Chapter 30

Walking back along the hospital hallway I walked straight into Ma and Pa Jovi and Dr Markus.
"Been to say bye to Jon Richie?"
"Yeah Doc, he's been telling me about sending him to rehab, he's real anxious, take it easy with him...."
"Not to easy, we need him on his feet."
"Yeah I know, I mean in what you expect of him, he's a proud guy and does not accept failure"
Doc patted me on the shoulder, "hey we have got him this far, well get him the rest... trust me and leave it with me, Ok?"
I looked down at the floor and felt a bit sheepish trying to tell the Doc how to do his job, but knowing Jon as well as I did, I know if his stubborn streak kicked in they would be done for. I looked to the right as Ma and Pa stepped out of the Docs shadow, "Hey Ma, Pa, you here to see Jon? he's watching TV..  least he was when I left him"
Pa spoke first, "Yeah, were here for Jon, but you too Richie."
"Me? why?" it was always a worry when parents, your own or friends wanted to talk to you, I swallowed nervously at the lump in my throat.
Pa put his arm on my shoulders, and laughed..." Don't look so scared its nothing bad son, we are here to take you home that's all and stop off for a meal on the way, your mom was stuck at work today and well, we are more than happy to help out."
I eyed them both suspiciously, I did not need my mom to collect me, I was ready to call a cab, but I went along with pa. "ok, thanks I guess."
Lifting his head from his note board Doc spoke, " ma, pa, why don't you go see Jon and ill go with Richie and conclude his release, Richie can meet you in Jon's room when were done.
I watched as Ma & Pa headed off to see their son and I followed the doc back into my room.

my shirt was lifted, and my op site checked, all good, stitches had been removed and the scar was healing well, all my vitals were good, and I was given my release forms and told if I had pain from the site of the op to take acetaminophen when needed. Shaking the docs hand I watched as he left and went off to see his other patients.  I turned back into the room and continued collecting the rest of my things and putting them into my holdall, my concentration interrupted, when my nurse stuck her head round the door and smiled at me, "Hey, so your checking out today then eh?, food that bad?"
"Yeah, erm... I mean yeah I'm checking out not that the food was bad..."
"Really? the full plates I collect after service tells me different, and that includes yours..." she laughed
"Ok, I give in the food was not the best... but the service was.." I studied her reaction, I can't lie, I really fancied her, and I am sure she fancied me too. she looked down at the floor with a blush on her cheeks.
"Hey I'm sorry I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"you haven't, I'm flattered, and thanks, I'm not used to getting compliments."
"really?, you're amazing, are you serious?, Your boyfriend's a really lucky guy."
yeah I was fishing, but I had too... I wanted to ask her out, and until today I had never, or we had never spoken to this degree.
"Oh, there's no boyfriend, was once, but he did not understand my calling and my choice of career. so well,... we said goodbye... that was three years ago, and with the shifts I work, I don't get to meet guys... but that's ok,....  I'm taking my finals next week and if I pass I will be credited as a full intern.
"way to go, I bet you'll pass with flying colours."
" hope so."
" you will... trust me,.... hey can I leave my bag here until I go, I've gotta go get Jon's mom and pop and I'm told not to much lifting yet..."
"Sure, no problem, tell ya what I'll take it and stow it behind the nurses station that way you have to see me and say thanks and goodbye before you leave"
"Id say goodbye to ya before I left anyway, and thanks is heart felt." I touched my hand over my heart to emphasise the words.
She smiled and nodded at me and took my bag with her from my room. So, ok, I knew something's about my nurse such as;
Her name was Elaine, but she liked to be called Lainey, she stood about 170cm tall, with long blonde hair and the bluest eyes you had ever seen, and a smile to melt even the most frozen of hearts, she had a wonderful figure too and was the kindest person I had ever met. yes sir, I was asking Lainey out before I left make no mistake about it.

As I walked past the nurses station she smiled at me again and I felt my heart skip a beat, somehow I smiled back, but didn't detour from going to get ma and pa, hands in pockets I carried on walking in the direction of Jon's room.
My mind thinking over as I walked, how was I gonna ask her out? damn what if there was a code she could not see patients?, did a rule like that exist? I had no idea, but I was gonna chance it any how.

Reaching my buds door I knocked, three sets of eye's locked on me standing at the door, as I entered I felt like I had interrupted something.
" Hey, sorry if I'm cutting in..."
"not all Rich, come in son,"
for some reason I was feeling real anxious again.
I looked at Jon, he was smiling real broad and his smile crinkled his eye's in the corners, something was definitely cooking here.
"What goes on?"
"Sit Son, come sit here, there's something we need to say to you, Jonny knows, and relax its nothing bad, we promise."
I Walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, again careful not to dislodge anything, as I sat Jon placed his hand on my hand, and ma rested her hand on my knee.
Pa spoke, "Richie, what you have done to save our boy we can never ever thank you or repay you enough, its fact without you our boy would not be here." "its fine I...." pa raised his hand, "Let me finish son, please... you are the reason our Jon has got a second chance at living, you helped me with doc McGhee and manning too without your help those slime balls would still be loose, Richie, we see you more as our son than we ever thought possible and we love you with all our hearts, for that reason, " ma reached into her handbag and produced an envelope with a red bow on top and handed it to me, "we want to give you this...." I looked at them all, there eye's on me. "Go ahead open it Rich"  I looked away then down at the envelope, slowly I undid the flap and took out the contents, the ribbon dropping to the floor. I open the letter and read what was written.

it read... "we Carol Ann Bongiovi and John Frank Bongiovi snr do hereby bequeath an equal share of our estate to our Sons John Francis Bongiovi Jnr, Mathew Clayton Bongiovi, Anthony Antoro Bongiovi and Richard Sambora after estate taxes with no inclusions or exceptions."

there was other writing to as it was a legal document, but the off shot was that ma and pa had included me in their will after their demise and they counted me as their son. I could feel the tears pricking at the back of my eye's as I looked up at them all. "I don't know what to say, but thanks, you didn't have too, honest. "
"Sssssh  we wanted to, Richie its our way of letting you know how much we love you and thank you for what you have done. " I looked down at the paper document and read it again, then looking up I spoke, " well thanks guys if your sure, I'm happy to accept"  I reached over and hugged ma, then pa and I stood and embraced each other, then leaning into Jon it was a pat and a hug. looking at Jon I spoke,
" So, Jovi, you kept that one quiet.."
"Hey, I had no idea bro, they told me about it just as you walked in, honest to god,"
"So you cool with it?"
"Yeah course I am, man after what you have done for me, hell its not enough, but its something.."
"hey its plenty, and honest guys I'm touched, your love and kindness has blown me away " Ma and pa smiled back, then Pa spoke,
"So are you all good to go then son?"
"Yeah all good to go, just gotta get my bag on the way out."
Ma and pa said goodbye to Jon with a promise they would return later, I too said goodbye and we held each other again, this time really as brothers, not in name but now in blood.