Chapter 9

Bret's house came equipped with a small recording studio where the guys jammed there a lot, working on demo's and such. 

Rikki felt the need to jam on his drums, so he took Sheila's hand and led her there. The studio held a variety of instruments, one of which was a grand piano. Rikki's mind was always on sex. His thoughts of drumming a became distant memory as he lifted Sheila up so she was sitting on the edge. He moved between her legs and put his arms around her waist laying his head upon her ample chest. 

Sheila, waiting to see what Rikki was up to, just put her arms around his head, cradling him. 

Rikki looked up as her and said, "Baby, I am so glad I met you. You and I have it easier than Bret and Rayna. You are so different than Rayna in that you understand the rock world backstage.....the gratuitous sex, girls throwing themselves at us, giving blow jobs at the drop of a hat. I love the role playing that we do so you are always the one I end up with. You will always be my groupie."

"I'll always be your groupie, Rikki, so long as you are always MY rock star and no one else's," she said with that don't mess with me tone in her voice.

"MMMmm, Baby, that goes without saying. I am feeling a bit rock star-ish now," Rikki said, unbuttoning Sheila's shirt, exposing the bra encased twins. He reached around, unhooking the bra and began feasting on the twins. Rikki mouthing one nipple then the other. Sheila was moaning and had grabbed handfuls of Rikki's hair to hold his head at her breasts. He took one of her nipples between his teeth and gently chewed on it. Sheila screamed at the pleasure/pain and almost ripped out Rikki's hair.

"OOWWw!"

"Ooopps. Sorry baby."

Rikki then laid Sheila back so that she was laying flat on the piano putting her pussy at the perfect level for him. He spread her legs and proceeded to lick her clit, running his tongue down to her opening then back up, sucking on her clit. She was hot and wet.

"TAKE ME TO THE MOON, ROCKETT MAN!" Sheila called out and Rikki lustily obliged. By the time they were done the studio had been well christened.

Rayna drove, crying and hiccuping. Bret's behavior helped make her decision. She would go north. She couldn't stay in L.A. because Bret was too close. I can stay with Sheila's parents till I got a place of my own. I laughed a bit at the irony...that I still had my luggage in the car. I'll call Sheila when I get up north.

It had been about four days since Rayna left, and the whole band felt the difference. Bret for one, had become an ass. He did nothing but drink, coming to work drunk or hung over. He just wasn't pleasant to be around. And they missed Rayna, she was such a nice person. She had been the best girl Bret ever had. She even put up with CC's shenanigans. They missed her.

*Look What The Cat Dragged In*

Rikki thought it was time Bret joined the living, especially since they have an awards show to go to. They had to perform tonight.

CC, Bobbie, and Rikki came storming into Bret's room. 

"Get your sorry ass outta bed!" Rikki yelled.

"We got our butts up, now it's your turn." CC said, walking over to smack Bret on the butt.

"Stop you're bitchin'," Bret mumbled.

Bobbie went to pull back the covers off of where he thought Bret's head would be and found a stinky foot. "Dude, when was the last time you washed these socks?" Bobbie said picking up a foot, then dropping it.

"Guys, look at this rat's nest," Rikki said, picking through Bret's hair, chuckling, "I wonder if there's a girl in here."

"I can't tell if he's half alive or half dead," Bobbie quipped.

A hand came out from under the covers and swatted at Rikki, "Fuck you."

Rikki laughed and walked around to the other side of the bed saying, "I guess he's half alive, barely."

All of a sudden Bret found himself on the floor. His three band mates had lifted the mattress and dumped Bret on the floor.

"What...the...fuck!" Bret grumbled, laying there on his back, arms flung out across the floor.

Rikki walked over to Bret, bent and extended his hand to Bret, "Bret, get up." Bret took his hand and Rikki helped him up, "Come on, you need a shower." Rikki pushed him into the bathroom and since Bret was a la nude aside from his dirty socks, Rikki just shoved him in the shower and turned on the water. "Shower." Bret did as he was told.

The guys went to find Sheila who was down on the back patio enjoying the view. The Boys were already ready so they were just waiting for Bret.

"So is he getting cleaned up?"

"Ya. You can probably go up and take care of him in a few."

About 20 minutes later Sheila went up to make sure Bret got dressed and to do up his glam makeup. She found him staring out the window with only a towel on.
"Hey Bret," Sheila said casually, trying to gauge Bret's mood. 

He turned to look at her, then back out the window. 

"Hey." 

Bret didn't seem inclined to move so Sheila started going through his closet and picked out some things for Bret to wear. She picked out the classic 'Bret look'...tight black leather pants, vest and all of his bracelets and bandannas. Plus I laid out his big white faux fur coat. and cowboy boots.

"Bret, come over here and sit down so I can do up your hair and makeup." Bret silently sat where she told him to. Sheila looked at Bret in the mirror. He was being sulky, pouting, though probably from a hang over. But she waited to see if Bret would say something.

"So, aren't you going to say something?"

"Like what Bret," I said quietly.

"I don't know, like 'I told you so' or something...tell me how pissed you are."

"There's no reason to say I told you so, because if I recall I just said I'd kick your ass if you hurt her, but I think you're doing enough of that yourself."

"She knew what I was like when she met me," Bret said trying to justify his actions.

"Of course she did, Bret," Sheila said in exasperation, "why do you think she resisted you in the first place?"

"But she came around though," Bret said quietly, his eyebrows drawn together, his lips pursed.

"Stupid man," she said, smacking in him the head. "Of course she did. You have more good looks, magnetism and sweet talk than any two men. But she is not a groupie Bret. She's not me. Had you not asked her to be your girl, she probably would have been cool with it and just let you go, but she is not going to put up with you fucking every piece of ass that pulls up her skirt. Rayna needs stability. She needs to know you're going to be faithful." I paused while I applied some make up. "Bret, I am not happy about what you did but the only thing I CAN thank you for is what you did to make her better. Are you in love with Rayna?"

Bret sighed, "I don't know. All I know is I want her here now. I want to be with her all the time."

"So when she's not, do you think it OK to go after other girls just because you're bored or horny or whatever?" her voice raising a notch. Not giving him a chance to respond, Sheila continued, "Bret, grow up. You've had enough years partying. You guys have a great career, achieved spectacular success. If you guys keep it together, you could be like the Stones and live forever! Think about it Bret, Rayna's the best thing that ever happened to you. She would be the best helpmate for you. Think on it Bret." Sheila had finished with Bret and they went down stairs, and took off for the show.

Rayna, over the next six months she made herself comfortable up north. She found a quaint house on the coast south of San Fran, surrounded by the huge pines, and during the winter the view of the coast was spectacular. She was working for a wonderful law firm and volunteering at a local shelter. And when the weather was bad she stayed in town at Sheila's parents.

Her one sadness was her love for Bret. When she was alone at night, she thought of him. Rayna tried working a lot, and it usually helped. She'd be so tired she'd go right to sleep, but tonight she stood staring at the sea. Her phone had rung. It was Bret. He would call, she would ignore it, and he would leave a message, or not. Sometimes he would sing a song to her. 

Rayna's resistance was breaking down, but she never returned his calls. Sheila said he still partied, but as far as she knew he wasn't seeing any women. Rayna wasn't ready to trust him. 

Sheila said the more she ignored him the worse his drinking got. He had even been in a car accident, though he was OK. Maybe later she would...maybe later she could.....trust him.

But now it was spring time and I had some vacation time to use. I had plans to spend my time with Sheila, but Bret didn't know.

Rayna and Sheila were sitting on the balcony of the apartment...

"Rayna what are you going to do about Bret?"

"What is Bret going to do about me," I countered.

"He's been trying, Hon, but you keep ignoring him, not returning his calls. You need to talk to him sometime. The more you keep this up, the more destructive he gets."

She sighed, saying, "I know. I'll talk to him before I go back, but for now I just want to enjoy my visit with you."

A few nights later her visit with Bret came much sooner than expected......

Sheila got a call on her cell.

"Sheila, it's Kimo."

"Hey Kimo, what's up?"

"Is Rikki with you?"

"Yes he is, Kimo. What's wrong?"

"Sheila, Rikki asked me to track down Bret. I found him and he is in bad shape. He just keeps asking for Rayna. Do you know where she is? I want to take Bret to her. I think it is the only way to stop all this."

"I agree.. She's been ignoring him long enough. She had planned on seeing him before she left, but maybe seeing him this way is better. Kimo, she is at the apartment. I am here with Rikki, so they will be alone. I'll just stay here with Rikki tonight."

"OK, Sheila, thanks."

"Was that Kimo?" Rikki asked, kissing Sheila on the back of the neck.

"MMMMmmm. Yes. He tracked down Bret. I guess he's in a bad way. He is going to take him to Rayna. Hopefully they can resolve this, one way or the other."

Rayna was sitting watching some late night TV. Sheila had just called earlier to say that she was spending the night with Rikki. She was so happy for Sheila. Her and Rikki had been together for about a year now. 

Jay Leno was in the middle of his monologue when there was a knock at the door. Rayna looked through the peep hole in the door and saw it was Kimo. She opened the door and there was Kimo with Bret slung over his shoulder unconscious.

"Can I bring him in?"

"Oh, Kimo," my voice instantly filled with worry and sadness, "I can't" I whispered, even though I was opening the door wider. My head saying no, but my heart giving in.

"Put him on the couch," she said as Kimo laid him down. At that moment Rayna saw Bret's face. She started to cry. He was all bruised and puffy, from fighting and drinking.

"Rayna, I'm sorry to bring him here, but I can't see him abuse himself anymore. He's been missing you and even if you can't tell, he's in love with you. The only time he says so is when he's shit faced, and he doesn't even remember the next day. You have to talk to him Rayna."

"Kimo, his face...." she said not finishing her sentence, touching a fingertip to his hairline.

"He's been fighting. This last time he had a fight with some guy in a bar."

"He can stay here, for now, but if we don't come to some kind of understanding then I'll leave and Rikki can take over. You know why I can't be with him and I don't know if he can change. I love him Kimo, but I just don't know." She lightly moved a lock of hair out of his face. Tears rolled down her face. His beautiful face bruised, his knuckles red and crusted with blood.

"Kimo, you can go. I'll be ok," she said, walking Kimo to the door, giving him a hug and a kiss.

Rayna went to her room to grab a pillow and blanket. Bret was still passed out so she put a pillow under his head, took off his shoes and covered him with a blanket. She went and changed clothes, so she would be comfortable, and locked up the apartment for the night. 

Rayna arranged myself on the sofa so she could sit with Bret's head in her lap, putting her feet up on the ottoman. She left the TV on for light and a bit of noise and closed her eyes and fell asleep.......

"RAYNA!!" Bret called out in his sleep.

Rayna woke with a start and looked around. Gosh she was still on the couch with Bret's head in her lap. He was restless and calling out her name. She looked down, ran a hand across his blond hair and said, "SShhh, Bret, I'm here." 

Bret calmed and fell back asleep. After adjusting her feet she, too, fell back asleep.

She woke up suddenly the next morning. You know, that kind of sudden wake up, like your alarm didn't go off and you're late for work. She found she was laid out on the couch covered with the blanket and no Bret. Rayna got up to refresh herself and she could hear a shower running. He was in Sheila's bathroom. 

Rayna finished and went back to the living room. She had thrown on an oversized sweater and a pair of stretch pants. Moving into the litchen, she grabbed a glass of juice and went out on the balcony. It was a cool crisp morning. 

Lost in thought, she didn't hear Bret come out till she heard, "Hi. My name is Bret." Rayna smiled. He said the same thing when she first met him. She thought, maybe he is trying to start over...fresh..clean. So with a soft look over my shoulder, she said, "I don't date girls." 

Bret smiled his beautiful smile, taking my answer for what it was intended and picked me up in a bear hug, his arms around my waist, my arms around his neck. I hung there a moment, then Bret set me on my feet, embracing me once more.

"Rayna," he said, somewhat desperately, "I missed you so much!"

With a slightly slower response, Rayna said quietly, "I missed you, too." Her ear was to his chest and she could hear his heart beat. His hands were moving up and down my back, his lips kissing the top of my head. God, she missed this, missed Bret. He smelled a lot better after his shower. It looks like he found something of Rikki's to wear. She hugged him tighter....she just couldn't help it.

Bret moved from kissing the top of her head to her lips. His tongue slowly, sensually made it's way inside her mouth. Just before she thought she would pass out from the overwhelming sensation, as it had been so long since they last kissed, Bret broke off the kiss and led her over to a chair, sat down, and pulled her down on his lap, straddling his lap, facing him.

"Rayna," he said, kissing Rayna's hands, "I won't ask you to forgive me, but I AM asking if we can start over. Obviously I am a freaking mess without you. I swear to you I have not been with any women, since. I am only guilty of drinking myself into oblivion to escape the pain of missing you and," he said in retrospect, "I think in some way I didn't want to let go of the lifestyle we've been leading for the past six years. You know what they say 'sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll'. I want you to trust me whether we are together or apart." Bret paused to kiss me again, then took my hands and said, "I'd like you to move in with me."

"Bret, I can't move in with you, at least not right now. I have a life up north. A great job, a small house on the beach and I am donating my time at a local shelter." The look of utter devastation almost broke her heart. "BUT, I would be willing to compromise." She paused, placing her hands on either side of his face, touching her forehead to his briefly, continuing, "How about when I am in L.A., I will stay at your place and when you come to see me, you stay with me. I can't just up and leave right now and we still need time."

"Fair enough. Will you come stay with me now till you have to leave?" Bret asked, his eyes pleading.

"Yes," she said. Bret's eyes just lit up, just hugging tight, his head on her chest.

"Rayna, I love you," his voice muffled as his face was still pressed against her chest.

Rayna responded in kind, "Bret, I lo...."

"SSsshh, don't say it," Bret said, putting a finger to her lips, "Not yet. I know I hurt you and I want you to be absolutely sure when you do say it. Right now it's enough just to know it in my heart."

Since he didn't want her to say it, she would just show him. She sat there looking at his face...She was still upset that his beautiful face had bruises and small cuts. One eye was swollen. Rayna let her fingertips trace the planes of his face-eyebrows, lips, the tip of his nose. Then a tiny idea popped into her head. She touched a boo boo and said, "Does it hurt here?"

Bret caught on real fast, instantly looking pathetic and said, "Yes," with a bit of a pouty lip.

She kissed the spot.  "Does it hurt here?"

"Yes." 

So she kissed the corner of his swollen eye. 

Bret touched his ear (which was not injured) and said, "It hurts here," trying to look innocent.

Rayna smiled and kissed his ear. As she was kissing the 'boo boo', she felt another boo boo 'arise'. She grinned. She bet he would like for her to kiss THAT boo boo. Having had enough of the patio chair, Rayna stood up so Bret could stand up. She took his hand so she could lead him into my room.

"Bret, honey," breaking into her southern belle voice, "I think you have another' boo boo'. It's all 'swollen'. If you come with me I can take care of that for you in my room."

Bret, playing along like the first time, pleasing her greatly. "I'd be much obliged, Miss Rayna, if you could help me with my pre'dick'ament."

"I think I would need to look at the swollen appendage to make an educated assessment of the situation," she said, still playacting. 

Bret quickly undressed and showed her, albeit proudly, as well he should be, the swollen appendage.

Clapping her hands to her cheeks, she exclaimed, "Mista Bret, that is swollen beyond belief! Let me see if I can provide some relief."

"And as always, Miss Rayna, you are entirely over dressed.." Within seconds Bret had relieved her of her clothes. Bret then said as he helped her up on the bed, "Miss Rayna, Ma'am, it would be remiss of me as a gentleman, if I did not take care of your needs first." 

Thank god chivalry is not dead! Bret took care of Rayna's needs in glorious fashion.