Chapter 81

Richie played through the next song, looking over to his right a few times to see if Sarah had come back but nothing yet.

She was probably just using the washroom or changing Daniel, he told himself.

The song ended and an accoustic song was up next so he needed to switch instruments.

"Where did Sarah go?" He asked his guitar technician as he took the guitar from him.
"I think she was going to the bathroom."
"Thanks." Richie said, hurrying back to his spot on stage to start the song.

Just as he thought, no big deal.

As soon as Tico played his first beats, Richie and David followed right away. He looked over at Jon who started the opening line.

The show was almost over, he knew that too. It was the last song before encores.

He wasn't worried, it was past Daniel's bedtime, maybe she just took him to the dressing room so he could sleep before they had to get on the plane after the concert. He had probably gotten fussy because he was tired.

At the end of the song Jon said good night to their crowd and left the stage. Richie followed him a moment later.

He watched Jon go in to his change room alone and stayed in the pathway with David, Tico and Hugh, all wiping their faces with towels and chugging their drinks afterwards before heading back to the stage, Jon would be the last to get onto the stage.

They played three encores to close off the show for real this time. It'd been a great show but Richie's feet were starting to hurt and he was ready to sit on a comfy couch or lay down in an even comfier bed.

As he left the stage, he took the towel that was being held out for him and started walking towards his dressing room, the guys right there with him.

"We need to be out of here in an hour to get to the airport and onto Vegas." Their roadmanager instructed them as he followed the band down the hall. All of them grumbled their responses. They'd be ready, they didn't need to be told. As he walked, he kept an eye out for Ava and Noah, they still had to get home tonight.

Ava had been faster than he had been to get to the dressing room. He found them both on the couch with Daniel.

"Hi dad." Ava smiled when he walked in. She had Daniel in her lap and was letting him watch a video on her phone. "Sarah's in the bathroom so we watched Daniel for you."
"Thanks." Richie said. "Are you guys ready to hit the road?"
"I suppose." Ava moved Daniel off her lap and stood up to give her dad a hug.
He hugged her tightly, knowing he wouldn't see her until Thanksgiving now. Sure it wasn't that long but still. "Drive safe." He told her. "Text me when you drop Noah off with grandma Abbey and text me when you get home."
"I will." She said, then reached up to kiss his cheek before she went to ask her phone from Daniel.
Richie turned to Noah, "Text us when you're home and say hi to grandma from us."
"I will."
"I'm sure she's excited to stay with you for a few weeks."
"I would have been fine on my own." Noah sounded a little annoyed.
Richie nodded. "We know that but it'd be a big empty house, this way you at least have someone home."
Noah shrugged.
"Ready to go." Ava announced before reaching in for another hug with her dad.

After the two teenagers walked out of the room, Richie sat down on the couch next to Daniel who was thoughtfully occupied by his toy. Too occupied to even look up. Richie picked him up to put on his lap and hugged him.

He was so happy to have his little boy with him for a few weeks. It would surely bring some fun to touring. He did the same as Ava had done and pulled out his phone to watch a video with Daniel as he got comfortable on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table.

"15 minutes til we leave." Came from the door after a loud knock.

Richie quickly checked the time on his phone. He was right, he'd been here for over half an hour, he'd lost track of time. Sarah was still in the bathroom. Once again, he moved Daniel, then walked over to the bathroom door and knocked quickly.

"Sarah?" He asked. "Are you okay?"
It took a few moments before her reply came. "Yeah."
"Alright. You've been in there for a long time."
"I know."

Richie shrugged it off and looked around the room for what needed to be packed up. Sarah's and Daniel's luggage had already been sent off, along with Daniel's carseat. He retrieved all of his belongings and put them into his bag. Then double checked Daniel's diaper bag and if he needed to be changed, which he didn't.

He walked back to the bathroom door and knocked again.
"Sarah?"
"I'm alright."
"Okay but I need you to open the door or I'm going to open it." He warned her.

He could hear scuffling inside and a few seconds later the door opened.

Sarah didn't look as okay as she said she was. Her face was flushed, her eyes were red bloodshot. She'd been crying. Hard.

"I- I..." Her eyes filled with tears as she started crying.
Richie quickly pulled her close to hug her, letting her cry for a moment. "What's wrong?" He finally asked, full of worry as to what would have upset his wife to crying her eyes out. "Please tell me." He asked when Sarah gave no reply. "I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong."
Sarah sighed and took a deep breathe but then just burried her face into his chest.
He gently rubbed her back. "It's going to be okay. Everything will be alright." He soothed.
She shook her head against him. "I got my period."
His heart sank, now feeling the same emotional pain Sarah was feeling. "It's going to be okay." He repeated again.

He could hear another loud knock on the door but ignored it.

He could tears well up in his own eyes, just as he had seen them with Sarah.

"Are you okay?" He asked, trying to blink his tears away. "Are you hurting? Do you need to see a doctor?"
Sarah shook her head again. "It's early on, doesn't need a doctor."
Richie nodded as he continued to hold her.

Another knock at the door. "We need to go!"

They gave it no attention and just held each other. He could feel Sarah relax in his arms, her sobs and sniffles had ended. His own tears had stopped as well. Softly, he kissed her head.

"I love you." He reminded her.
Sarah looked up at him, their red eyes meeting each other. "I love you too."

Another loud knock came from the door. "We're going to be late. You'll piss the boss off!"

He squeezed her in his arms for another tight hug. "I guess we should get going. Once we're in Vegas we can talk or sleep."
Sarah nodded.
"Are you going to be okay?" Richie asked gently. The last thing he wanted to do right now was rush his wife out of here. "I'm so sorry we're on a tight schedule tonight."
"I understand." Sarah wiped her eyes dry, making sure all the tears were gone. "I'll be fine. I... I just want to get to bed."
Richie nodded. He understood that.

This time the knocked turned into banging. "Sambora! Open this fucking door."

Sarah pulled back from their embrace. "Go." She said, she didn't want him to get in trouble either.

Richie turned around and went to open the door as Sarah gathered her things.

"About fucking time."
"Calm the fuck down." Richie said back. "We had a family matter going on."
"We're on a schedule, we should have left twenty minutes ago. The rest of the guys are already on their way to the airport. You're riding with Jon and he's pissed right off."
"He'll get over it."

Richie turned around, back to the couch to pick Daniel up, finding his phone had several missed calls and texts. He'd delete them later. He balanced Daniel on his hip as he picked up his bag and slung it over his other should. Then he reached for Sarah's hand. "Ready?" He asked gently.
She grabbed Daniel's diaper bag then took her husband's hand.

In silence they walked down the hallway that lead them to the exit where an SUV was parked outside, waiting for them. Richie pulled the door open and lifted Daniel into his car seat. He saw Jon lean around his seat in the front of the vehicle but Richie cut him off before he could even say anythin. "Not now, Jon. Let it be." He said sternly. He did not need to be yelled at right now. Jon cocked an eyebrow at him but turned back and waited.

The ride to the airport was just as quiet as their walk down the hallway.

On the plane Sarah and Richie sat in the back, finding solitude with the excuse of Daniel needing to sleep, which he eventually did.

It wasn't until they got to their hotel room that they spoke. There was a crib set up in the seperate living room and Daniel got comfy as soon as he laid down. They left the door to the bedroom open, just in case he woke up and found himself in a strange place.

As Sarah laid down on the bed, Richie went through their suitcases to find their toiletries and a tshirt he knew Sarah liked to sleep in. He brought it all to the bedroom.
"Do you want to get ready for bed?" He asked her, carefully sitting down beside her but Sarah didn't respond. "What can I do to help?" He asked instead.
"I think I just want to be alone for a little bit."
He nodded. Feeling hurt at her answer but also understanding she needed to process and probably cry in private. He just wanted to comfort and hold her close. Show her how much he loved her.
Instead, he nodded. He kissed her softly. "I love you." He said as he stood up again.
"I love you too."

He pulled the bedroom closed behind him, giving Sarah her privacy for now. He'd go back in there in half an hour or so. In the quiet his own mind caught up with him again, the reality of what had happened tonight. He couldn't believe it. He had been so happy and excited for another baby and just like that, it was all gone. It hurt him so much, he couldn't imagine how Sarah was feeling. How she could want to be alone. He needed someone.

He walked out of the room and knocked on the door across the hallway. He waited a few seconds but knocked again, he didn't care right now. The pain he felt was too much. He knocked again.

"Knock it off, I'm coming!"
He heard from inside and tried to compose himself before the door opened but quickly learned that was futile.
The door opened just as he could feel his eyes fill with tears again, his heart aching incredibly now that he was going to make it real by saying the words. "She lost the baby."