Gemma

When I saw Keenan waiting for me at the door, I knew he was going to stick out like a sore thumb. I doubted that he had ever been to anything like what we were about to go to. It certainly wasn’t going to be something that he was going to like, but I didn’t like this marriage so I figured it was only fair.

“Gemma, you look, um…”

I smiled at him and I knew that he liked what I was wearing. It was scanty and his eyes took it all in. I was not unaware of his attraction to me. It was hard to ignore when I was staring up at it in the pool, but now I was better put together and I didn’t even look.

“I am going to take that as a compliment.”

“You just look so different. You look like a…” He was struggling to find the words, but I wasn’t going to listen to him stutter, so I helped him out.

“A hippy? That is what my father calls me anyways.”

“Yes, that is what it is you look like. Where are we going?”

“Are you already changing your mind hubby? You were the one that said we needed to spend some time together, just newlyweds and all.”

There was a moment that I thought he was going to back out of it. There was no way that he was going to have any fun at the festival tonight and I almost didn’t blame him. I had really done it up, put beads and floss in my hair just for more of an effect. I was going to be unrecognizable, which of course was another good thing about keeping a low profile. I didn’t have to worry about being noticed. Once he realized where we were going and what we were going to be doing, I was sure that he was going to worry about who might see him there.

“I am still going to go. I just think that I should go change first.”

I looked at the slim gold watch on my wrist and shook my head. “No, that isn’t going to work. We are going to miss the first act if we don’t leave now. It is quite a ride down there and I don’t know what the roads are going to be like.”

He was looking at me like I was speaking Greek and I had to laugh at him. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.

“If you say that this will be okay, I will just take your word for it.”

I had a feeling that that was about as much as he was going to let go, so I just agreed, whatever I could do to get him to agree to it. It started out because I was being a smart ass, but now I was looking forward to it. I had a feeling this was going to be his first time doing something like this.

We got to my car and he looked around.

“Where is your driver?”

“I don’t have one.”

Another look like I was a space alien and I just ignored it. It wasn’t that hard to drive, most people did it. Just because I came from a rich family didn’t mean that I was going to let it change me. I wanted a normal life, something my father had never understood because he knew no other way. I was a little wiser to the world and didn’t want to live like the privileged few, even though I was one of them.

“So your father just let you go wherever you wanted to without a driver and without any kind of protection?”

Why was he so surprised?

“Yeah, why?”

“Nothing, I just don’t understand how he would be so trusting. My own mother won’t leave the house without her bodyguard and I don’t think she has driven since I have been alive, I don’t remember a time anyways.”

I didn’t like the sound of that at all, but I was starting to see what he thought women were capable of, which was not much at all. I thought my dad was old fashioned, but I had a feeling now that my husband was even worse.

“Well it is a new world Keenan and women drive nowadays without a man to keep them safe.”

He blushed and I was interested. I didn’t think a man of his stature could do such a thing, but I had to say if nothing else that it looked good on him.

“I didn’t mean it like that Gemma. Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?”

It was not out of concern that he asked me to drive, it was because he was more than likely afraid of how I drove. I declined ever so eloquently and thanked him for the offer.

He was barely able to stand it as he sat in the passenger seat.

“When is the last time you sat there?”

“I can’t remember a time since I have been an adult.”

I giggled at him and just shook my head. For a man that was so sure and in charge in most of his life, I liked the idea that I could throw him off a little bit. It wasn’t like he didn’t need it. He was wound tight and I knew just what he needed to calm down. Keenan just needed to relax and I hoped that he was able to tonight.

There was still hope that we could at least be some sort of friends or at least something better than strangers. If we were going to have to be married, we might as well be civil. Keenan’s words had stuck with me and the more I thought about it, the more I knew what he’d said was true. I was going to try to get along with him. If not, I could at least laugh at his expense if nothing else.

***

Keenan was quiet a lot of the way and I knew it was because of my speed. I loved to drive fast and he grabbed the bar above the window several times and gritted his teeth. But I will say that he didn’t say a word. Instead he just kind of stayed tight lipped and I turn the radio to one of my favorite classic rock stations. I don’t think he liked that either.

I turned the music down and asked him what kind of music he liked.

“What do you mean?”

Now I was confused. “I mean, what kind of music do you listen to?”

‘I don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

He chuckled and told me that he thought we had a communication problem. I was starting to think that as well. That or we were far more different than I ever thought possible. How could someone not listen to music? It just didn’t seem natural.

“I don’t know what I would do without music. It is just a great way to forget about everything for a little while, don’t you think?”

I don’t even know why I asked the question. I just turned the music up and realized that this evening was going to be even harder for him. This was a classic rock music festival and I thought that he was going to be put off because of the fact we were staying overnight in a tent. I didn’t imagine that the very music playing in the air was going to be a bother.

“My parents wouldn’t let me listen to music. It was a waste of time as far as my father was concerned. You can’t make money from music, so I guess I just never worried about it.”

“Wow, that sucks.”

He shrugged like he didn’t know what he was missing and I was now determined to get him liking music. There had to be a band or a song that would move him. There were so many to choose from, I knew that he was going to like something by the end of this trip or hate music altogether because there was a lot to sample.

“We are almost there. I think you will find some new bands to listen to. Have you ever been to a music festival?”

“What, like Woodstock?”

I giggled that this was his only reference. It made sense, but I almost had to bet that he learned about Woodstock from a book or something like that.

“Yeah, something like that, but not near as big and I am sure there won’t be as many good drugs there.”

His brows raised and I smiled to myself. I liked having him a little off kilter. It only seemed fair after he had me feeling so crazy inside. Keenan was due an evening that wasn’t dictated by him, I was sure of it and the more I was around him, the more I saw us being together as an opportunity.

“Drugs?”

“Yeah, whatever you like. I don’t really partake in all of the hard stuff, but some like to. I don’t really know much about you. Do you have any vices?”

“Women.”

That wasn’t the answer that I was looking for or expecting and I think that it wasn’t something he had meant to say.

“I can see how that can be a vice. There will be plenty of them there as well, though I would prefer you not do it in front of me or when we are out together.”

The conversation had changed so quickly, I was trying to keep up. I thought of Charla and the way Gemma just assumed that I was going to cheat on her. She was right, but I didn’t want her to be right. I didn’t want her to think that of me.

“I have no plans to be with anyone else Gemma.”

“Come on Keenan, I have read enough about you to know that it isn’t true. I don’t mind, not really, I just don’t want to be in gossip columns because I can’t keep my man happy.”

“I see your point. It isn’t necessary though Gemma, really it isn’t.”

I wasn’t going to say anything one way or another. While I wanted to believe him, I knew that after a time he would stray. How long could I keep a husband if I wasn’t giving him what he needed? Not long I assumed and I knew that I was just going to have to accept that fact one way or another.

“Enough about that Keenan. We are here.”

I smiled at the look on his face. “We are here?” He sounded absolutely horrified with the prospect and I couldn’t help but laugh.