177 - We Are Family

Rise and shine Crash.  

 

Four words she wished she never had to hear again. Well, while still in her current state. Rising from anything was becoming more difficult every moment and shine—oh boy, did she. Her belly was so stretched it looked like a balloon about to pop if you touched. 

Sleep was non-existent. How could one sleep with a basketball lodged in their abdomen? Not one to really care about what people thought of her or how she looked, but it was hard to feel beautiful. Gone were the days of her favorite pair of worn denim jeans with the holes in the knees or her many concerts tees she’d collected over the years. These days she was resigned to yoga pants or Jon’s gym shorts and sweats. 

 

Standing at the vanity, putting the finishing touches on her makeup, she couldn’t believe it had been eight months ago. She was standing in this very hotel, going through similar motions. It was here she found out she was pregnant. Her world turned upside down in a blink of an eye, Lili passing, Jon professing his love to never leave her again and a baby. But as her fresh tattoo said, ‘Have Faith’ and with Jon’s constant love, she survived. Tugging and pulling at the soft cotton material of her dress, she checked herself once more. 

 

“Have mercy!” Jon stood in the door, his brow waggling as he admired his wife.

 

“How long have you been standing there?”

 

“Not long enough.” Falling in behind her, he curled his arms around her shoulders and dropped his chin onto her shoulder. “Mm. Your scent intoxicates me.” He inhaled against her silky, straight locks.

 

“Yeah, well, your sweaty paws need to stay right where they are. We have a busy day ahead of us.”

 

“Not that I’m complaining, cause you look mighty fine, but what’s the special occasion?”

 

“I have a date.” She shrugged his resting chin off her shoulder and pointed him to the shower. “With not one, but three very handsome young men. I couldn’t go out in your smelly sweats now, could I?”

 

Stripping off his wet gym clothes, tossing them in a heap, turned the shower to hot and stepped in. 

 

“Should I be jealous? Whose are lucky dudes getting to be out with you looking like that?”

 

“Nah. Though the youngest is pretty darn cute and is such a sweet talker.” She looked in the mirror at him. “Wonder where he gets that from?”

 

Gargling through a mouthful of water, he called out. “He’s learned from the best.”

 

“You’re right, his grandpa’s just the same.” Smiling, Ariana opened the glass door and gave his wet nakedness a once over glance. “I gotta take Meatball out again before I leave. Behave today, will you?”

 

“Smartass.” Flicking a few drops of water at her, he pulled the door shut.

 

“What am I gonna do with you, Bongiovi?”  

 

“I got a few ideas.” She heard him calling out as she latched the leash to Meatball’s skull & bones collar. 

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Jon could think of a hundred different places he’d rather be going right now, but it was important to Stephanie, and so here he was. Dorothea arrived the day before yesterday and it’d been all he could do to not to open his mouth…. again. When this whole fashion show event came about, he knew she would want to be here, rightfully so. She was her mother. He tried to put her up in the Savoy, but they were closed for renovations and when he suggested another hotel, she wouldn’t have it. Issue number one of many she’d had since she arrived.

 

“Daddy, you’re coming tonight, right?” Stephanie asked over her shoulder as she had her makeup done.

 

“Yeah, princess, wouldn’t miss it. You and Ben still coming to the show?” Ben was her best friend, or so she said, but Jon had a feeling it was a little more than that. They had been friends forever.

 

“Yup. Nikki was nice enough to agree to send a team over to do my hair and makeup. I’ll change into my dress before we leave so that I’m ready to go when we get there.”

 

The annoyed breath that came from behind Dorothea’s magazine didn’t go unnoticed by Jon or her daughter.  

 

“Are we disturbing you?” Jon asked, nicely.

 

“No.” She snapped the page.

 

“Are you coming to the show?”

 

“You’re joking, right?”

 

“No. The kids are sitting with my parents. I’m sure we can make room for one more.”

 

“Why would I put myself through watching you sing songs to your miss…. wife?”

 

“Mom!” Shooting her mother a disapproving glare, Stephanie watched as her father stood. “I’m going for a coffee. Would anyone like something?”

 

“No thanks, Dad.”

 

Dorothea’s non-response made him sigh and roll his eyes. “Be back in a little.” He tapped his daughter on her shoulder. He promised Ariana he would behave, not sure he was going to keep it, though.

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

“You better knock this shit off.” Jesse bumped Jake's shoulder as they walked into the men’s room. “Dad’s gonna be pissed.”

 

“So, what?”

 

The brothers stepped up to the urinals. “It’s getting old, ya know. That pissed off spoiled brat act. Ari’s done nothing to you to deserve it.”

 

“Kiss ass!” Jake spat, finishing what he came into the bathroom to do. He washed his hands and left his older brother still standing there. When he returned to the table, Romeo was standing behind Ariana’s chair and they were taking a selfie. No doubt to send to his father.

 

“Get in Jake.” Romeo waved at him.

 

“Nah, I’m good.”

 

“Wait for me.” Jesse called out. “Here, let’s do this.” He picked up a spoonful of whatever it was called that she always ordered and held it in front of the three of them. “That will get his goat.”

 

“Oh man, he’s not gonna like that one.” Romeo laughed as Ariana snapped the photo.

 

“Send that one to Steph too.” Jesse said, as he took his seat.

 

“We still have quite a bit of time before we have to meet at the arena, so where to now?” Ari asked her stepsons as she signed her name to the check and placed her credit card back in her wallet.

 

“Do we have time for Madame Tussauds?”

 

“I think so. Everyone ready?” Motioning to Cliff at a nearby table that they were ready to leave, she stood, took Romeo’s hand, and headed for the car.

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

“One last run through and we should be good.” The PA called out. “From the top.”

 

They had been through it four times already. What was he expecting to change? Everyone knew what they had to do. The changing times had already been scaled down faster than it took him in the quick change, but yet he wanted another walk through from the top. After he’d returned from getting coffee, Dorothea was off in some corner talking on the phone. With whom he did not know, nor did he care. One more night and she’d be gone.  

 

At the vibration against his thigh, he pulled his phone from his pocket. It was a text from Ari saying they were done and heading to the O2 after they stopped back at the hotel to get Meatball. She also sent a few photos of her and the boys posing with some of the wax figures. There was even one of her making a silly face at his waxed figure. The one that caused him to laugh out loud had her, Jesse and Romey with a spoonful of zabaglione in front of them. Oh, they were going to pay for that one and he let them know just that when he sent back a text telling her he should be there shortly as well.  

 

Another thing he noticed was Jake. Either he wasn’t in the photos or he was not looking too receptive in the ones he was in. He made a mental note to speak to him about that. If he’d told that child once, he’s told him a hundred times, he doesn’t have to like the way things are, but he was to be respectful.

 

“That’s a wrap. See everyone back here tonight.”  

 

The PA spoke through his bullhorn. Jon was up before he could finish talking and motioned for Steph to get going. Dorothea was already standing by the door when they got there.

 

“I’m heading straight to soundcheck. You can drop me off and head back to the hotel if you want.”

 

“Sounds peachy.” Dorothea forced a smile as she climbed into the back of the waiting van.

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Kid Rock was amazing, as always, as was Sir Bob Geldof. It’s always nice watching Jon performing with some of the greats. As for Jon, before the show, he was struggling a bit with watching his baby girl getting all dolled up for her big fashion catwalk debut. It was kind of cute for her to watch. She even teased him about what he would be like when Lily got to be that age. What would he do then? He even joked about it when he sang ‘I Got the Girl’ for her.  

 

Ariana was watching from backstage tonight and got to watch father and daughter goof it up up close on the monitors. It was even funnier when she was coming back from a bathroom run and she caught his wink from the top of the stairs. It was just into the jukebox break and he had asked Bobby what he had got for him tonight. When she heard the opening chords to Rod Stewart's Hot Legs, she just laughed. Ever since their bathroom meeting that morning, all he could do was talk about how great she looked, all glowing and with child. A hot mother I get to fuck is what he called her.  

 

After the show, they all headed to the IndigO2 for Steph’s big event. She looked absolutely stunning. Both her parents were proud of her. As was she.  By the time the night was finally over, she crashed with his arms wrapped around her and him singing softly to their baby girl.