They returned to the cabin where Jon had to take some time to make some business calls. Unlike the previous times, however, he stayed in the room with her and she could see that this was one of the ways he was making an effort to share his life with her. She was coming to understand he had so many things going on at once that he never had any real time off. She was surprised he actually had a radio interview scheduled for that afternoon, one he was able to do by phone. She wasn’t able to get the station at the cabin, but she could hear his side of the interview.
A lot of the interview was about the individual band members, what they were doing while they had some time off, whether Jon and Richie were working on a new album, the success of Lost Highway, if they would be returning to Nashville at some point, and other questions related directly to Bon Jovi. A bit later in the 40 minute talk, the questions became a bit more personal with relation to Jon.
The interviewer, a guy named Chip Waters, told Jon he had heard there was a new lady in his life.
JON: “That’s true, Chip, I’ve met someone and we’re dating.”
CHIP: “There was a rather ugly story printed about a party where there was an incident. Can you tell us a bit more about that.”
JON: “As I’m sure you know from the retraction in the paper and statements made by me, my ex-wife, and Richie, the story was a complete fabrication. The lady I’m with suffered an allergic reaction that required immediate medical treatment. The only true part of that story was that paramedics were called and Richie and I were there with her when the ambulance arrived.”
CHIP: “How’s your ex-wife reacting to a new love in your life?”
JON: “Dorothea is an amazing woman whom I was fortunate to have in my life for a very long time. She and her fiancé have their own future plans and I couldn’t be happier for them. She and I will continue to share the raising of our children together.”
CHIP: “Your new lady was identified as a woman named Amanda Matthews.”
JON: “Yes, that’s who she is.”
CHIP: “How is Dorothea’s relationship with her?”
JON: “They’ve met several times and have formed a friendship. Both like the other, as I like Dot’s fiancé.”
CHIP: “So, with regard to Ms. Matthews, is this serious, Jon?”
JON: “We’re seeing each other exclusively. She was too amazing not to snatch her up immediately!”
CHIP: “Sounds a lot like love there, Jon.”
JON: “It is what it is, Chip.”
CHIP: “Ladies and gentlemen, that is Jon Bon Jovi on the radio with us talking about his music, the band, and the new love in his life. Jon, thank you for taking the time to talk with us.”
JON: “My pleasure. You all have a great day out there in radio land.”
~~~
Once Jon had hung up the phone, Amanda walked over to him from where she had been sitting quietly.
“Well, THAT’S going to stir things up a bit, isn’t it?”
“Honey, remember what I said before I started acting like I’d lost half my brain? I want to be with you and want you to be with me. I love you. I don’t care who knows it. My family, the kids, will always be a priority with me, but the kids and I talked and I want you to start to get to know them.”
Amanda nodded. “I would like that too. You just wouldn’t be the man you are if your kids were not your first priority.”
Lost in thought for a moment, she then turned and looked at him. “You really have trouble getting some down time, don’t you?”
He nodded back at her. “Yeah, sometimes I think I’m spread a little thin, but somehow it doesn’t feel right if I’m not busy.”
As they were having a bit of a serious discussion, Jon decided to get a few things off his mind. Pouring them each a glass of wine and lighting a fire, he asked her if they could talk. She agreed readily.
“I’d like to say some things and then I’d like to hear what you have to say, okay?”
She nodded, curling on her legs on the couch as she watched him and waited for what he was about to say.
“I told you about what my mom said and the old bad memories that raised in my mind. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the last few days and there are a few things I need to discuss with you.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“There are some facts we can’t ignore, Manda, even if we wanted to. Your husband left you enough money that knowing you now it would have lasted for the rest of your life. Still can’t believe the only thing you did was join a gym! But the fact is I’m a very wealthy man and if you tried paying your own way with me, you would go through what Jeremy left you so fast it would make your head spin.”
She nodded as she knew this was the truth.
“I’ve asked you to leave everything in your life behind to come with me, to be with me, and I’m also asking you to fit into my life. The fact that you’re willing to do that is more valuable to me than any money could ever be. I don’t quite know how to say this without sounding like some rich asshole, but I want to take care of things for you. I want you to save that money from your husband. But I also realize I’m asking you to be dependent upon me for everything then and…well, I need to know how you feel about that.”
Amanda thought to herself for a few minutes, then answered as truthfully as she could.
“I understand what you mean, but you have to understand I am not what some would refer to as a ‘high maintenance’ woman. I don’t need expensive jewelry or designer clothes or exotic trips or some of the other things that those type of women demand.”
“Believe me, honey, I learned that lesson about you the hard way!”
“There is also the truth that there’s no way I can be a part of your life in the way you need me to be without help from you. So, how do we come up with a solution for this?” She purposefully turned the tables on him, so she could see what ideas he had. She was so far out of her realm in his lifestyle that she had no solutions.
Jon had been thinking about this for a while and gave his ideas a bit cautiously. “I would like to give you a credit card in your name attached to one of my accounts. I would also like you to have an ATM for any cash you might need. What I don’t want is for you to feel you have to come to me for every dime because knowing you, it would probably make you crazy to feel that dependent.”
She nodded that yes it would.
“I want to make it clear though that I’m not talking about some type of ‘allowance’, I’m telling you I trust you. You’ve never been after my money or my fame and letting myself even consider that possibility makes me feel like a real shit. I’m talking about a partnership between the two of us, even though I would be the financial partner of the two. Will you consider this?”
Slight tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at him.
“Jon, I honestly don’t know how to answer you. Part of me feels like that’s taking advantage of you and another part makes me feel like a ‘kept woman’. But, I also know I can’t be a part of your life with the money I have.”
His mind whirled over this. He had expected a more enthusiastic response from her and mentally smacked himself for once again assuming she would be like other women he had been involved with. Every woman, with the exception of Dot who had been there from the beginning, had reveled in his fame and his money and here was Amanda, practically turning him down. He took a few minutes to think and then spoke.
“I don’t want to be alone anymore, Manda. I want someone to go with me to events, on the road, be with me when I travel, and really share every aspect of my life. You’re the one I want this with and you can’t do it alone.”
Her eyes were troubled as she thought over her response. “We can try and I’ll work on how it makes me feel. Jesus! I’m sorry! Here you are being so generous and I sound ungrateful. I’m not, it’s just that all I really want is you.”
Jon nodded at her, thinking that he needed to choose his words carefully so he would be understood.
“I know that. This is new territory for me too. Doing something like this has never even crossed my mind before with anyone. I’m so used to making decisions and having other people just follow along. The kind of relationship I’d like to have with you means a partnership to me, a real sharing of our lives. I guess I need you to let me share with you the things I can and you need to accept that I’m doing it because I want to build a relationship with you and I trust you.”
She nodded in understanding. “Okay, I want to be with you and that means I’ll need you to share with me that way.” She shot him a rather stern look. “You do know I won’t take advantage of you, right?”
Jon threw back his head with laughter at that and then blinded her with the dazzling white of his smile. “Oh, Manda, there’s no way you would do that. Even as dumb as I’ve been lately, I know that deep inside.”
She smiled back at him, but then brought up another subject as they were clearing the air a bit here.
“Jon, what about your mom? And for that matter, Matt?”
“My mom and I are going to talk and she’s going to have to understand I’m a grown man, not a child, and can make good decisions with regard to the woman I want in my life. Matt and I have already talked. His bad attitude came from my slide this past year into booze and…some other bad decisions. My family will understand how much you mean to me and when they get to know you better, I know they’ll see how wonderful you are. They’ll see the real you, Manda, not just what they imagine.”
“That’s all I can hope for. As much as it upset me to hear what she thought, after we talked the other night I can see where so much of what happened between the two of us came from.”
“Manda…?” Jon began, “Thank you more than I can say for giving us another chance.”
A lot of the interview was about the individual band members, what they were doing while they had some time off, whether Jon and Richie were working on a new album, the success of Lost Highway, if they would be returning to Nashville at some point, and other questions related directly to Bon Jovi. A bit later in the 40 minute talk, the questions became a bit more personal with relation to Jon.
The interviewer, a guy named Chip Waters, told Jon he had heard there was a new lady in his life.
JON: “That’s true, Chip, I’ve met someone and we’re dating.”
CHIP: “There was a rather ugly story printed about a party where there was an incident. Can you tell us a bit more about that.”
JON: “As I’m sure you know from the retraction in the paper and statements made by me, my ex-wife, and Richie, the story was a complete fabrication. The lady I’m with suffered an allergic reaction that required immediate medical treatment. The only true part of that story was that paramedics were called and Richie and I were there with her when the ambulance arrived.”
CHIP: “How’s your ex-wife reacting to a new love in your life?”
JON: “Dorothea is an amazing woman whom I was fortunate to have in my life for a very long time. She and her fiancé have their own future plans and I couldn’t be happier for them. She and I will continue to share the raising of our children together.”
CHIP: “Your new lady was identified as a woman named Amanda Matthews.”
JON: “Yes, that’s who she is.”
CHIP: “How is Dorothea’s relationship with her?”
JON: “They’ve met several times and have formed a friendship. Both like the other, as I like Dot’s fiancé.”
CHIP: “So, with regard to Ms. Matthews, is this serious, Jon?”
JON: “We’re seeing each other exclusively. She was too amazing not to snatch her up immediately!”
CHIP: “Sounds a lot like love there, Jon.”
JON: “It is what it is, Chip.”
CHIP: “Ladies and gentlemen, that is Jon Bon Jovi on the radio with us talking about his music, the band, and the new love in his life. Jon, thank you for taking the time to talk with us.”
JON: “My pleasure. You all have a great day out there in radio land.”
~~~
Once Jon had hung up the phone, Amanda walked over to him from where she had been sitting quietly.
“Well, THAT’S going to stir things up a bit, isn’t it?”
“Honey, remember what I said before I started acting like I’d lost half my brain? I want to be with you and want you to be with me. I love you. I don’t care who knows it. My family, the kids, will always be a priority with me, but the kids and I talked and I want you to start to get to know them.”
Amanda nodded. “I would like that too. You just wouldn’t be the man you are if your kids were not your first priority.”
Lost in thought for a moment, she then turned and looked at him. “You really have trouble getting some down time, don’t you?”
He nodded back at her. “Yeah, sometimes I think I’m spread a little thin, but somehow it doesn’t feel right if I’m not busy.”
As they were having a bit of a serious discussion, Jon decided to get a few things off his mind. Pouring them each a glass of wine and lighting a fire, he asked her if they could talk. She agreed readily.
“I’d like to say some things and then I’d like to hear what you have to say, okay?”
She nodded, curling on her legs on the couch as she watched him and waited for what he was about to say.
“I told you about what my mom said and the old bad memories that raised in my mind. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the last few days and there are a few things I need to discuss with you.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“There are some facts we can’t ignore, Manda, even if we wanted to. Your husband left you enough money that knowing you now it would have lasted for the rest of your life. Still can’t believe the only thing you did was join a gym! But the fact is I’m a very wealthy man and if you tried paying your own way with me, you would go through what Jeremy left you so fast it would make your head spin.”
She nodded as she knew this was the truth.
“I’ve asked you to leave everything in your life behind to come with me, to be with me, and I’m also asking you to fit into my life. The fact that you’re willing to do that is more valuable to me than any money could ever be. I don’t quite know how to say this without sounding like some rich asshole, but I want to take care of things for you. I want you to save that money from your husband. But I also realize I’m asking you to be dependent upon me for everything then and…well, I need to know how you feel about that.”
Amanda thought to herself for a few minutes, then answered as truthfully as she could.
“I understand what you mean, but you have to understand I am not what some would refer to as a ‘high maintenance’ woman. I don’t need expensive jewelry or designer clothes or exotic trips or some of the other things that those type of women demand.”
“Believe me, honey, I learned that lesson about you the hard way!”
“There is also the truth that there’s no way I can be a part of your life in the way you need me to be without help from you. So, how do we come up with a solution for this?” She purposefully turned the tables on him, so she could see what ideas he had. She was so far out of her realm in his lifestyle that she had no solutions.
Jon had been thinking about this for a while and gave his ideas a bit cautiously. “I would like to give you a credit card in your name attached to one of my accounts. I would also like you to have an ATM for any cash you might need. What I don’t want is for you to feel you have to come to me for every dime because knowing you, it would probably make you crazy to feel that dependent.”
She nodded that yes it would.
“I want to make it clear though that I’m not talking about some type of ‘allowance’, I’m telling you I trust you. You’ve never been after my money or my fame and letting myself even consider that possibility makes me feel like a real shit. I’m talking about a partnership between the two of us, even though I would be the financial partner of the two. Will you consider this?”
Slight tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at him.
“Jon, I honestly don’t know how to answer you. Part of me feels like that’s taking advantage of you and another part makes me feel like a ‘kept woman’. But, I also know I can’t be a part of your life with the money I have.”
His mind whirled over this. He had expected a more enthusiastic response from her and mentally smacked himself for once again assuming she would be like other women he had been involved with. Every woman, with the exception of Dot who had been there from the beginning, had reveled in his fame and his money and here was Amanda, practically turning him down. He took a few minutes to think and then spoke.
“I don’t want to be alone anymore, Manda. I want someone to go with me to events, on the road, be with me when I travel, and really share every aspect of my life. You’re the one I want this with and you can’t do it alone.”
Her eyes were troubled as she thought over her response. “We can try and I’ll work on how it makes me feel. Jesus! I’m sorry! Here you are being so generous and I sound ungrateful. I’m not, it’s just that all I really want is you.”
Jon nodded at her, thinking that he needed to choose his words carefully so he would be understood.
“I know that. This is new territory for me too. Doing something like this has never even crossed my mind before with anyone. I’m so used to making decisions and having other people just follow along. The kind of relationship I’d like to have with you means a partnership to me, a real sharing of our lives. I guess I need you to let me share with you the things I can and you need to accept that I’m doing it because I want to build a relationship with you and I trust you.”
She nodded in understanding. “Okay, I want to be with you and that means I’ll need you to share with me that way.” She shot him a rather stern look. “You do know I won’t take advantage of you, right?”
Jon threw back his head with laughter at that and then blinded her with the dazzling white of his smile. “Oh, Manda, there’s no way you would do that. Even as dumb as I’ve been lately, I know that deep inside.”
She smiled back at him, but then brought up another subject as they were clearing the air a bit here.
“Jon, what about your mom? And for that matter, Matt?”
“My mom and I are going to talk and she’s going to have to understand I’m a grown man, not a child, and can make good decisions with regard to the woman I want in my life. Matt and I have already talked. His bad attitude came from my slide this past year into booze and…some other bad decisions. My family will understand how much you mean to me and when they get to know you better, I know they’ll see how wonderful you are. They’ll see the real you, Manda, not just what they imagine.”
“That’s all I can hope for. As much as it upset me to hear what she thought, after we talked the other night I can see where so much of what happened between the two of us came from.”
“Manda…?” Jon began, “Thank you more than I can say for giving us another chance.”
“Honey, I love you, how could I not?”
"Honey, remember what I said before I started acting like I’d lost half my brain?"
ROTFLMAO! No matter how many times you make a comment like that, it just slays me! I really will have to remember those lines and incorporate them into my vocabulary-it's so true and so apt at certain moments! (And I thank you for expanding my one-liner vocabulary!)
I also liked the talk that Jon and Amanda had-I would have reservations too about access to that much $ and feeling "kept" and yet, it is almost necessary as it would be unreasonable to think someone with Jon's wealth would be willing to live on a lot less just for someone's pride-I think they both handled it well and the dialog was very realistic and believable.
I somehow think that it'll take more than his mother "getting to know Amanda" before she sees the light as she's going to be protective and suspicious-I kinda think any mom would be in the situation.
This was a long overdue conversation between Jon and Amanda. Nicely done.