Chapter 8

While Dot stood staring adoringly up at her husband believing the song to be for her, Alex stood a seat away understanding the truth of the dedication, looking up into Jon’s eyes, so filled with pain, tears streaming down her face. She managed to stick it out until the end of the song, until she saw Jon so overcome with emotion that he had to leave the stage.

Alex fled the arena floor as fast as she could Lanie trailing behind her. Dot didn’t even see them leave, she was too caught up in, what in her opinion was, her husbands best rendition of that song to date. As she hit the foyer Alex ran right into Obie, who was returning from the bathroom, almost knocking him to the floor. As he stepped back he recognised her immediately as the photographer from the hotel the day before. Then he caught sight of the pendant, at first believing like Dot, that it was a reproduction. But something familiar about her and her present emotional state had him recalling a confidence bestowed upon him a couple of years prior. He reached out and gently lifted the superman symbol from her décolletage flipping it over, confirming his suspicions, and her reason for leaving in such haste both that night, and the day before.

“Please Miss don’t leave, not like this. Jon would never forgive me if he found out I’d let you leave in this state, I know he’ll want to see you.” Obie was very concerned, she was obviously very distressed.

By this time Lanie had come upon the scene, and was, as she spoke wrapping her arms around her friend “She’ll be fine Obie, thanks” Lanie recognised him from the after party on the last tour, the one Alex had attended for only mere seconds “I’ve got it from here. I think it’s just been a bit overwhelming for her, especially being seated so close to his wife!” She explained.

Now Obie felt like a first class ass, it was him that had put her there. “Oh,” he let out a long sigh “sorry about that, that was my doing, I ah...I didn’t realise, if I had Dot would have been backstage. She’s actually not even supposed to be here. She flew in this morning but thank god she’s flying out of here Saturday morning.” He paused as he realised how that sounded and went on to explain himself “We have some male bonding planned this leg of the tour and the women folk are certainly not figured into the equation.”

“That’s OK. No need to explain to us. We only just met the woman” Alex answered quietly, then turned to her friend “Lanie, I really need to get out of here. I’ll leave you the car and catch a cab home. I don’t want to ruin your evening, at least no more than I already have. Besides you have that backstage offer and you can’t pass that up.”

“Been there, done that” Lanie said. “No way am I leaving you alone, let’s go!”

The girls thanked Obie for his kindness and made their way to the waiting car. The driver had prepared a witty comment when he saw them approach, something like “So they were so bad you couldn’t even stick it out til the end, huh”, but thought better of it when he saw the obvious distress of his employer. He opened the door allowing the two women to climb in, then slid behind the wheel and drove them home in silence. It had obviously been a tough night for Alex. She was a regular client and one that he was fond of, so he had no intention of making things worse by putting his foot in his mouth, as he was often prone to do. Yep, he thought, silence – definitely the best option.

Finally at home, Alex was glad for the comfort of her own bed, into which she climbed totally drained and fully clothed, only taking the time to remove her boots. Lanie climbed in behind her friend and held her close as the sobs came again and again, until, at last, she fell into a restless slumber. Lanie was not far behind her; too tired to make her way to the guest room she often called her own, she fell asleep with Alex cradled in her arms.

At seven the next morning the door buzzer sounded bringing both girls out of their slumber. Alex groaned and made her way to the door, as Lanie headed to the bathroom. She felt terrible at having ruined Lanie’s night, and was thinking of a way to make it up to her as she unlatched and opened the door to find Dennis, the driver from the previous evening standing holding an extravagant arrangement of more than five dozen long stem red roses.

“Dennis, what are you doing here? What’s with the flowers? You really shouldn’t have!”

“Ahh... I didn’t Miss Alex” Dennis answered awkwardly “A gentleman contacted me very early this morning. He was very anxious, asked for your contact details. I would never disclose that though Miss Alex, NEVER!”

“I know that Dennis” Alex said a little impatiently waiting for the rest of the explanation, she had never been a morning person.

“So anyway, when I wouldn’t give him your details he asked if I could deliver something for him and gave me five hundred dollars to do so, and here I am”

“Who was it Dennis, what was his name?” Alex could barely contain her emotions at this point.

“Ummm...it was a ahh...a Mr... um” Dennis’s answer was so drawn out Alex thought she would strangle him. “O’Brien, yeah that’s it ... Obie O’Brien, strange name huh. He said he was really sorry for your evening and hoped he could make it up to you and gave me his card for you to call him.” Dennis continued “I’m supposed to call him to advise that the package has been delivered, is that ok?”

“Of course Dennis, and tell him thank you but there is nothing to be sorry for, so there will be no need for me to call him, but I do appreciate the gesture, can you remember all that.” Alex spoke quietly.

“Of course Miss. Not a problem” Dennis handed over the arrangement and was on his way.

Alex did not realise just how much she hoped those flowers to be from Jon, until she heard they were from Obie. She placed the beautiful arrangement on the hall stand and sat despondently on the couch. Lanie came out from the bedroom and walked straight over to the arrangement.

“WOW!” she exclaimed “Jon?” Admiring it’s beauty and inhaling the intoxicating perfume she pulled a card from the vase.

“No,” Alex sighed “just Obie”.

“Hey Al, you do know there’s a card here don’t you?”

“Nope, didn’t see that.” Alex didn’t really care what Obie had to say. She had already heard his apology. “Already know what’s in it anyway.”

“OK if I open it then”

“Whatever”

Lanie opened the card, and then moved to sit by Alex. “Al, I think you should read this”

Alex took the small card that Lanie held before her, and as she read the very brief message the tears began to flow yet again.



She read that small card over and over but, for all its simplicity, she could not comprehend it. If he couldn’t get her out of his mind how could he have married someone else? Lanie pulled Alex into her arms as silently the tears began to fall, and held her close, as she had done the evening before, until this new stream tears were exhausted.