It's Now or Never

 A few days had gone by and Ellie hadn’t heard anything from John. She tried not to think that what they had talked about on they’re so call day out had anything to do about it but of course it was going thru her head. But she really didn’t have much time to think about things anyway. She had to go to the Institute for her checkup which she just hated and it was an all-day event. Michael would drop her off and pick her up seeing it was on his way to work.  She had to do this once a week per the agreement with her neurologist.

“Ellie! Ellie! Oh Michael is just about ready to leave do you have your diaries?” Marsha asked her making sure she had everything with her.

“Yeah Marsha I have them. Can we just go and get this over with please.” She said already bored with this.

“Honey I know you hate this but you know you have to go right?” Marsha said to her sympathetically.

“Yeah I know.” She said again sadly. Marsha noticed that she seemed more upset than usual.

“Sweetie your mood wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with John now would it? She asked her.

She looked at her cousin as if she had two heads, “Nooo I just don’t feel like going that’s all. All they do there is poke at me and take blood. I feel like Frankenstein there. It has nothing to do with John. Just because he hasn’t seen me in like what three days as of today doesn’t mean a thing to me. Why should it?” she asked her cousin.

Marsha was looking at her knowing very well that it was bothering her and as she was just about to say something when Michael came in telling them that he was ready to take off so Marsha couldn’t lecture her. She said goodbye to the two of them and as she and the kids watched them drive off she took them back inside and made their breakfast. The morning went by fast and lunch had approached so she and the kids came inside so she could make them lunch. As she was feeding her children there was a knock at the backdoor. She wasn’t excepting anyone so but when she went to answer the door she was surprised at who was standing there.

 ***************************************************************************************

It was nearing ten a.m. at the Bongiovi household and John was finally dragging his sorry butt at of bed. He didn’t get in until two-thirty last night. Sometimes he would go out with his buddies and have some fun and have a few drinks, smoke, talk with a few friends, maybe hook up with a few girls but not last night. All he could think of was trying to get together with Ellie. He also knew that if he did all those things and she found out she wouldn’t trust him right now where he was trying to show her that he wasn’t like all those other guys. The only problem was she probably would find out somehow or by someone. He got up and pulled on his sweats and went down stairs to grab his coffee and talk to his Mom. Luckily she was the only one down there.

“Well my oldest finally decided to get up. How was the show last night?” she asked him as she was reading the paper.

Kissing his Mom on the cheek he went and grabbed his coffee and sat next to her at the kitchen table. “It went good. It didn’t start off to hot thou. Kenny’s bass wasn’t working at first so we had to struggle with that but once we got that fixed then everything went off without a hitch.” He told her as he took a gulp.

“You don’t have another one tonight do you because this is the third night in a row you’ve come home late.” She told him or at least let him know that they knew what time he came home.

“Yes Mom. But I did come home early usually I don’t get home sometimes until three where as I’ve been coming home around one thirty I believe.” He explained himself.

“Fine, your father and I just don’t want you to tire and stress yourself out. I know it’s not a school night and we let you do multiple nights during the summer but we just don’t want you running yourself ragged.” She told him concerned.

“Mom I won’t I know what I’m doing ok?” he said whining like a little boy and playing with his mug.

She could tell he wanted to talk about something but what. “Ok John what’s up?” she asked him.

“How do you do that?” he asked her chuckling.

“Mother’s intuition, so what’s up.” She asked him again.

“Girl trouble what else. It’s Ellie she’s having trouble with me liking her.” He told his Mom. He explained the whole thing of what happened seeing this was the first chance he had gotten to sit down with her and talk. She couldn’t believe what Dorothea and the girls pulled on them and how Ellie is afraid but she did understand and tried very hard to explain it to her son. John listened to his Mom and now understood why she asked him not to pity her the way she did. Carol had suggested that they throw a little get together say The Fourth of July in the next week in a half and invite the Levine’s and Ellie over for a Barbeque. John thought this was a great idea and knew his Mom would come thru for him. After their conversation he raced upstairs to take a shower and to get dressed.

****************************************************************************************

“John Hi Ellie isn’t here today if you came by to see her.” Marsha told him.

“No I really didn’t come to see her Marsha I was wondering if I could talk to you?” he asked her hopefully.

Marsha smiled at him, “Sure Hon come on in and sit the kids are just finishing up their lunch.” She told him. He entered as the kids jumped up and ran over to him and gave him a hug. Marsha told them that they could go into the playroom for a while as she and John talked.

“Ok John so what can I help you with?” like she didn’t know.

“Ellie. She’s driving me crazy. I can’t seem to say anything right.” He told her as he sat there looking like a lost puppy.

“So I take it you like my cousin?” Marsha asked him smiling.

“Does it show that much to you too?” he asked her.

“Well let’s just say that you look at her a certain way. Ok I’m going to tell you something she likes you too. But I think you already know that don’t you?” she asked him as he shooked his head yes. “And you know she’s already talked to me about this correct?” again he shooked his head yes.  “So why don’t you tell me what’s going on with you then” she asked him.

“Well I just want to know how I can get her to understand that I’m not like all those other’s that don’t understand what she’s going thru. She just won’t listen to me. Plus with her not being here that long she’s afraid to get close to anyone even if they just want to be friends with her. Doesn’t she have any friends at home?” he asked her.

“As far as I know she does. The ones she grew up with. She has one best friend that I know of and she writes to her as much as she can and her siblings too. In fact a few of them write her. So she trust them because as she puts it they know all her secrets and she knows they’ve been thru thick and thin together. The ones in school she was bullied because she was shy and different. ‘looking at John’ you do know she’s going home for two weeks in July right?” she asked him.

John just looked at her dumbfounded. “No I didn’t why? She’s not leaving that fast is she?” he asked with his heart in his mouth.

“No she’s not but she’s going home because one: she hasn’t seen her family in a couple of months and two: it’s her birthday so they made arrangements with everyone so she could spend it with them. Plus she’ll be getting her license too so she’s excited about that too.” Marsha explained to him.

“Her birthday? Oh?” he mumbled to himself. Marsha was watching him and chuckling to herself and was very happy that John was very concerned about her cousin. She also could see the wheels turning inside his head. “Oh by the way Mom wants to know if you guys would like to come over on The Fourth of July. We’re having a barbeque and she wanted to know if you guys would like to come over?” he asked her.

“Really? Well we would love to. Tell her thank you. Just ask her if there’s anything I can bring ok?” she told him. They talked for sometime as Marsha tried to explain a little more to him about Ellie’s hesitance and about him to be patient with her and if he asked her maybe she would tell him everything there was to tell. But she would have to tell him not her. She has been thru a lot in her young life and maybe that would shed a little light on things for him. Nothing bad but just hard for a young girl to go thru. Just something boys didn’t have to. John didn’t have sisters but he did understand enough to know it meant female problems but he always thought that came with age. He told her that he would come back later when she should be home if that would be ok. Marsha told him that would be alright.

Five forty-five came around and Michael and Ellie pulled up in the driveway and Michael had to help Ellie out of the car. She was a little weak and tired seeing again they took a lot of blood and did a lot work ups on her today and doctors talking at her. He helped her in the house and to the couch where she sat down and put her head down on the back. 

Marsha! You in the Kitchen?” he yelled. Getting no answer he went to look but as he did Marsha and the kids came in from the backyard.

“Ellie!” the kids yelled and ran over to her.

“No guys leave her alone.’ Marsha told them.  

“No it’s ok, Mike is looking for you he’s in the kitchen,” Ellie told her.

Marsha walked into the kitchen to find her husband grabbing himself a beer. “Hey beautiful where were you?” Michael asked.

“We were out in the backyard. How was work?” she asked him giving him a hug.

“Fine but Ellie isn’t doing that great they did it again to her she’s feeling like crap again. Why do they have to do that to her every time she goes there. I mean every week? I think we need to talk to them about this they’re doing a job on her.” Michael told his wife concerned.

“Well I don’t think they’ll listen to us. We’re only her guardians let me call Uncle Paul and Aunt Cecilia and see if they can do something. I’ll explain everything to them. There more incline to listen to her parents that to us.” Marsha said to him.

“But we’re taking care of her. We signed that paper so we’re responsible for her aren’t we? Then why can’t we talk to them?” he wanted to know.

“Well I didn’t say we couldn’t I’m just saying it’s better that her parents do it Hon that’s all don’t you agree? Besides I think they should know that if we think it’s hurting her then they should know. We’re not her parents.” She explained to him.

Thinking it over, “I suppose your right. You know that you’re a great Mom.” He told her kissing her lovingly.

Finally pulling away, “Wow well thank you. You’re a great Dad too. I see how you’re doting over Ellie. You’ll be great when the kids are older. Now let me get dinner going. Oh and by the way John Bongiovi came over earlier boy does he have it bad for her. Anyway Carol and John Sr. invited us for Fourth of July and I accepted I hope that’s ok?” she asked him while grapping some pots and pans.

Looking over at her, “What are you and Carol now in cahoots to get the two of them together?” he asked disapprovingly.

“Who me?” she said innocently.

Michael just shooked his head and gulped his beer when the front door bell rang. “Who could that be?” he asked. Marsha just shrugged her shoulders as she went back to making her dinner.

In the living room Ellie got up and yelled, “I got it!” as the kids were watching Sesame Street. She opened the door and there was John standing there smiling holding a single flower he had gotten out of his mother’s garden.

“Hi.” He said handing her the flower.

“Hi this for me?” she asked him.

“Yeah I didn’t get it for Marsha.” He chuckled.

“So you’re a smart a... Ohhh.” But she stopped herself seeing that the kids were in hearing distant. John tried really hard not to laugh at her. “What’s so funny?” she asked him giving him the evil eye.

“You trying really hard not to swear.” He told her still laughing. All she did was purse her lips together and made a face at him.  “Can you come out here on the porch and talk or are you feeling crappy from today? I know you went to the clinic and the last time you went you past out in the driveway.” He asked her but concerned of her health.

She looked at him and didn’t know what to think. He actually understood that she might not be feeling well. “Um sure maybe for a little while I do feel a little well you know they did take a lot of blood today.” She told him. John walked her over to the bench that sat on the porch and then he sat next to her as close as he could get next to her.

“How did you know that the Lily was my favorite flower?” she asked him.

“Really? To be truthful I didn’t I just got lucky.” He told her as he felt nervous for the first time since he was about thirteen or fourteen. “Sooo…” he said as he was trying really hard to try and think of something to say as his leg was going a mile a minute.

Ellie was looking down at it and was trying not to grab it so it would stop moving. It was driving her nuts already and they just sat down. Finally she started, “So all of a sudden you’re speechless? Wow! That’s new.” she said giggling.

“Hey? That’s not funny I was going to ask you about how everything went at the clinic but then decided against it. I didn’t think you’d want to talk about it.” He shot back at her.

She gave him a wide eyed look and said to him, “I told you not to walk on egg shells with me. I’m fine I just feel weak because those bloodsuckers took a lot of blood out of me.” She told him really ticked off.

“Well do you want me to get you some orange juice?” he asked her.

“No that’s ok if I drink anymore of that I’m going to turn orange. Get it turn orange? Ha ha” trying to make a joke.

“You do know that’s really bad right?” he said with a straight face.

She thought that she would get him for that so, “Really? How could you say that? I was really trying to make a joke and you just…just…” she turned her face and made a little noise and put her hands up to her face.

John felt awful and didn’t know what to do. Ellie was trying not to laugh out loud as John said, “Ellie I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings I’m sorry I was just kidding really…” but she couldn’t hold it in any longer and started giggle uncontrollably. John just sat there and stared at her and couldn’t believe that she pulled that off. “You little shit! You’re so going to pay for that!” he told her.

Ellie just looked at him still giggling trying to catch her breath. “Oh I’m sooo scared. What are you going to do make me drink more orange juice? Ha ha” she asked him still laughing.

“So you like to laugh do you? Well then I'll give you something to laugh at.” He told her. Ellie just gave him a look like if you do you'll be sorry but that didn't stop John and he started to tickle her as she started to squirm and squeal.

“John! Stop it right now! I swear to God!” she was screaming now.

“Nope cry uncle.” He told her as he was enjoying this maybe a little too much seeing he got to finally touch her.

“Oh damn it! Uncle ok UNCLE!!!!!” she yelled.

“Now was that so hard.” He asked her giving her an evil smile.

“Yes.” She told him sitting back up.

“I didn’t hurt you did I?” he asked her concerned.

“No I'm fine you know you don't always have to ask that John I’m not made out of glass.” She told him giving him a half smile.

“Just be patient with me ok? I'm awkward as it is.” He told her.

“You awkward around girls I don't think so. I saw you back at the pizza place you held your own then on the beach if you didn't notice the girls there were staring at you? So I’m sure you have quite the following for your band as well. So tell me just how many groupies do you have?” she asked him as she really needed to know so she could make up her mind if she did want to take a chance with him or not.

“Groupies yeah well yeah we do have hanger oners I guess but because of school and stuff I can’t hang around so I have to leave most of the time but um yeah I do know some of them I guess.” He rambled on about them.

“Really so you never dated any of them huh?” she asked him knowing she backed him into a corner.

“Dated is a strong word really.” He started to sweat now.

“John it’s ok I was just asking. Jeesh what you did before I came along is none of my business. Still isn’t. Friends don't judge friends right?” she said to him making sure he knew that she wasn’t judging him.

“Right friends. What if I wanted to be more than friends thou? Especially now that you know a little more. Ellie I want to take you on a real date what do you say?” he finally asked her.

She looked into his deep blue and finally she gave him an answer that he was looking for. “Yes.”