Chapter 81 Trouble in Paradise

Home, that word meant more to Jon today than it did yesterday.  The circus know as Bon Jovi, would be finishing up the US tour the next two weeks.  That would mean waking up with Lexie for the next 14 days.  He had made the appointment for the first down day.  He and Lexie would meet at the urologist and it would be over and done with.  Looking out the plane window he saw the car waiting. 

“Lexie meeting you at the airport boss?”  Vicki asked as she collected trash and cups.

“Not sure, the trio was due at the doctor this morning.”  He packed away his laptop and all the set list in the briefcase that Lexie gave him.  “Miss Vic did I show you todays pictures?” He picked up his cell and showed off the kids.

“You got a good set of kids.”  She looked at the photos.

“Yeah I do.”  Jon smiled proudly. 

Jon had packed up all his papers and headed to the doorway.  Heading down the steps he looked out and smiled.

“Got your own welcoming committee there Kidd?”  David came up behind him.

There waiting by the car were all seven of his kids.  Stephanie and Jesse each held one of the trio, Lexie stood there with the last of the trio.  Romeo and Jacob had a “welcome home daddy” banner, with everyone’s handprints on it.

“Yeah, it’s the only one I need.”  As soon as his feet hit the bottom step he was surrounded by kids.  Each one trying to get his attention, he answered all their questions and got hugs for the four older ones.  Lexie stood waiting on her time.  Finally it was her turn.

“Hey cowboy, missed ya.”  She placed Livie to his arms, leaning in for a loud smacking kiss.

“Hey gorgeous, missed ya too.”  He went in for a second kiss.  “Hey baby girl.”  He looked down into bright blue eyes and a gummy smile.  “You remember your old man hum.”  Livia gurgled up at her daddy.  “Let’s go home.”  Jon herded his family to the car.

Matt called out a reminder to be at the hotel by six tomorrow.  Jon threw up a hand to say he got it.  Matt shook his head and sent a reminder text to Jon’s phone anyway.

Dinner was at a local pizza place until the trio got tired and cranky.  Jon held Cullen while Lexie got Maddie in her car seat, Stephanie handled Livie.

“Hey there little man, you giving your sisters trouble?”  Cullen looked up at his dad and frowned.  “Don’t think that face will get you out of trouble, if they’re like your mom, she’ll tell you to suck that lip in.”  He chuckle when Cullen broke into a smile.

“He telling you tales Cull?”  Lexie reach out for her son to place in his seat.

“Just letting him in on how to get on the good side of his mom.”  Jon said climbing in with the driver.

Jesse carried the last of the pizza and got in the car.

“Hey Dad, are we going with you guys when you hit London?”  He was ready for school to get out.

“I’d like that Jess, we’ll have to see how it goes.”  Jon usually took the older two out for a month after school was out for the summer. He had talked to Lexie one night.  Thinking back to their conversation he cringed.

“I think we need to get a nanny to help you with the trio, I usually take Steph and Jess to Europe for the first month.” Jon had told her while he was in Nebraska.

“I can handle the trio, I don’t think we need a nanny.”  Lexie told him as she cuddled to his pillow.

“I want you with me for some of the tour.” He finally said.

“Jon, I don’t want just anybody to watch our kids?  I know Robbie said he knew of a lady that would be good.” She sat up and pulled her laptop from the foot of the bed.  “I’ll call her tomorrow and set up an interview when you get home.  I would like a little more time to write.”  She hated to admit that, even her editor said she was creeping up on her deadline and she was about half the chapters written.

“So when I get home we interview this woman and,” He took a deep breath, “we get some frozen peas after my appointment.”

Lexie put down the laptop.

“Frozen peas, why would we need frozen peas?”  She grabbed her phone and pulled up the grocery list, then it hit her what they needed frozen peas for.  “You made the appointment?”

“We have Philly two nights, then the garden for two nights.  Then we are home for a month and a half while they build the stage.  I got the doctor to put me on the list the day after the last night at the Garden.”

“Frozen peas” She snickered a little.

They got to the house and the older kids went to do homework, Jon and Lexie took the trio to the family room. Putting each one down in the bounce seat, Jon sat on the floor looking at them.

Lexie went to the bar and pulled out a bottle of Jon’s favorite wine and poured him a goblet full. 

Jesse came in with the empty pizza box and put it in the recycle.  Coming back out, he dropped onto the sofa and watched his dad.

“Cullen rolled over the other day, and Maddie can put her toes in her mouth, and Livia can’t.”  He told his dad.

“I painted their toes,” Stephanie said walking in and joined Jesse.  “I was going to do their nails but they tend to keep them in their mouth.” 

Jon took off their shoes and socks and looked at the painted toes. 

Lexie came out and handed him his wine.  She sat in the wing chair and watched her husband.  He reached for Cullen’s shoes and socks and rolled his eyes at the black toe nails.

“Stephanie, you need to order you cap and gown. I found the forms, they are on the note board in the kitchen.  Now do you want the party here or in Jersey?”   Lexie sipped her juice.

“Jersey would be best, it’s larger and we can hang out down by the boat dock.”  She had her book in her hand, and made a new list.

“How many people? I don’t want a repeat of what went on at the last party.  No drugs.”  Jon looked at her over his shoulder.  “I mean it no drugs, no nose candy, I find a rolled up bill and powder it’s over with.”  He remembered the last party, someone had crack in the bathroom, and pot pipes in the kitchen.

“Those people won’t be here, I promise.”  Stephanie got up and went over to Livia.  “I’ll take her to get her jammies on.”

Lexie got up and got the other two and they headed up to the nursery.

Jon looked over at Jesse, he knew if he asked Jesse would tell him the truth.

“Jess, how are things going here at the house?”  Jon got up from the floor and moved the chairs to the closet.

“Good, Mom wasn’t even mad about you and the blonde.” He put up his phone.  He figured his dad was hunting for information.

“That’s good because there was never any blonde.”  Jon came back and picked up his wine.  “I just opened the door for her.”

“He doth protest too much.”  Jesse said under his breath, praying his dad didn’t hear.

He heard alright.  Jon moved to the chair Lexie had vacated. 

“Those days are over and done with.” Jon sipped his wine.  “I’ll never make the same mistake twice.”

“You never should have made the first one.”  Jesse told him.

“Your mother,” He started to say.

“You know something dad, you two tried really hard to destroy this family, divorce made living with you two easier for us kids. You two were so into killing your marriage, you almost destroyed this family too.  You think it was just Steph friends doing the drugs, you’re as blind as mom.” He stood up too mad to sit.  “Since Lexie has been here, there has been such a turn around with Steph, she’s clean and sober.” He looked down at his dad.  “You never even saw it.”  He stormed out the room and up to his room before the shock wore off for his dad.