Chapter seventy four

Back inside my bedroom, I looked at my suit hanging on the closet door, just  waiting for me to put it on, I turned to head to the bathroom when there was a knock on my door.  "Jon, Jon, you in there..." bang, bang the sound got louder, I stood rooted to the spot... it was my mom on the other side... " I know your in there... and I'll wait all day if I have too...Your gonna have to face me sometime... so open up..."  I went and sat back down on my bed, this was not going to be pleasant. taking a deep breath I walked to the door and opened it.
"Mom"
she pushed straight past me, "Don't you dare tell me you didn't hear me calling you outside?"
I lied, "no I didn't, sorry. what's up?"
"What's up? you really have to ask that?"
"Well if you don't tell me how can I answer..."
"Oh you know what you have done?"
"Do I what's that mom?"
"Jon Francis Bongiovi, you frustrate me you really do..."
"so are you going to tell me or not, I've gotta start getting ready..."
"Ok your dad, Jon, why invite him?"
"Cause he's my dad, I don't have any great love for the man, you know that, but it seemed the right thing to do, Mara and I discussed it and she said to invite him, security are on alert though and if he causes the first sign of trouble he's outta here."
"Oh, and you both didn't think to run it by me first?"
"Why would we, its our wedding?"
she turned away and I could hear the gentle sobs... "I know its your day, but that man hates me so bad he will stop at nothing until my day is ruined in one way or the other."
I put my hand on her shoulder, Mom, I promise you he wont be anywhere near you, ok, hell spoil nothing for you I promise you, ok?"
Still sobbing she nodded her head, "but you don't get on with him any better than I do, he's always ridiculed you?, why Jonny, why?"
"Mara"
"Mara?",
"Yeah, she said no matter what I should give him the option to attend but make sure the rules are in place and if at any time he crosses the line he's outta here and not just for the wedding but permanently, she said that no matter how hard I try I cannot get away from the fact he is my father."
"Mmm I just wish he wasn't..."
my mom was really upset, far worse than I had ever seen her before.
""Mom, what's wrong?"
"Nothing it's ok, its yours and Mara's day, I'll be good."
"No c'mon tell me, when he's been invited before you have always been fine, what's so different about today?"
"You really want to know?"
"Sure, of course, c'mon lets sit."
I led her by the elbow to the chair by the dresser and as she sat I squatted down at the side of her.
She composed her self then looked me in the eye as she spoke;
"Ok, when you sent the invitation to him, he came round one Sunday afternoon, well four weeks ago; I was out back tidying from lunch. he just walked in as if he owned the house. He scared the hell outta me for sure,  I let him have it and it got more and more heated. things got nasty as they do whenever we are in the same room, but I don't know this time it was different,  he sneered at me, then thrust the invitation under my nose.  and...." she put her head down and looked at her hands, then raising her eyes, she carried on "Jon, what he told me next has scared the living hell outta of me and I've been carrying it with me for weeks now. I hoped and prayed he would not be coming but when I was placing the seating cards I saw his name...."
"Mom, what is it he said?"
"but if I tell you Jon, I'm a dead women walking..."
"What?"
"He said if I told you, I'd be dead...."
"What the fuck... mom, you have always been stronger than him, c'mon what's he say, it really can't be that bad, maybe it was just the heat of the argument.."  
She grabbed my hands, and I could feel her shaking, "No Jon, he made the threat, and I know he meant it... Please I'm begging you, stop him coming to the wedding...Please"
"but won't he think that's odd..."
"not if you go see him and tell him, you really don't want him there... please Jon..."
"Ok, but you need to tell me what he's said..."
"After I will, I promise...but not before..."
I looked at the time, I had a hour at best.. "ok, look I need to shower and dress first ok, then I'll make the call...."
"no, no call's Jon, you need to face him..." my mom grabbed my hands and gripped them tight as she pleaded... I had never seen her so scared before.
"Ok, ok, I'll see what I can do... now go relax and get ready ok... I'll take care of it..."
Another knock on the door, "Jon, its Mike you there?"
my mom got up to leave my room, as I opened the door to let Mike in, she looked back at me as she walked down the hallway. I watched until she went into her room before turning back and closing my door to see Mike.
" taking your time eh?"
"mmm something like that..."
"here I took the liberty of getting you a stiff one..."
he handed me a drink, "thanks" clinking glasses we toasted to a happy life together..."
Mike sat on the bed, as I lent back against the dresser, he was making polite conversation but my mind was elsewhere thinking on what my mom had said, or really hadn't said..."
"Jon, you ok? you haven't heard a word I've said."
"mmm, what?, yeah, I'm fine..., just a little nervous I guess... sorry..."
"to be expected, don't worry, so you ready for this?"
he pulled from his pocket my allergy shot, putting my drink on the dresser, I rolled up my shirt for him to inject me.