Chapter 99

“Are you sure you want to go to your mother’s house?” Melody asked when it was almost time they had to leave, Jon just looked so sad. Richie had done well by telling him a week early; imagine him having to playing tonight.
“Yes, no use in sulking around the house either.” He might not be the most pleasant person tonight, but he didn’t really care.

Melody got her things together and a few minutes later they left.

“Jonny, are you alright?” His mum asked when they walked in.
“I’m fine.” He said, he was getting annoyed with people asking if he was alright.
“It’s nice to see you again Melody. I’m glad you could come.”
“It’s nice to be here. Do you need any help in the kitchen?” Melody offered.
“No, dinner is almost ready, go watch tv with Jonny.”

Jon took Melody’s hand and pulled her with him to the living room. They were acknowledged by smiles but then the faces turned back to the tv. Jon sat down in one of the couches and pulled Melody next to him. He filled himself a glass of wine, asking if Melody wanted anything and they joined watching tv.

It didn’t take long before they heard Carol calling from the kitchen. “Dinner in a few minutes.”

Matt was the first to get up and go to the dining room.

Jon and Melody followed him a few minutes later.

The dining room was a bright room with two big windows. It had a china cabinet on one side and a table large enough for twelve.

Jon pointed out where Melody could sit and sat down in his own seat across of Matt, next to Melody.

“Doesn’t your mum need help bringing everything in?” Melody noticed some side dishes but nothing more than salad and veggies.
“No, she never wants any help.” Jon answered as him mum walked in with a big pan of spaghetti sauce.
“You don’t need to help sweetie but Jon will do the dishes later." Carol smiled as Jon’s head popped up in surprise from watching how good his dad’s spaghetti sauce looked.
“What?”
“You want to open a restaurant and call yourself the best looking dish washer, you start practicing.” Carol said as she walked back to the kitchen.
Matt and Melody both laughed.

“Do you want to be my towel girl?” Jon asked Melody; at least he wouldn’t be alone in the kitchen then.

During dinner Jon and his brothers talked about the tour next week. Things they still had to get in order and malfunctions they had to fix.

“Alright, enough about work.” Carol finally said.

The three men stopped talking and finally started their spaghetti.
As usual with silence Melody got uncomfortable. “This is really good spaghetti.”
John looked up to smile at Melody. “Thanks.” He had made it earlier in the afternoon so he could watch tv when the boys came over.
“I think it’s the best I’ve ever had.” Melody added to her compliment.
John laughed. “I’ve heard that a lot. Actually, if I had a penny for every time I heard that, I’d be rich.” He said proudly.
“Maybe that’s a good idea, you could really sell this.” Melody knew she would buy it and so many other people would too just because it was related to Jon.
“Maybe that isn’t a bad idea but it’s a family secret.”

Melody turned to Jon next to her. “Do you know the family secret?”
Jon slurped his spaghetti and finished his bite. “Yes, I can make spaghetti.” He said proudly and drank from his wine.

She’d definitely had to make him make spaghetti. Since she wasn’t part of the family she didn’t think John would share his secret with her. “You surprise me every day. I thought you couldn’t cook.” Melody said as she twirled her spaghetti around her fork.
Jon chuckled. “Just wait till my next surprise.”
“What is it?” Melody asked immediately, she was curious and wanted to know.
“And you say I’m bad with surprises.” Jon remembered he had asked her about his birthday present months ago. That had been fun to imagine but the reward was even better. He filled his glass with wine again.



After dinner Carol helped carrying all the dished to the kitchen so Jon could start washing them. Then she left to join the others in the living room.

Melody dried everything Jon handed to her and put everything in the cupboard he pointed out for her.

Melody thought it was so nice doing the dishes together, a simple and every day kind of thing.

Jon picked out a clean wine glass when he was done and opened a new bottle, taking both to the living room.

They sat down in the same couch again and he pulled Melody close to him. Carol started talking about Stephanie’s graduation this weekend and how she would be off to college soon.

Jon started thinking about how fast his kids had grown up, he could still remember the first time he held them, how tiny they all were. He wished they could have stayed that tiny just a little longer but he loved how they had grown into wonderful people. But the queen of hearts will always be a five-year-old princess to me. He drank from his wine again.

When Carol was finally done talking about her oldest granddaughter she announced dessert. “There’s ice cream for dessert.”
Melody smiled widely.
Jon chuckled, he remembered how much she liked it and the joke he had made that night. “I need to talk to you.” Jon said as he got up.
Carol stopped on her way. “Are you sure you’re o-”
“I’m fine, I just need to ask something.” He made his way to the kitchen, carrying his almost empty again wine glass.

“So Melody, are you excited to join us next month?” Matt asked her.
“You’re going with them?” John asked surprised. “The whole two months?”
Melody nodded her answer.
“It’s such a busy life. We used to go in the 80s but now we just go when they’re in the area. They’re just so busy that they forget about the rest.
“Don’t scare her away dad, it’ll be fun.” Matt reassured Melody.
“It’s ok, I’m partly going for work too. I’m supposed to make a review of every hotel we stay at.” Melody said, she would keep herself busy too.
“That’s good.” John concluded.

Jon and Carol walked into the living room with bowls of ice cream on trays. Melody noticed Jon’s tray had a full glass of wine too. She counted it out, that made 8 glasses of wine.

Tony got up and retrieved a bottle of Baileys from the liquor cabinet behind the couch Jon and Melody were sitting.
“I want some of that.” Jon said as he watched Tony pour it over his ice cream.
Tony passed the bottle to Jon when he was finished with it.

Melody wasn’t the only one that noticed how much Jon was drinking. When he filled his glass again, Tony spoke up, “Jon, you-”
“I’m fine.” Jon cut him off.
Tony shook his head and left it alone, he know Jon wouldn’t listen.



It was getting late and Melody had to work in the morning. ‘We should go.” She told Jon, giving him a few more minutes, just indicating that they should go.
Jon finished his glass of wine, got up and stretched his legs. “We should go, it was very nice.” He said as he hugged his parents, Melody did the same.
“It was very nice to see you again.” She told Carol.
“I hope to see a lot more of you two once the tour is over.” Carol answered her.

Together Jon and Melody walked outside, down the two steps of the front porch. At the bottom Jon had to steady himself, reaching a hand to his forehead.
“Are you-”
“Don’t ask me if I’m okay.” He cut her off rudely.
Melody stood in front of him, glaring. “Car keys.” She demanded, if he couldn’t walk down two steps, he couldn’t drive.

Jon reluctant reached into his jeans pocked and handed the keys over.

Once Melody started driving Jon fell asleep in the passenger’s seat. She knew he wasn’t fine, he was worried about his best friend and scared for him, which made him scared for himself. The same thing Richie probably felt too but what could she do about it?

Melody woke him up when she parked the car. “Let’s get you to bed.” She said when he opened his eyes.
“I like that idea.” He said hoarse.
Melody chuckled. “To sleep.” She added.
“I don’t like that idea.” He answered as he got out of the car carefully.

When they made if to Jon’s bedroom, Melody turned to the bathroom and he fell to his back on the bed.

“I thought you were fine?” Melody asked when she walked in from the bath room and saw him lying on top of the covers.
“I am.” He mumbled.
“You drank 3 bottles of wine, you’re not fine.” She sat down on the bed next to him.
“You know me so well.” He mumbled again.

Melody moved to take his shoes and socks off. When she reached the button of his jeans, he grinned.
“I thought we were going to sleep?”
“Like you’re in any shape. Jeans aren’t comfy to sleep in.” She noticed that he, for once was wearing briefs.

Melody shed her own clothes, pulled the sheets from under him and got into bed. He pulled her close like he always did, wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes.

A few minutes later, when Melody thought he was sleeping, he whispered. “I’m scared to do this on my own. What if he isn’t going to be ok?”
Melody looked up at him, seeing his eyes were still closed. Maybe he was sleeping after all. Then she saw a tear slip from his eye. “You have to believe and have faith that it will.” She whispered and kissed the tear away.

Chapter 100