The Life We Once Knew

Cupid Screwed Up

I've known John for eleven years, and I've known Cynthia for almost as long. The two of them went together like bread and butter, tea and honey, guitars and drums, and Beatles and Rebels. They weren't perfect, but the good ones never were. I went to their wedding and I saw the looks in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. I thought that John and Cynthia would be the couple that finally showed me that love does exist, and that it can prosper in the most unlikeliest of places.

I have never been so wrong.

I know they loved each other. Christ, Cynthia loved John with all her heart and I know for a fact John felt the same. It was difficult to get John Lennon to show his emotions, at least when he was young, and Cynthia did it with no problem. John and Cynthia were something, but they weren't the right something. They weren't the something that was built to last.

Just after Jane left for her play, I took to bathing Vera. She didn't enjoy baths as much as the usual kid. Even with bath toys, she couldn't wait to get out. I cleaned her and pulled her out, wrapping her in a fluffy towel and carrying her to her room.

"Alright, Junior, I'm trusting you to dress yourself," I set her on the ground.

Her eyes brightened, "Really?"

"Just make sure not to blind me, alright?"

"Okay!"

She pushed me out of the room and slammed the door. The sound of clothes hitting the ground and the mumbles of a toddler could be heard even in the hall. I chuckled and went to sit in the living room.

The house was quiet, except for the occasional slam from Vera's room followed by a laugh. I felt the odd need to leave the house and go somewhere, anywhere, that was away from the silence. Even a record couldn't help with that penetrating, lingering, silence.

When Vera came running down the stairs, I glanced up. She had her toy guitar slung across her back to where the neck was beating her legs. Once again, she wore her favorite sparkly Elvis outfit. The legs were covered in dirt and crayons, and the top had a large rip in the back, but she didn't care. That was her favorite outfit. So long as it made her happy, I wasn't going to stop her.

"Am I blinding you?" she asked, stopping at the bottom of the stairs and spinning.

I covered my eyes, "My eyesight is gone forever! I'll never look at my Vera's beautiful face again!"

"Just uncover your eyes, Mummy."

I peered through my fingers and grinned, "There she is!"

She laughed as I swung her into my arms. I kissed her cheeks rapidly, making her giggle even harder. When I had her practically slung across my chest, I asked, "What do you think about going on a trip?"

"A trip?" Vera asked, "What kinda trip?"

"A visiting trip, of course. We'll go visit one of your uncle's, what do you say?"

"Yeah!"

I grinned. Paul and Linda were off in New York, presumably meeting Linda's family. Ringo was at home with Maureen catching up on some much-needed family time, and George had gone back to India with Pattie. That left only one, and he was the one I most wanted to visit.

"How about we visit your Uncle Johnny, hm?" I asked.

Vera grinned, "Let's visit Uncle Johnny!"

***

"Mel, what a surprise," John grinned.

I returned the grin, "I'm just full of surprises, Johnny Boy."