Take Me To Church (A John Lennon Story)

Chapter Twenty-Five: Six Months of Silence

Besides Paul and Freddy, there was another person who I visited with: Ella's brother.  He came over to visit me and see if I was alright.  He offered to help tend to the yard since Alta had been pretty busy handling all of the legal business in making sure that the boys who hurt me were put away.  

But most of the time he just visited with me.  

I told him about the books I had read, and he told me about some of the movies he had seen so far that summer.  A part of me wondered if he wanted to be an actor.  The thought reminded me of Robby's dream to be a director.  I wondered if introducing them could create a friendship.

"You know, if John's alright with it, I could take you to see a movie.  Ella could come to if it makes it better."

"Thanks, Jim.  That means a lot."

We talked for a nearly an hour.  A few little girls ran by on the sidewalk.  A teenage boy walked past with his dog.  

Then suddenly I was unable to breathe.  

It was him.  Right across the street.  He was smiling.  

I could no longer hear Jim's words.  Instead I watched as my father pulled something from his coat pocket.  

A revolver.  

I suddenly found words.  "Jim, get up!  It's him!"

Two shots rang out as I pulled him inside the house.  The bullet shattered the glass in the door just above our heads.  My father was moving across the street.  I locked the door, but knew we needed to move.  "Jim, come on."  I pulled him into the living room.  Alta screamed and called for her husband and Sean.  

The noise stopped.  Alta ran into the kitchen for the phone to call the police.  He might have been out of bullets but I had no doubt that he was still around the area of the house.  I turned to Jim.  "Are you alright?  Are you shot?"

He couldn't speak, so I looked him over.  "You're alright," I said, trying to calm  him.  He was shaking.  "The police are coming."

After a minute, he said, "I think you might have just saved me again...I had a feeling...he was going for me too."  

About an hour later the police had arrived, assessed the damage, talked to both Jim and me before leaving.  The officer looked at me as if I just couldn't stay out of trouble.  "I didn't ask for this," I wanted to say to him. 

John found out somehow and hurried over.  He went to hug me but stopped, afraid I'd be upset by his touch.  But I held my arms out, because his touch was what I needed.  

"Why does this keep happening?" I whimpered.  "Why won't he just give up?"

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I let John hold me for several hours after that, until my thoughts began to come together.  "There's something that I must tell you...and I need you to listen before you get upset."  He sat up too, worried about what I was going to say.  

"My father tried to kill me today, and he didn't care that Jim was sitting next to me.  If he sees you with me, I'm afraid he'll try to kill you too.  Maybe it would be better if you left me for awhile...that way you'll be safe."

John shook his head.  "No, Ariel, please let me stay.  I get scared knowing that you're all alone.  I don't want you to hurt yourself or for someone to hurt you."  John's stomach hurt.  If Ariel was trying to break up with him, this wasn't how he expected her to do it.  

But she had made up her mind.  She cried hard after he left.  

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Six months later

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Though she disliked it intensely, Ariel was back at school and rarely spoke to anyone.  Even the teachers knew not to engage her in conversation unless it was important.  And she hadn't seen in nearly four months.  The girls at school said he was on tour.  Another said she saw him last weekend at the soda fountain, and snogged him in the bathroom.  It made Ariel feel sick inside, but she knew she couldn't complain.  He wasn't hers anymore.

However, she was walking to the library a few weeks later and saw him leaning against the building, smoking.  His hair looked a little different, but she could recognize the facial expression anywhere.  

"Hello, John."

He smashed the cigarette on the ground in surprise.  "Hello, Ariel.  Haven't seen you awhile.  How have you been?"

"As good as I can be.  How about you?"

"I had my birthday in October and I've been all over ever since," he tried to smile.  Ariel wished she could have been there for his birthday.  She would have given him an extra special present, you know.

"Would you like to walk for a little while?" he asked.  Ariel nodded quickly.  He wanted to take her hand, but was afraid for her reaction.  Even though he had been with other girls, he couldn't stop thinking about Ariel.  She was irreplaceable.  "Have you seen your father lately?"

She shook her head.  "No...but I'm not sure if I should be thankful for that.  I'd rather him be hunting me and get caught than hiding and never be found."

There was silence for a little while before John ran a hand through his hair and said, "I wrote this song a few months back...it's about you.  I was frustrated and...it's not hurtful, I promise.  It's...it's a love song.  If you want to hear it...I could show it to you."

"Oh...alright."  

She felt as shy as she had been when she had first met him.  Without making it obvious, he took her hand, making her walk a bit closer to him.  Perhaps it was only because she hadn't seen him in awhile, but had he gotten bigger?  Maybe it was because lately she had felt so small.

"Do you, um..." Ariel struggled, causing John to look at her.  "Do you have a girlfriend now?"

"No.  I did a few weeks ago...but she was fast and cheated on me."  He sighed.  "I would have visited you, Ariel.  I just didn't know if you wanted to see me anymore."

I did, John.  I wanted you to come back.

She looked down at the ground.  "I heard at school...that you went to Germany again."

"Yeah, it was great.  We met this new drummer there.  We've kept in touch.  Might even let him in the band.  You should meet him sometime."

When they arrived at his house, he held the door open for her.  She wondered if his aunt was home, and if she would be surprised to see her after six months.  But then John came up behind her and pulled her down on the couch into him.

I've started school again this year so I won't be able to update as much.

Luna has been helping me with some chapters lately, so I give credit to her here.

Love,

Irelande