Chapter Thirty-two

 

            Richie just about had it with her. Looking at her with disgust, “Let it go Heather. Like you never did anything stupid. Jon and Ellie sorted that whole thing out like they always do. Your just jealous that we couldn’t do it. Just how many guys did you cheat on me with huh Heather? Sorry I couldn’t be ok with that. Oh and that you didn’t want more kids because it would ruin your career and your figure.” He snapped at her.

She looked at him with venom in her eyes. “I didn’t want you touching me anymore. You didn’t figure that one out.” She snapped back at him.

He took a breath and said, “Can we not do this here please.” He turned to make sure no one was watching them.

“Fine. Just don’t bring up little Miss Goody Two Shoes.” She told him. “So when can I see my daughter and my grandson?” she asked him impatiently.

“You were supposed to be nice Heather but bringing that crap up about Jon and Ellie well…how do I know you won’t bring that up to them or another time with us. We all have stuff in our past that we like to forget. You for one is one of mine that is definitely at the top of my list. The only thing that I am grateful for is that beautiful girl that you gave to me.” He told her thinking that maybe she was the one that was going to be his Ellie.

“Yeah well, I thought that we were going to make it too but things change. I didn’t think that there was a Saint in the group. How the hell was I supposed to compete with her?” she asked him almost sad.

“No one ever said you had to compete with her Heather. You put that in your head all by yourself.” He told her rolling his eyes as he has had this conversation many, many times with her.

“Oh Please everyone knows you have had a crush on Ellie since day one. Jon has just tolerated it because he loves her and I’m sure she has asked him not to have someone beat you into oblivion or fire you. And I know for damn sure the way she looked at you that she also had a crush on you too.” She angrily told him.

“Oh my God she looked at all of us like that. She was grateful that we looked after Jon for her. She loves us like her brothers. Why do you always have to see an agenda in people. You know just because you always have one doesn’t mean others do. Look the kids really aren’t ready to see you so why don’t you go back to your hotel and chill out and eat, rest, take a shower, do whatever it is you do but we’ll talk about this later and I’ll ask Ava again when would a good time will be to set up and come visit alright?” he told Heather.

“I don’t believe this. I have to make an appointment to visit my own daughter? This is just outrageous.” She went on and on.

“Heather if you want to see them these are the rules. Take it or leave it.” He told her again and getting very annoyed now.

“Fine but I don’t have to like it. Just call my car and I’ll go back to my hotel. But Richard you better call me when they say I can see them.” She told him aggravated.  

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Once Richie got Heather all set, he went back to his daughter’s room. He stopped by the maternity ward first. Standing there watching the nurses taking care of some of the babies that the mothers wanted in the ward so they could rest before bringing them home. So many memories came flooding back. Some good and maybe a little more bad. He loved Heather when she was with Tommy Lee of Motley Crue. He could never figure out what she saw in him. She said he just liked tall men. Grinning he will admit to loving Heather but not his best friends wife. They are his two best friends and in no way is he going to wreck it again.

He snaps out of his trance and makes his way to Ava’s room. When he walks in there is a surprise.

“Jon, Ellie! How did you get here without me seeing you?” he said shocked.

Sitting next to Ava’s bed was Ellie and she was holding the baby and Jon was sitting next to her. Dylan was sitting on the end of Ava’s bed.

“Easy. You were talking with Heather so we snuck right by you. We certainly weren’t going to interrupt you and you both looked like you were into what you were saying.” Jon told him.

Richie sighed as he said, “Yeah she had a lot to say but mainly I told her if she couldn’t hold her tongue there was no way I was going to let her up here and upset Ava. I’m really happy now seeing that you two are here because she would have really gone off seeing Ellie here.” Expressing that there would be no way of handling Heather.

“I’m sorry guys. I tried to tell Jon that we probably shouldn’t just show up with Heather being about but he wouldn’t listen to me.” Ellie told them knowing what would have happened.

“Why? She came busting over screaming at us knowing well that Rich was here at the hospital. She just wanted to get her licks in at you and don’t tell me she didn’t know what you have been thru in the last few months.” Jon ranted.

“Ellie, Jon is right. Nothing gets past her. She knows how to push someone’s buttons. She did it to me downstairs. You know bringing up old times and guilt.” Richie was telling them but not everything.

“Yeah like what Daddy?” Ava asked him.   

“Oh nothing you have to worry about little girl.” Richie smiled at his daughter.

“Are you sure? I really don’t need her stressing me out right now.” Ava told him.

“I told her that and I also told her that when you are ready to see her I would let her know. But I have to tell you that she is very anxious to see you and the baby Honey and I don’t know how long I can hold her off.” He said and they could see the worry in his face.

“You know Rich we could set up security for them here at the hospital and then at their hotel or they could just come home with us and that way we all can look out for them.” Jon told him.

“Oh Uncle Jon we don’t want to put you all out.” Ava told them.

“Ava you will not be putting us out. We want you there. We wouldn’t have offered if we didn’t want you.” Ellie backed up Jon’s offer.

“But Aunt Ellie you’re not really feeling up to par and with Mom on the rampage I would just die if anything ever happened to you.” She told her Aunt out of concern for her health.

“Now you look, as I have told everyone else I will let you all know when I need rest or I can’t handle anything. So when you are ready to get discharged you guys are coming home with us. Jon will get security ready from here to the house and they’ll stay.” She told them flatly.

“Ok you heard the boss.” Jon said smiling.

“Well I’ll just stall Heather in the meantime because she won’t understand not being able to see you even if you tell her Baby. Plus staying with the Bongiovi’s she is going to have a fit. But when you do say it’s ok there’s no better place to be is there.” He told her smiling and very grateful to them for looking out for his girl.

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 A few days went by and Richie heard from a very angry Heather but he was able to hold her off for a while telling her that Ava was trying to get the breast feeding down and didn’t want anybody telling her how to do it other than the nurses. Even thou Ava was fine with everything he wanted to get her settled at Ellie’s without Heather knowing and throwing a fit. He wanted Ava to make the decision when she could come and visit not just her showing up.

Walking into the kitchen Richie joined Jon as he was having his cup of coffee and reading his paper. He poured his coffee and sat next to Jon and grabbed a piece of toast.

“Hey Kidd how are you doing this morning?” he asked taking a sip.

“Not bad. How’s the little Momma doing?” Jon asked the new Grandpa.

“She and the baby are doing fine. Dylan even changed a diaper.” Richie laughed.

“Well did he?” Jon smiled.

“Oh yeah right in the face. You know it’s a rite of passage. I showed him the little trick of changing a boy.” Richie said still laughing. “Ava got a kick out of it too.”

“Ellie already knew it she said having three brothers and having her Mom helping her with Jimmy. I’m just sorry I missed out on that. But she got me back when Jesse was born. Never showing me that trick and I got it right in the face just like Dylan did.” Jon chuckled just thinking about it.

“Wait? What do you mean with her three brothers? She didn’t change their diapers.” He asked all confused.

Laughing Jon answered, “No but she helped out with her siblings Beth and Sean. Holding them so they wouldn’t roll off the table so Mom could get rid of the diapers and anything else she needed like get their clothes if she needed them or help with their bathes. What she really hated was to get them to sleep. She said she nearly killed Beth because her Mom wouldn’t let her come down to watch the Aloha Concert until Beth fell asleep. So she thought putting the pillow over her face would do it. Luckily her Father came to her rescue and told her to come downstairs to watch it. That happened twice she got grounded with her brother and sent to bed so when the Last concert came on Mom had to remind Dad and he told her he was sorry he had forgot and she could watch the show she was crying so hard. You know my kids have nothing on their Mom. No wonder she could always tell when they were lying. Huh.” Jon sat there in wonderment.

“Yeah Ava always had us wrapped around her little pinky. I thought your girls would do that to you too.” Richie asked him curious.

“Well Ellie knows but they did and still do. Ellie’s father Paul loved his kids so did Celica. I was lucky they accepted me too.” Jon smiled.

“Yeah they probably thought they were getting another girl which was great.” Richie started to laugh.

Jon turned to him and gave him the stink eye as Ellie walked in the kitchen. “Alright Sambora what did you do to my husband to give you his classic stink eye.” She asked him as she was standing behind him with both hands on either side on his shoulders and her head looking over his left one.

Jon turned to the side and looked his wife in the eye and said, “He said that your parents thought that they were getting another girl in the family, being me, was great.” He said very sarcastically.

Squeezing hard on his shoulders now and him wincing, “Oh yeah they thought that was really cool. Me bringing home a boy with long hair with earrings, who love to play rock and roll in bars and had a rep with a lot of girls. Oh and the big one! He knocked up their daughter! Their virginal catholic daughter! Yeah they loved that!” she told him as she patted him hard on the back.

“Ouch!” he playfully cried out.

“Oh Stop.” She giggled.

“Hey I thought you loved me by the way.” Jon pouted.

Looking at her husband with an Oh My God look, “You know damn well know I love you.” She told him as she cuddled up to him. “You also know how I loved you then. I wouldn’t have let you touch me if I didn’t you brat. Now stop teasing me.” She told him as he took her face and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. It was still hard for Richie to see this but he also knew if he found the One that it probably wouldn’t hurt so much.

The kettle started to blow and Jon let her go and she made her tea. “I’ll let you guys have your time. I’ll be in the den if you need me.” She told them as she left.

“Are you ok” Jon asked him.

“Yeah why?” Richie answered back knowing exactly why Jon asked him that.

“Look we shouldn’t have done that in front of you. Sorry Man.” Jon apologized.

“Look this is your house. You should be able to kiss your own wife if you want to.” Richie told him.

“Well I know that but still I know how you feel about her. Rich I shouldn’t have given you all that shit about Ellie when you first arrived. That was a lifetime ago and the cape, well the cape really was very sweet of you. I shouldn’t have reacted like that either. Ellie put me straight.” He told him as he finished his coffee.

“Um thanks Jon. Look I probably should tell you something too. When I was talking to Heather she mentioned that incident when we were on tour and Heather was with us but Ellie was home with the kids. She was going to tell you that she was pregnant with Rachel. But Heather spoiled that with sending photos to her.” He told him as Jon stopped him.

“Yeah you don’t have to go on I remember. That wasn’t a good time. Heather almost broke my marriage. Ok I almost broke up my marriage. But I also finally got off of the Jack too. That stuff just kills me especially when I do Tequila  chasers with it. I even forgot the damn fight Ellie and I had.” He told Richie.

“Well Heather reminded me. You want to know?” he asked his friend.

Jon looked at him, “Sure why not. She’s going to remind Ellie when she gets here even if you tell her not too isn’t she?” Jon asked as he had a bad feeling in his stomach.

“I think so I told her not too but I have no control over her mouth. But it was because she wouldn’t leave Stef and Jesse with your parents. You got pissed because she left them with her parents all the time but not with yours and my Mom couldn’t do it because I gave them a cruise for an anniversary present and Jim was in college. You were just a pleasure to work with on that tour.” He told Jon as he patted his back.

“Hey I was just apologizing left and right on that tour. Finally she got so pissed that she did have Mom and Dad sit with them because her and Mom got into it and she yell out that she was pregnant. Then she screamed, Well congrats because your son just knocked me up for a fourth time. They just stood there she told me with their mouths open as she left the kids with them. Then when she got here she threw the pregnancy stick at me and all these obscenities were coming out of her mouth. To tell you the truth I didn’t think she knew that many never mind knowing what they meant. It took me a lot of talking for her to put down those divorce papers.” He was looking into space at the moment.

“I never seen her so mad at that moment.” He said so he remind Jon what he did.

“Yeah well I deserved it. I don’t even remember what I set out to prove.” He told Richie.

“Well it didn’t help that the woman wanted you more than anything and that Heather had her hand in it also. She’s spinning it to her advantage right now saying that Ellie had a hand in it too by asking her to send pictures to her but she didn’t I asked her. Heather did that by herself. But the proof was, well hard to prove it was you. I told Ava and Dylan everything last night and well Ava really doesn’t want to see her Mother. She can’t believe she has done all those awful things. She doesn’t want Richie around that influence. I’m just afraid if we tell her to stay away she’s going to do something drastic Jon.” He told him scared.

Jon sat there for a moment then said, “Well we can increase security here but do you really think she’ll do something like that?” he wanted to know.

“Jon she’s out of her mind. The only thing that I think we can do is commit her before she can either hurt herself or anyone else. Ava thinks that’s the best thing too. I’m going to call my lawyer today and see what he says.” He told him almost relived.

          The morning was quiet as his girls were over to help Ava with the baby. Or as they gave the excuse for that to at least see the baby and fawn all over him. Ava didn’t care she relished the company as their husbands were able to distract Dylan for a while. She just needed a little bit of a change of scenery even if that meant going downstairs for a while with them and the baby. That gave Ellie sometime with him also which she loved. So many memories came back flooding at her but she didn’t want to intrude and have her girls roll their eyes at her.

Stef and Rachel made lunch and they had it off the kitchen when their hubbies came back to join them. Richie was sleeping soundly because Ava had fed him just before.

“I just wish my two ate as well when they were that age. They didn’t take to the breast either did they Mom.” Stef said to her Mother.

“Well Honey not all babies do. None of you did. But I think that was my fault and not every baby can latch on or woman likes to be attached very long to the baby. We just can’t seem to produce milk. I’m sorry.” She told her daughters.

“Mom it’s not your fault and we’re fine by the way. Besides look at our Uncles on your side. What did Grandma give them? Their perfectly fine. You always said that she said that they were going to go broke just feeding them.” Rachel giggled.

“I know. Two shopping carts of food. People used to look at us like we were crazy and that was weekly.” Ellie laughed. “It’s a good thing your Grandpa had a good job.” She said sipping her tea.

Jeff looking at all of them smile and said, “Boy I have never been more happier than being a guy right now.” He laughed. Well Rachel grabbed a pillow behind her and smacked him from behind him. Well everyone laughed as Jon walked in the room.

“What’s so funny?” he asked as he looked at his family and smiled brightly.

“Your daughter just smacked her husband.” Ellie smiled.

“You taught our daughters how to beat up their husbands?” he now stood closer to his wife with his hands on his hips trying to give her a stern look which just wasn’t happening.

“Well someone has too. They were never going to learn it from you. Daddy taught me but he always said when I brought you home. ‘Oh God he’s so skinny you can snap him in two. Yeah you’ll be ok” well everyone laughed as Jon just gave a shocked face.

“Excuse me little girl but I was stronger than I looked.” He told her tapping his foot.

“You could see your ribs Jon.” She smiled at him.

“You know why. I lost what five pounds everytime I got on stage.” He started to look like he was getting insulted now. So she got up from her chair and walked over to him.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, “You know I’m just teasing and so was Daddy. If he didn’t like you would have been gone.  Like that boy who was over trying to see Beth and he was outside where the boys were trying to fix her car and Daddy was outside and he was feeling no pain and bumping into him making remarks at him the whole time. Oh and he was a body builder and she was in the house crying asking me to go out and bring him back in the house. Oh it was so funny and he was Italian too. I think he even said he had enough of them in the family and didn’t need another one. I got him in. But the boys were laughing their asses off.” Ellie said as she put her face into his chest.

                “You mean Joe and Chick didn’t help her out?” he asked her.

“Nope they wanted to see what Daddy was going to do. That’s another reason she was mad and Mom was also upset.” She smiled.

“Well Ava here you go we’ll just sic Ellie on your Mom and or she can be your bodyguard also. And to think I wasted all my money on Matty and security when I could have used your Mom.” He grabbed her tight as she laughed.

She looked him in his eyes, “You couldn’t have afforded me.” She smiled wide.