He had barely made it in the door when he heard Jake’s voice echoing down the hall.
“Dad’s home.” The bronzed haired boy wrapped his arms around his father.
“Hey buddy.” Jon gave him a squeeze. “Where is everyone?”
“In the playroom.” Jake cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled “Yo, I said Dad’s home.”
“Jacob Hurley! Stop yelling and just go get them.” His mother echoed firmly from the kitchen.
The boy rolled his eyes up at his father before scurrying down the hallway. “Yes Mom.”
“Hello Dorothea.” Sliding out of his coat Jon hung it over the chair.
“Jon.”
“Do you think you could be at least a bit friendly? For the kids’ sake?” He tossed the envelope on the glass table in front of him.
“The kids aren’t in the room.” Her eyes never met his.
“I see how this is going to be. Remember it was your idea too that we wait to tell them, but if you continue on this way they will figure it out, at least Steph and Jesse will.” He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. “Speaking of which, tomorrow’s the kick-off at the stadium and I want them there.”
Jon took a seat on the stool at the granite island. Twisting the cap off his water he took a sip and waited for her reply.
“Fine but they need to be back tomorrow night they have school pictures on Friday. Will you come and get them in the morning?”
“No. I was planning on staying here.”
Dorothea cut her eyes at him and slammed the knife down on the cutting board. She leaned back against the stove and crossed her arms, looking at Jon. Before she could shoot off a reply the kids entered the room. Choruses of hello’s and I’m hungry filled the air.
“Pizza...I want Peeezzzzzaaa.” Romey sang as he climbed up on the stool next to Jon.
“Pizza, again. You’re going to look like a pizza soon.” He rubbed his nose.
“Pweeeezzze and Italian ices.” He gave a pouty smile.
“Yeah, let’s go to Sal’s.” Jesse slapped a hand on his father’s back.
“S’alright with me, if it’s alright with your mother.”
“You guys can go. I was just about to have a salad.” She tossed the vegetables she was chopping into the bamboo bowl.
Romey hopped off the stool and began dancing around. “We’re going to Sal’s. We’re going to Sal’s” as he ran up the stairs to retrieve his shoes.
“You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Jon asked. They may not be getting along but he still wanted to keep things as normal for the kids as possible. It wouldn't kill them to have dinner together.
“Nah. You go.” A slight nod of her head told him that she wanted him to go and spend time with his kids.
“Alrighty then, guess we’re going to Sal’s. Go get your stuff.” He waved his arms at them.
Dressed and ready to go, Jon opened the door and herded his troops into the vestibule to wait for the elevator. Turning to her he motioned to the table, “That’s for you, if you get a chance to look at it while we’re gone.” He let the door close just as the elevator pinged.
“Sal’s here we come.”
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
The waiter came back with the check and Italian ices for everyone. Jon covered his glass to stop him from pouring more wine. Slipping his credit card in the billfold he handed it back. The food was good; but when was it not? Sal’s had been one of their favorite places to visit. It was a popular neighborhood restaurant, and yet people kept to themselves. Something Jon appreciated especially when he was with his kids.
Jon watched as Romey’s ice melted down, his little tongue trying to catch every drop. “Ro you need help?”
“Nope.” He lapped his tongue around his hand.
“Eww. That’s disgusting.” Stephanie said.
“Is not.” Romeo stuck his blue tongue out at her.
“Didn’t Mommy and Daddy teach you any manners?” Jesse asked.
“nom...nom...nom.” Still licking at his hand, the little tike ignored his brother and sister.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Jon reached for what was left of the ice. “It’s time to go. Jess take your brothers to the bathroom to wash their hands. We’ll meet you outside.”
Doing what he was told, Jesse ushered both his brothers towards the back of the restaurant, while Jon and Steph made their way to the front. A nod to the hostess as she held the door open they stepped out into the brisk air.
“Nice night to walk.
“I don’t mind, but the little ones might.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for dinner Daddy.”
“Yeah that’s true. You’re welcome Princess.” He gave her a squeeze.
When the taxi pulled to a stop on Mercer St., and they piled out onto the street Stephanie tried to wrangle her younger brothers into the building while her father paid the driver. With Jon not too far behind he could hear them giving her a hard time.
“Okay you two, enough.” He ushered them into the elevator. “When you get upstairs I want you to go straight to your rooms. I don’t need your mother yelling at me for sugaring you up. Got it?” He tousled both their heads.
“Got it.” Was their reply as the elevator reached the top floor.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Impatiently, Dorothea stood waiting as she heard the large oak door open, her fingers drumming her forearms. The little boys entering first, noticed their mother and quickly high tailed it up the stairs to their room, yelling goodnight as they did.
“Can I see you in the office please?” Her lips formed a very thin line.
“Sure. I’ll be up in a bit to say goodnight.” He called to his children.
“Steph please make sure your brothers are in bed.” Dorothea asked her daughter.
“Yes Mom.” She called down from the top of the stairs.
Once in the office, Dorothea tossed the envelope down on the desk. Her hands planted firmly on her hips as she waited for him to sit down.
“What is this?” She didn’t yell, but her tone indicated that she was annoyed.
“You’ve obviously read it, so you should know.” Jon wasn’t looking for a fight, but if that is what she wanted, he was ready.
“Of course, I read it. This isn’t what we discussed.” Her blood not quite boiling yet, but she was getting there.
“WE didn’t discuss anything, YOU did.” Jon sat on the edge of the chair and waggled a finger between the two of them.
“Don’t you think I’m entitled, I’ve put up with your shit all these years.
“My shit?” His voice climbed a notch. “What about your shit? You’re not completely Mother Teresa.”
Houston, we have lift off.
Jon’s last comment gave her the push to send her blood into a full fledge boil. Pacing, hands flailing, color in her cheeks. She was about to blow.
“Give. Me. A. Friggin. Break.” She punctuated each word. “You’re really going to sit there and compare my few indiscretions to this?
“No. What I’m saying is we both have done things, things we both were fully aware they were happening. That doesn’t mean we can’t come to some mutual ground here.”
“I’m not the one having an affair for nineteen years Jon. Tell me something, did you cheat on her too?”
“Would you feel better if I said yes?”
“It has nothing to do with feeling better. I’m just wondering if you’ve lied to her too.”
“I’ve never li...” Jon stopped. “Yes.”
“And she was okay with that.”
“It wasn’t like that. We weren’t always together. I’ve tried to tell you that.”
Dorothea had heard all that she could handle. Walking to the desk she picked up the envelope and handed it back to him.
“Everything looks fine with the exception of two things. Have your lawyers draw up a shared custody agreement. You know I’ll never stop you from seeing them, but I think we still need some sort of official documentation. But I’m still not agreeing to making it public knowledge just yet.”
“I’m not hiding her. Not anymore. If you can’t get that, then fine, we’ll go to court and fight it out. Is that what you want? You want your kids to see this get nasty when it doesn’t have to be?”
“No! It’s not what I want. But you need to see it from my point of view. Once the news hits that we are divorcing, the press will have a field day, throw in the fact you have a new girlfriend who has worked for you for all these years. Well, you know how that goes. So, I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing it for the kids.”
“Then we sit down the kids and explain it to them, the divorce and Ariana. They will need to know about her eventually, we just don’t need to explain every detail. Jesse and Stephanie are old enough to know most of the story, whereas Jake and Ro can get an abbreviated version, one they can understand. We will handle the press the way we always have, by keeping them away from the kids.”
“Jon, I don’t even know the whole story, how do you expect them to.”
“Well, when you are ready to hear it, I’ll tell you. But I’m not changing my mind. Ariana is coming on tour. Once the holidays are over, I’m telling the kids.”
Jon walked to the door. “I’ll bring the kids back tomorrow after dinner. After that I’m in Philly for a week of meetings about the football team, and then I’m off to London to promote the album.” He opened the door, “Goodnight.”
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Jon wearily trudged up the stairs, hoping he didn’t look as haggard as he felt. Stopping in the bathroom, he stared at himself in the mirror. He splashed some water on his face and tried not to look like he had just gotten off the battlefield of World War III.
Continuing down the hallway, he stopped and peeked into Romeo’s room first. Little tike was fast asleep with the covers strewn all over the floor. Jon walked over to the race car bed and knelt down.
“It’ll all be okay, Romey, I’ll always love you. No matter what.” Kissing the boy on the forehead, he stood back up and adjusted the covers back over his son. Walking away he switched the lamp off, making sure to leave the night light on.
He quietly shut the door and headed down to Jake’s room. Jake looked up when he walked in the door and opened his arms for a hug. Walking over to the bed, he bent over and hugged his son tightly. So tightly in fact, that Jake barely managed to speak.
“Dad... DAD you’re squeezing me too tight!!”
Chuckling and ruffling his head, Jon let go.
“Sorry. Love you. Sleep tight; don’t let the bedbugs bite.”
“Night” he snuggled back under the covers.
Jon flipped the light off and headed down the hall to Jesse’s room, where he knew he’d find his eldest son awake.
The door squeaked quietly when Jon pushed entering his oldest son’s bedroom. To his surprise, Jesse was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head buried in his hands. He looked up as Jon walked in, a slightly startled expression on his young face.
“Why aren’t you ready for bed yet?”
Jesse looked up “Can I ask you something Dad?”
“Sure.” Jon had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he just hoped he didn’t know what his son was going to ask him.
“Are you and mom getting a divorce?”
Shit. How am I supposed to answer that? Dot’s gonna be even more pissed than she is now. I won’t lie to him, but he can’t say anything to the others. How do I even ask my own son to keep something like that locked up?
After a long pause, Jon walked over to his son’s bed and sat down next to him. Throwing an arm over the boy’s smaller frame, he looked at him and tried to figure out how to explain this. Blowing out a breath, he simply spoke one word.
“Yes.”
His son’s composure shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did.
“I figured. Things haven’t seemed right for a long time. You leave more often, and Mom is always upset at something. I just want you guys to be happy. I’m old enough to understand that things like this happen and it’s not always something you can control but… it’s not our fault is it?”
Looking down into Jesse’s concerned face, he spoke as vehemently as he could manage.
“Absolutely not. Jesse, this is something between your mother and me, and it has nothing to do with any of you kids! Your mother and I love you and nothing will change that. Ever.”
“One more thing, can I talk to Steph about it?”
“I think it’d be best if you let your Mom and I talk to her first, and then we’ll all discuss it as a family. Please don’t talk to your brothers about it either. We’re doing the best we can to make it a happy Christmas for everyone.”
“S’kay. I love you Dad.”
“Love you too.”
Hugging his son, he stood up and walked towards the doorway. Turning the lights off, he walked back down the hallway, to Steph’s room.
Peeking inside, he saw that she was already asleep with a book about to fall out of her hand. She loved to read, went through books like crazy. Bending over her bed, he kissed the top of her head and walked back towards the door.
Turning around one last time, he barely whispered “Goodnight Stephie. Love you” before closing the door and heading back downstairs.
Oh shit Jesse know his parents are getting
ReplyDeleteDivorce. Dorothea his going have a cow,
She finds out that Jesse knows!