Got To Be Good-looking ('cause he's so hard to see)

~30~

Clare

"Hello, hello!" Linda walked in, stepping over the discarded blanket and my guitar case "Are we bringing the guitar, Clare?"

She wandered through the rooms finally spotting me foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog.

"Oh sorry just brushing my teeth, umm I don't know, maybe"

"You know Paul has guitars.... many..... many guitars" Linda huffed, rolling her eyes in the mirror at me.

"Alright then I can nick one of his, if the mood strikes"

Stella walked over and took my hand in hers.

Come take my hand

You should know me

I've always been in your mind

You know that I'll be kind

I'll be guiding you

I picked her up and grabbed my coat, I was wearing jeans praying Linda would offer to go riding. My white shirt was new and I was slightly worried seeing as it was a bit see- through so I wore a fringed tan vest over the top.

"So wanna go for a ride?" Linda laughed as we loaded the land rover with Stella and ourselves.

"Yeah be nice, like the old days before he took you away" I laughed and she tittered.

"You" She pushed me and held onto the wheel again "You went to the states, I was here, you took off!"

"Because I was heartbroken!"

"Yea 'cause Paul married me!"

"Damnit, I've been found out" I grinned, turning to Stella who called my name. I smiled and held her hand as I sat twisted round behind my seat. That was ..... til I was turfed from the car to open multiple gates. "Gee, he hasn't seen me, since I was...."

"Large?" Linda pinched my cheek "He knows, but I think he will be quite blown away by the change, we all were"

I left England to get healthy and it tore my heart to leave Cass but I just wasn't strong enough to keep a diet while she feasted and she wasn't open to cutting down with me. I left for sunnier days and beaches, hoping the positive atmosphere would push me to health.

"He's not here at the moment, but as soon as he's back we'll ride ok"

"Lovely, I can play with my new friend here!" I tickled Stella.

We cooked and laughed and played games with the girls, dinner was prepped ready, we had a glass of water and talked about the girls.

"Lin, I'm back, you can go now...... Hello, Clare right?" Paul hovered over me and I stood up quickly shaking the pins and needles from my legs. "Long time. Wow, Linda said you changed but, my god, you're a whole new Elliott aren't you!"

"Thanks, I didn't think you would remember me actually" I quaked in my boots for some unknown reason it was just Paul, Linda spoke of him always and I knew him to be a good guy. I just also knew he was that Paul, the writer of so many songs I was always in awe of his penmanship.

"What!?! of course I remember you! Made lovely tea you did when we played the records remember" Paul picked up Stella "Grab Lin and go for a ride luv, I'll take these ones to the studio for a bit"

We rode and laughed and snickered about the old days when she dragged me along to meet naughty rock n rollers, and we complained about life and wrinkles and men. We stopped at spots dotted along the way to view the almighty Campbelltown area, the township far in the distance, the water shining brightly. It was a beautiful afternoon but the light was fading and we had to turn back.

From where I stand

You are home free

The planets align so rare

There's promise in the air

And I'm guiding you

My pinto, Paul's usual ride, was full of beans and as soon as we turned homeward bound he wanted to run and we let both horses have their heads, flashing over the fields, freedom and blessing of nature's strength, beauty and ever-changing climate.

Darkness was all but descended when we rode in, brushing and cooling down the horses so we could rug them from the night air, we busied ourselves to get them feed and settled quickly.

My jacket was pulled off as we entered the house and we were greeted by dinner hot and waiting in the oven. But Paul and the girls lack of appearance, made the house silent.

"Paul will see the extra lights soon and come up"

It wasn't long, the girls bustled in the door and Stella was in my arms again, we were dancing, silly dancing in the living room when Paul's voice carried into the room. Linda was washing the older girls and I had redressed Stella in warm pyjamas.

Paul went about serving out the girl's meals setting them on the table with cutlery.

Finally, the adults ate, quietly at first then I broke the silence "I was famished from that ride and all I had today was some homemade bread and bit of muffin"

Paul made a strange strangled sound then went ouch and said "what was that for-". Linda sat glaring at him.

"I put a secret herb or spice in the vegetable bake can you guess it?" Linda took the conversation and Paul and I started guessing, forgetting the ouch moment.

"Parsley" -boring she said.

"Basil" - nope

"Nutmeg"- close but no reward.

I was hopeless on herbs spices I only knew one or two so I said my favourite "a totally wild guess -Cinnamon?"

"Clare wins!!" Linda high fived me over the table, and we ate and re-tasted the vegetable bake. It was now so evident I couldn't not taste the cinnamon.

"So Clare, been writing?"

"Had to bring that particular drought up, didn't you!" I smiled and wiped my lip of creamy sauce from the bake "I'm struggling, Jeff Lynne wants movie soundtrack stuff but..." I stuck my head in my hands shaking slowly "I got a few lines out the other night, no 'Yesterday' though" I recovered my composure as Linda cleared the plates from the table, telling me to sit and chat.

"Now, right there. The whole head in hands lark" Paul winked knowingly, guessing some of my pain "don't try so hard. It's got to be natural, not forced or it doesn't work" He lit a smoke and offered me one, I declined "Like your 'Monday Monday' " I blushed he knew my song and he saw the blush, pushing me gently "You're a dill, 'course I know your bloody tunes! Love that one, now what were you doing when that one popped into your pretty head"

My blush propelled itself higher and lower. I felt my chest heat and then Linda was leaning over his shoulder, smirked knowing I was struggling for air.

"Eating cornflakes and dribbling milk down my front" Embarrassment fused with the blush and I dropped my gaze to the cherry cheesecake with bright red sauce spilling onto the plate.

He laughed and Linda threw the tea-towel on the sideboard and joined us.

"Classic, really... dribbling?!"

"Yep, had to change my shirt"

"That's too funny" Linda eyes the cheesecake on my plate prompting me to eat.

"Yum" I say as I allow a small sliver past my lips.

"Watch out she might spit it out Linda and we'll have a top ten smash on our hands, or faces!" I did nearly spit at Paul tease and he had to pat my back as I coughed, laughing. "Come on, down the studio have a tinker, let me hear what you 'ave"

I looked for Linda's permission but she was already pushing me out the door with a jacket "I'll get the kids asleep and be down. Go, have fun"

"Linda, it's legit work"Paul retorted quickly, hovering in the door, looking for an apology.

"Yes Paulllll, was all work yesterday too wasn't it" Her eyebrow raised and blue eyes were shining in jest, not anything I knew about so I walked out into the driveway.