Water Ch. 45 - Midnight In Chelsea 2005

Jon was a business man above all else.  He learned over the years when to ask questions and when not to.  And Beth's comment about having stuff in New York raised a couple of questions. Reaching cruising altitude, knowing its safe to take of his seat belt Jon gets up and gets a bottle of water, asking Beth if she wants anything.

"Water would be good, feeling a little dehydrated from the run. Thanks." Jon hands her a bottle of Fiji and he sits back down.

"It might not be my business but what did you mean when you said you have stuff in New York?" He feels like he might be crossing a line and he thinks it could be nothing.

She gives him a look a that says, you're being silly. But she answers his question. "I have an apartment in New York. I've had it since I started at Deloitte, they recruited me right out of college and the position was in New York. I keep it because I go back so often, why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering. When you think about it, I know so little about you." He replies, feeling a little embarrassed. He thinks to himself, I want to know everything about her!
"Well, we have a few hours, what do you want to know?" She unbuckled and repositioned herself so she was sitting on her feet. She grabbed the blanket off the back of her chair and covered her legs.
"Are you cold? I can turn the heat on."

"No, my feet are chilly,that's all." She loves the way he treats her, he is such a gentleman. "What do you want to know about me? I'm an open book...."

"Where is your place in New York? I have a place in SoHo."

"I have a place in the financial district, not far from Ground Zero. I love it down there. The hustle and bustle during the day and then it's so quiet at night." She smiles thinking of her place, she's not been there in about 6 months. She was excited about going back.

"What do you like to do for fun? When you're not making a ton of money off people like Buffett?" Realizing he really has no idea what she likes, or doesn't like.

"What is this, 20 questions?" Laughing because she is aware of what he's doing. He's finding out things he should have already known about her before he slept with her. "In my free time, notice I said free, not spare because I do not have spare time, but in my free time, I love to read, go for walks, I love to swim and do things outside. I love laying on the beach and doing nothing. But my favorite thing to do is sleep. I do that so little, I often miss it." She doesn't want to sound whiny, but its true. She longed for the days of going to bed when she wanted and waking when she wanted. Maybe this would be a good time to do that while she's in NY. "That's pretty much it. My career is my life."

"What about family? Brothers or sisters?? Where is your family, where are you from? You don't sound like a New Yorker and I know you moved to Malibu, so I know you're not from California. Tell me everything. I want to know everything!"

He's sitting in the chair across from her and he decides to put his feet up. Kicking off his shoes, he gently places his feet on her lap. And without thought, she reaches down and starts rubbing his feet. Not happy doing it through his socks, she pulls his socks off and rubs his bare feet. He smiles with much appreciation. "I was born in Chicago. Lived there until I went off to Harvard Business school and never went back. I have 2 brothers, one older, one younger. My parents are alcoholic drug users and I refuse to even acknowledge them. I can't tell you the last time I seen any of them. It's possible it was the day I graduated from high school." She pauses in a blank stare, feeling uneasy about talking about her family. They were a part of her life she wanted to forget. "I haven't seen any if my family in a long time and I want to keep it that way."

"I'm sorry. If I knew it was going to upset you, I wouldn't have asked." She knows that, there is just never a good time to talk about that, for her. But now it's all out in the open. There should be no more questions about her family, from Jon anyway. "What else can you tell me about you?"

"I'm a Libra. Five feet eight inches tall and one hundred and ten pounds. I have blonde hair, blue eyes and I am currently somewhere over the US with a rock star." Laughing she asks, "Is that what you mean?"

Poking her with his foot, he says, "No smart ass, tell me something I don't know. Like what did you want to be when you grew up? What were your dreams?" He was serious now, she knew she couldn't play around anymore.

"When I grew up, I wanted to be an accountant. I have always enjoyed working with numbers and other people's money. It was decided long before I went off to college. That's how I managed a free ride to Harvard. High GPA and drive. I wanted it all and went after it."

"Are you happy doing what you're doing? I mean at Deloitte? Are they good to you?"

"I'm very happy there. I am one of the most successful women ever at the company. I've made a name for myself, but lately I've been feeling unchallenged. That could be why I so quickly agreed to go to NY with you." She's thinking she just showed her weak side.

"What about children? Marriage?" Talk about getting right to the point.

"I was engaged shortly after college. We met at school and fell head over heels in love. One day he was driving home from upstate Maine and he fell asleep at the wheel. He crossed the median and hit a tractor trailer head on. That was pretty tough on me." She loses the sparkle in her eye for a minute and Jon notices, he sits up and takes her hand and asks, "What was his name?" Beth was caught off guard by that, why does he want to know his name?

"His name was Brian." She says with a sadness she hasn't felt in a while. She thinks about him everyday and she misses him, but the hurt stopped at one point, it got different. "He died on his way home from his bachelor party. His best friend rented a house up in Maine and they partied for a weekend. Brian was from Maine. I haven't been there since he does either. I buried him and never went back."

"Honey, I had no idea. I am so sorry, I didn't want to dig up skeletons for you. I never would have asked had I know. ". He gets up as sits on her lap. She actually laughs about it and tries to get her feet out from underneath herself, but she wasn't quick enough. He sat on her lap and put his arms around her.

"Jon, I am fine. It's all part of my past, I have dealt with it and have come to terms with the loss. I'm fine." She puts her arms around him and just hangs onto him. She doesn't ever recall a grown man sitting on her lap.

"What else can we talk about? I want to know all I can, but my choices of questions haven't been very good." He's feeling like a tool, digging all this up.

"What are we going to do in New York? When and where are your shows?" She attempts to change the subject and he doesn't let that happen.

"What about children? Do you want children? I notice you didn't answer that question." That's something he would really like to know, since he has 4.

"Oh yes, I want a houseful of children. The more the merrier. I have always dreamed about being a mommy. I will make an amazing mommy." That rings music to his ears, since he really never knew what she thought about motherhood. How could he have known, they've not known each other very long.

"You're going to love my kids. They are so smart and so funny. My two little guys, Jake and Romeo will steal your heart. Stephanie and you are a lot alike and Jesse, he's my mini me. You'll love them all." his face lights up when he talks about his kids. They mean more to him than anything in this world.

"I had such a shitty childhood, I swore I would be the best mom ever. I would love to have a baby. Have wanted one for years, but Brian and I were focused on our careers and then it was too late." Sadly, she admits that she put work above her personal life and maybe she's seeing that it was wrong?

"You still have plenty of time for babies, don't count yourself out yet." He goes and sits back in his seat, as he hears the overhead dig of put your seat belts on. "We're here!" He smiles like he just walked into the best Christmas ever.

"What's the smile for?" She asks, feeling like she is being led into a lions den.

"I am so excited to introduce you to the important people in my life." He is proud of his selection and he sees her in his life for a very long time. Forever if he had his way about it.

Making their way into the airport and to the celebrity door, he calls it - they walk in, grab luggage and are escorted out to his waiting car. He added security in New York because his biggest following is there. Fans outside every place he lives, eats and plays. She understood. They get in the car and Jon tells his driver to go to the Mercer house.

"Sir, I just dropped the misses and kids off there, are you sure you want to go there?" Waiting for Jon to bark at him. But Jon doesn't, he says "That's fine. That's where my kids are, that's where I want to go". Beth starts to panic. She can't go to his house and meet everyone right now, oh god. Not today!
"Why is Dorothea in SoHo?" Jon quizzes his driver. It doesn't make sense to Jon.

"They did a lot of shopping today, guess they plan on doing some more tomorrow.. But I'm not sure, sir"

"That's fine, please take us to the apartment." He decides he's getting the introductions over and done with.

"Jon, look at me. I look like I flew across country. I have no make up on. I'm wearing jeans and a Tshirt. I look like shit! Do we really have to do this now?" She's really starting to panic, she wants to please him but first impression are forever impressions. "Can we stop at my place first? I'd like to put some make up on, freshen up a little bit." She pleading and practically climbing inside if him."Babe, please!?!?"