Reunion (The Monkees Family Vol. 3)

Chapter 66

After their drinks had been drained, Micky took Davy out to the stables and showed him his polo ponies. They went out for a ride and Davy was in seventh heaven. They mostly just rode and enjoyed the scenery, but they did talk a bit about the proposed tour, and Davy confirmed that he was on board with doing it. He also explained his reasoning why he didn't think the record deal was good enough to tempt him. Micky thought Davy was making a grave mistake trying to hold out for a bigger payday, but Davy was adamant that Arista, the label that wanted to distribute the album, had untold pockets of cash it was hoarding and it would eventually come around with a better offer for him. After all, Davy asserted, he had always been the heartthrob hadn't he? He was the key to the new songs' success, particularly for the video for the single, he argued. Micky wondered whether Davy was going to need a refresher course on relinquishing some of those character defects he had supposedly jettisoned, but he wasn't too bothered by the situation. He had always felt that Davy just had terrible business sense and that this scenario was all of a piece with that deficiency, so he didn't read anything greater into it.

They returned to the house as dusk was falling, and it was time for Davy and Della to hit the road. Micky agreed to fly to L.A. to take a meeting with David Fishof and listen to his formal proposal in company with the other two guys plus Wendy, and sketch out a tentative game plan. Then he and Peter would also meet with Arista and the three guys would meet with Rhino as well to discuss the release of their back catalog. A Christmas trip was planned since Micky wouldn't be shooting his television show that week and Gabby could take time off from work.

Gabby and Micky bade Davy and Della goodbye with hugs and handshakes as before, but this time they were more relaxed and sincere. It seemed like the fabric of their lives had been mended. There was no doubt a perceptible scar where the thread had sewn over the rend in the garment. It wasn't perfect, but it was functional and durable. That's how life and relationships were. Fragile but malleable and resilient.

As soon as the door closed, Gabby and Micky fell into each other's arms. Relief and exhaustion were the top notes of their emotions. They didn't have the energy to process anything on a deeper level, about what had been said or accomplished by the meeting. Micky took Gabby by the hand and led her up to their room, laid her down on the bed and crawled into it with her. He swaddled them in blankets and clutched her tightly to him, seeking reassurance through proximity, an old, familiar trope in their silent communication. Gabby squeezed him back just as firmly. They quickly dropped off to sleep for a nap.

Surprisingly, Schmooshy was the one to wake them up, having decided for once that he fancied going outdoors to relieve himself instead of living up to his pseudonym, Puddles. He sat at the foot of the bed and yipped and barked until Micky yawned, stretched and responded "Okay, pug beast. Let's go take you for a walk and let Momma D sleep." From her cocoon under the blankets, Gabby sassed back "Micky, I am NOT Momma D. I'm Momma L and don't you forget it!" Micky laughed and said "Davy's right, I can't get anything by you!"

Gabby drove to their village's one Chinese restaurant to get Micky's favorite food in an effort to help him regain his appetite. Still, he mostly picked at his food as they had dinner.

"Micky, please try to eat something," she urged.

"I'm sorry, babe. I guess old habits die hard. Trying to use an outside substance – in this case food – to control my emotions, thinking it gives me power over how I feel." He reached for a Peking ravioli, dunked it in some ginger sauce and nibbled at it.

Gabby smiled sympathetically and nodded her head encouragingly as he ate. "So now that we faced down Davy and his demons, do you feel like you can let go of your resentments against him?"