Chapter 27

Colleen stepped back to let him into the living room.

“This is the sixth message since I talked to her this morning.”  He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, not what he planned to do, damn his mother.

“So you did tell her you were coming here?”  Colleen shut the door and followed him into the room.  “You want a drink, before you call her back?

“Yes, please, the stronger the better.”  He sighed. 

“Let’s see what’s in the bar.”  Colleen opened the small bar near the kitchen door.  Pulling out the Jack Daniels and flipped open the mini fridge for a can of coke to make him a drink.

Jon sat on the sofa and brought up the voice message.

“Jon where are you and the kids?  Your father and I are at the house and you aren’t here.”  Carol finally took a breath.  “Your father’s golf buddy called us this morning to make sure you gave us the invitation to come for Thanksgiving.  Your father said you did but we had Matt and his family to feed, and he said to bring them all.  You didn’t tell us Matt and his family were invited.”

He paused the message and dropped his head back on the sofa back.

“Your Dad, just invited my whole family down for Thanksgiving.”  Jon moaned.

“That’s my Dad for you, the more the merrier.”  Colleen brought the highball glass to him, leaning over the sofa she placed it in his hand.

“Call her back, tell her we’re going to dinner and they can join us.”  Colleen said as she stood behind him rubbing his shoulders.  “We can take them to Uncle Harrys place to eat, didn’t think your mom would be comfortable in the bar.”

“You sure?  I had plans for us that ends with a blanket on the beach with a bottle of wine and a picnic basket.”  Jon said as he slowly lets his shoulders relax, as her fingers worked their magic.

“Jon, I can’t let her think I’m afraid of her.”  Colleen stopped massaging his shoulders and walked around the sofa and sat beside him.

“She is a force of nature, that’s for sure.”  He sipped his drink, which he knew was just what he needed.

“So invite the family to dinner.  They’re going to have to get used to seeing us together, because I don’t plan on going anywhere.”  She informed Jon.

He hopped Colleen knew what she was getting ready to face. He had forgotten what dating was like around his mother.

Jon arranged a car to pick up the boys, and his parents to meet Colleen and him at the restaurant. That way the car could take them back again, and he and Colleen could finish their date.  He delayed calling his mom back, just calling the boys, started that tic he had and the beginnings of a headache was starting to build.

Jon pulled her into his lap and looked in her eyes.  Slowly his lips covered her lips. 

“Damn he sure knows how to change the subject.”  Colleen thought.

When they came up for air, Colleen put her finger on his lips.

“Call your parents, before she calls back Jonny.” Colleen said breathlessly.

Jon rolled his eyes and kissed her finger, grabbing his phone off the sofa seat, he called his mom.  Praying for voice mail, but, true to form she picked up on the second ring.

“Mom, I’m sending a car for you and dad.”  He took a second.  “We’re having Dinner with the kids and Colleen.”

“We just got unpacked Jonny, I don’t know.” Carol Bongiovi told her son.

“Mom, the car will be there at seven, he knows where to bring you all. The boys will be there too,” He rolled his eyes and thought, kicking and scream all the way.  “That gives you about an hour to be there.  Colleen’s Mom and dad might be with us.”  By the shocked look on Colleen face, he knew he had shocked her. In for a penny, in for a pound, he thought.

Colleen punched Jon in the arm, now she would have to get her parents for dinner.

“We’ll see you later Mom, Colleen needs me in the kitchen.”  Jon rolled his eyes at Colleen, she could really pack a punch.

“I can’t believe you just invited my parents to dinner.”  Colleen got off his lap.  “I ought to make you call them.”

Dinner was set up, all the cast and characters were there. The boys on their phones, playing whatever new game was hot, Stephanie was there texting to her friends. Their parents were there, Jon and Colleen dad’s chatting about their golf games, Jon’s mom was sitting at the table, not talking and Colleen’s mom trying to talk to Jon’s mom.  Colleen looked at Jon and about turned around and walked out.

“The gang’s all here.”  Jon said and watched the outcome of his announcement.

Colleen’s mom looked relieved, Jon’s mom looked in pain, having to sit and listen to Colleen’s mom.  The father’s stopped the rehashing of their last golf game, and the kids could care less.

“I’ll go tell Shamus, to start bring the food.”  Colleen’s mom Maggie looked happy to leave the room.

Mrs. Bongiovi motioned to Jon to come over.  Sighing, he went to his mom.

“Jonny, I thought you were meeting us here.”  She whispered into his ear, as he reached down to hugs her.  He heard this voice before, she was pissed, and this was not going to be a good night for him.

“I waited for Colleen to get changed, since she drove down, and wanted to change.”  He whispered back.  Looking up at Stephanie, he watched her roll her eyes.  So this wasn’t just his chewing out.

Colleen had followed her mother, he started to follow to apologies for his mom.  He was about to follow, when the door opened and Colleen and her mother came out, followed by the wait staff loaded down with food.

“Dinners on.” Colleen came out smiling.

Her mom on the other hand, the smile was one Jon had seen before, on his own face.

The food was fantastic, some of the same dishes he had in Scotland.  The wine was flowed for those old enough to drink.  His mom, seemed to pick at her food, but the wine was refilled many times.

Soon the food was devoured and the plates were removed.  Jon helped his dad load his mother in the car.  The boys didn’t want to go back to the house, knowing their grandmother was a trifle drunk.

“Why do we have to go back?”  Jake asked.

“Yeah Dad, why can’t we go back to Jeff and Mikes?”  Romeo asked.

Jon looked at his boys, he knew it was going to be hell at the house when he came home himself.

“Okay, but be home by curfew.” Jon told them.  Colleen came up to him as he told the driver where to take the boys.  Backing up, he looked up at the darkening sky.

Colleen placed her chin on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“It’s going to be okay Jonny.”  She spoke softly in his ear.  “As long as we’re together, there is nothing they can do to us.”

Jon placed his hands over hers, she was right, that was where he had let his life go to hell in a handbasket.  He let his mother run his life, just like she ran his fan club.  She was the General and he was the solider, or she was the Queen Bee and he was the worker bee.  It was time he took over his life.

A sound came from behind them, it was Colleen mom and dad.  He really needed to apologies about his mom’s shitty attitude.  He felt Colleen release his waist and he turned and went over to Maggie O’Sullivan.

“Mrs. O’Sullivan", Jon said as he reached for her hands.

“Call me Maggie, Jon, Mrs. O’Sullivan is my mother in law.”  The smile on her face was what a mom’s face should be.  A little lipstick and mascara, not looking like Mrs. Drysdale or Mrs. Howell, why couldn’t she be like June Cleaver?

“Maggie, I want to say how sorry I am about my mom’s attitude, it was terrible.”  Jon lowered his head a little to look into Maggie’s eyes.

Maggie reached up and patted Jon on the cheek.  “Jon, I met your mother several years ago, at a women’s function at the club, she thought I was part of the wait staff.  I think it embarrassed her.  I have forgotten about it, just let it slide.  She avoids me all the time at the club.  Tonight, I tried to talk to her about it, she just got more flustered.  Just let it go Jon. I have.”  She reached up an kissed his cheek.

Colleen came up and put her hand on Jon’s shoulder and smiled at her mom and winked.

“Don’t you two have plans for tonight?”  Maggie asked and winked at Jon.

“Don’t wait up, I’m staying at my apartment over the bar.”  Colleen told her mom as she and Jon walked to her car.

Colleen tossed Jon the keys.  Jon laughed as he held the door to the antique bug.  Adding a car to his list of things he wanted to buy her.  He ran around the bug and climbed in, good thing he knew how to drive a stick, a stick shift and four on the floor.  Firing up the bug, he jumped at the roar of the muffler.  The sound of her laughed made him shake his head.

“Runs smooth, doesn’t it.”  Jon joined her on her laughter.  “When you have an older brother, and you live over the family bar, it’s like a barking dog to warn his when you come home from a date.”

They pealed out, heading toward Jon’s home, and the private beach.