Chapter Twenty-seven, Princess
Posted by DiF on Saturday, August 13, 2011
Title: Midnight Shift: Chapter Twenty-seven, Princess
Rating: PG-13 [language, alcohol, nudity]
Summary: Jimmy and Summer spend time with the Jones clan. Robert gets smashed in France.
Slipping into the bedroom, Jimmy’s eyes settled on Summer’s still sleeping form. He could not help the smile teasing the corners of his mouth. She looked so serene and glorious. To be honest he wished he could keep her safe in the world of her dreams, wrapped in the safety and happiness they likely provided. The waking world was a bitch and should not be throwing around the young woman so much. He knew demons, knew them well, and they had no need to be touching his princess.
He would have to see about casting a spell of protection for her, keep her safe from all the bullshit the cosmos kept throwing at her.
He would think on that some more at another time. Today they would focus upon enjoying the day out with the Joneses – whom were due to arrive within the hour. Knowing he needed to wake her from the land of slumber, Jimmy silently moved to the bed. Crawling back beside her, he lay on his side facing her. His fingers reached up and gently brushed the long curls from her face. Summer inhaled deeply and smiled slightly. A moment later her eyes fluttered open, taking a moment to focus on his.
“Good morning, princess,” he smiled before leaning forward to kiss her. “Did you sleep well?”
“I always sleep well next to you,” she responded.
Jimmy smiled a bit more, “I sleep best next to you too.”
She grinned, “Really?”
“I do not sleep much, but when you are around, it does not seem so difficult.”
“I’m glad, Jimmy. Really.”
“While I would love to lie in bed with you all day and talk about these things, Jonesy and his family will be here before long. Would you like to bathe before they arrive?”
“I… yes. Can I?”
“Let me see your feet first, princess,” he responded.
Nodding, Summer rolled over and slipped out from underneath the light blanket. Rolling into a seated position, she turned the soles of her feet to Jimmy. His eyes dropped down as he sat up. His fingers held onto her big toes, turning her feet slightly so that the dim light from the gauze-covered windows illuminated them. He frowned, chewing on his bottom lip.
“Well… I think there is no way around it. We are going to have to amputate,” he stated seriously.
Her eyes widened, “NO!”
Releasing her toes, his hands circled her right foot. Gently he began to run his fingertips over the bottom of her foot. Her eyes widened and she began to giggle. Releasing her foot, he pushed up, captured her face with both hands, and kissed her giggling mouth.
Sparkling eyes looking into his, Summer asked, “Really, how do they look?”
“Better. But you’re still not walking on them today. And we’ll have to be careful in the bath.”
“We?”
“I do not think you should be immersing your feet in a hot bath just yet, Summer. Which means you’ll need my help,” Jimmy declared.
Her gaze remained on his, “Well… okay. But no funny business.”
He held her eyes, “I promise.”
“All right then.”
Jimmy leaned forward and kissed her sweetly, “I will go draw the bath now and return for you in a moment, princess.”
Quickly he headed to the bathroom to do exactly what he said. He could not conceal his excitement at the prospect of what he was about to do. Though he had promised to behave – and he would attempt to do so – Jimmy was fairly certain things would turn in his favor. Turning on the water and quickly adjusting the temperature until it was just perfect, he plugged the tub and then turned about to light candles. With the scene set perfectly and the faucet turned off, Jimmy returned to the bedroom. Summer sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes expectantly going to his.
“Ready?” he smiled as he approached her.
Her arms reached up for him, “I am.”
Slipping his arms around her, Jimmy lifted the petite young woman from the bed, shifted her in his arms, and headed to the bathroom. Glancing around she noted the candles but thought nothing odd of it; Jimmy always preferred candlelight when he had the option. He set her gingerly on the edge of the tub, holding onto her waist until he was certain she balanced well. Her fingers curved over the edge of the bathtub as his fingers reached for the bottom hem of the long tee shirt she wore. Shifting her weight so he could pull the shirt free from the curve of her ass, Summer’s eyes remained focused upon Jimmy’s face. His face remained impassive until removing the shirt uncovered her small breasts. Biting his bottom lip slightly, his eyes went to hers, waiting for her to lift her arms so he could finish undressing her. Raising her hands above her head, she smiled though the cotton of the tee shirt quickly hid it.
For a long moment, Jimmy kept her face concealed with the tee shirt. His dark eyes soaked in the image of pert breasts, ever so certain that her nipples hardened a bit more with each breath that cause them to rise. Knowing he could not remain as he was, gawking at her breasts, without raising suspicion, he pulled the shirt fully off and tossed it on the cold tile behind him. Her face revealed again, Summer grinned, her hands reaching back up to Jimmy. Unable to resist he leaned down and kissed her softly, though his hands did not slip down to cup her breasts but rather slipped under her armpits to help her into the tub.
With awkward finesse, Jimmy assisted Summer into the tub once the kiss ended. Keeping her feet out of the warm water was no easy task; so much, so that her left foot dipped into the water and she squealed in pain, causing Jimmy to quickly react and pull her foot out. Had Summer not been gripping the edge of the tub, he likely would have dunked her, something that was almost as troubling as the foot being in hot water.
Eyes on Jimmy as he knelt beside the basin, Summer finally spoke, “And how long are my feet supposed to be fucked up?”
He sighed, “The doctor said if we take good care of them it would be at least ten days but up to three weeks.”
She frowned and looked away, “I was so stupid to do what I did. Now I need a fucking nursemaid to do everything for me. I’m so sorry, Jimmy.”
His right hand reached to her chin and turned her face back to his, “You acted on instinct and emotion, princess. It might not have been the smartest of things, but you could not have done anything else. I have nothing more that I want to do than take care of you. We will manage all of these issues together. I promised I would never leave you and I will keep my promise to you, Summer. Whatever obstacles we face, we will overcome them.”
Her hand covered his and she smiled slightly, “Thank you, Jimmy. I cannot express how much this means to me.”
He leaned forward and quickly kissed her, “Just relax, my sweet. Let me take care of everything.”
Relaxing back in the tub, though finding the whole keeping her feet out of the water really awkward, especially since it pretty much kept her legs splayed open, Summer watched carefully as Jimmy dipped a washcloth into the bathtub before sudsing it up with soap. He carefully washed her injured feet first, inspecting them once more. Slowly he began to work up the leg farthest from him, guiding her to lift her leg straight up. Resudsing the washcloth, he guided the nearest one up, pausing to kiss her knee before continuing his task. Both of their gazes focused on her immersed sex, trying to figure out the logistics of washing her.
“Um…”
“I can do it myself, Jimmy,” she claimed.
“No. I shall,” he responded.”But sit up first and I will wash your arms and…”
He gingerly washed each arm before instructing her to sweep her half-wet hair from her back, letting it cascade over her shoulder. Shifting around the tub, he scrubbed her back, rinsed it, and kissed the juncture of her shoulders and neck. Leaving the washcloth on the side of the tub, he worked soap into a lather in both hands and leaned forward to kiss her damp skin again. Reaching around her torso, under her arms that held her awkwardly up, her feet still kept out of the water, Jimmy’s soapy hands cupped her small breasts. Gasping she leaned back against him, not caring that she soaked his shirt completely, and closed her eyes as he continued to wash her breasts. Had the sensations of his hands rubbing her breasts not set fires off in her body, she might have teased him that her breasts certainly could not be dirty enough to require that much attention. But then he rolled her nipples in his fingers and she knew he touched her not entirely for the purpose of cleaning her.
“Oh Jimmy,” she groaned.
His lips kissed her shoulder, nibbling gently, “Summer…”
“Jimmy!? Summer!? Are you two up here!?” a muffled shout filtered into the bathroom.
Summer instantly tensed, “Jimmy, did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Jimmy! Summer!” the voice got louder.
“Bollocks,” Jimmy carefully pulled away, guiding Summer back into her lounging position. “Jonesy is here already. He is either early or it is later than I presumed. I will be right back, princess.”
Leaving the bathroom, aware the front of his shirt was soaked but not caring, Jimmy searched to intercept the bassist. A moment after closing the door behind him, John Paul reached the top of the stairs. His eyes quickly assessed Jimmy’s appearance before flicking to the closed door behind him. His brows rose in questioning.
“Summer wished to bathe today. It is not something she can do alone,” Jimmy responded simply.
John Paul’s eyes instantly darkened, “You are coming with me and Mo will assist Summer with the remainder of her toilet.”
“But she doesn’t even know M–”
“It matters not. You are coming with me now, Page,” he stated darkly.
Normally he would glower at the bassist and tell him to bugger off. However, upon seeing the look in John Paul’s eyes, Jimmy’s shoulders slumped and he trailed behind. The two men stopped at the base of the stairs, long enough for John Paul to instruct his wife to head upstairs to help Summer and his girls to stay inside with the puppy. He headed purposefully to the deck, not waiting to confirm that Jimmy was following.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, James?” he seethed as soon as the door closed behind the guitarist. “Summer is Robert’s girlfriend. You should not be–”
“Taking care of her? Do you see anyone else here, John? Robert went home to his wife. Bonzo went home to his family. Summer cannot leave the country yet and you can be damn sure I am not about to abandon her. I promised I would not leave her, that I would take care of her. That is precisely what I am doing. Whatever you think is going on is n–”
“Oh stop blowing smoke up my arse. I may not be around the band much, but you ever think of why? Do you think I am comfortable with the way you three whore around? I love and respect my wife more than that. So do not try to tell me that what I think is going on, is not. You want Summer. I have known that for a long time. And while I think she is a sweet girl, she is off limits, James,” John Paul declared. “She belongs to Robert.”
“Who is married,” Jimmy pointed out. “And abandoned her. I believe that makes his claim invalid.”
“You are not single either! Or have you forgotten the woman and child waiting for youin England?”
His eyes darkened, “Leave Charlotte and Scarlet out of this.”
“Like bloody hell I will. You are toying with that young girl in there right now. She is not yours. And you need to man up and take care of the mother of your daughter,” John Paul barely managed to keep his voice steady.
“I take plenty care of Charlotte. She is living in my house, is she not?” Jimmy responded coolly. “What I do with Summer is none of your business. It is between me and her, no one else. You do not need to meddle with affairs that are not yours.”
“You cannot treat Summer like one of your playthings, James. She has been through way too much already as it is. She isn’t a groupie you can fuck and just leave when you wa–”
“Do you really think I am not aware of that? Summer is different from any girl we have ever known. I know that. I would much rather cut off my arm than hurt her. You have nothing to fear. At all.”
“But–”
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed, “Leave it alone.”
“But–”
“I said–”
“Jimmy?” Mo’s voice interrupted. “Summer needs your assistance now.”
“We are done,” Jimmy stated and turned, heading back into the house without another word.
John Paul looked to his wife and sighed, “I do not think he listened to a word he said.”
“Worry not. I spoke with the girl. Even though she does not know me, she opened up quickly and I do not think you have to worry about them, John. She’s a smarter girl than you give her credit for,” Mo proclaimed.
“But Jimmy–”
“You can only do so much, John. Let it be. We will be around for Summer should we need us. Otherwise, she needs to figure this out herself. Let it be.”
After ensuring the children slept in their beds, Robert headed towards the door, hoping to slip out into the darkness of night. Four steps from the door, he heard Maureen clearing her throat. However, he pretended to not hear her and pulled the door open. She said his name as the door closed, but that too Robert ignored. Instead, he hurried from the small cottage as quickly as possible.
As they were frequent guests of this particular village of cottages, he knew precisely where to go for a pint. He only hoped there was a phone there as well so that he could call Summer again. Though he was still with Maureen and the kids, he felt the need to talk to his baby. He had no clue what he would tell her. He just needed to hear her voice and assure her that he was going to be back to her as soon as he could. He needed to talk to her.
Approaching the pub, he stopped. A bearish man stood near the entrance, smoking a cigarette. Though he knew it unlikely, the man’s body shape and gestures reminded him so much of his best mate, he wished Bonzo were there. But then again he did not. Bonzo was in California, taking care of Summer for him. That was a better place for him to be, instead of a bar in France. Yet each step closer to the bar and the man, made Robert think differently. He was too much like Bonzo to be…
“Bonzo? What are you doing here?”
“Percy!?”
The two men stared at each other for a long moment before each blurted out demands as to why the other was there. And both began to answer at the same time. Robert quickly silenced upon Bonzo’s mention of Summer.
“Summer? Is she here with you? Is she okay? Can I see her?” he quickly asked.
The drummer frowned and shook his head, “No, mate, she’s not here.”
“What? Why? You’re supposed to be taking care of her,” Robert responded.
“I know,” he continued to frown. “Let’s have a pint and I’ll tell you what’s going on.”
Though he did not like the ominous tone of that statement, he quickly agreed, as that had been his intentions all along. Within a few minutes of the story, Robert had already finished his beer. His comments remained silent, biting his tongue slightly for the culmination of Bonzo’s tale. It was his entire fault, he knew that. From the pain Summer felt from her burned feet because he had not stopped her from walking on the embers to the fact Jimmy had moved in on her so easily, was probably fucking her that very moment, was all his fault. He had let his little girl down and would pay for it. First, by ripping out his heart or perhaps drowning it in beer.
“Mate,” Bonzo pushed away Robert’s third beer, “stop.”
“If I had not been so bloody… stupid, she would not be fucking Page right now,” he muttered.
“I highly doubt she is sleeping with Jimmy,” he declared. “She loves you. She does. It is not something she gave up in a matter of days. He is not that smooth.”
Robert snorted, “I have done everything wrong. Everything. I should have just sent Maureen the divorce papers and stayed with Summer.”
“Why didn’t you, mate?” Bonzo picked up Robert’s glass and emptied it.
“Because I thought the right thing to do was to go to Maureen and do it in person,” he declared. “I thought I owed it to her, after sticking with me for all these years.”
“And now?”
“I am bloody in France with Maureen and Summer is in California with Jimmy. What the fuck do you think the right thing to do is now?”
“Wait. Maureen is here?”
“With the kids.”
Bonzo looked up at the bartender, “Two more pints, mate.”
“Why are you here? No… not in France, but why are you here at this pub if you are finally with your family?” Robert asked as another glass was slid towards him. “Summer clearly sent you to be with them to make you happy. You normally do not drink when you have your family.”
He took a big gulp of the amber liquid, “Because I fucking left part of my family in California.”
“Who?”
“Summer,” he muttered into his beer.
“It seems to me,” Robert gulped his beer, “that we both need to be in California, not France.”
In a borrowed wheelchair, with Jimmy behind her pushing, Summer’s large blue eyes darted about. Within the very entrance of the park, her senses already kicked into overdrive. She had never even imagined a place was magical as Disneyland. The sights, the sounds, the smells were enough to light her soul in ways unimaginable. She did not even care that she was wheelchair-bound that day.
“Jimmy!” she squealed as her eyes settled on the horse-drawn trolley. “Can we go on that!?”
He stopped the wheelchair and leaned down, kissing her ear lightly, “We can go on anything you want, princess.”
Finding the nearest stop, the Jones family and the couple, boarded the trolley. As would become the trend of the day, Jimmy lifted Summer from the chair while John Paul folded and stored it. Ever character they passed, the Jones girls chirped hellos and babbled explanations to Summer. She paid attention to the girls, dutifully asking them for clarifications when she was uncertain.
At least until she saw Sleeping Beauty’s castle.
Her fingers reached for Jimmy’s shirtsleeve and she tugged slightly. His dark eyes went to her first, trying to see what it was she wanted. The young woman merely pointed at the castle. Seeing where she pointed, he informed the Joneses they would depart at the next stop. The Jones girls all held hands and skipped ahead of the wheelchair, giggling and chattering about visiting the princess castle.
Upon entrance to the castle, Summer’s smile disappeared. The Joneses disappeared up the staircase, the girls hurrying before their parents could re-direct them. She knew without a doubt that Jimmy would not allow her to walk up those stairs, not with the blisters still covering so much of the bottom of her feet. Nor could she imagine him carrying her up either. She was going to miss over half of the castle. All because wheelchairs could not navigate it all.
“Let’s just go,” she muttered softly.
“Princess?” he knelt beside her chair, eyes going to hers.
“Let’s just go. I can’t… I can’t…” Summer looked away.
He reached up and touched her face gently, “Summer, why don’t we go on our own for awhile? We can meet up with Jonesy and the girls in a bit after we’ve had our own magical experience.”
“I guess,” she responded glumly.
Standing he kissed her forehead lovingly, “I promise you the rest of the day will be spectacular.”
Leaving Sleeping Beauty’s castle behind, Jimmy headed to the next closest ride. Guiding Summer up to the front of Snow White’s Scary Adventure, they waited for the next available car before he lifted her out of the wheelchair and into the ‘Dopey’ bed car. While the cars sat four people, Jimmy and Summer remained alone. As the car headed into the ride, Summer shifted closer to Jimmy, her eyes widening. She jumped with the first appearance of the hag and clutched his hand even tighter as they passed under skeletons. The cart continued forward and burst through a wooden door, pushing them into a forest. Other voices filled the room, but the hag reappeared, again causing Summer to shift even closer to Jimmy. The room ended with a glittery door surrounded by gems, indicative of the dwarves’ mine. The cart then returned to where it had begun. None of it made any sense to Summer, merely had frightened her.
“Oh Jimmy, I did not like that witch,” she muttered, her eyes barely glancing as the ride worker pulled her wheelchair out.
He kissed her temple before sliding out of the cart and turning to reach for her, “We will go on a different ride next. My apologies.”
Guiding the wheelchair across the concrete path to Peter Pan’s Flight, Jimmy hesitated. He did not remember the Peter Pan story being as scary as Snow White’s and the fact the ride did not contain the word “scary” in it seemed to be fine, but he was still uncertain. However as soon as she saw the fancy ship-like carts, Summer gasped and her bright eyes turned up to him. Jimmy instantly decided it was worth a try. Again, they were the only two who settled into the small galleon, her wheelchair kept by the worker. Instantly Summer enjoyed it more, happily chattering and asking Jimmy about what they saw. Before the ship return to the queue, he promised to tell her that story as well.
“Oh that one was much better, Jimmy,” she declared, grinning as she was lifted into her wheelchair. “Much better.”
They rode the carousel, the Dumbo ride, Alice and Wonderland, and the Mad Tea Party cups. Avoiding Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, fearing it would frighten her as much as Snow White had, Jimmy selectively escorted the young woman about Fantasyland. They paused for concessions; Jimmy introduced Summer to the sweet fluffy confection of cotton candy. It was only once they finished their shared soda, seated on a bench under the tree that they saw the Joneses again.
“Summer! Summer! Summer!” the girls squealed as they ran up to her.
As the girls bubbled happily to her about the rides they had been on, John Paul addressed Jimmy, “I apologize for losing you in the castle. We had not expected it to be inaccessible for Summer.”
“It is all right. We enjoyed our time together,” he smiled slightly as he looked at the girl. “Very much so.”
“YOU HAVE A PRINCESS CROWN!” Jacinda gasped, reaching up to the small crown sitting upon Summer’s head.
She nodded, “Jimmy bought it.”
“DADDY!” the three younger girls turned to John Paul. “I WANT!”
“MAUREEN!” Robert bellowed as he entered the cottage. “WOMAN!”
It was his second night – morning – stumbling into the house drunk. The first morning he merely silently slipped into bed and slept until the children roused him to play. However this time, fired up by Bonzo’s words that second night at the pub, he was ready to fight. It was time to end it with Maureen. He did not care what country they were in. Damn their history, he was going back to Summer. No one could stop him.
Except her.
“Shirley? Wh-what are you d-doing here?” he drawled, his eyes struggling to remain focused on her face.
“Maureen called me,” she stated and pointed at the chair. “Sit down, Rob.”
He collapsed onto the couch rather than the chair she indicated, “What do you w-want?”
“She says you have been behaving strangely since returning from tour. Last night you were out drinking all night and apparently tonight was a repeat performance. What the hell is wrong with you, Rob? Are you trying to lose your family?”
As he tried to focus on her question, Summer’s smiling face continued to reappear in his mind. He knew very well what was wrong with him; it was the same thing that was wrong with Bonzo. He did not know what it was about Summer that made him need to be around her. It was more than just love, that much had to be true. He needed Summer because he loved her.
“Yes,” he finally answered, meeting his sister-in-law’s eyes. “I want out of this marriage with Maureen.”
Shirley remained silent for a few long minutes before finally saying, “Fine. Go sober up. Then we’ll talk about how exactly you’re going to go about breaking my sister’s heart.”
Curled up in bed with Jimmy, Summer sighed contently. The morning’s rays already filtered through the curtains, beckoning the couple to roll out of bed and get on with the day. But without any exciting plans like the day before, she was happy to just lie in his arms all day, reliving their happiness in her head. She knew it would not last, that the Jones girls would likely want her attention soon as the Jones family occupied the other rooms in the beach house the night before. But for now, she lay in Jimmy’s arms, feeling even more like a princess than she had the day before when he crowned her.
Wiggling slightly, she stretched up and kissed his sleeping eyes. A smile instantly curved his lips and his arms tightened about her, pulling her to lie upon him. His hands traced down her spine, seeking the hem of the shirt she wore. When his fingers did not easily find the bottom of the garment, he silently swore to himself for purchasing the Cinderella sleep shirt for her. While it was nice, she was more covered when the children were around, at this very moment it was certainly not working in his favor.
“Yesterday was fantastic, Jimmy,” she declared before kissing him quickly. “Thank you so much.”
Giving up on the hem of her nightshirt, his hands quickly cupped her face, holding her long hair back, Jimmy responded, “You are most welcome, princess. You smiling lights my soul more than anything.”
Summer grinned and kissed him again, “When are we going to the zoo?”
He chuckled, “Let’s wait a day or two so maybe you can walk a bit more.”
“Okay,” she sighed, but still smiled. “Do you think Jonesy and the girls are going to stay for awhile?”
“They might. Would you like that?”
She nodded, “I miss be surrounded by people.”
“Then we shall ask them this morning,” he replied.
“Thank you, Jimmy,” she leaned down and kissed him sweetly. “Help me to the bathroom?”
“As you wish.”
Leaning against the wall outside the bathroom a moment later, Jimmy distractedly picked at his fingernails. His eyes glanced down the hallway as a door opened and the two eldest Jones girls tumbled out, Queenie scrambling out behind them. The youngest girl quickly followed. All three chirped a hello to him before running down the stairs with the dog. Smirking to himself, he started to count silently, gauging how long it took for Mo to appear to wrestle the girls. He was nearly to thirty before Summer called for him and he brushed aside his observations. Retrieving her, they stepped out of the bathroom a few moments later just as a groggy John Paul and Mo stepped from their room.
Before anyone could greet the others, a loud crash echoed up the stairs, following by a chorus of “WASN’T ME!” Rolling her eyes, Mo finished tying her morning robe close and hurried down the stairs to see what the girls had done. With a smirk, John Paul headed to join his wife.
“UNCLE JIMMY!” Tamara shouted up the stairs. “SOMEONE IS HERE TO SEE YOU!”
“Leave me here so I can get dressed,” Summer suggested. “Come back in a few minutes.”
Nodding he carried her back to their room, leaving her on the bed with a kiss. Not expecting anyone and certain only the band and Benji knew his location, Jimmy descended the steps, wrapped in a black silk robe, with confusion clouding his eyes. As he turned on the landing midway down the staircase, he felt his stomach clench into knots. He knew in that very moment his visitor was certainly bad news.
Halting on the bottom step, his dark eyes settled on the man just inside the door. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but his face remained completely impassive. He could feel John Paul’s eyes on him, trying to read his reaction.
“And to what do I owe this pleasure?” he spoke evenly.
“We had a deal.”
Jimmy remained on the bottom step, “We had nothing. You are not welcome here, Cole. Leave.”
Queenie suddenly recognized the visitor and began to bark. John Paul quickly jumped forward and scooped up the puppy before she charged the former road manager. Cole looked over at the puppy and his lips curved into a greasy smile before returning his attention back to Jimmy.
“Ah, I see. The bitch is here. I understand. I will return in an hour or so. You will be tired of her then, Page,” he commented.
“Do not return at all, Cole,” Jimmy responded coldly. “I have no business with you. No one does. Stay away or I will alert the authorities.”
“And what? Tell them you paid me to–”
“Get out,” John Paul stated darkly, the puppy still squirming in his arms. “Now.”
Cole looked to the bassist, his eyebrows arching with amusement, “Ah so the bitch has you too. She must be a good fuck for you to protect her even with your wife and children around.”
Jimmy clenched his fists, “Get out, Cole. Get out now.”
He glanced back at the guitarist and he smirked, “I’ll be back… to find out for myself exactly what is so special about that whore.”
Rating: PG-13 [language, alcohol, nudity]
Summary: Jimmy and Summer spend time with the Jones clan. Robert gets smashed in France.
Slipping into the bedroom, Jimmy’s eyes settled on Summer’s still sleeping form. He could not help the smile teasing the corners of his mouth. She looked so serene and glorious. To be honest he wished he could keep her safe in the world of her dreams, wrapped in the safety and happiness they likely provided. The waking world was a bitch and should not be throwing around the young woman so much. He knew demons, knew them well, and they had no need to be touching his princess.
He would have to see about casting a spell of protection for her, keep her safe from all the bullshit the cosmos kept throwing at her.
He would think on that some more at another time. Today they would focus upon enjoying the day out with the Joneses – whom were due to arrive within the hour. Knowing he needed to wake her from the land of slumber, Jimmy silently moved to the bed. Crawling back beside her, he lay on his side facing her. His fingers reached up and gently brushed the long curls from her face. Summer inhaled deeply and smiled slightly. A moment later her eyes fluttered open, taking a moment to focus on his.
“Good morning, princess,” he smiled before leaning forward to kiss her. “Did you sleep well?”
“I always sleep well next to you,” she responded.
Jimmy smiled a bit more, “I sleep best next to you too.”
She grinned, “Really?”
“I do not sleep much, but when you are around, it does not seem so difficult.”
“I’m glad, Jimmy. Really.”
“While I would love to lie in bed with you all day and talk about these things, Jonesy and his family will be here before long. Would you like to bathe before they arrive?”
“I… yes. Can I?”
“Let me see your feet first, princess,” he responded.
Nodding, Summer rolled over and slipped out from underneath the light blanket. Rolling into a seated position, she turned the soles of her feet to Jimmy. His eyes dropped down as he sat up. His fingers held onto her big toes, turning her feet slightly so that the dim light from the gauze-covered windows illuminated them. He frowned, chewing on his bottom lip.
“Well… I think there is no way around it. We are going to have to amputate,” he stated seriously.
Her eyes widened, “NO!”
Releasing her toes, his hands circled her right foot. Gently he began to run his fingertips over the bottom of her foot. Her eyes widened and she began to giggle. Releasing her foot, he pushed up, captured her face with both hands, and kissed her giggling mouth.
Sparkling eyes looking into his, Summer asked, “Really, how do they look?”
“Better. But you’re still not walking on them today. And we’ll have to be careful in the bath.”
“We?”
“I do not think you should be immersing your feet in a hot bath just yet, Summer. Which means you’ll need my help,” Jimmy declared.
Her gaze remained on his, “Well… okay. But no funny business.”
He held her eyes, “I promise.”
“All right then.”
Jimmy leaned forward and kissed her sweetly, “I will go draw the bath now and return for you in a moment, princess.”
Quickly he headed to the bathroom to do exactly what he said. He could not conceal his excitement at the prospect of what he was about to do. Though he had promised to behave – and he would attempt to do so – Jimmy was fairly certain things would turn in his favor. Turning on the water and quickly adjusting the temperature until it was just perfect, he plugged the tub and then turned about to light candles. With the scene set perfectly and the faucet turned off, Jimmy returned to the bedroom. Summer sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes expectantly going to his.
“Ready?” he smiled as he approached her.
Her arms reached up for him, “I am.”
Slipping his arms around her, Jimmy lifted the petite young woman from the bed, shifted her in his arms, and headed to the bathroom. Glancing around she noted the candles but thought nothing odd of it; Jimmy always preferred candlelight when he had the option. He set her gingerly on the edge of the tub, holding onto her waist until he was certain she balanced well. Her fingers curved over the edge of the bathtub as his fingers reached for the bottom hem of the long tee shirt she wore. Shifting her weight so he could pull the shirt free from the curve of her ass, Summer’s eyes remained focused upon Jimmy’s face. His face remained impassive until removing the shirt uncovered her small breasts. Biting his bottom lip slightly, his eyes went to hers, waiting for her to lift her arms so he could finish undressing her. Raising her hands above her head, she smiled though the cotton of the tee shirt quickly hid it.
For a long moment, Jimmy kept her face concealed with the tee shirt. His dark eyes soaked in the image of pert breasts, ever so certain that her nipples hardened a bit more with each breath that cause them to rise. Knowing he could not remain as he was, gawking at her breasts, without raising suspicion, he pulled the shirt fully off and tossed it on the cold tile behind him. Her face revealed again, Summer grinned, her hands reaching back up to Jimmy. Unable to resist he leaned down and kissed her softly, though his hands did not slip down to cup her breasts but rather slipped under her armpits to help her into the tub.
With awkward finesse, Jimmy assisted Summer into the tub once the kiss ended. Keeping her feet out of the warm water was no easy task; so much, so that her left foot dipped into the water and she squealed in pain, causing Jimmy to quickly react and pull her foot out. Had Summer not been gripping the edge of the tub, he likely would have dunked her, something that was almost as troubling as the foot being in hot water.
Eyes on Jimmy as he knelt beside the basin, Summer finally spoke, “And how long are my feet supposed to be fucked up?”
He sighed, “The doctor said if we take good care of them it would be at least ten days but up to three weeks.”
She frowned and looked away, “I was so stupid to do what I did. Now I need a fucking nursemaid to do everything for me. I’m so sorry, Jimmy.”
His right hand reached to her chin and turned her face back to his, “You acted on instinct and emotion, princess. It might not have been the smartest of things, but you could not have done anything else. I have nothing more that I want to do than take care of you. We will manage all of these issues together. I promised I would never leave you and I will keep my promise to you, Summer. Whatever obstacles we face, we will overcome them.”
Her hand covered his and she smiled slightly, “Thank you, Jimmy. I cannot express how much this means to me.”
He leaned forward and quickly kissed her, “Just relax, my sweet. Let me take care of everything.”
Relaxing back in the tub, though finding the whole keeping her feet out of the water really awkward, especially since it pretty much kept her legs splayed open, Summer watched carefully as Jimmy dipped a washcloth into the bathtub before sudsing it up with soap. He carefully washed her injured feet first, inspecting them once more. Slowly he began to work up the leg farthest from him, guiding her to lift her leg straight up. Resudsing the washcloth, he guided the nearest one up, pausing to kiss her knee before continuing his task. Both of their gazes focused on her immersed sex, trying to figure out the logistics of washing her.
“Um…”
“I can do it myself, Jimmy,” she claimed.
“No. I shall,” he responded.”But sit up first and I will wash your arms and…”
He gingerly washed each arm before instructing her to sweep her half-wet hair from her back, letting it cascade over her shoulder. Shifting around the tub, he scrubbed her back, rinsed it, and kissed the juncture of her shoulders and neck. Leaving the washcloth on the side of the tub, he worked soap into a lather in both hands and leaned forward to kiss her damp skin again. Reaching around her torso, under her arms that held her awkwardly up, her feet still kept out of the water, Jimmy’s soapy hands cupped her small breasts. Gasping she leaned back against him, not caring that she soaked his shirt completely, and closed her eyes as he continued to wash her breasts. Had the sensations of his hands rubbing her breasts not set fires off in her body, she might have teased him that her breasts certainly could not be dirty enough to require that much attention. But then he rolled her nipples in his fingers and she knew he touched her not entirely for the purpose of cleaning her.
“Oh Jimmy,” she groaned.
His lips kissed her shoulder, nibbling gently, “Summer…”
“Jimmy!? Summer!? Are you two up here!?” a muffled shout filtered into the bathroom.
Summer instantly tensed, “Jimmy, did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Jimmy! Summer!” the voice got louder.
“Bollocks,” Jimmy carefully pulled away, guiding Summer back into her lounging position. “Jonesy is here already. He is either early or it is later than I presumed. I will be right back, princess.”
Leaving the bathroom, aware the front of his shirt was soaked but not caring, Jimmy searched to intercept the bassist. A moment after closing the door behind him, John Paul reached the top of the stairs. His eyes quickly assessed Jimmy’s appearance before flicking to the closed door behind him. His brows rose in questioning.
“Summer wished to bathe today. It is not something she can do alone,” Jimmy responded simply.
John Paul’s eyes instantly darkened, “You are coming with me and Mo will assist Summer with the remainder of her toilet.”
“But she doesn’t even know M–”
“It matters not. You are coming with me now, Page,” he stated darkly.
Normally he would glower at the bassist and tell him to bugger off. However, upon seeing the look in John Paul’s eyes, Jimmy’s shoulders slumped and he trailed behind. The two men stopped at the base of the stairs, long enough for John Paul to instruct his wife to head upstairs to help Summer and his girls to stay inside with the puppy. He headed purposefully to the deck, not waiting to confirm that Jimmy was following.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, James?” he seethed as soon as the door closed behind the guitarist. “Summer is Robert’s girlfriend. You should not be–”
“Taking care of her? Do you see anyone else here, John? Robert went home to his wife. Bonzo went home to his family. Summer cannot leave the country yet and you can be damn sure I am not about to abandon her. I promised I would not leave her, that I would take care of her. That is precisely what I am doing. Whatever you think is going on is n–”
“Oh stop blowing smoke up my arse. I may not be around the band much, but you ever think of why? Do you think I am comfortable with the way you three whore around? I love and respect my wife more than that. So do not try to tell me that what I think is going on, is not. You want Summer. I have known that for a long time. And while I think she is a sweet girl, she is off limits, James,” John Paul declared. “She belongs to Robert.”
“Who is married,” Jimmy pointed out. “And abandoned her. I believe that makes his claim invalid.”
“You are not single either! Or have you forgotten the woman and child waiting for youin England?”
His eyes darkened, “Leave Charlotte and Scarlet out of this.”
“Like bloody hell I will. You are toying with that young girl in there right now. She is not yours. And you need to man up and take care of the mother of your daughter,” John Paul barely managed to keep his voice steady.
“I take plenty care of Charlotte. She is living in my house, is she not?” Jimmy responded coolly. “What I do with Summer is none of your business. It is between me and her, no one else. You do not need to meddle with affairs that are not yours.”
“You cannot treat Summer like one of your playthings, James. She has been through way too much already as it is. She isn’t a groupie you can fuck and just leave when you wa–”
“Do you really think I am not aware of that? Summer is different from any girl we have ever known. I know that. I would much rather cut off my arm than hurt her. You have nothing to fear. At all.”
“But–”
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed, “Leave it alone.”
“But–”
“I said–”
“Jimmy?” Mo’s voice interrupted. “Summer needs your assistance now.”
“We are done,” Jimmy stated and turned, heading back into the house without another word.
John Paul looked to his wife and sighed, “I do not think he listened to a word he said.”
“Worry not. I spoke with the girl. Even though she does not know me, she opened up quickly and I do not think you have to worry about them, John. She’s a smarter girl than you give her credit for,” Mo proclaimed.
“But Jimmy–”
“You can only do so much, John. Let it be. We will be around for Summer should we need us. Otherwise, she needs to figure this out herself. Let it be.”
After ensuring the children slept in their beds, Robert headed towards the door, hoping to slip out into the darkness of night. Four steps from the door, he heard Maureen clearing her throat. However, he pretended to not hear her and pulled the door open. She said his name as the door closed, but that too Robert ignored. Instead, he hurried from the small cottage as quickly as possible.
As they were frequent guests of this particular village of cottages, he knew precisely where to go for a pint. He only hoped there was a phone there as well so that he could call Summer again. Though he was still with Maureen and the kids, he felt the need to talk to his baby. He had no clue what he would tell her. He just needed to hear her voice and assure her that he was going to be back to her as soon as he could. He needed to talk to her.
Approaching the pub, he stopped. A bearish man stood near the entrance, smoking a cigarette. Though he knew it unlikely, the man’s body shape and gestures reminded him so much of his best mate, he wished Bonzo were there. But then again he did not. Bonzo was in California, taking care of Summer for him. That was a better place for him to be, instead of a bar in France. Yet each step closer to the bar and the man, made Robert think differently. He was too much like Bonzo to be…
“Bonzo? What are you doing here?”
“Percy!?”
The two men stared at each other for a long moment before each blurted out demands as to why the other was there. And both began to answer at the same time. Robert quickly silenced upon Bonzo’s mention of Summer.
“Summer? Is she here with you? Is she okay? Can I see her?” he quickly asked.
The drummer frowned and shook his head, “No, mate, she’s not here.”
“What? Why? You’re supposed to be taking care of her,” Robert responded.
“I know,” he continued to frown. “Let’s have a pint and I’ll tell you what’s going on.”
Though he did not like the ominous tone of that statement, he quickly agreed, as that had been his intentions all along. Within a few minutes of the story, Robert had already finished his beer. His comments remained silent, biting his tongue slightly for the culmination of Bonzo’s tale. It was his entire fault, he knew that. From the pain Summer felt from her burned feet because he had not stopped her from walking on the embers to the fact Jimmy had moved in on her so easily, was probably fucking her that very moment, was all his fault. He had let his little girl down and would pay for it. First, by ripping out his heart or perhaps drowning it in beer.
“Mate,” Bonzo pushed away Robert’s third beer, “stop.”
“If I had not been so bloody… stupid, she would not be fucking Page right now,” he muttered.
“I highly doubt she is sleeping with Jimmy,” he declared. “She loves you. She does. It is not something she gave up in a matter of days. He is not that smooth.”
Robert snorted, “I have done everything wrong. Everything. I should have just sent Maureen the divorce papers and stayed with Summer.”
“Why didn’t you, mate?” Bonzo picked up Robert’s glass and emptied it.
“Because I thought the right thing to do was to go to Maureen and do it in person,” he declared. “I thought I owed it to her, after sticking with me for all these years.”
“And now?”
“I am bloody in France with Maureen and Summer is in California with Jimmy. What the fuck do you think the right thing to do is now?”
“Wait. Maureen is here?”
“With the kids.”
Bonzo looked up at the bartender, “Two more pints, mate.”
“Why are you here? No… not in France, but why are you here at this pub if you are finally with your family?” Robert asked as another glass was slid towards him. “Summer clearly sent you to be with them to make you happy. You normally do not drink when you have your family.”
He took a big gulp of the amber liquid, “Because I fucking left part of my family in California.”
“Who?”
“Summer,” he muttered into his beer.
“It seems to me,” Robert gulped his beer, “that we both need to be in California, not France.”
In a borrowed wheelchair, with Jimmy behind her pushing, Summer’s large blue eyes darted about. Within the very entrance of the park, her senses already kicked into overdrive. She had never even imagined a place was magical as Disneyland. The sights, the sounds, the smells were enough to light her soul in ways unimaginable. She did not even care that she was wheelchair-bound that day.
“Jimmy!” she squealed as her eyes settled on the horse-drawn trolley. “Can we go on that!?”
He stopped the wheelchair and leaned down, kissing her ear lightly, “We can go on anything you want, princess.”
Finding the nearest stop, the Jones family and the couple, boarded the trolley. As would become the trend of the day, Jimmy lifted Summer from the chair while John Paul folded and stored it. Ever character they passed, the Jones girls chirped hellos and babbled explanations to Summer. She paid attention to the girls, dutifully asking them for clarifications when she was uncertain.
At least until she saw Sleeping Beauty’s castle.
Her fingers reached for Jimmy’s shirtsleeve and she tugged slightly. His dark eyes went to her first, trying to see what it was she wanted. The young woman merely pointed at the castle. Seeing where she pointed, he informed the Joneses they would depart at the next stop. The Jones girls all held hands and skipped ahead of the wheelchair, giggling and chattering about visiting the princess castle.
Upon entrance to the castle, Summer’s smile disappeared. The Joneses disappeared up the staircase, the girls hurrying before their parents could re-direct them. She knew without a doubt that Jimmy would not allow her to walk up those stairs, not with the blisters still covering so much of the bottom of her feet. Nor could she imagine him carrying her up either. She was going to miss over half of the castle. All because wheelchairs could not navigate it all.
“Let’s just go,” she muttered softly.
“Princess?” he knelt beside her chair, eyes going to hers.
“Let’s just go. I can’t… I can’t…” Summer looked away.
He reached up and touched her face gently, “Summer, why don’t we go on our own for awhile? We can meet up with Jonesy and the girls in a bit after we’ve had our own magical experience.”
“I guess,” she responded glumly.
Standing he kissed her forehead lovingly, “I promise you the rest of the day will be spectacular.”
Leaving Sleeping Beauty’s castle behind, Jimmy headed to the next closest ride. Guiding Summer up to the front of Snow White’s Scary Adventure, they waited for the next available car before he lifted her out of the wheelchair and into the ‘Dopey’ bed car. While the cars sat four people, Jimmy and Summer remained alone. As the car headed into the ride, Summer shifted closer to Jimmy, her eyes widening. She jumped with the first appearance of the hag and clutched his hand even tighter as they passed under skeletons. The cart continued forward and burst through a wooden door, pushing them into a forest. Other voices filled the room, but the hag reappeared, again causing Summer to shift even closer to Jimmy. The room ended with a glittery door surrounded by gems, indicative of the dwarves’ mine. The cart then returned to where it had begun. None of it made any sense to Summer, merely had frightened her.
“Oh Jimmy, I did not like that witch,” she muttered, her eyes barely glancing as the ride worker pulled her wheelchair out.
He kissed her temple before sliding out of the cart and turning to reach for her, “We will go on a different ride next. My apologies.”
Guiding the wheelchair across the concrete path to Peter Pan’s Flight, Jimmy hesitated. He did not remember the Peter Pan story being as scary as Snow White’s and the fact the ride did not contain the word “scary” in it seemed to be fine, but he was still uncertain. However as soon as she saw the fancy ship-like carts, Summer gasped and her bright eyes turned up to him. Jimmy instantly decided it was worth a try. Again, they were the only two who settled into the small galleon, her wheelchair kept by the worker. Instantly Summer enjoyed it more, happily chattering and asking Jimmy about what they saw. Before the ship return to the queue, he promised to tell her that story as well.
“Oh that one was much better, Jimmy,” she declared, grinning as she was lifted into her wheelchair. “Much better.”
They rode the carousel, the Dumbo ride, Alice and Wonderland, and the Mad Tea Party cups. Avoiding Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, fearing it would frighten her as much as Snow White had, Jimmy selectively escorted the young woman about Fantasyland. They paused for concessions; Jimmy introduced Summer to the sweet fluffy confection of cotton candy. It was only once they finished their shared soda, seated on a bench under the tree that they saw the Joneses again.
“Summer! Summer! Summer!” the girls squealed as they ran up to her.
As the girls bubbled happily to her about the rides they had been on, John Paul addressed Jimmy, “I apologize for losing you in the castle. We had not expected it to be inaccessible for Summer.”
“It is all right. We enjoyed our time together,” he smiled slightly as he looked at the girl. “Very much so.”
“YOU HAVE A PRINCESS CROWN!” Jacinda gasped, reaching up to the small crown sitting upon Summer’s head.
She nodded, “Jimmy bought it.”
“DADDY!” the three younger girls turned to John Paul. “I WANT!”
“MAUREEN!” Robert bellowed as he entered the cottage. “WOMAN!”
It was his second night – morning – stumbling into the house drunk. The first morning he merely silently slipped into bed and slept until the children roused him to play. However this time, fired up by Bonzo’s words that second night at the pub, he was ready to fight. It was time to end it with Maureen. He did not care what country they were in. Damn their history, he was going back to Summer. No one could stop him.
Except her.
“Shirley? Wh-what are you d-doing here?” he drawled, his eyes struggling to remain focused on her face.
“Maureen called me,” she stated and pointed at the chair. “Sit down, Rob.”
He collapsed onto the couch rather than the chair she indicated, “What do you w-want?”
“She says you have been behaving strangely since returning from tour. Last night you were out drinking all night and apparently tonight was a repeat performance. What the hell is wrong with you, Rob? Are you trying to lose your family?”
As he tried to focus on her question, Summer’s smiling face continued to reappear in his mind. He knew very well what was wrong with him; it was the same thing that was wrong with Bonzo. He did not know what it was about Summer that made him need to be around her. It was more than just love, that much had to be true. He needed Summer because he loved her.
“Yes,” he finally answered, meeting his sister-in-law’s eyes. “I want out of this marriage with Maureen.”
Shirley remained silent for a few long minutes before finally saying, “Fine. Go sober up. Then we’ll talk about how exactly you’re going to go about breaking my sister’s heart.”
Curled up in bed with Jimmy, Summer sighed contently. The morning’s rays already filtered through the curtains, beckoning the couple to roll out of bed and get on with the day. But without any exciting plans like the day before, she was happy to just lie in his arms all day, reliving their happiness in her head. She knew it would not last, that the Jones girls would likely want her attention soon as the Jones family occupied the other rooms in the beach house the night before. But for now, she lay in Jimmy’s arms, feeling even more like a princess than she had the day before when he crowned her.
Wiggling slightly, she stretched up and kissed his sleeping eyes. A smile instantly curved his lips and his arms tightened about her, pulling her to lie upon him. His hands traced down her spine, seeking the hem of the shirt she wore. When his fingers did not easily find the bottom of the garment, he silently swore to himself for purchasing the Cinderella sleep shirt for her. While it was nice, she was more covered when the children were around, at this very moment it was certainly not working in his favor.
“Yesterday was fantastic, Jimmy,” she declared before kissing him quickly. “Thank you so much.”
Giving up on the hem of her nightshirt, his hands quickly cupped her face, holding her long hair back, Jimmy responded, “You are most welcome, princess. You smiling lights my soul more than anything.”
Summer grinned and kissed him again, “When are we going to the zoo?”
He chuckled, “Let’s wait a day or two so maybe you can walk a bit more.”
“Okay,” she sighed, but still smiled. “Do you think Jonesy and the girls are going to stay for awhile?”
“They might. Would you like that?”
She nodded, “I miss be surrounded by people.”
“Then we shall ask them this morning,” he replied.
“Thank you, Jimmy,” she leaned down and kissed him sweetly. “Help me to the bathroom?”
“As you wish.”
Leaning against the wall outside the bathroom a moment later, Jimmy distractedly picked at his fingernails. His eyes glanced down the hallway as a door opened and the two eldest Jones girls tumbled out, Queenie scrambling out behind them. The youngest girl quickly followed. All three chirped a hello to him before running down the stairs with the dog. Smirking to himself, he started to count silently, gauging how long it took for Mo to appear to wrestle the girls. He was nearly to thirty before Summer called for him and he brushed aside his observations. Retrieving her, they stepped out of the bathroom a few moments later just as a groggy John Paul and Mo stepped from their room.
Before anyone could greet the others, a loud crash echoed up the stairs, following by a chorus of “WASN’T ME!” Rolling her eyes, Mo finished tying her morning robe close and hurried down the stairs to see what the girls had done. With a smirk, John Paul headed to join his wife.
“UNCLE JIMMY!” Tamara shouted up the stairs. “SOMEONE IS HERE TO SEE YOU!”
“Leave me here so I can get dressed,” Summer suggested. “Come back in a few minutes.”
Nodding he carried her back to their room, leaving her on the bed with a kiss. Not expecting anyone and certain only the band and Benji knew his location, Jimmy descended the steps, wrapped in a black silk robe, with confusion clouding his eyes. As he turned on the landing midway down the staircase, he felt his stomach clench into knots. He knew in that very moment his visitor was certainly bad news.
Halting on the bottom step, his dark eyes settled on the man just inside the door. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but his face remained completely impassive. He could feel John Paul’s eyes on him, trying to read his reaction.
“And to what do I owe this pleasure?” he spoke evenly.
“We had a deal.”
Jimmy remained on the bottom step, “We had nothing. You are not welcome here, Cole. Leave.”
Queenie suddenly recognized the visitor and began to bark. John Paul quickly jumped forward and scooped up the puppy before she charged the former road manager. Cole looked over at the puppy and his lips curved into a greasy smile before returning his attention back to Jimmy.
“Ah, I see. The bitch is here. I understand. I will return in an hour or so. You will be tired of her then, Page,” he commented.
“Do not return at all, Cole,” Jimmy responded coldly. “I have no business with you. No one does. Stay away or I will alert the authorities.”
“And what? Tell them you paid me to–”
“Get out,” John Paul stated darkly, the puppy still squirming in his arms. “Now.”
Cole looked to the bassist, his eyebrows arching with amusement, “Ah so the bitch has you too. She must be a good fuck for you to protect her even with your wife and children around.”
Jimmy clenched his fists, “Get out, Cole. Get out now.”
He glanced back at the guitarist and he smirked, “I’ll be back… to find out for myself exactly what is so special about that whore.”
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