But I'll Be Back Again

Chapter 35: This Sounds like FINE TUNING

Days later, Lizzy had invited them to her house, and they threw a farewell dinner for her, as John had predicted, Paul was a bit angry with Ella; he knew this when at the last minute he said he wouldn't be able to make it.

At the end of the dinner, there were only Lizzy and Ella left, they were in the front yard, laughing, mostly because Lizzy was sleepy and she had the funniest ideas when in that state, "I'll visit you this august, I have enough money for that, maybe I'll bump into Steve McQueen, do you think he always wears a cowboy hat?"

"Only for special occasions," Ella joked with her,

"What's more special than meeting me," she said.

In that moment Ella hugged her, and tears began to appear, "I'm going to miss you Lizzy, please you have to call me every week," she let go of her embrace, and grabbing her two hands made her promise, "you won't forget me, will you?" She sniffed.

"Of course not! I promise I'll see you in less than 5 months," she also began to cry,

"I have something for you," Ella grabbed from her purse a beautiful vintage case, it had a copper colour, and a small drawing of flowers, it was for her painting supplies, and it had 2 brushes. "I found it this morning, It was meant for you," she gave it to her.

"This is so sweet," she cried-laugh even more, "oh that reminds me, Lucas sent you something from Germany, I'll be right back," she went inside for the blue wrapped small package.

Ella opened it, it was a round golden locket, as she opened it , it had small photos, one of him and her together, and the other with Lizzy, "what a perfect gift, to remember these past months weren't from a fidget in my imagination," she couldn't believe she had managed to find people who cared for her, and she cared for,  in such a short time, it filled her heart with an immense joy, it was a postcard too that said "thank you - here's my address, hope to see you soon here my friend,"

The two friends continued talking for more than hour more, until she saw her watch mark 12 am, "You look tired, I'm going to head home..." that last word hurt her more than she expected, she had come to feel finally like she had a home in Mendips, with Mimi and John, and that was to be the last time, at least for a long while, that she went to sleep in that house. She thanked Lizzy, and started to walk home.

It was now a warm night, not as cold as her first nights in Liverpool; she remembered that time Paul walked home, "Paul" she had realised at that time that he never arrived to the party, but she completely understood his decision; the best thing that she could do is write him a letter, apologising. But he found him waiting for her outside of John's home, by himself.

She felt breathless, her hands tingled, as much as she wanted to hug him, she wasn't sure why was he there, or if the reason was her , maybe he was still upset, "hey," she remembered she was holding some cake from the dinner , that Lizzy had given her, "we saved this one for you," that was a lie but she still said it, quickly regretting it. She placed the plate on the wall of the fence.

He had a sweetness in his eyes, when he admitted, "sorry I didn't go, I wasn't feeling in the mood today, I gotta admit when you told me this morning, I was angry,"

She stepped to his direction, "I understand, " She joined his side, as he was leaning on the fence, "I didn't want to tell you that I was leaving before because, then I'd see you the next day, and the next day until the date arrived, it would have hurt me having to say goodbye all of those days."

He turned to see her, "It hurt me thinking you didn't plan to tell me, I thought you to be angry at me and then leaving," he was calmed, and not as sad as he thought he was, he knew then that the ideas she had of her hating him , were false.

She turned so now they were face to face, leaning on the fence, "even if that were true, we're seeing each other some other day... in the future," she ventured to assure, but at the same time she felt like an icepick inside her heart, she came to the realisation that maybe it would be the last time she'd have to talk that intimate to him, at least in a long time. What if that friendship went lost?

With a warm smile he simply nodded, "Do you remember that time I walked you to John's, for the first time that is." With a bubbly voice he confessed, "I greeted John at the party, and he told me you'd come with him — and Lucas," he playfully rolled his eyes, "I decided in that moment that I wanted to walk you home, I told myself I had the whole party to prepare how was I gonna entertain while we walked."

She let out a giggle, "entertain me? Like a clown?"

He also giggle and covered his mouth, not wanting to be loud, "Don't mock  my flirting strategies, please. That's what worked for me with girls," he gently fixed her hair behind her left ear, "I had no idea then that you didn't even plan to stay for the party, you were fuming,"

A blush creeped across her face, "I remember, I told you to stay away," she imitated her mad voice.

With a grin he simply cannot contain, he continued, "It didn't occur to me until I was walking home alone, that I didn't used any of my previous ideas, it just came natural being and talking with you."

She lovingly stroke his shoulder, "I truly enjoyed our talks, even those where you criticised me,"

Paul hid his face with one hand, "My number one problem, I have tons of faults but I tell other about theirs; please don't take them seriously,"

"Oh I will," she said with a wide smile, and raised her eyebrows, she began to imitate his accent and voice, "how would you know the difference if you don't even date..."

"I didn't say that! Did I?"

She laughed a bit more, "yeah, something along those lines,"

He rolled his eyes at himself again, "Can't believe my tongue sometimes," he grabbed her hand, "sorry about that too, I understand better why you wanted to get rid of me so quickly, "

"No I didn't," she knew she was about to confess something she couldn't even describe feeling, "you're a part of my life that I'm going to miss so much not having at a arm's reach,"

"just a part?" He got closer, trying to tease her.

She nervously grabbed her hand as she fidgeted with her fingers, "not like a small one,"

"So big part?"

Ella squinted her eyes, and in crossed arms she gave up, "sure,"

Paul jokingly teased her more, "what are we even talking about Ella...what parts are we talking about?"

She looked up and giggled, "oh gosh stop,"

He began to tickle her, and continue with his 'double entendre' , "We'll have to send you to church more often, Miss. Marroco,"

They had an unexpected voyeur, John shouted from his room, "just kiss already so I can go to sleep."

Ella shook her head in a state of embarrassment and annoyance, "I'll see you some other day, in the future, Paul,"

He was looking at her intently, "you bet," he leaned close to her, and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek, very close to her mouth, but he had decided already that if he kissed her well, he'd have to ask her to stay. Something he'd regret, placing that doubt in her head.

All the street could hear John shout at his friend, "Wanker!"