Blue Saturn (24 page)

Next it was Mikey’s turn to open his presents. He tore into the first gift covered in green wrapping paper and opened the cardboard box. When he saw the acoustic guitar, his eyes opened wide. “Cool. Thanks Dad.”

The second box held an electric guitar.

Both guitars were green and had been custom made to Mikey’s size.

“These are the best Dad. Hey, I can play your song on my new guitar.”

Mike looked puzzled before I explained. “Gavin has been helping him learn a song to play for you.”

Mike checked that the guitar was in tune before handing it over to Mikey. Mikey took a deep breath and started singing. “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton. I have no idea why Gavin taught him to play this song; it’s so incredibly sad, and although the song is about a father and son, I know Gavin was thinking of Angela when he tutored Mikey through that song. Mikey sung it beautifully; that kid has some serious talent.

By the end of the song, there was not a dry eye in the house, even Mike’s.

The goodbyes were long and drawn out over an hour. But finally, Mike’s family left and we were alone again.

Mikey, absolutely exhausted from playing all afternoon with his cousins, crashed on the couch at about five thirty. By six, the caterers were all packed up and had left. Steve left at seven and at eight o’clock, I slipped into the bath.

I know Mike is waiting for me in bed. He showered quickly about ten minutes ago. It’s early to go to bed, but he still has my present to give me. And I know we won’t be going to sleep straight away anyway, if the past six nights have been any indication.

The bath water is getting cool and rather than refilling it with warm water, I decide it’s time to get out. I dry myself off and slip into a pair of red knickers and a black t-shirt. I don’t know why I bother getting dressed; it’s all going to be on the floor in a few minutes anyway.

Mike is sitting up against his pillow looking at his phone when I walk out from the bathroom. He’s scowling.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, it’s Paul.”

“What does he want?” I crawl across the bed and sit astride Mike, getting his full attention.

“We’ve said he can come to New Zealand with us for the relief concert. Now he’s making demands.”

“What sort of demands?”

“Demands that I don’t care for. He can deal with Liane.” Mike sets his phone down and looks at me. “Why do you bother wearing clothes to bed?” he says as his hands slide across the bare skin under my t-shirt.

“I don’t want to be presumptuous. You might not be in the mood,” I say.

Mike laughs. “I don’t know if that could ever happen with you.” He leans forward and kisses my neck. “I’m crazy for you.” He lifts the t-shirt up over my head and looks at me. “You’re so beautiful.” He kisses my lips and pulls my body in closer to his.

He’s trying to roll me onto my back, but I won’t let him. For the past six nights, we have made love, always with Mike on top, always with Mike setting the pace.

But tonight, I want, no, I need to be in charge.

“Mike, please,” I plead with him. I roll him to his back and climb on top of him. “I need to.”

“Baby, you need to go slow.”

I shake my head. “Not tonight. Tonight I want you...I need you Mike.”

Mike sits up so we’re eye to eye. “You have me baby.”

“Let me make love to you,” I say. “Please.”

Mike grabs hold of my hips and steadies me. “If that’s what you want.”

I kiss him tenderly. “It’s what I want.”

My eyes are feeling heavy. Mike’s steady heartbeat beneath me is slowly lulling me to sleep.

“Lyndsay, don’t fall asleep. I want to give you your present.”

“Do I have to move?” I ask slowly.

“Yes, because I can’t...reach...” Mike moves out from under me, causing me to lie against the soft mattress of his bed, our bed.

I turn my head to the side and drape an arm over Mike’s chest.

“Open your eyes, baby.”

I slowly open my eyes and in front of me, resting on the bed is a small red box. Suddenly all my fatigue dissipates and I sit bolt upright.

“What is that?” I ask, looking down wide eyed at the box.

“Open it,” Mike says.

“But what’s in there?” I ask.

Mike laughs. “Lyndsay, I’m not asking you to marry me. Open the box.”

I slowly reach out and pick up the box. I open it and my jaw drops open when I see the beautiful diamond encrusted ring. I look back and forth between the ring and Mike.

“Do you like it?” Mike asks.

“It looks like an engagement ring,” I say.

“It’s not.” Mike sits up and takes the box from me. “It’s a commitment ring.”

“Isn’t that an engagement ring?”

“Lyndsay, I would marry you tomorrow if I knew it wouldn’t completely freak you out.” He takes the ring from the box. “It’s a commitment ring.” He puts the box down and takes my right hand. “I want you to wear this ring, as a sign of my love for you and your love for me.”

“Do we need a ring to prove that?”

Mike slips the ring onto my ring finger. “No we don’t. But I want everyone else to know exactly how we feel about each other.”

I look down at the sparkling diamonds. The ring is absolutely beautiful. “Mike,” I breathe. “It’s so beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” He kisses me softly at first, but his kiss soon deepens and as he pushes me onto my back, I decide that this time, he can be in control.

*****

Mike, Gavin and Steve are in another meeting with Liane. I had forgotten about her existence but in her usual charming way, she reminded me she is still very much a force in the Blue Saturn family.

From what I can gather from overhearing hushed conversations, Liane and the record label aren’t happy with what they’ve heard from the new songs. They want something edgier and darker. Mike is digging in his heels; he, and Gavin and Steve for that matter, love the new music.

Mikey and I are inside, baking chocolate chip cookies. Mikey is counting the chocolate drops as he puts them into the cookie mixture.

“What comes after twenty nine?” he asks.

“Thirty,” I answer.

Then I hear Liane’s voice from the hallway. “Well, if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for your fans.” The click clack of her high heeled shoes against the floors stops. “I understand that you’re life has taken a dramatic turn in the past few months, Mike. But don’t go into papa rock mode just yet. You’ve still got a few good years of bad boy left in you.” The click clack resumes and then I hear a door open and close.

Mike comes into the kitchen. He looks annoyed but puts on a smile and comes to the bench. “Whatcha doin’?” he asks Mikey before planting a kiss on his head.

“Counting chocolate drops,” Mikey says. “What comes after thirty nine?”

“Forty,” Mike says. He puts his hand into the bowl of cookie dough and pulls out a fair chunk, before putting it into his mouth.

I scowl at him and he kisses me.

“I’ve had enough women scowling at me for one day, Lynd’s.” He kisses me again and leaves the kitchen.

He won’t tell me what the exact problem is. Only that he might have to go back to work on the new album, which means more days locked away in his “creation” room.

“But I won’t do it until after we get back from New Zealand.” He sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls on a pair of socks.

We’re getting ready to go to a New Years Eve party hosted by his label. Mike is performing a few acoustic songs. Gavin, Steve and Paul will all be at the party as well, but just as guests, or star power.

Mike is wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt. I on the other hand, am wearing a pair of white jeans, with strategic rips down the front of the legs and a hot pink fitted singlet, which doesn’t quite cover my tummy. Mike bought the outfit for me when we went shopping yesterday. I’ve got a pair of nude heels on my feet and a pair of silver hooped earrings hanging from my ears.

“Will you wear your hair up tonight?” Mike asks.

“No,” I answer instantly, without giving it any thought.

Mike sidles up behind me. “It’s just that I want access to your incredibly sexy neck tonight.”

I laugh as his soft kisses tickle me. “You can have access to it when we get home.”

“Can I have access to it in the car on the way home?”

“If you’d like.”

“I would like, very much.” He kisses my neck one final time before slapping my bum. “Your arse looks incredible in those jeans.”

“Ouch,” I say rubbing my bum.

“That didn’t hurt,” he laughs.

“It did hurt.”

Mike starts to gently massage my stinging behind. “Do you want me to kiss it better?”

I laugh. “No, I’m worried I won’t be able to get back into these jeans if I take them off.”

“It’s just as well that once their off, you won’t be putting them back on.” He pats my bum again, a lot softer this time. “Come on. We’re going to be late.”

Mikey is having a sleep over at Cherry’s house tonight. I was half expecting Mikey to back out at the last minute, but when Cherry and Clarke came to collect him, he bounded out the door and got into the car with absolutely no hesitation.

Gavin meets us outside. Wayne is here also, waiting to drive us to the party.

The party is at an old retro nightclub. It shut down about ten years ago, but can be used for private parties. The decor is very seventies and I can’t decide whether it is the original decor or if it has been renovated to look that way. Either way, it looks great.

I was worried that I’d be under dressed in jeans and a singlet top, but Mike was spot on in choosing my outfit. I fit in perfectly. There are a few girls wearing dresses, but the majority are wearing jeans or pants and in some cases, very short shorts.

Mike is greeting people as we walk into the party. They shake his hand and thump his back and congratulate him on the success of the recent tour and ask when the new album is going to be out and if Blue Saturn will tour again.

Mike is very gracious in accepting the compliments and answers the questions as well as he can.

He introduces me to everyone, but it would take a miracle for me to remember any of these people. They all look the same. The men are either wearing suits or look much like Mike and the women are all beautiful and dressed immaculately. I don’t recognise anyone, other than Liane who is glaring at me over a glass of champagne and of course, Steve and Paul, who are standing not far from us talking to two very happy girls. And I say girls because they can’t be older than twenty.

Mike holds my hand the entire time we’re mingling. And when he has to let go of my hand, he’s quick to take it again, or to wrap his arm around me.

Mike hands me another glass of water. It’s warm in here and the coolness of the drink is welcome. Mike has suggested we make our way to the back of the room, he’s seen his producer and he wants to introduce us.

It’s very slow progress getting across the room. Mike is stopped by just about everyone. Mike welcomes the interruption in some cases, but with other’s he is very quick to move on.

I just counted woman number twenty two. This beautiful woman, with the dramatic black bobbed hairstyle is the twenty second woman to throw her arms around Mike and push her body up against him. And we’ve only been here for an hour. And I hate myself that I’m counting, but I can’t help it. I love Mike, I know he loves me but everything is still so new and sometimes I feel like I’ll never be enough for him. What do I mean “sometimes”. I feel that all the time.

Mike reaches up and removes her hands from him and steps back. I know by the look on his face he should know this woman’s name, but he doesn’t.

“It’s good to see you again,” he says smiling though his embarrassment. This is also about the twentieth time he has said this tonight, and it’s always been to women. “This is my girlfriend, Lyndsay,” he introduces.

“Hi Lyndsay. I’m Meryn. Mike doesn’t remember me but we spent a few days together in Tokyo last year.” Meryn scans me with her bright green eyes. She has to be wearing contacts, no one’s eyes are naturally that colour. “Maybe by this time next year, he won’t remember your name, either.” Meryn turns on her heels and walks away.

“I shouldn’t have come,” I say quietly.

“Mikey, darling,” I hear from behind us. I turn around to see a blonde woman bouncing over to Mike and she plants a kiss right on his lips. “You never called.” She pouts and tilts her head to the side.

I recognise this woman. The last time I saw this woman, she was wearing red lingerie and Mike was kissing her.

Now that she’s dressed I know who she is. She’s Rachel Sweet. Actress and model. I know very few things about Rachel Sweet. I know that she’s very beautiful. I know that she’s very rich and I know that she’s very young. I’m sure she’s not even twenty two yet.

“Hi Rachel,” Mike says. Finally he remembers someone’s name.