Chapter Six: In My Life

"With lovers and friends I still can recall. Some are dead and some are living."
-Lennon

This was the one time of year Audrey hated. It have her most wanted memories. Some people lost a friend, neighbor,cousin, aunt, sister, daughter,  wife, mother. But to Audrey she lost her guidance. The one person she could go and talk to. She looked up to her and wanted to be exactly like her when she was older. That was why she was a school teacher. Because she was one.

It was cold and Audrey stood at the grave with her aunt and father. It had been only been over a year since her mother had died and she had never left Audrey's thoughts. The one thing that she wanted in the world was to see her mother once again and apologise for all the times that she was rude to her, especially before she died.

"I miss her." Audrey mumbled into her fathers chest.

"I know dear," Her father said as he stroked her hair. "I miss her too."

Her aunt didn't say anything. She just stood there looking at her sister's grave. Audrey's aunt, Susan had also always looked up to he older sister. Susan had always envied her sister. Her sister had the perfect life, a husband, a daughter, a well paying job, a nice house. The list went all. But when she had walked in the hospital and saw her sister on her deathbed, all jealously disappeared. Susan now wishes she had kept their childhood friendship instead of holding a silly, childish grudge against her.

Audrey's eyes fell to the engraving on the headstone.

"Here lies Elizabeth Rose Gilbert,

A loving mother and wife,

She will be missed."

Audrey's once again filled with tears and she placed her head onto her father's shoulder and softly cried. She wished all the times that her mother took her ballet classes when she was five would come back, even though her toes hurt every time she did ballet she still wanted to go to ballet with her mother.

The day started to roll into lunch and Audrey was at home by herself going through photo albums of her childhood. She smiled at some of her favourite memories, like when she got a doll for the fifth birthday and the pet cat that she got for Christmas. It made it even more special because in the back of every black and white photograph was her mother giving her only daughter a lovingly glance.

Audrey's peaceful afternoon was interrupted by a phone call. Audrey stumbled over to the landline and answered the phone.

"Hello Audrey speaking." Audrey said politely as she didn't know who it was.

"'Ello Audrey." A man replied. Audrey instantly knew who it was and smiled. 

"And what do I owe this pleasure Paul?" Audrey said as her smile grew bigger.

"I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner tonight?" Paul asked her down the line.

"Um, I, well..." Audrey stuttered. She knew that she couldn't go to dinner tonight with Paul as she was going have dinner with her family as it was her mother's anniversary. "I have a dinner with my family." She regrettably told Paul the news.

"Oh, well." Paul stumbled over his words. He knew that Audrey couldn't always be free, and she knew that he couldn't always be free either, but he didn't expect her to not say yes. "That's fine." Paul said a smooth recovery.

Audrey may have not known Paul for that long but she could hear the disappointment in his voice. Then an idea came to Audrey. Paul had yet to meet her family so why doesn't he meet them now?

"Actually." Audrey said in  hopes to gain back Paul's attention.

"Yes?" Paul said hopefully.

"Would you like to meet my family tonight?" Audrey said slowly.

"I would love to." Paul smiled. Audrey could also hear the smile in his voice. "I'll come over later then?" Paul said.

"Sure! About half past four?" Audrey asked Paul.

"Yeah that works." Paul said thoughtfully as he knew that he had a meeting with the band for the next up-coming album and few singles to come. He could possibly leave a little earlier and get one of the lads to fill him in sometime next week.

***

Paul sighed after a long conversation with Audrey over the phone. To him she sounded sad and longing, like she wanted someone with her, that could never be with her. Paul had to admit that he was worried, this was probably one of his 'girlfriends' that he connected with and had deep feelings for. He really wanted to find out what was wrong with her.

Paul checked the time and realised that he should make his way to the meeting with the band soon. Not knowing what they were going to do Paul ran around the house trying to find his guitar. Soon after he had found it he put it safely in his car. He started to drive into the direction of Ringo's house. Every two weeks when they have these meetings they alternate houses. Last week it was George's, this weeks was Ringo's and next week was Paul's.

After locking up his house Paul hoped into his car and drove off to Ringo's house. The London traffic wasn't busy -well for a normal day in London- so Paul soon made it Ringo's house quicker than he was anticipating. He pulled up to Ringo's house and saw that he was the first person there.

He walked up to the door and knocked on the door. Maureen answered.

"Hello Paul." She smiled at him.

"'Ello Maureen." Paul replied with a nod of his head.

"Ringo is in the sitting room." Maureen said to Paul. "I"m pretty sure he has Chuck Berry blasting right now." Maureen laughed.

"I bet he does." Paul laughed as well.

Paul walked inside as soon and Maureen step aside to let Paul into the house. He kicked of his shoes and walked down the hallway of the reasonably new house. True to what Maureen had said in the sitting room Ringo was listening to Chuck Berry. Ringo was swinging his head and clicking his fingers to the rhythm.

"Hey mate." Paul said.

"Oh, hi." Ringo exclaimed as he was broken out of his little trance.

Soon the rest of the band came in and were eating sandwiches and drinking juice that Maureen had recently put out in front of the lads. Of course George was the first person to dive head first into all of the sandwiches as the other lads just sat back for a little bit. They had talked about the band, planned for a second album to come out before the end of the year,  a few more singles, and attempted to write a few songs, but now they were talking to each other about more personal things.

"What's got you so glum?" John asked Paul as he noticed his friend being a little down.

"It's Audrey." Paul sighed.

"What's wrong?" John said.

"Yeah I thought I was 'earing wedding bells in the future." George said.

"No nothing is wrong like that or anything." Paul said in a rush.

"What happen'd." George said.

"Audrey just seemed a bit disconnected today when I spoke to her." Paul admitted.

"Well why don't ya find out what's wrong with 'er." Ringo said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You know I might do that." Paul said with a new found confidence. Paul looked at his watch. "Alright see ya lads." Paul said.

"Where are ya goin'?" Ringo asked.

"To pick up Audrey for dinner." Paul replied as he walked out of the room.

***

a/n: The wifi has came back on at home now! I can also use the computer now as the broadband is hooked up to the computer again! I hope you have a wonderful week! I have a solo performance for music 😒😒.

-ash 💕