Uh Oh

I know you all are waiting patiently for a chapter, I have two at the editor. But and its a big but, I haven't had a vacation since 2012 and i have a chance to go to the beach and i am taking it.  I will be back on Tuesday the 10th.  If I have anything from my editor I will post both of them.  Thanks for understanding that this is important to me.  I really need my toes in the sand, even if its November and gonna rain most of the time I'm there, I really need this time away.


Alice Faye

Chapter 103

Jon watched the emotions play across her face, he could see the inner turmoil of her thinking.  Something told him, his oldest daughter was a reason for some of that inner turmoil.

“My hour meeting with Thomas turned into a four hour meeting and it was all about Stephanie did she have a wild party?  I told him no they were on their best behavior, he asked how long that will last? I got really upset with him and that is what took the other three hours.  It’s just a small part of my problem.”  She took a deep calming breath before she went further.  “I overheard something, that maybe I shouldn’t.”

Jon sighed, “What has she done now?”

“Jon, am I a cool mom?”  She looked him dead in the eye and asked.

“Of course you’re a cool mom, the boys think you’re the best.”  He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.  “You’re the best mom to the trio.”

“I heard Sarah and Steph talking by the pool, Sarah said she had the cool mom, because Dorothea lets them smoke pot, what could it hurt.  Stephanie didn’t fall to temptation.  I just don’t understand what I did wrong.  I think it about it all the time, should I have done this differently, should I let her smoke pot?”  She looked up at Jon.

Jon could see that she was looking to him for all the answers and he didn’t have them.

“I don’t approve of drugs of any kind, so I don’t want her to do drugs and I’ll be the one to put the parental boot down. Don’t worry about this Lex, seven out of eight are great odds.”  He leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

They split the list and were soon checking out Sally smiled at the pair at the end of her line.  That must be the message on her phone, she thought as she moved her line along.

“I thought you two would be on a beach somewhere.”  Sally said as she started to scan their groceries.

“We were planning to, right up till last night, then the kids changed their minds.” Lexie said as they unloaded their two carts on the belt. 

“I guess I need to get my messages off my cell on my break.”  Sally told them.  “I read that Jon was going out on tour and you’re taking a break from writing.” 

“I have too, if it’s out there I need to do a chat.”  Lexie looked at Jon.

“Yeah, sounds like a plan Lex. And yes we’re doing a few weeks in Europe, then coming back here.” Jon told Sally.  He really hoped something would happen between Sally and Jesse, she was the best thing to happen to him so far. Once he got to Notre Dame, he needed would be the small fish in the big ocean with a popular dad, that and the women will use Jesse to get to him.

They made it home and got all the kids to help unload the groceries and Lexie started dinner.  She had the stuff out to make salad when Stephanie came in and started to wash her hands.

“I’ll make the salad for you, something smells great.” Stephanie said as she went over to the kitchen island to toss the salad.

“Don’t tell your grandfather, but I made Lasagna.”  Lexie laughed, Stephanie joined in. It got quiet, Lexie started buttering the Italian bread to make garlic bread, and she couldn’t take the silence.  “Thanks”

Stephanie didn’t look up, “You’re welcome.” 

“Steph, can I talk to you?”  Lexie asked popping the bread in the oven as she took out the bubbling dish of Lasagna, then put on the broiler.

Steph stopped mixing the salad and looked up at Lexie.  “Sure.”

“I wanted to tell you how proud I am of you, Graduating High School and going to College.  You’re stepping into the rest of your life with a plan set, you know what you want to do and you’re taking the steps to make those plans your future.  I went to college with no plan in place, I was like a fish out of water.” Lexie told her, as she went to the fridge and got out the dressing bottles to set on the counter.

“I always wanted to go into fashion since I was a little girl.  I got tired of the paper doll clothes and started drawing my own,” She took the salad she had made and put it by the dressing bottles. “Then daddy got all these designers wanting to send him clothes, Uncle Kenneth invited mom and I to his runway show.  I even got asked to model some, but I want to go into design.”  Stephanie knew that Lexie was beating around the bush, that something else was bothering her.  “Is there anything else you need me to do?”

Lexie watched her for a few minutes, then she decided to get it over with.  “Yeah Steph, do you like me?”

Stephanie stopped short, this wasn’t what she thought Lexie was going to ask her.

“Yeah I like you.”  Stephanie told her.  “Have I done something to make you think that I don’t like you?”

“When we had the meeting on Christmas, and you all wanted me to adopt you and your brothers, you seem to want this.”  Lexie said to her.

“I did,” Stephanie went over and sat on the corner of the cabinet.

Jon chose that time to come down to see when they were going to have dinner, he’d been with the boys playing video games.  He heard some of the conversation but stopped short when he heard Stephanie answer.

“Did, not do, so you would rather I not be a part of your life.  I’m not a cool mom like Dorothea, I don’t let you smoke pot whenever, you don’t want to be my daughter?”  Lexie asked her.

There is was, out in the open.  Her words that night by the pool with Sarah, had come back to bite her in the ass.  She didn’t know Lexie had overheard her, granted they didn’t go anywhere private and anyone could have heard them talking.

“I do, I want to be your daughter, but I also want to be able to be with my mom.  When I went and met her that day for coffee, I saw how much I missed her.  I know she and daddy will never get back together, they don’t love each other anymore.  But she will always be my mother, but you’re my new mom.”  Stephanie was quick to explain.

Lexie was quiet for a few seconds.  “Okay, can you call me mom now?”  She watched Stephanie face for a reaction, when she smiled then Lexie smiled.

“Okay, Mom.”  Stephanie walked over and gave Lexie a hug, which Lexie returned.

Jon sighed, they seemed to come to an agreement, which he hoped Stephanie wasn’t just talking out her ass.  He backed up and started to make noise before walking into the kitchen.

“Something smells great, we men drew straws to see who would come down and check on dinner.”  Jon leaned on the doorframe and watched his girls move apart, Stephanie grabbed a potholder to get the bread out of the oven, as Lexie blinked back tears and smiled at Jon.

“It might not be as good as your dad’s but it’s ready if you want to call the boys.”  Lexie finally got out.

“Okay,” He gave her a quick kiss and then went to the stairs and yelled up at the boys to wash up and come down for dinner.

That night as they lay cuddled in the big bed with the Trio, for a little after bath snuggle party.

“You and Stephanie seemed to settle things.”  Jon asked as he got Cullen to giggle by tickling his chubby tummy.

“How long were you eavesdropping in the hall?”  She asked as she put the girls into their Minnie Mouse sleepers wiggling their toes getting their slipper socks on.

“Oh, from when you asked her if she liked you. I was there to step in if it got sort of violent.”  He finally got a wiggling Cullen into his Mickey Mouse sleeper.

“Don’t think that would happen, but I think we’re on the right foot now.”  She passed Livie over to him while she took care of Maddie. 

“So you’re going to start a new book?”  He put Livie on his chest beside her brother.

“I told you I was taking a break.”  She held up Maddie and kissed her tummy and handed her to Jon.

“Why are you taking a break?”  He moved all three kids to the bed and turned to Lexie.

102

Jon rubbed his eyes and leaned back on the door and looked at his two oldest.  They had argued for four solid days, family tradition, we always go to Saint Barths.  Then they come up five hours before they were to leave, and want to change everything and go to the cabin?

“You want to go to the cabin, all that moaning and groaning about tradition and we always go to Saint Barths,” He shook his head, “You now want to change all of our plans?”  He walked past them and headed to his office.  He didn’t want to wake up Lexie, they would go into there to hear their explanation.

“We talked, while we were loading the dishwasher, and we decided it was time to start a new tradition.”  Jesse said “We, overheard how momma Lexie wanted to go to the cabin, and we decided that since you’re going on tour, and Steph is heading to college, this would give us more time as a family with no fans bugging us.”

Now that was something Jon hadn’t thought about, they would have more time together and the fans would think they were in Saint Barths.  “Why didn’t you think of this before?”

“Well, Since Saturday, Lexie’s been different, sort of sad and after her meeting with Thomas, it’s been even worse.”  Stephanie told her father.  “Didn’t you notice it?”

Jon thought back to every night, since the party, Lexie was in bed, asleep, before he got to bed.  Yeah he noticed.

“Romey and Jakey agreed that the cabin, this year, would be best.”  Jesse told his father.  “We called Uncle Matt and he changed and canceled what needed to be canceled, He’ll be here in the morning to make sure we have a van to take all of us.”

Jon was surprised his brother hadn’t called to see if he had lost his mind. 

“Okay, we’ll go to the cabin, but no moaning and bitching.”  Jon told the two.

“Agreed.”  They both said getting up.

“Okay, get some sleep.”  Jon told them as they left the office and headed to bed.

As he crawled back in the bed, Lexie turned over and put her head on his shoulder.

“What’s up?” Lexie yawned and rubbed his stomach.

“Our four older kids had a family meeting.”  Jon told her as he took her hand in his and held it over his heart.

“Is this a good thing?” Lexie tried to sit up. Jon pulled her closer and sat up a little.

“Whenever I think I have them figured out, they do something like this.”  Jon told her.

“Johnny you’re scaring me, what’s going on.”  Lexie said looking up at him.

“Well, we aren’t going to Saint Barts.  They decided that we need to start some new traditions.”  He let her go this time, when she tried to pull away from him.

“What do you mean, we aren’t going to Saint Barts.” She sat up and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.  Looking at the clock they only had a few hours before they were due to be up and loaded and now they want to go somewhere else?

“I think they heard us talking after dinner.”  Jon told her sitting all the way up beside her.

Lexie thought back to what she had said about going to the cabin. “Where are we going now?”

“They voted and we’re going to the cabin.”  Jon told her.

“They now want to go to the cabin? What will happen to the reservations on the house at Saint Barth?  I’m shocked after all their complaining that there isn’t anything to do at the cabin that they still want to go there.”  She liked that they would be going to the cabin, but what were they up too.

“We’ll get a refund, they said it was time to make new traditions, I’m shocked Matt hasn’t called to see what was up.” Jon watched his wife worry her bottom lip.

“They called Matt at almost midnight?  Jon as much as I love that we’re going to the cabin, it just seems a bit fishy.” Lexie wiped the sleep out of her eyes.  “Just fishy.”

“Let’s give them the benefit of a doubt, it might just mean they want this to be a new tradition for us.” Jon said to his wife, but he had to agree something was fishy.  That boy, just because Jesse wouldn’t try anything with Sally but he wouldn’t put it past Mark and Stephie.  “Let’s get some rest, in case Matty is pissed enough to make us drive it and not get us a driver.”

Lexie scooted back down in the bed and cuddled to Jon. Taking a deep breath she tried to will herself to sleep, but her brain just wouldn’t shut down.

“Want me to sing to you?”  Jon nuzzled her neck and began to hum a love song to her.

Sighing she let his voice calm her down.  She sent up a silent prayer that this trip wasn’t doomed from the start.

Jon sang until she went back to sleep.  He couldn’t wait to get Steph to college, Jesse to Football camp, Jacky and Romey to math camp, it would be just the babies and them for a week, and he was taking her someplace special.

That morning found them all in the alleyway behind the townhouse, waiting to load into the largest van Matt could find at midnight.  Matt and Jon were putting in the car seats.

“Damn it Matt is this the biggest you could find?”  Jon pinched his finger for the second time.

“Fuck Johnny, it was midnight when Jesse called me, I was lucky to get this. The other option was a tour bus and I didn’t think it would make it half way there.”  Matt told him as he snapped the last seat in.  He watched Jon struggle with his seat.

Lexie and Hellen were in the back loading suitcases and strollers and getting frustrated. There were suitcases under each seat, she finally had the stroller in and was shutting the door when Jesse came out with the cooler.

“Unless you’re planning on sitting on it, there is no room.” Lexie told him and she and Hellen leaned on the backdoor of the van in order to close it.

“It’ll fit between me and Steph.  I got juice and fruit, and some sodas for the trip.”  He went to put it in the third row seat. 

When they finally loaded and Jon got in the driver’s seat, he looked back at the sleeping Triplets and then back at Hellen sitting with Jakey and Romey.  He knew his two oldest were in the back, turning and looking over at Lexie, who was tapping away on her iPad he noticed a slight smile.

Halfway there they had to stop, the Trio needed a diaper change and they decided to make it a lunch break.  He took Cullen into the men’s room with a diaper and a poop bag in his pocket. After a frantic search they noticed no used diaper baggies, so they had a small roll of doggie poop bags in Lexie’s purse.

After a good lunch with no one the wiser that the family of ten in the back corner were the Bongiovi family, made it even more fun. All too soon, lunch break was over, the kids and Hellen were loaded and Jon pulled the van into a gas station.

By the time they pulled into the gated community of the cabin, it felt like coming home to Lexie.  This was the first time they would be here with the Trio, there wasn’t even cribs, and they would have to go shopping fast.

They were unloading the van, which took less time than packing it.  Lexie was heading upstairs with a diaper bag and one of the bags she packed for the girls.  Standing in the hall upstairs she stopped.  Romey and Jakey had taken one room, Steph and Jesse a room each, she went into the room closest to the master and three cribs were already set up.  Tears came to her eyes, they had thought about their younger brother and sisters.

That’s where Jon found her.

“Hey, you okay Lex?”  He came in with two bags and two diaper bags. She was sitting on the twin bed that had been put in to make room for the cribs.

“They thought about their sisters and brother, I was going to tell you we needed to get cribs, I walked in here and I was just so shocked.”  She wiped the tears from her cheeks.

He came and sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms.

“You’ve seemed so sad lately Lex, is it Thomas?”  He asked as he held her close.

“That and other things, it’s like I’m waiting on the other shoe to drop.”  Lexie told him.

Before he could ask her about her hidden meaning, but Hellen came in with Olivia who was getting grumpy.  They would have to talk about it later.  By the time they were finally alone, they were in the van heading to the grocery store.

“If we split the list we can get it done and back to the cabin in time to make dinner.” Lexie told him as she tapped on her phone.

“That’s good, wonder if Sally knows Jesse is here?” he teased her and was rewarded with a chuckle. This was a chance to get her to talk about what had her so upset earlier.

“If he called her, seeing as how they were burning up the phones last night.”  Lexie rolled her eyes at him.

“Can I ask you something?”  Jon got really serious as they pulled into the parking lot. Stopping the van and turning toward her, he reached out and took her hand. 

“Sure.”  Lexie knew it was going to come up at some time.  Should she tell him what Stephanie said, but them she would have to admit she eavesdropped on Steph and Sarah talking by the pool?

Chapter 101 and still going!

Lexie crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her head, she had so much to think about.  The hug this morning seemed to feel like a start to a new relationship with Stephanie, but after overhearing her talking to Sarah, well she just wasn't so sure anymore. 

 

Jon made sure the alarms were set, checked on all the kids and made sure they were all tucked in.  He was about to leave Stephanie's room when he noticed that she was still awake.

 

“Still excited about graduating on Monday?”  Jon asked.  “Or are you waiting to sneak out once I go to bed?”

 

“Can it be both?”  Stephanie asked with a laugh, sitting up in the bed.

 

“After Monday maybe but now I rather it be the first, just to be honest with you.”  Jon told as he turned back and went to sit on the foot of her bed.  “I was proud of you tonight.”

 

“Because I didn’t smoke weed?”  Stephanie asked him.  She had been tempted, and if he hadn’t caught her, before she could escape to meet Sarah, she would be stoned by now.

 

“Because you acted like an adult tonight.  Several of your friends had to be poured into a taxi, but you, I saw you switching to juice.”  Jon reached for her hand and looked at the Poly Prep senior ring on her right hand.  “Just know that I’m really proud of you.”

 

Stephanie dipped her head to hide the tears filling her eyes.

 

“Did you know Lexie got the boys to go down and see Mom?”  She had to change the subject, or she would be a ball of tears.

 

“She did, so she’s not a Disney Evil Stepmother after all?" Jon grinned. "And she wants us all to be happy! And if the boys are involved with Dotty, it makes you happy.”  Secretly, Jon was shocked that Lexie got the boys to go down to visit Dotty and Graham.

 

“Yeah, she told me that. I guess I always knew it, but, all my friends have their mom. This is such an important time when a girl just needs her mom.”  She looked up at her dad and the tears started to flow.  “Mommy has been with me since I was a baby, I’ve just known Lexie for a little over a year.  You met Lexie in January, married her in the fall and had babies the next year. That’s a lot to take in, ya know?”

 

“But that’s the way life happens Steph. I wasn’t planning to marry again, but there was just something about Lexie.”  Jon told her as he reached up and wiped the tears off her cheek.

 

“What made her so special?”  Stephanie wasn’t sure she wanted all the details, but she always wondered what Lexie had that he lost with mommy.

 

“When I came down the stairs that first morning at the cabin and saw her fixing breakfast, I just knew she was special.” Jon thought back to that first day in the cabin. “She shared her food with me and Romey, would you believe, she tossed a loaf of bread at me and told me to make toast.” He chuckled a little at the memory.

 

“She didn’t know who you were and that you can’t make toast?”  Stephanie was shocked, he never told them about his first meeting with Lexie. She could see the love in his face, and she remembered how cute they were this morning. She missed seeing that with her mom and dad toward the end.  They just grew apart and her mom was so in love with Graham, and they had their cute moments too.

 

“She knew who I was, but I didn’t know who she was.  Boy, did I get a shock walking into the grocery store and seeing that photo of her on the display.  I was shocked, I have read all of her books and they were sitting by my bed, and I never hooked it up in my mind that it was her.” Jon told her.

 

They both sat there digesting what the other said. 

 

“So you going to meet Sarah tonight?”  Jon asked her.

 

“Nope, not tonight, I can see her tomorrow before they leave.”  Stephanie said getting out of bed, fully dressed and reached for her pajamas.

 

Jon got up and headed for the door.

 

“Night baby girl, See you in the morning.  You riding back with me or Lexie?”  He stopped at the door and waited till he heard her get back into bed.

 

“I think I’ll ride back with Lexie and Hellen to help with the Trips.”  She said reaching for the lamp and turned it off.

 

“Okay, see you in the morning.”  He left and finally made it to the master bedroom.

 

As he slipped into the room, the light on his side of the bed was on, but he knew Lexie was sound asleep.  She had been busy, once the trio had been put to bed, making sure the food stayed full, the bar was manned at all times.  Dotty had sat her ass down and acted like Lady of the Manor, which had pissed him off.  He had actually read her the riot act and told her to get and start helping.  He got ready for bed and climbed in and spooned to her back, sighing he kissed her on her shoulder and closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep.

 

Graduation was another family photo op. Tuesday was Lexie's meeting with Thomas, which didn’t go so good,especially after she told him she was going on a sabbatical.  She had hinted to Jon that she was thinking about taking some time off from writing. They argued for an hour with Thomas threatening to cut her from his writing staff, she agreed to keep writing but not doing the conference appearance. He finally agreed. The whole ride to the townhouse just seemed longer than usual, she hated that he only agreed to give her a year of no publicity appearances, but she’d take it. Jon and the band were heading on tour and she would need to be there for the kids. 

 

Pulling into the garage she headed across the street to the townhouse.  Jon was to drop of Snow at the vet, while they were gone on vacation.  She had wanted to just go to the cabin, but she had been outvoted, and they were heading to St.  Barthes .  Since the family always went there in the summer, it was a tradition.  And to a Sicilian family traditions were important.  She and Hellen had been packing the Trio for the trip, they could buy diapers and other things that babies needed there.  But packing for seven kids was a huge job.  Lexie checked the boys to make sure underwear and swim trunks were packed along with enough clothes for the trip. She checked on Stephanie’s too, then she went to make dinner and afterwards she had to pack hers and Jon’s suitcases.  Needless to say, her emotions were wound tighter than a spring. 

 

The kids were hyper at dinner, Jon still noticed how quiet his wife was.  He had noticed a change in her since the graduation party.  He had tried to talk to her, see what had her so upset, but she just pushed it off as being tired. He asked the kids to clear the table and load the dishwasher.  When they left the room, he reached across the table and took her hand.

 

“Did Thomas give you any problems today?” Jon asked her. He could feel the tension in her hand.

 

“Not really, he gave me a year, I told him I was still going to be writing, just no personal appearances.” Lexie said as she took a deep breath.

 

“Do you need me to talk to him?”  Jon came around the table and pulled her up into his arms.  “I got contacts ya know.”  He was trying to get her to relax and laugh.

 

He got a chuckle, just a sad one.  “As much as he deserves it, I’ll be fine.  I’m just tired, trips with seven kids and two adults, with three of these kids under the age of one, it’s like moving your band for a week.  Wish we could hire some roadies to handle it all!”  She put her head on his shoulder and sighed.

 

“My roadies wouldn’t touch this bunch with a ten foot poll, but I did call Matty to come by and help get the luggage to the airport and loaded for tomorrow.”  He rubbed her back and just held her.

 

“Got the drops for the Trio, doctor said we give it to them an hour before we take off, Hellen and I have diaper bags packed, bottles, diapers and passies.  I think after this trip I can be a roadie.”  She stepped back and kissed him on the nose.  “I can’t lie, really wish we were going to the cabin instead.”

 

“We can slip off, just the two of us, like when we met.”  He placed his forehead to hers.

 

“We’d have to bring Romey with us.”  She laughed.

 

“Once we get Steph to her dorm we can take the long way back and go to the cabin.”  Jon told her. “It would give us some alone time before I head on this leg of the tour.”

 

“That would be nice, like a second honeymoon.”  She smiled.  Jon had a way of making everything right.

 

“Minus the morning sickness and the cracker crumbs in bed.”  Jon laughed.

 

“Yeah that was a little downer.”  Lexie agreed. 

 

Stephanie and Jesse were listening from the kitchen.

 

“Did we do the right thing by going to Saint Barth  instead of the cabin?” Jesse asked his sister.

 

“There isn’t as much to do there, just the community pool, Saint Barth's has the beach.” Stephanie told him.

 

“What about that guy you met, you seemed to enjoy him.” Jesse reminded her.

 

“I haven’t even heard from him since the wedding.  I hadn’t thought of Mark in a long time.  I’ll call him, its short notice, think Uncle Matty will help us?” Stephanie asked

 

“I’ll call Uncle Matt, you call Mark.”  Jesse told her.

 

They split up and headed to their rooms.  Jesse stopped in his brothers room along the way and told them what they were going to do.  After a little back and forth they agreed.  Now he had to get Uncle Matt on board.

 

Around Midnight Stephanie and Jesse went to talk to their dad.

 

“Daddy,” Stephanie whispered. Trying hard not to wake Lexie.

 

“Steph, I got to be up at 6! Is this important?”  Jon whispered back.

 

“Yeah dad it is.”  Jesse whispered back.

 

Jon got out of bed and grabbed his robe and followed his oldest two to the hall.

 

“Ok what’s up?”  He asked as he shut the bedroom door.

 

“Well, we voted last night after dinner, we want to go to the cabin.”  Stephanie told him.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 100 (I made it,yippee)

The boys took their time heading down to the guest cottage. Jesse was wondering how he was going to talk to her. Her new family had him arrested for saving the sister, who in essence threw him under the bus.  He looked back at his younger brothers, he needed to set a good example for them, and in one more year it would be just them and the trio left at home.

 

“Tell me again why we’re going to see our mother, the one who signed away all her rights to us?”  Jake asked as he lengthened his stride to catch up with his big brother.

 

“Because momma Lexie asked us to, Duh.”  Romeo said as he picked up a stick and tossed it off the path.

 

“That’s true Romey, but we can’t hide all weekend and not deal with her at some time.” Jesse told him as they neared the cottage. Graham was outside tossing a football to his son.

 

“Hey guys, want to join us?”  Graham asked.  To tell the truth he was shocked that they were there.  Thea had come back for her morning visit in tears, her oldest son had turned around and went back upstairs when he heard her voice.  Granted he had every right to not trust him or his family, after his mother had him arrested for assault.

 

“Sure.”  Jesse called back.

 

That’s where Dorothea found them, when she and Sarah had come out with a pitcher of lemonade.  She had sent Sarah back for more glasses.

 

“Hey you guys ready for some lemonade?”  Dorothea asked as they came over to the table and grabbed a glass.  They all sat down in the shade of the patio.

 

“How’s school been this year?”  Dorothea asked, School was a safe subject.

 

“Good.”  Jesse said. As he sipped his lemonade.

 

“Okay,” said Romeo. Not really looking up at his mom. He felt like he was, in some way, hurting his momma Lexie.  She’s been the one taking care of them and here they were drinking lemonade with the woman who had taken money to give them up.

 

“Same as always.”  Jakey said. He looked at the knot in the wood table they were sitting at. He wanted to be anywhere but sitting at the table with these people.

 

“Thea said you might be going to Notre Dame.” Graham asked his oldest step son.

 

“Yeah, Dad and I went up and talked to the coach, I got a good chance for being a walk on in my freshman year.” Jesse said.

 

“That’s hot man, freshman and walk on, you don’t hear much of that these days.” Jr. told him.  “I’m impressed, I got accepted at NYU and at Rutgers, not sure where I’ll be going yet.  Depends on scholarships and all.”

 

“I’ll still have one year left at Polly, but I’m already taking some college classes.  It was Momma Lexie’s idea, I thought I was just  gonna cruise senior year, all I need is senior math and PE to gradate, but she told me about a program that will help me get some of the required classes out of the way.”  Jesse liked talking the Jr., don’t get it wrong having Stephanie as an older sister brought girls into his life, but an older brother might not be a bad idea.

 

Time flew by and soon the three boys had to head back to the main house to dress for the party.  Jr and Jesse made plans to talk later, as they were heading back Jakey stopped Jesse.

 

“Don’t you feel a little disloyal to Momma Lexie, spending time with Jr?  His grandmother had you arrested and locked up or did you forget?”  Jakey stopped in the middle of the drive and put his hands on his hips.

 

“I’m not disloyal to Momma Lexie, she’s the one who told us to go visit mom and her family.  I’m just doing what she asked.”  Jesse told his brother.  “It kind of felt good talking to an older brother.”

 

“It’s not all what it’s cracked up to be.”  Jacky mumbled under his breath.

 

They made it back and rushed to get dressed for pictures.  Uncles Lemma and Mookie arrived along with David Bergman who was set up in the main living room for photographs.  He was going to take them all night at the party.

 

Lexie and Hellen brought down the trio for some photos. That was when Dorothea and her family came in.

 

She watched Jon and his new family be set up for pictures.  It was hard to see him so happy, playing with Cullen and making faces at Livie and Maddie.  Graham came up behind her and put his arms around her and pulled her back to him.

 

“Breath Thea, remember I love you.”  Graham whispered in her ear.

 

She took a deep breath, not knowing she had been holding it since she walked into the living room.  She did love Graham, he was nothing like Jon, and he was a nine to five kind of guy.  He was home with her and the kids every night and every weekend.  They had movie night at an actual theater, and while going out to eat, they weren’t harassed by fans. 

 

Soon it was Dorothea’s time for photos with Stephanie and her family and even a few with the boys. 

 

Then the party began. 

 

Sarah cornered Stephanie later and asked her where they could go to smoke.  Stephanie remembered her father’s warning and told Sarah about her father and the no drug rules.

 

“But we can meet up before I head off to Hamilton.”  Stephanie told her step sister.

 

“Man this is lame, it’s a little pot.”  Sarah said as they sat on the rim of the pool looking out on the river.

 

“Just a little pot got me grounded.  I graduate Monday, I have my family vacation and then I am off to college, away from Daddy and Lexie’s rules.”  Stephanie told her.

 

“Well, I’m glad I got the cool mom.”  Sarah told her getting up.

 

“Yeah she’s pretty cool.” Stephanie sighed and got up and followed her step sister back to the party.

 

Lexie moved out of the dark doorway to the house, she had been checking on the babies and heard the conversation as she came to join the party.  Sad as it sounded, being the enabler for her step daughter would make her the cool mom?  Not gonna happen, she would just have to be the un cool mom.

chapter 99

The morning of the party dawned a little cloudy and hazy, the tent people came bright and early, and the caterers would be here in two hours to start setting up. 

Jon got up early and met Jesse for a run.  Taking Snow along might have been a bad idea, because little momma got to the end of the long driveway and parked her little white puff ball butt down and refused to go further.  Jon called Romeo out to get Snowball and take her back in, as he and Jesse got their run on.

Lexie awoke to a small voice calling to her, dragging herself out of the bed she peeked out the door.  Stephanie stood there holding Maddie.

“She woke up and I fed her, the other two were asleep.  Hellen, said I should take her so that the other two wouldn’t wake up” Stephanie held the little blonde haired blue eyed baby.

“Bring her in. What are you doing up so early?”  Lexie asked as she tied the robe and backed into the bedroom.

“Birds woke me up.”  She laughed, as she carried Maddie and climbed on the bed.  “I guess I’m excited about tonight.”

Lexie went into her closet to get dressed.

“Did your mom get here last night?”  Lexie asked her, as she slipped into the sundress and came out carrying her shoes

“She and the family got in, they love the updated apartments, said you did a great job on the rehab.”  Stephanie said as she tickled Maddie and she giggled.

Lexie noticed that Stephanie was still wearing the same clothes she had on last night and knew it was the same thing and knew the birds didn’t wake the girl, she hadn’t been to bed yet.  She wondered if Stephanie and her step brother and sister had smoked a few joints before Stephanie came home, but didn’t notice any telltale scent or cover up smells.

“Glad she likes it.  Let’s get breakfast started, Romeo and Jakey should be up soon.”  She reached over for Maddie and headed out the bedroom door. As they were going down the stairs, Jon and Jesse were heading up, both were hot and sweaty.

“Ooh daddy you two are all stink.”  Stephanie wrinkled her nose, even Maddie made a sour face at the smell. 

Lexie stepped back away from her husband’s wet body.

“Jonny, not to be unromantic, but you two smell like you ran all the way around the block and took a dip in a septic tank.”  Lexie told her husband who kept trying to kiss her.

Stephanie started to laugh at her dad and step mom.  She had never noticed how they kidded around.  Most of the time, when she had spent any time in their home life, they had been trying to ruin her fun. She didn’t remember toward the end of her parent’s marriage, had they ever played that way with each other? Now she could see that maybe, just maybe, Lexie was good for her dad.

Lexie put Maddie in the highchair and started taking out pots and pans.

“Lexie can I ask you something?”  Stephanie asked as she sat down at the bar and watched Lexie move to the huge subzero fridge and freezer.

“Sure,” she pulled out a bowl of eggs, bacon and stuff for omelets. “You think the boys want eggs or pancakes?”  She asked as she carried the stuff to the counter by the eight burner gas stove top.

“Well that’s sort of what I wanted to ask you, why don’t you hire someone to cook for us, like my mom did?”  Stephanie watched her take down another bowl to crack eggs in.  “They’ll eat whatever you put on the table.”

“Well, I’m so used to cooking for myself, I never thought about hiring someone to cook for us.”  She got out a chopping block out and started to chop peppers and onions.  “I mean, I don’t work except to write, and since I have Hellen to help with the Trio, what would I do with myself?”

“You could help daddy with any of his charities.”  She told her step mother. 

“I wouldn’t know where to start with helping your dad.”  Lexie moved to the coffee maker and put on a fresh pot.  Then she flipped on the music on her cellphone for Maddie, who patted her hands on the highchair tray.  “Maddie is Uncle Tico teaching you to play the drums?”  Lexie laughed at her daughter. “You want to go get your brothers up and dressed?”  Lexie asked Stephanie, as she got Maddie out of the highchair.  “I think someone has to see Auntie Hellen.”  She held Maddie out for Stephanie to take her back up to the nursery.

“Sure.”  She took her half-sister and started up the back stairs.  “Momma is coming up to the house” Stephanie told Lexie.

Lexie didn’t think about asking Dorothea and her family to breakfast.  Stephanie had just told her, that Dorothea had used a cook when she was Jon’s wife.   She motioned for her to come in, when she knocked on the door.

“Morning Lexie, oh you’re cooking?”  Dorothea asked her.

“Yes, I cook all the meals for the family, when I’m home.  There’s a fresh pot of coffee, if you want a cup.”  Lexie told her.  She started to tell her where to find the cups, but this was the only room in the whole house that she hadn’t changed.  She had fallen in love with the kitchen and thrilled cooking in it.

Dorothea got a mug from the cabinet and poured a cup of coffee.   “You haven’t changed the kitchen?”  She went and sat at the bar where Stephanie had been sitting.  The only thing she noticed had changed was the addition of three highchairs.  For some reason that hurt her a little.  After Romeo, they had decided four kids were enough.  Now here Jon had three more children with another woman.

“I love the color and I love to cook, this kitchen is a cooks dream.  When we were remodeling the new house in the city I had them install the same store and fridge.”  Lexie took the bacon out of the oven and turned it and started cracking eggs into a bowl.

Jon came tripping down the stairs and stopped sharply at the bottom. There in the kitchen was his wife cooking breakfast and his ex-wife, this could be either really good or very very bad.

“Morning ladies.”  Jon came in and walked over to his wife and smiled. “Can I have my morning kiss now, I am clean and,” He sniffed “I smell really good.”  He leaned in for a kiss.

Lexie leaned into the kiss then shoved the bread bag into his chest.

“You’re on toast duty.”  Lexie said as she stepped back from her husband. “You smell good because, you used my mango body wash to get rid of your stankieness.”  She laughed.

Dorothea watched their interaction with a hint of a sad smile. “Well, I think I’ll go back and see if my family is up.” She took her mug to the sink and headed for the door.  “See you all at the party.”  As she was going out Jesse was coming down the steps and stopped short and slowly backed up the stairs. Dorothea saw him and her heart cracked a little, this just proved to her, that her son didn’t want to see her.

Dorothea was out the door and Lexie went over to the stairs and looked up into her step son’s face.

“She’s gone, you can come down now.”  She told Jesse.  She was really going to have to sit down with him before the party where he couldn’t avoid being in her company. She and Jon needed to sit the boys down and have a talk.

“I wish someone would warn me.”  He went over and got glasses down for breakfast. 

Lexie looked at Jon, waiting to see what he would say.

“Jess, what are you going to do today, stay in your room?”  Jon asked his oldest son.

“Maybe.”  Jesse went to the fridge and got out orange juice and the milk carton, carrying it to the table.

Jon looked at Lexie, he couldn’t understand why Jesse was like this.

“Can I ask you something?”  Lexie asked him as the other two boys came in.  “Sit down you two, this is something we need to discuss.”  Lexie handed Jon the plates to put on the table.  “Where is Stephanie, she needs to be here too.”

Lexie brought the bacon plate and eggs to the table and went back to grab the toast.  Jon had gone in search of Steph.

He found her curled up sound asleep.  He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.  Looking down she looked just like the little girl he used to watch sleep, when he came home off the road. He would wake her up and they would sneak into the kitchen and eat peanut butter sandwiches and chocolate milk and she would tell him about school, her friends and what Jesse did to make her cry.  He wished he could turn back time, to sneak with her down stairs, Monday, she would graduate and his little girl would be an adult.

“Steph,” he touched her shoulder and gave it a little shake.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?”  Stephanie asked blinking up to her father.  She had been talking on her cell with one of her friends, that was coming tonight and then, she was reading her email when she must have fallen asleep.

“Family meeting, and breakfast is ready.”  He looked down at her.  “When did you grow up?  I can’t believe in a few weeks you’ll be in college and we can’t sneak down to the kitchen for peanut butter and chocolate milk anymore.” 

“Dad, you were on the road so much of the time, but it was your job, we understood that.”  She said sitting up and giving her dad a hug.  “I enjoyed our time together too.”  She whispered as her dad held her a little tighter. “Who knows, I might sneak in some night and wake you up to sneak down to the kitchen, for peanut butter and chocolate milk.”

Romeo stood in the doorway.

“Momma Lexie said to get down there or eat cold eggs, and I hate cold eggs.”  He made a face at his dad.

“On the way Romey.”  Jon said as he got up and creeped up on Romey. “I hate cold eggs too.”  He grabbed at Romey and gave him a hug.

No one had cold eggs and they sat around the table talking and laughing.  In the back of his mind he was dreading this talk.  The last time their mother was brought up and Stephanie went ballistic over him calling Lexie her mom.  Legally she was, they had gone to court and all four kids told the judge, they wanted Lexie to adopt them.  He had bailed Graham’s business out of the ashes, bought them a new house and paid for Grahams two kids to go to a private college. Now she waltzes back into their life and turned Stephanie against Lexie, was she angling for more money? He was not an ATM machine to be hit when they needed money.  Hell if this kept up, they would have to extend this next tour if the D and G train was latching onto the gravy train. 

“We have to talk about this party this afternoon, boy’s your mom and stepfather are going to be here.”  Jon started the conversation and looked at Lexie for help.

“You three can’t hide in the house all day, you’re gonna have to spend time with your mother and her family today.” The three boys looked at their stepmom and inwardly groaned.  She knew that Romeo would take his cue for the older two, which meant that the older two would have to deal with it for three days.

Jesse looked at his younger brothers, he knew they would follow whatever he did.

“For you Mom, I’ll do it, but just till,” he turned to Stephanie, “You graduate and that is it.”  He got up and took his plate to the sink, scraping the rest of his, cold congealed eggs into the trash.

“Thank you, that means so much to me guys.” Stephanie said.  She knew her brothers were not too happy with her right now, but with vacation they’ll change their tune.

“Okay, that’s settled, Wednesday I have a meeting with Thomas, and I want to make sure you four will be packed and ready to go.  We leave bright and early Thursday morning.”  Lexie cleared the table, looking at Jon for his support.

“That’s right, it’s up to you four to pack for yourself, Lexie and Hellen have to pack the trio, and I have a meeting with the guys about tour this fall, while Lexie is meeting with Thomas. So, packed and sitting by the door before bed Wednesday night.” Jon went to the coffee pot and filled his cup, “I’m gonna check in the music for tonight.” Out the door he went.

“Okay, you guys need to be dressed for the party by 5pm, nothing ratty or holey.  Stephanie, your friends do know, no invitations no entry, and if they aren’t on the guest list they will be turned away?”  She looked from the boys to Steph.  When they nodded she turned and started loading the dishwasher.

“You two want to go toss the ball some?”  Jesse asked his brothers.

“Why don’t you three go down to the guesthouse and spend some time with your mom?”  Lexie said with her back to the boys still sitting at the table.

She knew they were rolling their eyes, she might not have been their step mother for long, but she knew they weren’t happy with her right now. One, they just found out they had to spend this weekend with their mom and two, they couldn’t go play football.

“Okay Mom, but Sunday can’t come fast enough.”  Jesse told her, as he guided his brothers out of the house.

“Everyone knows no invitation no entry and no guest that are not on the list.” Stephanie said as she finished her juice.  Carrying it to the sink she gave Lexie a quick hug.  “Thanks.”  She headed to the stairs.

Lexie turned around and stopped her step daughter with one word.

“Why?”  Lexie asked her standing there after the hug.

“You didn’t have to make the boys go down and spend some time with mom, and because they love you, they went.  No questions asked.”  Stephanie told her after thinking really hard what and how she was going to say it, without sounding bitchie.  “Daddy would’ve asked them to go, you told them to go, and they went.”

“I’m not the wicked Step Mother here, I do care about you four, just as much as the three up in the nursery.”  She told her as she went back to filling the dish washer.

“I know that, now.”  Stephanie said as she turned and ran up the stairs.

Looking at the clock on the wall, if she could make it to midnight without breaking the rules, she was not the wicked step mother.  It was going to be a long day.