Chapter Twenty

“So tomorrow is okay with you?” Samantha asked. It was late Wednesday evening and they were at Jon’s studio again, finishing up the last rehearsal before the band took off for the tour. As promised, Samantha had asked Richie about meeting James and their mom, and Richie had been enthusiastically receptive to the idea.

“Tomorrow’s fine,” he replied. “We don’t leave until Friday night since the show isn’t until Saturday, so it’s not like I have to make sure I’m home tomorrow night. I’m looking forward to meeting the famous James West and your ma.”

Samantha smiled. “All right, I’ll tell my mom to be ready for us around – what, four-ish? I can get off work early.”

Richie shrugged comfortably. “Whatever works for you. I can pick you up at the office at three or so.”

“All right, I’m actually going to call my mom right now before she goes to bed so she knows…” she flipped open her cell and stepped outside to make the call.

“Ahh, it’s finally time to meet the parents?” Jon winked at his buddy. “Be careful, man, try not to let on too much of that bad boy rock star image.”

Richie laughed. “Yeah, I’ll be sure to keep it PG-rated.”

“What are you doing – dinner?”

“Yeah, her mom wants to have a barbeque I guess. She lives on Staten Island. It’s where Sam and her brother grew up, so there should definitely be some good stories tossed around tomorrow night,” Richie chuckled as he packed his guitar in its case. “I’m a little nervous though, I have to admit. I haven’t met a woman’s parents in I don’t know how long. Not since Heather, I think.”

“Well don’t look at me for advice,” Jon laughed. “I met Dorothea’s ma and pop in high school!”

Richie laughed, imagining it. “Just do me a favor, Jonny. When the kids are saying their prayers tonight, tell ‘em to save a prayer for me.”

Jon winked. “Will do, buddy.”

_______________________________________________

At four o’clock sharp the next afternoon, Richie and Samantha arrived outside Carol’s house. It was a beautiful late Spring afternoon – the sky was blue, the clouds were scarce, the sun was warm, and a light breeze played through the trees and flowers that lined the walk to the front door. Samantha knocked and walked in, leading Richie by the hand.

“Knock, knock! Mom?” she called, as they hung their coats on the rack inside the foyer. “James?”

There was the sound of heels clicking on the wooden hallway floor and Carol burst into the foyer, arms open and a broad grin on her face. “Sammy!” she hugged her daughter. “Finally! Oh my goodness, I haven’t seen you since Christmas, don’t make me go that long without seeing you again! And Richie!” she turned to him and clapped her hands over her mouth before pulling him into a hug as well. “Oh my goodness, Richie…it is just wonderful to meet you – I have heard so much about you – how are you?”

Richie laughed. “It’s wonderful to meet you too, Mrs. West. I’m just fine – how are you?”

So excited she could barely contain herself, Carol waved him away. “Oh, please, call me Carol! I have been so excited to meet you – I’m just sorry it took so long to do so,” she started hopping backward down the hallway. “I’m sorry, I’m doing a thousand things at once right now – I left the burgers on the grill with James but Lord knows he can’t cook, and the salad’s only half-tossed, sitting on the kitchen counter – come on outside so I can finish up dinner and we can talk!”

She bustled down the hallway, motioning for them to follow her. Samantha laughed and shook her head. “Meet my mother,” she held out her hand.

“I like her already,” Richie grinned.

James was standing at the grill when they all arrived on the deck. “Hey Sammy!” he greeted her with his customary hug as if they hadn’t seen each other in weeks, and held out his hand to Richie. “Ahh, the legendary Richie Sambora,” he grinned. “I’m the not-so-legendary James West. How are ya, man?”

Richie grasped his hand and smiled. “Hey James, I’m great, how are you?”

“Just fine. It’s great we’re finally doing this – Sam’s been talking about you nonstop for months,” he winked at her.

Samantha blushed, but Richie kept smiling. “Well I have quite a lot to say about her myself, so we’re even.”

She threw him a grateful smile and headed over to the cooler to get drinks.

“Richie, I hope you like burgers?” Carol had taken back control of the grill. “I didn’t think to ask.”

“Oh, burgers are fine, Carol, thanks.”

Carol fanned her face. “Oh, to think I’m cooking for Richie Sambora!” she squealed.

“Mom, he’s just a regular person like you and me,” Samantha reminded her.
“Oh I know, I know, it’s just…this is just so exciting.”

Richie laughed. “You’re too sweet.”

James popped the cap off a beer bottle and took a seat at the picnic table. “Have a seat, man,” he gestured to Richie.

“Oh geez,” Samantha looked at her brother. “Here comes the interrogation.”

“Nah,” James took a pull from his beer. “I just want to ask him a coupla questions.”

Richie took a seat at the table across from James, and Samantha handed him a water bottle. “I’m going to help my mom get dinner ready, all right? James, be nice.” James held up his hands in mock surrender.

Samantha joined Carol at the grill to help her, and James turned to Richie. “Want a beer?”

“Oh, no thanks, I’m driving, so I shouldn’t.”

James raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Ahh, good thinkin’. So…she’s really something, ain’t she?” he nodded after Samantha.

Richie smiled. “She certainly is.”

“She told us how you two met. Pretty crazy, if you ask me.”

“It sure was. But then life is crazy, you know?”

James laughed. “Oh, I didn’t mean that as an accusation. I agree one hundred percent. It was just such an uncanny meeting and so out of the blue. Samantha was shell-shocked at Christmas the next day.”

“Really?”

“Yup. Giddy like a school-girl, though minus the whole kissing the posters thing.”

Richie laughed. “Well that’s sweet.”

Samantha arrived at the table carrying a stack of plates and napkins. “Here, let me help you,” Richie stood to assist her in setting the table, and she batted him away.

“No no, I’ve got it, thank you,” she smiled. “Mom says the burgers are almost done, so you can help yourself to the little buffet table we’ve got lined up over there.” She nodded toward a bench by the sliding door that had buns and condiments set out.

Ten minutes later, all four of them were seated around the table happily munching on hamburgers and chips.

Carol turned to Richie. “So Samantha tells us you launch the next tour this weekend, huh?”

Richie nodded. “Yeah, we fly to Denver tomorrow night. Then it’s on through America, the story of our lives.” He laughed.

“That must get pretty tiring.”

Richie shrugged. “You know, we’ve been doing it for so long that it’s second nature to us. Jon lives for it, no matter what he might say otherwise, and the rest of us, well, I’d be lying if I said we didn’t enjoy the excitement and thrill of playing our music to several thousand screaming fans. We may have been doing this for twenty years, but it hasn’t gotten old.”

“That’s what’s so cool about you guys,” Carol remarked, looking starstruck again. “You do this because you love it. You don’t have to, there’s no hidden agenda, you just enjoy doing what you do.”

Richie laughed. “Well thank you – I agree, to be honest. Everyone thinks we’re a bunch of untouchable rock stars living the life of fame and fortune, but in reality, we’re just a group of average Joes from Jersey, following the everyman’s dream and sometimes staring at our lives wondering how in the world we got this far,” he took a drink of his water. “It’s fantastic.”

“Well, it’s not every day that we get to have dinner with an international rock star, no matter how humble he is,” Carol smiled. “And it’s even rarer when he’s dating your daughter! You be sure and treat her nice, now.”

Samantha gave her mother a look. “Mom!”

“Ah, she’s just looking out for you, Sam. But she has nothing to worry about,” Richie smiled at Carol, who beamed.

“Richie, I’ve been listening to your album Stranger In This Town lately,” James said, avoiding Samantha’s eyes. She smirked, waiting for the kiss-ass comment. “I have to give you props, man, you know your stuff. You rip on that guitar like it’s nobody’s business.”

Richie laughed. “Well thank you very much,” he said, humbled. “That’s really kind of you, thank you.”

“No problem, I meant it. I really like the whole album, especially ‘One Light Burning’.”

“Ahh, that’s one of my favorites,” Richie nodded, raising the water bottle to his lips again. “It’s one of the songs I hold dear to my heart…”

He went on, settling into an easy banter back and forth with James, talking animatedly with his hands and laughing. Several hours passed easily, until the late afternoon sun had vanished beneath the horizon and the moon had made its ascent into the darkening sky. The stars twinkled gently in the twilight, and the water in the bay was calm and peaceful. The patio lights came on, and the four of them continued talking and laughing, enjoying each other’s company until Carol looked at her watch and saw it was past eight.

“Oh wow, it’s getting late, sweetie,” she looked at Sam. “And you’ve got work tomorrow, and you’ve got a flight,” she nodded at Richie.

Samantha stood and stretched. “Yeah, it takes about an hour to get home, so we should probably head out…”

They took the dishes inside and put away the leftover food while James cleaned the grill. Samantha called a cab to take them to the bay, and Richie helped Carol wash the plates. When it was time to leave, Carol hugged Richie. “Thank you for joining us tonight,” she said. “It was so much fun and I am just thrilled that I got to meet you. You’re a wonderful person, and Samantha is one lucky girl. ”

Richie smiled and kissed her hand. “Well thank you very much. Samantha has a wonderful family, I can see now why she grew up to be the amazing woman she is. And thank you so much for dinner, Carol, I appreciate it.”

Samantha blushed and Carol beamed again.

“I do hope we’ll see you again? Perhaps not soon, with the tour and all, but you’ll have to come to dinner again, at the very least.”

“I hope so too,” Richie smiled.

“Thanks for dinner, Mom,” Samantha hugged Carol and then James. “I’ll see you both soon.”

She and Richie headed out onto the front walkway and into the waiting cab. As they climbed inside, Richie laced his warm fingers through Samantha’s and waved at Carol and James with the other hand as they pulled away.

______________________

They got back to Samantha’s apartment around nine-thirty and Richie walked her inside.

“So,” Samantha said as they collapsed on the sofa, rubbing the dogs’ heads as they pushed and nosed their way into Samantha and Richie’s laps. “What did you think?”

Richie kissed Gina’s nose. “I loved them, Sam, I really did. James is a great guy – I can see why you two are best friends – and your mom is just amazing. She’s such a sweetheart.”

Samantha smiled. “Yeah, I’m pretty fond of them myself. And I could tell they were fond of you too, to say the least. They must have asked you a thousand questions tonight.”

“I felt like I didn’t really get a chance to ask them about themselves, about their lives,” Richie looked worried. “I really hope they don’t think I’m self-centered. Once you have the arrogant rock star title slapped on, you know, it’s damn near impossible to shake it off.”

Samantha shook her head. “Oh, honey, no, no. I promise you, they didn’t think that at all. I can read my mom and brother like a couple of books and they loved you. I think I even heard wedding bells.”

Richie laughed. “All right, if you’re sure. And this just leaves an opening for another get-together, don’t you think?”

“Definitely,” Samantha grinned. “But I guess not for awhile…” she trailed off sadly. She didn’t want to face what had come upon them so quickly: the fact that he was leaving the next night for a world tour, and that for the next nine months she wouldn’t get to see him very often. It had been in the back of her mind all week, and despite the emotional conflicts she had been feeling lately with Shane’s sudden reappearance in her life, she was going to miss Richie more than she wanted to admit.

Richie lifted her chin with his finger, knowing what she was thinking. “Hey. You know I’m going to call you every day, right? And I’ll come home as often as I can. And every night we perform, every song I sing, will be for you.”

Samantha smiled and whispered, “That’s so sweet.”

Richie bent and kissed her. “I promise, baby, we’ll stay in touch. This first month will be easy, because we’ll just be gone for a few weeks, then we’re back here for shows in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. All local shows. And you’ll be with us for some of ‘em.” He winked. “After that, well, we’ll make it work. Don’t you worry.”

Samantha managed a smile. “All right. Well, good luck baby. Play your heart out – I hope this is the best tour you’ve ever had!”

Richie pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear. “Thank you, Sam. I love you.”

Samantha hugged him back and nodded. “Have fun, okay?”