Reunion (The Monkees Family Vol. 3)

Chapter 38

Despite Davy's truculent stubbornness, he was mistaken if he thought he was going to shake one Michael Nesmith off his heels. Mike made plans with him for the next day to have Davy show him around town and the two walked down memory lane a bit, hitting up some of their old favorite haunts from when they were on tour with the Monkees. Mike continued to give Davy opportunities to vent his feelings about Micky and anything else he was bitter about, and he also kept an eye on Davy's alcohol intake level, so for the first day in a long time, Davy wasn't nursing a hangover from the night before nor slightly smashed as he went about his day's business. It was a refreshing sensation for Davy, stirring memories of hope and renewal in him that Mike hoped would encourage him to set his feet upon a different path.

In the meantime, Gabby and Wendy cycled through Wendy's wish list of activities and indulgences. Over tea at Harrods, Wendy filled Gabby in on their night out with Davy. Gabby marveled "Wow, you called him a pussy? Jeez, Wendy, you sure have come a long way from that insecure little girl I used to hide out in the library stacks with in junior high!"

Wendy giggled and reflected for a moment. "You know, I don't even think about it anymore. I guess I really have become the confident woman I always wanted to be. I appreciate your helping me figure out where the line is between confidence and bullying though, Gabby."

Gabby just nodded her head in nonjudgmental acknowledgment. "So it sounds like Davy doesn't really get the concept of making amends and what it means."

Wendy squinted her eyes at Gabby and shrugged "Well, I guess I don't really either. I mean, what does Micky really want from Davy? Groveling? A pint of blood?"

Gabby frowned and waved her hand in dismissal. "Come on, Wendy, that's not funny. Recovery is a very specific, thoughtful process and the people who figured it all out are living really healthy lives. The people who aren't are in no position to question it. Making amends isn't about saying I'm sorry, but that's merely where it starts. And Davy hasn't even said he's sorry! And from what you told me about your conversation with him, he's still in major denial about the whole situation. I think if he had his way and a time machine, he and I would be married and Micky would still be a lush living on Skid Row."

Wendy asked "So he has to say he's sorry and what else? Didn't he apologize to you?"

Gabby shrugged. "He apologized for the unintended consequence of me getting attacked. That's like saying 'I'm sorry I got caught committing a crime, not for committing the crime itself.' And he hasn't apologized for trying to steal me away from Micky, for continuing to come after me long after both Micky and I made it clear we were getting back together. I don't hold him responsible for still being in love with me. That's a feeling he can't control. But he didn't have to act on it, and he hasn't apologized for that. Plus he's hurt Micky so profoundly and he's never apologized even for how much he slagged on Micky when Micky was trying to recover. He acts like Micky's just lucky Davy stuck by him at all. I feel like he owes Micky an apology for that as well. He tried to take me away from Micky while I was living with him in his apartment and that was part of the way he did it. He did a number on me psychologically in an effort to steal me away from Micky. So he owes Micky an apology for that, and probably me too. So that's what we mean when we say he hasn't made amends."

Wendy blew out her lips with a poof. "Man, there's a lot there. I doubt even if I told all that to Davy I could get him to agree to any of that."

Gabby put her hand on Wendy's arm and said "Hey, Wendileh, don't bother. I'm not asking you to do that. Like I said, just support Davy and continue to be his friend. I'm not asking you to help repair the rift between us and him. I just don't want Davy to lose anyone else. He needs you and Mike. I'm hoping one day he'll come to Micky and me and ask us what he needs to do to make things right with us. Better yet, he'll get his ass to AA and he'll learn it from them."