FLA 25

Chapter 77

"I love you too." Dot smiled softly and went back into the studio. She opened the door and sat on the couch behind Steph, much like she's done 100 times with Jon.

Jon snapped his phone shut and breathed a sigh of relief. "She was in the studio."

"OH thank goodness." Laura breathed a sigh of relief and called Tim.

"Thank god." Chris was so relieved to hear that she was okay he almost forgot about their fight.

"Do you mind if I talk to Chris for a minutes?"

"Oh no thats fine." Laura walked out of the room.

"So she told you about the ring?" Jon questioned.

"Yes sir she did." Chris started, knowing this conversation wasnt' going to be good.

"I'm guessing because of my daughters actions that you didn't agree."

"There is no way I'm coming out of this conversation good in your eyes is there so just lay it on the line." Chris gave up, he can't fight her father on what he feels is best for his daughter. There's no way he'd win.

"What did you see so wrong with that?" Jon asked. "I want my daughter to wait until she's at least 16 before she is with someone actually I wanted 17 but she wasn't having that."

"I don't see how that decision is yours and Mrs. Bongiovi's. I think if we choose to give that part of ourselves to each other it shoud be between us. I'm a virgin too it'd be a mutual giant step and it should be ours."

"I understand that but I don't want her jumping into something she's not ready for."

"I mean no disrespect sir and I know its going to come off that way but how do you know what she's ready for you're hardly home."

"Because I know my daughter and I know what's best for her. I know she will be with somebody one day but I just want her to wait just a few more months."

"How many times did you say I in that sentence. Shouldn't this be about Stepanie?" Chris challenged, he didn't care right now Stephanie hated him so if her dad did oh well.

"You've got balls kid I'll give you that." He held back a smile while talking. "And this is about Stephanie and the respect that she deserves, if you can't give her that she can find somebody that will."

"I do respect her more than anything in the world. I just hate when our relationship is dicated by promises she makes to you cos she'll do anything on this planet to be daddy's little girl. She yearns for your affection and time and love so much its ridiculous. You're always going to be the man in her life and the rest of us can go to hell." Chris got pissed and picked up a football laying on the ground and threw it, he hit a treat on the far side of his yard.

"Damn kid you have an arm." Jon said kind of impressed but that wasn't the point right now. "As far as her having another man in her life it's going to happen whether I like it or not. And just so you know this was something both her mom and I came up with."

"Fine whatever, what does it matter anyway it sounds like we're through she hates me for wanting to make decisions like this with her not have them made for me."

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you she's probably just hurt that you disrespected her."

"I didn't disrespect her I argued with her and she ran away. Maybe she's not ready to be in love yet." Chris looked away.

"That was your first mistake." Jon laughed. "Never argue with a woman."

"Now you tell me." Chris laughed too.

"Believe me I'm the master at pissing off women. I can do it without trying." he joked.

"Something I have to look forward to then?"

"If you date a Bongiovi girl then yeah you better get used to it."

"Remind me to shoot myself." Chris says sitting down on a bench outside.

"It's really not that bad you know Stephs a great girl." he told him sitting down on the opposite end. "Do you think she's worth waiting on?

"Well yeah but I hate the idea we can't choose for ourselves."

"This was Stephs choice, believe me that girl isn't going to agree on something she doesn't want to."

"Be honest Jon you brought up the ring to her right - she didn't ask for one?"

"Yes I did after a long discussion with her mom. Why don't we go into your house and talk to your mom to see what she has to say about you guys having sex?" Jon challenged to see what he would do.

"Sure lets go." Chris stood up he wasn't about to be bullied by Jon Bon Jovi no matter if he was Steph's dad or just because he was famous.

"Let's go." Jon stood letting him lead the way.

Chris walked into the house, "mom." He called for her.

Laura walked out of the living room, "Jon you're still here. What's up Chris?"

"Jon wants to know what you and dad think about me having sex." He told her. Not backing down at all from Jon's challenge.

Laura swallowed hard and looked down like how did I manage to get into this conversation. "Well like we told you Chris, sex is a big decision, when and who to have it with though is completely up to you. We'd like you to wait til you're 100 but we know thats' not about to happen."

Chris then looked at Jon. "Any questions?"

"So if he would be with my daughter in the next month or two that would be okay with you?" he asked just to make sure he heard correctly.

"Would I like it - no, can I do anything about it? Not really other than teach him about safe sex and what sex means outside of the physicality of it." She answered Jon, a little upset that she couldn't be on his side the way he wanted her too.

"Apparently that's what their disagreement was about." Jon went on to explain to her about the ring and the promise their daughter had made. "Do you think that's to unreasonable?"

"I think thats between you and your daughter." Laura told him. "We've raised Chris to know his own feelings, we've raised him to never take a moment of life for granted and to not let anyone make decisions for him to always know his own mind. We've also raised him to respect others and their beliefs. I'm sure thats what the problem was he was trying to corralate everything in his mind."

"It's like I explained to your son, my daughter does have a mind of her own and if a part of her didn't want to accept that deal we had then she wouldn't have. It was her decision."

"Jon its something between your wife, yourself and your daughter theres no need to explain it to me."

"I know but I just want Chris to understand that. My daughter really cares about your son and I think that feeling is mutual." he told he mother but looked at Chris.

"Yes I care about her don't be stupid I love her. But I've lost her. She hates me now."

"No you haven't, just let her cool down and she'll come around."

"I don't think so I know that face she gave me." Chris told Jon leaning against the wall in the house.

"Chris when you're in a relationship its not aways easy but if you really love each other you'll work it out."

"Your mom is exactly right." he smiled. "I'll talk to Steph if you want."

"To tell her to kick my ass?" Chris laughed.

"Something tells me I won't have to tell her that will I?" he joked.

"No I have a feeling she won't be wearing my lettermans jacket anytime soon."

"Yeah she will." Jon reached over and placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Just let that Bongiovi temper cool down and she'll be alright."

"Ok I'm gonna believe you for now." Chris told him.

"You will be getting a call in a day or two." After saying that, Jon glanced down at his watch. "I guess I better get going."

"Night Jon." Chris and his mother say together.

He said goodbye to both of them as he walked out the door to get into the car. Once he was in he just sat there for a few minutes trying to figure out what to say to his daughter once he did get back home. "It's gonna be a long night." he sighed starting up the car and driving back to the house.


Chapter 78

A few minutes later he drove into the driveway and noticed the light was still on the studio. He parked the car then walked over toward the light and opened the door up and saw his wife and daughter on the couch that was behind the soundboard. "Young lady we need to talk about your disappearing act tonight." Jon told her as he walked into the room.

She turned to look at him with tears in her eyes. "Sure dad I'm in trouble for coming home now I've heard it all."

"No you're in trouble for not letting us know you were back. Do you know know how scared I was when I went to Chris' house and his mom said you weren't there?"

"Oops." She said not caring a bit that he ws even talking to her.

"Drop the attitude Steph."

She stood up and looked at him, "You've ruined my life are you happy, I don't want your damn ring and I'm not making any promise to you except that when I turn 18 I'm gone and you'll never see me again." She stormed past him.

"Stephanie Rose Bongiovi get you ass back here now!" He told her using a dad voice that even surprised him.

She turned around and glared at him. "What?"

"First of all how have I ruined your life?"

"This whole ring bullshit, getting me to promise to something that my boyfriend and I should decide on not you. Now he hates me and its all your fault."

"Let me guess he put in your head that it should be your decision? You know as well as I do if you didn't want to wait until you were 16 you would have never accepted that in the first place."

"Why did you even bring it up - why didn't you just trust me. Mom's parents trusted her, your parents put it in your hands but no you had to control everything, your typical way."

"Your right, my parents never talked to me about a damn thing so I had to go find it out on my own. At least you have two parents that care about you enough to get involved with your life." He told her equally upset as he walked up to the soundboard fooling with the buttons.

"This week." She said under her breath before walking out the door and outside.

Jon cleared the cd's off the table sitting beside the sound board slinging some of them across the room as he did. "Fuck!"

"Are you done?" Dot asked him.

"Not with Steph." he told her with tears in his eyes.

"You realize that 70% of what she said is just hormones right?"

"Still doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when she says it." he told her as he walked by. "I love her Dot but she is slowly killin' me."

"Jon that's the beauty of dealing with the after affects of some decisions. If you missed it she's kind of angry that you haven't always been home. She understands but she still feels like she got the shaft."

"Yeah I got that." he sighed. "I'll TRY to talk to her." He said as he walked outside and saw his daughter sitting near the side of the building. "You mind if I sit out here?"

"Go ahead" She said with tears rolling down her face.

"Honey I'm sorry about everything."

"Yeah." She says unemotionally.

"Do you wanna talk about what happened?" he asked sitting down beside her.

"What that your little ring ruined my relationship with Chris. Now he thinks I'm letting other people run my life."

"I don't understand how that's running your life. You didn't have to agree to it."

"But I did because it meant so much to you and you looked so happy when I said yes. Now everything fucked."

"First of all watch the language." he told her. "It did meant alot to me and your mom for you to accept that. We aren't trying to run your life honey we just don't want you making mistakes like we did."

"But they are my mistakes to make and how do you know it'd be a mistake, how do you know I'm not already ready."

"Are you ready to get completely naked in front of each other?"

"No but when I am that's my decision."

"Then you aren't ready. Until you can look at him without giggling you won't be ready." he laughed.

She ran her hands through her hair. "Dammit dad, you aren't listening to me just go away like you always do." She told him not wanting to get into this with him.

"What the hell did I do?"

"Your just being you forget it I'll figure it out myself."

"Steph we were doing good earlier today what happened?"

"What happened was I fucked up. I agreed to something just to get your approval like I've always done instead of believing in myself like I should always do."

"Again with the language." He reminded. "You don't have to do anything to get my approval you know that. I love you know matter what you do."

"Bullshit, if you loved me I would have seen you more than 48 days last year." She at this point was completely in tears and didn't care.

"Honey I have a job you know that."

"Yeah."

"If I didn't leave you wouldn't have all of this." he pointed to the house and the cars. "Not to mention a house at the Hampton's."

"I don't care about all this. All I want is a real family. A day that I can go to Disneyland with my family and not get stalked, a day I can go out on a date with my boyfriend and not look over my shoulder for reporters scared that I might say the wrong thing and it looking bad on you. Don't you get it? All the nice houses and money doesn't mean anything to me."

"You know all I ever wanted was to have my family have an easy life which is what I thought I was doing but I guess I was wrong." He sat there thinking about what she had just said and it was then he realized how much pressure was on his daughter to be perfect because she had that image to uphold.

Stephanie looked at her dad. "Daddy I'm so confused."

"Why?"

"Because if all he wants is sex I don't want him."

"Is that what he told you?"

"NO he was just upset when I told him I agreed to the promise."

"Ok now I'm confused. Are you saying you still agree to that?"

"I gave you my word already."

"Yeah but back in the studio you said you didn't want it anymore."

"In case you missed the memo I'm a hot head kind of like my dad. But I guess I don't have to live up to it until you formally ask me right?"

"You always find a catch don't you." he smiled.

"Hello fruitcake I'm your kid."

"You know sometimes I think you listen a little to much."

"What was that?" She smiled.

"Nothing baby girl." he laughed softly.

"Dad you told me not to give up in a relationship."

"Again you actually listened." he smiled putting his arm around her shoulder. "Now that we are actually talking calmly can I tell you something without you getting upset?"

"What'd you do?"

He laughed. "You are so much like your mom it's not funny."

"I know and she told me you like to ignore questions. What did you do?"

"I need to talk to your mom about telling you guys things." he joked. This next confession was either going to have her hate him or love him but he couldn't hide it from her. "I talked to Chris tonight."

"OH Shit DAD!"

"It wasn't a bad talk. I didn't kill him or anything."

"Dad what did you do?"

"I just wanted to know what happened to make my daughter run off without telling anyone which is not like you by the way. He told me that he pretty much said that you should be able to make your own choices."

"What else did you do?" She didn't trust her dad at this point, he had a tendency to try to hard sometimes to make things go his way.

"For some reason he thinks that there will be no other man in your life other than me. Would you like to explain that one to me?"

"I already told you, I try to please you. Doing things and agreeing to things just to make you happy."

"I don't want you doing that though. If you do something I want to know that you're okay with not if it makes me happy or not."

"What?"

"What do you mean what? That was pretty self explanatory."

"Not really, why would you offer me this ring thing if it wasn't to make you happy?"

"I did it because I love ya....and to make sure you don't rush into anything."

"If you don't want anything to do with that ring tell me now Steph."

"Rushing based on what you think." She told him.

"Rushing based on what your body is telling you versus what your brain says. I was a teenager once you know."

"Yeah and you made a dumb choice it doesn't mean I will but the way the ring works I look like a complete failure if I don't play by your rules dad."

"That's where your wrong honey. You are never gonna be a failure in my eyes."

"Thats not how I see it."

"The ball is in your court Steph the decision is up to you."

"You're not listening again I'm going to my room."

"Yes I am."

"No. Goodnight dad." Steph got up and started to walk way."

"Steph come back here."

She turned around looked at him with tears threatening to fall. "What?"

"Tell me how you see things." he told her really wanting to understand what was going on.

"You don't care dad." She already knew he'd have some kind of reason for why his way of looking at things is better.

"Yes I do Stephanie, I want to see your point of view."

"Well if I wear the ring and I make it to 16 before I choose to have sex then I get a car, ok nice deal. The problem I have dad is that you're going to refuse to put me on birth control even if I have the ring, so you're saying its all or nothing, either I do it your way or I take the risk of getting pregnant if I can't and don't want to hold out."

"I tell you what I'll talk to your mom about letting you go ahead and start on it okay but you have to promise that if you do have sex you will at least tell me alright."

"I'll give you the ring back then."

"But only if you are ready okay."

"Dad would you rather I make that "mistake" and she used the air quotes with him, "if I was protected or not."

"I would rather you be protected but under no circumstance are you to be with him if he doesn't do his share on the birth control part."

"Dad he's not even on my list anymore he hates me remember."

"No he doesn't, that boy still cares about you."

"Thats to be seen." She told her dad. "I'm going to bed dad."

"Believe me he does." Jon told her hugging her tightly then kissing her cheek. "You want me to tuck you in?" he teased.

"No - go tuck mom in."

"Yeah if that's what you wanna call it." he smirked. "I'll see you in the morning baby girl."

"Night." She told him walking into the house and going upstairs to her room. She turned on her laptop without even thinking before she changed and brushed her teeth.