Chance Meeting

Eleven

Nashville, Tennessee

        October, 2021

A lil over a Year later, Aerin was long since back at the home she still shared with Ash in Nashville, but things were a lot different than they'd been before. Her trip down to Miami for that lone week there with Bobby and the older bassist's kids wasn't the only one she'd taken, nor was she a single woman any longer like she'd been then.

        The Silver Fox'd decided to take a chance shortly after his fifty-seventh birthday the Autumn previous, a chance he'd known could blow up in his face. He'd all but begged her to be his girlfriend on her second trip down there to see him, surprised when she'd actually agreed. It'd taken him a few momentsta gather his wits enough to give her an ecstatic kiss, which'd quickly led to far more. Saying the house'd been quiet that Night woulda been a lie, and he'd been glad that the master suite was on the opposite side of it from his kids' suites, to say the least.

        Ever since then, they'd taken a trip to each other's home either every month, or every other month, depending on his schedule. When it came to his interests outside Poison, he was actually just as damn good a chef as Ash, and he coulda easily worked his way up to sous chef over the Years. Instead, he'd decided to open up his own restaurant about twenty Years ago, and it'd been quite successful during all that Time.

        If things got a lil too hectic in said restaurant, Bobby wouldn't be able to come up to Nashville, no matter how much he wanted to and needed the break. That was when she'd try to go down to Miami instead, but they didn't always get the Time together that they wanted, even then. Otherwise, they'd just agree to not seeing each other during a particular month, the plan being to spend two weeks together the next instead of a single week. They somehow always managed to find the proper Balance and make their long-distance relationship work, if only 'cuz the bassist realized just how hard it wasta win the young woman's Love and Trust.

        "Hey, Aerin–get your ass out here!"

        "What's up, Ash?" she called from her bedroom in responseta her roommate's words.

        "Just get out here, and trust me when I say you'll like whatcha see," the younger bassist laughed.

        "All right, all right," Aerin chuckled. "At least lemme get clothes on before I've to knock your eyes onto the back of your head for staring again!"

        "Yeah, that might be a good idea–more than ya know," he responded.

        Wondering just what Ash was up to, considering his choice phrasing, the young woman quickly pulled on her clothes since she'd quite literally just gotten outta the shower. After that task was taken care of, she quickly ran her hairbrush through her hair before heading out toward the great room, not expecting what she was about to find.

        Not only was Bobby standing there with the younger bassist, but so was the rest of Poison–that included even former members, Richie Kotzen and Blues Saraceno–as well as his kids. Squealing like a child, she ran over to him, careful not to bump into anyone as she did so and flung her arms around him. Due to things getting a bit crazy at the restaurant–or so he'd said–she'd thought she wouldn't get to see him for her birthday. She'd thought she wouldn't get to see him till closer to his, even though that was only about three weeks away.

        "Hey there, sweetheart!" he chuckled as he Returned the hug, then gave her a sound kiss. "Happy birthday!"

        "Ya cunning Silver Fox, you," Aerin laughed, playfully smacking his chest. "Ya just lemme think ya weren't gonna get to come up here again till closer to your own birthday, didn'tcha?"