Chapter Two

He sat there like it was a Sunday afternoon watching football impatiently picking at the fabric on the arm of the couch. His kids had gone but they’d been happy to see him and he’d played some rough and tumble with Caleb before they went on their play dates. They had said Happy Birthday to him but again, there was no fuss. He scratched his head. Maybe he was too old for a fuss? He just was happy to be home. He checked his watch and wondered when Richie was due in Philly having gone and seen his mother in Jersey while they had the day off.

Maybe he could grab a lunch with him, just a light one since the show was tonight. He dug into his pocket and found his phone.

“Hey old man—I just was thinking about you---happy birthday!”

“Gee thanks Richie---I’ll always be still younger than you and that’s what counts.”

“Fuck you. Now what can I do for you?”

“I was thinking we could do lunch.” He didn’t want to say it but Richie would see right through it.

“What with you and Cal? I thought you two might want some alone time.”

He snickered. “Yeah right, no-she got called into work and my own kids are on play dates.”

“Oh jeeze. Sorry bud, I promised Ma I’d take her somewhere swanky before we head out to the stadium. I mean you could tag along if you wanted.”

“Oh nah Rich---I’m ok. You see your Ma and I’ll just hang out here. I’ll go for a run in the gym, no problems.”

“Okay—sorry man. I feel a bit bad. What has Callie organized for you? She’s usually a trooper at that. I’ll come along if she does.”

He snorted. “Yeah usually---she hasn’t this year. It’s ok---we’ve been all crazy—I’ve been doing the movie, she’s training interns… its nuts. She’s working more than I am at the moment.”

“Well maybe you and her should just have some time after the show. I could take the kids if you want?”

Jon spat out his coffee. “You take my kids? Uh uh.” He was kidding, Richie was a fantastic father but it was still fun to tease.

“Very funny Jonny. We’ll sort something out. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on Birthday nookie.”

“Who says I already haven’t had any?”

“I know you haven’t, you’re grumpy as fuck.”

He sighed. He was grumpy as fuck too and he had said he wasn’t going to let this birthday crap get to him. “Yeah yea---alright. See you at sound check man.” He disconnected and checked his watch. God he was getting desperate. He knew his parents were flying in for the show tonight---it was a tradition if it was around or on his b’day they always flew in. He called his mother’s cell phone and then thought better of it. Maybe he would rather go for a run and sulk after all. Things couldn’t really get that much worse. He hauled himself up and to the gym upstairs in the house. 12 miles on the tread should shake the shitty mood he was in.

~

On two, his wife arrived home and of course it was too late to do anything as they had to get ready to commute to Philly. “How was work?” He asked as he had perched himself in front of his mac at their large dining room table.

She dropped her keys in the bowl. “Exhausting—I need a long hot shower and then I suppose we should get organized. How was your day birthday boy?” She came up behind him, wound her arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head.

He groaned as the sweet smell of his wife stirred deep within him and he wanted nothing better than to drag her up onto the table and fuck her blind. He was restless and jittery---and hell he hadn’t even got his present from her. “Boring.” He said it too bluntly and he regretted it the minute he said it.

“Jon—I’m sorry I had to work but we should be used to disruption to plans by now in our life.”
And then the guilty jab in his gut came. He didn’t mean to snap. He rose and twisted around in her grasp and bumped noses with her. “I’m sorry. I’m grumpy today—I guess getting old does make you cranky huh?”

She tiled his chin and kissed him gently. “You’ll never be old to me. You’re still that young long haired pain in the ass boy that used to drive me crazy all those years ago.”

He chuckled at the memory and smiled at how far they had come. He’d trade in all his birthdays for just one week of their lives together at this point. That’s how much she meant to him. How much all of them meant to him as without them he was nothing. “But I was a pretty pain in the ass right?”

She traced her fingertip up the crinkles at the corner of his eyes. “Aww you’re still pretty. And you’re still a pain in the ass.” She squealed as he hauled her up and her legs wrapped around his waist.

“Jonny we don’t have time—the kids will be here any minute.”

“I’m so damn horny today I’ll cum within five minutes. I guarantee you that.”

“Jonny!” she shrieked as he carried her up the stairs but froze with the chime of the doorbell went.

“Well fuck-me. Karma really isn’t on my side tonight.” He dropped her down onto the step above him and she kissed him gently.

“Sorry honey---we better get these kids organized and then head to the stadium.”

He growled and let her jog up the stairs to the shower---the shower he’d had plans for but no he was back on Daddy duty and then frontman duty.

Happy freaking birthday to me—again.