Chapter 42

Ava stood up from the table and ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door. "Ava!", Richie
yelled after her, hoping she would turn around and talk things through. Sitting back down
at the table, Richie put his face in his hands. He was thankful that he had talked to her
privately, without Harley or his Mom present. Richie wanted to announce it over dinner, but
Harley thought that may not be the best idea. She was right.

"What did you expect, Son?" he looked up, as his Mom sat down at the table with him. "You
heard?" he asked. She raised her eyebrows and nodded, "Yes, I did." she answered. "This
wasn't the response I thought she'd give. She said she liked her and was happy to have
her in my life. I thought she would be happy." he said, flustered. "My Richie." Mrs. Sambora
said, shaking her head. "Just because she likes her, doesn't mean she is ready to have her
as a new Mom. These things take time. She just met her." she explained to him. "Can I ask you
a question, Richie?" she asked. "Of course." he answered, his face showing his stress. She reached
for his hand, "Why the rush to get married?" she asked him. As she held his hand, he placed
his other hand over hers, "Mom, she makes me happy. I feel alive with her. I don't feel alone
anymore, ya know? I honestly have to say, that I've never felt like this before. Not even with
Heather. I just want to make her mine and have her with me all the time." he said.

Hearing him talk, she couldn't help but smile. She loved her son and wanted nothing more than
happiness for him. Knowing he had been struggling for a few years now and believing if he
had a good woman standing beside him, that would make it easier for him. She believed he
had found that woman. "Take a different approach, son. A longer engagement, maybe?
You have to give Ava some time. Talk to her more about it. I'm sure Harley will understand."
she advised him. "And you will both just have to travel back and forth for a while, until Ava
is ready." Richie nodded, "Thanks, Mom." he said leaning over to kiss her cheek. "I'm
gonna go see if Ava will talk to me." he said, leaving the table.

After a few knocks on the door and Richie telling her to let him in, Ava opened the door.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." he said as he walked in. "I'm sorry for so many things, but if you
will take a few more minutes to listen to me, please?" he asked. Ava walked over to her
bed and plopped down on it. "Sure" she said, un-enthused. Richie walked over and sat down
beside her on the bed. "I've decided to wait. We can have a long engagement and wait
till your ready. Until you get to know her more. I love you, Ava, but I love her too. I want
you both apart of my life and I want you both happy. So until then, we'll travel to see each
other. Is this okay for you?" he asked. Ava shrugged her shoulder's, "Daddy, I want you happy.
I really do. Aside from her music and what I've read about her, I really don't know her. I'm
just asking for a little time. So, yes, that works for me. Thank you." she said, hugging him.

Richie stepped out of Ava's room. Thinking to himself, how does he explain this to Harley.
Will she understand. Again, Richie was stressing and you could tell. He clenched his jaw
when he was stressed, without even realizing it.

Harley had been in Richie's room this entire time. Reeling in her own excitement and shear terror
with the idea of marrying again. But she loved him and wanted to be with him. To make him
happy, would make her happy. Richie walked in and saw her sitting on the chaise lounge chair.
His heart nearly jumped out of his chest, just to look at her. His stress seemed to dissipate.
Richie sat down on the bed. Harley sat up and asked, "How did it go?". Richie took
a deep breathe, "Not the way I hoped it would. Harley, I need you to listen to me, darlin'.
Really listen and don't speak until I'm done. Can you do that?" he asked. "Okay" she said.


"I love you! I meant what I said, when I asked you to marry me, but I think you and Ava need
to get to know each other a bit first. So this is my proposal to the situation. We have a long
engagement. The summer is coming, so we will go stay with you in Nashville and when school
starts, we will come back to LA. I'm hoping that by next spring, we will be married. As for
Denise, I will handle that. I'll do it right here with you in front of me. I need you to trust  me
and feel secure in how I feel about you. Let her play her games. Because the bottom line here,
baby, is that I want nobody but you. Is that acceptable? Can you do this with me?" he asked.

Harley looked down at the floor for a minute, thinking. Thinking of the email Denise sent her.
Thinking of all the back handed things Denise has done. If she left Richie, Denise would win.
Was Richie worth the fight? "Harley?" he called to her, waiting for an answer and getting
scared she would say no. Richie leaned forward, touching her face and pulling her chin up, so
she would face him. She looked deep into his eyes and saw it all. Her love for him, they're
marriage, they're future. She whispered, "Yes, I can do this." because he was worth the
fight.