The writing was going well, at least from the band's perspective. They worked well together and there were lyrics to six songs in the can. Another two songs' melodies were written. They wanted to have twelve for this album, then they could negotiate with the label for what was to be included. As a team, they were happy.
Howie was another story. He was hoping they'd be further along after a month. The guys were hoping that they'd have more time off during this session time, time to be inspired by some real life experiences. They believed that they could nail the work in the studio in two month's time, thought they were ahead of schedule. But Howie was having none of it. He wanted to push this band to be their best! It was amazing what these guys had in them, if they would only realize it. There would be no weekend off this week. Well, that went over like a lead balloon, and each side argued their case. A compromise was reached: Sunday off, with a whole weekend off the following week, if they were all still pleased with their progress. No one was really happy with this but Howie, but no one really dared to argue. Howie was a large part of their success so far, and they didn't want to mess with a formula that was working.
Voz broke the news to Raina over the phone. Sunday would be their day together for the week, if she didn't mind. It changed the plans she had made for them a bit. She told him there was nothing that couldn't be changed, and she could hardly wait to see him then. He wrote down the directions to her house, and promised to be there before lunchtime.
Raina lived in a little house near a park in town. They took a short tour of her house, with Voz taking special interest in her bedroom, just to make Raina laugh. She did. He backed her against the bedroom door and kissed her until she was breathless. When she caught her breath, she lead him into the kitchen. They took the lunch she had prepared out to her tiny patio and ate at the picnic table. While they were eating and talking, her neighbor from next door stopped over. He was a sweet little boy of four years, with a green Kool-Aid mustache and a Little Tykes wagon full of balls, Hot Wheels, and army men.
"Hey Raina, what you doin'?"
She smiled. "Well, hey there, Mikey. We're having some lunch."
"Yuk! You eat veggie-tables?" He made a face at their salads that was supposed to show he was grossed out, but was so adorable, Voz laughed.
"Well, yes we do. It's hard to grow up big and strong without them." Raina rubbed her finger over his mouth. "I'll bet you had some green Kool-Aid today."
"Yeah! How did you know?" Before she could answer, Mikey leaned over and tried to whisper, but failed, as all four-year-olds do. "Who is this guy? Is he your boyfriend?"
"Well, yes he is. Mikey this is Voz D'Oro. And Voz, this handsome little guy is my buddy Mikey."
Voz put out his hand to shake Mikey's. "Hello Mikey. How are you?" Mikey looked at his hand for a second, then must have remembered what his dad had taught him. He took it, and shook it up and down exactly three times.
"I'm fine Mr. Dodo. Why is your hair so long? Doesn't your mom make you cut it?"
Raina tried hard not to show her laughter, and Voz tried to suppress his smile. "No, Mikey, my mom lets me cut my hair when I want to. And some people like it." He glanced Raina's way.
Mikey caught the look. "Oh no, that's the look my dad gives my mom right before he kisses her. Are you going to kiss Raina?"
"I might."
"Oh yuk! Kissing girls is SO gross!" Mikey announced.
"Mikey, when you get bigger, you're gonna find out that kissing girls as pretty as Raina is actually pretty fun."
"Oh no I'm not! Hey, you guys wanna see my new peese car?"
"Well I sure do. Where is it buddy?"
As Mikey was digging around in his wagon, Debbie came out from next door. "Mikey!" She rushed over. "I told you not to leave the yard, not even to come see Raina." She broke the connection on her cordless phone and began to apologize, when she noticed Raina had company. "I'm sorry that he interrupted you. I didn't realize you had company." She looked at Voz, and recognition flashed in her eyes. "Oh my. Oh my God. You look just like Voz D'Oro, from Jury!"
Mikey piped up. "Yeah, mom he is. Raina innro-doosed me to Mr. Dodo. His mom doesn't make him cut his hair, and he wants to see my new peese car."
Debbie was embarrassed. "Mikey, his name is Mr. D'Oro. And it's a police car."
"Deb, it's fine that Mikey stopped. This is my friend, Voz D'oro. Voz, this is my neighbor Deb."
"She's my mom," Mikey added.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Deb, Mikey's mom. Your son is very polite."
Deb blushed and brushed back her hair. "It's really nice to meet you. Raina didn't tell me she knew you." She looked at Raina accusingly.
Raina replied, "It's been a long time since we've been able to chat Deb. What have you and Dan been up to?"
"Not much." Deb chewed her lip. "I hate to ask, but, well....... Voz, would you mind if I asked you to sign my Jury album? Dan would just die!"
Voz grinned. "Sure I could."
"I'll be right back. Mikey, you stay right here with Raina for a minute." She dashed off to her house.
As soon as his mom turned her back, Mikey jumped onto Voz's lap with his toy police car. They began a conversation about police and the time that Mikey had visited the police station with his preschool class. Deb returned with her album and a marker. Voz wrote: To Deb, Dan, and Mikey - Keep rockin' with Jury, and take care. Deb could have lit up a Christmas tree with the smile she gave Voz when she thanked him.
"Look, we've taken up enough of Voz and Raina's time, Mikey. They need to eat their lunch, and you need a nap."
"Mom!"
"If we go now, I will read you two stories."
"Deal!" Mikey jumped off Voz's lap and put his toys in his wagon. "Raina, will you come baby-sit me soon?"
"Yes, Mikey, sometime soon."
"Mr. Dodo, will you come with her and play peese cars with me?"
"I just might do that sometime Mikey." Voz smiled at him.
"Ok. Bye. Bye, Raina."
"Bye, Mikey. Bye, Deb."
"Bye, Raina. Nice meeting you, Voz." She looked like she could turn a somersault when Voz flashed her a grin. She looked at Raina and mouthed, we have to talk, before she followed her son across the yard.
"Wow, it's been a long time since I've been around kids that small," Voz said. "He's great."
"Yes, but he can be a real handful sometimes."
"Do you want kids, Raina?"
She was surprised. "I haven't thought much about it, I guess. If they were all as sweet as Mikey..."
Voz was sure. "I want tons of kids."
"Really? Easy for you to say, when you don't have to go through labor." She tossed her napkin at him.
They finished their lunch talking about kids, and took their dishes into the house. Voz pinned her against the sink. "So, what's on the agenda now, pretty lady?"
There was a wonderful bike trail snaking through the park near her house. It covered about five miles, wound around the local golf course, and crossed the river in her town. It would be a nice, relaxing day, a chance for them to talk. Voz was all for it, and off they went. They took time throughout the walk to watch the golfers enjoying the day. Neither of them had much interest in golf, but it was fun to watch anyhow. They sat for a while on a park bench, and watched the families in the park, the couples playing tennis on the two courts. The most fun though, was watching the tiny tots in the wading pool. Babies in diapers to kids just a bit older than Mikey were having a ball splashing around. They stopped at the ice cream truck that paused near the wading pool and bought ice cream cones to eat on the way to the other end of the trail. It ended at the dog park, where they whiled away some more time watching all the dogs and their owners exercising.
On the way home they lingered on the bridge over the river to watch the water and the ducks that glided by. The sun was beginning to dip low in the horizon. Raina felt Voz staring at her as she leaned on the railing. "What? Do I have a Kool-Aid mustache?"
He smiled and brushed her hair behind her ear. He loved to play with her hair, it was so soft and shiny. "No. I just like looking at you. This has been such a nice, normal day. I love it. It's been so long since I've had one."
"Oh, Voz, that sounds so sad."
"No, don't get me wrong. I love what I'm doing. I don't think I could live without it. But I'm beginning to think I'm really missing something else. Howie has got to give us some more time off."
"I'm sure he will, you said you were doing well with the writing."
"You don't know Howie." Voz stopped himself. "I don't want to talk about this right now. I want to give you something."
"Voz, you don't have to give me anything."
He reached into his pocket. "I want to. I saw this not long ago, in fact, just before we came here. It made me think of you." He opened a small box and showed her a simple, elegant gold chain.
"Voz, that is pretty. You got that for me?"
"Yes. But it's more than a necklace. It's a forever necklace. It doesn't have a regular clasp." He pulled up the flap to side of the box, where a tiny gold screwdriver lay. "You put it on, and never take it off. That's why it's forever."
Raina was hesitant, Voz was hurt.
"Don't look so scared, Raina. I don't want a commitment, I'm not ready for one either. I want this to symbolize our friendship. It has been great for me - you have been great for me - these past six months. I love having someone to connect with while I'm on the road, someone normal, to talk to. No matter what happens, I want you to have this, wear this, and remember me, remember what a great friend you are, and I hope you think the same of me."
"Voz, that is really beautiful. Of course, I think the same of you. I would love to wear this."
"The lady that sold it to me said that the tradition is, I put the necklace on you, and I keep the screwdriver. Then I am the only one to take it off. I hope I never do."
Raina kissed him. "I hope you never do." She turned, and lifted her hair off her neck so he could screw in the screw to put the necklace on. He was a bit nervous, so it took him several minutes to manage the task. But once he was done, and turned her to him, he was very happy to see the way the lowering sun made the gold sparkle on her neck. He put the golden screwdriver in his wallet, hoping he'd never take it out again. He fingered the necklace, straightening its flow around her neck. He traced her collarbone, smoothed his hand up her neck, and kissed her.
Neither one of them would ever forget that day on the bridge.