Chapter 94

In the studio, unaware of the battle preparations being made outside, Jon set aside his guitar and rose to grab a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"The kids seem to be adjusting okay." Richie observed.

Jon nodded. "Yeah, thanks to Bri. I don't know how she does it, but she seems to know exactly what they need."

"And what about you? Does she know exactly what you need?"

The glint in the blue eyes and the sly smile were answer enough. "But we don't get much time to indulge."

"You guys need a vacation." Was Richie's opinion.

"I'm working on that. Maybe around Valentine's."

Richie sipped from his water bottle and studied his long time friend. "You ever.....think about getting married? I mean, I assume you think of Bri as more than a nanny and a playmate."

Jon scowled. "Of I course I do! I.....I think I love her."

"You think?"

"Okay, fine. I love her."

"But?"

Grimacing, Jon shrugged. "I'm just not sure what's the right thing to do."

"Guilt?" Richie guessed.

Jon shrugged again. "I guess. Partly anyway."

Shrieks of laughter drew them to the window where they watched Brianna and the kids playing in the snow.

"Bri's a good woman. A long term type of woman."

"I know."

"I guess it comes down to whether you want to be loyal to Dot - even though she gave you her blessing - and alone....or whether you want that to be your future." Richie gestured to the family scene out the window.

"Did you come here to work or lecture me on my love life?"

Richie held up his hands. He knew when to back off and let his words percolate in Jon's head. "Hey, just telling you what I see."

"Well, can you see how to finish this song?"

"Yes, boss."

When hunger pangs finally convinced them to call it quits for the day, Jon and Richie pulled on their coats and started for the house. They didn't see or hear the kids and figured everyone had gone inside.

They were almost to the house when the first missile hit.

"What the f....?" Jon brushed off the remnants of the snowball, shivered as ice cold water ran down his neck, and glanced around. He couldn't see anyone, but he could hear giggling.

"It came from over there." Richie pointed towards the wall of snow a few yards away.

While they stood there, another missile sailed through the air, hitting Richie square in the chest. Since he hadn't bothered to do up his coat for the short trip between buildings, the snowball quickly soaked through his shirt. "Son of a...." Bending, he scooped up a handful of snow. "Of course you know, this means war!"

With that declaration, he lobbed the snowball over the wall and the battle was on.

But the men didn't have a wall to protect them like their opponents did, and were quickly drenched. Jon caught Richie's attention. "You distract them, I'll go around the front of the house and come at them from the other side."

Richie nodded and fired a flurry of snowballs over the wall.

"Brianna, Dad just ducked around the house. I think he's heading for the other side!" Jesse warned.

"Okay. Jake. Romeo, you stay here and keep making snow balls for Jesse. Stephanie and I will go deal with your Dad."

"Okay!"

Richie saw the girls take off behind the house and figured Jon was in trouble. He grinned and bent to scoop up more snow. He hadn't had this much fun in years.

Jon rounded the corner of the house, figuring he had the instigators trapped. The sight of another wall warned him that his confidence might be misplaced. But he had no time to revise his plan. He no sooner realized what he was looking at than he was bombarded with snow balls. He fought to stand his ground. "Brats!"

The battle went on for about ten minutes before the boys joined the girls.

"Uncle Mookie surrendered." Jesse informed them.

"Dad? Do you surrender?" Stephanie called out.

"Never!"

Brianna's eyes narrowed. "Jake, Romeo, I've got a mission for you."

"What?" Jake's eyes were round.

"I want you two to run out there and tackle Daddy. Take him down to the ground and sit on him. Do you think you can do that?"

"Aim for his knees." Jesse advised.

"Okay!" Jake nodded. "Ready Romey?"

Romeo nodded. "One, two, fee, go!"

While the rest provided covering fire, the two little boys ran as fast as they could and charged right into their father, taking him down to the ground.

"Ooof!" Jon had the breath knocked out of him when Jake landed on his stomach.

"You srender Daddy?"

Jon lifted his head in time to see Romeo climb up behind his brother. He gave up. "Yes. I surrender!"

"YAAAY!" The boys cheered.

"Bina we winned!"

"We sure did! Good job!" She caught Jon's eye and grinned. "Better let Daddy up boys, we don't want him to freeze."

"Gee thanks." Jon muttered as the boys moved and he was able to stand up."

"Do you plan to starve your prisoners?" Richie asked as he joined them.

Brianna laughed. "No. Come on everyone, let's go inside."

Closing the door, she surveyed her troops. "Okay, hot showers or baths for everyone!"

"Who's up for a movie night tonight?" Jon asked.

"ME! ME! ME!"

Leaving Jon to hang up coats, Brianna detoured to the kitchen to put the lasagna in the oven before heading upstairs to help the boys and shower herself.

After dinner, they all settled in the living room to watch movies.

Looking around the room, Richie smiled. Jon lounged in the corner if the couch, Brianna beside him, leaning against his chest with Romeo on her lap. Jesse and Stephanie were in the large armchairs and Jake was on the floor with a pillow and blanket, Copper beside him. It was a peaceful family scene.

After the first movie, Brianna started to sit up. "Let's get these guys into bed." Both little boys had fallen asleep.

Stephanie got up and walked over the couch, reaching for Romeo. "I'll take him if you want to get Jake."

"Sure."

When the girls had left the room, Jesse looked at his father. "Dad."

"Mmmm?"

"Thanks for today. That was fun."

"Yeah, it was."

Upstairs, they got the boys settled and started back down the hallway towards the stairs.

"Brianna?"

"Yes?"

"Today was a lot of fun. Thanks."

"It was. I wasn't sure if your dad would play along. I'm glad he did." Brianna put her arm around the teenager's shoulders and hugged her.

"Me too."

When all the kids were in bed, the adults shared a bottle of wine and chatted.

Finally, Brianna yawned and stood up. "I'm beat. I'm going to bed." She leaned down to kiss Jon. "Nite babe. Thanks for playing along today. The kids had a blast."

"You're still a brat."

Richie chuckled. "Don't let him snow you Sunshine, he had fun too."

Brianna winked at him. "I know. He's just too much of a curmudgeon to admit it. Nite Richie."

"Nite Sunshine. Sleep well."  When she'd gone up the stairs. Richie eyed his friend. "She really does know just what everyone needs."

"Uh huh."

"Do you want my opinion?"

"Do I have a choice?" Jon responded dryly.

"Marry her. Make your kids happy. Make yourself happy. Not many people find that kind of love and connection twice in a lifetime. Don't blow it. Don't let her get away."