Sheet Music - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story (18 page)

Michael nodded his head, hanging it over his guitar, and stared at his hands.  He felt like a broken man.  “Sometimes I think we're never going to leave this place,” he sighed. 

“Don't say that Michael.  It
will
happen.”

He raised his eyes to watch Nancy.  “The doctor said it would be a matter of days but it’s been two weeks and she’s still in a coma.”

“Like I’ve told you before, there is no medical reason she should still be in this coma.  But sometimes, even though the body is ready to wake, the brain isn’t.  In fact, if it weren’t for her leg, we wouldn’t be able to keep her here because all her other injuries have healed.  She would have been moved to a rehabilitation hospital a week ago.”

Michael put his guitar down and walked over to Annie’s side and took her hand.  “It’s depressing to see her like this day after day,” he sighed, flopping himself down into the recliner chair beside her bed.  “I don’t know how much more I can take.”

“Then why don’t you go home, Michael, and get some rest?  If her condition changes, someone will call you.  Seriously, you need some sleep.  Go home, I’ll make sure you’re notified.”

Michael shook his head, leaned forward and kissed Annie on the cheek.  “I can’t.”

“You can’t or you won’t?” Nancy asked.

“Both.  I want my face to be the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes,” he answered, staring lovingly at Annie.

“She’s a very lucky girl,” Nancy exhaled, wringing out a face cloth.  “I wish I had a man that loved me the way you love Annie.”

“Want to know something funny?”

Nancy stopped cleaning Annie and glanced over at Michael.  “What?”

“She doesn’t know I love her,” he said, forcing a weak smile onto his tired face.

“What do you mean?”

“The accident happened before I had the chance to tell her.  Isn’t that pathetic?  It was just starting to get serious between us, and boom, she ends up here.”

“But I thought you were
together
.  You know – dating, whatever you want to call it.  I guess I assumed, because of who you are, the two of you were living together or something.”

Michael smiled and stifled a laugh.  “Nancy, chances are whatever you’ve been told about me isn’t true.  Life as a rock ‘n’ roller is not anywhere as glamorous as the general public thinks.  In fact, it’s a very lonely existence.  The only people you can really trust are your band mates, and that’s when everyone is getting along.  Even if you’re lucky enough to have a wife and family, you never get to see them.  You’re always on the road living out of a suitcase for months, sometimes years at a time.  So what’s the point?” he sighed, feeling the unnatural need to unload on someone.  “Hell, I haven’t had a steady girlfriend in years!  And if I see one more groupie strip naked for me, I think I’ll turn celibate.  How glamorous is that?”  Michael stopped himself, and rubbed his face with his hands, fighting the fatigue that plagued him.  He realized he had given the poor nurse more information that she probably wanted, but he didn’t care.  The loneliness had won and finally made him crack.

Nancy sat down in the chair opposite Michael.  Usually, he was a man so quiet it unnerved her, but tonight he seemed hell-bent on being heard.  “Then why do you do it?” she asked, hoping he would continue.

Michael drew a deep breath, and reclined the chair into a lounge position.  “That’s a damn good question.  I ask myself that every time a new tour begins.  Truth is, I still love the music and I love to perform.  I wouldn’t care if anyone showed up to listen to us, I’d still want to get out on stage and play.”

“And when did Annie drift into that picture?”

“That’s actually a funny story,” he chuckled, turning to face Nancy.  “Are you sure you want to hear it?”

“I’ve got all night, Michael,” she coaxed, sensing he was close to exhaustion and would probably fall asleep before he finished his story.

Nancy listened as Michael’s story unfolded.  She watched the stress slowly disappear from his face as he talked about meeting Annie and the instant attraction he felt.  His eyes danced with life at the mere mention of her name.

“Yeah, so when you sell your story to the tabloids, make sure you get the facts straight.  Make sure to tell them that, Michael Wade, the infamous rock ’n’ roll Casanova is in love for the first time is his sorry-ass life,” he laughed.

“Do you really think I’d try and sell what you just told me to the tabloids?”

“Why not?  God knows, they’d buy it.  You’d probably make a nice bundle of cash for it too!”

Nancy stayed in the room until Michael talked himself to sleep.  Then she took a blanket from the empty bed and laid it across his body.  His hand was still clutching onto Annie’s.

The next day Brian arrived for one of his many visits.  Minutes after the door to Annie’s room closed, the yelling began.  At first, the hospital staff tried to ignore the obvious commotion going on behind the door.  But as the audio level increased, it became impossible not to stop and wonder where the argument was headed and at what point would they need to intervene.

“You look like shit,” was the first comment out of Brian’s mouth.

“It’s good to see you too,” Michael grumbled, climbing out of the recliner chair after a reasonably good nights sleep.

“We’ve got the Video Music Awards show in two days out in LA.”

“Have a nice time,” Michael answered.

“This isn’t open for debate, asshole.  Thrust is a five member band, not four!”

“Yeah, and what’s your point?  We’re not up for any awards this year,” Michael shrugged, reaching for a clean t-shirt to pull over his head.

“We’re performing, dickhead, and I think the audience might notice if the lead guitarist isn’t on stage!”

“Under the circumstances, I think they might understand.  If not, to hell with them.”

Michael walked past Brian and shut the bathroom door in his friends face.

“You’re acting like a prick,” Brian screamed.  “Your girlfriend is in a God-damned coma, for Christ sakes!  It’s not like she’ll miss you the one night you’re not holding vigil beside her bed!”

As soon as he said the words, Brian knew he was in trouble.  Suddenly, the door to the bathroom opened with a swoosh and bounced off the wall, making a terrible crashing sound.  Michael filled the doorframe.  Rage distorted every feature on his ragged face.  His eyes were full of contempt.  In one quick motion, he grabbed Brian by the coat lapels and slammed him up against the wall, pinning him across the throat with his forearm.  Fearing the worst, the hospital staff loitering in the hallway rushed into the room.

“Okay, break it up, boys,” a burly male nurse demanded, prying Michael’s arm off of Brian’s neck.

Brian smoothed down his coat and walked toward the door.  “The jet leaves tomorrow at noon.  Your ass better be on it, or you’re all done!”

“Fuck you!”

“Please, Mr. Wade, your language!  You’ll upset the other patients,” a female nurse scolded.

“Hey, stop the bickering and get a doctor,” the nurse at Annie’s side instructed.

Michael turned and glanced at Annie.  Her eyes had opened and were staring, devoid of emotion, at the ceiling.  Shoving two assistants aside, Michael gently turned her face toward him with his fingertips.  Her eyes were blank, as if she were somehow looking through him.

“Is she all right?” he asked the doctor taking her vital signs.

“Yeah, she seems perfect.  The noise must have done the trick,” the doctor smiled.

“What do you mean?”

“She’s out of the coma.  Sometimes large volumes of sudden stimuli jolt the brain back into a fully functioning organ.”

Michael gazed back at Annie and rubbed her cheeks with his thumbs.  “Can she hear me?”

“Absolutely.”

“She doesn’t seem to recognize me,” he said, his voice echoing with disappointment.

“It will take her a while to fully awaken.  Don’t be upset if she doesn’t know you at all for a few days.  Just keep her stimulated with the sound of your voice.”

“Can you clear the room?” Michael asked, never removing his eyes from her.

Left alone, he moved the chair in toward her bed.  Tenderly, he stroked the thin red line above Annie’s eyebrow that once held stitches.  Annie blinked, as if struggling to focus.  Michael’s eyes filled with tears.

“Hey babe, you’re awake,” he whispered, swallowing hard, and forcing a nervous smile onto his face.  “Do you remember me?”

Annie gave no response.

“God, I’ve missed seeing your beautiful eyes.”

Annie still didn’t reply.

Michael raised her hand to his mouth and kissed the fingers.

“I love you,” he sighed, brushing the hair off her forehead.  “I know I should have told you that before.  You were right, you know.  I
was
afraid.  I don't know why and I'm so sorry I didn't.  I struggled with it and even though I didn't say it, I certainly felt it.  I only hope you never get tired of hearing me say it now.”

Annie blinked again and squeezed out a watery tear that rolled off her cheek.

Michael glanced down and saw the tear.

“You can hear me, can’t you?”

Annie softly squeezed his hand but her face remained emotionless.

“That’s okay, babe.  I’ll do all the talking.”

Dinner was served and Michael was still holding a one-sided conversation.  Then finally Annie mumbled something so softly Michael could hardly hear it.

“Music.”

“What?” he asked, leaning in closer.

“Go.”

“You want me to leave?”

“Music…Awards.”

Michael smiled.  “You want me to go do the show?”

Annie nodded.

“You really think I should?  Even after what Brian said?  I’m not sure I want to be in the same room with him now, never mind on stage.”

“Job.”

“But I’d rather be here with you.”

“Go.”

For several hours, Michael updated Annie on the things she had missed while in the coma until the night nurse finally made them stop to rest.  Annie had vague memories of the accident and cried when she learned of Sammy’s death.  He tried, as best he could, to explain the extent of her injuries and where the scars were on her body and face.  “What happened with the contest?” she asked.

He hung his head.  “The promoters found out about the pictures and us.  I’m sorry, babe, but they had to disqualify your band.  They’re using your accident as an excuse for the elimination.  That way our relationship stayed out of the press and the integrity of the contest remained intact.”

“Gary and the guys must hate me,” she sighed.

“They don’t hate you, Annie.  They’re just happy you survived the accident.”

“Have any of them been here?”

“Yes.  All of them.  Gary came the most,” Michael replied.

“Really?”

“Yeah.  They were all very concerned about you pulling through this.”

Annie rubbed at her eyes.  “I feel so bad because it was me that entered us into that contest and me that ruined our chances at the final competition.”

He moved in closer to her face.  “I understand why you feel that way but I believe it was fate.  The contest brought you and I together.  I think that’s the way it was meant to be.”

He kissed her softly.

“Are they getting someone to replace me in the band?” she asked.

“No.  They decided it wasn’t the same band without you so they’re taking a break.  Gary is managing another band right now and Buzz and Ivory have their own projects in the works.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  It will all work out for everyone, Annie.  You can’t worry about that right now.  It’s more important you concentrate on your recovery.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

Early the next day, Michael ran over specific instructions with the nurses he had hired concerning any change in Annie’s condition while he was out of town.  He left three different phone numbers in case they needed to contact him directly in Los Angeles.  Otherwise, as soon as their performance was completed, he’d be on the first ‘red-eye’ flight back to Boston.

He hated leaving Annie at all, even more so, since she was now out of her coma.  She was right though, it was his job.  With or without Brian’s approval, he had an obligation with the band.  At nine o’clock in the morning, Bull arrived to drive him into Boston to meet the jet.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise,” he said, kissing her tenderly on the lips.  “And when I get back, your doctor and I are going to discuss when we can get your sweet ass out of here.”

Annie held her tears and nodded.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too,” she replied, and when the door shut, her tears came in torrents.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The night nurse watched the award show with Annie.  Each time they caught a glimpse of Michael and the band seated in the audience they squealed with delight.  He looked so handsome dressed in a black leather suit, burgundy shirt and matching tie.  Just seeing him made her heart race.  Their performance was flawless with Michael blazing through a lengthy guitar solo.  While the audience was still applauding, Michael could be seen taking off his guitar and handing it to his technician at the side of the stage.

“I bet he’s on his way back here now,” the nurse commented.

Annie smiled.  “I hope so.”

It was almost noon when Michael arrived back at the hospital.  He opened her door and noticed her bed was empty.  A floor nurse explained to him Annie was having more tests done and would be back shortly.  With fatigue eating at him, he tossed his suit coat onto the chair and quickly fell asleep on the empty bed.  He was sleeping so soundly, Annie’s return to the room didn’t even wake him.

“Good afternoon!  It’s time for lunch,” a kitchen worker cheered as she entered Annie’s room.

“Shhhh,” Annie pleaded.  “He’s still sleeping.”

“Oh, sorry.  Would you like me to come back later?”

“No.  Just leave the tray over there.  Thanks.”

Michael heard the chatter and rolled over to see who it was.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Wade,” the candy-striper chirped.  “We all stayed up late and watched you perform last night.  You were awesome!  My friends can’t believe I’ve actually met you and when I told them I see you almost every day…”