XXII

Frédérique remembered David telling her about his musical Memphis, so she thought it would be fun to go see it. However, the sign was dark and they headed for a cinema just around the corner from Frédérique’s apartment instead. As they walked out of the cinema, she dug in her purse to retrieve her cell phone and turned it back on: there was a missed call from Richie, it had been made a little more than an hour before.

Frédérique and Emilie said their goodbyes and she returned Richie’s call, but he didn’t answer, so she let out a painful sigh: she missed him, she needed to see his face and listen to his voice. As soon as she got home, she played the These Days CD again and opened her laptop to ran a Google Images search for “Richie Sambora” .

Then she pressed “Enter”.

…

When Frédérique didn’t answer, Richie hung up and remained seated by the piano. Barely two minutes later it buzzed, and Richie jumped: it was one of his friends from California and they spent almost an hour catching up, making arrangements to see each other sometime in the near future. After they hung up, Richie decided he would take a shower before going to pick his daughter up. When he came back out almost twenty minutes later, he had two missed calls: one from his daughter and the other from Frédérique. Richie called his daughter first - the other may take a while, or not, who knew – and spent the next 15 minutes talking with his daughter, who informed him that she was staying at her mother’s house that night because she and her friends had organized a pajama party and she didn’t want to do it at his place - she knew those things drove her father crazy. She had already arranged for her mother to pick her up from school.

Then Richie dialed Frédérique’s number.

As soon as she answered he began: “Hey baby...Howya-“

“Richie, thank God, listen to me” – she interrupted him – “I’m on my way to the airport”.

…

In the line to check-in, sitting in the boarding area and then on the plane, Frédérique tried to wrap her head around what she had seen and read.

It had taken her some time at the beginning to finally come to terms with the fact that Richie was who he was, but this…How had he ended up like that? Frédérique anxiously thumbed through the reports, her hands shaking, her eyes filled with tears. Even though it had been over two years now, her heart ached. But she couldn’t trust what other people said: she had to hear it from him. And it wasn’t going to be on the phone: she wanted to hold him and comfort him, and prevent that from ever happening to him again.

It was then that it hit her: what Frédérique felt for Richie was something completely new, she had never cared this much about someone but for herself, and this time - for the first time - he was the more important one. Frédérique remembered her own words that afternoon: she had told Emilie – though it was mostly for herself - that she wouldn’t fall for Richie.

But it was happening. And Frédérique wasn’t afraid anymore: she would tell him, he’d understand and they’d deal with it.

…

When Frédérique arrived at the airport, Richie was waiting for her and then they drove over to his house. They ran a warm bath, Frédérique got in and Richie sat in the space between her legs. While she gently scrubbed him with a soft sponge, he was finally able to open up.

“I’m blessed ya know – he said after finishing his story - …I don’t think I coulda made it without him”, Richie told Frédérique about Jon. They paused and changed positions, Richie undid the bun she had her hair wrapped up in and started shampooeing it, while he told him about their friendship and the strong bond they shared - something Frédérique had never felt and doubted would ever experience.

Then she rolled over to look at him. “I wish I had been there for you”, she said sweetly and softly after he was done and before they shared a soft, lingering kiss.

Richie took her head with his hands and pulled her face close to his.

“Fred”, he paused and looked into her eyes, “I think I’m falling in love with you”

…

Around half an hour later and after they made love on Richie’s bed, Frédérique was brushing her fingers over Richie’s left arm tattoo and smiled when she saw the word written on it. Faith.

Yes, she'd tell him. When the time came.