I was a Rock Star's Secret

People were starting to realize that Rhiannon was there, all accessible. Talking to some lucky jerk. I could see them beginning to crowd in. A couple of security men from the casino came up and blocked them. Chuck came through the growing crowd. He looked good, a bit gray here and there, but much like I remembered him to look like.

"Hey you two ... could we take this up to my office or somewhere less ... public? You're diverting attention from my machines here."

"Hey Chuck, looks like you've moved up in the world, just a bit."

"Yeah, how's things Don? Haven't seen you around in a few ... years."

"Haven't been around. Lets get out of here before things get too crazy."

We were escorted up to a large plush office. Rhea had my arm the whole way and wouldn't let go. It was like she was glued to me. I was still in a bit of shock. First Rhea just showing up out of the blue, then Chuck still remembering me after all these years.

"You two make yourselves to home we'll be out and about. Good seeing you Rhea, Don."

With that Chuck was gone.

"Wow, Chuck really moved up in the world huh?"

"Yeah well, I may have helped with that a little bit."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I'm a major shareholder in the casino. I'm not without a little sway for old friends."

"So ... think you could set me up with a good machine then? I seem to have lost my luck lately."

I was trying humor to ease the tension we had between us yet.

"I don't know which machine would be lucky for you or not. I don't think you've lost your luck though ... unless I've lost mine ..."

"What is it you want Rhea?"

"You."

"Me? Need someone to fill in for a bit? Something for old times sake?"

"That sounded bitter."

"Well I was stood up for rock and roll don't cha know?"

"Not in my heart Don. I've never stopped ... loving you."

"Funny thing about that, I've never seen it."

"Don't be mean, not now, not after all these years."

"I'm sorry. I'm being petty. I never expected to see you here again. I always figured that I'd love you from afar ..."

"You still love me then?"

"What's not to love Rhea? I knew you did that, with that guy just to break it off with me so you could move on to where you wanted, hell, needed to be. You knew that I'd never go for living here and there and sharing you with the whole world."

"I struggled with it you know. The drugs, the booze, I'd remember you, your eyes, you haunted me. I tried to hide from you in the booze and drugs until I figured out it wasn't working. Wrote songs about it ... about us ..."

"Those songs, that was us?"

"Yeah ... some of them."

"I couldn't lose my love for you don't you get it? All these years there was never a chance for anyone else because of you Rhea. You stole my heart and then you ran away. Left me here all alone."

"I'm sorry Don, God how I'm sorry. I thought I knew what I wanted ... I thought I made the right choice ..."

"You did Rhea. If you'd have stayed back for me, you'd have hated me eventually. You'd have grown to see me as the man who held you back. I didn't want that, you didn't want that, so I copped out too, I let you 'win'."

"Well, we're both fuck ups then aren't we? I got what I thought I wanted and found it lacked ... you. I couldn't fill that void that you made in my heart. I tried, God knows I tried."

"There were other men then?"

"No just that one, and he didn't mean a damn thing to me. Gary and the others were all talking about where we were going, what they wanted so I felt I had a duty, an obligation to go along. I used that poor man and all he ever got from me were kisses. You couldn't accept my life, the travel, the crowds, those damned publicity people. I did take the chicken's way out, I'm sorry for that."

"But I understood you Rhea, I knew. I knew why, I knew the 'what', it was the 'when' that was difficult and it would have been nicer to have had a weekend to talk just you and I, but it's all in the past now. Where do we go now?"

"I'm retiring. This is my last hurrah concert tour. That's why I came here, for Chuck, because this is where it all started. Gary wants to go solo so does Jimmy. Leah found some guy and wants to just settle down out of the limelight."

"But what does Rhea want? What is it you want Rhea? You can't live without the fame and fortune can you?"

"Actually I was hoping that I'd find you again. I wanted to tell you ..."

"Rhea, for once, be honest with yourself ... what is it you really want? You can't hide from your heart. What did you want to tell me? "

"You. I want you Don. I should have never left you back then ... I should have fought to keep you with me one way or the other, now we've lost ten years. Ten years we could have been together. Ten years loving each other. I want you, please."

"Fame and fortune Rhea ... what about all of that?"

"The fortune is locked in I've managed to invest well. The fame ... I'd rather have one man to love and loving me than all the fame in the universe."

"Maybe I don't want to be rich and famous for being Mr. Rhiannon ... maybe I just want to live my life in simple terms, day to day."

I could see in her eyes that she hadn't expected that I'd say something like that. I was intentionally pushing all her buttons trying to see the woman I loved come out.

"I can't undo what's been done Don. The fame is a part of my life now. Yours too should you want to be with me. The wealth can insulate us a little bit and after a while the fame will die down too. Nobody remains on top for very long fame wise, especially if they push to be not famous. I want you Don. I want us. I'm willing to turn away from my life now and be what you want."

I looked into her eyes and saw the truth. I couldn't take it anymore. It had been too long, and too much. I opened my arms to her, smiling. Her reaction was to start crying as she jumped into my lap. Our kiss was long and hard ... we broke up for a moment, just staring into each others eyes, then we kissed all over again.

"Never again."

"Nope ... never ever again."

"You'll wear my ring?"

"With pride."

"You'll love only me?"

"Like always ... like I always have."

"You'll give up everything for me?"

There was a pause.

"Can't I bring something in to the marriage ... I mean ... money is nice ..."

"Money or me ... make the choice."

"YOU of course ... but all that money ..."

"Oh all right ... you can bring in something too. I guess money can't be evil ... only the love of it."

"You can quit your job now if you want. I can take care of us. I have some put by."

"What will I do with all that time on my hands?"

"Make up sex?"

Her eyes were on fire. I just repeated the statement.

"Make up sex?"

"Yeah, we have ten years to make up for Don ... that's a lot of sex."

"Whoa ... that is a lot of sex."

"Of course you can keep working if you want and I'll be little miss Suzy homemaker."

"YOU? Suzy homemaker? No way. I want a Goddess. A Goddess of love. We can use some of that money you're bringing in and eat out once in a while, in between the make up sex of course."

"Ohhh baby, I can't wait to start."

"No better time than the present?"

"I have one more show to do ... and my announcement to make, then can we go to your place?"

"Yep. My place it is. Of course, I don't live in that little apartment anymore."

"You don't? Where do you live now?"

"Out in Summerlin."

"Isn't that a ritzy part of Vegas?"

"Yeah, it's upscale a bit. I made a few good investments over the years too."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah ... just a few little investments here and there. I'm not wealthy, but I am comfortable. So you know you're not marrying a pauper."

"Wouldn't matter how much you had or didn't have Don ... I want you."

"Same goes for me too Rhea ... I just want you."

" Wait, did you say marry? As in get married marry? You want to marry me?"

"Yeah, I'm not ever letting you get away again. Ever."

"Oh baby ... I love you so much."

"Yeah ... I know."

She hit me. I was being a smart ass of course. We wrestled a bit then kissed. That kiss became a long hot one with hints, flat out flagrant shouts of the lust that was to follow. Only the knock on the door broke up our heated embrace.

"You two decent in there?"

It was Chuck.

"Yeah, come on in Chuck."

"Rhea needs to get ready for the show ... you have a table with your name on it. I'll be serving you tonight too Don."

"Whoa, the manager of the casino is serving me?"

"Yeah it's 'way back' time, without the 'way back' machine. Only this time I hope you two get it right."

We both said it together like it was rehearsed ... only it wasn't. It showed just how much we knew each other, even after the long separation.

"We will this time for sure."

"YO, you two, you're both scaring me. Stop that. Rhea ... they're waiting for you. Don, allow me to show you to your table."

Rhea's announcement that night surprised everyone except the band members. They had worked it out before so they were all in the know. Sitting in the bar I remembered how we first met, and learning about her. Seeing her up on stage, now a very famous rock star was surreal to me. That she kept eyeing me and blowing me kisses caused a stir in the crowd too.

During a break Rhea and Leah came out and sat at my table. Chuck served us as casino security kept away people. Leah kissed me on the cheek.

"Finally you two are getting together. It sure took me long enough. Rhea can be singularly stubborn at times ... dumb too."

Her eyes were lit up and she looked from Rhea to me, waiting for us to rise to the bait.

Rhea beat me.

"Yeah, and I need to thank you for setting me straight. Sorry it took so long though Sweet Pea."

Leah burst out laughing and I sat there not knowing what the secret was, although I could guess.

"So, I have you to thank for Rhea coming home to me then Leah?"

"No. That was her idea. I was always after her to find that one man and grab him. She never let go of you though Don. All this time ... who would have thought you'd still be the one man she loved?"

Her teasing caught me off guard. I had to remember that they hadn't seen or heard from me in ten years, but even then it was like yesterday all over for me.

I got up to go to the restroom. As I walked out I bumped into a guy. Jim was here tonight, just arriving.

"Hey Don, finally got up the nerve to come out and party huh? I heard that Rhiannon is here tonight ... maybe you'd like to share some more great insights on her with me?"

He was kidding me, not knowing that I had just left Rhea at the table. They were now backstage getting ready to play the last set of the night.

"Hey Jim, you almost missed it. This is their last set. Rhea's going to make a big announcement too. Enjoy the show."

He gave me a funny look when I referred to Rhiannon as Rhea and then a doubly strange look at my cryptic comment on her announcement too. I snickered to myself all the way to and back from the restroom.

Jim wasn't too far from 'the table' and when I sat there he looked at me like I was crazy to try to sit there. When Chuck came over and served me a drink, Jim did a double-take. I was enjoying this. I was enjoying this far more than I should have.

Jim obviously recognized Chuck as the manager of the casino. I could see something building in Jim's eyes that hinted at the comprehension of things.

Rhea came on and the band performed the last of their recent hits. As the sounds of the last guitar riff's floated through the air she told the assembled crowd that she was retiring.

"Well everyone, I want you to know that it's been a wild and crazy ten years. I want to thank you for the wonderful years and for putting up with me. We have decided to move on our own ways. The guys are going to be around doing solo work and Leah found a guy she wants to spend time with. Me ... well, lets just say that I've found what I was looking for, and that ride into the sunset is here and now. Thank you all for the years of rock and roll."

Pandemonium broke out. People were shouting, cheering and for the most part happy for the band and Rhea most of all. I saw some crying as they digested the news. It was a bitter-sweet moment, one that would go into the history books as the surprise announcement of this year. Nobody saw it coming. Nobody.

I glanced over at Jim and he was looking at me with that strange look again. He knew I had known what was up before anyone else, but he didn't understand how I had known that. I smiled and nodded my head at him.

Then Rhea jumped down from the stage and ran up to my table. I stood, hugging her as our lips met. Looking over her shoulder I saw Jim sitting at his table, mouth wide open. His friends were pointing at us. I smiled once again as Rhea and I left. Rhea had her arm in mine and we were almost at a dead run.

As we passed Jim's table I slowed and shouted to him (to be heard over the noisy crowd.); "Never underestimate someone Jim. You never know who they might know or what their history has been. See ya around dude."

He'd hear the 'other' news later. I mean, a celebrity wedding always has some kind of coverage ... doesn't it?