AKA John and Yoko

"Sid's cancelled. Hey deaf lugs. I said Sid's cancelled".

Mick kicked out and caught Lou's bony left ankle, grinning as her
slender leg winced with pain. Lou had dozed off in front of the gas
fire. She'd had a busy morning.

"Eh that bloody hurt" she slurred. "I'm glad. I'm knackered. Make us a
cuppa".

Mick replaced the receiver, lifted himself out of his chair, and walked
into the kitchen. He whistled a happy tune as he filled the kettle.
"He'll be round tomorrow he said".

"Wha.." Lou was fading back into dark warm slumber.

"Nothin".

Mick took out two bone china cups nestling amongst the cheaper crockery
. He plopped pyramid tea bags into each one shaking his head at the
wasted hours, weeks and months spent devising this particular con
trick. Waste of money he mutter to himself as he walked back into the
lounge. He stopped to gaze at Lou's form sunk deep into the leather
armchair. He knew how much she loved that chair. She would curl up in
it's wide seat with her head buried into the thick smooth arm. She told
him the firm cool skin was like being cradled by a big strong giant.
And she loved its smell. It was ingrained with the odour of dogs and
perfume, babies and cigarettes. Mick smiled and his thoughts wafted out
loud.

"Don't fall fast asleep love, you've got to work this afternoon".

The kettled popped and he returned to the kitchen to make the tea. Mick
met Lou when she was 15. He was 33. Two months later they'd eloped on a
no. 266 bus. He told her it was bound for Gretna Green but they went
via North London first. They stayed there for a week in a bedsit. Mick
wanted Lou to be sure, he wanted her to know what it would be like
living with someone 18 years older. It wouldn't be easy looking more
like father and daughter. They bumped into Lou's best friend as they
boarded the bus. Denise was just getting off and Lou told her they were
eloping. Denise half laughed until she saw Mick's anxious face and the
suitcases.

"Tell me mum I'll be OK. Tell her I'm getting married tomorrow." Lou
had shouted as they rolled out of view.

It proved tougher than he thought. It would've been easier to do the
right thing, take the easy route, acknowledge the difficulties and bow
to them. But Mick knew the easy way always turned out to be the most
difficult in the end. What sealed it was finding out just how alike
they both were. She'd always liked rock and roll as well as 70's bands
and he rated Roxy Music alongside Chuck Berry. Amazingly a list of his
top ten records included five of hers. Lou beamed at this, telling him
this was a sure sign of togetherness. They met on similar platforms
with lots of things. Neither had much time for politics, loved
Barrymore and Brighton, preferred the dogs to the horses and couldn't
stand jellied eels. Lou's face contorted at the mention of them.

They spent most of their first week entirely in bed. De-camping for
seven days in a squeaking double bed of pink nylon. They dropped fish
and chips in it, spilt tea in it, twisted each other up in knots in it
and fell dangerously in love in it. Mick's suggestion that they were in
fact Bethnal Green's very own John and Yoko brought on such a mad fit
of giggles that Lou's stomach ached so much she downed dissolvable
aspirin. The John and Yoko reference was a long standing private joke,
one they could smile in smug collusion over if they needed to.

Lou had been anxious to get married as soon as possible and was
consumed with worry that it might never happen. That they'd be found
out. That they'd be stopped and she'd be sent back to her family and
have to carry on bunking off school. Worst of all Mick could go to
jail. Mick told her to stop worrying that where there's a will there's
always someone you can buy. He slipped a ton to the licencee up in
Gretna and their certificate was dutifully forged.

Mick was now 63 and Lou 44. Their marriage had lasted nearly 30 years.
They were a dovetailed joint, a perfect fit, a John and Yoko.

Mick sat opposite Lou and sipped his tea. He coughed. Lou didn't stir,
her face was nestled deep into the arm. A dark patch near her mouth was
bleeding larger and larger, staining the chocolate skin black.

"Your tea's going cold", Mick shouted. No response.

He reached out with his foot and went to kick her ankle as usual, but
her leg twitched and he missed. She attempted to speak but couldn't
muster anything audible. She was still under.

"Enjoy". Mick raised his cup and smiled proudly. "Cheers. Sleep well
babe".

He took the opportunity to have a look at the books. Mm not a bad week
up to now, he mused, only the one cancellation, and he's rebooked. The
week ahead looked busy as well. Mick reflected on how their business
had really started to kick in the last few years. Yes, he felt their
financial situation was very comfortable now. No money worries like
previous, now they could afford proper holidays and decent presents for
the grandkids. Mick shook his head wondering why they hadn't gone into
partnership before. Should've started this long ago, he told himself,
after the kids had grown up and gone their own ways. Stupid really,
both of them working for other people all these years. Made all the
difference being together as a business as well as man and wife; and
working from home, what more could they wish for. Now they could really
enjoy their time together, just like they did before the family came
along. Now all they had to think about was each other.

Mick was woken by the sore bleating of the flat intercom. He jolted out
of the chair.

"Lou wake up, Lou wake up love - Charlie's here". Mick shook Lou's
shoulder on his way to open the flat door.

"Hello Charlie, come in. Take a seat, be with you in a minute". Mick
left Charlie sitting on the lone fifty's dining chair positioned
outside of the room.

"Ere love wake up". Mick passed the cold tea to Lou.

Lou, blinking, glugged down the tea. "I'm OK, be right as rain in five.
What's he booked for?"

"Full works".

"Oh shit has he, he normally only has that on the first of the month.
Well I'll need some condoms then. How do I look?".

Mick wiping dribble from her cheek whispered. "As gorgeous as ever my
love, as gorgeous as ever".