Chapter Twenty-three

                                                                      

            Jon had taken his shower and shaved then got dressed. He was overly happy. Knowing he was going to be a Dad again just made him feel that he could rule the world. But before he could do that he had to get to that Bitch who wanted to bring it down. After he ate and had his coffee he finally got a hold of Richie and they agreed to meet at his house. So he grabbed a cab and left. He pulled up as Rich was coming out to meet him.

Getting out Jon asked him, “How’d you know I was pulling up? Are you psychic now?” he laughed at his own joke.

Shaking his head, Richie rolled his eyes and told him, “No I saw you coming up the drive on my new security cams.  Huh? So I thought I’d come out and meet you.” He pointed to some of the cameras to Jon as they were hidden and barely visible.

“That’s a good idea. Especially now where I’m being stalked.” He patted Richie on the back.

“Well you know I have been thinking about that for a while now so I was having it installed anyway. It just happened it worked out this way. You don’t think she’ll do anything at home do you?” Rich asked as they headed inside.

“No she seems intent on making my life miserable not Ellie’s. She wants to see me squirm. You know whats weird is she hasn’t set a dollar amount yet. I’m just afraid when she does.” Jon grabbed a beer from the frig.

“Well what are you going to tell her?” Rich asked dying to know.

“Well I could tell her Ellie knows part of it, you know the stalking just don’t tell her she thinks it you.” Jon said smirking.

Taking a sip of his beer, “Oh yeah that’s going to go over big.” Richie chuckled.

“Well do you have any bright ideas?” Jon wanted to know grimacing.

“I only have one.” Richie said taking another sip.

Jon sat there squirming waiting for his answer. Snapping at him, “Well are you going to tell me or what?”

“Oh yeah, why don’t we just ask her? Just come right out and ask her the truth? Who is putting you up to this? I mean what is she going to do either tell us to go to hell or tell us the truth.” Richie mused.

Jon thought about this for a moment. What could it hurt? He was right all she could do was say no. Right? Just then the phone rang and Richie went to answer it. “Hello?” In a cool and smooth voice the woman asked for Jon. “Yes. Yes he is could you hold on a moment while I get him. Putting his hand on the receiver of the phone, Richie got Jon’s attention. “Hey Kidd it’s her. You want to talk to her or not?” he asked him while holding up the phone.

Jon’s eyes grew big and almost knocked Richie down as he stopped short to take the phone. “Hello this is Jon.” He told the voice.

“Well hello there Honey, I was wondering when you were going to call me. You know your wife is very rude.” She told Jon.

“You leave my wife out of this.” He angrily told her.

“We’ll see. But because she was rude to me the price has gone up. I want two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” Jon nearly shit his pants.

“That’s a quarter of a million dollars! I can’t get that kind of money without someone knowing what I’m doing. I have to go thru my accountant and he’ll want to know what’s it’s for and so will Ellie. Are you out of your mind?” Jon screamed over the phone as Richie’s mouth just dropped to the floor.

“Do I sound out of my mind. Look you heard how much. You have twenty-four hours to get it or the photos become public. I’m sorry but I don’t have any choice in this matter. There is more at stake here than you think. I’ll call back to tell you where to bring it.” And the phone went dead.

Jon just stood there and slowly hung up the phone. “What the hell did she mean by there is more at stake than I think? And she apologize? And where the hell am I going to get Two hundred and fifty K?” as he was pacing the floor.

“Kidd? KIDD!” Richie screamed.

Stopping and looking at him, “WHAT!”

“She’s right she said there is more going on here.” He told him.

“What the hell are you talking about Rich?” a confused Jon asked.

“There seems to be someone pushing her buttons. Didn’t you hear what she was saying?  You just said it. Think!!! She’s scared so we need to call her again and find out what the hell is going on.” He told Jon as he went to the phone.

Jon quickly grabbed Richie’s arm. “Wait a minute. Before you call her. We have to figure out where and when we want to meet her. I mean we can’t meet her here or at the hotel. We need a neutral place to meet her where nobody knows her or can put her with us.” Jon suggested.

“Your right and I know the place. Universal Studios. The Blues Brothers, what do you think?”

“Well I guess if we disguise ourselves we can walk up to her and see what she has to say for herself.” Jon said hoping it would work.

“Great.” Rich made the phone call again and this time left the message and told her to call ASAP.

“Richie this better work oh did I tell you I came clean with Ellie.” He told him which made his stomach turn.

Standing there with his mouth open. “You what?”

“Yeah to make a long story short, Ellie confronted me last night because Cheri confronted her at the hotel.” He told Richie.

“Are you kidding me? And she didn’t tear you a new?” Richie asked and a little jealous which he was a little ashamed of himself.

“Well I explained to her what happened just before she wanted to call a cab to the airport and when she heard me out she realized that when I’m out cold like that or drunk I…(he whispered  this part)” he said.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hear that last part Kidd. Could you repeat that?” Richie chuckled knowing that it had to be good.

Annoyed because he knew Rich was going to make a comment about it very calmly stated, “I can’t get it up if I’m that stone cold drunk.”

Well Richie couldn’t help himself chuckle when he agreed with her. “Well she is right about that plus I hope Ellie will forgive you and not cut off your balls.” Richie told him dead serious.

“No shit Rich, I can’t lose her or my babies. I mean I don’t remember even doing it. Those photos could be all staged for what we know.” And just as he said that it hit him like a ton of bricks.

Richie looked at his friend and brother like something just stuck him hard in the head. “Jon are you ok? You look like that time you and Sebastian had that fight when he said that thing about Ellie and being with him and then we pulled the two of you apart and you were pissed that we did.” Richie said to him being dead serious as Jon was never so pissed in his life.

“Yeah those photos Rich. You have them right?” he asked him still staring into space.

“Yeah…you gave them to me when Ellie was here so she wouldn’t see them. Why you want them?” he asked him a little worried about his friend.

“Yeah go get them. I have a feeling if we look at them we just may see something in them that we didn’t see before because I was too upset.” Jon told him as Rich went off to get them.

It didn’t take Richie but a few minutes because he put them in his bedroom safe. When he got back to the kitchen, he found Jon pacing the floor and talking to himself a mile a minute. Almost laughing out loud he said to his buddy, “Are you getting any answers?” he chuckled.

Getting startled because he didn’t hear Richie walk in, “Very funny. Do you have them?” he asked anxiously.

Handing them over to Jon, he laid then out on the kitchen table. “Ok so what the hell are we looking for here?” Jon said to himself out loud.

“Well to me you look really out of it. See here (Richie was pointing at one picture) Cheri is…um sitting on you with her head back and all your doing is laying there with your eyes closed.” He pointed that out to Jon.

“Yeah so? Don’t you do that when you’re having sex.” He asked him annoyed at his sex skills.

“Oh don’t get your panties in a wad. Look. Really look. She looks like she is getting off right?” he asked him trying to make a point.

“Yeah? Make your point?” he told Richie as he wanted to move this along.

“Well if she is starting to have her organism, um why aren’t you? Even when we have sex with groupies or hookers we still get off with them don’t we? I mean I do. And usually my room is next to yours or in the old days we shared a room. And I know you are not quite. Of course I know Ellie isn’t either.” Richie chuckled.

“Watch it Swing.” As Jon gave him the stink eye.

“Hey I’m not judging either of you. Just jealous. I’d kill to have that kind of relationship you know that. We all would. It’s just that you seem to screw it up every few years.” Richie reminded him as Jon again gave him the stink eye. “You can look at me like that all you want it doesn’t work on me or any of us. We all know you to well Jon and it’s stuff like this that gets you into trouble that we or mostly me that has to help you get out of.” He smiled at his friend and brother.

Sitting down again, “Damn I know. I really don’t see what she sees in me Rich.” He told him hanging his head.

“Oh don’t go there because I can really make a list if you want me too you jerk.” Rich told him as he walked over and patted him on his back. “Look all these photos are of you with your eyes closed and Cheri fawning all over you. You look so out of it that anyone can tell that you were out cold. Ellie isn’t stupid she’ll know that you’re asleep. I think it’s in your best interest to talk to her and tell her what’s going on. I’ll be with you if you want me too and back you up.” He asked him.

Jon looked at him and shook his head. They decided they would call later because Ellie wanted to tell Jimmy that he was going to be a big brother. It was going to be a long day til then.

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

Ellie was standing at the end of the driveway as the school bus pulled up. Jimmy came out smiling and was glad school was over.

“Hi Mom.” He said as he walked up to her and gave her a hug.

“Hi Sweetheart. How are you?” she wanted to know as they headed up the driveway together.

“I’m ok. We had a pop quiz in Mrs. Belmont’s class today. It’s a good thing I like history.” He told his mother. “Is there anything good to eat or do I have to wait til dinner?” he looked up at his Mom.

“No there are some fresh fruit in the frig that is cut up or some cookies and milk but only a few ok? I want to call your Dad we have something to tell you before you start your homework.” She smiled at him.

“Did I do something wrong or are you just throwing me off by smiling?” Jimmy asked dead serious.

“No silly we really need to talk to you for just a little bit and Daddy can’t come home yet so we are going to talk to you over the phone.” She explained to him shaking her head smiling.

“Ok well let me go put my books down and have my snack because I’m starving! “he told her and was being silly as he pretended to look like he was starving all the way to the kitchen. Ellie just laughed as she clutched her stomach and smiled brightly and happily at her growing family with the man she loved more than anything.

In the kitchen Ellie asked Jimmy, “Do you have a lot of homework Honey?”

“No not a lot. Mom are you ok?” he asked her as he was trying to figure out why she was so happy. “Is Daddy coming home?”

“What? Oh no not yet. He just has to finish up his album but he is very anxious to come home.” She told him as her thoughts seemed so far away.

“Well did you ask him if he was coming home for the holidays?” Jimmy asked her.

“Oh shoot I totally forgot about that.” She said as she look totally embarrassed.

“MOM! Isn’t that why you went to see him?” Jimmy seemed upset.

“Hey we can ask him when we get him on the phone so don’t give me that tone. We had a lot to talk about when I got there, a lot to talk about.” she said looking away from her son.

“I’m sorry but I thought that’s why you went to see him Mar.” he said to her still a little upset.

“Well things happen Honey and well Uncle Richie was there and well you know things happen.” She said mumbling on. Jimmy just shook his head thinking grown-ups are nuts.

Seven O’clock finally came around and they had finished dinner. Jimmy had finished his homework and was watching some TV when she called him into the den.

“Yeah Mom what is it?” he asked her.

I thought we would call your Dad.” She told him. With the phone in her hand.

“Sure but don’t forget to ask him if he’s coming home for the holidays.” he reminded her very seriously.

Ellie just gave him a look. She then dialed his hotel room but the receptionist said that he wasn’t there and to take any messages. She told her that was ok and she would try back later.

“You didn’t want to leave Daddy a message? How come?” Jimmy asked her.

“Because I think I know where he could be. We’ll try Uncle Richie’s and if he isn’t there maybe he’ll know where he is. Or he could be at the studio.” she told her son.

So she dialed Richie’s number and it rang a couple of times before Richie answered it. “Hello?... Well Hello there Beautiful…Oh yeah he’s here. You mean you didn’t call here to talk to me? I’m hurt Yeah, yeah I’ll put him on the phone before he rips it out of my hands. (trying to hand it off to him) Will you wait do you know how lucky you are?” Richie asked him smirking.

“Just give me the damn phone asshole.” Jon gruffly said to him.

Putting himself back on, “I hope you know you have a delight of a husband Bye Darling. (handing it back to Jon and giving him the Jersey salute) I’m sorry Babe how are you feeling?” he wanted to know.

Laughing, “I’m fine but how are you? And don’t yell at Richie he was just razzing you.” she told him lovingly.

“Why do you always stick up for him?” he asked kiddingly.

“Because he works for you and you love him. So stop. Plus he’s harmless you know that. And he thinks I’m pretty.” She giggled.

“Yeah well we’ll talk about that when I get home. (he heard a huff over the phone) Ellie?” Jon said defensively.

“What? Don’t start Jon he didn’t mean anything by it. So just stop. I thought we were going to talk to Jimmy about you know what? But if you are going to start…” she implied to him.

“No I’m not going to start. Is he there with you?” he wanted to know.

“He’s been dying to talk to you. Here.” She gave the phone to her son. “Go ahead.”

Taking the phone from her, “Hi Dad how’s California?”

“Hi Jimmy. Well from what I’ve seen of it not too bad.” He told him soaking in his son’s voice.

“What do you mean? You haven’t seen much of it?” Jimmy wanted to know.

“Well I haven’t gone sight-seeing if that’s what you’re asking me. I’ve mainly been sticking to the movie and recording studios and my hotel room. Oh and Uncle Richie’s place. I’m mainly here to work Jim. I just want to get everything done and then get home to you guys. Especially now.” He hinted to him.

Jimmy didn’t get what his father meant by that. “What do you mean by that Daddy?”

“Why don’t you give Mom the phone and we’ll tell you why in a minute ok?’ he asked him.

Not understanding why he handed over the phone to his Mom. “Daddy said to give you the phone and then you would tell me what’s going on.” He told his Mom.

Ellie looked at him and smiled. Taking the phone, “Chicken.” She teased her husband.

“No we said we would tell him together.” He chuckled.

Putting the phone on speaker, “Jon can you hear me?” she asked.

“Sure can. Hey I have a question how did you know I was here instead of the hotel.” He asked her.

“I called the hotel first. The receptionist told me you had gone out. You told me to call you there thou and you didn’t leave me a message to where you were going to be. So I took a guess.” She explained to him.

Jon gritted his teeth thinking what an idiot he is. “Babe I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” He heard Richie in the background snorting as he was trying to hold in his laughter. So Jon picked up a throw pillow and threw it at him.

Jimmy was getting antsy now. “Mommm what did you and Dad want to tell me? Because unless you’re going to up my bedtime even more I want to get back to watching my show.” He whined.

“Are you giving me attitude young man?” she asked her son who she was a little upset with now and Jon noticed so he quickly interjected.

“Babe it’s ok why don’t we just tell him ok?” knowing that it was her hormones kicking in.

“Fine! Jimmy Daddy and I want to tell you that you are going to be a Big Brother.” She smiled at him.

“Well what do you think of that Jim? I can’t call you little man anymore. I’ll have to come up with something else.” Jon proudly told him.

Jimmy just looked at his Mom with a shocked face. “Well Jimmy aren’t you going to say anything? We’re going to have a baby.” Ellie told him again.

Finally Jimmy blurted it out. “Are you kidding me! Aren’t you and Daddy too old to have any more kids? I’m fourteen years old. I’m not taking care of it. I want to go live with Grandma and Grandpa.” He told them and ran off. Ellie just sat there and stared after him with her mouth open.

“Babe, Babe? Are you there?" Jon kept saying into the phone worried as hell.