Slow Love

7-The Movie

I hopped on the sofa and curled up in the corner with some pillows ready to see the movie. I looked down at the coffee table and along with the big bowl of popcorn there was a bowl of Kit-Kats. Wow, if I need a chocolate buzz there it is. Prince sat over in the recliner and hit play. He said wait a min and paused the movie, got up and grabbed a throw for me in case I got cold. He really is thoughtful and such a Girlfriend. He got situated in his recliner and hit play. Like I said, I don't remember movies but it was really funny. I laughed till tears came falling down. He did too. Then he looked at me and said, are you OK?  I said, yeah, why? He said he was checking to make sure I did not need anything. I was good and the movie was about over. He said when it was over he wanted to show me something. I said where, he said in the studio. I complained and said do we have to do this tonight? He said, yep, let's go down. So I picked up the throw and wrapped it around my shoulders and headed out with him to the studio. We went into his studio where he records all his stuff and sat me down on a sofa and said get comfortable. So I did. He then picked up his guitar and proceeded to play me the most beautiful love song, The Breakdown. I wanted to cry but I held my tears back. I said is that about someone? He said "no, it just came to me recently in my head and I had to get it out." So there it is. In all the years I've know him, he would never, ever tell what a song is really about. So I just took it at face value and smiled. It was really a beautiful song. I stood up and shook it off. He put down his guitar and came over to me and I opened up the throw and put my arms around him. He is just slightly smaller than me, but this time I just went to silly putty in his arms. He then stepped back and said, Oh baby don't cry this song is not about you. I said, it is just a sad love song and I can't help it, it just tore me up. He said, let me play you something happy picking up his guitar. What do you want to hear? I said you pick. He thought a minuet and went into "If I was You Girlfriend".I just smiled and it so warmed my heart. We had a great time. He played and played on into to the night. I was exhausted. Finally, we called it quits. We headed up to the Apartment and said our good nights. I collapsed into bed and looked over at the clock. It was 5am.  I still could not sleep. My mind was racing. I was trying process what happened today. I can't have a romantic relationship with him. I just can't. I finally drifted off into sleep. Suddenly, I feel something on the bed and next thing I knew, an arm comes over me. I whispered,  'what are you doing?'  A soft voice said,  "please let me stay here tonight, I promise I'll be a good boy". I said OK,  just keep Mr. Happy to yourself. He chuckled and said OK back to me. I said, 'what's wrong?' He said he needed to feel another body next to him so he could sleep. Alright, fine, I said. Just this once. He agreed. I feel deep into sleep. I woke up several hours later and he was gone. I still had my clothes on so all was good. I laid there awake pondering now what happened last night?  What does this mean? I have to admit it did feel real good being with someone else in bed and having a warm body next to me. It has been so long since I've had that secure feeling. Next thing I know here he comes with breakfast on a bed tray. He smiled and said good morning love! Great, first thing in the morning, Mr. Congeniality!  I don't do mornings well so I just looked at him and softly said "morning". I looked at this tray and there were pancakes, coffee and orange juice. He hopped on the bed and said: "eat up, we have a big day ahead." I looked over at the clock it was 11am. I usually need about an hour to be that jovial but I said 'OK, what is the game plan?' He told me the band would be hereabout 1pm to rehearse for the shows this week. He said, "I want you to meet everyone so get moving and meet me down stairs." So I finished my breakfast, crawled out of bed and hit the shower. I did my hair and makeup threw some clothes on and headed down the steps. When I got to the bottom of the steps I saw him and he was in full dress regalia from head to toe. I asked if this was a dress rehearsal and he said no, why? I said, you look like you are ready to go out and perform. He said 'I always dresses like this with the band to keep up the image'. OK then. I asked if I needed to change and he said 'no you look stunningly beautiful'. Whoa! I have not heard those words in a very long time. I shook my head and said to my self, look what you got yourself into now. I hope this does not turn out like I think it is going to. I asked him, "what about our project" what do you have for me to work on. He said: "nothing right now" I'm still getting it straight what I want you to do". So what am I supposed to do now? He said let's go up to wardrobe and see Cathy. Oh nice, I was looking forward to seeing her and catching up.(Cathy and I go way back. When I was in college, I worked for the Wardrobe Dressers Union. I met her when an Off-Broadway show came to Columbus, OH and we became instant Best of Friends. Our paths crossed numerous times and then she landed the job at Paisley Park Head of Wardrobe. Or path crossed again when I went to Paisley years ago to work. Her influence helped me pick my career path as she was a few years older than me.)  So we go back upstairs to wardrobe and there she is. Cathy I said, and she looked up and screamed, GIGI! So good to see you. She ran over and hugged me. She was so excited to see me we just were beside ourselves. Prince then said, 'I'll leave you two alone to catch up. I'll come get you when the band gets here.' I was thinking, great some time away from him. So Cathy says, 'what brings you here to Paisley?' I did not quite know how to answer it. I said 'he has a couple projects for me to work on so he brought me up here for the week.' She asked, 'when did I get in?' I said yesterday. Cathy turns and walks back to her desk and motions for me to come over. I follow her and she shows me a design and asks 'what do I think about it?' I said it looks lovely. She put her hand over her mouth and muffled her words and said 'good it is for you!' "WHAT' I screamed, "for me?" She went 'shush it is a surprise he had me work up last week. I wondered what was going on so I just did what I was told to do, but I need some measurements so it will fit perfectly.' OK then let's hurry up and get that done before he comes back. She said, "just act surprised" and I agreed. Cathy said to me, "he talked you into this on Wednesday night, right?" I said yes he did. But he did not know what day I was coming until Friday." She sat down and motioned for me to sit next to her while she did some work on this dress. She proceeded to tell me that, after our talk, his whole demeanor dramatically changed. He changed for the good that is. I told her Patrick told me the same thing yesterday. She said, "I don't know what bug he has but we are all hoping it stays this way. You know how he can be." I said, 'yes I know.' Cathy said, "so what did he tell you Wed night?" I looked puzzled at her and she said about his love life. I said 'Oh, that.' He told me about a girl that was too young, that one?" She said yes that one. She ripped him apart at the seams. We all were very worried about him. He just walked around here in a blue funk for days on end and we got so worried we had Kirk checking in with him to make sure he did not do something to himself. He stayed up for days and days as well. After that call to you, he was agreeable and happy like we have never before seen him. You know Kirk, Patrick and I go way back and we have seen him at all stages of his life, you know back when tragedy hit.  I said, "you know Cathy, he asked to sleep with me last night and not like you are thinking either, LOL! I was so tired and nothing happened believe me." She said, "well good for him, he finally got that sleep he needed. Thanks Gigi for letting him do what he needed to do to get that." I nodded my head in agreement. Cathy was so excited she said, " so what did you guys do yesterday?" I took a deep breath and said, well I made him pick me up at that airport. She looked at me funny and said he did that? I said yep he did and he did not give me any guff about it. She said, "see you are just what he needed to have happen right now in his life. Thank you, thank you!". I proceeded to give her the rest of the day and I finally said something was up, I could feel it happening. She said, "Girl do you have those feelings for him?" I said, "I don't quite know what to think of it but there is definitely something there." All Cathy would say is, 'trust your heart, you know he is a good man.'   I told her "you know he is my best friend so I am having a hard time trying to figure this out." All she would say is, "trust your heart and God." I hear the clicking of his heels so we had to change the subject and right on cue, there he was. He said, have you girls caught up? I said no but we will have plenty of time this week to do so. Prince comes over and takes my hand and leads me out to go meet the band. I wave bye to Cathy and she said, 'stop back in and we will finish up.' We are heading down to the rehearsal space and the butterflies are back. I stop and take a deep breath. Prince turns to me and says, "is everything OK baby?" I nodded yes. He was reassuring and said "come on, they are excited to meet you." Here we go. The door opens to this huge full band complete with horns and all. Too many to count but the gang was all there. He led me around to each and every member and introduced them to me. My mind was swimming I know I cannot possibly remember them all by name. He then takes me to a sofa in the hall for me to sit and watch. Wow! What a day. It was not long, about 4 hours but they ran through the whole set for each night. It was simply amazing to see. I had my own private concert right in front of me. He then dismissed them and came over and kissed me on the cheek. That electricity just arched through me like I had never felt before and much stronger than yesterday. I joked and said it must have been his guitar still pulsating through him when I twitched. He turned and told everyone to "Get out" he needed to go have dinner with his lady.