Chapter 9...finally

Hi! I'm not sure if anyone is still reading, but here is a new add. :)

“That’s ok,” Richie said, “There will be.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “You just keep on pushing this.”

“What are you up to today?” he asked.

“Not much,” she said, “Just have to make some calls.”

“Thought maybe you might want to do lunch with me and the guys,” he said.

“Considering Jon and I just ate breakfast,” she replied, “I could meet you guys for lunch around 1.”

“Cool,” he said.

“So, about last night…” he said…”Jon was sleeping in your room?”

“I just had a bad dream…he came over to comfort me,” she said simply, “Like I said, nothing happened.”

“Ok,” he said, “I give. I’ll stop pushing. I just want to see him happy. It’s been way too long.”

“He is still married you know,” she said reaching for her purse, and putting her room key in her wallet, and slipping on a pair of shoes.

“Where are you going?” Richie asked.

“Shopping,” she said. “You can join me if you want.”

“Yes,” he said “And we can continue this conversation.”

“Ok. As I said, he is still married.”

“Yes, but only on paper. A divorce has been a long time coming. They’re both not happy with the marriage anymore and want to see each other happy.”

“I see,” she said as they headed outside. “And you’re the expert on your best friend’s marriage because…?”

“Because Jon is more than my best friend. He’s my brother. We may not be blood related, but we are family. He tells me everything and I tell him everything.”

“I’m sure you guys have kept some secrets from each other over the years,” she said thoughtfully.

“Well, sure we have,” he said, “And it usually comes back to bite us in the ass. But that doesn’t have to do with what’s going on with Jon’s marriage now. Trust me. They’re both unhappy with the marriage.”

Steph walked into a dress store and Richie followed. “Well, maybe when he’s available, I’ll rethink things a little,” she said, holding up a dark purple, silk baby doll dress with spaghetti straps. “What do you think?”

“Nice,” he said. “What’s the occasion?”

“Am going out after the show tonight. Am debating between casual or dressy.”

“Is Jon taking you out?”

“Yup,” she said.

“Hang on one second,” he said. “I’ll find out for you.” He took out his phone and dialed Jon. “Hey Frank, what’s going on?” Jon must have answered. “So Steph mentioned you guys were going out tonight? Where are you taking her?” He paused while Jon answered and Steph grinned as she went in the dressing area with three more outfits in her hand. Richie was slick. Once she was out of earshot Richie spoke again. “Nice. She’ll love that. Just remember what I said about taking it easy with her. I’d hate to think you’ll fuck this up.” Richie paused again. Then he started laughing. Then he grew serious, “Oh, okay. I’ll let you go deal with that. Yeah, I’ll talk to you later Kidd.”

He hung up the phone. Steph came out of the dressing room wearing a silky blue baby-doll tank top and a pair of black Capri pants.

“That’s perfect. Dressy, but still casual,” Richie said. “I wouldn’t try on anything else.”

“So,” she said, “Where is he taking me?”

“You’ll just have to wait for tonight,” Richie said with a twinkle in his chocolate brown eyes.

She rolled her eyes. “Ok,” she said going back to the dressing room to change back into her clothes. She walked over to the register and paid and then they headed back to the hotel. Steph went up to her room and told Richie she’d be down in about an hour for lunch. She figured she’d see if Jon wanted to join them, but the connecting door to their rooms was shut. She thought about knocking and then remembered that she had kept him up pretty late the night before. She figured after his work out he might want to nap.

Just then she got a text. “Are you back?” It was from Jon. She smiled. I guess he is awake after all. She thought.

“Yes,” she wrote back, “I figured you might be napping.”

“God no,” he said, “On a phone call. You can come over if you want. The door is unlocked.”

“Okay,” she said, walking over to the door and quietly letting herself in his room.

“If that’s what makes you happy,” Jon was saying into the phone. He picked up a little bottle of Jack from the mini bar and took a swig. “I’ll call the lawyer myself and have him draw up the papers. Yes Dot?” He paused and took another swig of the Jack Daniels, and gave Steph a wry grin. “Yes, we agreed that if we found someone who made us happy, that the divorce would happen sooner. I just thought that it would be for both of us to find someone. Now you’re happy and I’m all alone.” He paused again.

“I am happy that you found someone that makes you happy. Keep in mind that I want to meet him before he meets our children. Okay, I’ll see how fast I can get the papers drawn up from the lawyer. Bye Dot.” He slammed down the hotel phone, and took another swig of Jack.

Steph reached out and touched his arm, “Jon, you have a show tonight. I know this is a lot to deal with right now, but you have to focus.”

He took another swig of Jack. “I can focus before tonight. Don’t worry your pretty little head on that one.”

“Jon,” she said gently, “I thought you said that you wanted the divorce to happen.”

“I do,” he said, “But damn it, Steph. I feel like I failed at marriage. If I can’t marriage work that’s been 25 years, how the hell am I supposed to find someone I can move on to spend the rest of my life with?” he took another swig of Jack.

“Jon,” she said gently, reaching for the bottle of Jack once he set it down. “You’re not a failure. It takes two to enter a marriage and two to end a marriage.”

“Yup and in my case it was Dot and her new boyfriend.” He reached to take the bottle of Jack out of Steph’s hand. She pulled it back quickly.

“No way sir,” she said. “It looks like you’ve drank more than half the bottle already. If you’re not sober for tonight, you’ll let the guys down.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he muttered, reaching for the bottle again. She stood up.

“Maybe we should cancel tonight,” she said. “You’re obviously not in a good place right now. Is there anything you need me to do?”

“Get me some more whiskey,” he said.

She shook her head, “You’ll thank me for that after the show.”

“Call my lawyer then,” he said, “And let him know that we need divorce papers drawn up.”

“Ok,” she said reaching for her phone.

“You can leave me alone now,” he said.

“So you can order more booze from room service?” she said. “I don’t think so. Look, last night you were there for me. Let me be there for you today.”

Just then there was a knock on the door. “Hey, Kidd!” Richie called. “Is Steph with you? She’s supposed to meet us for lunch.”

“See,” he said a little drunkenly. “You had plans.”

“Things change,” she said, opening the door.

“Now isn’t a good time Rich,” she said. “Can you tell the guys I’m sorry?”

“Hey Dean!” Jon said.

“Shit,” Richie muttered. “He’s drunk.”

“Just a little. Don’t worry, I’ll have him sobered up before we leave this afternoon.”

“No,” Jon said, “She’s going to lunch with you guys.”

Richie shook his head. “I told you not to screw this up Jon.”

“He’s not screwing anything up Rich,” she said softly. “He’s had a rough day. Dot is officially filing for a divorce. Apparently, she has a new boyfriend that she’s happy with.”

Richie raised his eyebrows. Steph handed Jon some water. “Why don’t you go shower, Jon? That may help sober you up before the show tonight. Please do this Jon. For me?”

He sighed, defeated. “Ok. Hey do you think you can make some coffee?”

“Yes,” she said. “Good boy.”

Jon went to the shower and turned the water on full blast.

Richie sighed. “Did Dot mention anything about the guy?”

“No,” she said, “But I’m thinking you know something about that.”

“I do,” he said. “How the hell did you find out?”

“When I made a wrong turn in the hallway the first night I spend at Jon’s house and overheard Dot on the phone with you. Listen, your secret is safe with me, but you guys have to tell him. He deserves honesty.”

“This tour only has a couple of months left. I’ll tell him when we get home.”

“I think you’re wrong to keep this from him. Didn’t you say this stuff has a way of coming back to bite you in the ass?”

Richie sighed. “I’ll think about it. Do you need help with him? I can cancel on the guys.”

“I’m good,” she said. “Please think about what I said.”

Jon came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, freshly showered and with just a towel wrapped around his waste.

“Ok, beautiful,” he said with a grin. “I’m still drunk, but the shower did me a little good.”

“Good,” she said pouring him a cup of coffee. She handed the black cup of coffee to him and he took a sip.

“Hmm…” he said. “Hot.”

“It should be,” she said. “It’s a fresh pot. We have to leave in about an hour and a half for sound check. Are you hungry?”

“Hmm…” he said. “How about a burger from room service, or scrambled eggs?”

“I’ll go with the burger. It’s greasier for you. It’ll help absorb some of the Jack Daniels. I have to change for tonight,” she said. “The bottle of Jack is safely hidden. You promise you won’t touch anything else in the mini bar within in the next five minutes?”

“Ok,” he said. “I’ll be good.”

“I’ll leave the door open. I’ll hear you if you go for anymore bottles, understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” Jon said, standing up and going for more coffee, and proceeding to knock the towel off his waist.

She couldn’t help admiring him as he stood naked before her. He was a beautiful man. “You might want to get dressed,” she said sweetly. “Your jeans and t-shirt are already hanging in the closet for you.”

He walked over to her. “I think you like me better this way,” he said his face really close to hers.

She wanted him to kiss her. She really did. She was screwed.