Chapter twenty-two

London was an amazing city according to Sarah, one she always wanted to visit and see the sights of but she knew they probably wouldn’t have time for all those things today but they could always come back later when they weren’t touring.

“What do you really want to see in London?” Richie had asked the night before on the plane to the capital.
“The palace, I’d really like to see that.” Sarah answered him with something that was at the top of her list, she could remember that much of it.
“I’m sure we can manage a trip to the palace.” He thought out loud.
“I’d really like fish & chips too.” She added.
“We can find that anywhere, no worries.” He assured her.

He knew they had that all over the country, every restaurant served it, probably even at room service.

For the rest of the flight Sarah had settled herself against him and relaxed.



In the morning they were up early, what was considered early while being on tour, 10 am.

As soon as Richie got out of bed, he grabbed his phone to text.

“Isn’t it too early to phone people?” Half the time they slept until noon too.
“Management is always up.” Richie answered her.

She didn’t like bothering people when they could still be sleeping.

“You wanted to go see the palace so I need someone to help arrange it.” He explained as he sent off his text.
“Can’t we just go?” She asked confused.
Richie sat down on the bed again. “We can’t, I don’t even know where it is, much less how to get there.”
“We can get a map.” She tried.
“People need to know where we are.” He tried to explain and looked up when his phone buzzed again.
“So basically you need a babysitter?”
“Oh she teases!” Richie laughed.

He read his text and turned back to her.

“Someone can drive us in an hour.” He told her.
“That’s enough time to get ready and have breakfast.” Sarah agreed.



An hour later they stepped out of their room, ready to go.

“That’s nice timing Richie.” Jon came out of his room with his camera in his hands. “Smile.” He told them and took a picture.
“Man, you’re getting worse than a paparazzo.” Richie joked. “Where are you going?”
“Just around the hotel, need to practice, he smiled.
“Where are your crutches?” Sarah asked.

Jon looked up at her; she usually didn’t talk much to them. A little surprised he answered, “I’m fine without them.”
“You really shouldn’t do that; keep the pressure off your knee.” Sarah insisted.

Richie turned to Sarah again, looking down at her, he loved what she was doing, she really should go through with her plans. “Turning into Doctor Matthews again?” He teased her gently.
“Doctor Matthews?” Jon asked confused.

Riche turned back to him to explain. “Sarah was going to medical school but things worked out differently.”
Sarah nodded, confirming what Richie said.
“Really?” He asked surprised. “I didn’t know that.”

“We should go.” Richie said, trying to make their escape.
“Where are you going?” Jon asked interested.
“Seeing the palace.” Sarah answered quickly with a smile.
“That’d be nice for photos but I want the hotel.” Jon said, he just didn’t want to walk that far.

Sarah and Richie made their way to the elevator hand in hand to go downstairs when Richie heard the camera again.

“Turning into a paparazzo!” He shouted back without turning around.



They stood by a fountain in front of the palace, looking at the building in front of them from a short distance.

“How many rooms do you think there’d be?” Sarah wondered.
“A lot, I just hope she has more than one cleaning lady.” He answered.
“Imagine there’s only one, poor girl.” Sarah sighed.
Richie chuckled.

After a minute they walked closer to the gates for a better look at the building.

“Those are the guards that aren’t allowed to move, aren’t they?” Sarah asked when she noticed two guards in their traditional outfit by the doors.
“Yeah, they’re fun but you can’t get to them two.” Richie complained.
“Are you one of those people that try to aggravate them?” She just knew he would be.
Richie smiled guiltily.

They walked along the length of the palace, viewing the whole building before returning to the fountain where Sarah noticed coins on the bottom and pointed them out to Richie.

He reached into his pocket and gave her a coin. “You should make a wish.” He suggested.
“I don’t know what to wish for.” Sarah shrugged.
“Happiness.”
“I have happiness.”
“Love?”
“I already have you, silly.” She squeezed his hand.

He bent down to kiss her, “right, you do.”

“I know what to wish for.” Sarah decided a few seconds later.

She flipped the coin into the air, making it splash in the water, she watched it go until it reached the bottom.

“What did you wish for?” Richie asked curiously.
“It won’t come true if I tell you.” She answered smartly.
“I know what you wished for.” He said convinced that he knew.
“I’m not telling you.” Sarah insisted.
“Okay, fine.” Richie sighed and gave up.

He took her hand and walked her around the fountain back to the steps where they sat down again. Sitting down right next to her, he wrapped his arm around her waist as Sarah rested her head on shoulder. They enjoyed their peaceful moment a little while longer; it was a nice day to just sit around.

“Did you see the palace?” He asked after a few more minutes of looking at the long building.
“Yeah, I think so.” Sarah answered.
“Want to go back to the hotel?” Richie suggested.
“Can we find a souvenir store first?” She wanted to buy a few things first.
“Sure we can.” He agreed, getting up to give her a hand and help her up.

They found a little store a few streets away and walked inside. The store was small and they had to be careful when they turned around so they wouldn’t knock anything over.

In the back Sarah found t-shirts.

“I like this one.” She pointed to a red t-shirt high on the wall. “What’s your size?”
“Large or extra large. Are you buying me something?” He asked.
“If you like it.” She said hopeful that he would like it too.
“I do,” he confirmed, “it’d be fun for the party tonight.”
“Party?” Sarah asked surprised.
“Didn’t I tell you? Tonight’s concert is part of a festival so there’s a party afterwards with everyone that performed.” He explained to her.
“Oh.”
“I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you.”



In front of the hotel they ran into Jon again, who was quick to snap a picture of them.

“Trying to remember every second?” Richie asked, he didn’t mind the photos, he thought it was getting funny.
“Doing my best.” Jon answered with a smile and raised his camera for another photo, Richie ignored him and walked past him into the hotel.



Sarah dressed in all her new clothes for the concert, making sure she looked nice for him.

“Will it be a lot busier?” She asked when she walked out of the bathroom, still preferring to dress in private.
“It will be but you still get to sit by my guitars.” He assured her of that, hoping it would help her.
“What about the party?” The party had her more nervous than the concert itself, it would be so busy, so many people that would talk to Richie and therefore with her too, it made her nervous.
“I’m not sure where it is.” He thought out loud again. “It will be busy but it’ll be just like with group therapy, I’ll be right next to you.” He took his former promise back up.
“Good.” She nodded, still nervous about it. “So, what do you think?” She showed him her outfit for the evening.
Richie walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist loosely. “I like it, maybe I like what is underneath it even more.” He teased.

He got a few things together to put in his bag for after the concert, mainly his clean clothes to change into later, this time they would actually have a dressing room. Usually in Europe they arrived, performed and left. He didn’t forget the t-shirt Sarah had bought him earlier that day, wanting to wear it to the party.



They had dinner at the venue, backstage where Richie shared dressing room with the rest of his band members except Jon.

Especially for Sarah someone from the crew had gotten her fish and chips, making the rest want it too so the poor guy had to go out and get more.

Now they sat in the dressing room on the few couches, eating fish and chips out of take-away cardboard boxes.

After a while of wondering, Sarah finally asked her question. “How come Jon isn’t here.”
“We kicked him out.” Richie smiled but honest.
“Way too grumpy.” David agreed.
“We let him think it’s because he’s the lead singer though, so don’t tell him.” Richie quickly added.
“Really?” Sarah asked confused, sure they were joking.
“Really, he gets so stressed and grumpy, one time we told him to get his own room and he went for it.” Richie explained how it went.
“So he sits there all alone?” Now she felt bad for him.
“Yeah but he’s much more relaxed when we go on stage.” Richie said.
“You don’t want to know what he does in there.” David shook his head in thought, a little disgusted.



As usual the concert was amazing; they seemed to play with even more energy and passion than at the other shows. Sarah absolutely loved every moment of it. She was starting to love the music and was glad when they played songs they hadn’t played before yet.

This concert seemed longer than the others they had played but Sarah didn’t mind, she loved watching Richie play. He looked so passionate and happy. She couldn’t deny he looked sexy too, especially his arms while he played his guitars. The faces he made while being caught up in the moment made her think of what they did in bed.



When the band left for the final time, Sarah got up and found her way to the back of the stage where Richie was pulling off his shirt.

He smiled when he noticed her. “Hey.”
“Hi.” She answered, walking closer to him.
“I gotta shower.” He said, throwing his shirt over his shoulder.

Together they followed the rest to their dressing room.

Sarah sat down on one of the couches while the men in the room showered and changed, seeing more body parts than she wanted to see. They were all wearing towels but Richie was the one she felt comfortable with.

“That a new t-shirt Rich?”

Sarah chuckled; she didn’t think men complimented each other on their clothing too.

“Yeah, Sarah bought it for me earlier.” He smiled at David, he really liked his new t-shirt.
“Didn’t Jon have one like it?” David asked again.
“I think so,” Richie thought, “but I look better.”

He started packing again and a few minutes later he sat down next to Sarah again.

“Ready to go?” He asked but started wondering if he was ready to go. He hadn’t been to a party since before rehab. He knew he wasn’t going to drink but how long would it take before he got irritated with that fact and wanted out? Everyone around him would be drinking.



He was glad to be able to introduce Sarah as his girlfriend to everyone he talked to. As did Sarah, she loved hearing “My girlfriend, Sarah.”. As he had promised, Richie didn’t let go of her and kept her right next to him the entire time.

After an hour of talking he guided Sarah to a table, ordering some food. There wasn’t much but every place had to have burgers and fries, or being in England, fish & chips, he didn’t mind having the same thing twice in one day and along with an order for glasses of water, he started his second dinner with Sarah.

Afterwards Richie left Sarah alone, sure her ankle could use some more rest other than that she might have had enough of talking to people by now.

“Want a drink?” Was what he heard coming from all sides, everywhere. People were buying someone else drinks or asking him.

He declined every time but it was getting harder to say no and it was starting to aggravate him. Hadn’t it been all over the news? People asked him about rehab, he even told them that’s how he met Sarah, why were they still offering him drinks? It was making him frustrated and wanting to leave, to get out of the temptation and be away from it, it was driving him crazy.

With an annoyed, very irritated sigh he declined the next drink that was offered to him.



“This sucks, can we go?” He sat down next to Sarah in the booth with an even more annoyed huge sigh.
“Why, what’s wrong?” She asked, even though she was sure she knew why, she’d been though it too.
“They’re all annoying me.” Was his annoyed answer.
“Sweetheart,” she started, making Richie looked up at her with hope clear on his face, “someone told me that hiding doesn’t help.”
Richie sighed as Sarah moved closer to him, putting her arm around his back.
“Just listen to your t-shirt.” She advised him.
He smiled and looked down, reading the words ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ “Is that why you bought it?” He wondered.
“Sort of.” She admitted, it had only been part of her intention, she had a feeling something like this might happen.

He picked up his glass of water. “The cool people with water.” He said a little gloomy.
“Alcohol doesn’t make you cool” Sarah reminded him.
“Yeah, that’s true,” he agreed, “thanks.”

He knew he couldn’t back down on his own advice he had given Sarah, he shouldn’t just leave, he had to stick it out.

Sarah’s arm around him, made him feel perfectly at ease, letting her comfort him as he leaned back against her.

Again he heard a camera snap, after years of fame, he could always hear them.

“Just become my stalker already.” Richie said, knowing it was Jon yet again.
“Stop making such picture perfect moments then.” Was Jon’s comeback.
“I know it’s just because you think I’m hot.” Richie teased.

Jon put his camera down on the table and sat down across of them, just then a waiter took their empty glasses.

“Refill?” He asked.
“Yeah, just water.” Richie answered, still a little gloomy.
“Me too.” Jon pitched in.

Richie gave him a confused look, he loved wine, why was he drinking water at a party.

“Painkillers, man.”
“Oh, right.” Richie remembered.

Jon continuously asked if Richie he was okay, knowing it might be difficult for him to be at a party where people were getting drunk. He was glad he could stick by his friend and most of all he was glad his girlfriend did so too, knowing Sarah really cared for him.

When Sarah yawned, Richie took his chance to call it a night. He finished his glass of water and said good night to everyone on his way out with Sarah.

He was glad they hadn’t left early, he finally started enjoying himself when he sat down and people came over to their table to talk and didn’t offer drinks anymore.

He gave Sarah a hand to help her in the car and got in on the other side, sliding closer to her.

“I’m proud of you.” Sarah told him.
Richie smiled, he was proud of himself too. “Thanks.”

He pulled her even closer against him, thankful he had her by his side.