Chapter 59

Sitting in the backseat of the car, waiting to be connected to his mom’s ward, Jay glanced at Richie as the guy’s voice changed, moving from concerned adult-to-adult into something far lighter. Something that told him Richie was talking to one of Jon’s kids. God, one of my….my brothers. This is just too fuckin’ weird…….. His reverie was interrupted by a voice on the phone.

“Hello?”

“Oh, hi. This is Jay Kelsall, I……..”

“Baby, it’s me.”

Now he recognised the voice. Desi. And he didn’t know whether to be relieved or scared shitless that she’d answered.

“Desi.” He breathed. “What’s……what’s happening?”

“She’s okay, Jay.” Desi said firmly, leaning against the wall by the desk, glad the nurse had asked if she wanted to speak with him, when they heard who was calling. “I was near to the desk, and when they said it was Billie’s son calling………well, the nurse here asked if I wanted to speak to you first.”

“She’s really okay? But the………she was bleeding again.”

“She was, but she isn’t now. Turns out that most of the reason she passed out wasn’t the bleeding - it was the shock of seeing him in her room. She did tear out a couple of stitches, but Doctor Riviello has fixed that, and she’s fine. She’s conscious again and just worried for you.”

“Thank God.” Jay murmured, laying his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose.

At the soft words, Richie turned his head, finding it strangely disorientating to listen to Jon while watching his near look-alike son. Especially when he’d lay money that both of them were in similar positions right now. He’d known Jon long enough to be able to fairly accurately guess what he’d do in any given situation, and he was pretty sure his friend was right now sitting pinching the bridge of his nose, too. Weirdness all around.

“Hold on.” He muttered to Jon, lowering the phone. “How’s she doin’, Jay?”

“Hmmm?” Jay turned to look at Richie, blinking away the slight blur in his vision from pinching so hard on his nose. “Mom’s okay, Richie. She’s awake and she’s gonna be fine.”

“That’s great!” Richie grinned, reaching to clasp Jay’s shoulder as he twisted the phone to his mouth again. “Jon?”


In his New York apartment, Jon ran his hand into his hair. “Yeah, Rich?”

“Billie’s okay. She’s gonna be okay.”

“Glad somebody is.” He mumbled sullenly, then gave himself a swift mental kick in the tail. “Sorry, bro. That’s great news - really. Tell Jay I………” Tell him what, asshole? Tell him you just fucked your entire life for him and his mom? Tell him, since the rest of your kids hate you, how ‘bout he lets you play daddy?

“Why donchya tell him yourself?” Richie said, turning to look at Jay again.

“No!” Jon snapped. “Rich, I can’t. Not right now. I need to…..to try to salvage whatever I can of my family. Tell them both I’m thinking of them, and I’ll be in touch.”

Richie frowned. Run away much, Jonny?

“Please, bro.” Jon said quietly. “Richie?”

“Yeah, okay.” Richie said, backing off for now. Okay, so Jon had enough shit to deal with right now. Not like he could do much for Billie right now, and he’d already done what he could for Jay, getting him lawyered up so fast.


“Richie - can I speak to him?” Jay asked quietly, and Richie ran his teeth over his lower lip.

“Jon? Jay wants to speak to you.”

“Shit.” Jon breathed deeply. “Okay, Rich. Lemme talk to him.”

When Richie nodded, Jay smiled before speaking quickly into his own phone.

“Baby, I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Jay.” Desi replied.

While Richie had been talking to Jon, Jay had filled her in on what had happened, though he’d skirted too many of the details right now, in deference to the Detective driving them. The woman who’d laid her job on the line for him. He still didn’t understand why. Right now, though, all Desi really cared about was the news that Jay was a free man, and that he was on his way back to the hospital. Okay, not entirely accurate. All she cared about was that he was on his way back to her.

When the connection clicked off, she slowly laid the phone back into the cradle before smiling at the nurse who’d given her the call. Dragging herself upright, she headed back to Billie’s room to pass on the news of Jay’s release.


Jay took the phone from Richie with a nod of thanks.

“Bo……..uh, Jon?”

“Hi, Jay.”

“Sorry. I know - well, I guess from what I heard Richie say that this is a bad time. But I just wanted to say thanks. For getting me a lawyer. And everything.”

“No problem, Jay. Hell, you did what any guy would do - you were protecting your mom.”

“I guess. But you still didn’t have to……..and it sounds like you have enough to deal with…….”

“Not your fault, Jay. Trust me on that. There’s only one person to blame for all this, and that’s the prick who put your mom in that hospital bed. She and I were…….were working this out, to be best for everyone, but he……..fuck!”

Even Jon wasn’t sure whether the ‘fuck’ was against Nick Fabian for pushing him into telling his kids this way, or just for his brutal assault on a woman who was only trying to protect two families. Either way, it was Fabian’s fault. That part he was sure of.

“And that wasn’t your fault.” Jay said, stunning Richie and Jon. And himself. Wow. Where’d that come from? When did I get so fuckin’ understanding and philosophical?

“No?” Jon muttered, then his eyes widened as he saw someone step into the doorway, walking toward him.

“Jon?” Dorothea said softly. “Stephanie would like to speak to you.”

“She…………” Jon swallowed heavily, scouring his wife’s face for a hint of Stephanie’s mood.

Dot understood his worry, and she inclined her head a tiny bit - not quite a nod, but a somehow inviting, understanding gesture.

“She wants to talk. She wants…….she needs……..to understand exactly what happened, Jon.” Dot smiled slightly, but there was pain there, too. “I’ve explained that……that nobody is entirely innocent in this - neither of us - and she wants to hear it from you.”

Jon could feel his heart pounding. Okay, so this wasn’t going to be pleasant, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be easy. But just maybe he could stop his little girl from hating him. Just maybe he could make her understand.

“Okay, Dot. Is she coming in here, or………?”

“Uh-huh. I’ll send her along.” Dot left the room, and Jon turned his attention back to the neglected phone call.

“Sorry, Jay, I gotta……..”

“I know. I heard.” Jay lowered his voice slightly. “I hope it works out.”

“Me too.” Jon whispered. “Bye.”

By the time Stephanie entered the room, her face obviously freshly washed to clean away the tearstains, Jon had his phone switched off and was waiting nervously in the middle of the room.

Here goes nothing. He thought helplessly.