"John"

"Hmmmmm"

"Why didn't you tell me to get dressed up. I look like a muddy farmer. Oh hello Mimi, thank-you for coming so far"

She sure looked a sight. Covered in mud up to her knees and smelling like horse. No wonder Mimi hightailed it over to the drinks cart. Looking down upon herself she felt like committing a felony. John had failed to even hint that an avalanche of family was descending on Paul and Linda's Scottish highland farm and here she stood, smiling through the embarrassment of being under-prepared, looking, for all the world, like farmer Joe.

John smiled over Ivy's little mop of sandy brown hair, blonde tips like she had been at the beach. The kids had barely gotten in the driveway when John had snatched a happy bub from the car seat. And she couldn't throttle him, no she just couldn't. Not now when she needed to excuse herself and become somewhat presentable for a party!

Her party!

Well their party but still... John ran a hand over the bubs head and nodded toward the main house. So she did smell.....

*

"Linda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Cringing as the door bounced back into place with a bang she hollered unseemingly again "Lindddddaaaaa!!!! There are many many relatives here- Oh you Bi#-"

Linda stood prepared; all dolled up at the top of the stairs... "Now, now Isabelle hold that tongue of yours. John has certainly spread the cursing love hasn't he"

"You look beautiful and I look like a ragtag scarecrow with hay sticking out of my belly and a crow on my shoulder pooping. I'm gonna cry now"

The day John and Iss had arrived Linda whisked Isabelle away from him for her own girly pleasures.

Riding the two honey blonde mares together, meandering and sometimes galloping over never-ending moors. Exploring the rugged coastline with prancing horses dipping hooves in the breakers. Picking wildflowers and heather.

And finally today...

Standing together in the pouring rain looking over the North Sea. With the moisture dripping down their faces they laughed at the audacity of the gods opening up the heavens, even though they both knew Scotland's wild weather was intermittent and unpredictable at best. Time had paused and laced youthful innocence back around Issy as she took all of Earths grandeur in. From the rolling mountainous seas to the crabs scurrying across the sand she felt very blessed and happy and at one with everything in her life.

"Stop that!! No you don't look like a scarecrow, a muddy farmer.. maybe. Come here" Tugging a shirt with a belly full of imaginary hay Linda scooted Issy toward the stairs then pushed from behind to get Issy situated in upstairs guest bedroom. "Move it! Prince charming has been the most unbelievable prince and got you an absolutely divine dress.... Issy come on, upstairs now miss tardy bum"

"I ought to flog him" Issy paused on the stairs, Linda leaning into her back pushing.

"Do your disgusting sexcapades in your own time Iss" With a squeeze Linda skirted around Isabelle and got in front of her, to pull instead...

"What- No!! What has he donnnee?!" She felt out of control, John is taking the day from her and replacing it with an unknown party instead.

She liked parties, loved them actually, but surprises definitely were not her forte.

"Only organised a whole darn party. Well he told Paul what he wanted and I had to oversee Paul to get it perfect.. But he planned it" Tugging with a little more oomph Linda managed to guide muddy Farmer Joe up the staircase.

"Don't get so close Lin!! I'll get mud on your clothes!"

"We are partying in a barn Isabelle, a barnnnn...." Linda grabbed the door jamb and levered Issy into the room. Shrugging Linda continued on like she wasn't strong-arming a full-grown female person into a bedroom "... So we cleared out ten years of crap and a few dead rats. It's still a draughty mouldy barn"

"Now I feel like asking for a party at the Ritz"

"Well we can do that next week. You are married to John and have your own steady income stream do you not?"

"I guess so. Who's is that!?"

Issy spied the newest addition to the red and black tartan enswathed bedroom. Hanging on the curtain rod was a gorgeous vintage-look swing styled dress in a deep delicious Burgundy. The pretty party dress would skim her knee when she donned it, she was sure of it. A set of high heels sat on the floor beneath on their red shiny shoebox.

"See, he's thought of everything"

"Except spandex"

"Well you have a pile of those in your luggage"

"Yeah I guess. Suppose I can let him off that little digression from the clothing purchase" She giggled.

"Oh great she's gone from blubbering to grumpy, and now to giggly"

"Shower! I need a shower!"

"Yes chop chop. Your hair will be ok, don't wash it. I want to use my new curling iron on you"

*

"My hands are shaking. Does the dress sit right? Am I gapping? Is it too much? The shoes are perfect. How did he do that?"

Eyes wide she held one hand with the other to stop her fingers shaking too much and accidently applying makeup to her ear. No one wants a mascara ear.

Yes, how does he do that? Make family traverse the world and come to the back of beyond. The Mull of Kintyre is a loonng way from anywhere and there had stood Mimi, whom she had only met a few weeks before, smiling like she had popped around the corner! Ivy and a newly pregnant Sally with a spiffy looking Julian had arrived those few moments before.

With neck craning as she looked out the second storey window Iss had managed to see the little family she adored back at the car. Doors slamming as they got the rest of Ivy's essentials out. Everyone was noisily conversing.

Everyone bar her, oh, and Linda.

"Stop fidgeting I'm almost done... Oh I don't know Iss it's probably one of his fetishes- knowing your foot length"

"How am I supposed to top this!?"

"It's not a contest you know"

"But he's organised everything and got everyone here!"

"What am I - chopped liver!?!"

"You know what I mean"

"Frankly I don't. He sat in a car while you drove him all over the United Kingdom and turned up just in time to see our organised caterers driving in and sat and watched decorations, the kids and I made, being hung" Leaning in, kissing a cheek Linda smirked, she wasn't bothered all that much. It was kinda funny watching Issy go even more gaga over Lennon. "There- all done. You look like John Lennon's hotter hot wife"

Issy stood and walked towards the mirror, pulling her tummy in and testing to see what she looked like when she relaxed. An age-old woman's nag in her brain still following her around when she knew, positively knew, he loved her completely. And now, as she relaxed and smoothed the soft material, she grinned back at Linda as she placing curls here and there about her face.

"I want to sing that song. Can you ask Jules to play for me?"

"Oh Iss, really?! John will absolutely love that. He really loves the recording you made and we do too. He'll be so proud of you"

"I know he is, I want to show him I'm ready for anything he can throw at me and I think singing, even in front of just family, will show him that" Issy grinned in the mirror as Linda squeezed her shoulder ".....Yes a perfect way to show him"

"I'll grab Julian in a bit, you just relax. Stick your feet up and chill."

Chill yeah right, more like become teary, wring hands, sweat copiously, swear intermittently - nope no chill to see here at all.

Minutes later, wishing she was a tad more confident than her current state of mild panic, Issy got half way down the stairs looking like a slowly melting snowman.

Wilting in confidence she was and, with Linda beckoning her with an impatient twist of her wrist and hand on her hip, Issy took stock.

She stood unmoving, closed her eyes and breathed.... Internally screamed, then breathed again. Hopefully it was internally screamed.

She came to the conclusion that she loved him more than her brains panic farting.

Well it was farting - a splutter of panic here, a splutter of hand wringing there, then confidence, then another splutter of panic. He couldn't care less if she wasn't a soprano or ballerina or swimsuit model (well he might think it but he would never say it!) He seemed to like..... her.

Seemed to put up with her, seemed to harbour loving feelings for her. Did love her. And whether she hit a bum note or not he would still love her.... Maybe hide microphones and take detours away from karaoke bars but... he would still love her.

And that made an awfully good reason to say to hell with it, I'm going to sing like a banshee and he and everyone will still love me because they were family, and family stuck imaginary earplugs in, for family.

Her feet moved and her steps to the door were now with purpose, Linda nodding happily at the change in attitude, smiling at the glint in her friends eye as she moved aside for Issy to take a right and skirt around to the far end of the building where there was another entry to the barn.

This end was where everything had been hidden from party guests' eyes.

The door opened into a small room. The caterers had stacked polystyrene boxes and dirty trays in here. Clean tables laden with food sat to the left with servers hovering to ensure cleanliness (cause its a barn) and speed of delivery of delicacies. Julian sat on a stool just inside the door at the right, fiddling with the head of the guitar or the long arm thingo that your fingers contorted with to create different sounds....

Issy wasn't sure what it was called, that was the boys domain, she was the string buyer, nothing more. He smiled up at her and handed a microphone over with a cord that wound its way over a crate and through to the next room.

The room.

The room full of people.

The room full of Lennon.

The room full of Beatles.

The room full of Mimi.

This is a mistake.

Eyes fled flittering over the food, collecting on the stone walls, hovering and settling on Julian's smirking face. She felt faint and her heart beat so fast.... Julian's fingers circled and curled soft around her wrist and held her. He was so darling and sweet, steadying and safe. Her pulse slowed and her eyes cleared and she nodded with conviction once again. Jules smiled.

"Let's rock this house mum"

"Yes" she breathed and let Julian flick the mic switch to 'on' so it was live. Without an audience Issy began to speak, her disembodied voice fell over the guests, and more importantly John, in the room just beyond.

"Hi, it's it's.... me" Oh Issy come on, stop your stammering, it's only friends out there. "Yes it's Issy here. I wanted to say something to you all..."

"Where the hell is she?" John gawked about but Isabelle wasn't in sight. Her beautiful voice was warm and nice yet he could tell she was shaking in her boots, well in her heels really.

"Not sure mate" Paul leaned left and spotted the snaking loopy cord but didn't bother to point out the obvious. Issy would be front and centre soon enough. "Jules is missing, maybe she's going to announce she made a dreadful mistake and is taking off with Julian instead. He has more hair than you these day-"

John basically glared the rest of the words from Paul's troublesome throat and Paul fell silent rather hastily.

Issy spoke again and John could hear conviction lurking in her voice now. Like it had suddenly decided to turn up for the party "... John and I have been traveling and breaking all sorts of records, all over the place..."

"Shit, she isn't going to spill the beans about the world record attempt is she-"

"What world record attempt?" Richy piped up from behind him, making John lurch about to give him the Lennon laser beam.

"Never you mind"

"Well if she tells us we will all know, so there Lennon" Richard wiggled his head like a spoilt toddler and took off to hide behind Barbara.

"Oh, if she tells that little tale I will know for certain that I have corrupted her for all eternity" John chuckled and squeezed the edge of the table in front of him. Was he getting ready to rush and silence Isabelle? ... he wasn't sure. Mimi was here after all...

".....He has been to loads of Alcoholics Anon. meeting to help out with morale. I think the record has been broken for all those meetings John! Congratulations!"

"Why are you sweating? It's barely 10 degrees in here"

"I don't know Paul maybe because Isabelle was going tell everybody that we had super kink sex in the mediation dome at St Johns Woods"

"Just as long as you changed sheets I don't care"

"Linda what have you done with Paul he's all laid back and-" Johns eyes blew wide "Give me some!"

"What?!"

"Weed, Mary jane. God Paul I may not take the hard stuff but MJ and I have had a long and fruitful relationship, and we should be reunited!"

"I'm not smoking dope. Gee your Auntie Mimi's here for Christ sake. You know she still hates me. George seems to have her in the friend zone but me, nuh ah, I'm still the 'troublemaker'.." Inverted commas raised on fingers skyward "in our relationship"

"Don't do inverted commas in the air Paul, it's tacky. And mate..." John leaned closer, making Paul and Ringo, who had walked back over to Lennon/McCartney, lean closer in too. "... we never had a relationship. I don't care what you tell your therapist but Paris was hetro all the way"

"Fuck off"

"Just saying" Hands in surrender John smirked then grinned happily while Paul returned scowl "You're so easy to rile up Macca -still"

"Are they listening? Is it even working?"

Issy tapped the top of the mic and the noisy clicks reverberated throughout. Mimi rolled her eyes then smiled tightly at George. (By the way, George was tolerated  not friend zoned!) 'Yes it's working fine' filtered through the room as Julian replied quietly to Issy.

"...And we broke the record for how many nights in a row we...." John cringed "moved countries. And a cite more than the Beatles might I add" Issy grinned and swayed happily. This mic chatting thing was awesome she could do this all day.

"Mum...?."

"Yes Julian"

"Can we sort of move it along... I'd like to actually be at the party not in the larder"

"Ok sweetie. Its a stable but ok I see your point. Wish me- Oh, is this thing still on . Oops, sorry" Issy grimaced and did an oopsy face at Jules as he shook his head laughing. "Anyyyy way. I just wanted to thank John for all his wonderful hard work in organising this lovely shindig and give him a present..... So here goes....Wish me a broken leg... that's not how- Just. Oh blow it, here goes..."

"What is she going to do!?" Glancing at Linda John queried with an upraised eyebrow but all he got was a tongue poking out and a nod toward the back of the room.

Issy's eyes wavered slightly then stayed staring at Julian for many heartbeats.

The silence was deafening.

Julian mouthed a count in as he went to stand, and began to play the opening bars of 'Thank-you for the Music'.

He had been thinking about moving the electric organ in but tinkering with some guitar chords he managed a suitable guitar back up instead. So, instead of sitting and missing the show, he could move with Issy into the room and watch.

He nodded and she was singing, strolling through the now open door....

I'm nothing special, in fact I'm a bit of a bore

Each line delivered with her eye on John and steps taken around the room, fingers grazing Linda's shoulder as she passed.

If I tell a joke, you've probably heard it before

Letting the line linger she gained strength in the fact no one was running for exits... And went into the next lines with a sliver more of confidence.

But I have a talent, a wonderful thing

Cause everyone listens when I start to sing

I'm so grateful and proud

Yes, she was so grateful and proud of being here with John, with friends, with family. She smiled and remembered to breath.

All I want is to sing it out loud

So I say

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

And her voice, although not sound, it was with deep conviction and honesty, feeling and emotion. Her lips turned up and she smiled through the middle...

Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk

She says I began to sing long before I could talk

John was enraptured.

In a trance watching his woman look so strong, her feet brought her to him and she held Paul's hand as she sang to both him and John, fingers then were touching Johns chin warmly. Her eyes were holding Johns as she conveyed what she dreamed the rest of the world felt when they heard the wonderful music the band had created.

But I've often wondered, how did it all start?

Who found out that nothing can capture a heart

Like a melody can?

Well, whoever it was, I'm a fan

So I say.........

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

She spun and included George and Richy in her quest to say thank-you to these wonderful men that showered the world in love and lots of 'feels'... Well all the girlies had the 'feels' anyway.

Issy grinned at the thought and turned back to John who was dumbfounded at his shy butterfly was now looking, for all the world, like a Queen.

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

A big gulp of oxygen was taken as she beckoned Linda to her side, fingers playing with the blondes hair then hovering pretending to batter away at her own darker locks.

I've been so lucky, I am the girl with golden hair

I wanna sing it out to everybody

What a joy...... what a life........ what a chance......!

So I say

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me........................................

Her voice held the note and Julian's fingers flittered along the stings to take the song to it's end. Issy threw her head back and raised the mic high, victorious at her conquering her fear.

Showing John she was strong.
Strong enough for him.

She was deafened by her friend's applause, but above all else, she was drowned in Johns kisses.

Being a mermaid, drowning like this, wasn't bad at all.

'Thank-you For The Music' - ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulevaeus.

A/N: Soooooo firstly.... FINALLY I have added a chapter! Apologies for being away for so long and without good reason. If I had said I was out on an island vacation with John and Paul circa '65 I'm sure you wouldn't say boo about my absence... then again I would probably get hate mail for not taking all of you with me 😊

And secondly..... I've fallen flat with my dear Isabelly and John. I'm just not getting the 'feels' and this chapter was trying to be an epilogue-y type chapter but I didn't want you picturing them any older and I couldn't have them spitting out babies as that was Julian's job.

So yeah. How do YOU feel? Have I ended it suitably? ..... Do you want a few more years down the track?

You are my leaders and I your slave... your humble servant and I'm sure if you all tie me to the rack in your medieval castles of comments you could wring another few hundred words from me, and make me taller (thank-you for that!!!)

And....

Thirdly, like a fanfic whore, I have seen green pastures I want to skip through i.e. She's so Heavy and another little story I have on the simmer.