Becoming

Die With Your Boots On

Ade, Dave, Tamar, and Steve waited in the hotel lobby for Nicko, whom Steve swore was moving when he passed by the drummer's room on his way to the lifts. Steve had just decided to go back upstairs and fetch him, when the lift doors opened and Nicko shuffled out, still looking half-asleep. They steered him into the restaurant and sat down, looking over the menu and placing their orders.

Rod got up to leave as they sat down, and paused by their table. "Bad news," he told them bluntly. "Bruce has bronchitis and will be in hospital for at least a couple of days for a course of antibiotics. I've already cancelled the rest of our performances here, but I figure we'll have to cancel at least one more besides, maybe more than that, depending on how well or poorly he responds to the antibiotics." He hurried out, presumably to go deal with cancelling the next show or two on their itinerary.

"Oh, bloody hell," Steve sighed. "Why'd it have to be Bruce? I mean, we all got sick, but the rest of us got over it."

"Speak for yourself, Harry," Nicko put in, then coughed. "I ain't quite over it yet either, even if I am on the mend. Difference is, I ain't straining my voice for a couple of hours every night, and Bruce is. Makes sense, then, that he got hit harder than the rest of us."

"I s'pose," Steve said. "Well, it is what it is, and we've now got a couple of days free. Did you lot have any plans for the day?"

Nicko grinned. "Think I'll hole up in my room with tea, cough medicine, and a book. Might call Becky later, when she'll be home, since I'll be here rather than at Radio City."

"I take it Becky's the girl you said you met over the break?" Ade asked.

"Yeah," Nicko said.

Dave looked at Tamar, who nodded slightly. He took a deep breath and said, "I'm gonna take Tamar shopping... for a ring. You lot might want to plan on staying in Hawaii for a couple of days after the Honolulu show."

Steve's jaw dropped. "Are you taking the piss?" he asked.

"Dead serious," Dave replied.

Steve stood abruptly. "Dave, a word, please." He gestured towards the bank of pay phones near the entrance to the restaurant as being sufficiently far from the table.

Dave sighed and followed Steve over to the phones, leaning against the wall with a sigh. "Yes, Harry, there's a baby involved. Yes, I'm perfectly aware it might not be mine and I don't care, not after the way that bastard of an ex treated her. She could've frozen to death that night if Ade and I hadn't given her our number at the hotel. Yes, we've already discussed a pre-nuptial agreement and for the record, she comes from some serious money, so if either of us is a gold-digger in this relationship, it's me. I know you're concerned after what happened with Jane, but I really doubt Tamar's going to do an about-face like that. I'd call it far more likely that she stays home on Maui working for her dad, at least until the baby comes. Did I miss anything?"

Steve opened his mouth, closed it again, and shook his head with a wry chuckle. "Nah, mate, I think you just answered every point I was gonna make. All right, then, I can't argue any of that, as long as you're sure. Talk to Rod about getting her a permanent pass, and if her parents want to come meet you at some point, we'll sort out getting tickets and passes for them as well, if they care to see you perform. Hopefully they'll not be offended by the bollocks Bruce talks onstage, since I've noticed the Yanks tend to be much more uptight over swearing than anyone else."

"Not much to be done there if they are," Dave said with a shrug. "With luck, even if they are offended by his language, they'll understand that it's part of the show, y'know?"

"Well, good luck with that, mate," Steve said, chuckling. "Will you call her parents today? Or is she gonna tell them in person when she goes home? How long is she staying, anyway?"