Chapter 34 - The Road Is Calling

The daily grind of everyday life and trying to live your dream can take it's toll on a couple.  Jon's career is quickly skyrocketing and so is Monica's. 



Both are being heavily courted by agents that want to sign them and neither one of them think that they're ready for that type of commitment. 

Noxzema wants Monica to be their new fresh face ambassador and she's being offered contracts at both Eileen Ford and John Casablanca.  Her dream of being a model is coming true far more faster than she ever thought it would.  She put it all on the back burner when her dad was hurt in the car accident, and recently pulled it to the front when she realized that she had great boyfriend and he supported whatever she wanted to do. 

They met at her house after work.  Jon spent the day at the studio in the city and Monica did her shift at Macy's.  Jon got done hours before her, so when he was done he stopped at the store and bought what he was going to make her for dinner.  He wants to show her how important that she is to him, and how much he appreciates and loves her support.  When he finishes at the store, he stops at home to grab clean clothes.  When he walks in the door he is greeted by his dad.  "Hi Jonny."

"Hey pops."  Jon opens the fridge and grabs a bottle of Pepsi.  "Where's ma?"  Jon looks around and doesn't see her.

"She's over at the school.  It seems that Matt has been running his mouth and it's finally caught up with him."  John Sr. explains, with little to no affect regarding the situation.  Matthew has been acting up since Jon's first glimpse of success.  Everyone thought that it might be jealousy and they are seeing that they are right.  It has to be tough growing up in the shadow of someone that is headed straight to stardom.

Jon pulls out a kitchen chair and sits at the table with his dad.  "What did he do?"

Jon's dad laughs as he starts to tell the story, "Well, it turns out that you are super famous and super rich and you know people that can beat the bullies up at school.  Well, one of those bullies didn't believe him."  Dad laughs a little harder, "Matt was pushed down in some mud and then they all started to laugh at him.  You know how sensitive he can be."

Jon laughs with his dad.  They sat there and talked for a little while, something they haven't done in a very long time.  His dad had to ask about Monica, "What's going on with you two?  You're hardly home anymore."

Jon smiles just thinking about her. "We're testing the waters, so far smooth sailing."  And Jon uses his hand to demonstrate just how smooth he and Monica were really sailing. 

"How was her trip over seas?"

Kicking back and putting his feet up on the opposing chair, Jon tells his dad all of Monica's wonderful news.  "Noxzema wants her for a fresh face campaign, targeting teenage girls.  She has two of the biggest modeling agencies wanting to represent her - but her passion lies in photography.  She doesn't know what she's going to do yet.  She has plenty of time."  Jon sees that his dad is impressed and agrees that she has plenty of time to decide what she wants to do.

"What's going on with you and the band?   I heard they're planning a tour?" his dad asks, not sure what's really going on in the music business.  The Bongiovi's have been in the business for years, but John never paid much attention to it, that is until his son got involved. 

Perking up in his chair and  fluffing a few chest feathers, "They loved us so much when we were just on the road, the response was good so they want us to open for RATT on their US Tour."  He is so excited about it, he can hardly contain it.  He's hitting the road with RATT.

 

His dad is very proud of him.  He has stood his ground and got into the business the right and ethical way.  Jon was never one to sell out or sell him or his band out.  They are working hard for what they are getting and no one was prouder than Jon's dad, "When will you and the boys be leaving?"  His dad asks about the tour.

 

"Well, today I overheard Tony talking with someone about it.  RATT went on tour last week and are doing dates in Canada right now.  We're supposed to meet up with them when they get back to the states, I think it's in 2 weeks.  Their last Canadian show is in Toronto, so we'll jump on in Detroit."

 

"Are you excited?" his dad asks his eldest son, watching the smile grow on his face as he gets ready to answer.

 

"I am very excited.  The album gets released a week after we hit the road.  That's exciting!"  Jon practically bounces out of his chair, he's so geeked for the life and the career that he has worked so hard at getting.  His family was behind him 150%, he had a band that kicked ass and a great women at his side.  The only way to go is up.

John gets up and pours himself another cup of coffee and then sits back down at the table with his son, "Your mother and I listened to your album yesterday when we were in the city."   Jon looks at his dad and waits on his next words.  "It's not our kind of music, but I gotta tell ya son, it rocked.  You and the guys sound better than great.  You are going to be a stars."

Everything he did/does, from adolescence to now, was done with what he just heard in mind.  It was his dad's approval and his dad's opinion of his music that Jon carves.  He has always wanted to please his mom and his dad, but dad was a little more important.  To hear his dad tell him that his album rocked and that he was going to be a star was all the success that Jon ever needed.  What comes next is just a bonus.  Jon smiles from ear to ear, "Thanks pop."

John Sr. reaches over and puts his hand on Jons, "Now that we got that out of the way, we need to do something about that hair.  If you leave in a couple of weeks, you need a trim and another frosting."