Chapter 130

The legal battle with Liz was more irritating than anything.  

To Jon and to Monica, mostly because they were right all along.  With that battle behind them, they prepared for another trip on the road.  It was going to be a quick little, rustic trip.  The break from the tour was just that.  A break from touring.  

They were busy at home, not able to enjoy very much of the time down.  Between his career, her career and their marriage, they had nothing else to give.

The entire band is loaded on the old tour bus.  With the two semi's at the ready with their gear.  They're pulling away from the Sayreville War Memorial High School looking back at those that have dropped them off, leaving them to fend for themselves.  They had to meet at a central location, that was big enough for the bus and all of the cars that would be dropping everyone off.  

"How long are we on this?"  David asks, kicking back putting his feet on the table across the aisle.  "It's only like 10 shows, right?"  He elbows Alec, hoping someone answers him.

"It's 11 shows, Dave."  Monica responds to him, "And we're only going as far as Myrtle Beach."  

"I knew we were going there, I just didn't remember how many shows we have."  

"Just the 11, but it's 2 nights in Myrtle Beach."  Richie adds, winking at his little sister, "What I want to know is why we're on a bus?"

"Budget." Jon states, not taking his eyes out of the magazine he's thumbing through, "Costs too much to fly, with hotels."

"Too much?"  

Jon looks up finally. "Yeah, too much.  It didn't make sense to fly this short distance."

"To who?  It didn't make sense to who?"  Richie snaps back, slightly irritated.  "To you?"

"Anyone involved in the planning, Rich."  his attention goes back to the magazine in his hand.  "The miles we're going to travel, it doesn't make sense to use the plane."

"What are we even playing for?"  Alec steps into the wolf den, having no idea what could unfold.  "The album is in the can, we don't have anything to promote anymore, do we?"  he takes a long drag off of his cigarette, propping his feet up on David's legs.  "Why just 11 shows?"

With a hint of irritated sarcasm, Tico adds, "We're doing these shows to promote the documentary."

"Monica's?"  Alec asks, sitting up right with a hurry.

Jon calmly puts the magazine on his lap and takes a deep breathe, never once thinking that THIS would be an issue.  "Yes, Monica's documentary."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah.  Why?  Is this an issue for you?" Jon snaps back at Alec, feeling like maybe he can't or won't support the film.

Alec stands up and tosses his cigarette into the large ashtray that's on the booth table, "Yeah it's an issue!  It's a big fucking issue."

"Why's that?"  Richie quickly asks.

"Because now we're back on the road and for what?  A film?"  Alec forces the smoke from his lungs.  "What are we getting paid for this?"

Monica can see and feel the argument that's about to start.  She's a little confused herself, she's not sure why this is turning into a discussion.  The band gets their schedules days in advance, this is no suprise to them.  It is her film, but it's about them; for them.  "Alec, did you not know that these dates were coming up?"  she mouses and asks him, with a lump in her throat.  

Alec paces to the back of the bus, passing the bunks that were lined on the sides, "No, I knew about them Monica, but I never thought we'd be back on a tour bus again."  He points to the master bed in the rear of the bus, in the private bedroom, "who gets that?"  He sort of chuckles, "You two?"

"Hey Alec, what does it matter what we get paid for this little tour?  It's a film about us and our band."  Tico doesn't want to sit quietly by anymore, "And anyway, why would you not want to support Monica?"

"That's not it Tico!"  Alec yells from the back of the bus, "I'm just pissed off that we're on this thing again!  Haven't we graduated from this, this lifestyle?"

"We're on a budget."  Jon reminds him.

"Of how much?  Nothing?"  Alec says, walking back to the front of the bus where everyone else was.  "We can afford to fly."

"We can, but when were doing things for this project, we work off this budget."

Monica knows how good their finances are.  They've just come off a world tour, on top of the world - they had money to burn.  Jon has just learned that you can lose it as fast as you make it - maybe even more so.  "Alec, it's only 2 weeks." she softly states.

"Two weeks too long on this dinosaur."  he plops down back in his place.  "It's going to feel like a life time."

"Let's take this time between cities and maybe do some writing?"  Richie asks.  "We can use the time wisely."  He gets up and walks to the fridge, "Anyone else want one?"  He cracks open the top of a Miller Lite and takes a gulp.  He grabs a beer for Dave and Alec, as well as another for himself and goes back to his seat.  

"Monica is right.  This is only two weeks.  When we get back, we can do the final edits for the album and work on a release date."  Their fearless leader interjects, "Maybe by then we can throw together a time line for when we want to go back on tour."

"After the album release."  Tico just states the obvious.

"What about before?"  Jon asks that strange question.  "I was thinking the other day about releasing dates before an album, how well do you think that will go over?"

"I think it's career suicide."  David gives his opinion.  "Who's going to buy tickets to support an album they've never heard?"

"I think it's genius!"  Jon says so, himself.