Sheet Music - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story

Annie covered her mouth with her hand.  Tears quickly pooled in her eyes.  “My God, you’ve been drinking,” she said, her voice cracking and her fingers trembling.

“You’re right, I have,” he answered flatly, as he struggled out of his shirt and tossed it onto the floor.  When he turned toward the bathroom, Annie saw his ribs.  Several long, red lines marred his dark skin.  Her head began to spin and her knees buckled.  She fell against the doorframe for support.

“Michael?”

He stopped and faced her, undoing his jeans.

“Where did you get the scratches on your sides?”

“I don’t know, probably from sleeping on the beach,” he replied, heading into the bathroom.

She followed him.  “Are you sure you didn’t get them from sleeping with Barbara?”

“I swear to you, I didn’t sleep with her,” he answered, stepping into the shower.  “Let me take a shower and then we’ll talk.  Okay?”

Annie waited on the bed.  Her head blurred with irrational thoughts.  He was drinking again and had unexplained scratches on his skin.  Did she need more proof then that before she threw in the towel and left him? With tears spilling rapidily, her eyes drifted to the sandy pile of clothing he left on the carpet.  Then she saw his leather coat hanging on the doorknob of the closet.  Beneath it, there appeared to be a piece of white lace sitting on the rug.  Slowly, she approached it and used her toe to see what it was.  She gasped loudly and fell back toward the bed.  Part of her wanted to run; another part wanted to stay and hurt him.  When he got out of the shower, she was filling suitcases with her things.

“What are you doing?” he asked in shock.

“What the hell does it look like?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because I refuse to live like this!  I told you back in March what would happen if I caught you cheating.  And to make matters worse, you’re drinking again.  How much of this bullshit do you think I’m going to take?  I can’t stand around and watch you slowly kill yourself.  I’m done.  It’s over, Michael.”

Michael grabbed her arm.  “I already told you, I didn’t sleep with her or anyone else.”

“Oh, really?  Do you have another lie you’d like to tell me that will explain the panties on the floor over by your coat?”

His head snapped behind him.  When he saw the white fabric, his shoulders slouched.  “Ah, shit, Annie.  It’s not what you’re thinking.  Can we sit down and talk about this?”

“I’m done talking to you.”  She clicked the latch on the suitcase and headed toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

She stopped in the doorway and faced him.  “I’m going back to New York.  And if you’re smart, you’ll let me walk away this time with the little bit of dignity I have left.”

“Annie, please…”

“After I get settled, I’ll be filing for divorce.”

“I won’t agree to that!”

“You don't have a choice!  I've wasted enough of my life trying to make this relationship work.  It's useless because it can't work!  It was destined for failure from the start.”

He reached out and took her hand and she quickly jerked it free.  “If you let me explain…”

“I should have ended this back in March.  It would have been a cleaner break then.  I never should have let it go on this long.  We’ve both suffered needlessly.”

“That’s not true.”

Annie shook her head.  “It’s obvious you’re not happy and I’m certainly not.  So why should we stay together?  For the baby?  I don’t think so.  She deserves better and I intend to provide it for her.”

“I’ll admit, my head hasn’t been in the right place lately but that is due to losing Brian, not because I’m having an affair.  You’ve got to believe that!”

“Then answer one question for me.  Did you get those scratches from sleeping on the beach or from Barbara’s fingernails?”

He nervously averted his eyes.

Annie quickly turned and started down the hall.  “Good-bye Michael.”

Desperate, he grabbed her by the shoulders.  “Listen!  Yes, I did get them from her but not from sex.  We were fighting.”

Annie clenched her eyes tight.  “Stop the God-damned lying!”

“It’s the truth!  We were fighting.  She wouldn’t leave me alone.  She was relentless.  When I tried to shove her away, she scratched me.”

“She came on to you and you turned her down?”

“Yes.”

Annie shoved him aside.  “Go to hell.”

“Jesus, Annie, that’s the fucking truth!”

“Stop it!  Just let me go,” she screamed.

Annie’s voice echoed in the foyer of the house and Bonita came running into view.  “What’s going on?” Bonita asked.

“Bonita, please pack a suitcase for Sammi.  I’m going to put these in the car and I’ll be back for her.”

A few minutes later, Annie returned to Sammi’s room.

Michael blocked the doorway.  “You're taking Sammi?”

“Yes.  When and if you get yourself sober again, we can discuss visitation through our lawyers.  Until then, don't even think of following me to New York.”

Tears formed in his eyes.  “I don’t want you to leave.”

“This needs to be done and you’re in no condition to implement it so I will.  Let it go, Michael.  It’s done.  We tried, and it didn’t work.”

“But, I love you.”

“Sometimes that isn’t enough,” she replied and moved past him with Sammi in her arms.

Annie left the driveway and didn’t dare look back at the house.  At the first traffic light, she removed her wedding rings and dropped them into the ashtray of the car.  She didn’t cry until Taylor met her at the door of her apartment with a hug.  Then she crumbled.  For hours, she poured out her hurt and anger until she passed out from exhaustion.

The next day, she took back control of her life and called the female lawyer Taylor recommended and asked her to begin the paperwork for divorce.

“Michael’s worth millions, Annie.  And, without a prenuptial agreement, you will walk away from this a very wealthy woman,” the lawyer stated smugly.

“I don’t want his money,” Annie answered quickly.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said.  All I want is the beach house on the Vineyard and the Land Rover for transportation.  That’s it.  The rest of it he can shove up his ass or give away to his next wife.  I don’t care.”

“But…”

“Look, do you want to represent my wishes in this divorce or not?” Annie asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“Then draw the papers up as I’ve requested.  And make it happen as fast as possible.”

“If he contests the divorce…”

“He won’t contest a thing,” Annie interrupted.  “He’s already been warned and knows what will happen if he so much as raises an eyebrow to slow this down.”

“Okay.  I’ll get the paperwork ready for your approval.”

“Thank you.”

The timing was perfect.  The day the divorce petition was delivered to Michael’s lawyer, Annie hit the road with Lace.  The tour did its opening show in Philadelphia then proceeded south, hitting every major city along the way.  The venues were small with five to ten thousand seat capacities but every show was sold out.

One month into the tour, Annie began to feel the effects of living out of a suitcase again.  Even with the help of the nanny she hired to care for Sammi, fatigue was a constant companion for her.

By the beginning of November, she knew without a doubt what was causing her exhaustion.  Without witness, she crept into the bathroom early one morning and took a pregnancy test.  The results were positive.  Once again, she was carrying Michael’s child but this time, she would give it life - alone.