Chapter 19

The next week flew by for both Melissa and Jon, but they did manage to stay in contact through it all. Jon had called Melissa on Saturday night to make sure she had gotten home ok, and they ended up talking for nearly an hour. They talked about what Melissa did in her last couple of days down the shore, and about how Jon was adjusting to Stephanie moving in with him. The next day Melissa called to say hi, and they ended up talking for nearly another hour, this time about the little things. How she had a bunch of paperwork to catch up on, how Jon was meeting with the Mayor of Newark later in the week to follow up on the plans for the new apartment buildings. This was what he had missed so much since the divorce, being able to talk about the details of his life, being able to share the less glamorous side of him, and she was more than willing to listen. They had talked Monday and Tuesday in the same capacity, both of them silently content in where their relationship, whatever it may be, was heading.

Jon was pleased with the progress and easy transition that was happening with his daughter. They were still trying to feel each other out, looking for the perfect balance, but overall it was going well. It also helped tremendously to have Amalia there to give them both a reality check. Things were settling down nicely, and they had reached a near perfect routine by the time school started on Tuesday. Jon had even called Richie in LA to tell him how everything was falling into place; it almost seemed too good to be true.

Melissa had enjoyed her last couple of days at the beach, and Richie even insisted treating the three of them to dinner one night. Richie had said it was to thank her for making Jon so happy, but Melissa thought that he had ulterior motives as he flirted shamelessly with Angela throughout the meal. No matter what his motives were, she was happy to know that she made Jon happy, because he had the identical effect on her. It was hard for her to return to reality Saturday night, but was relieved when he called her, ensuring that it hadn’t all been a dream. Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly for her, and she couldn’t help but smile all day. She kept telling herself to ignore her self doubt, good things can happen, and they are. Tuesday night she even called Angela and talked to her, feeling like a 13-year-old girl all over again.

“Angela, there’s just something about him. I don’t know what it is, and its not because of who he is either. I just feel comfortable with him. I know that sounds stupid because we haven’t even known each other a month, but there’s something familiar about him. Never in all my life have I felt so at home with some one so quickly, not even you and Tommy. He accepted me for who I am, and all my baggage. It’s like we have this connection. I never thought I could ever feel this way about someone. I’ve always been so quick to guard myself and not let people in, but there’s something different about him that makes me trust him. And the way we talk to each other. I tell him stupid little things, like while I was on the phone with him I couldn’t find my charger for my computer and I told him that. And he’s so quick to tell me about what he’s going through with his daughter. And he’s told me about the boys too, like I can picture their personalities. I think I’m falling for him, god I know that’s crazy. ”

And as always Angela’s support, even if it was skeptical, was there, as it had been since college. They made plans to drive into work together the next morning, and Melissa, like so many times in the past week, couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face.

Melissa woke up at 8:00 the next morning, an hour and a half before she had to leave. She couldn’t help it, she was too excited. She got up and made her way to the shower, hoping the warm water would bring her brain back to the logical manner it usually functioned at. Melissa emerged from the shower, still feeling giddy and turned to her closet. It took her 25 minutes to decide on her favorite pair of jeans, and her well-worn Barber jersey. It was theme day at work and this week they decided on retired football jerseys, and it couldn’t have come on a better day as one of Jon’s first loves was football. Melissa dressed, and made her way back to the bathroom. She took the towel from her hair, and gave it a good shake. I think we’ll go with the natural look today, she thought. She let her hair go, and applied minimal makeup. A little powder and blush, a quick swish of the mascara wand, a hint of gloss and she was ready to go. As she left her bedroom, she heard a knock at the front door. Eagerly she answered it and found Angela excited and ready for the day.

“Morning! Come on in I was just getting ready for breakfast, we’ve still got about a half hour,” Melissa said holding the door open.

“Morning Mel. What are you making,” Angela asked walking to the kitchenette.

“Bagels, pretty gourmet, huh. Is that one of Tommy’s old jerseys,” Melissa asked gesturing to the football jersey that hung to her knees.

“Yup, I didn’t have any old ones. And I would’ve been here sooner except I was getting quite a lecture of who Phil Simms is. It was stupid that I asked, you’d think by now I’d know better. He takes his football so seriously; I swear he took it as a personal attack that I didn’t know who Simms was. Seriously,” Angela answered as she took out the butter and cream cheese before making herself a cup of coffee.

“Hey, don’t look at me. You should know better after living with me for how long. Football is like a religion to some, and Tommy happens to be one,” Melissa said grabbing the bagels out of the toaster and put them onto plates.

Angela went to work putting cream cheese on hers while Melissa buttered hers up. “Hey Mel, I’m really happy for you, you know that. I mean it’s a dream come true to be with Jon, but did you think that this is happening too fast. I mean hon you’re pretty smitten after only two weeks, and you don’t even know how he feels.”

Melissa resisted the urge to get angry. Ordinarily she probably would’ve defended herself until she was blue, but how could she when in the back of her mind she had been thinking the same thing? She was almost secretly relieved that Angela had brought it up, because she would never voice her own concerns, about this anyway. “Ang, I dunno. All I know is that in my 28 years I’ve never felt this way about anyone, the way I do about him. And the way I feel with him, and the way he makes me feel. This is something I can’t screw up. I thought that it was just some wonderfully romantic rendezvous down the shore, and because of where it was it was something magical. But then we came home, back to everyday life, and that spark is still there. I didn’t believe that this was real until we came back. I don’t know how he feels and I can’t influence that, and I wouldn’t want to manipulate him. All I know is we’ve got a good thing and I don’t want that to change.”

“Well as long as you know that either this could end badly, because you’re so invested, or it is something truly magical. That’s all, I just wanted to make sure. I’ve gotta look out for my Mel. But don’t worry, I saw how he was looking at you he looks just as infatuated as you do. And talking about his kids, oi!”

Melissa couldn’t help but smile. So it’s not just me that sees the way he looks at me. “Ok enough of this for now. Let me get my stuff for work, and then we’re outta here,” Melissa said chewing her last piece of bagel, and heading for her office.

“Mel, you want coffee to go,” Angela asked as Melissa left the room.

“Oh, yes please. If you get that, we can go as soon as I grab this stuff,” Melissa called from her office grabbing her laptop, and a bunch of paperwork she had tried to finish the night before. Melissa emerged with her laptop case and her messenger. “Ok, ready?”

“Absolutely. Do you mind driving? Tommy dropped me off because he needs my car to get the oil changed on the truck,” Angela asked grabbing two travel mugs.

“No problem. Why does it seem that between the three of us, we’re always down a car. Let me just find my cell and were outta here,” Melissa answered checking the counter for her cell phone.

As if on cue she heard Jon’s familiar voice start, “Until I'm 6 feet under, Baby I don't need a bed, Gonna live while I'm alive, I'll sleep when I'm dead, Till they roll me over, And lay my bones to rest, Gonna live while I'm alive, I'll sleep when I'm dead” as her phone received a text message.

“Angela do you hear where that’s coming from? Is it the kitchen?” Melissa asked trying to follow the sound of the music.

“I’ve got it Melissa, it was in your purse,” Angela said grabbing the phone as it stopped ringing. “It’s from Jon.”

Melissa nearly squealed with excitement. “Give me!” She said taking the phone from Angela. She took a deep breath before hitting ‘ok’ to read her message.

Melissa cant wait to see you later...Jon

*****

Jon couldn’t help but smile all morning as he got ready and ate breakfast with his daughter. As he munched on some cereal he let his mind wander. Things were going better than he could have expected. He couldn’t ask for things to be going better with Steph, he hadn’t seen her this happy since before he was home from the tour. Their lives and schedules had meshed into one, and things were going smoothly. She had started school yesterday, and seemed to like it, as much as any high school sophomore liked school. But he could tell there was something different about her. He loved being able to have dinner with someone every night, and not being the only person in the house after Amalia and Cara had left for the day.

But just as exciting for Jon was his new relationship with Melissa. He was so happy to be with someone who didn’t judge everything he did, and someone who he enjoyed sharing his time with. After he had talked to Melissa at length on Saturday night he had called Richie, who promptly teased him for getting all mushy. But Jon knew that if he was gonna make this work Richie was the one to talk to about this. Richie knew what it was like to be with someone for so long, and then have feelings about someone else. He had thought about calling Dave because he and his ex-wife were together since high school, but Richie had met Melissa. And he saw first hand how happy she made him. Hell Jon had even talked about introducing his kids to her. He quickly shot down introducing her to his boys because they were still upset with him for letting Steph move in by herself.

Richie had been quick to give him the reality check that he always provided. “Johnny are you sure you not just doing this to get back at Dot for sleeping with someone new. Maybe if you were with someone younger it would make her even madder, right?”

“God Rich I didn’t even think of that. I think she just came into my life when I needed someone to lean on, and it just works.”

“And I’m happy you’re happy, even though I don’t know how you could be so happy with her if you haven’t gotten her into bed yet, but that’s just me. But how long have you known her to be all starry-eyed about her?”

“First you’re such a pig sometimes,” Jon replied shaking his head.

“Aw, thanks man,” Richie said laughing.

“And it’s one of those things that I just know is right for me right now. I don’t know where we’re gonna be in a year, or at Christmas for that matter. But right now we’re in a good place where I can’t stop thinking about her from the first time I saw her-“

“Damn Johnny, you’ve been bit hard by the love bug,” Richie had answered him.

Jon was quickly snapped back to reality when the kitchen phone rang, and Amalia answered it.

“Bongiovi residence…Yes ma’am hold on one moment, let me see if he is available to take your phone call,” Amalia took the phone with her and walked over to the table where Jon and Steph were sitting. “It’s your ex-wife Mr. Jon. She’s insisting to speak with you.”

Shit, Jon thought, there goes my perfect morning. “Thanks Amalia, Steph go get ready we have to leave in 10 minutes,” he said giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before heading for the patio door. If this was gonna get ugly he didn’t need his daughter hearing, she was so protective of him and he didn’t want anything else to drive in between their already mangled relationship.

He stepped out into the cool September air and reached for a cigarette from the pack he had grabbed on his way out. “Morning Dot, what can I do for you?” He asked lighting his cigarette and breathing in the familiar nicotine.

“I just wanted to let you know that I don’t think that its fair that Stephanie should be kept from her brothers. So I talked it over with the boys and we think that we should have weekly meals, the five of us, as a family. Wednesdays work best with the boy’s schedules, so I’ll be picking her up from school today and you can pick her up around 8 or 9 o’clock, so I’ll see you then,” Dot stated simply.

“Wait, Dorothea. You can’t just dictate her life, or mine. Do you even care what she wants? And did you call to talk to me so that I would be the bad guy here. Don’t think I cant see through you Dorothea, I’ve known you too long for those games to work,” Jon said fuming at his ex-wife’s behavior.

“Oh, ok Jon. I see you think that your children should not only be separated between your favorite little princess and the little leftovers but you also think that they shouldn’t spend anytime together, even though they’ve never been apart.”

God did she have a way of guilting him. “You know that is so unfair, we wouldn’t even be in this situation if it weren’t for you. I love all my children the same, how could you suggest that I don’t. But fine Dorothea, I’ll talk to her, but the only person you’re gonna end up hurting is her. I have to go or she’ll be late for school,” Jon said hanging up the phone before she had a chance to respond.

He finished his cigarette and went inside to tell his daughter. She took it in stride, and smiled, “That’s ok Daddy, she’s just jealous. I’m gonna go get my bag.”

As his daughter left him alone with his thoughts his mind started to spin. How is it that she can see the obvious that’s right in front of me? She’s one amazing young woman. A young woman, I can’t believe she’s 15, and not my little 5 year old baby girl. And now what am I gonna do tonight back in this big house all by myself. I don’t even know what time I’ll get home from the hospital. Wait, that’s it. I’ll go out to dinner with Melissa afterwards. Dot thought she could hurt me and Steph, but she ended up making my night better and Steph can see through her ploys. .

“Dad, come one I’m gonna be late. What car are we taking?” Steph called from the hall snapping him back to focus.

“The Beamer’s blocking everything else in. I’ve got the keys,” Jon said smiling following his daughter to the door.