Blue Angel

JANUARY (MN)

     In the back, behind the smoke and magic, there were a bunch of busy humans around us but when Prince pulled me by the hands, it all kind of went insignificant. Our noses touched and he quietly apologized behind a smile.

     "For what, baby?"

Shaking his head on mine, he kissed me. "I just wanted to say happy birthday." And he smacked on my lips again, licking his own after. "And Happy New Year."

Kissing him back, I wrapped my arms around his neck and couldn't keep my tongue in place. Just when my hand reached too low, Prince knocked his head back laughing.

"Whoa now, I have a show to finish," he said.

"Sorry, sexy." And I was. I didn't mean to be a distraction and keep the room waiting. "I love you."

"I love you too." Prince hugged me, too tight, and I reacted. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, my boobies hurt, that's all."

"But it's a little too early for that, ain't it?"

"We're still in the clear to do it all night, don't worry."

"And no drinking. I saw you run off."

"One sip won't hurt."

"You're so tiny, you don't know that."

"Yeah, but—"

"Don't do it." He didn't say it suggestively. It was definitely a demand, and a good girl I nodded in compliance, and not from a place of fear. His control felt pleasing. I liked it under there.

Plus, he was right. He knew how I felt about drinking and he didn't want me to try it out of his direct presence. Keeping my promise, I went back to my table pouting, telling them we could celebrate with alcohol tomorrow's night. I took a shot of apple juice and let them dress me with a plastic lei.

Back in front of the stage, Prince was beaming again in good spirits. I called for him and he reached to take the lei in my hand. After he put it around his neck, he wowed the room with a performance of Purple Rain.

~*~

Prince and I were home in bed. I don't know where the time was but I hadn't fallen asleep since we got in. It wasn't the loud music playing either; I had gotten used to sleeping like that. But my head was stuck somewhere up in the fluffed clouds. The high energy of Prince's last jam still lingered in my bones.

It was incredible. Miles Davis and his trumpet joined. Prince played on the drums. He wore a hoop earring in his left ear to match the one in my right. He cracked jokes and crawled on the floor with Cat. The best of it all is that after he said goodnight, he looked down at me and said, "Wait, ain't it your birthday?"

He had me gushing. Someone a few people over lifted Prince's cloud guitar to him and I was in awe seeing the blue color for the first time.

"We can't leave 'til I take care of the birthday girl," he said, putting the strap over him. "Ready children?"

And I couldn't help it. I had been holding it in all night. "I love you!"

Prince smiled down at me. "And I love you more." Then he made the whole room sing to me as he played the melody on guitar.

"Happy Birthday, dear—oh"—he interrupted with a smile—"her name is Raven." And after, he seamlessly slipped into his own made-up verse. "What do you want, on your birthday from me? What do you want, on your birthday from me?"