Chapter 78

Allegra tapped on the office door, which was slightly ajar, before pushing it open to reveal Jon seated at his desk, head bent over a notepad.   It was Thursday, an off day before the Mohegan shows this weekend, and she hadn’t been sure if he was even on the property.  Dot had pointed her in this direction when she’d asked.

“Jon?  Do you have a minute?”

He scowled and scribbled something else down before tossing the pen to the desktop.  “Sure, why not?  I’m not having much luck with this anyway.”  He spun in his leather desk chair so that he was facing the now open door.  He gestured for her to sit, before clasping wide hands behind his head in a pose of forced relaxation.   “What’s up?”

“Nothing earth shattering,” she assured him.  “I just had some thoughts about the Foundation that I wanted to run by you.”

In all her recent spare time, she’d been mulling over the mustard seed of an idea that had planted itself during her meeting with Sandra Cobb.  With careful manipulation and care, it had begun to flourish into something that she was excited to share with her cousin.  She hoped he would find the prospect just as exciting. 

His eyebrows rose with interest and hands fell to clasp on the desk as he leaned forward.  “Oh, yeah?  Whatcha got?” 

“My meeting with Sandra in Detroit actually went really well, before it got overshadowed by other events.  Some of the things she said in conversation sparked an idea that I’ve been cultivating since then.  I may have identified a new, yet complementary, area for you to branch into.”  She checked to make sure she still had his attention.  If he was distracted or bored already, there would be no point in continuing.  Fortunately, she found his gaze bright and alert.

“Go on…”

“The Foundation is about giving a hand up, not a handout.  Right?”  At his nod, she pushed eagerly forward.  “And it’s designed for people who are just barely making it, even though they’re doing the best they can.”

“I’m sorta familiar with the mission,” he told her with a wry grin.

Allegra’s enthusiasm was building, and she ignored Jon’s sarcasm.  “FAMILIES who are just barely making it.  Families that need something to bring and keep them together.  Not one huge, life altering event, but a sense of normalcy and unity in this abnormal society.”

“And your suggestion to that is?”

Her eyes shone, and she leaned forward in her zeal, clearly wanting to share her vision.  “Don’t you remember when everybody used to sit at the dinner table and talk about their days?  You could be anywhere, doing anything for the entire day, but when it came dinnertime you were expected to be at that table.  That’s where the daily reconnection took place.  Do you remember?”

“I do.”

“You have to know that it just doesn’t happen anymore even under the best of circumstances.  Then, there are families that don’t have enough money for a decent dinner, much less the opportunity to forge that meal into a reconnecting experience with their loved ones.  Families that NEED that connection.”

His features took on a thoughtful pose.  “Where are you going with this, Frannie?”

“A stigma-free soup kitchen.  A restaurant, really.”

“Restaurant?”  He had been part owner in a restaurant at one time, and it wasn’t something that bore repeating.

“Yeah, instead of a traditional soup kitchen, which has all kinds of negative images attached to it, this would be a real sit down dinner type of place.  There would be a menu, but it wouldn’t have any prices listed.  They would pay what they can afford, or volunteer in the kitchen.”

His mind diverted immediately to the multitude of necessary details, and question after question rolled off his tongue as he scratched down notes.  Jon could be quite daunting when he slipped into interrogation mode, but Allegra was confident with her responses, surprising even herself with their thoroughness.   They discussed both her short and long term visions at length, volleying possible ideas back and forth between them.  In the end, he wore a look of satisfaction.  The respect in his eyes gave her a rush, and she realized that he was treating with the same consideration he would a business associate, not his little cousin. 

He reclined in his chair, tipping it back toward the wall.  “Before I take this to the board, I need to know if this something you’d be interested in overseeing on a regular basis?  Or do you just want to get it off the ground?”

“I didn’t know that you’d even be interested in the idea, much less want me involved.  It was just a suggestion.”

Jon snorted softly.  “Now I may be one stubborn, pig headed SOB, but I’m not stupid.  It’s a good idea.  You’re passionate about it, and that passion translates into a finished product.  Passing it into someone else’s hands would be counterproductive.  This is obviously your baby, and no one else will be able to do it the same justice.”

“I didn’t KNOW that you’d want my help, but I hoped,” she admitted with a grin.  “I’m willing to commit myself for at least the foreseeable future.”

Or forever.

“Obviously this isn’t going to be an immediate project, since you’re on sick leave.  Even if gets underway, it will be a long, slow process.  When do you think you’re gonna make it back to work?”

“Hopefully, a week from Monday.”

He frowned slightly and leaned forward with a thud, righting his chair.  “What the hell are you gonna do with yourself until then?”

“I’m not really sure.  Richie’s trying to talk me into going home with him next week.  Ava’s Spring Break coincides with the break in tour dates, and she’s spending it with him.  He’s really looking forward to seeing her.”

“You’re actually going to LA, huh?  The land of fruits and nuts.”

Allegra chuckled and lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug.  “Probably.  It’s not like I have a job at the moment, and my parents are going to Florida for the week.  What else do I have to do?”

“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled with your enthusiasm,” was his sarcastic reply.

“Yeah, I should probably work on that,” she laughed.  “Truth be told, I want to go.  Being without him doesn’t sound the least bit appealing right now, and I’m ready to move forward a little.   He’s starting to make me believe this could be a long term thing.”

“He’s good to you.”  Jon picked up the discarded pen and twirled it through his fingers in a restless motion. 

The corner of her mouth kicked up in a soft smirk, thinking about the dozens of simple gestures he’d performed to make her life easier this past week, the least of which was dressing and helping her groom practically every day.  She wasn’t entirely certain whether Jon was making a statement or asking a question, but she replied, “I couldn’t ask for any more.”

“And you really love his sorry ass?”

“Don’t start.”

“I’m not starting anything, just asking.”

Skepticism  was palpable in her begrudging reply.  “Yeah, I do.”

The pen made two more rotations of his hand before once again landing on the desk with a thud.  “I should stay the hell out of this.  I know that.”  He pursed his lips and dropped his chin.  “Maybe one day I’ll learn the fine art of restraint when it comes to you.”

She groaned and dropped her head backward.  “Oh good grief, what now?  We were playing so well together there for a minute.  Now you wanna go and ruin it?”

“How’s counseling?”

Allegra looked at him in surprise.  That was abrupt.  Talking about counseling had been the furthest thing from her mind.  He hadn’t mentioned anything about it since his offhanded comment the day she freaked out on David, and neither had she. 

“Um.  It’s… better than I expected.  I hate it, but not with the passion I thought.  Surely you, of all people, can understand.”

He barked out a humorless laugh, mindlessly rifling the notepad with his fingertips.  “I’d go fuckin’ nuts.  No pun intended.   But I’m glad you’re going, even if Dave WAS the one to convince you.”

Whatever else he may have added was forestalled by the ringing of Allegra’s cell phone.  “Sorry,” she apologized, checking the screen with a puckered brow.  “Unknown number.  Gimme a second?”

“Go ahead.  I’ll wait.”  He took the opportunity to start tapping around in his own phone, checking emails and text messages as he half listened to her answer the call.

“Hello?”

“Still basking in the afterglow of our little encounter?”  The nasally voice rasped over the line with the intensity of fingernails on a chalkboard, completely unfamiliar to her. 

“I’m sorry?  Who is this?”

Jon’s head lifted at the sharp tone of her voice, his interest shifting quickly from his email.

There was an evil snicker on the other end, and her grip on the phone tightened.  “That last thump on the head must’ve blocked out part of your memory, princess.”

Felix.

Icy fingers wrapped themselves like a vice around her heart, squeezing the air out of her lungs in the process.  She bent slightly forward and put a fist to her sternum, attempting to relieve the pressure that had settled there.  “How did you get this number?”

“Frannie?”  Jon stood and started to round the edge of the desk, but Allegra unfisted her hand and waved him back.  She rose abruptly, not looking at him, but wearing a small path around her chair with her anxious pacing as she waited for the answer. 

“You didn’t think I’d lose touch after the fun little romp we had, now did you?”

“I think you’ve already lost touch – with reality, you psycho bastard!”  The invisible fingers had released their grip on her heart, and moved to her head.  Each pulse forcing its way through her temples felt like a bowling ball in her veins.

“Aw now, don’t be that way,” he whined condescendingly.  “You’ll make me think you don’t wanna do it all over again.”

“You come near me again and-“

Jon snatched the phone from her grasp, barking into it, “Your days are numbered motherfucker!  I’ll find the rock you’re living under and crush you with it!” 

Upon receiving no response, he pulled the device from his hear and checked the screen.  Call ended.  He threw it on the desk with a curse before whirling on Allegra and demanding, “What did he say to you?”

Jon’s voice was echoing to her through a haze of white noise as he reached for his own phone from the desk.  She blindly sought the arm of the chair in an effort to sit down before she collapsed in the floor.  “What?”

“Sambora, get your ass to my office.  NOW!”  Call made, he dropped the phone and knelt before her, folding her smaller hands inside his.  His relatively smooth features were heavily lined with the waging battle of his anger and concern.  “Tell me what he said.”

Allegra chewed on her bottom lip distractedly, blindly staring at an indistinguishable spot on the floor.  She never thought she’d have to hear his voice again.  The police were supposed to arrest him and hide him away for the rest of her life, weren’t they?  He shouldn’t be calling her just to say hello, for God’s sake!  And HOW did he get her number?

Jon shook her lightly in his impatience, “Frannie, what did he SAY?”

“Dammit Jon, give me a minute!” she snapped.

“What the hell’s going on?”

Richie appeared in the doorway, brow furrowed in an effort to interpret the scene.  He’d spent the morning working on a new piece of music in the studio, but had hauled his ass up here as soon as Jon called.  Those kinds of calls weren’t issued as often as some would think, but his friend knew just how to grab his attention when needed.

Dot appeared right behind his shoulder, having been alerted to something unusual when Richie came blowing through the house without stopping to speak.

The activity was enough to divert Jon from his interrogation, bringing him swiftly to his feet.  “That piece of fuck just called her,” he coldly informed them.

Thunderclouds immediately converged in Richie’s eyes, and his voice was a pure growl when he asked, “What did he say?”

“She won’t tell me,” Jon stated, cutting a look behind him to find Allegra still seated in the chair.

“No, I haven’t said YET,” she interrupted irritably.  “Can I get just a freaking second to wrap my head around this?  Not all of us move at the speed of light there Superman!”

“It’s okay, Sunshine.  Take your time.”  Richie pulled her up into his embrace, exchanging a silent look with Jon.  Tension was evident in the set of his shoulders, even as he stroked her back soothingly.  A pent up breath of frustration escaped and blew across the top of her head.

“We should probably call the police, shouldn’t we?”

“You tell us what was said first.  THEN we’ll tell the cops what they need to know,” her cousin informed her in no uncertain terms.

“Oh my God, fine,” she distanced herself from Richie, and repeated everything Felix had said, word for word, but she still couldn’t comprehend one thing.  “What I want to know is how he got my number!”

“You didn’t give it to him?” 

“Oh yeah, Jon,” she snarled sarcastically.  “I wrote it on the floor with the blood from my busted lip.  Hell no, I didn’t give it to him!”

“Baby, I think he meant before that.  In Hawaii or Seattle.”  Richie’s hand slipped up to stroke the nape of her neck, the only calming gesture he’d found to be effective when she got into one of her tizzies.  It was effective most of the time anyway.  Thankfully today was one of those times.

“Oh.”

“Well you’re not going anyplace without a bodyguard until they get this freak,” Jon decreed, her outburst not ruffling his feathers in the slightest.  It was just another casual conversation in his family.  “I’ll have someone get your phone number changed today and put extra security around the estate.” 

He continued to rattle off a host of other things that he felt needed immediate attention, with Richie occasionally interjecting something from his perspective.

“I think Jon and Richie have everything under control here.  Let’s you and I go have a cup of tea, okay?”  Dot finally spoke from the doorway.  She’d propped herself there, silently taking it all in with little visible reaction.  Upon closer examination, Allegra could see that there was a storm simmering just beneath the surface of her normal cool composure. 

With a sigh, Allegra briefly longed for the comfort and solitude that she’d enjoyed in the cloister.  If it hadn’t been for Richie – and certain obvious circumstances, to her mother’s dismay – she would seriously consider returning.  It had been a peaceful life for the most part, devoid of any more excitement than a new pie recipe in the kitchen.   Peaceful would be good about now.  Peaceful would be very good.