Chapter 17 - There's No Use In Trying To Save Me

The show was the longest one that he's ever given - or at least that's how it felt to him.

 He wasn't going to give into what the reporter asked him, he wasn't going to dwell on a rumor, but the more he thought about it - he sees that it's a possibility.

Before sound check, Jon and Richie had a few minutes to talk and Richie asked him about Beth and the possibility of her being pregnant.  "Man, I have no idea.  I'd like to think that if she was, she would tell me.  But, I really don't know."  

"You need to find out."  Richie tells him quite matter of fact.  "Before the press has a field day with it and harasses her to the point that she gets crazy."

"What am I supposed to do, call her and say hey, I had a reporter tell me that you're pregnant.  Is it true?"

"Can you think of a better way?" Richie asks him, feeling a little anxious over the deal, himself.  "I mean come on, if she is, she really.....wait a minute - you slept with her when she was on the east coast?"  His expression turns to one of surprise.  "Wasn't that like......."

Jon cuts him off, "Six months ago."

"You haven't seen her since?" Richie wonders, "Then if she is pregnant, she's really pregnant."

Jon smiles.  Just the vision of Beth pregnant gives him a warm and fuzzy feeling inside.  She has such poise and grace, without being pregnant but once that pregnant pride gets added in, she radiates.  "I can't call her and ask her."

"Then after the show, you need to go up there.  Napa isn't that far.  PLUS," Richie winks at Jon, "We have tomorrow off."

The conversation ends there.  They had to get ready for sound check.

When the show was over and Jon took care of all that he needed to get taken care of.  He found a car that a crew member had rented and worked out a deal for him to take it.  With his bag in his hand, he jumps in the car and heads to Napa.  While he drives up there he argues with himself on whether to call her or not.  He knows that no matter what he does, it's going to be wrong.  It will be the opposite of what she'll want.  She's going to be mad that he's showing up without letting her know, yet he knows that if he called her and let her know she would tell him not to come.  He can't win.

As he pulls into the driveway of the BonAdams Vineyard,  he immediately notices several changes.  She has made the place pop.  It's the prettiest vineyard that he has ever been to.  Making his way up the driveway, through the twists and turns, he can see the hotel from the distance.  The place is lit up like a church.  The closer he gets, he sees that a wedding has taken place.  

The valet parks his car for him and from the parking structure, Jon walks toward the main house - hoping she was there.  He just finished a show and didn't feel like going to look for her.  There had been a wedding, so the place is booked full.  If he had to go look for her, it could spark chaos.  And that he didn't want.  

She doesn't answer the door when he knocks or rings the door bell, and he certainly won't walk in.  He dropped his bag on the big white wrap around porch and set off to find her.  He walks the perimeter of the property hoping to catch a glimpse of her, without having to walk through the crowds of people.  

On the back of the property there is a small pond.  It's dark, but Beth has the entire place pleasantly illuminated so he heads back that way and waits for the crowd to disperse a little bit.  He had no luck looking for her up by the offices and hotel.  Not paying attention, he walks upon a woman that's trying to tie up a canoe on shore.  She is a very pregnant lady and had he looked closer before he walked up to her, he would have seen that it was Beth.

"Let me give you a hand." he says as he jogs up to her to help her tie off the canoe.  He didn't know it was her, but she would know that voice anywhere.

She freezes.  She's bent over, her long hair is covering her face.  She doesn't know what to do.  He reaches for the rope, their hands touch and she mumbles, "I got it, but thank you."  And she stands up.

His heart stops when he sees who it is.  "Babe..."

"Hi." she smiles, feeling like the deer in the headlights, "What are you doing here?"

He can't talk, she took his breath away, and not in a good way.  After a few seconds, "It's true."

"What are you talking about?  What's true?"

"A reporter asked me this afternoon how your pregnancy would affect the rest of the tour.  I looked at her like she was crazy."

"She might be crazy, along with being right."  Beth tries to lighten the mood.  She smiles, taking his hand, "When did you get here?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks, and it's in a way that she knows he's not happy with her.  "Why did I have to find out like this?"

She grabs his other hand and kisses each one, "I didn't want you to find out at all.  I've been trying to stay low key, but I guess I wasn't low enough?"

"Didn't want me to find out, what the hell is going on Beth?"

She releases his hands and they fall at his sides, her expression falls with his hand and it hits just as hard, "Nothing is going on, Jon."   She walks a few steps away and sits on a rock, "I'm having a couple babies and they are due very soon."

"A couple?  They?  Another set of twins?  Why didn't you tell me, Beth?"

"Jon....." he stops her because he's getting upset.  He's starting to feel like he was cheated again, cheated of something that was so dear to him.  Not only was she pregnant, SHE was pregnant.  The love of his life is carrying his babies again and he knew nothing about it.  

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think I needed to."

"WHAT?" he screams, "You're pregnant with my babies and you don't think I need to know?  How can you even say that Beth?  WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

She gets up to walk away and he stops her.  He gently grabs her arm and stops her.  "Please let go of my arm."

"You're not walking away."

"I'm NOT going to stand here while you yell at me.  Now let go!"  he releases his hold.

"Why did I have to find out like this?  Why couldn't you have been an adult and told me, why did you keep if from me?"  She can see that he's heartbroken.  She can't help that though.  She walks away, and he follows her.  She's smart enough to know that she can't take the beaten path, she's no longer alone.  He pleads with her, "Please tell me why you kept it from me?  How are they?  Do you know what they are?"

She stops and turns to look at him, "They are perfect in every sense of the word."

"You have had plenty of opportunity to tell me, why didn't you mention it in a phone call?  Or in an email?  Fuck, you could have sent me a text.  ANYTHING!  You have known all along and never said a word." He has tears in his eyes, "What did I do to make you hate me so bad?"

"How I feel about you has nothing to do with, and honestly Jon, I don't want to talk about it right now.  It's late.  I have had a long day, as you can see."  she uses her hands, gesturing for him to look around.

"I played tonight and I'm pretty fucking tired, but I had to drive all the way up here to see, to see if the rumors were true.  And I see that they are."

"So, you've done what you have came here for."

"Did you think I would never find out?"

"I knew you would, but I wasn't ready to tell you."

"WHY?"

"Stop, Jon."

"Why Beth.  Tell me why you didn't fucking call me or send it carrier pigeon?  Anything."

"Because I don't know if you're the father, Jon.  There, are you fucking happy?"  She storms off into the house, leaving him there even more dumbfounded than he was in San Francisco with that reporter this morning.