“Can I get an extra pillow for my back, please?” Ariana asked the technician.
“I’ll bring one right away, Ms. Moretti.”
“Thank you.”
Poolside spa treatments on a beautiful California morning with your best friend was the best way to start the day. Cara had flown in yesterday and was at Richie’s house when they arrived last night. Dinner at Casa Sambora had turned out perfectly. She and Richie had been planning this dinner for quite some time now, and with the help of Carol, they were able to not only pull it off, but they actually surprised Jon.
Not one for accolades, he would have preferred his birthday go unnoticed, but this was the first birthday they ‘officially’ got to spend together, so she wanted to do something special for him. It wasn’t a big party, family only. All the guys were there with their respective others and children, Mrs. Sambora, and the whole Bongiovi clan. There was one other guest Ariana hadn’t expected to see but was not totally surprised either. Andi, from the Basic Blues Boutique. Apparently, she and Richie had become friendly since her last visit.
Tired of eating craft services or hotel room service, Ariana wanted something different, something with more of a homey feel. On Richie’s recommendation, she hired a company that only handled grilling parties. Ariana couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Jon's birthday than with a barbecue and family.
While the adults feasted on steak, fish and chicken, the kids had the usual cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Grilled veggies along with the traditional macaroni and potato salads rounded out a delicious meal.
“Do you think Jon’s up yet?” Cara asked. “He sure wasn’t feeling any pain when we left last night.”
Ari lifted the cucumber slice from her eye and peeked at her phone. “I highly doubt it. Unless the kids woke him. Or his mother. She was so mad at him last night. If it wasn’t for his father and Matt, I would have never gotten him to the room!”
“Oh, I bet. Since we couldn’t really talk much last night, how are things going? From the looks of it, it seems like everything is going well, or are you putting on a show for outside eyes?”
“It’s not a show. Things have been good so far. We told the kids about the baby. They seemed to handle the news in stride. Jake is coming around a little more. I’m trying not to push things, I’m sure it’s got to be tough on them. All this happening so fast. Sometimes I wonder when the other shoe’s gonna drop.”
“Why does there always have to be another shoe with you? Can’t you just accept the fact that this is where things should be and enjoy it?”
Ariana removed the cucumber peels and pushed herself up on her elbows. “C’mon, Cara! That’s not fair!” She looked around the cabana to ensure they were alone. “Give me some credit. What I meant was, I’m waiting for the vultures to find out more than they should. Yesterday, I had Stephanie asking about my tattoo.”
“The one on your hip?” Cara tossed her peels on the little table and sat crossed legged facing her friend.
“No, but she asked if I had others. I told her yes and just like every other teenager something distracted her and changed the subject. Thank God.”
Before Cara could answer, their conversation was interrupted by the return of the two ladies who were there to remove their very attractive green masks. Lying back down, they enjoyed the rest of their facial in peace and quiet.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
Jon stumbled out of bed and found himself alone, yet again. Even on his birthday, he couldn’t get some loving. He will admit, he had one too many glasses of wine last night, but that didn’t deter his sexual performance. It made him sleepy as shit, and the last thing he remembered was Ari heading off to the bathroom to change into something a little sexier to sleep in than his sweats and a tee shirt.
With no birthday nookie to wake his old hungover ass up, he’d have to rely on a shower. A cold one for sure. It wasn’t until after he was dressed, he noticed the bottle of Advil and a note sitting on the table.
Happy Birthday Rock Star!
Guess you’re not as young as you think. You couldn’t even keep UP your end of the bargain last night. At the spa with Cara will meet you in the lobby at call time.
Love you
Me
xoxo
Looking at his watch, he realized call time was in fifteen minutes. So much for eating, he’d have to eat something on the plane. He tapped off a quick text to Ari, letting her know he was on his way when there was a pounding on his door.
“Let’s roll old man.” Matt shouted.
Opening the door, Jon gave his brother a jab in his stomach. “Watch it! I’m still your boss.”
“Ooooh.” Matt waved his hands in the air. “I’m scared now. Maybe I’ll just tell mom and see what she thinks.”
“That’s it, run to mommy you mama’s boy.”
“Ha! If that’s not the pot calling the kettle black.” Matt held the elevator door with his hand. “Age before beauty.”
“I see someone took his funny pills this morning.” Jon pushed his sunglasses into place and stood in the back of the little car.
The car dinged, and they waltzed through the empty lobby. The advantage of staying in Los Angeles a day early. It kept the fans away. Approaching the waiting crowd, Jon was greeted with hugs and happy birthdays. Ari scooped the little boy who was fond of her lap whenever he could and placed him on the seat next to her. His eyes never leaving the phone in his little hands.
“Nice of you to join us.” She placed a kiss on Jon’s cheek. “Happy Birthday.”
Whispering in her ear. “I’ll fix you later.” Jon pulled away, “Now, let get this circus on the road.”
With everyone settled into the waiting caravan of black vans, they were off to the airport and what promised to be a good night in Sacramento.
♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱
March 2, 2010
Sacramento, CA: ARCO Arena
Show # 9
“Show time!” Ariana ran her hands along his shoulders and down his arms.
“Out front, right?” He was about to pull the clip from her hair, but she stopped him.
“Anywhere you want. It’s your birthday.”
His hands palmed her ass as he drew her closer to him, causing the lace material of her dress to rise just a little. “Hope you remember that later.”
“Hope you’re still up.” She rotated her hips just a little. “Yanno, it’ll be late and past your bedtime.”
“Bet your sweet ass I’ll be up. Now kiss me, I have to go to work.”
“Have fun out there.’’ She whispered and pressed her lips hard against his.
“You dead in there, old man? Let’s go!” Matt pushed opened the door. “Oops. Sorry, I thought you were in your seat already, Ari.”
Ariana wiped the remnants of her lip gloss off Jon’s mouth “Going now. Someone had to jump-start the old man.” Winking, she turned towards the door and with a little extra sway in her hips, she disappeared down the hallway.
As they walked down the hall after her, Jon yelled out to her just as he hit the stairs. “I’m not OLD!”
Matt slapped his brother on his back, “We know, just older.”
Flipping Matt off, Jon accepted his trusted Takamine from Michael and bounded the stairs to the roar of the Sacramento crowd. When he reached the top and the spotlight found him, his eyes widened, and a smile grew from ear to ear at the row of people holding signs with, “Happy Birthday Jon”. Thrusting his fist in the air, he bounced on his toes as the band played the opening chords to ‘Just Older’.
As the night went on, so did the songs. Jon’s banter with the band and the audience was wild and crazier than ever. The kids even rolled their eyes at his goofiness or buried their heads in their hands when he tried to dance.
At one-point Jon joked about being twenty-one for the twenty-seventh time and how he was eighteen with thirty years’ experience, but no matter how you looked at it, he had been standing up there for a very long, long, long time. Like a fine wine, he just keeps getting better with age.
During the jukebox segment of Bad Medicine, he told Bobby he could see a lot of happy people having fun. That maybe they wouldn’t try something a little old, borrowed, or new. He joked that it was his birthday dealer’s choice kinda thing.
“Anybody got something for me? Gimme something to do. Whaddya got?” He looked towards Bobby. “What? Bobby Bandeira, whaddya gonna play, Happy Birthday?” Jon laughed.
“No, I’m not gonna play happy birthday.”
“What do ya got? “Whatchu got?”
“I got this!”
Ari felt the heat flush to her face when Bobby started strumming the opening chords to Robert Palmer ‘Bad Case of Lovin You’.
“Alright. Alright. Robert Palmer. Come here!” Jon motioned for Bobby to join him at the mic.
She wasn’t prepared for that song; she was sure it would have been his usual Pretty Woman or Hot Legs, so she was kinda surprised. Jon had always sung that to her. He would call her in the middle of the night sometimes or just leave a message on her answering machine, for when she would get home from being on the road. Boy, was he into it tonight. His head was bobbing, leg twitching he was working up a sweat. He made sure to search the crowd for her.
Somewhere between Richie singing Homebound Train and waiting for Jon to take his spot on the circle, Romeo had climbed in her lap and fallen asleep. Poor little bugger, the rock-n-roll life was not for him. At least not yet.
Ari laughed when she overheard Jake telling his brother ‘Let’s get outta here. Dad’s gonna get all wishy-washy and I don’t wanna watch all these old ladies get googly eyed.’ So, the two boys headed backstage to hit up craft services for more food. Leaving her with Stephanie and Romeo. Carol and Jon were sitting in the row behind them with Mrs. Sambora. Actually, there were family and friends scattered all around tonight.
The soft staccato rhythm coming from his guitar pushed away the sounds of a thousand cackling women and here, in that moment, it was just her and him.
Hello again, it’s you and me....
She never knew what songs he would sing, and she was fine with that, but tonight she wished she had. There was this slight awkward feeling sitting next to Stephanie as he sang a song Ari knew was clearly about them. Softly, she sang along with him as she swayed in her seat, rocking the little boy who slept, hoping she could keep it together for the next three minutes.
While Jon waited for Richie to join him, Ariana fidgeted some. Partly because she was nervous for what was coming next, but mostly because she was trying to adjust the weight of Romeo.
“Here, why don’t you let me take him?” Stephanie asked.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Stephanie stood in front of Ariana, scooped her brother up into her arms. “Geez, he weighs a ton.” She joked. By the times she had situated herself back in her seat, her father and Uncle were crooning the crowd with Elvis’s 'Can’t Help Falling in Love’ Stephanie turned to Ariana and said, “My Mom really hated it when he sang this song.”
“Really? It’s one of my favorite songs.” Ariana cringed as the words fell from her lips. How could she be so stupid? What she needed was a break? Standing, she was about to ask Stephanie if she wanted a bottle of water or something, but the teen beat her to it with a question of her own.
“How long have you known my dad again?”
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