Chapter 82

Jon was sitting at the downstairs bar of Cuba Libre, sipping a glass of their ‘best’ rum - a glass of twenty one year old molasses and honey deliciousness, tasting a little like a blend of scotch and brandy, with just a touch of tea. Whatever it was, the flavors worked well, and the mellow bite of the alcohol soothed his spirit.

The main dining area of the restaurant was buzzing with football players, so Jon had sought out the seclusion of the other bar for a while, the stimulation of so many other people almost overwhelming after the days of solitude in the big empty house. Strange, really, since he’d come to the surprise party early, seeking out the company, yet now……..well, now, he realized the only company he’d been looking for was Billie and Jay.

Family.

Of course, Richie, Tico, Dave and Hugh were family, too, but none of them had yet arrived, and Jon had found himself in the slightly awkward position of “the boss” at a boys’ night out. Welcome, yet putting them all on edge, on best behavior. Hence his retreat to the privacy of the lower bar.

Sometimes it sucked to be ‘the man’.

As he reached to pick up the glass again, his phone buzzed, so Jon pulled that from his pocket instead of going for the rum. A short text from Richie read ‘on way’.

Jon slid from the stool, intending to go give Jay a heads-up, but he met his son halfway, as Jay was coming to find him. Of course. Richie had sent the text to them both. Hiding his chagrin, Jon just grinned and held up his phone, nodding.

“Richie texted me, too. They’re on their way.”

“Yeah. Uh, the other guys - I mean Tico and them - are here too - are you coming up?”

“Just let me………” Jon grabbed his glass. “Okay, yeah. Let’s go.”

As they walked toward the stairs, Jay hesitated before asking the question that was in his mind.

“Are you…….is everything okay? I mean, uh……..”

Gee, he’s as good as I am at ‘difficult’ talk! Jon thought before replying.

“I’m fine. Just……I dunno…..been home alone so much this week that I guess the crowd of people was more than I was comfortable with.”

What? Rockstar, plays to tens of thousands of screaming fans, but he’s nervous of a crowd?

Jon could see the confusion in Jay’s eyes, so he gave out a little more of himself. Hell, the kid was his son - he deserved to know his dad, faults and all.

“I’m kinda claustrophobic.” Jon admitted, flushing slightly. “Usually just elevators and shit, but sometimes……”

“Sometimes if you’re in a crowd you feel like you can’t breathe?” Jay replied, his eyes downcast, a tiny smile on his lips as he continued softly. “I always wondered where I got that from - doesn’t bother mom.”

That shared secret - shared phobia - kept them in companionable, smiling silence as they ascended the few stairs to the main area, where Jon was greeted by the rest of the band and the few players who hadn’t been there when he went to the bar.

The tables in the main dining room were mostly occupied, with only one left vacant, reserved for the birthday girl and her ‘family’ - Jay, Richie, Jon, Tico, David and Hugh. Not to forget Desi, who would soon become a member of the family. In the Harlequin room, screened by dark curtains, a table had been set up for gifts, and it bore a variety of packages and cards from the guests. An enormous bouquet of flowers was waiting in the walk-in chiller. So now all that was missing was the guest of honor!


Richie and Billie were in the backseat of yet another limo, Billie joking that she could get used to traveling like this. She wasn’t familiar with the city, and she was just enjoying the ride, taking in the sights outside, so she missed Richie’s surreptitious text to Jon and Jay as they passed City Hall. Of course, at this time on a Friday evening, traffic was heavy, so the mile and a half journey took some ten minutes, but soon enough the car pulled to a halt outside the restaurant.

“We’re here.” Richie grinned, glad that the surprise was almost here, so he could stop second-guessing everything he said, so as not to give it away. Sure, he was good at keeping secrets - didn’t mean he enjoyed it!

“Cube Libre?” Billie read the name, then frowned at the apparently dark restaurant. “Is it open?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. The windows are tinted I think.”

During the brief exchange, they had exited the car, Richie sliding out first then assisting Billie as the driver held the door. A thank you to the driver, along with a more concrete expression of gratitude, then they stepped toward the door, Richie tucking Billie’s hand onto his arm like the gentleman his parents had raised him to be.

As they reached the door, the hostess opened it from inside, and Richie stepped slightly aside.

“After you, ma’am.” He smirked, and Billie was still rolling her eyes at him as she entered the restaurant, then she stumbled back against him in total shock as everyone turned and chorused ‘surprise!!’.

“Ohmigod!” Was all she managed, hearing Richie laughing behind her as a huge bouquet of flowers approached.

“Happy Birthday Mom!” The flowers said, then Jay peeked out from behind them. “You gonna smack me?”

“Huh? I……uh…..maybe later!” She finally laughed. “You did this?”

“Well, I had some help……..” Jay helpfully threw Richie right under the bus.

“Dammit!”

Billie took the flowers with a trembling smile, pulling her son close to kiss him as she blinked away a few tears. “Thank you, Jay.”

As she fumbled with the flowers, the hostess was there, taking them from her, freeing Billie to properly hug Jay. After squeezing him until he squeaked like he did as a kid, yelping that he couldn’t breathe, she turned to Richie, hugging him just as hard before looking up at him. Well, actually, in those heels she was almost eye to eye with him.

“You, Mr Sambora, are a sneaky devil.”

“Hey, wasn’t just me!” Richie figured, if he was being thrown on the altar, he was taking as many with him as he could. “The rest of them knew too!”

The emphasis on the ‘them’, with his accompanying nod to the left, made Billie turn to find Desi, Jon and the rest of the band waiting their turn to offer their birthday wishes.

Billie hugged Desi first, then Jon, then the rest of the band, thanking each of them. She’d just been released from Hugh’s gentle arms when the players of the Soul approached, led by their coach. Every one of those big men hugged her gently, whispering happy birthdays as they did. When the ‘formal’ greetings were all done, Billie grabbed her son again, hugging him hard before reaching to drag Desi into a group hug, thanking them both again.

As they parted, Desi could see the sheen of unshed tears in Billie’s eyes, and she took the older woman’s hand, pulling her away from Jay.

“There are gifts in this other room.” She told Billie, and Jay grinned.

“Oh, yeah. I nearly forgot! Back here, mom.”

Richie was talking quietly with Jon and the rest of the band, and when he noticed Jay and Desi taking Billie toward the other room he raised a questioning eyebrow at Jon.

“Yeah, bro. I took care of it.” The blond singer informed him. Hell, it was my idea, wasn’t it? Not like I’m gonna forget!

“Okay, okay. Just checking!”

In the quieter back room, Billie was stunned by the pile of elegantly wrapped gifts that awaited her. She was pretty certain that most if not all of the packages had been wrapped by the skilled staff at the stores they came from, but the very fact that so many of these people had taken the time to get her a gift was a little overwhelming. But, stoic cowgirl or not, she was still a woman, and her eyes sparkled just a bit brighter at the sight.

“Damn! I don’t know where to start!”

Jay and Desi looked at each other, then Desi picked up a small package.

“This one’s from us.”

Grinning, Billie unceremoniously ripped off the wrapping paper - this one clearly not professionally done, the uneven folds and excessive tape telling her Jay had done it himself. The package held a silver photograph frame, with the picture of a beautiful palomino horse inside, along with a folded piece of paper. Opening the paper, Billie felt tears start again as she read the name and pedigree printed there.

“Color WithinTheLines?” She whispered, reading it from the page, and Jay grinned, tears shimmering in his own eyes, too.

“Her stable name is Biscuit. She’ll be delivered to you whenever you get home.”

Billie grabbed him in a tight hug. “She’s beautiful, Jay. Thank you. Thank you both.”

Releasing them, Billie sat down, wiping her eyes with her hand, thankful for waterproof mascara. She carefully set the photograph down on the table, composed herself, then looked at the table of gifts. Desi again picked one out and handed it to her. A smallish one again, with a familiar scrawled name and the notation ‘from ALL of us’ above Jon’s signature. The wrapping was dealt with as quickly as the first one, revealing a dark blue velvet jewel case. Popping it open, Billie gasped, staring in disbelief at the sparkling contents.