Chapter 6: Old Flames

The Fast Lane was packed tonight. Two good bands on the same night always brought out a big crowd.

John pulled up and parked up front and sat there a few minutes waiting on Richie.

Richie pulled up and got out and walked up to John. "Hey man, you been waiting long?"

"No, I just got here." John glanced around. "Damn here comes Dot's bloodhound."

Richie looked up and laughed.

"Hey Johnny do you know when Dot's getting here?" Asked Kathy.

"She doesn't get off at work until nine, so some time after that."

"Well damn! She works all the time lately. I don't even get to see one of my best friends anymore."

"Yeah she does and I don't see her much either."

Kathy had a smirk on her face. "Richie did you hear Erica is dating the drummer from the house band at the Pony?"

"No but she's free to date anybody she wants to." 

"Isn't your cousin's wedding tommorrow? I guess you're going by yourself."

"You'd be guessing wrong, I will be there with the hottest date at the church." Richie announced with a smug smile.

John got an irritated look on his face at Richie bragging about taking Ashley to the wedding. He was thinking, "It's not a real date man."

"Anybody I know?" Kathy asked.

"Nope, she just moved here."

"Good luck with that. I just love nights when there are two good bands here."

"I thought only Southside Johnny and the Jukes were playing tonight." John replied.

"No they added Scandal yesterday see it's  on the sign."

"Johnny, didn't you used to date Patty?"

John looked up at the sign a little surprised to see Scandal was going to play there.

"Yeah, I dated her."

"I thought so. Well see you guys inside."

Kathy walked up to the door.

Johnny nervously ran his hands through his hair. "Damn, if I had known Patty was going be here. I wouldn't have come."

"You don't want to miss Southside, man." Richie replied.

"No I don't but, I don't want to see Patty at all."

"Don't let it bother you, it's all in the past."

"I guess, but she hated the Fast Lane. What the hell are they playing here for?"

As they were talking, Ashley's car pulled up and Stacey and Ashley got out.

John instantly got a grin on his face.

"Hey Richie, hey John." Ashley smiled.

"Hi girls."  Richie grinned.

John walked up to Ashley and grabbed her hand and pulled her over to her car.

With a big smile on his face."Hey baby, I couldn't wait for you to get here."

Smiling back at him. "I couldn't wait to see you either."

Stacey watching them with a disturbed look on her face. "Richie, what the hell does Johnny think he is doing with Ashley?"

"I don't know, I ain't really Johnny's keeper."

"Well Ashley has been through a lot and I don't want to see her get hurt by Romeo over there. He told her he wants to break up with Dorothea has he mentioned anything about it to you?"

"Yeah all the time. I know they've been fighting a lot. She's real jealous of the chicks that hang out around the band."

Stacey laughed. "Well I guess she has every right to be jealous. Look at him right now!" She pointed over to them by Ashley's car.

Richie looked over and he was all hugged up on Ashley and she was smiling and giggling.

"He doesn't even seem to care who sees him." Stacey hissed. "I tried to talk to Ashley but I think she has fallen head over heels for him.  I love my cousin, but she has a bad track record with guys that end up  breaking her heart."

"She looks like she can handle Johnny alright." Richie chuckled.

"I just hope he's not just playing games with her."

John was leaned up next to Ashley's car holding her hand but his grin was fading.

"So I hear you are going to be Richie's date at his cousin's wedding."

"Yeah he asked me. He said his date fell through and I told him I would go."

"You know you don't have to. It's going to be a really big wedding with a lot of people you don't know there."

"I know he told me and I don't mind. Richie's a great guy I think it will be fun."

"Did Richie tell you that I'm going to be there?"

"Really?" She grinned. "No he didn't tell me."

"The invitations for this thing were sent out six months ago, so I'll be there with Dot as my date."

He could see the disappointment she was trying not to show on her face.

"Of course, she's your girlfriend." She turned and started walking toward Stacey and John grabbed her back pockets of her Levi's and turned her around.

"I'm sorry Ashley, I can see how disappointed you are."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine John."

She walked over to Stacey and she knew something was going on.

"Are you okay Ash?"

"Absolutely, come on there's a big daiquiri in this club with my name on it." She linked arms with Stacey and headed for the door.

Richie knowing John's moods very well, knew he was in a bad one.. "What's going on?"

"I guess she's pissed at me. I had to tell her I was going to the wedding with Dot. She didn't say anything but I could tell she was disappointed."

"What are you doing here, with this girl man? You and Dot are at each others throats all the time and yet you are hanging on to her.  I know you have some sort of a thing for Ashley but, are you just trying to get a piece on the side or what?"

"I don't know. I like Ashley. I guess I was just hoping Dot would break it off with me. I mean we hardly see each other anymore. When we are together, all we do is fight. I care about Ashley, but I just need some time to figure shit out.

"You know Ashley is a damn fox man and If you don't snap her up soon, some lucky bastard will."

"Damn don't you think I know that?  You know I got a thing for blondes and Ashley is everything I thought I ever wanted.  But, I still have a lot of feelings for Dot, we've been through a lot."

"What about Patty did you forget she's around here somewhere?"

"No I remember. I just ain't worried about her."

"Okay then, let's go get a beer." Richie pointed to the door.

"Johnny!" John and Richie looked up and it was Dorothea."

"Hey Dot I thought you were working until nine."

"It was slow so Bruno let me leave early, so here I am."

John's head was spinning. Ashley already here and Dot showing up early and his ex Patty roaming around inside somewhere. He really had his hands full tonight.

Walking inside John saw the girls already at the bar drinking mixed drinks.

"So Ash what was really going on out there?"

"You know the wedding I'm going to with Richie tomorrow."

"Yeah."

"John's going too, with Dorothea."

"Ashley please don't let him jerk you around like this. You can see he has no plans to break up with her. Hell give Richie a chance he's just as handsome and at least you know he's single. Well hell look at that! He really has no shame! He was outside holding your hand a few minutes ago!"

"What?" She turned around and there was John holding hands with Dorothea and her heart dropped."

Stacey seeing  hurt in her cousin's eyes. "See I told you, how he is honey. Now forget about him before he gets a chance to really hurt you."

"I know you're right. I just don't know if I can. One look in his eyes and I just melt."

A guy with long curly brown hair stood beside the girls ordering a beer and noticed Ashley.

"Hello beautiful, where have you been hiding. I haven't seen you here before, and I would of remembered you."

"I'm not from here, I'm from Mississippi."

"Well they grow them damn fine in the south. Can I buy you another drink?"

"I guess you can."

"My name is Mark."

"I'm Ashley." Nice to meet you."

John looked up from his table with Dorothea and noticed some guy he didn't know talking to Ashley. He knew he had no right to be, but he was jealous as hell.

"I'm going to get another beer." He announced to Dot. And went and stood on the other side of this guy.

"Well Ashley that's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"So do you have a boyfriend?"

Ashley hesitated for a moment. "No I don't."

John listening to this guy hit on the woman he had feelings for. "Fuck! What the hell is wrong with me? I'm going to keep fucking around until I lose her." He ordered his beer and went back to Dot's table and sat down.

Dot noticing John's face. "Is something wrong Johnny?"

"No why?"

"You looked pissed off."

"Nah I'm just tired."

He glanced back over at Ashley and she was still talking to that guy."

"Ashley can I get your number? I'd love to ask you out some time."

"Sure, you can have it." She dug in her purse for a pen and paper.

John looked on as she wrote her number down and smiled at the guy when she gave it to him.

"Fuck!" John mumbled as he was watching.

"What did you say?" Dot asked.

"Nothing I spilled some of my beer."

"Boy you are in some kind of mood tonight!" Dot snapped.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You haven't said shit to me but you keep looking back at the bar. Is one of your little tramps back there?"

"Hell no I told you I'm tired."

"Well you just seem different. Usually you would be pawing at me talking about us having sex and now you don't seem to even notice me."

"Well the last time I tried, you told me you didn't want to! You were tired of doing it in the car!"

"Well you are a grown damn man don't you think it's time you got a place of your own!

That's something you could do if you had a real job!"

"Drop this shit Dot! I ain't in the mood for it tonight." He snapped.

Bret got on stage. "I want to thank everybody for coming out tonight we have two good bands. Scandal and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. The bars fully stocked so get ready to have a good night!"

"Oh you bastard, that's what your problem is you know that bitch is here! That's why you came here tonight and acted like you didn't want me here."

John started laughing. "I didn't know until I got here and Kathy mentioned it in the parking lot."

"Have you talked to Patty?"

"Hell no, I haven't seen her and I don't want to."

"I bet you still want to fuck her though!"

"Damn Dot, calm down. Why are you so jealous about her? She don't mean shit to me anymore."

"So you say now but, right before we got together you were crazy in love with her and she broke it off with you!"

"So I moved on. I don't need that bitch. I'm only here to hear Southside or I would have left when I found out she was here."

He glanced back over at Ashley, who was standing up shoving something in her back pocket and he was admiring her backside in her skin tight levis with the well worn hole below her right butt cheek.

Dot turning around to look. "What the fuck do you keep looking at back there? Is it that new red headed bartender?"

John closed his eyes and blew his breath. "I'm your boyfriend but I ain't dead! It's not a crime to notice other people Dot! I was just glancing back at the bar, damn!"

Patty started singing and John stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. This fired up Dot even more as she watched John staring at Patty.

Before the next song Patty announced this one is for a guy I used to know. It was a song she had written for John when they were dating.

"Well how sweet, your old girlfriend is up there singing a song she wrote for you!" Dot snapped sarcastically at John.

John was turning red he was so angry at Patty singing that song. "I can't believe she's singing that shit!"

"Of course she is. She wants to make sure you hear it and run back to her!"

"Well that sure as shit ain't happening!"

"Are you sure Johnny? Are you sure you're really over her?"

"How many damn times do I have to say it? I was over Patty a long time ago! I'm going to get a drink!" John got up and went to the bar. "Hey Mike can I get a Jack and coke?"

He turned around and saw the guy walking away from Ashley. He walked up to her his unhappiness showing on his face. "Who was that?"

"He said his name was Mark."

Looking right in her eyes. "Was that your phone number you were giving him?"

"Maybe, don't you have a girlfriend to get back to?"

"Unfortunately for me I do. I'm sorry."

Taking her eyes off of him . "Don't worry about it."

"I'll call you tonight, okay."

"You don't have to, John."

"I want to. I'm sorry I've got to go now."

John was walking away from the bar when he noticed Richie at the pool tables, talking to Bret and the guy that had been talking to Ashley.

They walked away, so he went over to Richie.

"Hey man who is that guy with Bret?"

"Oh that's Mark Slaughter, he's a guitar player. I used to go to school with him. He's a cool dude."

"Oh okay. You want to shoot some pool?"

"Yeah let's do it." Richie was shooting when Patty started singing again and John looked up and she was staring right at him and their eyes met.

Richie noticing what John was looking at. "Well I guess she knows you're here."

They were finishing up their game when band took a break.

Patty walked over to the table. "Johnny."

He closed his eyes for a second at the sound of her voice and didn't want to turn around to face her, but he did.

"Patty."

"How have you been Johnny? I haven't heard from you in a long time."

John looking at her with a cold dead stare. "I've been busy."

"I heard you were in another band and that it was pretty good."

"Yeah we're good."

"Are you still with Dorothea?"

"Yes I am. She's here and it won't take her long to spot you."

Patty laughed. "I don't doubt that. You look good Johnny."

"Why are you playing here? I thought you hated the Fast Lane?"

"I hated how much time you spent here. I see nothing's changed. We were just looking for some different clubs to play. We haven't been here in a while. Not since we were together and you played with us."

Ashley was at a table with Stacey and Dalton when she noticed John talking to the singer from the band. His facial expression was showing he was pissed about something.

"What's going on over there she nodded over toward the pool tables, isn't she the singer from the band?"

Stacey looking over at John and Patty. "Oh yea that's Patty Smyth, John's old flame. He was hot and heavy for her before Dorothea."

"Really?" Ashley couldn't take her eyes off of them.

"How long was he with her? Why did they break up?" 

"For a while, and I really don't know what happened. There's some old photos of them together on the band wall in the back."

Dorothea was sitting with Kathy. "Where is Johnny?" Kathy asked looking around. "Shouldn't he be spending time with you?"

"He was shooting pool with Richie. Running off with his friends is what he does."

They looked over and saw John and Patty."

Dot stood up. "Oh hell no!" She headed to the pool table as Ashley was watching.

Dorothea stormed over to the table. "What the hell are you doing here Patty?"

"Well hello to you too Dorothea."

"Don't bother with the small talk, nobody wants you here!"

"I was just catching up with Johnny here."

John laughed out loud. "No you weren't."

"Look Johnny, I thought you would of moved past all of this by now." Patty smirked.

"Oh I am way past you." He snapped.

Dot letting her temper get the best of her, started yelling. "Shouldn't you get back on stage, the quicker you finish the faster you can get the hell out of here!" 

"Damn looks like John's caught in the middle of that shit storm!" Stacey laughed.

"I do need to get back on stage. Johnny I'd love to hear from you sometime, when you're free to talk." She gave Dot a dirty look.

Dot was ready to explode. "Listen bitch!" And John cut her off and held his hand up. "Hold up Dot!"

He turned to Patty. "I don't have a damn thing I want to say to you and I hope you take this club off your list, because I sure as hell don't want to see you again!"

"Still so angry Johnny? You need to get over it. My number's the same if you ever want to call me."

John standing there with hurt still in his eyes. "I don't think so!"

Patty turned and walked back to the stage.

Dot turned to John. "What the hell are you talking to her for? After all she did to you?"

"She came up to me, I wasn't looking for her."

"There they go, I told you they fight a lot." Stacey giggled.

"Oh that's not funny Stace, poor John. He's so upset. His eyes look so sad."

"Don't you believe that, he's probably upset Dot caught him talking to his old girlfriend before he got a chance to make a move on her."

Richie came over laughing and sat down beside Ashley. "I'm ducking for cover." 

"Dorothea's really pissed isn't she?" Stacey giggled.

Richie laughing. "Yeah and she could kick his ass if she really wanted to, she's a black belt in karate."

"Really?" Ashley asked still watching her and John argue.

Dot pointing over toward Patty and shouting. "Well she's over there if you want to leave with her!"

"Look I have had enough of this shit for one day!" He lit a cigarette and sat at a table and threw his lighter down and picked up his drink. He glanced over and saw Richie talking with Ashley and thought, "Damn don't they look cozy, he probably has a better chance with her than I do."

Patty finished up her last song. The band packed up and she went over to Bret to thank him for letting them play.

"Thanks again Bret, we really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, you guys did a great job. I didn't know you ever had something going with Johnny."

"Yeah before Dorothea. But as you can see it didn't end well."

"Yeah I could tell." He laughed.

"Well we are out of here, see you later Bret."

"Okay." 

Richie looking over at Ashley. "So Ashley, I wanted to ask you if we can take your fine ride to the wedding? I can pay for the gas."

"Yeah we can, but can you drive? I don't know the roads around here yet."

Richie smiling big at the thought of driving the Trans Am. Why of course I can drive it, I thought you would never ask and I would have to beg you."

"Okay so what time should I be ready?"

"About one, would be perfect. Can I get your phone number, so I can call you before I head over to your house."

"Yeah Richie." She dug out a pen and wrote it on the back of an old receipt. "Here you go."

"Go with me to the bathroom Ash. I'll show you the photos of John and Patty on the back wall."

"Okay."

"Here they are. He was her boyfriend and I guess he was in the band because he used to play with them here all the time before they broke up."

"Awe look how cute John was." Ashley smiled.

"Look at all these of him." Stacey pointed to some more photos of John in frames.

"Oh my God, he is freaking adorable. He is so young and so cute in these." Ashley reached up and touched one of the frames.

John was passing by going to the bathroom.
"Oh God don't look at these! I hate them! I wish they'd take this shit down!" He laughed.

"Why? You are so cute. How old were you in the youngest photo?"

"Fourteen or fifteen."

"Wow, you've been doing this a while."

"Yeah, I just hope some day it will pay off."

"I'm sure it will. Ashley smiled at him."

She turned back to look at the photos and John went on to the bathroom. 

Ashley noticed a light on in the room next to the photos and saw Bret sitting on the floor.

"I'll be right back." She told Stacey.

"Just meet me back at the table."

"Okay." She walked in.

"Hey Bret are you mad at me? I didn't know if you knew I was here or not."

"Of course I knew you were here. I spotted you the moment you walked in. I figured you needed some space. I'm not mad, I can't stay mad at you."

"I'm glad, what are y'all doing in here?"

"We're getting ready to paint all the offices and we've got to get everything covered up."

"Oh okay."

John was coming out of the bathroom and heard Ashley's voice and stopped outside the door. He looked in and saw her and Bret talking.

"Ash, I've missed you and I want you to know Heather broke up with me. She just said it wasn't working out."

"Damn it!" John thought. "Bret is single now."

  "I'm sorry Bret. I know that must hurt."

"A little, but not like when I lost you. I saw you talking to Mark."

"Yeah he's a nice guy. He's going to take me riding on his motorcycle."

"God you do love motorcycles. Remember when I took you riding on mine and we road to New Orleans."

"I need to get a damn motorcycle." John thought.

"One of my favorite days with you." Ashley grinned.

"That night was my favorite with you. That was the first night you stayed with me at the Royal Diberville Hotel. I ran everybody out of the room for the night and it was just me and you."

"I remember." Ashley replied.

As John was listening he thought, "fuck it, she's going to get back with that asshole."

"I so wish things would of ended differently Ashley. Baby I can't get you out of my head."

"I'm sorry Bret."

"Do you think we could have another chance?"

"Please tell him no baby!" John was screaming in his head.

"Bret I just can't right now my mind is all a jumble."

"I know it's because of Bongiovi. Don't you see, he's not going to breakup with Dorothea?"

"Fuck you Bret she don't want you." John thought with a big smirk on his face.

"It's not because of John, it's me. It's too soon from my last breakup. I'm sorry."

"Okay, I'll give you some more time, but please know that I never stopped loving you."

"You know I'll always love you too." She looked away.

"Well Fuck she still loves him!" John mumbled and walked away.

"I need to get back to Stacey." She turned and walked out.

"There you are. Well how was Bret?" Stacey asked.

"He's okay, he said his girlfriend broke up with him."

"Do you believe him?"

"Yeah I guess."

"Look Johnny you haven't wanted to be with me all night. I'm out of here have a great time watching Southside Johnny by your damn self!"

Watching Dorothea rant and rave. Stacey grinned. "There they go again."

"Yeah, I see."

"Well good get the hell out of here then!" He yelled.

John walked up to the bar.

Ashley followed him. "Are you okay John."

"Yeah, I'm okay. She just wanted to fight, so we did."

"I'm sorry you're not having a good night."

"Southside Johnny's starting to play it will get better now." He's one of my favorites, When I was a little kid I wanted to grow up to be a juke. Hell I still do." He laughed. Come watch up front with me."

"Okay." She smiled. They walked to the stage.

John was singing along and having a good time. Southside called him up on stage and he got his guitar and joined them.

Ashley danced around but she didn't know the words to the song.

Richie and Stacey walked up.

Richie turned to her. "You like this song, huh?"

"Yeah it's pretty good."

John was playing and he got to do a small guitar solo . He really put his heart in it. He was floating on cloud nine.

He jumped off the stage and walked over to them.

"I'm so proud of you John. You did a fantastic job up there." Ashley stepped forward and hugged him.

"This night really has turned around." He put his arm around Ashley.

"Stacey looked over at Ashley. "Ash we need to be going."

"Yeah, I know." She turned to John. "I"ll see you at the wedding tomorrow."

"Yeah I'll be there. Thanks for watching the show with me."

"I really enjoyed it."

"Come on Ash." Stacey demanded.

"Bye John."

"Bye Ashley."

Richie held up his hand. "See you about one tomorrow."

"I'll be ready. Bye"

They walked out the door and got in Ashley's car and drove away.