Chapter 6

6)
“So tell me why exactly you’re in Toronto seeing us when you’re from Wisconsin?” Jon would ask Danielle.
She would tell him about her lame ass friends and lame ass boy toy that both promised to go to the Jersey show with her on her birthday then backed out.
“Now I love you’ all but I’ve heard it's not best for a woman to be in Newark alone so I decided to find an alternative. How convenient that a month later you were going to only be 4 hrs from me in one of my favorite cities in the world. Toronto.”
“Hey Rich I’m not sure if it's a brunette women thing but she had a boy toy too? Weren’t you one for a while?” Referring to Richie’s thing with Cher many years ago.
Richie was about to respond with his normal ‘fuck you’ but Ava walks out just then so he just smiles.
“Hey baby girl.” He smirks at his daughter.
“Daddy I’m not a baby.” She’d remind him.
“You’ll always be mine.”
“I know.” Ava would give him a hug then smiles to Danielle.
“Did you like your birthday?”
“Yes it was amazing.”
“I love it when they sing to me – Uncle Jonny has a pretty good voice.”
“I think he’s getting better.” Danielle would play along with her.
“Maybe in 10yrs he’ll figure it out.” Ava ponders.
Jon laughs, “I’m getting abused by a 12 yr old.”

Eventually Jon couldn’t stand not knowing any longer and he’d ask Danielle to take a walk with him. They walk around the back of the arena staying in the warmth but out of everyone’s way.
“Why did welcome hit you so hard?” He’d ask unable to resist his need for an answer.
“Jon I don’t know you, I don’t think I wanna get into that discussion.”
“Isn’t it easier to talk to someone you don’t know?”
“No, it's really bad, it won’t portray me in the best light.”
“Can you tell me? It really seemed raw almost.” He’d be pushing he knows, most men would back off but for some reason he feels that Danielle will open up to him he just needs to prove to her he’s really interested.
“Ok but you asked. Pretty much my entire life I’ve had people making fun of my choices, they think they know what I should do, I shouldn’t spend $700 for the weekend to go see Jovi, it's hard to explain.” Danielle would close down again.
“Come on just talk to me, when you started crying I just wanted to get off the stage and hug you.”
“I identify with people being different but all to often I feel alone in the world I feel like all I want is someone that I can call mine – someone who will put me first in their life. I am with my family but I want more. Then I get the memories of guys telling me I don’t have more because I don’t need them.”
“Guys told you that?” Jon would asked shocked.
“Yeah I’m independent, I earned my rights to be. Sometimes I feel life passed me by, I didn’t date a whole lot in high school, I had this focus and determination but now I look back and wonder was it worth it.”