Chapter 122

“Lunch is ready, Jon.” Kim called out two days later.

“I still think we should have ordered something to eat. You shouldn’t cook. You still need to rest, hon.” Jon said while sitting down at the table.

“It wasn’t a big deal.” She told him with a soft smile.

“What are we having?” he asked when she set the plate in front of him. It looked great and no coleslaw in sight.

“Potatoes, green beans and…… liver.” She stated calmly.

“Liver?” Jon asked shocked and dropped his knife.

“Yes, baby.” Kim said smugly and ate some of the beans. She disliked liver too, but she knew her two furry friends would love it later. They were trying to get some of it already while she was cooking.

Jon sighed deeply and put the fork down. Tomorrow his kids would come over for a long weekend before school would start again. She had to forgive him or his two oldest kids would wonder what he did.

“Kimi, can we talk?” he asked hesitant.

“About what, baby?” She had to use all her control to keep a straight face.

“About this.” He pushed the plate away disgusted.

“The liver?” Kim asked in a mixture of confusion and amusement. He gave her a long look. But she wasn’t going for it.

“More what it stands for.”

“And what does it stand for, Jon?” Kim asked and put her fork and knife down as well.

“Me being an absolute idiot.”

Kim looked at him expectant. He sighed.

“Ok, ok….me being an absolute idiot, that has no idea how to treat you right and is self-centered and egoistic and…and…” he paused shortly.

“Kimi, I love you, I don’t wanna lose you. I’m sorry.” He choked lightly while saying those last words.

She looked at him for a whole minute before getting up and rounding the table. Her dogs jumped up immediately and stepped closer to her chair. For liver they would beg.

“Off!” Kim said in a sharp voice when Sambo put his paws on the chair to reach her plate. Jon jumped a little and looked at her surprised. She chuckled.

“Not you, Jon….him.” she pointed at Sambo, who slowly sank down on the ground again.

“Oh, I didn’t see....” he didn’t finish the sentence. Kim sighed softly and grabbed his hand to pull him to his feet.

“Come on, hobble over to the couch with me, baby.” He got up and followed her. She didn’t like that he was so out of balance. She wanted the Jon back she met at the charity gala. She didn’t wanna deal with this slightly daunted version of him.

“Jon, I love you. And I can accept most of your little ticks…” he smiled gently, but still looked a bit like a caught school-boy.

“…there are two things, I won’t accept though…” she continued.

“Two?” he asked surprised.

“Yes, baby.” He swallowed hard.

“First you ordering me around and taking me for granted.” He nodded.

“Second…you beating yourself up about it and becoming this timid, slightly demur person.” He stared at her in shock. Was he really doing that?

“I want my Jon back. I don’t wanna tell you what to do. You are old enough to know it yourself. I want a partner, who is strong and independent.” She looked at him and hoped he would understand her.

“I had no idea, I was doing that, Kimi.” He finally admitted. But he couldn’t say it surprised him. He had always been hard on himself or he wouldn’t be where he was today.

“I thought so. But when I can forgive you, you have to forgive yourself as well, baby.” She leaned in and kissed him gently. He sighed happy and wrapped his arms around her to pull her closer. He missed her so much.

When their kissing was getting hotter and more demanding, a loud noise came from the kitchen area. Glasses were flying and shattering on the ground, claws scratched over the wooden table and Sambo was close to his goal and Kidd right behind him.

“What the….?” Jon couldn’t believe it. He’d never seen those dogs behave like that. They were always obeying and never going after food.

“SAMBO, KIDD OFF!!!!!” Kim’s voice echoed back from the walls. She stormed forward and grabbed Sambo at his collar to guide him down the table again without stepping in the broken piece of glass.

“I don’t believe it. You are in trouble!” she pushed Kidd away from her when he tried to sneak up.

“Did they ever did that before?” Jon wondered and tried not to step into broken fragments of their glasses or on the cutlery.

“Only for liver.” Kim said and grabbed Kidd’s collar as well. She pulled both dogs to the patio doors and shoved them out.

“You stay there, Mister.” She said angrily when Sambo tried to squeeze in again before she could close the door. Kidd whimpered softly.

“Will you give them the liver?” Jon wondered when he helped Kim clean up the mess.

“No. They would think it’s a reward.” Kim shot them a look when they dared to bark.

“I’ll be right back.” Jon looked at her surprised. She vanished into her office and seconds later appeared on the patio. She had obviously taken the other door to get out.

“Off!” She said strictly when Sambo started to bark again. He was still very upset about not getting the liver and wasn’t reacting to Kim like Kidd did, but was even taking a step towards her.

Kim reacted very fast and pushed the dog to the ground and turned him on his back. For a few seconds he was fidgeting and trying to get up again, but then he suddenly calmed down.

Jon looked at her stunned, when she returned to the apartment.

“Why did you do that?”

“Because he was questioning me as a leader. I think I will have to spend some time with both of them at the pet obedience school again. I was gone too long.” She sighed deeply and pulled the vacuum cleaner out of the closet to get rid of even the tiniest piece of broken glass.

Chapter 121

“Do you need anything, honey?” Jon asked her again for the hundreds time since she got up this morning.

“No, thanks. Sit down, Jon.” Kim told him. She didn’t like it that he was walking around with his crutches so much.

“Yes, dear.” He said and sank down on the couch next to her. She smiled softly. He knew she was still holding a grudge against him.

He visited her every day in the hospital. And rather soon he figured out that he wasn’t out of the dog house for his behaviour. She simply decided to deal with it differently this time.

Jon watched her from the corner of his eyes. She looked still really pale. And seemed to vanish in this oversized sweater and pants she was wearing. He wished she would stay in bed until she was fully recovered, but she told him she would go crazy and her body needed to get used to some moving around again.

He sighed softly, when she was giving him one of her best smiles. It would have been so much easier for him if she would have continued to yell at him, but she was doing nothing like that.

For a little while he thought everything was fine, but then he realized she was punishing him in another way. She was making him do things he hated or at least disliked. Things that were getting on his nerves.

Last night when they were home from the hospital, she ordered dinner. He didn’t mind having salad, but he did mind having a heavy load of coleslaw in it.

He also didn’t like it that he was sleeping in one of the guest rooms right now. She told him it was for his own good, because she was still waking up several times during the night due to coughing and would wake him, but he knew it was because she was still pissed at him.

“So, what would you like to do tonight?” Jon asked casual, not letting her see how much she annoyed him with her tactic. At least he thought she didn’t see it.

“Well, we ain’t really mobile…so I would say, we stay in. Order food? Maybe watch a movie?” Kim said. She was still feeling rather weak. Just walking through the lobby yesterday, had her break out in sweat. Her body needed a lot of rest to bounce back from the pneumonia.

“Ok, I will order the food today though.” He reached for his phone immediately. Another coleslaw dinner was so not his thing.

“Sure, baby.” She said and didn’t let him see her smirk. He nearly lost it last night, when she set the plate down in front of him. But he controlled himself, tossed a ton of dressing on his salad and ate it all.

“How about Chinese?” he asked.

“Sounds good to me.” She agreed.

“The usual? Spice chicken and shrimp chips?” he wanted to know while hitting the speed dial.

“Yep.” She said and got up.

“Honey, what do you need? Let me get it for you.” He grabbed his crutches and was on his feet immediately. She nearly laughed out loud.

“Jon, I need to go to the bathroom…..and I don’t need your help there.” She said calmly and walked slowly to the stairs.

“Oh, ok.” He sat down again and dialled the number of the Chinese take-out place once more.

For a second he thought about ordering her something she wouldn’t like, but it would only get him in trouble. She was capable of throwing him out completely and not only sent him down the hall into a guest room.

“Dinner should be here in half an hour.” Jon informed her when she came back. “What movie do you wanna watch?”

“Oh, I already picked one out.” Kim walked over to the side board and pulled one of the many available dvd cases from it.

“I really wanna watch ‘My Big, Fat, Greek wedding’” She told him dead serious.

“What?” he looked at her shocked and surprised again. It took all her strength not to break down and laugh.

“My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding.” She repeated.

“But,…but ….really? A chick-flick?” he whined.

“I happen to like this movie.” She said and put the dvd into the player.

“But Kimi, you like action movies and football….not chick flicks….” Jon tried to change her mind. She only gave him a stern look.

It was true. She favoured action movies over chick flicks, but this movie wasn’t that bad. It wouldn’t kill her. Him though, it would drive crazy.

He sighed deeply when he got the look from her. He shook his head and grabbed his crutches to get up.

“That’s not fair….I wasn’t THAT bad….” He mumbled to himself.

“What was that, Jon?” she asked promptly. He froze and swallowed hard.

“Uhm…I’m getting the drinks. What would you like, dear?” he said fast. Her right eyebrow rose. Shit busted, he thought.

“I’ll take some orange juice and water, please.” She only said. Her typical Mt. Dew was out of the question, because it didn’t go well with the medication she was still taking. Made her threw up last night and gasp for air. She looked like shit afterwards and had to cover up the tiny red blood vessel that became visible under her eyes this morning.

“Sure, honey.” Jon slowly moved to the kitchen area. She watched him for a minute and shook her head when she could hear him softly cursing about the way he was treated. It seemed she would have to keep her tactic up for a little while longer, when he still wasn’t getting it.

Chapter 120

“What do you mean: She has pneumonia?” Jon asked confused and stared at Dot and Kim’s doctor who just entered the bedroom.

“It means just that Mr. Bon Jovi. Kimberly has an acute pneumonia probably from streptococcus bacteria, but we are still running tests on that. The problem is that this form of pneumonia is contagious.”

“Contagious?”

“Yes, Jon. Kim already informed the whole crew. Everyone who was with her the last couple weeks needs to be checked on or at least everyone has to see a doctor as soon as symptoms occur. Especially with the children and Fran, as she is pregnant.” Dot told him.

“Where is she?” Jon asked and tried to get out of bed.

“She is in the hospital, Mr. Bon Jovi. She had too much trouble breathing. I couldn’t let her go.” The doctor explained.

“I need to see her.” He tried to reach his crutches.

“Jon, right now, you need to get checked too and you have to rest. Your leg is still healing.” Dot grabbed the crutched and took them away.

“Dorothea! Kim is in the hospital. I need to go there.” He said astonished.

“No, Jon. She doesn’t want to see you. And she needs to rest.”

“What do you mean she doesn’t want to see me? How do you know?” He asked angry.

“Well, after she sent me the message last night, she called this morning from the hospital and asked if I could come over. She told me that she had to stay and asked me to pack some of her stuff and bring it to her and to remind you of the rules.” Dot glared at him.

“She knew yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.” He sounded at lost and shook his head. Dot snorted.

“Not really surprising, isn’t it?” He frowned and looked at her.

“What do you mean?”

“Jon, you blew it again….big time….think about.” She shook her head in disbelieve. “I need to get back to the hospital.”

“What about the kids?”

“So far…nothing….I will keep an eye on them. Especially on Romeo, because of the infection last year.” Dot told him. He only nodded and stared at his leg.

Dot watched him for a few seconds, before she left. He looked like a trapped animal. She knew it would be very hard for him. He couldn’t do anything, just sit there and wait.

After Dorothea and the doctor left, Jon let his mind travel back. He tried to remember the last three weeks. What he mostly remembered was anger, frustration and pain. He sighed. He couldn’t positively say that Kim was with him, even though he knew she was, but there was nothing in those weeks. No kiss, no hug, no nothing.

“God, dammit!” he growled and hid his face in his hands.

“Why am I so stupid?” he whispered to himself. He could really lose her this time. Why on earth should she keep up with him?

He needed to see her. Now.

Jon managed to get out of bed and hobble downstairs with his crutches. The dogs weren’t even bothering to get up when he leaned against the kitchen counter looking for his phone, they just watched him.

“I know, I know. I blew it. Ok?” he told them when he couldn’t stand their glance anymore.

He talked Lloyd into driving him to Kim and started his way for the elevator. By the time he was in the lobby every muscle in his body screamed from pain and he remembered that he didn’t take his painkillers yet.

Annoyed about himself he sank down on the backseat of the car and threw some in. Kim always made sure he took his meds on time.

“Good, I’m worse than one of my kids.” He mumbled to himself while Lloyd navigated the car through the New York traffic to the hospital.

“Do you want me to go inside with you, Mr. Bon Jovi?” Lloyd asked when he stopped in front of the hospital.

“No, thanks. Lloyd. I’ll manage.” Jon said and tried not to moan in pain while leaving the car.

He charmed the nurses into letting him visiting Kim, even though it wasn’t as easy as he had hoped. He was pretty sure, they had gotten a little warning from Kim.

When he entered her room, he swallowed hard. She looked so tiny, pale and fragile in this bed. She was getting oxygen from a nasal cannula and seemed to sleep.

Jon tried to move around without making any noise, but wasn’t really successful due to the crutches. She blinked sleepy when he sat down on a chair, which he’d pulled over to her bed and lifted his injured leg on another one.

“Jon.”

“Awww, shit. I didn’t wanna wake up.” He said softly and took her hand.

“Go back to sleep, honey.” He whispered and kissed her cheek. She looked at him.

“I’m fine.” She said and sat up in the bed and made sure her nasal cannulae wouldn’t strangle her.

“How are you feeling?” she asked. He looked at her surprised.

“I’m fine.”

“Really? You are in pain. You were late with your pain meds, right?” she said softly. He shook his head and chuckled.

“How do you know?” he wondered.

“I know you, Jon.” She laughed lightly.

“Yeah, apparently you know me better than I do myself.” He paused nervously and looked at his hands.

“Kimi, I have no idea what got into me. I’m sorry I ordered you around. I…if you want I move my stuff over to my old places.” She could barely hear his last words.

“Jon, I don’t want you to move out. But if you ever treat me like that again, you can pack your stuff and go. Don’t take me for granted.”

“I won’t, I promise. It won’t happen again. I love you, Kimi.” He whispered and slid from his chair to the bed to wrap his arms around her. She smiled.

“I love you too, Jon. I just don’t like you, when you are sick.” She added with an evil grin. He chuckled and kissed her cheek.

“So, what about your shot? Did Dot hit you?” Kim asked after they have been sitting in silence for a few minutes.

“No! No way! She would have killed me. I did it myself.” He told her and leaned back against the pillow.

“Yourself? You did it yourself?” Kim was shocked and surprised at the same time. He told her he couldn’t do it, because he was scared of needles.

“Yeah, it took me more than 30 minutes, some I couldn’t get myself to do it at first, but then I did it.”

“Wow.”

“I was very surprised though how resistant skin is. I always assumed the needle would go right in, but it didn’t.” he told her.

“Where did you do it?” Kim asked and stopped snuggling to his side.

“Here…” he said and pulled his shirt up to reveal his stomach. Kim took a closer look. There was only a tiny bruise visible.

“Well, you did quite a nice job, I would say.”

“Thanks. This one doesn’t hurt.” He said pointing at the bruise. “The one from last night does though.” He shifted lightly to give his rear end a little break.

“You deserved that.” Kim pointed out without apologizing.

“I know, honey. I know.” He said and wrapped his arms around her to pull her close again.