Take Me To Church (A John Lennon Story)

Chapter Thirteen: What Have They Done?

John had to leave at the end of the day before Alta got home, but he promised to visit soon.  But that night, when Sean and I were supposed to be asleep, I heard Alta discussing something frantic with her husband in their living room.  

"What are we supposed to tell her?"  

"Perhaps we shouldn't mention it."  

"We have to."  

I crept closer to the entryway of the living room, trying my hardest not to make a sound.  "It would be unwise to tell a shocked girl that her father escaped."  

Without warning, I let out a cry.  Alta turned towards me.  "Ariel, my dear...it's alright."  I fell to my knees and she took my hands.  "You're safe here.  Don't cry.  Please, do not be upset."  

"He's going to kill me!  He's insane!"  I sobbed, clutching my arms.  Sean emerged from his room to see what was wrong.  He knelt down next to me and said something I couldn't understand.  Then he too held onto me.  "I want to see John.  He knows what to do...he calms me down."  

Alta shook her head.  "It's late.  We can't get John now."  I wasn't certain if she knew who John was, and Sean blurted, "He loves her.  And she loves him.  They were kissing."  Alta turned to her son.  "I see.  You should go back to your room now, Sean."  He protested, not wanting to leave me alone.  I retorted saying that I wanted to be alone, which Alta protested against.  "Ariel, we just want to help."  

"I need to be alone.  Please.  That's all I'm asking."  I stood and ran back into my room, shutting the door quickly.  Alta knkocked on it loudly.  "Ariel!  You need to open up!"  

Sitting on my bed, I did my best to ignore her knocks and Sean's pleading outside.  All I wanted was for John to be here, holding onto me.  And...I'd fall asleep in his arms.  Fall asleep forever.  

The thought sounded so appealing...

But instead I simply fell asleep, only to wake the next morning.  

I apologized to Alta about what happened, but she certainly did not look happy.  However she did hug me, and said she was there for me.  If I needed anything or wanted to talk, she was happy to listen.  

When John came over we sat on the front steps and talked.  It was all rather awkward until I told him what I had heard the night before.  He was livid.  "How could they let him get away!  I should get some of the guys and look for him.  We'd turn him in, but not without teaching him a lesson first."  I touched his shoulder and refused, but then his expression turned quickly.  "You've never met my mates, have you?  I have a rehearsal for the band in an hour or so.  You should come."  

"Would they mind?"

"I'm the leader of the band.  They can't mind.  Besides, you never really talk anyway, so how could you offend them?" he teased.  I pouted playfully.  He kissed my cheek.  "But promise me that you won't do anything with them."  

I shook my head.  "How could I?  I don't need any boy besides you."  

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As soon as John and I walked in, I felt completely out of place.  Everyone just seemed to drop what they were doing and stare.  I swallowed hard.  When he introduced me to all of the lads, I did my best to smile, even though I felt incredibly uncomfortable.  

They offered me a chair to sit in, which I accepted.  One of the lads couldn't stop watching me and it was starting to set me on edge.  He and John briefly stepped into the other room.  I could only imagine what they were saying.

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"She's a fit bird, alright.  Very quiet, though.  I wasn't expecting that."  Paul said as they found something to drink.  "She really isn't your type."

John grew more and more annoyed everytime someone said that.  "I know she isn't loud...but she's different.  And, look, Paul, she's been through a lot lately so you better not tease her or I'll smash your guitar over your head."

He held his hands in the air, meaning he wanted to cause no harm.  "I'm not going to tease her, mate, I swear.  I've heard what that bastard did to her.  It was awful.  If anything, I'm glad you didn't leave her for another whore who tries to chat up George and me at the same time."  

The older boy looked over at his girlfriend, who was watching George and Pete try to play a song by themselves.  It was hard to explain how he felt about her.  On the night he asked her on a date, she wore what she felt comfortable...meanwhile many of the other girlrs he had asked, like Charlotte, met him in the most provocative dress they owned.  And while that was appealing to John in some ways...he never realized how much he liked to simply talk with a girl.  Walk with her...and hold her hand.  

He had never known what he was missing before.  But how could you miss something that you had never had?  

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As I watched the youngest fiddle with his guitar, he turned to me and asked if I played any instruments.  

"I once took piano lessons.  But that was long ago."

"Do you like music?"

"Oh, yes.  I have a big appreciation of it now that I can listen to it."  

He furrowed his brow for a moment before quickly brushing my comment aside.  In a lower voice he said, "I heard about your father...I'm really sorry about that.  But we really like you too, so consider us your friends too."  I smiled at him, because I had been afraid that this whole time I had been intruding.  

There was a crash in the kitchen, and Paul shouted profanities upon profanities as he ran out, limping.  Something had dropped on his foot, and John was trying not to laugh.  Most of the words made me blush, especially the ones that would be offensive for a woman to hear.  John shoved Paul and nodded over to me.  "Oh...sorry, Ariel..."

I was not sure if I was laughing out of nervousness or embarrassment, but I said it was fine. 

When they rehearsed all of their music, I found that Paul had a fairly good voice too.  It was quite low, and John's was higher than his.  But John...his voice was incredibly handsome.  Almost sexy.  Whenever he looked over at me I blushed hard, which only made him keep doing it.  

I almost forgot about what had happened the weeks before.  

Maybe making new friends would not be so hard.