Jon parked the car in front of the main building before he turned to look at her. “I know we usually do dinner or something on Wednesdays but I can’t tonight. I’m going over to Dorothea’s to talk to her about the boys. I’ve just gotta be with them today. I’ve gotta hold them and tell them how much I love them one more time,” he said.
“I understand,” she said offering him a smile.
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to think that you’re not important to me, but with everything that’s happened I just need to be with them,” he said.
“I understand perfectly. Be with your boys, I’ll be here when you’re ready,” she reassured him.
“Thanks. Lemme help you get your stuff outta the trunk,” he said getting out of the car.
She followed him around to the trunk and watched him unload her bag leaving it on the sidewalk. “Thanks for everything, I’ll talk to you this weekend,” she said giving him a hug.
“Don’t wait that long. Call me whenever you want,” he said.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” he said giving her a kiss goodbye.
“I love you,” she said when they finally broke away.
“I love you too. Do you want me to help you take this up,” he asked picking up her bag.
”Nope, I’ve got it,” she said throwing the bag over her shoulder. “Go talk to Dorothea and let me know how it goes.”
“I will, bye,” he said giving her one last kiss before he got back in the car.
Melissa watched him drive away with tears in her eyes as she made her way up to her office.
Jon made a hard merge back onto the highway letting his aggression and frustration fuel him. Though he had never been one to instigate a confrontation with his ex he knew it was something he had to do. I need to be with my babies. If she makes me, I’ll drag her ass back into court to do it. They’re mine too damn it.
Next thing Jon knew he was sitting in his ex wife’s driveway staring at the house. Mustering every last ounce of strength and determination he locked his car behind him as he walked to the front door. He rang the bell and waited for the inevitable.
The door opened and Dorothea stood glaring at him. “What do you want, Jon,” she asked coolly.
“We need to talk.”
“You can’t just show up without warning and expect me to drop what I’m doing because you want me to,” she said.
“Are you doing something that’s more important then the kids,” he asked standing his ground.
“Yeah, Jon, you caught me. Cleaning the kitchen is much more important,” she spat sarcastically.
“Dorothea, I don’t need an attitude, I just need to talk to you,” he said controlling his emotions.
“So talk.”
“Can I come is? This is a private conversation that I prefer not to have where anyone can hear,” he asked.
“You’re a piece of work, you know that,” she asked turning to walk back through the house. Jon followed her shutting the door behind him.
When they reached the doorway of the kitchen, Jon heard a man’s voice call out. “Doro, who was at the door?”
When Jon walked in the kitchen he saw a man in his late 40’s sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. He was blonde, what bit of hair was left anyway, and blue eyes. At least I aged better then him, Jon thought bitterly.
“It was just Jon,” she said walking to stand behind him.
“We need to talk. In private,” Jon said staring at the man.
“Whatever you say to Doro, you can say in front of me. She’s gonna tell me anyway,” he said staring back at Jon.
“I don’t care what she tells you, but this is about our children so our opinions are the only ones that matter,” Jon said firmly.
“It’s ok honey. I can handle Jon,” Dorothea said.
“Are you sure,” the man asked.
“The two of you are talking like I’m gonna hurt you, Dot,” Jon said.
“Go on, I’ll be fine,” she said ignoring Jon.
The man got up and kissed Dorothea before he walked out of the kitchen. Once they were alone Jon sat down at the table across from her.
“Why do you let him call you that,” he asked, still in shock from seeing the man that was trying to replace him.
“It’s none of your business what he calls me,” she snapped.
“Fine. But I’ve known you since you were 16 and you’ve always hated when anyone calls you that,” he said.
“Are you here to analyze my relationship or talk about my kids,” she asked with a huff.
“Of course I’m here about the kids, I just didn’t expect to see him,” he answered.
“What about the kids, Jon?”
“I want to see the boys,” he said.
“They’re in school, Jon. It’s almost noon on a Wednesday did you really expect them to be home,” she mocked.
“Stop it, Doro, I know they’re at school. You need to stop keeping them from me,” he said.
"I'm not keeping them from you. If anyone is keeping children it is you. You’re keep Stephanie away from us," she said.
"You wanted her out of here and you know it. That was her choice. She's over here a couple days a week for dinner, it's not my fault you made her feel like a prisoner in her own home," Jon said defensively at her accusation.
"I did no such thing. She chose it to be that way. So now what you want to take my boys away too and brainwash them against me," she asked glaring at Jon.
"I don't want to take the kids from you Dorothea, and I never did. You made Steph leave whether you want to believe that or not. I just want to be able to see the boys. If anyone's doing brainwashing, its you. Telling them that I love Steph more then them, bringing a new man into their life and trying to make him into their father," he said feeling his temper rise.
"You were never there anyway Jon. You always had something better to do than be with us. Connor isn't trying to replace you. He can't replace something they never had," she said with bite in her voice.
"How dare you say that I wasn't there for them? I always put the kids first, you know that. I was there as much as I could, you knew what it was gonna be like before we had Steph but you went off the pill because you wanted a family with me. Don't you put all this blame on me," he said yelling.
Dorothea let out a laugh "You were there for them? That's too funny. You weren't there when they got hurt, said their first words, woke up in the middle of the night. I was. I have been there for everything while you went out and played rock star forgetting you had a family back home. I was lucky if you came home for at least 2 days before you left again. You just expected me to be the good wife and take it all."
"Do you really think that I didn't want to be here? Don't you think I wanted to be here to see their first steps and be the one to hold them when they were hurt or take care of them when they were sick," he asked.
"You had a funny way of showing you wanted to be here Jon."
"Didn't I call you everyday, and check in on the kids? Didn't I do my best to be home for every birthday? I don't think the kids ever thought that I didn't love them until you started putting thoughts into their heads,” he spat.
"You were NEVER here for their birthdays. I always had to explain to them why daddy was away again. I was the one that saw the looks on their faces when you would make a promise to be there and break it as usual. I didn't need to put anything in their head you did it all on your own"
"I tried to be here. Do you know how many fights I got in over the years with Paul about dates? This was always the only place I've wanted to be. My boys never questioned my love for them until you started telling them that I didn't love them."
"I didn't tell them anything. They came to that on their own and when they asked me I didn't lie to them. Why the hell are you here Jon? To cause me more problems,” she asked.
"I don't want you lying to the boys telling them that I don't love them. Do you really believe that,” he asked unsure of her answer.
"I told you I don't lie to them. They can see who you love more than them. Do I believe what? That you don't care about them? I don't know Jon you have a funny way of showing that you do."
“What are you saying that I love Steph more then the boys because she lives with me? They all lived with you until she no longer felt welcome here. If anyone is loving one kid more then another it's you," he yelled.
"Get off your high horse Jon. You make zero effort to see the boys. They know that as well as I do. I don't love one kid more than you, I didn't pick only one child to live with me. I have all the ones you didn't want." Dorothea said still calm.
"You want me to take all of them? Will that show you that I love them? Is that what I have to do?"
"You won't and you know it,” she challenged. "You know it is only a matter of time before you drop them all back off cause you will be running away again."
"I do not run away Dot, it's called work. You should try it sometime."
“I work more than you. I run this household and my school. Don't tell me to try work, maybe you should one day. If you came here to fight get out now. I am through with you." Dorothea said standing up and walking towards the door
"Don't you walk away from me, I'm not done yet," he said following her to the door.
"This is my house Jon and I want you out. All you did was come here to fight."
“It may be your house, but you used my money. Please sit down, and let me say what I came to say," he said lowering his voice.
"You can say it right here. What do you want," Dorothea asked turning to face him with her hands on his hips.
"I don't want you to keep the boys from me. You have them doing ten things at once everyday when I'm home and the second I'm out of town for something they're free as birds. That's not fair to me and it's not fair that you're keeping them from their father," he said calmly.
"I'm not keeping them from you, they are involved in a lot at school. Its not my fault their schedules clear when you decide to play rock star."
"You make play dates for them, and you schedule things for them when you know I can be with them, you can't deny that you've been doing that," he said trying to control his emotions.
"So now your telling me they can't see their friends or be involved with projects at school cause you may decide to play dad for the day."
"I really resent the fact that you insinuate that I don't want to be here all the time. I want to be with them, Dot," he said.
"You have a funny way of showing it."
"It's clear in our custody agreement that I can see them whenever I want, if you get in the way of that I'll call Ken in a heartbeat and take you back to court. Don't think I won't," Jon threatened.
"It may be there Jon but if the boys have something going on do you want to take them away from it? They are going to hate you more than they already do, not that I blame them."
"My boys do NOT hate me," Jon yelled.
"They don't know you. You are just some guy who comes in and out of their lives."
"That's a lie and you know it."
“Richie is more of a dad to them than you."
"How dare you say that? How is he more a father then me," he seethed.
"He was always more interested in them. At least he calls to talk to them, I'm lucky if you do that once a week."
"I'm not gonna argue about this, I want to see them and if you keep them from me when I want them I'll call my lawyer," he said.
"Oh were back to that threat. Fine you want to see them here" She said walking over to a table and flinging a piece of paper at him. "That is their whole schedule for the next two weeks. You say you want to see them so badly go see them at all their games, and play dates. Now get out,” she said pointing at the door.
"Was that so hard? Why couldn't you have done that months ago," he asked not yet moving for the door.
"Cause I know you won't go to any of it. You'll take it and get their hopes up and never deliver."
"You don't know that, you don't know anything about me. I wonder if you ever did. I'll pick them up after school and take them home for dinner," Jon said.
"You closed off you life to me years ago. You never wanted anyone to know you. You want them fine good luck picking Romeo up from school," she said with an evil smile.
"What's that supposed to mean, 'Good luck picking Romeo up?'"
"You need to go in to get him and the teacher needs to know you are his parent. She's never seen you and won't let Romeo go." Dorothea said still smiling.
"You just love this don't you? It's not my fault you didn't involve me in any of this and you kept it all a secret from me," Jon said glaring at her.
"I kept nothing from you. You were never around to show any of this to."
"You liked it that way. Only thing you ever told me about their school was what time to show up for parent teacher conferences, and you sent me on a field trip because you didn't feel like going," he challenged.
"No I sent you cause it was about time you stepped up and became a parent. Didn't I tell you to get out," she asked staring him down.
"Fine but this isn't over," he said walking to the front door.
