Chapter 22

Three Months Later


Jon couldn’t help but smile when he thought of how well things were going between him and Sophia. They were almost inseparable these days and she stayed over at his place most nights. They had also been lucky with the media as no-one had noticed they were dating yet which was really a bonus in Jon’s eyes. He liked having privacy when the band wasn’t touring or felt the need for publicity. He also had the advantage of Richie being the more popular media man at the moment after his spell in rehab the press went mad jumping to all sorts of conclusions. Some of the stories Jon and Richie read together and were in hysterics for a long time afterwards wondering where these people had got their stories from and what planet their sources lived on. He was however, grateful that he wasn’t in his best friends shoes, he had been going through a rough time while Jon seemed to be having the time of his life. He still didn’t have the guts to bring Richie over to meet her again since they had been dating as she seemed to go cold whenever he spoke about him to her, he assumed it was her loyalty to her sister that was the reason behind it. He really wanted her to get to know him and hopefully get along with him like they once had as Richie was his best friend and there was no way he was ever giving that up. Jon came up with an idea that would allow them to meet in a situation where they wouldn’t get under each others skin so he could slowly get them to talk to each other. He was planning to visit his mother and father back in New Jersey and attend the famous Bon Jovi BBQ with his family and friends. He wanted Sophia to go with him and introduce her to them all.


Sophia stood at the airport door. The nerves had finally kicked in. She was a short drive away from meeting all of Jon’s family and had no idea how she was going to cope with it. As much as she loved Jon, this experience was one she could do without. She had no idea what she would say to people. How would they react to her? What were they expecting? “What’s up with you?” Jon asked her after realising he was walking by himself. “I’m stuck,” she told him, the only words that presented themselves. Jon realised she was nervous and went back to take her hand and reassure her that his family weren’t going to eat her. They walked hand in hand to the taxi and eventually she managed to fight back some of the nerves. When they reached the house there was no sign of anyone around until they went out the back garden to see lots of people standing around enjoying themselves. Jon’s mother wrapped her arms around him within seconds of him arriving. “Welcome home son! I’ve missed you!” She then introduced herself to Sophia and pulled her in for a hug, followed by Jon’s dad. One by one she was introduced to everyone who was there. The experience was much less terrifying than she was expecting, she actually found she was enjoying herself with them and they were all really easy to get along with.


Jon couldn’t stop smiling all day, he loved watching Sophia and the way she was getting on with his family. He hadn’t been successful in getting her and Richie to speak but at least they had been civil which was suitable for now. He got a fright when his mother tapped him on the shoulder bringing him away from his thoughts.
“It’s great to see you son,” she said patting him on the shoulder. “It’s not often you visit anymore, we usually only have David, Tico and Richie at these BBQ’s now, it’s good to see the four of you together again.” Jon didn’t know what to say to her, he had been avoiding coming home for a long time. The last time he saw his parents they had argued over how much fame had changed him and he could see now that they were right. He apologised to his mother and gave her a big hug while his mother told him not to be silly. He really missed this place and the people here. “Can I just ask what changed your mind about coming here today?” she asked him, already knowing the answer. Jon blushed a little and looked uncomfortable with the conversation. “It’s okay, I know it’s her. She’s a good one Jon, I hope you hang on to her. Any woman who brings me back my son is welcome in this family.” Jon smiled at his mother, “I’m glad you like her.”


Sophia seemed to be the main attraction of the night with Jon’s family. It was late by the time she got a quiet minute to herself. Pouring herself a drink she sat on a bench in the garden enjoying the night breeze. She wasn’t alone for long before Dave sat down beside her. “Hey, my turn now I guess. Been waiting for you all night but the queue just kept getting longer,” Dave introduced himself. They talked for a long time and joked together, they had a similar sense of humour. “Well, I must say I’m impressed. I was expecting another bimbo up and coming actress/model/designer, you know his usual choice, I’m glad your not.” Sophia laughed, she liked Dave instantly, his sense of humour and honesty appealed to her. They continued to talk together. “You’ve got a good guy in Jon, you know. He’s landed on his feet with you too, I’m actually jealous of him! You’ve brought back the real Jon, we ain’t seen him like that in years, it’s brilliant! You must be out of this world in bed to make him that happy,” Dave joked and they laughed together while Sophia blushed. Turning more serious Dave said, “He really is a good guy. 100% loyal. He stopped his best mate, Richie over there, from marrying a gold digger. Yeah, he was all set to propose and Jon overheard her bitching away on the phone. Poor guy, he really thought he’d hit the jackpot.”