The Bluest Eyes In Texas

2010

"That lonesome Texas sun was setting slow
And in the rear view mirror, I watched it go
I can still see wind in her golden hair
I close my eyes for a moment, and I'm still there."

Richie looked over at the man who had been his best friend for more than 25 years. He knew Jon was hurting,  hell he was hurting for him. Texas was always a blast to play or at least it had been, until Izzy happened. Jon had spotted the golden red haired, blue eyed beauty at a restaurant in Dallas one night on the tour in 2003. She had been with her family having a meal, and hadn't even noticed the band walk in unlike everyone else. 

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2003

Jon was intrigued, most women even if they weren't fans appreciated his good looks and stared. Izzy was different, she glanced around the room, locking eyes briefly with Jon, and then to his astonishment, turned back to her family and continued her dinner with no second glance back at him. In that moment, Jon was smitten, he knew that women fawned over his baby blues, but Izzy had the most intense blue eyes he'd ever seen, blue enough to rival his own.

Jon decided then and there he had to meet this lovely woman. As she and her family stood to leave, Jon walked over and introduced himself. She was unfazed, almost as if she didn't  recognize him even when he introduced himself. A bit embarrassed at his own boldness, which confused him even more Jon continued to talk with the beautiful woman and her family. Making her promise to come to the show the following night. As Izzy and her family left, Jon was elated, he'd had the opportunity to talk to this magnificent creature, and he'd managed to learn her name. Isabella she said but everyone calls me Izzy in deference to my grandmother who is also Isabella. 

Izzy came to the show  the next night, expecting to have a good time and thoroughly enjoying herself. Jon had given her front row seats for her and her best friend Kim. He'd also unbeknown to the girls arranged for them to come backstage to the after show party. 

Arriving backstage just as the band was entering the after party room, Izzy and Kim were awed at the sights and sounds that surrounded them.

Jon managed to steal away to a corner with Izzy and the two sat talking until the wee hours of the night. Kim in the meantime had managed to catch the attention of Richie who kept her entertained with his goofy antics and his funny impressions.

Izzy and Jon and Kim and Richie spent as much time together as they could, and soon Richie and Kim were engaged. Izzy was elated for her best friend and couldn't have picked a better man than Richie for her. She was however, a bit disheartened that Jon hadn't even hinted at popping the question.

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2005

 Richie and Kim's wedding was beautiful, flowers everywhere, Richie singing a song he wrote just for her. Kim looked beautiful in her wedding dress, and Izzy was her head bridesmaid. Kim had forgone the maid-of-honor out of respect for Izzy, since Jon still hadn't pulled his head out of his ass long enough to realize that Izzy's heart was breaking with every wedding plan she helped Kim with. 

Waving at her best friend as she and Richie drove off to board the plane for their honeymoon, the tears that Izzy had been holding back finally unleashed.

Getting in the car with Jon, Izzy couldn't hold back any longer. "Jon do you love me? I mean really love me?" she asked turning to him in the drivers seat. "Izzy you know I do, I have since the moment I laid eyes on you in that restaurant in Dallas." Jon replied, still oblivious to the hurt in her eyes. "Then why haven't you proposed? Or even hinted at the fact that you WANT to marry me?" Izzy cried, covering her face. Oh boy here we go again "Izzy we've been over this, it's not you...honey believe me it's not that I don't want to marry you...it's that I don't want to get married again...ever." Jon said trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"Well Jon, I'm not happy with that, I want to get married, I want to have children, I want a family. And if you are unwilling to be the man that marries me and is the father of my children, then...then...it's over." Izzy cried, flinging the door to the car open and rushing out. 

"Izzy wait...please" Jon called after her, but it was too late, she'd already headed to Kim's parents car and they were pulling away. 

Izzy had Kim's mother go and gather her things from Jon's house, so he didn't even get the opportunity to talk to her then. Izzy wouldn't talk to him on the phone, all his letters came back return to sender.

It really was over between them.

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2008

RING....RING...RING

Glancing at the bedside clock Jon saw the green numbers glowing a bright 2:30 a.m. What in the hell...who is calling me this fucking early?  "Lo..." Jon muttered into the receiver. "Jon...Jon...JON DUDE wake the fuck up!" it was David and he was clearly upset about something. 

"Yo Dave I'm up man what's the deal you callin me at 2 am?" Jon asked running a hand over his face, trying to concentrate on David's words. "Jon man you've got to come to the hospital NOW...there's been an accident..." Snapping wide awake at those words, Jon sat up in bed. 

"Who David, is it Richie, Kim, one of the guys...what's...whose..." Jon was so agitated he barely registered David's next words. "It's Izzy, Jon, it's Izzy..." 

Jon's heart sank. Izzy...his Izzy after all this time. "I'll be right there David, where are you?" Jotting down the hospital and room number Jon dressed hastily and flew down to his car. 

When Jon arrived at the hospital, he was greeted by tears all around. The guys from the band were there, as well as wives, Richie and Kim were the last to come up to him. Kim was inconsolable. Richie held her as she fought for control. "Rich man, no one will tell me what's going on...Kim...what's..." just then Jon registered the pain in Richie's eyes and it hit him like a ton of bricks. 

"No...no...NO RICH..." Jon cried slumping to the floor. "Jesus Jon, I'm sorry man...I don't know what to say." Rich replied, handing Kim to David he crouched down to hug Jon. 

"It was an accident Jon, a drunk driver hit her head on. The doctors said it was instant...she didn't suffer." 

Jon's wail could be heard all over the hospital. He'd lost her for good, she was gone.

"For every heart you break, you pay a price.
But I can't forget the tears in her blue eyes."

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2010

They were back in Texas, for the tour. Every time they played Texas, Jon became an ass. The guys tried to take it in stride, they knew he was still hurting. It had been two years, but he still couldn't bear to talk about it. Kim was with them this time, planning to give birth to her and Richie's daughter there in Texas. 

Jon's cell rang, checking the display he realized it was Richie. "Yo Rich man what's up?" Jon said a bit distracted. "Jon, Kim's in labor...we're at the hospital." Richie said unable to mask the worried excitement in his voice. "Rich man that's great, I'll be right there!" Jon replied hanging up.

Jon arrived at the hospital and waited with the other men in the band for Richie to appear from the labor room where Kim was. 

Finally Richie emerged, a giant grin on his face. It's a girl!!! He cried! Welcoming the congrats and slaps on the back from the men he considered his brothers. Pulling Jon to the side, Richie said "Jon, Kim and I would like to speak with you privately." Jon followed his brother into the room where Kim lay with the new baby girl.

"Jon..." Kim began, tears welling up in her eyes. "Jon, Richie and I wanted you to be the first to know, we've named the baby Francis Isabella Sambora, after you and Izzy. Jon's vision swam with tears...but he blinked them back. "Oh Rich man, Kim..." the tears that had threatened just moments before began to fall. 

It was at that moment that Francis opened her eyes and looked at her uncle Jon...looking back at him were a set of the bluest eyes in the world...eyes that he'd never forget.