I wanted to drop quick note to say thanks for reading.
The story has now had 30,000 visits as I write this and it is because of all of you that I continue to write this.
All of your comments have been great and appreciative.
More is coming in a few days.
Just wanted to say thanks!!!
Love Shell!! xoxox
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Ch. 46
After Child Protective Services had inspected Jon’s home and interviewed Juanita, Toby and Jon, Juanita received a letter a few days later informing her that she had not only been certified to be a foster parent, but also learned she have temporary custody of Toby as well.
To say that everyone was beyond relieved upon hearing the news was an understatement.
Especially Toby, who had grown so close to Jon during their short span of time together.
As if they were father and son, the two shared of love of cars…Classic ones.
In between vocal sessions with Katie Agresta, Jon and Obie shared their love of restoring old vehicles with Toby.
With Toby’s help, the two men decided to restore an old ‘68 Chevy Camaro from top to bottom.
Restoring cars was a passion for Jon. It was a slow but enjoyable process. It helped Jon not only get to know the little boy that suddenly came into his life, but for him to find another piece of himself that he had lost from his constant touring schedule.
Toby also shared with Jon a love of football. Though not as fanatical as his mentor and friend, Toby became thrilled with all things New York Giants.
Jon taught him about all the players from past and present seasons. Their stats, personalities. What they were like in the off-season. Toby drank it all in, if only to just enjoy in Jon‘s life in every way possible.
With approval, Trina observed the bond that was forming between the two of them.
By day, as Jon trained with Katie and Richie on new arrangements for the tour, Trina continued to gain a great reputation from record labels and among the rock elite for her writing.
So impressed by her writing, the editors of Rolling Stone, offered her a contributing editing position, which meant that after her stint with the band was over, she could write whenever she wanted and still keep her regular job with the Philly Post.
She and Jon were also growing closer as the days went one.
He was so different than the sick and tired rock star she initially met.
This Jon, was happy, strong and hysterically funny.
A side that very few knew and for her, one that she cherished most about him than anything else.
This was John Francis Bongiovi, not the rock star. More and more she found herself being drawn into the man behind the persona than the man on everyone’s screens.
In her bedroom, now partially made into a home office with thanks to Jon, Trina sat hard at work writing another article for the Philly Post.
Notebooks, pens, pencils of various shapes and sizes were scattered about the desk in organized chaos.
Jon walked into her room unnoticed.
He simply sat on the bed next to her desk for several minutes observing her intensely.
She had no idea he was there as she read aloud her latest piece entitled ‘Rock Steady’.
“His best work, is a fusion of Rock and Jazz. Okay, should I use the word fusion or a mix? Mixture? Oh Hell! I give up! “ she yelled.
Tearing out the page from the spiral notebook , she decided to add it to trash bin of other collections of unused, yet strange sentences that did not fit this piece.
“Fusion sounds better.” Jon said to her with his hands resting on his thighs.
Turning towards him, she took off her reading glasses and placed them down on the desk.
“Oh hey. Thanks. I never know how it sounds when I write something, so reading it aloud to get a feel for how it flows helps. “
Jon agreed. “Richie and I do the same thing when we write."
Tired of fighting with her rough draft for the day, she put down the notebook in hopes of getting it right with fresh eyes in the morning.
“I’ll fight the good fight tomorrow. What’s up? Done with Katie for the day?”
“Yep. Toby’s out on his first playdate with the kids up the street.”
“Oh he’s at Brandon’s. He’ll have fun. They seem to get along real well.”
Jon nodded. Suddenly he appeared a little apprehensive as he continued to rub his hands on his thighs.
“Are you okay?” She asked.
“I’m fine.” He assured her.
“If you don’t talk to me, you’re going to wipe a hole through your jeans.” She quipped.
“I have something to ask you.”
She prayed that he was finally going to ask her out on that date he had promised her. She couldn’t wait. Her eyes twinkled with delight.
Taking his hand into hers. She replied.
“Okay?”
“For the last few days, I’ve been thinking a lot about kids like Toby. Kids who had nowhere to stay or go other than through the government system.”
Trina began to mull over what he was saying. Interested in where the conversation was going, she nodded.
“So, the other day when you were doing a phone interview, I went and talked to Father Bob and Mom about what the needs were in his parish.”
“And?”
“The local soup kitchens are really low on food as well as parish’s.”
Trina looked sadly at him, continuing to play with his hands.
“That's too bad. Tell Father Bob if he needs help. I’ll be more than happy to do whatever it takes to help him.”
Jon nodded. “Good. Because I’d like to do a benefit performance for him, the soup kitchens and for the local Habitat for Humanity office. Thinking of doing some ads for Covenant House too.”
Concerned, Trina asked. “Jonny, is your voice strong enough for all of this?”
“Not yet. But it will be by the time we do the performance. I’ll probably do it just before we head back on the road.”
“Are you sure? That doesn’t leave you much time. “
He was still nervous. His voice was progressing well. In fact, he had never sounded better. He prayed that all of the pressure with rehearsing for the tour and this benefits wouldn’t set things back.
“I know. But it’d be only a song. Maybe two. I can’t help but to think of Father Bob. His and the other organizations need this. It’s in my backyard. It’d be only right to try and help them out.”
Trina took a deep breath. With caution, she agreed.
“True. You should try to get your feet wet before going back. If it‘s only going to be a song or two. That should be okay. But before you do anything. Talk to the doctors. Promise me?”
Jon needed this from her. He now was certain he was doing the right thing.
“I’ll talk to them. I think everything will be fine. Thank you Trin. Gotta say that I haven’t had this much fun being at home. Part of me doesn’t want to ever step foot back on a bus or plane.”
“Spoiled ya huh?” She teased.
He leaned in towards her and kissed her gently. Softly he answered.
“That you did.”
Pulling away from him for a bit she toyed with the buttons on his black shirt, partially exposing a hint of brown fur against his tanned skin.
“Mmm, ya know, if you want to continue to be spoiled, you don’t have to go back on tour.” Trina whispered.
He snickered.
“If I didn’t need to finish paying this house off. It’d be you and me finally having that non-stop slumber party that keeps on being rudely interrupted.”
Trina sighed. “True. You know the more I think about it, I think the show is a good idea.”
His eyebrows perked up. “Yeah? You were so nervous before.”
Beginning to know her quite well, Jon knew that she could never hide how she felt. Her eyes told too much. They were a guide for him.
“I am. Being cautiously optimistic.”
“If I don’t do this now-” He told her.
“You’ll have to do it at Giants anyways. Think of it this way. A few hundred pairs of eyes staring at you vs. Several thousands pairs a few days later. A couple of songs, dinner, some alcohol. The charities get money. They’re happy. You, very happy about the charities getting what they want but also you get a self-test on the voice. God, you're one of the strongest people I know. Whatever concerns I have are secondary. Jonny, this is about how you feel. Do it. In fact, Kendall and I have a friend back home named Kevin who I think can help out.”
“Who’s Kevin?” Jon asked.
“A Childhood friend. I should have thought of him sooner.”
Kendall walked into the room.
“Who sooner?” she asked.
Trina looked up at her friend and smiled. She turned towards her desk for a minute and pulled out her notebook and pen.
“Hey Kendall. Do you remember Kevin Reid?”
Kendall began to snicker.
“The Kevin Reid? Sure. Why?”
“Jon’s thinking of doing a benefit performance for some local charities before the band goes back on the road in a few weeks and I thought Kevin could help out. Doesn’t he work with Habitat for Humanity?”
Kendall rolled her eyes. “Dear God. I think so. Saint Kevin I’m sure would be more than happy to help you.”
Jon looked puzzled. “Saint Kevin?”
Trina rolled her eyes at Kendall’s jesting.
“Yeah. It’s a joke between us. Kevin loves to help me out in anyway shape or form.”
“To be honest, he really be good with this. But Trina has a point. He for some reason seems to do whatever it takes to make ’her’ happy.” Kendall said.
Jon’s eyes widened. “Huh?”
Trina brushed it off. “She's making a lot out of nothing. That was so long ago. “
“According to your mom. He’s still got the hots for you. He saw some of your stuff in Rolling Stone a few weeks ago. And now, he practically stalks her for information on you.”
Trina shrugged it off, laughing at how trivial it seemed.
“Come on Kend, it can’t be that bad.”
Jon’s eyes narrowed. “What if it is? Is he a friend”
Trina reassured him. “Yes. He’s fine. He had a thing for me and he’s probably just curious to know what I’m doing since he sees I have a byline in Rolling Stone. No big deal. Don’t you have someone in your life that you just go…Well look at them. Wonder how they’re doing? Let me find out.”
“Yeah but-” Jon told her.
“But nothing. It’s the same thing. Kevin’s a nice guy. We dated for a bit and-”
Jon’s eyes continued to narrow. “He’s your ex?”
“Who’s ex?” Richie asked walking into the room.
“Hello? Don’t people around here knock?” Trina joked.
Kendall went over to Richie and kissed him on the cheek.
“Baby, we’re talking about Trina’s ex-Kevin.” she told him.
“Kevin. Oh, was he the one that you were talking about that is kinda stalking Trina’s mom about info on her?”
Jon snapped his head around at Trina.
“Stalker? He’s a freaking stalker?”
“Dear God no! He knows mom and dad. He was probably just asking how I was. Kendall and Richie are being dramatic.”
“I don’t like him. Thank God you’re not with him anymore, Kevin’s a bit of a control freak.” Kendall said.
“And this one’s not?” Trina said pointing at Jon.
Jon put his hands on his hips.
“I am?”
“Yes!” All three replied in unison.
“Whatever.” Jon mumbled.
“Whatever?” Trina asked.
“Yeah, whatever. I don’t know him. I’m just thinking about why I need to feel pissed at someone I don’t know. Guessed I’m a bit creeped out.”
Scribbling down some words into her notebook, Trina retorted. “Fine. I’ll call mom later and get Kevin’s number. Everyone, all will be fine.”
Jon, Kendall and Richie stared blankly at her. She hadn’t seen Kevin in years, but knew he was harmless and would be more than happy to help out.
Kendall heard the constant reassured tone in Trina’s voice before.
It was something she hated.
To say that everyone was beyond relieved upon hearing the news was an understatement.
Especially Toby, who had grown so close to Jon during their short span of time together.
As if they were father and son, the two shared of love of cars…Classic ones.
In between vocal sessions with Katie Agresta, Jon and Obie shared their love of restoring old vehicles with Toby.
With Toby’s help, the two men decided to restore an old ‘68 Chevy Camaro from top to bottom.
Restoring cars was a passion for Jon. It was a slow but enjoyable process. It helped Jon not only get to know the little boy that suddenly came into his life, but for him to find another piece of himself that he had lost from his constant touring schedule.
Toby also shared with Jon a love of football. Though not as fanatical as his mentor and friend, Toby became thrilled with all things New York Giants.
Jon taught him about all the players from past and present seasons. Their stats, personalities. What they were like in the off-season. Toby drank it all in, if only to just enjoy in Jon‘s life in every way possible.
With approval, Trina observed the bond that was forming between the two of them.
By day, as Jon trained with Katie and Richie on new arrangements for the tour, Trina continued to gain a great reputation from record labels and among the rock elite for her writing.
So impressed by her writing, the editors of Rolling Stone, offered her a contributing editing position, which meant that after her stint with the band was over, she could write whenever she wanted and still keep her regular job with the Philly Post.
She and Jon were also growing closer as the days went one.
He was so different than the sick and tired rock star she initially met.
This Jon, was happy, strong and hysterically funny.
A side that very few knew and for her, one that she cherished most about him than anything else.
This was John Francis Bongiovi, not the rock star. More and more she found herself being drawn into the man behind the persona than the man on everyone’s screens.
In her bedroom, now partially made into a home office with thanks to Jon, Trina sat hard at work writing another article for the Philly Post.
Notebooks, pens, pencils of various shapes and sizes were scattered about the desk in organized chaos.
Jon walked into her room unnoticed.
He simply sat on the bed next to her desk for several minutes observing her intensely.
She had no idea he was there as she read aloud her latest piece entitled ‘Rock Steady’.
“His best work, is a fusion of Rock and Jazz. Okay, should I use the word fusion or a mix? Mixture? Oh Hell! I give up! “ she yelled.
Tearing out the page from the spiral notebook , she decided to add it to trash bin of other collections of unused, yet strange sentences that did not fit this piece.
“Fusion sounds better.” Jon said to her with his hands resting on his thighs.
Turning towards him, she took off her reading glasses and placed them down on the desk.
“Oh hey. Thanks. I never know how it sounds when I write something, so reading it aloud to get a feel for how it flows helps. “
Jon agreed. “Richie and I do the same thing when we write."
Tired of fighting with her rough draft for the day, she put down the notebook in hopes of getting it right with fresh eyes in the morning.
“I’ll fight the good fight tomorrow. What’s up? Done with Katie for the day?”
“Yep. Toby’s out on his first playdate with the kids up the street.”
“Oh he’s at Brandon’s. He’ll have fun. They seem to get along real well.”
Jon nodded. Suddenly he appeared a little apprehensive as he continued to rub his hands on his thighs.
“Are you okay?” She asked.
“I’m fine.” He assured her.
“If you don’t talk to me, you’re going to wipe a hole through your jeans.” She quipped.
“I have something to ask you.”
She prayed that he was finally going to ask her out on that date he had promised her. She couldn’t wait. Her eyes twinkled with delight.
Taking his hand into hers. She replied.
“Okay?”
“For the last few days, I’ve been thinking a lot about kids like Toby. Kids who had nowhere to stay or go other than through the government system.”
Trina began to mull over what he was saying. Interested in where the conversation was going, she nodded.
“So, the other day when you were doing a phone interview, I went and talked to Father Bob and Mom about what the needs were in his parish.”
“And?”
“The local soup kitchens are really low on food as well as parish’s.”
Trina looked sadly at him, continuing to play with his hands.
“That's too bad. Tell Father Bob if he needs help. I’ll be more than happy to do whatever it takes to help him.”
Jon nodded. “Good. Because I’d like to do a benefit performance for him, the soup kitchens and for the local Habitat for Humanity office. Thinking of doing some ads for Covenant House too.”
Concerned, Trina asked. “Jonny, is your voice strong enough for all of this?”
“Not yet. But it will be by the time we do the performance. I’ll probably do it just before we head back on the road.”
“Are you sure? That doesn’t leave you much time. “
He was still nervous. His voice was progressing well. In fact, he had never sounded better. He prayed that all of the pressure with rehearsing for the tour and this benefits wouldn’t set things back.
“I know. But it’d be only a song. Maybe two. I can’t help but to think of Father Bob. His and the other organizations need this. It’s in my backyard. It’d be only right to try and help them out.”
Trina took a deep breath. With caution, she agreed.
“True. You should try to get your feet wet before going back. If it‘s only going to be a song or two. That should be okay. But before you do anything. Talk to the doctors. Promise me?”
Jon needed this from her. He now was certain he was doing the right thing.
“I’ll talk to them. I think everything will be fine. Thank you Trin. Gotta say that I haven’t had this much fun being at home. Part of me doesn’t want to ever step foot back on a bus or plane.”
“Spoiled ya huh?” She teased.
He leaned in towards her and kissed her gently. Softly he answered.
“That you did.”
Pulling away from him for a bit she toyed with the buttons on his black shirt, partially exposing a hint of brown fur against his tanned skin.
“Mmm, ya know, if you want to continue to be spoiled, you don’t have to go back on tour.” Trina whispered.
He snickered.
“If I didn’t need to finish paying this house off. It’d be you and me finally having that non-stop slumber party that keeps on being rudely interrupted.”
Trina sighed. “True. You know the more I think about it, I think the show is a good idea.”
His eyebrows perked up. “Yeah? You were so nervous before.”
Beginning to know her quite well, Jon knew that she could never hide how she felt. Her eyes told too much. They were a guide for him.
“I am. Being cautiously optimistic.”
“If I don’t do this now-” He told her.
“You’ll have to do it at Giants anyways. Think of it this way. A few hundred pairs of eyes staring at you vs. Several thousands pairs a few days later. A couple of songs, dinner, some alcohol. The charities get money. They’re happy. You, very happy about the charities getting what they want but also you get a self-test on the voice. God, you're one of the strongest people I know. Whatever concerns I have are secondary. Jonny, this is about how you feel. Do it. In fact, Kendall and I have a friend back home named Kevin who I think can help out.”
“Who’s Kevin?” Jon asked.
“A Childhood friend. I should have thought of him sooner.”
Kendall walked into the room.
“Who sooner?” she asked.
Trina looked up at her friend and smiled. She turned towards her desk for a minute and pulled out her notebook and pen.
“Hey Kendall. Do you remember Kevin Reid?”
Kendall began to snicker.
“The Kevin Reid? Sure. Why?”
“Jon’s thinking of doing a benefit performance for some local charities before the band goes back on the road in a few weeks and I thought Kevin could help out. Doesn’t he work with Habitat for Humanity?”
Kendall rolled her eyes. “Dear God. I think so. Saint Kevin I’m sure would be more than happy to help you.”
Jon looked puzzled. “Saint Kevin?”
Trina rolled her eyes at Kendall’s jesting.
“Yeah. It’s a joke between us. Kevin loves to help me out in anyway shape or form.”
“To be honest, he really be good with this. But Trina has a point. He for some reason seems to do whatever it takes to make ’her’ happy.” Kendall said.
Jon’s eyes widened. “Huh?”
Trina brushed it off. “She's making a lot out of nothing. That was so long ago. “
“According to your mom. He’s still got the hots for you. He saw some of your stuff in Rolling Stone a few weeks ago. And now, he practically stalks her for information on you.”
Trina shrugged it off, laughing at how trivial it seemed.
“Come on Kend, it can’t be that bad.”
Jon’s eyes narrowed. “What if it is? Is he a friend”
Trina reassured him. “Yes. He’s fine. He had a thing for me and he’s probably just curious to know what I’m doing since he sees I have a byline in Rolling Stone. No big deal. Don’t you have someone in your life that you just go…Well look at them. Wonder how they’re doing? Let me find out.”
“Yeah but-” Jon told her.
“But nothing. It’s the same thing. Kevin’s a nice guy. We dated for a bit and-”
Jon’s eyes continued to narrow. “He’s your ex?”
“Who’s ex?” Richie asked walking into the room.
“Hello? Don’t people around here knock?” Trina joked.
Kendall went over to Richie and kissed him on the cheek.
“Baby, we’re talking about Trina’s ex-Kevin.” she told him.
“Kevin. Oh, was he the one that you were talking about that is kinda stalking Trina’s mom about info on her?”
Jon snapped his head around at Trina.
“Stalker? He’s a freaking stalker?”
“Dear God no! He knows mom and dad. He was probably just asking how I was. Kendall and Richie are being dramatic.”
“I don’t like him. Thank God you’re not with him anymore, Kevin’s a bit of a control freak.” Kendall said.
“And this one’s not?” Trina said pointing at Jon.
Jon put his hands on his hips.
“I am?”
“Yes!” All three replied in unison.
“Whatever.” Jon mumbled.
“Whatever?” Trina asked.
“Yeah, whatever. I don’t know him. I’m just thinking about why I need to feel pissed at someone I don’t know. Guessed I’m a bit creeped out.”
Scribbling down some words into her notebook, Trina retorted. “Fine. I’ll call mom later and get Kevin’s number. Everyone, all will be fine.”
Jon, Kendall and Richie stared blankly at her. She hadn’t seen Kevin in years, but knew he was harmless and would be more than happy to help out.
Kendall heard the constant reassured tone in Trina’s voice before.
It was something she hated.
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