Restoration in the River

You're The One

Her words remained in her mind and she hurried to her bedroom to change.

"It's about time!! I have been waiting for years for you to come to me and for us to have this conversation! So, this means you're leaving us for good or can you still come in every once in a while!?"

She smiled at her boss. "I have FAR more important things on my mind! You'll find someone to replace me!"  

"Oh, I don't know about that! But we all wish you the best of luck! Come in tomorrow for a proper goodbye! A lot of the staff will want the chance, I'll start letting them know this afternoon!"

She checked the time and headed out the door. Her Mawko and Julian shouldn't have made it to the park yet, she wanted to surprise him.

*

Mawko's nails scratched on the bitumen road as they headed to the park in Highgate Hill.

The dog walked leisurely so she wasn't straining Julian, who at that stage, didn't have to use his stick.

"Does she really like me Mawko?" He asked the dog. "I want nothing more than to settle down with her, marry her and grow old with her! Are we too old for kids do you think? Well, at least one child!"

Mawko gave a howl, her tail wagging. It was like she was talking to him, understanding what he was telling her.

The past few weeks, he had found himself talking to Emmaline's dog, sometimes late at night when he couldn't sleep because his side was giving him grief. He didn't want to disturb Emmaline, she always looked so beautiful and peaceful when she slept. 

He liked watching her sleep, especially when there was enough natural light from the moon shining into the master bedroom.

"And what does Miss Mawko have to offer in terms of wise advice?" Came a voice.

He looked up. Emmaline was sitting on top of one of the tables under a shelter in the park, next to the river. Next to her sat a picnic basket.

He broke into a smile, Mawko, excited to see her Emmaline, barked at him to let the leash go so she didn't pull and hurt him.

Once he had, she shot off like a rocket and ran straight for the doctor who had the biggest grin on her face.

For a few moments, while Julian took his time to get over to them, Emmaline and Mawko had a hug.

"Why don't you join me, Mr Lennon?" She offered, revealing what was in the picnic basket.

"Pink lemonade!" He said excitedly as she poured him a cup. "It's been a long time since I've had pink lemonade! Homemade?"

She grinned "try it and find out for yourself!" 

He took a sip of the hot pink liquid. "Oooh, that's got a real 'tang' to it!" He said. "Leaves a refreshing taste in your mouth! Is that the mint?" 

"Yes, Dad used to love it when Mum made it for him, then he used to make it for me all the time! Every year he would make several large pitchers full for my birthday party!"

"How many years did he make the lemonade?" Julian asked as she pulled a plate full of sandwiches from the basket.

"I had a party for my birthday every year until I was twenty-one!" She said, pulling the glad wrap from the plate. "Dad insisted I have a birthday party every year, so every year he threw one!"

Julian smiled and took a finger sandwich she was offering, "May I give one to her?" He asked pointing to the dog who was busily shaking the squeaky toy in her mouth as she lay on the grass. "Mawko, Miss Mawko? Here girl!" he said throwing the sandwich in the air

The dog lept up and caught the sandwich mid-air, and ate it within seconds.

"She won't leave you alone now!" Emmaline warned, with a grin.

 The dog stuck her cold wet nose in the palm of Julian's right hand, almost to say 'I'm here...don't ignore me!'

"She's never taken to anyone like she's taken to you!" She marvelled, watching him pat her dog. "Maybe she sees something...she can sense it! She and I have something in common you know?"

"And what's that?" He asked, sipping his lemonade. 

"That we both know that we want you to stick around for a very long time! I have something I have to tell you. Julian, I resigned from my job at The Brisbane Private today and I will also be resigning from the Wesley Hospital."

He listened, stunned. 

 "I now have the option of working just two days a week, Monday and Tuesday at a doctor's surgery in the CBD, but that will come much later!" She took his hand "I want nothing more than to be by your side and help you in your endeavours and life! You do so much! Your schedule was always jam-packed and since you've come over here to live with me, you've had to put it on the backburner! Well, no longer! How can I be of assistance with The White Feather Foundation?"

He smiled at her "just being by my side is enough!"

"Julian..." She began, leaning in to kiss him as Mawko looked on. "I think I'm falling in love with you!"

"Well good! Because I fell in love with you the moment you introduced yourself! I just never thought I'd ever land a doctor!" He said with a grin.  

"And what were the chances of landing the son of John Lennon?" She grinned. 

"Well, there's only two of us you know?" He said kissing her. "And my brother has been taken for over thirteen years!" 

"You know, I'd like to see someone try and take him from Charlotte!" She grinned.

He grinned back as he had another drink of his lemonade. "She's like the Jaguar on my stick you know, if another woman even looks at Sean with lust in her eyes she'd tear her to shreds! I wish they'd get married, or she'd get pregnant at least! She's my only hope of me becoming an Uncle!"

She gave his hand a squeeze "be patient, she's only young! What is she? Thirty-something?"

"She's thirty-three this year," Julian said, choosing another sandwich.

"Is that all??" Emmaline exclaimed, "She's only a spring chicken! She's got her whole life ahead of her to marry and push out babies!"

"Yeah but he's twelve years older than her!" Julian said, finishing another sandwich and then kissing her again, then he looked down.

"Hey," she said lifting his chin up with her finger. "Let's not worry about him Mr Lennon, let's concentrate on us!"

"I have a few close friends I have recorded and written songs with over the years, is it okay if I ask them to come to your place so we can discuss some options? I also will have to get to New York for the release of Love The Earth at Barnes and Noble. That's after my birthday, early May, I think?" 

"You know who I have always wanted to meet?" She asked him. "Mark Spiro, didn't he help you write Saltwater? I love that song!" 

He smiled "Yes he did, he's one of my oldest, dearest friends! He'll be one of my mates coming over, as well as Nick Wood and you remember Justin!?"

"Oh yes, I remember Mr Clayton! Does he still have that appetite?" She answered.

"I swear it gets bigger every time I see him!" He told her.

"When do they get here?" She asked.

He smiled and kissed her.