Four

What idiot decided to call it morning sickness!?!

I’ve got this crap ALL DAYY!!!

When Ariana had to spend the first night of the tour in the medical tent hooked up to an IV drip and surrounded by EMTs she knew it was going to be a long nine months. The dehydration hit her after the fourth song, and it was downhill from there. Jeanie called Dr. Barnes’ emergency service to let her know what was going on and requested Ari come in first thing in the morning to be evaluated.

 

After discussing it with her doctors, they felt it was time to reach out to Dr. Cummings to see if she could join us for the rest of the pregnancy. Without her, Ari was left with two options: find another doctor or spend the rest of her pregnancy watching the world go by from my bed.

 

Throughout the first pregnancy, Dr. Cummings was an invaluable source of support, both as a doctor and as a friend. Lily’s arrival meant she didn’t travel with them anymore but would call to check in, and even attend a few extra shows. Their last conversation was to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday. 

 

Sighing, Ari reached under the pillow and carefully pulled out her phone, taking care not to tug on the IV tube. Reluctant fingers hovered over the screen before finally tapping on the good doctor’s name and sending up a silent prayer that the woman on the other end would say yes to signing up for another tour of duty in the Bon Jovi army.  

 

The call connected.  “Hello.” 

 

Guess we’re about to find out.

 

“Hi, Nic. It’s Ariana. How are you?” 

 

“Oh, hey, Ariana. I wasn’t looking at my screen.” Her reply was bright, but with a hint of hesitation. 

 

“Did I catch you at a bad time?”

 

“Nah. I’m finishing up some paperwork.  How are things? How’s your little girl?”

 

“She’s getting bigger by the minute.”

 

“I can imagine. And how is Jon doing? Is he managing to stay out of trouble?” She laughed softly, no doubt remembering their many shared adventures last year.

 

“For now, yes. They’ve kicked off the next part of the tour.”

 

“It sounds like you’re back on the road too.”

“Sort of.” A brief pause filled the air. “I actually have some news—I’m pregnant.”

 

“Ari, oh my goodness. Lily is what, six months old now?”

 

“Almost seven, believe it or not. I know it’s a big surprise. We didn’t exactly plan this,” she said with a laugh.

 

“Still yet, congratulations! That’s wonderful news. How are you feeling?”

 

“That’s actually why I’m reaching out. I’ve been struggling with nausea constantly, and it’s kicking my ass.” 

 

“Fair warning, I’m shifting into doctor mode now.  How far along are you?”

“Nineteen weeks now.”

 

“Wow, you two wasted no time at all.”

 

“Ha, tell me about it.” 

 

“What are your doctors doing to help with the nausea?”

 

“At this moment I’m connected to an IV drip to stay hydrated. Most days, when I’m feeling okay, I can manage to eat things like bread, soup and occasionally a cheeseburger. But when it’s bad, it’s usually just Fruit Loops that I can keep down.” Her voice held a touch of humor as she explained her situation.

 

“Do they think it’s hyperemesis gravidarum?” Nic cautiously added, knowing how serious that condition could be

 

“No, thank God. It’s not that severe.”

 

“That’s definitely a positive sign. So, what can I do for you?”

 

“What’s your schedule looking like for the next four months?”

 

“As a matter of fact, I just finished my latest assignment, so I might have some availability coming up.”

 

“Would you be interested in joining me on tour again? I could really use your support.” 

 

“I think I could make that work. I’ll just need to get your latest medical records and have a chat with your doctors first. You’re still under the care of Dr. Barnes and Dr. Laurent, right?

 

“Yes. Would you like me to call them and give them a heads-up?”

 

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll take care of it from my end. You focus on taking care of yourself.” 

 

“Nic, you have no idea how much this means to me. I was staring down the possibility of months of bed rest if you said no, and you know how well that went the last time.”

 

“Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with anything,” Nic teased.

 

“Oh, I’m very aware of that.” 

 

“Good. I’ll call you once I’ve spoken with the doctors and sorted everything out.”

 

“Perfect. I’ll have Jeanie send over your contract so we can get the ball rolling. Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome. Talk to you soon.” 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Leaving Ari home was tough for Jon, but the show must go on, right? True, he could have flown home after tonight’s show, but it just didn’t make sense, especially with the foundations meeting early in the morning and a second show that night. 

 

He glanced at the empty side of the bed with a grumpy sigh. 

 

At least she wasn’t totally alone since Lydia offered to stay and help with Lily until he was back. His parents were only a phone call away, too, but to further ease his conscience, he called Cliff. It was a short conversation where Jon explained there was a change in plans, and the other man was needed in New Jersey with Ari. 

 

Cliff, God love him, had only one question:  How soon?

 

Jon’s mind wandered to his wife and daughter with gratitude that Dr. Cummings had agreed to join them on tour.  Jeanie had delivered the finalized contracts today, after which he’d had his own short call with the doctor and gotten the assurance that she would meet them in Toronto on the thirteenth. 

 

With his girls cared for and a tour plan in place, he should be able to relax, so why was he pacing around his hotel room after one in the morning?  It would take a good couple of hours or a few bottles of wine for him to come down from his show-high and sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. Looking at the clock, he realized he missed the chance to call home. What he needed was a distraction. 

 

His phone buzzed on top of the nightstand, breaking his thoughts. Picking it up he saw it was a message from Cliff. 

 

[1:36 am] All’s quiet on the western front boss. Don’t worry about a thing. 

 

Maybe that was what he needed because a sense of comfort washed over him, reassuring him that his family was in good hands.   It didn’t make him any closer to closing his eyes, though, so he typed a quick message to the one person he was certain was still awake at this late hour—his brother. 

 

[1:40 am] keep your dick in your pants and come to my room right now. 

 

Twenty minutes later Matt was knocking on his door.

 

“What the fuck kinda text was that?” he snapped walking through the door his brother held open.

 

“It took you twenty minutes to get here. You know exactly what it meant.”

 

“I was taking a shit. I’m sorry if I didn’t have my phone in there with me.”

 

“Right. So, If I called down to the hotel bar to ask if you were there, they’d tell me no.”

“Okay, I was there, but so was two-thirds of your band. I don’t see you policing their dicks.” 

He walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. “And for the record, my dick was in my pants, I was hanging with Jeanie and Kennedy.”

 

“Good,” he said, pouring the rich, crimson liquid from the second bottle of wine into his glass settling back into the plush cushions of the couch. “Just a heads up, Nicole will be joining us for the remainder of the tour. She’s meeting us in Toronto.”

 

“Everything all right with Ari?  Besides, the morning sickness and dehydration?”

 

“Yeah. The doctors feel it would be best to have Nic on hand, just in case.”

 

“Is this what prompted your text?”

 

“That’s one of the things, yeah.”

 

“Hey,” Matt interjected. “Just so we’re clear, nothing happened between me and Nicole.  She was cool to hang with—fun, you know?”

 

“If you say so.”

 

Matt shook his head and jokingly flipped him the bird. “What else you need?”

 

“Does Des know anyone looking for a job?” he asked, shifting the conversation.

 

“Why? Are you firing your wife already?”

 

“Very funny. No, I am not. I mentioned to her that we should consider hiring a nanny, but you know Ariana.  She’s not going to just hire some stranger.  If I can hint to her that this person is reliable and trustworthy, Ari might actually agree to getting some help.”

 

“I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head, but I’ll call Des in the morning and ask.”

 

“Thanks man. Maybe we can have Des suggest it would be a good idea to hire someone.”

 

“You are such a pussy. Using my wife to do your dirty work so yours don’t rip you a new one.”

 

“Whatever. Now get the fuck out of my room, I’m going to bed.”

 

Matt set his glass on the coffee table with a roll of his eyes, too used to Jon’s sometimes nature to really be surprised about the abrupt dismissal.  He did, however, pause after pulling the door open, looking back at his brother.

 

“It’s been a fucking pleasure as always, Boss.  And just to let you know, my dick and I are heading back downstairs.”

 

Jon was unable to reply before the door slammed shut.

Three

Great Fucking Day for Rock-n-Roll

 

February 9, 2011

Show #1

Penn State College (Bryce Jordan Center)

 

 

The hour was still early, but Ariana optimistically believed the gods were smiling upon her today.  What else could explain her stomach being cooperative enough to tolerate two whole pieces of toast along with her one daily allotted cup of coffee?  It was nothing short of divine intervention after almost two months on the Fruit Loop plan. 

 

Lack of normal sustenance along with the usual first trimester ick had exhausted her to the point of not even being able to lift her head off the pillow some days.  Thank God for her sister-in-law.  Matt’s wife, Desiree, was the biggest help with Lily at those times, and she’d even offered to let Lily stay overnight for this first show on the tour.  

 

Yes, the show was close enough that they’d be flying up and back in the same day, but having a sleepover with Auntie Des instead of getting picked up in the middle of the night would make Auntie and Lily both happier campers.  It would be soon enough to disrupt Lily’s sleep when the tour got into full swing.  This time, Ari and Jon were dropping off their baby girl and collecting Uncle Matt to go to the airport where the last New Jersey resident was meeting them for the flight – David.  

 

The toast was still holding steady when they reached the plane, but as if dealing with constant nausea wasn’t hard enough, this pregnancy had intensified Ari’s take-off aerophobia.  A quick chorus or half a song wasn’t enough to ward it off anymore, and by the time the captain announced they were ready for take-off, Jon had already sung two entire songs to his wife. 

 

She probably would’ve made it to cruising altitude just fine, but the gods had taken a break and been replaced by a curly-haired devil and his disgusting in-flight snack. 

 

Which came first?  Was it the racing heart that accelerated along with the plane, or was it the sorry excuse for a breakfast racing its way up her esophagus?  Who had the time to figure it out?  Not Ari, because she had one hand clamped over her mouth while the other quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, freeing her to rush to the lavatory while giving David a withering glare.   

 

Who the fuck dunks hot Cheetos in Nutella? Lema, that’s who. You’d think he was the one who was pregnant with that combination.

 

Vicky, the flight attendant, flashed a sympathetic smile as Ari stumbled past her and into the bathroom. Leaning against the cool metal of the door, she felt the impending wave of nausea rise in her throat, but Ariana squeezed her eyes shut and willed it all to settle.

 

“Ari, you okay in there?”  Jon asked, his voice just above a whisper.

 

“So far, so good.”

 

“Can I come in?”

 

“Gimme a second.” With a deep breath, she pushed herself off the door so he could open it.  At least the plane had leveled out.  “You can come in now.”

 

“What the hell happened?” he asked joining her on the floor.

 

“Fuckin’ Lema happened. You need to tell him he can’t eat that shit on the plane anymore.”

 

“What was he eating?”

 

“His nasty ass was dunking hot Cheetos in Nutella.”

 

“Of course he was. Do you want me to go out and tell him now?”

 

“No. But can you get me a bottle of water?”

 

Jon stood and opened the door. “I’ll be right back.”

 

She needed a distraction while waiting for him to return and slipped a hand into her pocket for the trusty phone.  Maybe something there would allow her to ignore the nausea that had yet to subside. 

 

What she found was a host of messages from both Kennedy and Tony warning her about issues they were running into for the live stream of tonight’s show.  Distraction accomplished because she was so engrossed in working her way through each message and replying that she didn’t hear Jon open the door.  

 

“Here you go, baby. Vicky had some Fruit Loops, too.”

 

Maybe she was crazy, but the mere mention of her favorite cereal sugary cereal seemed to settle her tummy.  “Have I mentioned how much I love Vicky?  Give her raise!” 

 

“It might be cheaper just to buy you a year supply of that damn cereal.”

“True.”

 

“You feeling any better?”

 

“A little, but I think I’ll just hang here for the rest of the flight.”

 

“Want me to stay?”

 

The lavatory wasn’t as tiny as those on a commercial aircraft, but it was by no means designed for an extended stay by two people.  “Nah. No reason for both of us to be uncomfortable. I have my games to keep me company.”

 

“S’alright. Text me if you need anything.”

 

“I will. Love you.”

 

“Love you more.”

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

While the crowd gearing up to visit Bryce Jordan Center tonight were probably thrumming with excitement for the first show of the tour, the tech crew couldn’t say the same.  The late-morning energy inside the arena was seriously dampened by the uncooperative cables and lights backstage.  

 

Kneeling beside the control panel, Ari’s fingers flew across the buttons, each tap adding to the growing tension in the building. “Come on, come on!” she muttered.

 

“It’s not connecting.” Tony crouched next to her scrolling through lines of code on his tablet.  “I don’t get it. It worked perfectly yesterday. If we can’t get the stream up in time…”

 

“It’ll be the wrath of Jon.” Ari shot him a sidelong glance. “And I’m not talking about a little angry rant. I’m talking a full-on rage.” 

 

She gestured toward the sound booth where Jon was pacing back and forth, his hand flailing as he shouted at Obie.  You’d think with all the tours he had under his belt Jon wouldn’t be this antsy about opening night, but knowing that things weren’t perfect in the hours leading up to showtime had him on edge.    

 

“Turn it up!! No, not that way!” Frustration laced Jon’s voice as it echoed through the backstage corridor. “Jesus Christ! Can you even fuckin’ hear me?”  

 

“I told you.” She glanced up at Tony. “He’s already losing it.”

 

“You can say that again.”  Tony’s fingers flew back over the screen for what seemed like the hundredth time, but the error message continued to blink at him like a taunting ghost. “I should have come over extra early to test this fucking thing again.”

 

“Don’t you start losing it, too. We can fix this. Just give me a minute.” She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and focused on the audio mixer. “I’ll just reroute the signal.”

 

Before she could dive deeper, a loud crash echoed from the sound booth. 

 

“What the hell?” Matt swore, storming past them toward the source of the sound.  “For Christ’s sake Jon, calm down.”

 

“Fuck off, Matty!”

 

“Hey, hey!” Ari stood, and raised both hands in a placating gesture at her husband.  “We’re all working to get it fixed, Jon. Just need a little more time.”

 

A low growl escaped his throat as he clenched his jaw.  “We’ve already wasted half the day on this crap.”

 

“You ever hear the saying about catching more bees with honey than with vinegar?” Kennedy chimed in from across the room.  Her tone was light – he was the boss, after all – but Jon wasn’t playing the tone-matching game.

 

“Whatever!” he practically snarled.  “Just fuckin’ fix it.” 

 

The tension in the air was palpable as he stalked off towards the stage, leaving a trail of frustrated roadies in his wake.

 

“What a mess,” Ari sighed.

 

“Hey. Where’s that Moretti chutzpah?” Tony asked, patting her shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. We always do, even if it’s not fast enough to make pissy pants happy.”

 

“Yeah, I know, but it’s the first show.  I don’t really want to screw up the first live stream.”

 

“Word, because he’ll never let us fuckin’ live it down,” her brother-in-law intoned with a roll of his eyes.  “Let’s split up and tackle this. I’ll check the cameras while you and Kennedy take care of the audio.”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Ari agreed, grabbing the toolkit and moving toward the mixer.  

 

The pressure of a first show was always there – and even understandable – but the added extra incidents made things worse.  As she knelt by the audio board, she could hear the muffled sound of Jon’s voice filtering in from the stage. 

 

“Is this mic even working? I can’t hear a fuckin’ thing. Turn it up!”

 

“God, he’s insufferable!” She clenched her fist, fighting the urge to scream.

 

“If he keeps this shit up, we are gonna have a quick show,” Matt observed, joining her.

 

“Tell me about it.” She rolled her eyes. “If he doesn’t knock it off, I might just unplug the damn mic myself.”

 

Matt laughed. “I get that he’s stressed, but so is everyone else. He wouldn’t have a damn stage if it wasn’t for the crew.”

“You’re right. I’ll set him straight once we get this fixed.”

 

“I’d wish you luck but know you don’t need it.”  He smirked and then turned to head back toward the front of the house.

 

As she focused on the audio board, adjusting sliders and calibrating levels, Tony was a few feet away hunched over the camera rig. Normally she’d be the one hanging off something, but with Jon’s current mood she didn’t want to add any more fuel to today’s fire. 

 

“Ari!”  Tony waved her over. “I think I found the problem!”

 

“What is it?” she called hurrying to his side.

 

“It looks like one of the cameras isn’t syncing with the main feed.”

 

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

 

“Nope. If we can get it online, we might have a chance to get the stream rolling.”

 

“Then let’s do it!”

 

As Tony worked, she kept glancing toward the stage where Jon was pacing like a caged animal.  She could see the frustration emanating off him. 

 

“Almost there…” Tony muttered.

 

“Just a little more time…” Ari echoed as her fingers tapped against the mixer.

 

“It’s working!” Tony announced with a triumphant shout and grin.

 

“Fuckin A! Now let’s get the audio up and running.”

 

A flick here... A knob turn there… Before adjusting the final levels, she sent up a silent prayer to her father in the hopes he’d be listening.

 

“Got it!!” Tony’s voice rang out as the screen flickered to life.

 

Ari released a breath hadn’t realized she was holding. “Thank you, Sal!”

 

“Sal?” Tony asked.

 

“Yeah, I sent up a little prayer to him.”

 

“Ah. Well then, thank you, Sal.”  He tipped a light salute toward the ceiling before dusting off his jeans.  “Now that we’ve got that shit sorted, whaddya say we grab something to eat?”

 

“You go ahead. I need to have a come to Jesus chat with Jon.”

 

“Ha! Don’t hurt him too much, the tour just started.”

 

“I ain’t makin’ any promises.”

 

“Didn’t think so.”

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Jon was exactly where she thought he would be — on the couch in his makeshift dressing room, surrounded by crumpled paper balls.  He didn’t acknowledge her, but he ought to know better than to think that would keep her from talking.  

 

“So, you just going to ignore me?” she challenged, crossing her arms.

 

Silence stretched between them for a moment before he finally allowed himself to glance up. “I don’t have time for this shit.” 

 

“That sounds like a you problem.” 

 

The tension crackled like electricity as she stepped closer.

 

“In case you’ve forgotten, I have a show to do.” His eyes pointedly flitted to the paper mess that surrounded him.  “And I need to finish the setlist.”

 

“Yeah, I think Timbuktu knows you have a show with the way you acted earlier.”

 

“Oh, don’t you put that shit on me. That’s your crew out there.” He gestured dismissively toward the door.

 

“You sure you wanna go there?” she snapped, voice laced with anger. 

 

“Why not? My job is to get up on that stage, belt out my songs and shake my ass. It’s your crew’s job to set up my kingdom. If they can’t get it right on the very first night, maybe you need a new crew.”

 

“Fuck you, Jon!” she shot back, green eyes flashing with fiery frustration. “You know damn well it can take several shows to smooth out all the rough edges.  What just happened out there was a minor issue, and you know it.”

 

Jon was pissed.  He was irritated.  He was frustrated.  He was anxious.  All those things made him want to argue with Ari until he was blue in the face or until she admitted he was right, but he couldn’t push the words out.  

 

Why?  Because she had a point. It wasn’t catastrophic that everything wasn’t picture perfect going into soundcheck.  They’d been through worse before, and he knew Ariana, her crew, Tony and Obie were the best in the business.  

 

The build up to this tour had been a hard push, though.  With the Lily, Ari’s pregnancy issues, the constant changes to the tour details and late-night rehearsals to go over the newest material…  

 

He was just an ass.  

 

“You’re right,” he finally admitted.

 

“Come again?”

 

“You heard me.”

 

“Oh, I did. I just want to hear it again,” she teased playfully, and Jon was grateful that she was going to let it go that easily.  “It’s not often the CEO admits when he’s wrong.”

 

“You love rubbing this in, don’t you?”

 

“Don’t you know it.”

 

Amid their playful banter, he couldn’t help but to admire her tenacity.  It was something he loved from the first time he saw her. Her ability to confront him without flinching. Both infuriating and refreshing. And just like all those years ago, it ignited something with him—a spark that had him pulling her into his lap.

 

"Damn, you make me so hard when you get like this."

 

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

 

“Will it get me in your pants?”

 

Her laughter lingered in the air as Matt pounded on the door with their five-minute warning. Climbing out of his lap, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. 

 

“Ask me after the show.”

 

Two

Life is nothing without a little crazy to keep you on your toes

 

To say their schedules were jam-packed for the weeks following the visit to Dr. Barnes would be an understatement. Between Jon and Ari, it was a case of meetings piled upon meetings to iron out last-minute problems and final logistics for the first leg of the tour. Today was no different, and they were both heading their separate ways once again.

 

That’s not to say Ari was alone.  Ever since making Kennedy her right-hand man, the other woman was as present as Ari’s actual right hand at most of these meetings, and today’s adventure had the two of them heading to Montreal.  There were some finer details to iron out at the Bell Centre.  

 

The short flight wouldn’t have been a big deal, but when Jon wouldn’t answer his phone for her usual pre-takeoff serenade, Ari’s panic was enough to scare the bejesus out of Kennedy.  Kennedy’s eyes stayed wide and watchful as Ari scrambled through her contact list in search of someone – anyone – willing to sing to her.  It wasn’t until Jake answered his phone and agreed to humor his stepmother that they were both able to relax.  

 

That relaxation was short-lived, however, because they hit the ground running as soon as the plane touched down.  

 

The first stop was to drop off Kennedy at the loft.  There she could work on the daily crew emails detailing the latest updates and changes.  She would also call ahead to the Bell Centre to get a head start on what the issues were before the actual meeting. 

 

With the business aspect of things covered, that left Ari free to take Lily and make their way over to the appointment with Dr. Laurent.  Dr. Barness recommended following the same plan of action as the last pregnancy, but Ari was hopeful things wouldn’t be exactly the same.  She had all her fingers and toes crossed they wouldn’t need Dr. Rispino and bed rest in another country this time around.  

 

Other than the three pounds she’d lost since the visit with Dr. Barnes in New Jersey, everything about the appointment went smoothly and the baby looked great.  Dr. Laurent was incredibly helpful in offering ways to eat without getting sick, and they developed a list of foods that could help reduce my nausea while helping with weight gain.   

 

With that information tucked into her phone, she headed to Petite Soho to meet Cara for lunch.  So far, they’d only told a handful of people they were pregnant again, but it wasn’t with the intention of keeping her bestie in the dark.  It was just that a phone call didn’t seem the right way to tell Cara she was going to be an aunt again.  That was something that should be done in person, if for no other reason than to see the look on Cara’s face.  

 

Although the way exhaustion pulled at Ari’s limb, there was a last-minute ulterior motive, too.  She planned to persuade her friend to take care of Lily while Ari grabbed the nap she so desperately needed.  

 

Truthfully, it wouldn’t take much to convince Cara.  They spent so little time with her these days.  Her workload had doubled since starting to date Jonas, and in between trips with him and the band, she spent most of the time working in her studio.  She would likely be thrilled to break out of the rut and get a little baby snuggle time.  

 

It was with that optimism that Ari parked in front, grabbed her knapsack and circled the car.  The mild weather for late January was unexpectedly pleasant, so she didn’t bother with the infant carrier.  Instead, she unbuckled the little monkey, wrapped her in her favorite blanket and carried her into the bar.  

 

She’d barely made it through the door when Cara snatched Lily and showered her rosy cheeks with kisses. 

 

“Well, hello to you too.” Ari playfully teased.

 

“Oh, come here,” Cara pulled her in for a one-armed hug, still holding Lily close with the other.  “You know I love you, too.”

 

“Yeah, yeah.”

 

“What have you been feeding this child? I can’t believe how much she has grown since the last time I saw her.”

 

“Maybe you should visit us more.”

 

“Don’t even start!” the other woman huffed, gently bouncing so that the bundle of baby let out a sweet coo of delight.  “I barely have time to breathe.”

“You know you love every minute of it. You’d go crazy just sitting around.”

 

“Look who’s talking. Ms. CEO, heading out on the road again.”

 

“On that note...  Sit down, I have something I want to tell you.”

 

Cara’s brow lifted, and she slid curious eyes at Ari while simultaneously moving a highchair to the nearest table.  “What?  Did Mr. Rockstar fire your ass already?” 

 

“Like he’d even think of doing that.”

 

“He write you another song?”

“Oh please, don’t give him any ideas.”

The corners of her mouth turned downward as she considered what the mysterious news could be.  When Lily was settled into the chair, she turned to Ari and shrugged. “I give up.”

“He knocked me up.”

 

“Excusez-moi?”  Big eyes blinked in utter disbelief, and if Ari wasn’t so tired, she’d laugh.  “Please repeat that, cause I’m pretty sure you just said you were pregnant again.”

 

“That’s what I said.”

 

“Holy shit, Ariana! How? When?”  She grabbed the knapsack and found a soft toy for Lily, who wrapped chubby fingers around it and banged on the highchair tray.  “I mean, I know HOW, but when did this happen?”

 

With her child tended to, Ariana settled into one of the table’s remaining chairs with a weary sigh.  “Slow your roll and sit down. I’ll tell you everything.”

 

During the hours that followed, Ari filled her friend in on all events of the past couple of months. At one point she stopped and asked her to pinch her, because she couldn’t believe she was having another baby.  She never imagined having one, let alone two in her entire life. Yet here she was, happier than she had ever been, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

 

Once their food arrived, Ari had to excuse herself as the smell of her once favorite dishes made her feel nauseous. Cara told her to head upstairs for a nap, explaining that she would take Lily to her studio and for Ari to meet them there later. 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

Ari’s “short nap” ended up being three hours, and as much as she needed it, she could do without the wave of guilt for burdening Cara with Lily and Kennedy with solo work for so long.  Quickly, she texted Kennedy an apology and offered to bring food back. 

 

She hurried down the backstairs with the food order passing it to Gabriel and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. Sticking her head into the office for a quick hello and goodbye to Max earned a laugh and a wave from the man whom she chatted weekly.  It was during one of those recent chats that she’d revealed she was expecting another baby, so she didn’t feel bad about the quick in and out.

 

The evening air had grown chilly and more typical of January while Ari slept, and she worried about Lily going from the warm studio into the cold.  While Gabriel was preparing Kennedy’s order, she took the opportunity to start the car and message Cara to meet her there with the baby.  

 

After sharing an extra tight hug, they both promised to stay in touch more regularly, and Cara didn’t pass up the opportunity to again suggest that Ari consider hiring a nanny.  The most she could promise was to think about it.

 

It didn’t take long to get to the parking garage at the loft, but when she went to gently unlock the infant carrier, her girl was already sound asleep.  If Jon was here, he would probably say “like mother like daughter”, and he wasn’t wrong.  Lily had definitely inherited Ari’s ability to sleep.  That kid had a talent for passing out in the most random positions and places. So much so that Ari could transfer her from the carrier to the crib without her waking and tonight went just that smoothly.  

 

After turning on the small drum-kit lamp, she grabbed the baby monitor with one hand and partially closed the door with the other before making her way down to the office. 

 

“I’m so sorry,” she apologized to Kennedy.  “Food isn’t enough to make up for abandoning you all afternoon and evening, but it’s the best I’ve got right now.”  She placed the to go bag on the desk next to Kennedy.

 

“Would you please stop that?”

 

“I feel really bad. Can’t believe I slept for three hours.”

 

“It’s no biggie.  I was able to get everything we needed done.”

 

“Even the changes Jon made for the MSG show on March fifth?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“And the call with the Bell Centre?”

 

“They just wanted to confirm our meeting tomorrow.”

 

It wasn’t the first time she’d thought that hiring Kennedy was a blessing, but the feeling never got old.  “Thank you! I don’t know what I would do without you these last few weeks. My first gig with SAMCO, and I keep dropping the ball.”

 

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. You have been dealing with a lot. And besides, it’s not like you’re gonna be fired or something, she teased with a little wink.

 

“Speaking of the boss man, has he called?”

 

“Twice.”

 

“Only twice. Not bad.”

 

“He mentioned he was taking the kids to Sal’s for dinner before heading home and would check in with you later.”

 

“Oh man, what I would do for a pizza from Sal’s right now.”

 

“Did you eat anything with Cara?”

 

“No. Not that I didn’t try. Once the food arrived it was all downhill from there.”

 

“I’m sorry, Ari.  If it helps, Jeanie packed some Fruit Loops in my backpack.”

 

“Thank God for Jeanie!”

 

“It’s over there.” She nodded to the couch in the corner. “Go get them.”

 

Ari made a beeline for the couch to unzip the front pocket and pull out the Ziploc bag full of Fruit Loops.  It was the one thing she’d been able to eat without getting sick to her stomach. Well, other than a blended strawberry lemonade without caffeine from Starbucks. 

 

“What’s on the agenda tomorrow?” she asked, opening the bag of sugary salvation.

 

“We have a ten o’clock conference call with the Air Canada Centre about the load-in schedule. At one, we’re at Bell Centre for a meeting with the local union to sign the contract changes.”

 

“Perfect. Home by dinner time.”

 

“Maybe you can convince boss man to take you to Sal’s.”

 

“If only my stomach would be up for it.”

 

“You can hope, anyway, right?”

 

“I can always try,” she agreed with a wrinkled nose.  “Alright. That’s enough work for today.”  

 

“You got it, boss.”

 

“I’m heading to bed. You know where the guest room is. Help yourself to whatever you want.”

 

“I got my food right here. I’m gonna check in with Jeanie, and then head to bed myself. Goodnight, Ari.”

 

“Night, Kennedy. And thanks again for everything. I really couldn’t do it without you.”

 

One

Oops...We Did it Again

 

 

The familiar sight and scent of the office had Jon reminiscing to the last time they were sitting in this office. It was a little over a year ago, at a time when their life was about to become a thrill ride they’d never ridden together. With every twist and turn that followed that memorable day, they’d held each other tight and endured what he’d always consider the ride of a lifetime because, when the ride came to an end, they had Lily.

 

On that last night in the Half-Moon Bay house when his wife casually joked that she might be pregnant, he’d taken her words with a grain of salt. Two weeks and two negative pregnancy tests later, that grain of salt had grown to the size of a damn salt lick as far as he was concerned, yet here they sat in the same seats in front of the obstetrician’s desk awaiting more test results.  Sure, Ariana had all the symptoms of a pregnant woman, but tests were tests were tests, and she’d already failed two of them.  In his experience, those little pee sticks were as good as gospel, and they didn’t lie… right?

 

He slid a look to his left where his wife sat calmly playing yet another one of those silly games on her phone. “I hate sitting here and waiting.  Why do I feel like I got sent to the principal’s office?”

 

“Gee Jon, I wonder. Could it be the way you tried to tell Dr. Barnes how to do her job?"

 

“I did no such thing.”

 

“Hmm. Let’s see…  What was it you said?” She turned away from the game and pinned him with her version of the stink eye. “There is nothing you can tell us that the two negative pregnancy tests haven’t already said.”

 

“I was just stating the obvious.”

 

"Here is some obvious, Einstein: a couple of missed periods, exhaustion, my tits hurt like a motherfucker, and let’s not forget my favorite symptom, the 24/7 vomiting making me feel like Linda Blair in the Exorcist. It’s time to face the facts and stop floating down the river of de-nial. I’m pregnant!"

 

“It’s not denial. More like, how is it possible?”

 

“Really, Jon?” With a huff, she tossed the phone into her open tote on the floor.

 

"Okay. Okay." He tossed up his hands with a shrug. "Maybe a little denial. Having another baby was not on my bingo card for the new year, that's for sure."

 

“Well, buddy, it wasn’t on mine either. Yet here we are.”

 

“Lily is barely six months old. That’s two…" Two fingers waved back at her. “…babies in in less than a year.” 

 

“Irish twins. Are we crazy?”

 

“Crash, we passed crazy long ago.”

 

“Yeah, you can say that again.”

 

“We be craaa-zee!”

 

“You know what this means?”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m pregnant for another tour.” She knocked his knee with hers. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” 

 

“Baby, it takes two to tango.”

 

“Well twinkle toes Flintstone, you’re the only one who likes me preggo.”

 

“Not gonna lie.” His cupped hands came up to his chest and bobbed up and down.  “The girls are already looking mighty boob-a-lious already.”

 

The twist of her mouth said she was about to give him some flippant response, but she was interrupted by a soft knock followed by the door opening.

 

“Congratulations!” Dr. Barnes looked directly at Jon and passed him a piece of paper with the test results, but he didn’t register anything on it before she said – with just a little attitude, he thought, “You are, in fact, pregnant.  Ariana, if you have the time, I'd like to go ahead and do a sonogram to measure just how far along you are before we continue this discussion."

 

“Of course.” 

 

“Excellent.  Once we have that information, we can then discuss any accommodations you may want.”

 

“Perfect. With a new tour about to start, we’ll need something like what we had last year.”

 

“Will Dr. Cummings be joining you on tour?”

 

“I’m hoping so. I wanted to be certain I was pregnant before calling her.”

 

“Very well. Samantha will come get you once she finished preparing the room. I’ll meet you back here, afterward.”

 

“Thank you, Dr. Barnes.”

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

An hour later they were heading down the parkway with another confirmation to add to all her other symptoms. The three sonogram photos she held in her hand confirmed she was pregnant… again! Fourteen weeks and one day to be exact. If her calculations were accurate, they returned from their Rio escapade with more than a tan.

 

“Penny for your thoughts, Crash.”

 

"Effective immediately I’ll be invoking a ‘no sex in October’ rule.”

 

“Do I get a say in this ruling?”

 

“Hell, no! It’s because of you we need the rule,” she teased.

 

“How do you figure?”

 

“Well, Lili died in October and your super swimmers knocked me up the first time. And it was your idea that I come to Rio last October.”

 

“Ha! I’d like to see you go without for an entire month.”

 

“You forget how Catholic my grandmother was. If I could survive giving up chocolate and cheeseburgers for forty-four days, I sure as shit could survive no sex for a month.”

 

“This coming from the campaign chair of the BJs for JBJ Club 2010."

 

“Well, my mouth won’t get me pregnant.”

 

“Guess I better make sure my membership status is up to date then.”

 

“Prices are double this year.”

 

“Isn’t there some spousal discount I’m entitled to? I mean, it’s only fair. I’m already paying your salary for the next six months Ms. SAMCO.”

 

With his last words, another light bulb turned on for her. “Oh, fuck!!!" 

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“You heard Dr. Barnes. I need to take it easy this time. I’m already sick and worn out and, with complications I had with Lily, she doesn’t want me working at all. What am I going to do? We don’t have time to bring in another company. The tour stars in a few weeks.”

 

“Baby, just put Kennedy in charge. She’s already your second in command. I’m sure she can hire someone to fill her place.”

 

“True.”

 

“And let’s be honest… it’s not like you will actually sit back and not do anything.” 

 

“Shut up.”

 

“You know I’m right. Besides Tony can always use an extra set of hands.”

 

“I guess so. With me barfing my brains out every other minute, maybe staying put in the video tent won’t be such a bad idea. Plus, I’ll be able to keep Lily with me.”

 

“Maybe we should reconsider-”

 

“I’m not hiring a nanny,” she cut him off before he could finish what he was going to say. They’d had this discussion already, being pregnant wasn’t going to change her mind.

 

“I’m just saying, now that things have changed it’s something we should revisit.”

 

“Sal didn’t have a nanny, and neither will I.”

 

“Sal wasn’t on the road with a six-month-old baby and one on the way, either.”

 

A deflating breath escaped her lips. He had a point, but she was too exhausted to think about a nanny right now. 

 

“Speaking of Lily, do you mind dropping me off at home first before picking her up from your parents? I can make a few calls and maybe catch a nap, because I’m really beat.”

 

“Sure. We can pick you up something to eat first, too.”

“I’m not hungry, Jon. Wait, let me rephrase that. The thought of food makes me want to barf!”

 

“You still need to eat. Even if it’s just a cup of soup and some crackers. That’s all I’m asking for.”

 

“Fine, but I’m not making any promises.”

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

The moment Jon walked into his parents’ house, he was welcomed by the familiar aroma of his father’s well-known sauce.  He glanced around the living room where family photos lined the walls, capturing moments of the life they had built over the years.

 

“Mom! Dad!” he called.

 

Carol emerged from the kitchen holding Lily; her apron and Lily’s cheek dusted with flour. She froze the moment her eyes caught the sight of him.

 

“When did you get here? Don’t keep me in suspense, tell me!  Am I gonna be a grandmother again?”

 

“Hello Jon. How are you?” he said sarcastically.  God knew he wasn’t one for all the social niceties, but his mother could at least act like she was interested in him as something other than a baby supplier.  

 

At least Lily was glad to see him and let out a delighted squeal as he lifted her from his mother’s arms. “Hey, Monkey,” he murmured and was rewarded with a coo as tiny fingers gripped his shirt.   

 

“Oh hush,” his mother ordered with a light whack on the arm.  “Tell me, already.”

 

“Yes, Ma.  You’re going to be a grandmother again. Dr. Barnes confirmed that Ari is fourteen weeks pregnant.”

 

“What?” Carol gasped. “Ari is that far along already?”

 

“We, or at least I, was just as shocked.”

 

“Where is Ari?”

 

“I dropped her off at home.  Her morning sickness is more challenging this time.  She is having trouble keeping anything down. We made a stop for soup, and I hope she’ll eat a little something.”

 

“Oh, that poor girl. Hopefully, it will pass soon.”

 

“She’s hoping, too. The tour starts in a few weeks, and she is worried she won’t be able to continue to work.”

 

“Jon, I know it’s not my place to say anything, but don’t you think she should sit this one out?”

 

“Ma, have you met my wife? I casually suggested we get a nanny to help on tour, and Ari bit my head off. She just needs a little time to let this all sink in and, in due time, she will figure it out herself.”

 

“Hm. You two are really made for each other. Do you want to stay for dinner?”

 

“Nah, I want to get back home. Is Dad downstairs?”

 

“No. He’s playing poker at the Andersons.”

 

“Okay.” He passed Lily back to his mom, saying, “I’m just gonna dunk a few pieces of bread in the sauce I smell, and we’ll be on our way.”

 

“Desiree and the kids are coming for dinner. Why don’t you leave Lily with me, and we’ll bring her back later?  I know the kids would love to see their cousin.”

 

“S’aright. Be right back.” 

 

Slipping into the kitchen, he glanced over one shoulder as his mother perched on a couch cushion and bounced Lily on her knee.  Jon couldn’t help but chuckle at the squeal of one very happy – and spoiled – baby.  

 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

 

The first thing to catch his attention when arriving home was the savory scent of the soup and fresh bread they had picked up.   While that would normally be a welcoming smell, catching a whiff of it in the kitchen meant one thing – Ari didn’t eat it.  Flicking on the light he saw the bag was on the counter in the same spot as when he’d left.

 

“Hey, Ari!” he called out, but only silence greeted him.

 

He dropped his keys into the bowl on the table before wandering through the kitchen and then the living room, where he glanced at Lily’s toys scattered across the floor from earlier that morning.

 

“Where are you?” he murmured, half hoping she hadn’t fallen asleep somewhere else. 

 

Walking towards the office, his heart sank a little as he saw the partially open door and the faint light seeping into the dim hallway.  He eased it open slowly – to find his wife with her head down on the desk, drooling slightly onto the keyboard. There was a half-empty bowl of Fruit Loops perched on the edge of the desk, and a few rogue loops were dotted across its surface.

 

“Hey, sleeping beauty,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

 

Stirring, she muttered something unintelligible before gradually moving her head and blinking at him with sleepy eyes. “Jon?” she croaked, her voice raspy.

 

“Nope. Mick Jagger.” He stepped closer. “You fell asleep working again?”

 

Rubbing her eyes, a sheepish smile crept onto her face. “No, I didn’t. I was just resting my eyes for a minute.”

 

“Right! More like killing your keyboard,” he gestured to the bits of cereal and drool decorating the desk.

 

“Oops,” she laughed. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.” She pushed herself up, brushing the hair back from her face.

 

“Here.” He handed her a napkin. 

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Did you get anything done?”

 

“Just a few emails.”

 

“I noticed you didn’t touch the soup.”

 

“I opened it, and the smell killed me. Hence, the Fruit Loops.’’  

 

Her back made a soft cracking sound as she stretched.  She was wearing one of her old band t-shirts, and the fabric hung loosely on her.

 

“Did you eat at your mom’s?”

 

“I dunked some bread but that’s it.”

 

“Where’s Lily? Did you put her in her crib?”

 

“No. I left her at Mom’s. Des and the kids were going there for dinner, and I wanted to get back to check on you. They’ll bring her home later.”

 

She ran a hand through her untamed curls. “We can heat up the soup.”

 

“You read my mind!” He extended a hand, which he used to tug her out of the chair and lead her back to the kitchen. 

 

They gathered soup, bowls and bread before settling into the breakfast – or, in this case, dinner – nook. 

 

“Hey, did you tell your parents the news?”

 

“Just Ma. My dad was out with the boys. She’ll tell him later.”

 

“I bet she was over the moon.”

 

“That’s an understatement. I asked her not to say anything to Des. I figured we’d tell Matt and her together.”

“Sounds good.” She leaned forward, snatching the last bit of bread from his hand.

 

“Hey! That’s mine!”

 

“You wouldn’t deprive the mother of your children of some bread?”

 

“By all means, enjoy.”

 

The gentle hum of the refrigerator added a soothing backdrop to their playful conversation over dinner. At times, Jon would sit back and watch as she nibbled her bread, relieved that she was actually eating something besides processed sugar.  

 

Fourteen weeks down.  Twenty-six to go.