Ricky

March 25, 1983

Keith paced back and forth in the dining room as Ricky walked down. Neither of them talked to each other since yesterday, when Ricky told Keith about...his health. He'd asked Keith not to tell anyone since it would just burden them. Keith was pissed about not telling anyone because he thought that if Ricky were to die......

Ricky sat down at the dining table and took the newspaper. That's when Keith spoke.

"I won't tell anyone," he said. Ricky looked up in surprise. He thought he was going to tell Cindy or Mom or whoever but he didn't. Why?

It was as though Keith had read Ricky's mind. "You don't want anyone worrying about you." He sat down next to Ricky. "It's hard. I know. Whenever you're ready I'll be with you."

By 'whenever you're ready,' Ricky knew he meant telling the others about his condition.

"If you're not feeling good enough to go," Keith began but Ricky cut him off.

"I'm feeling great." That was the truth, after all. He felt good enough to go to the studio and finish recording Whammy!.

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Ricky waited outside as Cindy went through everything the coffee shop had to offer. Quietly, he took out a cigarette and lit it up. It felt pretty damn good. He'd been doing since he was sixteen and he would continue doing it.

"Here." Cindy was standing beside him, holding two cups of coffee. Ricky took one and removed the cigarette from his mouth, taking a small sip.

"How's it going?" Cindy seemed to be really cheerful today.

"It's going well." Ricky smiled back. The plan was working.

Cindy didn't notice anything.