Chapter Fifty Three

Tick........Tick……..Tick........Tick……..

The soft rhythmic motion of her ancient travel clock was the only distraction from the darkness as Jenn stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom. The bed sheets lay twisted and tangled around her legs from hours of tossing and turning.

Tick……..Tick……..Tick........Fuck!!

Growling in frustration, she twisted to switch on the bedside lamp, instantly erasing the heavy darkness that was threatening to suffocate her. Blinking blearily in the bright light, she thumped the mattress in annoyance when she made out it was still only five am. Her brain was exhausted from the various thoughts and scenarios that were continuing to plague her since Dorothea had left. In fact by now everything was one big muddle, she was no longer able to recall exactly what had been said in the heated exchange but the general gist of it hadn’t escaped her. Her initial reaction once Steph had gone to bed had been to call Jon and demand to know what exactly Dorothea was implying but right before she dialled, the rational part of her brain had thankfully swung into action and made her put it down and walk away. Jon had enough crap to deal with without her going on the rampage over something that his ex-wife may have conceived in her bitter little mind.

At one stage in the night, as she had lain fighting with her emotions, the idea of packing her bags and getting on the next plane for home had fleetingly crossed her mind. Home to Ireland, where there were no insane paparazzi or bitter women baying for her blood. Home to the little coastal village she had grown up in, where although everyone there knew her by name; it was for the person they knew her to be, not because she was associated with being the harlot that had dragged one of the world’s best loved rock stars into an adulterous affair. Because if she stayed here, that was exactly how she was certain to be labelled, of that she was sure. However as quickly as the notion surfaced in her head, the thought of leaving Jon and all that he had brought to life in her was unimaginable. 

Rising from the tousled mess of her bed, she moved through to her en-suite, gasping slightly as she splashed some cold water on her face. Skin tingling, she stared at herself in the mirror, watching as the drops of water ran down her flushed cheeks. No, this was not something she would run from, not now and not ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Traffic was reasonably light on the roads as Jon accelerated away from the city. The winter sun glared brightly off the asphalt, the morning sky crisp and blue in contrast to the russet and amber foliage of the trees that steadily increased in number as he left the suburban jungle behind him.

When he had woken early with less of a fuzzy head than he’d dared hope for considering the amount of alcohol he’d consumed with the guys last night, he’d headed straight out on the streets for a run. Mercifully the camera vultures seemed to have lost interest for whatever reason because excepting the few irritating local guys that normally hounded him, the rest of the circus had moved on. No doubt some other ‘high profile’ scandal had caught their attention for the time being and for that Jon was grateful.

Flicking onto a local radio station as he crossed into Jersey, his jaw tightened as he caught the middle of a banter between two DJ’s. They were discussing the demise of various recent celebrity marriage break ups and no surprise; his was top of their list. The inevitable quip about giving love a bad name had him rolling his eyes at their pathetic attempt at humour. Geez guys, try a little originality!

 Preferring silence to the irreverent trash his ears were being assaulted with he killed the radio volume on the steering wheel console. His eyes glanced across at the black holdall sitting on the passenger seat. There was no way in hell he was staying in the city any longer being subjected to every goddamn photographer’s need for an exclusive shot every time he walked out his own door. So, he’d packed some stuff to tide him over for a few days whilst he was out of town. Now the only question on his mind was whether to bunk down with Jenn or put up with Dorothea’s wrath and stay in the guest house. Obviously the latter was the most logical, he’d be able to spend time with his kids and get some work done without stepping foot outside the gates. Like how life used to be……

However the idea of getting cosy with Jenn for a few nights was far more alluring. There was the risk though that his presence there might draw the media attention to the farm, exactly what he was trying to avoid by having Steph stay over there. Dammit! He thumped the steering wheel in temper. The sooner all this crap was over with the better. Weighing up his options, he resignedly took the turn for Middletown. Dot was gonna love this…….

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Knock, knock!” Jenn called out lightly as she peeked through the open doorway of Paul’s office. Engrossed behind his desktop screen, he distractedly waved her in.

“Hey you, give me thirty seconds and I’m all yours…”

Smiling at his furious punching on the keyboard, she wandered over to the wall to gaze at the photographs and multi coloured ribbons that made a dazzling display. With any luck, Steph would have a wall to match it in a few years’ time. She surveyed some older framed photos with mixed feelings as she spotted Steve and herself in them. Laughing and smiling faces stared back at her from atop prizewinning podiums and victorious laps of honour on charging horses. A few months back she reasoned with herself, these pictures would have instantly brought tears to her eyes but now she felt just a tinge of sadness or maybe it was regret as she thought back on the memories. Progress of sorts she supposed.

“Okay kid, I’m all yours!” Paul’s voice snapped her out of her daydream. “What’s up?”

Turning her back to the wall, she smiled demurely as she settled on the edge of a chair opposite his desk. “I need directions……..”

Paul looked at her in confusion, “Directions? To where?”

Keeping her face as neutral as possible, she spoke with conviction, “To the Bongiovi house.”

Still confused, Paul sat back in his chair frowning, interlacing his fingers on his chest. “Well sure but why don’t you just ask Steph or better still get her to show you?” He watched as Jenn fidgeted in front of him nervously biting a fingernail. The darkened hollows of her eyes looked like she hadn’t slept for a month but it was the steely determination that shone out from them that really made him uneasy. Uhoh, trouble in paradise again. “She’d be a better guide than I would….”

“Because I don’t exactly want Steph to know I’m going over there.” Jenn had the good grace to look slightly sheepish as she admitted it.

“Ah…….I see.” Worried now he frantically thought how best to go about this particular situation. “I’m presuming this wouldn’t be a courtesy call?”

A curt nod confirmed he was right. There was indeed trouble on the horizon. He groaned inwardly, this was exactly what Sue had warned him about. “Anything I can do to help?”

Exasperatedly Jenn raised her eyebrows at him, “Giving me the directions would be helpful!”

“Okay, okay!” Leaning forward he grabbed a legal pad and scribbled down the best way to get there. Tearing it off, he held it aloft for a moment just out of her reach. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Quite sure!” She impatiently held out her hand for the piece of paper, the look of pure stubbornness that he knew all too well outlining her face.

Knowing better than to try reasoning with her, he reluctantly handed over the directions. Jenn quickly looked them over; nodding as she mentally followed the road in her head. “Okay I think I know where I’m going – thanks Paul.” Tucking the sheet into the back pocket of her jeans, she made for the door, pausing to turn back as she reached it. “If Jon comes round you have no idea where I am, okay?”

Confusion rattled his brain once more as he looked at her in surprise. “Sure……….but…..”

 Before he could carry on she was gone out the door with a quick smile. Gazing after her, he tried to process what was going on. When she’d asked for the directions he’d presumed she was going over there to talk to Jon, but if she was expecting him here then why in hell was she going over there? His jaw dropped as the obvious realisation dawned on him. Oh fuck! Hastily grabbing his coat, he headed in a half jog over to the house to find Sue. Whatever was going on he only knew of one woman who’d figure it all out for sure – his wife!