Chapter 5: All In A Days Work

Jon was baffled and pissed at what he had learned about Liz. And Rick? Rick was one of his best friends. To know that he and Liz were intimate, although a shallower depth of intimacy than how he feels, it didn't matter. A kiss is not just a kiss. Hurt, angry and torn Jon drives home and tries to go straight to his room. Calling out, his mom says "Jonny, come in here a minute please?" Jon's mom and dad were in the living room watching TV. Jon did as he was asked. He walked into the living room and sat on the arm of the couch. His mom gave him a look and he slid off the arm onto a cushion. His mom begins to say, "I'm not getting involved, but I want you to know that Lizzy called, and she was pretty upset." Jon rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. His mom followed that up by saying, "Is everything okay?" Jon kinda stared at her in a daze, slaps his legs with both hands and proceeds to stand up. He took a deep breathe and said, "No ma, things aren't okay. She cheated on me while we were in Miami." Mrs. Bongiovi just looked at him, caught totally off guard by what her son just told her. He started to walk out and told his parents good night. He left the living room, walked into the kitchen and grabbed a soda. On his way to his room he met his mother in the hallway. She asked if he was going to be okay. He kissed her forehead as said, "I'll be just fine mom." He stepped around her and went to his room. In his room he turned the radio on and plopped down on his bed. Laying there listening to Blondie he thought what have I done to deserve this? Getting lost in music was Jon's only way he was going to get through this. He grabbed a pen and a pad of paper and started to write. On top of the paper he scribbled the words 'Only Lonely'. The words to this song flowed like water over a fall. Songwriting was easy for Jon. He's always had the talent of putting into words what others could only feel. He loved writing songs and building them from the ground up. He and David worked well together writing songs. It was a partnership that just fit.

Jon, sitting in the edge of his bed, wrote 'Another long and sleepless night....', the rest of the words fell into place. It ends up being a song of heartache and pain and not being able to do anything about it. He was in fact heartbroken. And to add insult to injury, he was a little embarrassed. Just four days ago he and Rick went to the Stone Pony and had drinks. Rick never let on he had made out with Jon's girlfriend just a few months ago. Rick was his friend, he thought. Jon, tapping on the pad with the pen, said aloud, "How could I have been so stupid?" Jon puts the finish touches on the lyrics and lays back on his bed. It was only a few moments and Jon dozed off.

Knock, knock he startled awake. He woke confused and gargles out, "Come in." Just then Jon's dad opens the door and walks in saying, "Son, your mom wants to know if you're hungry. She going to order pizza." Rubbing his eyes, Jon says "No pops, I'm really not all that hungry. Thanks though." His dad turns to walk out, stops and says "I know you're old enough to make your own decisions, but you know - it hasn't always been easy for your mom and I. We have had our own indiscretions and we didn't let them break us. Hell, I was ready to kick someones ass everyday when she was a bunny." Referring to the time that Jon's mom was a Playboy Bunny. Jon looked up at his dad and said, "How can I really get passed this dad? It's not just the cheating on me, it's many things. She doesn't support my music ambitions and goal. She wants nothing more than a house and kids. I want more! How can I be with someone that lacks ambition and makes out with one of my best friends?" His dad stood there and looked at him and asked, "When you picture the 'big time', do you see her at your side??" Not knowing the answer, Jon broke eye contact with his dad and looks at the floor. How can he picture her in his life now?
"Jonny!", they hear bellowing up the stairs, "telephone!" Jon looks at his dad and asks, "Can you ask her to take a message? I don't want to talk right now." Dad nods his head and says, "I'll take care of it." Leaving Jon alone in his room is all Jon wanted; to be left alone. It was only 10pm on this long Saturday night. Jon didn't want to do anything, but he didn't want to stay home either. He was antsy, he needed to go do something. Sitting on the edge if his bed, weighing his options on what he could do yet on a Saturday night, Valentine's Day, he reached over a pressed play in his cassette player.
His demo tape of Runaway was playing, and every time he heard it - he affirmed it was going to be a hit. He knows this is the song that will get him closer to his dream.  He is headed for the big time.
The weekend went by quicker than Jon thought that it would.  He kept himself busy by hanging out with David and helping his mom and dad renovate the basement.  Basement renovations wasn't Jon's thing, but he helped with what he could.  When Sunday night rolled around, Jon found himself alone in his room with his thoughts.  Tomorrow is his big day and he gets to face it and deal with it alone.  Liz betrayed him, Liz broke their trust - how can he let her back in?  Not now.  Maybe never.  She tried to contact him several times over the weekend and his family just took messages everytime she called.  He wasn't ready to talk to her now, and he may never be ready.