The Sauna Part 143

It seemed as though only minutes had passed when the wake up call came. Neither of us moved to answer the phone and we both groaned in unison. Whatever supernatural energy possessed us last night had deserted us this morning. The wake up call came again and this time Jon reached for the phone and knocked the receiver onto the floor.

“It’s seven-thirty, Mr. Bongiovi” said the voice on the phone.

“Thank you” Jon called out hoarsely.

“Is everything okay, sir? We must have a bad connection” the caller said pleasantly.

“We’re fine, just send up some coffee” Jon said, trying to speak louder and I laughed.

“Do you think coffee will be enough?” I wondered, tickling his ribs.

“Mercy, woman, don’t torture me now too” he laughed back. “But no, I think we need rocket fuel” he conceded.

Despite the physical exhaustion, he was awake now and forced himself to sit up. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. He reached for the phone and hung up the receiver and turned to look at me.

“Shit, you look beautiful. It’s not fair, I don’t have the strength, baby” he said apologetically.

It was true. Jon was feeling every minute of his forty-four years as he stretched and tried to loosen the stiff muscles, wishing only that one particular muscle was as stiff as the rest. He gazed down at me, lying beside him in the bed, with my hair splayed all around me, framing my face. Shit, she looks like a wood nymph and I feel like the tin man, he thought to himself.

I was sore too and I was still sleepy, but I couldn’t seem to shake off the languorous feeling I had and I still wanted to screw his brains out one more time, but I knew I would pay a price later. I sat up and massaged his shoulders and his back, settling instead for the warmth of his body and the feel of his skin. We heard a slight rustling noise outside the door and then it was gone.

“Must be the coffee” he surmised, wishing it had been espresso at least.

“I’ll get it” I offered as I dragged myself out of bed and threw on my robe.

“C’mere” he said and I came to him.

He untied my robe and rested his head against my belly. His hands reached for my breasts and he groaned, feeling the hardened points of my nipples. His cock twitched in response, but it was only a momentary flicker before it faded again. He wanted me too, but his body would not cooperate.

“Aren’t you exhausted?” he asked, noticing the wetness between my legs.

“Hell yes, I’m pretty shot too. Once we get through breakfast and say goodbye we can come back and take a nap. I’m greedy, baby, I just wanna lie in bed with you all afternoon and keep you all to myself” I confessed, glad that we had the room one more night.

We showered and Jon shaved and I poured us each some coffee. We had a little time before we had to meet everyone downstairs. I pondered what to wear and I held up the two choices and Jon chose the deep brown skirt and the fawn colored top with fringe. He wore a brown leather shirt and his black pants and I nearly drooled as I admired how handsome he was.

“Be good now” he admonished me, seeing the twinkle in my eyes and he reminded me that our parents and my sister would be there just for good measure.

“Only if you promise to spank me later” I teased back and I was rewarded with a slap on the ass before we headed down for breakfast.

We met Tico and Eva in the hallway and walked to the elevator together. Eva looked gorgeous with her hair pinned up and was wearing a crimson blouse with her jeans. Tico was dressed casually and I noticed what a handsome pair they made. I would miss them both after this morning and I was getting weary of saying goodbye.

We stopped at Richie’s room and knocked, but there was no answer. Jon shrugged, assuming they would find us later to say goodbye and none of us were in the mood for any more drama today. We reached the elevator and proceeded to ride down to the first floor where the breakfast bar was located.

We spotted Jon’s parents and my family seated at a big table by the window and to our surprise, Lainie and Richie were there already too and I noticed they were holding hands. Jon held my chair, choosing the empty seat near my dad, and Eva and Tico took their seats beside Jon’s folks. Carol seemed pretty quiet this morning and I guessed she was hungover, but I was glad she was at least a little more subdued.

Linda and Pat raved about how much they’d enjoyed the show and thanked Jon again for inviting them and making their stay and the trip so comfortable. My mom said how talented Jon was and seemed to actually remember the show and I was a bit encouraged as it seemed like this had all been good for her. Elaine looked a little agitated and fidgeted in her seat as we made small talk and I could tell she was dying to say something.

“So, what did everyone do after the show last night?” I asked, giving her the opening I could tell she was waiting for.

“Richie and I got engaged” she beamed, her face shining with delight.

I was a bit alarmed and not entirely certain this was a wise decision for either of them and I felt Jon’s hand tighten on my knee. He gracefully offered his congratulations and I echoed his words, but I saw Eva shoot me a look of concern. Tico stood up to shake Richie’s hand and everyone politely wished them well. Carol called to the waiter and asked for champagne so we could toast the happy couple while I bit my lip.

Elaine told the story gushingly about how Richie had proposed and then shared their news with the press after we’d all left last night. I could see Jon was hurt that Richie hadn’t told him first, but Richie explained it had all happened so fast and that Jon had disappeared before he could break away from the fans to tell him privately. I looked at Lainie who seemed genuinely happy, but I still wasn’t so sure. I thought it was odd that she hadn’t said a word to me during the show.

Breakfast dragged on and I kept checking the clock on the wall and waiting for Rick to come and collect my folks. I knew they were getting anxious to get home too and I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw Rick appear in the doorway. Jon yawned and I nudged him gently and I caught the look of relief in his eyes too as he motioned to Rick.

We said our goodbyes and I hugged my sister and Pat and kissed my mom before turning to my father. He shook Jon’s hand and I noted the look that passed between them. I was pleased to see the mutual respect that had developed and I hugged my dad.

“Take care of each other” he said softly and I nodded silently, holding back the tears in my eyes.

“Don’t be a stranger” he said finally to both of us after taking his leave from the rest of the folks at the table and with that they were gone.

Richie and Elaine were leaving at noon and Tico and Eva were heading out as well. They had a home in Florida too and invited us to come and visit anytime we wanted. The only ones left were Jon’s parents and I could see that the champagne had revived Carol who was now gaining momentum.

“Johnny, why don’t you come back to the house and stay with us for a while” she ventured but Jon shook his head no.

“Not this trip, mom. We’ve been gone almost two weeks and we need to get home. I know Trish is anxious to see her kids” he said affectionately, covering my hand with his.

“You have children?” Carol asked, a bit surprised.

“Not actually. Jon means the cats who are like my kids” I explained.

Carol made a face and I could see she didn’t feel that was a good reason to hurry home, but I was too tired to care. She had made little effort to get to know me during this visit whereas Jon’s dad had been warm and friendly. I wondered suddenly if Jon had even discussed my taking over the fan club, but decided it wasn’t my place to bring it up. Jon stretched and yawned again and that prompted his dad to suggest that it was time to go, but Carol was having none of it.

“Isn’t it exciting that Richie and that lovely Lainie got engaged? I’m so glad that he found such a nice girl to settle down with and that they aren’t planning to just shack up together” she said in a honeyed tone.

I visibly stiffened at Carol’s remark which I was certain she meant as a jab at me and Jon. I bit back the impulse to inform her that Jon and I were already married, but I knew it wasn’t my place to share this and I realized that it was likely to sound like a petty retort on my part. It was the perfect opportunity however for Jon to tell her and I looked at him sharply.

“Mom, Dad, there’s something Trish and I wanted to share with you too, but this is the first chance we’ve had to be alone with both of you” he began, having gotten the meaning in the look I gave him.

It’s now or never, Jon thought to himself. He’d dreaded this moment and really had subconsciously avoided it, but he wasn’t going to avoid it any longer. It was bad enough when he and Dot had eloped, but this would be far worse and he knew it. They won’t accept this the way that Trish’s parents did. Nope, not my Catholic parents, he thought, but no matter how they responded, it was something he was proud of and nothing either of his parents said was going to tarnish the beauty of what we shared.

“What is it, Jonny?” his dad prompted as Carol took another drink, steeling herself against the news she knew she didn’t want to hear.

“Trish and I were married before we left New York. It wasn’t a traditional ceremony, but rather a highly spiritual one where we were handfasted and pledged ourselves to each other in the site of the God and Goddess” he finished.

“What on earth are you talking about? What nonsense is this?” Carol demanded.

“Jon, I don’t understand. Were you married in a church? Are you saying that you eloped again?” his father wanted to know.

My heart went out to him and I almost wished despite myself that he hadn’t told them now. I could see this was going to be a much bigger issue than I had thought and I reached under the table and grabbed his hand for support. Whatever comes, I’m here with you baby, I tried to say with the gesture. I felt him squeeze my hand in silent response.

“Trish is Wiccan and the handfasting ceremony is more binding than marriage and truly means so much more to me too now that I have come to understand and embrace Wicca myself. You know how I have always felt about the Catholic Church and religion in general. It never worked for me and it never inspired me, but this does. I have finally found a spirituality that I believe in and I have Trish to thank for that as well. I found my faith” he finished as he turned and looked lovingly at me.

If Carol had been a gypsy, the evil eye she gave me would have cursed me for eons. I squeezed Jon’s hand now and it was his support I needed at the moment. If Carol merely disliked me before, her feelings were now etched in stone as her eyes burned through me.

“Jonny, I didn’t raise you to become some pagan idol worshipper. What do you think Father Bob will say about all this nonsense? You’re a grown man, how can you fall for such a thing?” Carol said in an icy tone that almost sounded as though she had suddenly sobered up.

“I don’t give a frig what father Bob has to say or what he thinks, for that matter. I never did and I’m not about to start. Trish is my wife and you need to accept that” Jon replied and the steely look in his eyes was one I had never seen before.

“Son, I know you’ve never adopted Catholicism, but we don’t know anything about this religion. How could you possibly know that much yourself?” his father replied in a more reasonable tone of voice.

“Jon has actually done a good deal of research and reading on Wicca and while there is always room for growth and study, he genuinely does understand it in a very rich and meaningful way. We would not have been handfasted if I thought he wasn’t serious or was doing this just to please me” I tried to explain.

“In fact, dad, the handfasting was my idea and I had to prove to Trish that I understood it and that I really wanted this before she would agree” Jon added.

“Can this marriage be annulled? Jonny, you will be damned to hell!” Carol wailed.

“I have no intention of annulling my marriage and I don’t even believe in hell! I love Trish and she loves me and that should be good enough for you!” he shot back.

“Jonny, give your mother and I some time to digest this, okay? This is a lot for us to swallow. If you both love one another and you are committed to each other, even if not by marriage in a church, then that’s enough for me right now. I want you to be happy and if this makes you happy, then I can be happy for you. For both of you” he corrected.

“John! How can you sit there and give them your blessing! This is outrageous! As far as I’m concerned, any ceremony that wasn’t sanctioned by a priest or a justice of the peace at least has no meaning and is no marriage and some day you’ll wake up and realize what you’ve done and you’ll beg my forgiveness and God’s forgiveness!” Carol proclaimed from her pulpit.

Her arrogance was astounding to me. To think that Jon would someday beg her forgiveness was just the epitome of self-righteousness. I had struggled to give her the benefit of the doubt as she was Jon’s mother, but this was too much. I would treat her respectfully for Jon’s sake and I would keep my opinions to myself, but at that moment I felt nothing but loathing for his mother.

“C’mon, Carol, let’s head home. The kids look exhausted and I’m sure they’d like a little time alone together and I think we need some time to talk and absorb all this” he urged.

“But I’m not ready to go! I need to talk some sense into him!” she protested.

Jon’s father looked irritated and Jon looked exasperated. His mother seemed oblivious to anyone’s needs but her own and I was beginning to reach the end of my tether too. Carol made no move to get up and reached to refill her glass of champagne, but Jon’s dad stopped her.

“Carol, that’s enough. It’s time to go” he said sternly and she looked like a petulant child.

“Mom, dad’s right. We didn’t get much sleep last night and we’re exhausted. About the only thing I’m up for is a nap, not a debate or an argument” Jon said, punctuating the statement with another yawn.

“When will we see you again, Jonny?” she said finally as we all rose to leave.

“I don’t know, mom. Trish and I have some things we need to attend to before we go on holiday, but I’ll talk to you soon” he said to placate her as he hugged her goodbye.

“I’m so pleased to have had a chance to meet you both and I want you to know how much I love your son and that I will do everything I can to make sure that he is happy” I added, only half lying as I did love Jon and I would do anything to make him happy.

Jon’s dad gave me a hug and a kiss and said he was glad to see that Jon was in such good hands and that he was happy that we had found each other as he hadn’t seen his son so content in a long time. I thanked him for that and I realized that our news had been a difficult pill to swallow for him too. Carol turned sharply on her heel and dismissed me, but she hugged Jon as though she was saving him from the devil himself. I saw the look that passed between Jon and his dad as he gently ushered Carol towards the door.

“I’m sorry, baby, but mom can be difficult sometimes. No one has ever been good enough in her eyes, so don’t take it personally. Mom isn’t the Holy Roller she was acting like she is; it was just something to hold against you as no one will ever be good enough for me. My dad thinks you’re great and he’ll accept things because he loves me and he sees that we love each other” he said reassuringly as he pulled me against his chest.

Maybe Jon was right. As badly as I felt this discussion had gone, I could see from Jon’s mellow mood now that it hadn’t been as bad as he’d anticipated. He didn’t appear worried and perhaps, in time, his mother would come to accept me as his wife, but right now I wasn’t so sure. We might manage to get along for his sake, but I doubted that we’d ever develop any fondness for each other. But I didn’t care to dwell on it at the moment as I was fading fast. Last night’s revels were finally catching up with me.

“Let’s go take a nap” I said sleepily, my head dropping against his shoulder.

“You read my mind” Jon agreed as he echoed my yawn.