It was St Valentine's day, for everyone's surprise the song that won was September in the Rain, it was an older song from the ones they usually had in their repertoire. But the mood was a lively one, the stage was decorated to fit the mood of the date, and everyone seemed to be celebrating with their friends or partners. Ella was picking all the papers with names from the raffle, when the two winners approached to her.
"We wanted to thank the hand that chose us as the winner," one of the girls, named Anette said to Ella."This is my cousin, Wendy , I bought those tickets so she could dedicate the song to her fiancé, but he bailed on her."
The girl laughed, "Oh my god, you're such dramatic lass," she turned to look at Ella, "he didn't bailed on me, he has to work," Wendy took the arm of her cousin, jokingly telling her to stop.
Ella took the box with the tickets and told them, "I'm glad then, because when they," she pointed at the band, "get popular, you may tell your future husband how he missed the opportunity of getting a song dedicated and performed by the Beatles."
Wendy, elbowing her cousin's stomach said, "See! I can use that in my favour, to blackmail him with that, 'Remember when you had to work and you missed the opportunity of a life time? ... I think we need a new stove'" she joked.
"Colin's gonna need a new shift at work," Anette replied.
"I'm Ella," she said, "by the way. Congratulations on your engagement! I'm still glad I chose you as the winners."
"Are you from around here, Ella?" Wendy asked.
"I've been here since last October, I work at NEMs, with mr. Epstein" she told them.
The Beatles had ended their last number, as another band was settling their instruments.
"Oh that's right, he's with the Beatles now, right? I always knew they meant to do this professionally," Anette said,
Ella was going to ask them if they knew them, but before she could ask, Wendy answered her question.
"I see Paul is back with her again," she stated, "I had no idea Cleo came back,"
Ella turned and saw Cleo in fact hugging Paul, she was rushing him to tell goodbye to his bandmates.
"I guess she's no staying at her mum's," Anette answered, she saw Ella was confused , "that girl!," she pointed, " was a classmate of ours, she lived next to our flat too, Paul was always visiting her,"
"Was?" She didn't turned to see them, Ella stared as Paul was holding Cleo's hand , seeing them leave the place.
"Yeah! This was back in the 60'? Or no! I think it was last summer."
"Last year?" She could barely ask, her mind was going in circles, thinking on how was this bad, or maybe good? She had no idea how to process the news, "They knew each other from before?" Ella thought she had thought that last question, but in fact it had left her lips.
Looking at her cousin then, looking at Ella, Anette stated, "You didn't know her?"
"I did! I mean I do," she turned to see the girls, "Cleo is Paul's girlfriend," she said nervously ,that made her drop the box with the tickets, "I'm sorry I'm a fool," she began to pick up the papers.
Wendy was a very empathetic person, more that she's wanted, unlike her cousin, she understood that this girl they'd just met was in shock, "We're going for some chips, wanna join?" She said helping her with the box.
They were being very friendly, and at that time Ella truly needed someone to talk to, she took the box, and agreed to join them.
"It was destiny, wasn't it? Me... choosing your names out of the 139 people in that raffle?"she asked them after a short conversation.
"What do you mean?" Anette asked, offering the vinegar to add to the chips.
She added a little to her food, and continued, "She... Cleo and Paul told me, well no", she corrected "they made me believe that I ... this was back in December, I introduced them, as if they didn't know each other from before."
"Rude!" Anette said.
"Nothing new in Cleo," Wendy stated, "she always has to be the better one, in everything. Do not take it personal." She said as she pat her shoulder.
Wanting to get rid of the feeling of complete annoyance she tried to change the subject, "When's the wedding?" Ella asked.
With a red face Wendy answered that it was for the next December, "When all the city looks magical with the Christmas lights,"
"Great idea! The city decorating for free the day of your wedding." Ella said making them laugh, she took a sip of a glass bottled coca-cola.
"Yeah, and that'd be the only free thing," Wendy added, "thank the lord for that extra job as a nanny."
Suddenly Ella was curious, she wanted to more save money , and didn't want to ask Mimi from the money her father sent, even though Mimi insisted everyday if she needed some dosh, cash. "Is it difficult?"
"Not at all, even I did it during winter break; some ladies from Shireburn road need the mornings to have breakfast with their other wealthy friends, they're always in need of a nanny." Anette assured her."
"Are you looking for a new job?" The other girl asked.
She nodded, as she ate some chips, "Actually, a second one. The thing is I thought I was going to leave this city by the end of February, so a friend is working the mornings at NEMs, and me in the afternoon."
"Then you had a change of plans," Wendy guessed.
Ella didn't answered, she felt angry thinking how his brother arrival to Liverpool, and him snooping on her activities, had delayed any process to finally be free from them.
"Oh don't worry, give us your telephone number, we'll recommend you."
She arrived at Mendips, and at the same time she saw Lennon arriving from the other side, she looked at her watch, "9pm that's early!" She said.
He put his arm around her shoulders, "Nah! Mimi's not here to scold me for arriving late, besides is Valentine's night, I simply came here to change from this sweaty shirt."
They entered the house, before John reached the top of the stairs, Ella shouted his name. She noticed the small desk's drawer was opened, and the papers and letters inside it not in order, it was as if someone rummaged in it. "Someone broke in, I believe." She said going to the kitchen, to see if something was missing.
John immediately went upstairs, holding an umbrella and checking all the rooms. But nothing else seemed to be missing, nor in disarray. "Is there a broken window? I don't think someone was here." he returned to where she was.
In fact, besides the desk papers, everything was as she had left it when she went out that morning. Then she deducted, it wasn't a thief. She went up to her room, everything was in order, but then she saw her suitcase was slightly out from below the bed. That's when she panicked. "My passport!" Opening it and looking at the "secret" , now not so secret pocket in it , was when she confirmed her fear. "Jeremy took my passport."
Her cousin kneeled next to her, and helped her look in the suitcase again, but in vain. "Maybe you left it somewhere else?" He suggested.
"No, I always keep my travelling papers inside my suitcase, that way I don't forget where I leave them." Feeling some tears in her eyes, she cleaned them, and then told John that he could leave.
"Are you sure? I can stay if you need me," he said, not very convinced of his own suggestion.
Ella smiled at him, "I am, this - I'll fix it , don't worry. Go have fun."
Now she was convinced that the person following her, had been taking orders from her family, he must've figured out about the letters her aunt was sending, and their plan of taking back her own, and her mother's money. Without her passport, it was impossible to travel to New York, she couldn't ask for a replacement, because she'd need her stepmother for that, since thanks to her she had double citizenship.
I'm so sorry! it was a hard semester in the Uni, but I'm back and just checking some grammar in the chapters, but I swear I'll be more consistent now that I have it almost t finished:) xx hugs and thank you for reading .
I hope you have a lovely week and that this stress of being human doesn't affect you. :/ ♥
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