"oh! you poor thing." karoliena exclaims sympathetically. the first few times away from home were hard for her. the first time away from eris? excruciating. nobody usually admits it,but there IS a difference between one's spouses kids and their own. she adored cassie's kids and would do anything for them. but....there was a difference with eris. "there is always next time,ada." karoliena says in support of ada. it was head spinning being a parent and touring. it took a while to get in the groove of things. "you'll get the hang of this. it is the hardest thing you or marlena will ever do. soon you'll be trying to answer history questions right before the encore." karoliens tells ada with a little nod. she had done this many times. it certainly made one's life less rock and roll. but karoliena wasn't having kids that were merely living off her legacy. she and cassie were surprisingly strict parents. "it's a godsend. if it wasnt for erica,i'd pull my hair out. we definitely could use another member." karoliena sighs. on tour erica had been her go to mother for bonding experience. they could all use a fresh outlook on things. even going forward,it still wouldnt be the same with erich. its not like marlena is with him all the time,so he really couldnt understand the feelings of karoliena and erica and now ada.

"they had better,or else its off to asda. frankly,i cant stand american wal mart,i really cant stand its cultural imperialism offshoot" erich said with disdain. there were few things erich disliked than seeing the same stores in other countries that were in the usa. asda wasnt fooling him,he knew. erich nodded in full agreement with ada on the subject of commitment to one cheesecake. " we will be cheesecake swingers. especially you. you arent that fond of cheesecake. you're going to have to take on all comers. i am partial to raspberry cheesecake,but i think our relationship is strong enough to where i can watch you sample other cheesecake." erich takes ada's hand and nods slowly. it was a big step in their relationship. it wasnt everyone who could watch their significant other try pineapple cheesecake right in front of them.

"it is easy to get jaded to seeing new scenes every day but i try not to let that happen. i'm constantly taking pictures or buying goofy trinkets." karoliena gushes. her children were well traveled ,they had been to the usa and japan many times. but the day to day touring life? nope. her kids had never seen manchester,there just was no reason it would happen. karoliena's intrest was piqued when ada said she would tell marlena stories. there was one story that marlena might be interested in. karoliena was probably overstepping boundaries,but she did want to know how ada would handle such a thing. "so....are you going to tell your daughter about..you know,reconciliation?" she asks in a tone that suggests she doesnt really want to ask. like herself,erich's private life is rather intensely guarded. "we did have quite a baby club going on for a awhile,huh?" she laughs very warmly . it did seem like everyone had gotten pregnant around the same time. she wasnt sure,but she remembered marlena and takara being very close in age. then nichole's brood (ugh),and eris was the youngest. "i think we could all use your fresh take on things." karoliena said,inviting ada into the fold. she wanted to elaborate,but didnt want to bring up bad memories for ada. not being on the road for the past few years would give ada a point of view they hadnt had before. she had hoped the kids would all be friends,especially takara,marlena and eris. they needed an ally against jody,gia,and cole.
especially cole. takara took her role as princess of kobayashi castle seriously and banned him from her lands. her idea of princess wasnt looking pretty,it was political power.

"right? it isnt enough america told these bastards to get bent in 1776,we had to put stores on their shores ?! " erich says in disgust. it rarely crept into his music,but erich had strong beliefs in where his money should go. unless he absolutely had to,he wouldnt give wal mart a penny. erich nearly runs the cart into a parked car because he is laughing so hard at ada. like he told dustyn on the debaucherous vegas trip,she was the one. she had always been the one for him. not everyone could take a cheescake metaphor and run with it. ada was very skilled. erich would continue with the dirty,but ada was easy to embarrass,so he dialed it back. slightly." are you ok with two cheesecakes,i...i ...kinda want to share one with you. you,dirty little cheesecake girl,you." erich cracks up,thoroughly in love with ada all over again.

"i would recommend against getting things that make noise when jostled." karoliena warns with a motherly wagging of her finger. " every time we hit a bump,pure cacophony from under my bed." she is clearly joking,but there is enough in her voice to say it does happen frequently. it is fun when erich is tripping balls and trying to figure out where the tinny god save the queen is coming from. having 4 kids,she naturally buys 4 of everything.so there was a LOT to make noise under her bed. karoliena nods along in agreement with ada's thoughts on telling marlena about her parents. karoliena also remembered it was still very early in the reconciliation. who knew what the future could hold a month from now. " i do. you bring a good point. i'm sure marlena will be happier just knowing he is around." karoliena said optimistically. she had little doubt erich would give his all to marlena. her kids seemed to love him,probably because he was nearly one of them. there was a few particulars karoliena had wondered if ada or erich even considered. especially the new york thing. erich had hated living in the city. ada was certainly a bundle of anxiety...how the fuck did she manage to be around erich so much? maybe he overloaded her anxiety so much that it crashed and ada was ok."it takes a village." karoliena muses to ada. "we'll help you if we can.i think between all of us,we've managed to do anything wrong that is possible and still be semi decent human beings."

"if we werent in public right now,i'd take my shirt off.its hot in here,right?" erich asks,fanning himself and causing the cart to veer from side to side. " lovely,miss ada. we'll take turns on the cheesecake ,then take it from both ends. cheesecakes are known to be damn near insatiable. i want to be in a bathroom where cheesecake is just being shoved through holes in the all at me. " erich admnits,still on the lookout for an asda.

The lack of trinket room was another reason to take the Duke on tour. They basically had unlimited room,a self contained venue,plus real beds instead of tiny bus bunks. But the Duke had a hell of a time navigating on land. In fact,it couldn't do it at all. At the prospect of Erich being around Marlena more,Karoliena gives a little smile. She knew it would be good for everyone if he was. She also couldn't help but be amused that Erich seemed to have a gift for getting involved with women in new York. Though selene didn't live in the city. She was somewhere in the outskirts. " i think he'll keep that promise. Before actually meeting her again,Erich was gstting everyone's opinions on how he should approach this. So i think he'll be around as much as he can. He was sober for 24 hours. That isn't and investment he took lightly." Karoliena laughs. She knew her experience wasnt the same as Erich's. But when she wasn't touring,she wanted nothing more than to be home with her kids. But,she and Cassie also weren't trying to appear as just friends. Karoliena still thought Ada understood what she would bring to the group. But she wasn't going to press the point. Ada would just have to see for herself.

"I knew it was going too far, i did it anyway. Cheesecake glory hole may not be to everyone's taste." Erich smirks at Ada,giving her a one armed hug as they drive. He loved hearing her laugh. He loved making her laugh even more. "Maybe we can find a funeral home and raid a wake. Cheesecake is a wake good,right? It better be for mine." Erich suggests. It's a long shot,but between asda and a farmer's market,the natural middle ground is a funeral home.

Karoliena's usually cool exterior slipped slightly when Ada asked what her advice was. Her eyes widen slightly before a smile spreads across her face. " oh that was so long ago,Ada." She says as if she is going to avoid the question entirely. She pours another absinthe and waters it before speaking. " Well, to be honest, i told him to focus on Marlena. She was completely innocent in what had happened between you two. And ....well, to take you as you are and not judge on old feelings." Karoliena chuckles and takes a contemplative sip of her drink. "Needless to say, i expected the worst from you. So i was pretty wrong." Karoliena said with a shrug. She rarely had trouble admitting when she was wrong. She hadn't really bought the,then absurd, cult rumor. But damned if it didn't seem true.

Erich looks Ada over before giving a slow nod. " true,true. We don't want you raising the dead." Erich laughs and looks pleased with himself. A well placed boner joke was always welcome. Erich assumes that everyone has the same attraction as he does to Ada. And...well,she's got short shorts on. " I knew you were the one. True love is getting the correct food for the wake. If i could be cremated and mixed into a cheesecake,that would be great." Erich had settled on cremation after learning taxidermy was out. Since people didn't have for,it wouldn't look good. And erich was vain.

Karoliena wasnt sure if Ada really wanted this conversation to continue. It may get into areas she may not want to go. " you'd get better insight from Erica. Erich usually doesn't like my answers to his personal life." Karoliena says to Ada with a slight shrug. Erica had far better tact and cared more about hurting feelings. After a bit of a disclaimer,Karoliena did answer Ada's question. " in a way. Yes. I do think old feelings contributed to this. I think he was still bitter when you came back because he still had those feelings for you. He never really let them go. Trust me, I've ...voiced the opinion i used to have on you rather vocally. Erich would never have it." Karoliena answers semi carefully before continuing with a question of her own. "And what about you? I mean, it's my understanding there hasn't been anyone since Erich. Don't you wonder if maybe what you wanted then isn't what you want now?" Karoliena asks.

"Miss Ada von wannemaker! " Erich exclaims when Ada sees his boner joke and raises it to sex joke. " I...am not sure what it's called. Filling? But filling kind of seems pie like rather than cake like. But in any case, i like the idea of being inside you post death. It'll be like that movie, ghosts can't do it. But we'll make it faaaaaar less creepy and less Donald Trump guest starring." Erich thoughtfully says. He was however sure that most people forgot the movie he suggested. " all this talk about eating each other and being inside each other...makes me kind of wish we stole a golf cart with the little rain cover thing ." he giggles with a wink. Cheesecake was nice and all, but there was other things.

"she will probably talk your ear off about it too." karoliena laughs at the prospect of ada speaking to erica. erica was far more gossipy than she was. erica LIVED for gossip. she and erich had always been closer anyway. at least in a personal way. too personal,in karoliena's opinion. she was the one who had decreed they couldnt be out together alone. they both made each other's bad traits worse. if not for her,karoliena did believe one or both would be dead from misadventure. karoliena had firt wondered if she had hurt ada ,but the woman didnt seem too upset or that she wanted to shut down. so karoliena silently congratulated herself for not being too blunt or offensive. karoliena was almost sad in hearing ada didnt want what she had before. to karoliena she had wanted a normal life before. karoliena could appreciate that. that is what she had wanted,and got from cassie. now...she did wonder if ada truly wanted what erich had to offer or was just settling on what she could get. she seemed confident,so karoliena wasnt going to second guess her. it was not her place to do so. " i guess it isnt like you dont know what you're in for." karoliena laughs softly. "i'm kind of kidding. he is a good man . i used to think his still carrying a torch for you was sad. but...i guess some things are just meant to be."

in a perfect world,erich would have both cheesecake and sex with ada. but this was not to be,at least not today. driving around aimlessly to find an asda seemed like fun,but calling it a day and having fun with ada? that sounded far better. there would come a time after the tour where they would have to pretend to live separate lives,it was probably best to get in all the good times while they could. erich also wasnt so sure how he would feel visiting ada's home with marlena there. how the fuck did people have sex with kids in the house?! erich would constantly be worried she was setting herself on fire or drinking poison. that is what kids seemed to do when alone,right? "we could always demand a cheesecake from catering." erich rationalizes. his star wasnt so big,but surely enough to warrant a cheesecake demand? "your bus or mine?" erich says with a sleazy intonation. bus sex was so rockstarry,it warranted such a tone.



ooc:remembering the good old days, erich and ada DID do a lot of outdoor sex.

Karoliena was sure Ada and erica would have a grand time once they got together. Erica was probably far more fun than she was. Karoliena had a hard time letting loose like she did. One would never catch Karoliena drinking until she puked into a road cone. Erica though....would and would probably be giggling the entire time. " we need her to come visit." Karoliena agrees. She knew erica should be free from pregnancy soon. Karoliena shifts in her seat slightly. She wasn't sure if it was good or not that Ada knew what to expect and still went forward. She guessed it was one of those monster you know being better than the one you do not. Though in all fairness, Erich would be devoted to her. So Ada had that going. " this could be the great romantic story of our time,Ada." Karoliena smiles. There was strong love here,that nobody could deny. " i guess you just know,right?" Karoliena muses,crossing her legs and sighing longingly. " I know nobody thought Cassie and I woild work,or even last. So perhaps the heart is something to be followed."


"Yeah... We're those people now. I think we can get kale topped anything as well. If you are into that sort of thing." Erich replies with a grin. He wanted no part of vegetables. If it wasn't for Erica getting them all hooked on orange juice years ago,he'd have perished from scurvy long before Ada returned. " Yeah..." Erich says aith a slow nod of his head. Ada brought a good point. " i wouldn't want to do that in front of Karoliena. She seems the sort to hold up scorecards like in ice skating. Something tells me she's also a harsh judge "

"then you really cant go wrong. as long as both hearts are in the right place." karoliena gushes slightly. she could hold up the stiff exterior for awhile,but she enjoyed seeing the few people she genuinely liked happy. erich would never have a love story like she did with cassie. it was only right that he ended up with a woman he divorced once before. "i knew cassie was the one when we first met. i actually met her in a sex store. " karoliena laughs and lets her head fall back on the small sofa in amusement. "i startled her and she knocked over a display of dildos. we had possibly the most sexual tension filled argument ever and....well,we're still together to this day." karoliena gives a cute little shrug. karoliena loved her meeting with cassie but raely shared it. but she thought maybe ada could use knowing it.

"i know! the only thing that fucking vegetable is good for is puns. so i cant fault it too too much. i laugh my ass off at this billboard that says oh kale yeah." erich cracks up just thinking about it. he was an easy man to amuse really. but it made life easier when one could find sidesplitting entertainment nearly anywhere. "really?" erich asks,puzzled when ada mentions she always judges herself when going at it. "like an internal score card or what? maybe i should try that too. maybe it'd buy me some more time." erich says with a laugh. he was a big believer in bragging took the place of doing,so he'd never be caught boasting of his prowess. he was also a realist. they couldnt all be zingers.

karoliena blushes slightly at the thought of her first meeting with cassie. " i guess we both knew what we were after,meeting in that aisle!" karoliena laughs and swirls the last bit of sugar in her glass. " but yeah, we do seem to be the missing part each needed. there is nobody i admire more. it's so..comforting knowing there is someone out there you can trust with anything. the absolute darkest secrets you hold,the most embarrassing thoughts you may have. she was enough to get me to like kids. i never thought that would happen." she laughs again and sighs. karoliena had always planned to be the last of her line. hers were not the sort of genes she felt should be passed on. plus,she had been a terribly selfish person and parenthood,well..good parenting required a selflessness she didnt think she had.

erich nods in agreement with ada. he understood what she was saying for sure. "you could've taken a joke too far and went full cheesecake glory hole." erich replies with a laugh and a bumping into ada as they drive back to the bus parking. "i kind of think everyone has those concerns. there is always the post match replay." erich assures ada with a smile. he puts his arm around her as the tool ever nearer to their destination. "to put any concerns at ease...at least until they come up again. your sounds are perfect. your faces are rather arousing. you arent boring by any sense of the word. we could do the exact same thing every day and i'd love it.i'm not after entertainment,i'm after you." erich tells her with a little shrug. he did appreciate the openness of ada. in the past few days he realized either ada had changed a bit or she was just being more open. on his side,erich wasnt going to pressure himself if he couldnt solve any and every concern ada had. some things were simply out of his hands. he knew what was in his scope of influence and what wasnt.