Hail and Farewell to Paris

La Mer Noir

A tattooed finger circled my pale cheek awakening me to bright emerald eyes staring at me in an emotion I couldn’t trace.
“Ava”
I shifted, slowly reaching up and taking the finger and it’s neighbors into my own. He smiled as I moved, making room for him to sit down on the couch.
“How are you feeling?” he asked
“Better thank you”
“I suppose it was lack of sleep that got the better of you.”
His leather jacket crackled underneath my weight as I inched closer to him, the damp smell of the clothing taking over my nostrils.
My heart pounded as he inhaled, “I spoke with Mike”
“Oh yes?”
“Yeah, it seems he’s just a little out of it at the moment. He needs to sort his head out he’s decided to finish things with Brittany for good.”
I froze
“What?”
I sat up, rubbing my eye with a sleepy palm. Billie’s face turned upwards into a smirk.
“Yeah I know, but it’s probably for the best.”
“Is it?”
He nodded furiously, “Yes, he needs to find someone he really loves, he’s getting confused.”
My eyebrows furrowed, did he know about mine and Mike’s conversation?
“Pardon?”
Billie ran a hand through his hair, “Come on Ava, you know that Mike…well…cares for you…”
I blushed.
“Anyone with eyes can see that…I’ve known him for years Jesus Christ of course I knew…what’s up? Ava come on…I knew for a while darling’….it’s okay, come here you loser”
I chuckled nervously, as he wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes. He pulled me close; leather jacket crunching, his soft warm lips met my own.
I was a fool to think Billie had no idea what was going on, I felt bad, sometimes I don’t give him enough credit at all.
“Anyway…” he smiled pulling away slowly, brushing his perfect nose against my soggy one.
“…we are meeting him for lunch tomorrow afternoon; we all have to get dressed up nice apparently.”
I smiled, raising my left eyebrow, this new source of information forming a pit of excitement in my stomach.
“A formal dinner? Oooh what’s the occasion?” I croaked.
Billie chuckled,
“Don’t get too excited it’s Mike who has arranged it after all.”
I smiled, “Hmmm I think I can finally start to relax on this holiday now.”
“THAT is what I like to hear.”
He kissed me again before suddenly jumping up and grabbing my calves, hooking my legs over his arms; then his shoulders, I squealed as he shakily stood up and hobbled to the bedroom carrying me in a fireman’s lift.
“PUT ME DOWN! THIS IS UNDIGNIFIED BILLIE! PUT ME DOWN!”
Billie, cackling like a madman threw me down on the bed before stripping off his jacket and following me on top of the mattress where I giggled uncontrollably.
“Mmm come here Ava and kiss me…do you know how good it feels to have someone that everyone else wants?”
I dug my nails deeper into his bare shoulders,
“I know exactly how that feels Billie dear…”

“Doesn’t she look beautiful?”
“She’s positively enchanting.”
“She’s the perfect woman for him she really is”
“I’m so glad he’s finally found the right girl”

“Pfft.”

The four women turned around to give me eyes of daggers. I shrugged and strode confidently down the church steps past the four fake well wishes. This is why I hated weddings, especially Charles’ weddings. This was the third I had been too, this was Melissa. The fifth wife.
Yes three times I had heard very similar comments at all three of Charles’ weddings that I had been to. Sometimes the comments were true; Melissa did look beautiful in her £20,000 Vera Wang dress but I truly doubted that Charles would get 5th time lucky with Melissa, a girl almost half his age.
On these occasions I tried to dismiss the slight tinge of jealously that coursed through my veins. I knew that I could never marry Charles; he had asked me on a few occasions, twice drunk, once sober in his huge bed wrapped in Egyptian cotton. That was the hardest time to say no to him, sober in the dead of night when emotions are heightened beyond the reach of recognition.

“Who’s that?”
“Hmph, THAT? That woman is Charles’ special friend Ava.”
“That’s Ava? She’s so terribly tacky with that red lipstick and stupid hat”
“Yes I know, she’s been splitting up Charles and his wives for years, luckily Melissa has her head screwed on.”
“Why was she invited?”
“Charles insisted she had to be here, she has this control over him you know.”

I shook my head, fixing my enormous hat and sighing as I clacked my heels over to Charles who was surrounded by his friends, including his brother Anthony, all of them smoking rich cigars and chuckling.

“Charles”

The man turned to me, a smile igniting across his worn but delightfully happy face.
“Ava! Come and join us! Can I offer you a cigar?”
“No thank you Charles, I’ve just come to congratulate you before I leave.”
“Pardon? Ava are you not staying darling?”
“No Charles, I think I have outstayed my welcome…” I nodded towards the gang of women who were whispering and hissing at our interaction.
Charles chuckled,
“Ignore the hyenas Ava, your better than that”

“Ils peuvent vous entendre!” – They can hear you, I hissed in French.

Charles chuckled again, “Les baiser! S’il vous plait le sejour” – Fuck them! Please just stay.

“Je peux je ne derrai pas vais la bonne chance du Melissa” – I cannot stay, but tell Melissa good luck for me.

“S’il vous plait Ava” – Please Ava

“L’envoyer mon amour resk en contact si je n’enterds pas de vous je sais que les choses vont bien” – Pass on my love and, if I don’t hear from you, I know things are going well.

With that I turned on my heel and walked out of the church grounds. I stopped at the gate were it seemed hundreds of people were rushing in and out – Charles obviously knew a lot of people and a hell of a lot more hangers on. Turning backwards, under the black peak of my hat I saw him standing alone staring after me like a lost puppy as I walked. Sighing I turned down the street and hailed a taxi.

Four weeks later he had called me.

“Ava! Hold up!” My wrist pulled me backwards, the small fingers of Jake Armstrong stopping my feet and my thoughts.
“Dad’s just having a photo taken with this girl.”
Sure enough Billie was being worshipped by a young teenager and her mother. He looked so adorable in his suit that this kid couldn’t even bear to blink at him encase she missed a second of his presence.
I knew exactly where she was coming from. Even after all this time I still found myself staring at Billie in complete awe.
Without realising Jake had dragged me over to Billie and his adoring follower.

“Hey Ava right?”
I froze as the girl turned around and directed her question at me. She smiled as my eyes lingered at her grin, I could feel Billie sporting a similar gesture over her shoulder as he chatted to her mother. She couldn’t be more than 14 years old yet she had thrown me into a panic. And, unlike the four hyenas at Charles’ wedding there was no dignified escape.
“…er…yes...yes I am”
She grinned wider at me, “I think your really pretty, I love your dress.”
I found myself returning her smile, “oh…err…thank, thank you. What was your name dear?”
Jake and Joe were giggling behind me, making the situation even more awkward.
“Oh I’m Rachel”
I shook her hand, “I take it you are a big Green Day fan then Rachel?”
“Massive” she giggled back, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “Billie, Mike and Tre are the reason why I play the guitar.”
“Ah! Want to be in a band yourself someday?”
“Hopefully…why…why are you in Venice?” she asked bashfully, hair curling around her ear again.
“We’re on holiday here, how about yourself?”
“I’m on vaca…holiday here too… with my mum, she loves Italy, it’s our fifth time here.”
I opened my mouth to continue our conversation when her mother cut across me.
“Rachel, come on now dear, I’m sure Mr. Armstrong and his family would like to enjoy their holiday.”
The girl turned to her mother, visibly disappointed,
“Okay mum…it was nice to meet you Billie Joe, Ava…”
“Take care Rachel” Billie smiled.
She nodded at him in amazement as her mother dragged her around the corner of the street impatiently.

I stared after them, rooted to the spot.
“Hey Ava you survived your first fan experience”
I giggled at Joseph as Billie slipped my hand into his.
“He’s right, well done babe” he whispered in my ear.
I smiled even though my heart still thudded in panic; it seemed that teenagers were just as difficult to handle as full grown snobby women.
“That scared me; I thought she was going to rip me to shreds.”
Billie chuckled as Joey turned around,
“Nah Ava she was alright, I think you were okay.”
Billie laughed at his sons before leaning over and kissing my cheek.
Maybe not all fans hated me after all, this thought was a comforting one, especially since we were coming up to the street were Mike would be waiting.