I was greeted by an excited Veronica with open arms. She hugged me as I scurried up to her. "Veronica!" I squeezed her against me. The bar wasn't terribly busy yet but there were a few regulars here. As with the last time I was here, I recognized some of them and they recognized me. "Veronica, this my dear friend, Chrissie." Veronica excitedly gave her a hug.

 "Oh, it is so nice to meet you! I'm Veronica. I'm John's girlfriend." She  introduced herself.

 "I'm Chrissie. Nice to meet you. I still can't believe I let this one talk me into comin’ here tonight." Chrissie said elbowing me in the side. A huge smile crept across Veronica's face as she looked at me.

 "You'll have a great time tonight. Hold on, I'll be back!" Veronica took off down the steps beside the stage area before I could say another word to her.

 "I led Chrissie toward the front of the stage area. Most everything was set up at this point. There were a few of the employees stringin’ cords every which way and making some final adjustments to Roger's kit.

 "Where did she go?" Chrissie asked me. I couldn't hide my smile.

 "To get Brian..." I said, giggling briefly as if I were a young schoolgirl.

 "What!? Lydia! Wha....no! I'm not ready for that! I thought you said after the show!!" She was frantic.

 "I also said that if we had time before the show you would get to meet him!" I reminded her.

 "Oh shit! Lydia! Now, I'm just plain panickin'!" Chrissie said flailing her hands around a bit. I looked over Chrissie and noticed Veronica, Brian and John comin' up the stairs beside the stage.

 "Good move, Veronica. Good move." I said to myself; referrin’ to the fact that she brought John along too so as not to seem obvious about anything. Chrissie was still jabbering at me as they came up the stairs. I paid her no attention and gave Brian a wink. I don't think he saw me.

 "Oh, he looks good...turn around...turn around..." I mumbled to Chrissie to shut her up. I grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. "That's Brian." I leaned over at Chrissie's ear. They had just come up the stairs to the edge of the bar.

 "Which one!?" Chrissie seethed at me under her breath. "Um, the one NOT holding Veroncia's hand!" I said nudging her in the back. Chrissie didn't have a chance to rebuttle me, react…nothing. It was as if I had just run over her with a city bus.

 “Chrissie, this is my boyfriend John and this is our friend Brian.” Veronica said as the three of them quickly approached us. Veronica’s face was lit up like nothing I’d seen. Since I was standin’ behind Chrissie, I couldn’t see the look on her face. Judging by Veronica’s excitement, I was missin’ something wonderful.

 “Hi, Chrissie…I’m Brian…but…you already gathered that.” He said extending his hand to her.

 “Hi…” it was all she said, shaking his hand.

 “Hey, Lydia. Good to see you again.” Brian told me. John had given me a smile and a wave.

 “Hello, Brian.” Much like Veronica, I was smilin’ all over. I was tryin’ to read anything in his face but I couldn’t make out his initial reaction to Chrissie.

 “Chrissie, care to walk over to the bar with me? I gotta’ take Freddie some water. Brian asked her.

 “Okay.” I heard her answer. And so, off they went. I looked at John and Veronica. Veronica immediately laughed.

 “Oh my god! You should have seen the look on her face, Lydia. It was amazin’!” Veronica beamed. “John, you can go now…that’s all I needed.” She said shooing him away.

 “Alright, kiss me first.” He said kissing her before he disappeared toward the steps that lead to the back hall again.

 “Let’s stand here and watch them. Brian has been surprisingly cooperative.” Veronica said.

 “Chrissie hasn’t. I'm anxiously awaiting her reaction.” I said. Veronica laughed.

 “Hey, we need to leave during the last song tonight and head over to the pub and get us a table. It’s gonna’ be packed. Manchester is playin’…Leeds United. Big game.” Veronica told me.

 “Oh my god! I completely forgot about that game! Shoulda’ worn my jersey instead of this. It will be a mad house in there. Should we go to another pub?” I asked.

 “No, they got the best menu and the most pool tables. We’ll get us a table for the evenin’ it’ll be fine. Wait...you follow football?” Veronica asked me, having just realized my enthusiasm for soccer. Sheblinked her eyes repeatedly.

 “I love Manchester. I would throw myself out there to block anything from Leeds. I would penalty their arses off.” I answered her seriously. Veronica just stared at me as if I had hit her in the face with a cricket ball.

 “Okay first…I never thought you as the sports kind and second…my god, Roger is going to ploooow you when he learns this information. Or wait…does he know?” she asked.

 “No, it’s never really come up in conversation before. If he’s a fan, we can both scream at the telly in the pub tonight. He's a fan!? I had no idea! Oh! That means we gotta’ get a really good table, Veronica.” I begged, putting my hands on hers. Veronica laughed at me.

 “Forgive me for sayin’ this. But…we’re gonna have to use your looks and maybe some of your money to get a good table close to the telly.” She said.

 “Done.” I assured Veronica. It was then I noticed that Brian had left the bar and was returning down the steps beside the stage. Chrissie was walking back over toward Veronica and I. “Don’t say anything…we’re gonna’ wait for her to say somethin’ first.” Veronica and I stood there at the high top bar table near the stage area and waited for Chrissie to return to us. She came walkin’ back alright, with her head kinda’ slumped over sheepishly. Veronica and I stared at her…me more so than Veronica. Finally, after practically prying it out of her with my eyes; Chrissie looked up at me with the most swept away look in her eyes.

 “Oooooh my god! He…is…sooooo GORGEOUS! I swear! I swear I think my heart’s about to beat outta my chest! Oh shit…I have never this been this hot in my whole life! ” Her voice was so breathy and she put her hands over her face. Veronica and I both exploded in a delightful reaction. I’m not sure which one of us reacted louder, and the bar still wasn’t too full so god knows everyone nearby heard us.

 “See! See Chrissie! I told you! You better start listenin’ to me!” I smacked her in the shoulder.

 “I…I’m not….I’m….I’m not really sure what just happened those past seven minutes! I don’t know what I said! I don’t know what he said! Shit! What if I said somethin’ completely stupid! What if I made an absolute arse out of myself!? Ooooh my god those eyes…those…beautiful...dreamy…shit….I can’t feel my legs.” Chrissie rambled nearly incoherently.  She let the weight of her body fall into the high barstool. I was almost bent in half laughing at her and Veronica kept poundin’ me on the back repeatedly in excitement. Chrissie just sat there and leaned her elbow over on the table, letting her head fall into her hand.

 “Chrissie? Can I get you anything? Some water? A new pair of underwear, maybe?” I asked her, composing myself.

 “LYDIA!” she yelled at me. Veronica laughed at me; just lovin’ that answer I had given her. I couldn’t leave her in a state of near hyperventilation so I headed for the bar to get her some water. Freddie wasn’t the only one who needed it. Veronica stayed with her to ensure she didn’t go slidin’ right off that barstool and of course just to talk to her. It didn’t take me long at the bar. There were only about fifteen people there. I looked over the door and noticed several people comin’ in.  I got Chrissie’s water and took it back to our table across the room.

 “Here you go.Young lady, you need to learn to keep it classy! I'll have none of this dreamy talk” I teased her and handed over the large water to Chrissie. She picked it up and took four big gulps. The bar’s house lights went out. It was getting close to show time.  “I’m waiting for an apology from you.” I pretended to threaten Chrissie. She took a deep breath.

 “I’m sorry Lydia…I’m sorry for doubting your judgment. I’m sorry I tried to back out of comin’ tonight…” I interrupted her.

 “Oh, you’ll come if you want to…that’s your call…” I said as dryly as I could as I got into my purse for a cigarette.

 “LYDIA!!!” She yelled at me again. Veronica was just lookin’ at me and shakin’ her head. Chrissie was on the verge of killin’ me I could tell. It was great.  John had just come out to the stage to tune up his bass. It was show time.

 “So, it’s safe to say…you liked Brian, yeah?” Veronica asked her.

 “I…did…yes…yes I did. I’m so so sorry for bein’ doubtful. I am very, very much lookin’ forward to talking with him later. And Veronica, I realize I’ve just met you but let me say…your boyfriend is positively adorable. God, I’m like...all loose and...crazy!” Chrissie said. We laughed at her again.

 “Oh! God! Please! This comin’ from the same girl who wouldn’t unbutton two buttons on her shirt before leavin’ my flat!” I mumbled as I lit my cigarette. I caught sight of the stage. Roger was wavin’ at me and so I focused my attention to the stage. I knew that I looked like a blurry blob to him.

 “Did you bring me another shirt!?” He yelled at me over the clank of a high-hat he was adjusting.

 “It’s in my purse!” I yelled back. I had put another tank shirt in the bottom of my purse earlier. I knew he would want that after the show. He blew me a kiss...of course, he had to squint to see my outline and make sure he was facin' the right way.

"I think I'm just gonna' buy him a pair of perscription sunglasses and hope they help him see anything at a distance." I told Veronica.

"How bad is it?" She asked.

"He can see Freddie, John and Brian when they're in front of him. Anything, past them....he can't." I felt a firm hand on my arm.

 “Is…is that…is that Roger…” Chrissie asked me, her hand gripping me.

 “Yes…yes, that’s Roger.” I answered her. She looked at me with a half-shocked look on her face.

 “Jesus, Lydia! It’s…he….you’re…how….that’s your boyfriend!?” She finally got out.

 “I’m beginnin’ to think tonight is way too much for you to handle.” I winked at her.

 “How the….HOW! How, Lydia…did you…it’s like…oooh god…” Chrissie never did really finish her sentence; Freddie and Brian coming out on the stage interrupted it. She was not at all prepared for the opening notes of their first song of the set once they started. This was shapin’ up into a fine October night.