Seeing Double
Across the Universe
Chapter 3
A/N: The last chapter kinda sped up at the end but hopefully this one will be like that the whole time. R+R!
Later that night-the same night Max phoned Lucy-Max talked to Jude. They were alone once again.
"You probably don't want me to tell you this, but I'm going to anyways." Max started after they finished eating a small snack at midnight.
"Wait. Can I have a drink first?" Jude asked seriously and then grinned.
Max whipped a flask and tossed it to his bud. Jude shrugged and drank.
"I called Lucy today." Jude spat out what was left in his mouth and choked on the rest.
"Why in God's name would you do that?" He coughed.
"You were killing me, man. You wouldn't tell me anything! I had to figure it out some how. And now I'm satisfied. So now you don't have to worry and I can stop bugging you." Max yelled back.
"I woulda told you tonight! But now that you know, there's no point telling you the rest. What did she tell you anyways?"
"Well I know she's a lot more sad. And his name's Kurt. She's really depressed. She hung up as soon as she told me the name."
"Does she want to come back to America?" Jude fumbled with his pockets.
"I bet she does. Badly. But she doesn't have a choice right? That Kurt guy sounds tough. She's with him but only because he reminds her of me."
"Well yes, that's pretty much all of it… She didn't tell you I walked in on her when I got back from work did she?" He looked up from his pockets and grinned.
"No! Did you really?" Max smiled back.
"Yes! It was the scariest moment of me life! No. I'm just kidding. But I did." Jude couldn't stop smirking.
Jude and Max were laughing like there was no tomorrow.
"Do you have any cigarettes?" Jude finally asked.
"No. But I did get a little bit of a treat today." Max pulled out two small amounts of marijuana and handed one to Jude. "Don't light it yet. I have to ask you something first."
"What is it, Maxey my boy?" Jude was still grinning like an idiot.
"Why did you come back here? Why not stay in Liverpool with your mom?" Max asked seriously.
"Me mum's sick. And has a new gentleman at her feet. She doesn't need me anymore. And how could I stay knowing she was there and you were here stuck with Prudence! I didn't know what was gonna happen."
"Oh. Well cheers. You now have my permission to light up. But don't waste it because I spent all my pay from today!" Max lit them both.
"Cheers."
At the same time-midnight. Lucy was sitting on a ruffled blanket on an old loveseat; waiting.
The loveseat was facing the front door so she could see who came in.
Fifteen minutes later, stumbled in a smashed, and drugged Kurt Cobain-with someone else.
His shaking hand flicked on a light and Lucy could see a woman hanging off his shoulders, kissing his neck. She reached to turn the light back off.
Lucy coughed loudly and blinked back tears.
Kurt turned the light back on, opened his eyes and saw Lucy sitting. He mumbled something into the woman's ear. She turned, got off the man and walked out the door which they entered moments before.
Lucy sat, no longer holding in tears, letting them slide down her face. She didn't say anything and waited for Kurt to go into the bedroom. He scratched the back of his neck then left.
She flicked on all the lights, knowing Kurt wouldn't be waking up any time soon. Lucy grabbed all of her things, threw them in a sack, took all the money she made-all of it-and left.
"Hello? Mom? It's Lucy. I've decided I'm going back to live with Max. Maybe he was right; me and Jude are meant to be. Kurt's not who I thought he was so I'm leaving. You wouldn't approve." She hung up then added the phone onto the pile of things in her pack.
She wrote a note for Kurt.
Kurt,
I'm sorry if I ever done anything bad to you, but this is the worst. You don't have a job and your spending all my money on drugs and alcohol. Perhaps other women. I'm sick of your games. Don't follow me. Don't ever try to contact me again. I wish you luck in anything and everything you ever do.
Lucy
After a couple curses to herself, she was ready to go.
8:30 am, loud raps on the front door woke up everyone in Max's home.
First three, three more, then again.
"Yeah, yeah, we're coming." Krist emerged from his and Prudence's room. Prudence came close behind, still wearing make up from the night before.
Krist opened the door. "Well hello there." He only opened it so much so no one else could see.
"Uh, Jude?" She was extremely puzzled.
"Lucy!" Max shouted, grabbed the back of Krist's shirt and pulled him back into the room. "Go play your guitar or whatever you call it."
"Bass!" He yelled but went back into his room.
"Max!" She smiled and hugged him.
"What made you come back?" Max asked when he finally let go of her.
"I never really wanted to stay in Liverpool, but I knew Jude was gonna be moving in with you. But you know what they say-if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Where is Jude anyways?" She set down her pack and stepped away from Max.
Jude was looking at the reunion and turned away when Lucy caught his eye.
"Jude?" She looked at him up and down. Max watched them both.
He looked up and smiled a small smile. "So you came back." He whispered.
"Not for you if that's what your thinking." She snapped.
"Did he do that?" He motioned with his hand over her body. She looked down and nodded softly.
It was quiet for a moment.
"Come on, Luce. Let's go get you cleaned up." Max took her shaking hand and led her to the bathroom. "Pru, take care of her, 'kay?" He handed her hand to a grinning Prudence.
Prudence led her into the bathroom and Jude and Max were left alone.
"What did you tell her? That I still love her?" Jude asked.
"Nope. I can't believe she didn't come sooner." Max shook his head at the bathroom door.
"Neither can I."