Water Ch. 196 - Don't Ask The Past To Change

                                                  

Their night was long, but their love was strong and Jon knew they would get through this, just like they get through everything else that life throws their way.  He wasn't going to let Dorothea ruin his happiness and his life.  He was going to finally fight back.  He was done being abused by her and laying down and taking it.  If he's learned anything from Beth, he learned it was time to take what's his, explain himself to no one and love without regret.  He was finally in a place that he longed to be for many years and he was not going to let anyone take that away from him.

 

Dorothea made the false allegation, under the direction of her new lover, Dillon Adams.  Beth's estranged brother that she hopes she never sees again.  Jon and Beth learned of the relationship while they spent the night defending Jon and proving that they were in Chicago all day and didn't get home until evening.  It took some time, but they were able to work everything out and the district attorney was more than apologetic - he really felt like an ass.  As he should have.  An up and coming over zealous DA seen this as an opportunity to make a name for himself, but he didn't do his homework.  He decided to go after a homegrown Jersey boy that was the poster child for integrity and that will probably be the end of his career. 

 

In his office, they are having coffee as the sun comes up.  They had been home for about a half hour after being at the police station all night.  "I don't know what I'm going to do, but she's not going to get away with this, and neither is that god damn brother of yours." Jon tells her.  She can see that he's pissed and she feels the same way, but it's not in her nature to want to get even.  She feels that Dot and Dillon will get what they have coming to them. 

 

"I'm more worried about the kids being around them, Jon.  I don't want them around Dillon, at all.  What can you do about that?" Beth questions him, hoping she can pull him back into reality and out of the world of revenge.  She needs him focused, on his children, his family and his career. 

 

"My children will NOT be around your brother, I can promise you that.  Hell, now I really don't even want them around their own mother.  She has lost her damn mind."

 

"In her defense Jon, she is being persuaded and guided by a very strong personality type.  Dillon has always had a way about him."  Beth isn't really defending Dot, she just knows what her brother is capable of. 

 

"What do you mean? She doesn't have a strong personality."

 

"Dillon does.  He's very persuasive and she's very vulnerable.  He will see that his plans aren't working as he hoped and he should move on quickly.  But, he has a way about him.  All while we were growing up, he had girls falling all over him - waiting on his baited breath.  He planned this and plotted it, and he was only seeing dollar signs."

 

Jon sets his coffee on the desk, pushes his chair back and extends his arms, "Come here." He smiles at her.

 

She gets up, walks over to him and straddles him in the chair.  "Why?" 

 

His arms are around her and he explains, "I know how Dot feels then.  I'm head over heels in love with his sister and SHE has a very strong personality type.  She can persuade me to do anything, and it usually just takes a touch."

 

"She sounds pretty awesome." Beth jokes with him, kissing his forehead.  "Should we go lay down for a while?  Everyone should be up soon."

 

Looking up at her, he tells her, "You go lay down, you're probably exhausted.  I'm going to sit here and stew for a little while, maybe go for a run?  My head is just spinning."

 

"Let's go for a run.  That sounds like a great idea."  She stands up in front of him.  "Come on, it will do us both a lot of good."  She reaches for his hand. 

 

Together they ran their usual 5 miles and walked the river bank when they got back.  Both were drenched in sweat and feeling great.  Beth grabbed his arm and drew him to her, "Hey, can I ask you something?" 

 

"You know you can."  Stopping, he faces her and smiles. 

 

She looks at him and asks him, "Do you regret meeting me?" 

 

"Do I what?  Are you crazy................" he laughs at her.  "Why would you ask me that?"

 

"Have you looked back at what's went on just since we met?  Our life has been crazy, unpredictable,  and rarely enjoyable."  She leans in and  rests her head on his chest.  "We haven't had very many happy times."

With his hand under her chin, he guides her to look at him, "Babe, we have had many happy times, right from the day we met.  I have never regretted meeting you, I can't imagine my life without you."  he tenderly touches his lips to hers, "we've had some bad luck, but it's bound to change."

She presses her lips back into him and mumbles, "It can't get any worse."

They stand there on the river bank and just watch the river flow.  The sun is bright and it warms Beth's face.  That's one of her favorite things in the world, to feel the sun on her face and a man she loves in her arms.   "We need to plan our ceremony." Jon tells her, stroking her hair.  "Any idea when you want to have it?"

"Well, we can only do it before you leave or when you have a break.  You leave in 2 weeks."

"I know, are you sure you don't to go?"

Beth looks up at him, "How can I go?  The kids are here and they have school.  And we need to limit their time that they could be around Dillon and Dot." she reminds him, although he didn't need reminding. 

"The kids can always go with us.  I have teachers on the payroll for situations just like this."

"No, they need to go to school and be social.  Not on tour with you, honey.  They need to be kids."

Jon gives her a little razzing, and tells her "They love being on the road and having the tutors.  They think it's a vacation until Pete wakes them up for school.  Steph hates it the worst.  She doesn't think it's right doing school work in a hotel room or on the bus."

Beth, with her head on his chest, looks at his feet and follows the material seam of his running pants up to the draw string.  She takes a finger and places it in his waistband and takes a peek.  She laughs and says, "I'm sorry, what did you say? I was distracted."

"You're terrible.  Let's go see if the kids are up.  I'm sure Stephanie has questions." Jon turns her towards the house "Plus, I'm starving."  And he cracks her on the ass.

Beth starts to skip and says to him, "Steph may have questions, she said she heard you yelling and I just told her that you had to go to town and take are of some stuff. "

Jon starts to run at her and Beth takes off on dead run.  The two of them race to the house and Beth wins.