Chapter 34 - A Fighter Is Born

She's in the nursery putting the twins to bed when she hears her cell phone alert her to a text message.  As she's swaddling Brianna, she looks over her shoulder and sees that her phone is on the dresser. 


"That must be your daddy."  She says to the baby girl, just before she kisses her good night. When she's done taking care of her babies, she grabs her phone and slides it open.  It's a text from Jon.

In my room, call me when you can.  I love you. J

She smiles, because it has been along time since his texts made her heart pitter patter.  She types a reply.

Just put the twins to bed, I'll call after my shower.  I love you. Mommy

She walks into her bedroom, which is attached to the nursery.  As she walks in there, she can smell Jon.  And that makes her miss him already.  She sets her phone on her dresser and grabs her bathrobe.  She decided that she needed a shower, with Beth time added in.  She needed to clean up and pamper herself, it's been two weeks since she felt like it.  She showers, shaves and stands in the stream, letting it run over her back, until the hot water runs out. 

 

When she's finishes with her shower, she puts her robe on and peeks at the twins.  They are sleeping, both of them smiling.  That makes her smile.  She didn't care that they say it's gas - she knows they are smiling because they have great parents and are very loved by many people. 

She watches them for a few minutes and is reminded of McKenna and how she used to smile when she would sleep.  She did it often, but when she was with her daddy - her smiles were never ending.  Beth is missing her more than ever and she's missing the bond that she didn't have with McKenna. She's feeling jealous, but she doesn't know that's what she's feeling. 

Her tears burn her eyes and the lump in her throat is making it hard for her to swallow.  She kisses her babies good night and goes back into her bedroom.  As she wipes the tears from her eyes, she picks up her cell phone and calls Jon.  Three rings and she hears, "Hey gorgeous."

"Hi.  How was your flight?" she asks him, assuming that it was fine, since he's on the phone with her.

"It was quick.  How are the twins?"

"They are out, full bellies and swaddled tight." she informs daddy how his babies are.

"And you?  How are you?"

She walks over and sits on the vanity chair, using her free hand to apply her moisturizer.  "I just had a hot shower, so long I ran out of hot water."

"Feel better?" she can hear that he's walking.

"Yeah, what are you doing?" she asks, not wanting to have half of his attention or keep him from anything.

"I just got to the arena, it sounds like we're missing a truck."

"A truck, really?" she's just as surprised as he was.  His machine runs finely tuned, and he accepts nothing less.  She can hear that someone is going to lose their job, if their excuse isn't Jon worthy.  "What was on the truck?"

 

"My shit!" he barks at her, "I'm sorry.  I don't mean to snap at you."

 

"That's okay.  What are you going to do?" she asks him, feeling very bad for the driver of the truck, if he's late for anything other than an act of God. 

 

He chuckles an angry chuckle, "Go to Wal-Mart, I guess.  I have nothing but the bag that I had at your house."

 

"Wal-Mart, yeah I can so see you in a Wal-Mart." she laughs at the visual of him strutting through a Wal-Mart.  "The clothes in your bag are clean, I washed them last night when I was up with the twins."

 

She can hear a slight sigh of relief, "Really?"

 

"Yeah, I've never let you leave with dirty clothes.  Do you need me to overnight you some stuff that you have here still?"

 

He's quite for a few moments, "No, I think they found the truck.  Hang on." he takes the phone from his ear, but she can hear what he's saying.  "Tell that asshole to get that truck here as soon as fucking possible."  She can't make out what who he's talking to is saying, but he continues with, "I'll take care of that, I need my shit - GET IT HERE!"  And there is a silence.

 

He clears his throat, "Sorry about that."

 

"Did they find it?" she questions him, wondering herself how they lost a truck.  She knows how they load and how they go down the road together, they are a small convoy with many millions of dollars loaded in them.  The trucking company pays extra attention to the fleet hauling the Bon Jovi property, but this one slipped away. 

 

"I guess he fell asleep at a truck stop, who the hell knows." she can still hear that he's frustrated.  "I just want this tour over, so I can get home to my family."

 

"It's only eight more months." she teases him.  "Eight long months, babe."

 

He doesn't think that she's funny, he isn't in any mood for a reminder like that, "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

 

She wasn't prepared for the change in subject, but she goes with it, "I'm going to work for a little bit.  I'll take the twins on a tour of the vineyard an just see what's going on."

 

"Are they ready for that?"

 

She smiles, "Daddy, I promise I won't let anyone touch them.  It's supposed to be beautiful here tomorrow.  I could use the exercise."

 

"Take it easy please?" he asks of her, and he knows that she will.  She's ready to heal and get on with life.  "I know how you can get, cabin fever is your nemesis."

 

"That it is.  I'll take it easy, I promise."

 

"It looked like a full house when I walked to the helipad, so that's good."

 

She gets up and walks out onto the bedroom balcony and looks over the grounds, the grounds and the business were fleeting thoughts lately.  She knew she left it in good hands with Gloria and Vinny.  She can see people walking around, lights on in the hotel rooms and she can hear music coming from the small bar that was closer to the vines.  She took a deep breath, "It does look very full.  That is good."

"You did a great job out there." he is very proud of what she's done with the vineyard.  When he bought it for her years ago, it was a token of his love for her.  With her creativity and savy business sense, she was able to turn it into one of the most popular vineyards in the country, with the Bongiovi-Adams wine being highly sought after.  "I'm proud of you."

She smiles, she wondered if he was ever going to mention what he thought about all that she had done with the place, "Thank you.  It was easy, once everyone left me alone."

"It's gorgeous."

"I put alot of blood, sweat and tears into it.  I love it here." she tells him, and in her words he heard alot more than what she just said.

"I'm not going to get you out of California, am I?" he sounds sad.

She giggles, "You might, but I'll come here as often as I can."

"You know I'd never stop you."

"I know."