Acquiesce

Chapter 26

The divorce was finalised much faster than I thought, the documents came through and that was it. I was never, ever going to see Enzo again.

Alan noticed I was upset but he wasn't exactly sympathetic. "You don't go chasing cock if you're happy with the one you've got."

"It wasn't like that. Never going to get over him, we were never meant to end."

"Hey, you've got something in common with Noel."

"What?"

"He's going to kill me telling you this." he pointed out. "He was engaged to this girl ages ago he still goes on about now, goes round saying exactly that, he'll never get over her."

"Really, Noel's secretly a hopeless romantic?"

I was so surprised. He didn't act like that with Meg, she was almost his accessory like some people have little dogs. He wasn't like that with anyone. He was a lone force in the universe. This girl must have really broke his heart.

"You wouldn't think so."

"Not with Meg, no."

"He wrote Wonderwall for her."

"Wonderwall is the most generic song, ever. It could be about anyone and anything."

"I wouldn't go telling him that."

...

The day they were leaving to go on tour came and it started to dawn on me how much I'd miss Liam being around, especially as the twins' dad. He'd been there for us almost every day.

Liam had been thinking. "I could tell him I'm not..."

"No way!" I wasn't even going to let him finish that sentence. "You're going to be there, on time as promised."

"Promised t'who?" he frowned.

"Noel. If you don't go and give your best performance I'll be in his bad books forever."

"Y'don't care..."

"I'd rather not snap at their uncle for the rest of our lives."

"He's still gonna be a mardy little cunt whether I do my job or not."

I couldn't help laughing. "Well, you not going won't improve his mood, will it? It's only two days, right?"

"Yeah, Loch Lomond..."

"See that's no time." I needed to keep telling myself that. "You've been away longer when you went out with the lads."

"Then there's Sweden, Knebworth, Cork." he counted on his fingers. "I'll be gone more and more, I'll miss everything."

"They're little babies, they won't mind too much yet. I can't believe you're even suggesting staying, the world needs you."

"Thought we were shit and no one likes us."

"Only when it's Noel asking."

He looked down at Poppy, checking she was drinking so he didn't have to say anything.

...

When it was time I gave Liam a lift to Supernova Heights, delivering the lead singer to his band like I was his personal taxi service.

"Y'didn't have to do this." Liam said, he didn't like it, he thought it was like his Mum was dropping him off, not his whatever I was.

"We're here now. I promised Noel so let's hope he's in a good mood."