Chapter 39 - Wheels On The Bus

 

The Detroit show was flawless and left the boys wanting more.  To play, and play great in front of a sold out crowd of 30,000 was better than they ever could have imagined.  It put them on a high, that they didn't want to end. 

 

Unaware of how RATT rolled, they quickly learned it was break down and take off to get to the next city.  No staying over for the night, it was off to the next town for the next night.

 

With all their gear tucked into the compartments on the bus, the band gets on and each are just thrilled.  RATT provided them with their own bus and had it stocked and decorated the way it should be for rock stars.  RATT's relationship was their recording studio, the PowerStation was a solid one and as a gesture of thanks, they provided Bon Jovi with their new steel horse.

 

Leaving Detroit in the middle of the night seemed surreal to all of them.  They all are physically exhausted, yet anxious to get to Cleveland.  Jon more so than the others.

 

"That was fucking awesome!"  Richie says from his seat, with a bottle of Jack Daniels in one hand and a bottle of coke in the other, holding them up to toast his brothers on a job well done. 

 

Tico, laying on the one couch says, "That was a great set.  I hope Cleveland loves us just as much."

 

"They will."  Dave joins in, he's drinking a cold Bud at the table with Richie.  "They loved us." 

 

Alec and Liz are sharing a chair and her presence on the bus irritates the hell out of Jon, but the high he was on, she couldn't get to him.  He liked where he was mentally and knows that Monica will be in Cleveland waiting for him.   He was looking out the window, counting the lines as they went down the highway.  The distance between Detroit and Cleveland wasn't far at all, but if felt like a million miles to Jon. 

 

"Hey Jon, is Monica coming to Cleveland?"  Richie yells over the sound of the TV.  Jon is in the back of the bus, reading a magazine. 

 

He puts the publication down and answers back.  "Yeah, she's there already."

 

Jon could then here Richie say to Liz, "You're not going to like her." And he laughs.  He has taken on Jon's feeling about Liz, since she is after all on tour with them and they all know that she had slept with Jon and she's now with Alec.  The only one that really treated Liz with any respect was Tico.  "You're not going to like her because you're going to see how much he loves her."  And he gives her a smirk. 

 

Liz looks at Richie and then at Alec, she was hoping that Alec would stand up for her.  "I don't care Richie, I'm with Alec now.  I don't care how Jon feels about her.  I had him first."

 

That didn't sit well with David, who's usually quiet and reserved, "Do you really thinks that matters, Liz?  You should see the way that they are.  You might change the way you act when you see how a real woman acts."  David laughs at her.

 

"Fuck you Dave." Liz blurts back.

 

Richie chimes in laughing and says, "That would never come out of Monica's mouth."

 

Liz looks away and doesn't engage with them anymore.  Alec couldn't be any less interested in what they are saying to her, simply because it's the truth.  He sees Liz as a good time and he'll ride the ride as long as he can.  Things will calm down once Monica and Jon are together.

 

They arrive at the Holiday Inn.  With personal gear in hand, they all get off the bus and head in to check in.  It's the 5 of them from Bon Jovi and the 5 from RATT, Cleveland has no idea what's just hit them.  The guys were rowdy and loud and the hotel clerk was caught totally off guard.  Once they all calm down, one by one they all checked in. 

 

Jon was standing at the hotel aquarium watching the fish swim when he felt a hand slide into each of his back pockets.  Startled, he turns around and is pleasantly surprised to see Monica.  As soon as she was able to her lips landed on his, and his arms went around her.  They kissed hello and stood there in each others arms.  The few days away, felt like a lifetime to both of them.  Monica was lucky enough to stay busy on the days away, poor Jon had little to take his mind off of their separation.  He missed her and had tour anxiety, but it was worth it when he could taste her and smell her again.

 

With his lips on her head, he mumbles, "I missed you."

 

"I missed you too."  Monica turns around to check out the crowd that she could hear behind them.  As soon as she spun on her toes, she's greeted by the ex. 

 

Liz is in her face, acting like she has known her for years, "You must be Monica?"  And Liz offers her hand.

 

Monica looks back at Jon and he rolls his eyes, "I'm Monica, who are you?"

 

"Oh didn't Jon tell you?  I'm his ex-girlfriend, Liz."  Monica lets Liz's hand fall.  And Liz loves the thought that she just dropped a bomb on Monica.

 

With class and dignity, Monica responds to Liz in a way that she never expected and in a way that made Jon's heart skip a beat.  "He did tell me all about you.  It's nice to be able to put a face to the name."  He couldn't love her anymore, he thought.  She is the poster child for grace and poise and could win an award for her academy award performance.

 

"He did?" Liz is shocked.  "He told you I was on the tour with him?"  She jabbed at Monica.

 

Monica nods her head, "Yes, yes he did.  He told me that you were on the tour, you're not on the tour with him."  Jon steps into Monica and slides his hands around her waist, locking his hands on her belly.  He kisses the side of her head and smiles at Liz.  He smiles his 'ha ha fuck you' smile.

 

"And you don't care that I was at the hotel with him last night?" Liz is trying to create trouble, and she is - but she'll never know it.  Monica knows how to conduct herself and even though she could spit nails right now, Liz will never know.  Monica also knows that she can trust Jon and that there is an explanation for what the crazy bitch is rambling.  "Yes, Liz.  I know everything.  Why does it seem like you're trying to cause trouble?"

 

"You know that his ex-girlfriend is on tour with him and you don't care?"  Just then Alec walks up, he nods at Monica as if to say Hi.

 

Jon tells Alec, "Can you get her out of here, please?"

 

"Yeah, come on.  I got the key."  Alec says to Liz, grabbing her hand and pulling her told the hallway.

 

Monica says, "It was nice meeting you, Liz." with a smart ass smile in her face, thankful that she was going away.  Alec pulled her out of sight and Monica turned to face Jon.  "Wanna tell me what the hell is going on?"

 

{had to break it down, chapter was too long}