Waking early the next morning, Jon was downstairs before Amanda and Jennifer. Sitting sipping his coffee he allowed the events of yesterday to play through his mind. He was determined they have a good day visiting some of the places around the area and had a few locations in mind. He heard footsteps and Jennifer appeared in the kitchen.
“Good morning, Jon.”
“Good morning. How are you today?”
“Slept well, thank you, but anxious to return home. A short trip away is good for me, but longer and I get antsy to be around my own things. I don’t know how you manage traveling as much as you do.”
“It’s been happening for so long I guess I’m used to it. The down time between tours is great though and I know I can come home pretty much whenever I want to.”
“Amanda still sleeping?”
“Yeah, surprised me. She’s usually up first.”
“Well, it was a long day yesterday and I know I was tired myself.”
Jon nodded at her and then started to talk about some ideas he had for their sightseeing trip. She thought they all sounded great and after she finished her coffee she went up to her room to shower and get ready. She knocked on her daughter’s door and stuck her head.
“Amanda? Time to wake up, honey.”
“Mom? What time is it?”
“Almost 8:30. Jon’s got coffee on and I’m heading for the shower. See you in a few.”
Amanda lay for a few minutes, her mind immediately returning to yesterday. She tried to see what she might have done wrong with either Jon or his family, but she drew a blank. Determined to make her mother’s last day there enjoyable, she got up and showered herself. Dressing in jeans and a dark gray sweater over a white button-down shirt, she brushed her hair and went downstairs.
Walking into the kitchen, she saw Jon sitting there having his coffee.
“Morning, hon.”
He turned to her. “Good morning.”
She moved to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. For reasons neither understood as their thoughts were both running on so many different levels, neither gave the other a kiss that morning. Both noticed this lapse.
Forcing a bit of enthusiasm into her voice she started asking about the plans for the day. Jon filled her in, as he had her mother, and she also agreed that sounded like a good way to spend the day. As she had already showered and dressed, Jon said he was going to get ready himself.
Jon left the kitchen. She didn’t kiss me.
Amanda sat there. He didn’t kiss me.
It’s amazing the complications that can arise from being misunderstood.
~~~
They were ready to leave by 9:30 and headed out. Jon was talkative, showing them where he had grown up, gone to school, first started playing and what clubs, where they had their first real gig, the shore, and many other parts of his past. Jennifer did most of the commenting on what they were being shown, with Amanda throwing in a few words now and then. They stopped for a late lunch and then headed back to his house for Jennifer to finish her packing.
Amanda was helping her mom, spending the last hour with her before she needed to leave. Jon was checking Richie’s flight information online, confirming he would be arriving as scheduled.
The drive to the airport was filled with small talk between Amanda and her mother. Jennifer promised to call when she was home. Jon put on his cap and sunglasses as they left the car and checked Jennifer’s bag in. They had a few minutes before she boarded and giving her daughter a huge hug, she told her to have a wonderful New Year’s and call when she could.
Turning to Jon, she thanked him for flying her in and having her at his home. She told him how much she enjoyed meeting his family and also wished him a Happy New Year. Waving her good-byes, Jennifer left the main area and boarded her plane.
Amanda stood for a few minutes, then turned to Jon, putting her hand on his arm. He turned to her.
“Thank you so much for bringing my mother here for Christmas. It was a wonderful gift to have her with me.”
“No problem, Manda, she’s a really nice lady.”
They had less than a half hour to wait for Richie and decided to head to one of the bars for a glass of wine. Amanda took a sip of hers and tried to reach across some of the distance she felt between the two of them.
“Jon…is there something wrong?”
His eyes met hers but swept by, rather than lingering. “There’s nothing wrong. Just a bit tired from yesterday.”
Why don’t I believe him? Because of his eyes, it’s always his eyes.
They sat quietly waiting the last few minutes until Richie deplaned. Finishing their wine, they moved to the waiting area and as Richie had traveled first class he was one of the first off. He greeted Amanda with a big hug and gave Jon a slug on the shoulder.
“Hey guys! Thanks for meeting me.”
“No problem, bro’, had to be here anyway for Amanda’s mom, so it was good timing.”
As he was only gone for a few days, Richie had only traveled with a carry-on, so they were quickly on their way. Amanda got into the back seat so Jon and Richie could talk.
In Jon’s present mood, he was reading everything wrong. Now she doesn’t want to sit by me?
He and Richie talked pretty much nonstop on the way back from the airport while Amanda sat and viewed the scenery. She was a bit lost in her own thoughts, but was brought back at Jon’s insistence that Richie stay with them as he wanted to work on some songs and the recording studio was at his house.
He doesn’t want to be alone with me?
They got to Jon’s and he immediately continued his talk with Richie. He didn’t try to include Amanda into the conversation and Richie, who was not a stupid man by any means, began to pay a little more attention to the two of them.
“I was thinking I would go start working on dinner if that’s okay?”
Jon turned to her then. “I want to order pizza tonight. Okay with you, Rich?”
Squinting a little, Richie answered. “Sure, pizza sounds good.” He noticed he didn’t ask Amanda. She replied anyway.
“Pizza sounds really good. I haven’t had that for a while.”
Nodding, Jon told her where the menus were and what she should order. He didn’t ask, he told her. Richie shot a sideways glance at Jon that he didn’t see.
Shuffling her foot against the rug, Amanda excused herself, saying she was sure they had a lot to talk about with the new songs Jon had been discussing. She smiled at Richie and included Jon, then went into the kitchen to order the pizzas.
Moving into Jon’s office, Richie shut the door and turned to his friend.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Taking a defensive arms crossed stance, Jon faced his friend.
“Nothing’s going on. What’s your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem. What’s happened in the last two days?”
“Rich, nothing has happened. Drop it!” Jon’s voice was steel coated.
Knowing from experience that Jon would only grow more defensive if confronted, Richie decided he would drop it for now, but pay attention to see what was happening.
“Good morning, Jon.”
“Good morning. How are you today?”
“Slept well, thank you, but anxious to return home. A short trip away is good for me, but longer and I get antsy to be around my own things. I don’t know how you manage traveling as much as you do.”
“It’s been happening for so long I guess I’m used to it. The down time between tours is great though and I know I can come home pretty much whenever I want to.”
“Amanda still sleeping?”
“Yeah, surprised me. She’s usually up first.”
“Well, it was a long day yesterday and I know I was tired myself.”
Jon nodded at her and then started to talk about some ideas he had for their sightseeing trip. She thought they all sounded great and after she finished her coffee she went up to her room to shower and get ready. She knocked on her daughter’s door and stuck her head.
“Amanda? Time to wake up, honey.”
“Mom? What time is it?”
“Almost 8:30. Jon’s got coffee on and I’m heading for the shower. See you in a few.”
Amanda lay for a few minutes, her mind immediately returning to yesterday. She tried to see what she might have done wrong with either Jon or his family, but she drew a blank. Determined to make her mother’s last day there enjoyable, she got up and showered herself. Dressing in jeans and a dark gray sweater over a white button-down shirt, she brushed her hair and went downstairs.
Walking into the kitchen, she saw Jon sitting there having his coffee.
“Morning, hon.”
He turned to her. “Good morning.”
She moved to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. For reasons neither understood as their thoughts were both running on so many different levels, neither gave the other a kiss that morning. Both noticed this lapse.
Forcing a bit of enthusiasm into her voice she started asking about the plans for the day. Jon filled her in, as he had her mother, and she also agreed that sounded like a good way to spend the day. As she had already showered and dressed, Jon said he was going to get ready himself.
Jon left the kitchen. She didn’t kiss me.
Amanda sat there. He didn’t kiss me.
It’s amazing the complications that can arise from being misunderstood.
~~~
They were ready to leave by 9:30 and headed out. Jon was talkative, showing them where he had grown up, gone to school, first started playing and what clubs, where they had their first real gig, the shore, and many other parts of his past. Jennifer did most of the commenting on what they were being shown, with Amanda throwing in a few words now and then. They stopped for a late lunch and then headed back to his house for Jennifer to finish her packing.
Amanda was helping her mom, spending the last hour with her before she needed to leave. Jon was checking Richie’s flight information online, confirming he would be arriving as scheduled.
The drive to the airport was filled with small talk between Amanda and her mother. Jennifer promised to call when she was home. Jon put on his cap and sunglasses as they left the car and checked Jennifer’s bag in. They had a few minutes before she boarded and giving her daughter a huge hug, she told her to have a wonderful New Year’s and call when she could.
Turning to Jon, she thanked him for flying her in and having her at his home. She told him how much she enjoyed meeting his family and also wished him a Happy New Year. Waving her good-byes, Jennifer left the main area and boarded her plane.
Amanda stood for a few minutes, then turned to Jon, putting her hand on his arm. He turned to her.
“Thank you so much for bringing my mother here for Christmas. It was a wonderful gift to have her with me.”
“No problem, Manda, she’s a really nice lady.”
They had less than a half hour to wait for Richie and decided to head to one of the bars for a glass of wine. Amanda took a sip of hers and tried to reach across some of the distance she felt between the two of them.
“Jon…is there something wrong?”
His eyes met hers but swept by, rather than lingering. “There’s nothing wrong. Just a bit tired from yesterday.”
Why don’t I believe him? Because of his eyes, it’s always his eyes.
They sat quietly waiting the last few minutes until Richie deplaned. Finishing their wine, they moved to the waiting area and as Richie had traveled first class he was one of the first off. He greeted Amanda with a big hug and gave Jon a slug on the shoulder.
“Hey guys! Thanks for meeting me.”
“No problem, bro’, had to be here anyway for Amanda’s mom, so it was good timing.”
As he was only gone for a few days, Richie had only traveled with a carry-on, so they were quickly on their way. Amanda got into the back seat so Jon and Richie could talk.
In Jon’s present mood, he was reading everything wrong. Now she doesn’t want to sit by me?
He and Richie talked pretty much nonstop on the way back from the airport while Amanda sat and viewed the scenery. She was a bit lost in her own thoughts, but was brought back at Jon’s insistence that Richie stay with them as he wanted to work on some songs and the recording studio was at his house.
He doesn’t want to be alone with me?
They got to Jon’s and he immediately continued his talk with Richie. He didn’t try to include Amanda into the conversation and Richie, who was not a stupid man by any means, began to pay a little more attention to the two of them.
“I was thinking I would go start working on dinner if that’s okay?”
Jon turned to her then. “I want to order pizza tonight. Okay with you, Rich?”
Squinting a little, Richie answered. “Sure, pizza sounds good.” He noticed he didn’t ask Amanda. She replied anyway.
“Pizza sounds really good. I haven’t had that for a while.”
Nodding, Jon told her where the menus were and what she should order. He didn’t ask, he told her. Richie shot a sideways glance at Jon that he didn’t see.
Shuffling her foot against the rug, Amanda excused herself, saying she was sure they had a lot to talk about with the new songs Jon had been discussing. She smiled at Richie and included Jon, then went into the kitchen to order the pizzas.
Moving into Jon’s office, Richie shut the door and turned to his friend.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Taking a defensive arms crossed stance, Jon faced his friend.
“Nothing’s going on. What’s your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem. What’s happened in the last two days?”
“Rich, nothing has happened. Drop it!” Jon’s voice was steel coated.
Knowing from experience that Jon would only grow more defensive if confronted, Richie decided he would drop it for now, but pay attention to see what was happening.
Nothing’s wrong, my ass, Richie thought.
I just read the last several chapters with a stunned expression on my face. Where the hell did all this come from?!? They were fine, talking about things, even things that were uncomfortable. All of a sudden Jon starts having doubts and somehow Amanda is picking up on it and they are strained without even knowing why. Even Richie sees something's wrong! I hope he can step up again and make them see sense.
Sun, that you can make want to smack both your main characters with my own wooden spoon speaks volumes. Great job, m'dear.
Now fix this mess !!! LOL
~ Hath
I really have to say that i respect Amanda a lot here. Even tho Jon is shutting her our, she keeps leaving the door open and inviting him to walk through and that takes a helluva strong person to do that when you're feeling rejected. Jon is just letting the doubt sink in further instead of realizing how sad she is and how she keeps holding the door open for him-just walk thru the damn door, Jon! Yet I could totally see him behaving this way in all honesty and being a stupid @*!#$!
Richie, don't back off now! Slap Jon up side the head! And soon!
had to go to Kinko's to cathc up! Dayum girl only gone one day and you have them about broken up!
Detroit looks great when it isn't raining!
Talk more when I get home
Anyone have a wooden spoon I can use?! I swear these two drive me nuts. Like I said before they both need to sit down and talk, but are they doing that? No, instead the distance is growing between them. Richie smack them both for me please.