Broken Memories

Chapter Seven

Both Beccy and Jason spend a restless few days.

Beccy alternated between unexpected feelings of joyful excitement and near panic attacks of nerves. Her friends and work colleagues were understandably puzzled. Beccy hadn't shared her news with anyone. She wanted to keep things to herself until she knew if there was anything to tell. She had no real idea what Jason's true motives were and she still didn't know what her feelings were about him after their unexpected meeting after all this time. He said he'd phone her on Tuesday, it was now late afternoon on that day and the waiting was killing her.
Maybe he'd changed his mind since Sunday?

Jason was in a similar state. At the band meeting on Sunday, Howard noticed that Jason seemed preoccupied and unusually quiet when they were discussing final arrangements for the album promotion.

Normally, there were some good natured disagreements about how much time they had to spend chatting with the press and how much time they had to give to the official photographers. But this time, nothing. Jason agreed without protest and seemed almost uninterested in the meeting at all.

Mark noticed Jason staring out of the window while the others were talking excitedly about the upcoming tour and what they could do to make it even more special than the previous one.

"Jason, what about a giant elephant as the centre piece for the show?" Gary called over to Jason.

Nothing.

"How about a man in a balloon costume and lots of acrobats? Mark added, looking straight at Jason.

Zilch.

"Earth to Jason!" Howard shouted as he threw a screwed up piece of paper directly at his head. It gently bounced off his ear. Jason looked over at Howard.

"What ya do that for How?" Jason looked round at the three of them now, puzzled.

"You've been glued to that view out the window, for most of the meeting Jay" Gary explained.

"What's so interesting out there?" Mark asked, genuinely curious.

"Um, nothing" Jason, shifted in his seat and tried to feign ignorance.

"Come on, What's up?" Howard looked intently at his friend. He knew there was something going on. The only time Jay was that preoccupied when they were working was when it involved a girl - or girls.

Howard wondered what trouble Jay had got himself into this time.

"I...umm...I was just thinking" Jason eventually explained after a long pause, smiling at them.

"Well that's been a bloody long think!" Howard exclaimed

"Are you back with us now?" Howard continued. He'll find out later what was going on. There wasn't time now.

"Don't wear your brain out mate, you might need it to help us out sometime" Gary teased him.

"Aw, leave him alone Gary. Maybe he's found lurve?" Mark smirked at the idea.

Jason had been single so long, they joked that they should have bets on when he'd settle down.

Gary started humming the Wedding March, with Howard quickly joining in, while Mark stood up and started playing an imaginary violin and swirling round as he did so.

"Stop it!" Jason grumbled.

"I'm going to get some fresh air" He got up and stalked out of the room.

The three men looked at each other a bit surprised.

"Umm, think we've touched a nerve there" Howard remarked.

"What? You think he's proposed?" Gary said completely surprised at the idea.
"Who is it then?" Mark wondered

"Dunno. Jay's not said anything to me. The lastest girl's been Tania but Jay never gave me the impression she was a serious girlfriend" Howard replied.

He felt sure if Jason had got serious with a girl, he would have said before now.

No, it's got to be something else Howard decided. But why did he react so badly to their little joke if it wasn't a girl? Howard was distracted in his thoughts by Gary's next question.

"Maybe the girl turned him down?" Gary was convinced it was a proposal, after Jason's reaction just now.

"Could be" Mark pondered. He felt bad now, if that was the reason. They were only messing around like they always did.

"Nah, I can't see Jason keeping something that important to himself "Howard replied.

"Well, why was he being so distant all afternoon and then went off with the 'ump?" Gary asked.

"I wouldn't worry. It's probably something an' nothing. You know he can be moody sod at times" Howard tried to play down his friend's obvious discomfort at their harmless teasing.

"Yeah, I s'pose" Mark nodded. But wasn't really convinced either. Jason wasn't nearly as moody these days. That's why it surprised him when he'd reacted so badly.

Jason stepped out into the garden and breathed out a long sigh. He didn't mean to be grumpy but the little joke just grated at the moment. It made him think what could have been with Beccy. He smiled, thinking of the incredible luck of meeting her again. Maybe this time? No, don't go there. One step at a time. He'd never thought of marriage before. Not seriously. If anyone asked him in interviews, he always said yes, he'd like to get married and have kids one day, but he was never convinced he'd really want to. Even when he'd been with Beccy, he'd thought he loved her but he'd never considered marriage and children. He was too young and had too many things to see and do - Also there were so many beautiful women in the world - Why settle for just one?

Now, meeting Beccy again, he'd started to have random thoughts about them being together in the future. About children. Their children. Wow! What was wrong with him?

Jason shivered. The light was fading and the weak November sun was quickly dipping lower and lower in the sky, gradually slipping behind the trees at the end of the garden. He made his way back to the house.

He walked quietly into the sitting room. The others looked up as the door opened.
"Hey you ok?" They asked in unison.

"Yeah. Yes, thanks. Sorry about earlier. I'm a bit tired, didn't get to sleep till late last night" Jason explained, not a lie but he wasn't going to say exactly why he'd not got to sleep till the early hours.

"Oh we understand" Mark, grinned cheekily.

"You single guys, burning the candle at both ends" Gary laughed and winked at Jason in a knowing way.

Howard looked at Jason. He didn't seem upset now. In fact he looked quite cheerful. Maybe he was just tired after a late night.

"Who was the lucky girl then? Anyone we know? Howard asked. He thought a bit of gossip would lighten the mood.

"No, no, nothing like that. Just up drinking a bit late, got chatting to a couple of fans, that's all." Jason hastily replied.

"Umm, ok. We'll believe you" Howard smiled, but he wasn't convinced. There was something Jason wasn't telling them.

They decided to finish the meeting as it'd been interrupted and order a take away. It was now late afternoon and after the long meeting they were all starving. There was a brief debate about which type of food to have but eventually they settled on Chinese.

After they'd finished their meal. Mark and Gary said they better be going as they all had an early start in the morning. Jason was staying at Howard's and they were travelling up to London in his car in the morning.

"Night, see you bright and early tomorrow lads" Gary said as he got into his car.
"Yes, bye guys see you tomorrow" Mark called out as he also got into his car and started the engine.

Mark waved at Howard and Jason through the window as he followed Gary's car down the drive to the road.

"Right" Howard said as he and Jason went back into the house, "What really happened last night?"