John and Jo
Chapter 6

Copyright© 2014 by The Heartbreak Kid

They packed their cases and put them in the car the night before they left, so that they could get away after breakfast. Jo kissed Barbara and Callum, and John kissed his mother and shook his father's hand. They promised to be back at Easter, when they would probably fly to Aberdeen, rather than drive. And of course before they left they said a sad farewell to Sam.

They had both still not fully gotten used to his absence: especially first thing in the morning when they came downstairs and he would wag his tail to greet them. He never had a lead and he was buried with his collar and blankets. Barbara said that they could leave his other bits and pieces there, but she would put them away safely: 'Just in case.' When they were on the road, Jo found herself frequently looking over her shoulder to the place on the back seat where he used to lay quietly. John pushed on; stopping only twice for fuel, refreshments, and service station bathrooms, and they reached their destination by mid-afternoon. Although John had done all the driving they were both exhausted, and after they had checked into the hotel, they flopped onto the bed and were soon asleep.

After several hours of rest, they awoke and showered, then dressed in fluffy bath robes, they stood side-by-side and looked out of the hotel window into the darkness.

"I know it's night," Jo said, "but I thought I knew that skyline so well ... but I don't recognise anything!"

"Are you hungry?" John asked her, "There are several restaurants near here?"

"No, not really ... let's just snuggle up and watch TV!"

What with Sam, and staying in his parent's house, they hadn't really made love over Christmas; but now, in a luxurious hotel and fully rested after their journey, they had glorious sex, until they were both exhausted and fell asleep once again in each other's arms.

Jo woke first the next morning, and after a little prompting from her, John shortly afterwards.

"Do they do room service here?" Jo asked.

"Yes, I believe so; I think you just pick up the phone." Jo tried:

"Oh, hello! Are you serving breakfast yet? ... Yes, please ... for two ... room 518. Thank you!"

"That wasn't so hard, was it!" John said, "But I think you ought to at least put your robe on before the food gets here!"

Jo chuckled, then jumped off the bed, grabbed her robe, and ran into the bathroom. John got up, too, and put on his robe.

There was a knock on the door, which John answered. He opened the door and the porter wheeled a trolley in. John put his hand in his robe pocket and gave something to the man, who thanked him and left. They sat up in bed, eating their breakfast off of metal trays.

"What time is your mum expecting you?"

"Just whenever we get there! Our Julie might not be there until later, but most of the others should be. I just hope she hasn't told all the relatives we're coming ... it's overcrowded with just our lot! And I forgot to say, Love, most of them smoke, so it might be a bit thick in there!"

"Did you use to smoke, Jo?"

"Oh, aye!" she said, reverting to quite thick Mancunian, "Everyone used to, didn't they! But you need brass to buy cigs, so it didn't take me long to give it up when I had none! Of course, when you come from Salford you didn't have to smoke to put noxious fumes in your body, you just sucked in the air around you!"

John laughed, but he knew that Jo was quite serious about the air pollution. He had done some research for one of his books, and he knew how bad it used to be, and the effect that it had on the population who couldn't afford to live anywhere else.

They both dressed in casual clothes and walked down to the Reception area and out into the streets. The area where the hotel was situated really had gone 'up-market', and for a minute or two Jo, who before she had left a few years previously had lived there all her life, was disoriented.

"This way, Love," she said, "Not much further!"

As Jo turned into her street, it was weird: like she had never been away!

"Allo, Jo, Love! Your Mam said you were coming back today!"

"Hello, Aunty Kath! We're just back for a quick visit We might see you before we go back, though!"

"Alright, Love, I'll let you get on. Tell your Mam I'll speak to her later!"

"As you probably worked out, that's one of the relatives ... she's my mum's cousin, not really my aunt ... I've just known her forever!" Jo said.

As they got nearer the house, a young woman, facially a lot like Jo, came out to greet them. The two women hugged.

"This is our Sheilagh, John ... my little sister! Y'allright, our kid!"

"Aye! Is this 'im, then," Sheilagh replied, " ... not bad! You've done all right for yourself, our Jo! Hello, Love!"

"Hello, Sheilagh! How are you!" John replied.

"I'm good! Well, you had better both come in!"

Jo gripped John's hand a little tighter as they went into the narrow passageway of the house and then through to a back room. As Jo had warned him, there was the strong smell of smoke and cigarettes as they entered. Jo ran over to the woman who was obviously her mother and threw her arms around her.

"Hello, Mam!" she said. John could hear the emotion in her voice.

"Allo, Love!" her mother replied, "You're looking well!"

"Aye, but you should have seen me before I met John, Mam! I've put on a few pounds since then! Come and say hello, John!"

He advanced towards the two women: once again it was not difficult to see that they were related.

"Mrs McGrealey," John said, holding out his hand to the older woman. Jo's mother was obviously not used to this form of greeting, but she took John's hand.

"That's Bridget, Love ... but you can call me 'Bridie', John ... most people do around here! So where are you two stayin'? Our Jo said you were comin' for a few days. I'm sorry we couldn't put you up here, but you can't really share with our Sheilagh like Jo used to!"

Sheilagh looked like she was about to say something, but a look from Jo made her change her mind.

"One of the hotels on the Quays," John replied, "It's only a few minutes walk away!"

"Where are my manners!" Mrs McGrealey continued, "You've met our Sheilagh already, but this is my youngest, Sean!"

A tall young man in his mid-teens nodded and said something which John didn't catch.

"Billy you know about, Love. Eddie and Brian are out somewhere, and your dad is having his Sunday lunchtime pint. Julie and Pete should be over later. But Julie said that if they don't make it today, she'll see you tomorrow."

"Is it all right if we go into the parlour, Mam ... it's a bit smoky in here!" Jo asked her mother.

"Of course, Love, I'll just go and put the kettle on. I'm sure you'd like a nice cup of tea, John!"

" ... That would be very nice!" he replied.

Sean was watching something on TV, but Sheilagh followed her sister into the other room. The parlour wasn't used much, and there was a slight chill and a musty smell about it. Sheilagh reached down and turned on the gas fire in the grate.

"So what do you do, John?" Sheilagh asked him.

"I write books mostly."

"What, like that 'Harry Potter' woman?"

"Yes, a bit. But she's made a lot more money out of it!"

"Would I have read any of them?"

"I don't know, do you read much?"

"No, not really! Have any of 'em been made into films?"

"One or two," he said. He mentioned a couple of names, but Sheilagh still looked unenlightened.

"I didn't know that!" Jo said, "Have you got copies?"

"Yes, I'll sort them out for you, when we get back."

Jo's mother brought the tea in. She handed the others a cup, then sat in a chair opposite Jo and John.

 
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