Chapter Twenty-eight

            Turning to Ellie, Jon said, “Babe I’m going to take Richie to the hospital. Are you going to be ok with that?” he asked her not really wanting to leave her.

“I’ll be fine I have my kids. Go please. I don’t want him driving himself.” she told her husband as she gave him a kiss on his cheek.

“I think you can do better than that Babe.” He told her with a sly smile. Well she still got that funny feeling in her stomach when he took her in his arms and gave her one of his slow and dazzling kisses. “Well?”

“You still can give me the chills. Now go take care of Richie and call me when Ava has the baby.” She told him smiling and patting him on his butt.

“Hey!” he said looking back smiling also and wagging his finger at her.

“Come on Rich I’m taking you to the hospital.” Jon told him as he grabbed his keys.

Looking at him surprised, “Thanks but you don’t have to do that I can call a car or something.”

Shaking his head, “You think I’m going to let my best friend do that when I can take him? Let’s go before I change my mind.” He told him as he patted him on his back.

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

At the hospital Jon and Richie made it to the maternity ward where they saw Stephanie and Dylan. Stef got up and walked over to her Dad.

“Why is Dylan out here with you? Wh…Why isn’t he with Ava?” Richie stammered on.

“Rich calm down ok?” Jon was trying to tell him.

“Uncle Mookie everything is ok really. Dylan is filling out some forms that’s all. Come sit down. Do you and Daddy want anything?” she asked them.

Jon looked at Richie and then back to his daughter. “Why don’t you and I go down to the café and get some coffee for everyone, how does that sound?” he asked her.

“Sounds good. Just let me go tell Dylan.” As she went to tell him Jon sat again next to Richie.

“So coffee? Does that sound ok?” he asked him shrugging.

“Huh? Oh yeah sounds good. You know I think I’m more nervous now than I was when she was born. (then it hit him) Oh God I have to call Heather. She’ll kill me if I don’t. I think she thought Ava was going to have the baby next month.” He told Jon as Jon smiled.

Dylan walked over with Stef. “Well Dad she wasn’t supposed to have the baby til next month. But as we all know babies do what they want. Jon didn’t several of yours come early?” Dylan asked.

Jon smiled as he said, “Well your standing next to one of them. I believe four out of six came real early. And the other two came about a week or two early. I had a jet waiting and we planned the concerts around Jersey just in case. Made it to the hospital twice as a couple of them were halfway out. But at least I got to cut the cords.” He laughed.

“Was Mom mad at all that you were late getting to the hospital Daddy?” Stef wanted to know.

“Your Mom? Nah she was cool about it. That’s the one thing about your Mom, she always understood our touring and when I told her that I would be there she knew I would move heaven and hell to be there. She had this unbelievable trust and faith in me that I would never let her down.” He told them as he had a faraway look on him.

Steffy then said to her Dad, “Daddy I think we should go get the coffee’s?”

“Oh right. We’ll be back. Rich are you going to be ok?” Jon wanted to know.

“Yeah I’ll be ok. I need to call Heather anyway.” He said as they went down to the cafe.

“Oh Dad I totally forgot about calling Mom and my parents but I need to get back to Ava.” Dylan told Richie.

“Well I can call your folks too if you want me too.” Richie volunteered.

“Oh could you? That would be great. Thanks.” Dylan hugged his Father-in-law and went to see how Ava was doing.

Richie took out his phone and first started with Heather. When she answered she was surprised to hear from him since she had remarried. When he started to tell her that they were in New Jersey for Ellie’s birthday and all of a sudden Ava went into labor Heather threw a fit. She wanted to be with her daughter seeing this was her first grand-baby and why did Ellie get to be with her and not her. Richie just pulled the phone away from his ear seeing that this was going to be all about her and not about THEIR daughter. He tried to explain that Ava didn’t do this on purpose and that she should know how this works. Now he knew why Dylan didn’t want to make this call.

Luckily the call to Dylan’s parents weren’t so bad. They were thrilled that the baby was coming and to call them and to let them know what it is and all that. Richie told them they would and they told him to give Ava a kiss for them.

He put his head back and tried to relax for a moment and realize in a little while he was going to be a Grandpa. He was so happy he was about to burst. Just then he heard voices coming towards him and they were of Jon and Stef. He notice Jon had a puss on his face and Stef was laughing.

“Ok what the hell happened?” he asked hoping that it was good.

“NO!” Jon said looking at his daughter.

“Oh come on Dad it was funny. He just has his cockles all rattled because this woman was staring at us while we got the coffees.” She said still giggling.

“What the hell did she do think you were someone else?” Richie asked them trying to figure out who that could be.

“No it wasn’t that. She knew who Daddy was.” She said as Jon just sat down and huffed. “She was going on about Bon Jovi and how wonderful they are and how much they helped her thru the bad times you know and Daddy’s standing there shaking his head like he always does and she could have been more than ten or fifteen-years junior than Daddy and then she says it. From my childhood. The funny thing is Daddy and Mom look a lot younger than this broad too. I think she must have fallen asleep in the sun and the guy with her oh my God you should have seen him he looked like he was twenty years older than Daddy.” Stef said to Richie as she couldn’t stop giggling.

“So if that’s true why do you have such a puss on your face?” Richie asked him.

“Why shouldn’t I. Yes we have been around forever but come on it’s not like we’re old and decrepit. Alright let’s just leave it ok? You, there was a time girls were jumping all over me.” Jon said pouting.

“Yes Daddy.” Stef said, “ Look I’m going to give this to Dylan so if you two Teen Heart throbs can stay out of trouble…”giggling.

“Just go you little Brat.” Jon told her smiling.

“You know I wish I had more kids.” Richie told Jon.

“Yeah I know. Ellie and I would talk about it. I can tell you she would get really going on that subject. She thought Heather was being selfish.” Jon told Rich.

“I can hear her now. They really never got along did they? I had to call Heather and let her know that Ava was having the baby and the first thing was why was she having it here and why does Ellie get to see the baby first.” Richie told him shaking his head.

Jon sat there with his mouth open. Then he asked, “Doesn’t she know what Ellie is going thru?”

“Well I know that I have told her and Ava has told her but she always seems to make it about her. (sighing) As she is making the baby about her. I have to admit she’s good. She’s probably on her way now with that dufus of a husband she has now. He’s is no help to her.” He told Jon defeated.

“Look Rich why don’t we just forget about her and just concentrate on the little bundle of joy that will be coming any time now. “ Jon told him as he put his hand on his shoulder.

Looking at Jon, “Your right. I’m not going to let her spoil this for me.”

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

  Inside the maternity room: “Oh another one!” Ava yelled out.

“Breathe Baby” Dylan told her “One, two, three, four, five and breathe”

“How many centimeters did they say you were?” Stephanie asked.

“I’m five so they said I’m coming pretty good.” Ava told them. “How’s Daddy doing?”

“He’s holding up, My Dad is with him and as long as there isn’t any fans around making either of them feel old they’ll be fine.” Stef snickered.

Ava looked at her strange. “I’ll explain later. Just concentrate on what you are doing.”

“Oh did anyone call my Mom?” Ava asked concerned.

Dylan looked at her and made a face. “Now don’t be mad but I kinda passed it off on your Dad.” As he stepped back out of her reach.

“DYLAN! Stef are you sure Daddy is alrightttttt here we go eweeeee!” Ava again had another contraction.

“Ok Baby one, two, three, four,”  but he didn’t get to finish as Ava cut him off.

“SHUT UP! Just Shut Up!!!” she yelled. That left Dylan shocked because she has never yelled at him before.

Stephanie looked at him and smiled. “Just go along with her ok? She doesn’t mean it trust me. It’s just that everything is coming to a head. Just agree with her and do whatever she wants.” She told him smiling and trying to make sure he doesn’t break down crying. At least not yet.

The doctor came in and looked at the happy trio. “So how has everything been coming.” He asked.

“Just freaking peachy!! When is the baby coming out!!” Ava growled.

“Well let’s see shall we. I just need to see so if you two want to either stay by Ava’s head or see yourselves?” he offered. Stef decided to help Ava try and relax while Dylan wanted to see how many centimeters she was. As the doctor showed him they were at eight and she was just about to give birth.

“Well it shouldn’t be long now. Your water broke and your mucus plus passed so I’m saying within the next hour probably sooner. I’ll have the nurse check you every twenty minutes just to be safe. Hang in there.” He told them.

“It’s easy for him to say hang in there. Stef could you please tell Daddy we are almost there.” Ava asked her.

Stef shook her head and went out to the reception area and found them talking. When Richie saw her he jumped up. “Uncle Mookie calm down. Ava just wanted me to tell you that she is at eight centimeters and the doctor has the nurses checking her every twenty minutes because she can deliver at any time now.” Stef told them as she winked at her Dad.

“So she is fine.” Richie asked nervously.

“Yes and believe me you don’t want to go in there if you know what I mean. I don’t know how Heather was But I was just the way Ava is and you just want it out at this point. Not everyone is Mom.” Stef shook her head in disbelief.

“Now just a second. I was around for five of the births and believe me she wanted you little rugrats out just as bad as you wanted to get out. She was uncomfortable too but as your Grandfather use to say and I have to agree with him ‘They are good Catholics.’ Your Mom and Gram.” Jon smiled from ear to ear.

“Daddy please I don’t want to hear it. It’s gross.” She told him making a face.

Turning to Rich, “Why is it Gross for us to do it but ok for them? We rock stars perfected it.” He told his daughter as Richie backed him up.

“I’m going back in there where it’s safer. I’d rather hear Ava scream than you two talk about sex. Cause I’m going to die.” Stef told them shaking and looking very pale heading to the maternity ward.

Jon looked at Richie and started to laugh. “What do you find so funny?” He asked Jon.

“That’s how Ellie usually gets rid of the kids. When she needs her so called “Me Time” and they’re hoovering over her she’ll start talking about either our sex life or she’ll talk about how their sex life is. Their faces are priceless.” Jon remembering the looks of his kids.

Laughing, Richie says, “I didn’t know she could be so devious.”

Sighing, “Why? You were there when she nailed me on some of my dalliances. Remember the P.I. she hired?” he said as he took a sip of his coffee.

“The P.I.? Jon there were a few Private Detectives that she hired. Which one are you talking about?” Richie asked him.

“The one after we had Rachel. She was a year and a half old.” Jon said.

“You mean eighteen months?” Richie said being a smart ass.

“YES!”

“Ok, ok. Yeah I think I remember that. The really stunning blonde with the big…” but Jon stopped him.

“Yes her and she wasn’t that bright either. Can’t remember her name for the life of me. I wouldn’t have gotten involved with her either if I wasn’t loaded on Tequila. You know I can’t be held responsible for my actions when I’m on that stuff.” He explained to him.

“No shit. Didn’t she forbid you from that stuff like forever and if you drink that stuff didn’t she say she was going to cut off your…” Just then Stephanie came out to see Jon and Richie.

The two men stood up. “Hey Grandpa. Do you want to see your Grandson?” She asked him.

Richie stood there motionless. “Rich are you ok?” Jon asked the new Grandpa.

“Yeah I am. Wow. I can go in there?” he asked Stephanie.

“Yeah go ahead I’ll stay out here with Daddy.” She told him smiling.

Jon took his daughter in his arms. He didn’t want to let her go. Richie walked down the hall to Ava’s room. He knocked and opened the door to look in.

“Come on in Grandpa. We want you to meet your Grandson.” Ava said as he walked towards them.

“Oh my God he’s beautiful. How are you Baby Girl?” he asked his daughter.

Looking at both her men she replied, “Ah it was a piece of cake.” She giggled.

Dylan looked at Ava and asked her, “Well are we?”

Ava looked up at him and shooked her head. “Daddy do you want to know his name?” she asked him.

“You have a name already? Ok what it is it?” he asked.

“Well here you want to take him first?” she asked him?

“Oh should I?” Richie wasn’t sure only because it’s been a while since he had held a newborn.

“Of course Dad he doesn’t bite. At least not yet.” Dylan told him.

“Very funny.” Bending down he carefully took his Grandson in his arms.

“Daddy I want you to meet Richard Stephen Walsh.” She told him.

Well Richie just stared at him with tears in his eyes. He couldn’t believe his kids named him after him. Ava and Dylan saw the tears forming in his eyes and they too started to well up. “Guys are you sure you want to name him after me?” he said never taking his eyes off of him.

“Daddy we talked about this and Yes we want this very much.”  Ava told him smiling.

“You know your Mother is going to say something about this.” He told them.

“Well let her. We love you Daddy and we want our son named after the man we love so much.” Ava told him.

The nurse came in,  “Well how is the little family getting along? It’s time for him to eat. Do you want the bottle or are you going to breast feed?” she asked Ava.

“Well I wanted to try to breast feed.” She told her.

“Ok so let’s get set up.” As the nurse was getting some things Richie handed the baby back to Dylan.

“Look I’m going to tell Jon what’s going on and try and get some food and call Ellie and everyone and see if your mom and Dylan’s parents are home to hear the good news. So I’ll be back and if it’s ok can I bring Uncle Jon with me?” Richie asked them.

“Sure we’re having the baby stay with me anyway so that would be fine Daddy.” Richie bent down and gave his daughter a kiss and then gave his name sake a kiss on the forehead. Then patted Dylan on the arm and with a smile an arm’s length wide headed out to see Jon and Stef.