Thursday, December 17, 2015

Chapter 108 It's Puppy Time

Lexie woke up to someone knocking on the bedroom door.  Getting untangled from Jon, she pulled on her robe and went to the door.

“Momma, something’s wrong with Snowball.” Romeo told her with a scared look on his face.

“Jon, I need you.”  Lexie called as she followed Romeo down to the laundry room.

Jon woke up with a start. Where was he?  Looking around the room he remembered coming home yesterday, or was it today?  Grabbing his jeans off the floor, where he dropped them off while waiting on Lexie to slip into something less power suit.  Pulling on the jeans, he headed downstairs to look for what the hell was going on.

Following the voices, he found not only his wife, but all three boys looking into a packing crate on the floor.

“I came down to bring my laundry basket down to the wash and heard her making a funny noise.”  Jake told them.

Jon looked over Romeo into the box.  There he saw Snowball in the throes of labor.

“Did you call the vet?”  Jon whispered.

“He said she should have no problems, but he’s on standby if she needs him.”  Lexie whispered back.

“See she waited for daddy to come home before she had her puppies.”  Romeo looked up at his daddy and smiled.

“Yeah, since he’s the one responsible for her getting knocked up.”  Jesse joked with his dad.

“It’s going to take some time, I’m going to get dressed.”  Lexie said as she headed back to the bedroom.

“I got a term paper to write, by the way dad, I need to go to Indiana this weekend.  Coach wants me to take part in a warm up. We can go up after the game Friday.” Jesse said as he headed back to his room, by way of the trio’s room.

Romeo pulled up the stepstool and sat on puppy watch.

Jon yawned and headed back upstairs to finish getting dressed.  He found Lexie in jeans and an old sweater, brushing her hair.

“You should have woken me up.”  He came up behind her on kissed her neck.

“I knew you were tired, and we have the rest of our lives to make love.”  She looked at him in her vanity mirror.  “Thank you for going with me yesterday.”

“I didn’t like that weasel and after what Steph told me, I hated him even more.” He walked into his closet and pulled out a shirt that could be thrown away if he had to deliver a puppy.  “Why didn’t you tell me how he was when you were on bed rest?  I had to hear it from Steph months afterwards.”

“You were on tour and I didn’t want to bother you.”  She watched him walk out in a ratty old Kat House tee shirt.  “You going to get that ruined you know.”

Pulling her hair up in a ponytail, she turned to face him.  He was starting to let his hair go a little longer, she knew he should have his dad give him a trim.

“You think Dad and Mom will take one of the puppies off our hands?” Jon asked as he went into his closet to rummage for an older shirt.

“I told them, your mom said yes right away, your dad was a harder sale.  He said he would be the one walking the dog, and he was getting too old to walk the dog.”  Lexie got up and went into his closet and reached into the rummage bag, pulling out a faded Giants shirt.

“Hey that’s an antique, my first Giants shirt.” Jon said as he changed into the shirt she held with two fingers.

“Antique meaning I hear the treads breaking as you put it on or antique that it hasn’t been worn in over twenty years?”  Lexie laughed.

Jon lifted his arm to show a hole in the armpit, and joined in her laughter.

“Mom, somethings happening.”  Romeo ran into the room looking for his parents.

“On the way Romey, go get your brothers.”  Lexie said as she came out of the closet.  After he left she looked at Jon, “Have they ever seen puppies being born?”

Jon came out of the closet tugging the shirt down.

“Not that I know of, why?”  Jon asked as he headed for the door.

“Because, this could bring up some questions about sex and where babies come from.” Lexie said following him to the door.

“Oh, I haven’t thought of that. I guess they learned that in health or gym class like I did.”  Jon said with a straight face.

“Oh Kay if you say so Pinocchio.”  Lexie laughed as they headed to the laundry room.

They got there just as Snowball birthed her first puppy.  Lexie gabbed an old towel she had torn up, once Snowball cleaned her puppy up and checked her baby out, Lexie picked up the puppy up and turned it over.

“We have a little girl.”  She placed the tiny white puppy back into the crate next to Snowball.

Jesse wrote down the first puppy in the notebook he picked up along the way to the laundry.

Within the next two hours three more puppies were born.  Two more girls and one boy, all looked like their mommy.

“Four puppies, we have four puppies.” Romeo said softly.

“Yeah, Snow did a great job.” Jake said as he looked over at the new family.

“I’ll take them to the vet tomorrow to get checked out and weighed.”  Lexie said as she took the notebook from Jesse.  “We’ll pick up some little collars in pink and blue so we don’t have to pick them up to see who is who.”

They started to leave when Snowball started to make little noises.

“I don’t think she’s finished.”  Jesse said as they came back into the laundry room.

“What color is Snowballs puppies’ father?”  Jesse asked as he watched the last puppy coming into the world.

“Brown or black, why?”  Jon asked leaning over his sons.

“Because this one is black, Snowball had a nugget of coal.”  Jesse laughed.

Jon rolled his eyes as he watched Snowball clean up her last puppy.  Once she was done, he took the towel from Lexie and picked the black ball of fur. Jon carefully dried the puppy and turned it on its back.  “Puppy five is a little boy.  I don’t think he’ll need a blue collar on him.”

“Snowball you little,” Jesse started then looked at his younger brothers and stopped.  “Hey dad, maybe Uncle Matt will raffle off one of the puppies for the fan club?”

“That’s not a bad idea, I’ll talk to Matt.”  He looked back at Lexie.  Snowball was her dog, it would be up to her, what they did with the puppies.  “We’ll see, it’s really up to Lexie what she wants to do with the puppies.”

Lexie was on the phone in the kitchen, she had a pot of soup on the stove and her cell tucked under her chin.

“Yes we have five puppies, all white but one coal black.  Yes she came through it with flying colors.  Yes I’ll bring them in tomorrow, around ten?  Okay, see you tomorrow.”  She ended the call and sat the phone on the counter.

“Need some help?”  Jon asked coming all the way in the kitchen.

“Yeah, butter the bread for grilled cheese.”  She turned and smiled at him.

“So we take the pups to the vet at ten, Grand maw?”  Jon snickered.

“Hey Grand Paw, you call your daughter to tell her about the puppies?” She tossed her cell to him.  He caught it and laughed.

“Okay, okay, we’re too young to be grandparents yet.” Jon unlocked the screen and punch in the code to call Stephanie.

“Hey Stephie, wanted to let you know, Snowball is a new mommy.”  Jon mouthed to Lexie Voice Mail “Just wanted you to know, call us and let us know how classes are going, love ya baby girl.” He ended the call. “Must be at dinner.”  He went over and started buttering bread.

Soon they were calling down the boys to eat, Lexie took a tray up to Sally. She sat the tray down and was about to open the door, when it opened and Jesse came out.

“Dinner ready Mom?”  He asked as he stopped short coming out of the door.

“Yep, how was the uh studying going?”  Lexie tried not to laugh.  He had the honesty to actually blush.

“Yeah, Sally was helping me with a problem that I couldn’t quite get a handle on.”  Jesse told her as he headed down to the kitchen.


“I’m gonna have to keep an eye on those two.” She mumbled as she took the tray into the nursery.   “Handle or hand?” She stopped and rolled her eyes at the thought.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Chapter 107

Lexie sat in the back seat of the Escalade at the airport.  She was dressed in a smart business suit since she was to meet with Thomas, once she picked up Jon. She hoped he remembered that they were meeting at his office.  She had signed a contract with her new editor, and after tonight she would be finished with Thomas.
 
“Mrs. Bongiovi, the plane is about a mile out, they should be landing soon.”  The Diver Mike let her know.
 
Getting out of the car, she moved to stand with David’s wife.  They nodded hello, Lexie didn’t have any friendships with the other wives or girlfriends. They had their life and she had hers.
 
Soon she saw the plane approach, and within a minute, it was pulling up to where she waited.  Homeland securityand TSA went inside first, and soon after that, the band deplaned.
 
Jon stood at the top, of course the last one off the plane.  He looked around and saw her over by the band. Pulling on his jacket and reached for his go bag from his brother. 
 
Lexie moved to the bottom of the stairs as he came down.
 
“You going to take all day Rock Star?”  Lexie waited till he made it to the bottom and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a kiss.
 
Jon knew if he didn’t stop it now, Thomas will be pissed off even more.   He stepped back before he would end up mussing her business suit.
 
“See you guys in a month for tracks.”  He told the band before he went to the car. Matt followed with his go bag and loaded it in the back, they got in and headed to Thomas’s office.
 
“You think he has any idea why you’re showing up?” Jon asked as he held her hand.
 
“He thinks I’m dropping off a new manuscript.  By the way, thanks to your lawyers, I have met my contractual obligations to Thomas.”  Lexie tightened her grip on his hand.
 
“See, it helps to keep a stable full of lawyers just in case you need them.”  Jon brought their joined hands to his lips for a kiss.
 
They pulled up and Jon told the driver to wait for his call, then he took Lexie's hand and headed into the downtown Manhattan office building.  Riding in the elevator Lexie watched the numbers go up and felt her stomach knot.
 
“Deep breath babe.”  Jon gave her hand  a squeeze.
 
Lexie looked at Jon and gave him a shaky smile. They got to the floor and headed to Thomas’s office.
 
“Lexie, Mr. Bon Jovi,” Melissa greeted them as they walked in.  “Thomas is on a call, I’ll let him know you’re here.” 
 
Jon and Lexie moved to the sofa in the waiting area, granted they were a few minutes early, but Lexie knew, Thomas would make her wait.  Jon checked his watch, he was tired and there were other places he’d rather be, like his bed.
 
Melissa watched Jon checking his watch and sent Thomas a message that they were here. She knew Thomas would make them wait, five minutes later she sent another message.
 
Thomas finally came to the door, about the same time Jon got up off the sofa.
 
“Jon, good to see you, how are things with tour?”  Thomas offered his hand to shake.
 
Jon took his hand and shook it but Thomas and small talk were not high on his list to endure. Not after flying over twelve hours and wanting to be in bed with his family.
 
“It’s starting to be a great tour.”  Jon slipped the first barb in “Having Lexie and the kids with me for several days, will be so much better.”
 
“Well, we need to talk about that.”  Thomas said as he ushered them into his office and shut the door.
 
“If Alexis wants that movie, she’s really going to stick to writing and getting more books out to her readers, keeping her name out there will draw more interest into the movie.” Thomas stood behind his desk waiting on then to sit.
 
Jon watched Lexie, he was here for her support, but the little weasel was getting on his one last nerve.
 
“No, I’m done.” Lexie told Thomas, as she pulled out a folder Jon had never seen.  “You see, I have fulfilled my contractual obligations to you, and as my lawyer told me.  It seems that you haven’t sent me a new contract to sign and I have decided to walk.  I have signed a contract with Kevin Longmire, and he thinks the new manuscript is movie worthy.”
 
“Well, it seems this meeting was over before it began, seeing as how I had your new contract and a producer for your movie isn’t as good as what your rock star husbands money can buy for you.”  Thomas said in a condensing voice, as he tore up the contact.
 
Jon started to get mad, here this little weasel was dangling this movie offer and a new contract, saying my money got her the lawyer and the new editor. He would talk to his lawyer about buying Thomas out of her first 5 books so she could use book one the way she wanted to for her movie. He would show what his rock star money could buy.
 
“To think I stayed with you all these years and this is how you want to end it?” Lexie stood up and looked at Jon.  “We can go now Rock Star.”
 
Jon was so proud of her, he stood up and followed her out. They didn’t say a word till they got into the elevator.
 
“You did great in there Lex.” Jon said as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator.  “I am so proud of you.”
 
“I was scared as shit, and I about tossed my cookies when he brought out the movie.”  She hoped he didn’t hear the crack in her voice.
 
“Come here.” He reached out his hand and pulled her into his arms.  “The little weasel will get what’s coming to him, if I have anything to say about it.”
 
Lexie looked up at his face and smiled. She really loved him.
 
“Weasel, I think that fits him, but the one good thing that came out of me being one of his writers, I met you.”  She reached up and gave him a kiss.
 
“Okay, I’ll give him credit for that, but that’s it.”  He bent down and gave her a smacking kiss. “Let’s go home, so we can celebrate your emancipation from Thomas.”
 
“And sleep for two days?”  Lexie asked as the door opened on the elevator.
 
The car was waiting when they got to the street, it didn’t take long to get to the townhouse.
 
The pulled up to the front of the house, the usual paps were there. Jon signed photos and Lexie signed books.  They headed in after they tried to make sure the fans were taken care of first, then the collectors that sold their signed stuff online.
 
Moving into the lobby, Jon started to yawn, they moved to the elevator. Lexie took his go bag from him as they rode up to their floor.
 
“The kids will be home in about two hours, you go take a nap.”  The headed to the door and went in.
 
“Gonna look in on the trio and then I think I’ll take you up on that nap, if you’ll join me.”  Jon yawned again as they both headed to the bedrooms.
 
Dropping his bag at their room door, they headed to the trio’s room.
 
“Welcome home Mr. Jon.”  Sally said as the trio swung in their swings.
 
“Thanks Sally, good to be home for a while.”  Jon said as he made his way to his babies.  “They grew so much since I left.” 
 
“That’s the only job they have to do, is grow and be cute.”  Lexie said standing in the doorway watching father and children getting re acquainted.
 
“They get the cute from their mom.”  He said looking over his shoulder.
 
“Hey, they have some of your rock star cuteness, Cull likes to sing along with you, or what five month olds do in the way of singing.”   Lexie told him.
 
“So Cull you going to be daddy’s rock star?”  Jon asked as he stopped the swing and reached for the little boy, who raised his arms out to him.
 
“Da!” Cullen squealed.
 
“That’s my boy.”  Jon laughed as Cullen kept squealing Da and patting his face. Jon yawned again.
 
“Somebody needs a nap. Cull, let daddy go take a nap, so he can be ready when his older boys get home.”  Lexie nodded to Sally to take Cullen from his dad.
 
Jon allowed Sally to take Cullen, he kissed each girl on the cheek and he let Lexie lead him out the door to their bedroom. Jon was yawning all the way down the hall.
 
Lexie opened their room and as soon as they both cleared the door, Jon backed her to the door and pressed his lips to hers.  Lexie slowly worked his shirt tail from his jeans and slipped it over his head.  He backed away long enough for her to rip it off over his head.
 
“You have on too much clothes, even though you look sexy as hell in a power suit, but still too much clothes.”  Jon said as he nibbled on her neck.
 
“Let me go slip into something less power suit.”  She said as she walked him over to the huge king size bed.  She gave him one last kiss before she went into the closet to undress.
 
As she came out in her teddy set to find she might have spent a little too much time making herself sexy.  The light snore was evidence of that.  Walking over to the bed she threw the blanket over Jon as he slept.  Leaning down, she placed a kiss on his cheek. Walking around to her side of the bed, she crawled in and cuddled close to Jon and closed her eyes.