bed, crying with misery and sexual longing. I want him here with me!
The next morning, I'm up on time and I get ready for our flight back to Washington, D.C. We're supposed to perform for the President of the United States, Barack Obama, and his wife and two gorgeous daughters. The prospect does excite me, so I grab onto this and hold on for dear life. As we get closer to the nation's capital, I do begin feeling even more excited. Once we land and check into our hotel rooms, we get a ride down to the venue, the Fitzgerald Theatre. At first, I do well during practice. Then, as we're working on the song I composed, I break down. I can't stop - my tears won't stop flowing. I sit down on a chair and try to get a grip on my emotions. I can't. It's useless.
"Johanna, my God, what's wrong? Why...what's wrong?" Tim asks. He's frightened.
"Tim, I've tried. I've tried not to miss Marcus so much, but it's...I can't stop. That's why I've been falling apart. I'm sorry. I'm going to have to leave the tour and go back home. I just can't be without him! I love him!" I wail.
Tim is stunned. He knows what music means to me. I see his feelings reflected on his face.
"Johanna, music is everything to you! That you would decide to fly back to England halfway through our tour ...my God! Lads...hey, you lot! Come here, right now," Tim ordered. "Guys, Johanna's really hurting. Music is...has been her whole life, but now that she's met Marcus, she's fallen in love. She wants to leave the tour and go home," he tells them.
I feel him take one of my hands in both of his warm hands.
"Johanna. We've been picking up on your sadness. Will you stay on the tour here in the U.S. if I tell you that we've just arranged to have Marcus fly in and join the rest of our tour - tonight?"
That gets through to me. More than anything that any of them have said to me since I started feeling so sad, that grabs my attention. I'm stunned that the band is willing to break one of its cardinal rules! For me! As the surprise sinks in, so does the realization that I am about to become very, very ill. Dropping Tim's hands, I bolt for the women's room, barely making it into a stall. I feel bad for the two young women primping in front of the mirror, but I have got to retch! I hear them hastily leave. Several minutes later, my stomach is blessedly empty and my heaving stops. Rinsing my mouth out, I splash cool water over my face and return to the stage, where I enthusiastically tell Tim that I will stay on with the tour. My stomach stays where it belongs for the rest of the day. Now that I know I will have my love with me, my good humor and good health return. We hit our practice hard. Two hours before the concert begins, I hear the knock I've been anticipating. Running to my hotel room door, I fling it open and catapult myself into Marcus' arms, crying once again.
Chapter 7
" I 've missed you so much!" I tell him.
Setting me down, he brings his luggage in then feverishly kisses me, telling me that he missed me badly, too. We make love. Marcus looks carefully at my body, seeming to re-familiarize himself with my body, running his hands over every inch of me. After we experience explosive orgasms, we fall asleep in each other's arms. My sleep is more restful than it has been in weeks. Rousing, I stretch and wake up, looking at the dear, dear face lying on the pillow next to me.
Marcus feels my gaze on him and his intense, green eyes open. Smiling, he stretches. "Aren't you due to perform for the leader of the free world in less than an hour and a half?" he asks me.
"Ohhh, try to scare me, will you? Our practice this morning hit all the high notes - literally. But, yes - we do have to go. Do you have your suit?"
"In my garment bag. Let me brush my teeth and hair, and we'll meet the blokes. I don't want to feel the sharp side of Tim's tongue ever again," says Marcus with a shudder.
Five minutes later, we are the first two waiting downstairs for the rest of the
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Jillian Hart
J. Minter
Paolo Hewitt
Stephanie Peters
Stanley Elkin
Mason Lee
David Kearns
Marie Bostwick
Agatha Christie