Chapter 8

***Again I am very sorry to have a delay in posting. It's playoff football time and I was so engrossed in the football games last Sunday that I forgot about posting. I didn't even realize I had forgotten until halfway through the week and I didn't have time to edit and post then. After next week's game with my Steelers in the Superbowl, hopefully it'll be much easier to post weekly. I am getting really exited for you guys to all read the future chapters and I can't wait to post and see what you think. Again I am so sorry for the delay. As always let me and Vicki know what you think.***

Richie arrived before lunch time on Sunday taking Jasmine completely by surprise. He waited for her to shower and dress then announced he was taking her on a magical mystery tour of the area. He acted as tour guide until his stomach rumbled, signaling it was time for a rest break. They ate in Red Bank then headed out to Perth Amboy and Sayerville.

“Why on Earth would I want to see a damn hospital?” she asked when they pulled up in front of one.

“Don’t you want to see where we were all born? Well, all but Teek anyhow.”

“Uh, well, not really but seeing as we’re here.” She said, rolling her eyes.

They went to a few other places then headed back towards Middletown. Instead of turning left in the direction of Jasmine’s place Richie carried on going and turned right a few more miles along the road.

“Where are we going?”

“My place. I think it’s only fair don’t you? I’ve seen your place but you haven’t seen mine. I thought I’d cook dinner. As long as you don’t have anything else planned?”

“No, that sounds great.” She smiled and rested her head back in the seat, looking at him. Richie grinned back at her like an excited schoolboy. 

Richie steered the car up a long winding drive a while later. Jasmine watched the line of trees bend into the corner as they took their final turn. The house was a large family house with a wrap around balcony, it would have looked more at home in the South but set in its wooded surroundings it looked amazing to Jasmine. Richie parked outside the front door on a large patch of gravel that was big enough to house at least 5 cars. Jasmine got out of the car and looked around; it wasn’t what she had imagined Richie’s house to be as they drove there but she could see why he had chosen it; it was out of the way, away from the main roads and there wasn’t a house in sight, perfect for playing music loudly and no one to snoop around when there was a party.

They walked into the house and Richie gestured to a room on his right, 

“Go right in and make yourself at home, I’ll be right back.” He dashed off to the kitchen to switch the oven on and prepare a few things.

Jasmine took a seat in one of the plush black chairs that faced the flat screen television that was hung on the wall surrounded by shelves on either side. The room was smaller than she imagined the rooms in the house to be but it was cozy, somewhere she instantly felt relaxed in. She heard noises coming from somewhere else in the house and laughed inwardly at the thought of Richie in the kitchen. He was taking longer than she thought he would so she walked around the room and looked at the pictures that were hanging in various places on the walls. She came across a CD rack and flicked through the CDs that were stacked there, nodding in appreciation of the eclectic mix of artists in the collection. The sound system towered above the CD rack, a mixture of CD player, radio and record player. Records were stacked neatly to its side and Jasmine looked though them, smiling when she came across a rare one.

Richie still hadn’t arrived back so Jasmine went in search of him. She followed the sound of chopping to the huge kitchen at the back of the house that led out into the sprawling garden and down to a lake at the bottom.

“Hey. I thought you must have gotten lost in this big house of yours. Are you not going to give me the tour?”

“Hey darlin’. Man, I’m sorry, I got carried away chopping. I told you to make yourself at home, so you can do a self guided tour if you want. Mi casa es tu casa.”

“Uh, I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that Rich, it’s your home. You can show me round once you’ve fed me. What’s for dinner?”

“Nothing special, Steak with my special sauce. Boiled, fried or mashed?”

Jasmine’s stomach rumbled, “Huh?”

“Your potatoes silly, how d’you want them?”

“However they come, I’m easy.”

Richie spun around to face her, his face alive with a naughty grin; Jasmine knew he would react the second she heard her words escape her mouth, and had braced herself,

“You are? Just how easy are ya darling?”

“Ha, blardy ha Richard,” she replied, stressing his name and shaking her head.

“Ah come on Jas, you walked straight into that one. You didn’t expect me to let it go did you?”

Jasmine slapped him playfully on his arm and turned him back to face the kitchen unit and the chopping board. “Just keep chopping slave boy.”

After they had eaten Richie took Jasmine on the guided tour of the house. It was understated and functional but definitely had Richie’s stamp on it. The small room that Richie had shown Jasmine earlier was his favorite room in the house, the room that had all his stuff in it and the one in which he could kick back and relax. What Jasmine hadn’t noticed on her first look around the room was the large cupboard at the opposite end of the room from the television. When Richie had opened it, Jasmine audibly gasped; inside was a collection of around 20 guitars, acoustic and electric. 

“Wow!” was all that she could think to say, her mouth practically hanging open,

“You like?”

“I like.” She said, reaching out to touch the Ovation that was in the middle of the collection. She looked at Richie for affirmation then picked it up and stroked the neck. She picked out a few notes and smiled, it sounded so pure and felt like magic in her hands. At Richie’s nod, she took it to the sofa and rested it on her lap, watching her fingers as she played. She wasn’t playing anything in particular but her hands just wouldn’t stop. Richie watched her for a few minutes and could see the satisfaction she had at having a guitar at her finger tips. Unable to stop himself he picked up his Martin and joined her on the sofa. She looked up briefly and smiled before returning to the place she had lost herself in.

They played like this for a while before Jasmine sighed and put the guitar down beside her. Richie stopped as well and laid the Martin next to the Ovation. 

“Anything wrong?” he asked Jasmine.

“Nope, just tired. Thanks for letting me play that amazing instrument. It sounds so perfect.”

“It is perfect, that’s why. As for letting you play, didn’t I tell you when we first met that I wanted to play with you?”

Jasmine’s heart fluttered when she remembered the conversation but then the hidden meaning reached her brain and she smiled, 

“You want to play with me huh?”

Richie’s laugh rumbled from deep within his throat, “Ya got me. I walked into that one didn’t I?”

“Uh huh, you sure did.” Jasmine laughed. 

Not long after, Richie drove Jasmine home as she couldn’t keep her eyes open. When they pulled up outside her apartment he woke her gently and carried her into her living room. She walked him to the door, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek then headed straight to bed.

The next morning Richie was back bright and early to take Jasmine to the studio at Jon’s place. As before when she was being driven up to Richie’s house, the drive up to Jon’s mansion was long and windy. She saw the house looming at the top and assumed that they would be stopping there, but Richie carried on towards another building further down the track. They finally pulled up and walked into the building where Jon was already waiting for them, guitar in hand and a notebook lying by his side.

“Hey Man.” Richie nodded as he walked in,

“Hey. Hey Jasmine. You both had a good few days?”

“Yeah thanks. Ready to get back to work now though,” Jasmine replied.

“Glad to hear it because we have a lot of work to do. I’ve been working on something, Rich, could you have a look over it and tell me what you think?”

Richie and Jon huddled together and mumbled to each other. Jasmine found her way to the sound desk and the office that would be her home for the next few months. Not long after, Obie, David and Hugh turned up, closely followed by Tico. They worked solidly until lunchtime when Dorothea called over and said that lunch was ready at the house if they wanted it. Jasmine had to break in to a run to keep up with the guys, who had rushed out of the door as soon as Jon had relayed the conversation.

“What’s the damn rush?” Jasmine asked Richie breathlessly.

“Two reasons, firstly Dot’s a great cook, secondly she’ll kick our asses if we don’t come when she says food is ready.”

Jasmine giggled and followed the guys into the kitchen. They ate quickly amidst the chatter about work and families. Jasmine talked with Dorothea and found that they got on well. After lunch she promised to come and say goodbye before she left, then headed back towards the studio where she stayed until well past 7pm. 

The next week followed the same schedule and Jasmine found herself collapsing in bed the moment she got in every night. She was so tired, not just from working so many hours but from the buzz she got from working with the band. They were so together and the creativity flowed so much that Jasmine thought she may overdose on it. There was a happy medium between hard work, and they did work hard, and fun. It was the first job where she was able to work hard but also feel like she could let her hair down and have a laugh as well. Not that laughing could be avoided with David and Richie around, not to mention Obie, who was just as bad at the practical jokes as the other two.

By Saturday Jasmine was ready for a lie in and a morning catching up with chores. She woke around 10am and, after showering, headed into town to the store and to the bank. She wandered around the stores, looking at nothing in particular, just enjoying the slow pace of a Saturday morning. 

Her trip to the bank had been pleasantly surprising. She hadn’t realized how much money was accruing in her account and what her new job meant for her regarding housing. She left the bank practically walking on air with the news that she was more than able to afford to buy her own place, the only thing on her mind was wondering where to start looking. She liked the idea of living in Manhattan but also felt settled in Middletown. Getting to and from work would be so much easier if she lived in the city but she had come to appreciate the relative quietness and calmness of New Jersey on days off. She bought a coffee and sat outside the café watching people go about their business; she pondered the news about being able to afford her own home, then, when she had finished her drink, she headed over to the real estate agent’s. She stood looking at the advertisements in the window and trying to imagine herself living in the houses on offer.

She was reading an advert about a house not far from where she was already living; it had 3 bedrooms, a good sized garden and a wrap around balcony just like Richie’s. She went into the office and collected the information from the agent. Just as she came out she thought she saw someone who looked familiar. 

‘It can’t be. It’s not possible. There’s no way he could have found me.” She said to herself and shook the thought from her head.

Jasmine went to the store to pick up some groceries but her mind wasn’t on food. In her mind she kept replaying the scene from the real estate agents’, trying to get a close up of the man she saw on the other side of the street. By the time she pulled up outside her house she still hadn’t calmed down and her mind was still replaying the scene. She grabbed the shopping from the trunk of her car and headed towards the front door where she found Richie waiting for her. 

“Hey. I didn’t see your car out front. What brings you here?”

Richie smiled and took the shopping from her hands, freeing her to find her keys and open the door. “I was at a loose end so I thought I’d come and annoy you for a bit.”

Jasmine laughed a hollow laugh, one that didn’t reflect in her eyes and Richie saw. 

“What’s bugging you darlin’?”

“Nothing. Why?”

“Your smile isn’t reaching your eyes, something isn’t right. What is it?”

Jasmine didn’t know whether to tell Richie what she thought she saw or whether to make something up so that he wouldn’t press her about it any more. Richie saw her hesitate and knew instantly that whatever was upsetting her was serious. He took her hand and led her over to the chair in the living room.

“You don’t have to tell me but it might help to share the problem.” He whispered gently.

Jasmine moved over so that Richie could sit with her. She turned to face him and told him what she had seen, or thought she had seen in Middletown an hour earlier. When he sensed she had finished he said, a little confused,

“I don’t understand why seeing your father would be a bad thing.”

“You wouldn’t, because I haven’t told you much about my childhood. Basically my dad left us when I was 5 and all I really remember from when he lived with us was the arguing.”  Richie reached his arm over her and pulled her closer to him as she continued.

“He would go out just after dinner and not come back until I had been asleep for hours. I’d know he was back because the door would slam and then the shouting and screaming would start. I was too young at the time to realize what was going on and Dad was too clever to hit mom where the bruises could be seen. Anyway one night he left her so hurt that she needed to go to the hospital and when we got back he was gone. I didn’t see him for 12 years after that.”

Richie leant down and kissed her forehead, “I’m so sorry Jas. I didn’t realize any of this.”

“Why would you? It’s not like I shouted it from the rooftops.”

“When was the last time you saw your father?”

“I don’t know, sometime last year I think. He came to the office in Nashville and gave hell to the receptionist until she called me. He was paralytic and stank like a brewery. He had only come to ask me to bail him out of some financial shit he had gotten himself into. I couldn’t help him and wouldn’t have given him anything even if I could have. To cut a long story short, he pulled me by my hair and slapped me, then disappeared. He was long gone before the cops arrived and that was the last time I saw him.”

“Did they ever catch up with him?”

Jasmine shook her head, “No. He moves around so much that they can’t keep track of him.”

Richie’s head was swimming with anger and concern. His fists were clenched and he was fighting the urge to pace the room like a captive animal. His first reaction was one of wanting to punch the man who had done this to Jasmine, but now the need to protect her was fighting with the anger and it was confusing him. He put it down to being protective over his friends, as he always had been, but something niggled further inside him that told him it was far more than that.

“I can see why you got freaked out when you thought you saw him today. Are you sure it was him?”

“No. I didn’t get a good look, but Rich, at the time I was certain and I got scared. I moved here to escape him and no one knows where I live. If it is him, how the hell did he find me?”

Richie sighed, “Well lets hope that it wasn’t him you saw, and that some unfortunate man happens to look like him. You know you can always call me if you need me, right?”

“Yeah, I do. Thank you. You’re a star.” She said, resting her head on his chest. They sat in silence for a few minutes, anger running through Richie’s head and Jasmine trying to calm herself down. Eventually Richie spoke,

“So, what were you doing at the real estate agents?”

Jasmine grinned, “Buying bread and milk.”

“Very funny darlin’, you looking for somewhere to live? What’s wrong with this place?”

“Nothing is wrong here, except it’s not mine. I never thought I’d be able to afford my own place but it seems I can. The money I get from Island is fantastic and I have some savings. I was told in the bank this morning that I was more than able to buy my own place. It got me thinking, I mean, its safer to buy a house than put it in the stock market so why not?”

“That’s excellent news. You got anywhere in mind?”

“I can’t decide between New Jersey and Manhattan. It’s always been a dream to own an apartment in Manhattan, I can so see myself living in a loft conversion, red brick walls showing and a wooden floor. I can see the glass coffee table and the deep purple sofas, the large kitchen with the centre unit and the mezzanine bedroom with a king size bed and huge fluffy pillows.”

“Sounds perfect darlin’.” He said, smiling at the far away look in Jasmine’s eyes.

“Yeah, but that’s going to cost a fortune, and I’ve kinda grown to like it around here. I know that it would be easier to get to work from Manhattan and that there is more to do there, but I like that I can go for a run here without the car fumes and that there are some nice routes. The people in town are friendly and it’s quiet here. I also like the idea of having a garden and a car. Does that sound silly?”

“Not at all. I know all too well what you’re feeling. I felt the same when I was looking for a base here. I chose Point Pleasant in the end because it is closer to my mom but I’d love to have a base in the city too. For what it’s worth, I think you should live in Jersey. It’s closer to me and that means I can drop around when I feel like it.” Richie winked at Jasmine.

Jasmine’s heart fluttered at hearing his words even though she willed it not to. She knew deep down that he meant it as a friendly gesture but secretly she hoped he meant more with his comment. 

“Oh really, you think I’ll let you in if you come calling?”

“I know so darlin’. Who could resist these eyes huh?” he said, moving his face close to hers and peering straight at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

Jasmine threw her head back and laughed out loud, “Sambora, you’re too much. How old are you?”

“Old enough to know better.” He quipped. 

“Stop trying to change the subject Jasmine. Have you seen anywhere you like?”

“Yeah, I’ve got two places to see tomorrow. One here and one in Jersey City.”

“You going on your own?”

“I was planning on it, yeah. Why? Do you wanna tag along?”

“Wouldn’t do any harm having a second opinion would it?”

“I guess not. Well the first one is the Jersey City one at 10am. Are you sure you can be up that early on a Sunday?”

“Don’t be cheeky. Of course I will.”

Richie stayed for a few more hours then headed home as he was going to a function in the evening. Even though Jasmine knew she had no right to feel jealous, she couldn’t help the feeling that was sitting at the pit of her stomach. She spent the evening wondering what Richie was doing, and who he was doing it with, totally unaware that the whole time Richie was partying, he was longing to be chilling out with her, watching movies and hanging out.