Chapter 90

Jon punched in the access code on his phone to call his wife. 

Lexie jumped when her cell rang in her hand.

“Okay Jon, tell me what happened?”  Lexie asked as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

“Well, Stephanie went to spend the weekend with Dorothea, and I decided to.”  He was telling her what had happen, when she broke in.

“Stephanie went to spend the weekend with Dorothea?  You mean she isn’t there to help you guys this weekend?” Lexie asked almost in a panic.

“We’re fine, Jesse is here and so is Hellen, We got this covered.”  Jon reassured Lexie.  “As I was saying, I took Snowball to the dog park, instead of being at the townhouse when Dorothea got here to pick up Steph.  We got to the park, and I let Snow off the leash.”

“Jon, we never take her off the leash.”  Lexie rolled her eyes and sighed.  Somewhere in the pit of her stomach, she knew she should have stayed home instead of being here. What could go wrong Jon had said, he would have Steph to help him, if he got in over his head. Go have fun, your fans haven’t seen you since the trio was born.  How stupid was she to believe that she could go away for a week, seven whole days and nothing would go wrong.

“I didn’t know that, I figured she would do her business and we’d be back home in five minutes.”  Jon said as he sat at his desk looking at the pictures lined up on top of his desk.  “I didn’t think she would get knocked up the first time I take her to the dog park.”

“I know, I should’ve told you how she is off the leash.  At the river house, we could let her off the leash and she would be fine.  You’ll have to call the vet, he may just say to wait and see.  We could be worrying over nothing.”  Lexie said as she leaned on the headboard of the huge king sized bed.  Sighing she kicked off her shoes.  She was going to kick herself for asking, but she had to know why Stephanie was not home.  “Did Dorothea get in contact with Stephanie?”

“She called my cell to talk about graduation and wanted to know if Stephanie could come for the weekend.”  Jon said feeling that he dodged the Snowball and puppies bullet, only to step on a landmine that was his ex-wife and daughter debacle.

“So you let her go.”  Lexie said.  He never could deny his kids anything.

“It’s only two days, Hellen is here and Jesse and I can handle the trio.” Jon tried to reassure her.  “She be home Sunday and everything will be fine.”  He gave it his best try.  “So how has the set up gone?”  He changed the subject.

“Robbie and I got a great space, we missed Stephanie not being here to help.  We got all the grab bags set up and all the freebies out. I know what you just did, aren’t you ashamed trying to change the subject.”  She had to laugh in spite of herself.

Jon chuckled a little.

“Never could put anything over on you.”  Jon leaned back in his chair.  “Unless it was me over your naked body.” 

“Oh, now you’re going to talk dirty to ME over the phone?”  Lexie laughed.  When Jon was over in Europe, she would talk dirty to him.  Every night, after the show, they would talk to the wee hours in the morning.  She would make sure the On Stage stress was gone so he could sleep.

“Well, since we’re on the same time zone and I have six kids to see to bed, how about I call you after they go to sleep?”  Jon asked.

“Well, since you put it that way, and I do have to be up early for a breakfast with the writers, can we put it off till tomorrow night?”  She told Jon.

“Ah, that was a direct shot.”  Jon grunted and let his head fall down to the back on the chair.  “Shot down on my first attempt to get my wife hot and bothered in her hotel room.

Lexie nearly fell off the bed laughing.  Then she got a knock on her door.

“Hey Lex, you just got an invitation to drinks and dinner from your idols, Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts.  You wanted to me to remind you.”  Robbie told her from the other side of his door.

“Ah, sorry Babe, work calls.”  Lexie told Jon.  “Going out with the girls and that means talking shop then,” she sighed, “Try to go to bed without a story plotline running through my head.”

“Ok Hon, have fun with the girls and try not to get too drunk.”  Jon laughed.  “Remember a hung over writer, with thousands of hyper fans, doesn’t make Lexie a happy camper.”

“I won’t get drunk.  I never get drunk.”  Lexie slid off the bed and went to the closet to pull out a dinner dress.  God that means hose and heels.  “Nora will pump me about the kids and Sandra will want to know what you’re up to, she has such a crush on you.”

Robbie knocked on the door again.

“I’m getting dressed, Rob.”  Lexie yelled from the walk in closet.  “Kiss the trio and I will check in on then later.  Tell the boys to help you, oh Jon, don’t forget you have a doctor’s appointment Monday, going for the zero swimmers.”

“It’s flagged on the calendar, I’ll call you when I get the news.” Jon said.  “Love you.” He said as he hung up.

“Love you more.”  Lexie said as she hung up.

Going back down to check on the boys and then to the nursery to see the trio.  Baths, bottles and then singing with daddy, he had Hellen put all three in his arms.  This gave Hellen long enough to clean the bathroom and take a load to the laundry.

“What song shall we do tonight ladies, Cull?  Something from Disney, little South Side, or one of daddy’s songs?”  He set the rocker to rock. 

Livie and Maddie yawned and jabbered something and Cull chewed on his first and garbled something like Pooh.  Jon began singing the Winnie the Pooh song softly. 

Jon rocked and sang till Hellen came back in.  Hellen walked toward the rocker and got her feet tangled in a toy that was left on the floor and began to fall.  Jon couldn’t do anything to stop her fall, they both heard a bone or two snap as she hit the rocker and the floor.  Jesse head the ruckus and ran in.  By the time the ambulance showed up and took Hellen to be checked out, Jon and Jesse got the trio to bed and Jacob and Romeo to bed.  Jon headed to the hospital and waited to see what was broken and when Hellen would be back to work.

Jon came back into the house alone and wondered how he was going to make a week while Hellen recouped from a broken foot and a broken arm.  He had to call the agency for a backup. Maybe his mom could come and help.  There was no way he would tell Lexie that Hellen would be out of work for up to six weeks.

On the ride home on Sunday Dorothea and Stephanie were pulling off the highway headed toward the townhouse.

“It’s really been nice having you with us this weekend Stephie.” Dorothea told her daughter.

They had spent most of Friday night sitting up talking about graduation, and the college’s she had visited with Jon and Lexie.  Graham’s daughter was heading to NYU, so she could still stay home and ride the Path into the city.

“Yeah it was nice to get out of the house for the weekend.”  Stephanie agreed with her mom.  She had been hinting all weekend that Sarah, Graham’s daughter, and Steph should be closer. After all, she was her step sister.  A step sister that smoked pot and was starting to use harder stuff. In her head she heard he father saying the rules are the same.  It was hard to resist, Mom didn’t care, what was wrong with a little pot? 

“You know Stephie, you’re more than welcome to visit more often.  Maybe bring your brothers for a visit?”  Dorothea said as the car got close to townhouse.

There it was, her mom wanted her to spend more time with her.  She would start college in August, she would be up checking on dorm space in a few weeks.  Her summer was already planned, with the family vacation, now her mom wanted her to spend some time with them.  How was she going to tell her dad and Lexie, that her mom was actually wanting to be her mom again?

Chapter 89

Dorothea at first didn’t know if she should be mad or not, her son was calling another woman Mom.  After all, SHE was his mom, SHE gave birth to him, NOT her ex-husbands new wife.

“Jesse James Louis Bongiovi, I am your mother, she is your Step Mother.”  Dorothea got a little hot and bothered.

Jesse finally looked at the caller ID and then flipped off his father.

“You sold that right.”  Jesse hissed and ended the call.  “I told you I didn’t want anything to do with her.  I know about the blackmail, I heard you talking on the phone to Uncle Mookie and to Lexie before we all met.”  He stormed over to the door as the phone rang again.  Jesse left it on the desk for his dad to handle and left the room.

Making sure to check the called id first, sighing he punched the button to accept the call, waiting on the shrill voice of his ex-wife.

“How did our son know about that deal?  This was between us, the kids were not supposed to know!”  She all but screamed into the phone.

“I don’t like to lie to my kids, they asked and I told them.  They don’t know the amount, they just know you allowed Lexie to adopt them.”  He started to pace the floor of his office. Moving to the window, he looked at the skyline.  “I didn’t know how Jesse heard me talking to Richie, I thought they were in bed.  I had just gotten him from jail, my lawyer and I had just met with Graham.  I will own up to that.”  He sighed and sat down at the desk.

“It’s about time that you did own up to something.”  Dorothea growled at him.

Rolling his eyes he wasn’t even mad when the door to his office flew open and Stephanie charged in.

“Is that my mommy?”  Stephanie asked reaching for his cell phone.

“Stephanie wants to talk to you.”  Jon said getting up and handing her his phone.

“Mommy, I’m so happy you called.”  Stephanie gushed into the phone.

Jon pointed to his watch and then waited on her to signal she understood, then he left them to talk.  Checking on Jake and Romeo he slowly approached his oldest son’s room.

The door was partially open, tapping on it he walked in.

“You know I don’t want to talk to her, why did you pass her off to me?”  Jesse asked his father.  Jesse had time to stew while his father was dealing with his mother.

“You and me both, I am doing this for your sister and your mom.”  Jon said as he came in and pulled the desk chair out and straddled it.  “In a few weeks, it will all be over.”

“You’re doing it for which mom?”  Jesse asked, putting his text book down on his lap.

“Your mom Lexie,” Jon told him.

Jesse looked cautiously, he couldn’t see Lexie caring what happened between his dad and his mother.

“Since the surgery and all that happened that day, I didn’t know just how much all the last few months have been bothering your mom.”  Jon said as he crossed his arms over the back of the desk chair.  “I’m gonna talk to the guys about taking a year off, give your mom some time for her to do her work.  I know Lemma wants to do this theater stuff and your uncle Mookie has been hinting of doing another solo.” 

“I know you said Mom knew Steph was seeing, well seeing mother, but you and mom are okay, aren’t you?”  Jesse asked his dad.

“Yeah, we’re doing great.”  Jon told his son.  “We had a bad day of the surgery, but every couple has a few bumps in the road, this was our first bump.” 

The door burst open and Stephanie came in all excited.

“Dad is it okay, Mommy said she talked to you, can I spend the weekend with her and Graham?”  Stephanie gushed.  The excitement in her eyes was hard to miss.

“I was kinda hoping you would help me with the trio this weekend since your mom was going to be gone, it’s been a long time since I handled babies.”  Jon looked up into his daughters falling expression.

“Jesse’s here and you have Hellen, please daddy, we’re going to look at college clothes.”  Stephanie begged her dad.

Jesse was getting upset with how his sister was acting.  Didn’t she see that she was stabbing mom Lexie in the back?  Their mother took money from their dad, sold them in essence to his dad and mom Lexie.  He tossed his book of the floor.

“I gotta take Snowball out.”  Jesse got off the bed and rushed out of the room.

“I don’t know Steph, your mom and I thought you would be here to help me this weekend.”  Jon got up from the chair and put it back under the desk.

“Please daddy.”  Stephanie wanted this so much.

He didn’t have the heart to turn her down, but there would be some ground rules.

“Okay, but the rules are still the rules.”  Jon watched the emotions play across her face as she absorbed what he was saying.  “You understand right?”

“Yes daddy, I understand that the rules are the same.”  Stephanie reassured him.

“Thanks daddy, she’ll be here to pick me up in an hour.  I’ll be home Sunday late.” She squealed and threw her arms around his neck for a hug.

Jon hugged his daughter and followed her out of Jesse’s room and went in search of his son.  He found Jesse out in the alley way walking Snowball.

“Your Mother will be here in an hour to pick up your sister.”  He leaned on the wall and watched Jesse and the little white ball of fuzz.

“You mean your ex-wife, my mother is in Atlanta working.”  Jesse said as he tossed the ball for the dog.  “She isn’t going to be happy that you let Steph go away this weekend.”

“You think I can’t handle the trio along with you three boys?”  Jon laughed.

“Dad, you never took care of us.”  Jesse laughed along with his dad.  He bent down and picked up Snowball.  “She always took care of us, school events and sports.  You were always on tour.” 

Jon knew his son was right, he hated to admit it, that he wasn’t there for most of their life. 

“I regret that I wasn’t there a lot, but it was a job, not much different from any other dad in the United States.  Granted my job kept me out of the house more than those other dads.”

“You got that right.”  Jesse agreed with his dad.  “But we wouldn’t be where we are if you were like those dads.” 

“That’s true.”  Jon laughed. 

Jon and Jesse brought Snowball back into the house, Jon went and checked on the trio.  Hellen had just put them into their swings, Disney was playing on the television on the wall. 

“Hello my trio, Momma is watching on the camera.”  Jon watched the two girls smile a gummy smile.  Cullen tilted his head from one side to the other. 

Jon went over to Cullen’s swing and got down to his level and stopped the swing. “Cullen, smile for momma?”  He asked his son.

Cullen looked up at his dad and broke out a big gummy smile and Jon smiled back.

The then the trio started to jibber between then.

“They’ll be talking soon.” Hellen said as she was stripping the cribs and making the beds back up.

“Then they won’t ever stop.” Jon laughed.

The door to the trio’s room opened up and Stephanie came in.

“Mom is downstairs, she won’t come up.”  Stephanie told him as she gave each of the trio a kiss goodbye.  “I’ll see you Sunday.”  She gave her dad a hug and kiss.

“Remember the rules young lady.”  Jon reminded her as she rushed out the doorway.

“So that means it’s just us this weekend?”  Hellen asked him.

“Well, yeah.”  Jon went over and picked up the dirty sheets and headed out the door.  “Jesse will be here to help us, then there’s Romeo and Jacob.  So yeah, mainly us.  I’ll talk to the accountant for your raise.”  Jon laughed.

Hellen just smiled. 

Dinner was burgers and he had called in the order and Jesse and Jakey went down to get the order.  Jon assisted Hellen with the trio’s dinner.  This wasn’t so hard, he could handle this.  He got the boys settled with a movie and he took Snowball for her after dinner walk.  He checked the front camera and saw it was empty, he took Snowball out the front for her walk.  Ball cap and jacket, he and Snowball headed down to the dog park.

“You’re to do your business young lady and then it’s back home for dessert.”  He said as he took off the leash and watched the little dog take off across the park.

Pulling out his cell he checked for a message from Lexie.

From: Lexie Bongiovi

Subject: Atlanta MWC

To: JBJ

Got here and the weather is HOT for spring.  Robbie and I got checked in and set up the booth.  Really miss Steph helping us.   Robbie said we should get some work out of her before she’s in CT for college.  LOL!  Did I see you attempting to do laundry?  Please leave that for Hellen, I had to look everywhere to find that sheet set.  I called earlier and your line was busy for an hour.  I have to be down here on the floor early, so heading to bed early.  It’s gonna be hard being in the huge bed all alone, no one stealing my covers.  Miss you already and I’ve only been here for three hours.  Gonna be a long week.

Love you 

LMB

Jon smiled, looking around he decided to answer her when he got back to the apartment, as the dog park was getting busy.  He stood up and looked around for Snowball.  He looked around the park for the little ball of white fur.  Where was she?  Getting up he pocketed his phone and walked around the small park looking for Snowball.

“Snowball, come on girl.”  He called the dog’s name.

Several of the women looked at him, did they recognize him?  Making a circle of the small park he started to get worried, where was she?

”Snowball, let’s go girl, Romey will be waiting for you.”  He tried called again, and got more stares from the women in the park.  He was about to panic when he felt a tap on his back.  Turning around he looked down at a little girl holding Snowball, who wasn’t as white as she used to be. 

“Is this your dog mister?”  The little girl about Romeo’s age asked. 

“It sure is, thank you.”  He reached down to pick up Snowball.

“I think her and Max are girlfriend and Boyfriend.”  She told him as she handed Snowball over.

“Oh?”  Jon asked a little startled. 

The little girl was joined by a woman who turned out to be Max’s owner.  Max who appeared to be a small black poodle and straining out of the woman’s arms to get to Snowball.

“I hope she’s been fixed.”  The woman told him. 

“I don’t know, she’s my wife’s dog.”  Jon said as he brushed off the bits and pieces of Dog Park off Snowballs fur.  “I’ll check with her.”

“Well, good luck.”  The woman took the little girl and Max and headed to the gate.

“Thanks.”  Jon said looked down at the small dog.  “If you aren’t fixed, you will be by the time your momma gets home.”  Jon snapped the leash to Snowballs collar and they headed back to the townhouse.  “Well at least you have good taste, French poodle, you hussy.”  Jon laughed as he headed home. 

Jesse and Romeo, took Snowball to the bathroom to give her a bath.  Jon went to his office to shoot off a message to Lexie.

From: JBJ

Subject: Snowball

To: LMB

Lexie honey, I took Snowball to the park and met her boyfriend Max.  He’s a small black poodle and seemed very in love with our little girl.  So the point is, is she fixed?  She just might be knocked up by that piece of French trash.  I’m I gonna have to hire some Rotties to protect our little girl?  Max’s owner seems to think our little girl might be with puppies. 

Six days seems like a long time now that you’re gone.  The bed here is gonna feel just as empty. 

Love and miss you,

JBJ

In Atlanta Lexie got the post as she and Robbie were heading back up to their floor. 

“Message from the sexy rock star?”  Robbie asked as he got on the elevator with Lexie and a few mystery fans.

“The one and only.”  Lexie said as she moved to the back of the elevator.  She wasn’t about to check her phone in the elevator filling up with women who seemed all a sudden interested in her and Robbie.

“Do I need to give you time before coming to the room?”  Robbie asked.  They were sharing a suite in the Peachtree Ritz.  They had a suite with an adjoining room for Robbie.

“Yeah you better, He and Hellen are handling the kids this week.  I may have to go home between Atlanta and Nashville.”  She told him as they walked into the suite.  He headed to his bedroom, allowing her private time for her texting her husband.

From: LMB

Subject: Snowball

To: JBJ

OMG the vet number is on the fridge door, keep me posted. NO she isn’t fixed. Did you let her off the leash?  Where is Steph, she should have never let her off the leash?  Do I need to come home?  Call me.

Jon read the message and put his head in his hands.  He looked down at Snowball. 

“You’re next with the snip snip.”  He said as he dreaded this call.

Chapter 88

They walked a little further and Lexie stopped.

“You were really high as a kite, and I know you didn’t mean it,” for such a great award winning writer, she got tongue tied.

“Oh hell what did I say babe.”  Jon took both her hands and held them. Snowball sensing that something was wrong, stopped and wrapped the leash around her legs.

“You called me Dorothea.”  She finally softly whispered.

“I did what?”  He lifted her chin with his finger, till she looked into his eyes.  Then what she said hit him. “OH Lex, I was under so much drugs, and I didn’t mean to.”  Jon said.

“I know, it just hit me wrong. I had just read the email from the lawyer, so that and knowing Steph was seeing her mom on the sly.  I just let it get to me.”  She explained.  “Then to top it off, walking in when Stephanie said what she did, it just was too much.”

He listened to her, she never complained before, so this must have really hurt her. 

“I can only say I’m sorry.”  Jon said as he leaned in for a little kiss.  Stepping back he took a deep breath.  “I’ll call the lawyer and set up a meeting with Dotty about the graduation.”

“So why don’t you just call her tomorrow, and talk to her, this is a family issue, and not business.”  Lexie told him.  “Please just do it for the kids.”

“For the kids.”  He took her hand and the leash and they headed home.

For a change it was Lexie leaving and Jon staying with the kids.  Three days in Atlanta and then three days in Nashville.

“You have my schedule and the hotel information and the kid’s schedules.  You need to get your personal assistant to finalize the caterer for Steph’s graduation party, Robbie is handling the decorations, invitations and the RSVP list.”  Lexie said as she  wheeled her carry on to the door. 

“I got it, it’s posted on the fridge, my planner and my phone.”  He told her as he followed her carrying her briefcase. “Dorothea and her husband will be at the graduation and the party.”

“I’m glad you two talked.”  Lexie said and she made one last trip to the trio’s room.  This would be the first time she had left them for longer than one night. 

The call to Dorothea was only the first step. They had talked to the kids about whether they wanted to visit with their mom.  The boys were on the fence and Jon didn’t push it. 

Robbie was at the door and all too soon it was time for Lexie to head to the airport.

“I’ll call when I get to the hotel.”  Lexie said as Robbie checked his watch for the second time.

“You should just take the jet, then you could be comfortable and not smashed in first class.”  Jon said as they headed to the elevator.  The older kids were still at school and it was just them, the trio and the nanny at home today.  “I can call and you can be there before midnight.”

“Jon, if we were all going I can see using the Jovi Jet, but it’s just Robbie and me, we’ll be fine.”  Lexie said as they got on the elevator.  “Don’t forget to walk Snowball, and you remember that you need to see the doctor tomorrow.”

“It’s highlighted and underscored on the calendar.”  Jon laughed. He would be happy to get rid of the condoms he had to use since the surgery, just to be on the safe side.

The car and driver were waiting, along with the usual paps.  Robbie got into the car, giving them a little more alone time. With a quick kiss and a promise to call, she was on the road heading to Newark.

Jon headed to his office to work, until the older kids made it home. Looking at the pictures that line his desk he had to smile.  The family shot with the trio that David Bergman had shot was his favorite.  They’d have to have another one made before Stephanie headed off to college.  His baby girl would be in college this year.  Picking up the next frame beside the family photo, was one of his girls.  Lexie held Olivia and Stephanie held Maddie, it was made when they had been home for a week.  Putting it down, Jon picked up the one of him and his boys.  He had two mini me’s with Jake and Cullen looking just like him.  If someone had told him twenty years ago that he would have a new wife and seven kids, he would have called them crazy.  Then again, Dorothea did him a good thing by divorcing him, because he had Lexie and the trio.

The phone rang and he sat the frame down, it was Dorothea.

“Hey Dotty, what can I do for you?”  He sat back in the chair and wondered how much this was going to cost him this time.

“I wanted to know if Stephanie can stay the weekend, Graham will be at his parents doing some renovating.  I thought Stephanie and I could do some shopping for college clothes.”  Dorothea sat watching her husband reading the paper.

“I’ll ask her when she gets home from class.  Lexie’s out of town for the weekend, I was sort of hoping she would help me with the trio.”  Jon pulled up his schedule to make sure the Nanny would be here this weekend if Stephanie wanted to go to her mom’s.

“Oh, well” Dorothea thought her plans would be screwed up, if she couldn’t spend it with her daughter.

“I’ll ask her, she might rather be with you, than helping me and Helen keeping up with the trio.  Now that they are crawling they get into everything.”  Jon laughed.

It still bothered her that he had more kids, after telling her four was a perfect number to stop at.  She always wondered if they had tried for more if Jon would have slowed down with touring. 

“How are the boys doing?”  She so badly wanted to ask him if they were ever going to visit her.

“Good, Jesse is being courted by Notre Dame to play football.  Jacob is making straight A’s and Romey is all B’s.”  Jon told her about how the boys were doing in school. He knew she didn’t want to hear anything about Cullen.

“Notre Dame already, he’s just a junior, they’re already talking about him going there for college.”  She knew he would get offered a sports scholarship but she thought he was going to be in New Jersey or New York, not Indiana.

“They start courting while they’re Junior’s so by graduation they would be set for summer training camp.”  Jon told her.

“Oh,” Dorothea was a little sad.

This was a part of her son’s life and she hasn’t any say or contact and that hurts.  She knew that the she had no right, she divorced him, not the other way around.  It didn’t help that she went right to Graham.  He was strong and steady, a nine to five kind of guy.  She got along with his kids, hers not so much with his family.  Were they spoiled, being the kids of a rock star?  Yes they were.  Private schools compared to regular schools.  Sarah and Gar Junior had to work to get a car, Stephanie and Jesse got one for their sixteenth birthday. 

“Yeah, Training camp and a walk on his freshman year is a huge deal.”  He looked at the clock.  The older two would be home in a few minutes.  “Look Dotty, I need to go, check on the trio, and make sure the nanny cam is set up for Lexie to check on the kids.”

“That must be strange for you, normally you’re the one gone and the wife is home with the kids.”  She said without even thinking how petty it sounded.  This was one of the reasons the left Jon, why she ran to Graham when he came into her life.

“Like I said, the kids will, ah hang on.”  He put the phone down and took a deep breath, counting to ten, twice. 

He got lucky, there was a knock on his door.

“Hey Dad, I’m gonna take Snow out for a little walk.”  Jesse told his dad as he walked into the office.

“Your mother is on the phone, talk to her.”  He said as he walked around the desk, picking up the phone and handing it to him.

“Hey mom, you already make it to Atlanta?”  He said not looking at the caller ID.

Jon quickly turned to face his son with an Oh Shit Wrong Mom face.

Chapter 87

They all just stood there, too shocked to answer. 

Lexie backed out of the room, she couldn’t breathe.  She had to get out of the house.  Not seeing anyone but the door, she passed Jesse, who had gone to get his brothers, he watched her walk out the door.

In Jon’s office the spell was broken when Lexie shut the door.

“I didn’t know she was there, honestly daddy.”  Stephanie eyes filled with tears.  “I would’ve never have said what mommy said.”

“Ah hell, this has been one fucked up day.”  Jon finally made a move to follow his wife.  The look on her face would haunt his mind.  He had seen her mad in the past, but never hurt.  In the back of his mind he vaguely remember seeing her hurt face earlier today at the hospital. “Ah hell.”  Jon came around the desk, thank God the pills were working and his pain was more of a nag then sharp pain.

Stephanie was already heading for the door.  Opening it she was stopped by Jesse.

“What did you two do to Mom?  She looked like she was trying not to cry.”  Jesse asked as he blocked them into the room.   “She’s been mumbling to herself since I got home from class with the mail.   I thought it was something in the mail, but it isn’t, right?”

“Jess, move out of the way, I have to go find her.”  Jon said as he pushed past.  “Did she leave the house?”  He knew the paps were out there, since they got home. If she went out there in tears, it would be all over the world in seconds.

“Where’s daddy going?”  Romeo asked Jesse and Stephanie.

“To find momma Lexie, she heard me talking to daddy about something Mommy asked me.”  Stephanie told her brother.  “She said dinner was ready, Jesse can you make sure they eat, I better help daddy.” 

“Come on Ro and Jakey.”  Jesse got the kid down the hall.

By the time Jon and Stephanie got down to the front door to the sidewalk, stopping to listen, there were no shouted questions.  Jon took a deep breath and stepped out the front door.  No Paps, no Lexie, he looked up the street and down. 

“She went to the park.”  Stephanie said heading off down the block.  What was she going to say to Lexie when she saw her?  She had told her mom that Lexie, spent lots of time with Romeo and Jake, that she and Lexie had gone shopping for her prom dress and she had even taken Jesse out to be fitted for his tux for prom, since Daddy was on the road.

“This is why I didn’t want your mom to contact you, she got a hell of a lot of money to stay out our lives.”  Jon told Stephanie.  “Your Momma Lexie gives more than she gets out of you kids.  She has canceled meet and greets, put off deadlines.  Your prom dress and Jess Tux she was supposed to be in Denver.”  Jon said as he walked slowly toward the park.  “Romeo and Jake, sports games, were her writing days, and don’t forget getting you to shoots and being your guardian for shoots.  When I got stuck in Scotland and couldn’t get back to take the Lacrosse team to that game in Indianapolis, Lexie covered for me when she was supposed to be at a writer’s weekend in LA.” 

“I never said we didn’t feel loved.  She had seven of us, sure the babies need her more, and Jess and I go in there to give her a break.”  Stephanie said as they got to the gate and looked around the park.  “I don’t see Snow, she wouldn’t leave the house without her.”

Jon walked into the park and the two of them split up to search the park.  Meeting back at the gate, they agreed she wasn’t in the park. 

“Where would she go if she’s not here?”  Stephanie asked her dad.

“Jess said she went out the door.  Maybe down to the coffee place, she went there and wrote while you all were in school and mom and Desiree were helping the nanny.  Let’s try there.”

The walked in the opposite direction from the townhouse. There were no Paps outside or inside.

“Damn Lex where are you.”  Jon said as they headed back to the townhouse.

Jesse was the first to ask about his momma when they came back in the house.

“Couldn’t find her?  Did you check to see if her car was in the garage?”  Jess asked. 

Jon checked the mudroom where her handbag usually stayed.  It was still on the hook, beside Snowballs leash and collar. He went back into the kitchen and watched the kids eat. 

“She couldn’t be in the car, her purse and keys are still here.”  Jon told his son.  “It’s like she poofed into thin air. We weren’t that far behind her.”

“What did you say to her?”  Jesse asked his sister.

“Why do you think it was me, it could’ve been daddy.”  Stephanie scolded her brother.

“Because you’ve been going behind their backs to see mom, and you have this mean streak lately when you think someone’s not listening.” Jesse told his sister.

“You knew she was doing this and you didn’t tell me?”  Jon was shocked at his older children. 

“You haven’t been here to tell.”  Jesse said as he cleared the plates off the table.  “I don’t think Mom knows, if she did, I think she would’ve said something to Steph.”

Stephanie looked up from her plate at her father. What Jesse said was true, their dad had been away, that’s why she felt safe speaking and visiting with her mom. Lexie was busy and she seemed to not care, as long as she wasn’t doing drugs.

“Why would she say anything to me, I’ll be eighteen soon and I can see and talk to whoever I like.”  Stephanie said as she snatched up her glass.

“So you think at almost eighteen, you can go against what we sat into plan at the old house?  Let me help you remember, right before Christmas, that when you mother took this money, and I never told you the amount, that she was not to have any interaction with the four of you.”  He looked around the room and the four of them, Jacob looked the most shocked, Romeo was sort of like a duck and water, and it just rolled off him.  Jesse, he and his stepmother had gotten on a more even keel, the Lacrosse trip brought them closer.  Now his daughter, she has tried and showed her sass since day one.  He thought they had bonded over the babies being born. But he now might be wrong, and he didn’t like to be wrong.

No one noticed that Romeo had made a spaghetti sandwich and wrapped it in a napkin and left the table.  Snowball followed her buddy as he walked out the door and went to the back stairs.  Sitting down on the top stair he handed the sandwich to his momma Lexie.

“Daddy’s yelling at sissy.”  Romeo ruffled Snowballs fur and looked up at Lexie.  He could tell she had been crying.

“Daddy doesn’t yell Romie, he discusses loudly.”  She unwrapped the sandwich.  “Skettie! My favorite, and you remembered the salad and dressing” Lexie took a bite.

“Just the way you like it.”  Romeo played on the steps with Snowball.  “Well he was discussing really loud.  My mommy wants to see Stephanie, and that’s all.  Stephanie been seeing mommy, and daddy said he paid her lots of money so you could be our mom.”

“How does that make you feel Romie?”  She took another bite and wished he had brought a bottle of soda or water.

“I want to be with you and daddy and Snowball.  I love you momma.” Romeo looked up at Lexie.

“I love you too Romie, and so does Snowball.”  Lexie sat the last bite of her sandwich on the step and wrapped her arms around Romeo.  “Just like I love Jakey and Jesse and Stephanie.  Just like I love Cullen and Maddy and Livie.”

“I know Momma.”  Romeo said as she hugged him.

She let him go as he hugged her back.  Picking up the half eaten sandwich she wrapped the last of it in the napkin.  Getting up, Lexie held her hand out to Romeo.

“Guess we better get back in there, before your daddy calls the police.”  She plastered a smile on her face and they headed back into the house.

“Yep, he was really mad, he and sissy went to look for you, I didn’t tell him about our hiding place.” He loudly whispered.

One of these days she would have to teach him how to whisper for real. Laughing they headed back to the front door.

Jon was reading the riot act to Jesse and Stephanie, he look around the table and noticed Romeo wasn’t at the table.  That got to him, he had never had to play the heavy in front of the younger two.   Then he heard the front door open and Snowball came running into the kitchen, followed by Romeo and Lexie.

“Where have you been?”  Jon asked the duo.

“I took momma a skettie sandwich.”  Romeo said as he walked past his father to feed Snowball her dinner.

“I had to go think.”  Lexie told him.

He could tell from her tone of voice not to push it in front of the kids.

“Do you three have homework to do?”  Lexie asked.  “By the way, Jake, I am very proud of your school report we got today.”  She walked over and held her palm out to him.

Jake looked up at her and smiled and gave her a low five.

“Thanks Mom.”  Jake told her.  “I got homework, can you check it for me?  I have to write a book report.”  He said as he got up with his empty plate and glass to take to load the dishwasher.

“Sure, anytime.”  Lexie said as she turned toward Jesse and Stephanie, not saying anything, just waiting.

Jesse got up and collected his dad’s plate and glass and headed to the kitchen, and then came and cleared his sister’s plate and glass.

“My turn to load the dishwasher.”  He said as he headed back to the kitchen.

That left Jon and Stephanie, both sat there watching Lexie walk into the kitchen and fixed a cup of coffee.  She took a deep breath and went back into the dining room. 

“Jonny, you want another cup, or are you ready for wine?”  She came to the doorway and asked.

“Wine please.”  He said as business as she sounded.  He looked over at Stephanie, who still sat at the table.

Stephanie could tell her parents wanted to talk, but she was the reason her mom had walked out, she was the reason she cried.

“Stephanie, would you like a coffee?”  Lexie asked her daughter. 

“Yes please, Mom.”  She noticed her mother was smiling but it wasn’t reaching her eyes. 

Bringing in the coffee pot and cup, she poured her daughter a cup of coffee.  Lexie went back to the kitchen for Jon his glass of wine.  Sitting down at the table she waited for one of them to start.

“Are you okay?”  Jon asked her.  He could tell she wasn’t, but he knew yelling wasn’t a smart move.

“I’m fine, hurt, but fine.”  Lexie said softly as she sipped her coffee.  “Do you know why I’m hurt?”  She looked at Stephanie.

Stephanie looked shocked, how had she hurt her?

“I told daddy what my mother ask me, you heard me tell him, but not my answer.”  Stephanie said as she looked right at.

“Did you tell her that I wanted you to allow her mother to be a part of your graduation, I knew you were meeting your mom?”  That got a shock look from both Stephanie and from Jon.

“You knew she was meeting her mother?”  Jon asked her.

“Here I thought I was being so careful.” Stephanie said them looked up at her dad.

“Robby saw you at the coffee shop and he knew what Dorothea looked like, so he told me he had seen you.  I figured it wasn’t the first time or the last time.”  Lexie said sipping her coffee.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”  Jon asked.  It was unlike Lexie to keep something about the kids to herself.

“You weren’t home, and what were you going to do from Europe?”  She looked at him.  “In fact I hinted as much several times, I asked what you thought about allowing Dorothea to be at the graduation.” 

“That was today as we were coming back from Polly.”  He told her. 

“Yes today, but like I said, she’ll be leaving for college in August and we won’t be making decisions for her.  It will be up to her, and since she’s been meeting up with Dorothea for a while, she’s made the decision for us.”  Lexie looked at Jon.

He had never heard Lexie talk like this.

“In fact the last time you called home, I think you and the band were in Paris, I said when you set all the adoption stuff up, what if she changed her mind and wanted contact.”  Lexie got up and went into the kitchen for more coffee.

Jon thought back to the call, he was looking out the window of the hotel at the Eifel Tower, wishing Lexie was there with him.  But, now that she brought it up, he did remember her asking about the adoption legalities were.  He told her the no contact between the kids and their mom, she had agreed to this.  He had soul custody of the kids. He should have asked her why she wanted to know about the adoption.

“I remember, I guess I didn’t think she would go behind our backs and do this.”  Jon said looking first at Lexie and then at Stephanie.

“If I had said I wanted to see mom, you would have gone ballistic just like you did right now.”  Stephanie said.  “That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

“But, why didn’t you say anything to me?  I would never have yelled at you.  I think that’s what hurt me the worse, you never trust me with important issues in your life.”  Lexie sat back down and reached across the table.  “I tried to talk to you, when we were in the park the other day.  Remember, I didn’t get ballistic, I never told your dad half of what we talked about.  I wanted to, but I didn’t and that undermines the trust between a husband and a wife.”  Lexie told Stephanie.  “Ever since your dad and I got together, you’ve shut me out more times than you let me in.  Hearing you repeat what Dorothea asked you, was a direct hit, a slap in the face to me.”

“I told her that you love us equally, that I love when I go to the conferences with you.  I am proud you’re my stepmom.  But, she will always be my mom, I can’t turn that off because a piece a paper says that you’re my mom now.”  Stephanie said, her voice breaking when she talked about Dorothea.

“I would never want you to cut off contact with your mom.”  Lexie told her. 

“But the contract she signed, the money she took.” Jon said.

“That was over five months ago.  I doubt she’s been seeing Dorothea for five months?”  She questioned looking at Stephanie.

“No, no it’s only been a few weeks, we met for coffee, and then we’ve had dinner.  She was more like a friend than a mom, kinda like when we go to the conferences.”  Stephanie told Lexie.  “Daddy, don’t be mad?”

Jon sipped his wine and thought about what they were saying.  True he wasn’t there most of their lives, now that he had full custody of the kids he has to be more hands on.  He can’t expect Lexie to handle all seven kids by herself, but, they had an agreement and Dorothea went against this agreement.  It wasn’t about the money, it’s about going against his contract. 

“I got to think on this, I really don’t know what to say.  We had a contract that she reneged on.” Jon sat his glass down.

“Contracts are for business, this is family, family with feelings.” Lexie said softly as she sipped her coffee.  Setting the cup down and she smiled at Stephanie.  “Go do your homework and let your dad and I talk.”

Stephanie started to say something, but nodded her head and got up from the table.  Grabbing her empty cup she went over and gave Lexie a hug.

“Thanks Mom.”  Stephanie rushed to the kitchen and then up to her room.

Once they were alone Jon took his wine and reached for her coffee. 

“Let’s go into the family room.”  Jon suggested.

“Let me go check on the trio, I’ll meet you in there.”  Lexie told him as she walked upstairs. 

Jon stood at the bottom of the steps and watched her walk up.  Something was still bothering him.  Where did she go and why was she still short with him, what did he do?

She was only up there long enough to help feed the babies and change into her workout clothes.  Snowball met her on the steps, and danced around her feet.

“Jon, Snow needs a potty break, want to join us.”  She walked to the mudroom and get Snowballs leash and harness.

“I guess,” Jon said meeting them in the foyer, “kinda wanted to talk.”  He said as he took the leash and they headed out and toward the elevator.

“Let’s go out the back, no paps out there.”  She said as she took Jon’s hand and led him to the back steps.  “Remind me to pick up my leftovers.”  They walked hand in hand down to the lower level and out the back entrance.

“Is that where you were that whole time?” Jon asked as they went along the alley way to the end of the block. 

“Well, I started to go down the elevator but I remembered the paps out there and just went and sat on the steps.” She kept her eyes on Snowball, who was stopping at every tree and paper box along the walk.

“How many times have you sat there since Romeo knew where you were?”  Jon asked as he looked down at her. 

“A few, it keeps me from haunting the nursery twenty four seven.” She looked up and smiled.  “It’s why we got a nanny to work with the trio, I go out there and write, so I don’t run in there at every whimper.”  She stopped when Snowball found just the right spot.  “It’s quiet and when Snow needs to go out, we can pop down the stairs to the alley way.”

“You don’t do that at night do you?”  Jon wasn’t sure he liked thinking of her out in the dark alley way.

“No Jess goes with me, and we usually don’t get far for her to do her business.  We sort of cleaned it up and added the potted plants and the herb garden.”  Lexie bent down and using the baggie from the leash, took care of Snows deposit.

“Okay, but don’t go out there alone please?” Jon asked her.

“I don’t, and I won’t.  When the boys are at activities I go out the front and brave the barrage of cameras.” She agreed with him.  “Are you feeling better?”  Lexie asked as they continued around the block. 

“Yeah,” Jon said as he held her hand as they walked.  “Did anything happen at the hospital, beside the email from the lawyers?  You’ve been quiet since we came home, even Jesse noticed, he said you were mumbling to yourself.”

“They gave you some really good drugs in the hospital, sort of like a truth serum drug.”  Lexie said as the noticed someone with a cell phone out taking their picture.  “Smile Jon.” She said through her teeth, her lips not moving.

Jon looked up and noticed the fan, damn one night he thought they could go out for a walk and not be spotted.  Plastering on his rock star smile, they walked on.  Then what she said sunk in.  What the hell did I say?