Surprise Houseguest

A week later, Jennifer left work early to go to her orthopedist’s office. He examined the flexibility of her leg shortly before five, and was encouraged by the near 90 degrees of motion. He told her she needed a couple more weeks with the brace, but now she should try to walk normally, bending her leg, and she should start doing light stretches to try to loosen up the stiffened muscles. After two weeks, she’d go back to the doctor and they’d re-assess, and most likely start a course of physical therapy.

What made her happiest was that she didn’t have to wear the brace 24x7. She was able to leave it off when she was home, as long as she wasn’t really moving around too much. And she didn’t need to wear it in bed. “Thank god,” she said to her doctor, who laughed.

“Just take it easy,” the doc said. “The muscles around your knee are very weak, and if you over-do, they could become damaged again.

She got stuck in traffic on the way home, but didn’t care. She felt as if she’d been given a reprieve. When she hit her driveway around 6:30, she took mental inventory of what was in the fridge for dinner. After parking out front, and exhaling sharply, Jennifer climbed from her car and took tentative, almost normal steps to her front door. She brought her gear into the living room, and sat on the couch. She unwrapped her leg and did some gentle stretches. Things felt good. She smiled a purely happy smile and leaned back on the couch.

She rewrapped her knee and slowly made her way upstairs to change. She took a quick shower and pulled one of Richie’s “Care for Kelly” t-shirts on over her panties. It came to mid-thigh and still smelled of him. Smiling, she carefully made her way downstairs again. She was poking around the kitchen, still trying to figure out what she wanted to have for dinner when the buzzer by the door rang. Someone was at her gate. Jennifer was puzzled because her friends all had the gate code, or would call first so she would have the gate open for them.

“Yes?” she said into the intercom.

“Jen? Hey, uh, it’s Jon.”

Jennifer was concerned. What the hell was her brother doing here? He should be at work. “John, sweetie, what’s wrong? Is everything okay with Sue? Why didn’t you use the code? Gawd, come on up.” She hit the release on the gate, and went out onto the porch to wait, wringing her hands anxiously. She saw a taxi wind up the driveway.

“What the hell?” she asked, and hobbled down the stairs. She was waiting on the edge of the driveway when the car stopped. She pulled open the back door. “John! Where’s your truck? What happ – oh, SNAP!” She took a staggered step backwards when she saw Jon Bon Jovi get out of the car, not John Petruzzo, who she expected. “What are you doing here? What’s happened?”

Jon smiled wanly, and reached an arm out to steady her. “You haven’t talked to Rich today, I take it?” Jon paid the cab driver, took his bag out of the back and watched as the car wound down the drive.

“No, I haven’t talked to him yet,” Jennifer said. “What’s happened?”

“Nothing major,” Jon said, “just that Cheryl, my assistant, fucked up something with my reservation and I didn’t have anywhere close by to stay. Rich said you wouldn’t mind.”

Jon was scheduled to appear on CNBC’s Squawk Box the next morning at 6am at Gillette Stadium, which was about 20 minutes away from Jennifer’s house.

“Of course I don’t mind, but shit, I would have put pants on if I knew you were coming,” she said, blushing.

Jon leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thanks, and I won’t tell Rich you greeted me wearing nothing but a t-shirt.”

Jennifer laughed. “Have you eaten? I was just about to make dinner. Grab your gear.” She turned and started for the stairs.

“You’re moving around pretty well,” Jon commented, hastening to catch up with her when she ascended the stairs. Just in case he saw something he shouldn’t.

“Yeah, I got the go-ahead to walk today. HALLELUJAH!” she shouted, raising her arms to the heavens.

Jon clapped a hand over his eyes. “Jesus, Jennifer, don’t do that without pants on!”

“Fuck, I’m sorry. I’m used to girl houseguests,” she said, “or Rich, who doesn’t care if I’m wearing pants or not.”

“Yeah well,” Jon said wryly. “One thing I am not is Rich.” He came up beside her and growled in her ear, “or a girl.”

Jennifer led him into the house and ducked into the mudroom to pull a pair of shorts from the dryer. “Go on through,” she said, and then when she was sure that Jon was in the kitchen, stepped into the soft jersey shorts.

“So, you buying into my team or not?” Jennifer asked, as she pulled a bottle of white wine from the chiller next to the fridge. She handed it to Jon along with a corkscrew, and pointed at the cabinet where the wine glasses were.

Jon chuckled and said, “You’ll have to tune in tomorrow to find out, doll.” He grinned at her and retrieved two glasses. After expertly uncorking the wine, he poured two glasses. “To surprises,” Jon said, clinking his glass to hers.

“To surprises,” Jennifer echoed, and sipped her wine. “So, I was deciding between chicken picatta and pork stir-fry. What are you in the mood for?”

“Whatever is fine, really,” Jon said. “In fact, I can take you out if you want. It’s the least I can do.”

“No offense, Jon, but I don’t even want to THINK about what the press would say if they photographed us together then learned you were staying here.” She raised her glass in a mock salute. “Besides, I don’t want to get all dressed again. I’m not going back upstairs until it’s time for bed.”

“Then let me know what I can do,” Jon said. “For the stir-fry.”

Jennifer pointed out where the wok and oil were, and he got the meat cooking while she expertly diced the vegetables, and set rice on to boil. She turned on the warming oven and took a foil-wrapped package out of the fridge and slid it in. At Jon’s raised eyebrow, she said, “leftover apple pie. Gotta have it warm.”

They had a nice dinner and light conversation, getting more acquainted with each other. “Hey,” Jennifer said while they were enjoying pie and coffee, “did you call T and let her know that you weren’t at whatever hotel you were supposed to stay at?”

Jon nodded. “I tried, but she wasn’t picking up, and her voicemail was full.” He laughed. “I’ll bet she’s doing it on purpose, afraid I’m gonna have my mother call her.” He wanted T to get to know his family, but she was balking. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he told Jen about it.

“Oh Jon, she’ll be alright,” Jennifer said. “She’s just nervous. Hell, when Rich showed up with Joan in tow, I thought I was gonna die.” Jennifer stood and started to clear the dishes. Jon helped her rinse and stack them in the dishwasher.

“You did fine,” Jon said. “Joan loves you, and so does Ava.”

“I know,” Jennifer said, “and I love them right back.” She put a gentle hand on Jon’s arm. “Your parents and kids will love T. And she’ll love them. You’ll see.”

“I hope so,” Jon said. “Listen, thanks again for letting me crash, but don’t let me keep you from whatever you were gonna do.” He was looking through the doorway into the hallway, trying to see what was back there.

Jennifer smiled. “I wasn’t gonna do anything but hang out. You want the fifty-cent tour?”

“Absolutely,” Jon said, “as long as you’re up to it.”

“It’s fine,” Jennifer answered. She led Jon through the downstairs, and he laughed at the image of her sitting in the fireplace to stay warm. He loved the game room and the media room, and she told him about the tunnels under the basement that were part of the Underground Railroad. He said he hoped he could come back sometime when he had more time to explore the basement and attics.

She led him upstairs and showed him Ava’s room, then the rest of the bedrooms. “So, which one is mine?”

Jennifer laughed. “Well I don’t think Laura Ashley is your style, so not Ava’s room. I guess you can stay where Joan or Gail sleeps.” She paused dramatically. “Or where Stephanie sleeps.”

Jon sidled closer to her. “And what about sleeping where Rich sleeps?” He wagged his eyebrows at her.

Jennifer put a hand on his chest. “Baby, that’s the same place where Stephanie sleeps.”

Jon gawped and took a step back. “I’ll take Gail’s room.”

Jennifer chuckled and showed him the way, letting him get settled. “Make yourself at home in my house,” she told him from the doorway. “There’s towels and shit in the bathroom through there,” she pointed. “What time do you need to get up?”

“How far away is Gillette?”

“Like 20 minutes. I guess you have to be there like at what, 5:30?” Jon nodded. “Then leaving here by 5 should do. That’s when I usually leave; do you want a ride?”

“I can take a cab,” Jon said. “I’ve got to head to the airport after the interview to head out to Florida to pick up my parents.”

“Are you sure?” Jennifer said. “It really is no trouble.” She chuckled. “I can arrange for a car for you for afterwards; I have them on speed dial, and they like me.”

Jon considered the offer. “If you’re sure it won’t be too much trouble, that all sounds great.”

“No trouble,” she said, and made the call. “Alright,” she said. “You’re all set. They’ll be at Gillette a little before six.”

Jon crossed the room. “Thanks again,” he said, and bussed her cheek.

“Alright, I’m gonna go get settled in my room. It’s the one at the end of the hall near the stairs. No midnight wandering if you please,” she said, winking at him.

Jon sighed dramatically. “You spoil all my fun.” He stuck his tongue out at her.

Jennifer burst out laughing. “Good night, Jon.”

“’Night, Jennifer.”

She went to her room and got ready for bed, then logged onto the board. She laughed out loud. Jon beat her there.