chapter 104 - When The World Gets In My face

Jon and Beth just make it into the kitchen when his cell phone rings.  It startles everyone, even the kids that are only interested in their ice cream.  

Jon slides his phone out of his pocket to see who it is.  He sees that it's Ken and swipes to answer the call.

"He Ken, what's up?"  Jon asks his most trusted and valuable employee, holding up one finger to let Beth know that he needs a minute and that he'll be quick.  Spinning on his heels, Jon takes a few steps away from everyone,  knowing that no one needs to hear what the conversation is about. 

"We have an opportunity here and I wanted to run it by you, even when you're in the midst of what you're going through.  I think it's too good to pass on."

"What is it?" Jon asks between his teeth, a little upset that Ken would call and want to talk shop at a time like this.  "This better be good."

Jon can hear Ken lean back in his office chair, it squeaks like it has for years, "Well, it's a charity event that really needs your name to it.  This group needs your help."

"What is it, Ken and when is it?" still talking through his teeth, Jon looks over his family and sees that he needs to take the conversation elsewhere.  "I don't have time for this right now."

Ken takes a deep breathe and slowly exhales, "You know I wouldn't be bothering you right now if I didn't think that it was important."

"Will you give me the details already?" Jon snaps.

"There is a domestic violence shelter in Sayreville that is on the verge of closing.  The only way that I even know anything about it is from a letter that we got from one of your fans."

"And?"

"Well, they need to pay a balloon mortgage payment in three weeks or all of the woman and children will get put out on the street."

"That isn't enough time to plan an event, you know that."  Jon snaps again, trying hard to wring the tension out of his neck and right shoulder.  "We need at least that to even sell tickets."

After a long pause, Ken just takes a chance and goes for it.  "I have already put it to social media.  Ticketmaster has agreed to sell the tickets without all of their fees."

"Ken."

"Jon, you have to do this." Ken is adamant.  "They need you and once you learn about the place, you'll be happy that you added you added your name to it."

"What's the history?" Jon exhales, "Why is this place so special?"

"Well, years ago, whether you know it or not - Dorothea was a guest there."

"WHAT?" Jon screams at him.  He's tired of the games.  There is no time for them and Jon has never like playing them anyway.  "What the hell are you talking about??"

"Calm down."  Ken tells him, "I did a little research on the place before I agreed that you would do it."

"Ken, how does Dorothea tie into all of this?  Is there no part of my life, past and present that she hasn't touched?  Jesus Christ!"  Jon leaves the sight of his family, for a quick walk to his office.  His office is where his cigarettes and lighter are.  With a lit cigarette hanging from his mouth and his heart racing a mile a minute, he asks again, "What does Dot have to do with this place?  A domestic violence shelter?"

"Well, I went to Sayreville yesterday and spoke with the director.  She has been there since the place opened and has a special spot for certain cases that she has seen over the years."

"Cut the shit and get to Dorothea and her tie to the place, please.  This is the second to the last thing that I wanted to do with my day." 

"The director told me that she fell in love with the place and has funded it for all of these years because she went there with Stephanie, supposedly after you had abused her."

"WHAT?" Jon yells into the phone, his blood pressuring rising and his anger boiling over.  "what did you say?  She went to a domestic violence shelter after a fight she had with me?"

"Yes.  She was pregnant with Jesse and had Stephanie with her." Ken tells Jon, knowing his anger was sure to grow. 

"And you want me to raise money for the place?"

"I think that you have to, at this point."

"Why?"

"Dorothea called me and said that she was going to go public with the abuse and make a media case about it."

"I don't give a shit, it's not true."

Ken knows that if they stayed on the bad part of the conversation that Jon would talk himself out of doing the show.  "You need to do it because it's the right thing to do, and if there is any element of truth to it, you need to show that you support the place that helped your wife and daughter all those years ago."

"I ain't going it."  Jon inhales the relaxing smoke from his cigarette.  As the smoke burns his lungs, he continues, "I will not be a part of anything that has the stench of Dorothea attached to it."

"She'll go public."

"I don't care.  She can say whatever she wants."

"Jon, I seen records that confirm that she was there."

"Ken, I don't care."

"Will you think on it tonight and get back with me tomorrow?"

Jon takes a step out of the french doors that open up from his office to the backyard.  He could hear that the kids were getting closer and they did not need to hear the conversation at all.  He quietly closes the door behind him, startled by the man standing at the corner of the house.  Jon nods his head in acknowledgement and takes a few more steps away from the guy.  "Ken, I am not doing anything that has her name attached to it.  I could do this show and the crazy bitch will still tell her made up bullshit story to whoever will listen.  I will not be blackmailed to do a show for anyone, for what ever reason.  Am I understood?"

"Bad publicity is the last thing that you or your family need right now."  the trusted and loyal manager is really starting to piss Jon off and he knows it.  But in Ken's mind, he's paid to protect Jon at whatever cost and he is well aware that he needs to give it his all; he needs to protect Jon's image and reputation.  "Please reconsider."

"I'm not changing my mind, so take the shit off of social media and cancel the tickets.  I am not doing the show."  Jon is furious.  More furious than he has ever been before.  As he stands there and finishes his cigarette, he runs it all through his mind.  Out loud and to himself he says, "I didn't expect the first Dorothea to play the first hand.  That stupid woman."

Flicking his cigarette he truns to go back in the house, stopping to ask the guard, "Did the boss man leave?"

The guard removes his sunglasses and turns to face Jon.  With a smile on his face, he tells the mega famous rockstar, "Yes Mr. Bon Jovi, he left about 10 minutes ago.  Is there something that I can do for you?"

Jon shakes his head no, but quickly stops.  "um yeah, actually there is.  I'm going into the city in just a few minutes, I will need one or two of you to go with me."

"Sir?" the guard asks, "You want one of us to go with you where in the city?"

"Does that really matter?  I need to go into the city and I need security."

"I understand, but we were told that depending on where you and your family were going in the city, that determines the amount of manpower you're going to need."

Jon stands there puzzled for a few seconds, not sure why his location would change the amount of security guards he will need.  "Explain." he says with irritation not being hidden very well.

"We were told that if you go into the SoHo area, you get two men.  If you go to the children's school, you get two.  If you go to your management office, you get two.  Basically, if you go anywhere that is common and can be predictable, you get two men.  Any place that the people that are terrorizing you and your family know you frequent and that there is window of opportunity, you need extra because they could easily sit there and wait for you.  But if you just run into the city for dinner, to places that no one would suspect and that no one knows about - you won't need so many men."

"So you're telling me that if I go to my children's school, I have to take extra security because the school is only open at certain times and could easily be staked out?"

The guard nods his head, "That's exactly what I'm saying.  Can you tell me where you're going?"

Jon stands there and ponders his answer, and then he quickly wonders what he's going to tell Beth.   With his anxiety riddled chest in his heart he tells the guy, "I'm going to my ex wife's house.  SoHo."