Chapter 28: Meeting April and the Kids

We chatted in the car on the way to his ex’s house. I was so relieved that his mother and I got along; it’d be hard if we didn’t. I hoped meeting his kids would go just as smoothly. I hadn’t brought a gift for April, thinking that was a little much, but I had brought gifts for David’s kids. For the girls I had put together scrapbookking kits. I had asked David their favorite colors, and got Gabrielle a Kelly green book, and a vibrant pink for TygerLily. For Colton, I had gotten him a few of the newer games for his Wii.

When we pulled up to the house, I nearly swallowed my tongue. If I thought the house David was in now was big, then this one was gigantic. I keep forgetting he’s “that guy” you know? As we got out of the car, the front door opened, and three lovely blonde children poured out. Pucker time.

“Daddy!” the youngest, TygerLily, whom he called ‘Lil’ shouted, and launched herself into his arms. David swung her around and kissed her head before settling the 7-year old on his hip.

“Lil, this is my friend, Hath,” he said, introducing me.

I winked at the little girl. “I like your name,” I said. “It’s very pretty.”

Lil blushed and leaned forward to me. “I like when Daddy calls me ‘Lil’ better.”

I laughed and said, “Can I tell you secret?” She nodded, and I leaned in to whisper to her, “Hath is my middle name. I don’t really like my name either. It’s Jenilee.” I made a face, and the little girl laughed.

“You’re funny,” she said, and squirmed down to join her siblings. David grabbed my hand, and led me up to the house, and introduced me to the other kids. Gabrielle was beautiful; a nice mix of both her parents, and Colton was the image of David when he was younger.

“Did you really make fun of Dad’s clothes?” Colton asked.

I nodded. “Yep. I sent him a PM on a chat board online telling him the shirt he wore on SNL was hideous.” I made my eyes wide. “You guys didn’t buy him that shirt, did you?” They shook their heads. “Good. Oh! Gabrielle, he didn’t borrow that from you, did he?”

“Alright, smart ass,” David said, making his kids giggle. “We get the point. Come on.” He hip checked me and we followed the kids into the house, arms around each others’ waists. I left my bag in the entry hall, and prepared to meet –

“Well, hello,” a smooth voice said from somewhere off to my right. I turned to see this delicate blonde creature emerge from what looked to be a library. Flo was right; I couldn’t be more unlike this woman, physically anyway, if I was a man.

“Hi,” I answered, and offered my hand. “I’m Hath. Nice to meet you.”

“No, I think it’s awkward and a little surreal; ‘nice’ will come later,” she said, making me laugh and breaking some of the tension. “Come on in,” she said. “Dinner isn’t for a little while yet. Let’s get acquainted.”

So we three adults went into the library and sat in big, comfy furniture and I again launched into my “Hello, I’m Hathor” speech. I think Michelle was the last person I was going to have to do this with. That’d be tomorrow. By the end of my little spiel, April was smiling. “So, a die-hard Patriots, fan, huh?”

I groaned. “Oh, no, don’t tell me I’m in Jets territory?”

“Didn’t David-the-Giants-fan tell you? That’s really why we split.”

I stared at her for a full thirty seconds before she burst into laughter. “Jesus,” I said, laughing myself. “That was a good one.”

“Yeah, Aip,” David said, laughing and bumping shoulders with me. “I don’t think I’ve really seen her speechless like that.”

“Shut up, Joker,” I said to him, and stuck my tongue out at him.

The kids came into the library, and we played the get acquainted game again, but this time I asked the questions. I found out that Colton was a football fan, not just a Jets fan, and loves going to games, no matter who’s playing. Gabrielle loved to dance, and wanted to study ballet, and Lil just wanted to draw. The kids warmed to me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

After a delicious dinner, we found ourselves back in the library. I excused myself to go out to the entryway and retrieve the bag I had left there. When I came back, the kids all looked at me, identical quizzical looks on their faces.

“What’s in the bag, Hath?” Lil asked.

“Oh, just some things I brought in case you guys didn’t like me, and I needed a bribe.” I winked. “But, since you all obviously ADORE me, we don’t need these.”

“NOOO!” Lil said, and bolted from her chair.

We adults laughed, and I gave out the little things I had gotten them. Colton was excited at his new games, and asked if he could be excused to go try them out. “Of course,” said April, “but what do you say first?”

Colton came running over to me and gave me a quick hug. “Thanks, Hath,” he said. “You’re alright, for a girl.” He sprinted from the room.

The girls had opened their packages, and were laying everything out, comparing what they had. I had picked patterned and colored papers to match their books, and gave them each a selection of stickers and other embellishments, pens, scissors, and adhesives – basically whatever they needed to complete a simple book. Lil came and thanked me and gave me a tight hug and whispered, “Thanks, Hath,” and giggled, then gathered her things and left.

“Thanks, Hath,” Gabby said quietly. “This will be really fun to do with Lil.”

“I’m glad,” I said. “I have fun scrapping with my brother’s wife. I hope you guys have as much fun as Sue and I do.”

“She’s the one with the little girl who recognized my Dad right?”

I blushed. “Yeah. My sister in law is a huge Bon Jovi fan; has been for years. Joanna would recognize any of them, including Bobby and Renz and the others, if she saw them on the street.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“Am I a fan? Yep. Got my heart-and-dagger t-shirt and everything.” I looked at her. “I’ve been following the band since nearly the beginning. Slippery was my intro to the band, and I was hooked.” I looked at her thoughtfully. “What do you really want to ask me?”

“Gabby,” April said, in a warning tone.

“No, it’s OK,” I said. If she wants to ask me questions, it’s fine.” I looked at Gabby. “She just has to be prepared for the case that the answers may not be what she wants to hear.”

Gabby nodded. “Do you like my dad for what he does? Or for who he is?”

“I won’t lie to you, I admire the hell out of your father’s talent, and if it weren’t for who he is, I probably wouldn’t have met him.” I explained a little more about the forum and how we “met” there and wound up meeting in person at the concert. “And frankly, when I met your father, it wasn’t the rock star I was meeting – it was the smart ass from the forum.” I smiled over my shoulder at David. “He and I got into it pretty good, and I think I won a round or two. I am quite the smart-ass myself, I’ll have you know.”

April rolled her eyes. “Heaven help us,” she said. “Another one.”

“Ha, ha,” I said. “Seriously, though,” I said to Gabby, “it’s David the man that I’m interested in. He’s the one that makes me laugh, and is nice to my family, and indulged me when I wanted to stop over at my Nanna’s on the way here to New Jersey after he’d been flying all morning. The man is the one that makes me happy. The rock star is just his job.”

I smiled wryly. “Frankly, David the rock star is going to be away far too much next year. But, we’re keeping in touch online and – Hey!” I just had a brain storm. “You guys should get set up on Skype. I can pick up a camera and drop by tomorrow and get you set up.” I explained what it was and how we’ve been using it to keep in touch, and it’s so much better than just the phone.

April thought that was a great idea, and Gabby seemed satisfied with my answers. “Thanks for being honest with me,” she said and smiled. “I do have one more question.”

“Shoot,” I said.

“Were you always a David Girl?”

I laughed and slid a look at the guy in question. He was blushing. “Nope,” I said. “I was always, from day one, a Richie Girl.”

“What changed your mind?” Gabby asked.

“When Richie kissed me,” David cringed at that, “there was no chemistry. When your dad did, there was a little spark. That’s all it took.”

Gabby came and gave me a hug. “It was really nice to meet you,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Sure thing. I’ll come by later in the afternoon, when you guys are home from school, so you can see how to use it. I have my setup with me, so we can try it out.”

A short while later, I was saying goodbye to April and the kids. They were waving from the doorway as David and I pulled away.

“That wasn’t so bad, now was it?” he asked.

“Nope, not at all,” I answered.

“Do me a favor?” he asked.

“Of course, what?” I said.

“Don’t mention anymore that Sambora got to kiss you first, OK?” He pouted prettily, and I laughed.

“Baby, he may have kissed me first, but you get to kiss me last. And,” I said, scooting closer to him and laying my head on his shoulder, “you kiss me best. I love you.”

He dropped a quick kiss on the top of my head. “Love you too, babe.”