So, here we go. No sex in this one, I'm afraid. This is all about moving the story forward. There will be some, these are people in love, so of course there will be sex. Bear with me, I'm rambling again!
Hope you enjoy...
Mandijerri
Rediscovering John, Part 3: Mother Comes to Stay
"Jeanette?"
"Francois, how are you, love?"
"Fine. What's the weather like up there?"
They laughed, as they always did. These calls had become the norm of late. He would call her, they would assess John's health. They would plan their day accordingly.
"Sunny but cold." Jeanette laughed. "How is my son today?"
"He had a bad turn last night." Francois sighed. "He forgot me again."
"Oh, Francois..."
"It is so hard to see him like this, Jeanette. I don't know what to do anymore!"
"Love him." Jeanette said. "It is all any of us can do."
"And I do." Francois sighed. "He is my life, vous comprenez?"
"I know. Do you want me to come down?"
"I think it is best. He looked so lost this morning, so confused! Sometimes he knew me, but most of the time... I could tell Jeanette - he didn't know who I was, where he was!"
Francois sobbed.
"Francois!" She soothed. "You need me as much as he does. I will come down today. Yes?"
"Yes." Francois whispered.
"You must be strong...."
"But it is so hard, Jeanette! When I am with him, I am strong, but now... now I am scared. I... I don't want to lose him!"
And he cried then.
"And we won't!" Jeanette said. "Listen. I am leaving now. OK? I can be in London for ten at the latest. I'll call you when I get to your house. Alright?"
"Bien. And thank you, Jeanette. I need you now."
"And I am here. For you both."
"Thank you."
They were silent for a while.
"Hey!" Jeanette laughed. "I saw you with a French model on the beach in Cannes!"
"Are you reading the papers again?"
"It was front page!"
"Mimi is beautiful, Jeanette. The most beautiful woman I have ever met - after you of course!"
"Of course. And?"
"And she is married to Oleg, a very wealthy Russian. They are very, very in love! He, like John, needs the spotlight to turn away every now and then, so..."
"I understand. Was she the girl at the party Gina threw?"
"Yes, the one on Alex's arm most of the night."
"That was the one! I thought I recognised her! Isn't she his sister?"
"Yes, and as French as you are! Mimi is her 'stage' name. Didn't I tell you that?"
"Not me or the reporter in the 'Sun' by the looks."
"Oops!"
"Indeed." She was silent for a moment. "He's going to be alright, isn't he, Francois?"
"Oh, Jeanette!" Francois sighed. "He will be fine. We love him too much for anything to happen. You will come down today. Organise the doctor, yes? Then at least we will know."
"It's just too soon after Bill." Jeanette sighed. "To lose them both..."
"It will not happen." Francois said. "I promised John that I would look after you, and now I make the same promise to you, Jeanette. I will look after John. He will be alright!"
"Oh, I so need that to be true, Francois!"
"Then come to ours and make it happen."
"I will."
"I'll call John and let him know."
"Thank you, Francois." Jeanette sighed. "Do you feel as helpless as me?"
"Yes." He sighed. "But if we are together..."
"You are right." She smiled. "Together we can fix this."
"Yes." He laughed. "Listen. I am at the Library now. Call me when you get to the house. Do you want me to let Maurice know you are parking at the back?"
"I'll pop in and see him." Jeanette laughed. "I'll call you when I'm with John, yes?"
"Oui." Francois smiled. "I need you Jeanette. Thank you."
"Don't be silly!" She laughed. "When you married John I told you I loved you. That will always be true!"
"I know." Francois said. "But sometimes you just need to say and hear the words. I love you. OK?"
"And I love you." She smiled. "Now get to work! I'll cook you a 'toad in the hole' for when you get home tonight."
"I'm home already!" He laughed. "See you later."
"Bye, love."
"John?"
The house was in darkness as Jeanette came in through the front door. The flat Francois and John lived in was on the top floor of the small building. Maurice lived in the flat below and one of his shops took up the front of the ground floor with his offices behind it.
She dropped her bag in the spare room then wandered down the corridor, popping her head into the kitchen and living room before going to the main bedroom. Knocking on the door she opened it slowly.
"John?" She whispered.
He was lying on the bed, dressed but wrapped up in the duvet.
"Mum?" He whispered.
"Love, it's me." She said coming over and sitting on the bed next to him. "How do you feel?"
"Shit." He smiled. "I was cold and the pain in my head was bad."
"And now?" She asked stroking his face.
"Now I just feel lifeless." He sighed. "Francois is at work. Does he know you are here?"
"I called him." Jeanette smiled. "He is worried about you John. You forgot him again this morning."
"I know." John sighed. "I only sorted it all out about an hour ago!" He whispered. "What's happening to me, mum?"
"I don't know, love." She said. "But we'll get you to the doctors today, yes?"
"Yes." He said.
They were silent for a moment, then he reached out and took her hand.
"I'm not dying, am I?" He asked, tears pricking at the edge of his eyes. "Not like dad?"
"No." She said, and tears ran down her face as well. "You are not going to die, John."
She lay down on the bed and hugged him.
"Come on." She smiled. "Let me make you a coffee. I know I need one." She added. "Can you stand up?"
"Yeah." He smiled, wiping his eyes. "Thanks for coming down." He added.
"You are not well." She smiled, leading him out of the room and into the kitchen. "Of course I'm here. Besides, who's going to look after Francois if you aren't up to it?"
"There is that." John laughed. "He's not good on his own!"
"No. And he's worried about you as well."
"God." John sighed, sitting down at the breakfast bar while his mother bustled around the kitchen. "What's happening to me?"
"You've been under a lot of stress." Jeanette said as she filled the kettle at the sink. "What with Maurice, Francois... your dad."
"I really miss him, mum."
"We all do." She sighed as she put the kettle on its stand and flicked it on. "He's left a huge hole in all our lives." She added.
"I don't want to die, mum!" John sobbed and she came around the counter and put her arms around him.
"No-one wants you to die." She whispered. "So it won't happen, alright?"
"But we didn't want dad to die." John whispered. "And he still did in the end."
"Your father was tired, John. His body was not as young as yours. He wasn't a healthy man, still smoking, even at the end! You are stronger than he was. Come, on love." She smiled. "You're scaring me now."
"I'm sorry." He smiled. "I get so scared myself." He added. "When I woke up last night, all I could remember was the flat in Aylesbury. I didn't know Francois, didn't know this place. You and dad were still in Partridge Close..."
"And the doctor will tell us what all this is about." She added.
She poured the water into the cups, then added milk and pushed one across the counter to John. He picked the cup up, then put it down.
"Oh." He said, clutching his stomach.
"What's wrong?" His mother asked, putting her cup down. "I feel... this coffee, it smells wrong..."
She sniffed her cup.
"Smells alright to me." She added.
"No, I... café dans la tasse is not smelling..." He clutched his head and winced, then began breathing heavily.
"John?" Jeanette asked coming around to him. "Love, are you alright?"
"Um..." He muttered, then slipped off the stool, slowly to the floor, still clutching his head. "Cups!" He called. "devrait l'odeur..." He added.
"John!" Jeanette cried, running around and putting her arms around him. "Son! What's wrong?"
"Tired." He whispered, his head falling against her shoulder. "Need to sleep now."
"Alright, darling." She whispered, tears running down her face. "Let me help you..."
She pulled him up and he stumbled against her as she led him back into the bedroom.
"Just lay here." She said, helping his legs onto the bed and putting the duvet back over him. "Are you cold?"
"Just tired, sorry." He whispered, his eyes already falling shut.
"Oh, John." Jeanette whispered, stroking his hand. "Don't leave me too." She whispered, bending over and kissing him on the cheek.
He was already breathing deeply.
She stayed with him for a moment, then stood and returned to the kitchen, draining her cup of coffee. She poured John's down the sink, then slipped down the corridor and into the offices on the ground floor. Maurice was walking through the front office.
"Jeanette." He smiled, then came and took her in his arms when he saw her face. "What is it?" He asked.
"I... I think John just had a fit." She whispered. "He sort of blanked out on me, started talking gibberish and then slipped onto the floor! I think he passed out for a moment."
"Where is he now?" Maurice asked putting his hands around her shoulder and leading her out of the office and back to the stairs that led up to the two flats.
"Laying down." She whispered. "Oh, Maurice! He'll be alright, won't he? I don't want to lose him too..."
"And you won't." Maurice said as he helped her back up the stairs. "Have you called Francois?"
"Not yet. I came straight down to you. Sorry, I just don't know what to do!"
"Jeanette. I am here to help. Always." Maurice said as Jeanette opened the door to the flat. "Now, let's call the doctor and then Francois, yes?"
"Yes. Thank you." Jeanette smiled.
"Go to your son." He told her, pointing her down the corridor. "Let me make all the calls."
"Thank you Maurice." She smiled, but he had already picked up the house phone and was making the first call.
"And now?" Francois asked.
He had just come through the door to the flat and had pulled Jeanette into a big hug.
"Now he's in the living room with Maurice, as if nothing ever happened!" Jeanette sighed, slipping her arm around his waist and walking with him down the hall to the living room. "Maybe it's me." She whispered.
"No." Francois said. "I was there last night. Something is happening to him."
"Well he's at the doctors tomorrow." Jeanette said. "Maybe we'll find out then."
"Let's hope." Francois said as they came through the door. "Maurice, hi." He smiled, shaking the man's hand. "Hi baby." He whispered, pulling John out of the chair and into a kiss and a hug. "Remember me?"
"Yes." John laughed. "Now I do. Took a while though!"
"Good." Francois smiled, kissing him on the forehead. "You scared me for a moment."
"Scared me as well!" John laughed. "I had no idea where I was!"
"Hmm. And you will see the doctor now?"
"Tomorrow." John said. "Je promets."
"You hungry?" Jeanette asked as she wandered through to the dining room.
"Starving!" Francois laughed, arm still around John's waist. "All they fed me at Channel Four was tea and biscuits!"
"And how was the meeting?" Maurice asked.
"Good." Francois said. "Six programmes. They are writing them now."
"And you will front them?" John asked.
"It's right up my street!" Francois laughed, kissing him on the side of the head. "How sex shaped Britain!"
"And you'll be getting down and dirty, I suppose?" John smiled.
"Don't worry." Francois laughed. "I'll do all the rehearsals with you!"
"Good!" John smiled. "Come on, let's get some wine. Maurice is staying for dinner."
"Toad in the hole!" Maurice said. "How can I refuse a British classic?"
"Especially when Jeanette is cooking it!" Francois laughed.
"Cooking what?" Jeanette asked as they all came into the kitchen through the dining room.
"I was just complementing your cooking." Francois smiled as John went over and pulled a bottle of wine from the rack. "No-one can cook Toad in the Hole like you!" He added. "I've tried it at other places, none of them are as good as what you do."
"Then I am in for a treat." Maurice said as he sat down at the counter.
"Oh yes." Jeanette smiled. "And don't listen to Mr TV here." Jeanette laughed. "French he may be, but in his heart of hearts his eating habits are very British!"
"Boiled cabbage and meat pie." John added. "One of our favourites!"
"I have never boiled a cabbage!" Francois laughed as he sat down.
"That would be because this room is a mystery to you." John laughed as he poured out four glasses of wine. "Bags from the local store come in at one end and meals appear in the dining room from the other!"
"You're back to normal, then!" Francois smiled, pulling John onto his lap as he passed over the wine to his mother and Maurice.
"Yeah, I am." John smiled, settling back against Francois, who had slipped his arm around his waist again.
"Good. How long until the food magically appears, then?" He asked Jeanette.
"Five minutes." She smiled. "Lay the table for me?"
"Sure." He said, standing and depositing John in the chair.
"And you don't mind me taking a few days off?" John asked Maurice.
"Of course not." Maurice smiled. "I need you better, your mother needs you better and that oaf next door needs you better. You will take as much time as you want."
"Thanks." John said. "And he's not too much of an oaf at the moment!"
"You're in love with him." Maurice said, raising his glass to John. "Clouds your opinion."
"Of what?" Francois asked as he came back into the room to gather up the condiments.
"Je vous ai appelé un lourdaud, Jean n'était pas d'accord." Maurice laughed.
"En anglais, Maurice, Jeanette ne parle pas français." Francois added.
"Sorry, Jeanette." Maurice said. "I am so used to these two speaking French all of the time that I forget myself, sometimes."
"I'm learning." Jeanette said as she took a small pan off the cooker. "Soon I will be speaking like a native!"
"Oh yes." Maurice added. "Francois is taking you all to Paris in October, isn't he?"
"I can't wait." Jeanette sighed. "Apart from a stop-over at Charles de Gaulle once, I've never been to Paris."
"And the airport really doesn't do the city justice!" Francois protested.
"And in Paris, even Francois is a foreigner!" John laughed.
"That's true." Francois called from the dining room. "Unless you are born and bred in Paris they hate you."
"They will forgive us because they will think we are all English." Jeanette said. "Even you speak French with an English accent now, Francois."
"It's being around John for so long!" Francois complained as he came back and settled himself around John on the stool.
"It's only been two years." John smiled.
"It just shows how important you are to me then." Francois smiled nuzzling his neck. "After two years I sound like you. I must be in love!"
"Do you want me and Jeanette to leave the room?" Maurice smiled, finishing his glass.
"We can wait." Francois laughed, biting John's neck. "I'm just glad he's back with us!"
"Me too." John said.
"I'd toast you." Maurice said. "But my glass appears to be empty."
"John!" Jeanette smiled. "Didn't I teach you any manners? Go and get another bottle."
"Yes, mum." John smiled, pulling himself away from Francois.