Water Ch. 49 - Everyday 2005

Beth knows that when Jon introduces Richie, it's time to head to quick change.  So she knows what to do when the guy that's the size of a house comes up to you and motions for you to follow him.  She follows him.  It's time for her to meet her rock star in the quick change room.  She follows Mike and she can hear some girls yelling, "Where is she going?"  Both Mike and Beth ignore it and he gets her back there as quick as he can.


Beth and Jon hit quick change at the same time.  Without stopping he walks right up to her and hugs her, he is dripping wet with sweat.  Beth can feel it soaking through her clothes, and she can't pull away.  He holds on and doesn't want to let her go.  But he knows his time is limited.  Richie can only drag out I'll Be There For You for so long.  In the quick change Beth can hear, Whoa Whoa Whoa.....

"You guys are on fire!"  Beth says to Jon as he pulls away from her.  And they were, the show was phenomenal.  But it always was when they were playing to hometown fans.  Madison Square was about coming apart at the seams, and it was all for the love of Bon Jovi.  The crowd knows every word to every song, and if they didn't - who cares? The band made up for it.

Jon quickly changed his shirt and Melanie dried his hair. He was getting ready to head back up, Richie was almost done. He grabbed his stock broker girlfriend and kissed her hard. Beth was very receptive and was loving it, but she knew it wasn't going to last.  He had to get back out there and finish the show.  She didn't want to let him go.  He's trying to pull back and she's not letting him go. 

"Mmmm, just one more." she releases him a little bit and then grabs him again.  Teasing him with her tongue and her hands, she sends her rockstar back out there, with a little bit of a problem.  Gathering his composure, he stands at the stop of the stairs and waits for the band to stop and the lights to go out.  A count of 30 and the spotlight finds Jon, at the top of the stairs, between Tico's drum set and David's keyboards.  As soon as he's spotlighted, he heads to the microphone and the band watches for the signal.

"Thank you!  Thank you!  Are you guys alive out there?"  he says in his sexiest rockstar voice, with the look of heaven on his face.  The crowd goes crazy while Richie takes a second and looks at his band mates like what the hell is he doing?  This is not what we rehearsed.

"One, two, three, four" and the band breaks out into Living on a Prayer.  Again, the crowd goes crazy.  Jon is a live wire and the guys can only chalk it up to the front row seat that's empty.

Beth was still in quick change.  She was tired and she was feeling a little peckish, so she asked Melanie "Where can a girl get a bite to eat around here?" 

Melanie has been with Bon Jovi for over 10 years.  She started out with being a stylist for the band, but two years ago she went private, and was just styling for Jon.  She didn't think that the band as a whole was getting the stylist attention that they needed, so she recommended Denise for the rest of the band.  The rest of the band was lower maintenance than the front man and Melanie was able to handle Jon.  She knew him well enough to know what he's going to want before he even asks.  She likes Beth, she likes Beth much more than she likes Dorothea, but that seems to be the consensus with the people that surround this band.

"Come on, I"ll show you.  Do you have your lanyard?  You might get stopped by the local people that are working security, that don't know you're her with Jon."  Melanie asks, because she knows what it's like to get passed the local help with out a lanyard, that has ALL ACCESS typed on it.  She was held at a doorway for well over 15 minutes before, because she forgot her lanyard in the dressing room.  She was there until a member of Bon Jovi staff seen her there, and vouched for her.

Beth pulled her lanyard out of her purse and said, "Yep, I have it right here.  Should I put it on?"  She's not aware of backstage protocol and she doesn't want to be hassled or held up.

Melanie having the experience that she did have says, "I put mine on as soon as I walk in the door and leave it on until I leave for the night.  It just help with the flow of things." 

Beth heeds her advice and put the lanyard over her head and pulls her hair out, "Okay, food please.  I am starving."  She really was, she hadn't had much all day. 

"Right this way.  What kind of food are you looking for?"  Melanie wants to know, so she knows where to take her.  In the fan VIP room there is finger food that Melanie would never eat - simply because strangers have pawed through it.  But in the band dressing room, they have chicken, ham, cold roast beef; things that are more like a meal.

"I really don't care at this point, I just need to put something in my stomach."  Beth doesn't want to sound like she's picky and she doesn't want to be a hassle.

"Then it's to the good food we go."  And they are off to find food.  Beth can hear the band and they sound great, even behind the stage.  She wanted to grab a bite to eat and get back out there and watch the show, she knows it's going to be over soon and she wasn't sure when she would have the chance to see them again.  Melanie takes her to a room that has a sign on the door, Credentialed Staff Only.

Upon entering the room, Beth sees two older women and an older man sitting on the couches and they are talking.  Beth has no idea who they are, until Melanie makes the introductions.  Initially, Beth just gives them a nod, as if to say hello, without interrupting their conversation.  Melanie leads Beth into the proverbial lion's den, with no warning or heads up.

"HI!" says Melanie to the three sitting there.  Beth can tell that she's happy to see them and they are happy to see her.  They all get up and give her big hugs and they all ask her how she is.  Melanie tells them, "I am doing great, it's so nice to see all of you.  I didn't know you were going to be here.  But since you arrrrrrrre, Beth, this is Jon's mom and dad and Richie's mom.  Mr., Mrs. B and Mrs. Sambora this is Beth Adams."  Beth was on the verge of a heart attach.  She did not see this one coming. 

She reaches out to shake Mrs. B's hand and she looks at her and says, "We don't shake hands in this family."  And she gives Beth a hug.  "It's so nice to meet you dear.  We have heard so much about you."  When Mrs. B. let's go, it's Mr. B.'s turn to hug her and then she gets an equally warm hug from Mrs. Sambora. 

Still a little frazzled by the unexpected meeting of the parents, she tells them all, "It's great to meet all of you, too."

"Come sit down with us." says Mrs. Sambora.  She pats the cushion as she sits down, next to her.  Beth obliges and sit next to Mrs. Sambora.  "Are you enjoying the show?"  Richie's mom asks Beth.

"Yes, I am .  They always put on a good show."  Beth replies.  "It's even better when you're front row."  Thankfully, Beth was with Melanie and Melanie remembers that Beth is hungry and needing a way out.  She was not prepared or ready for the parents. 

"Hey, we better get you something to eat, so we can get you back out front."  Melanie chimes in to help Beth out, and Beth is thankful. 

"Yes, I'm starving and I'm sure Jon is looking for me by now."  Beth replies as she gets up from sitting next to Mrs' Sambora. 

Beth was right, Jon was noticing that she wasn't back at her seat and he wondered why?  Where is she, what is she doing?  The guys were in the middle of Bad Medicine and Jon gave Richie the signal that he would be back in a second, and Richie nodded.  Richie loves when Jon leaves and he gets to improvise.  But when it's the middle of Bad Medicine, Richie can really have some fun.  Walking up to the white microphone, Richie starts to rip with the guitar and the crowd goes crazy.  Everyone in the dressing room notices the sudden noise level change and all turn to look at the door when it opens.  They see an out of breathe Jon and are a little surprised, but not shocked.  He's done this on occasion.

Looking at who is in the dressing room, Jon walks up and hugs his mom.  "Hi ma, when did you guys get here?"  He didn't know they were coming, but when you're the parents of two of rocks biggest celebrities, who needs tickets?  They were credentialed with a 'lifetime pass, no expiration date'. 

"We got here about an hour ago." Says Jon's dad.  We had dinner at the Hard Rock and then thought we would stop by.  The kids said that Beth would be here so we thought we should come say hi."  The senior Bongiovi is pleased by Jon's choice, so far. 

Knowing he had to get back out there, Jon walked over to Beth and kissed her.  "I was worried when you didn't come back to your seat.  You okay?

Laughing with the are you kidding me, I'm a deer in headlights laugh, she tells her rockstar. "Yes, I'm fine.  A tad hungry, but fine."

"Yeah, I brought her in here to eat and she hasn't had the chance."  Melanie pipes up wanting Jon to know that she's taking care of his business.  "Beth, go grab something.  Hurry." 

Jon needs to get back on stage, he has to go.  Kissing Beth again, he says, "I see you're in good hands, I'm sorry - but I gotta go." He smacks her on the ass and leaves.   Just then the deer in the headlight feeling comes back. 

"Come on woman, grab something to eat.  I need to get back and start breaking down,  the show is almost over."  Melanie is coaxing Beth to get some food so she can take her back with her.  Melanie would not want to be left in that room with the parents.  No way.

Beth politely says to the parents, "Excuse me, I really need to get something to eat.  I have been starving all day because we have been so busy."  She walks over to the cold buffet and grabs herself a plate and puts a little of this and that one it.  Grabbing utensils, Mrs. B. asks her if she needs help.

Beth respectfully declines and continues on, grabbing her food.  When she's done and ready to head back to Jon's dressing room, she looks at the all 3 parents and tells them it was nice to meet them.  She hopes that she will see them after the show, but she really needs to get back. 

Melanie and Beth head back to Jon's dressing room, and poor Beth is eating as she walks, she is that hungry.  Back in Jon's dressing room and safe from any more unexpected surprises, Beth sits on the couch and starts to devour the food she has left.  While she's eating, she's listening to the show - wishing she was out front.  Melanie is packing up dirty towels, a sweat soaked shirt and a sweat soaked leather jacket.

Filling her belly and feeling a little better over all, Beth asked Melanie if she needed any help with anything.  Melanie politely nodded and said, "Nope, if you're done eating go watch the end of the show.  There are about 4 more songs.  But make sure you have your lanyard on."  Melanie talks to her like she's old school and Beth is new school.  Beth is thankful that she has Melanie on her side, Melanie has been a big help to her.

"Thanks Melanie."  She says to her new friend, standing up getting ready to go watch the show.  "Why don't you come with me?"  That would be nice to have someone with her, she looks a little like the odd girl out in the front row.

"If it were any other night, I would jump at the chance, but not tonight.  We need to be broke down and ready to go before they come off that stage.  Being right here in NYC, if we don't get out at lights out, it will be daylight before I get home.  Not going to chance it."  Not stopping while she's talking.  She wanted to go home.  "I'll see you tomorrow night, I can watch the show with you tomorrow."  She truly hopes that Beth understands and that she's not blowing her off. 

Beth does understand and she actually gave that idea some thought, she came with Jon.  She'll leave with Jon, she needs to be ready as well.  "I'm going out there, I'll see you in a few minutes."  Beth bounces out like she's a teenage girl at a Bon Jovi show.  Mike sees her round the corner, and gets ready to let her through to get tho her seat, the easy way.  "Thanks, Mike." 

"Ma'am, I need you to be ready when the lights go down." The big burly guy tells her and she nods, knowing what's up.  She gets to her seat just in time to watch them sing Have A Nice Day.  Jon sees her back in her seat, gives her the million dollar smile and a wink.  Show is over, lights go out, stage is dark and Beth feels someone grabbing her hand.  Just as the house lights come on she is able to see that it's Mike and she follows him backstage to Jon's dressing room. 


As soon as she walks in the dressing room, she is greeted by her rockstar.  He gives her a quick peck on the cheek and says, "Are you ready to go?"  He's walking around picking personal things up.  His cell phone, his travel bag and his laptop are all he needed to grab.

"Yeah, I just need my purse that's on the table."  She hurries over and grabs her hand bag, not sure what the Bon Jovi hurry is like. 

"Let's go."  he grabs her hand and leads her out of the dressing room, down a long hallway and to a service entrance.  Once they are outside the arena, people screaming is all Beth could hear.  She was able to make out that they were screaming Jon.  They duck into a black Escalade and as soon as the door closes, the vehicle is moving.  In the backseat of the Escalade, Beth finds herself laughing.

"What's so funny?" Jon asks her. 

She leans over, kisses him and says "This is wild!"  She is truly amazed at the fine tuned machine that Bon Jovi is, but she's little troubled by the hassle and the hurried feeling she's feeling today.  She knows that she volunteered for this.