In My Life

Chapter 11

It was the Tuesday of that exact week which John's band began their first practice. John had invited them all around to Mendips to introduce me to them all, as he'd also invited me to tag along.

"Here we have Eric Griffiths-" John began, indicating each boy as we passed down the line of them.

"How'd ya do?" He winked.

"Nigel Walley-"

"Charmed."

"Iran Vaughan-"

"Hiya."

"Kent Brown-"

"Nice to meet ya."

"Our esteemed washboard player, Pete Shotton-"

"Hey!" He cried in offence, causing the others to snigger.

"And yours truly." Smiled John, taking my hand to acquaint me with they boys.

"It's nice to finally meet you all." I peeped.

"Nice to meet you too." Replied Eric.

"Yeh, about time! After all these years we've known John and he's never shut up about ya love." Added Kent in a thick scouse accent.

"His best friend at that." Eric tutted sarcastically, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Will you guys shu'rup? We've got a band to get started with." John reminded them, clapping his hands attentively. "Sometime before Mimi gets back, yeh?"

"Right, a'right." Both Kent and Eric surrendered, picking up their guitars.

John retrieved a guitar from beside the back door.

"Isn't she a beaut?" He said to me, smiling triumphantly at the guitar in his hands. "Julia got her for me."

"That was generous of her." I smiled.

"Yeh. You gotta meet her some day soon Sam. I think she'd love that."

"She would?" I chuckled, slightly perplexed. But John had already left to practice, and considering it was their first set, they weren't half bad either.

They practiced for an hour or so until Mimi was spotted further down the street on her way back home, when John chased the boys off into the bushes with their guitars, bringing their first rehearsal to a close.

"That went well." He beamed, clapping his hands together after setting his guitar down. "Wa'd ya think Sam? We any good?"

"I think that you can't hide this from Mimi forever." I bit my lip, still half smiling at him.

"I'll tell her about the group soon enough but-"

"John, I meant about Julia." I sighed.

"Oh...I know but-"

"She's going to wonder where you got this guitar from John. And the sudden interest in music? And John I really can't cover for you all the time and-"

"Don't you ever come up for air?" He smiled, pressing his fingers to my lips to shut me up.

"Sorry." I laughed. "What I meant to say is, you guys were great."

"Thank you." He mouthed appreciatively before Mimi entered the back garden, and he shuffled to the side a little to cover any visible areas of the guitar.

"You two coming inside?" She asked us as she opened the back door.

"No, I was just leaving." I smiled, supressing my laugher from John's stiffness.

"Alright then." She nodded before entering the house.

"Anywayyy," John relaxed, taking a deep breath once she was out of sight. "About mum. I'll tell Mimi eventually, I'm just a little-"

"Afraid?" I winced.

"I just don't want to lose her again is all." He shrugged.

"Understandable." I agreed. "I'll leave you to think it over for now, but if you need me John, I'm here for you."

"I know Sam." He winked. "Now you'd best be off. I'll see you tomorrow."