Chapter 83

Stephanie took the last hit off the joint and handed it to Marco to finish it.  She reached into her bag and pulled out her bottle of Patchouli, she had learned early that it covered the smell of pot.  She pulled out her lip gloss that had a strong strawberry taste, applied it in a thick layer and licked her lips.  Her friends at the local school she went to in Redbank had taught her well. Thinking back they were the reason she ended up at Polly Prep, Hell that was like out of the frying pan and into the fire. She thought, as she headed back into the arena.  It was dangerous, but the thrill of sneaking around behind her father’s back, and Lexie wouldn’t say anything, she was still worried about the trio.

Lexie was standing at the craft table with a bottle of water and her cell watching her babies sitting in bonce chairs and watching a Disney movie.  The nanny was sitting on the floor with them, switching camera’s to make sure she wasn’t asleep.  Out of the corner of her eye she watched Stephanie walk into the green room.

“Hey Lexie, how are the trio doing?”  Stephanie asked as she grabbed a bottle of water.

“Watching a movie.  Did you have a nice visit?”  Lexie watched Stephanie take a sip of water.

Nearly choking on her sip of water, Stephanie looked up at her.

“Jesse told me you went out to visit some friends you have on the crew.”  Lexie said as she smiled and then put her phone in her small cross body handbag Stephanie told her she needed to bring.

“Yeah, we grew up around a lot of these guys, it’s like a family, ya know?”  She put the cap on her water.

“That’s great.  When do were go down to our seats?”  Lexie asked, sort of letting the subject die.  She could see she shocked Stephanie.  She would let her stew a little.

“Oh we don’t have seats, didn’t dad show you where we stand?”  Stephanie went over and leaned on the back of Jesse seat. 

“He did, just never stood for a concert.”  Lexie told Stephanie.  “Better make a pit stop then before we had down.”  Lexie gave her the excuse to leave, just wishing she could hear what went on while she left the room.  Wonder is I left my phone on to do a video if it would still record, Lexie thought as she reached into her bag and took out her phone and sent it to record a video and sat it where the kids couldn’t see it.  She headed to the bathroom.

Stephanie waited until till Lexie was out of the room.  She reached over and smacked Jesse in the back of the head.

“What the hell was that for?” Jesse jumped out of the chair and turned on his sister.  Then it hit him, he took a deep breath, patchouli.  Getting an evil smile on his face he laughed.  “You get caught doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing?”

“I don’t know.”  Stephanie said flopping down in his chair.

“You reek of Patchouli, Lexie wasn’t born yesterday, and she went to college.  You think she doesn’t know you were,” he remembered where he was and knew if Romeo heard what he said he would tattle to his dad.  “You know what I mean?”

“I don’t know if she will or not.  Maybe she didn’t see anything.” She held up crossed fingers.

Lexie made sure she flushed the toilet and made a production about washing her hands and coming out of the bathroom.  She smiled at the kids and headed over to the craft table and picked up a cookie, just as Jon came in the door followed by the band and Matt.  Lexie snatched up her phone and ended the recording.

“Hey our magic weapon is here.”  Richie said as he wrapped his arms around Lexie and spun her in the air.

“Hey Mook, I have told you a hundred times, get your hands off my wife.”  Jon yelled over Lexie’s giggles.

Richie put her down and David got his in, picking her up and spinning her around too.

“Lemma, not you too, get your own woman.”  Jon yelled again.

He gave Hugh and Tico the stink eye, they held up their hands and backed up.

David let her drop to her feet and Jon grabbed her hand and pulled her close.  Lexie slipped her phone into her back pocket, before she dropped it.  She really didn’t want to say anything until she knew what she was up against.

They spent time in the green room until Matt said it was time for Lexie and Stephanie to head down to the area they would stand in. 

They were walking down to the backstage area, just before they got to the pit area where the press stood, Stephanie took her hand and stopped her.

“We’ll be with you in a minute Uncle Matt.”  Stephanie told her uncle.  She turned to Lexie, “Are you going to tell daddy what you saw?”

Lexie thought on the answer, they had gotten closer since the wedding and the hospital stay, should she blow it now?

“You tell me, should I? I heard what he said about your graduation party.” Lexie sent the question back at her.

“It’s up to you, it was a slip up, they handed it to me, and I didn’t think a few hits would hurt.”  Stephanie said making it sound like so normal, a casual thing between friends.  “If I promise not to do it again, will you keep it between just us?”

“You mean the three of us, I assume Jesse knows?”  Lexie asked, knowing she had proof on her cell phone.

“Alright the three of us.”  Stephanie sighed.

“If you two don’t come on you’ll have to wait to go out.”  Matt walked back giving Lexie a questioning look.

“Be right there Matt, we’ll discuss this later Steph.”  Lexie told her, as once again they joined Matt. 

Matt left them near the side of the stage and took made his way back to walk Jon and the band.

Lexie was remembering what it looked like empty, turning she look up at the arena almost full, there were a few in the back still empty.  Several flashes caught her eye, they had been recognized. She looked over at Stephanie to see how she was reacting.  She just seemed to be ignoring it.  Lexie was used to being friendly with her fans, this was hard.

She didn’t have long to think before the lights went out and something was pushed into her hand.  Looking down she found a pair of earplugs.  Quickly cringing at the decibel the screams climbed to, she knew her husband was taking the stage.

She stood mesmerized by the way he strutted around the stage and hearing the screams grow, if that was possible, when he shook his ass for them.  She was so into the concert she never noticed Matt had joined them.  She jumped when he touched her shoulder and motioned for her to follow him.  Thinking that it was a short show she followed Matt, who walked her to the side of the stage. 

She stood there for a while, from this point, she could see almost see the back of the arena.  The audience was into the music and clapping, waving their arms and singing at the top of their lungs. 

All of a sudden the music changed to Bed of Roses.  She watched him close his eyes and sing, just like he did at their wedding reception. She was getting into the music, swaying and humming along.  Lord knows, she couldn’t sing, she could hardly carry a tune in a basket.  It wasn’t until he was standing in front of her, she watched him hold out his hand to her.  She reached out and placed her hand in his, just like she did when they were married.  Blanking out everything around them, they swayed to the music. All too soon he leaned her back and gave her a kiss and walked her off the stage back to Matt.

Matt took her hand and looked at Jon and mouthed green room, to which Jon nodded in agreement.  As they walked off, he headed back to center stage and finished the song.  He knew Matt would come back for Stephanie, so one song latter he gave an audible for I’ve Got the Girl.

“You know the good Lord blessed me with two more girls, we all evened up, till my new youngest son swung the balanced back to us men.”  He walked to the edge of the stage and sat down.  He knew she would get the hint, but she didn’t he put down the mic and motioned for her to come over.  Security helped her hop up to sit beside him.  Picking the mic back up he looked out at the audience, this was something he never did before.  “She’ll always be my baby girl, even when she’s older.”  The band started I’ve Got the Girl.

He sat there singing to Stephanie, at one point giving her the stink eye when he inhaled the scent of heavy patchouli.  He would have to be the bad guy when he got back to the hotel.  She had been warned.  All the while singing, he did a mental check and at the end of the song sang, “I’ve got the girls.” A picture flashed of Stephanie sitting in a rocker with Livie and Maddy.  It flashed just a second, but the screams were deafening.

Matt came back, just in time to help Stephanie jump down from the stage, after Jon gave her a peck on the cheek.

Lexie checked on the boys and then the trio, she headed to the bathroom to also listen to the recording.  She heard all she needed to, listening to Jesse and Stephanie talking.  Then she wondered if Jesse had sent her out to catch his sister.

When she came out, Stephanie had joined them.  It wasn’t long till Matt came to send them back to the limo, and onto the hotel. They had the whole floor for the band members, Jon had the presidential suite.  There was a center living room, with a mini kitchenette bar area, and two bedrooms.  She got the kids settled and came back to the bar and got out glasses and a bottle of wine, pulling out the opener and drawing the cork, she would let it breathe till Jon got here.  Going back to the fridge she got out her bottle of Pepsi.  She was about to turn on the television when the door opened and Jon walked in.

“Stephanie Rose, my room now.” Jon’s voice broke the silence in the room.  “I’ll need something stronger, is there jack in there?”  He was so pissed at his daughter to defy his rule and smoked pot.  Jon headed to his room and then came back to the door waiting on Stephanie to join him.

Chapter 82

Jon sat there stunned, that last bit of news came straight out of left field.  He was finishing his second glass of wine when Lexie came down.  He was lost in his thoughts and private demons. 

Lexie went over to the bar and pulled out of bottle of water and sat down on the sofa.

“Penny for your thoughts.”  Lexie asked as she sipped her water.

He didn’t know what to say, the problems with Stephanie started before Lexie ever came into his life.  He didn’t want to burden her with what they had been through.  The fact that Stephanie could be doing drugs again shocked him.  They had gone through this mess back when he and Doro split, and being tossed between parents, she let her friends talk her into smoking pot, pot had led to pain killers and other drugs.  They had gone through therapy as a whole family.  But after the divorce, he thought things were getting better.

“Just glad to be home.”  He sat the empty wine glass down.

“Glad you’re home too.”  She watched the shadows cross his face.

He got up from the chair and moved over to the sofa and sat beside her.  Pulling her into his lap he sighed.

“I have missed you so much.”  He leaned her back in his arms and set his lips to hers.   He lowered her till her back was to the sofa, his lips never left hers. His tongue plundered her mouth.  His hands worked the shirt up, groaning when he felt the front closure of her bra.  Freeing her lush breast, his thumbs pulled and pinched her nipples into begging points. Lexie arched her back at this assault on her body.  Lexie let Jon take what he wanted from her body.  There, in the family room, on the sofa he had her withering and sweating and moaning, screaming his name.

“Wow.”  Lexie finally said.  This was the first time they had made love since the trio was born.  “Maybe it’s true what they say.”  Looking up at her husband.

“What’s that Lex?”  Jon eased off her as their hearts went back to normal, and stood up.  Hell, they were still half dressed.  Her jeans and panties were around her ankles and her shirt was somewhere on the floor.  His shirt must have landed somewhere near hers and his jeans were around his hips. They had gone at it like randy teenagers. 

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” She sat up and watched him pull up his pants.  “That and the sex is off the chart.”

That caught him as funny.  He lost it when he saw her holding in the laughter.

“I love you Lex.”  Jon laughed.

“I love you too, Jon.” She joined in his laughter.

They interviewed four people for a nanny to the trio and to watch the older four.  They both agreed that Robbie’s friend would be the best. They had Helen sign contracts not to publish pictures of any of the kids.  The standard confidentiality contract, she would answer to Lexie, unless she broke the contract, than she would answer to Matt Bongiovi and the lawyer.

She would watch the trio, while Lexie and the older kids went to the Philly show, they sat up a daybed in the trio’s room, when she stayed overnight.

This was the first time Lexie had left the triplets and to spend the night away from them was going to be really hard.  Hell walking out the door of the townhome was torture.

“Mom, you have the nanny cam you can watch the trio from there.”  Stephanie said as they headed toward Philly. Randy had picked them up and loaded their bags and they were on the way.

Lexie sat back for the ride, but kept her cell in her hand.  Checking ever so often.

“Mom, is this your first time to see Daddy in concert?”  Stephanie asked looking up from her Ipad.

“My first time as his wife, but I have been to one concert.  He inspired me to make my main character in his likeness.” She laughed.  “I had been tossing around some ideas, my friend took me to the concert, and we sat near the stage.  The lights came on and I was like that’s him, he’s perfect.”  She remembered about pulling her friends arm out of the socket.  The girls around her were screaming Jon’s name and all she could think of was she had her Max.

“Well, Uncle Matt will give us our laminates and we can either stay in the dressing room or go out and sit in the secured area.”  Jesse told her.  “I usually keep up with those two,” He pointed to his brothers.  “Uncle Tony usually sets up the Wii for us.”

“We can go out and watch the concert.” Stephanie told her.

Jon stood on stage for sound check, he had been told that is family was on the road.  He didn’t rush the sound check, they had been hitting everything spot on, so they were due for a screw up.

“No broken strings tonight Rich, you better not snap one.” Jon yelled as he watched Richie do the lead in for Born To Be My Baby.

Richie rolled his eyes.

“You gonna jinx me Jon, haven’t broken one in three months.”  He stopped playing.

“Just have’m checked before tonight.”  Jon looked down at his teleprompter the words Breathe came up.  “And now we have heard from the peanut gallery.” 

Tico gave him a rim shot and David laughed.  Jon threw up his hands and walked off stage.

The car pulled into the arena parking lot and around to the artist entrance, Lexie’s heart raced a little faster.  They had not only made love on the sofa but twice before he had to leave for Philly, but it felt like she still needed more. 

Matt met them at the door.

“Hey Lex, now that you’re here maybe big brother will relax.”  Matt said as he handed her the laminate for her neck and the pass to go on her jean leg.

“Hey I did my best this morning.”  Lexie teased with her brother in law.

They followed Matt to the green room and he got the kids settled with the craft table and the video games.  He took Lexie to Jon’s dressing room.

Knocking she waited on him to answer the door.  It opened a little crack and a hand reached out and pulled her into the room

“Shhhhhh don’t tell my wife you’re here.”  He backed her to the closed door and put his lips to hers.  When they got their fill of each other he let her come into his room.  “Stan is gonna be mad at you,” Jon laughed. “He’s gonna have to really stretch me out tonight.”

Lexie licked her still tingling lips.  She watched him go over to the massage table.  Taking a deep breath she got that special smile when she watched her husband walk away.

“Hey, you were awfully limbered up last night, we left feet prints on the ceiling.”  She follows him to sit on the massage table and swings her feet.  “So this is your dressing room.”  She looked around.

“Yep” Jon said as he turned on the cool mist vaporizer, then went to the fridge and pulled out two mini bottles of water, and tossed her one.

“Kind of dark and plain.  Not what I expected.”  Lexie said as she sipped her water.  “I guess it’s relaxing, is that rosemary in that thing.” 

“Yeah it helps my voice.  Once I get stretched out I’ll show you the quick change room, it’s under the stage, and light and I have the picture David took of us and the kids on the steps and the one from our wedding.”  He sat beside her and took her hand in his.  “I’m glad you came.”

“Me too, this is my first concert as your wife.”  She admitted.  “I have to admit, there was only one.  I had this idea in my head to write an adult book, but I couldn’t grasp the male lead character. My friend had an extra ticket and you walked out of the stage, well Max had changed my world.”

“Then I’m glad I had a little part in your books, because Max sort of brought us together.”  He reached over and patted her knee. 

Stan finally can in and Lexie moved off the table and watched as Stan pulled Jon one way or the other, Pops and snaps came from Jon’s limbs.  When Stan was sure Jon was ready to take the stage he let him up from the table. 

“I might have some use for Stan, after a long writing challenge to go and untie my pretzel back.”  Lexie told Jon and Stan.

“I’ll be happy to pull out the kinks for you Mrs. Bongiovi.” Stan told Lexie, as he was packing up.

Jon wrapped his arms around Lexie from the back and gave Stan the stink eye.

“Keep your paws off my woman Stan, I don’t share my wife.”  Jon grabbed her hand and ushered her out of the room.  Laughing he took her to the stage.

Standing on the center of the stage, looking out to where the fans will be.  Lexie took a deep breath.

“You face this every night?  How far can you see when the lights are down and you’re in the spotlight.”  Lexie asked him.

Coming up behind her and putting his arms around her and put his chin on her shoulder.

“Not as far as I used to, that’s why in Wanted during seen a million faces, we throw on all the lights and let all the fans be seen.”  He told her quietly.  “I’ll be able to see you and Steph, Matt says you’ll be down here.”  He pointed to the area between the rail and the stage. “You’ll be with the press and the radio people.”

“I can’t wait.” She sighed.  Looking where she and Stephanie were going to be and the fans.  They haven’t been really supportive of her with Jon.  She had been told by Carol that even when Dot and Jon had been first married, Dot had received some death threats.  One fan even set fire to the fence at the house they had on Somerset.  She had an uneasy feeling.

“Hey Jon, we have a tour group coming in, you and Lexie, might want to head backstage.”  Came Matt’s voice came over the PA.

Jon touched his earpiece, “We’re going to quick change and then we’ll head to the green room.”

“Okay, just giving you two the heads up.”  Matt let them know.

“Come on, be careful on the steps.”  Jon took her hand and they headed to his quick change.  “Here it is.”

It looked like the inside of a tent with no roof.  It was in essence four curtains hung from the ceiling, there was an old makeup table and chair.  Blow dryers were plugged into a huge drop cord, on a little table sat an industrial coffee urn with hot tea and the mug that Romeo made for him in school.  There was a clothes rack with several shirts hung up. Their wedding picture and the one of the kids on the steps with the trio, were hung from along with the curtains.

“This is nice, how long do you have down here?”  Lexie asked him, making a circuit of the room,

“One song.”  He moved the brush over a little.  “Richie does his solo and I come down, blow the hair a little.” He checked to see if the blow drier was plugged in. “Holly helps me, her husband is a roadie.”

Lexie turned and watched him, wondering if he feels the same way she felt when he invaded her writing area? 

“We better head back before we’re stuck.”  Lexie went over and took his hand. 

By the time they got back to the green room, Jon had to go do an interview and Lexie went in search of Stephanie.  Jesse told her she was possibly outside with some of the roadies that she knew from past tours.  She followed Jesse’s directions and pulled up short when did see Stephanie, who was standing with a group of roadies.  One of the roadies passed her what to Lexie thought was a joint.  Backing up, Lexie headed back into the arena.  Should she tell Jon or wait until she can talk to Stephanie.  Her mind screamed give her the benefit of the doubt, but she remembered what Jon said the other day about her birthday party last year.  She knew what Pot smelled like from college, and she knew even if you don’t smoke it, you can get a contact high, and the smell lingers on your clothes. She was so torn.

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.

Chapter 80

Jon rolled off the sofa, it was dark with the blackout drapes shut.  Flicking on the lamp he was lost at first, he didn’t recognize this hotel?  Then it hit him he was home, the new home, and the trio was upstairs.  He remembered finally getting everyone fed, bathed and bedded.  His parents had headed home and the older kids had homework and were in bed, he hoped.  Checking the alarm system and the doors he headed upstairs.  Checking on the older kids, he found them sound asleep.  He stopped at the trio’s room and smiled.  Through the closed door he could here Lexie singing softly to whoever was in her arms.  Not wanting to cause a commotion he eased the door open and just watched.

“If you’re going to stand there looking you might want to come grab a bottle and a baby before all three of them are up.”  She sang to Jon as she rocked a baby girl, by the looks of it Maddie.  Livie could be heard cooing in her bed and their brother was lightly snoring.  “Like father like son.”  Lexie sang in a sing song style.

Jon came into the room and went to the crib and eased Livie up to his chest.  He one handed pulled the rocker over by Lexie.  He went to the warmer and plucked a pink bottle out, settled in the crook of his arm, Jon got situated in the rocker and began to feed his daughter.  He hummed as he rocked.  It’d been nine years since he rocked and fed a baby.

“The rocker in a rocker.”  Lexie sang and giggled.

“Like riding a bike, you never forget.”  He chuckled at her dig.

“I think we should park that bike.” She lifted Maddy onto her shoulder for her bubble.

“Me or you?”  Jon knew this was coming.  He and Dorothea had talked about it, but that was all it had amounted to, talk.

“Either, it would be easier for you, for me it would mean more surgery.”  She kept rubbing Maddie’s back. 

“True, outpatient, all in one day.”  Jon told her as he had all the information somewhere in the boxes in his office.  “If that’s what you want.”

“Well, you know how I am with pills.”  That got a chuckle out of him and her.  “Don’t you think seven kids is enough?” She asked him.

“I’ll take care of it.”  He said as Cullen woke up and decided he needed to eat too.  Just as Lexie was getting out of the rocker the nursery door opened and Stephanie came in.

“I thought I heard someone wake up.”  She went over to Cullen’s crib and picked up her baby brother.  Taking him to the changer she got a fresh diaper on him, then grabbed his bottle and sat in the third rocker.

“Thanks Steph, we were trying to be quiet.”  Lexie explained. She got up and changed Maddy and put her back in the bed.

“Well, I got up to go to the bathroom and heard voices.”  Stephanie said as she fed her brother.  “Boy it’s been a while since I did this.”  She said looking up at her dad.

“It’s like riding a bike.”  He and Lexie said at the same time, and then laughed.

Jon’s three days home went fast, and soon he was heading out.  The next time they would all be together would be the Philly show and Maddison Square Garden shows.  Lexie was getting used to being the mother of seven kids.  There was always a school function or a teachers meeting to attend.  Lexie was writing when she could.  The elder Bongiovi’s helped out with the trio, Stephanie and Jesse were also a big help.

The older kids were in school and Lexie had just gotten the three on a quilt on the floor of the living room while she finally got lunch.

“Okay give your momma a break, huh?” Lexie took a bite of her sandwich and reached for the remote.  TMZ was on and the topic of the day was of all people Jon Bon Jovi.  They caught him coming out of a restaurant with another woman.

“Jon Bon Jovi was seen coming out of a restaurant with a cute little blonde, not his writer wife who is home raising his seven kids.”  The announcer said.  Lexie sat up a little straighter on the floor.  She reached for her phone.

Jon was doing sound check and had left his phone on vibrate.  He ignored the first text, then the second, and by the eighth text he stopped sound check.

“Hang on a guys, take ten. My phone seems to have a case of the runs.”  Jon said and he headed to the side of the stage.

“Good, I think it’s contagious, my phone is going crazy.”  Richie said, handing the double neck to his tech.

They all took a break while Jon and Richie took the calls in their phones.

Richie pulled up the first text.

“Holy Shit, Hey Kidd you got ta see this.”  He headed back across the stage.

Jon noticed two text from his mom, three from Stephanie, two from Jesse and even one from Carlotta.  He noticed a missed call from Lexie.  His wife was a writer, but would call and leave a message instead of jotting down a text.

“Hey Jon, the trio says hi.  Did you have a nice dinner last night?”  Lexie’s voice came over the speaker of his phone.

Richie rounded the corner holding out his phone.

“You better look at this.”  Richie handed him the phone.

Jon looked at the screen of Richie’s phone.

“Ah hell, that explains all the text and the call.  This is gonna take a while.” He told Richie as he headed to his dressing room.

Lexie changed the channel and put it on a kid’s music channel as she sat on the floor with the trio.  Her phone started to ring, checking the caller ID she saw it was Jon.

“Hey, how’s Dallas?”  She said trying to sound happy.

“Its Dallas,” He leaned on the wall and tried to bring up the subject.

“Well, you’ll be home soon.”  She watched Cullen scoot to the edge of the quilt.  “Cullen is the daredevil of the trio, think he’s gonna crawl before his sisters.”

“That’s great, ah Lex, Richie showed me the thing on last night.”  That’s it Jon, jump in shark infested water with both feet.  Pushing off the wall he headed toward his dressing room.  He still had the set list to write, sound check was screwed.

“And?”  Lexie reached over and caught Cullen before he bumped into the chair.

“I just opened the door for her, I was with Richie and Lemma.”  He stumbled over the words, he had a sudden feeling he had been down this route before. 

“Okay, thank you for telling me.” Lexie finally put Cullen in his bouncy seat.

“It’s the truth babe, I was laughing at something Richie said to the blonde and I really didn’t think anyone was out there, they must have used telephoto lens.”  Jon babbled.

“Jon come up for air, I believe you.”  Lexie laughed.  She looked at the trio, she had one in a seat the other two to go.

Jon stopped in his tracks. 

“You do?”  He asked her, not sure if she was teasing or not.

“Of course I do, blondes are more Richie’s thing than yours hon.” She reached for Livia and got her settled.

Jon started to laugh.

“All the text messages from the family, Richie got an alert from Google, and you aren’t busting my balls for being caught with a strange blonde.”  Jon got out through his laughter.

“Should I be busting your balls for something?” She stopped with a baby mid seat. 

“No, no I haven’t done anything.” Jon stopped laughing.  “Anything special you want on the set list tonight?”  He changed the subject really fast.

“Nice save there Bongiovi.”  She laughed as she put Maddy in her seat.  “’I’ll tell you one not to play.”  She told him getting and laugh.

“What’s that?”  He laughed with her.

“I’ve got the girl.”  She got out though her laughter.

“Oh Lex, that is so bad.”  Jon laughed. They talked a little longer about what was going on with the kids and Jon had to get the set list and a little more sound check in before the show that night.

“I know you have to go, I love you Jonny.”  She said when he had to get off the phone.

“I’ll be home in a few days, we’ll lock the doors and close the world out.”  Jon said softly, this tour was harder than the ones in the past, he missed his family.

“That sounds so nice.”  She didn’t want to hang up, these little calls made it better, but she really missed him.

“I got to go babe, I love you.”  Jon said as he finished the call.  There came a knock on the door.  “Yeah.”  Jon hollered for whoever came to check on him.

The door opened and Richie stuck his head in the door and held his breath.

“Things okay on the home front?”  Richie asked Jon as he came and in the usual Richie fashion, flopped down in the chair facing the sofa Jon was on.

“Yeah, surprisingly, great.”  Jon picked up the pen on the table by what would be the set list for tonight.  “She said blondes were more your thing than mine.” He chuckled.  He reached for the paper and jotted down a few songs.  “Think this is the longest tour we’ve ever done.”  Jon tossed the paper and pen on the table and sighed.

“Oh course it seems that way, between the wedding, the trio, jetting to and from for the birth and them coming back, I don’t know how you are doing it?”  Richie sat forward and reached for the set list. “Good list.”  He looked up at Jon.

“I don’t know how I am doing it either.”  He leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling.  “I want to be home, with Lexie and the kids, then I get home and I get the itch to be back on the stage.  It’s ruined one marriage I don’t want it to ruin this one.”

“So we take some time off, Ava wants me home more, and I got these songs.”   Richie knew Jon was lost in his own mind. 

Jon hadn’t tuned Richie totally out, he know Richie had wanted to work on a new solo album, he felt the tension building in him.  That usually meant he was falling off the wagon again, but so far this tour his drinking was under control.  Maybe they needed a break, he knew Matt was ready to be home as much as Jon was.  Tony and his dad were working on the family sauce, like the family coffers needed more money, but it kept them busy.

There was a knock on the door.  Matt didn’t wait to be told to come in, taking in the vibe in the room, he knew he was walking into a sticky situation.

“If we are scrapping the rest of sound check, you two have a phone interview in about an hour. I had craft service set up, if you’re hungry.” 

He looked from Richie to Jon, Richie gave him the hunched shoulders, meaning he had no idea what was up with Jon.

Chapter 79

Lexie was on first name basis with all the Neonatal staff, she would spend much of her day with the trio. Stephanie would come after school to spend time with the trio.  Jesse would bring his brothers with their grandparents.  Jon was either at the hospital with Lexie, or he would be with Stephanie looking at larger townhomes in the area.  He would bring pictures of the places. 

Today Lexie was going home.  Jon was there early, they both went down to visit the trio.  Maddy and Livie were almost at five and a half pounds, Calen was a little slow.  They kept changing his formula, they had even thought he would take to her breast, but that didn’t work either.  Finally one of the older nurses came in with something he took to. 

“My son had the same problem, he finally hit on canned milk with sugar in it.” He joked, “Your little Calen is starting to put on some pounds.”  Nurse Henry told Lexie.

The day she was to go home, Jon found her in the Neonatal Unit.  Maddy and Livie were moved to a warming bed, they would come home once they hit six pounds, fingers crossed it would be by the end of the month.  If Calen kept packing on the pounds he would come a long with his sisters.

“I’ll be back tomorrow to see you guys.”  They let her sit in the rockers to hold Maddy.  “You have your daddy’s smile little girl.  Were you the one who tried to kick my kidneys all through the night?”  She kissed the top of her head.  All too soon Maddy was replaced with Livie.  “Look at all those curls.”  She ran her fingers through the dark curls.  “Daddy’s gonna have to beat the boys off with a stick.”  Soon Calen was in her arms, that was when Jon walked in.

“I thought I would find you in here.” He went over to the other rocker by her.  “Jesse is getting your bag.  Hey little boy.”  He reached for his son.   Your big brother Romey can’t wait till you’re home.  He wants to teach you football.” Jon kissed the top of his head.

“Did Mitzy hear anything about that six bedroom house?”  Lexie watched Jon count Calen’s toes and fingers.

“Yeah, the family wanted to know who the buyer was, she wouldn’t tell them since they would up the cost.” Jon rocked Calen.  “We’ll get the keys, it needs paint and carpet.  Mitzy called the decorator we meet her at the place.”

“So we’re meeting them on the way home?”  Lexie got up and went over and looked at her girls.

“Yep.”  Jon let the nurse take Calen and he went over and put his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder looking down.  “They’ll be home before we know it.”

“I know, it’s just so hard.”  She sniffed. 

They headed out, past the paps, to the waiting car.  They headed into the city and by the new house.  Getting out of the car Lexie looked up at the façade.  “We own the whole building?”  Mitzy met them in the foyer.

“Welcome home.”   Mitzy handed Jon the keys. She introduced the Bongiovi’s to the security doorman.  Then they headed to the elevator.

“We own the top two floors, similar to the SoHo home, just extra bedrooms.”  Jon explained as they rode up to their floor.  There was a small foyer to the door.   He opened the door and let her walk in.  Mitzy introduced them to the decorator she had arranged to redo the house.  Marie was an older woman, she had spray cans in her hands.

“Congratulations on your new house.  These are for you, I was told Jon wanted open floor plan. “Marie said as she shook her spray can up.  “If we agree on the walls coming down, we’ll mark and with an X.”

They walked through downstairs marking walls to come down.  Then they moved upstairs, to the bedroom floor.  They started with the kid’s room.  The older kids would have their own rooms.  Romeo had requested his little brother room with him.  Lexie had told him once Calen got older that would work out, but until then the trio would share a room.  Then they moved into the master bedroom.

“Wow, what a view.”  Lexie walked over to the window.  Thinking back to when she moved into Jon’s townhome from her little walk up was a big adjustment, this took her breath away.

“You said you needed Lexie’s office up here.  The walk in closet is here and we can place her desk over here.”  Marie told her.

Lexie looked at the spot she would place her desk.  It was a step up from her closet office.  She would have a window looking out toward the financial district.  There would have to be a black out shade, so Jon could sleep.

“I think that looks great, it’s temporary.”  Lexie told Marie.  Lexie watched Jon.  He seemed to agree.

“We’ll start on the downstairs today, we should be through when the triplet’s come home.” Marie said as they went back downstairs.  Jesse had waited on them in the car, he had already seen the place when he went with his dad and sister.

Jon thanked Marie and the two of them headed back down to the lobby.  Lexie was starting to get tired, and he could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice.  He got her back to the SoHo house and into bed, before she dropped. 

Jon brought her up the lunch that Carlotta made.  Carlotta agreed to go to the SoHo house to help the new mommy.  Jon bumped the door open to find Lexie sitting up in bed working on her iPad.

“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”  He carried the tray over to the bed.

“I got an idea so I jotted it down, yum that smells good.”  She sat the tablet down and took the tray.  “Seems like there is enough to share.”  She balanced the tray and patted the bed beside her.  Jon toed off his shoes and crawled into bed with her.  “When do you go back out?”  She picked up half the sandwich and took a small bite.

“In a week, we head west. “He said before he took a bite of his half.  “Lots of one nighters, about two months, but I’ll be here to bring the trio home.”  He finished his part of the sandwich and took a sip of her juice.

“Your mom and dad said they would come and stay with me until you finish tour.”  She finally finished her half and downed the juice.

“Steph and Jesse will be here to help also.”  He took the tray and sat it on the floor and pulled her close.

“Jon, they have school and need to sleep.”  She cuddled close.  “They offered and I know I’ll need them.”  She yawned.

“Sleep the kids will be here soon.”  He held her until she was asleep, then went down to see the kids.

They spent most of Jon two weeks off between the hospital and the new townhome.  Each of the kids had an idea for their rooms.  Romeo and Jake were sharing a room and they would have a half wall so each of them had their own space.  Jesse wanted a sports room, and Stephanie wanted a more modern bedroom to go with her fledgling modeling career.

Lexie watched Jon take off from Teterboro airport, it was hard, and those two weeks went by so fast.  Between the hospital and the new house, she would miss him so much.  She went by the hospital and held the trio.  Once they were home, Jon had wanted David Bergman to do their first family portraits.  Gifts had been dropped off at the hospital for the trio from fans all over the world.  She opened them all after they had been x-rayed.   Many of the gifts were donated to many of Jon’s charities.  It was the same with all the kids, in the hospital.  They were moved in an area for the three of them.  Reporters and photographers had been sneaking on the floor and into the unit to see the trio. One more week or two and they would go to their new home.  The driver dropped Lexie off at the emergency entrance, she told Joe that she would call him when she was ready to go to the new house.

Lexie walked along the hallways, onto different elevators that other guest of the hospital were never told about.  Lexie walked into the Neonatal Unit and pulled on all her covers and washed her hands.  She wasn’t sure about the mask.  The Charge nurse checked her bracelets, she had three of them, one for each baby.

Maddison and Olivia were being washed so she went to get Calen.  He was on his back like a turtle moving his arms and legs.  Nurse Nance said that Calen almost flipped over this morning.

“Momma’s little boy is on the move after being cramped by his big sisters.”  Lexie teased her son.  Picking him up in her arms she moved to the rocker.  “Your daddy is out making women scream to pay for you and your sisters and your brother’s college tuition. “  She laid him on her legs and looked down at the little face that had his daddy’s eye, nose and chin.  “You got some of the good parts of your dad, his little mini me, like your big brother Jakey.”  She held his little hands and pulled out her phone and snapped pictures of him smiling and giving his momma duck lips.  Soon it was Calen’s turn to be weighed, measured and bathed.  Maddie was brought to Lexie first.  Her big blue eyes taking in all that was going on around her.  She paid attention to what her mother was saying about her new room at the new house. Then it was Olivia’s time with her momma.  Lexie passed one over for the other.  Olivia was going to look just like her mom.  Dark brown curls and hazel green eyes and her grand momma Maddison’s nose and that too was like her momma.  She had been there about an hour and a half when Stephanie came in.  Jesse followed his older sister into the unit.  He went right for Calen and watched the nurse bathe him and then Jesse took the bottle to feed Calen.

“Have you two been to the new place yet?”  Lexie asked them.

“No, we wanted to go with you.  Jake and Rome’s rooms were done just the furniture to be brought over. Mine and Jesse’s were a little harder.  I wanted my bed suspended from the ceiling and Jesse finally decided on his is paint and poster.”  She lifted held Maddison on her lap.  “I didn’t know he was wanting all this Notre Dame stuff.”   

“Jess, you want to play sports for Notre Dame?  I thought you might go Princeton or U Penn, I would never thought Notre Dame.”  Lexie asked Jesse as she put Olivia on her lap and rubbed her back.

“I talked to dad when we went to the cabin this summer, the scouts came out and talked to us at school and Dad attended the meeting.  They really want me to go on the team as a walk on freshman.”  Jesse told his mom.  “But I got this year and senior year, get these two football seasons over, the scouts will come to different games, the Lacrosse team wants me too.”

“Wow Jess that’s great.  I’m so proud of you, and you too Stephanie, your dad told me that you’ve got two shows coming up.   It was hard on me being laid up and not being able to help you, take you to tryouts.” Lexie felt the tears well up.  She had days like this when she was pregnant.  They had warned her about postpartum depression and what to look for. 

“My friends took me and then dad went with me.  It was easier with you or my friends, they seemed to be more interested in him than me.”  Stephanie took the bottle from the nurse and started to feed Olivia.  “The three of them don’t look anything alike.”  She said as the baby ate.

“They have their own personalities too.  I think it’s great they don’t look alike.”  Jesse said as he burped his brother.  “Calen looks a little like Jakey did when he was born.  But, you can tell his eyes are gonna change.”

“What do you mean Jess?  I think he looks just like your dad.”  Lexie asked him.

“Well, his eyes are getting lighter, when I saw him the first time they were dark blue like daddy and Jakey, now they are lighter.”  He sat Calen up and finished the bottle.

“Yeah they are getting lighter.”  Stephanie told her.

They were heading to the new townhome.  Letting themselves in; the walls were down and the kitchen was almost finished, the drapes were up and the new furniture was set up.  They went upstairs and split at the hall to look at the rooms.  Lexie headed to the nursery first, opening the door she smiled the room was perfect it was a pale mint green the cribs were white.  Three rockers sat by the windows.  The teddy bears that Lemma and Richie sent were in the crib.  Over each crib the baby’s names were painted on the walls. 

“Wow, this looks great.”  Stephanie said as she and Jesse walked into the room. 

“It does look great.”  Lexie said as she went over and sat in one of the rockers.  Stephanie and Jesse sat in the other two.  “These will come in handy at 2am feedings.”

“Ah man, how did I forget the two in the morning feedings?”  Jesse slapped his head with his palm.

Stephanie and Lexie laughed.

Jon flew into Teterboro and then grabbed a chopper to the city, the trio was coming home.  Lexie had sent him text and videos of the babies and the house.  He couldn’t wait to sleep in his own bed, even if it was for a short three days then he would be back at his day job.  He walked into the hospital and met Lexie outside the room with the babies.  He had brought David Bergman to capture it all for him, he couldn’t mess with it.  All he wanted to do was get his family home.

Lexie met him in the hallway, she just fell into his arms.

“I’ve missed you so much.” She told him between kisses.

Jon just held her while she welcomed him home.  David caught a few pictures of them before they were joined by his parents.  After all the photos the kids they were soon headed down to the cars.  Jon made sure the car seats were installed right.  Soon they were sneaking out of the emergency exit, no Paps.  Lexie kept checking to make sure someone wasn’t following them. They pulled up at the new house, they older four were waiting in the living room.  There was cake and party food, the trio went into their room and around ten at night, monitor in hand Lexie and Jon finally set down exhausted. 

“I’m so glad they’re home.”  Lexie said as she curled up beside Jon on the sofa as they watched the city lights flicker in the huge windows. 

“I’m glad I got to be here for them to come home.”  Jon wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

“Poor Paul, tell him thank you for arranging this.”  Lexie reached over Jon’s lap for the baby monitor.  “It was nice of your mom and dad to help us.”  She made sure the volume was turned up.

Jon hummed his agreement.  He left the west coast at four in the morning and just sitting there and holding Lexie, his body was starting to shut down.  The catnap he had on the plane was slowly petering out.

Lexie looked up as Jon’s head slowly fell back on the back of the sofa.  She reached for the remote and closed the curtains and turned off the television. 

“Jon, Honey why don’t we go up to bed?”  She rubbed his chest.  Getting up and took his hand and started to pull him off the sofa.  She was rewarded with grumbling.  Shaking her head she lifted his feet up and swung his legs up on the sofa and moved his head down to a pillow.  Pulling the throw off the back she covered him up.  Turning down the lamps she bent down and kissed his cheek.  Grabbing up the baby monitor the climbed the stairs and checked on the sleeping trio.  Checking on the girls first, their little butts tucked in the air.  Moving to Calen she noticed he was still watching the mobile lights shining on the ceiling.

“Hey little man,” She whispered as she checked his diaper.  Picking him up she went to the rocker and began to rock and hum to her son.  It wasn’t long till he was asleep.  Putting him down on his stomach, she giggle when he grunted and rooted till he was comfortable.   Checking the monitors again, she headed to the bedroom.  Closing the drapes she changed into her night gown and crawled into the big king sized bed placing the monitor on her bedside table she pulled her iPad out and checked email from her fan site.  Soon her eyes were starting to close.  She had put her iPad on the bedside table and dimmed the lights.  Knowing soon the babies would wake for a feeding, she drifted off to sleep.