Quicker than expected, Jon and Richie returned to the house. Tico met them at the door.
“We saw the news. Good job guys, and Dot was amazing…surprised the shit outta me!”
“Us too, but I think she actually likes Amanda and felt she didn’t deserve what that bitch had done to her.”
As Richie was flying out the next day to spend Christmas with his daughter, both he and Tico gave her hugs and good-byes, saying they would see her soon. She thanked them both and wished them the best of holidays.
“I’m going to miss you both so much!”
“Caro, you’re a part of our lives now…there are no good-byes, simply ‘hasta que nos reunamos de nuevo.” She looked at him. “It means ‘until we meet again’.
Kissing his cheek, she repeated his words. “Until we meet again, my friend.”
She drew Richie in for a huge hug and gave him a kiss on each cheek. “The first is for you, the second is for Ava.” He hugged her back, gave Jon a slap on the shoulder, and both men were off.
~~~
Giving her a rather stern look, he led her back to the couch. “Here or bed, darlin’, you choose.”
She smiled at him, then asked if she could have a cold drink as her throat was little sore from the excess talking. He moved to the kitchen and while there gave Linda a brief rundown on what had happened and that under no circumstances was Maryann allowed in the house. Linda didn’t actually know her, but assured Jon that no one would get in without his permission.
Jon brought her an ice tea and she sipped is slowly. “This feels wonderful. I think I’m going to stretch out here for a bit if you don’t mind.”
He kissed her forehead softly and told her to get some rest. He would be in his office. Drowsiness overtook Amanda and she was soon asleep.
~~~
In his office he made another phone call, one he had been dreading a bit, but it was only right that Amanda’s mother know what had happened. He got her on the first try and explained everything, assuring her that Amanda was fine and he was going to take care of the problem with his soon-to-be-ex employee. Jennifer was understandably upset, but calmed at hearing there would be no lingering after effects.
“Mrs. Adams I’m really sorry about this. I had no idea about this woman and what she had been doing. I would never have put Amanda in a situation where she could have been hurt.”
“Jon, I understand that. I can’t help worry about my only child though. Yours is a very different life than what she knows. We’re going to be having a talk when I get there, understand?”
“Yes ma’am, I do. You can ask me anything. I can’t begin to put into words how much your daughter has come to mean to me and I can imagine you might have some reservations.”
“Not reservations, just some questions, and I expect truthful answers from you.”
“You’ll get them, Mrs. Adams, I promise.”
Just before ending the call, Jon asked if she could bring Amanda’s birth certificate with her so he could finish arrangements to get her a passport. She said she had a certified copy and would bring it on the plane. He went over the flight arrangements with her and said that either they or a driver, depending on how Amanda felt, would meet her at the airport. Their good-byes were friendly and Jon thought that phone call went a lot better than he had hoped it would.
~~~
Getting his road manager, Obie, on the phone, Jon explained what had been happening. He made it clear that Maryann was not to be approached until Tuesday when he and his lawyer would be meeting with her. Obie was rather shocked as he heard who seemed to be responsible for all the trouble lately. He had read the paper and seen the press announcement, but as Maryann’s name was never mentioned, he had no idea who was involved. He told Obie he wanted him to call Maryann and have her meet with him at his office downtown at three the day after tomorrow. Obie assured Jon he would do so, without her knowing what was up, just that Jon wanted to see her.
Jon then called his lawyer again, this time apologizing for being so abrupt earlier that morning. The man had seen the news conference and told Jon that he thought they had done a good job on damage control. He agreed to meet at Jon’s downtown office on Tuesday at three and also suggested that an armed security guard be present.
“Jon, we don’t know anything about who this woman really is below the surface. Her talking to Amanda in the bathroom was one thing, but drugging her brings it to another level. At the very least there should be someone there who can control the situation should a problem arise. I am strongly advising you, as your lawyer, to do this.” Jon agreed and made a few phone calls to set things up.
He then sat there for a bit, the emotional strain of the last few days washing over him in a crashing wave. He finally got up and moved out to the living room where Amanda was still sleeping deeply. He carefully curled up behind her, put his arm around her waist, and was asleep within moments.
~~~
Someone was shaking Jon’s shoulder gently and he opened one eye to see Linda standing over him. He was on the couch with Amanda, who was still sleeping.
“Mr. B, sorry to wake you, but she needs to eat and so do you.” He nodded at her and kissed the side of Amanda’s face and stroked her hair. She stirred and began waking up. Stretching, she looked back over her shoulder at him.
“Mmmm…how long have I been sleeping?”
“About three hours. I think I’ve been sleeping for the last two. I joined you and just crashed.”
She sat up then, as did he. “We’d better wake up then or we’ll never get to sleep tonight.”
“Linda has dinner ready. Think you can eat something?”
“Actually, I’m starving! Let’s go!”
Feeling a good deal better after her nap, Amanda was relieved to see she was almost back to her normal self. She was hungry and her throat was only a little sore. They walked into the kitchen to see homemade soup and a soft noodle pasta dish waiting for them. Amanda walked over to Linda and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you! Looks like just what I need for my throat. You are so thoughtful, Linda.”
The older woman beamed at her and Jon again thought how Amanda seemed to make everyone around her care for her. They enjoyed their meal and Jon brought her up to date on her mother’s flight in the day after tomorrow. He told her he had called her mom about what had happened and that she had been in the hospital.
“She was worried, but was glad you were okay. I told her that you were just supposed to rest until you felt up to more activity.”
“We saw the news. Good job guys, and Dot was amazing…surprised the shit outta me!”
“Us too, but I think she actually likes Amanda and felt she didn’t deserve what that bitch had done to her.”
As Richie was flying out the next day to spend Christmas with his daughter, both he and Tico gave her hugs and good-byes, saying they would see her soon. She thanked them both and wished them the best of holidays.
“I’m going to miss you both so much!”
“Caro, you’re a part of our lives now…there are no good-byes, simply ‘hasta que nos reunamos de nuevo.” She looked at him. “It means ‘until we meet again’.
Kissing his cheek, she repeated his words. “Until we meet again, my friend.”
She drew Richie in for a huge hug and gave him a kiss on each cheek. “The first is for you, the second is for Ava.” He hugged her back, gave Jon a slap on the shoulder, and both men were off.
~~~
Giving her a rather stern look, he led her back to the couch. “Here or bed, darlin’, you choose.”
She smiled at him, then asked if she could have a cold drink as her throat was little sore from the excess talking. He moved to the kitchen and while there gave Linda a brief rundown on what had happened and that under no circumstances was Maryann allowed in the house. Linda didn’t actually know her, but assured Jon that no one would get in without his permission.
Jon brought her an ice tea and she sipped is slowly. “This feels wonderful. I think I’m going to stretch out here for a bit if you don’t mind.”
He kissed her forehead softly and told her to get some rest. He would be in his office. Drowsiness overtook Amanda and she was soon asleep.
~~~
In his office he made another phone call, one he had been dreading a bit, but it was only right that Amanda’s mother know what had happened. He got her on the first try and explained everything, assuring her that Amanda was fine and he was going to take care of the problem with his soon-to-be-ex employee. Jennifer was understandably upset, but calmed at hearing there would be no lingering after effects.
“Mrs. Adams I’m really sorry about this. I had no idea about this woman and what she had been doing. I would never have put Amanda in a situation where she could have been hurt.”
“Jon, I understand that. I can’t help worry about my only child though. Yours is a very different life than what she knows. We’re going to be having a talk when I get there, understand?”
“Yes ma’am, I do. You can ask me anything. I can’t begin to put into words how much your daughter has come to mean to me and I can imagine you might have some reservations.”
“Not reservations, just some questions, and I expect truthful answers from you.”
“You’ll get them, Mrs. Adams, I promise.”
Just before ending the call, Jon asked if she could bring Amanda’s birth certificate with her so he could finish arrangements to get her a passport. She said she had a certified copy and would bring it on the plane. He went over the flight arrangements with her and said that either they or a driver, depending on how Amanda felt, would meet her at the airport. Their good-byes were friendly and Jon thought that phone call went a lot better than he had hoped it would.
~~~
Getting his road manager, Obie, on the phone, Jon explained what had been happening. He made it clear that Maryann was not to be approached until Tuesday when he and his lawyer would be meeting with her. Obie was rather shocked as he heard who seemed to be responsible for all the trouble lately. He had read the paper and seen the press announcement, but as Maryann’s name was never mentioned, he had no idea who was involved. He told Obie he wanted him to call Maryann and have her meet with him at his office downtown at three the day after tomorrow. Obie assured Jon he would do so, without her knowing what was up, just that Jon wanted to see her.
Jon then called his lawyer again, this time apologizing for being so abrupt earlier that morning. The man had seen the news conference and told Jon that he thought they had done a good job on damage control. He agreed to meet at Jon’s downtown office on Tuesday at three and also suggested that an armed security guard be present.
“Jon, we don’t know anything about who this woman really is below the surface. Her talking to Amanda in the bathroom was one thing, but drugging her brings it to another level. At the very least there should be someone there who can control the situation should a problem arise. I am strongly advising you, as your lawyer, to do this.” Jon agreed and made a few phone calls to set things up.
He then sat there for a bit, the emotional strain of the last few days washing over him in a crashing wave. He finally got up and moved out to the living room where Amanda was still sleeping deeply. He carefully curled up behind her, put his arm around her waist, and was asleep within moments.
~~~
Someone was shaking Jon’s shoulder gently and he opened one eye to see Linda standing over him. He was on the couch with Amanda, who was still sleeping.
“Mr. B, sorry to wake you, but she needs to eat and so do you.” He nodded at her and kissed the side of Amanda’s face and stroked her hair. She stirred and began waking up. Stretching, she looked back over her shoulder at him.
“Mmmm…how long have I been sleeping?”
“About three hours. I think I’ve been sleeping for the last two. I joined you and just crashed.”
She sat up then, as did he. “We’d better wake up then or we’ll never get to sleep tonight.”
“Linda has dinner ready. Think you can eat something?”
“Actually, I’m starving! Let’s go!”
Feeling a good deal better after her nap, Amanda was relieved to see she was almost back to her normal self. She was hungry and her throat was only a little sore. They walked into the kitchen to see homemade soup and a soft noodle pasta dish waiting for them. Amanda walked over to Linda and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you! Looks like just what I need for my throat. You are so thoughtful, Linda.”
The older woman beamed at her and Jon again thought how Amanda seemed to make everyone around her care for her. They enjoyed their meal and Jon brought her up to date on her mother’s flight in the day after tomorrow. He told her he had called her mom about what had happened and that she had been in the hospital.
“She was worried, but was glad you were okay. I told her that you were just supposed to rest until you felt up to more activity.”
As they ate they talked about the fact that it would be Christmas in a few more days. Seeing as they were on the subject, Amanda decided to bring up something she felt a bit strongly about.
I can't wait to see how Jon handles Maryann and how she reacts-she probably has no idea what's coming if she was thinking she could continue to get away with this stuff or that Jon even paid her any attention at all.
I'm glad that Jon is taking pains to make sure that anyone connected with him or the band knows about Maryann as there's no telling who else she knows or has become close to if she could get to Dot and matt.
Calling Amanda's mom was a very smart move on Jon's part. Just imagine if she hadn't been told and read about in the paper instead, she would be very upset so Jon did the right thing. Looking forward to what Amanda wants to talk to Jon about.