Chapter 29

"Still, you gave up a lot for a slim chance."  he jokes, as he continues to kiss her neck.  Feeling herself fall weak to his touch, to his kiss, she  leans her head back and smiles.

"It's like I told you - we were worth the risk."  she turns, face to face, she kisses his nose, "I love you and belong wherever you are."

"Your sure?" he asks, with his hands on her shoulders, slightly pushing her back so he can look into her eyes, 'You're 100% sure and this won't come back and bite me in the ass?"

"100%, Jon.  My accomplishments, whether they be in work or school, mean nothing if there is no one to share them with."

"I agree.  But you worked so hard for what you had, for what you did."

"And it means nothing when you're alone.  The certificates and the licenses mean nothing.  They don't hold me when I'm cold and they don't rub my feet after a long day."

"That's what you want me for?" he laughs at her, jokingly.

She laughs back, "That's the top of the list, of the reasons why I'm here and not in Salt Lake."

He grabs her, holding her tight with his arms around her neck, "I'm so  happy that you came."

"Me too."

"Are you ready for the fallout?" he whispers, knowing that the press was going to have a field day with this one.  "it's going to get crazy."

She rests her head on his shoulder, "I can handle it, if we handle it together.  How will the kids take it?"

Jon is quiet for a moment, then he tells her, "I think the kids will be relieved to some degree.  The younger ones won't understand, but Jesse and Stephanie will.  My concern is all of them, when news of my divorce hits the press."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that.  Maybe we should keep us secret for a while then?" she responds, with a slight lump in her throat, "We can do that, right?"

Again, Jon is quiet, deep in thought. His thoughts are all over the place.  He needs to get ready to go on stage and now they are talking about divorce, kids and the press.  Not the best pre - show conversation.  In one sentence, he sums it all up, "We are going to be quiet about nothing.  We will deal with it as it comes."  He kisses her forehead and walks away, "It's almost show time."

Olivia stands there and watches him, well aware of what he just did but she isn't going to question him on it.  She knows that it's better to leave it alone, but only for right now.  "What do you need me to do?"

He stops what he's doing, looks around and asks her, "Could you go get Dawn?" 

She winks at him, "Yep.  Anything else?"

He shakes his head no, "I'm all set after I see here.  Just need to work on the set list.  Gonna mix this one up a bit."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah, they are going to love it."

Olivia loves watching him talk about work.  It gives him a look on his face that she adores.  She can see that deep down inside he is still that 18 year old kid that dreams of reaching a fraction of the success that he has.  He's still that young man trying to prove himself, looking for validation in the cheers that he gets, night after night.  "I'll be right back."  

Olivia leaves his dressing room and heads down the hallway toward catering and to the VIP lounge, where staff and family usually hang out.  The dressing rooms are maintained as private, not just anyone can get to them, and if you belonged within the Bon Jovi came, you knew that.. when she reaches the door to catering, she hears behind her, "Olivia!"  She stops and looks back to see who it was.  "Olivia, what are you doing here?!?"  The voice gets louder as it gets closer.  Once Olivia is able to see who it is, she gets a little nervous.  

"I came to see Jon." she tells Heather, Richie's wife.  "Why else would I be here?"

"Have you been here long?" Heather asks, hugging the lady that she had only known for a short time,  "I just got here this morning."

"I've been here a little longer.  How are you doing?"  Olivia hugs Heather back, happy to see a familiar and friendly face.  "How is Ava?"

"Good, good.  She's good, I'm good - we're all good."  Heather smiles, "What brings you to Miami?"

"Jon."

"I heard you had some real cool job in someplace like Utah?" she says with a question in her tone, "Are you here to stay?"

Olivia nods her head as she leads the way into catering, looking for Dawn, "I'm here as long as he'll let me tag along. What about you?"  Olivia spots Dawn, "Hold that thought, excuse me for a moment."  With her hand on Heather's shoulder, she slowly walks off to catch Dawn before she disappears into the crowd.    "Dawn!"  Olivia slightly yells, catching Dawn's attention.

Dawn turns around, "Hey, what's up?"

"Jon needs you."  Olivia tells her, feeling a little awkward, like she's telling Dawn what to do.  "He sent me to get you."

"Okay, I'll go see what he needs.  Thanks."  Dawn smiles and leaves catering, with her paper plate in her hand - heaped full of Jon's favorite meatballs and Broccoli Rabe.  

Olivia diverts her attention back to Heather, who is at the chocolate fountain, eating strawberry after strawberry.    "Are you staying on tour or are you just here for the show?"

"I told Richie I'd go on the road for a little bit, he is missing us, so with nanny and tutor in tow, here we are."

"It's nice to see you.  Where is Miss Ava?" Olivia asks, glancing around for the little blonde bombshell.  "Is she here?"

Heather chuckles, "Oh no, it's a school night.  She's at the hotel doing homework."

"Nice."  Olivia can relate with the poor child.  Homework was the worst thing that she hated to do, in school and at work.  The paperwork that comes with being a doctor and now a professor, she knows Ava's pain all too well.  "Poor kid, homework sucks."

Heather starts to walk toward the door, "Yeah, yeah - poor kids."  She looks back at Olivia, "Come on. I'll walk with you.:"

Olivia quickly grabs a frosted brownie off of one of the desert trays and a can of coke.  "Jon is doing the set-list, I should wait to disturb him."

"I'm not going to the dressing rooms, I'm going to take a walk across the stage, like I do every time I'm at a show."  She winks at Olivia.  "It drives the girls crazy."

"Do you really?"  Liv asks her, picturing the chaos that could ensue, "Have they ever come after you?"

The women walk side by side, nibbling on their choice of food until they reach side stage.  Olivia follows Heather's lead and they set their food and drinks down on a stool.  "The trick is, make it look like you're looking for someone.  Follow me."

"I shouldn't."  Olivia slightly protests, "Jon's divorce hasn't hit the press yet."

"So."

"Well, I shouldn't be seen here, maybe?"  

Heather, persistent and well knowledgeable about the industry and their lifestyle,tells Olivia, "Follow me.  It will be fine."

Olivia trusted Heather, she had no reason not to.  With a deep breathe, she did as she was told and followed Heather on onto the stage.  Heather led her to the white microphone stand and they stopped.  With an extended arm and a pointed finger, Heather whispers to Olivia, "How would you like to be way up there?"  She refers to the nose bleed seats that were quickly filling with eager and anxious fans.

"I watched a show from up there once, to see how it was.  They looked miniature."  Olivia laughs, as the ladies right in front of her catch her attention. 

It was hard to hear, but she was able to make out what they were saying, "Hey isn't that that doctor that Jon was rumored to be having an affair with?"  The lady said it loud enough that those around her heard and Olivia could see about 20 women looking up at her. 

"Yeah, it is!"  Camera's went up and flashes started, as well as the noise from the front row.  

"I should go."  Olivia leans into Heather, "I didn't think anyone would really recognize me."

Heather leans back and tells her, "Liv, if you were just spotted in a picture with Jon, they would recognize you. No one gets passed them, and no one goes un-noticed.  Relax and roll with it."

"Jon might get upset." Olivia offers her reasoning for being hesitant, "Even though a half hour ago he said we weren't going to hide anything."

"See, then you're fine."  Heather gently elbows her and the two of them slowly start to exit stage left.  

"I don't think that he said that and then expected me to walk out in front of a few thousand people."

"If he bitches, tell him that I'm breaking you in right.  In an hour, there will be 50,000 people in here."  

The farther away that they walked, they could hear the fans getting louder and louder.  The anticipation and the excitement was evident.  Last night in Miami and Olivia knows that they're going to get one hell of a show.

Olivia and Heather part ways when they reach Richie's dressing room, "I'll see you soon."  Heather says as she closes the door behind her.  Olivia walks the few feet to Jon's door and attempts to go in, but the door is locked.  She knocks.  Nothing.  She knocked again and waited.  After a few moments, Jon whips open the door, "Sorry, I was getting my hair and face done."  He walks into Olivia and kisses her on the lips.  "I heard you raised quite a stir out on the stage."

"You did?" Olivia asks, a little embarrassed and a little shocked.  

"Dawn has a radio, I heard it all."  He winks at her as he turns to walk to his wardrobe.  "You're lucky nothing happened."

"What would have happened?" Olivia asks him,a little naive about the life decision that she made.  "I was with Heather."

"THAT'S part of my point.  Just be careful when you do stuff like that." he sits down and pulls his socks on, "Have a security guard with you, please?"  Olivia could tell that he wasn't asking her to have someone with her, that is his way of telling her. 

She nods her head, "Okay.  How is the set list?"

"I'm going to blow the roof off of this place.  They have no idea what's coming."  His face lights up and Olivia can see that young boy again, that dreams of hitting the big time.

"What are you playing?"  she inquires, not knowing very many of their songs.  She's in love with the man that fronts the band, not the singer of a band.  She likes Bon Jovi, but she could live without their music.