Chapter 29 - In The End, When It Ends

 

 

Jon tries to understand her desire to stay behind, but he just can't do it.  They were there for a small vacation, but it's quickly turned into a job for Beth.
 

 

He didn't like it, not because it was something that she wanted to do, but because it was 3000 miles away from home.  And when she puts herself into something, it gets all of her.  He loves her passion and her drive, but he is slowly deciding that giving her the vineyard may have been a mistake. 

 

"How long do you intend to stay?" he looks at her with an E rated stink eye.

 

"Oh, I don't know.  Just a day or two.  I just want to hire a manager and make sure that everything is running like it should." she sips her water.  "Vincenzo can walk me through all of it, so I know what's going on."  Vincenzo is the vineyard master.  He's been in the industry for years and when Jon negotiated for the vineyard, Vincenzo was part of the package.

 

"He can show you what's going on and how things operate, but do you really think that you're going to learn what you need to in a day or two?"

 

"I don't know Jon.  But, I'm excited about this, why is it such a problem for you?" she barks at him.  "Why do you seem so unhappy about it?"

 

"Because, Beth.  Here we have another commitment that neither of us have time for." he snaps at her.  "We have a family and a full life back home, we don't need to be running back and forth to California to deal with vineyard issues."

 

She gives him full on stink eye and says, "If you didn't want me doing this, then why did you give me the vineyard?  Why didn't you just sell it?"

 

He sets his fork on his plate and grabs his glass of wine,  after he takes a sip her explains, "I gave it to you never believing that you would ever know.  I never thought we would ever be back here together."

 

"Me either, but we're here and we own a vineyard.  I'm not just going to walk away from it Jon."

 

"I'm  not asking you to do that." he takes a deep breath and says, "Let's just get the right people in place and go home."

 

"Is that what you did with the Soul Foundation?" she has a little bit of sarcasm in her voice, mixed with a little resentment as the Soul takes up a lot of his time while they are back home.

 

He gets up and grabs the bottle of wine off the counter and pours himself another glass.  Holding out the bottle, he asks her "Do you want some?"

 

"No thanks.  I'm not feeling very well."

 

"What's wrong??" he sits down across from her.

 

Playing with her hair, she twists it and throws it back, "I don't know, just feeling a little tired.  Too much sun, maybe?"

 

"And you want to stay for an extra couple of days?" he questions her, knowing she hates being sick away from home.

 

"Is it really that big of a deal?" she boasts, with a heavy breath.  "It's a day or two Jon.  WHY are you being so difficult about this?"

 

He can't tell her why, he can't ruin this project for her but he doesn't want to leave there and go back to Jersey without her.  "It's just the first time we will be apart since we got back together."  he hopes that works.

 

"Seriously?  You don't want me to stay here for that?" she laughs a little, seeing how silly he's being. 

 

"It's the truth." he looks her in the eye.  "I'm not ready to be without you.  We were apart for too long."

 

With a mouthful of chicken and cranberries, she tries to say, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, babe."

 

"Bullshit."

 

"We'll be fine." she assures him.  She really thinks he's being silly.  "It's a couple of days."

 

He just shakes his head, as he can see that he's not going to win this one.  He can either get on board with her or be miserable while she's away from him. 

 

She sits back in her chair, puts her hands behind her head and her feet on his lap, "The kids are still with Dot, why don't we both stay?" she asks him, since that's a good option.

 

"I have a meeting in the city on Monday.  I have to go back tomorrow, or very early Monday morning." he says.

 

"What meeting?  I didn't see one on the calendar."

 

"I have to meet with Peter and Dot's lawyer.  The divorce is about to be final and there are a few details we need to work out." he rubs her feet, trying not to make eye contact with her. 

 

Beth is pissed.  "Why didn't you tell me about this, Jon?"

 

"Because I figured you would get pissed, just like this."

 

"Do you want to know what pisses me off?  The way you've been acting and when I ask you what's bothering you, you tell me nothing, and now I can see what it is."  She sits up in her chair and leans over the table, "Why do you keep fucking doing this?"

 

He doesn't want to tell her that Dot is contesting the divorce, in the 11th hour.  She has changed her mind and intends to win her man back.  How does a man tell that to the woman that he loves? 

 

"It's nothing really.  Just Dot being Dot."

 

"Then why didn't you tell me?" she reaches across the table and grabs the bottle of Bongiovi wine and fills her glass.  She takes a sip and asks again, "Why didn't you mention it?  We made a deal Jon - tell each other everything." 

 

Jon is starting to feel a little attacked and his defense is kicking in.  He can only take it for so long before he does exactly what Beth predicted.  He's about to blow.

 

He gets up, throwing his napkin on his plate.  "Do you want to know what's been bothering me, Beth?'  Really?  Do you want to know?"

 

Beth can see, feel and hear his attitude and she knows what's about to happen - so she helps him along a little bit.  "Yeah, JON tell me what's bothering you!!!"

 

He walks into the kitchen and grabs another bottle of wine, while telling her, "Our security was breached yesterday by the dumbass manager so I had to call in security.  Did you notice the three men following us today?"

 

"No.  Why do you have people following us?" she's pissed.  She can't believe he's back to his old ways of protecting her, in secret.

 

"Can you see the three guys that are outside right now, protecting us?" he almost mocks her, pissing her off even more.

 

"Why in the hell are there people protecting us Jon?  What aren't you telling me, god damn it?"  her anger is quickly turning to fear.  They have never had 24 hour security before and she's alarmed.  "TELL ME!" she gets up and walks to him.

 

"I don't want you here or anywhere alone." he puts his hands on her shoulders and she can read his face.

 

"Great, who wants me dead now?  The crazy wife or is it one of your wacky fans?" she takes a sarcastic tone, because she won't let another death threat ruin her life.  She knows that the crazies threaten all of the time, since she is with the man that millions fantasize about.  "I'm not going to live in fear Jon.  And security will only add to their delusion."  she's laughing now.  Laughing because she can't believe that Jon has taken it to the degree that he didn't tell her.

 

"You aren't staying here alone."

 

"Oh, so you're going to stay with me?" she walks away, running her fingers through her hair.  Jon leans on the kitchen counter, watching her, frustrated with her.

 

"I can't stay.  But if you do, so do they." and he points outside.  "You will have someone with you 24/7."

 

"No I won't." she blurts at him.

 

"Yes, you will."

 

"Jon, stop.  I don't need security."

 

"Ya know what Beth, I'm not even going to argue this one with you anymore.  Tony has sent me 6 of the best in the state and they will stay with you the entire time that you're here." he TELLS her.

 

She turns to look at him and says, with bitch in her voice, "I don't need fucking babysitters Jon.  You're being silly.  And anyway, who's going to watch over you 24/7 since this quote unquote threat is so serious?"  she gradually gets louder, "Who's going to fucking babysit you."

 

Walking to her, trying to get close to her he tells her, "There is no threat, and it's not me that I worry about."

 

She stands there and looks at him for a minute, confused.  "You're not making sense Jon.  If there is no threat, than why do I need security?"

 

Hooking her neck with his left hand, he pulls her close and rests his lips on her forehead.  "You just have to trust me on this one babe.  Please just trust me and let it go."

 

She looks up at him, "No.  Tell me what the hell is going on, right now."

 

Jon looks into her eyes and he is quickly reminded of all the ways that he loves her.  He thinks her spunk that she's expressing right now is cute, and it might even be sexy if he wasn't worried about her.  He hates doing what he's doing to her, but it's for the greater good.  The greater good of their family and the greater good of their life.  Beth breaks their gaze and puts her head on his chest.  She's looking straight down at the floor and demands again, "Tell me what's going on."

 

Jon reaches down and lifts her head, to look into her eyes again.  He's hoping that when he tells her what's going on that she can see in his eyes and understand his fears and appreciate all of the security he has in place.  He can't bring himself to tell her....

 

Beth pulls away, "You better tell me what the fuck is going on, Jon."

 

"Stop."

 

"Tell me what is going on." she's getting angrier with every word she says.  She sees that his expression doesn't change and neither does his tone.  She picks up her wine from the table, sipping it she waits.  He tries to get close to her again, he needs her to accept what he's doing and not question it.  He really needs her to do that.  But when he doesn't answer her multiple demands for answers, one last time she says, "Tell me what's happening!!"  Her wine glass shatters as it hits the wall behind the dining room table.  "NOW!"

 

He grabs her in a bear hug and can feel that she's upset.  Her heart is racing and she's a little balmy.  He kisses her head and has to tell her, "Dalton is out if jail."

 

The name made her get sick, and her knees buckle.