Part 12
Jon walked slowly down the hall towards Richie’s room trying to think of what he was going to say to the man who had become his close friend over the last few years.
After running, he went to the gym with Jason after Ashley left. He was troubled when he joked with Jason about getting lucky last night and found out that Jason had been the perfect gentleman, walking Ashley to her room and leaving her there. Not that he wanted Jason to take advantage of Ashley but that left only one person who could have been in her room last night and in Jon’s mind that person was totally out of line being there. It was the only explanation since he saw Richie just getting to his room and Ashley barely ready for the run when he got to her room
Lost in thought he was standing in front of Richie’s door before he knew it. He looked at his watch; it was 1:27. He hesitated before knocking knowing Richie had gotten to bed a few short hours ago. Taking a deep breath he rapped on the door.
"Rich, its Jon. Open up."
He stood there for a few minutes and hearing nothing, banged louder on the door and kicked it with his booted foot.
"Rich, open up," he said raising his voice.
A few seconds later the door opened and Richie smiled. His hair was messed up and his eyes were small as he squinted from the bright lights of the hallway.
“What’s up man?” He asked as he leaned somewhat on the door.
"We gotta talk…now," Jon said..
Richie recognized the tone of Jon’s voice and knew something heavy was going on. He stepped aside and let Jon come though the door into his room.
“What’s happened? Can’t find Alec again?” He asked referring to the last crisis Jon freaked over.
"I haven’t even fuckin’ thought about Alec," Jon said as he took out a cigarette and lit it up. "This has to do with you and your whereabouts last night."
“My whereabouts?” Richie asked confused.
"Someone spent the night in Ashley’s room and I’m pretty damned sure I know who it was," he answered staring right at Richie.
“And you are telling me this because?”
"Don’t give me that innocent shit Rich." Jon was getting pissed; the more Richie acted like nothing was going on the more Jon was sure his suspicions were correct.
“So you think it was me?”
"Tell me it wasn’t," Jon said.
Richie laughed inwardly, not believing this was actually happening. “I’m not going to lie to you, you know me better then that.”
Jon put out his cigarette before going on. Turning back to Richie he stood legs apart, arms crossed. "You’re damned right I do. What the fuck is wrong with you? She’s Doc’s daughter for Christ’s sake!"
“You think I don’t know who she is? I think about that every fuckin’ night.”
"Every night! How long has this been going on?"
Richie sighed as he tried relaxing his shoulders. Maybe somehow talking about it would give him the answers he needed. “We’ve been involved since Mexico.”
Jon took a deep breath. Yelling and screaming wasn’t going to accomplish anything so he presented an outward calm while inside he was boiling mad.
"She’s a minor, Rich." Jon said quietly.
“And I know that too.” He replied.
"So, what? Are you telling me you love her?" Knowing Richie’s reputation, Jon sincerely doubted it.
Richie shrugged his shoulders, “I think I do.”
He took another deep breath and let it out, it was apparent that he was confused.
“I’m not sure, I’m confused,” He said lighting a cigarette. He took a drawl, "She's only seventeen, but she is amazing," He said shaking his head slightly.
Jon closed his eyes and shook his head; opening them he looked at Richie standing there smoking. "Rich, you fucked Doc’s daughter. What the hell would Doc say if he knew?" He lit another cigarette. "I can’t believe you did this."
“Wait a fuckin’ minute. You’re not with her and you don’t know what she’s done to me,” He said glaring at him.
Jon was losing his cool. "What she’s done to you? How about what you did to her? Damn it, Rich! She was raised in a Christian school. I know sure as shit when she came here she was a fuckin’ virgin."
“You are jumping to conclusions here Jon, I told you it just happened. “
"Just happened? Yeah, right." Jon snorted. "You’re three years older than me. Why the fuck didn’t you think with your head instead of your dick?"
“Well I see that you aren’t going to believe what I say. Why the fuck don’t you just leave. I have nothing to explain to you,” Richie said in a louder tone of voice.
"Okay fine, but if you can honestly say there is more to it then sex go to Doc and tell him you fell for his little girl."
“At least I care for her, that’s more then Doc’s showed her entire life,” Richie shot back.
"Hiding how you feel? Keeping everything secret. That’s one hell of a way to show you care. If what you’re doing ain’t wrong why hide it? Think about it Rich."
“I never said I was hiding it because it was wrong. There’s more to it then what you know, but you don’t seem to care about the truth.”
Jon walked over and sat down on the chair, stretching his legs out he crossed them at he ankles. "Okay, I’ll shut up. Lay it on me."
“I’m not telling you now. I want to tell you as a friend and not as someone trying to run my life.”
Jon got up and walked over to the door. He stood there for a minute not saying anything with his hand on the knob. He turned back and looked at Richie with sad eyes.
“I am your friend. I wish you could see that. I ain’t trying to run your life even if it does seem that way. I’m just...” he shook his head. “If you decided you ant to talk to me I’ll listen, you know where to find me.” He opened the door and walked out.
The door closed and Richie felt the wave of anger flow over him. The lamp on the table was the innocent victim as it crashed against the wall. He lit another cigarette and took it with him to the shower.
His mind weighed heavy as he took his shower. First he wondered how Jon found out the truth and second he didn’t know what he was going to do about Ashley. He had mixed feelings and the worst part of it all; he didn’t know if the feelings were real.
He finished off his cigarette and flipped it out over the curtain, then ran his head under the hot water. For a moment he relaxed and cleared his mind.
Stepping out of the shower, he pulled the towel from the hanger and wrapped it around his waist. He unfolded a towel from the rack and draped it on his head then went into the other room. He pulled open the curtains covering the picture window that looked out into the city; the light blasting in warmed his wet body. He pulled the chair up in front of the window and sat down in it. After a short while of looking out the window he stretched out, resting his head on the back of the chair and closed his eyes.
_____________________________________________________________________
Ashley had no idea why Richie sounded so urgent on the phone earlier. He was acting very strange, saying he needed to talk to her and it was important. She left the hotel and walked down the street to the mall where the limo picked her up. Richie was waiting inside.
She smiled, sliding in beside him. “This must be important to not be able to talk at the hotel,” She said.
Her smile faded when Richie didn’t smile back.
“Jon knows,” He said to her.
“Jon knows what?” She asked not following him.
“Jon knows about US,” He said firmly.
Ashley felt all of the blood run from her face as she became numb.
“What the hell happened this morning?” He snarled at her.
His voice was so angry, Ashley felt herself melt into the leather seat. She thought quickly, trying to remember what exactly happened. Then she remembered that Jon had found the condom wrapper.
“He…he found the rubber packet in the floor,” She said hoarsely.
Richie’s eyes flashed, “And I know it didn’t have my fuckin name on it, so tell me how he knew I was there!”
Ashley moved away from him on the seat, not liking his tone of voice.
“I don’t know, Richie. I didn’t tell him anything.”
“You’re lying to me.”
Her eyes started to sting from the tears he was causing. “NO I am not lying to you. I swear I don’t know how he found out.”
Richie closed his eyes and balled his fist, raising it to his mouth. He stared out the window silently, all of his thoughts running together.
Ashley sat staring at him, tears running down her face, trying to figure out what was really going on. Her world slowly started crashing in around her.
“Richie?” She said softly.
He turned to her and her heart ached from the hard look in his eyes.
“What did he say to you?” She asked her voice still soft.
“Let’s see he basically told me I was fucking stupid for fucking a kid,” He said short from yelling.
The words ripped though her and she began to tremble. “He said that?”
Richie nodded his head, “Fuck yeah he said it.” He turned back to look out the window.
Ashley’s head was now spinning. “He knew I was with someone and he said he was concerned that I was going to get hurt. I never told him it was you, I swear to you. He promised me he wasn’t going to say anything……” Her voice trailed off as she couldn’t talk from the soreness of the lump in her throat.
Suddenly something occurred to her. “Unless he thought it was Jason and asked him after I left them.”
Richie rolled his eyes. “Jason. It always comes back to him, doesn’t it? ” He said sarcastically.
Ashley continued, “He walked me to my room last night and this morning he asked me if I got sick. Jon could have thought it was him.”
“Whatever. Look, Ashley. We can’t continue this anymore,” He said not looking at her.
She sat back against the other door, shocked that it was going in this direction.
“Richie…”
“Ashley, don’t.” He said as he turned to her. “Jon’s right. You are too young for me.”
Her mouth dropped open, “TOO YOUNG FOR YOU! Funny, you didn’t think about that when you were fucking me!”
“I guess I didn’t.” He said and then turned back to look out the window.
“You told me you loved me Richie, how can you lie to me?” She sobbed, her head falling forward into her hands.
Richie felt like someone had just taken a knife and stuck it straight into his heart. It hurt like hell to do this to her, knowing he was hurting her after he tried like hell to avoid it.
“I’m sorry. I thought I loved you. Maybe I do, I’m just not ready to. There’s too much red tape to have to deal with and I’m not sure it would all be worth it,” He told her.
Unbelieving what she was hearing from the man she thought loved her she said nothing, trying desperately to calm down. When she didn’t respond, Richie sat back against the seat and closed his eyes. After a few minutes Ashley sat up and knocked on the tinted glass divider.
When it slid open she said calmly, “Let me out now, please.”
The driver nodded his head and the glass closed. She wiped her eyes as Richie sat staring at her. The car veered right and pulled over and Ashley leaned to open the door.
“Wait,” Richie said pulling her away from the door. “You can’t get out here. You are miles away from the hotel.”
She jerked her arm away from him, “I don’t want to be anywhere near you,” she snapped.
She opened the door and slammed it shut as she got out. He watched as she walked around the back of the car and started walking down the sidewalk. The car started rolling and left her alone.
Richie sunk down in the seat, “Fuckin’ great!” He said.
He picked up the phone and dialed the driver. “Take me to the hotel now and then come back and get her.”
_____________________________
7/01/87
Departing Portland for Vancouver, Canada
Ashley got on the plane first and took a seat in the back near the window. She pulled a pillow out from the overhead compartment and along with a blanket and got as comfortable as she could. She stayed up half of the night crying. She made the excuse that she was sick in order not to go to dinner or the show. She didn’t want to be anywhere near Jon, Richie or anyone else for that matter. She got up early and took her own way to the airport, wanting to get on the plane before the rest of them did.
She heard laughing at the front of the plane and knew it was the rest of them. She closed her eyes and brought the blanket up around her and tried to ignore them.
Jon walked to the back of the plane and saw Ashley in the seat by herself.
”Hey there sunshine, you feeling better today?” He asked her not knowing the mood she was in.
She tensed up hearing Jon’s voice; she opened her eyes, but didn’t smile at him. “No as a matter of fact, It just got worse,” She snapped.
Jon frowned, “You taking anything? What are your symptoms, maybe I can help.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed, “You want to help? Stay away from me. You’re not a friend to me. Friends keep their promises.”
“You don’t understand…” He said.
She sat up in her seat, “NO! You don’t understand. You have no idea what you have done. Please leave me alone,” she said as tears stared to form in her swollen eyes.
Jon turned and sat down in the seats across the aisle from her. Ashley sighed and got up, noisily grabbing her pillow and blanket. She walked down the aisle of the plane seeing the rest of them she had to somehow ignore. She walked past Richie and went on to the front of the plane and sat down at the window. Still mad, she threw her pillow against the window and laid down against it, unable to control her tears any longer she covered up with a blanket and cried.
Seeing Ashley walk by him and feeling the breeze her body created when she walked by, Richie felt something stir inside him. He laid his head back and watched her go to the front of the plane and sit down. He missed seeing her at the show last night and most of all he missed being with her. He could see the hurt on her face and in her actions. Something he would never be able to forgive himself for. He closed his eyes to try and block it out of his mind.
The plane landed in Vancouver an hour and a half later. Ashley quickly got off the plane and into the first waiting limo she saw. She was followed by Doc who sat down beside her. She stared out the window she was beside, not wanting to talk to anyone.
“Ashley, I need to talk to you later about some things,” Doc said as he patted her leg.
When she turned around she saw Jon staring right at her and she arched her eye brow. “What about?” She asked, knowing Jon and probably blabbed his mouth to Doc by now.
“Your portfolio and some job offers,” Doc answered.
She turned back and looked out the window and Doc frowned.
“Maybe you need to see a Doctor if you are feeling that bad.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine,” She said. Her tone was bitter and she meant it to be.
Richie sat on the other end of the long seat, staring out the window. Hearing her voice made him feel awful.
Doc shrugged his shoulders and then turned back to Jon who sat looking out the opposite window. “So, what are you boys going to get into today? More strip clubs I assume.”
Ashley rolled her eyes. Dave started laughing, “Let me get over one hangover before you give me another one.”
She blocked out the rest of the conversation, impatiently waiting to arrive at the hotel.
When they did arrive, she pulled Doc aside before he went to check them in.
“Can you get me a room on a separate floor? I want to be away from everyone,” She said.
Doc nodded his head, “Of course.” He then turned to go check the group in.
As Ashley turned away, she made eye contact with Richie for a moment but she lowered her eyes and walked away. She sat down in the over sized chair in the lobby, crossing her legs.
Richie turned around to find Jon staring hard at him. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he walked up to Doc still at the counter. Just so happened, he saw the registration for Ashley’s room laying on the counter and the room number.
Doc handed Richie is room key, “Here ya go. You’re free for 24 hours now,” He said laughing.
Richie smiled weakly and turned away, heading for the elevators. As the door closed he left his broken heart with the girl still in the lobby.
________________________________________________________________
Ashley settled in the huge room Doc got for her. She felt silly being there all alone. He told her he hoped it would make her feel better. She changed into her cotton pajama pants and a t-shirt and then fixed some hot tea that was provided in the room.
Hearing the knock on her door she walked over and looked to see who it was before she opened it. She smiled seeing Doc standing in the hallway with a black leather folder under his arm. She opened the door for him.
“You look comfortable,” He said as she moved to the side letting him come in the door.
She smiled, “I don’t feel comfortable.”
Doc looked around the penthouse suite and turned back to her. “Well, this is the best room in the hotel.”
Ashley shook her head. “That’s not what I mean.”
They both sat down, Ashley back on the couch with her pillow and blanket and Doc in the chair closest to her.
“ Are you sure you don’t need to see a doctor?”
“No, I’m just tired. I think the road has gotten to me.” She said quietly.
Doc smiled warmly at her. “Maybe this will make you feel better. Here is your portfolio,” he said handing her the black folder.
She took it from his hands, “Have you already looked at it?”
“I have.”
Her hands started to tremble as she carefully touched the front of the book with her hands.
“You will be pleased with it,” He smiled.
Scared to death, she opened the cover. The first page was a nice headshot and a detailed description of her below. Flipping on though the book, she was shocked at the pictures. She hardly recognized herself.
“I want to talk to you about hiring a manager for you,” Doc said as she continued to look at the book in her lap.
She looked up at him, “I thought you were going to?”
“I can’t be in two places at once,” He told her. “There’s been some job offers. If you take them, you will be busy for the next several months. I need to hire someone that I can trust to take care of you.”
She looked up from the pictures again, “What kind of jobs?” She asked.
“Marline sent your portfolio to everyone she knew and a fashion designer, Francis Delarouche called me. He is doing a show for his collection in various European cities and he wants you on the runway for the shows.”
“Doc! I don’t know anything about a runway.” She said frowning.
“Don’t worry, I told him and he said he would see to it that it was taken care of. Now, I have some interviews lined up. I thought I would pick who I liked then have you make the final choice.”
She shrugged her shoulders and continued to flip the pages, each photo more beautiful then the next.
“I won’t do anything without your approval Ashley. Now take the day and do as you please. I have some calls I have to make and some interviews to do. Everyone is on their own tonight. If you get lonely call me and we could watch a movie later or something.”
She laughed, “I think I am just going to relax and rest.”
Doc got up and Ashley put the pictures down and got up as well. “Thanks for everything,” She said hugging him.
“You like the pictures then?” He asked her.
“Yes, they are great. I never thought I would ever look like that.”
Doc left and Ashley picked up the book again, looking at it one more time.
She looked over the pictures, going more slowly this time; pleased with the results. Feeling better about herself she lit a cigarette and walked over to window. Thoughts of a new life came to mind. She knew she could do it, but did she really want to? There was nothing for her on the road. It was not a place for her and she needed her own way of life.
She smiled at the beautiful sunlight, golden and brilliant; inviting her come out and enjoy it. She walked over to her suitcase and opened it, searching through her clothes. She took out the white bathing suit she had gotten when she was in Acapulco with Richie added a white lace topper and grabbed her straw beach bag and dropped her room key down inside. Maybe a day at the pool, with some rest and relaxation would do some good.
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