Chapter 9

They were just about to finish their daily discussion on the children. She wasn't sure if she should tell him....taking a deep breath she knew he had the right to know about his children.

"Can i speak honestly to you, Mr. Bon Jovi?" She waited for him to answer her, thinking to herself that she could very well lose her job over this.

"I told you to call me Jon, Alexis, and I Hope you are always honest when it concerns my kids." He was standing at the soundboard, a bluetooth in his ear, while Richie was going thought his solo for the show that night.

Alex could hear the sultry sounding guitar over the phone and not sure if he could hear her, she spoke a little louder.

"After you and Stephanie talked the other night, I went in to check on her and she was crying."

Taking the bluetooth out of her ear, Jon laughed a little. She really wants me to hear what she has to say he thought. Putting the hands-free device back in, he left the soundboard and went out into the arena so he could hear without her yelling.

Okay, Alex, this is better now. I can hear you and you won't have to yell. You say she was crying?" he leaned against a support and fished in his shirt pocket for a cigarette, thinking he should really cut down. He kept patting his pocket until he found his lighter.

Inside the Bon Jovi home, Alex walked to the window overlooking the back yard where the boys were throwing a football around. She smiled when she saw Stephanie sitting under a tree out near the river reading her book.

"Yeah, she thinks you hate her, that she really let you down." Closing her eyes she leaned onto the window remembering how the young girl had cried.

Jon sighed to himself, hating being her when he really should be home. What the hell was he going to do? Damn Dorothea for turning her back on the kids this way. Her problems were with him not them.

"Oh God..." his voice filled with anguish. Looking out at the grounds around the arena he laid his head on the glass pane. "How can she think I hate her?" His eyes close with the pain he felt.

Alex could hear the anguish in his voice. "I told her you didn't hate her, that you were scared." Alex turned from the window. "I think you should talk to her" she told Jon as she headed out of the house to the lawn where Steph was sitting.

Jon waited; she was right, he did need to clear this up. Alex walked up to where Stephanie was sitting and waited for her to look up.

"Steph, it's your dad." She handed her the phone then turned and went over to where the boys were playing. "Can i join in the game?" She asked the boys, giving Stephanie and Jon time to talk.

Stephanie took a deep breath. "Daddy, I'm not supposed to be on the phone," She said with a little laugh. Jon chuckled a little too, easing some of the strain.

"I want you to know that I was really scared the night I heard you went to the townhouse alone." he tried to keep his voice calm. "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you Steph." He slowly started to walk around the arena near the windows. he wanted her to understand that he would always love her.

"I am so sorry, daddy, but I missed mom so much and I wanted to know why she left us." Stephanie was trying not to cry. "Why didn't she wait until you got home?" Jon heard the harsh question and shook his head to himself.

"Honey if I knew that, I could try to understand myself." he went to light another cigarette but the pack was empty.Damn! I really need to quit these things! "Maybe one day we can ask her together."

He saw Richie walking toward him. "Honey, Uncle Mookie is waiting on me to head back to the hotel to rest before the show tonight." 

He motioned for Richie to give him five minutes and then he waited to see him acknowledge the request. Richie gave him the thumbs up and turned back into the main stage area.

"You know I love my baby girl and I will always worry about you while I am not at Home." He told her as he too started walking back into the stage area. It was quieter now and they could both hear with out raising their voices.

"Yeah Daddy, but you yelled at me! Hey wait a minute! I'm not a baby anymore, I'm going to be 16 soon!" She laughed hearing her father laugh.

"You got me there kiddo!" Jon laughed. "But you will always be my baby girl."

Stephanie looked over to where Alex and the boys were rolling around on the ground with the football. "Miss Alex said that too. her dad called her baby girl too."

Jon smiled at hearing that. He was really looking forward to meeting Alex, now more than ever. They hung up after telling each other they said I love you.

Stephanie went over to where Alex was rolling on the ground Trying to wrestle the football from Jessie. Alex noticing that Stephanie was smiling instead of crying she knew she had done the right thing. Letting Jessie have to football she got up, bushing the grass off her jeans she smiled at Stephanie.

"He called me baby girl, just like your dad called you." 

Stephanie grabbed her hands and they swung around in circles giggling. Pulling Stephanie in a tight hug, she felt that things would be better between. they shared being baby girls, even if they were the only girls in their families.