2. A Kind of Magic

"All right, so if you all open your textbooks to chapter six-" Brian paused to look up at the clock on the classroom wall. Only fifteen minutes remained in their class session. "Actually, you know what? We'll save the next concept for Monday, and wrap up a little early for the weekend - how's that sound?"

There were relieved sighs and some applause from the crowd of students. "Excellent - and that will give you a chance to finish this week's readings and questions if you haven't already. Have a great weekend everyone, and see you on Monday. Remember, I'm in my office Monday's and Thursday's after class."

Everyone was much too keen rushing out the door to hear him, but he gathered his books and papers and headed to his office to lock up for the weekend. While driving home, he cranked the rock 'n roll tunes on the radio - hey, it was Friday after all. Time to relax for the weekend.

"I'm home!" he announced when he got home, stepping into the kitchen. Lettie, who was on the phone, held a finger to her lips.

Sorry, Brian mouthed.

"Yes Mrs. Clayton, I'll be very careful with your skirts. Yes, yes, I know the way you like them folded. All right, thank you, I'll have them washed, pressed, and folded by Wednesday, so you'll definitely have them in time for church next week. Okay, goodbye." She hung up the phone, heaving an exhausted sigh.

"Our lovely neighbor again, making sure you haven't forgotten her particularities when it comes to her laundry?" Brian said.

"Yes. She even had me write it down this time, even though I've done it before." She held up the notepad bearing her scribbled notes. "If she doesn't believe me I'm counting on you to back me up."

"The audacity of that woman! How dare she not trust your memory. When I can tell you, yours is certainly superior to hers."

"Brian!"

"What, it's true! When has she remembered any of our children's names? And while you're a good forty years younger than her, she doesn't need to treat you like a child, the old bat."

"Brian!" She swatted him with the notepad.

"There, I said it! I've been wanting to say it for such a long time and now I finally have! And besides, doesn't she know there's no one more trustworthy with clothing than the great Juliette May?"

Lettie smiled. "Well, thank you Dear, but I'm afraid Mrs. Clayton does not share your humble opinion. You're home early," she noted.

"Yeah, thought I'd give my class a break and let them go a little early for the weekend."

"Ah, no wonder you're the favourite professor."

"DADDY!" their youngest, Mickey, ran into the kitchen then from the living room where he had been watching telly, hugging Brian's legs.

"Hey there, Mick Jagger." Brian kissed the little boy on the top of the head, ruffling his red hair. "How was your day?"

"Good!"

"Mickey, you want to show your dad the drawing you did this morning?" Lettie said.

Mickey beamed and nodded, rushing to the fridge to take a drawing off of the door before proudly presenting it to Brian.

"Ah, well look at this."

"See, that's you." Mickey pointed to the drawing.

"Am I in a spaceship?"

"Uh huh." Mickey nodded. "So you can be in the sky with the stars instead of just looking at them from far away."

"Ah, well how about that. And I quite like my green hair," Brian nodded to his stick figure's head of green curls.

Mickey nodded. "I didn't have a brown crayon. Bernie broke it."

"Well I love it." Brian hugged his son. "And hey, is that the Red Special in the ship with me?"

"Yeah, so you can play music with the stars!"

"How perfect is that! Can I take it to work and put it up in my office with your other drawings?" Mickey nodded. "Wonderful, I'll put it in my briefcase right now so I don't forget it when I go to work on Monday. But first, why don't you sign it, like a professional artist."

Lettie grabbed the box of crayons. "What colour would you like, Mick?"

"Purple!"

She handed him the crayon and he wrote his name in big letters in the bottom corner of the drawing.

"There," Brian held up the finished product. "Now I can tell all my colleagues my son's an artist!"

Mickey beamed with pride.

"I'll go grab my briefcase-"

"I'll get it!" Mickey jumped up from the table and flew out of the room.

"We did well, with all three of them," Brian remarked.

"We sure did," she agreed.

They were just leaning in for a kiss when they were interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Ugh, if that's Mrs. Clayton again, tell her to sod off," said Brian. "Tell her you're sharing a moment with your husband, just to shock her."

"Oh enough from you!" Lettie answered the phone. "Hello-" She was filled with relief at the voice that answered. "Oh Fred, how are you?"

"Wonderful, Juliette Darling! Is your lovely husband there? Tell him to come listen!"

"Brian, Freddie wants you."

Brian walked over and Lettie held the phone between them. "Hey, Fred. What's up?"

"What's up? I'll tell you what's up, Darling: I got us another gig!"

"Oh, for when?"

"Tomorrow evening!"

"Oh, that soon, huh?"

"Yes! The sooner the better, I think!"

"Where at?"

"The Moon and Stars, that pub we played at a few weeks ago just for you."

"Oh yeah, I remember."

"Seven o'clock, drinks and food included!"

"This is pretty short notice, Fred, but I think we can make it work-" Brian looked to Lettie who nodded. "But when are we going to rehearse between now and then?"

"Brian, Brian, always concerned about rehearsals - we'll be fine, we killed it last time. We don't need to rehearse!"

Brian didn't look so sure. "If you say so, oh frontman of ours..."

"Well I do! See you then and there, no later than six-thirty for prep - plus I want to see who else is performing, what we're up against."

"Seek out the competition again, huh Fred?"

"Always!" With that, the line went dead.

"Well, I guess that's our Saturday evening filled," Brian remarked.

"Indeed. I'll call my brother, tell him he's on babysitting duty again.

That evening, the family gathered for dinner.

"I want to eat all meat, like Dad!" announced their son, Bernie.

"Your Dad doesn't eat meat, Love," Lettie reminded him.

"I know, he eats all veggies, so I want to eat all meat."

Lettie rolled her eyes. "Eat your vegetables, Bernard." He gave a cry of protest when she scooped a large helping onto his plate.

Bernie was the eldest, then their daughter Clara was in the middle, and then Mickey of course.

"I'm done, can I go watch telly now?" asked Bernie after inhaling his plate of food.

"What do you say?"

"Please?"

"And?"

"Thank you for dinner, Mum!" leapt in Clara.

"You're welcome. You can run along, but make sure to drop your plates in the sink."

Three chairs scraped against the floor as the children got up, followed by three consecutive clangs! of plates being 'dropped' into the sink.

Now that left only Lettie and Brian at the table.

"Well, nothing like a family dinner," Lettie said.

"Yeah... I'll get the wine, you get the candles?"

She grinned. "Deal."

They ate the rest of their dinner accompanied by wine and candlelight, holding hands.

Aww, sweet moments ;) We'll get to see the rest of the band and friends in the next chapter - can't wait!

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)