Lovely Rita
Chapter 59
I dragged the make-up brush solemnly across my eyelid, the dark dust falling onto my skin and covering it with a black mist. My make-up was done with the kind of precision I always felt I needed before going on camera, and I moved on to fixing my outfit.
I decided to wear a white pencil skirt that was waist high and fell at my knee, and team it with a cream coloured shirt. I threw on a cropped black blazer that nipped in at the waist and slipped on some cream heels, before fixing a black net hair piece with a black flower attatched over my newly dyed hair (I had continued with the blonde - it was easier to hide the greys). It was twisted up into a curled updo that I had quickly fixed this morning. I felt I needed to make an effort for the lovely Linda's funeral, after all, it was a celebration of her life.
I spritzed some flowery perfume on, one that Linda would have liked (I knew of her love for flowers) and smoothed my skirt down before leaving the room to make sure Mary was ready.
Her relationship with Paul had really blossomed over the past week; they had been talking about everything. Paul had been telling her about life in the studio, and stories of his times with John, George and Ringo. Mary had been telling him how much she had always loved listening to his records and the old Beatles stuff, and how she had taken up photography properly as a teenager. Now that she had met Linda she said she was even more inspired. She showed him photographs of her husband Alistair, and how she hoped to have a baby soon. Paul seemed charmed by that, and I found it utterly adorable how incredibly proud he was of all of his children. He was a real family man.
"Mary? Are you ready sweetheart?" I called into her bedroom, leaning in the doorframe to see her sat on her bed.
"I don't think I can go, Mum." She said quietly, though she was dressed and prepared.
"Don't be silly! Linda would want you there; you've been helping with everything as much as everyone else. Please. Paul - Dad - needs you too." I said, not being used to referring to him as Dad around Mary. Her brother and sister now knew too, and were overjoyed to welcome a new sister into their lives.
"I'd just feel a bit awkward. I know I'm being silly." Mary said, nervously chuckling. I knew how she felt; she didn't want to intrude on Stella and James's Mother's funeral. It was understandable.
"Come on." I said, holding a hand out to her. We walked out into the kitchen where everyone was sat waiting to go. Mary sat at the table with Stella and James and held their hands. They were sitting silently, not wanting today to be a reliving of the sadness they had felt just a few short days ago. I hoped it would be more of a celebration when it came to it. Linda wasn't the kind of person that sadness followed around.
Paul was sipping his coffee in the kitchen, stood against the counter. I joined him and grabbed the mug that he had made for me.
"You smell nice." He said, smiling at me in an empty way. I could tell he was putting a brave face on. That's probably why he wasn't sat with the kids, not wanting to get upset.
I rubbed his arm, and smiled sympathetically up at him.
"Today is going to be fine. We need to celebrate Linda the way she would have wanted. She wouldn't want everyone moping around and getting upset at her expense. She'd want you all to think of the positives of the time you had with her and forget about the negatives of her death. Are we ready to go?" I said, gulping down the last of my coffee. Paul nodded and put our mugs in the sink. The kids stood up and got ready to get into the car waiting outside.
Me and Paul slipped some sunglasses on, as we were confronted by photographers poking their noses up to the windows at us and the kids. It was ridiculous.
******
After the funeral, everyone seemed a lot more relaxed and jovial, laughing and joking, remembering better times with Linda. George, Ringo and their partners, and Linda's family had all come to Arizona for her funeral, and everyone was discussing beautiful, fond memories of her. Scanning the room was wonderful; everywhere there were smiling faces and laughter.
Paul clinked his glass to initiate that he was going to speak. Mary came and sat with me, and was followed by George and his new wife Olivia, whom I hadn't met yet.
"She knows now then?" George whispered with a cheeky smile on his face. I turned to him and smiled brightly, not having had a chance to speak to him yet.
"George! Oh yes. Nothing to worry about now, they've been getting on like a house on fire." I said, smiling at my daughter who was sat on the other side of me. She was still in amazement of all the connections I had with people, she could properly understand it now she was a lot older than eleven - the last time she had met everyone.
"That's good then. This is Olivia, by the way!" He said, motioning to the beautiful, tanned woman beside him. I smiled graciously at her and mouthed 'nice to meet you' as Paul began to speak. I turned to look at the man in the relaxed suit standing at the head of the room.
"This is a total heartbreak for my family and I. Linda was, and still is, the love of my life, and the past two years we spent battling her disease have been a nightmare. She never complained and always hoped to be able to conquer it. It was not to be.
Our beautiful children -- Heather, Stella and James -- have been an incredible strength during this time, and she lives on in all of them.
The courage she showed to fight for her causes of vegetarianism and animal welfare was unbelievable. How many women can you think of who would single-handedly take on opponents like the Meat & Livestock Commission, risk being laughed at, and yet succeed?
People who didn't know her well, because she was a very private person, only saw the tip of the iceberg. She was the kindest woman I have ever met; the most innocent.
All animals to her were like Disney characters and worthy of love and respect. She was the toughest woman who didn't give a damn what other people thought. She found it hard to be impressed by the fact that she was Lady McCartney. When asked whether people called her Lady McCartney, she said "Somebody once did, I think."
I am privileged to have been her lover for 30 years, and in all that time, except for one enforced absence, we never spent a single night apart. When people asked why, we would say, "What for?"
As a photographer there are few to rival her. Her photographs show an intense honesty, a rare eye for beauty. As a mother she was one of the best. We always said that all we wanted for the kids was that they would grow up to have good hearts, and they have.
Our family is so close that her passing has left a huge hole in our lives. We will never get over it, but I think we will come to accept it.
The tribute she would have liked best would be for people to go vegetarian, which, with the vast variety of foods available these days, is much easier now. She got into the food business for one reason only, to save animals from the cruel treatment our society and traditions force upon them.
Anyone less likely to be a businesswoman I can't think of, yet she worked tirelessly for the rights of animals and became a food tycoon. When told a rival firm had copied one of her products, all she would say was "great, now I can retire." She wasn't in it for the money.
In the end, she went quickly with very little discomfort, and surrounded by her loved ones. The kids and I were there when she crossed over. They each were able to tell her how much they loved her. Finally I said to her: "You're up on your beautiful Appaloosa stallion; it's a fine spring day, we're riding through the woods. The bluebells are all out, and the sky is clear blue." I had barely got to the end of the sentence when she closed her eyes and gently slipped away.
She was unique and the world is a better place for having known her. Her message of love will live on in our hearts forever.
I love you, Linda." He finished, raising his glass. We all did the same, and drank as he did. I wiped the tears away from my eyes after his touching statement, and felt myself subliminally getting up and walking over to him.
I looked into his eyes with the feelings I had felt when he had said such touching things to me in the past, and wrapped my arms around him tightly. I didn't care who was watching and what they might have been thinking. I just wanted so much to comfort him and help him through all of this. He hugged me tightly back, and I just smiled. All I could do was smile. His speech just felt like such a release. I knew that now this might not be so difficult to deal with.
I decided to wear a white pencil skirt that was waist high and fell at my knee, and team it with a cream coloured shirt. I threw on a cropped black blazer that nipped in at the waist and slipped on some cream heels, before fixing a black net hair piece with a black flower attatched over my newly dyed hair (I had continued with the blonde - it was easier to hide the greys). It was twisted up into a curled updo that I had quickly fixed this morning. I felt I needed to make an effort for the lovely Linda's funeral, after all, it was a celebration of her life.
I spritzed some flowery perfume on, one that Linda would have liked (I knew of her love for flowers) and smoothed my skirt down before leaving the room to make sure Mary was ready.
Her relationship with Paul had really blossomed over the past week; they had been talking about everything. Paul had been telling her about life in the studio, and stories of his times with John, George and Ringo. Mary had been telling him how much she had always loved listening to his records and the old Beatles stuff, and how she had taken up photography properly as a teenager. Now that she had met Linda she said she was even more inspired. She showed him photographs of her husband Alistair, and how she hoped to have a baby soon. Paul seemed charmed by that, and I found it utterly adorable how incredibly proud he was of all of his children. He was a real family man.
"Mary? Are you ready sweetheart?" I called into her bedroom, leaning in the doorframe to see her sat on her bed.
"I don't think I can go, Mum." She said quietly, though she was dressed and prepared.
"Don't be silly! Linda would want you there; you've been helping with everything as much as everyone else. Please. Paul - Dad - needs you too." I said, not being used to referring to him as Dad around Mary. Her brother and sister now knew too, and were overjoyed to welcome a new sister into their lives.
"I'd just feel a bit awkward. I know I'm being silly." Mary said, nervously chuckling. I knew how she felt; she didn't want to intrude on Stella and James's Mother's funeral. It was understandable.
"Come on." I said, holding a hand out to her. We walked out into the kitchen where everyone was sat waiting to go. Mary sat at the table with Stella and James and held their hands. They were sitting silently, not wanting today to be a reliving of the sadness they had felt just a few short days ago. I hoped it would be more of a celebration when it came to it. Linda wasn't the kind of person that sadness followed around.
Paul was sipping his coffee in the kitchen, stood against the counter. I joined him and grabbed the mug that he had made for me.
"You smell nice." He said, smiling at me in an empty way. I could tell he was putting a brave face on. That's probably why he wasn't sat with the kids, not wanting to get upset.
I rubbed his arm, and smiled sympathetically up at him.
"Today is going to be fine. We need to celebrate Linda the way she would have wanted. She wouldn't want everyone moping around and getting upset at her expense. She'd want you all to think of the positives of the time you had with her and forget about the negatives of her death. Are we ready to go?" I said, gulping down the last of my coffee. Paul nodded and put our mugs in the sink. The kids stood up and got ready to get into the car waiting outside.
Me and Paul slipped some sunglasses on, as we were confronted by photographers poking their noses up to the windows at us and the kids. It was ridiculous.
******
After the funeral, everyone seemed a lot more relaxed and jovial, laughing and joking, remembering better times with Linda. George, Ringo and their partners, and Linda's family had all come to Arizona for her funeral, and everyone was discussing beautiful, fond memories of her. Scanning the room was wonderful; everywhere there were smiling faces and laughter.
Paul clinked his glass to initiate that he was going to speak. Mary came and sat with me, and was followed by George and his new wife Olivia, whom I hadn't met yet.
"She knows now then?" George whispered with a cheeky smile on his face. I turned to him and smiled brightly, not having had a chance to speak to him yet.
"George! Oh yes. Nothing to worry about now, they've been getting on like a house on fire." I said, smiling at my daughter who was sat on the other side of me. She was still in amazement of all the connections I had with people, she could properly understand it now she was a lot older than eleven - the last time she had met everyone.
"That's good then. This is Olivia, by the way!" He said, motioning to the beautiful, tanned woman beside him. I smiled graciously at her and mouthed 'nice to meet you' as Paul began to speak. I turned to look at the man in the relaxed suit standing at the head of the room.
"This is a total heartbreak for my family and I. Linda was, and still is, the love of my life, and the past two years we spent battling her disease have been a nightmare. She never complained and always hoped to be able to conquer it. It was not to be.
Our beautiful children -- Heather, Stella and James -- have been an incredible strength during this time, and she lives on in all of them.
The courage she showed to fight for her causes of vegetarianism and animal welfare was unbelievable. How many women can you think of who would single-handedly take on opponents like the Meat & Livestock Commission, risk being laughed at, and yet succeed?
People who didn't know her well, because she was a very private person, only saw the tip of the iceberg. She was the kindest woman I have ever met; the most innocent.
All animals to her were like Disney characters and worthy of love and respect. She was the toughest woman who didn't give a damn what other people thought. She found it hard to be impressed by the fact that she was Lady McCartney. When asked whether people called her Lady McCartney, she said "Somebody once did, I think."
I am privileged to have been her lover for 30 years, and in all that time, except for one enforced absence, we never spent a single night apart. When people asked why, we would say, "What for?"
As a photographer there are few to rival her. Her photographs show an intense honesty, a rare eye for beauty. As a mother she was one of the best. We always said that all we wanted for the kids was that they would grow up to have good hearts, and they have.
Our family is so close that her passing has left a huge hole in our lives. We will never get over it, but I think we will come to accept it.
The tribute she would have liked best would be for people to go vegetarian, which, with the vast variety of foods available these days, is much easier now. She got into the food business for one reason only, to save animals from the cruel treatment our society and traditions force upon them.
Anyone less likely to be a businesswoman I can't think of, yet she worked tirelessly for the rights of animals and became a food tycoon. When told a rival firm had copied one of her products, all she would say was "great, now I can retire." She wasn't in it for the money.
In the end, she went quickly with very little discomfort, and surrounded by her loved ones. The kids and I were there when she crossed over. They each were able to tell her how much they loved her. Finally I said to her: "You're up on your beautiful Appaloosa stallion; it's a fine spring day, we're riding through the woods. The bluebells are all out, and the sky is clear blue." I had barely got to the end of the sentence when she closed her eyes and gently slipped away.
She was unique and the world is a better place for having known her. Her message of love will live on in our hearts forever.
I love you, Linda." He finished, raising his glass. We all did the same, and drank as he did. I wiped the tears away from my eyes after his touching statement, and felt myself subliminally getting up and walking over to him.
I looked into his eyes with the feelings I had felt when he had said such touching things to me in the past, and wrapped my arms around him tightly. I didn't care who was watching and what they might have been thinking. I just wanted so much to comfort him and help him through all of this. He hugged me tightly back, and I just smiled. All I could do was smile. His speech just felt like such a release. I knew that now this might not be so difficult to deal with.
♠ ♠ ♠
Awwwwww.