My eyes flutter open, and I'm welcomed by the living room. I look around, trying to get my bearings a bit. I see the record player in the corner, with the record stopped. I don't remember taking a nap...
"Oh, you're awake." Brad greets cheerfully. He comes and kneels next to me by the sofa, with some paper in his hand.
"Had me worried for a minute there." He laughs.
"What?"
"I think you fainted, or collapsed or something..."
I squint my eyes and try to sit up, only for Brad to gently push me back down.
"No, no. Don't move. You might hurt something." He chuckles.
I sigh and lie back down, and Brad comes and sits on the edge of the sofa.
"You read this?" He asks, waving something in front of my face.
"Invited to John's wedding, that's nice of them." He smiles, not noticing my reluctance.
"I'll write back, tell them we're coming. They've even got our flights and everything!" Brad nods excitedly, and leaves the room.
I manage a nervous laugh.
"Where's Mo-Molly?" I stutter, trying to gather my energy to stand.
Entering the room fleetingly, Brad replies that she's upstairs.
Summoning all the energy I can find, I force myself onto my feet, pulling myself along the wall upstairs.
I crawl into my daughter's room, where it looks like she's just woken up. When she sees me, her face lights up, and I can't help but be filled with joy at the sight of my baby smiling and happy.
"Hello baby, I missed you." I coo, managing to lift her out and settle her on my lap while I sit on the floor.
She gurgles, and reaches for my hair, yanking on it playfully. I giggle and just being with her brings me strength.
We sit there for a few minutes, playing and laughing, and I begin to recover from my little episode earlier.
Through the sound of Molly laughing, I just about make out the sound of Brad's coming up the stairs.
"There's a sound I love." He chuckles. "She's going to be a stunner you know."
I turn and smile at him, bouncing Molly on my lap.
"Just like her mother."
We exchange a tender look, smiling at each other.
"Come on, I made you dinner."
.........
We tuck into our meal, mostly in a comfortable silence.
Just as I finish, the phone begins to ring, and I dismiss myself to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Hello, little bird. It's John."
"Oh, hi..."
"Hiya, I just wanted to check you got the record."
"We did, thank you."
"Have you err..listened to it?"
"I listened to one of them, but I haven't really had time yet. I'm going to play it to Molly tonight."
"Alright great!" There's a brief pause as one of us finds something to say.
"So you got the invite then?"
"We did, thank you. We'd love to come." I half lie.
"I'm so glad to hear it! I'll send all the details over." I can see his smile of relief, even through we're not speaking in person.
"Well, listen, I better g-"
"Hang on a minute, YN. I know you're still upset, and I know actually being at the wedding is going to hurt, but can we try to think of it as a civil gesture? A friendly reunion if you like. We are both adults, after all."
I close my eyes and sigh.
"Okay, fine. I'll look forward to it." I half lie.
"Alright then. I'll let you go. I'll ring you again later in the week. Kiss Molly for me."
"Goodbye, John."
"Goodbye, YN."
I hang up the phone with a sense of sadness. However much I tried to, I couldn't stop loving him. I've loved him since the day we met, and I know I always will, however painful it is.
YOU ARE READING
Norwegian Wood
Fanfiction"I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me." ~ A John Lennon Story. (Formerly called Yesterday.) {Mature Content}
