Thursday, January 14, 2010

Chapter 20 maybe?

Jon was surprised when Stephanie had picked up her mothers phone, he could hear raised voices in the background.

“Hey, your mom there?” He asked even though he heard her raised voice.

“Yeah she’s here, when are you coming to get us?” She asked.

“Sweetheart, you know you live with your mom and Greg now.” He told her.

“Don’t wanna, neither does J. J. or Jakey after these past three weeks.” She told him.

“What happened?” he was almost afraid to ask.

“Granny Graham called me a slut and what did she expect with a dad who pranced on stage,” She told him.

“She called you a what?” he almost yelled into the phone.

“A slut daddy, Then she got out her stick and was going to whack me with it till J.J. took it and broke the damn thing.” She told him, he could hear the tears in her voice to know she was crying. “The next day Grand dad took J.J. to the police station for threatening Granny. Daddy it was horrible. Jakey has been hiding under the bed afraid to come out.”

“Put your mother on the phone…now.” He told her.

“Yes daddy.” She said know that he was using his father voice.

“What the hell do you want now Jon?” She asked. “I called your cell and the SOHO number and got voice mail.” Dorothea told him.

“I was busy, I’m calling you now.” He told her trying to control his voice.

“That’s the point, you’re always busy.” She yelled.

“Look Dot, I didn’t call to get into an argument. You called and after talking to Stephanie I want to know what’s going on.” He tried to stay calm. After getting her usual reply when he returned her calls, it just got old and not worth the arguing that would happen if he took the bait.

“We were in Maui when I got a call from Steph that J.J. was being arrested.” She told him.

“Why didn’t they call me?” He asked her. Granted his cell worked while at the cabin and he didn’t get calls from his kids, so he had been thinking they were alright. He should have called to check on them…something he would have to change.

“I have no idea Jon; maybe they didn’t want to bother you while you were working? Isn’t that how you wanted things? I get the kids and you get to work twenty four seven?” She snapped.

“I am never too busy for my kids and you know it.” He finally snapped back.

“No you aren’t, you’re available to your family only when it suits you.” She yelled.

This was how things had been the last year and a half of their marriage. The yelling would start the kids would hide and then doors would slam and a car would leave. After a few days they’d be back trying to work things out till it started all over again.

“Look yelling and blaming each other isn’t getting us anywhere.” He said trying to calm the situation down. “The kids are what’s important right now.”

There was total silence on her side of the phone. He could still hear yelling in the background.

“Dorothea…I want to know what is going on, why is there yelling there?” he tried to stay calm.

“Can you come here tomorrow?” A voice that wasn’t his ex wife’s came over the line..

“Sure Greg, what time should I be there?” He didn’t have any problems with Greg, their divorces was between him and Dorothea, if anything it was over way before the split. He had to respect a guy who could take on his kids and their lifestyle.

“We have to be in front of the judge at eleven and then maybe it would be best if we met without lawyers to work this out.” Greg told him, the calm voice of reasoning, as he was holding Dorothea’s hand to try and calm her down.

“I’ll be there and I agree no lawyers, we can get this settled. I’ll see if I can get Lexie to watch Romeo.” He agreed. They had agreed that Romeo didn’t need to be there.

So now as he lay with Lexie cuddled to his chest his thoughts were on the call and the fact that their life had gotten more like a episode of the Twilight Zone than Father Knows Best. Reaching over he set the alarm, she never told him what time her meeting was, so setting it for seven sounded like a good number to start with. Kissing the top of her head he sighed and closed his eyes. Might be the last good night’s sleep he’ll get in a long time.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

More adventures with Snowball...the Phone Call

“You should call her back and I’ll come back tomorrow and get Snowball.” She looked around for a place to go change.

“It’s too dangerous for you to walk back. Let me go call her and I’ll walk you back to your apartment.” He said not really wanting her to leave.

“You can’t go off and leave your son alone. I’ll be okay it’s only three blocks.” She told him just standing there looking lost.

“I don’t want you to leave.” He finally got out.

“Maybe it’s best I did. You need to call your ex and I have a meeting in the morning with my editor.” She still just stood there with her clothes in her hand. Seeing he wasn’t going to tell her where she could change, she set her shirt on the coffee table and started pulling her jeans on.

“You wait here let me call her and if you still want to leave then I’ll call for a car to take you home.” He told her as he watched her take off his shirt and put her sweater back on. Walking over the put his finger under her chin and lifted her face to look in her eyes. “Please”

She never should have looked in his eyes, because now she would do anything he wanted.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you to make your call.” She said softly.

Lowering his head till their lips touched he kissed her ever so gently. Stepping back he let his finger trail over her cheek.

“I’ll make it quick I promise.” He lead her over to the sofa and made sure she was comfortable and walked back into the kitchen, after grabbing his cell off the coffee table. All she head as the door closed was…

“Hey where’s your mom.”

Must have been one of his older kids, she sighed and watched the reflection in the wall of windows. Closing her eyes for a minute, her mind wondered back to the cabin and watching Romeo and Jon out building her a snowman. Things had been so perfect, maybe that’s what scared her, it was too perfect. He gave her time to work on her book and even went as far as making dinner one night when the words were flowing.

Her former boyfriend, live in lover had been just the opposite. Demanding her to stop writing and go to the Hamptons or Miami for fun. There was the trip to Aspen that she had to go with him, she was his arm candy, the famous author, she would open doors for his company…if she would just come out of her office sometime and just live a little. Spend some of that money she had made on her first book… back his latest project that had gone bust when she refused to give him the money.

Sighing she pushed those negative thoughts away and thought back to them sitting on the floor at the cabin with Romeo and Snowball laying on the sofa watching Disney movies and eating hot buttered popcorn.

Smiling she must have drifted off to sleep, because that’s how he found her once he hung up the phone. Smiling he went over and picked her up in his arms and carried her upstairs to the master suite. Half way up the stairs she cuddled to his chest and smiled in her sleep, he could have carried her all the way from SOHO to Central Park just feeling he snuggled in his arms. Putting her in the side of the bed he carefully undressed her then put her under the covers. Going back and closing the door he pulled off his jeans and got in on the other side of the bed. Once under the covers himself he felt her turn over and cuddle to his chest. Sighing himself he thought back to the conversation he had with Dorothea. The problems that had happened with her new in-laws had really put a downer on her honeymoon.

Monday, January 4, 2010

More Snow! Snowball that is!

Alexis had just enough time to pull on Jon’s shirt, thank God it was long enough to cover her butt.

“Hey buddy.” Jon intercepted his son. “See who came to see us?”

‘Hey Lexie, you brought me snowball!” he ran over and climbed on the sofa beside her.

“We came to visit but you were asleep.” She smiled down at him.

‘I got firsty and need some water, and there she was…just like four.” He nuzzled snowballs furry neck.

“She missed you buddy. We got home and she lay on her little bed watching the door for her little buddy.”

Jon came back with a juice glass of water. Romeo let Alexis take Snowball so he could drink his water.

“Okay little man, back to bed.” Jon took the empty glass and ruffled his hair.

“Come on Snow…” Romeo took snowball off Alexis lap and headed back to the stairs.

“I guess you have another guest for the night.” She laughed

“I don’t think he’ll give her up.” Jon watched his youngest head back upstairs.

When he got to the top he turned and looked down at his dad. “Night…daddy.”

“Night little man. Love ya.” Jon smiled.

“Love ya too daddy…bunches and bunches.” He yawned. Turning he headed to his room then turned and ran back to the top of the stairs.

“Night Lexie thank oo for bring me Snowball…Love ya.” With that he ran back to his room and shut the door.

Lexie just looked up at him and smiled and blew him a kiss. She turned at Jon’s voice.

“I don’t mind if you don’t?” He asked taking the glass back to the kitchen.


Lexie picked up the wine glasses and followed him into the kitchen. Putting the glasses in the sink she leaned on the counter.

“They look sweet together would hate to break up the pair. Did you ever see who it was that called?” She watched him go back to the living room for the wine bottle.

“My ex, she must be back from her honeymoon.” He corked the bottle and put it back in the fridge.

“Do you need to call her back?” She played with the hem of his shirt. The mood was definitely lost.

“I should or she’ll just call again. I don’t need her waking him up again.” He leaned against the opposite counter and watched her.

Why did we have to leave the cabin, it was perfect and you, you asshole, never had it so good. She had done her thing and you had done yours and it was nice not to have arguing all the time he thought and he must have sighed because she moved and headed back into the living room. Turning he followed her in and watched her picking up her clothes.

“You aren’t leaving are you?” He asked as once she had the clothes in her hand.