Magical Mystery Tour

Is your love strong enough?

  We arrived at my parent's house just before noon. I sat for a moment and closed my eyes to try and clear my head. Paul squeezed my hand.
"It's going to be alright luv" he said warmly. I bit my lip and nodded before we went to the door.
"Never tol' me ya' came from such posh surroundings" he commented as we stood at the large front door of my family home. I laughed slightly, almost embarrassed at my upbringing. I was hoping, almost willing, my mother or little sister to answer the door. Apparently, luck was on my side.
"Tilly!!" my sister Lucy exclaimed as she hugged me. Lucy was 18, she had brown hair, blue eyes and freckles dotting her nose. "I'm so happy you're here!"
"I'm glad to see you too Lucy" I grinned. I missed her so much, we rarely saw each other...Christmas was really the only event I was invited to, everything else I was excluded. Not by accident either.
"Lucy," I said realizing I'd left Paul standing next to me "This is Paul, Paul this is my little sister Lucy"
Her eyes went wide "Pleasure to meet you" she said "I knew you were dating him, I just...wow...he's gorgeous!" she said. She suddenly realized she'd said it loud enough for him to hear, her hands instinctively covered her mouth and she turned bright red. We both laughed.
"Tilly lovey," the next voice I heard made me cringe. Daphne. "Welcome home little sister" she reached out to hug me, I didn't hug back, only tensed up.
"Tilly? Have you gained weight?" she asked "Can't have that with the life you lead"
I clenched my jaw, Paul squeezed my hand tighter, letting me know he was there for me.
"Hello, Daphne" I bit out. Daphne was always the one who got the attention from the boys. She had long auburn hair (mine was longer however and darker) that curled perfectly, she had the face of a model and a body to match. Not saying I was totally left in the dark on looks, however...I had always been the shy tomboy.
"Well then Tilly, are you going to introduce me to this handsome young friend of yours?" she asked smiling and batting her eyes at Paul. I immediately felt my face grow hot in anger. I pulled him close to me, I think it surprised him a bit.
"Sure Daph," I smiled "This is Paul. MY boyfriend"
"The pleasure is all mine" she cooed placing her hand on his arm. I felt him tense up.
"Hey uh...Daphne luv, I can't seem to fi—" a young male entered the entryway. He was tall, dark hair and brown eyes, good looking by most female's standards. He stopped as he saw me.
"Oh...um, hi Tilly," he said embarrassedly.
"Cedric!" Daphne said making a show of throwing her arms around his neck "You know Tilly lovey, don't you?"
I clenched my teeth. Lucy made a look to say "I'm so sorry".
"Yeah...we knew each other" I bit out. Paul, sensing the stress, placed his hand lightly on the small of my back which brought a bit of soothing in what was already becoming a tense afternoon.
"Tilly? Can I take your coats?" Lucy offered to try to lighten the situation.
"Sure," I smiled at her "Thanks, luv"
"Ta," Paul said warmly to her.

After Lucy took our coats we entered into the lounge where Thomas and my mum sat, my mum, got up from her chair to greet us.
"Tilly darling," she said as she embraced me "Merry Christmas lovey"
"Merry Christmas to you as well mum" I smiled. "Mum, I'd like you to meet Paul, my boyfriend"
"Pleasure to meet you, Paul," My mother said, "We hear so much about you" (more from the papers than me, unfortunately).
"Tilly" Thomas said patting my shoulder, his greeting was very cold and calculated. I always found it amusing he was afraid to touch me.
"Thomas," I said in roughly the same tone, Paul stifling a laugh "This is Paul, we've been seeing each other awhile"
"Pleasure ta' meet ya'" Paul said amiably in his thick Liverpudlian accent.
"He's a Northerner?" Thomas questioned seeming disgusted, he had always had this bizarre disdain for any Brit who wasn't a full blooded Londoner.
"Not now Thomas," My mother chided "We're very happy to meet you, Paul"
Soon after the formalities, we sat down to dinner.
Dinner conversation; was what one would think of it. Lucy talked about school, I talked about my students...then Daphne decided it was time to talk about herself. Something, I always dreaded...
"Tilly lovey, did you see the ring Cedric bought me?" she said shoving her hand out in front of me.
"I saw it. Careful with it Daph, ya' could put someone's eye out" I said sarcastically.
"Well, I like it," she said proudly.
Somehow, the conversation circled again and Daphne began talking.
"It's rather amusing how we met," she giggled. I held onto my fork for dear life, Paul had his hand on my leg, he gave me a small squeeze letting me know he was there, I looked to him and smiled weakly, he winked at me.
"It was at one of Tilly's shows...Selena? Synthia?" she said trying to remember
"Sylvia!" I reminded her.
"Ah yes, Sylvia's Cabaret...anyway, I decided as a surprise I'd go see my little sister perform. Sitting in the audience was Cedric, I found out he was well...attached. But we hit it off and here we are..." she sighed.
"Yeah...hit it off in the bloody car park" I muttered. The first punch had been thrown, I was now in defense mode (Sam, had told me about the car park incident)
"Tilly...Not. Now" Thomas bit at me.
"So, Tilly...how did you and Paul meet?" My mother asked, encouraging me to speak, hoping the focus would shift.
"Well, I had been handpicked for a movie. We met while filming, oddly enough things happened to work out quite well as far as our dating situations were at the time, especially since I'd learned my boyfriend at the time had gone off with another... and here we are.." I said imitating Daphne, something that didn't go unnoticed by her. She smiled a smile I dreaded.
"So, Paul...what has Tilly told you about me?" she said in a sly voice.
"Um...well, nothing really." I could tell he'd been caught off guard.
"So she hasn't told you anything of her family then?" she asked "For shame Tilly! I suppose she hasn't told you it was her fault dad died..."
"Shut it..." I said under my breath.
"Suppose she hasn't told you about her accident, or should I say her attempt to kill herself that put her in the hospital, left her with a hideous scar..."
"Daphne, shut up..." I said louder. I saw her smile a wretched smile.
"Suppose she hasn't told you she went completely mental and landed herself in a mental institution for a bit has she?"
Lucy dropped her spoon. My eyes widened. I shot upward.
"Maybe I have and maybe I haven't! That wasn't my fault and you bloody well know it!" I screamed "At least I didn't open my legs to everyone around me to get what I wanted in life...That's why you're the prime example of a good daughter isn't it Daphne? Because you were busy fucking Thomas!" I said pointing at Thomas. There was an audible gasp from Lucy and my mother, it was a subject that our family did not discuss.
"Fuck...I need a ciggie" I said. Paul sat in complete disbelief as I left to find my coat.

I sat on the steps of our back porch smoking like a bloody chimney. I was certain after all that, Paul would leave me...everything we'd worked so hard to have would be gone because of my twat of a sister. I heard the door open behind me. Paul crouched down next to me.
"Hey baby girl," he said softly.
"Hey" I breathed out as I exhaled the smoke.
"Tilly luv, when we get home...I want to talk" he said.
"I know...you're leaving me...can't say that I blame you" I sighed as I felt tears sting at my eyes. I didn't want to lose him, but what could I do.
"What? God no!" he said taking my hand in his "I'm not going to leave you! God, that's the last thing I want luv. But, I want to hear what happened...from you. I need you to trust me enough to talk to me if we want this to work."
I threw my arms around him
"It's so hard...you have no idea" I sobbed, I hated coming off as a whimpering idiot, I'd never been able to tell many people what had happened past dad's death.
"I won't ask for much from you luv, just this one thing..." he said.
"I'll try..." I said.
"That's all I ask...please trust me, I don't want to leave you." He smiled. The door opened again.
"Oh! I'm terribly sorry" Lucy said.
"It's ok Lucy," I smiled.
"I'm going back inside luv, need to use the loo," Paul said.
"I'll see you inside"
I heard Lucy say something to him before he went inside.
"What'd you say, sis?" I asked.
"Nothing really," she said. I knew she was lying.
"Just tell me" I laughed.
"Nah...you'll find out" she giggled. It hit me how much I missed my little sister...our visits had become so few since I'd left.
"Tilly, I'm really sorry..." she said "That had to be horrible"
I nodded. "Yeah, well...the entire family thinks I'm insane...who am I to argue?"
"I don't..." she said quietly.
"That's only because I taught you piano" I teased.
"No," she shook her head and took on a serious tone "I know it's not you, I know you weren't supposed to be institutionalized in the first place....I remember the screaming from your room when you'd had nightmares. I know it was all Daphne..."
"What?"
"I know she hurt you," she said as tears spilled out "I know she's the reason you have that nasty scar. I know she's the reason everyone thinks you're crazy...I know you didn't tell anyone what really happened"
"How?"
"That day...when you two were fighting about dad...I came running in to stop you...I saw her, I saw it all...the fight...the scissors...the blood.." Lucy recalled shivering.
"No...you came in with mum...didn't you? They ushered you away.." I couldn't believe what I was hearing
She shook her head "No...I was there just before you fell...I was so scared! Tilly, I thought you were going to die"
I didn't realize it, but I'd started crying as well, I stubbed out the remainder of my cigarette and hugged my little sister. She sobbed into my coat.
"I'm so sorry Lucy...you should've never had to see that." I consoled her.
She wiped at her eyes
"I wish she'd left...and you'd stayed..." she confessed.
"Not with Thomas around..." I said
"I know, can we...I dunno' just get together more often? I miss you so much!" she laughed.
"Sure." I smiled "Now what did you tell my boyfriend?"
She laughed.
"Honestly?" she asked.
I nodded.
"I told him to treat you well...I told him you're my big sister and you deserve him more than anyone I know...and that I'd come after him if he fucks it up" she grinned. I smiled back at her and messed her hair a little.
"Let's get back inside...it's bloody freezing out!" I said.

I hung my coat up and made my way upstairs to my old room, my sanctuary during my childhood and teenage years, the one place I had decent memories of drowning out everything else by putting my records on far too loud and getting lost in the music, it was a stop I always had to make before leaving. The door was slightly ajar and I heard voices.
"C'mon...she won't have to know..." I heard a female voice coo.
"Stop. You're engaged" I could hear the one Liverpudlian voice in the house say.
"Not married yet luv...besides, why settle on Tilly...when you could have me"
That tore it. I flung open the door. To see Daphne with a hand down Paul's trousers and Paul, backed into a corner, desperately trying to push her away. Paul went white.
"Tilly! It's not what you think!" he said still pushing Daphne away.
"I'm sure it's exactly what I think," I said "Daphne! What the fuck do ya' think you're doing? You have Cedric now, you have to try and steal Paul from me??"
Paul had managed to keep her hands off him for a moment.
"You can have Cedric back, consider it my Christmas present to you...I've got my sights on much bigger things," she said trying to slide a hand down his trousers again. I knew my sister, she was relentless...when a guy didn't fawn over her, she'd pressure them horribly...only now she was doing it in front of my face. I lost it.
I got to her and grabbed her hair, pulling her off of him.
She cussed at me.
"The bloody fuck are you doing?" she asked, "You know better Tilly.."
"Yeah? You should know better than to do half the things you do, but you just don't care who you hurt...especially when it's me?" I said.
"That's because you're worthless...bloody worthless piece of trash" she shot. I lost it, I punched her, full on in her pretty little face, blood dripped from her nose and onto my hand...I didn't care anymore.
Within seconds she punched me in the eye and knocked me to the ground. It didn't last long, I sprung back to my feet and hit her again harder. I heard others come running in, Paul pulled me away as Cedric held onto Daphne.
"Thomas...she's gone crazy again. Can never be happy with her life so she takes it out on me" Daphne sobbed into Cedric's shirt.
"Shut up! You know it's a lie!" I screamed.
"That's ENOUGH!" Thomas yelled "Tilly you need to go. You aren't welcome here ever again! We were fine until you came home and brought your scouse-trash boyfriend"
I was about to rebuttal, but it was Paul who cut in
"It's one thing to insult me, bloody hell...we get that enough in London being from Liverpool...but the way you treat Tilly is deplorable!" he yelled.
"Perhaps if you knew her better you'd see why she isn't invited over often and is no longer a member of this family!" Thomas bit.
"Perhaps if ya' hadn't been shagging that slag you call Daphne and rather acted like the father you should've been you'd see what you're giving up!" Paul yelled again "Tilly. Let's go home!"

The ride home was relatively quick. I hadn't said much. I had so much on my mind, I had been disowned by my family.
Before I knew it, we were back at Paul's home and being greeted by two very enthusiastic dogs. Martha made sure I didn't forget about her as she knocked me to the ground and licked my face.
"Martha, not now," Paul said as he made his way upstairs. Martha dutifully followed him.
I picked Angus up, he wagged his little tail and licked my face over and over.
"I love you too little guy," I said sadly as I set him back on the ground and made my way up the stairs.
I hadn't even seen how I looked and didn't care, I immediately crawled into bed with Paul. We sat together in silence, he then embraced me burying his face in my neck.
"I'm so sorry luv" he whispered.
"It's not your fault" I sighed. I hurt more than I was letting on...now, it was doubtful I would see Lucy or my mum at all.
"I promise you, I'll never turn you away..." he kissed me over and over. "Please believe me."

That night, I told him. I told him all that I'd been hiding, I told him of my short institutionalization...the fact I almost believed I was supposed to be there. I told him how I could hear my sister and step dad together in the room next to mine almost every night. He told me he loved me over and over, he told me he was worried about me.
I remember after awhile he fell asleep.
I couldn't sleep. I wasn't sure quite what I'd been feeling over the entire day. Sadness? Relief? Anger? Hurt? Or everything?

I got up, kissed his cheek softly, put on my robe and went to the music room. Angus followed me.
I looked out the window of the music room, the moon was shining bright, reflecting on  the fresh snow. I sat down at the piano and rested my fingers lightly on the keys. I began playing. I played a song I learned shortly after dad died, Trois Gymnopedies by Erik Satie. It was a beautiful piece, it seemed almost sad...yet not. Dad had taken me to see the London Orchestra perform Satie's work, I remember the music bringing tears to my eyes, it was the most beautiful thing I'd heard in my 7 years of life. 16 years later, it was still a favorite piece. I poured myself into it as my new puppy watched me.
Soon after...I played another song, one I hadn't played in years...hadn't sung in years.
I couldn't bring myself to sing it.
Paul appeared standing next to me, a blanket wrapped around him.
"Are you alright luv?" he asked in a tired voice.
"I don't know..." I answered.
"C'mere" he said warmly inviting me into his arms. He wrapped me in the blanket and in his arms. That's all it took for me to realize what I'd felt, hurt...anger...fear...all spilled out as I cried into his chest. He calmly soothed me telling me it would be ok, telling me he loved me.
"I'm so afraid I'll never see Lucy or my mum again" I whispered.
"It's alright luv, we'll figure out a way," he said stroking my hair "You are so much better than all that...I see it every day in you"
"I may not have a family anymore..." I cried.
"You have your friends who adore you, they would do anything for you luv," he said "and you have me"
I looked up into his face, all I could see was love. He really did care about me and I needed him that night. I kissed him softly, but there was a definite sense of need behind it, which didn't go unnoticed as Paul pulled me closer to him. He moved his hands to untie my robe, I moaned as he accomplished this, in response, he kissed me deeper and slid his hands gently up my sides, in turn, I dropped my arms down so he could remove the robe. I stood naked, pressed against his body under the blanket he still had wrapped around us, I loved the feel of him.
"I love you Tilly," he said softly. "Never doubt that"
I smiled at him, being with him I always felt at home. I'd never met anyone who could calm me so well. I needed him that night more than I ever had, and he was there. I never wanted to let go of that feeling. Times would be hard dealing with what had happened that day, I didn't doubt that, but I had him. I had everything.  

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A/N: Yeah, Daphne is a pretty vile character...that's all I've got!  Thanks again for reading and the love :)

Soundtrack: Is your love strong enough? - How To Destroy Angels