“How did your parents take the news of your pregnancy?” Jon asks her, wondering what his own parents are going to think when they hear the news.
“Your dad seems okay with it.” Jon stands up and takes Monica’s hand. He leads her into the living room and they sit on the couch and keep the conversation going.
“My dad takes life as it comes. Since his accident, he has a whole new look on things. I really think that they are thrilled about it, but haven’t let themselves get too excited since we’re just pregnant.”
“When are we due?” he reaches over and rubs her belly, as the heart in his chest beats so hard it almost hurts. “When will we be parents.” he smiles at her and she smiles back.
Monica slides over and puts her legs over Jon, leaning back on the arm of the couch she tells him, “We’re due in the Spring. A due date of March 5th.”
That makes Jon smile instantly. His baby is due around his birthday, “I couldn’t think of a better birthday present..”
“That’s what I thought when the doctor gave me the date from the due date dial. A baby girl for your birthday, that would be pretty sweet.”
Jon leans over and wiggles his way between Monica and the back of the couch. Side by side they lay there and talk about the future and what it may hold for them. They decide that they will tell Jon’s parents in a couple of days. They have not been together for weeks and right now they wanted to be alone, with their secret.
“What are your plans now that Calvin dropped you?” Jon questions, hoping that she isn’t giving up her dream and her goals for a minor setback. “Has Thomas lined anything else up for you? “
Monica turns her head to face Jon and she tells him, “I told him that I wasn’t going to do anything until you got back. Now that you’re back and once I figure out your schedule - maybe I’ll have him book me something, but I don’t know. I think maybe I’ll just do photography for now.”
“What about the chemicals?”
“I can hire an assistant to do the dark room for me.”
“Can you afford that?” he asks.
She replies, “Yeah, if the jobs pay enough I can afford to pay someone. Or you could do it.”
That makes Jon chuckle, “No seriously, can you afford an assistant? I’m sure I could get Tony to help you.”
“You don’t want too?” She flicks his nose. “We could be in there together, in the dark.”
“I’d be more than happy to help you, but I leave in a week to finish the tour.” As soon as he got those words out of his mouth, he’s reminded that he has to go to the bank and pay his band mates. “Shit!” He sits up.
Monica can see that he forgot to do something, “What do you have to go do?”
“I have to go to the bank and pay the guys. Do you want to go with me?” Monica sits up so Jon can get up, he looks at his watch. “Well?”
“Yeah, I’ll go. Give me a few minutes.” Monica gets up and heads toward the bathroom. “I just want to throw on a face and pull my hair up.”
“Ok, hurry up. The guys are probably wondering where there money is.” he says to her as she leaves his eye sight. He totally forgot that he had to do that with the news of being a father, the best news he’s ever had. He sits on the couch waiting for her and he thinks about the thought of being a daddy. He’s very excited about it, even more excited because of who is having his baby. He knows that their relationship is new, but he also knows that it’s very real. He loves her like he has never loved anyone, from the farthest depth of his soul. She is the one for him, and he isn’t going to let her go.
From the bathroom he hears, “Are you hungry?”
“No, I ate just before your dad came over, are you? We can stop at the diner so you can eat, if you want.” he yells back at her, “Remember, you’re eating for two now.”
“I know Jon, don’t start with that, please! You just sounded like my mom.” Monica plays with him from the bathroom and she sees herself in the mirror - she is all smiles. From ear to ear and from heart to soul. Jon is what she waited for and she’s pleased with where they are at. Monica appears back in the living room and grabs her purse off the couch. She looks at the long haired sexy man on her couch and asks, “Do you want me to drive? You look like you are going to pass out.”
Jon pops up off the couch and tells her, “No, I’ll drive.”
“Are you sure? You look pretty tired.”
“No, I’m good, just a little jet leg, I guess. Come on.” he puts his arm around her and they walk out to his car. He opens her door and she slides in the front seat. Closing the door he tells her, “You better put your safety belt on.” And she does. She normally would not, but she has a little life growing inside of her now - she’ll do whatever she can to help protect it.
They head to the bank and cash his paycheck, that the will use to pay his band. The teller at the bank wanted to give him a hassle since he didn’t have an account there, but once she seen that it wasn’t going to go well, she just cashed the check and let him go. She was supposed to try to get him to open an account, since the funds were drawn on a bank that he didn’t have an account at. Jon wasn’t all about doing that.
Leaving the bank, they see Tico’s station wagon across the street at the diner, so they walk over there to say hi. Inside the diner, Jon scans the place and sees Tico in the far back corner with who looks like David with him. Jon and Monica make their way to the table and joined them.
“Hey man, what’s up? Tico boasts as he sees Jon at the table. He extends his hand and the two shake hands. Jon then extends his hand to David and they shake hands. Monica slides in next to Tico and Dave sits next to Dave. “What brings you to the diner?”
Jon reaches into the inside pocket of his leather jacket and pulls out 2 envelopes. One has Tico written on it and the other says Dave. He hands them each their well deserved envelopes, “What’s this?” David asks, it’s pretty thick.”
“It’s payday.” Jon states, “I’m giving you what you earned and what’s more, I’m giving you what you deserve.”
“Thanks man.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Tico says, opening the envelope. When he sees the small stack of bills in the envelope, he says, “What did this tour pay?”
Jon dreaded this conversation, but it had to be done. He is the name and the face of the band and prides himself on being a savvy business man. But they deserve to know. “The two week tour paid us $100,000.00. We each get 10 grand right now and the remaining money will go into an account for recording and things needed when we are on the road.”
“Ten grand for 8 shows, that’s great!” David exclaims. “I’ve never held this much money before. This is fucking great.” he tucks his envelope in his jacket pocket and tried not to think about it.
Jon sits there and reflects on the last month and reminds the guys, “We went from opening for RATT, to owning out own jet and we have bands that open for us. We are well on our way to the big time.” He smiles the JBJ smile and they all agree.
“To the top!” Tico says, raising his cup of coffee. The 4 of them have a morning toast and just sit there and talk about what is next in the chapter that we will call Bon Jovi.
Seems like Jon is excited about becoming a father and the baby is due right around his birthday. That would be a gift he would never forget.
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