Chapter 100 - We'll Trace Our Footprints In The Sand

Days in Cancun are typically beautiful - with white warm sand and blue water as far as the eye can see, except for day two in paradise.  

The Bon Jovi family woke to thunder and lightening, with high winds and a lot of rain.  A rain like none of them have ever seen.  Pops was listening to the weather and thought it was necessary to tell everyone that there is a tropical storm bearing down on the shore and they should prepare and designate a safe area.  "Dad, relax. We'll be fine."  Jon says after listening to his father, almost in a panic.  "We're safe dad.  Go be with mom."

"Your mother is about to climb under the bed." he tells his son, with a laughter that they understand, "You know how she can get."

"That's silly dad.  It's a storm."  Jon says. as he walks away from his dad and almost into Monica.  She's coming out of the bathroom, pulling her Bon Jovi tshirt down.

"Hi dad, what's up?"  Monica asks, walking up to her father in law and kisses his cheek.  "Where's ma?"

John laughs, "She's hiding from the storm."

"It's a bad one."  Monica replies, taking a few steps toward the unglassed lanai window, inhaling the warm salty air into her lungs.  "I should go get some pictures, the surf is beautiful."

"You're not going out there."  her husband states, "You're keeping your pretty little ass in here where it's safe."  

"Oh come on - we don't get stuff like this back home.  It's breathtaking." she replies.

"And life taking!"  Pops adds in.  "Don't go out there dear.  It's not safe!".  Monica turns around and smiles at him, winking.

"I'm not, I just think I could get some amazing shots, but it's 2 against 1 - I'll stay in."  She plops down on the couch next to her husband, "Why don't we round everyone up and try to get some breakfast before hell breaks loose."  Her hand finds Jon's thigh, she squeezes it, leans over and kisses him, "Good morning babe."

He leans into her kiss, "Good morning.  How did you sleep?"  His hands finds her thigh and he gently pulls her closer.

"Like the dead.  I think" she tells him, her heart warm with the love that she feels for this man.  

"Me too."  he admits, "I need the down time."

Dad, feeling a little uncomfortable tells the kids, "I'm going to round everyone up.  Let's meet in the dining area in," he looks at his watch, "Let's say an hour."

Jon and Monica agree and then Mr. B leaves their room.  Jon looks at Monica, Monica looks at Jon and Jon says, "This could be our last meal for a while - we really should go eat."  He winks at her, "This storm could wipe out everything."  He squeezes her thigh again and she laughs.

"Are you scared?" she jokes with him, getting up after pinching his cheeks.  She runs into the bedroom area of their villa and jumps up on the bed, Jon is right behind her.  With one effortless swoop, he takes her down and they land with their heads at the foot of the bed.

"Scared of what?" he asks her, playfully kissing her face.

"Having no food?"  she laughs at him, with him and because of him.  "Are you worried that we won't be able to eat?"

Positioning himself on top of her, "I have you, I'll never go hungry."

"Do you like my peanut butter and jelly sandwich's that much?"  she pulls up a leg, setting herself up to flop him over on his back.  And over her goes.  With him pinned beneath her she follows with, "Is your mom really afraid of these kind of storms?"

"She's always hated thunder and lightening."

"Really?  I always thought that she was fearless."

"She's afraid of thunderstorms and heights."

The whole crew meets in the dining room and have breakfast together, just like big happy families do on special occasions.  The staff was excellent, being extra attentive even on the worst of weather days.  

Richie is always the laugh of the party and the one to lighten somber and dark moods, even at breakfast time.  "What are we all going to do after we eat?  I think we should take surfing lessons."  he laughs as he looks out at the enormous swells crawling their way to the shore. A few of them chuckle and they all look out at the ocean.  

"This is supposed to end tomorrow."  Jon's dad informs them. "If we make it through today and tonight, we can enjoy the rest of the time in the paradise that we are supposed to be in."

Monica sits there and looks over the group, the people that have become her family in a very short time.  She has an idea to set up cameras and get some off the road, family time footage for the next video release.  She has the idea, but does nothing without getting the okay from Jon and/or the band.  "Hey." she says loudly, commanding everyone's attention, "Would you guys mind if I shot some footage while we're here?  Capture you on your down time?"

Without hesitation and without even giving it a thought, Jon tells her, "Yeah, I would mind.  You're not going to do it."

She's stunned, speechless and even a little irritated, "You didn't even think about it."  She slightly whimpers at him, embarrassed.

"You're on down time too, Monica." he reminds her with the care and concern of a husband, but with the authority of a boss, "we all are on break and that means you too."

"Jon............."

Tico jumps in, "He's right Monica, you need time off too.  Just enjoy being here without the hassle of the road and the rock-star life."

'She smiles at T, "You all know that I can't sit still.  I need to do something."

"Do Jon." the Sambora adds, getting his fair share of looks from everyone at the table.  "He is all you need to do while we're here."  And he finds himself to be quite comical.  

"Richie!"  Monica squawks at him, "Stop."

"Listen, we are all adults here and we are on vacation.  If you need me to censor what I say, then plug your ears. sis."

"Stop being an ass, Richie."

Mrs. B stands up and taps her knife on her glass of orange juice, "Okay, that's enough out of the two of you.  Be quiet and listen for a minute."  She scowls at Richie and Monica.  jon leans forward in his chair, elbows n the table.  No one has any idea what's about to happen, what mom is about to say.  "Jon, Monica..."  she looks in their direction, smiling when she makes eye contact with her son.  "It is because of you two and the love that you share that we are all here together, as a family."  Mom scans the rest of the table, making eye contact with Richie, Dave, Tico and Alec, "And it's because of your dedication, loyalty and a shared dream that we are all here."  She inhales slowly and deeply, "It's because of all of you and your commitments that dad and I have decided to re-new our vows."

The table cheered, with an excitement as if it was a baby announcement.  They have so little to look forward when on the road or recording, that even the smallest event is a big deal for them, right now.  "When did you guys decide this?"  Tony asks him mother, "When and where?"

"Well," she sits back down, "Your father and I thought that we would do it when the tour was over, so in a few months, but in the meantime," she looks at Monica, "I'd like you to be my maid of honor."  She smiles her loving other smile and Monica's heart starts to melt.

With a lump in he throat, "Mrs. B I would be honored."  She gets up from her chair and walks over to Mrs.  B and gives her a big hug, I would be more than honored.  Thank you."

"You mean the world to all of us dear, and I would be remissed if I didn't have you in my ceremony."  She returns Monica's affection, holding the young woman tight.

"Alright, alright - enough of this mushy shit."  Jon says, "When and where do you want to do this? We need to plan.........." he sits back and places his hands behind his head, "The tour ends in New York mom."

"I know." she responds.

"So what do you and dad have in mind?"  Jon asks her, hoping that they had an idea as to what they wanted, what she envisioned.  "You can't want to do it in New York?"  He says with little to no passion, "Let's do it on the beach, in Jersey."

"Well, your father and I haven't decided where we wanted to do it, all we know is that we want to redo it."

Why don't you do it in Seaside?"  David asks, "Seaside has all that you need there.  The beach, hotels and places to eat."

"We just wanted to be sure that Jon and Monica were available before we made any concrete plans."  Dad interjected, "We needed to know their schedule and whether they had plans at the end of the tour."  Dad looks at Monica and smiles.  

Monica shakes her head no, "We have nothing planned, we are wide open."  Her smile fades quickly as she's reminded, "We were going to welcome a new baby at the end, but as we all know, that isn't happening."

The table goes quiet, in one of those awkward silences, no one knowing what to say.  Finally, Jon says, "Come on babe, let's go for a walk."  as he looks over her shoulder at the blowing palm trees and drenching rain.  

"I want my camera, if we're going walking."

"Fine." he stands, pulling her chair out.  The group, as a whole look at them like they are crazy, but Jon knows what he's doing.  

Jon and Monica leave the group behind and make their way back to their room.  Once inside, Monica tells him, "You didn't need to do that, I'm fine."

"I know, I'm not."