Chapter Five

Leana stood in the kitchen doing dishes thinking about the evening. Seeing Richie again brought it all back, the good, the bad, the laughter and love that they had shared. She thought about his invitation for the following night. Would the guys remember her? Would she even fit in anymore? She had kept up with them, followed their career and gone to more than her fair share of shows, but could she do this? Could she be around Richie again? She had been so totally crazy for him and he had broken her heart. It had taken her a long time to pick up the pieces and move on. As she finished cleaning up an old Richard Marx song came on the radio.

Should've known better
Than to fall in love with you
Now love is just a faded memory
Should've known better
Now I'm a prisoner to this pain
And my heart still aches for you

There was no risk that I wouldn't take
And not a promise that I didn't make
All I asked was that you just hold on
And now I'm wondering what I did wrong

Leana felt a tear slide down her cheek. "Dammit. Why can't I let it go? She sat down heavily on th couch, laying her head against the back. "Just admit it" she told herself. I can't let it go because I still love him. Always have, probably always will. She closed her eyes and let herself remember.

The first time she had seen him was at the Fastlane. She had gone to meet Dorothea to watch Jon, as usual. Dot had told her that Jon had gotten a new guitar player, but didn't say anything more. All it took was one look and Leana knew she was done for. Her weakness was tall, dark and handsome and while that attracted her to him, it was the laughter in his warm brown eyes and his sense of humor that had stolen her heart. They had hit it off almost instantly and they were nearly inseparable after that.

After seeing the guys all play together that first time, Leana knew they were going to be big and had told him so more than once. She helped them whenever and however she could and what did he do? He dumped her when they hit it big. But before that, when they were still playing bars, when no one really knew who they were, he had been hers.

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Richie sat on his sofa and stared out the window. She was the last person he expected to see. Hadn't even realized it was her until she stuck her tongue out at him. That used to be her way of getting him to smile, way back when. She would cock her head to one side and stick her tongue out just enough to tease him. It never failed to work. It would have tonight too if he hadn't been so surprised to see her. He leaned back on the couch and stretched his legs out in front of him. The 20 years fell away as he sat there. The memories came and he let them.

Leana had always been there for him. He had noticed her with Dorothea that night at the Fastlane, but really, who wouldn't have. With her sea green eyes and all that dark hair, coupled with a figure that could make a man's mouth water, she could have had anyone she wanted. He had just been lucky that she set her sights on him. While it was the green eyes and doll-like face that attracted him, it was her easy smile and determination to see him succeed that had done him in. She was at every show they played. Her support was unwavering. She helped them out any way she could, gas, loan of her car, handing out flyers, she never questioned, she just pitched right in.

When they made their first and second records, she stood by him, by them, always encouraging, never doubting. How she did it all, he didn't know. He was too wrapped up in his own life to worry about it. When Slippery hit though and they became bigger than life, he dropped her, told her that he didn't want any groupies hanging around.

Richie sat up and rubbed his eyes. What a trip. He looked over at the table and saw the envelope again. Shit. Yet another relationship he had messed up. He picked up the envelope and dumped its contents out. He didn't read the papers, he knew what they were. He saw the big bold letters at the top JUDGMENT OF DIVORCE. There was a filing stamp at the bottom. It was official. He was divorced.