Ch 27

A couple of hours later, as everyone kept vigil in the waiting room, the doctors came out looking stone-faced.

Carol and John Bongiovi got up and went over to the doctors.

“Well?” John asked. “How did it go ?” he continued.


The doctors appeared to be hesistant as they looked carefully over the small group that was anxiously awaiting word of Jon’s condition.

Trina was a mixture of nerves and concern for Jon.

‘Why are they looking at all of us?’ She thought as she twittled her thumbs.

‘Why don’t they just tell us?’ she thought as she watched the two doctors continue to look at the group.

Something felt wrong to her.

The throat surgeon looked at them all. He smiled grimly.

“We got the edema and drained the fluid off of his vocal cords. He’ll have some swelling for a while but he should be okay for now.” The doctor told them.

“For now?” Carol asked.

“It is again crticial everyone that Jon not talk. We explained it to him before we took him down to surgery and I think he understands he could risk further damage to his cords if he attempts to talk.”

Carol nodded. “For a solid month right Doc?”

The surgeon nodded. “A month is minimum. Maybe a little longer. The good news is that the damage could have been much worse, the edema mainly affected his right vocal cord. So that’s why it’s just good for now that he rests and takes care of himself.”

“I’ll make sure he does that.” Juanita said. “By the way, y’all didn’t give him that notebook and pen yet did you?” she continued


The surgeon snickered. “No. We didn’t. He’s in recovery resting comfortably.” He replied.

“Can we go see him?” Carole asked.

“Sure. But just a couple at a time. The steroid injections also took a toll on him physically, he needs as much rest as possible. ”

“Okay Doc, thanks.” John said. “Carol, why don’t you and Juanita go first.” he told him.

“John, are you sure?” Juanita asked.

“He thinks of you as his second mother. Go, it’s fine Juanita.” John told her.

Escorted by the doctors, Carol and Juanita went into the recovery room where Jon was slept soundly.

The two ladies sat on each side of him.

Juanita smoothed back one of his long, brown strands of hair.

Jon slowly glanced at her. Groggy from the anesthesia, Jon’s eyes began to open, he turned towards Juanita. She smiled warmly at him.

‘Okay, what’s happened?’ Jon thought.

When he attempted to talk, a shearing pain rushed from his larynx up to his throat.

He immediately grabbed his throat.

“Oh no Jonny! Don’t talk darlin. No!” said Juanita.

Carold tapped his arm gently. “She’s right honey. You’ll do more harm to yourself if you speak.”

Jon was still trying to remember what happened as he began to focus on his surroundings.

‘I was trying to apologize…’ He thought as he looked at Carol.

She smiled tenderly at her son.

“You’ve just gotten out of emergency surgery. You’ve hemorrhaged one of your vocal cords.” She told him.

“It’s very important Jonny that you don’t speak. Your voice needs time to heal.” Juanita said softly.

Jon began to remember.
‘The bus…Everyone was so angry with me…I was trying to explain to them…” He touched his throat. Tears welled in his eyes.

Carol kissed his forehead.

“Listen, it’s very important that you do exactly what the doctors are telling you. The steroid injections have also taken a toll on your body. You need a lot of rest.”

Jon looked at her.
‘What if this doesn’t work? What am I going to do if I can’t sing? What about Giants?” he thought to himself.

“In other words. You’re mine for the next few weeks.” Juanita quipped.

Jon turned to her and smirked. Juanita laughed.
"See you’re feeling better already. We’re going to make sure you get some sleep, eat normally…sleep…Anything to get you better.”

Jon smiled weakly. At that moment Obie, John Sr., and Richie came into the recovery room.

“Someone I see is up.” John Sr. said to his son.

“And that’s our cue to leave. Better start stocking up on those spiral notebooks and pens. I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of writing going on.” Juanita teased.

Jon smiled at her. Juanita winked at him. She gave him a kiss on the forehead.

“Okay baby. I’ll be back. Finish getting some rest.” she told him walking out.

Carol kissed him on the forehead.

“We’ll be back in a little bit.” She told her son. Jon nodded.

Carol followed Juanita out of the room.

“Now. Now. Now. We’re finally at a point where you have no choice but to listen to us.” Obie said.

Jon rolled his eyes.

“You can roll your eyes. But things are going to change Jonny.” Obie told him.

Jon looked defiant.

“Look at me all your want like that and I’ll extend this “safety issue”. You need a break. You’ve been wearing yourself out, not to mention driving all of us up the freaking wall. And I’ll tell you. No one else knows you’re here. Not your fans, the press, no one. Trina and Richie more than did their jobs.”

Jon looked sad as turned to Richie.

“I know you’re sorry man. All we care about right now is you. You need to rest your voice. Giants will be there for us when you’re better. Everything else will be too. The new single’s doing great by the way. No one has a clue man.” Richie reassured him.

Jon smiled at him.

“I can’t wait to hear you perform that new single for everyone at Giants. I hear that it’s doing great son.” John said to him patting him on the shoulder.

‘Why doesn’t anybody get this? What if this surgery didn’t work? What if after all of this I try to sing and I can’t?” Jon thought as he shook his his head.

“What?” Obie asked.

Jon shrugged his shoulders in frustration and anger. He was helpless and still too groggy to put up an effective argument. Now wasn’t the time to deal with this.

Richie never had seen Jon like this before. He took a deep breath and turned towards Obie.

“Something’s telling me that this is going to be a long few weeks.” Richie told Obie.

“Good. Maybe our “brother” will realize that there’s more in life than the music. All I’ve seen him do over the last couple of years is write, sing and perform. I know there’s more to him and you than that.” Obie told Richie.

Jon narrowed his yes in anger.

“This is beautiful because for once you can’t talk back. You know I’m right because otherwise you wouldn’t be so pissed off.” Obie said.

Just as Obie said that, Trina knocked on the door.

“Everything okay in here? Jon’s not trying to kill all of you is he?” Trina joked.

Jon rolled his eyes and smiled. He never heard her joke that that. She was quickly becoming more and more a part of their world like it or not. He didn’t know whether to thank her or throw something at her for the way all of this played out. He knew it wasn’t her fault, however, a part of him didn’t want her to see him like that. Things were comfortable between the two of them before, now when she entered, he didn’t know what to think.

Trina smiled at him as she walked into the room.

'I know all of this is my fault. But why now? Why with her here?' he thought.

Trina walked next to the bed and sat down on its foot.

“You scared the shit out of all of us.” she told him.

Jon looked at her blankly.

“I know you were trying to tell us all you were sorry, however, I wanted you to know that everyone in this room loves and care about you. You’re going to be singing and talking and telling us all off in no time. The good news is that you’re fans have no idea that this happened to you so that means you’ll be able to rest without the worry of someone finding out .” she told him.


Even though Obie had told him the same thing only minutes before, Jon for some reason felt better when Trina told him.

He mouthed the words. “Thank you. I’m sorry. “ as he smiled weakly at her.

Trina smiled at him. “Okay. It’s over. Time to get yourself well so that you can make your dream of perfoming at Giants stadium a reality. “

He looked at with a curious look on his face.

Trina nodded.

“Yes. I’m going to help everyone out in getting you better. In fact, I’d thought I’d come and hang out with you and Juanita. Have a feeling Juanita’s going to need the help.” Trina grinned.

Jon smirked. Trina smiled and clapped her hands.

“Good! Then it’s settled. Can’t wait to see your house. It’ll be fun.”

Jon’s eyes widened.

‘They’ve taken over everything.’ Jon thought.

Trina got up and walked towards the door. Obie began to laugh.

“All right. I’m out. Got a both a story and a review to file. Be back later.”

Jon shook his head in disbelief.

Trina smiled. Proud that she finally got Jon to apologize and to acknoweldge that she was helping him, she turned to Obie and winked at him. She patted him on the shoulder as she walked out of the room and into the hall.


‘How was he going to react to not talking for several weeks? What if the surgery didn’t work? What would he do? This is all he knows.’ she thought to herself.

She forced the doubts from her mind as quickly as they arrived. Everything needed to be positive. Especially for Jon’s sake….