After soundcheck, Richie found her again behind the stage. He was glad she was confident enough to find her own way around now. Two years ago he wasn't able to leave her alone for a second but now she seemed just fine by herself with their son and he was glad for that. He would always want to take care of her and protect her but it made a difference that Sarah had her own courage.
"Did you get to talk to David yet?" Richie asked her as they walked by to the dressing room, David a few feet ahead of them.
"No. Why?" Sarah asked.
"He has great ideas for Daniel's birthday next week. He's been planning it all week. He's very excited." Richie explained to her.
"Oh." Sarah looked at Daniel as she carried him. "I didn't think we were doing anything big."
"Neither did I but David wanted to go all out so I figured if he wanted to do this..."
"I suppose." Sarah said. "What about what Daniel wants?"
Richie chuckled. "Not like he can really tell us."
Not much later David had indeed come down to Richie's dressing room to go over more details of the party he was planning. So far it all seemed very extravegant for a first birthday party. He had planned and color coordinated an entirely conference room including catering for the party.
Richie was almost glad to get a text from Noah that they were arriving soon and could get David out of his dressing room with an actual excuse he didn't have to make up.
"I'm so glad you're all here tonight." He said when Ava and Noah walked in a little while later.
"It's been so long since I've been here." Ava said.
"At the arena?" Noah asked confused.
"Just backstage in general." Ava shrugged.
"Well, I'm glad you're here." Richie repeated, "but lets get some catering cause I need to strenghten up before the show."
"You got it papa bear." Ava said, heading for the door.
Half an hour before showtime Ava pulled Noah with her to a good spot she wanted to show him. Excitedly she headed down the hallway while Noah tried to keep up with her.
"I don't know about her coming to Vegas tomorrow." Richie said to Sarah as they headed down the same hallway.
Sarah nodded. "I understand."
"She just gets so overwhelmed and starts panicking when something goes wrong. She'd be fine going with us but she's never actually flown by herself. She's always had me or Heather or mom with her."
"There's going to be other shows she can come to."
"There's only like a month left before Australia." Richie pointed out.
"I mean after this one. There'll be a new album, new tour. Maybe one during the summer so we can all join you again."
Richie contemplated it. He supposed Sarah was right and there would be another album soon enough. Yet, he didn't want to rush that. He was happy with his commitment now, that he hadn't thought that far ahead yet.
"Are you ready?" He heard Jon behind him as he padded his shoulder.
"Yeah, man." He said quickly before turning to Sarah. "I have to go. You'll find your way to the side stage?" He confirmed.
Sarah nodded. "I will." She bounced Daniel in her arms. "He'll love watching you along with the band."
"I'll be watching." Richie said surely. He always loved watching Daniel enjoy music. Everytime he was amazed how much such a young child could love music so much.
"Alright guys." Jon said as they huddled. "This is the West Coast, we're here to show them how much better the East Coast is. We got our drummer back so we will show them a good New Jersey rock show!"
It made Richie chuckle but he went along with it anyway and headed towards the stage.
Tico headed up the stairs first and sat down at his drums followed by loud cheers which cued David to get up to his keyboards. Hugh went on next, followed by Richie.
On the stage he took his guitar and joing in with Tico, David and Hugh. He looked over the crowd. He knew he wouldn't be able to spot Ava, he didn't exactly know where she was going to stand, as long as she was close to security.
To his right, behind the screens, on the stage, Sarah had found her spot. Richie knew she liked being closer to him than to be in the crowd. Right here, she was able to watch him without the pushing and shoving that could occur.
He felt more and more energized after each song they played. The show had been going great and he could see Sarah and Daniel enjoy the show next to him. Once, he even spotted Ava in front of the stage but she moved after the song had ended.
For their next song, he joined Jon at the microphone and was able to see the first couple of rows in the adience, the fans that had paid the big bucks. Richie enjoyed singing parts of songs with Jon now, especially during Wanted or his fan favorite, I'll Be There For You. He used to sing it alone during every show and now it was even more special to share the song.
When the song finished, he headed back to his designated spot on the stage's right but right away noticed Sarah was gone from her spot.
"Did you get to talk to David yet?" Richie asked her as they walked by to the dressing room, David a few feet ahead of them.
"No. Why?" Sarah asked.
"He has great ideas for Daniel's birthday next week. He's been planning it all week. He's very excited." Richie explained to her.
"Oh." Sarah looked at Daniel as she carried him. "I didn't think we were doing anything big."
"Neither did I but David wanted to go all out so I figured if he wanted to do this..."
"I suppose." Sarah said. "What about what Daniel wants?"
Richie chuckled. "Not like he can really tell us."
Not much later David had indeed come down to Richie's dressing room to go over more details of the party he was planning. So far it all seemed very extravegant for a first birthday party. He had planned and color coordinated an entirely conference room including catering for the party.
Richie was almost glad to get a text from Noah that they were arriving soon and could get David out of his dressing room with an actual excuse he didn't have to make up.
"I'm so glad you're all here tonight." He said when Ava and Noah walked in a little while later.
"It's been so long since I've been here." Ava said.
"At the arena?" Noah asked confused.
"Just backstage in general." Ava shrugged.
"Well, I'm glad you're here." Richie repeated, "but lets get some catering cause I need to strenghten up before the show."
"You got it papa bear." Ava said, heading for the door.
Half an hour before showtime Ava pulled Noah with her to a good spot she wanted to show him. Excitedly she headed down the hallway while Noah tried to keep up with her.
"I don't know about her coming to Vegas tomorrow." Richie said to Sarah as they headed down the same hallway.
Sarah nodded. "I understand."
"She just gets so overwhelmed and starts panicking when something goes wrong. She'd be fine going with us but she's never actually flown by herself. She's always had me or Heather or mom with her."
"There's going to be other shows she can come to."
"There's only like a month left before Australia." Richie pointed out.
"I mean after this one. There'll be a new album, new tour. Maybe one during the summer so we can all join you again."
Richie contemplated it. He supposed Sarah was right and there would be another album soon enough. Yet, he didn't want to rush that. He was happy with his commitment now, that he hadn't thought that far ahead yet.
"Are you ready?" He heard Jon behind him as he padded his shoulder.
"Yeah, man." He said quickly before turning to Sarah. "I have to go. You'll find your way to the side stage?" He confirmed.
Sarah nodded. "I will." She bounced Daniel in her arms. "He'll love watching you along with the band."
"I'll be watching." Richie said surely. He always loved watching Daniel enjoy music. Everytime he was amazed how much such a young child could love music so much.
"Alright guys." Jon said as they huddled. "This is the West Coast, we're here to show them how much better the East Coast is. We got our drummer back so we will show them a good New Jersey rock show!"
It made Richie chuckle but he went along with it anyway and headed towards the stage.
Tico headed up the stairs first and sat down at his drums followed by loud cheers which cued David to get up to his keyboards. Hugh went on next, followed by Richie.
On the stage he took his guitar and joing in with Tico, David and Hugh. He looked over the crowd. He knew he wouldn't be able to spot Ava, he didn't exactly know where she was going to stand, as long as she was close to security.
To his right, behind the screens, on the stage, Sarah had found her spot. Richie knew she liked being closer to him than to be in the crowd. Right here, she was able to watch him without the pushing and shoving that could occur.
He felt more and more energized after each song they played. The show had been going great and he could see Sarah and Daniel enjoy the show next to him. Once, he even spotted Ava in front of the stage but she moved after the song had ended.
For their next song, he joined Jon at the microphone and was able to see the first couple of rows in the adience, the fans that had paid the big bucks. Richie enjoyed singing parts of songs with Jon now, especially during Wanted or his fan favorite, I'll Be There For You. He used to sing it alone during every show and now it was even more special to share the song.
When the song finished, he headed back to his designated spot on the stage's right but right away noticed Sarah was gone from her spot.
Really you leave me hanging? GIRL!
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