Chapter Two

                                                     Chapter Two

Jon and Ellie have been married now for a few years and Ellie has gotten a rude awaking as much as the guys had. Their album Slippery When Wet had gone platinum several times over as had their follow up album New Jersey which they had gone out right after the Slippery tour and they had hardly had time to cool down. Needless to say the guys didn’t realize at the time what a strain it was going to put on them personally, emotionally and physically. The only good thing that came out of this was that it was financially beneficial for everyone associated with the popular group. Through it all they were successful in leading the hair metal status of their generation.

But what was going on behind the scenes was another story and Jon couldn’t let Ellie know the toll that it was taking on him and his voice or what they were giving him to try and control it. He didn’t like getting the steroid shots in the neck but he took them as they did at first seem to help but the more they gave them to him later on in the tour he notice that they weren’t working that well. So they were giving him a stronger dose which was wreaking havoc on his body. They had toured for more than thirty plus more months as the end of the tour was coming to a close and Jon hadn’t really seen Ellie that much during the whole thing seeing that Jimmy was getting older and she wanted to be home more for him especially since he was going to school and she thought that it was important that at least one of them should be there for him.

Ellie knew he was losing weight but Jon just explained that away as he wasn’t hungry after the concerts or he didn’t want to eat that much before a concert. She wasn’t stupid and knew something was up with her husband but no one was talking. Damn she hated that whole mantra crap.

He hadn’t been home for more than two weeks and as he was trying to settle back into normal life again he just couldn’t seem too. When he first got home he was thrilled to see his family but as the days went on everything seemed to slow down and there really wasn’t anything for him to do at least not yet as Ellie had everything under control. Not that he wasn’t happy about that, he was very proud of her that she could run his household but getting back into the swing of things was a little harder than he thought. And sleeping longer than he thought wasn’t helping seeing his mother was coming over every day. The only good thing about that was Ellie wouldn’t wake him up for anything so Carol was trying to come an hour later every day, but he still wasn’t getting up til after noon time.

“I’m sorry Carol but he’s not getting up until at least sometime between twelve and one p.m.” she tried to explain to her again as she fixed her mother-in-law another cup of coffee.

“Well I thought getting here at noon time would be better today. John had to go to the school again because Matty got in trouble at school, again.” She explained to Ellie as she accepted her coffee.

“Oh no not again. I’m sorry that he’s going through this. I hope Jimmy doesn’t he’s having enough problems as it is.” Ellie told her sipping her tea.

“I’m sorry to hear that Dear. Is he still being withdrawn?” she asked her.

“Which one? Jimmy not so much, Jon yeah all he does is get up walks around, goes into his music room and sits. Then makes himself a drink which if I say anything either gives me his stupid stink eye or tells me to back off. Then if Jimmy wants to play he tells him he can’t and God forbid if he says anything to him because Jon then starts in on him which I tell Jimmy to go watch t.v. and then I tell him to go sleep it off and he tells me in no uncertain terms to fuck off and goes to bed.” She said trying to understand what he’s going thru.

“He’s getting snippy with Jimmy?” Carol asked upset.

“Yeah, I don’t mind him getting mad at me but when he does with Jimmy who doesn’t know what’s going on and all he wants to do is be with his Dad, that’s where I draw the line Carol. My Mom always did that to us. We weren’t allowed to go near our Dad when he got home because of his job. Driving double tracker trailer all night and then coming home to five kids yelling and scream and jumping all over him sure I get that but he was actually fine with it he just didn’t want petty arguments and fights that’s all which yeah we did and once he yelled believe me we stopped. Just not when Mom did. Maybe this is payback I don’t know.” she said with her head down.

“Now stop right now. This is not payback and you know it or you two would be getting a lot more because Jonny wasn’t such an angel either. Just saying.” She told her smiling.

“Thanks I just wish I knew what went on during that damn tour. When he got off the first leg yeah he had lost some weight and was somewhat withdrawn but not like this. He snapped out of it real quick you know. But right now he doesn’t look like he’s going too. And I can’t get ahold of any of the other guys right now to ask them. Even Joan doesn’t know what happened Richie isn’t telling them. Maybe if John sits him down and has a man to man talk with him maybe we can get something out of him.” Ellie asked her hoping that they could get somewhere with her stubborn husband.

“Well we can certainly try. We have done basically everything else but if he even tries yelling at my Grandson one more time he’ll have to get thru me.” Carol told her not to happy with her son.

As the girls were talking Jon was just waking up. Looking around he could tell it was late-morning/early afternoon again so he looked at the clock and noticed it was twelve twenty-five in the afternoon. Not bad he thought. He was starting to wake up a little earlier everyday. Still feeling crappy he got up and not putting anything on walked into the bathroom as he repositioned himself as he went. He did his thing then turned on the shower to the temp that he liked it: steaming hot. Standing under the streaming hot water he let it roll over his tired and aching body. He just couldn’t get out of this funk that he was in. He still had a sore throat and couldn’t talk all that well and it’s been over two weeks now and he was getting more pissed off at that. He couldn’t understand why he was still dog tired and his body still ached all over. Or why he was nausea still. And he was sure as hell wasn’t going to tell his wife or parents that he was spitting up blood when he coughed. It took him longer than normal to take his shower as he just stood there and washed his hair and body, but the hot water just felt to good on his aching muscles. Once he was done he put on his sweats and a tee as he didn’t see the need to get that dressed up just to hang around the house. It was now one thirty so he decided to go and see what was going on. He just hoped that his mother wasn’t here again as she was every day since he has gotten home.

“Ellie are you sure there isn’t anything I could help you with? Maybe with dinner?” Carol asked her.

Ellie shooked her head no and smiled. “No Carol really it will be just me and Jimmy so I can put something together that’s simple. Jon won’t eat and when he does it’s hardly anything and I can’t force him to eat believe me I’ve tried.” She told her mother-in-law sadly.

“He’s not eating well I’ll have to change that. I know you told me but I at least thought maybe he was having dinner with you two. I could have John come over and have him make Jon’s favorite pasta dinner maybe that will get him to eat?” She was mostly talking to herself now because Ellie was trying not to shoot a comeback at her telling her that he probably wouldn’t or even come downstairs if the whole family showed up.

“I don’t know Carol we don’t want to upset him if…” but before Ellie could finish her sentence Jon walked into the kitchen still looking a little disheveled and not pleased that his mother was here. Not talking he went over to the frig to pull out a couple of beers.

Ellie just looked at him sadly but before she could say anything to him his mother of course did.

“Jonny, drinking that beer isn’t going to help put weight on your bones you need to eat something.” She said in a very stern and motherly tone that went right thru his head like a knife. He just ignored her as he shut the frig door and started to walk out of the kitchen but didn’t get far. “JON FRANCIS! You stop right there young man. I’m speaking to you.” She scolded him as she got up from her chair and went over to him where he stood ridged as a board. Ellie just watched in horror because she knew what was coming next.

“Carol why don’t you let Jon just go do what he needs to do.” She told her as she could see in her husband’s eye that he wasn’t very happy.

“Dear I can handle my son.” Turning back to him, “You need to eat something nutritious because you are losing weight left and right. And if you won’t listen to me I’ll have you listen to your father. But this is going to stop do you understand me!” she told him standing her ground and not caring that he was an adult.

Looking her in the eyes and as calmly as he could have told her, “Mar I don’t give a rat’s ass about anything right now. I just want to be left alone. I have been picked at, poked at, talked at, screamed at, grabbed at, told what to do, how to piss, when to sleep do you get the picture?” he said as he took a chug of his beer.

“That’s why we should talk Honey because you can’t keep doing this to yourself or to your family.” His mother told him concerned.

“Really Mom? Your concerned for me and my family? That’s rich. When the hell did you and Ellie get so chummy huh? Because after Slippery she was still leary of you and then during Jersey she thought she would be the better person and it took mostly all of that tour before you even came around and decide that yeah maybe Ellie isn’t in it for the money or you just wanted to get near your grandson.” He spit out at her.

Ellie just looked at her husband in shock. She knew that she and Carol had put everything to bed for the sake of Jimmy but especially for Jon. She knew this wasn’t going to be good. “Jon stop. You know that everything is good between your mother and me now. She’s just concerned for you as I am. So stop this.” She was practically begging him now.

He just stood there with hardly any emotion, he just wanted to leave and get some peace and quiet.

“It’s ok Ellie I can see that he doesn’t want to talk right now, (looking back at her son then back at Ellie) call me when he does.” Carol said as she walked over to get her pocket book and keys. “Oh and tell Jimmy Nonni loves him.” She walked out as Ellie stood there staring at Jon. He didn’t even bother to look at her he just turned to the door and walked out. Ellie wanted to scream. She was trying to understand that Jon was going thru something, but it would help her a lot more if he expanded on what he was going thru so she could help him.

Later that evening she had gotten Jimmy settled and in bed for the evening so she went into the den with her tea and tried to relax and watch some t.v. An hour had gone by when she heard a noise coming from what she thought was coming from the hall towards the kitchen when a drunk Jon walked in. ‘Just Great’ she thought. She really didn’t need this. He was a pain in the ass lately when he drank. Luckily Jimmy was sleeping so he didn’t have to witness his Father being a Dick. She just hoped he would just sit his ass down and watch the show with her but of course things never work out that way.

Walking over to her and sitting down next to her, he had this dopey look on his face. “Hey Baby whatcha ya watching?” he asked as he slurred and slid his hand over her thigh making her flinch.

“I’m just watching a movie Jon why don’t you go back to bed and sleep it off.” she told him not even looking at him.  

“What’s your problem?” he asked her now getting annoyed with her and sitting upright.

“Really Jon? You want a list? Let’s start with you’re drunk again. Oh then you were an ass to me and your Mother earlier this afternoon. Then you ignored your son for the past few days, no weeks actually. That’s no excuse.  And the only time you want to touch me it seems is when you are drunk.” She told him calmly and coldly.

Jon just looked at her with what looked like a smirk. “Are we really going to go through this shit again? All I am is horny? Can’t you for once just get with the program and stop bitchin’.” he told her as he now was getting again handsy.

“JON! I told you no.” she turned to him pissed now.

“FINE! You Fucking Bitch!” he yelled at her and got up and tripped over the coffee table as he tried to stomp away from her.

Ellie didn’t know to be pissed or laugh in his face. But she was going with pissed, “Are you alright?” she asked tiring to sound a little concern.

Getting up as he was swearing and stumbling, “I’m just fucking fine, why do you care anyway?” he said trying to shake it off.

“Oh my God are you pouting? After what you pulled and just said to me? You are such a piece of work. You have been secluded since you’ve gotten home and wanted nothing to do with us. And the last few times when we have had sex you’ve killed me and you didn’t even care! Plus it took you like forever to get it up because you were feeling good!” she spouted out at him.

Jon was getting angry now that she threw his manhood at him. “Well maybe I couldn’t get it up because you don’t do anything to yourself or the same old thing in bed! You can’t even swallow for Christ’s sake!” Well right there he saw the look on her face and in her eyes and he knew he went over the line on that one.

“Fine well then why don’t you go find one of your fucking groupies then and go fuck one of them. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind swallowing any of your crap you give because you know what I’m done. Your last indiscretion I forgave you because I swallowed all that crap you spewed at me. Well not anymore. I’m going to bed.” Turning off the t.v. she picked up her cup and left him standing there speechless for once.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Ellie had gotten Jimmy off to school but she was still reeling from last night. She didn’t get much sleep as she was reliving the fight over and over again and even dreamed some of it. She wished she knew what was going on with Jon so she could help him. What was worse it was a negative atmosphere for their son to be in. She didn’t want to take him away from Jon but if he didn’t knock it off she was going to have to ask him to leave. Maybe a temporary separation. Boy this would certainly make his fans happy that’s for sure. She had to talk to him. God this wasn’t going to be easy. So she went upstairs to their room and slowly opened the door to see if he was awake. Much to her surprise he wasn’t there. So she went to the bathroom to check there and again no Jon. She didn’t hear him leave, maybe he was in his office or his studio. But first she would check the garage. So in the kitchen she went to the monitor which had cameras where she could check where she needed to. So she clicked on garage and his car wasn’t there. She wondered when the hell he left the house.