'd tell him. Serves the fucker right for losing it and waking me up. "No, I have no idea where she is exactly."

She opened the hotel room door gently, praying Richie was still asleep. Early morning before all the people were in the shops was the only time she thought she could safely shop for something that she and Geena could wear to their wedding. Holding the two bags to her chest tightly she crept into the hotel room only to hear Richie's voice raised. Oh shit.

"Thanks for nothin' see if I tell you anythin' about G if you call." Richie slammed his phone shut and turned around, his eyes finding and boring into his bride to be. "Where the FUCK have you been?"

She took a step back, hands twisting into the handles of the bags. "I.. " She glanced up to see the color high in his cheeks, the worry and anger flaring in his eyes. "I went shopping."

His anger quickly turned to embarrassment for not trusting her "Oh-- I just woke up and didn't see you and I well I thought --"

She paled slightly, "You thought I'd ran off again."

"Yea, I freaked. I'm sorry. " Richie watched her advance, her slender hands securely holding onto two bags.

She stepped towards him, her free arm going around him. "No, I'm sorry. I should have left a note, but i just wanted something new to wear for today. I thought I'd be back way before you ever woke up."

"It's a'right though I got Jon pissed now." He chuckled. " Whatcha get?" he tried to peek in the bags.

She pulled back and tried to hold the bags out of his long reach. "Not supposed to see it before the wedding darn it."

"Ah just a peek pleasssssssse." Richie shot her a puppy dog look, the same look he'd practiced and perfected over the years to get what he wanted.

She held out the bag holding Geena's dress and shook her head. "You can see this."

'Who's that for ? G? Tell me he ain't." Richie shook his head disapprovingly, " I just don't agree with his logic."

"And you're one to talk Speedy Gonzales? You're moving just as fast without the reasons HE has. Maybe we should wait too then." She lay the other bag on the bed then sat down beside it.

"Yeah its too soon. We should definitely wait."

'There's a difference here dammit. I do love you. I wanna marry you cuz I want to not cuz I have too, which is what he is doing. "

She watched her hands as they fidgeted in her lap, his words laying bricks upon the foundation of her worry. "You saying he don't love her?"

Richie paused for a moment. " I believe he loves her, but if she wasn't pregnant he wouldn't be marrying her right now, probably not for a while either."

She felt her heart tear at the words. Geena deserved better. She looked up at him, and felt tears well up. "Maybe it will work for the best. Tell me it will Rich. If she gets hurt you'll be jobless, I swear you will, because I will put him out of commission."

Richie honestly couldn't say that the timing was right, but he knew Jon never did a damn thing that he hadn't put a lot of thought into. "I can say this for sure he does love her, even if he don't realise it yet. If she can stick it out through his moods and all that then yes it will work. Part of me thinks he really does want to do this but too damn stubborn to admit it right now. I know he is floored with the baby thing though. He didn't want anymore kids ever. "

A sick feeling swirled deep in her gut at the words. "It's an innocent baby, he's gotta love it right?"

Richie settled himself beside her and tugged her into his lap. "Baby he'll love that kid, he can't help himself. He's Italian through and through. It's just that the one's he has? He feels so guilty about sometimes. He wants more time with them but theres this demon that drives him. It's why he is the way he is. Music took hold of his soul, it drives him babe.

It hit her then, she'd never asked Rich about the very same thing and the what if scared the shit out of her. "And you? What if it happens to me? You gonna be all bent about it?"

"Oh he will love it will all his being . He loves kids just he thought he was done with that part well the diaper and all that. I mean he suffers not seeing his kids and all like he wants but the workaholic in him makes it difficult. As for me ?I would love it and cherish the idea of having a child with you. I've made no secrets about wanting more kids Sabrina. "

He'd never lied to her before, and she wanted to believe him, wanted too badly, but for all their differences he and Jon were of the same cloth. Always on the road. She took a deep breath and decided to speak her mind. "I can tell you this much. I don't agree with how its done."

"Baby I don't either, I tried to talk to him but he said he won't have no bastard. "

"Just know I'll kill him if he hurts her." her voice went tight, "If I'd try for Jared, I'd try for him over G. She's been the only constant in my life until now. But thats not what I meant about agreeing with how its done."

"I know baby I pray he don't she is a good girl , she is family as far as I'm concerned." He paused, his hand cupping her cheek to lift her head as he studied the look in her eyes. It was one of determination, of worry and of decisions. "What do you mean about how its done ?"

"I'm not sure how much you were able to experience before Ava was born, or after. I know you guys didn't tour again until 2000, but you did your album, and SHE.." she refused to say his ex's name, "was working alot. Well I don't want to go through something like that alone. Family means being together Rich. I won't stay home alone."

Richie reached out took her hand paused before he spoke He hadn't thought about it like that before. It was just something Heather and himself did . Yea I would have been able to experience more of her pregnancy. I should have been there . This time I will do things different

" Darlin' I want you with me and our child or children . I don't want to miss out on the least little thing again. I want to be there for you when you are sick through every kick and backache you may feel . I wanna rub your swollen feet . I wanna be there for all of that so if thats what you're worried about then don't worry. Whereever I am you'll be there."

A smile broke through then as she stood to hug him. "Good cuz you'll deserve every thing I can dish out if I get pregnant, especially if the baby takes after you with your feet."

He chuckled "Baby you're gonna be pampered. " He kissed the top of her head, his soul marvelling at how she wanted her family together. In the days of total independence in women, it felt sorta nice to know she wanted to be with him, was willing to travel to every corner of the world he went too just to be with him.

She leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek then laughed. "We best be getting ready, there's an appointment we gotta keep, and I need to stop by and give Geena her dress."

"Won't take me long, now you? It might take a few hours, " he teased.

"I can be ready in five Richie, I'm not that high maintenance."

"So can I lets do it ." Richie headed to the shower, then turned to watch her, his brows waggling. "Unless you care to join me ? "

She laughed at that. "Um no, we'd end up there for much longer than five minutes that way. Besides I've showered already. I'm just gonna dress." To say the least Im courting danger breaking the not seeing you for twenty four hours rule.

"A'right see you in 5, " he strolled into the bathroom . A few moments later he was showered and dressed. He winked as he stepped from the bathroom, his breath catching at the vision of his bride as she straightened the dress she'd chosen. Clearing his throat he stopped dead in his tracks to mutter, "Can we just say our I' do's now and go right to the honeymoon?"

He slowly walked over to her , took her hand and twirled her around. "Baby I am the lucky one ." He kissed her sweetly, careful not to mess up her makeup.

She felt her skin tighten at what he had on. He had chosen a white silk shirt partly buttoned just the way she liked it, and black dress pants. "Ohh you didn't wear a white tee."

"No I didn't. I remembered you like seeing skin, " his smirk crept out to play as her cheeks flushed.

She leaned in and whispered into his ear, "No bra or panties either, naughty under, prim outside."

He growled in her ear " We better go or we won't go at all. " He took her hand and lead her out the door.

She snagged Geena's bag as he tugged her from the room and laughed all the way to Jon's door. She leaned against him grinning as he palm pounded the door. "You think it's safe?"

"If Geena answers yes," he chuckled.

Geena strolled to the door and opened it "Oh hey guys. "

She slipped past Richie grabbing her best friend's hand. "Come with me, we must fix you up for this morning!"

"You got a miracle in that bag of yours cuz I'm gonna need it, " Geena groaned.

Richie walked in, his gaze scanning for Jon. "Is it safe to come in now?"

She kept pulling Geena towards the bedroom, hipchecking Jon as he stood in the way. "Outta our way!"

Jon's eyes glanced over Bri and her outfit and shook his head as the women closed the door behind him. "Figured out where she was huh?"

"You knew didn't you? " Richie flipped up his middle finger and continued to complain as he sat down on the couch. "You could have told me. Fuck you had to know what I was thinking."

"Course I knew asshole, I called to have her pick up a dress for Geena."

"Why didn't you just tell me? Why be an asshole this morning of all mornings?"

"Cuz you woke me up after I finally got Geena to sleep man. Served ya right."

Richie glanced at the closed bedroom door. "How she doin? Looking still a bit green there still."

"Bland breakfast helped. We even made a visit to a doc I know here. It's official she is." He glanced up as Geena stepped from the room and felt his tongue glue to the roof of his mouth. She was fuckin' gorgeous in a flowy off white dress with those tiny straps that made his teeth itchy. He did love tugging on those straps.

Standing, he moved over to her, his hand smoothing over her hair. "You make the most beautiful bride."

"Even when she is the color green?" Geena tried to joke. She was so nervous, for several different reasons. One she prayed not to get sick today, at least not til they were in Denver. ,Two she had a strange feeling he wasn't as happy as he claimed to be, and three this rush marriage; was it such a wise thing to do? She hoped and prayed she was doing the right thing.

"Honey, green is the new tan, didn't you hear?" He threw the half joke out then leaned in to kiss her gently. "Lets go meet our destiny pretty Geena."

"Jumpin in with both feet," Geena replied and sucked in a deep breath before taking his arm and letting him lead the way. I'll love you into loving me Jon, just you wait and see.