Chapter 4

Stuck in midtown traffic Melissa, Hugh’s wife, and Tracy, David’s wife, were oblivious to their surroundings. They were too busy observing the goings on of the woman in the front seat.

 Kailani, Tico’s wife, was busy playing referee with her 12 year old son Sam, and his 6 year old sister Tia.

“How many times have your Papa and I told you to keep your hands to yourselves?" Kailani asked while tugging the kids apart, placing Sam on the seat next to her. “You sit there." Sam hung his head in embarrassment at being disciplined in front of his two aunts, even more so in front of his cousins.

Pulling Tia onto her lap, she ordered, “And you sit here."

With his head still down, Sam stole a glance at his sister giving her a dirty look. When Tia saw her brother looking at her with a mean look on his face she stuck her tongue out at him. She put it back in before her mommy caught her.

“Mom!!!" Sam screeched loudly to his mother while pointing his finger at his little sister.

Sam’s sudden outburst made everyone jump. “Jesus, Sam, scare the hell out of me why dontcha?"A loud male voice yelled from the back of the vehicle.

 “Caleb Andrew Bryan, watch your mouth!" Tracy hollered at her 17 year old son. Not another word was heard from Caleb as he and Max, Hugh’s 15 year old son, resumed their previous conversation, namely girls.

 Looking over shoulder Lani (a nickname given to her by the Jovi wives) smiled at the two women sitting behind her. They had all become sisters many years ago. Lani gave a heavy sigh, “I don’t know about you two but I can’t wait to see T. I need to feel those strong arms around me."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lani could see Tia teasing Sam. Lifting her off her lap just a little bit, Lani lightly smacked her on the butt.

 “You know better than that Tia Lilani Torres," Lani scolded. Giving Tia a children’s book, Lani glanced over at her son, who was reading the latest Harry Potter tome. Satisfied that both of her kids were going to behave, for now anyway, Lani once again turned her attention back to Melissa and Tracy and their conversation.

Tracy shook her head back and forth. “I never thought I would admit this out loud to anyone, but I miss my Davy," she admitted with a little laugh.

 Both Melissa and Lani looked at her as if she had been out in the sun too long. Slinging her arm around Tracy’s shoulder, Melissa gave her a gentle nudge. “Have you lost your mind? I think you need to rethink what you just said."

“What? Can’t I miss my husband?" Tracy asked with a smile on her face.

“Sure you can, honey, but this is David we are talking about. Remember? This is the same guy you are ready to strangle when he is home,"Lani replied with a wink.

Laughing at what Lani said, Tracy couldn’t deny it. ”Yes, it’s true. He drives me nuts when he is home, especially if it’s more than few months at a time. But believe me, he more than makes up for it in the bedroom!" The comment flew out of her mouth before she even realized it. Both of the other women had the look of utter shock on their faces.

Lani was the first to recover. “Oooh, do tell, sister dear."

Melissa came next. "So just how exactly does he make it up to you, Trace?”

 The women were so engrossed on their little talk that they had forgotten all about the kids. That is until Gabby, David’s hormonal, 15 year old daughter, spoke up.

“Eeewww, Mom, that is so gross!" Gabby complained while putting her hands over her ears in an attempt to block out what ever else came out of her mother’s mouth. All 3 women just looked at each other.

“Oops, forgot about tender ears," quipped Tracy with a wink.
 
Tabitha, the Bryans’ 12 year old daughter, had been playing a game on the PSP with her cousin Raelene, Hugh and Melissa’s 11 year old daughter, when she heard her sister yell at their mom. Leaning down Tabs whispered in Rae’s ear, “Oooh Gabby is going to get in trouble."

 Rae had been so engrossed in the game that she blocked everything around her out. Gazing over at Gabby, Rae tapped Tabitha on the shoulder. “Why is Gabby going to get in trouble?" Taking another quick glance at her cousin, Rae turned to Tabitha once more. “How come Gabby is sitting there with her hands over her ears?”

 Now Tabitha was known for her love of gossip and tattling, especially when her siblings were involved. She also knew that if her mom heard her, she would be in a lot of trouble.

 “I will tell you later,"Tabitha said in a voice barely above a whisper, trying to make sure no one would hear her.

 “Mom, Tabby is gossiping again!"Eddie yelled to his mom.

Tabitha reached across Rae’s legs and punched her little brother in the leg. “Shut up, brat!" she hissed.

“Mom, Tabby hit me!" cried Eddie while rubbing his leg. Rolling her eyes, Tracy turned in her seat so she could have a clear view of both kids.

“You have been told many times not to gossip, or hit your little brother, haven’t you, Tabitha?" Not waiting for an answer, Tracy continued “Do you want to be grounded while we are here?" This time she waited for a response. Shaking her head to the negative, Tabitha tried to keep tears from falling, she hated getting in trouble.

 “Then I suggest you find something else to occupy your time with, or I will! Do we understand each other, young lady?"

A solemn “Yes, mom," was the response.

Directing her attention to her 8 year old son, “And don’t you even think about starting that tattle tale stuff either, mister. It will not be tolerated! Understand?!”

 “Sorry, mom."

 Turning back around Tracy just shook her head “Unbelievable! I swear these kids are trying to drive me crazy. And that’s saying a lot considering who their father is!" Laughter could be heard from every direction inside the vehicle. Oh yes, the Jovi children had definitely arrived.

Chapter 3 

It took 2 elevator trips to get everyone downstairs to the lobby before finally meeting up by the huge fireplace in the corner. Each mom took a minute to speak with their kids, making sure they were ready. When the kids confirmed for the millionth time that "Yes", they were indeed ready, Bobby led the large group through the lobby of the hotel out to the 2 black Escalades waiting by the curb.

Settling herself by a seat next to the window, Joanne smiled as Isabel climbed into the seat next to her. Turning sideways so she could see the kids better, Joanne took in the sight in front of her. All 5 kids were dressed in jeans with each one wearing a different concert shirt from the many tours their dad had done. Leaning her head back against the glass, Joanne closed her eyes as she thought back to how they had come to be here today. Two names came to mind instantly, Bobby and Michael. When the boys had approached her months ago with the idea of surprising their dad for Fathers Day in London, Joanne was speechless. She knew they were missing their dad being around, but until that moment she didn’t realize just how much. The fact that they wanted to surprise him just blew her away. She knew Jon would be just as shocked as she was at that moment. Her heart had swelled with pride and love as she looked at the boys. The boys insisted on doing all the planning for the trip, which she had agreed to with one stipulation; she would make the flight arrangements, everything else was all them. After they had agreed to her condition, she gave them the green light. Soon their siblings wanted in on the surprise as well. It only took 1 day before the cousins were begging to be a part of the plan as well. It had become a family mission with everyone having a part. Now after months of careful planning, they were about to give their dads a Fathers Day they would not soon forget.

Isabel sat facing Joanne as she rested her head against the glass. She could tell just from the serene look on her face that Joanne was lost in her own thoughts, so Isabel decided to leave her be. Her attention was drawn to her little monkey, her 8 year old daughter, Savannah, who was sitting next to Leigh Anne. Savannah would not sit still.

"Why in heaven’s name are you squirming around, Savannah?" Isabel asked her daughter with a hint of laughter in her voice.

With a light shrug of her shoulders, Savannah looked at her mom "I don’t know." With that comment said, Savannah went back to her squirming. Gazing across the seat to the 2 girls sitting on the other side of Leigh Anne, Isabel watched her 2 older daughters, Ava, 14, and Katie, 11, as they had their headphones on listening to music. Biologically, Ava was not her daughter, but it didn’t mean she treated her any differently or loved her any less. Richie had been married for a brief time to actress Heather Locklear, Ava’s biological mom.

When Ava was just 6 months old, Richie had come home one evening to find his little girl all alone. Heather was nowhere to be found, not even a sitter was around. The little girl was hungry, her diaper needed changing, and she was in desperate need of a bath. Richie filed for divorce that night, seeking full and sole custody of his little girl. He was granted both within the year.

Lost in her memories, Isabel wasn’t aware Joseph had fallen asleep while laying his head on her shoulder.

Ava watched as her little brother gradually slipped away in his mother’s arms with his cheek resting on their mom’s shoulder. She knew her mom had been watching her while she sat there with her headphones on. It might bother other kids to have their mom staring at them, but not Ava; she loved the attention her mom lavished on her. Turning the volume down on her iPod, Ava gestured to her brother.

"Mom, Joseph fell asleep." Looking down at her son laying on her shoulder, she shook her head.

 "Now you fall asleep! Great, now he will be running full steam later on," Isabel groaned to her daughter.

With a jerk of her shoulder, Ava quipped, "Guess we have our work cut out for us tonight, huh, mama." Closing her eyes, Isabel just nodded her head in agreement.

Leigh Anne had been watching her mom from the minute they got in the car. She thought something was wrong, her mommy looked almost sad. Twisting around in her seat, she turned to Sabrina who was sitting behind her with her 2 older brothers. "Bri, I think something is wrong with mommy," she whispered. Tearing her eyes away from the book in her hands, Sabrina looked over Leigh’s shoulder to her mom. Hmmm, wonder what is going on, Sabrina thought to herself. Sitting forward in her seat, Sabrina rested her arms on the back on Leigh’s seat "Something wrong, Mom?"

Raising her head from the window, Joanne nodded her head gently back and forth. "No. nothing’s wrong. Guess I am just a little tired."

Sabrina wasn’t fooled by her mom’s answer, she may have been only 15 years old, but she wasn’t blind. From the look on her mom’s face, Sabrina guessed her mom was missing their dad just as much as they were, maybe even a little more. Deciding a little one on one with her dad was in order, Sabrina settled back in her seat while her mind was going a million miles a minute. Hopefully Daddy will know how to put a smile back on her mama’s face, thought Sabrina.

 A short time later, the Escalade was passing through the parking lot of the arena, heading for the back entrance. Shaking her head, Joanne thought of all they had gone through to get here. It had been no easy task to get 5 wives, 16 kids ranging from 5 - 20 years old to London without any of the husbands knowing, but somehow they had done it. Pulling up to the entrance that led to the backstage of the Arena, they waited for the signal that it was safe to leave the vehicle. They didn’t want to be spotted now when they were so close. Around 5 minutes later Larry, 2nd in command for Bon Jovi security, opened the door to of the back passenger side. Popping his head inside the car door, Larry looked at everyone inside then gave a big smile. "Hi guys! Are you all ready to go?”

Chapter 2
Climbing out of the Escalade, Joanne stood off to the side by the entrance to the hotel as the kids climbed out of the vehicle, slowly making their way inside the lobby of the hotel. Seemed jet lag was catching up with a few of the kids, particularly the younger ones who seemed to be moving a little slower than normal.

Since the reservations had been made months ago, check in was fairly simple and within minutes they were in the elevator heading up to their rooms. No sooner had the doors to their suites been opened before the kids were checking out their rooms while the wives of Jovi stood in the hall making plans to meet up in the Bongiovi suite in a little while. As Joanne stepped inside the suite she had to hand it to the boys, they had done well. Closing the door behind her, she leaned her body against it while remembering a conversation she had with Jon just a few weeks before. Jon had been in a snit due to the fact that the rooms he and the guys usually stayed in while at this hotel during their stay in London were unavailable. It didn’t help that the hotel was completely booked during the time they would be here which meant the guys would have to bunk up like the old days. He had been so angry that he even threatened to go to another hotel. It took some doing on her part, but somehow she had managed to not only calm him down but talk him out of going to another hotel. Not an easy thing to do when faced with the Bongiovi temper. She couldn’t wait to see his face when he found out the real reason why the rooms were taken. The kids had made sure to book a suite for each of their dads, that way the families could enjoy some private family time.

Pushing herself off the door, Joanne took in the elegance of the suite. A beautiful entryway led you down a short hall where it stopped just before leading you into the massive living room. As she walked, she could see that to the left of the hall was where the kids rooms were. To the right, there was another short hallway that led her to the kitchen area complete with every appliance known to man. A breakfast nook was off to the side of the kitchen and a table was placed near the sliding glass window where the family could eat while enjoying the view. Another few steps took her into the formal dining area; the room was done in a soft white with royal blue carpet and the table could easily seat the band and their families. A gorgeous chandelier hung from the ceiling. Walking out of the kitchen, Joanne could see the master suite tucked towards the back of the suite, giving her and Jon plenty of privacy.

Heading back to the living room, Joanne could hear both Bobby and Michael, his 17 year old brother, arguing over who was getting the bigger bed. Shaking her head Joanne had to laugh when she heard Sabrina yelling at her brothers from her room to shut up, she was trying to read. The boys can figure the bed situation out all on their own, Joanne thought while stepping into the plush living room that was done in various shades of blue.

Gearing herself up for the infamous Bongiovi temper she knew so well, Joanne went looking for her 2 youngest, ready to have a face off when she informed them that a nap was called for if they wanted to have fun tonight. Even though they were both past the age of taking naps, Eric being 10, and Leigh Anne almost 8, she knew it was vital, otherwise the night would be miserable for everyone, including her.

Walking around one of the large, overstuffed black couches sitting in the middle of the room she was stunned by what she was seeing. There lying curled up on the floor, each with a pillow taken from the couch perched underneath their heads, were her babies, both were sound asleep. They had even been too tired to turn on the massive flat screen hanging on the wall. Guess I don’t have to worry about that battle. 

With Jon already at the Arena and with her 2 youngest sleeping, Joanne decided to take a few moments for herself. Going into the massive bedroom suite, Joanne took a minute to look around the room. The room was done in soft earth tones, the plush carpet was a deep rich brown that your feet sank into with every step. The curtains were a stunning bronze with a touch of brown intertwined, setting off the light beige walls. The stunning, California king, 4 poster bed was nestled against the far wall, draped in rich maroon colors setting off the dark mahogany finish. Night stands were placed on opposite sides of the bed. On his nightstand was a picture of the 2 of them taken last Christmas, in it they were standing next to the tree with their arms around each other smiling as they gazed into each others eyes. Giving herself a soft shake, Joanne turned to see a matching dresser sitting in the corner of the room with fresh flowers in a vase perched on top. A flat screen TV was hanging from the wall directly in front of the bed.

 Crossing over to the bed, Joanne opened her suitcase, deciding to unpack before hitting the shower. Opening the door to the huge walk in closet, she could see Jon’s clothes already hanging up, just seeing them brought a smile to her lips. Running her hand over the fabric of his dark green dress shirt, she took a second to smell the fabric. His scent washed over her like a warm spring rain. She could feel the ache in her heart that was always present when he was on tour.

 When she was finished putting her things away, Joanne made her way down the hall to the girls room. Popping her head inside the doorway, she observed Sabrina laying on her bed minding her own business.

"Hey pumpkin, I am going to take a shower while Eric and Leigh Anne are napping. Would you mind keeping an eye on them for me? I won’t be long, just want to freshen up a little.”

 Looking up from her book, Sabrina nodded. "Go ahead, Mom. I know you want to look pretty for Dad.”

  Out of the 5 kids she had given birth to, Sabrina was the only one who looked like her. Sabrina was just 15 years old, but she was a mirror image of her mom. From her chestnut brown hair, to her deep brown eyes, to the dimple on her chin, she was her mother’s clone, no doubt about it. The other 4 kids took after their father, beautiful blonde hair with those damn sparkling, bright blue eyes.

 Crossing the room, Joanne gave her daughter a quick hug.

"Thanks, pumpkin."

She set off for her shower. 30 minutes later, Joanne emerged from the room feeling a whole lot better than when she went in. She dressed in skin tight black jeans, the kind that hugged every curve (especially her ass which was her husband’s favorite part of her body). A long sleeved deep red silk blouse that was cut to accent her still firm breasts was tucked into her jeans. Knowing how much her Jonny loved her long hair hanging down, she added some mousse to give it a little extra body and bounce and to help hold against London’s weather. Gracing her feet were her favorite, or truth be told Jon’s favorite, 4" black stilettos, he said they drove him wild. Hmmm, could be the reason why we have 5 kids, Joanne giggled to herself as she walked down the hall.

Upon entering the living room, she was surprised to see Eric and Leigh Anne already up from their nap. She was about to ask how they slept when a knock at the door stopped her. Striding over to the door Joanne opened it only to be greeted by the sight of Isabel, Richie’s wife, standing there holding onto her 5 year old son Joseph’s hand. Now Isabel was one of those natural beauties with long honey blonde hair that fell to her waist in soft curls, beautiful high cheekbones with beautiful green eyes, complimented her light almost porcelain complexion. At 5’ 8" she had a curvy figure only enhanced by motherhood. She was a beauty to be reckoned with. Richie loved every one of her curves. How did Joanne know this? Simple, he told her every chance he got! When Joseph heard his cousins playing in the other room, he broke free from his mother’s grasp and flew past Joanne. Stepping into the entryway, Isabel pointed to her son. "That little boy is so much like his father it’s downright scary!"

 Over the next few minutes, the rest of the clan gathered in the suite. While the kids were running around playing tag, the moms kept watch, hoping they wouldn’t break anything. As the younger kids played the rest of the group settled on the 2 sofas wanting to go over the plan one final time. Bobby stood up and began to pace the room as he talked. So much like his father, Joanne thought

“Okay, so just before they start to play ‘Summertime’, Uncle Obie is going to kill the mics while Uncle Tony will dim the lights on stage. He will then point a light towards the side of the stage where all of us will be standing." Turning to face the group, Bobby spoke again, "Does everyone understand the plan?"

When he was satisfied that everyone knew what to do, the group dispersed. As everyone headed back to their rooms to gather what they would need for the evening, (since they wouldn’t be returning until after the show), Joanne took a second to speak with her oldest son. "Your dad will be so proud of you when he finds out what you have done."

Looking at all of her kids, Joanne corrected herself, "He will be proud of all of you." Standing up, they enjoyed a group hug before leaving the suite. This was going to be a night that her husband would never forget.

 Joanne watched as the kids scrambled to get their belongings together so that when the doors opened they could deplane as fast as possible. Being 2 hours behind wasn’t helping either. Confident that Bobby, her 20 year old son and the oldest, would help his other siblings with their carry-ons, Joanne reached for her own bag sitting on the floor by her feet.

When the doors finally opened the captain and his crew were waiting to say goodbye to their passengers. Standing just inside the door of the plane, Captain Nevins watched as the lovely 5’2" brunette made her way over to him.

With a smile on his face, he extended his hand. “It was a real pleasure to be of service to your family and friends, Mrs. Bongiovi. We hope you and your family enjoy your stay here in London.”

 Shaking the Captain’s hand, Joanne returned the smile. "We truly appreciate all that you and your crew have done for us, especially the kids. They really wanted to do something special for their dads this Father’s Day. With your assistance, they will be able to do just that." After many thank yous and goodbyes had been exchanged between the kids and crew, Joanne finally led the parade down the stairs of the private jet to the vehicles waiting on the tarmac. When Joanne stepped off the last stair she turned to the people descending the stairs. "Everyone remember who is riding with whom, right?" Joanne asked the group. The mumblings of "Yes" could be heard coming from the group.

Satisfied with the response, Joanne clapped her hands together. "Alright, then let’s load up and move out. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I could use a nice warm shower."

 With everyone settled inside the 2 black Escalades, they were off, thankful the ride to the hotel was a relatively short one. Even though it was a short ride, it still gave Joanne time to make a call. Scrolling through her contacts, she hit the button to connect the call, and after only one ring the call was picked up. Hearing a warm "Hello" come over the line, she leaned back against the plush leather seat. "The Eagles have landed," Joanne chuckled into the receiver.

 A hearty laugh filled her ear. "Don’t let my son hear you say that!”

 At the mention of her husband, Joanne closed her eyes, giving a soft sigh. She missed him something fierce. Every tour that took him away from her just made them both more determined to talk more, touch more, love each other more. The sound of her father in law’s voice brought her back to the present. "You will see him soon, honey. He is missing you just as much." John Sr had heard her sigh when he mentioned his son. Determined to stay in the happy zone, he changed the subject, "So how long until you guys arrive at the hotel?”

 Joanne asked the driver who politely informed her it would be another 10 or 15 minutes before they would be there. Relaying the information to John Sr, Joanne gave another sigh. "Thanks, pops, for changing the subject. I just really miss him.”

  John Sr could hear the loneliness in her voice. "You’re welcome, honey." Joanne was about to ask how Jon was doing when she heard his voice in the background talking to his dad. She could hear him asking his dad who he was talking to. Not missing a beat, the patriarch responded, "I am talking to my girlfriend. So would you please leave so I can finish before your mother returns?!”

 Hearing her husband laugh caused her heart to skip a beat, then it was quiet. A few seconds later, John Sr came back on the line. "Always was a nosey little shit," he grumbled with a trace of laughter in his voice.

 Trying to keep her own laughter at bay, Joanne couldn’t help but respond, "He takes after you, pops, and you love it!" Seeing the hotel come into view, Joanne started to panic. "Pops, can you keep the guys inside their rooms? We are pulling up to the hotel now."

With a hint of mischief in his voice, John Sr tried to keep from laughing. "Did I forget to tell you that we are already at the Arena? Jonny wanted to go over a few things with Anthony and Obie before the show tonight."

"You know if I didn’t love you I would kick your ass for scaring me like that!" Joanne’s voice held no trace of anger. 

A full belly laugh flew down the phone line. "Yeah, yeah, you know you love it when I tease you!" Her father in law was enjoying himself way too much for his own good, it was time for payback.

"I do like it when you tease me, pops, but I love it when your son is the one teasing me," she purred into the phone.

 A loud groan could be heard coming through the line. "And on that note I am hanging up. See you in a bit, my sweet J."

 The sound of a dial tone informed Joanne that her father in law had indeed ended their call. Knowing she had gotten the best of him sent Joanne into a fit of giggles.