If I Fell

~46~

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John called today and we spoke on the telephone for a little while, then minutes later Paul called up.

"Will you come back Abbs, we all miss you terribly" He was a sneaky bugger, the 'we all' including George, Pattie, Richard, Maureen, Freda, everybody, even Mal making me more homesick for town.

"I don't know. I really don't know if I should"

"Course you should. John's upset he went off like that and I'm plain sorry, darlin'"

"Don't you darling me. That's probably one of the things what got John bothered in the first place" Twirling the phone cord I watched Jim taking his medicines and smiling at my berating Paul.

"I promise I'll ignore you"

"Crikey Paul, really, to that extreme. It's not worth the bother, I'm not worth the –"

"Now listen here you have to stop the rot with yourself. You are worth millions, you are"

"John says he will lay off you, he promises that it won't happen again" I recalled Johns words, sighing down the line, I imagined his face as he spoke, missing his eyes, his lips, him. The promise in his voice to not hound Paul. "Come fetch me, Da's driving me batty. Bloody porridge too hot too cold!" I got the newspaper to my ear for that one "Ouch pa! Was just a joke"

Jim chuckled then took the phone from my ear "Come fetch her Paul, I can no longer stand the long sighs and her staring holes in the front door waiting for you two lads to turn up" I hugged Da from behind and laid my head on his shoulder, sighing again as he spoke to Paul.

Hanging up the telephone Jim requested tea and said Paul would be round in a half hour! I shuffled around the kitchen in a jiff making tea and took the stairs two by two to Mikes room, slamming my clothes untidily in the suitcase, setting it by the entry and re-joining Da in a matter of minutes.

Paul arrived thirty-five minutes and forty-nine seconds later, not that I was counting or anything....

"Come on then, stop kissing Da' you're giving me a bad name as a son that isn't partial to parental snogging" Paul unwound me from Jim then I darted over and hugged Julie, who by the way, knew who Paul was, not that I'm being narky or anything "Abbs I have to be in the studios by half four"

I slid beside Paul in the Aston Martin, the leather hugging me and the ocean scented air freshener curled round my nose, making me sneeze. "It's a bit strong, don't you think?" I sneezed again and rubbed my eyes from the fumes.

Paul unhooked the little tie from the mirror and got out of the car to put the stinky thing in the boot. "Better your majesty?"

"Much thank-you" Paul reversed out the drive and I waved to Jim as he stood in the doorway, he waved the paper back at me like an extension of his hand. Paul took off, heading for the main road but turned right instead of left. "Where are we going?"

Paul lit a cigarette and wound the window down "Just up here a bit"

"Well that's clear as mud isn't it"

"Sit, wait and all shall be revealed" he wiggled his fingers mysteriously, like he was a magician with six doves tucked up his oxford shirt.

The park was situated right on the Wey river; a 'punts for rent' sign on a wooden picket banged into the grass was near the pontoon and upside down on the bank, lay small four person yellow and blue boats. The punts each displayed a distinct name; names like Swan, Dove and Blossom.

There was a neat white and black two storey building to our left it's sign, swinging slightly in the breeze, letting us know it was a tea house, the place was deserted and the park benches by the river sat somewhat forlorn.