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

by Barbara Stewart

  “Hello beautiful,” Andy said grabbing her for a quick hug and a peck on the cheek as he made his way to the stage. Roddy dragged two stools to the side and Beth joined him. They watched as the band entered from the other side of the stage.

  Traveler did nine songs and left the stage. The crowd went wild, bringing them back for one more song, and then one more after that. When it was over, the guys began filing past. Nathan stopped to hug Beth. And then, sitting there with Roddy, she knew he was close. She felt him before she saw him, sensed his presence before he touched her. A warm sensation washed over her. He came up from behind and kissed her neck.

  “Welcome to Charleston,” he whispered in her ear as Roddy slipped away. He took her hand, “Come with me,” he said. They slipped out a back door and into a waiting town car, not the bus with the guys. In the car Andy pulled her to him and wrapped her in his arms.

  “Bethy, I’ve missed you,” he said as he kissed her, and it was one of those passionate kisses.

  “Wow,” she sighed, “I’ve missed you, too.”

  He held her tighter, and pulled her on his lap and kissed again. “We’re going to the hotel so I can clean up. Roddy made a late dinner reservation for us at a little local place. Being this late I think we can get in and have a nice meal without too much interference. I want to take you on a date Bethy,” he said and kissed her again.

  “A date?” she laughed.

  “I need to woo and impress you,” he laughed, and nuzzled her neck. He kissed a place behind her ear that sent a shiver up her spine and he grinned.

  July 22, 1978 ~ None of that was necessary. I was already gone! He had a hold of my heart and I prayed he’d never let go…

  Her bags were in Andy’s room when they arrived. She freshened up a little and waited as he showered. ‘A date,’ she smiled thinking about it. Andy came out in light-colored jeans, a black pull-over shirt, and smelled like heaven. The driver was still waiting when they went back out. The restaurant was close. It was small and candle-lit, and they sat at a corner table. They enjoyed ‘low-country’ fare, and some bold red wine. Andy held her hand as they talked and shared the evening as though they’d known each other a lifetime.

  Later, the driver was there to return them to the hotel. As they rode, Andy held her hand, and sat silently, deep in thought.

  “When we head out in the morning, we’re flying to Los Angeles,” he said, at last. “We’ll be doing three shows and some TV appearances for a week. Then we’re on a ten-day break; some downtime to get ready for the next leg of the tour. I’d like you to spend some of that time with me, maybe fly you to Houston for a few days. What do you think?”

  With no hesitation Beth said, “I’d like that.”

  “Good,” he said and kissed her. “Roddy will make it happen. I’ve told him if you want or need anything he’s to take care of it. He’ll be how you can reach me if you need me. Anytime. Anyplace. You only need to call him.”

  Back in the room, Beth went to the sofa and waited while Andy started some of his favorite ‘chill music.’ With each beat of her heart she knew that he could hear it. She knew what her bags being brought to his room meant. Finally, he went to her, taking her hands in his, Andy brought her to her feet. Pulling her into his embrace, his hands lightly, softly caressed wherever they touched.

  “Did I say I’ve missed you?” he asked, kissing her neck, his breath warm on her skin.

  “Mmm hmm,” she murmured, barely able to breathe. The smell of him was intoxicating.

  “Did I say how much?” he added as he nuzzled lower, leaving a trail of kisses from her neck down to the place where the lacy fabric of her blouse skimmed her chest. “Did I say how bad I want you, Bethy?” he whispered, looking into her eyes as he guided her to the bed.

  She knew she quit breathing, anticipating what she knew came next. She knew with each touch, with each breath, that this would be the night they made love for the first time. She felt excited and nervous, iced with anxiousness and anticipation. Together they fell on the bed, his kisses sweet, tender, and romantic. Slowly he unbuttoned and pushed the lace blouse aside. He noticed that she wore no bra, and it excited him.

  She lay back, watching him, waiting for what came next. His touch was exciting as he kissed and caressed. Beth drew in a breath just shy of a gasp. He lifted his head to look at her and grinned. Slowly he made his way to the jeans she wore and the exploration continued. With every touch her breath hitched. It was a slow lingering process. He was taking his time with her. Beth’s hands roamed his body. As she helped him undress, she allowed her fingers to explore with a light touch. Finally, unable to wait any longer, their bodies joined together.

  It was exciting, breathtaking, and beautiful. I became his. His ‘Bethy’, and for the second time since I met Andy Stevens, my life was forever changed.

  Lying in his arms afterward, Andy whispered in her ear, “Bethy, I love that you didn’t close your eyes while we made love.”

  “I wanted to see you, to remember this, forever,” she whispered back.

  He wrapped her in his arms, and they slept.

  The next morning the phone woke them, their naked bodies still entwined. Andy pulled her close and wanted nothing more than to lay there holding her, he didn’t want to let her go, but they needed to hurry. Beth’s flight was early and she had to get to the airport. The band would be flying out a short time later to head west. They showered and continued their exploration of each other.

  Andy walked with her to the car and leaned in for a kiss. “Thank you for being here with me,” he whispered in her ear. He quickly changed his mind, and slid in on the seat beside her, wrapping her in his arms, he hugged her tightly.

  “I’ll see you in a few days,” he whispered. He nuzzled her neck, kissed her again, and Beth sighed, thankful she was sitting down.

  “Thank you,” she said. Andy’s eyes narrowed, and he flashed a devilish smile, that made them both laugh out loud.

  “I’ll call this evening, make sure you got home safe, and say good night,” he told her as he exited the car.

  ~ ~ ~

  Returning home Beth slipped back into whatever ‘normal’ was; school two nights a week, work and the late-night phone marathons she shared with Andy. They both shared whatever had been going on since they last talked. Andy told her about the concert experiences and Traveler’s media blitz. Beth had seen it, but it made her happy hearing about it, as Andy told her about the band’s visit to The Tonight Show.

  “It was a blast, Bethy! We met Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon; that comedian Andy Bauman, and Doc Severinsen jammed with us before we came on stage!”

  She loved his excitement as he recounted the experience. Finally, realizing that he was doing all the talking, he stopped, and then whispered, “Are you asleep?”

  “No,” she laughed, “I was listening to you, enjoying your excitement.”

  “Bethy, I love your laugh. I know you have to work tomorrow, but I really don’t want to hang up. Just hearing your voice… God, I wish you were here.”

  She didn’t say anything, and finally he told her, “I’m counting the days.”

  “Me too,” she said in a soft whisper.

  ~ ~ ~

  Roddy and Beth talked almost every day about something, making plans for her time with Andy once he returned. The two of them developed a kinship that Beth loved from the beginning. He was Andy’s friend and confidant, and he became the same to her.

  She couldn’t wait for the time away with Andy. She would be picked up after work on Friday afternoon, and return home in time for work Tuesday morning. She was beyond counting days; she had it down to hours…

  When Friday finally arrived, Beth was excited, wondering how she would make it through the day. She was anxious to experience another part of Andy’s life. She had everything almost packed and rushed home after work to finish. A town car arrived shortly after she did to take her to the airport. The driver took her bags and she ran to the gate where Andy was wai
ting.

  Oh my… Can one man be more beautiful?

  He wrapped her in his arms, kissing her, whispering in her ear, “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy to see someone. You look so good,” he said as he cupped her chin in his hand, “I’ve missed you,” he whispered. Towering over her, tilting her face up, he bent to kiss her. She noticed that he looked tired as he led her to the waiting area. He had flown straight there from Los Angeles to meet her. As they waited he handed her an envelope. She opened it to find her passport.

  “Kimmy helped me get it,” he explained. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  She laughed, puzzled; “Well, I don’t need that for a trip to Houston.”

  Andy laughed, too. “I have a surprise for you. You will need it to go to Eleuthera. We’re going to the Bahamas. I called Kimmy for help surprising you. She snuck in to get bathing suits and things she thought you would need to take along,” he explained.

  Finally they called boarding for the flight. Andy took her hand and they walked out to the tarmac to board the plane. Three other couples joined them. It was a short flight filled with conversation, Andy filling her in on the past week and Beth telling him what she’d been doing. He told her about the cottage and the island. The plane landed, first, on the northern tip of the island and the other three couples got off. A short time later they were in the air again, and flew into a tiny airport toward the southern part of the island, in an area called Rock Sound, to begin their time in paradise.

  31

  Rock and Roll Never Forgets

  Chapter Five

  As they cleared customs, everyone seemed to know Andy. When they went out, there was an old station wagon parked, waiting for them. A man walked up and handed Andy the keys.

  “Wilford, this is my Bethy.”

  “My pleasure, miss,” the man replied.

  When they got in and Andy started the car he looked at Beth to explain, “The US ships old cars over here and when I came the first time this is what was available,” he laughed, explaining the red 1963 Chevy Nova station wagon.

  “I call ahead and Wilford has it gassed up and ready.”

  August 3, 1978 ~ The Island was quiet because of the late hour, and it was only a short drive. The cottage was in an area of Rock Sound called Sound Point, and I saw the beautiful frame of the cottage with its gingerbread woodwork, hibiscus bushes, and palm trees swaying in the moonlight. The sky was so clear I could count the stars. Beautiful, peaceful and quaint…

  Andy pulled the car along-side the little house. Someone had opened up windows and left lights on for their arrival. They grabbed their bags and headed to the door. It was a warm night but a light breeze blew, and she heard the sound of the waves breaking softly on the beach.

  Once inside there were hibiscus flowers in old glass bottles sitting around on tables. Andy found a note that said there was a bottle of rum; and a pitcher of fruit juice in the refrigerator. It was also well-stocked with food.

  Beth roamed and explored as she waited for him. The cottage was small and homey. There were two bedrooms, one small and the other large. The larger room had a king-sized bed and sliding glass doors that opened out to a covered patio that faced the water. The kitchen, dining and living area were one big open room.

  “I bought it a few years ago,” he said about the cottage as he fixed drinks. “I could afford something in this area because it’s not the touristy part of the island. It’s heaven to me and I come as often as I can.”

  It was beautiful, very white and tropical. No dark walls and no carpet. The floors were a speckled stone with rugs here and there. The windows had sheer curtains and white plantation shutters. The furniture was wicker. There was a big overstuffed sofa with tropical print pillows. The accents were light-colored and tropical as well. Beach and seaside town-scene watercolors adorned the walls. Soft colors and a woman’s touch here and there…

  “My mom,” he said, as though he could read her mind, and she laughed. “She came over when I bought it. I’m not so good at that decorating stuff and she enjoyed it. The paintings are local. You’ll see tomorrow,” he said handing her the drink. “A lady here on the island did them for me.” He took a sip of his drink and pulled the band from his hair shaking it loose.

  I LOVE when he does that!

  “I love it here,” he told her, and she could see why. They got comfy on the sofa and spent the next hour talking. When he showed her to the bedroom, there were hibiscus flowers placed on each pillow on the bed that she didn’t notice on the earlier quick tour of the cottage. It was sweet and beautiful. She stepped into the bathroom to get ready for bed and when she came out Andy stood waiting. She stepped into his open arms and he lifted the nightie she had just put on over her head and she laughed.

  “I’ve waited ten days to feel you, so you won’t need this,” he said. They fell into bed, on sheets that were soft and smelled of lavender. Andy wrapped her in his arms and they made love.

  In the middle of the night a clawing, scratching sound sent Beth flying up, yelling, from a deep sleep. Andy took a flashlight from a drawer beside the bed and shined it on the screen to show a huge land crab clawing its way along, a true “welcome” to the islands!

  Saturday morning was sunny and beautiful. Andy rose, slipped on a pair of shorts and went shirtless to the kitchen, returning with a big plastic bowl, and a grin. He opened the doors and went out. Lying in bed, Beth could smell the outside. It was sweet and salty and she got up to have a peek. A minute later, curious to see what he was doing, she went out. She rounded the corner to a very loud THUD! She found Andy standing there with a big grin on his face holding the bowl. He tipped it to show the contents. There was a coconut with a large crack. Beth followed him to the kitchen, where he finished splitting the coconut, putting the water into a pitcher, and chunked the ‘meat’ into a bowl. He took a bottle of rum and covered the coconut meat with the gold-colored liquid.

  Beth watched intently, wondering… ‘Surely to goodness that is not part of our breakfast.’

  “You’ll see later,” he said, and raised his eyebrows, much like Groucho Marx, and grinned when he saw the look on her face.

  They ate sweet, fresh, pineapple, bananas and mangoes from the island, along with toasted Bahamian bread that Edwina left for them for breakfast. Andy told her more about Edwina, the woman who lived next door, while they ate.

  “I met her when I bought the cottage and she ‘adopted’ me. She takes care of things here when I’m away and gets everything ready when I let her know I’m coming. She’s a sweet, special lady and I love her,” he said with a big, genuine, smile that touched Beth’s heart. He’d already captured it, and now pieces of him kept moving in, taking up more space.

  After breakfast they began a day of exploring. Beth had never even heard of Eleuthera before the trip.

  “It’s part of the Bahamas but not as commercial as some of the better-known islands,” Andy told her. “It’s long and narrow and Rock Sound is just a little south of the middle of the island.”

  The village was old with narrow streets lined with beautiful Bougainvillea in full color. Houses were small cottages painted pretty pastel colors, Andy’s was yellow. There were no hotels and hardly any restaurants.

  “Laid back and local” is how Andy described it all. They strolled hand in hand and checked out what was in walking distance. After they had been out and about for a while, they returned to the cottage for some wonderful seafood chowder that Edwina left to heat up.

  “Conch chowder,” he said, and added, “It’s just one of her specialties.”

  After lunch they took the car for a quick trip around Rock Sound. At times they parked and walked. There were little churches, beautiful architecture, and everywhere they stopped chickens ran wild. It was all unique and interesting.

  August 4, 1978 ~ Out and about, we came across a lovely old-woman making straw hats on her porch. Andy chose one for me, and the woman told him he was a lucky man to be “a’sharin’ your tim
e with such a beautiful woman, now!” Her accent was sing-songy and lovely. Later we met the artist who painted the pictures in the cottage. I picked out a small painting of a yellow hibiscus to take home. It was vibrant and beautiful, a wonderful treasure to always remember my time on the island.

  They ran into Edwina out buying fresh Bahamian bread and pineapples. Andy shared more of the history of the island with Beth as the explored.

  “In the 1800s there were many pineapple plantations on the island, they are still grown in Gregory Town, an area north of here.” And when they came across the markets where fishermen were hauling in their fresh catch, Andy commented, “The grouper here is the finest I’ve ever tasted.”

  They returned to the cottage, deciding to save some of the sights for the next day. As they drove Andy explained, “Most of the little eating establishments close early so they can go home and be with their families, some are actually in their homes.” He spotted one that he wanted to visit, a favorite of his, and they stopped in to ask about dinner. The owner came to Andy and hugged him.

  “Hello Miss Issie! This is Bethy and I want her to taste some of that good fried grouper that you always fix for me. Are you cooking it tonight?” he asked, giving her an extra squeeze.

  “For you,” she said. “Charmer,” she said to Beth, and they shared a laugh. “Dinner is at 5:30, no later.”

  They returned to the cottage to relax and freshen up before dinner. Miss Issie’s place was only a short walk away, and they strolled hand in hand. They enjoyed more of the conch chowder, and an incredible fried grouper dish served with pigeon peas and rice. After the meal Miss Issie appeared with a luscious lemon pie.