Chapter 73

Glancing at the clock Cilla sighed and got up. Jon would just be finishing up the first of the Boston shows and she had to pee, again. Good thing he wasn’t here she thought. She’d be keeping him up with the number of times she had been to the bathroom. Coming back she rubbed a hand across her abdomen she felt bloated and achy again. What is going on? I should really call the doctor. She didn’t really want to take the time to go, but she couldn’t afford to be sick right now either. She made a mental note to call her doctor in the morning.

It was late afternoon before she was able to catch her breath and when she grabbed her phone, it rang in her hand. It was Jon.

“Hey Jonny.”

Richie looked at the phone, realizing only then that he had Jon’s in his hand instead of his own.

“Sorry darlin’, it’s not" he smirked "Jonny.” Oh was he was going to have fun with that one.

Cilla pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the number again. It was Jon’s, but the voice on the other end definitely was not. “Who is this?”

Richie chuckled. “It’s Richie darlin’. I grabbed Jonny’s phone by mistake.”

Cilla laughed, “maybe you should keep yours on a string around your neck or something. How are you?”

“I’m fine” he laughed. “I wanted to thank you for my gift. Are you sure I don’t have to share?”

“I’m glad you got it and no, you don’t have to share if you don’t want to. Didn’t you read the note? That’s your birthday present. The others got smaller care packages of their own.”

He tucked the note into his breast pocket, “I did, but I just wanted to make sure.” She really was the most thoughtful woman. He was going to have to talk to the guys and see what they could do for her. “We’ll see you Saturday, right?”

She smiled, “yes. You’ll get to meet Sid and his fiancée too.”

“Now, that I’m looking forward to.”

“Not a much as he is” she muttered.

Richie laughed. “He’s going to make a pass at me or something isn’t he?”

Cilla nodded, “probably. Be glad Mark is coming with him, at least he won’t try to kiss you.”

Sid pushed through the door and waved frantically at Cilla to get her attention.

“Rich, I’ve got to go. We have a situation apparently. See you Saturday.” She hung up before he could say anything more.

“What is it Sid?” She couldn’t imagine with the problem could be.

“We are running out of everything, including tickets!”

“What?!” She couldn't believe that everything was gone.

She moved past him and out to the front of the shop. Sure enough, the cases were nearly empty and there were still more people streaming through the door. She turned and bumped into Sid. “I’ll be right back.”

She hurried back to the kitchen and pulled things out of the warming oven and the refrigerator. Sliding the last of pans out of the convection oven she took what she had left out front. It would have to do.

“Okay Sid, when this is gone, that’s it. I’ve got nothing left back there. People will just have to come back tomorrow.”

He finished up with a customer and turned to her. “I think we’ll be fine now.” The crowd had thinned significantly and more were turning and leaving as they spoke.

She looked surprised. “What happened?”

Sid shrugged. “We’re out of tickets.”

She nodded, “okay.” She looked out at the few people who were still lingering. “Give a yell when you’re done here and we can start cleaning up. We should be able to close up soon.”

She headed back to the kitchen, she needed to call Jon.

~

“Oh Jon-ny.”

He winced at the high pitched sing-songy quality of Richie’s voice. “What? And don’t call me that.”

He followed Jon into his dressing room. Looking around Richie saw the pink box on the table and couldn’t help but tease Jon. “My box is bigger than yours.”

Jon looked around and his eyes settled on the box on the table. “What makes you so special?”

Richie puffed out his chest, “your girlfriend loves me.”

Jon’s eyes narrowed and the flash of jealousy left him unnerved. “What did you say?”

“Relax man I was only kidding. It’s my birthday bro; she sent me stuff for my birthday.”

Jon nearly sagged with relief. “What did you get?” Jon had peeked at his earlier and there were cookies a cannoli and an éclair in his box.

“A whole cake box full of cannoli.” He told him smugly.

Jon laughed, “you’re going to get fat man.”

Before Richie could reply there was a knock on Jon’s door and a curly blonde head appeared. “Is it safe to come in?”

Jon waved Dave and Tico in. “What’s up guys?”

They strolled in, pink boxes in hand. David rubbed his belly, “we love your girlfriend man, but she’s going to make us fat.”

Jon and Richie laughed. The four of them were so in tune with each other they were practically having the same conversation. “No one said you have to eat what she sends.”

Dave shrugged, “it’d be a shame to let it go to waste though.”

On the table Jon’s phone started vibrating madly. He took the call and Richie, David and Tico huddled on the couch.

“I think we should do something for Cilla” Richie told them. “She’s been real good to us this leg of the tour. What do you guys think?”

David nodded, he liked the idea. “I’m in.”

Tico agreed, “got any ideas?”

Richie thought for a minute. “I saw something while I was out earlier. Do you guys trust me?”

“About as far as we can throw you.” David and Tico laughed.

Jon finished his call and strolled over to where they were sitting. “Looks like serious business over here, what’s going on? What are you all up to?”

Richie filled him in, “I thought we should do something for Cilla to show our gratitude but apparently these two don’t trust me.”

Jon looked at David and Tico, “when it comes to buying a gift for a woman, have you ever known him to have trouble?”

They shook their heads, “no, but there’s a first time for everything.”

Richie stood and paced, “come on guys, it’s something really nice. I’ll have Denise go pick it up now and if you don’t like it you guys can think of something else.” Jesus why were they being such hard asses about this?

Before they could argue anymore, he called his assistant, told her what he had seen and where and she took off to find it.