Redemption

~51~

It was closing in on midnight and the lake wedding reception was a success.

With Julian, Sally and Ivy eventually arriving late in the afternoon the evening tumbled along splendidly AND with not one photographer or reporter in sight. They had definitely chosen the right place to hold the celebrations.

"John, please stop pinching me" Issy whispered close to his ear, they were only light but he had been trying to get her attention for a while now and Issy had been having way too much fun being a dotting nana and, John noted, an impeccable host to the guests. He leaned over her shoulder as she sat on the grass beside Olivia.

"There's a full moon Isabelle" John gazed up at the sky whispering quietly, he was buggered and couldn't see how everyone else was still firing on all cylinders. He had watched Isabelle slowly but surely relax into her natural state. Beautiful, sassy and smart. And that dress, the palest whisper of peach with lace, fitted her curves, made him think terribly inappropriate thoughts while she held their grandchild.

"Hmmm? What? Hold on I'm just talking to Olivia about their gardens"

"Isabelle..."

"OK, Ok. Sorry Olivia excuse me while I see what's up with his royal impoliteness. What John?" Issy grinned at the look she got, John was earning a few titters from the group as well. "Sorry John.... what can I assist you with?" More demure cackles could be heard around them, but Issy was frozen. John had a look in his eye she wanted to see way more often. Tenderness, want and happiness shone from him, all for her. Making her body hum and warm, under his watchful gaze.

"Full moon" He pointed skyward just in case she still didn't get his words meaning.

"Isabelle is that code for something, luv? Or does he have a howling fetish we are only just learning about?" Paul sniggered and John levelled a stare down on Paul as the boys repositioned closer to the pair. Right beside Olivia and Linda on the lawn. Everybody had been sprawled on rugs and cushions scattered around the fire, now they huddled on one side in a jovial group.

"It's nothing"

"Nothing!" John tore his gaze from Isabelle and faced the couples around them. "We swim you see, on a full moon..... Very nice in the lake under a full moon" John rattled on while Issy smacked his arm to close his lips tight.

"Oh yeah, I bet it's very nice" George laughed like a hormone filled high schooler at the look on Issy's face; his reckoning leaning toward them being very naughty in the midnight hour, so close to the truth "Alright I'm game. I feel like a dunk, how about it. Everyone up for a midnight swim?"

"Skinny dip!" Ringo offered up happily.

"No. I don't want to see your bits and pieces thank-you very much" Linda retorted, beating Olivia to the retort. The two high fiving each other while laughing at Richy's sombre face, although he recovered quickly.

"Why.... don't want to see what you're missing out on luv?" He tossed back.

The lively banter was electric and fun, very, very fast... and so teasing, cheeky and daringly sordid. Issy had often held hands over her face to recover from the shock of someone's outlandish words. She wasn't a prude by any inch of the word but seeing her idols talk like scouser's and pit miners was so much to take in. And all of them in one go ..... Three more boys piling wit on top of Johns wicked ways!

"Hold on, before everyone strips! Which- newsflash! I definitely do not want to see..." Julian pulled Sally up beside him "Come see us off, we need to head back to town to catch the morning flight out"

"Awwww, don't ya want to see your dads crown jewels?"

"Arrr no" Julian returned with a puzzled frown "Why would I want to see all you old boys' shrivelled tackle and wrinkled bodies"