♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Taking the stage, he didn’t see her. Did she change her mind? He didn’t have time to think about it now. The riffs and chords of the opening song had begun. As he took two steps toward the mic, he spotted her. Sandwiched between the crowd, the sleeves of her Kid Rock tee rolled and tucked under the straps of her black bra, her thick long curls peeking out from under the cowboy hat she still wore bouncing along with her. Beautiful and sexy, just like that night in Rio, the only difference is now. She was his, really his.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
At first, she couldn’t understand why he would choose to open the show with a song about blood brothers after what just transpired, but as the song went on, she realized it was his way of saying he was okay. After all this time, he was really okay. Or not. Maybe she was reading too much into this psychobabble. The last few days, she seemed to be doing a lot of that, reading into things that were or weren’t there. Maybe it was her hormones. Who knew? What she did know was right now, his jumping around on that stage with his leather shirt unbuttoned just enough that it showed skin, specifically, his incredibly hard chest covered with just the right amount of hair. Hair that was beaded with sweat, not just on his chest, but on his head. Song after song, the ache between her legs grew.
“Are you okay?” Nicole asked over the singing crowd when Ari’s nails gripped her wrist.
“Y-yeah…”
“Sure? Do you wanna sit?”
“All good.” No matter where she was or what she was doing, this song would forever take her back.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
2… 3… 4….
Jon tried not to look in her direction, because if he did, he knew he’d never stop. But he did, and the glaze in her green eyes showed she was right there with him. It was 1990 all over again, and in the sea of thousands he’d spotted her instantly. Watching her every move, every reaction. He knew right then and there things would change.
Our love, our lives,
I don’t need nothing when I’m by your side
I’ll never let go, something I know deep inside
You were born to be my baby
Only God knows the reason, he must have had a plan
You were born to be my baby...
After all, we’ve been through, she was having my baby…. our baby…
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
2… 3… 4…
Who knew those three little numbers could change her life? Her eyes never left him as he bounced and danced around the stage, singing their song.
Close the door, leave the cold outside… In their case, the world outside.
Light a candle, blow the world away
Our time, our way
My heart beats like a drum
Flesh to flesh, one to one
Buckle up, baby, it’s a bumpy ride
You were born to be my baby….
She was having a baby. His baby. Never in a million years would she have believed it if she’d been told this would happen all those years ago. And how appropriate he followed it up with Story of My Life.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Okay, so he didn’t know why he picked to put this song on the setlist tonight. Maybe because most of his entire life had been splashed across the papers in the last few days or that it was night eleven and they needed to change it up a bit. Anyway, who cared why? The fucking crowd was loving it. Even Dr. Cummings was shaking her groove thing. He just hoped she was keeping a close eye on his girls. Ari had been bouncing up and down a lot tonight. He didn’t want his baby girl born in the second row.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
“He’s singing your song.” Jeanie appeared out of nowhere, holding three large bottles of water. One for each of them.
“Where’d you come from?” Ari asked as she twisted the cap off her bottle.
“Where else? Boss man doesn’t miss a beat. During one of the solos, he let Dawn know you needed to hydrate. So here I am.”
“What a goof. Stay with us. Maybe your man will sing the next verse.”
“He is not my man.” Jeanie huffed as she waited to see who would start singing next.
“Hold up, I’m confused.” Nicole stated while keeping her eyes on the stage. “Who’s song? You and Lema? I thought you were a…”
“This song is all Ari’s. Written just for her. Oh, and I am, Lema is just the only man I would, well, you know, he’s on my list.”
“Just how many songs do you have?” Nicole asked, scratching her head.
“A LOT!” Jeanie cried over the singing crowd.
While Ari, on the other hand, was ignoring both of them. She was too busy watching her sexy man up on that stage. She didn’t know what had gotten into her tonight, acting like most of the women standing around her, but then again, she was allowed to. He was singing to her, after all…. literally.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Cause, Baby I want you
Like the roses need the rain
And you know I need you
Like the poet needs the pain…..
His kryptonite, his muse, the air he breathed. Looking at her all googly eyed out there, looking like some sex crazed fan. Thinking that if he told her that, she’d smack him upside the head and deny every damn bit of it. But thanks to technology and Tony, he could prove it to her, if she liked. Just for the fun of it, he moseyed on over to her end of the stage to work her up a little more.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Your clothes are still scattered all over our room
The whole place still smells like your cheap perfume
Everything here reminds me of you
And there’s nothing I wouldn’t do……
Ari just shook her head at him, thinking to herself... Oh. My. God. He did NOT just do that. Look at them all looking at me now. And for the record, I am not a slob. Aww, but look at that look on his face as Bobby takes the solo. My little goofball.
Like the poet needs the pain
Roses need the rain
How else can I explain
I need you
In These Arms
Tonight
In These Arms
Tonight
In These Arms
Tonight
In These Aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-arrrmms
Oh, he is so getting laid tonight, Ari thought, even if it kills me.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Like the poet needs the pain
Roses need the rain
How else can I explain
I need you
In These Arms
Tonight
In These Arms
Tonight
In These Arms
Tonight
In These Aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa-arrrmms
Wait for it baby, don’t faint now, Jon thought as the band seg-wayed into the next song he turned to the stairs and retrieved his Tak from Michael. While placing it over his head, he stepped up to the mic and locked his eyes with hers.
There’s something about you
I wanna rescue
I don’t even know you
So what does that mean….
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Maybe I’m cynical
Painfully logical
You’re tragic and beautiful
And that’s good enough for me
She felt the tears before he stepped in front of the mic. She fought them through the first verse. And lost them the minute his head tilted slightly to the left. He looked directly at her, smiling that smile that went ear to ear as he sang the next fifteen words. Probably the most perfect depiction of their lives he’d ever written for her. For the next four minutes or so, no one else existed. In a room full of twenty thousand, it was just the two of them. She was a babbling mess, and she didn’t care. She just needed to keep breathing and she would make it through.
That your heart don’t break
That your lips don’t kiss
That life is just a lie
That heaven don’t exist
Who’s gonna save you
I won’t lie, I wish that I could be your
Superman Tonight
Smiling to herself, Ari answered that in her head, but you were, you are and always will be.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Maybe I’m cynical
Painfully logical
You’re tragic and beautiful
And that’s good enough for me
His internal dialog continued, ‘No, no, don’t, please, no tears. I love you and all your craziness. That’s what I meant when I wrote those words. When he caught the light shining through her tear-filled eyes, he realized they were happy tears. ‘Look at me, right here.’
Tonight, I swear I’d sell my soul to be a hero for you
Who’s gonna save you
When the stars fall from your sky,
Who’s gonna pull you in
When the tide gets too high,
Who’s gonna hold you
When you turn out the lights….
Me, forever and always. You’ll never be alone again.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Superman Tonight
Woooah, woooah, woooah,
Superman tonight
Woooah, woooah, woooah
Superman tonight
Woooah, woooah, woooah
If I was your Superman…..
Thank God! Ari thought as she cupped her face with both hands and with her index fingers, she wiped away the tears that still spilled from her eyes.
Pulling a piece of paper from her pocket, Jeanie handed it to her. “Sorry, no napkins.”
“Maybe you should sit for a minute.” Nicole reached for Ariana's wrist and with her fingers, touched the underside. Why, she had no clue. She knew with all Ari’s jumping around, it would give her an inaccurate reading.
“I’m fine, really. That song makes me a little emotional.”
“Well, your doctor will feel better if you sat for a few minutes.”
Doing as she was told, Ari sat. Which was fine by her. The church music had already started as the crowd clapped and sang along in a choir-esque fashion. Only he could turn a church feeling song into his very own plea for fornication. Boy, will she tease him about this later.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
I’m willing and able
I’ma lay my cards out on the table
You’re mine and I’m yours for taking
Right now, the rules we made are meant for breaking
What you get ain’t always what you see
They say what you give is always what you need
So if you want me to lay my hands on you,
Don’t roll your pretty little eyes at me. You know you want me too. And yes, I wrote this song to get pussy, I ain’t no fool.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Look at him strutting his stuff, flirting with the girls in the front row.
I’m a fighter, I’m a poet, I’m a preacher
I’ve been to school and baby, I’ve been the teacher
If you show me how to get up off the ground
I’ll show you how to fly and never, ever come back down
Oh, no you don’t... don’t you be coming my way now…
Everything you want is what I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
But the ride don’t never come for free
No, no, no, no ,no
If you want me to lay my hand on youuuuuu
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Haha, busted. Sorry, baby, but I gots to do what I gots to do. How bout I sing for you a bit. I know how much you love this song.
Everything you want is what I need
Satisfaction’s guaranteed
But the ride don’t never come for free
No, no, no, no ,no
If you want me to lay my hand on youuuuuu
Lay your hands on me,
Lay your hands on me,
C’mon lay your hands on me
What you gotta do is
Lay your hands
Lay your hands
Lay ‘em anywhere you want, baby!
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Crash, where are you, baby….
“Okay, ladies, get those hands up.” Re-tucking her sleeves under the straps, Ari threw her hands up and began swaying from side to side. “And I wanna hear you singing.”
Dressed up for a big date
Like Halloween day, but it was Fourth of July now
You and me
We’re invincible together
We can be oh so tragical, whatever
Playing Superman, he was wearing eyeliner
Drunk on love as you can get
Getting high on lust and cigarettes,
Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars…
Just like you and me
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Crash, where are you, baby….
That’s my girl, hands up and ready to go…
She’s one of kind
She wears a plastic crown like Cinderella
And roller skates in bed
You and me
We’re invincible together
We can be oh so tragical, whatever
We’re Sid and Nancy
Fred and Ginger
Clyde and Bonnie
Liz and Richard
Kurt and Courtney
Bacall and Bogie
Joltin’ Joe and Ms Monroe
Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen from Mars…
Just like you and me
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Anybody out there looking for a party….
Time for more silly dancing. Good thing he knew he sucked at it. The ladies don’t care, though. He’s shaking his ass, showing a little skin, which is exactly what they paid to see. Sitting out here tonight, she noticed a thing or two. Wow, what a difference from all those years ago, when she was sandwiched between thousands of fans. Tonight, though, in this crowd, a different type surrounded her.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Anybody out there looking for a party….
Okay, baby, time for me to go earn my keep. Gotta shake my ass a little for the fans, but don’t you worry, I can shake for you later. Though you seem to be enjoying yourself right along with them, but don’t get too tired. I have plans for you later. Oh, and your surprise is up next.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Someone had a little too much fun with that last song and might have woken the beast.
Your love is like bad medicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up….
Oh, Jonny, stop pulling at the hem of your shirt. It’s not helping. Besides, they all know why you do that.
I need no needle
To be giving me a thrill….
Noooooo, you don’t. Twenty thousand screaming women did that trick.
I got a jones for your affection….
Yup, ain’t no hiding that…
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
C’mon, I know you know this one…
Your love is like bad medicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up….
Why are you smiling like that at me? Did Jeanie tell you and ruin the surprise? I’m going to dock her pay if she did.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Here comes my favorite part. Dammit, he didn’t whistle, bet he did that on purpose. Hey, maybe my surprise is in the jukebox segment. Like a two or three songer or maybe some Stones. C’mon baby, you know I love me some Mick and you do a pretty good, okay, cute Mick impersonation.
Rrrrriche…...
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Aah, you thought I was going to whistle, didn’t you? Sorry — maybe if you are good, I’ll do it a little later. Look at that smile. You just figured out this was your surprise, didn’t you? Bet you think I’m gonna strut my Jagger swagger. Well, you just hold on to your panties, baby, because it's coming.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Enough of this ritual repertoire. I have to pee. And I know after this song it’s time for you to hit the quick change while Richie sings. I have yet to see why I needed to be front and center. Not that I’m complaining, cause for an old man, you can still shake it.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
So take those old records off the shelf
I’ll sit and listen all by myself
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock and roll
Kid Rock….
Look at that smile. Bet you didn’t see that coming. You can thank me later baby, I did good, didn’t I. Now let me go do my job. You just keep bouncing. Mm… mmm…. mmm, cause when you bounce, all of you bounces and I love when all of you bounces.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
So take those old records off the shelf
I’ll sit and listen all by myself
Good first choice. Not sure which Stones song you can lead into after it, but….
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock and roll
Holy Shit! Is that Kid Rock walking up? Yes, it is.
“Easy does it.” Nicole clutched Ari’s shoulder, trying to slow her.
“Really. I’ve been fine dancing all night and haven’t given birth. One more song won’t kill me.” Ari’s eyes pleaded with her doctor. “After this, I promise I’ll go backstage and put my feet up.” Shaking her head, Nicole threw her hands in the air and joined her. For now. For when this song was done, so was her patient.
Still like that old time rock-n-roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock-n-roll
A little overly excited, are we Jonny… Look at that leg twitch, don’t get a cramp. Now wouldn’t that be funny? What are you doing? Clapping a partial funky chicken.
Call me a relic, call me what you will
Say I’m old fashion say I’m over the hill
Today’s music ain’t the same soul
I like that old time rock-n-roll
Oh no, calling over the backup singers. Now this should be fun. Okay, what was that step? I can’t decide if you are trying to mash potato or you’re counting with your hoof.
Bring it down
Still like that old time rock-n-roll
C’mon now
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock-n-roll
I wanna hear ya, c’mon sing,
Still like that old time rock-n-roll
Oooh Yeah
That kind of music just soothes the soul
Oh, yes I do
I wanna reminisce about the days of old
Hell yeah
With that old time rock-n-roll
Still like that old time rock-n-roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock-n-roll
Toast! Burnt toast! You put the whistle there.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Waiting for him as he descended the steps was his exquisite, very flushed wife. She was holding his towel and wore that impish grin that brought him back to a few months ago and her quick change antics.
“I see you’re enjoying yourself.” Jon cupped his face with the black towel and dragged it up and over, wiping away the sweat.
“So are you.” Her hand squeezed the obvious bulge he had between his legs.
“You like?”
“I more than like, but Doc here says I have to go rest now.”
“Then you better listen to her.” He leaned in a placed a kiss to her ear. “You're gonna need it.”
Holy Toledo that was some
ReplyDeleteKind of Concert. I’m getting hot
Just reading about Jon antic on
Stage. 🔥