Water Ch. - 95 Breathe

She can't hide the tears in her eyes or the happiness in her heart.  Mrs. Bongiovi throws her arms around both Beth and Jon and says, "Are you sure?  Have you been to a doctor?", hanging on to them both not wanting to let go. 


"I've been to two doctors, Mrs. B.  It's confirmed.  We're having a baby." Beth says with the confidence and the certainty that draws Jon to her.

"You're the first and the only person we're telling, ma.  Please don't tell anyone." Jon asks his mom, knowing that he doesn't have to, but he wanted Beth to hear it.  Jon knows that every secret is safe with his mom, and he also knows that she will tell his father and it will go no further.  Mrs. B finally lets go of them and takes a step back. 

"Well, when are you due dear?  When can we expect the new bundle of joy?" 

Beth looks at Jon and replies, "On or around April 29th.  We will know a little better once they get measurements in a couple of week?"  And she waits for the anniversary comment.  One doesn't come, and both Beth and Jon are surprised by that.

A look of concern comes over Mrs. B's face, "Measurements so early?  Is everything okay?  Why are they wanting to measure the baby so soon?'  She puts her arm around Beth and guides her back toward the house.  Jon stands there with a look of what the hell on his face, as his two favorite women leave him to stand there on the beach, alone.

"That's alright, Ma - I'll get Cooper." as he looks for the dog, not seeing him. 

Mrs. B looks back and says, "He's already in the house dear."  And laughs at Jon.  She looks at Beth and says, "And he's a daddy.  The dog ran right by us when dad came out to check on us.  Did you see dad?"

Beth shakes her head no and tells her future mother in law, "I didn't see him either.  And I'm going to be a mommy."  Laughing the women walk into the house with Jon on their heals.

"Damn it Cooper, get off the couch, you're wet."  Yells Jon's dad, and the dog just lays there and cleans his feet.  Jon went over and sat down next to his old dog and started to pet him.  He could hear his mother in the kitchen, telling Beth to sit down and put her feet up.  Beth took her advice and went and sat next to Jon, really close.  Cooper didn't leave much room.  Jon's dad makes his way into the living room and joins them. 

"What brings you guys over?  I thought you were in California with the kids?" Senior says to the kids. 

Jon chuckles and says, "We were, Pops, but I had to talk to mom so we flew home this morning."

"Where are this kids?"

"We dropped them at Matt's on our way here."  Jon tells his dad.  "Like I said, I needed to talk to mom, and I didn't want them here for it."

Mrs. B brings in a glass of juice and a glass of wine for Jon and Beth.  Beth graciously accepts her glass of juice and Jon tells his mom, "I quit drinking mom, thanks though." 

"When did you quit drinking?  And why?  It's not like you had a problem?" blurts his dad, a tad surprised by what he had heard.  Jon's mom keeps the glass of wine for herself and sits down in her favorite chair, which is next to dads.  "Okay, what's going on here?"

Jon figured he should be the one to tell his dad what's going on, on the off chance that there might be questions.  Jon scoots up and sit on the edge of the cushion.  He looks around the freshly built home and starts the story, "Well Pops, Beth and I are going to have a baby."  And he holds his breath.  Beth reaches over and rubs his back, like the loving mother to be that she is, letting Jon know that she is there for him.  "No one knows and we'd really like to keep it like that.  My divorce will be final in a few weeks and if this get out to Dot, I'm sure she'll do something stupid.  And I quit drinking when Beth quit drinking.  We will have a glass of wine in about 8 months."  And he ends the story with a smile on his face.

"Well, what are your intentions, once your divorce is final?"  he asks his son, concerned for Beth.

Jon looks back at Beth over his shoulder, winks at her and tells his dad, "We will be married as soon as she can plan her wedding.  Her dream wedding."

"A wedding!" Mrs. B bounces in her chair.  "We get to plan a wedding too?"  Mrs. B wasn't at Jon's first wedding and she nearly killed him for that.  "A baby coming and a wedding.  We're going to be busy Beth."

Beth smiles big and says, "Yes we are, it's going to be so much fun.  I'm just hoping it all can get done before I get to big.  I already have my dress."  With those words out of her mouth, wishing she could take the dress comment back, she waits for the question that is sure to follow. 

Watching Mrs. B, Beth could see that she was thinking about something, "Wait a minute, you never told me why the doctor wants to take measurements so soon into the pregnancy.  Is something wrong?" 

Shaking his head no, Jon joins into the conversations, "No mom, we don't think that there is anything wrong, we just want to be sure.  With her accident and the brain injury, she was on some powerful medication and they just want to double check.  Her doctor said it wasn't likely, but they're just gonna check.  So don't worry, everything will be fine." He sits back and puts his arm around Beth.  She leans into him and feels right at home.

"What medication were you on, Beth?"

Beth, digging into her memory bank of bad memories, thought for a moment and told Mrs. B, "I was on vicodin for the broken leg and ankle............"

"I see that healed well, I'm glad you got the cast off.  Jon was telling us how cumbersome it was for you." states Mrs. B, in true Italian fashion, the interruption.

"Yes, I'm happy to have it off.  It's been tough, not being able to run daily and exercises.  The other medication was Warfarin, that is a blood thinner."  and she pauses, expecting another interruption.

Jon looked at his watch and patted Beth on the leg, "We should get going.  I want to get the kids before Matt ruins our dinner plans with sugar and junk food."  He stands up and Beth grabs the waistband of his pants, pulling him to sit down.  "What?  Are you not ready to go?"  He asks, looking at her with bewilderment. 

"I'm sure the kids are just fine, let them enjoy some time with their uncle and we can visit with your parents - whom I haven't seen in months." She tells the father of her baby, her future groom. 

"Yes, please stay for a little while, Jonny.  We haven't seen you since we moved." Mom says and dad nods in agreeance.  He too, wants the kids to stay for awhile.

"Mr and Mrs B. this place is beautiful.  I love how you decorated it, its very warm and inviting."

Holding up her hand, as if she is stopping Beth from saying another word, she says, "You call us mom and dad.  Stop with the formality dear.  We're family now, you're stuck with us - at least for the next 19 years."  And that makes mom smile.  She loves Beth.  She loves what Beth has done for Jon.  She can see the connection between the two of them and loved to see Jon happy like he was.  Mom remembers telling dad that Jon acts like a kid again, his heart is so full of new and fresh love.

"Are you two hungry?  Want me to fire up the grill?" asks dad.   He's hungry and wanting to eat, but wants to make sure he makes enough for everyone, if Jon and Beth hang out.

Jon says, "No we really need to get going.  Matt probably has my kids all hopped up on sugar, and they're probably destroying his game room.  I bought it once, I don't want to buy it again."  He stands again, and Beth follows his lead.  She approaches mom and dad, and they got up to give her a hug and a kiss goodbye.  Then they moved onto Jon. 

Both parents congratulated them and his dad whispered in Jon's ear, "Why couldn't you have found her first?" 

Laughing, Jon says, "I wish I had too."  And they head towards the door.  Jon's mom and dad walks them to the door, they say goodbye and Jon and Beth left the Bongiovi house. 

In the car, Jon says, "That wasn't so bad, was it?

"I think what sealed the deal was your writing it in the sand.  I'm sure that caught her off guard and she loved it.  She seems very pleased that we are pregnant, don't you think?"

"My mom loves what makes me happy, and she sees that you and the baby make me so happy - she knows you're the one for me."  He leans over and kisses her, but instead of responding to the kiss with a kiss, she licks his lips and laughs.  He grabs her head, and gives her the most passionate, unexpected kiss that she's had in a long time. 

They sit in the back of the car, while in route to Matt's house, pretty much in silence.  Beth's thoughts are mostly about the kids - all 4.5 of them.  She hopes that Jon's first children will accept their baby as a brother or sister.  Beth is confident that all of them together will make a happy family.  The blending part might be the hardest, specially since Beth is moving to New York to get to know the kids better and establish soe roots with Jon.

Jon's thoughts are what they always are - kids, sex and business.  He knows his kids well enough to know that Baby Bongiovi will make them so happy, specially Stephanie.  She's a great big sister and she loves children. Jon takes a moment and runs the name Francis through his mind and has decided, that a NO.  He'll tell her when it gets closer to the due date.

Turning her head, to look at her rock star, she asks, "Do you know a good contractor?"

Looking at her, shocked by such a random question, he asks, "Why?"

"Well, if we're going to live at my place, there need to be some changes made to it.  That will require a professional."

He doesn't know what to say, so he says, "You want to raise a baby in the city?  I guess I assumed we would live in Red Bank.  But yeah, we can find a contractor and make whatever changes you want."  Rubbing her leg.

"Well, that is a house you shared with Dorothea, Jon."  she protests.

His reply is ready, "And your place in New York was shared by you and Brian.  Where's the problem?"

"No problem, you got me - tit for tat.  Why don't we try both?  City during the week and weekends in Red Bank?  And when the kids are with Dot, we stay i Red Bank?"

He smiles, because that was a small win.  "Okay, that sounds like a plan.  That way I can still take the kids to Poly and pick them up."  He grabs her hand, and continues with, "Thank you for the compromise, I just love that about you.  Your sensibility, your level headedness and your ability to be flexible." 

"We need to find a doctor here, since I'm moving.  The sooner the better.  Plus, I need to have Tammy let the movers in.  I need to go back and get my stuff that movers can't touch and I need to set up my transfer and clean out my desk.  I sure hope I maintain my title when I relocate."

He sits up and kind of positions himself a little better and tells her, "You'll still have your title, I'll see to it."

"Jon, I don't need to doing that.  I didn't get where I'm at with other people helping me.  I busted my ass and earned it.  If I keep it, it will be my doing."

"I'm sorry babe, I just don't want you to miss out on your career, because you left to be with us."  he gives her a frown face and she sees it and tells him to stop.


The kids were wired and wound for sound.  Jon expressed his disappointment with his little brother.  All Matt would do, is shrug his shoulder and say, "You left them here." And he laughs.  "Romeo is sleeping in my bed, with Max.  The other three are watching old Looney Tunes and loving them.  Beth looks around to find her way to the kids.....she followed the sound of the laughter.  When she walked into the theater room, Jake seen her first.  With a big smile he gets up and runs to her.  She pics him up and says, "Hi Jake.  Did you have fun with Uncle Matt?"  He shakes his head, giving Beth the idea that he did have fun.

Jon and Beth swooped up the children and put them in the car.  Once they had them all in and buckled, still standing outside the car, Jon says to Beth, "Please don't pick up Romeo or Jake anymore."

She shoots him a look that asks him, "Am I not good enough?"  He sees the look and knows he has to explain himself.

"I don't want you lifting them in your condition, that's all." and he thinks it's over.

She gets a little hot under the collar and responds, "For hundreds of years, women have picked up their children while pregnant.  I will be no different."

"Please, for me.  You are an exception to the 'for years they've done it' rule.  I want your risk factors to be LOW."  And he holds out his hand, directing her to get in the car.  She gets in and he follows.  Once everyone is situated, the car takes off.  About 20 minutes later they are in Red Bank. Jon grabs Jake and he has Stephanie grab Romeo and they all head into the house.  Their day was short, but everyone is exhausted.  The little ones were put into bed.  Stephanie and Jesse start to watch a movie.

"Hey you two, we're going to bed.  Will you be alright?  The alarm is set.  Don't stay up too late.  Since we're home, do you want to go to school in the morning?"

Jesse looks up at his dad and says, "I would.  I hate missing practice, you know that."

Stephanie agrees with Jesse and Jon tells them, "OK, I'll get you up for school and I'll drive you.  Good night, I love you both very much."

"Good night Stephanie, good night Jesse - I'll see you in the morning."

In sync they both say, "Good night Beth." 

Jon and Beth make there way up to the bedroom.  Beth sits down and asks Jon, "Babe, do you have any Tylenol?  My leg and ankle hurt."

He looks at her with a look of concern, "Can you take Tylenol?" 

"Sit down mister, we have to have a chat.  There are some things you need to know."

He sits next to her, but tackles her and lays her on the Beth.  Biting her lip and gently touching her all over, he asks, "Can we chat tomorrow?"