Chapter 54 - Burger and Fish?

 

 

 

They sat at a table tucked in the corner, neither wanting to be recognized.  They loved to eat at the hotel, but they were often recognized and those interruptions make it hard to enjoy a meal. 

 

The waitress had taken their order and they are talking, having a glass of wine.  There is a candle lit on the table between them and Jon loves looking at her with the candle light kissing her face.  "Are you sure you don't want to go to Florida with me?  Thaw out a little, maybe?"

 

Sipping her wine, she shakes her head no and says, "I think I'm going to head out to the vineyard for a couple of days."

 

"Really?" he was surprised.  "For any particular reason?"

 

"No, I was thinking the same way you were, but I thought I'd thaw out and do something useful.  It's been a while since we've been out there, thought I would go check it out."

 

"Okay, when do you plan on leaving?" he's hoping that he leaves first.  He doesn't want to be home without her.  "I'll let Chris know."

 

Beth winks at him and says, "I'll leave when you do.  I'll book a flight when we get home."

 

"No."

 

"Yes, I can fly commercially Jon.  I'm not afraid." she laughs at that.  "I'm a big girl, babe.  I can get on a plane with strangers."

 

"I know you can, but you're not going to." He leans forward and puts his elbows on the table, with his head in his hands he continues, "I'll have Chris take you and stay and I'll charter a helicopter."

 

Beth shakes her head no, with a smile on her face, "No, Jon.  You don't know what Chris has planned and this is too short of notice."

 

"Let me worry about that."

 

"No, I'll fly out there by myself.  Chris doesn't need to go."  Beth tells him in a tone that leaves Jon to know that she isn't going to argue about it.

 

"Fine, have it your way."  He reaches over and takes her hand.  "Are you sure you don't want to wait and I'll go with you?"

 

"No.  I'll only be gone as long as you're gone.  I'll be fine."

 

The waitress interrupts them by bringing them their food.  She disappeared after placing their food, leaving them alone to enjoy their meal.  Jon looks over his catch of the day and is impressed by it's smell.  Beth looks at her greasy cheeseburger and smiles at him.  "You're going to regret eating that." Jon jokes with her.

 

"No way.  This is going to melt in my mouth.  I've wanted a burger for weeks."  She picks up half of her burger and takes a big bite.  Her smile is so big that it wrinkles the corner of her eyes.  Jon knows that when she smiles that big, she's really happy.

 

"Good?"

 

"The best."  Beth dabs her mouth with her napkin and asks him, "How's the fish?"

 

"Perfect.  I'm very impressed." he takes another bite.  "Are you still sending flowers?"

 

"I planned on it." she answers, with the best of intentions, she wanted Dorothea to know that she was sincere with the condolences.  "Are you parents going?"

 

Jon nods, "I'm sure they'll be there."

 

"That's nice."  Beth is glad that Jon and Carol would go and show Dorothea their support, Beth didn't want to come in between Dot and Jon's parents, ever and she was hoping that they would go in support of their soon to be daughter in law. 

 

"We need to sit down and go over the upcoming schedule some time next week." he states, taking a big drink of his wine.  "I need to do some shows and I need to know what you have planned."

 

"Honey, I have nothing planned.  I take it each day at a time.  You do what you need to and I'll fill in the blanks."

 

"When do you plan on going back to work?" he asked a question that he really didn't want her to answer. 

 

"Well, now that I'm released from the Dr., I'd like it to be as soon as possible.  I miss it."

 

"What do you miss?" he wonders, unaware that she was missing it.

 

"I had so much fun with Amanda today, it was nice to be out of the house and away from all the craziness at home."

 

"I can understand that."

 

"The only thing that would have made today even more perfect was seeing her kids.  They are in California with Mike, she said they would be back next week."

 

Jon is watching her talk and he can see that she is feeling what she is saying.  She does need that time away and he's sorry that he hadn't pushed her to do it before.  He gets out and gets to interact with many different people and she is home, with the kids taking care of the house.  That's what the 'wife' does, in an Italian family.  "Okay, so when are you going back to high finance?"

 

She sets her burger down and takes a drink of her wine, her glass is now empty.  "I was thinking that I wanted to open my own firm.  Work for myself, maybe head hunt a few of the top kids in the field.  What do you think?"

 

Jon sits there and ponders what she just said.  He loved the idea of her going into business for herself and making it her own, but he's concerned.  "With the vineyard, the girls foundation, your house in LA and the house upstate - can you fit more on your plate?"  He asks, and Beth suddenly felt all alone.  These were all her things?

 

"I guess I need a bigger plate."

 

"What about the apartments in the city?"

 

"Why are you asking me about them?  Why are you making everything sound like it's my project to deal with?"

 

He leans back in his chair and wipes his mouth.  Seeing the waitress out of the corner of his eye, he waves her over.  "What can I get for you?  More wine?"

 

"Yes please."  She leaves to go get them more wine.

 

"Babe, I'm working on a new album and need to plan that tour.  I don't have time for the vineyard, your LA house, the house upstate and our apartments in the city,"

 

"But you have time for the foundation?"

 

"I will do whatever you need me to do for that.  100%.  That's for our girls."

 

Beth looks at him across the table and is starting to feel a little more alone.  She can't figure out why all of their assets were on the back burner for him.  "We need to unload some of these properties that we have.  Specially my LA place.  Tony said there were a few offers, but I haven't looked at them yet."

 

"We can call Tony tomorrow and get that ball rolling."

 

"What about both places in the city?" she asks, not sure even which one that she wants to keep.  His or hers. 

 

"We need to keep one, you decide what one." he flatly says.

 

Beth was angered by that a little.  "WE need to decide what one.  WE, Jon.  Not just me."

 

"Which one makes the most financial sense to keep?'  We need to keep the better of two."

 

She's irritated, in her mind it's NOT always about money.  She takes a deep breath, "I'll have them both appraised next week.  The house upstate, we are keeping.  No ifs and or but's.  That was a gift to us from your mother."

 

He laughs at her, "Do you see what you just did?"

 

"Yeah, made all the decisions on my own.  The vineyard we are keeping.  I think that that will start pulling a profit very soon."

 

As the waitress pours more wine, Jon says, "And the foundation, we will start pushing that hard, if that's what you want."

 

The waitress takes a step back and asks them, "Can I get you anything else?"

 

Jon looks at her and smiles, "No thank you - we're all set for now."

 

Beth smiles at her too, not wanting the poor girl to feel like she had interrupted something.  She excuses herself and walks away.

 

"I want you to handle all of these things with me, but if you can't, you can't.  I'll call upon Tony, he seems to enjoy the projects that I give him."

 

"Beth, I'll do what ever you want me to." he pleads, but he's getting upset too.  Is this another case of separation anxiety?  They always seem to have issues just before they are about to be apart.

 

"Just go pay your respects in Florida and come back and plan your tour."  she says, deflated and a little bummed.  She wanted to do the big things with him and she wanted his 100% support on opening her own investment firm. 

 

"Babe...."

 

She winks, "Don't worry about it.  I'll take care of everything."

 

"Do you want me to do a fundraiser for the foundation?" he asks, willing to do anything that will make her happy and prove that he's on her side. 

 

"Maybe." she doesn't know, right now. 

 

"Want desert?"

 

She shrugs her shoulders, "I'll split something with you."

 

"Chocolate cake?"

 

She smiles and nods.  He knows that chocolate is her weakness and usually improves her mood. 

 

 

They had a great dinner, with stressful conversation but none the less, they enjoyed the entire night.  He keeps reminding himself that he almost lost her a couple of weeks ago, again and it's now his mission to make her as happy as he can.  Just for the simple fact that he loves her.  He truly loves her.

 

Back home, they decided that they would watch a movie in bed and just relax.  The next couple of days were going to go by quick and with the kids in Florida, they could do whatever they wanted. 

 

Beth was sounds asleep on his chest, not even 10 minutes in the movies.  His hairy chest was like her security blanket and she needed it every night to fall asleep.  He laid there and waited for her to fall into her heavy breathing deep sleep before he slid out from underneath her. 

 

She stirs, "Where are you going?" she rubs her eye and gets situated on her pillows.

 

"To the bathroom.  Do you want anything while I'm up?"  he pauses at the side of the bed and gives her a moment to think about it.

 

"No, I'm good babe, thanks though."

 

"I'll be right back." he walks into the bathroom and empties his bladder.  After washing his hands, he climbs back into bed and sees that Beth is awake.  "Hey, go back to sleep." He leans over and kisses her.  They are face to face, looking into one another's eyes.

 

"Make love to me." she whispers.