Chapter 18

Sunday started off quiet interestingly. I was sound asleep in my room when I was woke up with a loud thud in my bedroom doorway. I woke up to find two grown men flat on their face on my bedroom floor. I rubbed my eyes a couple times and frowned “Jon what in the world are you doing in my room..” Yesterday had been definitely enlightening when it came to the two boys from Bon Jovi. While Jon had taken his mysterious trip to get himself dress shoes, I knew something was up. For one Jon had a box with dress shoes in his hands when Richie showed up yesterday morning. So where the hell had he gone, I had tried to get Richie to tell me but the man was closed mouth said he didn't know that maybe he had brought the wrong shoes. I had told him I am not stupid but dropped the subject.

Now they both were laying on the floor of my bedroom like they fell through. “what are you DOING in my bedroom..” I growled it was not even eight yet. I had the day off because of the dance which means the coffee shop was closed. Jovi was running around the two who finally sat up and I saw Jon holding a garment bag. I narrowed my eyes.

“Uh … we were hoping you would sleep through us coming and leaving..” Jon sighed “well I hoped I could get in but Richie wanted to come with me..” he punched his best friend's shoulder. “would have if the big lug hadn't tripped over Jovi coming in.” He sighed and stood up dusting himself of before hanging the garment bag up like he had just knocked it off the door.

“what is that?” I asked as I stood up grabbing my robe from the bedpost.

“what's what?” Jon stated as he headed back out of the room.

“that?” I pointed to the garment bag. Did he honestly think he was being sneaky? That I didn't see him put it up there? “What is THAT hanging on my door.”

“I don't know .. I must have knocked it off when I came into your room...”

“If it didn't come in here with you.. why were you coming in here to begin with..” I could play the game though I was trying not to laugh at their trying to be innocent faces.

Jon froze misstep like he was trying to think up a plausible lie to explain why he and Richie were in my bedroom that had nothing to do with a garment bag that now hung on my closet door. When he came up with nothing he looked at Richie who just shrugged his shoulders. “okay fine … the reason we were in your room … was to put that bag on the closet door and get out of here before you woke up but of course that didn't work.”

“really?” I folded my arms There was just something about these two like they were two misbehaving children. “so are you going to tell me what's in the bag or are you gong to make me find out myself?”

Richie was grinning at Jon. “I like this one she's got spunk....” He looked over at me. “and for the record darling I had NOTHING to do with this … so don't kill me! Even if I think it was a good idea … still had nothing to do with it..” He looked over at Jon again.

Jon gave Richie a dark look before going over to the bag and unzipping it. “its nothing bad … look... I talked to Anna and well..” he sighed and unzipped it. The dress and shoes I had tried on the day before peeked out from the bag at me. I stared at it with my mouth open. He dug into the bag and brought out a velveteen box. “and these are to go with it..” He showed me the necklace earrings and bracelet with turquoise stones in it. He looked at me after closing the box. “I know you said you had a skirt or something to wear for today .. but I wanted you to look fantastic … I wanted you to feel special even if we are going as friends... Anna arranged for you to try the dresses on at the store and I went and picked it up yesterday ...”

I stared at the dress again then at Jon then at the dress. Then everything that happened clicked. Anna suddenly getting of the phone the minute I stepped near her. Her dragging me into the store in the first place knowing I hated going in there. The quick all set and yep. The silent conversation they thought I hadn't seen yesterday morning before we left. “take it back to the store..” I folded my arms and backed away from it as if it was a snake.

Jon just looked at me. “what?”

“I said take it back to the store … you shouldn't have gone behind my back an did this … its too expensive its just a stupid dance …. “ I swallowed not sure how the hell to handle this. It was one thing him helping with the groceries since he was and now Richie was eating them. But this this was going a step too far. I shook my head “Take it back.. NOW!” I took it off the door and handed it to him. “I have to get dressed for the day... out of my room please..” I pointed to the door they walked out of my room stunned. I got dressed in my jeans and sweatshirt. I needed to talk to Anna. They were downstairs talking in the living room when I appeared. The dress bag was setting on the couch I just walked by it and out the door not saying anything to them at all. I headed to the coffee shop then up the back stairs to the house next to it where Anna and Jake lived. Knocking on the door and waited for either Jake or Anna to answer the door. I wondered if Jake knew about this. Probably cause Anna told her husband everything.

Anna opened the door shocked to see me. “Shanna is everything okay....” She was still wearing her nightgown and robe. She looked worried.

“no everything is not okay can I come in?” I was not short with her as I know she was only trying to help Jon. Yet I felt a bit betrayed. She let me in. “why did you do it An.. why ...” I folded my arms across my chest.

“Do what?” She stopped “he gave you the dress then?”

“Oh yes Dress shoes coat.. and jewelery ...” I spat. “I told him to take it all back to the store … he shouldn't have done that .. he had no right … I just he ..” I stammered to a stop. I had so many conflicting emotions bubbling inside me I didn't know what to say or do.

“Shan sweetheart he didn't do anything wrong.. “ She pulled me into the living room and set me on a chair. “ he didn't do it for any other reason but to be nice...” She looked at me. “he's your friend would you have kicked up this much fuss if me and Jake had bought it … “

“yes I would have it was too expensive.... “ I cut her off only to have her glare at me.

“that's the reason you told him to take it back... Shanna Leah... he was doing something nice for you and that was pretty damn ungrateful of you..You don't look at a price of things when someone gives it to you. he's doing it as a friend there is no underlying motive ...” She shook her head “I can't believe you would be so rude to throw his gift back in his face..”

“I didn't!” I stared at her in shock. How the hell had this backfired on me. How had she made me feel like the worse person ever by sticking by my principles

“what do you think telling him to take it back and that it was too expensive is doing... he even arranged for you and I to go have our hair done at Ms Bella's today so we felt like ladies … I was to pick you up at 12 to have a girls day.. “ She shook her head at me again. “now you march your butt back to that apartment of yours apologize to Jon and say thank you...” She folded her arms across her chest and glared at me. I knew her hormones were screwy cause of the baby but I didn't think this was one of the times. “March it girl … “ She pointed.

I got up and left the apartment in shock. How the hell did it turn around to be me being angry at Jon for doing this to me going back and apologizing to him.

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Jon sat in the living room staring at the bag “how the hell?” He looked at his best friend. “I was only trying to do something nice for her I wasn't trying to do anything... and..” He sank into the chair Jovi's head resting in his lap. He ran a hand through his hair. He was completely shocked by Shanna's reaction to him buying her a simple dress. He had never had anyone react like that to him buying them something. He did it to make her feel good all it did was make her upset. He rested his head in his hands. Now what the hell did he do. He couldn't take it back he didn't want to anyway. It was non refundable.

“man you okay..” Richie sat across from him next to the bag on the couch.

“no..” Jon's muttered reply came back. “where did I go wrong?”

“I don't know man … I am surprised as you are at the way she reacted...” He stated “do you want to take it back.. I can run it for you...”

Jon shook his head “NO I can't anyway its non refundable...” He sighed then sat up when the door opened to show Shanna standing there. He took a deep breath. “Shanna...” He stopped when she held up her hand.

“I'm sorry..” She looked down at her feet. She swallowed reflexively “what I said and did this morning was inexcusable. You were trying to do something nice for me and I threw it back in your face... that wasn't how I was raised. “ She stated softly. She lifted her eyes and there were tears in the depths “I am jut not used to someone dong something nice for me … “ she swallowed “not with someone expecting something for it...” She wiped at the tears on her face.

Jon stood up and took her hand gently. “I didn't meant to do it to upset you Shanna … really … I wanted to do something nice for you … you've been nothing but nice to me since I came to town. Hell you opened your apartment up to me .. a stranger hell you stood up against your brother for me....” He rubbed her knuckles. “I wanted to do something to make you smile .. I probably went about it the wrong way … but I didn't know if you would allow me to get you something nice … and take it the wrong way but you took it the wrong way anyway..” he sighed “I know you want me to take it back but I kind of can't...”

“no its okay you don't have to take it back...” She bit on her bottom lip. “I had a through talking to by Anna ...I went to yell at her and got yelled at..” She shook her head “besides I forgot that Deb's has non refundable purchasing policy..” She looked at the bag “So if you still want me to have it .. I'll take it...” She held up her hand “but we are still friends...”

Jon moved forward and hugged her kissing her on the top of the head “Yes I still want you to have it and I still want you to go with Anna to Ms Belle's and don't worry about anything here... me and Richie will be on our best behavior and I'll pick you up at Anna's okay?”

Shanna sighed and nodded “okay … but don't do something like this again. She returned the hug blushing as he kissed the top of her head. She grabbed the bag and took it upstairs “do you still want to go to Miss Katie's again for breakfast?”

“yep and since I made such a mess of things I'll pay this time..” Jon grinned.

“you paid last time...”

“No Richie paid last time... his way of saying sorry for barging in on you.....” Jon joked.

“okay .. let me put this up so it don't get ruined...” Shanna stated as she went up the stairs hanging it in her closet. She came downstairs and gave them a tentative smile “thank you again.... “ They both gave her a smile and the trio left for breakfast. One hurdle in the relationship overcome.

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