Chapter 118

Richie had no idea what songs Jon had planned there was no rehearsal, fuck there was barely a setlist. He just said “if we fuck up, we fuck up. This show is special.” He glanced down at the girls a moment before forcing a smile to his lips. He had to smile, the crowd expected it. He glanced down at the two most important women in the crowd and felt the worry settle in the pit of his stomach. Although Bri had seemed okay at the hotel, in this moment she didn’t seem happy. It was the girl beside her that tugged at his heart though. The pain etched on her face was killing him. Jon better get his act together tonight or else. When he stole a glance at his best friend he saw that he was hurting too, although no one would be able to tell by the way he was performing. He knew it though. He had the bonus of years of knowledge to read each little wrinkle in his friends facial features. Jon’s pain was identical to the pain he saw in Geena’s eyes. He tore his eyes away as the last seconds of Our House faded and started towards the stage. As Jon counted down he watched the screens start to rise then forced his thoughts away as he started playing the chords for the first song of the night.

Geena quietly stood next to Bri as she waited for the guys to hit the stage. The fangirl was lost in all the hurtful things he had said about her. Part of her wanted to take off and run out of the arena and not look back, but she agreed to give him a chance. Her mind drifted back to when they had left Bri and Richie's room. No words were spoken though he did hold her hand all the way back to the room and ran her shower so she could get ready for the show. That was nice but it would take more for her to forget those words spoken in anger.

She was expecting Blood so when the first cords of Happy Now and Not Blood blasted into the arena she shook her head. Turning to Geena, she caught the look of surprise echoed in her friend’s eyes. "Well damn, quite a surprise there."

"Yea but it’s still early," Geena sighed. "I just can't get into it, not now, not after today. I just don’t know what to do Bri.”

She leaned closer to her friend, her hand reaching out to grasp the trembling one beside her. “Whatever you do girl, I’m there with ya.”

Geena fought back a sob, her mind racing a mile a minute. "I know I promised him a chance, but now I'm not sure if I should have. I mean what if this was just a way to keep me here? I have to get tough, he’s gotta learn he can’t just blow up like that. God Bri, I love him so much it hurts but I can't handle his temper. I thought I could, but now? I'm not so sure. "

Her hand tightened around her friends as she turned to listen to yet another new song to the tour and for a split second allowed herself a moment to appreciate her husband. As the song faded and Jon started talking she turned to look at her friend. "What he did was beyond what is normal anger G. I wish I knew what to tell you. Just know I'm here for you no matter what you decide."

Tears slowly started to fall down her face. " God Bri how could I have thought I could help him? I must have been a dumb ass ," Geena said softly as she dared a glance to her husband. "Why does it have to hurt so damn much? Why couldn't he be like Richie ? "

Bri's brow lifted curiously. "If he was so happy go lucky I doubt you'd like him. Richie," she paused a moment as she considered her words, "keeps so much inside, he doesn't show what he feels to the world. At least with Jon you're pretty damned sure what he's feeling."

"Richie has the sweet part , kind and gentle and never says words in anger. oh I’m sure he was angry at Jon before I walked in but,” she blew an exasperated breath out. “Hell Bri I knew this marriage wasn't like yours but I had hoped it could have been someday."

She sighed as she turned to watch Richie a moment. "Yeah he's sweet, and that's why I spent two days in solitary? He doesn't yell Geena, but he has anger." She shook her head and pushed the doubt away. "But you wouldn't like Jon if he was any different, and you know that."

"Probably not," Geena replied as she turned her attention to the stage. As each song passed she tried to find her smile and fangirl but it was at lost in hurt and heartache.

She tried to enjoy the show, but the enjoyment was lost as she watched Geena fight back the tears. Each song that came was a direct hit to the heart as Jon pulled out the emotional stops in his quest to make it right with his wife, her best friend.

When he introduced the Preacher man and Richie stepped front and center, the chords to Lay Your Hands on me Echoing into the arena she turned. "Wonder who chose THAT one tonight."

Geena arched an eyebrow "Definitely not Jon -- I don't think. " Her gaze settled in on Richie for awhile as she tried to flash her best smile. After all, he had been so good to her when her life had went to hell.

She shivered as he growled the lyrics, and felt her soul begin to heat by degrees. Glancing at Geena she managed a smile. "Can't help wonder what else he'll pull out of the hat tonight."

Geena shook her head. "I can't even fathom what he might do tonight. If only I could bring myself to enjoy it. If things were a bit different he could get laid, but then I might puke over the damn sheets again," Geena scoffed.

She thought back over her own misfired evening the night before and grimaced. "Tell me about it."

Her eyes jerked towards the stage as Roses started, her eyes widening as he went into the chorus and headed their way. Before she knew it Jon had leaned in and lifted Geena straight out of the crowd. "Holy shit, when he does public displays of affection he goes all out."

She watched him lean into Geena's ear, watched as Geena's legs went around his waist and could only wonder what they were saying to each other.

Geena's eyes grew wide when he hoisted her out of the crowd , talk about making her decision even harder as he held her close not letting her feet touch, her legs instinctively encircled his waist. She bit her trembling lip, the words that ached to come out staying buried. All she could say was, "You could hurt yourself. "

He leaned in for a moment, his lips close to her ear as he took the chance to nibble the lobe. "And this is why I work out daily sweetheart."

She closed her eyes, her willpower ebbing so strong was the urge to give into the husky voice in her ear. Stay strong Geena, stay strong."Yea I know , you think, god don't do that,” She pulled her ear away from his mouth , and refused to look him in the eye. Those piercing blue eyes would always be her downfall. She muttered, “ I'm still angry at you. "

He danced her around the stage, praying that for this one moment Rich would lengthen the solo. He wanted her to look him in the eye, needed her to see how sorry he was for all he'd done.

"Come on babe, just look at me. Want the crowd to think a fan isn’t liking this?"

Geena's anger hit her all over again the moment those last few words left his mouth , she bit back a scowl and through a forced smile , she started at him but for the first time , she didn't get lost in those blue eyes she shot daggers from hers " Want the crowd huh? Fan Huh? I see." Fans still more important, always more important.

The anger in her eyes had him forgetting exactly where he was as he turned around, his back to the crowd as he leaned in and hissed. "Not what I meant baby, I wanted to see you smile is all.”

His words were cut short as the solo started edging into the next verse. With a slight move he shifted the mic downwards as he turned and handed her off to the stagehands. "Be gentle with her guys."

He moved back to the stand, his eyes on his wife as he started crooning the last verse. Hear the words Geena, don't you get it? I'm sorry baby, I want to make this better, and I keep fuckin' it up.

"He just had to say that? Why did he SAY THAT? Damn is he ever gonna mean he loves me or is it always gonna be about this?" Geena waved her hand around. " I love this really I do but I just want him to say it and mean it."

She glanced over as Geena started to ramble before her feet ever hit the floor good. "Why did he have to say what?"

"He wanted me to look in his eyes, He didn't want the fan's think I didn’t like being held in his arms on stage," She spat the words as the fury kept building, her arms crossing as her back stiffened even more. “Always the fuckin’ fans, even in a moment like this.”

She sighed as Geena's anger washed over her. "Two Steps forward, Three steps back, the original Jersey Boy byline."

Geena snorted 'No wonder he wrote Misunderstood , cause it seems he loves it in the doghouse "

Richie watched the interaction between Jon and Geena. At first he had thought Jon had pulled it off until he noticed Geena's face filled with anger. When Geena hit the arena floor he saw a matching anger beginning to bloom in his wife’s eyes. He strolled over to Jon during his solo and muttered, "Ok care to tell me what happened now? "

Jon glanced at Richie and rolled his eyes. Leaning a bit closer he sighed, "Fucked up, asked her to smile so the fans wouldn’t think she hated being in my arms." He whirled and went back to the mic, to set up the next song, his eyes straying to Geena repeatedly. How am I going to fix this? How?

Richie shook his head stepped up "I think its gonna take more than just a dance on stage man." Walking back to his mic he started the intro to the next song.

Geena gazed at the girls around her then to her friend. "You can enjoy yourself. I know you want to. I don’t to wanna bring you down too "

Bri shook her head. “Friends forever. When one is low so is the other. That’s in the friend’s rule book girl.”

At Geena’s snort she managed a smile then took one last glance at Richie. Turning to her friend as the guys all started for the circle she reached for her hand and held tight. Whatever came next it promised to be hard to deal with. When Love for Sale bled into Pain, and Faith she leaned closer to Geena, her arm going around her friend for strength. Her frown grew as shoulders started shaking, and the light sobs started. Leaning in she whispered, "Wanna leave?"still early,"

Geena shook her head "Not yet. I gotta stay for the whole show at least. " She refused to meet Jon's glances. She noticed the others in the circle, each man shooting her a sympathetic glance as the songs began to blend in one after another. Soon it was the encore. She wasn’t sure what would come next, nor was she sure about much more she could take. Then the beginnings of Always started. She swallowed hard and gripped Bri's arm tightly for support. Her resolve was almost gone,but she had to stand strong , just had to.

She listened to the encore stretch on and on, one brow lifting as she shot a confused glance towards the stage, but when Jon went into Treat her Right she almost laughed. The man was all about how to treat them wrong. He had no reason for that song. As the song stretched out, in efforts to reach Geena she knew, she turned to see the answer in her friend’s eyes. "You're gonna leave."

Geena couldn't even speak. The tears flowed heavily down her cheeks. She tried to blink them back, they were blinding her. All she could do was nod. God she loved him. She didn't want to leave, but she had to. He’d never learn the power of his words otherwise.

She watched the tears a moment and knew in that split second that as much as she loved Rich, she couldn't let Geena leave alone. "Stay here, I'll be right back."

Turning she slipped through the crowd, flashing her laminate at the crew member posted to the backstage door. Hurrying down the corridor she slipped into the room they'd set aside for Richie. Seeing his ever present pad of paper and pen sitting beside his tote she walked over. Leaning in she penned a quick note, her heart tearing at the words she put on paper. Taking a deep breath she scooped up her handbag and hustled out of the room. If she took time to think, took time to feel, she'd stop, and right now she couldn't do that. No matter what it cost her. Hurrying into Jon's room she glanced around nodding to see Geena's bag resting next to Jon's toiletries. Picking it up she hurried out the door. Please stay on stage just a few more minutes. Please stay on stage.

It was the first time since meeting Richie she prayed for him to nto come off stage, but if she saw him, if she saw Jon, her quickly made plan would fall apart.

Stepping back up to Geena she felt her lips quirk into a mockery of a smile. "Let's go."