Feel Like Makin' Love (Rock and Roll Trilogy #3) (28 page)

“No,” she laughed. “What’s going on?”

“Breakfast. Geni would like to make biscuits and sausage gravy for Matthew’s birthday. Are you available?”

“Matthew, your mom’s making biscuits and gravy…”

“Tell them we’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Make it fif
teen,” she grinned at Matthew, as she replied to Andy’s invitation.

Chapter Seventeen

The following Thursday, the band and entourage arrived, and the chaos began before they even made it out of the airport. Andy chose not to greet them there, planning on meeting them for dinner that evening, instead. White’s arranged a private dining room for the evening, and when Carlee finally entered the room, Marco was the first to rise from his chair to lift her into his arms for a hug. “Hey beautiful! I’m so happy to see you!”

“Me too,” she laughed. “It’s good to be seen!”

“Had to get her a little snooze before we came,” Matthew said, watching them pass her back and forth like a rag-doll and laughed.

Nathan
got a hold of her next and then Dina, followed by Roddy, Vince, and the rest of the guys in the band. Andy watched and saw Carlee beaming, and it made him happy.

They all lo
ved that she was feeling better; she looked like a new person, ‘refreshed,’ Geni kept saying. It was a night filled with conversation and catching up. They ate, laughed, and shared stories before Matthew and Carlee headed home for the night.

“She still tires easily,” Matthew explained.

“We’ll see you for rehearsal in the morning, right?” Roddy asked.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” she said. “I need every minute I can have with y’all.”

After they were gone, Andy told the group, “I requested a couple of sofas in the room so she could rest.”

Geni smiled
; he wanted her there.

~ ~ ~

Friday morning at nine, the Traveler band converged on the rehearsal space ready to get started. Matthew had to work, so Geni stayed at the flat with Carlee until she was up and ready for the day.

Carlee made a quick call to Kyliejo to check in. Finally, dressed in
jeans, a Traveler sweatshirt, and one of the cotton beanie caps, they were on their way. They made a stop a local bakery and loaded up on pastries and baked goods. Andy had set up for a coffee service because he knew they would be at it for hours.

Carlee curled up on a sofa
, and Dina joined her. “You look incredible! I worried that you’d be puny. You could use some more meat on them bones, but I reckon that will come back with time. You look bright and happy.”

“I have a new outlook on my future!
I have the best husband in
my
world,” she laughed, “and I just feel blessed. I worried about all of this and how it would end up – all of it Dina – the surgery, treatment, side effects…. There were some bad days, but Matthew, Papa, and Geni made it easier to bear.”

“Geni,” Dina said and Carlee laughed. “They seem like a couple.”

“I think they are a couple,” Carlee responded with a grin.

“He needed someone in his life – been too long,” Dina said slipping her arm around Carlee’s shoulder
to give her a squeeze.

Geni was on a sofa on the other side of the room watching the rehearsal, listening to songs she’d heard before but didn’t know. She watched and listened.

They were playing “You Know the Way,” and when Andy started to sing, Roddy watched. So did Marco. Pleasure was all over his face – he loved this and they all it.

You know the way to make me want you

You know the path that leads me to you

You take over my dreams and take me away

It sounds trite and cliché

But you take me away

Places and dreams
…

You know the way to make me want you

You know the path that leads me to you

~ ~ ~

Matthew arrived around five to find Carlee curled up on the sofa sound asleep, music blaring, and she was sleeping right through it. “Did she eat?” he asked Geni.

“She had a sandwich. I can’t believe she’s out like this! She’s been asleep about an hour and a half.”

He leaned to whisper in her ear, “Hey baby, wake up.” She rolled and curled into the back of the sofa. He eased down beside her and put his arm around her, kissing her neck.

“How on earth are you sleeping through this?” he laughed.

“Hey,” a sleepy voice replied. “What time is it?”

“Just after five, wake up, they’re
getting ready to play “Timeless,”” Matthew whispered in her ear.

She sat up and watched and saw Andy watching her. She leaned to whisper in Matthew’s ear, “He
’ll struggle with this one.”

We’re timeless

We’re unaffected by change

We’re eternal

A gift

It’s eternal

It’s ageless

She saw the emotion like no one else in the room, because she knew.

Pizzas were delivered, and they practiced late into the night only to leave to get some sleep and return very early the next morning.

~ ~ ~

On Saturday, they were about an hour into practice when Andy had a message to come to the front. He went to see what it was, and when he approached the reception area, Addy was there.

“I was in town!
I was on Late Night Chaos with Martin Dahl last night. Marco told me y’all’d be here and I didn’t want to miss the party!”

From where she was sitting, Geni could see the lobby and saw Adaleigh’s arms go around Andy’s waist. She felt her back straighten
.
I don’t know why that woman makes me feel so antsy - couldn’t be because she’s young and gorgeous,
Geni thought, watching them and then looking away. She moved from where she was sitting to the sofa with Carlee as Andy and Addy came into the room.

“L
ook who’s here!” Andy shouted as they entered. Hugs and kisses were shared throughout the room, and finally Addy made her way to where Carlee and Geni sat.

“Well hey!” Addy said
, dropping on the sofa beside Carlee. She reached to her, wrapping her arms around her and kissed her cheek, leaving a lipstick kiss behind. “May I?” she asked referring to the beanie cap on Carlee’s head.

“Sure,” Carlee laughed.

“I saw the gorgeous pictures; Andy sent them to me to see,” Addy said and once more Geni felt that anxious feeling. “But I just
had
to see it for myself! You look beautiful! Geni, it’s great to see you!”

“And you as well,” Geni said slapping a smile on her face.

“Where’s the hunk of man that you sleep with?” Addy laughed, and Carlee couldn’t help joining in.

“You’re so crazy,” she giggled. “He’s over there with Roddy and Vince.”

Carlee looked around the room and felt like this was a family reunion – except her family was missing, and she started to cry.

Geni put her arm around Carlee’s shoulder and pulled her near. “What on earth?” she asked.

Matthew looked up and saw what was going on and made his way across the room as Andy saw the same thing.

“Carlee?” Andy said as he approached.

“I’m OK, just all of a sudden this made me feel homesick… missing Nanny and Pops… my family…” she blubbered.

“She’s still coming down from the radiation experience,”
Matthew explained to Addy.

“
Guys, we can’t have this. We need to liven this place up! Let’s hit some “Simple Life!”” Andy shouted as he whipped the beanie cap off and placed a big, loud, noisy kiss on the top of her head. The music began, and the whole room erupted into song, and Carlee’s mood was back up as she sang along.

It’s good lovin’ I’m talkin’ about 

It’s makin’ sweet

It’s good lovin’ We’re goin’ all out

It’s makin’ sweet

It’s good loving’ we’re breakin’ out

It’s makin’ sweet
…

Another late night passed with a plan to meet for breakfast before everyone headed back to the states.

~ ~ ~

“You OK?” Andy asked Geni later that night as they lay in bed.

“I’m good. That was a lot of excitement, loud excitement. I have a headache
, and I’m tired,” she replied.

“Thanks for being there to share
in all of that craziness. What fun,” he said and pulled her into his arms.

As he held her she tried to go to sleep, tried to push the image of Addy’s arms around
his waist away, tried to shove the jealousy to the back of her mind.

Andy was too tired to pay attention to her indifference.

~ ~ ~

Carlee
started looking at classes, and Matthew helped her find some on-line options. They made an appointment with an advisor at the university about her ability to start some course work mid-term. She decided to wait until everything was in place before she told anyone but Matthew. On his short days, Matthew would drop her off at the hospital to spend time with Kyliejo to give Johanna a break. Sometimes she would go home to rest; sometimes she just left for ten minutes to catch a breath of fresh air. Sometimes Geni or Andy would come get Carlee to take her home, but she was content staying there with the little girl.

Andy was busy getting everything in line for the concert. He had daily
videoconferences with the guys in the band, and Roddy, Dean Rollins, and he were working with new talent who wanted to participate. There was a full line-up for the concert, and the show was already sold out.

~ ~ ~

Spring was approaching - it felt alive to Carlee, and that feeling brought gratitude like she’d never experienced before. She thought of a quote by Henry Ward Beecher,
Gratitude is the fairest blossom that springs from the soul,
and her heart and soul felt good - she felt blessed.

Kyliejo’s spirits remained high, but her body was tired. Carlee would be missing Butterfly Camp this year, so she thought of ‘camp’ ideas to keep the little girl’s spirits up. The walls in her room were filling with the butterflies that Carlee
and Kyliejo colored each day, and they remained the Princesses of the second floor at London Royal. When she felt up to it, Carlee would push her in a wheelchair through the halls.

“Now remember, you must do the Queen’s parade wave when we pass people.” And soon everyone would stop as the
y passed by, as though they were experiencing the parade. If Andy or Matthew came by to visit and found them out and about, they would bow, and as they did the nurses began to curtsy as they came by.

~ ~ ~

Hatchet kept Carlee informed on the little girl’s condition, often sharing what Johanna didn’t. She wanted Carlee to know. She told Carlee that the hospital bills were getting quite extensive, and Carlee hoped that the benefits from the concert would make life easier for Johanna so she could concentrate on what mattered – Kyliejo.

~ ~ ~

Geni spent the day with Carlee on Tuesday. Andy had a teleconference with Marco and their new client, Slater Markert, so the two women were alone. “You look better everyday, Carlee,” Geni told her as the two of them visited in the kitchen. Carlee was making dinner for them – Andy’s favorite, chicken Marsala, and Geni was helping.

“I fee
l better everyday! Every so often I get tired…”

“Because you overdo it, your p
apa says,” she smiled. “He calls you the Energizer Bunny!”

“
I can’t help it. I just feel incredibly blessed.” She paused a moment and turned to Geni, “I’m starting an on-line class through the University on Monday.”

“That’s wonderful!”

“Papa doesn’t know yet. Matthew and I have been going over classes for days. It’s past time. My head seems to be working properly, so I think it’s time. Children’s psychology,” she said. “Wanna see something fun?”

“Sure.”

Carlee washed her hands and stepped into the living room. She still wore the cotton beanie caps because her head got cold. She stepped to the mirror on the wall in the living room and said to Geni, “Ready?”

Geni nodded and Carlee removed the hat. “It’s growing back…”

Geni ran her hands over her head and smiled as Andy walked in.

“What is going on here?” he laughed and ran his hands over her head as well. “Peach fuzz!”

“It’s so soft,” Geni said.

“It looks darker, but still curly,” Carlee said.

The three of them were standing at the mirror when Matthew came in. He smiled at the excitement over the hair that was coming back. “What’s for dinner, wife?”

“Tonight, Mr. Davis, is not all about you,” she replied sarcastically, followed by a laugh. “Tonight the meal I’ve prepared is a special
one for Papa.”