(2011)
Pulling into the driveway, Beth was a little nervous. She had no idea how Dorothea was going to act. Hell, she had no idea if she was even home. Calling ahead didn't seem to make sense. She wanted to talk to Dot, she needed to talk to Dot. It was important to Beth that Dot knows that she had no knowledge about the divorce papers, that they didn't go out there to gang up on her. Beth didn't want the kids thinking anything bad about her. She loved those kids, as if they were her own. And for them to think that Beth and dad ganged up on mom and are being mean - well, that whole thought made her sick to her stomach.
She put the car in park and just sat there for a second. It was a beautiful day. She knew she needed to go inside, but she was having a hard time getting her body to follow her thought process. She wasn't afraid, she had nothing to be afraid of. She opens the door, gets out and rings the bell.
A lady answered the door that Beth had never seen before. Beth was a little shocked.
"Hi, is Dorothea home?" Beth asked very politely, with a smile on her face.
The lady nodded her head yes and stood back out of the doorway and made the sweeping gesture with her left hand, as if to say "Come in." Beth stepped up into the house and stood there. The lady said, "Just a moment please, I will go get Mrs. Bongiovi." And she walks off.
Beth can hear the clicking of heels on the hardwood floor and something tells her that it is Dorothea. Dorothea comes from around the corner and says, "Hi Beth, what brings you way out here?" Dorothea hasn't the slightest attitude in her voice and she doesn't look upset.
"Do you have a few minutes to talk? I have some things I want to tell you." Beth asks her, calmly.
"Yeah, come on it - do you want to go out onto the deck, by the pool? Romeo and Nick are swimming." Dot asks, not wanting the boys left unattended.
"I would like that. The sun is gorgeous today, as you can see by looking at me - I don't get alot of sun. I'm usually in the office before day light and heading home after dark." Beth knows she's telling her something she already knows.
Dot is leading the way and as they pass through the kitchen, Dot asks, "Would you like something to drink?'
"No, I'm good. Thank you though."
They walk out onto the deck and Romeo sees Beth. "Hi Beth, where's my dad?" he yells to her.
"Honey, I don't know where your dad is, I'm sorry." she replies, with her stomach in her throat. Now she feels bad.
"That's okay, I'll call him later." He goes back to playing with Nick in the pool with the random, 'Hey Beth, watch this.'
Dot and Beth go sit by the pool and watch the boys playing. It's an uncomfortable feeling, but Beth doesn't have the urge to get up and go.
Dorothea breaks the ice by saying, "You don't know where Jon is?" with a tone that tells Beth that she doesn't believe her.
"I really don't Dorothea, I seen him last night after we were here and that's it. I talked to him this morning and he gave me no indication where he was. I assumed he was in Red Bank." Beth is honest, that's the only way she knew to be.
"The staff at the house hasn't seen him and the doorman in SoHo says he's not been there for days. With that info, I assumed he was still with you."
"About that. I want you to know how sorry I am that I came out here last night, specially after I learned what I learned. I never would have flown out here with him if I had known he was going to give you divorce papers. I want you to know that." again, Beth only knows to be honest - and the emotions she's feeling right now are as real and raw as they ever have been.
Dorothea looks at her and doesn't quite know what to say, she is left in a place that she's not been in a very long time. She's indifferent.
"And I also want you to know that in the last 2 years, I have only seen Jon the last 2 days. I haven't talked to him on the phone or anything, until he seen me 2 days ago in Red Bank.
"What are you doing back here Beth? Why were you in Red Bank, if not to see Jon?" the attitude is coming out, Dorothea thinks she's telling stories.
"What do you mean back here?"
"Why are you on the coast now, when did you come back from L.A?" She asks, like she knows something that Beth isn't telling her.
"I have been back for almost two years, I guess you could say I never really left. I still have my place in Malibu, but I live in NYC 90% of the time." she could see the questions spinning now. She's putting time frames on things in her mind and she has Beth and Jon guilty of many things, that there is simply no truth to.
"So, you expect me to believe that you live in New York City and you haven't seen Jon up until 2 days ago?" very coy, she asks Beth.
"I swear, when I left the Emmy's that night I haven't seen him until 2 days ago. I haven't even talked to him, I swear." trying to convince Dorothea that the unimaginable, is in fact the truth. "I won't lie to you and tell you that I haven't thought about him, wanted to see him, or call him. I have felt that way everyday. But I didn't."
"How did you end up here yesterday? Can you explain that to me? I mean, I was shocked to find out Jon was flying out here for one and then you were with him was the double whammy, but wait - let's kick her while she's down and hand her divorce papers with a settlement. Explain THAT to me." Dot is heated and she wants to know. She deserves to know.
"I was in Red Bank on business and decided to stay for the weekend, I had seen Amanda and was just going to hang out on the shore, for a long weekend. Walking back from dinner, to my hotel, he passed me on the street. He just finished rehearsal at the Basie. I was merely walking by at the right/wrong time." she is really not liking this. It's not her job to tell Dot all the details, as some responsibility needs to be pushed on Jon.
Beth is now starting to feel a little uncomfortable, simply because she is certain the way this conversation is going to go.
"You talked to him today and you don't know where he is now?' Dorothea questions Beth.
"I have no idea where he is. Honestly. I take it you don't know where he is either?"
Dot says, "I don't know where he is. I stopped trying to keep track of him. Romeo wants to see him that's why I called the house and the city. I don't know what he does when he's not in eye sight." She confides in Beth. With a deep sigh, she adds, "I have the name and the diamond ring - but you have his heart. When you left the Emmy's that night, you took all of Jon with you! We haven't been the same since then and neither has he. He's been searching since you left and I'm surprised he's not tracked you down, after all this time!?!"
Beth was shaking her head no and saying, "We have had zero contact until just the other day and I've not heard that he was looking for me or anything."
Beth is curious why Dorothea seems so calm, collected and still indifferent. When Beth and Jon ended their relationship two years ago, Beth was beside herself. Couldn't eat for days, cut contact with family and friends and slipped into a depression. How does Dot do it?
"How do you keep it together? How can you be so calm?" Beth wants to know.
"After all of these years, I think I'm callous to the 'Jonny' affect. Don't get me wrong, a part of me will always love him, but I don't like him. The 'him' he has turned into over the years is one I don't like. We have stayed together because that's what you do. Well, you're supposed to. With Jon, the rules change daily. He is a great provider", gesturing for Beth to look around at the house, lawn and cars, "and he's a great father. But he's never been a great husband."
Beth found that to be easy to believe and hard to believe. When they were together, he was a tentative and wonderful 'boyfriend'. As much boyfriend as he could be, being married. He was kind, considerate, giving, loving, compassionate and a wonderful lover. To think if him as anything less than all of the above was tough.
Beth is feeling like they are getting now where fast. She says as polite as she can, not wanting to leave and have the coulda shoulda's driving her mad, "Dot, do you have any questions before I go? I just wanted to let you know that I am not the reason for the divorce and I have not seen Jon since that night up until this week. I don't want to leave here and have you left with questions."
Dorothea looks at her, right in the eye and asks, "When is the last time you made love to my husband?" Beth had a heart attack, not literally. In keeping with her ethics and morals she tells Dot they they were intimate over the last couple of days."
Dorothea gets out of her chair, slams her hand on the table and says, "You come all the way out her to tell me you've not seen my husband in 2 years, but when you do finally see him you take him to bed? Seriously Beth?" Dot is pissed, and she should be.
"I'm not going to beat around the bush and feed you a bunch of shit - I love Jon, I've missed Jon and when he woke me the other night, I truly couldn't help myself. I am sorry to be the one to tell you that, but I feel you have the right to know. And you need to know, I have no motive here. I am not after Jon. I have my own life and would love to go back a few days and avoid all of this". Beth is sincere and Dot can see that, but it doesn't lessen the blow or ease any pain.
"Romeo, hey Romeo!" They hear someone say. When the someone appears on the patio - it's Jon. The first words out if his mouth are, "What the fuck is going on here?" Dot and Beth were in shock.
Pulling into the driveway, Beth was a little nervous. She had no idea how Dorothea was going to act. Hell, she had no idea if she was even home. Calling ahead didn't seem to make sense. She wanted to talk to Dot, she needed to talk to Dot. It was important to Beth that Dot knows that she had no knowledge about the divorce papers, that they didn't go out there to gang up on her. Beth didn't want the kids thinking anything bad about her. She loved those kids, as if they were her own. And for them to think that Beth and dad ganged up on mom and are being mean - well, that whole thought made her sick to her stomach.
She put the car in park and just sat there for a second. It was a beautiful day. She knew she needed to go inside, but she was having a hard time getting her body to follow her thought process. She wasn't afraid, she had nothing to be afraid of. She opens the door, gets out and rings the bell.
A lady answered the door that Beth had never seen before. Beth was a little shocked.
"Hi, is Dorothea home?" Beth asked very politely, with a smile on her face.
The lady nodded her head yes and stood back out of the doorway and made the sweeping gesture with her left hand, as if to say "Come in." Beth stepped up into the house and stood there. The lady said, "Just a moment please, I will go get Mrs. Bongiovi." And she walks off.
Beth can hear the clicking of heels on the hardwood floor and something tells her that it is Dorothea. Dorothea comes from around the corner and says, "Hi Beth, what brings you way out here?" Dorothea hasn't the slightest attitude in her voice and she doesn't look upset.
"Do you have a few minutes to talk? I have some things I want to tell you." Beth asks her, calmly.
"Yeah, come on it - do you want to go out onto the deck, by the pool? Romeo and Nick are swimming." Dot asks, not wanting the boys left unattended.
"I would like that. The sun is gorgeous today, as you can see by looking at me - I don't get alot of sun. I'm usually in the office before day light and heading home after dark." Beth knows she's telling her something she already knows.
Dot is leading the way and as they pass through the kitchen, Dot asks, "Would you like something to drink?'
"No, I'm good. Thank you though."
They walk out onto the deck and Romeo sees Beth. "Hi Beth, where's my dad?" he yells to her.
"Honey, I don't know where your dad is, I'm sorry." she replies, with her stomach in her throat. Now she feels bad.
"That's okay, I'll call him later." He goes back to playing with Nick in the pool with the random, 'Hey Beth, watch this.'
Dot and Beth go sit by the pool and watch the boys playing. It's an uncomfortable feeling, but Beth doesn't have the urge to get up and go.
Dorothea breaks the ice by saying, "You don't know where Jon is?" with a tone that tells Beth that she doesn't believe her.
"I really don't Dorothea, I seen him last night after we were here and that's it. I talked to him this morning and he gave me no indication where he was. I assumed he was in Red Bank." Beth is honest, that's the only way she knew to be.
"The staff at the house hasn't seen him and the doorman in SoHo says he's not been there for days. With that info, I assumed he was still with you."
"About that. I want you to know how sorry I am that I came out here last night, specially after I learned what I learned. I never would have flown out here with him if I had known he was going to give you divorce papers. I want you to know that." again, Beth only knows to be honest - and the emotions she's feeling right now are as real and raw as they ever have been.
Dorothea looks at her and doesn't quite know what to say, she is left in a place that she's not been in a very long time. She's indifferent.
"And I also want you to know that in the last 2 years, I have only seen Jon the last 2 days. I haven't talked to him on the phone or anything, until he seen me 2 days ago in Red Bank.
"What are you doing back here Beth? Why were you in Red Bank, if not to see Jon?" the attitude is coming out, Dorothea thinks she's telling stories.
"What do you mean back here?"
"Why are you on the coast now, when did you come back from L.A?" She asks, like she knows something that Beth isn't telling her.
"I have been back for almost two years, I guess you could say I never really left. I still have my place in Malibu, but I live in NYC 90% of the time." she could see the questions spinning now. She's putting time frames on things in her mind and she has Beth and Jon guilty of many things, that there is simply no truth to.
"So, you expect me to believe that you live in New York City and you haven't seen Jon up until 2 days ago?" very coy, she asks Beth.
"I swear, when I left the Emmy's that night I haven't seen him until 2 days ago. I haven't even talked to him, I swear." trying to convince Dorothea that the unimaginable, is in fact the truth. "I won't lie to you and tell you that I haven't thought about him, wanted to see him, or call him. I have felt that way everyday. But I didn't."
"How did you end up here yesterday? Can you explain that to me? I mean, I was shocked to find out Jon was flying out here for one and then you were with him was the double whammy, but wait - let's kick her while she's down and hand her divorce papers with a settlement. Explain THAT to me." Dot is heated and she wants to know. She deserves to know.
"I was in Red Bank on business and decided to stay for the weekend, I had seen Amanda and was just going to hang out on the shore, for a long weekend. Walking back from dinner, to my hotel, he passed me on the street. He just finished rehearsal at the Basie. I was merely walking by at the right/wrong time." she is really not liking this. It's not her job to tell Dot all the details, as some responsibility needs to be pushed on Jon.
Beth is now starting to feel a little uncomfortable, simply because she is certain the way this conversation is going to go.
"You talked to him today and you don't know where he is now?' Dorothea questions Beth.
"I have no idea where he is. Honestly. I take it you don't know where he is either?"
Dot says, "I don't know where he is. I stopped trying to keep track of him. Romeo wants to see him that's why I called the house and the city. I don't know what he does when he's not in eye sight." She confides in Beth. With a deep sigh, she adds, "I have the name and the diamond ring - but you have his heart. When you left the Emmy's that night, you took all of Jon with you! We haven't been the same since then and neither has he. He's been searching since you left and I'm surprised he's not tracked you down, after all this time!?!"
Beth was shaking her head no and saying, "We have had zero contact until just the other day and I've not heard that he was looking for me or anything."
Beth is curious why Dorothea seems so calm, collected and still indifferent. When Beth and Jon ended their relationship two years ago, Beth was beside herself. Couldn't eat for days, cut contact with family and friends and slipped into a depression. How does Dot do it?
"How do you keep it together? How can you be so calm?" Beth wants to know.
"After all of these years, I think I'm callous to the 'Jonny' affect. Don't get me wrong, a part of me will always love him, but I don't like him. The 'him' he has turned into over the years is one I don't like. We have stayed together because that's what you do. Well, you're supposed to. With Jon, the rules change daily. He is a great provider", gesturing for Beth to look around at the house, lawn and cars, "and he's a great father. But he's never been a great husband."
Beth found that to be easy to believe and hard to believe. When they were together, he was a tentative and wonderful 'boyfriend'. As much boyfriend as he could be, being married. He was kind, considerate, giving, loving, compassionate and a wonderful lover. To think if him as anything less than all of the above was tough.
Beth is feeling like they are getting now where fast. She says as polite as she can, not wanting to leave and have the coulda shoulda's driving her mad, "Dot, do you have any questions before I go? I just wanted to let you know that I am not the reason for the divorce and I have not seen Jon since that night up until this week. I don't want to leave here and have you left with questions."
Dorothea looks at her, right in the eye and asks, "When is the last time you made love to my husband?" Beth had a heart attack, not literally. In keeping with her ethics and morals she tells Dot they they were intimate over the last couple of days."
Dorothea gets out of her chair, slams her hand on the table and says, "You come all the way out her to tell me you've not seen my husband in 2 years, but when you do finally see him you take him to bed? Seriously Beth?" Dot is pissed, and she should be.
"I'm not going to beat around the bush and feed you a bunch of shit - I love Jon, I've missed Jon and when he woke me the other night, I truly couldn't help myself. I am sorry to be the one to tell you that, but I feel you have the right to know. And you need to know, I have no motive here. I am not after Jon. I have my own life and would love to go back a few days and avoid all of this". Beth is sincere and Dot can see that, but it doesn't lessen the blow or ease any pain.
"Romeo, hey Romeo!" They hear someone say. When the someone appears on the patio - it's Jon. The first words out if his mouth are, "What the fuck is going on here?" Dot and Beth were in shock.
I still can't believe Beth went and talked to Dorothea without Jon knowing.
ReplyDeleteAs for Dorothea, she has every right to be pissed! All Jon and Beth have done is hurt her over and over again. Actually I am surprised Dorothea even let Beth into the house because if I were in Dorothea's shoes I wouldn't have.