Water Ch. 123 - Maybe Tomorrow

 

With one more day of down time before the shows start, Jon took his family to sight see in the beautiful town of Venice.  The children were amazed when most places that they were going to, they had to get there by gondola. It's really cool to the older boys and Stephanie was even a little excited about it, however Beth was a little anxious with Romeo being on there. When he wanted something, he went after it and the side of the gondola caught his attention. He wanted to see over the side, he wanted to play in the water.  He passed by his dad and started to peak over the edge when Beth elbowed Jon, "Please put a hand on him."  She can feel the sick to her stomach feeling, the nerves as the little boy hangs over the side of the gondola.  "Damn it, grab his shirt Jon."  Jon looks at her like she has a second head coming out of her shoulder, and she knows that she may be a little dramatic, but you can never be too careful.  He reaches up and grabs the back of his sons tshirt, keeping him secured in the gondola for Beth.  She feels better, and she reached over and took his hand. 

Through the canals and the streets of Venice, the kids were in awe but were quickly bored by what they were seeing.  It was pretty and all, but the closer that the got into the heart of the city, the more they were being recognized.  Jon was getting uncomfortable and decided it was time to get out if the city, and either head back to the hotel or head to the mainland and see what was going on there.  Jon put that question to the kids and all they wanted to do was body board and play on the beach.  So, that's what they decided. 

In the cab, when they arrived at the hotel they seen that the fans had learned where they were staying.  This irritated Jon.  Asking the driver to go around back pissed him off, it was an inconvenience for him and sometimes it seemed to invade his privacy, but he was who he was and had to deal with it.  The kids scurried in the back door, like they have done many times before.  Stephanie asks her dad, "Will we ever get to use the front door for an entire stay dad?"  And she kind of giggles, knowing the answer. 

They all get their beach stuff on and head back down to the place where they had so much fun yesterday.  Today would be different, Romeo already napped.  So, Beth looked forward to playing with him in the sand.

On the beach, the kids threw their stuff on chairs and darted to the water.  They all were little sea monkey's and could play all day.  Beth loved that, because she loved being outside with them.  Romeo sat in the sand next to Beth and his dad and dug his little heart out, he loved the sand - specially throwing it.  The lesson of the day is: Romeo don't throw sand.

The three of them built sandcastles and played in the sand for what felt like forever. Beth figured that the kids had to be getting hungry, they were out and about most of the day.  She thought she would go in to the hotel restaurant and get them all a late lunch.  She told Jon. "I'm gonna go in and get the kids something to eat, what would you like?"

"I'll go in and get it, you stay put."  He demands and she starts to get up.  He's only inches from her, so when she tries to stand, he tackles her and takes her down.  Romeo took that as a sign to play, got up and jumped on his dad, who was on top of Beth.  The three of them played for a while and at some point Jon thought it was a good idea to pick Beth up and take her out into the water. 

He waded out far enough to where he could gently throw her out, and he did just that.  She came up from under the water with the her breath taken away from her.  The water was colder than she remembered, and it did take her breath away.  Once she's on her feet, she goes at Jon and jumps up on he shoulders and tries to take him down.  He was planted firmly on his feet and she wasn't able to do it.  He reaches back, grabs her again and throws her out.  Romeo see that and he wants daddy to do that to him.  Over the course of the rest of the afternoon, the Bongiovi kids realized that they loved playing with their dad and Beth and never wanted it to end. 

Feeling drained, Beth excused herself from the fun and took a seat up on the beach.  She was feeling like she could take a nap.  She tips the top of the chair back and grabs Jon's tshirt to use as a pillow and she falls asleep, to the laughter of her family.  Sun warming her as her hair dryed and she feels 100% at peace.

"Woman, wake up.  You need to eat."  Jon gently shakes her, "Hey babe, come on - get up, the kids made you dinner."

With the sun in her eyes, she sits up and squints to get her bearings.  She can hear the ocean and smell the fresh air, but recalling where she is, isn't right there.  She is sitting and she asks Jon, "Where are we?"

Laughing he asks, "What do you mean, where are we?  We're in Venice.  Are you okay?"  sitting next to her he looks her over good, focusing on her eyes.  The brain injury left him a little better educated on what to look for and when to call. 

She shakes her head, "I know where we are silly, I was a little disoriented, that's all.  What do you want me to make you for dinner?"

With his hand on her back, he tells her again, "The kids made you dinner, you don't have to make anything."

"Oh they did?" She smiles as she stands to walk into the hotel, via the private entrance.  She's a little woozy and sits back down.  "What is going on........"was all she could get out before she vomited on the ground.

"Beth, are you okay?  What do you need me to do?" he snaps, wanting the answer right away.

She looks at Jon and the motion of turning her head makes her vomit again.  Her head felt funny and she couldn't stop heaving, reaching over she takes his hand.  She's freaking out inside and he can feel it too.  "Do you want me to call an ambulance?  What can I do?"  As soon as he got those words out of his mouth, he decided he wasn't waiting for an answer - he swoops her up and carries her inside. 

On the elevator she tells him, "Please put me down.  I think I can stand."

"Are you sure?"

"The dizziness has gone away, I think I can."  And he sets her on her feet.   Holding her, he lets her get her footing and she seems okay, at first.  She couldn't help it, it snuck up on her.  Her mouth watered and then she vomited on the elevator floor, just as the doors were opening.  She was thankful that there wasn't anyone standing there, because she would have died with embarrassment.  Jon pus his arm around her tight and walks her to the room.  Once she gets inside, the smell of the dinner that the kids prepared for her, made he vomit again.  "Jon, I need to lay down."  And her knees went weak and he was holding her up from falling on her face. 

"Stephanie, call an ambulance." Jon yells from the hallway.  Not knowing what's going on, she runs to the sound of her dad's voice.  Before she rounds the corner, she asks, "Why?"  And then she sees Beth.  She stopped on a dime and  turned around and called for help.  Then she went back and helped her dad with Beth.  They took her into their bedroom and laid her on the bed.  Jon grabbed a blanket, covered her up and asked, "Babe, are you okay?  What's the matter?"

She just looks at him.  She doesn't know, she can't focus on anything in the room - not even Jon's face.  She wants to talk, but she's afraid to move any muscle, so she remains quiet.  A few minutes later the ambulance arrives and they take her to the hospital - through the front door.  Richie was in the hotel lobby when the ambulance arrived and heard them ask for Jon Bon Jovi's room, so he followed them up.  When they left with Beth, he stayed with the kids.  His assistant, Denise, was there too. 

In the hospital, the ambulance personnel gave all info to triage and they left Beth there.  Once the nurse gets all of Beth's information, they wait for a doctor.  She's laying there in her bikini, covered with just a sheet and Jon is in nothing but his shorts, ball cap and flip flops.  He's next to her on the bed and he keeps reassuring her that everything will be fine.  "The doctor will be in her any minute, can I get you anything?"  Beth was still limiting the amount of movements that she was going to make, because the nauseousness is always right there.  She walks her hand over to Jon's and grabs it.  He holds her hand tight and kisses her on the forehead.  He's having deja vu, and he doesn't like it. 

Moments later the doctor arrives, introduces herself and asks Jon, "Tell me, what's been going on?"

"I woke her up from a nap on the beach and she has been dizzy and vomiting ever since.  She's weak kneed and can't stand."

"Can you tell me what she's had to eat or drink today?"

"Doctor, she's pregnant."

"Okay, any spotting or cramping?"  She asks Jon, looking at Beth.

Beth shakes her head yes and tells the doctor about a few days ago, "I felt great until he woke me up.  I'm only 7 weeks pregnant doctor, with twins, are my babies okay?"

The doctor nods her head, with a fair amount of certainty that baby is fine, "I want to do some tests.  Do you think you can give a urine sample?"

Beth nods yes.

"Do you want me to get a nurse to help you, you can use a bed pan?"

Never.  Beth tells the doctor, "No, I can walk.  I'll use the bathroom."  And she starts to sit up.

"Whoa, wait a minute - I want to check a few things first." the doctor tells her, as she has her hand on her shoulder, pushing Beth back down on the bed.

"What did you eat and drink today?"  Beth looks to Jon and shakes her head no, telling Jon that she's not talking - he has to, for her.

"She had fruit at breakfast and pizza, well a few bites of pizza for lunch.  She said she wasn't hungry at lunch time.  I woke her to eat dinner and she's been like this since then."  Jon explains to the doctor.

"Any signs or symptoms of the flu?  Fever, chills or body aches?" she asks.

"She hasn't mentioned any of them."  And they both look at Beth.  She indicates that she hasn't had any symptoms.  "What could be wrong, doctor?" 

"I want to listen for babies heartbeat and then we'll get a urine sample and we'll go from there.  Okay, Beth?"

"That's fine."  Beth is anxious.  She wants to hear the babies heartbeat again.  It was music to her ears, better than any song Jon could ever right.

The doctor  gets the handheld device out and puts the cold gel on Beth's belly and moves it around, listening.  Pushing in harder and trying different angles, Beth could see the concern on the doctors face and she couldn't help but cry.  Holding Jon's hand, she squeezes as hard as she can.  He looks at her and sees that she's crying.  He leans over and rests his head next to hers.  "She'll find it, give her a minute.  Keegan and her brother are strong."  And his eyes tear, as he can't even convince himself, did he really think he was going to convince her?

After a few minutes of wand manipulation and prayer, the doctor is able to detect a heartbeat.  Jon and Beth are able to breath a sigh of relief when they hear the 2nd heartbeat, and the doctor says that both heartbeats are strong and the babies don't appear to be in any distress.  "Can you go to the bathroom now Beth?"  She asks, as she hands her a towel.  Jon takes the towel and wipes the gel off of Beth belly.

"Yes, I think so."  And she sits up.  Jon helps her to the edge of the bed and then into the bathroom.  She leaves a sample in the bathroom and takes a seat back on the bed.  The doctor takes the urine away and sends it to the lab, but not before she tells them, "I'm having your urine tested for viruses.  Sounds to me like it's your first case of morning sickness."  She turns and looks at Beth and smiles.  "You don't have any other symptoms that would lead me to believe it was anything else, the vomiting will stop and so will the light headed feeling, as your pregnancy progresses.  This could be as bad as it will get, or it could get worse.  Just be careful.  When you feel the dizziness, wait it out.  For the vomiting, I'm afraid you have to wait that out too.  Try some crackers, those can help."

"Are you sure?  She was vomiting pretty hard and passed out, sounds pretty severe for morning sickness."  Jon does question the doctor, not only because he had been through morning sickness 4 times already, but her case seemed too severe.

Patiently, the doctor tells Jon, "I have seen cases where women vomit all day long.  Morning, noon and night.  There are women that do pass out often, while pregnant.  The upset stomach and the vomiting is her bodies way of getting rid of the foreign body, in her body.  The fainting is because of blood pressure.  Over the course of the pregnancy, that too will even out."

Jon felt a little better, but not enough to let this just go.  "How common is what she has?  I have to admit doctor, I have 4 children already and their mother went through nothing like this."

"Each women is different, but I think you will see that her sickness will get better as time passes.  Her case is on the severe side, but if she takes it easy and pays attentions to her bodies signs, she'll be able to manage this quite easily." 

There's a knock on the door and the doctor walks over and answers it.  It's a lab technician with Beth's urine results.  Thanking the technician, the doctor closes the door and looks the report over.  "Just as I expected.  Everything is clear.  There is no sign of infection or anything.  Your hCG levels are where they are supposed to be for a women in your condition.  Congratulations on the twins.  Go enjoy the rest of your vacation, just be aware that this will happen again."

"That's it, it will pass?  Is there anything I can do for the symptoms?  Something I can take?  This is borderline debilitating, doctor."  Beth manges to talk and not vomit.  She can't do too much more of this.  It's terrible.

"There really isn't.  Anything that I would prescribe for vomiting, you can't take because you're pregnant.  The best thing is to keep crackers with you, eat a few when you feel it coming on.  The sodium bicarbonate in the crackers will help.  It's always better to vomit something other than your stomach bile.   Drink plenty of water, or maybe some Gatorade type drinks.  The electrolytes in that will help you feel better as well." She walks closer to Beth and grabs her wrist.  Beth has been to the doctor enough to know that she was taking her pulse and doing a last look over.  "One thing I might add is, rest.  Rest as often as you can, for as long as you want.  Being pregnant with twins, you're automatically in the high risk category.  Just take it easy."

"We are in the beginning of a two week tour, is she able to travel with me, or do I take her home?"  Jon will do whatever it takes to help Beth.  If the doctor tells him to take her home, he's taking her home. 

"She can travel.  That's fine.  Just keep an emesis basin with her or a barf bag on the airplane.  It may get worse in the air.  But I see no reason for her to not travel."

"You're sure?"

The doctor smiles at Jon and says, "Mr. Bon Jovi, I have been doing this for 30 years and I can tell you, I'm sure.  She will be just fine, as long as she follows the advice I have given her."  She looks at Beth and says, "Eat light food, no heavy carbs or meats.  Stick with fruits and veggies when you feel good, and cracker type food when you aren't feeling so hot.  But, I can't stress enough - drink plenty of water."

"I will.  Thank you, Doctor."  Beth gives her a crooked smile, feeling so much better than she did when she arrived at the hospital.

Smiling back at Beth, the doctor tells Beth that she is free to go.  Handed her a prescription paper, that had her phone number on it and said, "Call me if you have any questions or concerns.  But if it's tomorrow night, you'll get my service, because I'm going to a Bon Jovi concert." 

They all laughed at that and Jon had an opportunity to do something nice for someone, "I will leave your name at will call with 4 front row seats.  You can even come back stage and hang out with us if you want.  Just go to will call, and we'll see you tomorrow."

They exchange goodbyes and Jon and Beth attempt to leave the hospital under the cover of darkness.  That was very hard to do when there were tv crews and newspaper photographers by the dozens out front, and just as many out the back door.  They could hear all the speculation and questions, but they waited inside for the polizia, to get them out of the building.  Once the polizia arrived they were able to leave and go back to the hotel.  By the time they get back there, Beth feels like she did when she fell asleep.  She felt great, and she was starving.

Into the kitchen she went, and had the left overs that the kids left for her.  She reheated macaroni and cheese and a hotdog. Two of her least favorite foods, but she didn't care.  The kids made that for her and she ate every bite. 

The kids were all in bed and Richie and Denise sat with her while she ate.  Beth caught them up to speed on what happened.  Knowing she was okay, and the babies were okay, Richie and Denise left.  Beth cleaned the kitchen up and noticed Jon has been missing. 

Walking through the suite, she finds him in their bedroom on the phone.  She can hear him say, "Yes, that's fine.  The show is at 3:00 your time.  When you get here, it will be 6 hours later than when you left.  All 4 should go."  Beth hears that and wonders who he's talking to.  He's being too nice for it to be Dorothea, so she's guessing it was his mother.  And it was.

When he gets off the phone, he tells her, "My parents will be here to get the children tomorrow.  You can't be on tour and chase after the two little ones."

Beth is pissed.  She thinks she can decide what's best for her and help decide what's best for the kids - but Jon was Jon.  "I can go home with them, Jon?"

He was shocked by that.  "Do you want to go home?"

" I want to be with my family, Jon.  Sending them home takes aways two thirds of it.  I love having them here.  I love being with them and building our relationships.  Don't send them, please."

"Honey, I want you to rest, and chasing the little ones isn't resting and it's not fair to Steph and Jess to have to do it either.  They can go home for the next two weeks and when we get back to the states, we can get them however long you want, deal?"

"Why can't I have both?  It's morning sickness Jon, nothing major.  Will you relax?" she questions him.

"I've made up my mind, the kids are going home.  I don't want to chance it and it's only for a while.  The two weeks will fly by."  He has to be firm and show her that he's made the decision, he made the decision based on what's best for everyone.  "My mom and dad should be here early in the morning.  They are taking a red eye."

She tired and defeated and she just wants to go to bed.  Her and Jon take their nightly shower and he treats her like she is china in a china shop.  He can't show her enough how much he loves her, and he wishes she could. 

Morning comes and mom and dad show up like clock work.  Jon had chartered a plane to tale them all home.  In a hurry, they packed the kids and got everyone to the airport and Jon had just a couple of hours to get ready for the show.  Kissing his children goodbye, they get on the plane and leave.  Jon and Beth scurry to the venue to prepare for a show that's a little over an hour away.  he's pumped, he's ready.  He had spent a few moments with Beth's doctor and then it as show time.  He's on stage, belting out his best version of ALWAYS and he gets a message in his ear.  He turns around and goes downstage leaving his band in the dark.  He grabs Beth and holds her tight and starts to cry.  A cry she's never heard or seen, and one she never wants to see again.

Jon was told in his ear piece that the plane his family was on has disappeared.  The search for the Bongiovi family was under way.  Jon collapsed.