Chapter Twenty Eight

Stood on the sidewalk in shock, I could not think of where to go or what to do, I'm sure I was frozen in time for seconds only, but it felt like an eternity. When my mind focused and returned to rational thinking, I rang St Jerome's Hospital straight away, at the same time while waiting for them to answer I hailed a cab.
I got in the cab that pulled up kerbside and gave him directions, just as the phone was answered. "St Jerome's."
"Hi, can you put me through to Dr Helen Varney please, this is Jon Bongiovi."
"One Moment...." I waited and heard the call go out for Dots Dr to come take a call. A minute or so later the call was connected.
"Hi, Jon, its Helen what can I do for you?"
"Is Dot ok?"
"What?"
"Is my wife ok?"
"Of course she is, I was with her a while ago... what's with the call Jon?"
"How long ago were you with her?"
"not long ago, why?"
"Tell me how long not just a while ago.. god damn it I need to know, have you seen her in the last ten minutes?"
"No, what's going on."
I explained about the call to Helen. "give me one minute I'll go check but I am sure everything is ok."
I waited, the driver and me sat in mid town traffic going nowhere.
"Jon,"
I never thought Id hate hearing my name, but I did now, just this minute.
"yeah, I'm here"
"Dot is fine, she's sitting up in bed, and she has the TV on,  I did not tell her why I had checked on her, but she knows something is wrong. What is your next move?, you can't ignore that threat..."
"I'm thinking of moving Dot to a private location and hospital?"
"Ummm I know of two places I can recommend to you, want me to call ahead for you?"
"no, I'm coming into the hospital now, I should be with you in I guess about half an hour if this traffic lets up, what time you on till today?"
"my shifts done, but I'll wait for you, I'll sit with Dot till you get here, Ill make out I want a girl chat and have a coffee with her, and discuss rehab for her shoulder."
"thanks Helen,"
"no problem"
The traffic was terrible and with my anxiety, I was frustrated. "is there some other way you can go?"
" You are kidding right?, you know a better way tell me, I've been a cab driver for twenty years, I know every route in and out..."
"Ok, already, I was just asking..."
Sitting back in the seat I tried to get my frustration in check, I did feel calmer as Helen was with Dot, however I could not help giving the driver the stink eye although I knew it wasn't his fault.

Twenty minutes later and we started making headway through the jam, and found a turning we could take that allowed us to increase the engine power to driving speed at least.
Once moving we arrived at the hospital in no time, paying the driver I got out and ran into the hospital.
minutes later I was in dots room, and just as Doc had said she was fine and sitting up with the TV on and now sat talking to Helen, who was as good as her word and waited for me.

"Thank you for waiting Helen, I can't tell you how much that means to me."
"It's all good," putting her hand in her pocket she gave me a piece of paper with names of three private hospitals on. I looked down at the names, then back up at the Dr and smiled.
She too smiled right back at me, and not just using her mouth but her eye's too, I'd never notice before just how beautiful she was, and for a second or more I was caught, and totally mesmerized by her.
"Jon, Jon... "
My attention caught and now back in the moment I apologised for zoning out. "Sorry my mind went for a walk..."
"Laughing she asked, "That happen much?"
"more than I'd like these days that's a fact, I guess its age"
She laughed and smiled, Dot was quiet watching us, "So what precautions have you taken so far?"
"just the usual, lawyer, restraining order, cops involved... what more can I do?"
"Well private investigators, and body guards would be good too, don't ya think?"
"Hello??? Jon, body guards, PI's?, Jon what's going on?"
Dots face was full of concern, which was the last thing I wanted for her right now, she needed to recover from her stab wound, and worrying about Antonia should not be an option. So I tried to splay it down.
"its for me at the shows babe, were trying to get as much on Antonia so we can get her arrested and maybe committed."
"Jon, really, you expect me to believe that? Your talking to my Doc about your security and shows?"
Doc made her excuse and left, "I'll wait for you at the nurses station Ok?"
I nodded, "thank you".

Alone with Dot she started in, "Jon don't give me soft soap and bull what is it you are concerned about, and if its about me please tell me, at least then I know what I'm dealing with too."
"its nothing honest, trust me ok, just let me handle things?" I lent forward to kiss her head, but Dot was having none of it.
"handle it?, Jon, look at me? look at us? your handling has gotten us into this mess in the first place, so how can I do worse than you?, tell me please?"
As much as I did not want Dot to know, she had a point, "Ok, I got a phone call earlier saying that you were dead,"
"And...."
"And nothing, I'm here"
"mmm but there's more too, c'mon give"
"well I think it was Antonia, she had disguised her voice, but I cant be one per cent sure..."
I paused, not sure how to word the next sentence to Dot without scaring the life out of her,
"Carry on..."
"She said she had killed you."
"omg, do the police know of this latest threat?"
"not yet"
"Why? you should contacted them straight away Jon, not be here with me."
"Dot, all I could think of was getting to you and making sure you were ok, the cops were the farthest thought and didn't even enter my mind."
Standing I stood at the window looking out, Dot was right but her words stung and hurt, the love I had for my wife took precedence over anything.
"Jon, I'm not saying your wrong, really and I... Jon, please come here and sit with me?"
turning round with my arms folded across my chest, trying to protect my heart, I walked back over to Dots side and sat perched on the bed.
She smiled at me, "that's better.." taking my hand "So can you call the cops now?"
"Yeah, I will, but You have to know what it was like receiving that call Dot, my blood ran cold.... I love you, you have been my rock, mother to my wonderful kids, your my soul mate...." pausing again I looked down, my heart was heavy, since all this began my life had been spiralling out of control and today was the icing on top of the cake, and now I had started I could not stop pouring my heart out to Dot and laying my soul totally bare before her, gaging her response I watched the love and desire return to her beautiful eye's, My dot was back by my side and now I knew I could do anything.