"Two months. I can't believe it has been two whole months!"

Stephanie Laurel was pacing back and forth in the tiny trailer. She was ranting to herself. For two whole months she had been a roadie on the Monkees 1967 tour. How she had gotten that position was beyond her. All she knew was that "kissing" up to one of the promoters really worked.

This was her dream come true. She had been a loyal fan of the group ever since they had broken on to the scene. Instantly, she fell in love with the guitarist in the green wool hat, Michael Nesmith. From the first moment she heard him on the TV show, she was determined to meet him. Hopefully grace him with her vivaciousness, and win him over. So, when she heard the buzz about a Monkees tour, she ran away from her home in Memphis, TN, for California. No one there missed her. She was the middle child, at 16, of 12 parentless children. When her parents died in a car accident, her oldest sister took over. After several fights, Stephanie was told to "Go wherever you feel appreciated, since you say you don't here." Those orders were followed thoroughly. 'Michael will-does appreciate me!' she thought. 'And he loves me, too.'

"I have been on this tour for four whole months and I haven't gotten the slightest bit close to Michael!!" she ranted. "Well, tonight is my night! Michael Nesmith will know who I am!" She stood on top of a speaker and held her fist high in the air.

"That's nice girl, but could you hand me that guitar?" Another roadie said. Stephanie came out of her triumphant trance and handed it to him.

That night the show was in Detroit. She knew what she had to do. She had to get backstage. 'My roadie pass has got to work.' She thought 'Why else would they give it to me?' Stephanie successfully was cleared by the security guards and followed the sounds of teenage shrieks.

Finally, she was there. Stage right! At first she was mesmerized by the power of it all. Then, she saw him. He had on the wool cap. He looked so gallant, playing there. He was singing "Sunny Girlfriend," her favorite song. At that moment she felt compelled to just run onto the stage and leap into his arms. She barely noticed when the song was over. She started to fall back to earth. Then, he looked over. He looked to his right and stared right at her. 'Oh my God!!' she screamed inside of her. 'He has noticed me. He loves me. Michael is MINE!' He uttered some words and then winked. Her heart melted. She lived and breathed off of that moment for the rest of the show. Then she was poked, jabbed, and belted to go and get the instruments loaded. She didn't go. She ran down the backstage entrance and got into the Monkees limo.

"Excuse me miss! Do you know what you just did?" A deep voice boomed at her.

"Um, I…got into this car." She retorted, and then looked back. There they were, the four of them. Micky, Davy, Peter, and especially Mike. She felt numb, and didn't know what to expect from her excited state. She watched her hand reach back to Mike's and heard her mouth utter words:

"Michael, from the minute I saw you, I knew that we were to be together. And, you must know it too."

"What?!" Michael said.

"I saw the way you were looking at me tonight. You said you loved me and winked at me." (She didn't know if that was what he said or not, but did not choose to second guess it.)

There was a large snicker that came from the back.

"Um, Miss um...?"

"Stephanie. My name is Stephanie."

"Right, Stephanie." He took her hand out of his. "Listen Stephanie. I don't know what you thought up on stage, but truthfully, I didn't even know you were there. I was talking to Hank, the sound engineer. We have this little inside joke see…and well, you know how it is."

Stephanie turned back around in stupor. In the back she heard a wave of laughter.

"Yeah, way to go Mike!" Micky said.

"Heh, yeah Mike, you sure told her, man. Don't you just hate this?" Peter chimed in.

"Yeah Mike, you know 'ow to 'andle groupies, don'cha?" Davy added.

"That's it! Let me out of the car, NOW!" Stephanie yelled, choked with tears. More laughter came.

The door shut. The guys were still laughing.

As Mike watched the girl walk down the sidewalk away from them, he said softly, "Yeah, I sure do know how to break a girls heart."

They reached Memphis on August 17th. Heartbroken, Stephanie decided she had to go home. After she helped with the instruments, she sat down at the curb of the road. The sun was beginning to set. Despite the beauty, nothing was cheering her up. Then, she heard footsteps.

"May I sit down?"

She knew that accent. It was Michael.

"Sure. If ya'd like. Free country you know." She said sarcastically.

"Not if we don't win this dammed war." He retorted.

They both chuckled. She turned to him.

"Michael, I'm sorry. I made a total ass of myself at that concert. I just obsessed about you so much, that I left my home to get on with the tour. I actually thought that you would love me the way I love you." She let out a heavy sigh and stared at the setting sun. "But, all I got was laughter and a slap in the face."

"Stephanie, I'm really sorry. Forgive the guys. We just get this a lot. It's hard on us."

"I know. I know. But, you won't have to worry with me. I live here in Memphis, and I'm going home tonight."

Michael placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't do that."

"And why not?"

"I have a confession to make."

"What?"

"I've been noticing you ever since you joined this tour."

"You have?"

He let out a low laugh.

"Yeah. I remember that whenever my guitar case was to be brought in, you wanted to carry it."

He stroked the side of her face and played with her flowing blonde hair.

"I just never told you because it wasn't practical. I would only see you then."

She pulled away.

"That's right. We live in two different worlds."

"But it doesn't have to be that way!" He grabbed her and brought her close to his chest.

She stared at him with adornment. And he her.

"Stephanie. The point I'm trying to make is… I love you too."

He took her arms and folded them around his neck. He placed his hands around her waist and began to kiss her. Stephanie's heart was exploding. She began to kiss him back. The sun set it's last bit of daytime light upon them. For that one moment, time stood still. Michael brought her arms back down to his chest and hugged her.

"I have a show to do." He said, sweetly. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah…" Stephanie said as she looked around at her new home.

"You can count on it."