Chapter twenty-six

Three days before Christmas the show took place in the school auditorium. The whole day Kris wasn’t able to focus on anything at school. Not that she was nervous about playing. It was more the fact that Jon and the rest of the guys would be there as well. She hoped she wouldn’t embarrass them.

They stayed at school all day long and made their sound check in the early afternoon. When the music teacher told them that they would be the last band of the evening, they started to discus their set list again. Set list, my ass we are talking about three songs. Kris shook her head.

“I still think we should keep it the way we rehearsed it.” She said. “The guys from the lights are now trained to that order too. We would risk standing in the dark when we change it.” And we would risk that I sing the wrong song, she added in her mind.

“Maybe you are right.” Daniel sighed and looked at the other boys. They only nodded. “Ok, we keep it that way.”

“Great! Can we now eat something?” Teddy asked in a cranky voice. They laughed. He asked that a couple times in the last two hours.

“Let’s go and get some burgers.” Steve said.

3 hours till Showtime, Kris thought when they were driving down the street to a diner.


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Across the town Jon was as nervous as Kris. Everything was planned. The little ones were with his parents; he made sure the guys were here in time, especially Richie. They were actually sitting in the living room right now, but Dot wasn’t ready yet.

“Dot!” he yelled upstairs. “Dot! Are you ready?”

His wife came down the stairs with an angry look on her face. Her hair still dripping wet and her body only covered with a huge towel.

“You are asking me that for the third time now. Does that look like I’m ready? We have nearly three hours left till it starts. Would. You. Please. Calm. Down!” she stressed her last words.

“I just wanted to be there earlier. Maybe she needs help.” Jon said eyeing her angry.

Dot sighed. “You will only make her nervous. She needs to go through it on her own. You can only sit in the audience tonight and applause…” he wanted to say something. “…nothing else Jon!” she stopped him.

He frowned. “This is not your show, Jon. You can’t control it.” Dot said while pulling the towel closer around her body when it started to slide down. Jon’s eyes travelled up her long legs over her body and lingered at her breast that were only half covered by the towel.

“Can’t you wear a bit more, when you are coming down here? The guys are in the living room.” Jon hissed. Dot rolled her eyes at his comment.

“David, Richie, Tico come here.” She yelled. Jon froze. In the next second the three men raced through the door into the hallway. When Dot had that sound in her voice you better hurry and don’t ask twice what you should do.

“Keep him busy or you need to release the next album without him.” She ordered and turned on her heal, cursing something about stupid men when she walked upstairs. Jon tried to get after her, but David and Richie stopped him and pulled him out of the house over to the pub.

“We will not drink. I don’t wanna miss a single minute of her performance tonight.” Jon told them and Richie set the glasses back on the counter.

“Let’s play pool till Dot calls us to come back.” Tico said and handed Jon a billiard cue.



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About half an hour before the show started they arrived at the school. And Jon had to admit it was early enough. The auditorium was not even half filled yet. Parents and students were standing in the hallway chatting and wishing each other merry Christmas.

“Ok, where are our seats?” he asked when they entered the auditorium. Kris told him that she would reserve enough seats for them.

“I don’t know. Didn’t you ask her?” Dot wondered. Jon frowned and he could hear Richie trying to avoid laughing. He eyed his wingman angrily.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bongiovi?” Dot and Jon turned around.

“Alex. Nice to see you.” Dot greeted the girl with a warm smile.

“Kris asked me to bring you to your seats. They are really busy backstage.” Alex explained and guided them down the aisle and stopped at the fourth row. “These five seats here are yours.”

“Shouldn’t we sit a bit more in the middle?” Jon wondered. They were placed to watch the left side of the stage. Dot pushed him with her elbow in the rips. He pouted and rubbed his chest.

Alex smiled and shook her head. “She really knows you well.” Jon watched her confused. “Kris said you would say that.” His band mates laughed and sat down. “Believe me, you want to sit here.”

“Thanks Alex.” Dot said and pulled Jon down in his seat. The girl nodded and hurried backstage again. She needed to help Kris with her outfit.

“Jon, your daughter is as organize as you. Do you really think we get these seats without any reason?” Dot asked him smiling.

He sighed. “Yeah, you are right.” He grabbed the program. “Hey, they are the last ones to play.” He announced excitedly. “Remember the show in Moscow when we were the last…” he turned to the guys and Dot rolled her eyes. Oh, please not again! She was more than happy when the show started and Jon had to stop talking.

First the principal held a little speech and was welcoming them to the show. Afterwards the choir performed some songs and then the theatre group showed a little piece. It wasn’t overwhelming, but you could see that the kids put a lot of effort in it. But Jon wasn’t really interested in it. He was moving anxious in his seat, couldn’t wait till Kris would take the stage. Dot shook her head. Now I know where Jesse has it from.

After another performance of the choir, this time a medley of Christmas songs, the other school band took the stage and Jon calmed down a bit. He turned to David and his keyboard player shook his head at the unspoken question of his friend. Jon grinned. Of course, they weren’t better than his daughter’s band.

When the theatre group once again took the stage after the band’s performance, Jon groaned in frustration. He wanted to see his daughter now. Dot leaned over and told him to stop acting like a little kid. He just snorted and leaned back into his seat.

Finally the music teacher announced: “Ladies and Gentlemen… and now the last performance for the evening…”