Chapter 4

“Ding-Dong” Jon rang the bell at his ex-wife’s house. Dot answered the door, and he instinctively leaned down to give her an Italian “air kiss”.

“Hey Dot how are you? You look good.” Jon said trying to be friendly, something that he wasn’t feeling on the phone this morning.

His afternoon had changed his outlook on things. A couple hours with sick kids, who were just happy to be alive, made him take a step back before he could argue with his ex, for today at least. Hesitantly she let him into her home. He stayed in the foyer, he didn’t want to test her, and he had no reason to go any further.

“I’m fine Jon, but you seem better than you were this morning. You’re not as hostile.” She answered simply.

Using every bit of self-control and good memories of the afternoon, he bit his tongue and replied. “I had an eye-opening afternoon. I went down to Hackensack University Medical Center, and I spent a couple hours on the pediatric floor-“

“Jon, I stopped caring a long time ago what you did when you weren’t with us. I was tired of never knowing what to believe and what was made up. Now I have no doubt that you spent the afternoon at the hospital, but I’m sure that there was a woman involved that has you in such high spirits, not the kids, which is a little revolting that they are not what you took from the afternoon, but I stopped caring what exactly made you tick years ago. Now I’m not going to tell you what to do with your life, or who to do it with, not that that ever affected you in the past. I’ll go see if Steph is ready.” She never raised her voice, just stated it matter of factly, which had Jon more dazed than anything else.

She walked up the stairs and left Jon in the foyer to wait. Shocked at how many digs his ex had just taken at him, he could do nothing but wait for her to return. They had ended mutually and had remained amiable for the kids but she didn’t usually talk to him like this. Before he could figure this out his oldest son appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Hi, Dad, Mom said you were here.” Jesse said, not making an effort to come down the stairs.

“Hey Jesse I didn’t know you were here I thought you went down the shore with your Aunt and cousins. If I knew you were home you could’ve done dinner with us, but Steph and I made plans already.” Jon said now angry that Dot was now being deceitful too.

“No just Romeo and Jake went down the shore. I wasn’t gonna go they’re all so much younger than me.” Jesse said still not moving.

“You got a friend over Jess?” He nodded. “Alright have a good night and don’t give your mom to many problems. I’ll see you in the morning when I drop your sister off.”

Jesse mumbled goodnight as he walked down the hall to his room. Middle school boys were their own brand of monsters; he’d go back to the terrible two’s in a heartbeat compared to the constant battle his son was becoming, and the divorce seemed to only make matters worse. As Jon looked up he saw his daughter coming down the hall with her mom not too far behind.

“Hi dad!” she said and gave him a hug and a kiss, both of which he returned happily, given the cold treatment he had been given by the other members of the house. Dorothea stopped in the hall for a minute and looked at them.

“Make sure you have her back before 1 o’clock tomorrow, she has a doctors appointment. Have a good night Steph.” She turned to leave.

“Dot I can take her to the doctor if you want.” Jon answered not liking being told what to do in a house that he essentially paid for.

“No I’ll take her, just have her back in time.” And she took off towards the kitchen.

“Dot wait, Dot.” When she didn’t return, he looked at his daughter. “Here’s the keys, why don’t you get in the car. I’ll be out in a minute I just have to talk to your mom a second, and make sure the cars in the same place it was when I left it.” he said with a wink and his daughter, keys in hand, headed for the door. He called out for his ex again as he followed in the direction that she went.

“What do you want Jon?” she answered flatly.

He found her in the kitchen. “Dot look at me please.” She continued cutting up vegetables for a salad. “Dot please just two minutes that’s all I want.” When she still didn’t look up he walked over and grabbed her arm gently. She finally looked up and put the knife down. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately but something’s gotta give. You speak to me like a child and order me around. And what you said to me before, where is this coming form Dot?”

“Maybe if you stopped acting like a child, I wouldn’t have to treat you like one. You always have to be the center of attention, and I’m tired of the bullshit that I still have to deal with. Now I can only imagine where you left my daughter, I think its time for you to go.” She picked up her knife and continued to cut.

“Dot we’re gonna have to talk about this sooner or later. And our daughter is waiting for her father in the car.” Jon said as he could feel his temper rising.

When he didn’t get a response from her, he let himself out of the house and down to his car where he could hear his daughter’s music from the front door. He stood and watched as she sang along.

As he climbed into the driver’s seat he looked at his daughter, “Ready to go kiddo?”

“Ready dad.” She said as she turned the music down.

“I thought we’d just order a couple of pizzas and Richie should be over around 6:30. Still sound good?” He asked, trying to read her body language for her true answer.

“Sure, can we get the pizza with chicken on it?” she said.

“Anything for my little princess.” He answered satisfied with her answer.

*****

Melissa waited outside of the main entrance of the hospital waiting for Angela’s black convertible. I’m surprised she isn’t here by now. Melissa thought to herself as she looked at her watch, 5:35. As she reached into her purse for her cell phone to call Angela, she saw her car coming into the parking lot. As the car got closer she could hear the New Jersey cd blaring from the speakers. As Angela got closer she heard the distinct beat of Born to be my Baby. Angela stopped to let Melissa in.

“I want to know every detail, but so does Tommy so unless you want to tell the story twice, I suggest you wait until we get home.” Angela said as she turned down the music to talk to her friend.

“I can wait if you can. We’ll just have to have our own little concert on the way home. Where are we headed anyway, I thought Tommy was working tonight.”

“He was supposed to but when he heard the news he wanted to hear the details just as badly as I did. He’ll go into the restaurant tomorrow night probably. No matter how much he says he doesn’t get our memorization, with Bon Jovi, he likes them enough to stay home for all the details. He even insisted on making dinner, so were headed to our house.” Angela laughed.

“That is a keeper when your husband doesn’t go into work to hear about an encounter with Jon. And he’s gonna feed me!” Melissa said as she turned up the music imaging how she would effectively recap her afternoon with the sexiest man alive. As her mind drifted she imagined the man who she had met singing the chorus to her.

My heart beats like a drum (all night)
Flesh to flesh, one to one (and it's alright)
And I'll never let go cause
There's something I know deep inside