Chapter 31

Jon couldn’t get the smile off his face during the whole trip back to his house.  Just thinking about Colleen, made him happy.  As he was thinking about tonight he almost missed his turn.  Laughing to himself, ‘She’s got me acting like a Horny teenager.’

Turning into the drive he used the gate opener to get in, this reminded him to send her the gate code.  As he pulled up to the house and saw his family all out in the back, and he quickly fired off a text to Colleen.

Jon: gate code for tonight is 5253. Can’t wait to see you again.

Colleen: if I get these pies done.  Rolls are in the fridge. If I make it what do you want me to bring for dessert?

Jon:  Apple?

Colleen: Ok Apple it is.

Jon: now you have to come.

Colleen: I just sighed and rolled my eyes mister negotiator.

Jon:  You like that about me you know it.

Colleen: Among other things.

Jon jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Damn it!  For fuck-sake Tone, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”  Jon turned around to see his smirking little brother.

“Are you sexing big brother?”  Tony said reaching for Jon’s phone.  

Jon moved his phone out of Tony’s reach.

“Good thing we didn’t let Rocco come and check on you.” Tony laughed and leaned on the fender.  “Matty would have your moneymaker for that sex educating of his son.”

“It wasn’t x rated, she wanted to know what to bring for dessert.”
 Jon said getting out of the car.

“And you said just your sexy body?”  Tony laughed.

Jon rolled his eyes at Tony. They headed around to where the family sat in the backyard.

As soon as the two brothers got within earshot of their family, Isabella, and Allie came running to wrap their arms around Jon’s waist.

“Uncle Jonny,” the little girl’s squealed.

Jon staggered from the girls latched on to be hugged. He missed when his kids were like this.

“Hey, kidlets.”  He knelt down and hugged them both.

Getting up he made it over to the patio and was about to sit down when the questions started.

“Like the new threads.”  Matt said.

“Hey those are only for football players,” Jesse said, “Miss O know someone who played?”

“These are her Brother Jamie’s sweats, so he must’ve played,”  Jon informed him, he noticed the rest of the kids were hanging out in the trailer. “Girls why don’t you get the others so we can decide what to do for lunch.”  He watched them run off to get the other kids.

“Okay, what happened yesterday?” Matt asked as he watched the girls disappear in the trailer.

“Grandma, was really bad,”  Jesse said with Stephanie agreeing.

“Mom played the diva card, was hardly talking to Maggie or Cullen, left dad to answer the questions,”  Jon told his brothers. “Then I got a call from dad, while I was out with Colleen, about mom acting crazy. She demanded that I come home.”

Matt looked at Tony, they knew how their mother acted when Colleen was at dinner at their parents’ house.

“I told her she had better be nice, and she tried to say the O’Sullivans were below us.  Suggesting that Colleen was after my money.”  Jon was not only giving a stink eye, but he was verbalizing it too.

“Cullen O’Sullivan was a senator,”  Matt added.

That caused Jon to look at his brother.

“How did you know that, Matt?  You didn’t do a background check on Colleen.”  Jon wanted answers and he wanted them, now.

“Mom called me, said you were dating and she wanted me to check out the girl,”  Matt told him, knowing that it was one little thing, he should’ve kept to himself.

“I should’ve known she would get, my head of security, to look into whoever dated me.  I swear am I’m over fifty-five and she still treats me like a kid?”  Jon was really getting mad.  “I fucking swear I will tell mom, once and for all, to butt out of my life.”

He didn’t acknowledge Stephanie and Jesse when they got up to stop the younger Bongiovi’s, before they could get up to where their parents were talking.

“Your mother didn’t want Matt and I to get married, or Nina and Tony for that matter,”  Desiree said. “If she could have, she would have her three boys tied to her apron strings for life.”

Nina just nodded her head in agreement.

“Wait a fucking minute, I said date, and I didn’t say married.”  Jon ran his hands through his hair.  “We’ve only known each other, for five months.”

“We know Jonny, Desiree was just saying, mom isn’t just trying to ruin your life, she’s tried to run all of our lives.”  Matt pulled his wife close and kissed her cheek. 

“Hey Jonny, you never told us, how was your night with Colleen?” Nina pinched her husband on his side.

“Hey that hurt.”  Tony gasped and rubbed his side, where his wife just pinched him.  “They were sexting when Jonny got here.  He’d just left her and he’s already texting her.”

Four pairs of eyes went from Tony to Jon in various shades of blue and brown.

Jon was saved when all the under eighteen year old Bongiovi’s clamored up claiming starvation. Calls for pizza or burgers, along with the names of fast food joints to get those burgers poured in from all directions.  Kids were divided into cars and the Bongiovi caravan hit the road in search of food.

------>--@

After a short nap and shower, Colleen headed over to Jon’s house, the passenger seat was piled with totes filled with pie boxes.  She knew he said apple, but not knowing how many people would be there, she had several apples, and a few cherry with some odd mixed fruit she threw together out of leftover fruit.  This was only the third time she had driven to his place, but the bug seemed to be at home along this side of the island.

Pulling up to the gate, she rolled the window down and punched in the code.  Pulling forward her eyes went to the whitewashed house, with the porch that just called for a swing on a hot summer night. This was the first time she had seen it in the fading light, the other two times it was too dark to really see the house. Parking the bug by Jon’s Chevelle, she was just getting out of the car, when the front door opened and Jon came out to greet her.

“Hey,” he caught her before she could walk around the bug, wrapping her in a hug and a kiss that held promises of more to come.

“Hey yourself.”  She looked up into his blue eyes.  His kiss tasted of pizza and wine, very Italian.

Jon smiled down at her. She tasted and smelled like apples and cinnamon, the fall scents he loved. 

“Hey, uncle Jonny, daddy said there are little kids around,”  Allie yelled out the doorway.

Colleen laughed and put her head down to hide a giggle.  Jon kissed the crown of her head and moved his arms from around her waist.

“Help me take the pies in, will ya.”  She moved to the passenger side of the car, opening the door to show two large tote bags.  The smells of Apples and Cherry pie scented to air of the interior of the car.

Jon grabbed the bags and walked with her up the steps and into the living room of his Hampton house.  Of all his homes, this one was not decorated like it jumped off the pages of Architectural Digest, it was beach house chic, in blues and greens.

Jake met them at the door and took Colleen’s jacket and purse putting them on the coat rack beside the stairs that went up to the second floor.

“Hey Miss O,” Jake said when he turned back around.  “The uncles and aunts are out on the porch in the back.”  He pointed toward the door that Jon had taken the pies.

Following the direction he’d pointed to, she walked into a kitchen area and porch area that ran the length of the back of the house.  This was done in dark oaks and granite, with a kitchen table that could fit ten or more.  Her whole apartment over the bar would fit in this area of the house, with room for her little one-bedroom townhouse and still have room to sling a cat.

The smell of sauce and garlic tickled her nose, as she went over to where Jon stood taking pie boxes out of the bag and putting them on the counter.  Tony came in to check the sauce and spotted the pies.

“You make all of these today?”  Tony asked as he peeked into one of the boxes.

“Pies, rolls, cakes, and cookies.”  She told Tony.

“Cookies?” Both Tony and Jon said in unison.

“Peanut butter, sugar, chocolate chip, and oatmeal.” She rattled off the list of cookies she and her mom had made.  “We even have dough made up for the kids to make hand turkey cookies for tomorrow.” 

“You didn’t tell me you were making cookies.”  Jon pouted.

“Did I hear someone say cookies?”  Matt came in along with Nina and Desiree.

“These older kids are cookie monsters when it comes to cookies,”  Nina told Colleen. “Worse than the younger kids.”

“Good to know.” Colleen laughed.

Her laughter endeared her to the ladies of the family.  Soon they had her feeling like part of their family.  Matt poured her a glass of wine and they were all relaxing before dinner on the enclosed patio. Colleen and Jon shared one of the many oversized chairs scattered over the porch. They talked about everything from the weather, to work, to what it was like to teach kids these days.

Soon Tony called them all in for dinner.  It was being served family-style with the adults at the dinner table and the kids in the basement.

Desiree asked Colleen if they needed help tomorrow morning to finish cooking.

“If you ladies want to come help, my mom wouldn’t toss you out.  Jamie’s wife will be there, so we will start at about eight in the morning, mom will have breakfast ready before we start cooking.”  Colleen told them as she took a bite of spaghetti.  Closing her eyes she savored the taste of the sauce. “Oh Tony this sauce is so good, you’ll have to give me the recipe.”

“It’s our dad’s sauce, we bottle it and sell it, and you can pick it up at Shop Rite,”  Jon answered for Tony, who in turn gave his big brother the Jersey Salute.

Once dinner was finished and the dishwasher loaded, the adults joined the kids in the basement family room for movies.

“Hey dad, we got popcorn?”  Romeo asked Jon.

“You just ate spaghetti and had pie, you still can’t be hungry,”  Jon told his youngest and last child as he and Colleen got set up on the couch.

“Yeah but no popcorn and a movie seems whack.”  Jake joined the popcorn chant.

Tony threw up his hands and went back upstairs to pop some corn.

Jon held off starting the movie till Tony reappeared with bowls and bags of popcorn, dropping a bowl in Colleen’s lap.

“Thanks Tony.”  She sat the bowl between her hip and Jon’s.

The movie started, it was the latest Marvel movie, and of course, the ladies in the room sighed when Chris Hemsworth’s name showed on the screen.  It was all Jon could do not to roll his eyes, even Colleen had sighed.  ‘Damn what is it with women and a Hemsworth?’  Even his baby girl sat up and sighed along with her aunts and Colleen.

A couple times Jon and Colleen touched hands, reaching to grab some popcorn, till Jon moved the bowl and took her hand in his.  He laced his fingers with hers and set them on his thigh.

Colleen love the way their hands felt together, the way they could sit here and watch a movie. They even laughed at the same things.  The room was dark, except for the light from the projection television.  Jon pulled her close and put his right arm around her shoulder. Where he wanted her was on his lap, but with the kids sitting around them on the floor and his brothers and sister-in-law’s sitting together in the over large chairs, this was all he could do.  Jon smiled when Colleen put her head on his shoulder, again he wished they were alone.

They sat like that through the whole movie, every once and a while he would catch her looking up at him. Colleen would smile when he caught her and lean down for a sweet kiss. 

Lights came on as the credits rolled, his brothers took their younger ones to bed, and Des and Nina were collecting bowls and cups. 

“Let me help,” Colleen said as she grabbed their bowl and glasses. 

Once up the stairs the ladies talked about the movie.

“I’m shocked Jon picked that movie, he knows how Nina and I love Chris.” Des said and Nina sighed and they both rolled their eyes.

“Yeah, it drives him and our husband’s nuts, because they hate not being the objects of our lust.”  Nina told her.

That broke them all into giggles.

Tony and Jon joined them, rolling their eyes.

“Oh Chris, those arms. That six-pack, I want to run my hands all over your chest.”  Tony mimicked a woman’s voice, which set the ladies off on another fit of giggles.  Jon just stood there and sighed really loud.

“Well this has been fun, but I better get back, so I can get up and cook tomorrow,” Colleen said as she tossed the now stale popcorn in the trash.

“I’ll get your jacket and purse,”  Jon said as he left and went to the living room.

The girls assured her they would be there at eight to help. Colleen said her goodbyes and thanked Tony for the dinner, he thanked her for the pies, and soon she was in the living room with Jon.

Jon put her jacket around her shoulders and handed her the purse.  They walked hand in hand out of the house and to her car.

“I had fun, and I love your family, it was better this time than the last.” Colleen stopped and leaned on the door.  She knew why it was better, but didn’t voice her reasoning.

Jon knew what she was hinting at, it was better without his mother being there.

“I think they love you too,” Jon said as he stood there toe to toe, with his arms around her waist, his hands resting at the top of her ass.

“Thanks for dinner and a movie,” Colleen tilted her head and smiled, then she did the perfect sigh.  “Oh and letting me see Chris up close and personal.” 

“Damn woman, am I going to have to remind you, who has his hands right now on your ass?” Jon gave her a mock stink eye as he rubbed his palms on her ass.

“Oh I know very well who has my ass in his hands, but is he going to do anything about that?”  Colleen rolled her eyes innocently up at him.

“Ooh little girl you’re gonna find out in about two seconds.”  Jon bent down and captured her lips.  Moving her hips closer to his, still making circles on her ass through the jeans.

Colleen was giving as good as she got. Her hands were rubbing his ass, through the tight jeans. If his zipper placket got any tighter it’d bust.  They were lucky that the Bug was keeping them standing, because if not they’d be withering on the grass.

Jon had two options, moving this to the trunk of his car, and in the process possibly ruining the paint or, switch and put her leaning on the bug and pulling her pants off and slamming into her.  He chose the second option.

Both of them were attacking the other jean buttons and zippers, thank God neither of them had on levis 501’s on or this would’ve been over before it began.

“This is going to be fast babe.” Jon panted in her ear, before he nipped at her earlobe.

“I. Just. Want. You. To. Fu” was all she got out before he lifted her hips and drove home.

Tony walked into their bedroom and caught his wife in the dark looking through a crack in the curtains.  He started to flip on the light when his wife turned around with eyes the size of saucers.

“What are you doing, playing peeping Jane?”  Noticing his wife blush. “You are, you dirty bird,”  Tony said as he crossed the room to peep out the window.

“Damn Jonny.”  Was all he got out before he started to pull his phone out.

“Don’t you dare take a picture of those two.”  Nina smacked his shoulder.

“Spoilsport.”  Tony said looking back at his wife.  He fired up his phone and texted his baby brother.

Tony: Matty, look out your window.

Matt: Why Tone?

Tony: Just look out your fucking window.  Keep the lights out.

Matt: ??? OH Damn.

“I know you didn’t just do that Anthony Michael.”  Nina smacked his shoulder, even though she was looking over said shoulder.

“Nina Marie Angelica Bongiovi, you smack me one more time.” Tony looked back at her.

“This is going to make tomorrow morning a little rough.” Nina rolled her eyes at her husband.

“I think she is getting it a little rough, don’t you think?”  Tony laughed at his own joke.

“Oh Tony, that was bad.”  Nina moaned.

chapter 30

Jon wrapped his arms around Colleen, lowering his mouth to hers, it felt like coming home.  They must've been putting on a show, because a catcall broke them apart.

"Get a room you two."  Came the voice from the parking lot.
Laughing they waved, Jon offered the New Jersey salute, at Colleen's brother Jamie, who was taking out the trash.

Colleen took Jon's hand and pulled him into the room and shut the door. Watching him walk around the living room and finding her little bar.

"There's wine and beer."  She told him as he opened the bar fridge and got out two beers.
Colleen went over to the sofa and sat down, joining her and handing her a beer.

"So how did it go after I left?" Colleen asked as she opened her bottle.

"Mom and dad are heading to Miami, dad thought it was best if they weren't here for Thanksgiving.  He was going to call your dad and tell him they'll not be there."  Jon leaned back and toed off his boots.

"I guess getting our parents together was the wrong thing to try." Colleen reached out and took Jon's hand and squeezed it. "My mom and dad, fell in love with you and your kids."

"I'm glad they don't hold, me and my dad, responsible for my mother's actions." Jon tipped the bottle up and took a few long draws of beer.  The beer on top of the Jack he had at the house and the wine he had drank at dinner, was finally started to relax him.  Leaning his head back onto the back of the sofa and closed his eyes.

"They'd never do that," Colleen said softly. 

Pretty soon his breathing evened out and she took the beer bottle out of his hand.  He started to wake up, so she had him stretch out on the sofa.  Glad he had taken off his boots, she wouldn't have to struggle to pull them off.  She turned the lights down low and pulled the throw off the back of the couch, and covered him up.

He looked so comfortable and so sweet.  Looking at her watch, knowing her mom would be up and cooking for the crowd, she set her alarm and headed to her bedroom.  As she kicked off her slippers, she giggles a little, at the light snore coming from the sofa.

Jon woke up slowly, the dull ache in his head, proved wine, Jack and beer didn't mix as well at fifty-five, as it did in his twenties. It took him a second or two, to figure out why his back had the same dull ache as his head. Then the smells, that teased him awake, he knew he wasn't at his house.  Granted the sofa he was stretched out on, was more comfortable than the French provincial that graced his living room, his kidneys were telling him to find the head.  Sitting up slowly, he saw the note on the coffee table.  Bathroom, then note, his kidney's told him.  It only took a few wrong turns to find the bathroom.

This one was less girly than the one at her townhome, noticing the shower, he wished he had brought his car, from the city, with the go-bag in the trunk.  So shower would have to wait till he got home.  Going back into the living room he picked up the note. Playing a little trombone with the note, he wished he hadn't been so vain as to not wear his glasses.

J,
There is a pot of coffee ready to brew, just hit the button.  I put a towel, toothbrush and some of my brothers sweats out for you, if you want a shower.  I'm in the kitchen at the bar, the door is open under the stairs, if you want breakfast.  Hope you slept alright on the sofa? 
                                                 C.

Smiling he headed to the kitchen, where he found a Togo mug waiting next to the coffee pot, along with another note.

The mug is if you want to drink while you shower.

Man he was starting to fall in love with this woman. Whoa man put on the breaks.  Love?  Your wife just died seven months ago, you've only met Colleen five months ago.  Lust maybe, but love?

The smell of fresh-brewed coffee pulled him out of the debate in his head.  Filling up the mug and took a sip before putting on the lid.  The shot of hot caffeine hit the back of his throat, he almost sighed.

Taking the mug, he headed back to the bathroom.  How had he missed the towel and sweats on the stool by the shower?   Yep, there was another note on the clothes.

They might be a little too big, but I didn't think Pink was your color.

Putting the cup on the counter laughing, he closed the lid on the toilet and began to undress dropping his clothes on the lid.  Opening the door he turned the water on hot as high as it would go.  Grabbing the washcloth, coffee, and new bar of soap, he stepped into the steaming shower.

                                                                ----ß--@

Grabbing another cup of coffee, Colleen was, hoping this cup would send the yawns from getting to her.

"Someone is up," Maggie said as she basted one of the three huge turkeys.  The smell of turkey permeated the kitchen, her mother checked on the pot bowling on the stove.

"Mom, he slept on the sofa, not in my bed," Colleen told her mom as the coffee failed to end the yawns.

"I'm a cool mom," Maggie told her.  "You're over twenty-one, I can tell you like him."

Yeah I do like him, a little more than like.

"I know you're a cool mom, but is pop a cool Dad?"  Colleen asked her mom, as she rolled out pie dough for pies.  She was always the one to make the pies, cakes, cookies and bread, by the actual date of the holiday she hated anything sweet and the smell of fresh rolls turned her stomach.

"Well, you know you're your dad's baby girl, he might not be as happy about the two of you spending the night together."  Maggie started chopping a copious amount of onions and peppers for stuffing and potato salad.  The rest of the vegetables would be cooked the next day. 
They might only be serving about thirty family members, but they had to feed the regulars to the bar, many of them had been around so long they feel like honoraria uncles and aunts.

"I'm his only daughter."  Colleen laughed.

The shower turned off and Colleen smiled.

"Yeah, you like him, a lot" Maggie laughed.

                                                                 --->--@

Jon turned off the water, shaking water out of his hair, opening the door he reached for the towel off the stool.  Briskly toweling his body and his hair, he dressed in the borrowed sweats.  Notre Dame, knew there was a reason Colleen's brother and I got along yesterday at dinner.  Looking in the steamed up mirror he ran his fingers through his hair and opened the new toothbrush and added paste to the brush, and brushed the booze and coffee residue out of his mouth.  Remembering Colleen didn't have a maid he put the towel and washcloth on the bar in the shower and grabbed the now empty mug out of the shower and headed to the kitchen.  Looking in the cupboards he found a bag to put his clothes in it and grabbed his phone before filling the mug again and checking his phone.

Three calls, one from his dad, he punched the voicemail and listened.

Jonny, we're on our way to the airport, your mother isn't happy, but she said Christmas will be at our house, family only, not fighting her on this now.  I called Cul and told him we wouldn't be there, said your mother was not feeling well. Matty and Des got here with the kids and Tone is on his way.  Have fun and Happy Thanksgiving.

The second voicemail was from his brother Matt and it was a copy of his dad's. They were here and getting unpacked.  He wanted the 411 on what happened at dinner last night.  Damn he didn't want to rehash what went on between him and his mother.

The third was from Stephanie, just letting him know about her grandparents leaving. Uncle Matty was there, and the boys were fed and shooting hoops.

So in other words, no one died and there was no bloodshed, all was right in the world.  His stomach started to growl, the smells coming from the bar kitchen, were making him hungry.  Pocketing his phone and taking the cup to the sink and washing it out, he grabbed the bag of clothes and headed down the stairs.
                                                                     ---->--@
Laughter, along with the most wonderful smells, greeted him as he went into the screen door.  This was truly what Thanksgiving smelled like in his youth.

"Something smells delicious," Jon said as he watched Colleen kneading dough.

"Good morning Jon,"  Maggie called out.

Both of the ladies were dressed in aprons with turkeys and pilgrims on them.  This was what he missed, it just wasn't the same as the catering service he used, this screamed home.

"Did you sleep alright?"  Colleen asked wiping her hands on the towel tucked into the ties of the apron.  "Coffee is in the urn and there's bacon and eggs in the warmer if you're hungry."  She walked over and kissed him.  Her mother smiled at the intimacy Colleen was showing Jon.

"Slept good, and breakfast sounds good." Jon pulled her into his arms for his good morning smooch, all under the watchful eye of Colleen's mom.

"Cul just told us the news, about your mom getting sick.  I hope the dinner didn't make her sick?"  Maggie said as she walked over to the cabinet and pulled down a plate and a mug for Jon.

Damn my mother is being a diva and this woman is a saint, Saint Margaret O'Sullivan.

"She wasn't feeling good when they got down here, I think she was catching it from one of her charity groups."  Jon lied as he fixed the plate and got another cup of coffee.
Pulling up a stool on the other side of the island and started to eat. 

"Is there anything I can bring to help with food?" Jon asked between bites.

"Just bring your family, we have everything under control," Maggie said heading to the freezer and pulling out the pan out.

"Dad is on drink detail, Jamie is in charge of setting up," Colleen told him.

Jon made a mental list to stop by and pick up flowers for Maggie O'Brian. If he couldn't bring food he would bring flowers.

Jon's phone buzzed, he grabbed the phone and punched in his password, it was Stephanie.

"Hey baby girl, what's up?"  Jon popped the last of his eggs in his mouth.

"The boys want to know when you'll be home.  They want are wanting to go into town for lunch." Stephanie looked out at the basketball court, where her Uncle Matty and Uncle Tone was playing two on three with her brothers. Her Aunt Des was watching Disney Channel with Rocco and Isabella.

"Just finished breakfast, so I'll be home soon."  Jon picked up the plate and carried it to the sink.

"We'll take care of that, don't worry,"  Maggie said to bring over his mug along with three other bowls and mugs.

"Thank you for breakfast,"  Jon said as she took the bowls and mugs and put them into the sink.

"Hope your Mother feels better."  Maggie watched him move behind Colleen and put his arms around her waist.  Leaving to their goodbyes, she went into the bar

"Thanks for last night." Jon nuzzled her neck.

Shivering, Colleen turned in the circle of his arms and lifted her lips to his.  Jon smiled as she took her lips in a toe tingling kiss. 

Dang, he is the best kisser I ever had the pleasure to lock lips with.

Looping her hands around his waist, and rested her hands on the swell of his perfect ass.

"My brothers are in town with their family, so I guess we'll have movie night, if you want to come,"  Jon asked her, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

"This is your family time, and I still have a lot to finish up here,"  Colleen said looking up in his eyes.

"My brothers want to meet you, and this would be better than tomorrow, with all the people being here,"  Jon said logically.

Yeah he was right, and she would be busy helping her mom tomorrow.

"If it won't be too much." Colleen said, "I might be through in time for a movie."

"And dinner?" Jon nudged her with his hips.

Before she could answer Jamie's entered the room before he came in.  Colleen and Jon laughed.

"Hey Jon love the wheels, man that's a classic.  What ya got under the hood?"  Jamie asked thinking the two lovebirds would jump apart, with his father coming in behind him. "It's a Chevelle Pop," Jamie warned his little sister.

"My drummer Tico, hooked me up with it."  Jon smiled with pride.  "Tic redid the interior, but it's the original paint job.  V-8 engine, my son's think I should put in a newer engine but I put my foot down." 

Colleen knew if she didn't remind Jon about Stephanie and the boy's lunch plans, Jamie would have him out there in the parking lot, with the hood open, poking in the motor.

"Jamie, Jon has plans with his kids, y'all talk cars tomorrow before the game," Colleen said as she put her palm on Jon's chest, stirring him toward the door.

"Alight Coll, Jon we'll see you and your family tomorrow."  Cullen O'Sullivan said as he put the apron on and washed the dishes.

Jon said his goodbyes, holding Colleen's hand as they headed out the back door, heading to his car.
Leaning on the driver's door, Jon pulled Colleen back into his arms.

"So, I'll see you tonight, around seven for dinner and a movie."  He leaned his head down and placed his forehead onto hers.

"I'll try, I need to finish the pies and the rolls refrigerated,"  Colleen told him.  "If I don't make dinner, I'll be there for the movie."

"Okay, but call me, I think Tone is making pasta, he's working with dad on the sauce, so there will be plenty."  Jon kissed her. Not even thinking a pap might be around.

"You play dirty Mister Bon Jovi,"  Colleen whispered as they parted.

"Naw, just hedging my bet."  Jon winked at Colleen as he got in the car.

Colleen laughed as she watched him back out and, when he looked back, blew him a kiss and waved.

Jon raved the engine as he headed toward his house.

Colleen laughed as the rolled her eyes and headed back to the kitchen.  Walking into the kitchen she watched her dad and brother eating apples.

"Hey, don't eat the apples, unless you don't want my French Apple and Country Apple pie."  Colleen pulled off her towel and popped at her dad and brother. 

"Don't you two have something to do, Colleen has a date tonight," Maggie said coming back into the kitchen to chase the men out. Once they were out her mom went back to the over to baste the turkeys.

"How did you know?" Colleen asked her mother.

"A mother knows." Was all her mother would say.

Chapter 29

Jon saw his mother standing in the doorway, a glass of wine in her hand.  He could tell she was in rare form, by the way she held her body, like a fighter preparing for a fight.

“Well it’s time you got home.” Carol said in a slightly slurred voice. After dropping her first bomb, she turned and walked back into the house.

“Well mom, I am over 55 years old, I can be out as late as I want.”  Jon mumbled as he followed his mother into his house.

Jesse watched his father, and grandmother, walk into the house. Grabbing his bag, he started to follow his dad, but was stopped by his grandfather.

“It’s about to blow up in there Jess, I’d get your sister and brothers and head out to the airstream and ride it out.”  His grandfather told him.  “I’ll put your bag on the steps.” John Sr. took his bag out of his hand.

“I figured out that much.” Jesse informed his grandfather.

“I herded Steph and the boys, into the kitchen when your dad pulled up with Colleen.”  John Sr. told him.

Jesse went into the kitchen and saw his siblings.

“Grand pop said we might want to head out to the trailer till the storm blows over.”  Jesse said as he came in.

“Storm, more like world war three, Grand ma hasn’t stood still except when she filled her glass.”  Stephanie said standing up and pocketing her cell phone.

“Come on guys,” Jesse said as he held the backdoor open for his siblings. “We got enough food in the trailer to do till in the morning.”

Jon followed his mother as she headed to the stairs.

“Let’s get this over with.” Jon said.

“What is there to get over with Jonny?”  Carol said turning like a grand dame of the old Hollywood cinema days.

“I don’t know Ma, maybe like you quit trying to run my life?”  Jon asked. 

‘And the first missile has been launched’ John Sr. thought as he made a U-turn to hide in the kitchen.  By the look and the hissed in breath his wife took, it was a direct hit.

“I don’t try and run your life, I only want what is best for you and the children.” Carol sniffed.

“Oh turn off the crocodile tears Ma, they won’t work anymore.”  Jon walked over to the bar in the den and poured a shot of Jack into a highball glass and tossed it back.  “Why did you do it Ma? You treat Colleen and her parents like they’re less than us?”

It was the first time where he ever saw his mother morph into her regal demeanor.   Like she forgot the background lifestyle she and his father came from.

“Well Jonny, they are.”  Carol said in a matter of fact way.

“No Ma, they aren’t any better than you and dad are,” He took a breath before fairing the next shot.  “I’m the millionaire, I’m the rock star with a band, and I sell out arenas.”  He poured a larger shot, all the while watching the fallout of what he said, washed over her.

“If you can’t be nice to Colleen and her family, I’ll have a driver here in the morning to take you and dad home.  I can’t let this happen.”  Jon waited for her reply, he could almost see the wheels spinning in her head.  How was she going to get herself out of this and still try and run his life?

“But Jonny,” His mother started to speak.

“No buts mom, I have really strong feelings for Colleen, and you are not going to cause problems for her. You have till nine in the morning to let me know if you can agree to my terms.”  He paused to see the words sink in. 

When she just sat there, he turned and took his glass to the kitchen.  Seeing his dad at the counter he stopped.

“You heard?”  He asked his dad.

“I heard, I don’t know what she said or did, I don’t even think Cullen knows.”  Mr. Bongiovi said.

“I do,” He went and sat with his dad.  “Seems Mom played the diva at the club and thought Colleen’s Mom was the help.”

“Oh hell.”  Mr. Bongiovi shook his head.  “I’ll take her home tomorrow, I don’t want to put Cull and his wife on the spot.”

Jon nodded his head in agreement.

“Son, I think I’ll take her to Miami for the winter, give you and Colleen time to see where this is going.  I want you happy Jonny and she seems to have brought the spark back in your life.”

Jon smiled.  “I’m writing again.”

“Great Jonny. I’ll call Cull tomorrow and apologixe to him and his wife.”  Mr. Bongiovi said as he got up from the table.  “The kids are out in the trailer, thought it would be safer.”

“Thanks dad, I’ll go talk to them.”  Jon said as he put his glass in the sink and headed to the door.  “If I’m not here in the morning, I’ll call you later.  I think its best that I’m not here when you two leave.”

“I agree Jonny.”  Mr. Bongiovi said as he headed up the stairs.

Taking a deep breath, Jon headed out the back door, to the airstream trailer he had parked out by the pool.  Music could be heard coming out the open windows and doors.

Tapping on the door frame Jon entered the trailer.

“Hi dad, did you and Grandma, get things settled?”  Stephanie asked her dad.

“For the time being, I think its best she and Grandpa head back to the city.”  Jon told the kids.  “I can’t have her being rude to Colleen and her family, when she was the one to make a mistake.”

The older kids nodded in agreement, the younger two had questions.

“What did she do to Colleen’s parents?”  Jake asked.  This was his teacher’s family, and he liked them.

“She had mistaken Colleen’s mom for part of the clubs staff and treated her as such.”  Jon answered Jake’s question.

“Played the diva, huh dad?”  Stephanie asked, already knowing the answer.  She had seen her grandmother behaving like this in the past.

“Yes, but I hope our little talk tonight cleared it up some.”  Jon told the kids.

“We all liked the O’Sullivan family, Colleen’s mom is a great cook.”  Stephanie said and the two younger boys nodded.  “You missed a great dinner, Jesse.”

“It was good wasn’t it?”  Jon said, remembering the two big plates he ate.

“Can’t wait for Thanksgiving.”  Jesse told them.

“You guys might want to bunk out here tonight, at least till your grandparents take off in the morning.  It’s not going to be pretty.”  Jon told them.

“You going back to Colleen’s, dad?”  Stephanie asked.

“Yeah, I need to give her the heads up, that my parents are going to Miami for a while.”  Jon said as he snatched a chip out of the bowl on the table.

“We’ll sleep out here, I don’t want to mess with her in the morning either.”  Stephanie said, watching her brother’s nod in agreement.

Grabbing another chip, Jon stepped out of the trailer and pulling his car keys out of his pocket he headed to the garage.  Deciding on the Chevelle, he listened to the engine purr, while his mind went to Colleen, and whether she purr tonight or show her claws?

It didn’t take him long to turn into the parking lot of the bar, glancing to see if the lights were still on upstairs.  Getting out of the car he pulled his phone out of his pocket, smirking as he heard the new ringtone she must’ve added after she let him out earlier.

Have A Nice Day stopped and he heard her ask, “Jonny?”

“Want some company?”  Jon said leaning on the trunk of the car?

“Yeah, are you on the way?”  She asked.

He could hear her shuffling papers and was that a bed spring squeak?  “Look out the door.”  He told her.  It wasn’t long before the upstairs door opened and he could see her silhouetted in the door frame. They disconnected the call at the same time, as Colleen watched Jon come up the stairs to where she stood. Wrapping her arms around his waist and lifting her lips to meet his.

Chapter 28

Jon pulled the bug, down the private road to his private beach property.  Driving slowly, to keep the duel glass pack muffler as quietly as he could, to keep his family from knowing they were on the property.  Pulling to a stop, in the small parking area he had set up, parking under the basketball goal.  The harvest moon shown across the ocean, set the mood, for a romantic walk on the beach.  He opened the driver’s door and toed off his boots and went around to open Colleen’s door.

Colleen took off her shoes, and left them in the car, rolling up her pants legs.  Jon was leaning on the fender of the bug, rolling up his jean legs, he then went over and opened the door for Colleen.  Jon took her hand and they began to walk onto the sand, still a little warm from the day’s sun.  The huge harvest moon, hung like a wheel of yellow cheese, over the outgoing tide.

They walked quietly, hand in hand, along the wet sand.  When Jon and Colleen got into a dark area, away from the lights from the houses, Jon pulled her to a dune, where they could sit and talk.  Colleen leaned back on her elbows, taking in the star filled sky.

“This is what I miss, teaching in the city.”  Colleen sighed.  “The stars are so close, you could reach out and touch them.”

Jon leaned back alongside her and looked up, they were magnificent.  He was still pissed at his mother’s attitude toward Colleen, she didn’t deserve the attitude.  He was going to have a serious talk with his mother, if he and Colleen were going to be a more permeant relationship, that talk would be needed.

“Why did you move to the city to teach?”  Jon asked her.

“Nothing was open here in the Hampton area, so the obvious place to go was the city.”  Colleen said as she lowered her head onto her bent arm, to look at the stars over her head.  “Polly is one hundred percent better than the inner city school.  My dad bought me a gun and made me take classes, for a carry and conceal permit.”

“Smart Dad.”  Jon said softly and he reached out his left hand to lace his fingers with Colleen’s right hand.

“I was living and in pretty decent area, but walking from the subway to the school was not safe.”  Colleen shuddered thinking about the time someone tried to rob her.  The hardest part to take, it was one of her students.  The threatening message’s let on her phone and being followed by friends of the student, leaving things on her desk.  She jumped at the opening at Polly.  The calls stopped, getting a new cell phone and number helped, along with moving into a new part of the city.  She would have to tell Jon, before her brother and father told him about it.

                                                              

Jon’s cell in his pocket vibrated and he about pulled it out and threw it into the sand.  Did he really want to look to see who called?  It could be one of the kids who needed him, or his mother.  His dad wouldn’t call unless someone was dyeing or there was a lot of blood, his dad didn’t do blood.

“You better answer, it could be important.”  Colleen told him, as she sat up.

“Hey Dad,” Jon said into the phone.  “What’s she done now?”

Colleen got to her feet and brushed the sand off her jeans, stepping away to give him privacy.

“Jonny, she wants you here now, she wants you to not have anything to do with Colleen.”  John Senior said.

“Well that’s not going to happen, she needs to get that thought out of her head.”  Jon paced back and forth on the beach.

“Is that Jonny?” Jon heard his mother’s shrill voice over the phone.

“No Carol, it’s Jesse, he’ll be here in the morning.”  John Senior just lied to his wife.

Jon looked over at Colleen, she was already comprehending that his mother was a problem.  He’d nip this in the bud tonight, even if he had to send her back to the city, he’d call Hank and get him to fire up the chopper.

“I’ll be there in an hour dad, she might not like the outcome, but this ends tonight.”  Jon didn’t wait on his dad to say anything, he slammed the phone closed.

“We better get back, I’ll drop you off.”  Colleen stretched out her hand for the keys.

“I see my woman to the door.” Jon started, he was letting this business with his mom spill over tonight.

“You can see me to the car door, it’s crazy for you to drive me home, when we are parked on your property.”  Colleen told him.  “You’d have to call a car that only puts whatever had you upset about, worse.”

“That’s what I pay them for, to pick me up, I will see you home.”  He said putting a period in his thoughts to this little talk.

“Then let me drive, I know a back way to get back to the bar.”  That seemed to please him a little bit, he reluctantly handed her the keys to the bug.

Colleen took the keys and opened the door to the bug to get her shoes. Slipping them on she watched Jon reach over to get his boots and put them on. She got in and fired up the bug, driving in a circle to head out the way they pulled in to his property.  Pulling instead of on to the street, she pulled up to the house.

“You’ll thank me tomorrow.”  She put the bug in park and reached over to give him a kiss, just as a car pulled in and Jesse got out.

“Hey you two.”  Jesse called out, the front door opened and his mother stood in the doorway.

“If I don’t end up in jail for killing my mother.”  Jon scowled as he got out and nearly slammed the door.

Colleen waved at Jesse and pulled out the drive.

      

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.