Chapter Fourteen

Lexie had made it to the townhouse and got unpacked. Glad to be home, Snowball seemed to be looking for something…or was it someone?

Grabbing her home phone she called her editor.

“Hey, yeah I’m home. No it was great.” She listened to her editor asking her questions about the cabin and did it bother her that there was someone else there at the same time. It was then she noticed the flash of messages on her phone.

“Listen Max….I just got home. I still need to unpack. I’ll see you tomorrow when I drop off the disk.” She listened to him trying to get her to stay on the line. “Oops Snowball needs to go out. See you tomorrow Max.” She hung up.

“Snow, I know you miss Romeo…” She said to the little dog lying on the rug with a lost look in her eyes. “I miss him too. But you never know there might be a knock on the door any minute!” She sat on the floor by the sad little puppy. They sat there for over an hour, Lexie really wanted to believe that there would be a knock on the door any minute.



Jon pulled into the parking deck for the townhouse. Asleep in the backseat, Romeo had Snowballs letter still clutched in his hand. Parking in his allotted slot, Jon carefully picked Romeo up and carried him to the parking garage elevator.

“Daddy?” Romeo called to his dad. You could tell he was between stage of being awake and asleep.

“What you need Ro?” Jon asked as the elevator doors slowly opened.

“We go see Snowball today?” He yawned.

“Maybe tomorrow how’s that?” Jon said softly. He carried Romeo in and punched the button to take them to the street level of the garage. Carrying him across the street to the Music building he was glad that the night doorman was there to let him in.

“But snowball not sleep with me tonight. We need Lexie and Snowball.” He slowly let his eyes closed the last of what he said was in a whisper.

“We do Ro, we sure do.” Jon whispered to his sleeping son.

Once in the lobby he made his way to the elevator. The wait was short and soon he was inserting his key and pushing the button for the penthouse floor. The ride was quick and soon he was pushing the door open. Walking up the stairs to the second floor, he went to the room he set up for the kids visits. Laying him down gently on one of the twin beds, Jon pulled the covers back on the second twin bed. Moving his sleeping son to the bed her pulled off his sneakers and pulled the covers up over him, tucking them in he leaned over and kissed his forehead. Standing up he looked down at him, he noticed the letter still clutched in his hand. Careful not to wake him, he slowly slipped the crumpled envelope out of his hand. Placing the envelope on the nightstand, before leaving the room he turned on the Spiderman nightlight. Leaving the door cracked, Jon went into the office and fired up the computer.

It didn’t take long surfing the web to find everything he could on Alexis Maddison.

Alexis Maddison…Forty year old…former children’s writer… first time on the New York Times Best Seller List. Lives in the SoHo district of Manhattan…single.

Well hell he knew all this. Continuing on Google, he read more…Fanclub? He clicked on the link to her fanclub. Dang he had to join to read…what would be a good screen name? Couldn’t be a Jovi name…Kidd? Naugh too many people knew that nickname, dang Richie. But why not, so he filled in all the blanks and boom he was a new member of her fanclub. She was due to have a chat session and questions needed to be submitted. Why did you leave me? Was the first question that came to his mind…she wasn’t supposed to know it as him. Then he got an idea…typed the question and hit submit. Chat was to be at ten he had around an hour to wait. Heading into the kitchen he opened a bottle of Red and let it breath while he pulled out a block of cheddar and box of crackers…nice nosh to tide him over while he waited. Grabbing a tray he sat the food, goblet and the wine and moved back into the living room. The chatroom was filling up; none of the names meant anything to him. Picking up the goblet he sipped the wine and began to read what they were saying he noticed someone had said hi to him.

Sam: Hey Kidd, welcome to chat.

Kidd: Thanks Sam. Newbie here.

Isn’t that what they called new members on backstage?

Sam: The more the merrier. ASL

ASL, ASL, what the hell was ASL? Jon looked at the flashing cursor.

Sam: Thirty Two, Female, Louisiana.

Jon slapped his hand to his forehead…age sex and location…duh! Did I say New York or would that give me away? I could say New Jersey…Connecticut…ah hell.

Kidd: Forty seven, Male, New York.

Sam: We don’t get many men in here…welcome. Hey everyone we have a new member.

Suddenly all these welcomes came up. All of a sudden a new name appeared…it was her! He was sure it was Lexie, the screen name was Snowballsmomma.

Sam: Hey Lexie, we’ve missed you…how’s the new book?


SBM: Finished, on the way to my editor. Have to tell you...look’s like a no rewrite.

Everyone typed WTG and Jon went right along with them.

SBM: We have a lot of questions; let’s get to some of them. First question is from Sam…IS there still talk of a movie deal? Let me say this… yes the talks are still open. I have someone in mind to play Max.

Sam: Jon Bon Jovi?

Jon’s eyes got as big as saucers and he about spewed wine all over the screen. Movie deal, why hadn’t his manager told him? Wiping his mouth on his sleeve he decided not to try anymore wine till the chat was over.

SBM: Well…his name has come up once or twice. We haven’t actually approached his management just yet…but…

Sam: No it has to be Jon…he is the perfect Max.

He knew he liked Sam for a reason. Hadn’t Dorothea told him that if she didn’t know better…he was Max.

He read all the responses to the question and waited for his to be answered. It was almost midnight and it hadn’t been asked. He was getting worried that, him being new to the club it wouldn’t be asked.

SBM: I have time for one more. This one is from Kidd. Welcome Kidd, Kidds question is: Where do you get your ideas from and do you ever get blocked? Well Kidd, I have to say that the ideas come from the least little things. Something in the news or a song title will give me ideas, but writer’s block pops up when you least expect it. Yes I’ve had writers block, I had it with this new book.

That was all she was going to say? Yes she had writers block. Nothing about the cabin and the…wait a second she didn’t even know it was him.

SBM: well friends it’s time to take Snowball out for the last time. Thanks for the great questions and I hope I answered yours tonight. Oh yeah and Kidd…Snowball says hi!

Busted! Jon watched her sign out of the chat. He was just about to sign out himself when Sam sent him a private message.

Sam: Kidd, for a newbie you got your question answered. Don’t know if you know it or not, we meet here every Tuesday night for a private chat, you’re welcome to join us.

Jon smiled and thought about his mom and her old Tuesday night private chats. Would he come back? Why not, he might learn more if he did.

Kidd: Thanks Sam just might do that. Does Lexie come in?

Sam: Sometimes, she hasn’t in months. This was the first chat we have had in a month. She sent us a message she was taking a vacation and would have a chat when she got back.

Kidd: Once again Thanks Sam. Might see you next Tuesday. Got to go, got to work tomorrow.

It was all he could think about to get off the computer. He hoped she bought it.

Sam: Have a nice one Kidd. Don’t work too hard.

Kidd: Bye.

He signed out of the chat room and closed down the laptop. He had learned quite a bit tonight. Then it hit him…snowball needed to go out. Jumping up he checked on Romeo and grabbed his jacket. He was sound asleep, he headed to the elevator. Soon he was outside looking up the street. Was that her walking this way? Shoving his hands in the pocket of his jacket he started walking toward her.