FicWad

The following day passed by at a hectic pace. Now a few hours before the start of the show Anna sat working on the notes she had began to gather for her book about the band. Claire had gone with Alicia and Jamia, who had returned earlier than expected, to catering only after Anna had assured her that she did not require her help. While Claire had resisted going with them at first Anna had seen in her eyes how much she had wanted to go. Claire was becoming less and less shy about being around the others, a fact that made Anna happy and slightly sad at the same time. She sighed and once again tried to force her attention back to the task at hand.

“Knock, knock.” Anna looked up to see Christa poking her head in the door of the RV. “Is it okay if I come in?”

“Of course.” Anna answered actually happy for the distraction of a visitor. Her mind just wasn’t on writing at the moment.

Christa walked in and took a seat across from her. “I saw Claire heading towards catering with Jamia and Alicia so I figured you were alone.”

“I was just working on some notes.” Anna said nodding to the laptop. “I like to write down thoughts while they are fresh in my mind.”

“Oh, then am I disturbing you?” Christa asked.

Anna shook her head, “No, to tell you the truth I am glad you came by. For some reason my words just are not flowing today.”

This gave Christa an opening to something she wanted to speak to Anna about. “Gerard mentioned to Ray that you are going to stop writing.”

“Yes” Anna confirmed, “The book I write about the band will be my last. I just feel it is time.”

Christa sighed, “I have to admit I was shocked when Ray told me. You are so talented and all of your books have been bestsellers. I love them so much. It makes me sad to know you won’t be writing anymore.”

“I will miss writing but not all of the work involved.” Anna said with a smile. “This last book I just completed was a struggle.” She walked over to the small refrigerator, “Would you like a soda?”

“Sure.” Christa answered then took the can Anna extended to her. Anna returned to the table. She waited until Anna sat back down before asking, “So do you have any plans for the future?”

“Just to write the book about the band.” Anna answered, “After that I plan to see where life takes me.”

Christa nodded, “That’s a good plan.” She grinned, “Besides this tour is a long one. Who knows how things will change by the end.”

Anna thought she knew what it was Christa was implying, “Do you mean you are wondering if Gerard and I will form a relationship that will last beyond the tour?”

Christa looked sheepish, “Okay, yeah I guess that’s what I do mean but not in a nosey way. It’s just that all of us can see the changes that are happening with him. He’s so much happier now. To be honest none of us had a good feeling at the start of the tour. We were all worried about him and how he would do on stage.”

“He had been through a very hard time.” Anna said softly.

“Oh yes.” Christa nodded, “A very hard time. Sometimes I wondered if he’d ever be back to his old self.”

“You believe that is happening now?” Anna asked.

“He’s much happier now. All of us can see it.” She looked down.

“But you are concerned.” Anna said softly knowing it was the truth.

Christa nodded without raising her eyes, “Well yeah. I mean we all worry.”

Anna sat back and thought a moment before speaking, “Because it is a worry that I might somehow hurt him?”

“I don’t think that.” Christa said quickly. She decided to level with Anna, “I don’t know why but I just have a good feeling about you. The first time we met I felt that way. I think you coming into his life at this time is ….” She searched for the right word finally deciding on, “fate.”

“Fate?” Anna repeated sounding shocked.

Christa nodded, “Okay I know this will sound weird but sometimes I just get these feelings about things. Ray just laughs about it but…”

“I understand.” Anna said with a small smile, “I too at times simply feel things with no real evidence.”

“Yes.” Christa nodded happy that Anna understood. “And that is how I feel about you are Gerard. I just feel like you came into his life at the right time. Like it was destiny.” It was obvious she wanted to say more.

“Tell me what you are thinking.” Anna said, “Please.”

Christa took a deep breath, “Okay to me it just seems like Gerard needs you but I think you need him too. Like at this place in time you two were meant to be together.”

Her words touched Anna deeply. “Thank you.”

Christa took a sip of her soda then spoke again, “Anna can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“There is something else I feel but I don’t want you to be angry.”

“Please say what is on your mind.” Anna prodded. “I will not be angry.”

“I just don’t know how to say it.” She took another drink trying to form the words she wanted to say, “There is something about you that…”

“Go on, please.”

Christa shrugged, “Look it’s just me being weird. But my whole life I’ve been able to sense things about people. And sometimes I met people that are different. They don’t seem like everyone else. I get a different vibe about them.”

“Is it a bad vibe?” Anna asked cautiously.

“Sometimes.” Christa admitted “But not always. Sometimes it’s a very good vibe, just different.”

“And I give off a different vibe?” Anna asked.

Christa wouldn’t meet her eyes, “Yeah, you do. Like there is something about you that is very different but very good.”

Anna struggled trying to decide how to respond.

Christa laughed nervously, “Never mind me. I’m just being silly.”

“No,” Anna did not want her to feel that way. “It is not silly. I believe some people have the ability to see and feel things other can not.”

“So you’re not upset? I mean I don’t want you to be mad at me.”

Anna laughed, “Not at all. And you are correct about me but they are things I can not explain.”

Christa looked into her eyes, “Can’t or won’t?”

Anna knew for Christa’s safety she had to end this conversation and yet she truly wished it did not have to be that way. She felt herself drawn to Christa and would dearly have loved to tell her the truth because deep down she believed Christa would not only believe she would understand. Sighing heavily Anna knew what she had to do. “Christa” She said the word strongly and waited a beat until the other woman’s head snapped up. Looking deeply into her eyes she said in a voice that was hypnotic. “The different vibe you get from me is nothing to be concerned about. I mean no one harm. You believe that?” Maybe it was a mistake but she chose not to completely change Christa’s mind about her.

Christa nodded her open and unblinking eyes.

Anna continued in the same hypnotic voice, “You know that I am different but know there is no reason to give that fact any further thought.”

Christa nodded.

“We have had a nice discussion about the tour and my writing. Nothing more. Correct?”

Again Christa nodded.

“Good.” Anna smiled, “Now let us join the others over at the venue.” She stood breaking eyes contact with Christa.

Christa blinked several times, “Uh, yeah. I’m sorta hungry.”

She followed Anna out of the RV wondering why she had a vague confused feeling but decided it was nothing to worry about.




Frank followed Gerard out of the building and into the cool evening air. He’d asked him if he’d wanted to take a smoke break but the truth was he wanted a chance to talk to him alone. They both lit their cigarettes before Frank spoke.

“So you and Anna are taking off after the concert?”

Gerard inhaled deeply, “Yeah. We’ll meet back up with everyone Thursday morning. I just figured it’d be nice to get away for a while.”

Frank looked at him trying to judge his friend’s frame of mind. He didn’t want to say anything to upset him before the concert and yet he felt want he wanted to say needed to be said, “Dude, don’t you think you’re kinda rushing things with her? I mean you’ve only known Anna a few weeks.”

At first Frank’s words angered him but turning he saw the look of concern on his friends face. “Hey weren’t you the one a few days ago that told me I should be open to the chance that each day a new happiness could come along?”

“Well yeah.” Frank hedged.

“You’re afraid I’ll do something stupid like before, right?”

Frank sighed. “I didn’t say that. It’s just, fuck I don’t know. I guess it just seems kinda weird how close to you have become in such a short time. Especially since I know how you felt about something like that happening right before the tour started.”

“I hadn’t met Anna then.” Gerard answered with a shrug. “And I know you won’t get this but it feels like I’ve known her a long time.”

His words caused Frank to level with him, “Look something’s been bothering me. Don’t get me wrong I like Anna, so does Jamia. But the more I see her the more I think I’ve seen her before.”

“What?” Gerard asked turning to give him a confused look.

Frank thought a minute before answering, “Maybe I’m totally wrong but when I first saw her I had this weird feeling I’d seen her somewhere before and I’m not talking about on the dust jacket of her books. But I think that hair of hers threw me, it looked wrong.”

Gerard took another puff and waited for Frank to continue.

“The more I think about it I’m pretty sure I saw her at PR but she looked different. Her hair was dark and pulled up.”

“Maybe you did. She said she’s been to our shows before.” Gerard said unconcerned.

“Yeah, but if it was her I saw her a lot. Different cities and not in the crowds and not just in the audience. I think I saw her in the area’s where only bands are allowed.”

Gerard thought a minute. “I suppose she could have been. I mean it’s not so weird to think a famous author could have gotten permission to be there.” He was beginning to wonder why this seemed to be a big deal to Frank.

Frank leveled with him, “Look here’s the thing. I remember that when I noticed the woman I think was Anna I thought I knew her. She looked really familiar. Like I’d seen her at other concerts lots of times.”

“You don’t even know if it was her.” Gerard reminded him.

Frank laughed, “True but you gotta admit that even with a different hair color her eyes are pretty striking. That’s what made me remember seeing the woman before. Those icy blue eyes that seem to look into your soul.”

Gerard laughed, “Dude.” He tossed away the cigarette butt, “See into your soul?”

Frank shrugged, “You know what I mean. Her eyes are striking.”

“Everything about her is striking.” Gerard said softly.

Frank frowned and looked away. There was no point in saying anymore he knew Gerard was laughing at his concern.

“So what? You think Anna has been stalking us?”

Frank sighed, “I didn’t say that.”

“Okay, you think she’s been stalking me?” Gerard asked with a laugh.

“Never mind.” Frank snapped. “Forget I said anything.”

Gerard knew he’d hurt his friend’s feelings, “Look I think this all goes back to PR and what happened during that tour. Yeah, I was an idiot. I rushed into shit and at the time everyone suffered because of it. I promise that’s not gonna ever happen again.” He paused then added. “You know how sorry I am about what happened.”

Frank knew he was talking about the infamous concert where they’d struggled in anger on stage. “I know that.”

Gerard wanted to reassure him, “Besides I thought you said you and Jamia like Anna. Come on we both know Jamia is a good judge of character.”

Frank nodded, “Yeah, she is. And I do like Anna.”

“But you can’t help but worry.” Gerard said sadly.

Frank shrugged.

Gerard debated a moment then said, “If I tell you something will you promise to keep it to yourself?”

“Sure.”

“Anna is different than any woman I’ve ever been attracted to. She’s smart, beautiful but fragile.”

“Fragile?” Frank repeated.

Gerard nodded, “Yeah, fragile. She’s been through a lot in her life yet she’s made it, you know? That takes strength and yet when I’m with her I just want to take care of her. Not because I think she needs me to but because I want to. And I think she feels the same way about me. I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. At times it’s like she can read my mind, feel my emotions.” He realized what he was saying made no sense to Frank but it made sense to him. “Look being with her just feels right. At first I fought it because I was afraid of being hurt again but now I just believe it’s right.”

Frank heard the conviction in his voice.

Gerard looked down and added softly, “It may be crazy but when I’m with her I feel deep down inside I’m where I should be. It’s like I’ve found my soul mate.”

“Wow.” Frank said.

Gerard’s head snapped up to see if Frank was laughing at him. Frank was smiling but the smile conveyed happiness. “I’m happy for you, Man.”

“Thanks.” Gerard smiled. “That means a lot to me.”




As they walked back into the venue Gerard’s mind suddenly went back to the dream he’d had the night he and Anna had texted back and forth. He groaned inwardly just thinking about the dream because he felt himself harden as he remembered the woman’s lips on his dick. The fact that the woman had turned into Anna had to have just been his imagination it couldn’t be a memory. He shook his head trying to dispel these thoughts. Of course it had to be. What was he thinking? After last night he knew Anna had never been intimate with a man before. Frank mentioning that he thought he’d seen Anna many times before was what made him think that.

“Hey Gee, we’re needed backstage for some photos.” Mikey called out getting his attention.

“Okay.” He responded trying to put those thoughts out of his head. He spotted Anna talking to Alicia. Quickly he crossed over to them. “Can I talk to you a minute?”

Anna wondered why his request sounded urgent. Alicia smiled and walked away. “What is it?” Anna asked.

Now that he had her alone he felt stupid. He heard Mikey call to him again. “Uh, I gotta go. We’ll talk later.”

“Is everything all right?” Anna asked sounding worried.

Gerard nodded, “Yeah, sure.” He started to walk away then turned, “Uh, before that day we ran into each other had we ever met before?”

Anna struggled not to let it show that the question caught her off guard. She knew she should simply lie but she was finding that harder and harder to do. “Once. Years ago but I’m sure you would not remember.”

Gerard stared at her.

She knew now was not the time for him to be thinking about his. “It was just in passing.”

Gerard felt relief, “Oh you mean like at a concert?”

Anna forced herself to nod.

He smiled, “Oh, cool. Wish I’d been smart enough to really notice you.”

“It was not time.” Anna said softly.

He misunderstood her words, “Yeah, shit like that is always hurried.” He started to walk towards the back stage when he suddenly turned and crossed back over to her. Quickly he pulled her into his arms and brushed a kiss on her lips then turned to follow Mikey who had come to get him.

Anna watched him walk away. “But now it is time.” She whispered.