All You Need Is Love

Victoria

YEAR: 1958

"Happy birthday John!"
"Thanks Mimi."
"Wait today's yer birthday?" John nodded.
"I'm 18."
"Well good for you." I patted John on the back and headed to the kitchen for breakfast.
"So what do ye want John?"
"What do ye mean?"
"As a present? What would you like?"
"I dunno Mimi. I don't want anythin big."
"Do ye want a party?" John shook his head no. "Alright then, get ready for university." Mimi watched John walk upstairs. "AND TELL JUDE SHE HAS TO GET UP!"

"Did ye know today is Johns birthday?"
"Yeah, he wouldn't shut up at rehearsal."
"Really? Doesn't seem like somethin he would do."
"Yeah, his mum, Julia, is throwin him a party at her house tonight."
"Really? Mimi's makin him a special dinner and she got him an amazing present. She's gonna be crushed."
"So yer not comin to his party?"
"No, I've been helpin Mimi with decorations all mornin, I can't bail on her now."
"I understand love, it won't be the same without ye."
"I know, I'm sorry." I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't be a whore tonight." I gave him and smile and laughed.
"No promises." I nudged him and he nudged back. He grabbed a hold on my waist and we continued walking home.

"Mimi, do ye know when John 'ill be home?"
"No Jude, I'm afraid I don't. He's normally home around 5 after band rehearsal."
"Does he have rehearsal today?"
"I think so. We'll just have to wait."
I walked into the house with Paul.
"Hey Mimi, Jude. Still settin up decorations?"
"Yeah we've been doin it since Jude got home. By the way, why are ye home later than her?"
"George drove her, he has a car. Paul and I, well, neither of us do."
"Are ye sayin ye want a car?"
"No, I don't mind walkin and takin the bus."
"Alright," Mimi gave me a smile as I set down my backpack and books, then she looked to Paul, "would you like to help us with decorations?"
"I'd love to help, but John needs me at rehearsal."
"I understand, goodbye Paul."
"Bye Mimi, nice seein ye Jude," Jude gave him a wave, "and I'll see you tomorrow love." He kissed me on the cheek, gave everyone a wave, and walked out of the house.

"John, are ye really gonna stand Mimi up?"
"Yeah, she does the same thing every year. She makes me dinner, gets me a few pounds, and at the end if it all, we eat a cake she made. Nothin special."
"John, its yer eighteenth birthday, Mimi really wants to spend it with ye."
"Well I'm spendin it with me mum."
"No yer not."
"What do ye mean."
"Mimi is yer mum, ye really should be spendin the day with her."
"Don't tell me what to do."
"I'm not, I'm just giving a suggestion. I'm goin home."
John watched Paul walk out the door and he didn't say a thing.

"Oh John, ye look so handsome."
"Thanks mum."
"Is Mimi okay with this? I know ye normally spend yer birthday with her."
"She's fine with it."
"Then why isn't she here?"
"Couldn't make it." Julia knew John was lying.
"Well, alright." Julia gave him a big smile.
"Happy birthday John."
"Thank ye Bobby."

Bobby didn't smile, he didn't want John around. Bobby is John's step dad, he never cared for anyone other than Julia and his two daughters. Bobby noticed that whenever John was around, Julias mood changed, she went a little crazy, and sometimes, she'll even run away.

"So do ye know when the party starts?"
"No, I'll go ask mum."
"That won't be necessary," there was a knock at the door, "go get that John." John rolled his eyes.
"Happy birthday hot stuff."
"Can it diamonds."
"Yer just jealous cause ye can't invision yerself up there," Lucy walked in and set down a gift for John. "So who else is here?"
"No one yet, just me sisters, my mum, and Bobby."
"I see, got any beer?"
"Yeah, ye like dark right?"
"Yeah, were is it?" John pointed to the kitchen. "Thank ye." She smiled, pinched his cheek, and walked to the kitchen. He could hear her heels clicking all the way there.
"Oh hello Lucy."
"Hey Mrs. Lennon."
"Ye can call me Julia." Lucy smiled. "So what are ye studyin, in university."
"Oh, um, I'm not in university."
"Really?" Julia grabbed a beer for Lucy.
"Yeah, don't need it. I already own my own shop, I make a good amount of money, I don't need university."
"If ye say so love." They heard guys yelling and cheering in the living room. "Yay, Johns friends are here! Nice talk love." Julia rushed out into the living room to greet everyone.
"JULIA!" Everyone yelled.
"Nice, seein ye all." She waved to them all and started handing out beer.

"Oh where is John?"
"I dunno Mimi, may I go to bed, I'm tired."
"No Jude, we have to wait for John." Jude let out a groan and slammed her head in the table. "Jude, call George, he'll keep ye company."
"I can't, he's busy tonight."
"Then please be quiet, he should be home any minute."

"Oh Paul, that was beautiful, yer mother would be proud. Its a shame she's not around anymore." John was standing in the doorway.
"She died of cancer, where were you." Julia looked back at John and she went ghost white. Paul looked up at John and gave him a disappointed look. John walked away and headed for the front door.
"JOHN WAIT!" Julia followed him out the door. "JOHN COME BACK!"
"FUCK OFF JULIA!"
"John please don't swear."
"OH YE DONT LIKE ME SWEARIN!"
"JOHN IM SORRY! SHE STOLE YE AND SHE WOULDNT LET ME TAKE YE BACK!"
"SAVE IT JULIA!"
"Mummy, are ye sad again?" Julia's youngest daughter came outside.
"What, no mummy's happy," Julia smiled and pointed to her face, "see." She dried her tears. John began walking away, Julia looked back, but didn't stop him. She picked up her daughter and let her back inside.

"Is that John?" Mimi asked after hearing someone slam the front door.
"Oh Mimi, this looks wonderful, thank ye so much."
"Where were ye?"
"Oh um, Julia threw me a party." Mimi looked at John and it was obvious that she was near tears.
"This was a mistake," Mimi picked up the cake and went to the kitchen, "happy birthday John."
"Yer an ass John." I slapped him across the face.
John just looked at Jude, asleep at the table. Then John heard a knock at the door. He walked over to it and opened it then immediately closed it.
"John who is it!" John opened the door again and grabbed Julia by the arm.
"WE HAVE COMPANY." He dragged her and threw her onto the couch in the living room. Mimi rushed in to see what the commotion was.
"Julia,"
"Mimi,"
"ACCORDING TO JULIA, YOU STOLE ME!"
"I STOLE YOU! I DID NO SUCH THING!"
"WELL MIMI, WHEN I TAKE THINGS, AND DONT RETURN THEM, IM NORMALLY STEALING!"
"ALRIGHT, JOHN DO YE WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH!" Mimi took a deep breathe and began speaking. "When ye were 5, ye dad was in the military, and yer mum began sneakin around with Bobby, STILL MARRIED MIGHT I ADD, and then tried to raise ye as if that was normal. Then when yer father returned he tried to make the marriage work, but she'd have NONE OF IT! The yer father was getting ready to head to New Zealand, and yer mum took ye over there and made you, A 5 YEAR OLD BOY, decide who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and you chose,"
"Daddy..." John whispered as a tear ran down his face.
"Then knowing that he was going to take ye to New Zealand, yer mother just walked out of there, then ye followed and that is when I STOLE YOU! AND IF YOU CONSIDER THAT STEALING, THEN IM A THEIF! Feel free to join the conversation anytime Julia."
"Is there anything else?"
"Ye have a sister, her name is Victoria."
"Where is she?"
"We don't know, we think in New Zealand with your father."
"I NEED TO CONTACT HER!"
"JOHN! Do not call her! JULIA!" Julia was silent, then she looked to John as he was crying and heading for the door.
"JOHN WAIT!" John pushed Julia off of him.
"CANT YE SEE WHAT YER DOIN TO ME! YER DRIVIN ME MAD! IM GOIN OUT ME BRAIN!"
"JOHN NO! THERES SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME, THE DOCTORS DONT KNOW WHAT IT IS, JUST SOMETIMES I GET UPSET!"
"I'm going now, maybe you two will realize that ye were once sisters." John walked out the door, ignoring Julia, then she was just there, laying on the floor. Mimi went up to here and have her a pat on the back.
"Go home Julia." Mimi walked down the hall and began to cry.
"Mimi?"
"Jude! Go to bed sweetheart, sorry we woke ye up."
Jude gave Mimi a hug and went upstairs. Mimi stood up and went over to Julia and picked her up.
"Ye can stay here tonight."
"Thank ye Mimi." Mimi showed Julia to and extra room.
"Goodnight Julia."