Daddy?!

 "Um what did you say Jon? You’re a what?” Carol asked her son very calmly.

“Yeah you heard me right Mom. I’m a Father. I have a very handsome son with Ellie. That’s what she was trying to tell me all those years ago in those letters that you wouldn’t give me. Or those phone calls that you told her that I didn’t want. She wasn’t about to tell you before she told me and when you told her that I wanted nothing to do with her well then she decided to have the baby by herself. Oh wait her parents were there for her unlike mine.” He told her with an attitude.

Carol didn’t know what to say to her son after that. She was mostly in shock. She was a grandmother. She was trying to wrap her mind around that when she heard Jon asked her if she heard him. “Mom, Mom are you listening to me?” he asked her annoyed.

“Oh yes I am sorry. Did I hear you right you’re a father?” she asked him just to make sure that she heard him right again.   

“Stop playing games Mom you know damn right what you heard me say. Now tell me the damn truth and tell me did you tell Ellie that that I didn’t want to ever hear from her again or what!” Jon demanded from her.

“Why are you going to believe her over me?” she wanted to know.

“Because if you ever want to see your grandson you’ll tell me the truth how’s that?” he told her angrily.

“You would keep my own grandson away from me?” Carol wanted to know.

“I got news for you Mother I don’t have any rights to him. He doesn’t even have my name. So Ellie has all the say here. And I can tell you she is furious with you right now that you kept us apart. So if I was you I would start telling me why, why would you lie to me that she never tried to get in touch with me when she did and why you never mailed my letters to her when you said you did? It was just one lie after another with you.” He told her awaiting an answer from her.

“Fine your Father told me what he had planned for you with Tony and I couldn’t let you ruin that with this girl so I lied and you seemed so excited about going to New York and helping out there and maybe getting some of your song’s recorded. Tony promised your Dad that if you did a good job for him he’d let you do that and I knew once you could get a foot in that door that was all you needed but I knew she was wrapped around you like an albatross you wouldn’t get your big chance. Jon I was just looking out for you.” She rambled on. 

Jon was getting furious by the minute. “You know Mom I’m so glad you had such faith in me.” He said almost banging the phone against his head.

Finally she thought, “So you finally understand then?” she asked him.

Jon almost lost it on her. “No Mother I don’t! And it’s you who don’t understand. If you had faith in me you would have gave me Ellie’s letter’s and messages and let me make up my own mind whether I wanted to talk to Ellie or not. And now not am I without her but I’m without my son. So here’s what you can do, you can tell Dad that he’s a Grandfather and that you’re the reason why he’s never met him. Oh and by the way his name is James Paul Anderson.” And he hung up the phone. He was squeezing the bridge of his nose when Richie asked him a question.

“Um Kidd?” Rich asked him.

“Yeah?” Jon said trying very hard to get rid of his headache.

“Your son’s name is her last name and not yours?” Richie asked him carefully.

“Yeahhh why?” Jon wanted to know.

“No reason I just thought she’d make sure that she’d put the kid’s name under your’s that’s all.” Richie said trying to imply something.

“Don’t go there Rich.” Dave said to him.

“Why would you think that Richie?” Jon wanted to know.

“Don't answer that Rich I mean it.” Dave told him knowing Jon’s temper.

“I just thought that well you know if she wanted to make everyone know he was your son she would have named him Bongiovi instead of Anderson that’s all.” Richie told him.

Again Jon squeezed the bridge of his nose as Dave just shooked his head. “Rich she named him Anderson because she didn’t want me to have anything to do with him because she thought I didn’t want anything to do with her. Where the hell have you been thru this?” he asked his best friend.

Richie took a deep breath and said, “Look Jon you know I love you like a brother right? So I’m going to say this to you straight.” He said as Dave got up and move to the other side of the room. “I get that we were the ones that ran into her but are you sure that it’s yours? I mean did she tell you when his birthday was?” Richie asked him sincerely.

Jon just looked at him and actually smiled. “Rich man I get what you’re saying but he’s the spitting image of me when I was his age. Trust me he’s mine. Ellie was a virgin when I met her and we only did it a few times before she left. Believe me she just wouldn’t fuck someone else in spite of not getting in touch with me like that. Besides she was sick when she left so she was pretty sure she was pregnant before she left Sayreville. Plus she wouldn’t lie to me. She’s not like you know who who would lie thru her teeth every five minutes to me. No he’s mine and I can’t wait to get to know him.” Jon told the guys smiling.

“Hey I’m sorry Jon I didn’t mean…” Richie started to say.

“It’s ok Rich I understand. You were just looking out for me. Look I need to take a shower plus I want to call Ellie and see if I can see her and Jimmy later. Hey do you guys want to meet them? I mean if you want to?” Jon asked them excitedly.

Richie smiled but then said to him, “Why don’t you get to know him first Jon and get reacquainted with your girl first. There will be plenty of time for us to meet your son.”

“Yeah I guess I should do that first. I’m so excited and nervous at the same time.” He told them.

“Jon that’s to be expected. Look go take your shower and then call her and see what you guys can work out. You guys have a lot to talk about you know?” Dave told him.

Jon knew that which scare him a little because he knew his name wasn’t on Jimmy’s birth certificate. Which for all he knew he didn’t have any right’s to his son. He also knew how angry she was at his mother for keeping them apart. So he was afraid that she may keep Jimmy away from him because of what she did to them for revenge. God he hoped not he hoped that she’d remember how much that they had loved each other before this all went to shit.

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

Saturday morning was just so much fun for Ellie. It used to be that she could sleep in but as soon as Jimmy was able to walk on his own he was able to jump on her and wake her up early so he could go down stairs and watch t.v. even thou she had one in their bedroom. You see Grandpa was up but Jimmy like his Mom to be up too so they all could have breakfast together.

“Momma come on Grampe is up and I want to see him.” He told his mother as he held her eye open against her will.

“I’ll give you a million dollars if you let me go back to sleep please?” she asked him.

“Nooo! I want to see Grampe pease?” he asked her again with the cutest little puppy dog face. They went thru this every week and she would lose every week.

“Ok, ok give me a minute to get up.” She told him as she started to move slowly.

“Yayee!” he yelled happily.

“Yeah right…Honey shh or you’ll wake up Aunty Beth.” She told him by putting her finger to her lips.

“Oh ok. Sorree.” He told his Mommy who was smiling at him lovingly.

It didn’t take them long to go down stairs as Jimmy rush to his Grandfathers side to give him a hug and a kiss as Paul picked him up and put him on his lap as he already had Jimmy’s bowl and cereal out for him.

“Hey Daddy do you want any more coffee?” Ellie ask her Dad.

“Thanks Honey that would be great.” He told her while she filled up his cup and she was making her tea.

This was the only time Cecelia could sleep so they left her alone while they had their breakfast and once Jimmy had his and he got down from his Grandpa and went into the den as Ellie put on his cartoons for him. She then went back into the kitchen to join her Dad once more. As they were talking Sean finally came creeping out of his room from the basement to join them as Chick was still sound asleep as who knows what time he came in last night.

As they were talking Sean brought up the subject as Patrick wanted to go see RATT this January and when he saw that the opening act was this heavy metal group called Bon Jovi Sean asked her if Jon had anything to do with it.

“So I was wondering since his last name is Bongiovi but not spelled like that is it the same guy?” he asked his sister.

She thought about that for a moment and then answered, “Huh, I don’t know he did say that he changed his name or the spelling of his name so it could be him. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised that it was him. Why do you want me to ask him?” she asked her brother.

“Well only if you want to I know that you and Jon just kind of got back together.” He said as Ellie jumped in to set him straight.

“Whoa Jon and I are not back together. We just found each other and he just found out that he’s a father and probably doesn’t even know if he wants to be a father.” Ellie told them.

 By this time Cecelia had gotten up and was having coffee with them. “Well Honey you don’t know that but you’re right about one thing you two just met again so give him time. But becareful please you two haven’t seen each other in what five/six years and he is a very different person.” She told her daughter.

Smiling Ellie decided to go for it. “Ok Mom how is Jon different besides him changing his name over.”

“Well he’s been out on his own correct?” she asked her daughter. Ellie shocked her head yes. “And he’s been in the rock band for a few years now?” Ellie again shooked her head yes. “And I supposed just like other boys his age he goes off with the girls at the end of the shows?” This time Ellie had to think about that.

“Mom I’m sure that he has and he is very good looking and he is a very red blooded American boy. What happened in those six years is none of my business as those six years is none of Jon’s business. And if anyone of you guys tell him about Michael I’ll kill you. Got it!” she told them.

Her father told her, “If Michael shows his face anywhere near you I’ll kill him do you got it?” he said with a straight face.

“Yes Sir I do.” She said as she looked at her Mom as she mouthed ‘Oh my God!’ to her. Michael was a subject that no one was allowed to talk about as they had dated for a few years until he got a little obsessed with her and wouldn’t let her talk to anyone who was male. It even got to the point it almost jeopardize her job. She had to get a restraining order out on him but what was the worst thing was when one night when she had inventory from her job at the store and it was around two in the morning she was coming home he had ran her off the road with his car and what happened next well let’s just say he had gotten quite a number of years in the state prison. As they were talking the phone rang and Cecelia answered it thinking it was her sister-in-law as it usually was at this time of morning. But when she did she had a little smile on her face and told her daughter that the phone was for her.

“Really? Oh ok thanks.” Ellie told her. Ellie wasn’t used to getting phones calls especially since her girlfriend had moved. “Hello?” she said into the receiver.

“Hi I hope that it’s ok that I’m calling you but I just wanted to know if it was alright if I came over again to see you and Jimmy?” Jon asked her nervously.

“No it’s fine I’m not doing anything this afternoon and Jimmy will be more awake so that would be good.” She told him happily.

“Great um would it be ok if I bring him a present?” Jon asked her not knowing if she would allow it.

“Sure that would be fine he likes gifts.” She told him grinning happily.

“What does he like?” Jon wanted to know nervously as he didn’t know what young boys liked at that age.

“What did you like at this age Jon? And don’t say girls. All boys’ likes trucks and cars you know match box and dump trucks stuff like that. That would be great to start off with ok?” she told him trying not to laugh.

“Well great then I’ll see you say around two?” he asked her.

“Sure that would be great. I’ll put him down for his nap around one so that way we can talk for a while before he wakes up if that’s ok with you?” she asked him questionably.

“Sounds good Ellie I really can’t wait you know I missed you.” He told her.

“Well I missed you too Jon.” She told him back. They hung up and she went to get Jimmy to get him at least cleaned up, dressed and ready to see his Daddy. Daddy she thought. Wow that really hit her hard for a moment. She always wondered what it would have been liked if he ever knew right from the start that she was going to have a baby. Would he have been there from the beginning? Would they have gotten married? Or would it still be like it is now? It wouldn’t matter about one thing thou. She still would have had the baby. There is no way she would have not had that beautiful baby boy only because he was made in love and nothing else. And as much as she knew her parents would have blown their gaskets there was no way they would have turned their backs on her or their Grandchild.

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

Two O’clock finally came and just before Jon came Joe and his finance was over to visit the family when they found out that Ellie’s ex was on his way to visit with her and Jimmy. Joe wasn’t too happy that Ellie told him about Jimmy.

“Why the hell did you do that! He doesn’t deserve to know that Jimmy is his.” He told his sister angrily.

Mary Joe’s finance asked, “Well why not Joe he is the father of Ellie’s son so he deserves to know.” She told him.

“Look Mary you weren’t around when all this happened so just stay out of it ok.” Joe told her as Mary just looked at him shocked.

“Joe don’t talk to her like that. She’s just expressing her opinion. And it’s not any of your business either so there!” Ellie told him spatting it back at him.

“Oh really well you sure didn’t feel like that when you wanted me and Chick to go to New Jersey and beat the shit out of him now did you?” he reminded her.

“Oh blah blah blah! That was like a hundred years ago and you wanted me to beat up all the kids on the school bus for picking on you remember that? So were even.” She shouted at him.

“Look will you two keep it down it you’re both going to wake Jimmy up.” Mary scolded them.

“Mary’s right we’re going to wake Jimmy up. Now when Jon gets here you be nice I mean it Joey!” she warned her brother.

“You know if you just had gone out with Herbie none of this would be a problem you know?” He told her.

“If you had minded your business on that front to I might have gotten a real date with him.” She told him as she stuck out her tongue at him as Mary tried very hard not to laugh at him when Cecelia came in and told her that Jon was waiting in the kitchen for her. She gave her brother a dirty look and went into the kitchen to welcome Jon.

“Hi there how are you?” she asked him as she went over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Fine doing fine.” He said nervously as he stood there fidgeting from one foot to another.

“So Jon this is Joe’s finance’ Mary Dawson, Mary this is um and old friend of mine Jon Bon Jovi.” Jon just looked at her with a confused look on his face then shook Mary’s hand as they were introduced. He thought old friend and would have to talk to her about that later. Then she said, “Joe this is Jon, Jon my brother Joe.” She just prayed Joey wouldn’t do or say anything. Joe just shook his hand as Mary laid her hand on his back to remind him to be a good boy.

“Well it’s nice to meet all of you.” Jon said.

“Well follow me and we can go and talk before Jimmy wakes up.” She told him. The two of them walked into the den and sat on the couch next to each other. For Jon he wanted to grab her and just start kissing her. For Ellie she just wanted to be wrapped up in his arms.  

“So I see you did go out and get him a present.” Ellie said to him.

“Oh yeah well what kind of Dad would I be if I came over empty handed now.” He told her smiling.

“Jon you’ll be a great Dad I just know it. Is that what you wanted to know? Whether I’m going to let you see him or not?” she asked him.

Jon let out a big sigh of relief. “Oh Ellie thank God you said it first. I’ve been sweating bullets.” He told her.

“Yeah well I figured the subject would come up sooner or later. I haven’t even talked about it yet with my folks. It’s funny they haven’t brought up yet. But yeah we do need to talk about that don’t we.” she said to him scared to death.

“Yeah we do because Richie you met him the other day with me at the store, well he just wants to make sure that one: Jimmy’s mine and two: your intentions are honorable.” He told her cautiously.

“Well he sounds like he cares about you very much. Wants to make sure that I’m not a gold digger. Which is kind of funny seeing that I didn’t know that you were going to be successful in five years when I got pregnant in the first place.” She stated not knowing whether or not to be annoyed or not.

“Look he means well he really does he wasn’t trying to accuse you of anything he was really just looking out for me and Dave did back everything up.” Jon explained to her.

“No really I get it and I’m glad you have friends like that I really do. Did you show him the pictures of Jimmy? That would prove that he’s your child.” she asked him.

“Oh damn it I totally forgot. I was going to ask you if you wanted to meet them or actually for me to show you two off to them.” He told her smiling that smile to her.

“You want us to meet the members of your band?” she asked.

“Yeah I do. Well you already know Dave and you kinda met Richie but you haven’t met Tico or Alex so I thought you could come to a band rehearsal and we could get head phones for Jimmy and that way he could see what I do for a living if that’s ok with you?” he asked her hoping that she would say ok.

“Um that would be great only if I can bring my brothers with me and maybe my sister? They may want to see RATT too if that’s ok. Sean said something about you guys coming back in January to play at the Centrum so he thought maybe he was wondering if he could get backstage and all?” she asked him.

Jon chuckled. “Let me know how many ok? You would come right?” he asked her.

“Well I’m sure my parents would want me to go if you’re going to be there especially where it would be Sean and he’s the youngest he would need someone over eighteen to go with him.” Ellie told him smiling.

“Oh so if it’s with me then.” Jon said smiling.

“Huh huh.” She huffed. “So we do need to talk about Jimmy. Look I know you want to dive right in Jon but I can’t just let you take him and be the Dad that you want to be. I hope you understand that? He doesn’t know who you really are so I suggest we take this slow ok?” she told him straight out.

“Well whose fault is that Ellie? It certainly isn’t mine.” He told her defensibly.

“Excuse me?” she asked him.

Jon wanted to hit himself he didn’t mean to over react like that. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to jump on you like that. Rich explained it to me that I’m just harboring some…I don’t know resentment that because I didn’t think you not getting in touch with me that I could still be a bit bitter about it and blame you and vice versa. You know how the years just build it up with us not knowing the truth for so long so it’s going to take time for the real truth to sink in.” he explained to her.

Smiling she knew exactly what he was saying. “No I get that I really do. Sounds like he’s a smart guy this Richie.” She said to him.

“Yeah well don’t tell him that ok it will just go to his head.” Jon told her chuckling.

“Ok I won’t. Look Jon I am going to tell you this thou I will fight you every step of the way if you try and take him away from me do you understand me? Because he’s the only thing that got me thru this whole ordeal and if it wasn’t for him I would have killed myself probably several times over because you have no idea what the hell I’ve been thru since I’ve been home.” She told him as she meant every word she said.

Jon looked at her and wondered what the hell happened in the years that they have been apart. “Ellie what happen that was so damn bad that you wanted to hurt yourself?” he wanted to know more than anything and more out of concern for Jimmy.