Water Ch. - 53 Have A Nice Day 2005

"Hi there." Beth says to Stephanie Rose as she jumps into the backseat of her dads car. Beth has no idea what's going on and she's caught a little off guard.

"Hi Stephanie. What's going on?"  Beth is a little confused.


"I called you earlier and you didn't answer. Will you tell my dad I can go to Massachusetts with you guys? I don't want to go see a basketball game."  Stephanie tells her, almost in a panic. "My dad is on his way down. Please tell him it's okay."

Just then Beth sees Jon come out the door. She can hear him say, "Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, what did your mother tell you?"

Walking up to the car, Jon reminds Stephanie that her mother wants her to get ready to go to MSG.

"Dad can I please go with you and Beth. I don't want to go see the Globetrotters. Mom is making me go." She pleads with her dad.

"Your mom and I haven't even discussed this, Steph. She wants you to go with her."

"Come on dad, I can go with you guys and watch your show with Beth. Please daddy?" The eldest Bongiovi knows how to work her dad.

"Go back upstairs, I'll talk to Beth and I'll come back up." He tells his only daughter, stepping back so that she can get out of the car. Steph kisses her dad as she passes by, and disappears through the glass door.

"I'm really sorry about that. She bolted out so fast, I wasn't able to stop her." Jon explains something that didn't need explaining.

Beth smiles and using her hands, she gestures to tell him to go. "You better go get her so we can't get to the airport on time."

"Are you sure? She really is a good kid."

"Go get her, already." Beth thinks that this is going to be an interesting night.

Suddenly, they hear someone yell his name. He stands up and looks around and says, "Shit! I knew I was here too long. I'll be back in a minute. I have to go get Stephanie." He leans in and kisses her and closes the car door.

By looking around Beth could tell that it was fans that called out his name and that's what he meant when he said he was there too long. The girls came up to the car, but were unable to see in because the tint was too dark. Beth didn't know what to do. She reached up and made sure the door was locked. The driver, being familiar with fans and they way they can act, already locked the doors. He looked at Beth in the rear view mirror and said, "Ma'am, the doors are locked. You're safe, don't worry."

"Thank you. I've never had his fans this close. I'm not sure what to do." She feels like a fool, but she's being honest.

"I'll see Mr. Bon Jovi come out and I will help him get to the car, so when you see me get out, don't freak." The driver tries to reassure her.

"Ok, thank you. I'm guessing Jon shouldn't be too long." Beth sounds like she's trying to convince a man that does this for a living, but it's her that she is trying to reassure.

Beth looks out the window, amazed by what she is seeing. There are 6 women, she's guessing middle aged, maybe 40-50 years old. Every one has on a Bon Jovi theme t shirt. One has on a shirt that has Mrs. Bon Jovi written on the front. Four of the six women are crying because they had just seen Jon and if the black car is still parked out front, that means that he might come back out. Those women are waiting, waiting to maybe see Jon again.

Seconds later the driver hops out of the car and heads toward the buildings door. He tells the ladies to back up and give him some room. Jon comes out with Stephanie and the driver quickly gets them in the car. When everyone is back in the safety of the car, the car leaves.

Those women are left standing there in shock, again. But this time they got a glimpse of one of his children.

Inside the car that is in route to LaGuardia Airport, Stephanie looks at her dads girlfriend and says, "Thanks Beth, thanks dad. I couldn't have handled a night with mom and the boys, watching basketball." She placed such an emphasis on the word basketball.

Beth smiles at her and says, "I'm glad you could join us. It will be nice watching your dads show with someone.  I've been to the last 3 and I watched them alone."

Jon chimed in too and told his daughter that he was happy she was with them. And although it was just overnight, he'll try to make it fun for her.

The car makes its way to LGA, and the Bon Jovi clan is ushered through private security and is taken to the helicopter out on the tarmac. Everyone buckles in and headsets up. Chris welcomed everyone aboard, a special hello to Steph and he informed Jon that they were waiting on Richie. Richie missed the plane to Massachusetts, that took the rest of the band earlier today, so he needed to catch a ride. Chris told Jon he should arrive any minute, since Chris told Richie the plan.

With Richie on board, the chopper is cleared for take off. They are up and on their way to Massachusetts. Gillette Stadium, the home of Jon's favorite football team; the New England Patriots. Jon was excited for that, he never knows who might show up and catch his show.

Landing in the field next to the stadium, they all hop off and get into the waiting car. The courtesy car from the hotel was a welcome surprise, since Jon didn't think to have anyone meet them at the helipad. He was more concerned about getting a room that had one adjoining for Stephanie.

On the car ride over to the hotel, Beth asked Richie, "Where's Ava?"

Richie smiled a half smile and said, "She didn't want to come to this boring place, out in the middle of nowhere. So she stayed with my mom. It's only one night, so that's okay."

Looking around Beth can see that Gillette is in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully their hotel is attached to the stadium, it didn't look like there was anything else around as far as she could see.

Jon and Bon Jovi Management typically plan the bands in and outs of venues and cities pretty good. But today wasn't one of the good ins. They pulled up to the hotel and there were fans everywhere. It's 6 hours to show time and the place is packed. Cars as far as the eye could see, and people are everywhere.  The driver decided to pull around to the service entrance on the back of the hotel.  There were still fans waiting outside that entrance, but no nearly as many as the front.  The rest of the band arrived earlier and without incident.  It just seems that anything that Jon is doing, of late is all messed up and delayed, somehow.

Everyone makes it to their rooms and that gives Jon and Richie just enough time to shower and get over to the stadium.  Richie, ready to go, knocks on Jon's door.  Beth makes her way over to answer it.  "Hey" she says as she lets Richie in.

"Is his royal highness ready?'  jokes the king of swing.

"I'm ready" says Jon coming out of the bathroom.  "But I can't find my setlist that I had written up."  This is only concerning to Jon, as the band knows any material they may need.  Jon likes his sets planned, right down to the minute - and to not have a list taped to the floor, he sometimes gets lost.

"Don't worry about it, we can do one when we get there.  Let's go.  I need food and a drink" Richie is in a hurry. 

"Yeah, yeah - let me grab my stuff."  Jon turns to look at the girls and asks, "Are you coming over now, or later?"

"Dad, look at me.  Do I look ready?" blurts out Stephanie.

"We'll come over when she's ready."  Beth tells Jon, she let's him know that she has Stephanie under control.

Due to current circumstances he has to as, "Are you sure?"

"Dad, we're fine.  Will you go, so we can get ready?" Stephanie is losing her patience with her dad.  She was almost a teenager and she didn't need her dad watching her every move. 

Beth calmly says, "We will be over in a little bit.  Now go." 

Jon kisses his daughter goodbye and then turns his attention to his lover.  Whispering in her ear, "Are you okay?"  He kisses her goodbye, as she is nodding her head yes.

Richie is standing there, waiting on Jon when he has one of his 'ah ha' moments.  His posture tightens up and he acts like he has the best news to tell someone, and what he has to say is pretty important, it's just cute when he gets excited like that.  Those moments are rare for Richie, these days.  He is riddled with personal problems and his own inner demons.  "Hey, when you guys leave, go to the desk and tell them you need to be taken to the tunnel."

"Oh, shit yeah, I forgot about that." Jon admits.  "The tunnel will take you over to the stadium.  It will bring you into the hallway, outside of our dressing rooms.  I can't believe I forgot about that."

"Do you ladies have your passes?" Richie asked "Cause they won't take just anyone to the tunnel.  Make sure you have them." Beth and Stephanie shook their heads, indicating that they did have their passes. 

Beth is getting irritated by the lack of planning or just the fact that today seems to be falling apart every step they take, she demands, "Will you two get out of here.  We'll get over there!"  She points to the door. 

"Ok, ok we're going."  Jon bends down and kisses her again and says, "I'll see you in a little bit."

"Bye." Beth looks at him and smiles.

"I'll see you in a little bit sweety."  Jon tells his daughter.  She smiles, that was her goodbye.

Jon and Richie leave for the stadium and it's now just Beth and Stephanie.  Beth is starting to feel a little less stressed about Stephanie being with her.  She isn't afraid of doing anything wrong or anything that might be bad for Stephanie, other than it might not work out with her dad.  Beth couldn't let that thought ruin the night she was going to have with Steph.  The two girls did their hair and the little make up that Beth wore and were ready to head over to the stadium. 

At the front desk, Beth told the clerk that she needed to be taken to the tunnel, while her and Steph were holding their passes.  The clerk obliged without hesitation and had the valet attendant take them to the tunnel entrance.  The attendant told them to just follow the signs and they will see where they exit at.  They venture into the Gillette Stadium tunnel and they do come out in the dressing room hallway.  Popping out and not recognizing anyone, Beth was a tad puzzled on where to go.  Thankfully she had Stephanie with her and Stephanie knew some of the strangers that Bet was looking at. 

"Come on." Stephanie grabs Beth's arm pulling her in the direction of Jon's dressing room.  stopping outside of his dressing room door, Stephanie says, "This is where you go."  Stephanie knocks on the door and yells, "Dad."

"It's open, come on in, kiddo."  They can hear Jon through the door. 

Beth reaches to open it and as soon as it's open Stephanie says, "I'll be back before the show." And she takes off down the hallway.  Beth turns to go into Jon's dressing room and the first thing she says is, "She just took off."  She didn't expect that and she wasn't prepared for it either.

Jon can see the puzzled and concerned look on her face.  He laughed a little and told her, "Don't worry about her, she pretty safe back here.  I let security know she is here, so there are extra eyes all over her."  He puts his arms around his girlfriend and quietly tells her, "I missed you." They just kissed. 

Beth was concerned about Stephanie just taking off like that.  Did she do something to make her run off?  Was there something Beth didn't do?  She knows that if she let's this consume her, it will ruin her night.  She has to believe Jon knows what's best for his daughter and if he says not to worry, she was going to try to not worry.  It's just their first time with any of the kids and this happens?  Damn it, she thinks to herself.

"Are you hungry?  We have had a long day and we did burn off some calories - you have to be hungry.  I was starving when I got over here.  Come on, let's go get you something to eat."  he grabs her hand and they head down to catering to get her something to eat. 

In catering, they spot Stephanie.  She's over having something to eat with Debbie.  Beth was relieved to see that and she was happy to see Debbie, too.   With her plate and her rock star, they walk towards Stephanie and Debbie. 

"I was wondering if you were coming, so nice to see you."  says Debbie to Beth.  Debbie liked Beth and she was hoping they could watch some of the show together tonight, but Debbie didn't think Beth was coming.  She seen Jon alone when he arrived so she assumed Beth wasn't coming and that's not a question that you ask your boss, "Hey is your mistress coming?"  So, Debbie was glad to see Beth.  "Please sit down."  Debbie motions to them to sit down. 

All it took was a touch....Jon placed his hand on the small of her back and asked, "Will you be alright here, I have something I need to take care if really quick?" 

"Yes, of course, go do what you need to do." Beth tells him.  She's kind of getting fed up with the kid glove routine that's been going on.  She knows she needs to address that, just not today.  They have Stephanie with them.  It can wait.

"Did you catch any of sound check?"  Debbie asks Beth.

"No, we've only been here for about 10 minutes.  Was it good?"  Beth replies.

Stephanie asked, "You like my dad's music?"  she has a little look of disgust on her face.  Beth is shocked by what she asked.

"I do, you don't?"

"No, not really.  I listen because he's my dad." Stephanie confesses.  "It gets old when you hear it as much as we do."  Stephanie is referring to her and Debbie, and all the times they have been at shows.

"I like it."  Debbie tells Beth. "But Steph is right, it gets old, fast.  I love the beginning of the tour, when the music is new.  But by the end of an 18 month tour, the lyrics come alive in your dreams.  Not good."

"Well maybe in that case I could agree, but I have only been to a handful of shows, so it's all new for me.  I like it."  Beth tells the only friends she has on this tour, the power of girl gab.  "How was sound check?"

"Sound check was pretty great, with the exception of the drunk girls causing a scene and having to be removed.  I wish they would go back to a closed sound check." Debbie is feeling the bitterness of fame and expressing it to her dinner mates.  "These girls were flashing Jon and Richie and one of them ended up getting sick all over the place.  I was so embarrassed for them, but thankful that they were thrown out."

"That would suck, I'm glad I missed that." Beth is realizing she knows very little about this lifestyle or what fans can be capable of.  This far it has been quite the learning experience and she can only hope that it doesn't get any worse.

The girls finish eating and head back to their perspective places. Beth and Stephanie go to Jon's dressing room and Debbie heads to wardrobe. It's about 45 minutes to show time and Jon isn't in his dressing room. Beth wondered if Tom might be working him somewhere else, other than his dressing room. She doesn't know where he is.

"Where is my dad?" Stephanie questions dads flavor of the day.

"I don't know. Should we go look for him? We can if you want to." Beth tells her, not sure what to do, really. Jon could be anywhere.

"Let's just wait here. His earpieces are here, so he'll be back. I don't want him upset just before the show if he comes back and we're gone." Stephanie is trying to seem grown up, even though she's just a pre teen.

Beth is feeling a little restless and she can't figure out why. She doesn't like this feeling and she needs it to go away. She's always in control and here she sits with her boyfriends daughter and she has no answers for her.

"I'm sorry I don't know where your dad is Steph. He's not disappeared like this before."

"You're new, he does this all the time. Don't worry Beth, he's coming back."

"I'm not worried that he's not coming back, I just don't like not knowing what's going on. It's a flaw of mine." Beth laughs as she opens up to Stephanie.

"I like you Beth. Please relax about that. We have always been sheltered and not told the truth about what we hear in the media about mom and dad, so you must be special."

Beth has no idea what to say to that. Was her special meant as special or was it sarcastic? Feeling real unsure about how to handle Stephanie, all she can think to say is, "Thanks, I guess."

The dressing room door opens and there appears the rock star. Dressed in blue jeans and a purple Tshirt, looking fabulous.

"Where have you been?" The child questions her parent.

Picking up his ear pieces, while sipping some of his tea, he responds to his daughter, "I was in wardrobe and makeup and had to go see David for a few minutes. Is that okay?"

Being treated like a child pissed Stephanie off, and dads 'is that okay' was all the provoking she needed to get up and storm out. On her way out she barked, "Beth, I'll see you at our seats. We do have seats, don't we dad?"

"Stephanie Rose, of course you have seats. One and two right in front of me. Make sure you have your pass on!" And his dressing room door slams.

"I will never get her. Some days she wants to be treated like an adult and then she acts like a child." Jon is looking to Beth for a little bit of guidance.

With only a few minutes left before a show to a sold out crowd of 50,000, Beth has no desire to talk to Jon about the fact that Stephanie might be a little upset because HE disappeared. Stephanie doesn't care that she ran off and left her dad, but her dad wasn't there when she wanted him. It's a situation that has no end or explanation.

Quickly changing the subject, Beth asks, "Are you ready? I can feel the energy in the air, they are ready." She's getting as excited as the thousands that paid to see this show.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He walks over and sits next to her. Brushing some hair off of her face, looking her in the eye he flat out says, "Don't go back to LA tomorrow." What does someone say to Jon Bon Jovi when he says that?

With a look of what has to be shock on her face, Beth can only say one thing. "Jon, I have to. It's my job." She is perplexed by this man, borderline irritated. Did he really think she could not go back to work?

"Don't you have time you can take off, like vacation time? I don't want you to leave." He wants what he wants and he usually gets it, but he's not feeling so confident right now. He's looking at her for a sign?

She reaches over, grabs his hands and kisses them, and she says, "My tour ends here, Jon." She feels like she wants to vomit. She is beginning to hate the thought of being away from him. Their romance has been awesome and she hates the thought of it ending. And she hates the thought of it ending in Massachusetts.

"I had to try." He leans over and kisses her forehead. Grabbing the sides of her face, he makes his way to her lips and kisses her so tenderly and lovingly that she practically melts. "I hate the thought of going on without you."

"Hey, let's talk about this later. You have a show to do, your fans are waiting!" She tries to get excited for him, and he can see through it.

"Nice try. I'm going, I'm going. I'll see you out there. I need to go huddle with my band." He sounds a little like he might want to cry. He gets up and leans over and kisses her. "I love you Beth Ann." He turns and walks away. But this time, she's not left speechless.

"I love you too, John Francis." And she means it. She knows its real, because of the way she feels when she thinks about being without him.

He stops and looks back at her and smiles. They didn't need to say anything else. Looking at each other, they knew they were going to be okay.