How am I going to talk myself out of this one?

That night Ellie was still a little annoyed with what she had heard the receptionist tell her. But she would deal with that later. Jared had come over about six p.m. which was incredible seeing that she had just called over three and a half hours ago.

Jared was coming down the stairs with his little shadow in tow. “So did you find everything ok?” she asked him.

“Yeah I did and my little helper here was a big help. Oh Ben said that he would bring the security stuff over and set it up for you so if you could just show him my bedroom next to Jimmy’s room and an extra room down here so we can set up shop we can see the whole property and inside the house.” Jared explained to her.

“No problem and you guys can have free rein of the house just don’t mind the decorators ok? Oh or do you want me to postpone this I can you know.” She told him.

“No you just keep doing what you’re doing because then she’ll catch on to what we are doing. Besides it will give us a chance to see how the equipment is working.” He told her.

“Fine there’s food in the kitchen, Jimmy why don’t you take Jared in there and show him ok? And maybe Maria will give you a little treat before I give you your bath.” she asked her son.

“Come on Jared let’s go!” Jimmy said as he grabbed his hand and dragged him in there as Jared laughed.

Ellie then went to the den and even thou it wasn’t finished the phone was plugged in and she dialed the phone. She waited when the person on the other end finally picked up. “Hey Joe can you talk for a minute?” she asked her brother.

“Yeah I got a minute what’s up Sis?” he asked her.

“Um I tried calling Jon today and well oh God this is going to sound stupid but I need a guy’s perspective on this. The receptionist at the studio their recording at well she told me that they’re going to this strip joint everyday and the girls there that they are hanging with well…everyday too or as she put it they’re joined at the hip.” She explained to him sounding very concerned but he just started laughing.

“Wait they’re going to a strip joint everyday? Oh it must be so nice to be a rock star!” he laughed.

“Joey! It’s not funny. What if he’s well you know!” she said upset.

“I’m sorry Sis but every guy goes to a strip joint. I hate to tell you this but me and Chick have and so has Daddy. He’s probably just sitting there paying his dollar bills and watching and maybe getting a lap dance every so often. Don't sweat it ok?” he told her trying to calm her even thou he probably knew exactly what he was doing.

“Ok Joe what’s up? You don’t even like him so why are you trying to protect him?” she asked her brother.

“What do you mean?” he asked her trying to sound as angelic as possible.

“Very funny but if you don’t think I know what goes on at these things then you’re about as stupid as you think I am. Plus I know his rep. So just tell me If a guy who has money goes into one of these places and looks like Jon does would he get laid a lot?” she ask him.

“El he loves you right? So why would he do anything to hurt you right? Even thou he is living apart from you and you wouldn’t know what he’s doing and can lie threw his teeth and you wouldn’t know the difference the question is would he throw all that away for some stripper?” he asked his sister.

“You’re not helping. I can’t seem to reach him and that Bitch seemed happy about telling me what he’s doing Joe. And I don’t know if he would cheat on me knowing if he could get away with it. Isn’t that what cheating is all about?” she asked her brother.

“Well yeah it is I hate to tell you. Look El he’s with his friends and he doesn’t want them to think he’s a pussy ok? So he might try some stuff with them I don’t know. But I’m going to tell you something that you might not want to hear. Guys can’t go that long without sex plain and simple. We just can’t. And jerking off only takes us so far. That’s why we get married. Why do you think Mom and Dad have five kids for crying out loud?” he told his sister chuckling.

“You’re not funny. And do think if he gets married he’ll change?” she asked him wondering.

“Being a rocker no. Sis he’s on the road so much and alone without you he’ll want someone in his bed. Why do you think I don’t want you with him? He’s going to hurt you just like Michael did but in a different way. I love you and I don’t want you to be hurt by the jerks you keep picking. I want my nephew to grow up like we did, in a great loving home. You’re not going to get that with him. I know he loves his son and I know he thinks he loves you too but the thing is can he stay true to you? Look your one of Elvis’ biggest fans and I know he’s the only one you would let get away with this shit. Anybody else you would cut of their balls. What makes this guy any different?” Joe wanted to know.

“I never said he was any different Joe. I would cut them off. Oh God I don’t know what to do? I love him so much but if he’s cheating on me I don’t think I can handle that. At least you didn’t have any children I do.” She told him sadly.

“Yeah I know Honey. It was so much easier for me to walk away from Mary than it is for you to walk away from Jon. Why don’t you just talk to him first before you blast him I mean the girl could have been just jealous you know?” he told her.

“Yeah you think?” she hoped he was right.

“Yeah Jon is a good looking guy and according to Sean and Chick the band is really good. Not what I like but hey you never know. I mean Chick said they’re on MTV already right?” Joe asked her.

“Yeah they are and they’re doing their third album and Jon said that’s good.” She told him.

“Ok then and I’ve seen him with Jimmy and you he’s crazy for you guys but you still need to talk to him about all this. But don’t give him an inch ok? Guys who cheat have this thing down pat and they know how to lie so don’t let him sweet talk you give it right back to him I know you can do that.” He told her laughing now.

“Yeah, yeah ok look I have to give Jimmy his bath and put him to bed. Do me a favor and don’t tell anyone in the family we talked about this ok? Especially Mom and Dad or Chickie Joe I mean it.” She told him point blank.

“I won’t ok your secret is safe with me I promise. But if he hurts you or Jimmy that will be the last thing he does. Got it!” he promised his sister. She told him she understood and that she loved him and hung up the phone.

Taking her chocolate covered boy upstairs she gave him a bath and put him in his P.J.’s and then brought him to Jared’s to say goodnight. He was in the empty room next to what would be Jon’s office setting up some of the security cameras and computers. “Hey I see someone is ready for bed.” Jared said to Jimmy as he ran over to him.

“Yep are you going to stay here Jared?” Jimmy asked him smiling.

Looking at Ellie he told Jimmy, “Yes Jimmy I am. Your Mom has hired me to keep watch around the house for a while until your Dad gets back. Is that ok with you?” he asked him.

Jimmy looked at him Mom and then back at Jared. “It’s ok with me I like you.” He told him.

“Well I like you too. Now you don’t let the bed bugs bite.” He told him and started to tickle him as Jimmy yelped.

“I won’t! Come on Mommy!” Jimmy yelled as he ran out of the room.

“Hey slow down I’ll be right there! (looking at Jared) He does like you. Thanks.” She told him smiling.

“He’s a great kid Ellie and don’t worry I really don’t think she wants to hurt him about all she wants to do is get know her grandson.” He told her trying to put her mind at ease.

“Well don’t care she knows how we feel and as soon as I speak to Jon I’m getting a restraining order on her for that grandson.” Ellie told him angry as hell.

Finding Jimmy in his room she read him his nightly book and then gave him a kiss good night. She would go to hell and back for him and would never let anything happen to him. She then went down and told Jared that she was going to get ready for bed herself and watch t.v. in her room. If he needed anything it was fine to check with her.

Night was uneventful and everyone was able to sleep peaceful. By morning Jared had taken Jimmy to school with Ellie so she could talk to them and explain what was going on. They told them that they couldn’t let Jared stay with him during his classes which upset Ellie but Jared was able to calm her down and explain that was fine. They told the Principle that Carol Bongiovi was to never go near him or take him off the school grounds under any circumstances. At first they wanted to know if Jon had agreed to this but then Ellie told them that she was the one that had total custody of their son. Ms. Baker asked her to show her the proper paperwork and she pulled them out.

“Ms. Baker his name is James Anderson for one not Bongiovi. This is his birth certificate we gave you all this at the time we enrolled him here. We just didn’t give him my name for the hell of it. This is his legal name.” she told her getting a little angry now.

Looking over the paperwork, “This birth certificate, it says father unknown.” She asked Ellie with a quizative look on her face.

“Yes it does and it’s going to stay that way until I decide to change it. Jon is Jimmy’s Father but the rest is not your business. Now Mr. Contex here will be watching the school from his car. If there is a problem he will be in here within two seconds flat is that clear?” she told Ms. Baker outright. 

“Fine but I don’t expect anything to happen here in the school Ms. Anderson.” She told the both of them.

“It better not or I’ll have your license.” Ellie told her as she got up. “Good Day.” And they both walked out. Walking out to her car, “Jared the mike you have on Jimmy you sure it’s working?”

“Yes Ellie I told you I doubled checked it this morning. Ok? I knew they wouldn’t let me stay with him so I checked everything before we left so don’t worry ok? Now I’ll be out here looking for Mrs. B. so do you want me to confront her or just watch her and see what she does because we really can’t do anything yet unless she tries something.” He told her.

“Yeah I know. Just wait and see if she does something that way we’ll have her red handed and can get the restraining order out on her. She may still try something even if she knows that we know. But I’m not taking any chances we told her no contact. I’ll show her. Thanks Jared I really appreciate everything you guys are doing.” She told him as she put her hand on his arm.

“Hey that’s our job. Now you go home and don’t worry about a thing. You put Ben and me on the emergency list and pick up list so he’ll be fine.” He told her smiling. She got in her car and drove home a lot more comfortable knowing her son was in good hands.

Ben was setting up the security around the house with the aid of the company and putting in monitors in certain rooms where he knew they would be the most useful. He also knew Jon and would want to be able to see the outskirts of the property. Ellie was with Samantha trying to help her with going over some other samples and showing the delivery men where to put the next shipment of furniture. But her heart really wasn’t in it right now.

*************************************************************************

  It was a long day yesterday in the studio and a long night at the club. So the guys were hard getting up and were dragging themselves into the studio this morning. Carla the receptionist was sent out to get more coffee from the coffee machine because she had forgotten to bring it in this morning so that didn’t help the guy’s attitude very much and Derek and Desmond weren’t happy campers. But once she got back and then had made several pots and got them motivated again they were at least civil by lunch time. Derek decided that it was time to order lunch and had Carla take their lunch order and this time he told them no pizza.

As they were eating Carla decided that she would try and sit with the guys and see if she could shoot the bull with them which they didn’t seem to mind. So they all were talking when she brought up to Jon about his phone call yesterday.

“Oh Jon I’m such a blonde lately and with everything that’s going on with Derek and Desmond giving me all this extra work, I know they’re trying to hire extra help, well anyway I forgot to tell you some girl called here looking for you and before you say anything she said she was your fiance but they all say that…” but then Jon cut in.

“What do you mean she said she was my fiancé did she give a name?” Jon asked a little annoyed now.

“Well we get girls lately calling here for all you guys but this one just sounded different you know? Because when I asked her if she wanted to leave a message she said no.” she told him.

“Really I wonder why Ellie didn’t want to leave a message. She never tried the apartment.” He said wondering.

“Oh she said she did but you didn’t have a machine to leave one on that’s why she called here.” Carla told him smiling as she ate her sandwich.

“Carla what time did she call?” Jon asked her now getting a little bit peeved.

“Oh well you guys had already left for the day. So there was no way I could tell you yesterday anyway.” She said batting her eyes.

“No I guess not.” He said to her. Then reality hit him and hit him hard. “Oh Shit! Carla please tell me you didn’t tell her where we were?” He asked her as calmly as he could.

“Oh wasn’t I supposed too? I mean she seemed so down when she couldn’t reach you I mean she was really upset when she called here looking for you.” She told a very agitated Jon now.

“What! She was upset? And she didn’t say why? And you dumped more on her!” Jon’s voice rose as Richie put his hand on his arm.

“Calm down Jon not here ok? It’s not her fault where we were. Why don’t you try calling Ellie and see what’s going on ok?” Richie suggested.

Taking a huge breath he got up and went into one of the offices and took out a piece of paper it had his new phone number on it. Dialing he let the phone ring several times before someone picked it up.

“Ah Hello? Is Ellie there?” he asked the person who answered the phone.

“Yeah she’s in the bedroom I believe with Jared who is calling please?” he asked.

“This is her fiance who the fuck is this.” Jon asked rudely.   

“I’m Kevin and I’m with the Larsen Security Company. She has me answering the phone. If you’ll wait I’ll get her.” He told Jon.

Jon waited and wanted to know why she had the security company back and reworking what he already had done. He thought he had what was standard put in. A couple of minutes went by and now he was wondering what was taking her so long to pick up the phone.

Finally he heard a click then, “Hello Jon?”

“Babe what the hell is going on? Why did it take you so long to pick up?” he rambled on.

“Whoa what the hell Jon. Why are you calling?” she wanted to know.

“Why am I calling? Oh my God we were eating lunch and Carla told me you called yesterday looking for me.” He told her still excited.

“Yeah so I told her not to leave you a message I didn’t want to bother you during your busy schedule.” She told him sarcastically.

Jon listened to the tone of her voice and could tell that she wasn’t happy about something. “Babe is there something wrong? Did I do something wrong?” he asked her.

“No why would you think that. I’ve been just trying to call you that’s all and when I do I find out that you’ve been at a strip club every night with strippers that have been Oh how did that girl put it oh right they have been joined at your hip every night! (trying to cut in) No wait there’s more Jon and while you’re there get this your Mother has been stalking our son at school so I had to call the security company to step things up because if she goes near him I’m going to have her arrested and put a restraining order on her. So you go ahead and watch or play with the little whores while I think what I’m going to do. Because that bitch at the school was really rude to me today and I just might have him transferred to another one or back home where I know he’s safe.” And she slammed down the phone.

Jon just sat there with the phone in his hand as the buzzing of the phone was going off. He slowly hung it up. Damn first of all she knew he was going to the Blue Lagoon and was with them in a way he shouldn’t have been not sexual but close enough. And two what the hell was his Mother doing at Jimmy’s school watching his son in the first place. No wonder Ellie is pissed off. She is there all alone while his Mother is watching their child. At least she had the good sense to act fast and to take care of this situation herself. He sat there for a while thinking what he should do next when he heard a knock on the door.

“Yeah.” He said.

Opening the door and sticking his head in Richie asked, “Hey Kidd is everything alright?”

“No.” he told him as he just sat there staring into space.

Walking into the room and sitting next to him Richie then asked him, “Well you want to elaborate on that for me?”

“Well she knows what we’re doing here because that bitch Carla told her that we’re visiting The Blue Lagoon and the strippers and my Mom is stalking Jimmy at his school so which subject do you want to tackle first?” he asked Richie.

Now Richie just sat there in shock. “You got to be fucking me?”

“I wish I was and she sounded real pissed Rich. How the hell am I going to talk myself out of this one?” he asked him scared.

“But Jon you haven’t had sex with any of these girls have you?” he asked him to double check.

“Not intercourse no. But she does believe that blow jobs and fooling around naked and crap is and I don’t know about lap dances but that does lead to blow jobs. I’m fucked Rich because she’s going to ask me what this all entailed I know her she will. And if I lie to her she’ll know she knows me to well. Plus we promised each other no more lies. She’s going to leave me Rich and she’s going to take Jimmy with her and I’m never going to see him again am I?” he said almost in fear.

“Hey don’t do this to yourself Kidd. You need to talk to her first. Right now I think your Mom is pissing her off the most. You know how she gets when it comes to her. Actually it would be a lot better if the three of you could come to terms with everything.” Richie told him.

Jon looked at him like something hit him over the head. “That’s it. I need to sit both of them down and let them have it out once and for all.” Jon told Richie as his eyes went wide.

“Are you kidding me! They’ll kill each other.” Richie told him.

“Not if I get a mediator involved. Plus Pop will be there to handle Mom and I’ll take care of Ellie.” Jon said trying to look hopeful.

“Well why don’t you keep that as plan b. or z. Right now just concentrate on finding out how to keep her from killing you now and keeping your little family together.” He told Jon patting him on the back.

“Well there goes my plan on asking her up here for a week then because now she really won’t leave Jimmy alone with your parents. Not if Mom is lurking around.” Jon said with his hands in his hair.

“No she won’t that’s for sure. Unless she brings him with her and well that would just ruin your whole alone time with her now wouldn’t it?” Richie smirked.

Smirking at him, “Unless his Uncles would like to babysit him for us and be there just in case he wakes during the night?” Jon asked him smiling.

“Ahhh come on Jon you’ll be putting a damper on our social lives.” He whined.

“But just think you’ll be getting to know your nephew a lot more now what’s better than that? Or say keep your jobs?” Jon smiled at him.

“That’s blackmail!” Richie squawked at him.

“I know!” Jon laughed.