by P.J. Lowry
For the next task, Lizzy didn’t even have to leave her home to get things started. The first thing she did was go online to an auction site to make a purchase. She wasn’t fond of using websites like this, especially since Hayden loved to use sites like that to buy her special gifts. She had nothing against gifts, but when money was tight she didn’t like having that conversation with Hayden every time he went online and got something sweet for her. She didn’t have his password for the auction sight, but Gale had an account and was more than willing to help her use it. Lizzy took over and started to look around for the item needed to accomplish the next task. It took three days for the auctions to end, but in the end her quest to make the buy was a success. It wasn't easy, and it cost her a thousand dollars to score what she was after but it was for Hayden’s mom and this time she wanted to make an effort to connect with her. Lizzy seemed genuinely happy to have won the auction.
Anna walked out of the spare bedroom and looked at her with a tired and what the hell are you doing kind of look on her face. It was nothing personal as Anna just always looked that way before having a cup of coffee. "What’s going on?" she asked.
"I won my auction. Task eleven is on track to be completed!" Lizzy said with excitement. “Now I need to book a flight to London.”
"London?” Gale repeated, “As in jolly ol’ England, London?”
“Yes.” Lizzy said as she started to look up some airline prices online. "Hayden's Mom and I are going to need to fly there to see Paul!"
Gale stood up. 'Wait a second, you know who Paul is?"
"Yeah, how did you found out about that?" Anna said as she finally started to wake up.
"I found out at the barbeque." Lizzy replied, "Jared told me about it after he grilled me about the list."
Jared sat in the kitchen, scanning over the list. "It's a heavy list. Some look like they'll be a breeze where a few will be tough to accomplish."
“Tell me about it.” Lizzy said as she wasn’t looking forward to a few of them.
Jared took another look. "Here’s an example of one that could be easy or hard. Number eleven; take Mom to visit some dude named Paul."
"I'm really afraid of that one.” Lizzy confessed, “I don't know who Paul is and I don't want to hurt Hayden's Father if I don't know who the other man is."
"Calm down Liz," Jared said as he smiled and did his best not to laugh out loud, "I know who Paul is. Hayden's Mom was born in the fifties, which meant during the sixties she was one of the screaming and very animated teenagers throughout America that witnessed a small event known as the British Invasion."
"You mean..." Lizzy said to herself as she tried to figure it out.
"What I'm saying is Hayden's Mom was one of those teenage girls who worshipped the Beatles and the very ground they walked on.” Jared continued, “The Paul that Hayden was making reference to is Sir Paul McCartney."
"So how do I take Hayden's Mom to meet Paul?" Lizzy asked as she tried to figure out a way to set this up.
"It says take mom to 'see Paul' not meet him. To see him all you have to do is buy a ticket to watch one of his shows." Jared put the list back down on the table. "That's what Hayden meant by seeing Paul, rather than talking to him. He wanted to be there to witness his Mom see her teen idol on stage and share that moment with her. So in order for you to conquer this task, you have to get some cabbage and hit up some online scalpers for tickets. You might even have to fly out to another city to catch up with him." Jared stood up to leave. "I know you settled with the company that owned the building. Not that I blame you, courts can be held up for years. So you can afford to hit the web for a few tickets. That shouldn't be a problem."
“Wow, that’s awesome!” Lizzy said, happy to have another item solved.
She had been so worried that Paul was going to be something bad, but it turned out to be something simple but very cheerful. Hayden had wanted to take his Mom to a show to see her favourite singer, and to share that moment with her. She looked back down at the list.
“Do you have any idea what a Hermy is?”
"Not a damn clue.”
"That’s it?” Gale responded, almost disappointed. She was actually hoping that this was going to be a deep, dark mystery rather than something simple.
“I’m afraid so," Lizzy replied, "I'm really sorry for what I'm about to say, but, I need to do this task alone."
"How come?" Anna said with a faint whine in her voice. She was a pretty big Beatle fan too and was actually starting to look forward to this task.
"This is Hayden's Mom,” Lizzy explained, “We can barely share a room together so if I bring friends out and invite her to fly to another city and country to see Paul, she might be intimidated by the idea of an international all girls night. I want this to be something we can share together and hopefully we'll get a little closer."
The girls seemed to settle and realize what Lizzy said was true. She really did need to do this one on her own because it was a fact that she and Hayden's Mom never had much of a chance to bond that much while Hayden was alive and this was the perfect chance to find some middle ground. As she drove out to the Sheppard home a few days later, Lizzy was petrified. She was worried that Hayden's Mom might refuse to go, and that the task would never be finished. She paused at the door and gave it a soft knock. A few moments later Mr. Sheppard arrived at the door again and greeted her with another surprised grin and a big, bear hug.
"Lizzy!” Mr. Sheppard said when he finally let her go, “Now what did I do to deserve two visits this week from my favourite daughter in law!"
"Hi Dad," Lizzy said with a smile, "I was hoping to talk to Mrs. Sheppard."
"Mom’s in the kitchen,” He answered, “It’s tea time."
"Excellent," she stepped in and handed Mr. Sheppard a small travel bag, "Can you hold this for me? Won't be a moment."
"Okay dear." Mr. Sheppard said as he complied and took the bag from her.
Mrs. Sheppard was in the kitchen with her tea, knitting something for one of her newest grandchildren, and listening to something in the background. Lizzy walked into the kitchen and took a seat across from her on the table. Mrs. Sheppard looked up and realized she was there.
"Hello Elizabeth," she said without too much excitement, "What brings you here today?"
"I came to ask you for a favour." Lizzy said, not sure what answer to expect.
"You may ask but I can't guarantee you'll get an answer you'll like." she said as she looked back at the project she was working on.
"Something Hayden and I always did was talk about things we loved and one thing we always enjoyed was taking about music and the artists we both loved and had in common." she paused for a moment. "One thing Hayden always told me was that he wanted to take you to a concert."
This comment caused Mrs. Sheppard to stop knitting and she looked up. "What kind of concert? I don't listen to any of the rubbish you kids call music."
Lizzy smiled at her. "When Hayden and I talked about it, he was referring to the Beatles."
"Well I hate to break it to you dear," Mrs. Sheppard said as she put her project on the chair beside her, "They kind of split up a long time ago and since then half of them have passed on. One of them not so pleasantly I’m afraid."
"That's true, but your favourite Beatle is still out there." Lizzy said, "Hayden wanted to take you to one of his concerts. He wanted to be there to share that moment with you.”
“He did?" Mrs. Sheppard replied, moved by this revelation.
"Bad enough to buy tickets," Lizzy reached into her pocket and pulled out the tickets that she had delivered to her apartment the day before, "These tickets went on sale months before he passed away. Hayden had bought them with the intent to take you along."
She handed the concert tickets to Mrs. Sheppard for her to read them.
Mrs. Sheppard was moved even more when she read the tickets: Two floor seats to see Paul McCartney in another city. She looked up at Lizzy. "London?"
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"Yes, the show is in two days.” Lizzy replied, “I just found them."
"How are we going to find tickets to London this late??" She asked, suddenly eager to catch the next plane and go see the show.
Lizzy reached into her purse and pulled out two first class tickets to London.
"How soon can you pack?" she asked with a smile.
For the first time, Mrs. Sheppard looked at Lizzy with something she hadn't seen in a very long time: a smile. A really big one and she put her hand to her mouth as she looked like she was going to cry. She gave her back the tickets and for a moment Lizzy thought she was going to back away and turn down the invitation. But before she could say anything, Mrs. Sheppard turned back to her.
"How much do I need to pack?" she asked.
Lizzy smiled and sighed deeply, "We're only going to be there four days."
"All right, I'll be right back." Mrs. Sheppard said disappeared into the hallway.
Lizzy watched as Mrs. Sheppard quietly exited the kitchen and went upstairs. Mr. Sheppard almost got knocked over as she bolted up the stairs. He came into the kitchen, still holding onto Lizzy's travel bag. "Where is she going?"
"To pack," Lizzy said with a smile, "We're going to London."
"What on earth is happening in London that has you gals going running out like this?" Mr. Sheppard asked.
Lizzy walked over and showed him the concert tickets. “Bribery.”
He looked at them and then back at Lizzy. “That will win her heart, especially when you invite her to see the man of her dreams. Nice idea, Lizzy."
"I can't take credit for it," Lizzy honestly replied, "It was Hayden's plan. I'm just seeing it through for him.”
Hayden's Dad gave her another big smile. "But it was your idea to take her yourself. You two are going to have so much fun."
"I hope so," Lizzy said, "I really want to do something special with her and bond a little."
"I have a feeling this might work. I haven't seen her that excited about anything music related since the sixties." he giggled as he thought about those times. He then gave Lizzy another hug. "You two broads have a blast. I think this is the best idea ever."
"Thanks." Lizzy said.
Before she could say anything else, Mrs. Sheppard came running down the stairs with bag packed, ready to go. "Let's get going. We have a flight to catch." She walked over to her husband and gave him a big heartfelt hug. "You and the boys will be all right till I get back?" she asked.
"I think we can manage." Mr. Sheppard replied.
"Not too much takeout hun. Please remember your cholesterol." she said and then turned to face Lizzy. "Let's go, dear."
They then took a cab to the airport and had no trouble getting through baggage or security since they were flying first class. If anything the pampering of first class would make Mrs. Sheppard feel better and relaxed. The flight over was smooth and without many bumps and Lizzy even managed to nap a little. After catching another cab after getting out of the airport, they went straight to their hotel to check in. For the actual concert, Lizzy had rented a limo to get them so that neither of them would have to adapt to the idea of driving on the other side of the road. They had a day or two before the big show, so while in London there were many shops, galleries and historic sites to visit and take in. Neither of them had been to London before so they both got to explore and discover every bit of it together. This was something that the two of them were going share just between them, and it was the bonding that Lizzy was hoping for from the mother-in-law that never had much time for her.
Then came the night of the big show. Lizzy and Mrs. Sheppard didn't dress up but were not dressed down for the occasion either. They arrived to the arena about an hour before the show was to start, and by the time it came to start the place was packed, not an empty seat in the house. Then the lights went out and everyone in the arena freaked out and started to scream. They shouted, chanted and clapped until the music started and that's when the roof was almost blown off the place. The man they were all waiting and paid hand over fist to see finally came on stage, and everyone was transported back to another time, and so started the show of a lifetime for Mrs. Sheppard.
"You say yes... I say no... you say stop... and I say go, go, gooooooo..."
Everyone was on their feet, singing and clapping away and Mrs. Sheppard couldn't help but do the same. Singing along with every song as the memories came flooding back to her and she was young again watching the idol she had never seen perform live for what seemed like a few lifetimes later. She knew every word, hung of every note and beat and was right into the show like everyone else. Lizzy was a fan of that music too and she was able to share and enjoy the night with her mother-in-law, together. Everyone couldn't get enough and screamed and whooped it up as much as they could.
"Hello, hello... I don't know why you say good-bye when I say hello."
Lizzy looked over at Mrs. Sheppard she could see the look in her eyes, the same she had when she was that young girl, back in the sixties during the British Invasion. The same girl that watched the Ed Sullivan show when the Beatles made their big television debut, collected every LP and listened to them while dancing with her friends when they came over to play. All the magic and hopes from that era came flooding back to her and countless fans in the arena and they returned the love back to Paul with one standing ovation after another and cheered him on till they couldn't cheer anymore. Lizzy felt nostalgic and enjoyed every minute of it. It was the concert of a lifetime and she was able to share it with someone she loved and appreciated the show more than any other person she knew ever could.
The show went on for an amazing three hours, with one short intermission in the middle of it all. Lizzy wanted to make sure that they could commemorate the event and went hog wild with the gift shop during the intermission. She bought countless t-shirts for them and even for everyone back home, especially Gale and Anna. When she and Mrs. Sheppard had left, her mother-in-law literally floated out of the arena. She had seen the show of her life , one that she thought was never going to be possible. She turned to face Lizzy with the biggest grin that Lizzy had ever seen, let alone one pointed at her. "I know this was Hayden's idea, but you were the one who made it happen. I feel bad for not being the mother-in-law that I should have been. It was nothing personal, no parent every thinks there is anyone out there good enough for their baby.”
"I know that, but there’s still time." Lizzy said with a tear in her eye. "I haven't had a Mom in over two decades and I miss having someone there when I need to talk.”
"I'm so sorry it took this long for me to come around. I just didn’t like the idea of my youngest growing up leaving the nest. It all went by so fast." Mrs. Sheppard said as she gave her daughter-in-law a big hug. "I promise I will make an effort. I’ll be there for you Hun."
Lizzy was starting to cry. "You have no idea what it means to hear you say that."
"Well I have one more thing to say." Mrs. Sheppard said as she stood up straight and cocked a small grin. "Doesn't Paul look amazing for his age?"
"My gaud, you are so right!” Lizzy agreed. “He doesn't look a day over fifty."
"All that and he can sing too." Mrs. Sheppard gushed. He still had her heart after all these years, her favourite Beatle.
The two women returned to the hotel and called it a night. When they had arrived to London only days earlier, they were two people. As they left to fly back to America, they did so as family, a feeling that made the entire trip so worth the effort. It was the healing power of music, the comfort of times past among that allowed the two to connect and find common ground. Lizzy’s only regret was that Hayden couldn’t be around to have seen it. Her less than stellar relationship with his mother was always a sore spot with him, and he had always hoped something like this would one day happen. After they came home, Lizzy started to come by at least two times a week for tea. Mrs. Sheppard even started to show her how to knit so that they could both
work on a stitch together with their tea. Mr. Sheppard looked into the kitchen many times, stunned to see how one concert could repair the bridge that many in their family thought would remain forever burned. It was actually his son that did it for them, planting the idea for Lizzy to take and run with. Even in his afterlife the man is still saving lives, the old man thought to himself as he walked away from the kitchen, still proud of his boy.