62 - Sea of Emotions

Ariana fell right into place as she mixed and mingled with the crew. A combination of local team members along with a handful of regulars. This being a smaller gig, there wasn’t a need for many. Either way, she jumped right in as she watched them going through the final preparation sharing her advice on things she’d noticed here and there. While they kept most of the conversations to causal pleasantries and business, she picked up on a few references regarding the latest news to which she politely smiled and moved on.

 

It was about thirty minutes to showtime when the room started to fill, and she left them to finish. She needed a restroom and some water and remembered there was one outside the hospitality room. It was there that she ran into Frankie who was coming out as she was going in.

 

“Will you be watching from up front?” Frankie asked as she held the door open for her.

 

“No. I’ll watch from behind.” Ari answered just as Richie appeared in the hallway.  

 

“Bella, boss man’s looking for you.” He placed a hand on Frankie’s shoulder. “You ready? I’ll show you where to go.”

 

“Thanks Rich. Would you let him know I’ll be right there?” Ariana disappeared behind the closing door.

 

It did not surprise Ari to see Jon leaning against the wall, holding two bottles of water, when she opened the door. He handed her a bottle as they walked down the hallway to the stage where the rest of the band was waiting for the pre-show huddle. Stopping just shy of where they stood, Jon turned and gave her his quirky grin.

 

“Last chance. Here or there?” His head gave a little nod.

 

“Here.” She firmly stated.

 

“Any special requests?” The setlist was made but he would gladly throw an audible if she asked.

 

“None you can do here.” She brushed her hands over his shoulder.

 

He gave her a wink. “Let’s do this.” he called to his band as he turned.

 

The lights went dim and you could hear the claps and cheers from the crowd as Hugh, Bobby, Tico, Dave and Richie took the stage. The crowd's recognition of Jon standing arms in the air in the shadow of the lights was confirmed when the decibel level rose an octave. He gave her one last smile before Michael handed him his trademark black Takamine with the ‘95 etched into his battered body.

 

“Well we know the first song, right” he asked looking at Bobby and David. Tapping his mic an ‘alright’ and Tico counted them in.  

 

Ari stood at the foot of the steps watching and listening as they went from one song to the next. Laughing as Jon joked about things like smell-a-vision or it being like riding a bike. And it was. No matter what your job was, rigger, sound, lights, if you were in this business, you did it because you loved it. It was the life of a roadie. It took you away from your loved ones often, but the adrenaline rush you got from seeing a stage completely built or the way the lights and videos played part of live performances.

 

The pounding of Tico’s drum kit for the next song tugged at her heart. The song had become popular with the fans for its upbeat tempo, but it had her thinking of Lili and of Richie. Jon had written this song for him when he was going through a rough period of his life. Hearing it, the words resonated more now than ever. Ari tried to fight back the tears she felt pooling in the corner of her eyes. When the song ended, Jon looked back at her as she brushed them away. She gave him a half a smile and moved towards the sound and light board which was set up along the wall. There was an empty chair she sat in giving her a partial view of the front of the stage. She’d hoped that sitting there she’d be less emotional if people could see her.

 

Boy was she wrong.

 

When it came to music the rawer the better did it for her. The simplicity and beauty of an acoustic guitar hit her to the core. Now take one of the best harmonizing duos in the industry and hand them those guitars, you get magic. She wasn’t just saying this because she was in love with one of them. It was the truth.

 

The opening chords of Living on a Prayer sent a shiver through her. One of their big rock anthems that could shake the floors of any stadium, but when done like this, could possibly cause an orgasmic event. She watched as they both poured their heart and soul into this one. As the song was ending, she realized, Jon wasn’t just singing just for the ‘Tommy and Gina’s’, he was singing for them.

 

We gotta hold on, ready or not

You live for the fight when it's all that we got

And I’ll say...Whoa we're halfway there

Take my hand, we’ll make it, I swear

Whoa we’re halfway there

Take my hand little girl

We’ll make it I swear

Whoa whoa whoa

Whoa whoa whoa

 

They might not be close to halfway there yet, but they would make it through this. They’d come this far not to. Ari felt the tears again. This time, she refused to let them flow. Was this how it was going to be for the next nine months, her crying at the drop of a hat? If so, she needed to find something to keep her busy during the tour or she wouldn’t survive. Either that or tell Jon he’d need to keep the setlists more up-tempo. I’m sure the fans would love that.

 

For now, she took the only distraction she could think of. She had spotted Frankie a few feet away. Maybe some conversation would do the trick. Ariana made her way over to where she was standing.

 

“Having fun Frankie?” Ari shouted over the crowd.

 

“How can you not? Are you?” The girl’s question had a bit of a ‘duh’ tone to it.

 

“Yes.” Her one-word answer had her rethinking why it was she came over to talk.

 

…. Wah Wah

 

“Oh My God! It’s my song. Ya know, like Frankie said I did it my way.”

 

That was it. Ari had had enough. “Excuse me for a moment.”

 

She weaved her way around a few bodies and made her way back to where she was sitting. As if he knew to magically appear, the young man who seemed to be her shadow tonight stood by her chair.

 

“Can I get you anything, Ms. Moretti?” He asked.

 

“Yes... I mean no. But you can do something for me.” She leaned in so he could hear her.

 

“Sure.”

 

“When they get offstage, can you let Jon know I went back to the dressing room.”  

 

“Will do. Would you....”

 

“Nope. I know the way.” Ari shouted over her shoulder as she made her way back down the hallway. Once inside the room, she plopped to the couch, her boots making a ‘thud’ as she rested them on the table in front of her. She closed her eyes for a few moments her only thoughts were of....

 

Silence