Adult-FanFiction.org : Celebrity

Photographer in the Park	By : NutsAboutHarry Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Joshua Bell Views: 1770 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not know Joshua Bell (Do you think I'd be writing fan fic about him if I did?) the following story is TOTAL FICTION the prouct of my extraordinarily overactive imagination. No profit of any kind is made from the writing and publishing of this story!

Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
*********************************************************************************

Josh and Louisa still intimately connected swung around to see Josef standing there clutching his teddy bear.

‘SHIT!’ Josh bellowed ‘Josef go upstairs NOW!’

‘But Dad-‘

‘No buts UPSTAIRS NOW!’

Josef ran off in alarm at his fathers tone and Josh and Louisa sprang apart.

‘Fuck fuck fuckity fuck!’ Josh swore as he leapt over the couch and made a grab for his boxers ‘Jesus Christ Louie how the hell are we going to explain that to him?’

‘Maybe just wing it?’ Louisa suggested once the initial shock of being caught had passed.

‘Fucking hell Louie he never saw Lisa and I at it and now he sees me nailing you like a fucking carpenter how am I going to explain that?’ Josh rushed pulling on his boxers ‘god I was hoping this sort of talk wouldn’t happen til he was well and truly into elementary school!’

‘Well better late than never I suppose’ Louisa said grabbing her shoes and lingerie and then pulling on her silk wrap ‘do you want me to come with you when you tell him what we were up to?’

‘Fucking hell Louie I haven’t even thought about how I’m going to explain what we were doing yet, I don’t know if having you there will help or hinder things. Fuck! he’s going to tell Lisa about this, god I don’t need this head fuck she’s going to go mental’

‘Josh she’s not stupid I think she’s gathered by now we’re intimate together’ Louisa said as they began making their way upstairs.

‘I know that but to have Jo walk in on us....oh fucking hell’ Josh cussed as they made their way into the bedroom ‘this is one side of parenting I’ve not been looking forward to’

‘Well give it a few minutes and it’ll be something you won’t have to deal with til Ben and Sam get curious about sex’ Louisa said pulling on her knee length nightgown.

‘I hope they never get curious about it’ Josh said his face burning in embarrassment ‘I hope all three of my boys turn into Capuchin Monks and live in the mountainous wilderness of woop woop’

Despite being horribly embarrassed herself Louisa couldn’t help but laugh.
‘Babe that isn’t going to happen’ she said ‘they pull girls at school and day care now they’re going to pull girls when they’re older. May as well get used to it now’

Josh tied the cord around in his pyjama bottoms up in a tight bow and headed for the bedroom door.

‘I better go and get Jo’ he said stiffly ‘hell I-‘

‘Daddy?’ came Josef’s plaintive voice from the other side of the door.

‘Shit!’ Josh cussed under his breath ‘come in pal’

Josef creeped into the room his round face streaked with tears.

‘Matey what’s wrong?’ Josh asked in concern his own embarrassment disappearing as he crouched down to Josef’s level to draw him close.

Josef burst into hysterical tears violent hiccups wracking his body. Josh scooped him up and took him over to the bed.
‘I-I-I-‘

‘I scared you when I yelled at you didn’t I?’ Josh asked once Josef’s hiccups had subsided.

‘U-uh-huh’

Josh wrapped his arms around his son and held him as he cried.
‘I’m so sorry pal’ he said ‘I know I never yell at you I’d be scared to if someone who never yells yelled at me too’

‘B-but w-what were you and Loo Boo do-ing?’

‘This one is yours J I’ll jump in if you want some help’ Louisa said stroking Josef’s hair.

Josh inhaled sharply.
‘We-w-e were making love Jo’ he said exhaling in a rush.

‘What’s that?’

‘I-it’s something two people do when they’re very much in love’ Josh went on ‘when a man and a woman love each other lots they do more than hug and kiss...’

‘What do they do?’

Josh gave Louisa an agonized look as if to say ‘how am I supposed to answer that?’

‘They go out on dinner dates and dance and have lots of alone time’ Louisa said as Josef turned a tear streaked face to her ‘and they have bubble baths together’

‘Like Ben an’ Sam an’ me do?’

‘No not quite it’s a bit more private than that’ Louisa said stroking Josef’s face ‘it’s hard to explain really maybe when you’re older we’ll know how to explain things a bit more clearly. But lots of adults make love Jo that’s how you and your brothers came into the world. Your Mum and Dad would’ve had some alone time to make love’

‘We grew in Mommy’s tummy didn’t we? Mommy said so’

‘Yup you did everyone grows in their Mum’s tummies’

‘And that happens evewytime grown ups are alone a baby gwows?’

‘No not every time pal adults have a very special alone time when a baby starts to grow’ Louisa said as Josef went from upset to enraptured.

‘Will you and Loo Boo have a baby Dad?’ Josef asked curiously.

‘Not now Jo maybe one day’ Josh said ‘we just like having lots of alone time when we’re together. I love Louie lots you know and making love is the best way I can tell her that’

‘But she was yellin’'

‘That’s because it felt nice Jo’ Louisa said ‘one day when you’re old enough you’ll find out for yourself’

‘But not for years and years yet’ Josh said in amusement ‘I am sorry for yelling at you Jo but adults like to be alone alone when they’re making love and when you walked into the lounge room you surprised us. It’s embarrassing when you’re a grown up and having some alone time and someone walks in on you. How come you’d come downstairs anyway?’

‘I wanted to see what the noise was’ Josef said going pink ‘I couldn’t sweep’

‘So your Dad and I were keeping you and your brothers awake?’’ Louisa asked feeling her cheeks warm.

‘Nup just me Ben and Sam are snorin’ Josef said.

‘Well I’m sorry for keeping you awake bub just remember next time call out or knock on the bedroom door if you need us alright?’ Louisa said ‘same goes for when you’re back at Mum’s or Grandma and Grandpa’s all couples like some alone time. We’ll come straight away if you need us alright?’

Josef seemed happy with her explanation.
‘Alright’ he said happily ‘I’m sorry for walkin’ in on you Loo Boo’

‘That’s alright monster’

‘Alright Mister I think it’s time you went back to bed’ Josh said firmly ‘do you want another tuck in?’

‘Yup but can Louie take me?’ Josef asked.

‘You ask her’

‘Can you please tuck me in Loo Boo?’ Josef asked Louisa in a soft voice.

Louisa scooped Josef up and tickled his belly.
‘Of course I will’ she said ‘come on’

‘I’ll be waiting’ Josh said ‘night Jo’

‘Night Daddy’

Louisa carried Josef back down the hallway to his room and helped him into bed.
‘If you need your Dad and I during the night come and knock on the door alright?’ she said tucking him in.

‘Okay....Louie?’

‘Yeah matey?’

‘I was talkin' to Daddy when he came to pick me an’ Sam and Ben at Mommy’s and I said how I like watching you play the violin ‘speshially at bedtime and when you and Dad jam’

‘And what did you boys say?’

‘Lots of stuff, Dad said Uncle Mark has been teachin’ you how to play the viola and that you’re as good at that as the violin’

‘Well I don’t know about that Jo I’ve only been playing the viola since just before Thanksgiving’

‘But you’re still good!’ Josef insisted ‘Daddy says you make the Stwad sing’

‘He does does he?’ Charlotte said with a chuckle ‘I think it sings better in his hands’

‘It still sounds good’ Josef insisted ‘I’m wonderin’ um....’

‘Go on’ Louisa urged.

Josef took a deep breath.
‘Um would you teach me how to pway the violin? I want to be as good as you and Daddy one day’

Immediately a huge lump formed in Louisa’s throat.
‘Are you sure you want me to teach you?’ she said softly as Josef snuggled into his pillow ‘I can if you really want me to but Mummy and Daddy play too. I’ve heard your Mum play and she’s really good too’

‘But I want you to do it’ Josef said ‘I wuv you Louie I want you to teach me’

Louisa leaned down and kissed Josef on the forehead.
‘Alright I’ll teach you’ he said ‘tomorrow after we’ve been swimming we’ll have a look at the collection of violins I have and see if one of the smaller ones will fit you okay? I have lots of little violins and I’m sure one of them will have your name on it’

‘Sounds fun’ Josef said sleepily ‘I want to go sweep now Louie nite nite’

‘Night Jo’

Louisa tucked Josef’s teddy bear under his arm then switched off the bedside light and left the room closing the door behind her.

‘You’ll never guess what Jo just asked me’ she said to Josh upon entering the master bedroom.

‘He didn’t ask you for more details on what ‘grown ups do in alone time’ did he?’ Josh asked dryly.

‘No he asked me to teach him how to play the violin’ Louisa said climbing under the covers.

‘Really?’ Josh asked in surprise ‘what did you say?’

‘Well I asked him if he wouldn’t prefer you or Lisa doing it because you’re both really good too but he insisted he wanted it to be me’

‘Well that figures why he peppered me with questions about how good I thought you were on the violin and what my favourite song to hear you play was when I picked the boys up from Lisa’s’ Josh said dryly ‘we wanted opus numbers and concerto names and everything’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah, I told him my favourite song to hear you play was Song to the Moon by Dvorak and O Holy Night the Christmas carol and he wondered if we played every time we were together. I’ve never been twenty questioned by a five year old before’

Louisa giggled.
‘I’ve got one concern though’ she said solemnly.

‘Hmm and what’s that?’ Josh asked as he snaked a hand across her belly.

‘How do you think Lisa is going to react? She is Jo’s Mum and I’d imagine it’d be a bit hurtful if your son asked his father’s girlfriend who you hate to teach him to play the instrument you’d probably hoped to teach him yourself since he was born. She’s going to find out Jo asked me to teach him J I told Jo I would teach him but I won’t if it’s going to cause angst between you her and the boys’

‘If she has an issue with it I’ll tell her I have no problem with you teaching him’ Josh said firmly ‘I’d love to do it and I’m guessing Lisa probably would too but I travel a hundred and fifty to two hundred days a year and I’m not here enough to properly teach him. Same with Lisa though she doesn’t travel as much as I do’

‘I’m going to have to talk to her about it aren’t I?’ Louisa said making a face.

‘Not if I get her to see reason’ Josh said ‘if she makes it an issue. Let’s just wait and see’

‘So you’re alright with me teaching Jo to play?’

‘Yeah of course I am, he likes you and clicks with you that’s going to make for a harmonious teacher student relationship’ Josh said ‘and I know from personal experience if you like and click with your teacher you learn quickly so he could have Twinkle Twinkle Little Star down pat by the end of his first lesson’

‘Did you?’

‘Yeah and I taught myself the Sesame Street inside the first week’ Josh said ‘I know it sounds like I’m bias because Jo is my son but he’s a creative kid and I reckon he’s got the capacity to be really good at the violin’

‘Well I’ll do my best to pass on my love of the fiddle J’ Louisa said snuggling up to him ‘I’m actually quite looking forward to it’

‘How long has it been since you’ve given a lesson?’

‘Since just before I left to come to the States’ Louisa said running her fingers through his chest hair ‘and I’ve never taught anyone younger than fifteen though. It’ll be a new approach teaching a littlie. You’ll have to tell me what you and Lisa have taught him about the violin so I know were to start with him’

‘I can do that’ Josh said cheerfully.

‘What are you so happy about?’ Louisa asked with a giggle as Josh lay back a stupid grin spread across his face ‘fifteen minutes ago you looked like you wanted a hole to open up and for the ground to swallow you up’

‘Oh believe me I still do’ Josh said dryly ‘I can’t believe we were busted! I’ve never been busted by anyone having sex before’

‘Don’t worry about it J I think we explained things Jo sufficiently to satisfy his curiosity for the time being’ Louisa said ‘if he asks anything again we’ll just have to wing it. Tonight is not going to be the last time he’s going to ask about it’

‘I hope Lisa’s the one who gets the questions from now on’ Josh groaned.

‘You’re both going to get them J’

‘Yeah I know’

‘So if you're no embarrassed about that why are you looking like you’ve had the best sex in your entire life?’

Josh laughed.
‘I have’ he said ‘but I’m just happy Jo wants to learn the violin. Secretly I’ve always wanted him to learn but Lisa and I made a pact when he was born that we wouldn’t push it on him. If he wanted to learn we’d let him but if he wanted to play soccer or paint we’d support him’

‘You’re just busting to jam with your kids aren’t you?’ Louisa asked softly.

‘Yeah I am’ Josh said ‘we could bond over this Louie we really could. I often wonder how the boys cope with me being away so often I mean the year is only seven weeks old and I’ve been gone half of that. I have been gone most of their lives’

‘But you make up for it when you get home they spend most of their time with you when you’re home and when you’re away you ring or Skype them every day’ Louisa said ‘you’re doing a fine job J don’t you ever think you’re not’

‘Thanks sweetheart’

*********************************************************************************

The following day after an afternoon of swimming then returning home to make home made pizzas Louisa took Josef upstairs to her music room where all her sheet music, music memorabilia, knick knacks and collection of violins were stored. This was a room the boys weren’t normally allowed in and Josef stared at the crammed room in awe.

‘Oh wow’ he said keenly striding over to a display cabinet that displayed little porcelain and Swarovski crystal musical figurines ‘wow Loo Boo this is pwetty!’

‘Isn’t it?’ Louisa said crouching down to his level ‘see that little crystal violin? My great-grandma gave that to me when I graduated from vet school. She passed away the year after so it’s very special to me’

‘It’s very pwetty’ Josef said staring at the delicate piece of art intently ‘that should be downstairs so everywone can see it. You can put it in the cupboard next to Cookie’s bed’

‘Y’think so?’

‘Uh huh’

‘Alright how about we go about fitting you to a violin?’ Louisa said minutes later after she’d finished explaining the origins of every figurine in the cabinet ‘you keen?’

‘Uh huh’

‘Hmm well I think you’d be an eighth size’ Louisa said pulling a small blue violin case off the bottom shelf of the converted wardrobe she kept her instruments in ‘this one is a special one’

‘How?’

‘It was my first violin’ Louisa said ‘my Mum and Dad got this for me when I was your age. I played this til I was eight when my fingers got to big and I had to move onto a half size, do you want to open it for me?’

‘Wreally?’

‘Yeah go on, if it’s going to be your violin you have to be the one to open it first’ Louisa said laying the case on the small coffee table in front of them.

As if handling a Ming Dynasty vase Josef carefully grasped one of the zip tags and pulled on it. Slowly the zip came undone and that’s when Josef opened the case to reveal a deep mahogany varnished eighth sized violin resting on bright red velvet.

‘You can take it out too if you like’ Louisa said as Josef stared at the violin in fascination ‘go on it won’t bite’

Josef pulled apart the Velcro strap securing the violin to the inside of the case and took the tiny instrument out.

‘Want some help putting the shoulder rest on?’ Louisa asked.

‘Okay’

Louisa gently took the violin from Josef’s hand and fit the tiny shoulder rest to the lower bout. She then handed him back the instrument and took out the bow which was no longer than a large school ruler.

‘Okay first lesson is learning all the violin body parts’ Louisa said ‘you point out the body parts you know and I’ll teach you the ones you don’t know. I want you to be able to tell me all the parts within a month alright?’

‘Uh huh’

‘Of you go then’

‘Um this is the scwoll’ Josef said pointing the scroll ‘and this is the Bwidge it holds the stwings up, these are the tuning pegs they make the stwings tight’

‘Great so far’ Louisa said ‘keep going you’re going really well’

Josef lit up.
‘Um this is the chin wrest you put your chin there’ he said getting more and more confident as he went along ‘um they’re eff holes Mommy said to me once they’re like earphones that’s where the sound comes out’

‘She’s right’ Louisa said pointing to the tail piece and fine tuners ‘and what are these?’

Josef inspected the tail piece and fine tuners intently.
‘Um....I dunno’ he said.

‘This long bit is the tailpiece it helps keep the strings tight and anchors them to the bottom of the violin’ Louisa explained ‘there’s a little loop at the end that hooks around a button to keep everything secure. And these little dials are called fine tuners they’re little knobs that help you tune the strings so the notes are perfect. In time you won’t need them you’ll move onto another violin and learn to tune by ear’

‘Like Daddy?’

‘Yeah like Dad, and Mum and me when you’ve been playing the violin as long as we have you learn to tune by ear’

‘Will you teach me to do it Louie?’

‘Sure thing kiddo, you’ve done really well kiddo now can you tell me the names of the strings?’

‘Uh huh the fat one is the G stwing, the next one in the D stwing the fird one is the A stwing and the skinny one s the E stwing’

‘And which one sounds the lowest?’

‘The fat one the G stwing’

‘And the highest?’

‘The E stwing’

‘Great stuff now how would you like to play some?’

‘Yeah!’

‘Okay then stand up straight and put the violin under your chin’

Josef stood up and tucked the violin under his chin.

‘Okay now take the bow in your right hand like this see?’ Louisa said holding the bow up ‘tuck your thumb under the middle part of the frog and curl your fingers over the top. Don’t grip too hard or your wrist will be too stiff too play clear notes’

Josef carefully held the bow in his chubby little hand and poised it over the strings.
‘Alright let’s try some open string scales’ Louisa said ‘start from the bottom of the bow and give me and up and down stroke on each string. Don’t rush but don’t be too slow okay?’

‘Okay’

‘Go ahead then’

Josef pressed the bow down on the G-string and began playing. Despite his inexperience each note was played perfectly filling the spacious room with the high trill. Josef was careful to avoid bowing two strings at once and played each string clearly.

‘Well done!’ Louisa said happily applauding him ‘you did really well. You really watch your Mum and Dad play don’t you?’

‘Uh huh Dad’s really good’ Josef said.

‘He is’ Louisa said ‘let’s try again. Do the open string scale again but try and speed it up again. If this goes well we’ll try some single string scales alright?’

‘Yup’

For the next ten minutes Louisa coached Josef on the open string scales. With every passing minute the young boy got more and more enthusiastic which made Louisa’s heart swell and her stomach churn in excitement.

‘Well there’s no doubt about it you have the open string scales down pat’ Louisa said ‘now let’s try some single string scales. There’s guide tapes on the fingerboard to help you out but with a little practice you’ll be able to get rid of them’

‘How long did you use the tapes Louie?’

‘I only had four lessons before my teacher took them off’ Louisa said ‘I don’t want you to rely on them too much because you can become a lazy player but I’m not going to take them off before you’re ready’

‘This is fun Loo Boo!’

Louisa grinned.
‘Isn’t it?’ she said ‘okay let’s going’

*********************************************************************************

For the rest of the week Louisa tutored Josef on the violin once a day after school and twice a day on the weekend (to his insistence). Now it was Sunday night and Louisa joined Josh and his sons in a little burger bar called Nice Buns in the Upper West Side of Manhattan a block away from Lisa’s apartment for milkshakes.

‘If you have any questions about the violin ask your Mum or Dad until next time I see you alright?’ Louisa said to Josef sipping her chocolate shake ‘I’ll take your violin to Mr Valentino's during the week to get the bow rehaired and get a new set of strings on it and we’ll play next weekend okay?’

‘Yup I can’t wait!’ Josef said excitedly ‘I’ve had heaps of fun Louie it’s better than sliding’

‘Sorry did I hear you right?’ Josh asked in theatrical surprise ‘you Josef William Matricardi Bell like doing something more than sliding? Oh my god’

Louisa let out a great snort of laughter as Josh slapped his forehead dramatically.

‘You thilly Daddy I still like slidin’ but the violin makes sounds!’ Josef said ‘the only sounds slidin’ makes is if I fall off the slide and bump my head and yell’

‘So does your old Dad get a concert next weekend when we go to see Louie?’ Josh asked you two have been awfully secretive this past week’

‘Course Dad!’

‘In fact we’ve been working on something haven’t we Jo?’ Once Mr Valentino has fixed up your violin up we’ll jam huh?’

‘Yup!’

After their milkshakes the group made their way out the front of the restaurant and got back into Josh’s car driving to the next block over pulling up in front of Lisa’s apartment block.

‘Alright hold tight I won’t be long’ Josh said to Louisa as he cut the engine to the car ‘I’ll leave the keys in the ignition so you can plug in your ipod if you like’

‘Thanks’

‘See ya next weekend Loo Boo!’ Ben said hugging Louisa around the waist ‘can we go swimmin’ again?’

‘Let’s see how things go’ Louisa said hugging Ben back ‘you and your brothers pack your board shorts and favourite towel and maybe we’ll go to that big swimming centre in Jersey with the big slide at the top’

‘Ow wow wreally?’

‘Yup we can make a day of it’

Louisa hugged ach of Josh’s sons then watched in affectionately as Josh walked off with them into the lobby.

*********************************************************************************

‘Daddy how come Loo Boo’s not coming with us?’ Sam asked as they entered the lobby.

‘She and Mommy don’t get on very well so she thinks it’s best to stay downstairs and wait for me to come back down’ Josh said pressing the ‘up’ button for the lift.

‘Why don’t they get on Daddy?’ Ben asked.

‘I don’t know pal that’s private between your Mommy and Louie’ Josh said ‘one day they might get on I’m not sure’

The lift arrived and Josh and his Sons rode up to the topmost floor and to where Lisa’s apartment was. Josh raised his fist and knocked smartly on the door. Moments later smart steps sounded and the door swung open revealing Lisa on the other side.

‘Mommy!’ the boys shrilled engulfing Lisa in a group hug.

‘We missed you!’ Josef said ‘we’ve had loads of fun swimmin’ and slidin’ and painting and takin’ Louie’s dog to the park’

‘Anything else you’d like to tell you Mom Jo?’ Josh said pointedly.

‘Oh yeah an’ Louie had stared teachin’ me the violin and I can do scales on all the stwings and started learnin’ to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Mary had a Little Lamb!’ Josef said excitedly ‘it’s so fun Mommy I want to be as good as you and Daddy one day!’

‘Oh really?’ Lisa said ‘sounds great Jo now how about you take your brothers into the living room and put on a DVD before bedtime? I need to speak with Daddy for a bit’

‘Okay!’

Josef led his brothers off and Lisa immediately shot Josh a death glare.
‘Inside’ she snarled.

Josh rolled his eyes and sighed.
‘What now Lisa?’ he said wearily stepping into the apartment.

Lisa shut the door with a little more force than Josh guessed she intended.

‘Why the hell is your whore of a girlfriend giving our son violin lessons?’ she snarled.

‘Okay point one you call Louisa a whore or any of its cognates again and I am leaving right this minute’ Josh said ‘you know by now I don’t take that crap Lisa’

The look Lisa gave Josh he though would’ve made a weaker make tremble but not wanting to give into her vitriol Josh held her gaze.

‘I’m serious Lisa use that word again and I’m outta here’ Josh said ‘this is my last day of the week to be able to spend with Louie and the boys and I will not have you ruining our dinner date because of it’

Lisa ignored this.
‘Why is she giving our son violin lessons?’ she asked in clipped tones.

‘Because-‘ Josh began ‘you know what? I’m not going to be a fucking messenger if you want to know why Louie’s giving Jo violin lessons I’ll get her up here’

‘Yeah you do that I want to confront that who- myself’ Lisa spat cutting herself off mid insult.

Josh retrieved his Blackberry from within his pocket and began composing a text message to Louisa
‘Lisa wants to see you’ he typed furiously feeling Lisa’s gaze on him ‘ this mightn’t be the most pleasant conversation you’ll ever have but I think you better come up she won’t let it rest otherwise. Don’t worry I’ll be here for you. I’m not going to let her insult you. Level twenty apartment 198 XOXO Josh’

As soon as the delivery report came through Josh pocketed his phone and looked into Lisa’s eyes.
‘When she gets here you are to act in a civil manner’ he said ‘I do not want to be pulling you off her’

‘I will not be spoken to like a five year old in my own house!” Lisa hissed.

‘Then how about acting like an adult?’ Josh suggested ‘Jesus Christ Lisa let go it’s been five and a half months since Louie and I started dating you’ve had ample opportunity to get used to the idea. You’ve got a guy I don’t know why the hell you care so much about my private life’

‘I don’t care’

‘Oh of course not’

And that’s where the conversation ended. Josh and Lisa stood across the hall from each other staring at each other stonily til they were distracted by a soft knock at the door.

‘Try and act mature’ Josh said as Lisa strode by and yanked open the door.

‘Get in’ Lisa said to Louisa stepping aside to let Louisa inside.

Louisa’s eyebrows disappeared into her fringe.
‘Good evening to you too’ she said coolly.

‘Can the niceties bitch we’re talking now and-‘

‘Hey can the name calling!’ Josh said sharply as Louisa walked over to Josh.

‘Is there somewhere we can talk in private in a civil manner?’ Louisa asked pointedly.

‘The dining room’ Josh said as Lisa opened her mouth ‘come on’

Lisa strode off down the hall and turned a sharp left. Josh and Louisa followed. A soon as the door was shut securely behind them Lisa turned on Louisa with the venom of a thousand vipers.

‘What gave you the right to start teaching my son the violin without my knowledge?’ she spat ‘he’s my son not yours you little chit!’

‘Hey he’s our son Lisa don’t start’ Josh said ‘and lay off the name calling’

‘Fuck you Josh!’

Josh rolled his eyes and Lisa steamrollered on.

‘It may have escaped your notice Louie’ she said sarcastically her voice gradually getting louder and louder ‘but I am the boys mother not you. It is up to Josh and me to decide what is best for them and I don’t think you are the best. Especially in regards to the violin’

‘Oh of course clearly the teaspoon amount of knowledge you have on me is sufficient for you to come to that conclusion’ Louisa said in a sarcastic but totally neutral and calm tone she knew would infuriate Lisa ‘congratulations for coming to such a well thought out and mature decision you ought to be commended’

‘Fuck you you stupid bitch I-‘

‘Alright that’s ENOUGH!’ Josh said loudly jumping in between the two women cutting off Lisa and she moved closer to Louisa ‘the name calling stops here right now’

‘Screw you Josh this is not your concern!’

‘Yes it is especially when you’re verbally attacking Louie’ Josh said ‘you want to know why Louie has started Jo on his violin lessons? He asked her to do it. Don’t get pissed off for something she had absolutely nothing to do with’

‘Do you really expect me to believe that sort of bullshit?’ Lisa stormed.

‘Yeah if you’d turned on your hearing aid and stopped abusing me maybe you’d have picked that up’ Louisa said an edge creeping into her voice.

‘Get fucked you stupid immigrant bitch!’

That last comment broke the dam Louisa had been putting on her emotions and she whipped around her red hair flying.

‘No you get fucked!’ she hissed ‘you’re a fucking ungreatful bitch Lisa Matricardi, you are the one who cast Josh to the wind you should be pissed off at yourself for letting him go it was your stupid dumb decision’

‘Louie I don’t think now is the time....’ Josh said.

‘No Josh it is’ Louisa said ‘you’re too nice to say anything and if I don’t say anything this sort of shit is going to keep on going’

‘Like hell it is bitch!’

Louisa pulled Josh’s hand off her arm and stared down Lisa with all the intestinal fortitude she could manage

‘I know you hate me’ she said ‘but you should know I don’t hate you. I don’t hate anyone despite the vitriolic hatred I get from you whenever I answer Josh’s phone. But you have to realise it was you who dumped Josh, it was you who crushed him. You have to live with the decision and not let it cloud your opinions of me, though I don’t expect the latter to happen. Yes I know you are Jo, Ben and Sam’s mother and I think you and Josh have done a wonderful job of bringing them up. I think they’re three of the best mannered and behaved kids I’ve ever met but don’t you dare take the opportunity of learning the violin away from Jo just because you don’t like me. I won’t teach him if you have a valid reason for not wanting me to but otherwise I will continue to teach him. He’s got real talent Lisa and I think it would be immature and mean to Josef if you made him stop his lessons just because you hate me’

‘Teaching him should be up to his father and me!’ Lisa stormed.

‘No it should be up to whoever he asks’ Louisa said ‘Josh has no problem with me teaching his son I don’t know why you do’

‘You’re lucky I even let you be around my kids you bitch’

‘Are you deaf? Lay off the name calling!’ Josh said incredulously.

‘Fuck you Josh!’

‘No fuck you!’

‘You know what? Fuck you’ Louisa said ‘my parents brought me up to display my manners under any circumstances but you my dear acidic cow are not worth the effort. You should be glad I’m around your boys! Who do you think looks after them when your parents can’t and you and Josh are out of town? Me! I nursed the twins through chicken pox when your parents were in Italy and you and Josh were travelling for work. If you really had an issue with me being around your kids you’d have hired a nanny and I wouldn’t be around them now. I can’t believe you’re the mother of three of the most beautiful kids I’ve ever come across. I thank God they inherited Josh’s sweet nature because I’d feel sorry for them if they had inherited your sour one’

‘FUCK YOU!’ Lisa shrieked her face turning a deep shade of beetroot.

‘Whoa settle petal!’

‘Hey can the volume both of you the boys are in the next room!’ Josh said loudly.

‘You are not worth the effort’ Louisa said to Lisa disdainfully ‘I came up here quite prepared to have a refined mature conversation but from the moment you opened the door you’ve been nothing but a vitriolic cow. I love your boys as if they were my own and I would defend them til the ends of the earth but you I’d push in front of a train’

‘Oh fuck off back to Australia you stupid immigrant whore. You are not teaching my boys the violin that is a job for their father and me’

Louisa gave up.
‘Josh I give up’ she said wearily ‘I love you but I can’t be here anymore. If I stay a minute longer I will say or do something I regret. I’ll see you downstairs’

Louisa grasped Josh’s chin and kissed him hungrily knowing it would infuriate Lisa then gave her a wink and left the room.

*********************************************************************************

As soon as she was in the lift Louisa screamed.
‘GAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!’ She bellowed ‘my god reflux is less acidic than that cow!’

The lift reached the bottom floor of the apartment building and Louisa strode out the heels of her stilettos making sharp echoing tapping noises and she strode across the granite lobby. She gave the doorman a sharp nod then made her way out onto the street and to Josh’s car where she threw herself into the passenger seat plugged her iPod into the stereo system and blasted out several minutes of angry hip hop.

Forty five minutes later she was listening to ‘Not Afraid’ for the fifth time when the driver door was wrenched open and Josh dropped into the driver’s seat his normally kind features clouded with anger.

‘How-‘ Louisa began.

‘Not now’ Josh said starting the engine with a deafening roar.

‘J-‘

‘Louie NOT NOW!’ Josh bellowed ‘please!’

Louisa’s eyebrows disappeared into her fringe but she sat back and kept quiet. They drove throughout Manhattan and across the East River til they arrived back at Louisa’s house. Josh braked so hard Louisa’s seatbelt yanked her back in her seat and pinched her breasts painfully.

‘Josh what the hell's wrong with you?’ Louisa asked shrilly throwing off the seatbelt and rubbing the sore spots across her chest ‘fucking hell that hurt’

‘I’m sorry’ Josh said dropping his head onto the steering wheel ‘I’m so sorry’

‘Let’s go inside and talk huh?’ Louisa suggested ‘I suspect a good stiff drink will help’

Wordlessly Josh got out of the car and followed Louisa into the house. She dumped her handbag on the lounge then made her way into the kitchen and poured herself and Josh a double bourbon on the rocks. Then made her way back into the lounge room where Josh had kicked off his shoes and the top few buttons of his shirt and had laid down on the sofa.

‘Wild Turkey’ she said holding out the glass.

Josh sat up and in one fluid moment downed the measure wincing as the alcohol burnt its way down his gullet.
‘Thanks’ he mumbled putting the empty glass on the nearest side table.

‘Would you like to talk?’ Louisa asked sipping at her drink ‘I’m a good listener’

Josh kissed her on the cheek.
‘I know you are’ he said softly ‘sorry for being so moody it must’ve scared you’

'Well it was rather alarming yes’ Louisa said sipping her drink ‘so what happened?’

There was a long tense pause.

‘Whenever I see the kids from now on I’ve got to pick them up from Maria and Angelos’ he said ‘I insisted on that’

‘They’re Lisa’s parents?’

‘Yeah and two of the nicest people you’d ever hope to meet they live half a dozen blocks away from Lisa’s. I told Lisa that I, you or the boys don’t deserve what she dished out today and that if she didn’t agree to her parents place being the pick up point I would take her to court’

‘I bet she didn’t like that’ Louisa said with a snort.

‘Actually I think it scared her a little’ Josh said ‘her eyebrows disappeared into her fringe anyway and she backed off. She knows as a rule I’m a passive person and to threaten something like court is a big thing for me and that if I did it means I’m serious. We then screamed and yelled at each other for a bit before I finally got her to agree to let you continue on with Jo’s violin lessons. And Ben and Sam should they ever ask you to to teach them. I had to use a guilt trip to get her to agree though’

Louisa laughed.
‘You Joshua Bell guilt tripped someone?’ she said in amusement ‘you crafty bastard you’

Josh chuckled half heartedly then sighed.

‘So what did you say?’

‘I asked Lisa if she wanted to take away the happiness Jo has found from his lessons, I asked if she wanted to take away the same happiness from him as she feels when she’s playing, then I said ‘you trust her enough to nurse the boys when they had chicken pox you ought to trust her enough to teach Jo the violin’ then I let that hang in the air’

‘Wow that’s creative’

‘And that’s when she very reluctantly agreed to let you continue teaching Jo’ Josh said kicking off his shoes and swinging his legs up onto the couch.

‘So she’s not a totally unreasonable person then’

‘I haven’t finished yet’ Josh said dryly ‘on my way out she called me and screamed down the phone again because when she was putting Jo to bed he told her he walked in on us making love’

‘Ah shit’ Louisa cussed.

‘I went back up to the apartment where apparently Jo said ‘Mommy I heard lots of noise downstairs at Louie’s the other day and it was keepin’ me awake and when I went to see what it was Daddy was behind Louie they had no clothes on and she was screaming ‘Fark’ what does fark mean?’

Louisa dropped her head in her hands.
‘Fucking hell’ she groaned.

‘Well as you can imagine she went apeshit as you say she accused us of purposely having sex in front of the kids and intentionally teaching them to swear. That’s when I really went off. Without giving her the chance to say anything I told her the boys had been put to bed and were in bed for an hour before Jo interrupted us and we don’t swear in front of the boys we barely say dammit. Then she really started getting nosey abut how often we’re intimate and I told her that was none of her damn business. I told her we’re entitled to make love whenever, however and how often we want because we’re in love and that despite the fact she hates us we would never do anything of an adult nature in front of the boys. Then to piss her off I said you were so gorgeous and beautiful I couldn’t help but get carried away and do you in the lounge room where any of the boys could’ve come downstairs and busted us’

‘Did you get a slap in the face for that?’

‘No but I think the thought crossed her mind’

‘She then said she wouldn’t let me see the boys again if you and I were to continue our ‘sexual deviancy’ as she put it and that’s when I brought out the court card again. I told her people get busted having sex by their kids every day and really in the whole scheme of things it’s not the most tragic thing in the world. I then told Lisa we gave Jo the birds and the bees talk and explained in a way he accepted and understood what we were doing was normal. I then got another tangent about the birds and the bees talk being something only her and me should do that’s when I ended the conversation. Said ‘you know what I did and how I resolved it stiff shit if you don’t like it’ I then turned around and left. I rang Maria and Angelo on my way down in the lift and told them what the situation was and they’re on our side. Well Maria is Angelo wasn’t home’

‘And they’re okay with you picking the boys up from their place?’

‘Oh yeah Maria was surprised I was able to think up in her words ‘such a sensible suggestion when Lisa was storming at me’

‘I am too’ Louisa said kicking off her own shoes and entwining her legs with his ‘I would’ve slapped Lisa long before that suggestion came up. That’s why I left when I did because if I didn’t she would have a handprint across he face’

There was a long and drawn out silence.

‘Thins will be alright J I promise they will be’ Louisa said eventually rubbing the back of his hand with the pad of her thumb.

‘I hope so Louie I really hope so’

*********************************************************************************
- 21
- 22
- 23
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Photographer in the Park