Chapter 88 - Steal A Piece Of Time

 

 

"Well, we could take her at anytime." is what Beth hears as the doctor rolls the wand over her belly, "But I think we should do it soon, before it's too late.  She looks good, she's strong, she measures right where she should be and I think you're ready." 

 

 

Beth looks up at Jon, they both have tears in their eyes, they are having a baby.  He looks down at her and smiles, tears rolling down his cheeks. "She's 35 weeks, she can come out and meet everyone that's been dying to meet her."

She looks back at the monitor, watching what she feels.  The baby is moving and wide awake.  She didn't like the pressure from the wand waking her from her slumber.  Beth takes Jon's hand and places it on her belly, and he loses it.  He bends over and tucks his face in the crook of her neck and says, "She made it."  He can't stop crying, "She made it."  Beth reaches up and cups his head in her hand, turning her head, she kissed the side of his head. 

"She did make it.  She's a fighter, she's a Bongiovi.  We need to pick a birthdate for her babe."  She whispers into his ear.  His legs can't hold his weight anymore, he needs to sit down.  Sitting there with his head on her arm, he can't seem to pull it together.  "Hey, look at me."  Beth says to him.  He hears her, but he can't move.  He's lost in the one thought, over and over Thank you God, Thank you God.  "Hey, we need to pick her birthdate."  She says again, running her fingers through his hair.  When he's able, he lifts his head and wipes his eyes, looking at her and seeing her smile all of the troubles and the stress of life are quickly fading.

 

"You're having our baby." he says with a smile that touches his eyes, a smile so big and heartfelt, "You're having our baby."  She reaches up and wipes a tear from his cheek and kisses it. 

 

"When are we going to have her?" she asks again, smiling at the whole broken man before her.  "When do we want to say our hello?"  He has no idea, he can't form a complete thought, he can't think a full sentence.  He never thought that they would make it to this place in their life.  He was convinced that they were going to have to bury her with her sisters and he was even more convinced that if that happened he would lose Beth too.  That was his biggest fear, the one thing that kept him awake at night.  If Beth were to reject this baby too, he knew that she would either kill herself or disappear, the pain being too much for her.  And he would be without the both of them.

 

"Let's tell the kids and then we can pick her birthday."  he finally manages to talk, "They have suffered and stressed with us, let's see what they say."

 

Beth is wiping the ultrasound jelly off of her belly, "I think that's a great idea."

 

The doctor jumps in and says, "Let's not wait too long.  Two weeks, tops!  Any longer than that and you'll be in another danger category all together."  He rubs Beth's leg, "Call my office when you have a date, I'll make sure I'm available." 

 

"Thank you Doctor."  Jon mumbles, taking Beth's hand and squeezing it.

 

"Yes, thanks Doc, we'll see you soon."  Beth says as she pulls her sundress down and her panties up in the front.  She sits up.  The doctor leaves and Beth hops off the examining table.  Jon stands up and steps into her, kissing her on the forehead.  she puts her arms around him and holds him, silently thanking God herself.  "Let's go give the kids the good news."

 

"Can we stop and tell the girls first?" he asks her and that question really threw Beth.

 

"Yeah, if you want to." she replies.

 

He takes her hand and together they float out of the obstetrician's office.  Both are on that cloud much higher than 9.  On the way to the cemetery Jon stopped at the florist and bought more flowers for the girls.  His anxiety is high and he has always felt calmer there, he needed to go there before he went home.  Beth held the flowers as he drove them down to the cemetery, "Are you okay babe?" she asks him, watching the way he moves and the expressions on his face.

 

"I'm better than okay."  he reaches over and squeezes her leg.  "There aren't words to describe how I feel right now."

 

"Why are we going to the cemetery?"

 

"I want to tell Rowan and Spencer before we tell anyone else."  he winks at her, and that makes Beth smile.

 

"I think that's a great idea." she grasps his hand and holds it.  She looks out the window and sees the world in a whole new light.  Everything was brighter and everything was alive, she couldn't be much happier than she is at this very moment.

 

"What are we going to name her?" he asks her, with a panic in his voice.  Almost like she couldn't be welcomed into the world without them having a name for her.  "She needs a name that means something."

 

"We'll think of one.  Are you sure you're okay?"

 

"I can't believe that we're here, in this spot in our life.  I was really skeptical about her joining our family."

 

"I know you were."

 

"I feel like I missed so much by keeping the idea of her coming home at a distance." he admits, "I feel like I've somehow let Rowan and Spencer down, especially now.  Their sister will get to come home, but they didn't."  He's starting to cry, but he shakes it off.  "I kept you at arms reach because I was scared and I pushed you away."

 

"Jon, you didn't push me anywhere." she squeezes his hand and turns slightly in her seat.  Her large belly limits what she can do, while being seat belted in.  "We both lost sight of what could happen, but look - we made it.  We get to bring our baby home in just a matter of days."

 

"I am so sorry that I was such an asshole."

 

"Okay, that's enough of that kind of talk.  It's all behind us now, lets focus on the life change that we are quickly approaching."

 

"Babe, she needs a name." he looks at her and Beth can see that this is a big thing for him, "What are we going to name her?"

 

"Doesn't matter, all she'll ever be called is Baby Girl Bongiovi." Beth chuckles at that.  That's all the baby has been called, they never let themselves have the baby name conversation.  "We'll come up with a great one though, we just need to see her beautiful face and then we'll know."

 

They arrive at the graveside and Jon gets out before Beth.  Hurrying to her side if the car, he help her and her large belly out of the car.  She hands him his flowers and tells him, "Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute."

 

"What?  Why?" he asks her.

 

"You need a minute with them, go ahead.  I'll be there in a minute."  He's reminded again of why he loves her so much.  She is always so thoughtful and usually a step ahead of him.  She knows that he needs to talk to them.  She can tell that he's conflicted about who gets to live and who doesn't.  She can gather that he feels that the twins are owed an explanation for why they are not here, buy Baby Girl gets to go home.

 

They spend their needed time at the cemetery and then head for home.  Everyone is there, waiting for them to get back.  Jon and Beth promised one another that they wouldn't call anyone, text anyone or communicate in any way about what they learned at the doctor.  The family needed to wait for them to get to the house to hear what the news was.

 

The family was in the driveway playing HORSE, waiting for them to get back.  It was a beautiful August afternoon in New Jersey, a perfect day for Matt and Tony to play with their niece and nephews while John and Carol watched.  Dani was right in the middle if the game, having a great time with the people that have accepted her as their own and let her into a circle that's hard to get in.

 

The Denali creeped down the driveway, giving everyone a chance to get out of the way.  Stephanie ran over and opened Beth's door, "Well, what did the doctor say."

 

Beth laughs and says, "Let me out and then we can tell everybody, okay."  Beth reaches over and unfastens her seat belt.  When she steps out, she is greeted by everyone and it looked like they all are holding their breath.  Jon comes around to the side if the Denali where they all stood and waited.

 

"Jon dear, what did he say?"  Mrs. Bongiovi asks her eldest son.

 

Jon looked at Beth, Beth looked at Jon.  Jon told everyone, "We get to pick her birthdate and she's coming home."

 

There was a sigh of relief from everyone, even Romeo. But all at once everyone had a question.  Jon puts his arm around Beth and gives her a nudge toward the door.  "Let's go in and we'll talk."  he tells them all as he goes in the house with Beth. 

 

Stephanie can't take it, "Dad, is she okay?" she barks at her dad.  That makes Jon stop and take notice.

 

"She is perfect." he tells his other daughter, taking her hand, "She's absolutely perfect."

 

The clan gathered in the kitchen, with Beth sitting at the island.  Dani is behind everyone and Beth sees her giving her a thumbs up.  Beth nods her head yes and then watches Dani smile.  This is a moment in all of their lives that was important, in many different ways.  Beth was going to be a mother for the first time, Jon is having another baby girl, Stephanie is getting a sister, the boys are getting a brother, Matt and Tony are getting another niece and the Bongiov's are getting another grand daughter.  Dani is watching her best friend get a dream come true.

 

Dani and Beth are very close, working together and living together proved to be a benefit to both of them for many reasons.  Dani was the buffer between Beth and Dot, she was a great babysitter when needed and she was a great friend to Beth.  Beth found herself opening up to Dani about things that she never told Jon; her dreams, her fears, her goals and her past.  Dani too, was shocked at how close they become.  Her best friend is going to marry Jon Bon Jovi and she could care less about that.  He's human, and he's flawed.  When she was asked to sign the famous confidentiality clause, she was reluctant but she understood. 

 

"Okay.  We have to pick a day in the next two weeks for baby to be born."  Beth starts to tell them.  "She is ready to come out, and the doctor said that she's prefect.  So, when do we want to be born?"

 

Everyone says, "Today."  But that isn't going to happen. 

 

"What does everyone's schedule look like?"  Matt asks everyone.

 

"Screw schedules, let's pick a day that we all can be there, let's do it this weekend." Tony chimes in, having a good point.  "We all will clear the schedule for her, we have been waiting for her."

 

Jon looks at everyone and can see that his dad has something to say.  "Pops, what's on your mind?"

 

Dad clears his throat and says, "This is a decision that you and Beth need to make.  Whatever day you pick, we all will be there."

 

"Dad, this day means as much to all of us as it does to Jon and me.  We want to know what all of you want.  We aren't the only ones that lost Rowan and Spencer and we aren't the only ones that have stressed about her.  This is a family decision."  Beth says to everyone, but it's directed at Mr. B.

 

"It doesn't matter to me, I don't have school yet." Jacob throws that in there, lightening the mood a tad.  "Just let me know when so I can wear my good clothes."  And he walks away, he doesn't really care when she comes out, just as long as she does. 

 

They all sat there and talked well into the early evening, no decision has been made.  When everyone has had enough of their own wishes and what they think is best for Jon and Beth; everyone goes home.  The kids run off and do what kids do, with the exception of Stephanie.  Dani hangs out for a while.  The four of them sit in the kitchen and continue with chit chat. 

 

"We need to name her."  Jon reminds Beth.

Stephanie starts throwing out names, but Beth wasn't in the mood to decide.  "Can you write them all down for me Rose?  I need a hot bath, it's been a long day."  Beth asks as she gets up and starts to head upstairs.  She stops and hugs Dani, hugs Stephanie and kisses her forehead, then she stops at Jon, "I'm soaking and then going to bed, is that okay?"

"Absolutely.  I'll come up and check on you in a little bit."  They kiss and Beth leaves the kitchen.  Jon sits back down with Stephanie and Dani, when Stephanie reaches over and takes her dads hand,  "How are you doing dad?  Are you excited?"

"I'm good Steph.  Yeah, I am excited, very excited.  I cried like a baby at the doctors today."

"You did?" she chuckles a little.

"I was pretty moved when he told us that she was ready to come out and that she was strong and right where she needs to be to thrive outside of Beth's womb."  He smiles at his daughter, "I'm the happiest and most excited for Beth though.  She's having her first baby, in a sense."

Dani works her way into the conversation, "How is she doing Jon?  She looks pretty brave and strong."

"I don't know where she gets it, or who she steals her strength from, she teared up but not like me.  My god, I couldn't stop.  When we seen her on the monitor and heard her strong heartbeat, I lost it." 

"That's okay Jon, men cry.  Men need to cry more."  Dani says with a little attitude, but she's right.

"What are we going to name her, dad?  She needs a really cool name, a name that means something to her."

"We'll find the best name for her, we have a few days."

"She needs a name as beautiful as she is going to be."  Dani adds into their conversation.

Jon smiles at her, "Oh it will be.  Just like Stephanie Rose."

"Stop dad."  Stephanie is bored with the adult conversation, she grabs a notebook from the drawer and goes to find her brother.  Jon and Dani are left there alone, to talk.  Jon has had the best day of his life today and he's very in tune with what he feels and he's well aware of who was there for them. 

"I was really worried about you in the beginning." he admits to Beth's friend, their friend.

"I know, Beth and I talked about it."

"You have to admit, your timing and the way you came into our life was odd, and we have to be skeptical of everyone."

"I know that too."

He continues, "I am glad that you came into our life.  You have been nothing but a blessing to us and I want to thank you myself."

She blushes, "there is no need to thank me, Jon.  I'm friends with Beth because I want to be.  I love her, she's a wonderful woman and having you guys in my life is a blessing."  she shifts in her chair, "I have worried that I have been a burden to you by living in your guesthouse and always being with the family."

"No burden at all.  A pleasure really." he gets up, "Do you want a glass of wine?"   He plans to pour one for himself.

"I'd love one, thank you."

They have a glass of wine and when he finishes his, he goes up to the master suite and checks on his baby's momma.  Beth is soaking in a hot bubble bath with candles and soft music playing.  He sees her and asks, "Is there room for me?"

She sits up in the tub and says, "Of course, we didn't buy this huge tub for one." 

Jon stands before her and takes his clothes off.  Stepping into the tub he says, "I had a glass of wine with Dani."

"Oh yeah, how was it?"

"Delicious."

He sits down in the water that is a tad to hot for him.  Beth laughs as he squirms while he gets used to it.  "I was thinking, I know how much she has impacted our lives and how much her story has impacted us.  I know what she means to you and what you mean to her - what if we named the baby McKenna?"

Beth looks at him and says nothing.  She's thinking.  "I like that.  McKenna Adams - Bongiovi.  Sounds Italian."  She thinks for a few more minutes and says, "I'll ask her about it tomorrow."