The Sauna Part 297

The week had passed by with relative calm and so far I had managed to keep Jon in the dark about the true nature of Monday’s event. There’d been a few close calls with people phoning the house but I’d managed to intercept those that might have tipped him off. Now with the kids here I’d have a little more space as they kept him occupied most of the time.

Jon didn’t know, but Dot and John were already in Denver as they’d decided to make it a weekend away since we had the kids. Carol and John Sr. had checked in as well, Stephanie had told me when we were alone. Steph was thoroughly enjoying her role as co-conspirator as all the family had been instructed to check in with her and she took her job seriously.

“Are you sure that Dad doesn’t suspect?” she asked under her breath.

“Not a thing, sweetheart! You’ve just got to convince him tomorrow that you all want to go to the press conference and see Ron and the guys” I reminded her.

“No problem, Trish. Daddy always gives in when I ask him to do it for me” she grinned.

She was right about that. Jon had become softer and he was quite a pushover when it came to his kids and especially his daughter. They’d spent the morning taking turns with him on the snowmobile and Steph and I were fixing hot chocolate while the “men” made a fire.

“I love this house! It’s so beautiful and it feels like we’re out in the woods!” Steph said again for the five hundredth time.

“I love it too and we’ve got plenty of room. Maybe you guys could come spend some time here in the summer. There’s lots to do and your Dad and I would love to show you around” I smiled, placing the mugs on the tray that she held eagerly.

“That would be cool! Do you think dad would let me bring a friend?” she bubbled.

“As long as it’s a girlfriend, I don’t think he’d mind” I teased.

“Trish! I don’t have a steady boyfriend yet” she blushed.

Thank Goddess, not yet, I thought to myself. I could only imagine how Jon would react when Stephie began dating in earnest. And she’d have quite a few suitors in just a few years, of that I was sure. She was growing into quite a beautiful young woman and I knew she’d give Jon a few more gray hairs before it was over. Adolescence is rougher on parents than teenagers, I thought.

We took the hot chocolate into the guys and found them engaged in a wrestling match. Jake had Jon pinned on the ground and Jesse was doing the count, just as I’d seen on WWF, while Romeo was trying to climb on top of them both.

“Ready for a break?” I laughed, watching them play.

It did my heart good to see Jon and the boys having such fun and I felt a twinge of guilt for preferring the house here in Colorado over the one in Jersey that was close to the kids. I really hoped that Steph and the boys would come out for the summer, at least for a while, but I knew we’d still make plenty of trips back east to spend time with the kids. Colorado was like our own private retreat and life here was different than it had been before we moved. I liked having more time with Jon all to myself and I had no intention of giving that up.

Jon acknowledged defeat and Jakey squealed with delight as they sat up and I poured their hot chocolate. Stephie had diluted Romeo’s with some milk to cool it down as he wasn’t yet at an age to try sipping. We sat down and joined them on the big rug in front of the fireplace.

“So, did you girls think of anything to do in Denver tomorrow?” Jon asked, looking at me and then at Stephanie.

“Dad, we really wanna go to the press conference. Uncle Ron’s gonna be there and all the guys on the team! Please?” she said so convincingly that I half believed her myself.

“Aaaww, honey, are you sure? I think you’re gonna be bored” Jon tried to dissuade her.

“C’mon Dad, it won’t be that long and we wanna see all the guys. And the Crush is gonna be there too, right? We won’t get in the way, we promise…” Jesse chimed in.

“Alright, alright, I can’t take the pressure!” Jon joked. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you if you find out it’s boring” he added.

“Thanks Dad!” they all said as one and soon Jon was tackled again by his mob of children with Stephanie joining the fray this time as well.

He reached out his arm from under the tangle of squirming bodies and winked at me to come join the gang and I couldn’t resist the opportunity as I jumped on the pile, tickling and giggling as we wrestled happily as a family.


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



Jon and I lay quietly together in bed after we’d tucked in the kids and settled down for the night. I snuggled into Jon’s arms and he sighed contentedly. Tomorrow was his birthday and he was just where he wanted to be-home with his family. What more could he ask?

“Watcha thinkin’, love? You’ve got a smile a mile wide” I wondered.

“Just thinking how happy I am, babe. It’s been a great week and it’s so good to have the kids here, but it’s also good to have you all to my self” he grinned, nuzzling my neck.

We’d taken it easy since the kids had arrived and our love making had been quiet and tender. It was a good thing we’d had the first part of the week alone with each other, so we were ready to behave like regular parents once the kids had arrived. They’d be here through Tuesday and would fly home on Wednesday so they could go back to school before the week ended and get any assignments they’d missed while they were gone. Steph had a math test on the following Monday and Dot and Jon both knew she’d need a weekend at home to catch up and study.

“So, have you decided how you’d like to celebrate your birthday tomorrow? After the press conference, I mean” I asked, doing my part to keep the myth of tomorrow alive until the last minute.

“It doesn’t really matter to me to be honest. I’ve got both my girls and all three of my boys here with me, so whatever the kids want-that’s fine by me” he yawned.

“Okay then, we’ll just play it by ear then” I agreed, tucking my head into his shoulder.

“Night, wife” he said sleepily, closing his eyes.

“Sleep tight, husband” I replied, closing my eyes too.


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


I’d tossed and turned through the night as I went over everything in my head. I’d heard back from nearly all two hundred and fifty of the guests I’d invited and just under two hundred were scheduled to attend. Richie had emailed me that he’d talked to John Elway and everything was all set on his end. Richie was flying into Denver tonight, in fact he’d already be there. He’d help out with any last minute details and he knew John and Dot were available too if he needed them. He’d had reservations about inviting Jon’s parents, but he trusted my judgment, or so he had said. I heard the hesitation in his voice when I’d snuck a quick phone call, but it was already too late to make any changes. Please keep Carol on her best behavior, I prayed again to the Goddess.

I’d sent the check to the caterers and we were all planning to wear our Soul jerseys “to support the Team” so costumes were all taken care of. Dot hadn’t told Jake or Romeo about the party as she was certain they’d blab, so they’d be just as surprised as Jon when we walked into the banquet hall. Jon’s assistant had arranged for a small private plane to fly into Denver and we’d be met at the airport by John Elway himself. Everything seemed to be in order I kept reassuring myself until finally, exhausted, I fell into a fitful slumber.

I dreamed we’d arrived and that Jon was completely surprised, just as I’d planned. The room was just perfect and decorated in pale blue and white and every square inch of the ceiling was covered with balloons in the same matching colors. The crowd was enormous and the costumes ranged from mild to fantastic elaborations on the Soul uniform. I’d never be able to keep track of Jon amidst the sea of Soul uniforms.

John Elway and Jon entered first, followed by a raucus “Surprise!” I spotted Ron Jaworski and then Richie and Jim with Cherie at his side. Cherie looked lovely and her eyes sparkled like diamonds when she looked at Jim’s face. Eva and Tico were dressed to the nines with Tico sporting a tie along with his jersey and Eva glimmered with gold and sapphire accents. David and Elena were present and accounted for and Elena’s petite frame was dwarfed in the oversized jersey . Hugh was there too with his wife on his arm and she hugged me immediately as Hugh introduced us.

Tony cut quite a dashing figure in blue and white as he introduced his girlfriend, a tall slender blonde. Jon was beaming and having a ball and I was feeling relieved that the surprise had been welcome when I saw the change in his features. I followed his eyes, and almost as if in slow motion, I saw Carol approach with a drink in her hand. My heart sank as she staggered and slurred out a greeting and I saw Jon recoil in disgust.

I woke with a start, my heart racing wildly and my forehead covered with beads of sweat. No, no, no! It was just a nightmare! It wasn’t real, it was only my nerves, I told myself as I tried to quell the acid that was churning in my gut. My hands were shaking as I reached for the glass of water on the nightstand and took a big gulp. I fished out the jar of antacids I kept in the drawer and chewed down a handful as my breathing finally came under control.

I looked over at Jon, still sleeping peacefully and looking angelic as the moonlight that streamed through the window illuminated his face. He was still smiling. I hope you’re still smiling after tomorrow, I thought one final time before dispelling my demons and huddling back under the covers. Please, Goddess, please.