It wasn't long until the boys were back on their magical mystery tour, and I was staying with my father, who was terrified to have heard of what happened and vowed not to allow me to stress as long as I stayed with he and the family, which mostly meant keeping the kids busy and out of my hair.
It hadn't even been at my father's for an hour when I had heard the doorbell ring, and I was about to get up from the knitting my fathers wife Rosetta was teaching me before getting told to sit down and relax by my father, who got up and went for the door.
"So, is George hoping for a boy or a girl?" Rosetta inquired without any ill intent, yet the question caused an unsettling feeling in my stomach.
There was so much tension and so many unexpected events in our lives lately I didn't even know the answer to the question, though I felt it was such a simplistic question.
"I dunno. We haven't actually talked about it yet. I'm sure he'd like to teach a son a thing or two about the guitar, and, drag racing, though it might throw me into cardiac arrest." I let out a small chuckle to which she smiled.
"Its funny. I can tell how much you love George just by the way your eyes light up when you talk about him." She smiled scanning over my face carefully.
He makes it hard sometimes.
"Poppy, it's for you dear," my father spoke cautiously.
I got up and went to see who it was, only to find it was none other than Eric Clapton, the cause of George's grief himself.
My father gave us a moment and I stepped out onto the porch, feeling the September breeze blow my hair back from my face.
I watched Eric's unmoving state as he seemed to be zoned out, deep in thought, though, also probably a little high.
"Eric? Why did you come to see me?" I smiled with a small laugh.
"Right, that. Poppy, I know that with what's been going on with you and George has been tough, and this all may be bad timing, but I-" he trailed off seeing my facial expression morph into confusion, "will you come to a gig I have tomorrow?" He seemed to have changed his course nervously, then cussing to himself for his actions.
"Don't be silly Eric, of course I will." I smiled trying to read his expression, seeing him perk back up immediately, by now my bed rest sentence was only supposed to be a little while longer, and I'd be back to being by George's side and everything would get back to the way it was.
I hesitated for a moment after I agreed, he had come all the way here only to ask my to watch his show?
"Would d'you like to stay for lunch Eric?" Rosetta offered peaking her head out of the front door.
"Oh I couldn't intrude on you-" he started uncertainly, looking over to me innocently.
Could he be more obvious?
"Eric, come on." I laughed and took his hand, leading him into the house. I still had an unsettling feeling there was more he wanted to say, but I didn't want to be the one to ask.
Though I knew he caused George so much panic, he was at the end of the day a friend of both mine and his, and I didn't want to lose his friendship over George's jealous mind. Especially since what he's done with his own band members wives.
Not that it still bothered me, at least that's what I told myself.
Since Harry and Caroline were off to school and Teddy was taking a nap, it was only Rosetta, my father, Eric and I at the table, and I couldn't help but to be in awe about how good Eric went about talking to them.
"-and then, finally, by the time Poppy had realized she'd been talking to John instead of George on the phone, they'd already arranged plans for a trip to the Caribbean." Eric laughed causing both Rosetta and my father to laugh along.
"In my defence, I was drunk, and John is scarily good at impressions," I paused, a shiver running up my spine from the thought of that memory, "ask my headmaster from the institute, never doubted that it was Brian calling me in sick for a second." I chuckled causing the laughter to erupt louder.
When the laughter subsided, I couldn't help but feel mournful Of Brian, of Liverpool, and how different things seemed now.
Eric spent some time talking with us and I couldn't help but actually let some of the weight I felt lift off my shoulders, Eric usually had the ability to do that.
We had spoken about the plans to go watch his set tomorrow with Cream, and I couldn't help but feel my heart flutter with excitement, it had been so long since I've been to a live concert, and it being Eric's concert, made it all the more better.
"Before I go, Poppy, I came, to sing to you a song I wrote, but I uh-" he cleared his throat, "I'll be debuting tomorrow," he gave a weary smile as we were making our way to the front door.
"Well I'll be there." I smiled assuring him, reaching up and sliding my hand down his arm comfortingly,. Considering he looked nervous about his new song. I'd done the same many times for George when he was nervous about one of his new songs, and I hoped the same would work for Eric.
He warm gaze hesitated on my hand for a moment, then made its way back up to my face slowly, a wide grin spreading.
He leaned down and placed a small kiss on my cheek.
"I hope so." He smiled charmingly, before we had to say our goodbyes.
The rest of the day I couldn't help but be in a smiling mood, Eric had been so polite to my family, and he really had made me feel better about not being able to get back out on the tour bus just yet. I was sure I'd be fine to pop in to Eric's gig, I had to be, he seemed so adamant I come, and I didn't want to let him down.
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There was a knock from the other side of my fathers guest room door, and I assumed automatically it was my father knocking to check on me, which he'd been doing frequently when I was in the room getting ready to leave for Eric's gig to make sure I was still alive and I wasn't fainting and need another trip to the hospital, which I appreciated, but every five minutes was a bit excessive.
"Come in." I smiled as I looked in the vanity mirror, sliding in a pair of earrings on.
"Suprise-" George began, sliding his way into the room with a bouquet with a beautiful variation of flowers, causing my smile to brighten. He always was keen on flowers and gardening, so it was no surprise the bouquet was breathtaking.
"Oh, George." I began breathlessly.
"The bus had some technical issues so I thought I could come see how you're doing, maybe take you out for dinner? It's been too long since I've done that." He extended out the flowers shyly, biting his lower lip shamefully.
My heart fluttered at his thoughtfulness, but I quickly felt my stomach drop in realization that I was supposed to go to see Eric preform.
"I-"
"-were you going somewhere?" He looked me up and down curiously, notice how I had put on a short long sleeve white dress and made an effort in my makeup and hair.
"Well, Eric invited me to watch him preform tonight, but I can call to cancel-" I became unsure of myself, letting out a small sigh and going toward the telephone set in the room.
There was hesitation in George's features for a moment.
"No, lets go. It's been awhile since I've seen him play." He grabbed onto my free hand to stop me and forced a small grin.
"You're sure?" I scanned over his features in confusing, unsure if I was talking to my husband.
"Yeah, as long as we can get something to eat before, I'm absolutely starved." George grabbed onto his stomach, moping.
"You're always starved." I laughed repeating it the way he'd said it.
If only the rest of the night had gone by as smoothy as the beginning.
