Ch. 41

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As the day played out, there was still no sign of Jon.

Obie and Richie came over after Trina called them sounding very concerned that Jon hadn’t returned home.

Concerned about their friend, Richie instead of taking Kendall to lunch, waited alongside Trina with nervous anticipation.

12:00 pm… 1 pm...2 pm…went by in slow succession. In attempt to keep themselves busy, Obie began to show Kendall the business side of the tour, while Trina did some research for an upcoming piece on the group The Hooters.

Richie couldn’t relax. He was unable to do anything until he saw his friend walk through the door. This was unlike Jon. His appointment was hours ago.
’If the news were good, he would have been here yakking up a storm and driving us crazy.’

He briefly checked the clock in the kitchen and then placed his head down on the kitchen countertop.

“It’s 2:15!” Richie mumbled through his folded arms.

Continuing to go over paperwork with Kendall. Obie calmly replied. “And?”

Agitated, Richie looked up at Obie and Trina.
“Where the hell is he? His appointment was at nine this morning.”

“Maybe after the doctor’s he had some stuff to do.” Obie told him.

“He was supposed to take Toby out to get some clothes. Juanita took him instead.” Trina told them.

Obie shrugged looking perplexed. “Could he be in Sayreville?”

Trina nodded. “That’s where Carol and John live right?”

“He was there after his appointment. His little brother Matt told me.” Richie told them.

“What did Matt say? Did everything go okay?” Obie asked.

Richie shrugged. “He didn’t know. They kicked him out the when Jon came in.”

“Shit! Was Tony there?” Obie asked.

Richie nodded. “No. He was at a friend’s house.”

“He wouldn’t just forget about Toby.” Trina said.

A mass of nerves, Richie got up and began to pace the floor.
“If he fucked up his voice he would.”

“Rich, what the hell are you trying to do? Pace a freakin’ hole in my imported floor? Mom, will kill you.” Jon jested as he came in with a couple of paper bags.

Everyone looked up. Their eyes widened with curiosity, trying to figure out any and everything about Jon’s body language. They needed a sign. Frustrated with several seconds of silence, Obie blurted out.

“How did it go?”

Jon acknowledged him. He was amazingly calm. He went past them and placed the bags on the back counter.
“Fine. Juanita and Trina will be happy to know that I no longer need a notebook.”

Trina clapped. She walked over to him. She touched him gently on the arm. She looked in the bag.
“You went shopping?”

“Yeah. I decided to freak out Juanita even further by actually picking up some stuff for her. The rest is in the car.” He told everyone.

When no one moved at first. Jon lifted an eyebrow in a way to suggest that needed to speak to Trina alone for a bit.

When everyone went out to get the rest of the food, Trina stayed behind helping Jon unload the food he had placed on the counter.

“You forgot about taking Toby shopping.” Trina reminded.

Jon raked his hands through his hair. He rolled his eyes in disbelief over what he had done.

“Shit! Oh my God! I’m so sorry. Is he pissed? By the time, I got out of the doctors, and visited my parents and then to the store. I totally lost track of time.” he explained.

She put down a can of vegetables and turned to him.

“Okay, it’s you and me. No Obie, Richie or even Juanita to drive you nuts. By the way she took Toby shopping for you by the way.”

Jon took a deep breath. He leaned sideways against the countertop and smiled. Trina’s eyes lit up. She ran into his arms.

“You can sing again? Really?” She asked.

He turned her towards him. “Not great. In fact, I can barely carry a tune. At least what people are used to hearing from me. So the doctor’s said I have to learn how to sing all over again, the right way.”

“How long will that take?” Trina asked.

“To get me through Giants? The rest of the tour? Another month, maybe a little longer, but the doctor’s were impressed how quickly my vocal cords healed. So who knows. I have to go back in a couple weeks for a follow up.

Trina nodded her head in agreement. She could hardly contain her excitement. She was so pleased that Jon’s gift wasn’t taken from him. Second chances are hard to come by. She hoped he cherished what he has and what he can do for others with his gift.

Pulling away from him for a moment, she tucked his hair back between his ear exposing his chiseled face.

“We all were scared shitless. We hadn’t heard from you and then you were gone for so long.”

“I didn’t get any sleep. I really thought I fucked up. I was literally parked in the front of the doctor’s office for two hours just thinking about what I’d do if I “couldn’t” sing.

“And?” she asked.

“And, for some reason there was this calm when I thought about Toby…And you.”

“Calm?”

He nodded. “Yeah. It came over me pretty fast. I felt at peace. Whatever happened I knew that you and I would be okay. And no matter what, I’d make sure that Toby had a home and that he’d be fine.”

She went into his arms again, resting her chin against his chest looking up at him. She asked.

“You didn’t think of singing?”

“Some. But it always came back to you, Mom, Dad, Matt, Tony and Toby.

“You know whatever happens to you. I’d still be here right?” Trina reassured him.

Jon nodded. “Yes I do. Trin, I can’t explain it. I know that if there wasn’t a band, Richie and the rest of the guys would be okay. But I had to wonder a little about Obie and Juanita. ”

“Obie would be a sound engineer for another band. He’s a very talented man. And Juanita would be with her boys. I’d be writing for the Philly Post and Kendall would probably work for Richie.”

Jon laughed. “That’s a sight…Wonder how much work would get done there. So-”

Trina interrupted. “So, I think at times that as much as you can not only be my nervous breakdown and constantly the center of everyone’s universe in Jovi land, you realized that life would go on if there was no Bon Jovi. ”

“You think?” he quipped. He continued. “I knew when my voice was gone, I had fucked up. The powers up above gave me a gift and I took it for granted. Life lesson for sure.” He told her softly.

“What the hell happened to my kitchen?” Juanita yelled with Toby in tow.

The boy not only wore a new pair of shorts and a t-shirt, but appeared to have a haircut. Trina walked over to him, kneeling in front of him.

“Someone looks handsome. ”

“Miss Juanita said my hair was too long. I was trying to tell her that I wanted it to grow it out like Jon and Richie and she said. ’No!’ Toby said.

“Well I like it!” Kendall told Toby as she, Obie and Richie brought the rest of the bags in.

“Me too!” Jon told him. Jon bent over to the boy. He whispered in his ear. ’”Now, everyone knows that you’re better looking than me.”

Toby laughed. “I know. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that I leave you and Richie a girlfriend or two.”

Trina let out a huge laugh. She put her hand over her mouth in an attempt to muffle how loud she was. Jon snickered. He said to Toby.

“In other words, Richie and I get your leftovers?”

“Well…Yeah.” Toby joked.

Jon and Richie looked blankly at one another. Juanita laughed hysterically. “I love this boy. Been around here less than 24 hours and already he has Jon and Richie speechless.”