This is one of two alternate endings for the series of stories: The Sun, the Moon and Stars, This Could B Us, and Roadhouse Garden.
Whichever ending you choose, or both, I hope you continue to enjoy the relationship of Prince and Dana
The first show gets canceled and we have to do some scrambling to get a refund on the hotel rooms, and I find myself oddly relieved, although, rumor has it that Prince has the flu. New dates are scheduled, new hotel reservations are made and I feel an odd mix of excitement and apprehension.
This time Angel has arranged for her mother to keep Derik overnight, because we're unsure if we would be able to keep him from bum rushing the stage, Derik had only ever known Prince as a friend.
Marcus and Angel meet me at my house at noon, and they are dressed to the nines. I have pulled out an elaborately beaded, plum colored dress from the bags of clothes I had salvaged from the Minnesota house. Angel tells me I look great, but even I can tell I've lost muscle tone due to all laying around I've been doing these past three weeks or so. The heavy makeup I've applied barely hides how exhausted I look. She pulls me aside, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
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I nod and smile, but my hand touches my stomach, "I need to stop and buy some Saltines, I haven't been able to keep much down today."
Marcus gathers my overnight bag from the floor, offering me a sad smile before he heads out into the garage. "We can drive," Angel offers.
I shake my head, "I appreciate you guys coming with me for moral support, it's the least I can do. It's just over a three hour drive," I stifle a yawn. "Saltines and coffee, I'll be good to go," I laugh before we pile into my car.
A quick stop at the gas station scores me coffee and crackers and we are on our way. Angel prys me for more information on the divorce since I really hadn't told her anything other than it was over and I was back in Tennessee. Marcus looks sympathetic in the backseat, but occasionally I see anger cross his face, even he's mad at Prince for hurting me so.
The traffic on the way to Atlanta is really zooming, and we arrive in record time to check into our adjoining hotel rooms. Angel tries to persuade me to join them for an early dinner, but I opt for a thirty minute nap instead, the show starts at 7:00 and I'm already exhausted. I hand her the extra ticket, "Find someone who can use this."
She takes it from me, "Okay, get some rest, you look a little pale."
"I'm white, Angel," I try to lighten the mood, but she's not having it.
They go off to grab a quick bite and I stretch out carefully in the bed, I have no desire to fix my hair or makeup again before the show. That is my last thought before I drift off to sleep.
When I feel Angel's hand on my shoulder it feels like I had only been asleep for minutes. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty, we got to go."
I sit up and my head spins, "I just got to pee," I use the bathroom, then grab my remaining crackers and stuff them into my purse.
The Fox theater is within walking distance from the hotel, and we line up with the throng of people gathering outside the venue. I look at our tickets, pulling out my cellphone, I do a quick check of our seat numbers. When I gasp, Angel frowns, "What?"
"We are front and center," my stomach flips again, of course he'd put me there. Once we are let in and seated, I start to sneak crackers out of purse and nibble them. Angel looks concerned when I shove half a cracker back into my purse and take off at a jog. When I return her and Marcus are watching me like a hawk, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, just my nerves," I blow it off.
"Did you get sick?" Angel is giving me 'Mom eyes' so I nod sheepishly.
"Oh, Honey," I'm pulled in for a tight hug. "I'm almost too pissed at him to enjoy this show," she huffs.
"Angel, please promise you'll be nice. I'm going to have a hard enough time seeing him as is without worrying that you're going to body slam him into the middle of next week."
"Maybe just body slam him a couple of days?" she tries.
"No."
"Okay," she sighs, and releases me.
We idly talk until the lights go out, and the crowd roars. I reach over and take Angel's hand, she squeezes mine and says, "Here we go."
