Restoration in the River

Invisible

"Oh, one of those...this night could be...." 

"A fucking disaster! I warned you, Lennon, I warned you!" She said as they headed up the path to the outside entertainment area where the guests were beginning to mingle.

"You're not angry with me for wanting to go tonight are you?" He stopped her.

Mia had noticed the pair standing on the stone path leading up to the back entertaining area and was now watching them with keen interest. 

"You should meet the only family I have, Mr Lennon....and then perhaps you'll see why I keep clear of them. Mark is not blood to me like Sean is to you. He is my brother but we are nothing alike!" 

"Maybe we should head back to our accommodation..." He started to suggest.

"Too late for that now, she's seen us!" Emmaline said, trying to end the conversation before Mia got close enough to hear.

"Hello, darlings! Welcome to our brand new piece of paradise!! So happy you could actually come!" Mia chirped, sickly sweet.

"Hello, Mia" Emmaline put on a smile to try and keep the peace.

"This must be the son of a Beatle??" Her eyes twinkled with delight as she offered her hand to Julian and leaned in to kiss him on both cheeks. "Mr Julian Lennon!"

"Yes, that's me! It's a pleasure to meet you! Thank you for inviting us Mia" he said with a smile.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Julian!" She beamed. "Are you okay with your stick? Something happen to you did it sugar?" 

Emmaline strongly resisted in rolling her eyes. Mark would have told her, this was all one big show. Having Julian there was just the icing on the cake.

"Oh, I was knocked into the Nile and attacked by a male hippo," He told her, she had by now offered her arm to him and they were walking away from a shocked Emmaline. 

Shocked for only a second, this happened over and over again. Mark never had the balls to do anything about it though. 

 She felt invisible.

Mia was all over him "That must have been terrifying, ohh you poor thing..."

Emmaline headed up to mingle with the guests, just hoping that he'd see sense and come back to her.

 He didn't.

She watched him smiling and laughing with all of the other guests.

"Hey Sis" Came Mark's voice to her right, "mind if I join you?"  

"Be my guest," She said, with no emotion.

"Everything okay??" He asked.

"Never better!" She said, holding a glass of champagne, her eyes locked on Julian. 

"You liar!" He said, chuckling. "Having Jules here tonight is good for her, she's been down as of late!"

"Well, I'm happy that Julian was able to make your wife feel better, my brother!"  She said, smiling.

"Can I please have everyone's attention?" Mia's voice could be heard. "Before we all sit down to dinner, I have a little show planned, we are so blessed and honoured to have Mr Julian Lennon with us tonight, and we'd be so happy if you'd sing a couple of songs for us! I have a piano if that helps so you don't have to sing solo." 

Emmaline watched him closely as he smiled and kissed Mia's cheek and headed over to her white baby grand piano.

"Just like the one you used when you wrote Imagine, Julian!" Mia said sweetly as she smiled at him.

He realised then and there that he had done the exact opposite of what he told Emmaline, he had ignored her for half the evening to 'mingle' with her sister in law and her friends.

"Can you sing your song Imagine? it's much better than that shit song Saltwater that your father wrote!" She cooed. "Imagine is such a beautiful song!"

"What's wrong with Saltwater, Amelia?" He asked.

Did she honestly have no idea?

"It's just fake and basically...." She trailed off, studying him closely. "Your Father wrote Saltwater, didn't he?" 

"Google it, dear," Julian said, standing up from the piano. "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologise, but I will not be performing tonight, I wasn't told I was just meant to be 'the entertainment!' And for the record, I think Saltwater is a beautiful song...I wrote it!" 

He approached Emmaline with some sweets from the candy table.

"Can you ever forgive me, my dear?" He asked.   

She looked away from him, avoiding all eye contact. Deep down he had really hurt her. She knew they weren't a couple but it still hurt...

 "Emmaline, please?" Came his voice again. "I'm so sorry I hurt you and didn't believe you..."

She stood up, tears glistening in her eyes. "I have to get back home, the Brisbane Private Hospital is short of doctors, I hope the New year is a good one for you Mr Lennon, take care!" 

She didn't even try to kiss his cheek, she just left him standing there holding the bag of chocolates.

He watched her head out to the road where a taxi had pulled  up.

"Give her time Julian..." Came Mark's voice.

"Fuck your stupid party!" Julian snapped, crushing the chocolates in his hand and then he stormed off, determined to make it up to Emmaline. 

What do we all think of this latest instalment? It could change the dynamics of the whole story! Thoughts?