Chapter 34

Nervously Kim was knocking at Jon’s door. On the other side of the door was not only the new man in her life awaiting her, but his four kids as well.

FOUR! She wasn’t sure she could handle all of them. Jon already told her that they were all rather different in character, except from the stubbornness they all got from him.

He was sure the two little one would fall for her immediately. Steph and Jesse would be the tricky ones in his opinion. Kim had to admit she was extremely nervous to meet Steph. She was always able to deal better with boys and a teenage girl sure was a challenge, especially for the new girlfriend.

“Hi, honey.” Jon greeted her with a small kiss when he let her enter his apartment.

“Are you ok?” he asked concerned when they walked into the living room. She looked a little pale and was chewing on her bottom lip. Kim sighed.

“I’m just so nervous. What if they don’t like me?” she said, setting the huge bag she was caring down and ran her fingers nervously through her gorgeous blond hair.

“They gonna love you. You’ll see everything will be fine.” Jon said and pulled her into his arms. She so wanted to be more relaxed, but she couldn’t.

“Dad?” Kim jumped away from him immediately when she heard the girl’s voice. Jon chuckled and put his arm around her waist to pull her back.

“I’m here, Steph.” He replied and his daughter was rounding the corner.

“Oh, hi.” She only stopped lightly in her walk when she spotted the woman next to her father. “You must be Kimberly…nice to meet you.” She extended her hand and Kim shook it thankfully.

“Hi Stephanie. You can call me Kim.”

“Then you call me Steph…makes it much easier.” The girl laughed and Jon had to smile. His daughter was great. She promised him to give his new girl as she was referring to Kim a fair chance, but she also told him, she would tell him when she didn’t like her. So far the chemistry seemed to fine.

“So, dad said you are a doctor.” Steph asked and sat down on the couch, observing every move Kim made.

“Yeah, I’m a pediatrician at Harlem Hospital Center.” Kim answered and sat down as well. Jon watched the scene amused. Let the interrogation begin!

“Well, you are definitely welcome here. The boys get hurt nearly everyday.” Steph said lightly annoyed. Seems it wasn’t easy to live with three younger brothers.

“Oh, come Steph…it’s not that bad.” Jon interrupted them. His daughter turned around with raised eye browns looking a lot like her mother in that moment.

“Well, let’s see…running against door frame yesterday…Jake,… trying to get cookie jar from top shelf and falling off chair…Romeo,… cutting himself when trying to scratch the few plugs of his face…Jesse…should I go on?” She asked lightly sarcastic.

“Ok, ok…I get it … they are your annoying brothers.” Jon said chuckling. Kim grinned.

“She’s the annoying one…” Jesse said while entering the room. Steph shot him a look immediately.

“Hi, I’m Jesse.” He greeted Kim.

“Kim. Nice to meet you.” She said smiling.

“Where are Jake and Romeo?” Jon asked.

“Your room…TV.” Jesse answered without major interest. Jon shook his head. Teenagers! He could be happy they weren’t talking in SMS short cuts to him.

“I’m back in a minute.” He told Kim and she nodded smiling.

“So,…dad said you’re a living next to Central Park.” Jesse said.

“Yeah…it’s really nice and great for my dogs.” Kim told him.

“Mhhm.” Jesse agreed and looked over at his sister. It was obvious that he had no idea what say next. Steph looked uncomfortable as well. It wasn’t that easy to keep a conversation going. Kim had pity on them.

“Do you like it to be outside? Maybe doing sports?” she finally asked.

“I play field hockey and I just love football.” Jesse immediately exclaimed. Steph sighed. Kim looked at her grinning.

“You don’t Steph?”

“Well, I like it…we’ve been to a couple games and are watching it with dad on TV, but my world doesn’t crash just because the season is over…Jesse and dad on the other hand start to suffer.”

Kim laughed and Jesse pouted lightly. “You couldn’t live without your make up and clothes either.” He rejected. Steph blushed lightly.

“You like fashion?” Kim asked. The girl nodded.

“Yeah, I like to create outfits, try to make them my own…I draw some designs…I even got lessons for it. It’s not so easy to get the proportion of the different clothing parts right on paper.”

Kim was impressed. She sure knew what she was talking about. “So, do you wanna be a designer?”

“Yeah,…maybe…I don’t know…I just like it.” Kim smiled at her noncommittal answer.

“Well, maybe you can help me from time to time with some outfits. I’m not really good at that stuff.”

“Sure.” Steph nodded.

“Ok, Kim…here are the last two monsters.” Jon suddenly said behind them. They all turned around and watched Jon walking closer with his two youngest sons. Kim knew immediately who was who, because Jake was having a rather nasty bruise on his forehead from the doorframe.

While Jake was walking next to Jon, Romeo was on his arm and pressing his face shyly against his father’s shoulder. Kim smiled and got up.

“This is Jake…” Jon put his hand gently on his sons head. “…and this shy guy here is Romeo.”

“Hi Jake, I’m Kim.” She kneeled down in front of him and he reluctantly shook her hand.

“Hi.” He whispered, before leaning coyly against Jon. His father smiled and softly rubbed his shoulder. Kim turned her attention to Romeo.

“Hi Romeo.” The five-year old gave her a shy smile before hiding his face in his father’s shoulder again. Jon shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Kimi normally they ain’t that reserved.” He tried to put Romeo down, but his youngest held on tight to him. Jon started to worry a little. He expected the first meeting to go much easier, especially with the little ones.

“Well, that’s ok…maybe I have something to wake their interest.” She picked up the huge bag and took out some neatly wrapped presents.

“Oh, Kim you didn’t have to get them something.” Jon protested lightly when she handed each kid a present.

“But I wanted to.” Kim said smiling. Jon paused surprised. Jesse and Steph chuckled softly about their father’s face. Normally that was his saying.  He shook his head and sat down with Romeo.

“Wanna open it, buddy?” his youngest nodded excited. He smiled; maybe this was a good idea after all. “Then go ahead.”

Kim and Jon watched when the kids unwrapped their presents.

“Daddy, look…it’s a Lego Police truck!” Jake showed the box excitedly to his father.

“Wow, you can open it and it has its own quad bike.” Jon got excited himself. Kim grinned and watched Romeo fighting with the paper.

“Uhm…Jon...” she pointed at Romeo. He turned his attention back to his youngest.

“Oh, here…let me help you, buddy…there you go.” Jon ripped the paper apart.

“Fire Helicopter…” Romeo beamed. “I wanna be a firefighter.” He told Kim all of a sudden no longer shy. She smiled at Jon. Mission accomplished.

“Well, then I surely got you the right present.” Thank God, Dorothea gave her some hints.

Jon leaned down and whispered something to his sons. “Thank you Kim.” They suddenly said in unison. She laughed.

“You are welcome.”

“Can we start building it up?” Jake asked.

“Sure.” Jon answered and just seconds later the two boys were sitting on the floor and started to put their presents together. Jon got up and sat down next to Kim.

“What did you two get?” he asked Steph and Jesse curious.

Jesse held up a book with a huge smile on his face. It was the Football Book in its expanded edition by Sports Illustrated. His father pouted.

“I’m looking for that book for weeks! Where did you get it? I need one too; he will never let me read his!” Kim laughed out loud.

“I’m sure I can get you one too…I have connections.” She said mysteriously.

“Come on tell me.” Jon begged.

“Uh, uh...” she rejected him. Jesse and Steph both grinned. They were kinda funny together.

“Thanks a lot, Kim.” Jesse said.

“You are welcome, Jesse.”

“I love it Kim.” Steph said and hugged her shortly. Jon looked over at his daughter and groaned when he spotted a small pink make up set on her lap.

“Look Dad, it’s like a little suitcase I can take it everywhere with me.” Steph told him grinning and grabbed it by the handle. Her father tried to keep a normal face. He would never understand what girls find in make up.

“That’s great, baby…care to show me the inside?” He really hoped there wasn’t too much stuff in it that Dot would disapprove. To his surprise it only contained light soft colors of eye shadow and nail polish, fruity looking lip glosses and the tools and a mirror to apply all of it. He looked at Kim.

“Do you really think I would buy her make-up she wouldn’t be allowed to use? I told you Dorothea and I talked about the kids…and Steph and make-up was one topic.” She smiled at the girl, who grinned. Yeah, she already had a couple fights with her mother about make-up.

“I’m sorry, honey.” Jon placed a small kiss on her lips. Kim pulled back and looked immediately at the kids, but all three boys were busy with their presents only Steph saw it. She had a small smile on her face.

“Daddy, can we grill Burgers for lunch?” Jake asked before Kim could say anything.

“Sure, buddy. We just need to check whether we have everything that we need.” Jon said.

“We have.” Steph told him. “I checked it this morning.”

“Thanks, baby.” He kissed her cheek. “So, how about the boys and I try to get the grill going and you two make the salad and the potatoes?” Jon looked at Kim questing.

“Sure…” she got up and walked together with Steph over to the kitchen. “What kind of salad? Coleslaw?”

“Ehhhh…nooo!...Disgusting!....Nooo!” she got her answer from all five Bongiovi’s. Jon shook his face grimacing slightly.

“Mixed salad…coleslaw is something you won’t find here.” He tried hard not to look too disgustedly. Kim laughed.

“Ok, ok… I can live with that.”