Let Me Put You In The Picture: Version 1

Chapter 204

            My lunch meeting with Raoul continued along with our conversation.

"I hear Fiona paid you a visit to Noel's." He said.

"Who told you that?" I asked.

"She did."

I rolled my eyes.

He sighed. "You know we're both too involved, Jules-"

"I know she's a bitch and she's got a face like a slapped arse! She-"

"She said the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife-"

"She's lucky I didn't cut her with a knife!"

He sighed again. "I know things haven't been easy for you, Jules but-"

"Save it, Raoul!" I snapped. "You don't even...we'dve never been able to take Gene to Cadiz. Them hillbillies down there woulda ate him alive. And now...now..." I blinked my tears back.

"If you need anything, I'm here for you." He told me. "I'm like your surrogate grandpa!" He smiled.

"Surrogate grandpa?" I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. "I don't need one of them!"

He nodded in acquiesce. "So, how's the book coming?"

"It's comin'."

He smiled. "If you need a publisher-"

"I don't." I shook my head. "I wanna get published 'cuz people like what I'm writin'. Not 'cuz I can just pay to have my book bound. Watership Down was rejected several times before it became a bestseller."

"True." He agreed. "So, what about writing at the NME? I hear it's twenty years of Get Born soon and if anyone should be in charge of writing about that i-"

"It ain't gonna be me." I declared. "If it's anybody it should be the chick that kept this blog back in the day. She bought all the domains featurin' the boys names. Wonder if she had to give Nic's back when he decided to become a solo artist? Anyway, she blogged about various Jet related things back then and even some Oasis stuff. Very 2007 but 2007 was a pretty hot year wasn't it? I mean, Nic Cester was absolutely gorgeous. She followed the Shine On Tour as much as she could and blogged about her experiences. She was determined to get Nic to kiss her and when he finally did, she was disappointed 'cuz there wasn't no tongue in it. But he was with Pia and devoted to her unlike most rockstars."

"Right. So, how are things at the homestead?"

"It ain't my homestead! We're only there 'cuz...I'd love to say it's cuzza the goats and cows. Keepin' Gene outta trouble and Liam's been such a sport through the whole thing. Sara's pissed but only 'cuz she thinks I'm stealin' her husband 'cuz I'm such a man eater."

"Oh, my!" He exclaimed.

I shrugged. "She oughta keep a tighter leash on him. 'Rein him tighter, York!' I'm only there to milk her husband's goats. I'm not arsed to milk him."

I lay awake that night thinking about my plans for the next day.

An interview with Michael Socha in Derby followed by tea with the Sleaford Mods in Nottingham. Liam, Noel, and Gene would be going with me and we'd be taking the train to get to both places.

Liam wasn't sleeping well beside me. He hadn't been since we arrived at Noel's. It was to be expected though. He was off his routine, off his schedule, and it wasn't easy for him.