Restoration in the River

Stand By Me

"So, I need you to help me," Julian said over the phone.

"Well, let's start with me 'helping you' to NOT call me before the sun rises!" Sean said as he checked the alarm clock on his bedside table. "Do you want to take a shot at telling me what time it is here in New York City?"

"Oh...shit, sorry Sean," Julian said biting his lip as he checked on dinner, Emmaline was having a bath.

"It's 4:36, in the MORNING, Julian!" He growled as he flopped back onto his pillow, waking Charlotte up in the process.

"Who the fuck is that?" She hissed.

"Just my older brother, that doesn't know the time difference between Brisbane and New York City yet!" He told her.

"Uggh!" She groaned, rolling over and pulling the blankets over her head.

"Seriously Sean, look...I have to ring you now because I want to do something for Emmaline that she'll never forget and she's taking a bath right now, so..."

"All right! All right!" He gave in "What is this 'something' that will blow your Doctor away?"

"First, can you get me an unautographed poster of the cast of Gotham?" He asked.

"You've got my full attention, what are you planning?" He asked.

"I want to arrange a surprise breakfast here, at Emmaline's place, with the cast of Gotham," Julian said. "I might have to get in touch with a few friends of mine in L.A to pull it off!"

"I'll send a poster over ASAP and I suggest you get in touch with the guy who plays Alfred Pennyworth, that's the Wayne's butler, a Mr Sean Pertwee," Sean suggested.

"That's right! He's British, isn't he?" Julian said. "Thanks, Sean, so sorry for waking you!"

"You are lucky I love you!" Sean said, hanging up.

Julian stifled a laugh as he looked down at his iPhone, quickly getting to work. He searched for Sean Pertwee's social media accounts.

"You look like a man on a mission!" Came Emmaline's voice. She looked all comfy in her pyjamas.

He looked up "Sean just sent me something, brother stuff!" He made up. "So, I made Sticky Pork Belly with Vietnamese-style salad & smashed peanuts for dinner, and for dessert, I thought an Italian Trifle with Marsala Syrup"

She had begun to smile.

"I'm not going to serve alcoholic drinks with dinner as you're on antibiotics," He told her.

"If you want to have a drink with dinner, feel free Julian," She told him. "What do you fancy?"

"What do you have? There's nothing in your fridge" He asked.

She went over to her Father's antique bar and opened it.

Inside, there had to be thousands of dollars worth of spirits and liqueurs.

"Wow! You don't have the cheap stuff do ya?" He chuckled. "Just how much do you have Doctor?"

"In what? Money wise? Net worth wise? Property wise?"

"Everything wise!" He said, "see, this is why you might have been attacked!"

"How so?" She asked, curiously "I've been wealthy since the day I was born, Julian, and I would still trade it all in to have the chance to have met my Mother"

Julian gazed at Robert's and Elizabeth's wedding portrait. "She was beautiful. Emmaline, she really was!" When he turned around, however, there were tears running down her cheeks.