Chapter 61 All in the Family

Lexie got dressed and headed downstairs, going through the family room, headed to the kitchen. She had a salad to fix. Wearing a red and white sundress she picked up on one of her book tours, along with the red sandles, she pushed open the kitchen door. Coming face to face with an older version of Jon, only with a head of Silver hair.

“Well hello young lady.” John Sr. said. He was dressed casual with Khakis and a polo shirt.

“Hello, you must be Jon's father.” She approached his dad the same way she did his mother, her hand outstretched in welcome.

“You must be the reason my wife came through her ranting about my son ignoring his priorities.” He took her outstretched hand and pulled her into a family hug.

Jon came into the kitchen and caught his woman in the arms of his father.

“Hey old man, take your hands off my woman.” He chuckled as he pulled Lexie out of he fathers arms.

“So you already laid claim to this wonderful young lady?” John Sr laughed.

He held out her left hand to show the engagement ring on her ring finger.

“Sure have,” he kissed Lexie on the cheek. “Don't tell mom, I haven't had the chance to break it to her.”

“My lips are sealed, but not before I give her the welcome to the Family kiss.” John Sr. pulled Lexie back into his arms and gave her a kiss on each cheek. “Don't let this one give you any problems, if he does, come to me and I'll have him straightened out.” he told her.

Jon laughed. “You gonna send me to Uncle Max?”

Jon Sr. Laughed, “No your Mom.” He let Lexie go back to Jon.

“You haven't told me my future daughter in laws name.” John Sr. told his son.

“Hey you're the one who was kissing her before you knew she was taken.” he carried his cup to the coffee pot and poured the cold dark coffee in his cup. “John Frances Bongiovi, may I introduce Miss” He put his cup in the microwave and set the timer.

“You know as a boy he never could do two things at once.” John Sr. picked at his son.

“Oh, he can now.” then Lexie turned as red as her dress.

Both father and son broke out laughing. Lexie went over and smacked Jon on the arm.

“My name is Alexis Madison,” Lexie told John Sr. “You can call me Lexie.”

He stopped laughing and gave Lexie as stunned look.

“The Alexis Madison, the mystery writer, that Alexis Madison? I have all your books.” Jon Sr. took her hand and shook it. “Does your mother know, the new woman in your life is her favorite writer?”

“She likes my books?” Lexie stood there stunned. She had told Carol her professional name.

“Like is a mild word, she has all of us reading your books. You are right up there with Nora Roberts in her mind.” John Sr. told her, only to be solidified by Jon's proud nod.

“Wow, I couldn't tell by the way I met her.” Lexie told them.

“You were in her boys room and she didn't know anything about you. She was still in Mother Hen mode.” John Sr. told her. “It will sink in when you meet the rest of the brood.”

“I've met Richie,” She told John Sr. Going to the fridge she pulled out all the salad fixing,

Jon got his coffee and went out to where his kids and his mom sat out by the river. Snowball was running around with Romeo and Jake, you couldn't see a white spot on her fur.

“You two are gonna be giving Snow a bath, you better not let Lexie see her covered in river mud.” Jon came out and sat by his Daughter.

“I told them to get her out of there.” Stephanie told him.

“She been grilling you about Lexie?” He whispered in her ear.

“No, but she's been telling what a bad impression your making on your children.” She whispered back.

Jon looked up at the sound coming from the back door.

“Hey, your dad is in there turning on the Bongiovi charm with your woman Kidd.” Richie came out with his hands full of Drinks. “Momma B, Dad B sent you out a glass of Tea.” He went and sat across from Jon. Setting the glasses on the table he leaned forward and whispered to Jon. “Kidd you done good on the ring.”

Jon sat back and smiled and nodded. He got an idea, way to make his mom happy and well the kids weren't there last night and she was getting a ready made family and they should have been a part of it. He leaned over to Stephanie and whispered in her ear to go get Lexie's ring.

Stephanie jumped up and headed into the kitchen.

Lexie and John Sr. were in the kitchen sitting and chatting while the Salad bowls were full of salad and big pots sat on the stove top with bowling pasta and Sauce. The whole kitchen smelled of Garlic and tomatoes.

“Hey Grandpa,” Stephanie came up and gave John Sr. a hug and a kiss.

“Hey Stephie Rose, you happy that your dad is getting remarried?” John Sr asked.

“Yes sir, we all love Lexie, by the way Lexie, daddy wants your ring.” She held out her hand to Lexie.

“Taking it back already?” Lexie asked as she slipped the ring off.

“Yeah Uncle Mookie told him he did a good job and then he got this goofy look on his face and asked me to come in here and get your ring.” Stephanie told them. “Oh yeah, Snow isn't so white anymore, the boys had her down by the river.”

“Well, they can be the ones to give her a bath tonight.” She laughed.

“That will be there job before bed.”

John Sr. got up to check the pasta and took the pot to the sink. “Go tell everyone dinner is almost done, send Jesse in here to take the glasses to the table and the silver, chow line will begin in ten minutes.”

The gate alarm went off, Stephanie laughed, “There's Uncle Lemma and his family.” She ran to activate the gate. Then pocketing the ring she ran out to get Jesse. “Uncle Lemma and crew are here.” She told them and slipped Lexie's ring into her dads pocket.

“Thanks sweetie,” He put his hand in the pocket over the ring then turned to the boys. “You too put Snow over to the patio and rinse her off and take her to your room and towel her off then come eat.” He followed the boys and the muddy puppy to the garden hose and waited until she was white again and grabbed a towel off the patio and let them wrap Snow up and hustled through the house.

Dinner was full of laughs and boasting. When were they going back to the studio, had the tour schedule being worked on. Lexie sat back and watched the camaraderie, they were like brothers. It was giving her ideas for a chapter in her next book. Soon they were moving into the family room, while the woman cleared the table.

Lexie and Steph were loading the dishwasher, Desi and Kelly were fixing up take home packages. Carol and Mrs Sambora were with the men in the family room.

“Are you working on a new book Alexis?” Desi asked.

“You can call her Lexie, Desi, she and daddy are going to get married” Stephanie told her aunt.

Both Kelly and Desi came over to congratulate her, both talking at once, Lexie was having a hard time answering them both.

“Where is your ring?” Desi asked.

“Jon took it back, he's up to something, don't know what,” Lexie told them.

They finished up in the kitchen and moved into the family room.

Lexie came in and sat on the ottoman at the end of Jon's chair. All the kids were sitting on the floor watching a movie. The movie was coming to an end that was Jon's cue to get up.

“I'm glad we could all get together today. Last night I did something and since we are all here today, I want to sort of,” Jon started to stammer. “Damn this is harder than it was last night.”

Lexie started to giggle.

“Come on Kidd, you did it last night, just repeat what you said.” Richie gave him a nudge.

“Jonny what's going on.” Carol started to get nervous.

“Mother let the boy talk.” John Sr said patting his wife's arm. Carol got quiet but glared at her husband.

“When I came into the kitchen at the cabin and saw you standing there, I think I started falling in love with you and your little fur ball.” Lexie had to chuckle at this. “You used your breakfast rations to feed me and Romey.”

“You thought I was the cook.” Lexie picked on Jon.

“Hey, it wasn't until Romey pointed out your Promotional display did I realize my mistake.” He laughed with her. “If I had put two and two together I would have known who you were.”

“No you wouldn't even if I did give you my professional name, you would have still thought I was the cook.” Lexie continued to pick on Jon. Now she knew why he wanted her ring back.

“You had Romey in love with you, and now all my kids think your something special.” Jon did just what he did last night, he dropped down on one knee and took her hand. “Alexis Madison, I love you and what to be with you the rest of my life, to wake up beside you every morning and go to bed with every night. I want to grow old with you. Will you do me the greatest honor to be my Wife and Step Mother to my kids?”

Well she thought that was different from last night. She looked down in his eyes, should I draw this out?

“Jon, as I told you last night I would marry you and today I will and if you asked me tomorrow I would still agree to be your wife. Now give me my ring back.”

That caused everyone to laugh but Carol, she just sat there when everyone came up to congratulate the couple.

Stephanie noticed her grandmother and went over there.

“Aren't you happy Grandmother? Daddy is getting married again. We all love Lexie and can't wait till they get married.” She told Carol.

“We don't know anything about her or her family.” Carol started.

“Yes we do Grandmother, you read her books all the time.” Stephanie was pretty perturbed at her grandmother the way she was acting about Lexie.

“What are you talking about Steph, I read books by Alexis Madison not someone named,” Carol stopped, Alexis Madison, the woman in her Jonny's room what had she called herself, oh yeah Alexis Madison.

Stephanie could almost see the wheels turning in her grandmothers mind and when the smile appeared on her face she knew, her grandmother had put two and two together.

Carol got up and walked over to Lexie, the rest of the family moved back to get her room.

“Alexis dear, welcome to the family.” Carol said as she pulled Lexie into a big hug.

Jon nudged Stephanie.

“You told her who Lexie is?” Jon asked quietly.

“Yep, now about the wedding, can I be the maid of honor?” Stephanie laughed.