by Lesley Jones
I get a round of applause as we approach and lots of pats on the back.
“Did you phone ahead and tell them how good my performance in the cupboard just was?” I whisper into Ashley’s ear.
“You’re shagging was shit, but you play great guitar, Rock Star.” She whispers back.
Cheeky cow.
We spend the next few hours drinking and enjoying the company of the people we love most in the world.
Only one person is missing, but he’s never far from my thoughts.
Our lives have continued along without Maca. Our kids have grown, and music has continued to be made. For us, nothing much has changed. For Georgia? Her world is one that none of us thought would ever happen.
When Cam came into her life, or should I say, back into her life, none of us were best pleased and by none of us, I mean myself and my brothers. Ash, Jimmie, and my mum seemed to be over the moon. Ash admitted to me then that she always felt that if she and Maca hadn’t reconnected that night at Jimmie and Lens, then George would’ve ended up married to Cam. I had never seen them together, so I had no clue about their relationship back then. All I knew was that bloke worshipped the ground my sister walked on, and would do anything for her and their kids.
Georgia had been unbelievably lucky when first Jimmie, then Ash, offered to become surrogates when it was found that her eggs had been frozen.
I was shocked when Ash asked me if I would mind if she carried George and Cam’s child for them, and I honestly didn’t think she would actually see the whole process through.
She didn’t mind being pregnant, but she hated that she always gained so much weight.
I agreed, thinking that when it came down to it, she’d back out. She didn’t, and then I sort of had a wobble. I felt guilty. Maca was my best mate, my bro, and here I was letting my wife carry the child his wife had created with another man.
Len was in the same boat as me, so it was him I went and spoke to about how I felt, and all he said was, “Just think about how happy Maca would be to see her finally become a mother.”
I was sold and we were all over the moon when both of the girls fell pregnant.
When Ash found out she was carrying their twin girls, she wasn’t quite so ecstatic. She actually didn’t put on as much weight as she did with our own kids, but her belly just seemed to grow daily.
I thought that it might be a little weird making love to my wife, knowing that she had another man’s babies growing inside her, but it wasn’t. In fact, she just looked more beautiful to me because of the amazing gift she was giving to my sister.
Despite the fuck awful tragedy that had decimated our family for a while, we were now a happy and contented bunch. Despite the glare of publicity, our kids were all growing up great and were all as close to each other as I had remained to my brothers and sister.
Life was good for the Layton family, life was fucking good.
Oh, and that book? I hit delete and never showed it to a soul. Some stories are just best left untold.
THE END
PLAY LIST
https://play.spotify.com/user/lkjis/playlist/5WkmtY8DRpKolekz7BSh1b
Marillion, Lavender
Simply Red, Money’s too tight to mention
Eurythmics, There must be an angel
Run DMC/Aerosmith, Walk this way
Van Halen, Why can’t this be love
The Clash, London calling
Right said Fred, I’m too sexy
Blondie, Denis
The Buzzcocks, Ever fallen in love/ orgasm addict
Joni Mitchell, River
The Jam, English Rose/Butterfly collector
Ray Charles, Georgia on my mind
David Essex, Rock on
Transvision Vamp, Baby I don’t care
The pointer sisters, Automatic
Maze. Feat Frankie Beverly, Joy and pain
INXS, Mystify
Creed, With arms open wide
Metallica, Fade to black
Fatboy Slim, Praise you
Eminem. Feat
Dido, Stan
Basement Jaxx, Red alert
Moloko, Sing it back
Oasis, Wonderwall
Nirvana, Smells like teen spirit.
Bone Thugs N Harmony, Tha crossroads
Massive Attack, Unfinished sympathy
Armand Van Helden, U don’t know me
Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Relax
Tears For Fears, Everybody want to rule the world
Paul Hardcastle, 19
The Rah Band, Clouds across the moon
Gloria Estefan, Don’t wanna lose you
OTHER BOOKS
by
Lesley Jones
CARNAGE BOOK #1
The Story Of Us.
http://bit.ly/carnageus
http://bit.ly/carnageuk
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carnage-lesley-jones/1118732812
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/carnage/id918257635
CARNAGE BOOK #2
The Story Of Me.
http://bit.ly/carnage2us1
http://bit.ly/carnage2uk1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carnage-2-lesley-jones/1120044472
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/carnage-2-lesley-jones/1120341080
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/carnage-2/id918261612
SAVIOUR SERIES
http://bit.ly/savresus
http://bit.ly/savresuk
CONVICTION
http://bit.ly/convictionus1
http://bit.ly/convictionuk
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conviction-lesley-jones/1121350327
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/conviction/id982853092
AUTHOR BIO
Lesley Jones was born and raised in Essex England but moved to Australia nine years ago with her family.
Marley is her sixth novel in just under three years of writing.
She has quickly gained a reputation as a writer of gritty, down to earth characters, involved in angsty and emotional plot lines. Carnage having won a number of awards for ‘Best Ugly Cry’
Her readers love the fact that she can switch her stories from hot and steamy, to snot bubble crying, followed by laugh out loud moments, in the space of a few sentences.
She has described the very best part of her job is meeting her readers and already has plans to travel to the U.S for several events during 2016, a list of which can be found on her web site.
When not writing, she has admitted to being a prolific reader, getting through around four or five books a week.
She is a fan of reality TV, listening to music and watching her son play football.
Connect With Lesley @
http://lesleyjonesauthor.com/
https://www.facebook.com/LesleyJonesAuthor/
https://twitter.com/LesleyKJones
https://instagram.com/authorlesleyjones/
