Chapter five

Richie turned around again and walked back in to the room, back to what he had to do. He picked up to phone on the night stand next to the side of the bed where Sarah was lying and called room service to ask for an ice pack.

When he turned back to Sarah, she looked a little worried.
“What’s up?” He asked, instead of waiting for her to say something first.
“Can you help me dress?” She asked a little embarrassed. “I don’t feel comfortable in just a bathrobe if your friends are coming over.”
Richie nodded, he could understand that. “Of course darling, what do you need?”
“I have some clothes in the bathroom.” She answered.

Richie remembered her holding clothes before she went to shower.

In the bathroom, next to the sink, he found a small pile of clothes. He picked it up and returned to Sarah.

“What do you want to put on first?” He asked as he put the clothes down next to her on the bed.
Sarah reached for her underwear, knowing that would make her much more comfortable already. She handed him her pair of panties, a little embarrassed.

Richie took the piece of cotton from her. It was exactly how he expected it would be, normal cotton panties. He looked around for a pair of pants; if she had to move to put on her panties then he preferred she only had to move once.

The outfit Sarah had picked out existed out of jeans and a plain t-shirt. He didn’t like the idea of jeans if they had to go to the hospital later, it would only be more difficult for x-rays.

“Do you have shorts?” He asked, looking back up from the pile to meet her eyes.
“Somewhere in my bag, they should be at the top.”

Richie easily found her shorts, not the short shorts he usually loved so much but knee-length, and still he knew Sarah would look amazing in them, as she always did.

Sarah lifted her good leg as Richie moved her panties over it, guiding it through the hole before lifting her other leg at her knee so he wouldn’t hurt her. They repeated the method for putting on her shorts. Both clothing pieces now rested around her knees.

Richie offered both his hands to help her sit up and turn on the bed to stand up.

Once standing, Sarah moved her hands to his shoulders to steady herself. Richie reached down for the waistband of her panties, again making sure to keep his eyes on her face as he pulled them in place under her bathrobe.

With the question in his eyes to ask if she was ready for her shorts, Sarah gave him a small nod. Again Richie reached down for the waistband, this time of her shorts and pulled them all the way up.

“Want me to fasten them too?” He asked.
“Please.” Sarah smiled a little helplessly at him, she preferred holding on to him, still not trusting her ankle to stand on, still not wanting to try it either.

Richie reached for the button, guiding it through the loop before pulling up the zipper.

With another question in his eyes and another nod, he helped Sarah sit down on the bed again. Richie picked up the bra that had also been on the pile but moved to sit behind her.

Sarah liked what he was doing, it showed respect. He understood and didn’t make a problem out of it, she liked that.

She carefully moved her bathrobe off her shoulders.

Richie held the garment in front of her so she could put her arms through and he could fasten it for her, knowing her arms and back might still hurt.

When she bared her back to him, he could see his thoughts had been right. On her back was one big bruise, spanning from side to side from where she had hit the edge of the bathtub. The top of her arms and shoulders were covered in black and blue too from the same hit.

He decided not to mention it to Sarah, as not to worry her.

Sarah put on her bra, adjusting in until it felt right. “Can you close it? The last ones.” She told him how she wanted it.

Richie did as she asked and closed it the tightest. With a look at it, he knew it couldn’t feel good; the whole strap covered the bruise exactly.

Sarah could feel what he was thinking. “Can you do one looser?”
Richie opened it and moved it to the middle clasp.
“Looser?” She asked again, knowing it would be the last one.

When Richie changed it again, she could still feel the pain. A little annoyed, she sighed, “Just forget it.”
Richie helped her take it off again. “Just your t-shirt then?” He asked instead.
“Actually, can I wear one of yours? It would be looser and less noticeable I’m not wearing a bra.” She asked him.
“Whatever you want dear.” Richie moved off the bed and took a clean shirt from his bag.

Sarah raised her arms as much as she could and with Richie’s help she finally got dressed, feeling much better.

She was relieved they finished in time when a knock sounded at the door, expecting his friends; she pulled her bathrobe back over her shoulders, just because it felt so nice.

Richie opened the door, finding what he expected; he took the blue cold pack. “Can you make sure we get a new one every hour?” He asked, closing the door after he got a, “Yes sir.” and thanked the man.

By the bed he found his home made bag of ice cubes had turned into water. He helped Sarah to lie down again and carefully put her foot back on the pillows, applying the cold pack that he had wrapped in a small towel. “Good?” He looked back up at her with his question.
“Thanks,” she smiled at him down at the foot of the bed, “you’re so sweet.”
“Anything for you sweetheart.” He climbed back on the bed next to her and kissed her softly.

They only had a few minutes alone, after 10 minutes; there was another knock at the door.

Richie gave Sarah a quick kiss before getting off the bed to open the door.

Jon walked through the door, carrying a bottle of Diet Coca Cola. “For inviting everyone to dinner.” He handed the bottle to Richie. “Couldn’t bring wine.” He pointed out the obvious.
“Thanks Captain.” Richie wasn’t sure to say Obvious or Kidd.

Jon sat down on the couch and Richie took his space beside Sarah again. “Who else is coming?” Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for Sarah to meet everyone right now.
“Just Dave and Teek.” Jon answered simply.
Richie nodded and checked the time; they still had two hours before they had to leave for the stadium.

David arrived a few minutes later and Tico arrived a second after him.

Richie called down to room service as everyone told him their pick for dinner.

When their food arrived, Jon moved from his spot on the couch and joined David and Tico at the table while Richie said perfectly comfortable by Sarah.

During dinner David turned his attention to Sarah, they all had already discussed what had happened. “Did you try to get out of meeting us?” He asked seriously, Richie glanced at him with a warning look, they didn’t know Sarah history but David went on. “I mean, were not scary,” he paused, “well Tico is but that’s just because he’s getting old.” He shrugged and actually made Sarah chuckle.
“At least I got wisdom with the years while you just keep on getting stupider.” Tico pointed out for David, which made Sarah laugh along with Richie and Jon.

Richie thought about David’s question. Sarah wasn’t looking forward to the concert first but would she really do that? Would she hurt herself to get out of meeting everyone and out of the concert?

“Now you won’t be seeing the sexiest keyboard player play live.” David drew Richie away from his thought.
“Hey, aren’t we live streaming this?” Richie remembered.
“Yeah.” Jon was the first to answer him.

Hopeful, Sarah looked up at Richie, maybe she could still listen to him play after all.

“Can’t Tony do some fancy schmancy to my laptop so Sarah can watch the whole thing?” He explained his idea with a hopeful look on his face, similar to the one Sarah had.
“No, he’s already at the stadium.”
“We can stream longer.” David suggested.
“Yeah,” Richie agreed, “everyone will like that.”

Jon thought it over before taking out his phone and typing a text.

Sarah smiled up at Richie, happy she’d still get to hear him play.
“What you smilin’ ‘bout?” He asked when he noticed her.
“I’ll get to hear you play again. I liked hearing you play, you know.”

A smile turned on his face too before kissing her. It made him proud that she liked his music even though she didn’t listen to much music.

Then he remembered the next problem, who was staying with Sarah? He turned his question to Jon again. “Did you find somebody we can miss to stay with Sarah?”
“I even got you options.” Jon smiled proudly of his solution to the problem. “There’s Steve from security or Alyssa from catering.” Jon laid out the possibilities that he had found.

Richie nodded, and then turned to Sarah. “Steve or Alyssa?” He asked, already knowing who she’d pick.
“You know I can stay by myself.” Sarah said a little defensive.
Richie shook his head. “No, you can’t. What if you get hungry or thirsty? Or you start hurting real bad? And you don’t know if you banged your head, you could still have a concussion.”
“I didn’t hit my head.” She interrupted but Richie just went on.
“What if you need the toilet and need someone to help you walk? Or when room service brings you those cold packs?”
“Alright, alright.” She interrupted him again, making the other guys chuckle. “Alyssa can stay with me then.” She said.
Richie kissed her, then whispered so only she could hear. “I care about you, I don’t want anything else to happen to you.”
“I know.” Sarah said softly, she could only see sincerity in his eyes.

“I’ll get someone to go get her and then we should get going” Jon got up from his chair.



Half an hour later, Richie was ready to go. Sarah approved his outfit, saying he looked really good in it and now they were waiting for Alyssa.

Finally there was yet another knock at their door, it seemed like all they had today were knocks at the door. Richie opened it in an instant, already standing by the door, waiting.
“Hi, I’m Alyssa.” The girl said cheerful.

Richie didn’t know her, maybe he had seen her around but he didn’t know her personally, he opened the door wider to let her in.

When he closed the door and turned around he found Alyssa already standing next to Sarah, chatting. He felt like he was leaving her with a babysitter. The girl surely looked young enough to be a babysitter, probably just out of college.

“I have to go.” He announced. “I’ll be back right after the concert so we can go to the hospital.” He was standing right next to Sarah again, Alyssa had moved away to give them some space.
“We don’t need to go to the hospital, it’s only sprained.” Sarah insisted.
“I’d like proof.” Richie answered her a little bit of sternness in his voice.
Sarah sighed; she just hoped it wasn’t broken. She didn’t want to face that thought because she wouldn’t know what to do if it was.
“For me?” He pleaded softly, hoping she’d do it for him.
Sarah nodded softly.
Richie smiled, then reached over to kiss her. “I’ll see you in a few hours.” He said before leaving.



Alyssa got on the bed next to Sarah, where Richie had been all evening and moved the laptop between them, the stream was already on. “So you’re Sarah, right?” She asked.
“Yeah and you must be Alyssa from catering.”
“You got that right.” She smiled brightly.

So brightly it almost made Sarah uncomfortable. Alyssa continued to talk while people were interviewed in the crowd on the laptop screen. It made Sarah a little nervous because she didn’t know what to say, she just hoped she’d be quiet during the concert itself.

Luckily Alyssa did go quiet when it was announced that the band was arriving. Sarah tried to sit up so she could see Richie better but moved her ankle wrong as she did. A painful “Auch” escaped her.
“Are you okay?” Alyssa asked immediately, straightening up beside Sarah.
“I was just trying to see better.” Sarah explained.
“Can you see now?”
“Yeah it’s okay.” Sarah could feel the cold pack slipping from her ankle because of her moving. She tried to reach it but couldn’t quite stretch that far.
“Sit back, I’m here to take care of you, remember.” Alyssa moved on the bed, picking up the cold pack. She carefully put it back on Sarah’s ankle, covering the bruises. “Like that?” She asked for reassurance.
“Yeah, it’s good.” Sarah confirmed.
“Concert time.” Alyssa moved back up the bed and turned the volume up on the laptop.