All You Need Is Love

Gabrielle didn't know how long she'd been sitting at the water's edge but she shivered because it had grown dark and the air had turned icy cold bringing her back to her senses.

She stood up rubbing her arms up and down and feeling lonely once again. She'd spoilt everything. She slowly walked back up to the cottage with the dogs walking alongside her. They weren't as playful as usual it was as if they could sense she wasn't in the mood for playing.

On approaching the cottage she could see that the door was still open and all was in darkness. She switched on the hall light and it was like turning on realization, it really dawned on her then that he had gone. His trainers were no longer just lying there where he had kicked them off and his leather jacket was gone from the coat hook so she wouldn't be able to breathe in the smell of it in anymore every time she walked past it.

The carrier bag that she had dropped while the song was playing was there though, in a heap by the kitchen door. She went and picked it up and checked out the contents once more, his hoody, his eyeliner pencil, the heart shaped pebble that he had picked off the beach and Nuts. Reaching into the bag Gabrielle felt the soft material of the hoody which she then took a hold of and brought it up to her nose, closing her eyes slightly and savouring his smell. She shoved the hoody back into the bag and went into the kitchen placing the bag on the table. It was dark in there, dark and cold apart from the little green dot of light that could be seen coming from the CD player indicating that it was still switched on. She went to it; popped out the disc and took it out without looking at it then went to the cupboard under the sink and dropped it in to the bin there.

Gabrielle slammed shut the door of the cupboard, rested her hands onto the edge of the work surface and sighed throwing her head back slightly. She caught sight of the kitchen clock above her, the hands glowing in the darkened room. 7PM.

There was only one thing for it she thought going to her phone and dialling.

"Good evening, Beth speaking, how can I help?" she heard the familiar voice at the other end.

"Beth, it's me," said Gabrielle in a quiet voice.

"Hey...how were things in the love shack? Has he gone now? Missing him already?" She blurted out practically all at once but Gabby didn't answer.

"Gabby, are you there? What's wrong?"

"Oh Beth, it was wonderful and yes he has gone but I...I spoilt it," she said desperately trying not to cry; no she didn't want to cry she was determined about that. No crying.

"How? Did you tell him? Couldn't he handle it?" Said Beth feeling slightly anxious for her friend and remembering similar conversations with her over the years. Back when it had all happened.

"No but he played the song," she said.

"Oh shit." Said Beth understanding a little more now.

"Yeah and well...you can guess my reaction."

"Oh Gabs," said Beth most sincerely.

"I know and I think I frightened him off. There was no time to explain and he had to leave to get his flight. God knows what he must think of me. He must think I'm a head case."

"You want me to come over?" Said Beth.

"Only if you can," said Gabrielle. She felt guilty; Beth always came to her at the drop of a hat.

"Of course I can, it's Wednesday and David is having Lily overnight. I was only going to veg out on the sofa with a meal for one and the remote."

"It would be great if you could. Can you get the usual provisions?"

"Of course, red or white?"

"I think white."

"One or two bottles?"

"Definitely two."

Margaret Russell or Meg Russell as she was known by millions sat quietly while the make up artist made her up. She glanced up at the clock above the huge mirror. 4AM, an unearthly hour for many but to her it was the norm for she was the number one face of America's top breakfast news and entertainment programme.

To look at Meg she was a typical Californian girl but none of it was natural. She had long blonde hair (courtesy of fortnightly hi-lights and six-weekly hair extensions), long legs (courtesy of her mother's dancing genes and her personal trainer Edwardo who put her through vigorous two hour training sessions every morning after the show), bright blue eyes (courtesy of tinted contacts), an all over tan (courtesy of her three weekly spray on) and 36DD breasts (courtesy of her once in a lifetime boob job).

She was also a bitch.

Actually she was so famous for her enhancements and her nips, tucks and botox that nobody could put an age to Meg Russell who was a well known viper with her interviewing techniques and always seemed to get the most intimate details out of her interviewees, but she knew her age and she also knew that her body clock was ticking and just recently, unbelievable though it was and to her especially, she had a sudden urge to have a baby and three weeks ago to be exact she had found the perfect candidate to be a father for this sudden urge of hers. Tre Cool.

Meg calling

But Tre just ignored it and put the phone back into his pocket. Why the fuck had he got her number? He could kill Billie Joe over this, it was his entire fault. He remembered back to three weeks ago when she had interviewed them. Tre had never liked her really, she'd always appeared to be a bitch and Billie Joe thought so too, as he thought back to them regularly taking piss out of her while watching breakfast TV in the their hotel rooms together.

Unfortunately he couldn't remember that much about the interview, the entire time he was in a bit of daze as he'd had to take Frankito along that day and he was watching him out of the corner of his eye while he was being interviewed. He hadn't minded taken Frankito with him as it was only for a five-minute interview and then they would get to spend the rest of the day together.

He remembered waiting in the wings watching Meg interview some politician and giving him hell like she usually did.

"Dad?" Said Frankito looking up at him with these huge brown eyes, Claudia's eyes.

"Yes baby?" Said Tre looking adoringly at his son who was sitting on the floor next to the huge fire truck that he had brought to play with to occupy himself. He was rolling it around on the floor and making appropriate noises fairly near to a camera with huge snaking wires coming out from it.

"I'm hungry." Said Frankito in the whiny voice that he used sometimes to get Tre's attention. They'd literally only just got here; surely he wasn't hungry already thought Tre.

"Hey when we've finished how about we get pizza? Pepperoni?" Said Tre raising his eyebrows and also knowing that Claudia hated Frankito having pepperoni, she always said he was 'too young' and it was 'too spicy.' He never could quite understand the reasoning behind that but deep down the thought the real reason was that Claudia hated pepperoni and always had.

"Yes please," said Frankito looking up at him. Tre would do anything for him when he looked up at him like that.

"Listen monkey, I'm not going to be long, look; I'll be sitting on that couch over there with Uncle Billie and Uncle Mike talking to that lady with the blonde hair." Said Tre pointing over to Meg who was finishing up with the politician and talking to the camera.

Frankito stretched his little neck to see where his father was pointing.

"Oh her, she has false boobies," Said Frankito suddenly recognising the woman that his dad was pointing to.

"Frankito, keep it down," Whispered Tre but trying to keep himself from smiling.

"It's what Mom says when she watches her. She says it nearly every morning." Said Frankito innocently.

"Yes but you mustn't say that," said Tre, "she may hear you and get upset." Actually Tre couldn't imagine this Meg woman getting upset over anything.

A cameraman close by had obviously heard the conversation and was in a fit of giggles. Tre shrugged at the guy and smiled knowingly.

"So, I won't be long OK, you just stay over here little guy and then we'll get pizza for lunch, how about we go to the park first?" He said crouching down to his son's level.

"Oh yeah." Said Frankito loving it when his father was around but this was all he knew, sometimes daddy was around for weeks on end and sometimes he was gone for weeks on end. Sometimes he was on the TV making faces at him and sometimes he was on the TV playing the drums. He loved seeing his Dad on TV and occasionally his mum kept him up late to watch or otherwise she taped the shows he was on and he watched them in the kitchen while he ate his cereal. He always made the funny faces for him, that's what he told Frankito, when I make those funny faces to the camera and roll my eyes, those faces are for you and Ramona to let you know that I'm thinking of you and watching you.

"Come on Tre, we're on." Said Billie pushing Tre in front of him. Tre really didn't want to sit next to Meg, as he'd be right in her line of fire. Anyway, he'd decided to keep quiet like he often did in interviews and just let Billie do all the talking while he listened in and made a few faces. Yeah, he'll just do that.

She started by asking them about the tour and the record and the astounding success then before she wrapped she decided to talk about the awards ceremony that was coming up in two months and she asked who they were taking. Mike said he was taking Brittney, Billie of course would be taking Adrienne and Tre said he wasn't sure yet who he was taking. Then Meg went on to say that she'd never been to an awards ceremony then Billie opened his big ass mouth and... well the fucker said that she should go with Tre. He'd take you. Tre was only really half listening at this point, as he was watching Frankito playing pretty close to the camera wires.

Billie was nudging him and Meg was asking him what he thought.

"Umm...yeah," Tre had said and nodding but itching to get over to Frankito. The next thing he knew was Billie and Mike were laughing and Meg was smiling all over her face.

She couldn't believe that she'd managed it. She'd been watching this Tre guy earlier with his kid, talking with him, playing and making faces at him, picking him up and spinning him around. She'd never noticed him before, only knew of the front man who she'd always thought was good looking but he was one of those guys that you just knew wouldn't be interested. He was so into his wife. It was a shame that some guys were like that, they just didn't know what they were missing out on.

Anyway Tre had caught her eye and in watching him she had soon realised he would be a good catch. He was a rich guy (now that was the main thing), quite good looking and yeah he seemed to be good father material. Meg had decided before the interview that she would make some kind of effort with him. She had and she was now going to the awards ceremony with him. This was going to be just the beginning she thought to herself.

"I don't believe you," Said Billie as they walked off the set.

"What?" said Tre going straight over to Frankito and picking him up.

"That you agreed to taking her to the awards ceremony. I thought you'd come up with some wisecrack answer like you usually do." Said Billie with a huge grin on his face and shaking his head.

"Is that what I agreed to?" Said Tre frowning.

"Yeah, you're always complaining that you never have anyone to take; now it seems you have." Said Billie grinning toothily at him.

"Good luck dude," said Mike going over to him and mock consoling him, "she'll have you for breakfast, spit you out and serve you up for lunch." He said a smile spreading on his face. This was damn funny.

"Fuck off." Said Tre. How had he got himself into this? Fuck. He'd have to get Billie back somehow.

"Mommy says you mustn't swear," said Frankito his little podgy arm around the back of Tre's neck and playing with the silver chain that his father always wore.

"Sorry monkey," said Tre.

"Hi there," said the voice of Meg appearing next to Tre.

"Hi lady," said Frankito looking over at her, "my daddy is a drummer." He said proudly.

"I know," said Meg but not even bothering to look at Frankito

"Tre I must give you my number and I'll take yours so that we can make proper arrangements for the awards," She said already her phone in her hand and tapping his name into it.

"Uh...yeah, sure," said Tre putting Frankito back down.

"My daddy plays drums," said Frankito again determined to get Meg's attention but Meg wasn't interested in him at all.

Tre took her number and reluctantly put it into his phone and then she took his. He wasn't happy with this situation, what was he getting himself into here, may be he could make an excuse, but what? Still it was only for one night and he supposed that it wasn't a real date, no sitting across the table from her eating a romantic meal or anything. It would just be the awards, a few drinks afterwards and then home, couldn't harm I suppose he thought to himself.

"Your boobies aren't real," said Frankito as the couple were exchanging numbers

Billie and Mike burst out laughing but luckily Meg hadn't heard.

"Thanks Tre, I'll speak to you soon, I can't wait to find something to wear, see you soon then guys," She said to Mike and Billie and ignoring little Frankito.

Tre noticed this. How rude to ignore a child, especially one that was speaking to you and especially his child.

As she walked off Frankito noticed this.

"That lady doesn't like me," He said but not really that bothered by it.

"Of course she does dude," said Tre picking him up again. "Now about the park and then that pizza."

He couldn't believe that had happened and now on the way to the airport Meg was calling him. He didn't want to take her to the awards of course but he knew he'd have to, he'd invited her in front of practically the whole of America. He'd just have to go through with it but he'd much rather be taking Gabrielle. No he'd have to go along with taking Meg but he definitely wasn't going to call her, not yet anyway.

"So apart from 'the song' how did your couple of days go?" Said Beth settling herself down onto the sofa.

"Beth, it was wonderful," Said Gabrielle looking distant and happy for an instant.

"I had a feeling it would be," Beth said drinking from her wine glass.

"The hotel room...that was obviously your doing, how did that come about?" said Gabrielle sitting in the armchair opposite her friend and curling her feet up under her.

"He called me that morning and told me exactly what he wanted to do for you."

"It was beautiful," Thought Gabby, reminiscing.

"Well he asked me to get 100 vanilla scented candles and I just handed them all to him when he arrived. He laid them out and lit them all. He obviously remembered somewhere that you liked vanilla candles, he must know you quite well already."

"But that's it though Beth, he doesn't know me. Not all of me." Gabrielle said sighing and swirling her wine about in her glass. Beth was kind of right, he did know a lot about her but she knew she had to do this at some time.

"How do you feel about telling him?" said Beth.

"I want him to know but I'm worried about his reaction and I'd have to relive it all again."

"You're going to have to tell someone at some point, if you want to find happiness. Gab, you're going to have to tell him and if it's not going to be him then it will be someone else someday. I wish you could be more open about it, discuss it with people. Surely bottling it all up isn't doing you any good."

"I know. May be I could tell him in instalments," She said raising her eyebrows hopefully at her friend.

"Oh Gabby, just tell him for god's sake," Said Beth rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"Right, just like you told David." Shit, why had she said that? Because may be she was sick and tired of all the talk about her and what she should do.

"WHAT?" said Beth spilling a tiny bit of wine down her t-shirt.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to say that," Said Gabby. Damn.

"What did you mean?" Said Beth brushing her t-shirt of wine droplets.

"Look, we bumped into David the other evening, geeze Beth has he lost some weight. Anyway, he looked kind of lost, we got chatting and... he told me." She said reluctantly.

"What did he tell you?" Beth looked slightly shocked wondering what the hell David had told Gabby.

"About Nick," Said Gabby wishing really that she hadn't mentioned this at all, it wasn't going that well.

"Oh shit." Beth replied but looking away slightly embarrassed. Suddenly she couldn't look at Gabby for some reason.

Gabby picked up on this and tried to make light of it.

"Oh Beth, with Nick? Nick who you said looked like the back end of a bus and who is nearing 50 and about three stones overweight. What on earth were you thinking?

"He has a good personality." She still wasn't looking.

"So has young Paul but that doesn't mean I want him to 'take me' over the desk."

"So he told you all the details then," Said Beth quite shocked that David had actually told Gabby all this.

"Well... just that it was my desk. Was there another time? Where else Beth?"

"Nearly everywhere."

"No, Beth, please," Said Gabby imagining her best friend finding every opportunity should could to have sex nearly everywhere in her hotel

"I'm ashamed." Said Beth and Gabby had to agree, she looked it.

"How long did it go on for?" said Gabby getting up from the sofa and grabbing the wine bottle and topping up Beth's glass. She held it out willingly.

"A couple of months." Said Beth taking a huge gulp of wine.

"But why?" said Gabby pouring herself some then settling back into the armchair and once again kicking her feet up underneath her.

"David and I had got a little stale, drifted apart, especially after... you had your problems. He started staying later at work, you know, the usual sort of thing."

"Is that why Nick left the hotel?" Asked Gabby.

"Yeah, he was ashamed too and he told me to get back with David."

"And you want to don't you? You said so the other night while we were at the restaurant."

"Yes, but I don't think he wants me, I've let him down. I don't think he thought that I could do something like that."

"Actually Beth, neither did I, but you had your reasons. I'm sorry."

"I don't like myself for it, in fact I loathe myself. I feel sorry for Lily for splitting our family up."

"So what do you want to do?"

"I want him back. Will you help me Gabby?" she said almost pleadingly.

"Oh Beth, after all that you've done for me of course,well, I'll try."

"Oh and I wanted to ask you something. You know you said you're ready to see Lily again?"

"Hmmmhmmm." Said Gabby taking a sip of wine.

"Well...it's her birthday in two weeks, I'm having a party for her and you're coming."

Saturday...

Pops and Lorna were driving back up the west coast of France to the port of Calais to catch their ferry back to England.

"Are you still OK about this, we could leave it for a few days?" said Lorna looking across at the man she loved, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"No, she needs to know as soon as possible. We'll do it tonight when we get back." Returned Pops not even glancing at her.

Then he put his hand up to his chest and clutched it slightly.

"Indigestion?" Said Lorna reaching into her bag for his pills.

"Mmmmm" he answered then made a blowing sound as the pain eased.

Just then Pops' phone went off and Lorna reached into the back seat of the car for his jacket, she dragged the jacket through the gap in the front seats and rummaged around in his pocket for it.

"It's a message from Gabrielle," said Lorna, "we're going to have to change our plans, you're not going to like this but...we're not going to be able to tell her tonight."

"Frankito you know that I can't make gingerbread men, anything else I'm fine with but gingerbread men..." said Tre shaking his head slightly at his son.

"Aww, please daddy... I love gingerbread men." He replied looking up at his dad. He knew how to get round him well enough.

"I know they're your favourites...look, OK, I give in, go get out the bowls." said Tre not believing that he had once again been coerced into making gingerbread men.

Frankito clattered around getting bowls and spoons out of cupboards and drawers while Tre got out the ingredients.

"Is Ramona going to help us?" said Frankito hopefully and placing items on the huge kitchen table that dominated the centre of the kitchen.

"No monkey, it looks like Ramona's busy." Said Tre glancing over at Ramona standing in the kitchen doorway, she'd been on the phone for ages. "Yep, she's on the phone speaking to her friend Katie in New York."

"They're talking about shoes and bags again daddy," said Frankito lining up the bowls and spoons and things, all ready to use.

"Yep son and this you'll get accustomed to. A half hour phone call about the bags and shoes to the person you were talking to yesterday about the very same bags and shoes will become a ritual," said Tre talking louder so that Ramona could here what he had to say.

Ramona just poked her tongue out at her father and left the room.

"What is that gross smell?" said Ramona coming into the kitchen just a little while later.

"That's our gingerbread men cooking." said Frankito proudly. He was covered in flower and so to that matter was Tre.

"Well I'm not eating them." said Ramona huffily.

"You don't have to," said Tre checking his watch, "right, they should be ready." He said going over to the oven and taken out a tray of...

... burnt-to-a-cinder gingerbread men.

The doorbell went then as Tre laid the gingerbread men onto the table while Ramona went off to answer it.

"Sorry dude, but you knew that making gingerbread men isn't my speciality," Tre said looking at his son but Frankito didn't seem that bothered; he was just enjoying having quality time with his Dad.

"But it is mine," Said a familiar voice from the doorway.

Tre's heart stopped.

She came.

Gabrielle spoke again. "I have ooh let me see now...about 48 hours and ten minutes." Then smiled a huge smile at him. He'd missed that.

Gabrielle watched his reaction and knew from the way he looked at her that she had made the right decision in coming and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in the world at that moment.

Just here. With him.