Rosalynn’s mother did end up coming back to the Pad and getting her baby.
Her name was Alicia Rodreguiz. She was a strikingly beautiful girl that had all of the guys, especially Michael, drooling as they walked her to the door with Rosalynn in tow. Evidently Alicia’s parents were just so happy to see her home that they didn’t care about the illegitimacy of the child. They just wanted to have their daughter, and granddaughter, back. It was sad to see the baby go, but Adriana was happy that Rosalynn wouldn’t end up in a foster home.
In the short month, Micky and Adriana had finally found an apartment as well. And surprise, surprise, it was right next door to the Pad. It had recently become vacant and Mr. Babbit was eager to find a tenant, even if it was a Monkee. With a little smooth talking from Micky and some credibility from Adriana, they were able to start moving over some thing March 1st.
Adriana had found a job working odd jobs for the local newspaper. She enjoyed assisting the managers and was excited at the possibility of maybe even writing her own articles someday. Until then, she was content to work in her tiny office.
Meanwhile, the Monkees continued playing their weekly weekend gigs at the Van Go-Go, which really had changed in such a short time.
The bright, sunny atmosphere had been replaced with more of a darker ambiance. Psychedelic light bulbs hung from the ceiling and there was a constant air of mystique.
The crowd was different too. Instead of fun-loving teenagers, it was slowly becoming a den for tortured artists, musicians, and all sorts of characters who would normally have been rejected at any other club.
Adriana found herself more and more disliking hanging out at there. She never felt comfortable with the changes. Once and awhile she would go to the gigs, just be with Micky and support the guys, but while she was sitting in the audience, she witnessed some things she really didn’t want to see.
Drugs were really starting to get rampant in the area. People smoked pot and did other hallucinogens while they listened to the music being played up front. Many couples did more there than share a few moments of P.D.As.
Adriana felt that if she didn’t come from the future, she might not think that anything was wrong with what was going on. She came from a generation where drug use and free sexuality were known to be risky things to participate in. Everyone from her time period was used to hearing about the dangers of drugs and casual sex. Whether they chose to listen was another story.
Adriana, herself, had always chosen to listen, and that’s why she didn’t frequent The Vincent. She knew the guys were clean, but she didn’t put it past them the possibility of one or more of them at least trying some kind of drug. The guys knew how she felt about these things, and if any of them did participate in it, they hid it pretty well.
“Oh, it’s perfect,” Ursula shouted to Adriana as she stepped out of the dressing room at Yolanda’s House of Brides.
Micky and Adriana had gone to pick up Ursula, Jessie, and Link in 2001 early the morning of March 10th, 1967.
It was now the 15th and Adriana, Jessie, and Ursula had decided to go wedding dress hunting while the guys and Link busied themselves with making reservations and getting supplies for the beach. Micky and Adriana decided to have a simple wedding on the beach. Nothing fancy, but elegant.
“You think so,” Adriana asked quietly, meekly moving to glance into a large mirror outside the fitting room.
She took in her breath sharply as she looked at the woman in the mirror. Adriana had tried on many dresses that day, rejecting them all for one reason or another, until Jessie brought her the dress she was now staring at.
It was just a simple, long, white slip dress with white flower lace trim at the bottom. The dress was made of a slick, satiny material that perfectly flowed around Adriana’s body. She’d never been stick thin, but the cut of the dress hid any imperfections. Plus, it was the perfect length to fully cover the extent of her 5’9 figure.
“So,” Jessie asked, moving to reach Adriana’s medium-length blonde hair, “should we put your hair up? Or leave it down?”
“I don’t know,” Adriana said, “Micky likes it down, but I think for a wedding, it should be up. What do you think?”
“Maybe we could put it up and just leave some curled tendrils down,” suggested Jessie.
“Okay,” Adriana agreed, nodding slowly.
“And hey,” Ursula said, walking over to where Jessie and Adriana stood, “you could always be a real flower child and wear this.”
Ursula stood on the stool next to the dressing room door and plopped a wreath of daisies on top of Adriana’s head.
“I like it,” Jessie said with a laugh.
“What’s so funny,” Adriana asked, suddenly afraid that she really did look stupid.
“Nothing,” Jessie answered, fingering her friend’s choice of veil, “it’s just that you actually look like you belong.”
“And what exactly is that supposed to mean,” Adriana asked quietly.
“I think Jessie means that when you were in our time, you were never truly happy. You hated most of the popular culture. The clothes. The music. Now you seem to be in a place where you fit. I don’t think we’ve seen you happier,” Ursula said.
“You’re right,” Adriana said, turning to look at herself in the mirror once more, her heart began to pound. “I just hope I’m doing the right thing.”
“Oh,” Micky said, grabbing his stomach and turning towards the bathroom of the Pad, “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“No you’re not,” Mike said, stopping Micky and shaking a finger at him. “You’re gonna go out there and you’re gonna married.”
“I want to get married,” Micky said, leaning on the door of the bathroom. “I’m not so sure about my stomach.”
“You’re just nervous,” Davy said, patting Micky on the back.
“Yeah, man,” Peter said, moving to put an arm around his friend’s shoulders, “just take a deep breath and let it out slowly.”
It was finally March 24th, the day of the wedding. The guys were standing around in the living room of the Pad giving Micky a pep talk.
“You can do this,” Peter encouraged Micky.
“I can do this,” Micky repeated, taking slow breaths in and out. “Why am I so nervous? I’m just getting married. Pshaw. No problem. No problem at all. I’m just committing my life to another person. My life. My whole entire life…”
“Micky,” warned Mike.
“Just think about Adrian,” Davy suggested. “Throw everything else out.”
“Okay,” Micky said, breathing in, covering his face with his hands. When he did, he saw her again that day on the snowy slopes, lying there on the ground, reaching up to take his hand. Micky could almost feel her smile once more as he mentally brought his gloved hand up to the side of her face. The snow began to fall lightly and her ivory skin tinted a light shade of pink as he attempted to kiss her. ..
Suddenly a knock came from the back door.
“Guys,” Link said, sticking his head in the door, “they’re about to start.”
“Ahhhhh,” Adriana shrilly screamed, looking frantically in all directions, “where is it?!!?? Where is my other shoe!??!!”
“Will you please calm down,” Jessie pleaded from where she was sitting on a table in Micky and Adriana’s apartment, trying to pin Adriana’s hair in place. “I can’t do this perfect like you wanted it if you don’t settle down!”
“What am I going to do,” Adriana continued frantically, turning her head in all directions, which caused Jessie to completely give up on the hair-do, “if I can’t find that shoe! I’m not going out there with just one shoe on…I think I’m gonna hyperventilate.”
“Ugh, don’t worry about your shoes,” Ursula said as she walked in the door. “They’re getting ready to start. The guys are in place and they’re waiting for the bride.”
Adriana’s already pale skin turned even paler.
Jessie took up a bobby pin again and resolutely finished, placing the last hair in place, grabbed Adriana’s hand, gave her the bouquet of daisies, and pulled her out the door.
“Wait,” Adriana, said, “my shoe!”
“Where is she? Where is she,” Micky asked Mike through gritted teeth and a smile.
The sun was getting lower in the sky as Micky gazed around the beach, waiting for Adriana. Friends of the Monkees and one member of Adriana’s family, her mother, were all seated in folding chairs. A makeshift aisle had been created with a long remnant of white silk Jessie had found at a fabric store. Streamers and fresh daisies were hung along the folding chairs. A white wooden arch had been placed at the front where Micky, Mike, Davy, and Peter stood next to the minister.
The weather was perfect. It was cool, but thanks to the California climate, warm enough to be outdoors.
Without warning, Jessie and Ursula came dashing up the aisle in their light blue bridesmaid dresses. The two girls took their place on the other side of the guys, leaving a flustered Adriana at the beginning of the aisle.
Micky perked up when he saw her standing there. She had never looked so beautiful. Adriana’s blond hair was pulled up on top of her head, accept for a few curled tendrils that began to blow in the breeze. She carried a small bouquet of the same kind of daisies that were perched atop her head. Her cheeks were a bit reddened, but Micky attributed that to nerves. The dress was absolutely beautiful.
As he scanned down he noticed that she was wearing only one shoe.
Adriana stood at the beginning of the aisle and glanced at the crowd seated in front of her. She swallowed hard, only to find her throat as dry as dust. The people all turned towards her as Peter walked over to a small piano that had been placed on a nearby porch. He began to play the first chords of “Here Comes the Bride.”
In the crowd, she managed to locate her mother. What a surprise it had been when Jessie and Link had brought her earlier that day. They explained everything to her, and after the shock wore off, she actually accepted it!
Adriana looked down at her feet. “Oh, no,” she thought, “I wanted everything to be as close to perfection as possible when he saw me. I can’t believe this.”
She looked up at Micky. He looked so handsome in his simple black suit. All of the guys wore the same thing and all looked great, but Micky stood out. He was the closest to perfection to her.
When she made eye contact with him, he smiled and obviously noticing her predicament reached down and took off his shoes and socks, tossing them to the side. Adriana was astonished as she watched the other guys do the same. Even Peter managed to do it at the piano, and still play!
Adriana kicked her one shoe to the side and with her feet bare, walked down the aisle and stopped at Micky’s side. After pausing for just a moment, she took his arm and they both turned to face the minister.
“We are gathered here today……”
“Oh, I’m going to miss you soooo much,” Adriana said hugging her mom tightly.
After the wedding they had all moved down the beach a bit to where the guys had strung lights, set up a record player, and a bandstand.
Adriana regretted the fact that her mom couldn’t stay longer. If she had wanted anybody at the wedding for support, it was her mother. She had supported her all her life, even in the really tough times, but now she had to leave as soon as possible so Gerald wouldn’t be upset that she was gone so long.
“You could always stay here with us,” she whispered to her mother. “You don’t have to go back. You could be happy here.”
“I know,” her mom said as she pulled away, “but I don’t belong here, sweetheart, you do. You always did.”
“Goodbye Mrs. Apperson,” Micky said, moving to embrace Adriana’s mother.
“Goodbye ‘Reginald’,” Ann joked, returning the hug.
“I really had you going about that didn’t I,” Micky said to her.
“Not really,” Ann smiled knowingly, “I had a feeling. I must admit this was quite a surprise, but being here and seeing how much you really do care about one another made me see that this is for real. I guess it’s all a mother could ask for.”
“Ready to go,” Link asked walking up behind Ann with Jessie and Ursula.
“I guess so,” Ann sighed and backed away. “You be sure to visit, now.”
“We will mom,” Adriana said, tears shining in her eyes.
“I’ll be back in about fifteen minutes,” Link said, leading Ann to the black van.
Micky, Adriana, Ursula, and Jessie watched the black van disappear into the cool, California night.
“Ladies and gentleman,” came Mike’s voice from the bandstand.
“You better get up there,” Adriana said to Micky.
“Naw,” he said turning to look at her, “It’s my wedding. They let me have the night off.”
“Oh,” Adriana asked, “who’s going to play the drums?”
“Davy,” Micky said, stifling a laugh.
“Yikes,” Adriana said with a chuckle, “maybe he’ll do okay, but he does have pretty big shoes to fill.”
“Well,” he said, spinning Adriana around and continuing with false arrogance, “can’t ‘spect no miracles.”
“Ladies and gentleman,” Mike said again, “may we have your attention please. We would like to dedicate this song to our best friend Micky and our friend Adriana.” Jessie and Ursula stepped back and took a seat at a nearby table. Micky took Adriana in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder as the opening guitar chords of “And I Love Her”, by the Beatles began to play.
After the song had ended, Peter stepped up to the microphone. The music to “Cherish” by the Association began to play.
As they turned around in the cool California, March night, Adriana glanced up with a look of surprise as she heard Peter, sitting on a stool playing his acoustic guitar, his suit jacket on the floor beside him and his light brown hair blowing in the breeze, sing the lead vocals to the next song.
Adriana smiled back and lifted her hand in a small wave. Peter was letting her go.
“Well,” Mike said from the bandstand, “we know it’s kind of early to take a break, but we’d love to get out there too, so, we’ll be back in about ten minutes.”
The guys put down their instruments and walked off the bandstand. Micky and Adriana walked over to them and praised them for their performance.
“Hey,” Micky said with a smile, “you guys don’t do too bad without me.”
“Yeah, but we always do better with you. Congratulations, man,” Peter said, extending his hand and shaking Micky’s. He then embraced his friend and as they hugged he whispered, “You take good care of her. And don’t take her for granted.”
“I won’t,” Micky said quietly, slapping Peter on the back as they broke the embrace.
Peter then moved to hug Adriana who closed her eyes and savored the moment. She could never have loved Peter the way he wanted her to, or even they way that she thought she had wanted to, but she knew she’d never find a truer friend.
“You take good care of him,” Peter whispered to her as they hugged, “I’m here if you ever need me.”
“Thank you,” she whispered back, tears shining in her eyes.
Davy hugged Micky and Adriana next, congratulating them, but with a far off look in his eyes.
“My turn with the words of wisdom,” Mike said, moving to hug Micky.
“Man,” Mike began, “it feels like we’re sending you off on some long journey to some far off place, but you’re just movin’ next door. Well, maybe in a sense we are sending ya off. But, you’ll always have a place at the Pad.…I’m gonna miss ya old buddy.”
Mike and Micky hugged longer than the other guys had. Adriana smiled as she watched the bond that the two shared. They had a strong friendship. It was going to be hard for Mike not to have his best buddy constantly around anymore.
“Adrian,” Mike whispered to her as he finally moved to hug her, “thanks for everything.”
Adriana smiled and returned the hug, “Thank you, Mike,” she said.
In the absence of the band, someone had put on a record. The song “Brown Eyed Girl” came out of the small speakers set on the bandstand.
Davy broke from the group and walked over to where Ursula stood watching the scene before her. Her arms were crossed around her in an attempt to keep the cool breeze off.
“Are you cold,” Davy asked as he slowly approached her.
“Just a little,” Ursula said shyly. It had been months since the talk they had in her car the day Davy had gotten arrested. She wondered if he had changed.
He answered her wondering by silently taking off his suit jacket and placing it carefully around her shoulders. “Do you want to dance,” he asked quietly.
Ursula looked at him for a moment. His brown eyes showed nothing but sincerity. No hidden motives, no smooth pickup lines, just a guy wanting to dance with her.
“Sure,” she said, nodding her head in agreement.
“I’m sorry,” he said as they began to move to the music.
“About what,” Ursula asked curiously, as she cautiously kept the beat with Davy.
“For being such a jerk when we first met,” Davy admitted with uncharacteristic shyness.
“Well,” Ursula, “I can’t deny that you annoyed me, but you were not a jerk. I guess I just didn’t like the way you treated me. I do know that I want to be treated like I’m special. Not just Girl Number 434.”
“Actually it would be Girl Number 453,” Davy said jokingly.
Ursula stepped back and glared at Davy.
“I’m sorry. Little joke, ‘bout that big,” he said with a grin, pulling her back to him.
Ursula relaxed and looked at him expectantly to continue.
“But seriously,” Davy said as they turned around, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we left. I haven’t been on a date in months. Mike and Peter were beginning to worry about me.
“Really,” Ursula asked, almost shocked as she looked at Davy. They were about the same height, so she could look straight into his dark brown eyes.
“Really,” he confirmed, looking into her green eyes as they both stopped dancing. Lifting his right hand, he smoothed her long brown hair away from her face, and kissed her softly.
“Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-te-da,” Micky sang with the song as he and Adriana danced to one of their favorite songs.
Adriana had been looking over Micky’s shoulder at Davy and Ursula.
The two had broken the kiss and now Ursula was leaning on Davy’s shoulder. The two both had their eyes closed and were swaying to the music, despite the fast beat, with soft smiles on their lips.
Adriana then looked over at Jessie and Link, who had just returned. They had been seeing each other for about four years. Sometimes they seemed more like an old married couple than a couple of teenagers. She smiled as she saw them dancing and engrossed in each other’s company.
Her eyes then found Mike and Peter. Mike had met a short, dark haired girl and the two were dancing next to the bandstand while Peter sat nearby at a table. He caught Adriana’s eye once again, smiled brightly, and lifted his hand in a small wave.
Adriana smiled and sighed with contentment. All seemed right with the world.
“How ya feeling,” Micky asked, dancing closer to her.
“Wonderful,” Adriana said as she smiled at him, her eyes shining.
“It’s been a perfect day,” Micky said, putting his arms around her and resting his forehead against hers.
“I know,” Adriana said, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking into his handsome brown eyes, “I’m actually feeling kind of excited.”
“Really,” Micky asked wiggling his eyebrows.
Adriana rolled her eyes and laughed, “About the whole life together thing, Micky. I think it’s going to be great. I can’t image anyone else I’d rather be with.”
Micky laughed and hugged Adriana tight. He then spun her around and once again pulled her to him. “You know what Adriana Lynn Dolenz,” he whispered in her ear.
“What,” she said, shimmying to the music.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” she said, as he stopped her dancing to kiss her.
Everyone continued to have a wonderful time at the reception. New love was starting, older love was rekindled, and two people began a journey that would be full of happiness, joy, and many difficult road stops that neither of them would ever have expected.
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