Unchained | Hiatus

Chapter 10: Such a Sweet Surprise

Brandi sat beside Michael at the bar in the Kingdom, quietly drinking and watching Quiet Riot preform on the stage over the heads of about a thousand surging fans. He placed his hand softly on hers and she turned to smile at him, a feeble smile that said all she intended to say. It was her last day before the tour and she couldn't bring herself to say goodbye to Gloria and Michael. She and Michael had long since reconciled and she found herself devotedly attracted to him, and he to her. It would be a long goodbye.

The Kingdom was exceptionally dark that night, the only lights coming from the stage house-lights and the bar. A few people bustled around the virtuoso couple, asking for drinks and buying merchandise. An abandoned Sinner flier clung to one of the bar posts and a nameless girl ripped it down, turning immediately to her friends and screaming dreamily. Brandi turned her swiveling barstool to watch the girls, placing her hand on the counter beside her drink.

"I want to be just like Sinner!" one girl said to the other, holding the green flier to her chest. "The singer is so good, and did you see how the drummer dressed on their album cover? To-die-for!" They disappeared into the crowd as Quiet Riot began Cum on Feel the Noize.

Michael squeezed her hand and gave her a half smile. "D'jah know we're going on tour with Survivor and Autograph?" he asked innocently.

Brandi raised her eyebrows in sincere interest. "No, that's cool! I wish we could have someone cooler, like Twisted Sister or Van Halen. Even UFO would be rad."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Bran. Max is clever, he knows what he's doing."

Brandi said nothing as she digested his words. She brought her mug of Kentucky Gentleman to her lips pensively. She couldn't stop to think of one thing, so her mind went blank, yet her eyes locked on one of the beer tabs absentmindedly. The tour was going to be grueling, but she had never imagined she'd get this chance. For a second, enthusiasm and excitement gripped her and she smiled at the beer tabs. But the thought of an impending rent payment cut her grin short.

She hadn't told Michael about her attempted call to him nearly a week ago. She gnawed on her lip apprehensively. "I called my mom before that Iron Maiden concert. I was a wreck and I was going to call you and beg you to pick me up."

"I wouldn't have picked you up," he stated, looking around her at the band.

"I wouldn't have gotten in the car if you had," she replied matter-of-factly. "I had a show; I was just stressed."

"No, I wouldn't have picked you up because I don't have a car."

Brandi laughed. "Well, I'll pretend it was because you wanted me to finish what I had started."

"We could finish what we started," he drawled with a wink. "It's not fair you only slept with me because you took some Quaaludes or some shit."

Normally Brandi would be repulsed by such a needy comment, but she look at him over her eyes devilishly. "Your move, Bandanna Boy."

He stood, set his drink down on the counter, and pulled a laughing Brandi onto his shoulder, straightening as she kicked air with her cowboy boots in a half-hearted attempt to get Michael to set her back down. "Put me down!" she laughed.

"Never," he snapped, smacking her butt as he carried her over to the stairs in the dark.

He set her down on the first step and she fell into him, their lips finding each other in the blackness. She giggled and hopped up a few steps, Michael following and trying to grab her. He tripped and slid into the sitting position before taking after her. The hall lights were on, though they were incredibility dim, and Michael pinned her against the wall. They kissed for a moment before she broke out in laughter and wiggled out from his arms, jogging toward her room looking back all the while. He again followed suit and watched as she danced down a tributary hall, stopping before a door and unlocking it.

"You better not tease me more, kid," he called in good heart as she faded into the apartment room. Once in the apartment, a twin to his, he caught Brandi's wrist and pulled her into him. She smiled. "Got any Police?"

"Nope," she replied sorrowfully. "You know all the albums I have."

"Oh, yeah," he hissed, picking her up in a wedding hold. He carried her into her the bedroom and set her on the bed roughly, collapsing on top of her. "Consider this goodbye and good-luck," he breathed.

Brandi sighed in relief. Goodbye wasn't as difficult as she figured. She still had to say goodbye to Gloria, but this method was out of the question.