Redemption

~15~

She worked through the addlement of John's sudden departure..

-Cleaning up the scrambled egg.

-Wiping the counter tops methodically.

-Dropping the 'saved from the oven' cookies in the jar.

Issy slowly washed her hands and leaned forward, tummy against the sink, stretching to see.

He sat on the jetty, the cats lounging beside him. The two dogs lapped a drink at the lake then returning to his side and she smiled just a touch knowing exactly what they would do next...

Drop big drips of slobber all over him.

Clutching the brick phone and grabbing her satchel Issy dropped the device in the bag and went to pull on her hiking boots. She wasn't running she just needed to clear her head as John seemed to be doing that himself, down on the jetty. Whistling once, Max bound quickly up the hill after his mistress and remained at her heel as she wound through the birch trees toward the trail. The trail that led to her own private and peaceful summit.

The sun was warm on her back and she cursed the forgotten bottle of water as she found a little sanctuary close up against the base of a large ancient oak tree. Issy leaned back and enjoyed the shade of it's dense canopy. Eyes closed she remembered how the lake felt, how he felt, how their lips touched. It was for the best, wasn't it though. The stopping, the bolt away from her. He was John Lennon and the only shared thing between them was Ivy really, a melding of family.

Ivy drew them together and like it or not they would interact from here on in, forever.

She closed her eyes, sighed and recalled her lovely moments with Paul and Linda. How Paul still loved John like a brother.

Paul had opened his personal photo album to her and Issy had gasped, delighted, seeing the inside details of the boy's lives. Such happiness in the beginning that led to quarrels in the end. Reporters had started calling it a tired marriage and so did Paul. He insisted that he and the lads, as he referred to them whenever he spoke about them, were buddies, mates, brothers but he hadn't touched base with any of them, nor them with him, in more than a year.

Maybe they should, maybe if these so called brothers could re-capture their love, their brotherhood, they could mend any part that was broken between them and maybe anything broken inside themselves too. Maybe Paul could help John by just visiting, talking...

Issy pushed herself to step from the shade and continued the climb upwards.

She reached the summit. High on the apex of the mountain. Trees of green fled in all directions.

As far as she could see was a canopy of living breathing life. Birds sung and the wind pushed her hair about.

It was, as always, glorious.

Glancing at her watch she waited, mulling over the time difference, thinking about calling friends... Julian hadn't thought to do so, dare she?

Taking the call near lunch, at first Linda McCartney was confused but after Issy apologised for disturbing her day and explained her reason for calling, Linda grew more excited with every moment that passed.

Near the end of the expensive call Paul called out his love and Issy grinned like a Cheshire cat. Linda promised to organise what she could and Issy pressed END with a grin and little jiggle of uncontained excitement.

****

Max walked ahead, steady in his gait, throwing random doggy loving glances back at his mistress then moving furher on down the gravelly track.