Chapter One: Across the Universe

5 July 1957

It was nearing noon in the town of Liverpool, England. The sun was shining bright; the neighbourhoods were quiet, as all the children were still in school. It was a warm day, but not too warm. The wind rustled the leaves of every tree in this neighbourhood every few minutes. Standing in the corner lot of Grove Lane, was a white, two story home larger than the others in that neighbourhood. It had a wraparound porch, and a white picket fence. The shutters were black and perched open. The grass was green and cut, the flower beds overflowing with carnation flowers of all colours. In the driveway was a dark green 1953 Cadillac.

I was standing on the sidewalk, and had two single suitcases standing on either side of my exposed legs. My eyes were concentrated on the home, and I was trying my hardest to absorb the fact that this home would be my home starting today. I heard the rubber soles of someone's shoes coming closer and closer from behind, so I turned. My father had taken the liberty of retreating my bag and carry-on from the cab. It drove away as soon as my father came to my side. He put a hand on my shoulder, and said that I should head inside while he took my things in. I nodded, and stepped around the suitcases and up to the white fence surrounding the front garden. I glanced back to my father, who was now perched over my belongings, before finally walking to the front door. It was unlocked, so I was able to simply push it open.

My breath almost caught in my throat as I took in the inside of the home.

The floors were a polished dark wood, and the walls an off-white. There were several beautiful paintings hanging on the walls, and soft blue drapes sealing the windows. The foyer held a wide staircase that led to the second floor. It had an oriental rug running down the middle, and a dark banister. I peered around the corner of the foyer, and saw an archway leading to another room. I walked down the foyer and to the hall, my fingertips grazing the walls as I passed by. When I finally reached the end of the hallway, I was in a sitting room. It held two couches, a long one with its back facing me, and another smaller one off on the right. In front of the couches was a dark wood coffee table, and a large stone fireplace. The room was decorated in the same style as the foyer; paintings were hung on the walls, the drapes were light blue, and the walls an off-white.

I stepped into the room, and looked around, noticing two other archways similar to the one that led me here. I took the closest archway, and walked down the small hallway leading to a chamber door. I pushed it open, and saw that it was a study. It held a grand oak desk, and the walls were covered in bookcases. There was a large window behind the desk that looked off into the side of the house lot, which was simply the end of the street. The floors were the same dark wood, the walls the same off-white. After getting my fill of the room, I left it, and shut the door after me, walking back the way I came. I opted for the next archway, and saw that it led me straight to a kitchen.

The floor was tiled in white, and the walls were painted the same off-white I kept seeing. The cabinets were the soft blue of the drapes, and the counters were tiled in an unnatural white. Another row of cabinets and countertops were in front of the row against the wall, and it held a sink and three bar stools. Off on the left side of the counters against the wall were a refrigerator and a gas stove. There was a rounded breakfast table near the doorway I was standing in, with two chairs propped in front of it. I looked around the room, and almost laughed an exasperated laugh when I noticed yet another archway. I walked towards it, and saw that the room in the end of the small hallway was a dining room.

The table was grand and made of oak, the chairs a red velvet. The walls were not the normal off-white I had seen in the other rooms. Instead it was a brooding dark red, one that matched the velvet of the royal looking chairs. In the back corner of the room was a single statue of an angelic like creature in pure marble. "Fancy," I whispered to myself. Getting my fill of the brooding dining room, I turned on my heels and walked down the short distance of the hallway to the kitchen. Once I was there, I walked back to the living room, whereupon I noticed that there was a single normal-looking door off in the left side of the farthest wall. I walked over to where it was, and pushed it open, realising that it was a sunroom that separated the backyard and the grand home.

The backyard was full of green grass and the same carnations I saw in the front in various different colours. There was a crystal clear pool off in a cemented part of the garden, and a few lawn chairs and tables were scattered about it. Making a mental note to take a dip in the pool after I was done unpacking, I shut the door and walked back to the foyer. My father was just coming down the stairs when I entered the room.

"It's like a big dead end," I said. "The house, I mean. It has archway after archway that leads you to that dining room of yours."

"Yes, I rather like it," Father laughed. I nodded.

"It's beautiful; I've never seen a place so grand," This caused Father to laugh loudly, and me to blush softly.

"I'm sure you've seen some nicer places, didn't your mother take you around with her?" I shook my head. "Well, that's why you're with me now, isn't it? Come along, I've dropped your things off in your bedroom."

I walked up the grand staircase, following my father up to the last bedroom in the left side of the hallway. "This side is practically yours," He said referring to the left side of the upstairs. "I never come over here, since my bedroom is on the right,"

He pushed the white door open, and revealed a large bedroom. The walls were painted a soft yellow, and the floors were the same dark wood in the rest of the home. There was a big king-sized white bed off to the right of the door. On its side were two white beside tables, one of which that held a lamp, and an alarm-clock. The bed was covered in white bed sheets. In front of the bed was a huge window that overlooked the front garden and the quiet street we lived on. Off in the corner of the room was a tall floor lamp, and next to it a vanity. Nearer to the door was an empty bookcase, and next to it was a doorway that I assumed lead to the bathroom. The belongings I had already mailed to my father earlier this week were all arranged, tastefully, to my surprise. My record player was near the window in front of my bed and on top of a small white table that looked similar to the ones next to my bed. My crate full of records was next to it, and my old canvas and painting materials lay next to it.

"Wow, did you do this yourself?" I asked, stepping into the room.

He nodded. "I tried to remember how your room in your mother's apartment looked when I last visited it."

"You sure did a great job," I turned from the window and smiled at him. His eyes were tired, and his head was balding. He was still on the chubby side, but aside from the tired eyes, and balding head, he looked the same as he did when I was a kid.

He nodded. "Yes, well, feel free to make yourself at home; I have to head to the train station in an hour so I'll have to shower and all that jazz," I nodded, and went to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He smiled, ruffled my hair, and left me to unpack. It didn't take me too long, since I only had to transfer my clothes from my suitcase to the closet, which happened to be in my bathroom. I had finished unpacking in about half an hour, and felt myself getting hungry. I closed the door to my brand new, and beautiful bedroom, and went down to light filled hallway, and to the stairs. The day outside was beautiful, and all the windows were opened and the drapes pulled back, so the sunlight was streaming in.

I walked to the kitchen, and to the refrigerator. It was empty. I huffed, and then pulled away from it, opting for the fruit basket on top of the breakfast table. I took and apple, and trekked to the sunroom I had previously discovered. The house was silent, and when I opened the door to the back garden, I immediately heard the squeals of the neighbourhood children playing with their mummy's in their backyards. I kicked off my shoes, and walked barefooted on the grass towards the pool, all while taking bites off my apple. Once I reached the edge of it, I dipped my toe in, and almost squealed when I realised how cold it was. I laughed to myself, and sat on my bottom, hovering my long legs over the pool. I had been out there for about five minutes, when I heard the screen door of the sunroom open.

"Julia," My father called. I turned towards his voice, and saw him walking my direction.

"Hello, father," I smiled. "The pool is lovely,"

"I just had it put in last summer," He smiled. "Anyway, my cab is here, so I'll be heading off in a bit. I'll try to make it before the end of next week but I can't make any promises,"

I nodded, and pushed myself off the floor to envelope him in a quick good-bye hug. He ruffled my chestnut hair again, told me that he had left money in the vase atop the fireplace in the sitting room, and left for his cab. I was alone.

Sighing a soft sigh, I went back inside, and up to my bedroom, where I put a record on and threw myself on my soft bed. I had spent hours on a flight here from New York City, and then two more hours on a train ride from London. I was exhausted. I soon felt the lids of my forest green eyes falling, and my breathing slowing. I had been splayed on my bed not half an hour when I succumbed to the sleep I hadn't gotten in weeks.

AN: So here's the first chapter! I used to be phristacaffgen and was writing a story called I Need You, but I abandoned that and instead revised it and took this one on, which isn't entirely too different than from what I had originally planned on doing. Anyway, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this! If I get some feedback, I'll update sooner! You can contact me on my blog

Peace and love!

xoxoxo

Arianna