Down by the Boardwalk

John walked over to Ellie, “Hey how are you doing?” he asked her smiling while grabbing a lounge chair and sitting next to her.

Saying to herself and trying not to look like she’s anything but annoyed with him, ‘Why is he sitting next to me like he’s my best friend?’  “Fine can I help you with something?” she asked him.

Chuckling, “Depends…” he said cocking his mouth slightly.

Shaking her head a little, “Ok I’ll bite depends on what?” she said back snarky.

“Depends on what you’re doing tomorrow afternoon.” He said smiling ear to ear.

She just looked at him strangely. Finally she asked him, “Why?”

“Well I was thinking that my Mom had the right idea about taking you out around town and showing you the sites. You know get the lay of the land and this way you’ll know where you’re going if you have too. So what do you say?” He asked her with hope on his face.

“I don’t know John one: I don’t a driver’s license to begin with and two: I don’t like to make plans ahead of schedule only because I never know how I’m going to feel. I would hate to make plans with you then cancel on you last minute. Or worse get sick on you during the tour and you have to take me home early and you getting all pissed at me ruining things.” She explained to him almost sadly.

John just looked at her and couldn’t believe what he just heard. People actually got mad at her for getting ill on them? “Ellie it’s ok if you get sick. I’ve seen you sick remember? I carried you in the house after you fainted. So if by any chance you get one of your headaches I’ll take you home I promise and I won’t get mad ok?” he told her sincerely. He had a feeling that there was more to this than what she was willing to tell him but he wasn’t going to push her now seeing that she was talking to him civil at the moment.  

Just then Marsha came out of the house. “Hi John I’m sorry but I heard what you guys were talking about.” she told them.

Ellie just shook her head. “Look you’re not doing anything tomorrow why don’t take John up on his offer? All you do is just read or watch tv Honey or help me with the kids. It might help if you get out a bit.” She told her hoping it might help her cousin.

“See even Marsha thinks it will be a good idea so what do you say?” John asked her again.

Ellie thought about it but Marsha knew she was still going to decline so she took matters into her own hands. “Look Honey I think it’s a good idea that you go with John tomorrow. (turning to John) what time do you want her to be ready?”

John now didn’t know what to do he didn’t want to force her to go. “Um well I thought I’d take her to the boardwalk so around ten would be good if she wants to go but Marsha I don’t want to force her thou.” He said nervously.

Marsha looked at her cousin questionably. So Ellie finally jumped in knowing very well that if she didn’t she would be hounded all day with this. Turning to John, “Ten will be fine John. Is there anything I should especially wear?” she wanted to know just in case.

Now smiling big time, “Just shorts and a short sleeve shirt. Oh and if you want to go swimming bring your bath suit and towel we can go down to the beach.” he told her.  

She started to laugh. He looked at her confused and didn’t know what he said that was so funny.
“Do I look like I go to the beach? I mean look? My skin is so white I can blind anyone with it. No I don’t go to the beach. The sun is not my friend it hurts my eyes and I hate the heat.” She told him.

“Oh ok no beach then. This should be fun then. Well there are other things to do so we’ll find something trust me.” He said smiling and also winking at her. “Well I need to go I have rehearsal in an hour then later tonight we have a gig at the Fast Lane so I need to get going but I’ll see you in the morning.” He told her standing up.

She looked at him wondering what he meant by his comment. “What do you mean gig? You’re in a band?” she asked him making a face.

“Yeah I am.” He said proudly.

She tried not to laugh. “Really? What do you play showtunes?” she asked giggling.

He wasn’t laughing. “No! Hard Rock stuff. Plus I write my own songs.” He said matter of fact.

She saw his demeanor change fast when they started to talk about his band. She knew right then and there that he just wasn’t playing around. “I’m sorry John I thought it wasn’t something well you know just a hobby or something. But I can see it in your eyes this means more to you doesn’t it?” she asked him.

“Yeah it does it really does. You can just see that?” he asked her amazed.

“Yeah your whole demeanor change when I teased you just now and your eyes lit up. I mean your eyes are really blue as is but…um never mind.” she started to tell him but she stated to feel like she was turning really red in the face as it was.

Smiling, “Look I’ll tell you what we can get into all that tomorrow and I’ll tell you about my band how’s that?” he told her.

Ellie told him that she would like that and that she would see him tomorrow. She was feeling a little sick to her stomach but it wasn’t anything to do with her headaches or meds. It was pure nerves. The rest of the day went as usual for her; she helped out watching the kids and then watching her shows. But then she decided to go to bed early as she was going to get up early so she could get a jump on things and to make sure she looked at least half way descent. She also prayed that for one day she’d feel half way descent too.

John went back to the house smiling like a loon and told his Mom that she had said yes. Then he grabbed his guitar and went off to practice. One of his friends were in The Atlantic City Expressway named David Rashbaum they had met not only on the circuit but doing high school dances. Carol didn’t expect her son home for dinner only because he had told her that he was playing that night so he wouldn’t be getting in until two or three a.m. but to make sure that she got him up by eight in the morning. She thought this was going to be good to see if he really was going to get up.

Morning came quickly in the Bongiovi household and Carol had said goodbye to her husband as he left to go to the shop. Her two other sons were already up and about so her next step was to get her oldest up. She headed upstairs and went into his room and laughed as he was face down on his bed. She went over and just shook him. “Ok Johnny you said you wanted to get up and it’s eight a.m. so rise and shine.”

John just groaned, “Really Mom? Where’s the fire? Just let me sleep will ya?”

Carol stood shaking her head and chuckling. “Well I can let you sleep but there’s going to be a very angry young lady who you promised to take out this morning and you’re just going to show her that she was right about you in the first place.” She told her son just loud enough to get thru his tired skull.

He heard her words thru his very fuzzy brain starting to sink in and his eyes popped opened. “Oh my God! What time is it?” he asked as he jumped out of bed.

“It’s just five past eight.” She told him chuckling.                         

“I have time to shower then. Good. Ok do you have the coffee on Mom?” he asked her running out his door.

“Ya of course I do!” she yelled to him as he ran into the bathroom. “Boys!”

Ellie had gotten up early and gotten ready and eaten something so she wouldn’t get sick and then Marsha suggested that she put on a little make-up.

“Why? John’s seen me without it.” She told her.

“Sweetie I don’t want to hurt your feelings but you’re white as a ghost. I just want to put a little color on you. Trust me please.” She asked her cousin.

Making a face at her, “You guys said this wasn’t a date thou. I only put on make-up when I go out to events and parties stuff like that.”

“It’s not but you want to look nice not washed out so just let me do this and you won’t even know you have anything on.” She told her as she applied the make-up. When she was finished Ellie had to agree that it was very light and just a touch of blush and just a little eye. But she wouldn’t let her put any lip stick because she hated anything on her lips. She hated the taste. And no mascara it caused her pink eye.

“What time is it anyway?” Ellie asked as she was getting antsy.

“It’s a little after nine-thirty why?” Marsha asked.

“Because he’s not coming that’s why. So I’m going back to bed. I mean why did I think that he meant it anyway. He told me that he was going out last night so he probably didn’t get home until really late and is sleeping in. The only problem to that is I could be still sleeping.” She ranted on as the doorbell rang.

Marsha just smiled as she went to answer it. As she opened the door there he stood smiling, “John hello so glad to see you won’t you come in. I’ll go get Ellie for you.” Marsha told him as the kids ran to him. He bent down to say hello to them as Marsha went to get Ellie.

Marsha stood there with her hands on her hips and a smug look on her face. “Ok, ok he showed. Tell him I don’t feel good ok.” She said to her cousin with a pleading look on her face.

“No. Now you go out there and have some fun young lady!” Marsha told her as she pointed towards the living room. With a pouty face Ellie walked into the living room like she was going to a firing squad.

John saw her walk in and rose smiling. “Hi, Wow don’t you look nice.” He told her kind of surprised. “Well you ready?” he asked her taking her hand.

He escorted her out of the house and into his old beat up chevy that he saved up for with the odd jobs that he had over the few summers. She was going to make a comment but decided better on it knowing that a guy’s car is his castle. Only because her brother Joe can’t wait to get his car as fast as he can because he’s going to hate sharing Mom’s. It didn’t take long to get down to the beach and to the board walk. John tried his best to make conversation but it was like pulling teeth. So he put on the radio which seemed to work as it seemed they liked the same kind of music. But he noticed her eyes lit up and nearly jumped out of her seat when Elvis came on. She sang to ‘Heartbreak Hotel and All Shook Up’ and smiled from ear to ear. He made sure he would make a mental note of that later so they would have something to talk about later. He found a parking spot and made sure he got out to open her door. That surprised her and gave him a brownie point in his favor. Something her Dad always told her.

They walked around the Boardwalk for a while as he showed her quite a few of the attractions which included the arcades. There he could show off on some of the ones he knew he was good at. There he won her a few stuffed animals. What he didn’t know was that they were being watched and that they would soon be confronted whether he liked it or not. They had walked around for a few hours and he noticed that she seemed to be slowing down and starting to be breathing a little hard. “Ellie are you ok? You don’t look like your breathing ok. Should I call Marsha?” he asked worried.

She looked at him smiling for him caring. “John I’ll be fine I just think I need something cold to drink that’s all. It’s just that with all this walking around and the heat which I should know better I just need some water.” She told him and wanting to kick herself for not speaking up.

“You should of said something I could have gotten you something.” He told her concerned.

“I know and it’s my fault I was having such a good time I…I just forgot. So sue me I didn’t want to stop just to get something.” She said looking down.

“It would have just taken a minute. Ok ok tell you what seeing that’s it’s a little past noon why don’t we go get some lunch and we can kill two birds what do say?” he asked her while making a goofy face.

“Sounds like a plan.” She giggled back at him.

They headed to a place on the boardwalk where John and his friends would go and as they entered they didn’t see who were following them.