Rock and Roll Never Forgets (The Rock and Roll Trilogy) (2 page)

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

Chapter
One

S
eptember
29, 2001

Beth lay awake, alone in her thoughts, finally alone. She was on her side, looking around, not really seeing anything but the wall across the room. It was quiet except for
the
whir of the air conditioning.

It was late afternoon and there was no light on to
 
illuminate
 
the room. From the window she could see outside. The
late September
sky was dusky, the sun was setting below the window level, and the room was gray. She
 
thought about how appropriate the color gray was. There was no black and white now, there was
just
that place in between. ‘
Gray
,’ she thought.

She closed her eyes
for a
moment,
 
allowing her mind
 
to drift away. As it did it took her a million different places
;
a lifetime of places. She had so much to think about, plans to make… details. She tried to focus, to make her mind think forward, but the past kept flashing in pictures, like fast-moving frames from a slide-show
.

She knew what she wanted, what she needed,
she
just
needed a plan to make it happen.
As she lay there waiting,
thinking about what she needed to do,
she remembered…

~ ~ ~

Beth Morgan and Kimmy Jones were best friends. They’d known each other for sixteen years. Beth was a twenty-two year old working-girl and part-time student. The two were always looking for fun, and this night they were anxious, about to see their favorite band, ‘up close and personal’.

June 24, 1978 ~
Back stage passes f
or Traveler! Somebody pinch me!

The two young women
stood at the Will-Call at the arena in Orlando waiting
; giggling as they
watched the crowd shuffling into the arena, excite
d
to see their favorite band
,
Traveler
’s
Timeless Tour
.
Kimmy’s cousin
,
Mark
Jones,
had taken over as drummer for the band a few months
earlier
after a shake-up in their roster. T
ogether, the
y released their first album, Timeless, in March, and were touring. He’d left tickets and back-stage passes for them.

“I can’t even believe we are here!” Beth said excitedly.

“I can’t believe that Mark is in the band!” Kimmy yelled.

Finally, a security guard arrived to escort them to a packed back-stage room; the area where Mark was waiting to introduce them to the band members. The whole idea of him being part of their favorite band was just thrilling. When they arrived, he greeted them with hugs and conversation as the other band members were making their way into the room. Mark introduced them to Nigel Rose, the bass guitarist, Nathan Perry, the keyboardist, and Dane Allen the guitar player. After a few minutes, Mark and Kimmy wandered off to mingle. Beth was talking and laughing with Nathan. She looked up when she saw him, and in a moment, her life was forever changed.

~ ~ ~

Andy Stevens entered the room looking like the rock star he was. He wore tight white jeans and a black leat
her vest with no shirt. His brown hair was long, and hung straight down his back in a ponytail. He was walking with another man, and they were deep in conversation. Beth was watching him, she heard every word that Nathan was saying, but over his shoulder she was watching, intently. She noticed everything about him; the olive skin, the golden eyes, the width of his shoulders and muscular arms, the length of his legs
.
6’4” she’d read somewhere…

Suddenly, she realized that Andy was no longer talking with the other man. She looked away, embarrassed that he’d caught her staring at him.

~ ~ ~

Andy spotted her almost as soon as they entered the room. He heard the giggle, turned to look, and liked what he saw. She was nice looking, comfortable, standing there laughing with Nathan as they talked. She wore jeans that hugged her body and a
Traveler
t-shirt
. As he looked,
Andy noticed every curve of her
body
. She had a beer in her hand, and as he watched, she captivated him. He watched and caught her watching him. A twinkle in her eyes gave a glimpse into her soul, even in that brief moment.

“Roddy, who is that with Nathan?” Andy asked
his manager, Roddy Beamer.

Roddy looked up, “Mark got tickets for his cousin. That’s either the cousin or her friend,” he said.

Andy listened as Roddy spoke, but he was watching Beth. She intrigued him, and she knew he was watching her, because she was watching him.

“Are we done?” Andy asked as they finished up whatever business they were discussing. “I want to walk over there.”

“Yeah, go,” Roddy replied.

~ ~ ~

His dreams n
ever include
d
a redhead, yet there she was, the woman of his dreams, small, petite, with short, reddish hair. He moved toward her, and as he got closer, he could see she was a mess of nerves. Extending his hand to introduce himself, he wore
a devilish smile on his face. “
Hey there, Andy Stevens,” he told her, and took her hand
.

In a soft, shaky, whisper of a voice she replied; “Beth.” She looked in his eyes and they entranced her
.

I saw those gorgeous brown eyes with gold flecks, like Amber gemstones, and
realized where he got the nickname; ‘Golden Eye.’ All I could focus on was the beauty of him. I melted.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Beth.” The devilish smile melted into a softer grin. Andy knew she was nervous, and he enjoyed it. He was chuckling, not laughing, but her reaction amused him.

~ ~ ~

Kimmy and Mark
had been
across the room watching as Beth and Nathan talked. When Andy Stevens entered the room, Kimmy stopped Mark and nudged him. They glanced in the direction where Beth and Nathan were
.

“She loves him,” Kimmy told Mark. “I do too, but not like her,” she laughed.

“Lots of young women love him,” Mark laughed, but he saw what Kimmy saw and they stopped talking to take it all in. They both knew they would remember the look on Beth’s face forever. It was a snapshot moment captured in time, and they continued to watch.

Mark knew enough to know what he was observing in Andy was different. In the short time he’d been with the band he’d seen Andy with hundreds of other young women. This time, he saw the same spark that Kimmy did
.

Roddy Beamer watched as well. From the other side of the room he watched, and waited.
How many times had he walked into a room to find those giddy girls, waiting like obedient puppies for their master, as Andy Stevens entered a room? Why would he have thought that first night with Kimmy and Beth would have been different
?

But it
was
different. Andy stopped at the first sound of her laughter. It wasn’t loud, just noticeable. It was a warm, infectious laugh that made you look, and then, captured your attention. He was curious to see what Andy would do with that beautiful young woman. There had been others over the years. Most of them were eye-candy that Andy had no long-term interest in. Some were around for a while, but none brought that same spark he saw that night.

“Why don’t you join me over here,” Andy suggested, guiding her to a nearby sofa. Beth followed, feeling as though she was drifting through a dream. Others were there but she
was oblivious to everyone
but Andy Stevens.

“There will be a party after the show,” he said after a while. “How ‘bout you and your friend join us?” he asked, gazing at her in a way that left her insides quivering
.

Before Beth could respond, Kimmy and Mark made their way to where she and Andy were.

“Kimmy, this is Andy Stevens,” Mark introduced them.

“Glad to meet you, I was just telling Beth about the party after the show, why don’t you join us?” Andy suggested. Glancing Beth’s way, he waited.

Beth said nothing. It was like she was in a trance. Finally, Kimmy said, “We would love that!”

Beth nodded and an, ‘Mmm hmm’ sound came from her throat and Andy smiled.

9

Rock and Roll Never Forgets

C
hapter
Two

A
round 6:30 Roddy indicated that it was time for the band to head to the stage. “Remember, come back after the show,” Andy told Beth. “I’ll see you then.” He leaned toward her and kissed her cheek. Her hand went to the spot where his lips touched her skin, she looked up, and he was gone.

A security guard escorted Kimmy and Beth to the packed auditorium. The seats Mark reserved for them were front row, center stage. A local band was on stage as they reached their seats, like proud little peacocks. Their escort told them he’d be back after
Traveler
left the stage. Those around them saw the escort and the VIP badges and looked on in wonder as the girls danced and sang along with the band.

When the lights came back up after the opening act, there was a lot of
action
as the crew got everything ready for
Traveler
to take the stage. Beth and Kimmy got beers and talked and laughed about the party after the show.

“Party like a rock-star!” Kimmy laughed.

“I still can’t believe it, it’s so exciting!” Beth said.

As the crew finished up, the commotion on stage died down and quiet fell over the arena. The lights went out, and then there was a drumbeat. The footlights slowly came up. Excitedly they watched. They saw feet and legs moving toward the center of the stage. Suddenly, there was a loud ‘BOOM!’ from the drums and music filled the auditorium. The lights came up, bright, and there he was, Andy Stevens, right in front of them. They began the show with
“Traveler”, their first hit, and a few older songs followed. T
he girls were on their feet, singing and dancing along with them.
Finally, they played their new song, “Timeless”.

Andy was glad when he spotted them so close. It not only gave them a good view of the band, it gave him a good view of them, and he watched. He loved seeing them having fun. They were out of their seats dancing and singing along to every song the band
played
. Beth was full of life, and he was even more intrigued. He was anxious for the show to end, eager to spend more time with her.

They played for almost an hour, and finally the lights dimmed. Andy started singing a new song. It was one Beth had never heard before. He bent down on one knee and was singing about meeting him in a ‘forbidden place’.

Kimmy leaned in to Beth and whispered, “Girl, he’s singing that to you!”

‘He was! He was singing to me!’

In the light
’
s glare

I see you there

What’s better known is

You should beware

It
’
s love in a forbidden place

Let me take you there.

Traveler
received two standing ovations, and after two encores the show was over. The lights came up to prepare the stage for
Mean Street
, the headliner. Beth’s mind wandered as she thought about Andy, the party, and what it would be like. It was so exciting. Their escort returned to take them back to the courtesy suite
at the arena where the party would be
. There was no concert the next day and the band was staying in Orlando that night, leaving out on their bus the following day. It was a packed room when they returned. There were even more people at this gathering than the pre-party.

A performance was a workout for the band
and they’d g
one to
the arena locker rooms to
shower. A short time later, Mark was the first to return. He joined Kimmy and Beth, followed by the other band members.
The girls
were talking with Mark and Nathan, but Beth’s eye was on the door anxiously waiting for Andy to return.

I knew when he entered the room, a warm feeling came over me, and I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He
’
d changed into jeans and a t-shirt, his hair was wet, and I was absolutely overwhelmed just by his presence.

“
Ladies,” h
e chuckled, as he joined them, “
when the lighting was just right I could see the two of you dancing and singing. You knew every word, every beat!” he laughed. “How
’
d you like the new stuff?
”

“
Loved it!
”
Kimmy said with excitement
.

“
And you, Beth. What did you think?
”
Andy asked her.

“It was good,
‘
Forbidden Place
’
is a great love-song,” she replied nervously. The thought that he actually remembered her name left her reeling. “I liked it, a lot,” she added, and suddenly she realized that Kimmy had wondered off. She found herself alone with Andy Stevens.

“I
’
m pleased.” he said, his eyes fixed on hers.

He smelled like heaven; soap and musk, and Beth couldn’t believe she was there with him.

This is my once in a lifetime moment
.

The
minutes
ticked away and finally she looked at her watch.

“You don
’
t have to go yet do you?
”
Andy asked.

“No, no, I just had no idea what time it was. I can’t believe it’s two in the morning already! Time flies!”  

“I
’
m enjoying the time; enjoying the company.”

“
Me too,” Beth said.

Around eight in the morning Kimmy and Beth got ready to leave.

“I’ll have two tickets for the next show you can get to,” Andy told them.

“Atlanta!” Kimmy yelled.

Mark had Beth’s car brought around, and as they said their good-byes, Andy rushed to Beth’s side and took her hand. He pulled her close and spoke softly in her ear. She could feel his breath, warm on her skin, and she closed her eyes.

“
I'd like to call y
ou,” he whispered.
Beth’s surprise was clear, and Andy liked it.

“
Yeah, sure,” she said, feeling certain it would never happen
.

He motioned for the man she had seen him with several times during the evening.
“
Beth, this is Roddy Beamer, my manager, assistant, my friend.” He placed his hand on Roddy’s back when he referred to him as
‘friend’. “Give him your number;
that way I
’
ll know where it is,” he laughed
.

She did, and then hurried toward the car. Andy followed and took her hand in his once more. He brought it to his lips and told her
,
“
I’ve enjoyed this.” He turned her hand and placed a kiss in her palm, “More than you know. I
’
ll enjoy talking with you again, soon.”

As they drove away Beth was quiet, but Kimmy noticed a big grin on her face.

“Spill!” she laughed, “what’s on your mind?”

“I’m never going to wash this hand again!” Beth roared at her own words. “He asked me to give him my phone number!”

Arriving home Beth fell into bed, tired and exhausted. She fell asleep, hoping to re-dream the whole event
, and
slept the rest of the day on Sunday. Monday morning it was back to reality, work, school, and family, but with a special memory to keep forever.

~ ~ ~

At lunch on Monday Beth left the office to run an errand
;
when she returned she walked through the lobby and the receptionist greeted her, grinning from ear to ear. She pointed to a large arrangement of yellow roses on a table by the door to the offices.

“Wow, those are beautiful! Someone’s gonna be happy!” Beth laughed grabbing the handle to the door.

“That would be you,” Mary said, excitedly.

“
For me?”
S
he stopped, puzzled, and reached for the card, ripping it open to read,
“
One for every hour I
’
ve thought of you in the last 24. Andy”
She quickly counted; twenty-four long-stemmed yellow roses. She swept the vase off the table and floated to her desk. Her smile couldn
’
t have been any bigger; her heart couldn’t have beaten harder or faster. She sat the roses down while her co-workers looked on. Grinning, she lifted the receiver and dialed Kimmy
’
s number.

~ ~ ~

Beth and Kimmy worked together at an electronics company
. They
’
d been friends for years, and they were inseparable, doing everything together.
They met on the school steps, the first day of school in first grade
, and
walked in hand in hand, beginning their lives together. They were o
pposites in the best way, comple
menting each other. Kimmy was tall and thin, Beth small and petite. Kimmy was loud and confident. Beth was more subdued and quiet. But they shared a sense of humor, and a bond like Superglue.

~ ~ ~

“I know,” Kimmy said excitedly when she answered the phone.
“
I know! Mark called me first thing this morning to find out where to send them! I’ll be right there!”

Kimmy arrived, coffee in hand; “Wow, what about that,” she said reading the card.

Beth replied,
“
My thoughts exactly!”

“
Well,” Kimmy thought
for
a moment, and parked herself on the corner of the desk, “he did stay pretty much right by your side all evening,” she laughed. “You must have made some impression on him!” 

Sitting quietly, holding the card in my hand;
‘
Yellow f
or remembrance…’
I thought; knowing I would
.

“Why me?” Beth wondered aloud.

“
What
’
s that supposed to mean?” Kimmy asked as she sipped her coffee.

“
Just wondering… all those girls that were there, why me?”

Kimmy laughed,
“
Why not you? Maybe he likes lil’ petite redheads?”

“
I
’
m just a girl, Kimmy,” Beth said. “My hair’s too short, my butt’s too big, and I’m a foot too short for my weight!” 

“You make me laugh! You’re awesome,” Kimmy said again as the phone rang, bringing them back to reality.

Working in a small office Beth only had to tell her story once and within the hour everyone knew that she had met
‘a nice guy’
over the weekend. She decided they didn
’
t need to know who it was. They wouldn
’
t have believed it anyway.

Arriving home that evening Beth found a message on the answering machine from Roddy.

“Hello Beth. It’s Roddy Beamer; will you please give me a call when you can. I’d like to confirm your availability,” he said. He sounded formal and business-like. It was as though he was confirming a business appointment.

She dialed the number he left. When he answered and realized who it was, all formality was gone. He sounded very personable, more like an old friend than the voice on the message she’d received.

“It’s nice to hear from you,” he said with
a
smile in his voice.

“You too,” she
replied
.

“Andy asked me to call and make sure that it was OK if he called you after the show. It’ll probably be around two.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” she said and tried not to sound as excited as she was. He really was going to call. It wasn
’
t a dream at all.

“I’ll talk to you again soon,” Roddy told her.

~ ~ ~

The sound of the phone ringing woke her from a deep sleep. A quick glance at the clock said it was 2:01. She rolled over to answer it.

“Hey,” he said before she spoke, “sorry it’s so late, I know I woke you.”

“I wasn
’
t asleep,” she lied.