Jon had about called everyone that Ellie was doing much better and they could come up to see her sometime tomorrow when she is in a private room of her own. When he finally got off the phone he went to grab himself a coffee and went back to the ICU to sit with her. Ellie had fallen back to sleep so he just stayed and watched her sleep. He thought he was never so scared in his life when he found her and not knowing if this was it. He also realized that he wasn’t going to be any good when it does happen. They have been together to long and he really couldn’t see his life without her in it. But he also knew she didn’t want to be hooked up to machines either. So now he would have to wait til she woke up.
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Back at the house the girls needed to stay busy so they got dinner ready for everyone. Once everyone ate they ended up in the family room while the kids were downstairs playing. Everyone was chattering over each other when Stephanie brought up the birthday party.
“So are we still going to have Mom’s party or are we just going to forget it?” she wanted to know.
“Well Daddy wants us to act normal so the party is normal right?” Rachel said.
“I guess more or less but the real thing here is does Dad still want to go thru with it?” Jake asked.
Richie looked at all of them and he knew he had to boost them up. “Ok guys this isn’t what your Father wants. This is for your Mom. I know he doesn’t want to get her all excited or upset but I really think if we blow off her birthday this is going to make her sad and upset don’t you guys?” he asked them.
Well they knew he was right. Stephanie spoke up. “Uncle Mookie is right. If we don’t do anything for her birthday she is going to get upset. You know she doesn’t like us babying her. So instead of having a big bash we’ll just keep it down to us. We alone make up a bash anyway. Uncle Mookie Is Ava coming?” she asked him.
“She wouldn’t miss it. She and Dylan are both coming. He doesn’t let her out of his site since the day they found out they were pregnant.” Richie beamed.
Rachel spoke up, “Uncle Mookie, how do you feel about being a grandpa?”
Rachel spoke up, “Uncle Mookie, how do you feel about being a grandpa?”
Richie was smiling from ear to ear. “Now I know how your Father felt for the first time. The joy of seeing that little one and knowing that you can give it back at the end of the day..” he laughed. “No I’m just kidding. I talked to your Mom about it and she was right there is nothing like it. I just hope that her Mother doesn’t drive her nuts. Oops wrong choice of words.” Richie said as he made a face.
“Well Ava has a good head on her shoulders. So I wouldn’t worry about her.” Stephanie said back.
“Oh I’m not she’ll be a great mother. You know both your parents are so proud of all of you. Boy I can tell when I met your Dad I knew he was going places but to tell you the truth, he was the pretty boy of the group.” Richie laughed.
“Well I wouldn’t tell him that Uncle Mookie you know how he gets about his looks. I heard Mom tease him once and he really didn’t like it one bit. I think it was the time when he was home right after the New Jersey tour. But I wasn’t supposed to know they were fighting and he was in his slump. Mom was at her wit’s end with him. Plus it didn’t help that Grandma Carol was over a lot either. I think Mom was trying really hard to get along with her.” Jimmy said trying really hard to remember that time seeing he was young at that time.
“We were all tired after that tour. We couldn’t even look at each other. We were just so sick of each other. Your Mom even tried calling me to help her but I couldn’t and then Mom did and she balled me out. But the thing about your parents is they love each other so much, that they got thru that. They got thru everything that crossed their paths. That’s all that counts so remember that if you ever get into fights just look at them and know they have been there and overcome things that you never thought any couple would ever have.” he told them meaning every word and wishing it was him.
“Yeah we know Uncle Richie. We’ve seen Mom kick Daddy out of the house a few times when he cheated on her. We're not stupid. The only thing is how could she have taken him back knowing that he was with some else?” Romeo asked him.
Richie sighed, “Guys I can’t explain why she did or why your Dad went crawling back. All I know is that they love each other more than life itself. I do know that your Mom was pissed every time and that your Dad strayed and when he tried to explain why he always thought he had a great lie in place but after a while she could see right through them. Especially if you keep using the same one after a while.” Richie couldn’t help himself from chuckling.
Everyone looked at him and was wondering now which lie that Richie found funny, so Jimmy spoke up. “Ok Uncle Richie now you have to tell us. What lie was it? I think I know but you started this so now finish it.” Jimmy told him.
“Oh no he’ll kill me. There are a few things we promised to take to the grave and telling you guys no way.” he told them laughing.
“Yeah well I think I know. I heard them arguing and he said that he was drunk and some other shit like that and he was lonely and again blah blah blah crap out she told him he was full of shit and kicked him out because she didn’t believe him and he tried that several times. I mean I get that the road is lonely but he freaked out on you when he found out that you had a crush on Mom I mean come on You don’t think he didn’t have a crush on Heather? Mom worried about that. I heard her talk to her girlfriends about that.” Jimmy said to everyone in the room. Well Richie was wide eyed now.
“Really? She was afraid of that? Huh?” Richie sat back and thought about this.
The girls looked at each other and wondered, then Stephanie finally asked her brother, “Ok Jimmy where the hell were you when you were listening to all this?” She wanted to know.
Looking like a deer caught in the headlights, his wife just got up and left him to explain what he just said. “Look I had my spots that I hid in ok? Dad was being a pain in the ass when he came home from touring and what you guys really don’t know just how bad he treated us. Mom has kept that part quiet from you all because you weren't around then. She also has shielded you from Nonni as much as possible. It seems the older she has gotten the crazier she got. Believe there were no tears shed from Mom when she passed. She treated Mom like shit. She never liked Mom marrying Dad. She always had Dad on a pedestal for some reason. But the great thing was she never cowered down to her. She always thought Grandma Cecilia had cowered down to Nana and she always swore she was never going to do that to anyone. Of course, she never did that to Nana either from what she told us remember?” Jimmy told them.
“Yeah I remember. She gave us the lecture when Stef got married. She never wanted anyone to ever boss any of us around like that. She always got pissed off that Nana did that to Gram and even Grandpa.” Rachel said.
“Well she just wasn’t a nice person. Plus she said all their cousins wanted their parents as their parents. That’s a testament to them. And Mom and Dad I guess we can say are the second-best parents in the world.” Well they all agreed to that as they started to laugh.
“Well I knew your Grandparent’s and I have to tell you. They spoiled all of you rotten and that got under your Mom’s skin as she laughed at them when she would yell at any of you and they would yell at her for it. Because they didn’t think anything of yelling at one of them when they did something wrong. That just made her annoyed and laugh at the same time. That’s why she let them spoil you because you only have grandparent’s once and to enjoy them while you can. But it certainly pissed off her in-laws because they didn’t like them spoiling the kids but that didn’t stop them.: Richie laughed. “You try and stop them. Nobody told your Grandfather no.” Richie smiled.
“I think that’s where Mom gets it from.” Jake laughed.
“Oh you think?” Romeo chimed in chuckling.
Next thing the phone rang, Stephanie grabbed it before anyone could. “Hello? Hi Daddy… Yes everyone is here… That’s great I’ll get your room ready for her… Oh ok. ..Yeah no problem Rachel and I can do that...Yeah everything will be done for tomorrow. Are you coming home tonight?... Oh Daddy you really should. You need a good night’s sleep. Mommy would want that… Fine but I’m bringing you a clean set of clothes up for you tomorrow and that’s final…Ok I’ll bring Mom up some too. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love You Bye… He’s bringing Mom home sometime tomorrow and he’s being stubborn. Rach he said Mom can’t go up and down stairs so we need to make one of the downstairs rooms for her so we need to get a bed now so she’ll be comfortable. It’s still early we can run out with Adam and Ben. “Stef suggested.
The girls and their husbands went out to get a bed for their mother and God help the store that wouldn’t deliver it that night. They would pay anything to get it there. The others per request started to make sure that the room was ready for them when they got home. Richie never saw anything like it on how these kids worked together to get things all set.
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Jon went back to Ellie’s room as she was trying to eat her dinner. “So is that stuff any good?’ he asked her as he sat down next to her.
“Here you want it and see?” she asked him to hand it off happily.
“Babe you have to eat it or they won’t let you leave tomorrow you know that.” he told her making a face at what she was eating.
“If you love me you’ll help me get rid of it. So they think I ate it because this stuff sucks. I need real food not this shit.” She told him pissy.
“Ok I’ll tell them to give you some soup alright?” he asked her.
“Not any better I hate soup or at least depending what kind and they won’t let me eat the kind I want. They want me having broth and I hate broth or that damn chicken noodle. Now if I can have Ramen noodles I’ll eat those.” She told him happily.
“Fine I’ll see if they have those ok? Whatever makes you happy and eat it.” He told her.
“Thank You now take this shit out of here.” She said just as when the nurse walked in.
“Oh don’t like the food do we?” she asked looking at Ellie smirking.
“No we don’t. It’s making my stomach squirm and if you want me to vomit I’ll continue to eat it.” She said sarcastically.
“Excuse me but do you have any Ramen noodles that she can eat? She can get those down.” Jon nicely asked the nurse.
“I don’t know I’ll have to ask the kitchen if they make it.” She told him smiling widely at him as Ellie just rolled her eyes.
“Well I could go out and buy a box of them if that would help. She needs to eat and if I say so myself what you’re giving her well it isn’t very appetizing to say the least.” Jon was trying very hard to put it very nicely.
“Well she is on a very bland diet.” The nurse was trying to remind them.
“Not this freaking bland!” Ellie said miffed.
“Dear it’s ok I’m sure… Dot here (reading name tag)…understands that it would be a big favor to me to make sure that you get everything you need to get better and that would be to like your food isn’t that right Dot?" Jon said to the nurse almost flirting so she would stop annoying his wife.
“Well I guess I can find something that she would like. Let me go to the kitchen and see what they have and I’ll come back and see if that will be alright. Ok?” she told him and again Ellie rolled her eyes.
After the nurse left Ellie huffed and Jon asked,” What’s the matter Babe? I thought you would like to get something better to eat.” He asked knowing what the answer would be.
Looking at her husband, “I do Jon but I’m really not that hungry I’m sorry. This crap just made me lose my appetite. Once I’m home I’ll eat fine I swear. Plus I’ll be able to sleep a lot better too. So when did they say I can get out of here.” She asked him putting the cover on the food now before she threw up on it.
“Well I talked to the doctor and he said I can take you home tomorrow.” He waited for her reaction.
Looking at him, “When did he tell you this?” she wanted to know.
“I just found out about half an hour ago so I called the kids to get your room fixed up and they had some questions and then I quickly went down to get this coffee because I knew you were going to have some questions for me.” Jon explained to her.
“Well of course I’m going to have questions for you. What do you mean fix my room? There is nothing wrong with our room. Maria just needs to change the sheets like she always does. You know I hate making the bed. You know you made me lazy getting me all that help doing everything for me.” She told him smirking.
“Well why the hell shouldn’t I spoil you? You put up with me don’t you? And I knocked you up what? Six times so I think you deserved it.” He smiled at her remembering a lot of things.
“Oh was that you? Couldn’t remember. I am getting old you know. Thought it was another singer. Dreams can’t get you pregnant right?” she asked him straight face.
“Well seeing that none of them look like Elvis and most of them resemble me I’ll say no.” Jon told her sneering.
“Oh stop will you. You know I don’t think of him like that you big phony.” she told him trying to not laugh at him.
“You know I never really understood that. I just think it’s your way of getting out of trouble with me and me being jealous of him. Because you sure as hell act like you do and don’t give me how Dad told me what level I am on your list and that's bullshit. I think you coned him into having him tell me all that crap that Elvis was first than your Dad was second then your Uncle was third and I had to except that I was forth on your list and to accept it. I think if you ever did meet Elvis if he ever lived you would…” but Ellie cut him off.
“Do Not Finish that sentence or the doctors will be in here toot sweet Pal. Because I’m going to yell at you because that is gross what you are about to say. So just stop before you upset me and I really have a heart attack you Jackass!” she told him matter of fact.
“Baby I was just teasing.” He smiled at her.
“You know I don’t like that.” She told him pissed.
“Ok I get it I won’t do it again.” He said as he raised his hands in defeat.
“Oh by the way Stef is coming up tomorrow morning she is insisting to bringing me some clean clothes and she is bringing some for you too. Do you need anything else I can call her and have her bring it up for you?” he told her.
“No I’m fine. I just want to go home.” She said quietly.
“Babe are you ok? Do you need anything?” he wanted to know.
“No I’m fine. (thinking for a sec) actually do you think they would let me have a cup of tea? I’m dying for one.” She asked him.
“I can ask then find out where your soup is how’s that.” He asked her.
“Thanks Honey.” She said kind of sadly.
“Good I’ll be right back then.” He said and off he went.
Ellie laid there thinking that all her affairs were in order when she got home. She wanted to make sure that everything was still in place and that nothing had changed. She knew things like paperwork could disappear very easily. She would have to call their lawyer when she got home.
Jon didn’t have any luck because the kitchen was closed and all they had were sandwiches and Ellie couldn’t have any of those. So he called an old friend and he went out down to his restaurant and picked up her tea and a bowl of chicken soup more to her liking.
He finally found his way back to her room with what she wanted and she was watching what little was on tv. She looked at him and asked, “Where did you go?” she wondered.
“Well when I got down to the kitchen they had closed and that nurse what’s her name was nowhere in site. She probably took off knowing she couldn’t get anything you wanted and didn’t want to cross you again. So I called Sal and he had this ready for me. His special chicken soup and a cup of tea just for you. And he says get well soon. He sends his best.” He told her as he got everything ready for her and a sweet kiss.
After Ellie ate and the night nurse took her vitals she drifted off to sleep. The staff had gotten Jon a pillow and a blanket earlier in the week so he could stay and sleep next to her so he got comfortable on the reclining chair. Thank goodness he could sleep anywhere and on anything due to his touring. There was only one more time the night nurse came in to check on her vitals during the night and the nurse who took her blood. God they were running out of places now to take it. All her veins were gone and they really didn’t want to go into the feet. She was looking like a stuck porcupine, all black and blue. It was hard for him to fall back to sleep. In the early days he would just take his guitar and his pad of paper and see what he could jot down. The funny thing was he did have this melody in his head and some lyrics but he really hadn’t written anything in over a year. With everything that was happening he was afraid if he did it would come out all mushy and emotional and to be honest he really didn’t know if it would be any good or how emotional he would be singing it.
The next day Stephanie came up to the hospital carry a small bag with her parent's clothes. She looked into the room and saw both of them reading when she knocked on the door, “Hi” she said as she went in placing the bag down.
“Hi Honey how are you?” Ellie asked her daughter.
“I’m fine Mom now that I know you’re coming home today.” she smiled and gave her Mom a kiss.
“Well what the hell am I chopped liver?” Jon asked with a pouty face.
Giggling, “No Daddy.” walking over to him and giving him a kiss too. “In the bag are your clothes so Mom if you need help I can help you?” she told her Mom.
“Thank You Dear. So when am I getting released out of here?” Ellie asked excitedly.
“Well they said sometime later this morning Babe so I’m thinking after lunch?“ Jon told her winking.
“Yeah that sounds about right. Well why don’t you get dressed first and then I will after you. Stef could you go down to the café or wherever and get me another tea Please.” Ellie asked smiling.
“Yeah sure I’ll be right back.” and she left leaving them alone.
Ellie then asked Jon before in went to the bathroom, “Honey can I ask you something?”
Turning around, "Sure you know you can ask me anything what it is Babe?”
“You guys aren’t planning a party or anything are you? Because I’m not really up for anything right now.” she told him half smiling.
Jon just stood there and didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry El the kids put something together for you today, you know just the family. Plus there all here for your birthday in a few days.” Jon told her.
She smiled but really wasn’t in the mood for one right now. “Well I’m not in the mood for it today do you think they’ll be ok if I cancel it. I don’t think...I’m just not up to it today I’m sorry.” she stumbled.
“Babe if you don’t think you can then don’t worry about it. We’ll tell Stef and she’ll tell the others. They’ll understand. You just relax and I’ll help you get ready ok?” Jon told her as he changed.
When Stef came back with her tea Jon was dressed and Jon explained to her that Mom wasn’t able to handle the party so to call everyone and tell them not to overwhelm her when they get home. Once she is settled then they can come in and say hello to her later. Well Stef was a little upset but understood so she went out to the visitor station and called Rachel to relay the message as Jon got Ellie dressed. Then he went out to sign her discharge papers so he could bring her home.
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Back at the house they were all disappointed but the most important thing was Mom was coming home. The boy’s wives put dinner together Debbie. Lori and Angie So Rachel had made sure Mom’s room was all set. Richie had confirmed Ava’s plane was coming in in a few days and she was going to pick up his special gift and make sure it was brought over for him for Ellie’s party. Everything was all set when two cars were pulling up the driveway. They didn’t wait as the family went out to meet them while the rest of them waited inside.
Jon got out and walked over to the other side as Jim walked over to his Dad. “How is she?” Jim asked him.
“Tired and a little cranky.” Jon smiled and patted his son on his back. Then went to the passenger door and opened it. “Ready Babe?” he asked her. Shaking her head Jon helped her out. She looked at her kids and smiled at them and saying to herself ‘God help me.’ She knew they all just wanted to help her but she felt like not only was she old but now an invalid. They got her in the house and Ellie looked at the big staircase.
“Well aren’t you glad now that we put in an elevator?’ she said blandly.
“Well that doesn’t matter Mom because we fixed up a room for you down here.” Stef said to her.
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