To her complete surprise, Amanda found out she would need certain immunizations to travel outside the country, ones she had never received. Jon made an appointment with his physician to get those taken care of, making sure he explained about her allergic reaction to certain chemical compounds. An appointment was arranged for later that afternoon. Jon told her about all the arrangements that were made and gave her cell numbers that she might need, including his assistant, Sharon, Tico, Hugh, David, and Chris, the security guard who would also accompany them.
Amanda called her mother to tell her that she would be out of the country as of Thursday and that their first stop was England. She made sure her mother had Jon’s cell number in case her phone didn’t work out of the United States. Jon made a mental note to call Sharon and get her a cell phone that would work anywhere as he knew hers probably wouldn’t. Actually, he decided he would take care of that himself, as he wanted her to have a phone with the same capabilities as his so she would always know his schedule.
Amanda grabbed a piece of paper and started making lists of things to be done before she left. Jon started his own. Both kept adding to the other’s as they soon realized they had a lot to accomplish in the next two days.
“Let’s go grab at bite at Dave’s and get some of this stuff done.” Jon suggested.
They were ready to leave within a half hour, getting coffee and breakfast at the small restaurant close to where Jon lived. Their first stop after that was at a cell phone store where Jon purchased her the new iPhone with an unlimited plan and global communication package. He explained to her that he knew her phone wouldn’t work outside the U.S. and they needed to be able to reach each other. She chose a bright blue color and the salesperson took her old phone and programmed the new one with all her numbers. She was given a box with a huge book on operating the phone and knew what she would be doing on the plane to England. Her new phone even had internet and email access. Jon decided he liked the phone so much he bought one for himself and had it programmed.
Their next stop was at Jon’s doctor’s office where she went in and received more shots that she had ever had at one time before. She was given an immunization record that she was to keep with her passport. She was also given a prescription for an Epi-Pen, a device that could self-administer Epinephrine as her allergy was life-threatening. He gave her a note that explained the medication and that she was required to carry it with her at all times.
“Amanda, this is a serious allergy. It might have never shown itself if you hadn’t been given that drug, but now that it’s manifested you have to take every precaution.”
She assured him she understood and thanked him for providing her with this necessary medication. Jon also needed an update on one of his shots and received it. His doctor explained about the Epi-Pen and told him that if Amanda got into serious trouble he might have to administer it. He listened carefully to the instructions.
They went next to a drug store to get the prescription filled for the Epi-Pen and Amanda purchased a few female items she wanted to take with her. A little embarrassed, but determined to ask, Amanda questioned Jon as to whether or not there was time for her to get her legs done again. Getting a truly wicked grin on his face, he said he would gladly make the time. He immediately took her to a spa he knew and within an hour she was in and out, glad she had done this before their trip.
It was now almost four in the afternoon and they both realized they were starving. Looking at each other with thoughtful looks their face, they burst out almost at the same time with “PIZZA!” The found a small restaurant and ate until both groaned. Afterwards they still had a few stops to make and Jon found himself on the phone again and again. He noticed that Amanda never seemed to mind, enjoying walking around and seeing things she had never seen before. She called her mother and Susan and gave them her new cell phone number as it had changed with a global package. She promised both that she would call them later, but right now she was walking down a street and she just couldn’t talk.
They stopped at a branch of Jon’s bank and a Visa ATM was provided for Amanda in her name, attached to one of his accounts. The bank manager tried to speak with him about the advisability of doing this as it gave her access to more money than she could imagine, but Jon’s eyes iced over and the manager quickly back-tracked from his comments. She was a bit chagrined to witness this, but she couldn’t wait in the car as her signature was required for several forms.
Returning finally to the house, Jon found mail waiting for him. Inside one envelope was a credit card in Amanda’s name. He gave her this also, to go with the ATM card. He also gave her $1,000 in cash and when she started to protest, he gazed at her softly.
“Remember, love, I don’t want you to have to come to me for change for a cup of coffee, okay?”
Taking a deep breath, she managed to keep herself from arguing, knowing the reasoning behind what he was doing and just thanked him.
“I gotta tell ya though, Jon, this feels really strange.”
“Please, baby, just accept it. I do and I want to.” His voice seemed to beg her to let him do this and she acquiesced.
~~~
They would be gone for almost two weeks on this trip, a time period that worried Amanda. She realized she had to pay her mortgage and take care of her household things. Her mother had done it last month and might continue. Jon overheard her on the phone talking with her mother about it and asked if he could speak with Jennifer.
“Jennifer? It’s Jon. I’m great, and you? Uh huh, well, we enjoyed having you. Hey, I have a favor to ask you. I would like to arrange to have my assistant Sharon take over any bills that Amanda might have coming in during the time she’s overseas with me.” He listened as her mother spoke.
“I understand, but she’s taking a trip she wouldn’t normally do and I feel this is the right way to handle it. Uh huh…I’d like to give Sharon your number so it can be worked out. Ok, sounds good. Thanks so much for this. Here’s Manda.” He passed the phone back to her.
“Amanda, is he serious?” her mother’s voice was a bit shocked.
“Yeah, mom, he is. He wants me to save Jeremy’s money. We’ve had a long talk about this and in Jon’s world there is no way I can be a part of it with what I have, at least not for very long. He wants to do this and has asked me to accept it.”
“How do you feel about this, honey?”
“Pretty weird to tell you the truth, but I understand why. We really have talked, mom, please trust me on this.”
“I will, sweetie, I’m just a bit amazed, that’s all.”
“You’re amazed? I think my mouth is still hanging open!” Amanda joked, trying to lighten her mother’s mood. “I’ll talk with you soon, Mom. Love you!”
Jon had heard the entire conversation from Manda’s end and asked her if she thought her mother understood.
“She will after she thinks about it for a while. I know I’m still working on it.”
“Manda, I want you with me, all the time, and there are things I can do that you can’t. Having you with me means so much and this is so little. Please accept it, baby, I love you and I need you with me.”
“I love you and need to be with you too, but I don’t want to be a burden.”
Jon laughed softly then. “Ya know that night at the hotel when Richie was kicking some sense into me?” She nodded. “He reminded me of what a ‘gold-digger’ you are, how you beg for expensive dinners out, jewelry, and all that and how you run around telling everyone you’re Jon Bon Jovi’s girlfriend. Well, the truth is you do none of that. You cook for us much more than I’ve taken you out and I practically had to drag you to a store to get you some warm clothes for up here. Christ! You didn’t even tell your best friend who you were with! So, please accept that I am learning your character and I feel I can trust you.”
With tears in her eyes, she nodded at him. “Thanks, Bongiovi, I needed that.”
Looking at her with longing, he asked, “Can I tell you what I need, what I want?”
Amanda called her mother to tell her that she would be out of the country as of Thursday and that their first stop was England. She made sure her mother had Jon’s cell number in case her phone didn’t work out of the United States. Jon made a mental note to call Sharon and get her a cell phone that would work anywhere as he knew hers probably wouldn’t. Actually, he decided he would take care of that himself, as he wanted her to have a phone with the same capabilities as his so she would always know his schedule.
Amanda grabbed a piece of paper and started making lists of things to be done before she left. Jon started his own. Both kept adding to the other’s as they soon realized they had a lot to accomplish in the next two days.
“Let’s go grab at bite at Dave’s and get some of this stuff done.” Jon suggested.
They were ready to leave within a half hour, getting coffee and breakfast at the small restaurant close to where Jon lived. Their first stop after that was at a cell phone store where Jon purchased her the new iPhone with an unlimited plan and global communication package. He explained to her that he knew her phone wouldn’t work outside the U.S. and they needed to be able to reach each other. She chose a bright blue color and the salesperson took her old phone and programmed the new one with all her numbers. She was given a box with a huge book on operating the phone and knew what she would be doing on the plane to England. Her new phone even had internet and email access. Jon decided he liked the phone so much he bought one for himself and had it programmed.
Their next stop was at Jon’s doctor’s office where she went in and received more shots that she had ever had at one time before. She was given an immunization record that she was to keep with her passport. She was also given a prescription for an Epi-Pen, a device that could self-administer Epinephrine as her allergy was life-threatening. He gave her a note that explained the medication and that she was required to carry it with her at all times.
“Amanda, this is a serious allergy. It might have never shown itself if you hadn’t been given that drug, but now that it’s manifested you have to take every precaution.”
She assured him she understood and thanked him for providing her with this necessary medication. Jon also needed an update on one of his shots and received it. His doctor explained about the Epi-Pen and told him that if Amanda got into serious trouble he might have to administer it. He listened carefully to the instructions.
They went next to a drug store to get the prescription filled for the Epi-Pen and Amanda purchased a few female items she wanted to take with her. A little embarrassed, but determined to ask, Amanda questioned Jon as to whether or not there was time for her to get her legs done again. Getting a truly wicked grin on his face, he said he would gladly make the time. He immediately took her to a spa he knew and within an hour she was in and out, glad she had done this before their trip.
It was now almost four in the afternoon and they both realized they were starving. Looking at each other with thoughtful looks their face, they burst out almost at the same time with “PIZZA!” The found a small restaurant and ate until both groaned. Afterwards they still had a few stops to make and Jon found himself on the phone again and again. He noticed that Amanda never seemed to mind, enjoying walking around and seeing things she had never seen before. She called her mother and Susan and gave them her new cell phone number as it had changed with a global package. She promised both that she would call them later, but right now she was walking down a street and she just couldn’t talk.
They stopped at a branch of Jon’s bank and a Visa ATM was provided for Amanda in her name, attached to one of his accounts. The bank manager tried to speak with him about the advisability of doing this as it gave her access to more money than she could imagine, but Jon’s eyes iced over and the manager quickly back-tracked from his comments. She was a bit chagrined to witness this, but she couldn’t wait in the car as her signature was required for several forms.
Returning finally to the house, Jon found mail waiting for him. Inside one envelope was a credit card in Amanda’s name. He gave her this also, to go with the ATM card. He also gave her $1,000 in cash and when she started to protest, he gazed at her softly.
“Remember, love, I don’t want you to have to come to me for change for a cup of coffee, okay?”
Taking a deep breath, she managed to keep herself from arguing, knowing the reasoning behind what he was doing and just thanked him.
“I gotta tell ya though, Jon, this feels really strange.”
“Please, baby, just accept it. I do and I want to.” His voice seemed to beg her to let him do this and she acquiesced.
~~~
They would be gone for almost two weeks on this trip, a time period that worried Amanda. She realized she had to pay her mortgage and take care of her household things. Her mother had done it last month and might continue. Jon overheard her on the phone talking with her mother about it and asked if he could speak with Jennifer.
“Jennifer? It’s Jon. I’m great, and you? Uh huh, well, we enjoyed having you. Hey, I have a favor to ask you. I would like to arrange to have my assistant Sharon take over any bills that Amanda might have coming in during the time she’s overseas with me.” He listened as her mother spoke.
“I understand, but she’s taking a trip she wouldn’t normally do and I feel this is the right way to handle it. Uh huh…I’d like to give Sharon your number so it can be worked out. Ok, sounds good. Thanks so much for this. Here’s Manda.” He passed the phone back to her.
“Amanda, is he serious?” her mother’s voice was a bit shocked.
“Yeah, mom, he is. He wants me to save Jeremy’s money. We’ve had a long talk about this and in Jon’s world there is no way I can be a part of it with what I have, at least not for very long. He wants to do this and has asked me to accept it.”
“How do you feel about this, honey?”
“Pretty weird to tell you the truth, but I understand why. We really have talked, mom, please trust me on this.”
“I will, sweetie, I’m just a bit amazed, that’s all.”
“You’re amazed? I think my mouth is still hanging open!” Amanda joked, trying to lighten her mother’s mood. “I’ll talk with you soon, Mom. Love you!”
Jon had heard the entire conversation from Manda’s end and asked her if she thought her mother understood.
“She will after she thinks about it for a while. I know I’m still working on it.”
“Manda, I want you with me, all the time, and there are things I can do that you can’t. Having you with me means so much and this is so little. Please accept it, baby, I love you and I need you with me.”
“I love you and need to be with you too, but I don’t want to be a burden.”
Jon laughed softly then. “Ya know that night at the hotel when Richie was kicking some sense into me?” She nodded. “He reminded me of what a ‘gold-digger’ you are, how you beg for expensive dinners out, jewelry, and all that and how you run around telling everyone you’re Jon Bon Jovi’s girlfriend. Well, the truth is you do none of that. You cook for us much more than I’ve taken you out and I practically had to drag you to a store to get you some warm clothes for up here. Christ! You didn’t even tell your best friend who you were with! So, please accept that I am learning your character and I feel I can trust you.”
With tears in her eyes, she nodded at him. “Thanks, Bongiovi, I needed that.”
Looking at her with longing, he asked, “Can I tell you what I need, what I want?”
She brought her eyes to his. “No…but you can show me…”
OMG! I can't begin to tell you how I am loving this story. I started it barely a week ago and haven't been able to put it away. I can't wait for more!
Wow! Another great chapter. Thanks for the speedy delivery! I love not having to wait too long!
Yeah, Lori is right, I love the fact that you are not putting us on hold for a long time. Would you mind a suggestion? Did you ever consider bringing more of Amanda's life in the story? I mean, we don't know much about her, just the fact that she lost her husband and she was in deep mourning when she met Jon. She must have had a job, she must have some skills we are not aware of. Maybe she could handle some things inside the Jovi Syndicate. I hope you don't mind my suggestion.
Love your story,
Arwen
Thanks all for the comments! Arwen, there is definitely more of Amanda's past coming out in the future and more of her own individuality as she deals with the "Jovi machine". Showing her the way she has been was a way to show how deeply she was affected by what happened. She gets to start coming "alive" again, not just in bed, of course, but in all ways. That's a great comment by the way. I'll make sure more of her background gets in!
A necessary conversation-glad they were able to come to terms with such a daunting difference in their resources. Another great chapter that shows the realistic side of the relationship!
Love how their relationship is growing with every passing day.