Chapter 9

Jon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. At the same time those simple words, were everything he wanted to hear, and the worst thing he could hear.

“Steph, what do you mean you want to live with me? Where is this coming from?” Jon asked, trying to read his daughter. The one thing that he couldn’t stand was seeing one of his children unhappy, especially to this extent.

She looked at him tears still streaming down her face. “I hate it at mom’s and I don’t want to live there anymore, and I miss you. Can’t I stay here? Please?”

Jon looked into his daughter’s crystal blue eyes that looked so much like his. “Stephie, I’m gonna need a little more than that. Talk to me, and I’ll see what I can do to fix whatever’s going on at mom’s”

“Dad you don’t understand you’re not there. You know how everyone always tells me how much I’m like you? I think mom sees that and she hates me for that.”

“Stephanie, that’s not fair. Your mom doesn’t hate you. We may not get along but she loves you. What would make you think that she doesn’t?”

”When Mom first left she would tell me all the time about how I look so much like you, and how looking at me is like looking into your eyes. And now sometimes when she talks to me she wont look me in the eye. And we fight all the time about stupid things, but everyday its something new. I can’t seem to ever get ahead of the curve. And the boys seem like they’re invincible. I mean they do stuff that I could never get away with, even little things. Like the other day I left a book in the car, and she yelled at me for not being responsible for my things, when Jesse had spilled a bunch of food in the back seat. Did you know that there’s not a piano in the house because she doesn’t want me playing. When I asked her if we could get one she said no.” She could barely get out any more words through her sobs.

Jon reached over and wiped some tears from her face. “Steph look at me. There are those beautiful eyes. I think there’s something else going on at Mom’s, tell me. I can’t help you if I don’t know what I’m dealing with.”

“Dad, promise you won’t get mad? I mean I don’t think you will, but just in case?” She said with a tentative look in her eye.

“Steph, you can tell me anything, please.” Jon could feel his temper rising at his ex-wife’s selfish behavior.

“It’s Connor, that guy Mom’s been seeing. You did know about him right.” Jon nodded unable to speak in fear of yelling. “Well they’ve been seeing each other about a year, but Mom thinks that I think they’ve only been dating a couple months. He comes around the house all the time, and the boys like him. They do boy stuff together, and he takes them places. But I don’t think he likes me much, because I don’t do stuff with them. I mean he’s nice enough, but I don’t like him. And Mom’s mad that I don’t like him. And I hate when he’s there in the morning when I wake up. And he’s not my dad and he never will be, because you are more than all I need. I just want to get out of the house and stay here with you.” She stopped crying as she looked up at her father.

Jon looked at his daughter shocked and livid at what his daughter just told him. How could Dot do this to her? And how could she push another man on his children and expect them to accept it, without even telling me? “Steph I understand why you’re angry, but I don’t know if it’s a great idea to live here. I know this whole situation makes you uncomfortable, and I don’t blame you, I will be talking to your mother about that this afternoon. But if you come here you won’t be living with your brothers. And sweetie I’m not home all the time. Even when I’m not on tour I go away on business for one thing or another, and I just can’t take you with me especially during the school year. ”

“Dad when Mom left last year and took us with her, I didn’t want to go then. And I certainly don’t want to stay now. And when you’re not here we can figure something out. I can go with you on the weekends, or I can stay by myself. I’m old enough and Amelia and Cara can keep an eye on me. Amelia’s been watching me since I was born.” Steph said looking a little less stressed.

“Steph I still don’t know. I would love for you to come back here, but you’re mom’s gonna have a field day. I know she doesn’t want you to leave.” Jon said trying to figure out what to do on the fly, she seemed to have thought of everything.

“I thought it out, and I really want to live here. To live with you, like it used to be. Please will you at least think about it before you say no?”

“Steph, if it was up to me you could move in tomorrow. But your mom is gonna have something to say about this I’m sure.” Jon looked into his daughter’s crushed face. “But I can talk to her this afternoon if that’s what you really want.”

Steph threw herself into her dad’s arms and gave him a hug. “Really you will? You can get me out of there?”

“Steph I said I would talk to your mom, but I can’t promise anything. But if you do come, its not gonna be easy. What you see is what you ge-”

There was a knock at the door, and Richie entered. His hair was a mess, sticking up every which way; it looked like there wasn’t a single hair in place. His eyes were half closed and he looked like he may fall asleep if he stood still too long, not to mention that grumpy look that he had until he had his first cup of coffee. He mumbled some words, that Jon assumed were along the lines of “morning,” but couldn’t be sure.

“Can you give us a minute? There’s some coffee in the kitchen.” Jon said, and Richie stumbled back out of the door. Jon turned back to his daughter. “Steph I can’t promise anything, but I will talk to your mom. Why don’t you go pack up your stuff, and let me go talk to Richie for a couple of minutes. Then I’ll take you home.”

Steph leaned over to give her dad another hug, “Thanks dad I love you!” She got up and walked out of the room looking happier that she had in weeks.

Jon shook his head and headed for the kitchen. He found Richie looking much more alive pouring himself a second cup of coffee. “Hey man you look like hell.” Jon said pouring himself another much needed cup of coffee.

“Thanks man, were not as young as we used to be ya know. Anyway do you know what its like having your daughter wake you up by pouncing on the bed just to shove the phone in your face so your ex-wife can yell at you?”

“Hey man I got no sympathy for you this morning. You’re never gonna believe what Steph was asking me when you came in before.”

“What? It can’t be so bad that you wouldn’t have sympathy for your matchmaker, would it?”

“She wants to live with me.” Jon said, still shocked at the words coming out of his mouth.

“The girl from last night? Way to go man.”

“No you dumbass, Steph wants to move back here.”

“What? Why? What did you say?” Richie asked choking on his coffee.

“She said Dot’s been, god I don’t even know what the right word is, neglecting or snubbing her. And she doesn’t like this new guy, that Dot’s been seeing. And she’s forcing him on the kids. I don’t think I can blame Steph, but I kinda wonder how much of this might be exaggerated.” Jon said taking a sip of coffee.

“Well what are you gonna do?”

“Well, I’m taking this seriously I have no choice. She’s my baby girl and she’s miserable. And no way in hell I’m gonna let anyone get away with that.”

“So that’s it, your gonna let her move in?”

“If that’s what she wants, and Dot doesn’t kill me first.”

“You’re a brave soul man, trying to take something from Dot. She’s gonna totally flip. I wouldn’t want to be in the county when this goes down.”

“Tell me about it, but I’ve got no choice. I’m gonna go take a shower, so I can go negotiate with the devil. Think you can entertain the kids for a little while?”

“Absolutely, I can turn on a pretty mean TV.” Richie said following him out of the kitchen.

“Oh and Ava says that you still look worse than I do in the morning, but nice try.”

“She wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” Richie said laughing.

Jon walked up the stairs back to his room for a much needed shower. Twenty minutes later he was showered, dressed and ready for the difficult confrontation that awaited with his ex wife. After Jon and Steph said their goodbyes to Richie and Ava, they set off towards Dot’s house across town.

As Jon parked his green BMW in her driveway he turned to look at his daughter. “Are you sure you still want me to do this? Because no matter what happens this is gonna get pretty ugly. You say the word and I can forget what we talked about this morning ever happened.”

“No Daddy, I’m sure.”

“Ok then, lets go. It’s now or never,” Jon said trying to get his daughter to smile, and he got one better as she laughed and rolled her eyes.

“Oh Dad. Come on lets go.” Steph said opening her car door and reaching into the back for her overnight bag.

The pair walked up to the door in silence, and waited as they rang the doorbell. After a few seconds Dorothea came and opened the door. “Thanks for bringing her home Jon.” Steph stepped into the house and Dorothea promptly started to close it on her ex.

Not even a word to Steph, maybe she wasn’t exaggerating, Jon thought. “Not so fast Dot, we need to talk,” Jon said holding the door open.