Chapter 72

 

Colleen closed the closet door and leaned back with a smile.  The girls shopping day had gone so well.  Dresses bought, shoes, stockings, lingerie, and sexy night clothes all locked in her closet, so Jon can’t see them.  She heard the guys come in for lunch and she headed down to set out the sandwich.

 

“I heard there was a big shopping day yesterday,” David said as he popped the top on a beer.   They were the only two in the kitchen, so he saw it as a chance to talk to her.

 

“Yes, it was, they treated me like a celebrity,” Colleen sat beside him with her plate and soda.  “I just hope Jonny likes what I bought.”

 

“You could wear a paper bag and he would love it. I’ve known Jonny almost all his life,” David sat back and reached over and touched her hand.  “I saw what Dorothea did to him, years before her death, he was holding by a thread.  Richie and Dorothea about killed him.  I tried to get him to talk to a professional, but he came home from the Hamptons, he was glowing like his inner sunshine was back.”

 

David held up her hand and tapped the canary Yellow diamond on her finger.  “You came into his life he was calling me to listen to the beginnings of a song, your song.  Then I got to meet you through Jon, and that sunshine grew and made him come alive.  The fans should kiss this ring because, without you, he’d have never come back.”

 

Colleen looked from her ring to David and saw tears in his eyes, which was something that made her cry.

 

“Rashbaum, what have you done to my woman? Fuck, you made her cry,” Jon smacked David in the curls.

 

Jon walked over to Colleen and pulled her into his arms, and wiped tears off her cheeks.

 

“Jonny you need to be consoling David, not me,” Colleen stopped crying and struggled out of Jon’s arms.  “If he hadn’t started I wouldn’t have been crying.” She went over to David and gave him a hug.

 

“Yeah, you meanie,” David looked at Jon over Colleen’s shoulder and stuck out his tongue.

 

“Ah Fuck,” Jon mumbled, threw up his hands, and walked out of the kitchen.

 

Colleen and David started to laugh.  “I guess we need to let him off the hook,” David told Colleen.

 

“Yeah, I guess so, since I have to work with him on the rest of the album,” David took her hand and they walked down to the studio.

 

Jon sat at the soundboard with Obie, still mumbling about Lema making Colleen cry.  Obie heard Jon using Fuck, Asshole, and Dead to me.  Oh hell, they still have a few weeks to get this song into the can, before the wedding.

 

“What has you dick in a twist?” Obie asked Jon while they waited on the band to get back from lunch.  He had left them up at the house, he had been so mad at Lema, the little prank he had pulled at lunch.

 

He heard the door open downstairs and the sound of feet on the steps.

 

“Not now Ob, maybe later,” Jon said as Lema came into the room followed by Colleen, it was the first time she had been out there, since he gave her the tour.

 

“Hey Colleen Welcome to the nerve hub of Bon Jovi,” Obie got up and walked out of the control room.

 

“Thanks Obie,” She let Obie pull her into a hug.  “Is he still pissed?”

 

“Oh pissed is putting it mildly Darlin,” Obie whispered back.

 

“Oh shit,” Colleen shook her head.  She slowly walked into the control booth.

 

“Hi Jonny,” She walk over and stood behind his chair.  “Are you mad at me?”

 

Jon felt her hands go on his shoulders and waited till they slipped off his shoulders to clasp over his heart.  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

 

“No babe, I’m not mad at you, Lema is another problem,” Jon said as he turned around and pulled her onto his lap.  “I knew you two had been talking since that night last month. I was mad he said something to make you cry.”

 

“Oh he made me cry a lot at first, then he became like a big brother,” Colleen told him as she put her head down on his shoulder.  “My support group could use David, he really helped me, Jonny.”  She looked deep into his eyes.

 

“Ah Colleen,” He lowered his lips to hers.  The sweet kiss started to become hotter as his hands slipped under her shirt, finding bare breast instead of her weekend sports bra.  His moan of appreciation echoed in the control booth. As they pulled apart finally 7 pairs of covered eyes greeted them with wolf whistles.

 

Obie looked over at Lema and whispered. “She saved your kosher bacon Lema, you owe her some wedding music.”

 

 “Oh that’s a given Ob, that’s a debt I gladly fulfill.” David gave Colleen a wink.

 

It was another long night in the studio, Jon came into the bedroom as quietly as he could. Colleen was asleep, the lamplight on low on his side of the bed. Her kindle and glasses sat on her bedside table.  Jon closed the door without a click of the lock, moving to his closet, he noticed the door to hers was open and the light reflected on two long garment bags from Klinfelds of New York City.  He knew that one little peek wouldn’t get him in the dog house.  He looked back to see if Colleen was awake, but her breathing showed her still asleep.  He tiptoed into the closet only to find a post-it on the first dress bag.

Jonny, it's bad luck to see the dress before the wedding. I think we've had enough in our lives to not chance it. All my love your Colleen.

He smiled and noticed the other dress bag was just as long, but it also had a post-it note that just read “Ditto”.  This brought a smile to his face, she bought two dresses, and according to his Accountant, it was somewhere between ouch and boing.  Stephanie had told him that Colleen wanted to not spend that much, but Nina and Desi kept the Champagne flowing.  Walking out of the closet he shut the door and went into his and put his clothes in the hamper and grabbed his sleep shorts and came out and went into the bathroom for a quick shower.  He was just about to turn off the water when the door opened and a very sexy bed head got in.

 

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Jon said as she wrapped around him.

 

“I was awake when you snuck in,” Colleen kissed his neck below his Adam's apple.

 

“No you weren’t, I tried not to wake you,” Jon said as he cupped her ass cheeks in his hand, and began to squeeze them.

 

“I saw you go into my closet,” Colleen slid her hands over his shoulders and lifted up on her tiptoes to suck on his bottom lip.  “My friend came to visit this evening,” she whispered.

 

Jon let the words sink into his lust-filled brain.  He lowered his mouth to hers.  “That means your visitor won’t be along on our honeymoon.”

 

“That makes you excited,” Colleen giggled as she felt his erection tap on her tummy.  “Like you said before, that means I’m always ready for you.”

 

He turned to put her body to the wall of the shower and proved to her he was ready for her.  Neither of them thought about anyone walking in as they made use of the shower. 

 

Later as they cuddled under the covers, Colleen sighed as Jon spooned to her back.

 

“I didn’t look at your dresses.  I agree we’ve had too much shit happen,” Jon said as he nuzzled her neck.  “I’ll see them when you walk down the aisle to me,”

 

Colleen held up his hand that cradled her tummy and linked her fingers with his.  “Jonny, want to go with me to the doctor before the wedding, you see it’s my yearly Cancer exam,” she lifted his hand to her lips.

 

“If you want me there, I’ll clear my day,” Jon told her.  He had talked to Maggie, knowing the day was coming. They were hoping for good news, but it was a fifty-fifty chance she would never be able to have kids of her own.

 

Colleen let go of his hand and turned in his arms to face him.  She reached for his head and pulled him closer to give him a big kiss.

 

“I love you, Jonny, so very much,” she had tears in her eyes.

 

“I love you my Colleen, so very much and I thank God every day that I came into that bar for the first time,” Jon said as he wiped her tears that rolled down her cheeks. Then they sealed their love with a deep kiss.

 

Chapter 71 The Dress Shop

 

Colleen and the ladies headed into the city and were dropped off at Kleinfeld's.  No paps and no warning that they were coming.  Stephanie held the file of dresses they wanted to see. The salesperson to help them was shocked when Desi and Nina said the sky’s the limit.  Colleen gave them a dirty look.

 

“He said to pick out what you wanted Colleen,” Maggie said with tears in her eyes.

 

The ladies sat out in the showroom, while Stephanie and Colleen went into the dressing room.

 

“Can you tell me a little about your fiancé,” Sarah the attendant asked.

 

“He’s my dad, he’s a Rockstar among men,” Stephanie told her.

 

“My fiancé is Jon Bon Jovi,” Colleen said.

 

“Like the rock singer?” Sarah asked.

 

“Yes,” Colleen and Stephanie said together.

 

“Tell me what you want to try on,” Sarah told them. 

 

Stephanie pulled out the folder and handed it to Sarah.

 

“These are what Colleen and my dad liked,” Stephanie told her.  “So anything similar will work,”

 

Sarah’s eyes went wide and she looked at the photos and the note at the back telling her to use her discretion and please not telling anyone that they were there. To let his fiancé please have the time of her life and it was signed Jon Bon Jovi.

 

“Okay let me go shopping, I think we have some of these in stock, or something close to them,” Sarah left the room and leaned on the wall. “Someone find Randy I need him.”

 

“What did you slip in my folder Steph,” Colleen stepped out of her jeans and shirt and put on the bridal robe.

 

“Just not to tell anyone who we were, Max is somewhere in here along with Albert, watching us,” Stephanie told her.

 

“No one asked me when the wedding was, you want to go find Sarah and tell her?” Colleen said as Stephanie jumped up and headed to the door.

 

It wasn’t long till she was back laughing.

 

“It’s a good thing that I told her, it would be August before they can do a custom dress,” she continued to laugh.

 

“I don’t know why we had to come here and not just go to that place we saw in Red Bank,” Colleen whispered. 

 

“Because Daddy told us to spoil you,” Stephanie told her just as the door opened and Sarah came in with a rack of dresses.

 

Sarah pulled out one dress, Stephanie looked from the dress to Colleen, trying to gage her reaction.

 

“I like the sleeves,” Colleen said with a half-smile.  “I’m not sure about the rest of it.”

 

“Try it on Mom,” Stephanie looked at Colleen and smiled.

 

“Okay,” Colleen slowly opened the robe and handed it to Stephanie. Then it hit her what Stephanie called her and she smiled ear to ear.

 

As she slipped into the first dress, ball dress.

 

“I look like a cupcake,” Colleen looked at Stephanie who was trying not to laugh.

 

She went out to show her mom, who didn’t try not to laugh.

 

It was one dress fail after another till they got to the Jon dress and the A-line gown.

 

“Dad’s dress first?” Stephanie asked.

 

“Why not it can’t be worse than the cupcake dress,” Colleen waited while Sarah laced her into the sexy dress. Once done Colleen looked at herself in the mirror.

 

“Oh. My. Goodness, I can see my panties,” Colleen gasped.

 

“That’s not all I see,” Stephanie covered her eyes.  “You have on a thong!”

 

“I can’t show my mother this dress,” Colleen stepped back.  “My Nips show too!”

 

Sarah ran out of the room and came back with something that looked like a nude slip.

 

Once the offensive dress was removed, Colleen put the slip on and the dress slipped back on.

 

“Is that better,” Sarah asked.

 

Colleen when back to the mirror, it was ninety-nine percent better.

 

“Mom, you look Hot!” Stephanie said as she got up and went to stand by her.  “Dad will swallow his tongue.”

 

Colleen giggled.  She went out of the room and into the sales floor.

 

“OH,” Maggie said.

 

“My,” Desi said

 

“God,” Albert said, who was walking back with Desi from the bathroom.

 

“Jonny like,” Nina added.

 

“Well can we bride her up?” Stephanie said.

 

Randy came up and twisted her hair up and added a sparkly comb.

 

Colleen was brought to tears.  Nina snapped pictures on her phone.

 

“That would be the perfect reception dress, Father Michael might not let you wear it in the church,” Maggie told her.

 

“We have one more to try on,” Stephanie told them.

 

She and Colleen went back to the dressing room.

Colleen was helped out of the dress and hung it up.  Then the sparkly A-line was slipped over her head.

 

Stephanie was blinking back tears and so was Colleen. Looking in the mirror she held her breath.

 

 

It fit like it was made for her.  Just like the sexy dress she needed the slip.

 

“Can these sleeve ruffles on the wrist be removed?” Colleen asked. “It would be perfect for the wedding.”

 

They walked out and tears were flowing. The vail from Ireland was perfect.

 

So they walked out with the sexy dress, the sparkly comb, the slip, and the A-line dress. Jon’s black card could be heard screaming as it was run.  While they were being rung up the ruffle on the sleeves were removed.  As Stephanie said, “Thank you all for making this a special day for my new mom.”

Chapter 70

 

It was the end of January, a family dinner, Jon and Colleen had finally decided on a date. Jon’s parents were invited to the dinner, but the weather didn’t suit Carol Bongiovi, but what was new, John Sr. was coming.  Her parents were here, with Jamie and his family. Of course, the kids were there along with the band.

 

Jon was out with his brothers and soon-to-be brother-in-law, watching over the coals. Mr. B. and her dad were out near the river smacking golf balls in the water to see who could chip it the farthest, Tico was the judge. The kids were tooling around in the Camo mobile, begging to be sent to the store for last-minute items.

 

Colleen, her mom, and her sisters-in-law were in the family room looking at artist rendering of the dresses she had on her shortlist. Jon had looked at them the other night, he told her he liked them all, but she noticed he looked long at the sexy painted-on dress.  “Whoa,” was all he said before she snatched the drawings out of his hand.

 

“So Jon likes this one,” Colleen told them.  “But I think it’s just not me.” She showed them.  “I just think it’s too sexy.”

 

“Oh I think it would look beautiful on you, but we’ll go to the city now that your threat is over,” Nina said.

 

“I guess so, they said it was all over, but it doesn’t feel over.  Yes Darrius and Reggie are dead, but I just don’t feel so safe,” Colleen shuffled the photos.

 

“Matt and Albert can go with us, then would you feel safe?” Desi asked her.

 

“We’ll all be there with you,” Stephanie told her.  “Your mom and us.”

 

Colleen looked at her soon-to-be daughter her with excited eyes.

 

“It’ll have to be off the rack,” Colleen finally gave in.

 

Jon and the guys heard the squealing out at the grill.

 

“That sound like a lot of money being spent,” Matt laughed.

 

“Ya think Bro, It’ll be a first,” Jon said as he loaded the burgers and dogs on the platter to take into the kitchen.

 

They all headed toward the kitchen where they saw the kitchen island loaded with buns, fixings, five different salads with Bags of chips piled on the end of the bar.  There was wine, soda, and beer in the fridge.  This was going to be a big celebration.

 

People were all over the family room and the kitchen.  Jon sat at the kitchen table watching Colleen with all his friends and family.  She fit right in, the only sour spot was his mother refused to show up. His dad talked about a separation, but he always says it but never does it.

 

Once everyone was done eating, Jon told them to come into the family room, he had news for them.

 

Jon stood in front of the fireplace, he smiled as all the kids walked in and sat on the floor.  When Colleen came in she moved to stand with him.

 

“Colleen and I want to thank you all for joining us today and tonight, family is very Important to Colleen and me,” Jon pulled Colleen closer and kissed her cheek.  “We want you to know, we’ve finally set a date for the wedding.”

 

Colleen smiled, “Now that all the problems have been taken care of,” she took a deep breath.  “So save the date for Thursday February 25.”

 

The gasp and cheers came over the room, as everyone jumped up to hug Colleen and slap Jon one the back.

 

It was a long time before everyone headed home or out to the Inn. Colleen made sure the kids were all settled down in their rooms.  She came into the bedroom and the lights were low, candlelight low, which meant someone was in a romantic mood.  With a small smile on her lips, she moved to the closet and pulled out one of the gifts that she was saving for a special night.  It was a soft candlelight teddy and a lace thong panty, Jon had bought it when they were shopping for Christmas.  Jon was in the bed reading and looked up as she headed to the bathroom.  He gave her a little smile and a wink when she looked back at the doorway.

 

Colleen took her time stripping off her clothes, she got Alexa to play the Fifty Shades soundtrack, thinking Jon would take the hint.  She decided to fill the tub and take a bath for a change, pouring bubble bath into the water, she took a deep breath of the Apple and Spice bubble bath that the kids gave her for Christmas. She was stepping into the tub when she heard the door open.

“Took you long enough,” she looked over her shoulder.

 

“The music sent out an invitation, and since I didn’t hear the shower running, I figured this wasn’t going to be a quick in and out,” Jon said as he slipped out of his boxers and walked up behind her. Kissing her shoulder he helped her into the tub. “Behind or in front?”

 

“Boyfriends choice,” Colleen looked up at him and smiled.

 

“Fiancé choice, we set the date,” he had her move up so he could slip behind. “Remember?”

 

Holding up her left hand and showing him the ring he put on her left-hand last month.

 

“I remember.”  She leaned back on his chest. He soaped her back and slipped his hands along her sides.  “You know if our luck hasn’t changed, one of the kids will bust in on us.” Colleen giggled as his hand cupped her breast.

 

They both held their breath as they looked over at the half-closed bathroom door.

 

Colleen looked back at Jon and started to giggle.

 

Jon laughed and slid his right hand to her v of her thighs, and watched her stop giggling and her eye slowly closed as her head fell back.

 

“Colleen,” came her mother’s voice from the bedroom.

 

“Oh shit,” Colleen moaned and popped up to her feet splashing water on the floor.

 

“Oh hell, Cocked blocked by my mother-in-law,” Jon groaned and covered the family jewels that showed in the lowered water.

 

“Just a minuet mom, I was in the tub,” grabbing her towel and drying off enough to put on her robe.

 

Maggie opened the door and peeked in.  “Have you talked to the Father about holding the wedding at the church?  Oh hi Jon,” Maggie looked from Jon to Colleen and back again.  “Oh my, I’m sorry you two, we can talk tomorrow.”  She quickly turned a beet red and left the bathroom shutting the door and they heard her leaving the bedroom.

 

“Don’t, Jonny. Just. Don’t,” Colleen told him as she doubled over holding in her laugh.

 

“Karma, pure Karma,” was all he said as he stood up and grabbed a towel, and got out of the now cold bathwater. “If it’s not the kids, it's adults cock blocking me.”

 

“We are getting a new lock on the door that will warn us who’s trying to come in,” Colleen told him as she watched him dry off and head to the bedroom.  Putting the sexy underwear in the basket for later, she headed to the bedroom, and tossed her robe on her chair, and crawled onto her side of the bed.  “Sort of killed the mood, sorry Jonny.”

 

Jon scooted to the middle of the bed and reached over to pull her to his arms.  Kissing her deeply. “Never say sorry to me, I think we can resurrect the mood unless you don’t want to.”

 

Colleen snuggled to his chest, her hand running through the fur on his chest, her fingers finding the treasure trail along his stomach.  She felt him responding to her fingers as he deepened the kiss.

 

“Fiancé choice again?” he whispered, as her small hand found the treasure at the end of the trail and closed over it.

 

“Fiancé choice,” she gave his dick a little squeeze.

Chapter 69

Colleen barely left the house for three whole days, she was either in the office or the family room, since Jon didn’t like a television in the bedroom.  She did spend a few hours a day in the kitchen, even with a freezer full of cake layers, it was therapeutic.

David would spend a couple of hours with her, trying to get her out of the house, even if it was to walk to the studio, to watch them make magic happen.  Then he got a thought, telling Jon he needed a golf cart, something she could ride over to the studio.  With Tico’s help, a pink golf cart appeared, custom-built with a cover so no one could see her, as she could tool around the property.

“Babe, come and see what just got delivered,” Jon called as he as the guys followed, since they were on lunch break.  Colleen always had lunch waiting on the band of brother’s she didn’t know she needed.

“Jon, the soup will get cold,” Colleen said as Jon came into the kitchen.  The smell of homemade soup and fresh bread filled the room, making them all drool.

“Hey Camo, it’ll take a second,” Dave told her, as he took her hand and tugged her along behind him.  As he got to the front door, Jon got ahead of him to open the door. “Tada, isn’t it neat.”

Colleen looked at the shiny pink golf cart with the vanity plate that read CAMO B.  She dropped David’s hand and brought both to her mouth.  Slowly coming out of the door to walk around the very pink golf cart.  

“This way you can come down to the studio or the Inn, and be warm,” Jon told her as he unzipped the door and let her get in it.

“Is it safe Jonny?” Colleen asked as she got behind the steering wheel.

“Very safe Babe, it’s electric, so no gas to mess with. The cover will keep you warm and Tico got snow tires for it for the winter,” Jon told her as he went and got it on the other side.  “Give it a try Colleen, for me?”

She turned the key and the motor started, jumping a little at the first time she stepped on the accelerator.   As they drove over to the Inn, Colleen started to smile, it was the first smile he had seen in a week.  She turned a few feet from the drive to the Inn and headed back.  But it was a start.

Pulling up to the house he showed her the garage opener, so she could park it right outside the kitchen entrance.  Jon got out and went around to open her door.  Colleen got out and went up on her tiptoes to kiss Jon.

“Thanks Jonny, I love it,” Colleen said as his arms came around her waist and brought his lips to hers.

“I’m glad you like the Camo special, its street legal, you can take it to Crazies for ice cream,” Jon walked her to the front showing Jersey vanity plates, and headlights,  “It has heat and air conditioning and a cd player.  You know all the things needed for a trip to the grocery store.”

“I don’t think I’m ready for a trip to the grocery store alone, but a quick trip across the bridge, I think I can handle it,” Colleen told him.

They finally got into the kitchen, where the men of Bon Jovi sat eating bowls of soup and fresh bread.

“Hey Kidd, I’m falling in love with your woman,” David said as he picked up his bowl and drank down the dredges of soup.

“Forget it Keys, this Chicca wants an older man in her life,” Tico said buttering another slice of bread.

“If that’s true Cubano, she’s all about the bass, not drums.” Hugh dipped his bread into his soup.

“Forget it guys, she’s mine,” Jon told his band brothers as he got Colleen and him a bowl of soup.

“Thanks for the sweet ride Tic,” Colleen went over to Tico and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

After lunch the guys left for the studio, Colleen did the dishes and went back to the family room.  She was heading back to work finally after two weeks.  If Jon had his way, she would never go back.  He suggested working at the community center as an adult literacy teacher, or English as a second language teacher.  She still jumped at loud noises, or someone coming up behind her made her jump.

Jon and the band worked on Colleen’s song till Jon finally said it was perfect.  They listened to the playback.  They all agreed that it was perfect.  They just about had the album mixed ready to go in the can.

“Hey Kidd, you guys set a date for this wedding?  Tony came by yesterday to drop off Nina for a wedding dress meeting,” Tico asked.  “The wife wants to put it on the calendar.”

“Her psychologist suggested we wait a month or two, so talking about March or April,” Jon told them.  “I’m thinking March, in the Hamptons at her church.  April is a bad month.”

Phil pulled out his phone and looked at April, thinking the band had something on the books, but he only saw a charity show.

“Why is April bad?” Phil asked.

Jon looked at him and was about to tell him when Obie told him.

“That’s the month Dorothea, killed herself,” Obie told him. “And the month they got married.”

chapter 68

 

Colleen thought about texting Jon, but her phone was in the kitchen, and Albert said to stay here.  Slipping from the sofa to the love seat in front of the fireplace she reached over and grabbed the fireplace poker.  She wasn’t going to sit there and let this make her feel week.  “I’m a Irish, I am strong.”

 

Jon sat in the car and wished he had a gun, Matt had tried to get him to get his carry and concealed license.  Here he thought the fan setting the fence on fire at the Somerdale house was the worse he’d ever see, but this knocks that one out of the park. 

 

Just when he thought no one was showing up, his dark street was lit up with choppers and police cars.  It happened so fast, they had him surrounded, and in seconds he was dead.  It seemed he got this close, due to the ankle monitor had been cut off.  Jon looked at his security staff on the other side of the fence, with guns drawn.  He finally got what he deserved. 

 

While Jon and Wilson talked to the police, Tank got the word that the danger was over and brought the house out of lockdown. Colleen was still sitting in front of the fireplace holding the poker like a baseball bat.

 

“It’s safe now Miss Colleen,” Albert told her as he walked in and took the poker from her shaking hands.  “You did great Miss Colleen.”

 

“I don’t feel so great,” Colleen told him.

 

She must’ve been turning green, Albert grabbed the nearest trashcan and put it close to her chin, when she began to retch.  Making sure Colleen had the trashcan, Albert went to the table, and grabbed napkins and a bottle of water that sat unopened by her laptop.  When she finally stopped retching, Albert swapped the napkins and bottle of water, for the trashcan.  He was leaving the family room when the front door burst open and Jon came in calling Colleen’s name.

 

“She’s in the family room,” Albert told him as he ran past him into the family room.

 

He found her sitting in front of the fireplace, he dropped to his knees and looked into her eyes.

 

Colleen’s eyes finally saw Jon at her knees and the tears came and she hurled herself at him.

 

“Oh Jon, I tried to be brave, but,” she started speaking to Jon but he pulled her closer into is arms.

 

“But you were so brave,” whispered as he rocked her as she cried.

 

They sat on the floor till her tears became sniffles.  Jon sent up a prayer thanking God that she was safe.  He heard the front door open and the lockset, Wilson came to the door and looked in at Jon and Colleen.

 

“Is everything alright Mr. Jon” he spoke softly so as not to upset Colleen.

 

“We’re getting there Wilson, thank you for your protection tonight,” Jon said as he got upbringing Colleen with him.  “We’ll meet tomorrow, I’m sure this is all over the news already?”

 

“I would think so,” Wilson smiled when Colleen looked at him.

 

“I need to call Polly, tell them you’ll be out for the rest of the week,” Jon told Colleen.  Who for once didn’t fight him on it, instead she nodded her head. “Wilson, let’s meet tomorrow around noon,” Jon smiled down at Colleen. “The whole security staff.”  Wilson agreed as Jon walked Colleen to the elevator and they went up to their bedroom.

 

Jon and Colleen took a shower and he got to take something so she could get some sleep.  He got her into the bed and cuddled her till she was in a deep sleep.  Getting up he grabbed his cell, and went into her office off the bedroom, in case she woke up scared.  He punched in the code for Max, after giving him the update, he call the dean.  That call made him so upset, if he had his way, Colleen would never go back there.

 

His phone started lighting up with text messages.  The ones from the band wanting to let him know they’d be arriving around noon to move in. They asked about Colleen, he told them she was ok, but it would take a while before she was great.  David said he’d do what he could.  Then the parents called, it hit the national wire. He told them they could talk to Colleen tomorrow, of course, his mother pointed out she knew “that woman”, was bad news.  Soon all he wanted to do was throw the phone in the river and head to bed. The kids wanted to come home for the weekend to check on Camo.  He told them to facetime, till the next weekend, and about the band staying all over the property.

 

Finally after a glass of wine, Jon headed to bed.  He made sure the bathroom light was on and the door cracked, along with the bedroom door locked.  Colleen was where he left her, in the center of the bed.  Getting under the covers he put his phone on the nightstand and moved to the center and pulled Colleen close. He drifted off to sleep.

 

It was somewhere around two in the morning, Colleen sat up in the middle of the bed screaming.  Jon bolted up in the bed and tried to pull her into his arms to calm her down.  She kept screaming as she fought him. He called her name over and over, telling her over and over that she was safe. She finally heard him and the screams turned to loud sobs that broke his heart. He would call Sister Mary tomorrow to see what she thought would help Colleen. 

 

As he sobs turned to sniffles, Jon laid back down and pulled her down to his chest.

 

“Do you want to tell me about it?” Jon asked Colleen as he rubbed her back as he held her close.

 

“I was in my house and I thought it was you at the door, but it was him,” Colleen explained.  “He grabbed me and threw me down on the sofa and he had a knife.”

 

Jon was quiet as she explained the dream.

 

“He was going to cut out my tongue, so I couldn’t tell them what I had witnessed all those years ago,” Colleen's voice was a little whispered. “You broke the door in and shot him.”

 

“He’ll never bother you ever again,” Jon lowered his voice.  “I promise you.”

 

He’d never hurt anyone ever again, as he was in the morgue.  Jon remembers it in flashes.  The thug turned and flashed a big knife and the police shot him.  He noticed her breathing was evening out and her eyes slowly blinking till they finally closed and she was back asleep. Jon watched her and said a prayer, thanking God that her dream had never come to fruition. He slowly fell asleep hold Colleen’s hand.

Chapter 67

 Chapter 67

Colleen finished her day at good old Polly Prep, she really missed the boys.  They kept her laughing when they were home for a visit, and when she offered to teach them to slow dance. That was the funniest night of all, she even got Jon up there and taught him a little waltz. There would be no swaying dances anymore.

Wilson called that he was at the side entrance, and she gathered her bags and backpack and headed for the side doors.  Her phone buzzed with messages after she got out of the school and turned it back on.  If the kids weren’t allowed to have their phones, she wouldn’t use hers during the school hours.

Desi: running late, but I’ll be there. Open the wine and let it breathe.

Colleen: Yes mother ;)

Another one was from Jon, reminding her, he would be late.

Her mother called letting her know she was cleaning out the attic and was sending her two boxes of college boxes.  Colleen tried to remember what was in those boxes.  Books may be, Old CD’s and DVD’s, she knew she had tossed the old VHS tapes since her player broke. Or did she?

Wilson met her at the door and took her briefcase and her eco bag and took them to the car.

“Did you have a good day, Miss Colleen?” Wilson asked Colleen after they got into the car.

“It was okay, just miss the boys,” Colleen said as she grabbed a soda out of the cooler that Wilson kept in the car for the trip home.  “I need to stop at the cheese shop for a few minutes.”

“Ok, Miss Colleen,” Wilson pulled away from the school and headed toward Jersey. “Have they been calling for homework help?”

“Not much, I’m helping Ro with his SAT pretest.  Thank God they haven’t changed much over the years.  Math is still a bitch,” Colleen laughed.

Wilson laughed also.  They approached the Ferry, Wilson asked her if she was hungry, but he already knew the answer, Colleen always carried snacks in her eco bag.

“I got what I need, I have extra if you want a muffin?” Colleen asked him.

“Did you make them?” Wilson asked, knowing she baked a lot as sort of a therapy for being scared.

“Sure did, Jon loves them too,” She handed him a napkin wrapped muffin.  “But don’t tell him these were carrot muffins.  I sent the boys a care package each with muffins, cookies, and quarters.”

Soon they were headed to the cheese shop, she was only in there for an hour.  Once home they unloaded and Wilson headed to his apartment, and Colleen went to the kitchen to open the wine and make the cheeseboard.  Then she started making the soup out of containers out of the freeze and put it in the crockpot.

Colleen went into the family room, while they were gone the crew stripped the wallpaper and painted the room in a gray-blue with royal blue drapes on the windows.  It was so them, she had even found her parents coat of arms from Irland and one of Jon’s family's coat of arms from Italy, they looked great framed on the mantle. The room had been purposely rearranged and now felt cozier and the seating area around the fireplace with the coat of arms showing the joining of their two families.  She loved the family room, when the drapes were opened, the crew coated the windows so they could see out but no one could see in. She looked out at the water thinking about having her wedding in the yard and coming to Jon as they stood on the little bridge to say their vows.  The ones she had secretly been writing on her iPad.

Her phone let her know her soon to be sisters were on the way and at the side gate by the studio.  Walking to the front door she glanced out the peephole to see the park close to the front door.

Colleen opened the door to let them in.

“Is the wine breathing? I could really use some,” Desi said as she handed Colleen a bag of magazines.

“In the family room on the table by the hallway,” Colleen followed Desi and Nina back into the family room.

“Oh good we got cheese and nibbles,” Nine gasped at the spread Colleen had set out.

Gone was the seating area in front of the projector, which was the perfect place for the huge sectional sofa with the chases on each end to seat the whole family.  Colleen put the magazines on the low coffee table in front of the sectional sofa and went to get a plate.  She walked past the cozy love seat sitting close to the fireplace to the table with the snacks.  Gone from French Proventil to the cozy family room that the whole family loved to sit in.

“Was traffic bad?  When Wilson and I came down from 35 it wasn’t so bad” Colleen told then as she put her glass of wine on the coffee table and picked up a Modern Bride.

“Seems there is some road work about two blocks off 35, we had to turn around and come across the bridge,” Nina told them.

They got down to business and pick out four dresses to go find, Desi told her Jon would love the skin-tight dress, but Colleen said No, not just no but hell no.  After that was done they had Soup with Tank, better known as Albert.  Seems Wilson was picking up Jon, this wasn’t unusual so no red flags popped up. She always felt safe with either of her bodyguards.  She walked Nina and Desi out to their car.  It was starting to get dark, they promised to call when they got home. Colleen went back and put the pot on warm and headed to the family room with Alexa playing oldies music, while Colleen looked back at the pages she had pulled out of the magazines.  Putting them into her bride’s folder.  She loved the sweetheart neck, A-Line dress.  It sparkled without being gaudy, and it didn’t cost an arm and a leg, her mother’s veil would look beautiful with it.

Albert was in the kitchen when he got a buzz on his walkie-talkie, suspect at the front gate.  He went into the family room to check on Colleen, watching her tapping on her laptop, possibly with Romeo. She looked up at Albert in the doorway and then heard the sounds of the house going on lockdown.  “Stay in here Miss Colleen, Either me or Wilson or Mr. Jon will come and get you.” He put the house on lockdown from his cell and brought up the window covers on the ground floor pulling out his gun and went to the front door and set his scope on the front gate. 

Chapter 66

 They had been home for a week, back to school for the boys and Colleen.  Jon and the band were meeting in the City, so Jon rode in with Colleen a few mornings.

“Are you going to be late tonight, I need to plan dinner,” Colleen asked him.  She was going to meet with Nina and Desi after school.  Desi wanted to bring over some dress ideas.

“We’re working on your song, setting the harmony on it, so maybe,” Jon sat his kindle on the set beside him.  “I’ll get uber home.”

Colleen closed her folder and put it in her briefcase.  “I thought I would clean out the freezer, and make soup with what’s salvageable,” Colleen reached for his hand and locked pinkies with him.  “I can leave it on low and you can eat when you get home.”

Jon raised their hands and kissed her knuckles, the band wanted to meet her, he thought of recording the song out at his studio. Then they could meet his muse.  “Sounds like a plan,” Jon pulled her across the seat and rested their joined hands on his on his knee.  He loved how she loved to hold his hand. On the yacht he would wake up to her holding his hand, even in her sleep she needed that connection with him.  This made him think she needed to talk to someone.  He’d talk to Dave about it, he was is head doctor.

They pulled up to the school Jon got out of the car and helped her out, with a sweet kiss he waited till she got into the school.

Wilson was also on watch, he did it every morning and every afternoon.

“Mr. Jon, have you heard any more on Miss. Colleen’s hearing?” Wilson asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“I was going to call them this morning when I got to the studio,” Jon told Wilson.  “I’ll let you all know about the outcome, this has got to end soon.”  Jon thought about the hand holding, “Hey Wilson, do you notice Colleen, being quiet a lot?”

“She’s talkative till I get close to the school, then she gets quiet,” Wilson turned toward the south end of Broadway and the financial district.  “Then in the afternoon, I text her where I’m parked, then she comes out.  She’s never waiting on the sidewalk, unless the football coach is with her.”

Jon thought on what he said, he had seen that on the weekends.  It was like pulling teeth to get her out of the house, and walking the property she never goes up to the gate or the fence.  This seems to have started when those thugs made bail.

The first thing he did when he walked in was pull out his cell, and called his lawyer.  “Max, this is Jon Bon Jovi, have you got any news on Colleen’s case?” Jon leaned on the stair banister.”

“Hey Jon, I was going to call you later,” Max shuffled papers on his desk and pulled up Colleen O’Sullivan on his laptop.  “Hey forgot to ask, did she say yes?”

“Of course, asked her on Christmas holiday,” Jon smiled remembering his proposal.  “What news do you have?”

“Seems like one of these thugs got himself shot, so he’s at a higher court.” Max told him.  “The main thug, Devin, he’s going to be in court next month on the third. I know the court appointed lawyer, he wants to deal.”

“What kind of deal? I want to be at this meeting,” Jon shook his head when Lema came to check on him.

“Jon, I don’t know if it will help Colleen to listen to what he wants,” Max didn’t want this to turn into a media circus. 

“But we can counter offer, can’t we?” Jon asked wanting this to be over and done.

“We have to see what they want before we can counter offer,” Max told him.  “I know you want this over with, but we have to do this by the book, so he doesn’t do this ever again to any woman.”

“I still want to be there, you can put me in another room so he doesn’t know I’m there,” Jon started to climb the stairs to the studio.

“I’ll think about it, I need to meet with Colleen in the next day or so,” Max told him.  “I want to go over what she saw and everything.”

“Tomorrow night, in Jersey,” Jon told him.

They hung up and Jon went to tell the guys about the change of venues and the reason.  Jon would put them up in the Inn and the apartments for the staff, since it was just the Wilson and Albert.

They went to work on the song, when they ended the night, Dave stayed back to talk to Jon, after over hearing some of the conversation on the phone earlier.

“Hey Jonny, is this because of all the hell Colleen has been going through?” David asked.  “I heard you talking to Max.”

“I just want this over with,” Jon told his friend.  “Lema, I want to show the world what I’ve found. To shout it to the mountain tops this is my woman.”

“We get that Jonny, and I want that for you too,” David told him.  “After what Dot put you through, you deserve that.”

“I had a dinner to go to and she suggested I take Steph, she won’t walk out close to the gate or any further than the Inn,” Jon put his hands up to his face and shot them through his hair. David has been such a huge support to him since all this shit with Richie. “Maybe you can use some of those online classes in physiology that you’ve been taking to use.”  

“I think she needs to talk to someone,” David said after thinking for a few seconds.

“Would you talk to her, I trust you and I know you wouldn’t need a NDA.” Jon looked at David pleading. “Can you see the press sinking their teeth in to this, ‘Jon Bon Jovi can’t get a break from women with mental issues’ it would be blasted all over the world.” Jon gave a maniacal laugh.  “Just what my kids would be brought into this.”

“I’ll talk to her, but I’m no professional,” David told him with a pat on the back. “But I’ll try.”

“I hate coming home in the dark, when she’s alone in the house.  Every light is on in the house and on the lawn.  The only time I saw her truly let go and have fun, was on the cruise.” Jon told David.

“Let’s get you home then, I’ll move in tomorrow,” David said as they went down to the lobby where Jon called for a driver.

“You think maybe you should run this by Lexie, she might not be too happy you moving in?” Jon laughed.

“She’ll be fine, we can have little conjugal visits,” David laughed and rolled his eyes.

He didn’t have to wait long when Wilson pulled up.

“I left Albert with her, he’s having homemade soup with cornbread,” Wilson explained.  “They’re saving us some.”

“Thanks Wilson, damn it’s cold, those look like snow clouds out there tonight.” Jon told him as he got in the car.

“You might be right, my shoulder said its coming,” Wilson laughed. Wilson was a former Army sniper, that was suggest by Matt when Jon needed professional Security.

The ride was faster tonight with less traffic on the highway.  Wilson slowed down when he got near the house, almost coming to a stop.  Pulling out the gun from his shoulder harness.  This caught Jon’s attention. When Jon leaned forward to ask what was going on, Wilson pointed to the dark figure standing close to the gate.  Wilson tapped his earpiece “This is victor 052 on Navesink River Road, I have a dark individual at the gate. Going to do a drive by and come up behind him. I need back up.”