6

"NO DAD!  It has to be just right!"  Jon hears as he walks away from Stephanie, knowing that she needs to be left alone to do her thing.  He's tried to help her, tried to be there for her and she's shut him out at every turn.

"I was only trying to help, Rose."  he yells back to her as he walks away, throwing his hands in the air.  "I"ll leave you be, to do what you need to do.  I'll be inside."  he shakes his head, feeling exactly what she's feeling.  "Holler if you need me."

"Stop calling me that." she snaps back, with several picture frames in her hand.  She decorating the big oak tree that's on the vineyard property, right behind the house.  The tree still has the tree swing swinging on it that she used to push her brothers and sister on, when they still took family vacations.   

It has been a few years since they were out in California at the Bongiovi Vineyard.  "Beth, me and dad."  Stephanie mumbles putting the wire from one frame in her mouth, holding it as she looks through the others.  

When Stephanie landed at the vineyard, the night after the crash, she checked on her dad and went right to the attic.  She knows that's where Beth keeps the collection of photographs that she has out there, on the west coast.   She spent hours up there going through and collecting the ones that she wants.  She has no idea what she's going to do with them, but she has the ones that spoke to her.

In her mind, it has to be just right. The frames and the candles need to hang the right way,  because they are for Beth and Beth deserves the best.  With each frame before she hangs it, Stephanie kisses the picture and smiles.  Hanging them in the tree helps her deal with all that has gone on and what they are about to face.   

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"Mr. Bon Jovi."  the doctor tries to bring back to the here and now.  "Mr. Bon Jovi.'  the doctor reaches over and shakes Jon shoulder.  "Is there someone I can call for you?"

Jon slightly shakes his head no.  With tears rolling down his face, he barely whispers, "Can I see her?"  

The doctor shakes his head and is honest with Jon, "She's not ready.  Is there someone that I can call for you?  You shouldn't be here alone, sir."

"No, no.  I'm good."  Jon leans over, resting his forehead on the edge of the table.  "Am I okay in here for a few minutes?"

"Take as long as you need."  

The doctor leaves Jon alone with his thoughts and his emotions, the one place that Jon doesn't want to be.  After a few minutes, the door to the private waiting area opens.  Jon looks up, can't see clearly through the tears, but he can see that it's Richie.  He stands and walks to his brother.  Richie, with his own tears flooding his eyes, grabs Jon and holds him as tight as he could.  "I got here as soon as I heard."  Richie squeezes even tighter.

"She's gone."  Jon breaks the hug and stands back.  Rubbing his eyes and trying to catch a breath, "She's gone Rich, what am I gonna do?"  Bending over and bracing himself with his hands on his knees, Jon starts to feel sick.  "She's gone."

Richie tries to comfort Jon, rubbing his back and shoulder.  He just wants Jon to know that he's there for him.  "I know, man, I know."  With the big brother that's always at the surface, Richie grabs Jon again and lets him cry.  "Have you seen her yet?"

Jon slightly shakes his head no.  

"Has anyone been in to see you?"  Richie wipes the tears away from his eyes.  "Are they sure it's her?"

"I'm sure it's her.  I saw the picture of her car."

"A lot of people have that same car."  Richie knows the answers, but he does't know what to say.  What does one say to his best friend after he's just lost his wife in a car accident?  

"It was her plate."  Jon states, walking over to look out the window.  Day is turning into night and when he thinks about Beth being gone, he immediately thinks about the twins.  "Oh my God, what am I going to tell the kids?"  Jon punches the wall, the thud startles Richie.  

"When the time is right, you'll tell them the truth Jon.  Don't worry about that right now."

Shaking his right hand, admiring the job that he did on his knuckles he takes a deep breath and looks over at Richie, standing in the same spot.  "I asked if I could see her and the doctor told me that she wasn't ready.  What could that mean?"  Jon has no idea the details of the accident, all he knows is what the car looks like and that she is dead.  "Why couldn't I see her?"

Richie walks over to a small couch and takes a seat. Rubbing his kneecaps like he does when he's stressed, "Maybe she was injured to bad and they need to clean her up a bit.  Do you want me to go check?"  Richie leans over and grabs a tissue off the end table.  After he wipes his eyes and nose, he grabs another tissue and takes it to Jon.

Eyes are bloodshot and the heartbreak is visible to anyone that looks at Jon.  Richie doesn't say another word, he just waits for Jon to need him.  Jon paces the small room, having no idea what he's waiting for.  "She's gone.  I can't believe she's fucking gone."

Richie isn't aware of all that's gone on lately.  He knows that their divorce is almost final and that neither have been in the headlines, for anything good or bad - and to Richie, that's a good thing.  Richie knew that Beth was out in California for vacation.  He had lunch with her just a couple of days ago.  Beth told him that Jon was taking the kids to St. Bart's and that she was going to take the time to list the Vineyards for sale.  The one in New Jersey and the one in Napa Valley.  Richie wants to know who the unidentified man was in the car with Beth.  He can't, for the life of him figure out who it could have been and now is not the time to ask Jon.

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There's a knock on the door.  As it opens, Jon can see that it's Dr. Rowe and tells him, "Come in."

Dr. Rowe closes the door behind him and starts to feel himself get a little star struck.  Here he is with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora.  "Mr. Bon Jovi, excuse my interruption."

"What's going on?"  Richie stands and extends his hand to the doctor.  "I'm Richie."

"Doctor, is she ready for me to see her?"  Jon interjects, with his stomach in his throat.  "Can I see my wife?"

"Yes."  The doctor steadies his stance, "I'll take you downstairs and to a window...."

Jon holds up his hands, stopping the doctor, "I know the drill, doc.  Just take me to see my wife."

The three of them leave the waiting area and walk to a bank of elevators across the hall.  Richie can see to his left, the crowd of fans that have gathered at the entrance of the hospital.  His heart breaks even more for Jon at that moment, knowing that his life will never be the same.  

Ding.

They step onto the elevator and turn to face front.  The doctor pushed the B button and asks Jon, "Are you sure you're ready for this?  We can do the ID with a picture, sir."

Jon looks over at the doctor, tears burning his eyes.  "I'm ready."

"Will you be making the ID for her passenger?"  Dr. Rowe asks Jon.  

Jon hadn't given the passenger, or the identified man another thought since he read the headline on the plane.  He could feel what color that was left in him flush from his face, and his heart was right behind it.  "Her passenger?"  Jon asks, without thinking.

"The man that was in the car with her>"  the doctor replies, unaware that Jon was unaware.

Ding.

They exit the elevator and turn left.  Richie just one step behind.  The farther they walk from the elevator, the colder and the quieter the place gets.  Above them Jon can see the sign for the MORGUE and he starts to get weak in the knees.  Richie notices the glitch in Jon's step and steps his up, with his hand on his shoulder.  "I'm here, man."

Jon looks over his shoulder and Richie can see that he's appreciated for being there.  Richie can feel that Jon is thankful to not have to do this alone.