Get It Straight, Or Say Good Night

Steeled and Sure

George had his eyes plastered on the road ahead, daring to push the limit of the speed signs on the odd occasion, he made good time getting back to London. 

Evie was beginning to stir but Louise hadn't woken since she fell asleep a half hour after their conversations and her having punched him repeatedly in the way lay area, George absentmindedly rubbed his shoulder. Probably a good thing too. George took a drag on his smoke and kept driving, closing in on John and the girls' home.

Gathering up Evie, George carried his niece toward the front door, she was half awake nattering happily to her dolly and grinned at her uncle George as he planted a kiss on her cheek. Leaving Lou in the car he wanted to warn John, punch him, then wake Lou and bring her inside, possibly not in that order though.

"George!! Wasn't expecting the Harrison clan back til at least dinner time. Evie, my precious little butterfly come give dad da a kissy" John swept Evie up and held her high dropping her down to his face, she giggled and slapped his cheeks, like only a little one can. Cute and soft John dropped no less than a dozen kisses all over her face then blew a raspberry or two on her tummy for good measure.

"John put Eve in the play pen thingy. We need to have a word" George turned on his heel and wandered down the hall to Lou and Johns room, the bed was made neatly but George made short work of that, sweeping the sheet and blanket back so Louie could crawl in when she got inside.

"Hey George I just made that fucker" John grumbled as he went to pull the sheets up again "Lou likes it made, neater that way. I don't particularly see the need, seeing as we mess it up every night anyway"

"Leave it, Lou will want to get in as soon as she comes in, I imagine" George pulled the sheets down again and stood looking about the room, George hadn't been in here for a while twas only Johns before when Lou was back in Liverpool, now touches of Louise were everywhere. The trinket box, some lotions and perfume and a small photograph of Evie centre stage on the dresser.

"What's she doing, not like her to be dallying back in from the motor" John looked out the window and saw Lou leaning on the window "Is she ill?"

"No.... Just. Can you just sit. I need to show you something" George spoke sternly nothing like his easy going attitude, John clucked and flopped on the bed.

"What's up your nose then?" John leered.

"This" George handed John the letter then flattened the photo Lou had scrunched up and pulled out a newspaper clipping that had also been in the envelope. John quickly looked over the chicken scrawled writing and nodded at the face in the photograph.

John was silent as he digested it all, he just thought it was all behind them now. He and Lou and Evie were a family and settled into the perfect little life. John felt like burning the letter, ignoring it, closing his eyes to the devastation that it could bring.

John raised his head slowly, eyeing George "So you know, who else- your parents, the city.. the whole city of Liverpool? Shit fucking shit. No wonder you want her in the bed she's snapped and now sleeping it off isn't she" John pushed George aside and scrambled out to the car, carefully opening the door, Lou fell into Johns arms and he carried her inside as she began to sob again. "Lou its ok, lay down, I'll sort George then we can talk yeah?" Lou reluctantly let John go and turned in the bed curling up in a ball.

John closed the door softly and pushed George up to the living room, Evie was having fun reuniting with all her toys.

"I only showed Lou the picture, not the letter. I ought to punch the lights out of you, you should have told me John, I'm her brother!" George sat on the sofa and stared at Evie, John sat right by his side gazing at the folded letter. The newspaper clipping was a picture of John, Lou and Evie outside the doctor's surgery, Lou's beautiful face staring from the page as plain as day.