December 25th, 1970
When I woke on Christmas
morning, I carefully tiptoed out of bed. I let Cameron sleep; he was so
tired that he hadn't even heard me get dressed.
I went downstairs and walked into the kitchen, where Liliane was sitting at the table with a cup of tea in front of her.
"Good morning."
"Morning," I answered. "Merry Christmas, Lil."
"Merry Christmas, sister," she told me as we hugged. "The kettle's still hot."
"Good. I need a coffee," I said through a yawn.
It was about an hour later when Cameron came down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Happy Christmas, ladies," he said with a smile as he walked towards us. Cameron bent down and kissed me, winking as he pulled away.
"The water in the kettle is still warm," I told him. "We've been keeping it going."
"Which coffee are you on?"
"Must be my fourth cup," I answered. "Have a toast if you want, Cameron. We'll have a nice lunch later on."
Around the time Liliane and I were to start cooking, there was a knock at the door. Cameron answered it, as we were both busy in the kitchen, and greeted the visitors.
"Lee, Geoff, nice to see you two. Come on in."
I heard them enter the sitting room, so I led Liliane out with me and introduced her to the two men.
"Merry Christmas, guys," I said with excitement. "This is my sister, Liliane. Lil, this is Geoff, he manages the band, and Lee plays bass."
"Nice to meet both of you," Liliane said sweetly.
"The pleasure is ours," Lee replied.
With barely a full sentence, Geoff told Cameron he had something to discuss in private. The two walked into the hall and disappeared from view, I assumed into the studio.
"Are you hungry, Lee? We've got a plate of fruit in the kitchen, if you'd like some," I offered.
Lee accepted and followed us into the kitchen. I offered him a cup of tea, and he politely accepted. I beckoned him to sit while I prepared the kettle.
"Liliane, right?" Lee asked cautiously. "How do you like being in Scotland?"
"It's lovely here," she replied. "It's quite different from being back home."
"It must be." Lee paused for a moment. "Have you made any plans for your time here?"
“Well, yesterday we spent the day with our great-aunt. But otherwise, I don’t have many plans,” Liliane admitted. "Though I'll probably get Emily to take me out for my birthday."
"You bet," I confirmed. I brought the tea cup to Lee and sat down at the table.
"When would that be?" Lee asked curiously before taking a sip.
"The ninth day of the year. I’m lucky it’s a Saturday." Liliane stood and excused herself. "I have to use the washroom," she said before walking out of the kitchen.
I took a piece of an apple from the plate on the table and popped it in my mouth.
"Emily," Lee said quietly.
I looked at him and answered. "Yes?"
"You never told me your sister was Aphrodite," he breathed.
I raised my eyebrows and stared at him. He had a glossy look in his eyes and for a moment I worried. I waved my hand in front of his eyes and spoke. "Lee, are you feeling alright?"
He met my gaze and smiled. "I have never felt better."
I chuckled at his words, but knew better than to doubt the sincerity of them. It was only when Liliane returned to the kitchen that he broke out of his absorption.
"How long have you been in the band, Lee?" my sister asked as she resumed her place at the table.
"Nearly since the beginning," he answered. "The first album had another bass player on it, but I joined for the tour. Been there ever since."
"What year would that have been?"
Lee thought for a moment before answering. "February sixty-nine."
Liliane asked another question, though I didn't pay attention. I'd seen Cameron come out of the studio with Geoff and decided to see what their discussion had been about.
I walked out into the hallway and strode up to Cameron.
"Good news, Emily," he said before I could speak.
"What would that be?" I asked. I put my arm around his waist and he kissed me.
"Missing Persons is now a certified gold record."
I went downstairs and walked into the kitchen, where Liliane was sitting at the table with a cup of tea in front of her.
"Good morning."
"Morning," I answered. "Merry Christmas, Lil."
"Merry Christmas, sister," she told me as we hugged. "The kettle's still hot."
"Good. I need a coffee," I said through a yawn.
It was about an hour later when Cameron came down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Happy Christmas, ladies," he said with a smile as he walked towards us. Cameron bent down and kissed me, winking as he pulled away.
"The water in the kettle is still warm," I told him. "We've been keeping it going."
"Which coffee are you on?"
"Must be my fourth cup," I answered. "Have a toast if you want, Cameron. We'll have a nice lunch later on."
Around the time Liliane and I were to start cooking, there was a knock at the door. Cameron answered it, as we were both busy in the kitchen, and greeted the visitors.
"Lee, Geoff, nice to see you two. Come on in."
I heard them enter the sitting room, so I led Liliane out with me and introduced her to the two men.
"Merry Christmas, guys," I said with excitement. "This is my sister, Liliane. Lil, this is Geoff, he manages the band, and Lee plays bass."
"Nice to meet both of you," Liliane said sweetly.
"The pleasure is ours," Lee replied.
With barely a full sentence, Geoff told Cameron he had something to discuss in private. The two walked into the hall and disappeared from view, I assumed into the studio.
"Are you hungry, Lee? We've got a plate of fruit in the kitchen, if you'd like some," I offered.
Lee accepted and followed us into the kitchen. I offered him a cup of tea, and he politely accepted. I beckoned him to sit while I prepared the kettle.
"Liliane, right?" Lee asked cautiously. "How do you like being in Scotland?"
"It's lovely here," she replied. "It's quite different from being back home."
"It must be." Lee paused for a moment. "Have you made any plans for your time here?"
“Well, yesterday we spent the day with our great-aunt. But otherwise, I don’t have many plans,” Liliane admitted. "Though I'll probably get Emily to take me out for my birthday."
"You bet," I confirmed. I brought the tea cup to Lee and sat down at the table.
"When would that be?" Lee asked curiously before taking a sip.
"The ninth day of the year. I’m lucky it’s a Saturday." Liliane stood and excused herself. "I have to use the washroom," she said before walking out of the kitchen.
I took a piece of an apple from the plate on the table and popped it in my mouth.
"Emily," Lee said quietly.
I looked at him and answered. "Yes?"
"You never told me your sister was Aphrodite," he breathed.
I raised my eyebrows and stared at him. He had a glossy look in his eyes and for a moment I worried. I waved my hand in front of his eyes and spoke. "Lee, are you feeling alright?"
He met my gaze and smiled. "I have never felt better."
I chuckled at his words, but knew better than to doubt the sincerity of them. It was only when Liliane returned to the kitchen that he broke out of his absorption.
"How long have you been in the band, Lee?" my sister asked as she resumed her place at the table.
"Nearly since the beginning," he answered. "The first album had another bass player on it, but I joined for the tour. Been there ever since."
"What year would that have been?"
Lee thought for a moment before answering. "February sixty-nine."
Liliane asked another question, though I didn't pay attention. I'd seen Cameron come out of the studio with Geoff and decided to see what their discussion had been about.
I walked out into the hallway and strode up to Cameron.
"Good news, Emily," he said before I could speak.
"What would that be?" I asked. I put my arm around his waist and he kissed me.
"Missing Persons is now a certified gold record."
Lee is enchanted! Grand news for the band😀
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