A Witness to the Music
Part Three
To be completely honest with you, I was
actually surprised that Kyle was still standing there when I opened the door.
Ecstatic, but surprised! I don’t think I really knew what to expect, but
I’d had a slight thought that he would have wondered back to his room.
Maybe to wait for me there, or maybe because he'd had a change of heart, and a
change of mind. But, neither of those scenarios was to be. He was
just standing there, very patiently with a rather content smile on his face.
When I saw him, I realized that these feelings that I had been holding inside
for so many years, thinking they could never come to fruition, were now becoming
such an overwhelming passion. Almost instantly I was driven by an
undaunted yearning to break free. “Cool it, Lex,” I thought to myself,
“slow down and savor what’s right in front of you. Live in the
moment.” Okay, that’s good advice. Now let’s get this night
started!
“You look amazing!” marveled Kyle
with such admiration.
“Thanks,” I said in a rather
modest tone. “But I must tell you, I am extremely nervous about meeting
everyone. I mean, it was sheer luck that I ran into you. Now I am
going from a one-on-one encounter to the entire group. For an innocent
little thing like me,” I said with a sheepish grin, “it sure is a lot to
take in all at once.”
“I can tell you right now, they
will love you. You really have nothing to worry about,” he assured me,
taking my hand and ever so lightly touching his lips to my fingertips. He
then leaned over and, with the gentlest of motions imaginable, kissed my cheek.
Even though it lasted but a moment, the feeling of his mouth against my skin
would last forever. He felt so soft, yet so extremely strong at the same
time, and his breath was so warm and caressing that nothing will ever compare.
“Ready?” He asked, grinning from
ear to ear like a little boy.
I was so far up in the clouds that
all I could manage to get out was some sort of acknowledging noise and a nod.
I am pretty sure I was smiling, but I really can’t remember.
Everything was a blur after that.
We made our way back to his room and by that point I was beginning to come back
down to earth. Questions abounded about where he had been for so long, and
that’s when they noticed me. He was so sweet with the introductions, and
they were just as gracious in return. I instantly felt like I had known
them for years. In a way, I guess I had. But it sure was wonderful
having the reality to go with all that I had learned about them throughout the
past. Some of the guys’ wives were there too, and they instantly calmed
my nerves. Everyone was so amazing. It all just felt like a dream.
We offered up our idea for going out,
and the room exploded in laughter. Comments ranged from “Man, I wonder
if I still remember how to play” to “Ugh, that means I have to wear those
rental shoes?!” Once the jokes subsided, though, they all thought that
it was actually a very good idea and we were all on our way.
One of the guys had called down
to the front desk and arranged to have a few cabs waiting. So we broke off
into a few groups, piled into the cars, and we were on our way. They were
such a lighthearted bunch, and the jokes were just flying! Happiness is
certainly not a problem with them. Even though it was only about a
15-minute drive, it went by in an instant. Before I knew it, we were all
inside exchanging our personal, comfortable shoes for the rentals that they so
kindly spray with a rather odorous disinfectant. This, I assume, is meant
to quell any fears one may have about putting their feet where so many others
have perspired before. Regardless, we were already having a blast!
As we were all getting settled into
our lane and ready to start, someone ordered a few pitchers of drinks and some
snacks. Everything moved so smoothly that you could tell they were really
used to working together, not only on the stage but off as well. Kyle
walked around for a while and the playful banter between him and the guys was
quite comical. Since my name was almost last on a very long line-up, I sat
in the chair to keep score while everyone else took their turns. After
some time, he sat down beside me and timidly, almost as if he was petrified of
scaring me away, placed his arm around my shoulders. Raising my arm across
my chest, I placed my hand on top of his, giving it a gentle grip to reassure
him that I wasn’t going anywhere if I could help it. It felt so
comfortable, so right. Like us being together was something that had
always been.
Now it was my turn to bowl.
Fantastic. Not only am I really no good at this, but I had been keeping
score for a bunch of people who came across in their bowling talents like this
was something they did every week. I just looked at Kyle with a slight
grimace, trying not to laugh at myself. He then got up, took my ball into
his hand, and offered to help. I was up in an instant!
As he stood behind me, I could feel
his heart pounding against my back. For a few seconds, we just stood
there, with him supposedly showing me how to move my arm. All I remember
is our bodies moving as one. Slowly back, then smoothly forward and a nice
release. Back and forth, back and forth, gently rocking together, feeling
every strong muscle of his against me as we moved to and fro. At some
point we snapped out of that and I actually let go of the ball. Something
must have worked its way through to my brain without my knowing it, because I
actually got a strike! Can’t say I did so well the next couple of times,
but with him behind me I still managed, always with a sultry smile on my face.
Unfortunately, my lucky streak
wasn’t to last much longer. As we were preparing my swing, I must have
got into it just a little too much, and I let go too early, causing the ball to
drop and bounce off of my ankle. Talk about pain! Thankfully, I was
on such an emotional high - or quite possibly it was sheer humiliation - that
all I did was laugh. Don’t get me wrong; it hurt like you wouldn’t
believe! But I was in such spirit that it didn’t really all sink in
right away.
Everyone tried to comfort me.
Kyle helped me hobble over to the seats while somebody went and grabbed me a bag
full of ice. Another person managed to find me some aspirin. They
were all great. But sitting there, now a bowling cripple for the night, I
felt as if I was going to drag them all down. I guess Kyle sensed my
worry.
“You aren’t really in the bowling
kind of mood anymore, are you?” he whispered, giving me a slight kiss on my
forehead.
“Am I that obvious?” I grimaced.
He just gave me a hug and snickered,
“Uh, yeah you are. Do you want to get out of here?”
My heart dropped. Great,
aren’t I just the life of the party. “No,” I stammered, “I don’t
want to ruin your night. I’ll be fine. Although I don’t –“
“Nonsense,” he interrupted.
“Remember what I said earlier tonight about wanting to do something real with
you? Well, that’s still true. I want to be with you. If that
means all we do is sit in some hotel coffee shop and talk, then fine. I
really don’t care what we do, as along as it is ‘we’ doing it.”
I still couldn’t believe that this
was all really happening. “You are too sweet, you know that? If
you are positive that it won’t bother you too much, than yes, I would really
love to get my leg up for a while!”
No sooner did I agree than he was up
getting us a cab. After only a few minutes it arrived and off we went.
On the way back to the hotel, we
discussed a variety of things – from what our favorite movie was, to the fact
that when I got back to the room I was going to soak my sore foot in a nice warm
bath. By the time we arrived, I must have apologized about a hundred times for
ruining his evening.
Still helping me walk, he just smiled
and shook his head, saying, “You really don’t get it, do you? I am
with you, which means my night couldn’t be any better.” I simply
blushed.
Our conversation continued during the
elevator ride up to our floor. We didn’t really discuss too much of
anything important, but it was still exciting. Just being with him was
exciting. A few times, though, I winced from the pain in my ankle and he
just shot me some of the silliest jokes ever heard.
“Hey, what kind of dog likes to
take bubble baths?” he chuckled. “Give up? A shampoodle!!”
Corny, but I couldn’t help
laughing.
“Wait,
I have another one! What do you call two ice cubes in love?”
Rolling my eyes, I giggled.
“I don’t know…melted?”
“Nope. Crushed ice!!”
And with that, he broke out into rather hearty laugh.
We were now standing outside the door
to my room. This time, before asking anything, I quickly pinched myself
just to make sure I wasn’t daydreaming again. “Since I ended up
cutting our night short, would you like to come in for a while? I’d love
to continue our talk.”
Still confused about me pinching
myself, he just looked up at me with those gorgeous eyes and replied,
“Absolutely. Wouldn’t have it any other way!”
Being the gentleman that he is, Kyle
took my key and opened my door. I tossed my purse on the bed, and hobbled
over to the chair. He swiftly took command, and grabbing one of the pillows he
gently propped up my leg. Next he went over to the desk, pulled out the
chair and straddled it backwards. Then he just sat there staring at me with the
tiniest smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye.
“Why are you looking at me like
that? What’s on your mind?” He looked so perfect and desirable
sitting there, and the look he was giving me was not helping those desires die
down at all.
Quiet for what felt like an eternity,
he replied, “I really don’t know how to put my thoughts right now into
words. I will tell you this, though. I don’t ever want to leave
this room. Right now, I feel as if I am in heaven, and you are my
angel.”
We locked eyes, and as he was about
to get up off of the chair there was some commotion in the hallway. Since
I was propped up, he went to check it out.
“There’s nobody there. Must
have just been some kids knocking on doors as they pass.”
Passing by the dresser as he was
going back to his chair, Kyle picked up a listing of local restaurants that
delivered to that hotel. As he held it out for me to see, he asked,
“Are you hungry?”
"Sure,” I answered.
“Go ahead and pick whatever you want. I could go for pretty much
anything right now.”
Within no time he was on the phone
and ordering a slew of oriental foods. The band had spent a lot of time in
the past touring in Japan, and he had picked up the language. When he hung
up, I joked with him about ordering the correct items. We both laughed,
and he just said we’d see when the food got there.
It didn’t take too long for the
delivery boy to arrive, and we found out – the only thing that was ordered
correctly was the soda! Oh well, it was all still outstanding food, so
there were no complaints.
That was pretty much how the entire
night went. We joked and laughed and talked until the wee hours. My
ankle was still a little sore, so he called down to the front desk and they sent
up some over-the-counter painkillers. He was so concerned about my
well-being and comfort.
From the bathroom, Kyle got me a glass of water. After I swallowed them
down, he leaned over and gave me another one of those sweetly romantic kisses on
the cheek. He then turned and headed for the door.
“Goodnight, my love. Sweet
dreams, and I shall see thee in the morn.”
With that, he blew me a kiss from
across the room, and left. I hated for him to leave, but it had to be
done. Tomorrow would be another day, a day which he had off in its
entirety. Who knew what lay ahead for us? I just knew that whatever
it was, we would do it together.
©C.M.Bolyard, 2002
