Rhythm in Blue (28 page)

He placed himself between them in an attempt to guide them, but with both of them staggering and zigzagging down the sidewalk, Rick felt like a tennis ball, volleyed back and forth between two rackets. Now and then, he had to reach out and grab one or the other to keep them on course. It was the longest block Rick ever walked, and he regretting not moving his car closer to the club when he had the chance.

Keith had nothing to say. He was too drunk. Now and then, he would look at Rick as though he were about to speak, but then a look of confusion would cross his face, and he’d look away. Randy on the other hand couldn’t be quiet.

“You don’t know how lucky you are Keith,” he said. “I wish I had married Morgan. Do you think I should have married Morgan, Keith?”

Keith suddenly stopped. Rick pulled at his arm, but he stood his ground.

“Do you?” Randy asked again as Rick pulled him to a stop to wait for Keith.

Keith stumbled to the curb, pulling Rick with him. Leaning into the street, he threw up.

“Ricky?” Randy asked, searching around to see where the other two went.

“What?” he asked, holding Keith’s shirt to keep him from tumbling into the street.

“Do you think…” he paused for a moment to burp, and then continued, “I should have married Morgan?”

“No, I don’t.”

“How come?” Randy asked, and by his tone, Rick knew it wasn’t the right answer.

“Because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants, and she deserved better than that.”

When Keith was done, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and they continued down the sidewalk.

“If we’d a got married, I would’a kept my dick in my pants,” Randy giggled. “I wish I married her. Do you think she would?”

“What? Now?”

“Yeah. No…back when she was here. I should call her…” Randy said.

“I wouldn’t do that, at least not tonight,” Rick said, as he stopped the two beside his vintage, two-door Camaro. He leaned Keith against the side, held onto Randy with one hand, and opened the car door with the other.

“Shotgun!” Randy sang.

“No, sorry buddy, but Keith gets shotgun.”

“Why? I called it,” Randy said, sounding like a whiny ten year old.

Rick leaned the front seat forward and shoved Randy into the back. “Because he’s the groom, the man of the night.”

Keith grinned at Rick in gratitude, then turned and threw up down the side of Rick’s car.
And that’s why you get shotgun, my friend
.

With everyone settled, Rick pulled the car onto the road and headed for Randy’s apartment complex. It was so quiet, Rick assumed Randy had passed out in the back, so he was startled when Randy’s head appeared right beside his own.

“Ricky, do you think I should have married Morgan?” he asked again.

“Yes, I do. Sit back, Randy.”

“I think so too. I was a prick to her. She’ll probably never speak to me again,” he said.

“Probably not.”

“I should call her.”

“Randy, would you sit back, please?” Randy’s head disappeared and Rick looked over to see Keith leaning against the car door, and his faced pressed to the window. “Keith, do you need the window down?”

Keith didn’t reply, and Randy’s head popped back up between the two front seats. “Keith, do you love Amy?” he asked. When Keith didn’t reply, Randy continued, “I know, it’s none of my business…I just think if you’re getting married, you should love her, I mean really,
really
love her.”

“Of course he loves her, Randy.”

“I loved Morgan. I should have married her, and you should have married Beth,” he said, turning to Rick. “Then, we’d all be married!” Randy started laughing hysterically.

Rick ignored him, and pulled up to Randy’s building. “You’re home buddy.”

“Who’s home?”

“You are. Can you make it up by yourself, or do you need me to take you?”

Randy looked out the window. “Hey, this is where I live.”

“Yep,” Rick said opening the car door and getting out. He pulled his seat forward and reached back for Randy. Grabbing a hold of his forearm, Rick pulled him out of the car. Randy stumbled out, and Rick held him up, and aimed him toward the building.

Randy stopped and held his hand up. “I got this.”

“Are you sure?” Rick asked.

“Yup, I’ll see you...some other time.” Randy stumbled toward the doors. Rick saw the doorman rushing to open up and let Randy in. He knew the guy would make sure Randy made it upstairs okay. Rick waved to him and the guy waved back.

He turned back to the car and saw Keith throwing up down the inside of the car window, his face still pressed to the glass. Rick shook his head and walked around to get back in.
One more stop
, he thought as he started the car.

~

Rick followed the minister through the door into his private office. Amy’s maid of honor, Lisa, followed close behind. The document sat on the desk, ready for signatures. Handing Rick a pen, the minister pointed to a spot on the paper.

“Right there, where it says Witness,” he said.

Rick signed carefully, noting how beautifully Keith and Amy had signed, and aware that the license would likely end up on display in a wedding album. He turned and handed the pen to Lisa. The pastor pointed to the spot for the second witness, and she signed on the line.

“That’s almost everything,” the minister said, turning the license around to inspect it while clearing his throat.

Reaching into the inside pocket of his tuxedo, Rick retrieved an envelope and handed it to the man. “Thank you so much. It was a beautiful ceremony. You did a great job.”

“It was,” Lisa agreed.

“Thank you very much,” he said peeking into the envelope to make sure the check was there. “I’m sure your friends will be very happy.”

Rick was surprised to see him check the envelope, and had to wonder how many couples stiffed the minister after their wedding. He shook the man’s hand and headed back out into the nearly deserted church.

“This way,” Lisa said, leading him to a side door.

When they emerged into the bright sunlight, they could see the bride and groom climbing into the waiting limo, and the guests beginning to head for their own transportation. Together, they walked quickly to catch up to the rest of the wedding party and the second limo. Devon and Randy, each wearing the same dark blue tuxedo as Rick, had already found a beer, and were leaning against the car laughing. Lisa joined Julia and the bridesmaids standing at the other end of the limo in their discussion of the wedding.

“Where’s Sonya,” Rick asked, looking at Devon. Devon tilted his head up slightly to indicate she was behind Rick. He turned to find her standing alone, leaning against a concrete retaining wall. “There she is,” he said, walking towards her.

She smashed her cigarette butt into the ground under her heel. “What took so long? I thought you’d maybe abandoned me and ran off with the maid of honor.”

Although she said it as a joke, Rick knew part of her was serious, and she looked annoyed. “I’m sorry, we had to wait for the minister, but I’m here now. Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I’ve
been
ready.”

“Don’t be like that. Keith and Amy just left, we’ll be right behind them.”

“I’m sorry,” she said with a sigh. “Your friends don’t like me very much, and it’s awkward, just standing around with them.”

“They do too like you,” he said, turning to see Randy watching them.

Sonya laughed, “No, they don’t. Randy is the only one who’s nice to me. Devon and Julia act like I’m just some hooker you picked up and can’t shake.”

Rick shook his head at her, “I think you’re being a little paranoid, they like you just fine.”

“Are we ready?” Devon asked, looking around to make sure everyone was there.

Slowly, they all piled into the limousine to follow Keith and Amy to the reception. Even though the limo was big, they were a large group, and seating was tight. Devon shoved Rick in after Julia and ahead of himself. Sonya was the last one in, and there was no place for her.

Randy pulled her in. “Here, you can sit on my lap.” Sonya looked a little shocked, but happy to be treated like one of the gang. Rick looked at Randy in disbelief. “Don’t look so worried, Ricky, I’ll give her back.”

He was finding it more difficult by the day to put up with Randy, who acted as though annoying those around him was the most pleasurable thing in his life. Even Julia had been losing patience with him. Tonight he would end up drunk again, trying to screw any or all of the bridesmaids, and Rick would likely end up having to babysit him at the end. Rick watched as he blatantly flirted with Sonya during the short trip, and she ate it up.

He looked around the limo, suddenly panicked. “Where’s the ring bearer?”

“He went with Grandma and Grandpa,” Julia said.

“He’s not coming to the reception?”

Devon leaned over to give Julia a kiss. “He’ll be there, but he won’t stay for the whole thing. Tonight, Mommy and Daddy get to play.”

Rick felt bad for him, Eli was so excited about the wedding and his part in it, Rick hated for him to miss any of it, even the reception. Then he remembered how Randy would likely end the night, not to mention Devon and Julia, and decided it was probably best if the boy didn’t stay for the whole thing.

“I hope you guys got lots of pictures of him in his tux, because I want copies,” he said to Julia.

“Oh yeah, and we’ll get more at the reception. Your Eli album should grow by about an inch after today.”

Rick nodded in satisfaction as the limo pulled up to the reception hall. He watched as Sonya exited the car, with the aid of Randy’s hand pushing her ass through the door. As Rick climbed out behind him, he decided Randy would need to find someone else to take care of him for the night.

~

After the meal and all the toasts, the real party began. Once Keith and Amy had their first dance, everyone else took to the floor.

“Come on Ricky,” Sonya said, pulling at his arm. “There is no way I’m sitting here all night without dancing.”

“I told you, I don’t dance. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find someone else.”

She gave him a dirty look, but sat back down beside him. “Is it that you don’t like it or you don’t know how?” she asked.

“Both. I look stupid when I dance, so I don’t like it.”

She crossed her arms with a
humph
and watched the dance floor longingly.

Randy walked by and saw the two sitting in silence. “Won’t he dance with you?” he asked.

She shook her head and looked at Rick, pouting.

“Yeah, he’s not a dancer. I heard a rumor of him dancing once, but I’ve never actually seen him do it.” Randy winked at Rick, but Rick was not amused. “Ricky, you won’t be pissed if I dance with her, will you?”

Rick shook his head as Randy held out his hand for Sonya. She jumped up in excitement, and followed him out to the floor.
So much for bridesmaids, he has much bigger plans.
After watching them dance for a while, he felt bad about doubting Randy’s intentions. Rick knew he was capable of many things, but knew he would never do something like that to a friend, especially to him.

He wasn’t alone for the entire night, everyone took turns visiting him. Eli was the first, having no dance partner either.

“You did a fantastic job today, buddy. You were the star of the show,” Rick told him, pulling Eli onto his lap.

“Really?” he asked, and his eyes grew large.

“Oh yeah, I was so proud of you. You kept perfect time walking down the aisle, and you look very handsome in your suit. There are a lot of pretty girls here. You should ask someone to dance,” he said, ruffling the boy’s hair. “I don’t think they could refuse such a good looking guy.”

The compliment made Eli blush, but the idea excited him, and he asked Rick to help him pick out a girl to ask. Rick looked around and saw Lisa wasn’t dancing, so he pointed her out.

“Go ask that lady, I know she’ll say yes.” Eli jumped off Rick’s lap, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Go,” Rick encouraged him.

He couldn’t help but grin as he watched the boy tug on Lisa’s skirt and ask her to dance. She smiled at him, and took his hand as he pulled her out to the floor. Rick looked around for the photographer and saw the man taking pictures of the dancers – Rick knew he’d get a few shots of the mismatched couple.

Devon was the next to stop by his table, but all he wanted to talk about was the new album, and what would follow.

“Can’t you take a night off?” Rick asked him. “You seriously want to talk business right now?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s something that we need to be thinking about, that’s all. Once
Great Reflections
comes out, we’re gonna have to renegotiate our contract. We’ve got to be thinking about what we’re gonna ask for.”

“I don’t even want to think about that yet, Devon,” Rick said. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“I’m thinking we need to go for something shorter this time,” Devon said, oblivious to Rick’s irritation. “Maybe just a couple of albums this time, these last six were hell, and look how long it took us to do them. And I don’t want to have to cheat and put out another “Greatest Hits” at the end just to fulfill the obligation.”

“Jesus, Devon, fine. Why don’t we tell them we’ll just give them one at a time, no contract, they can take it or leave it.” Devon opened his mouth to argue, but Rick continued, “In fact, let’s just tell them to kiss our ass and they’ll see us when they see us.”

Devon shook his head and stood to leave. “Just think about it Ricky. Whether you like it or not, it’s gonna have to be done soon.”

Rick didn’t answer, just looked beyond him to the dance floor. He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief when Devon left. Just thinking about renewing their contract exhausted him. Making it through the first one was like a never-ending odyssey. All he wanted was to be free of it for a while, not jump right back in, headfirst.

Sonya danced on and on, occasionally switching partners, and left Rick to sit. He didn’t care. It had been a long day and he was happy to watch rather than participate. Eventually, Keith came and sat beside him. Rick couldn’t help but smile at the grin on Keith’s face – he’d worn it all day without end.