The Inevitable Fanfiction

Chapter 6
Simon spends most of his break in London with his family. He doesn’t usually stay away for so long, and has missed his frequent visits to his mother’s house. When she opens the door to see her son, she throws her arms around him. He kisses Julie’s head and holds her tightly. There is nothing like a mother’s embrace; there is no woman he could ever love as much. And yet in spite of this, not a single person across the pond would believe he is a mummy’s boy.
“I missed you, my darling boy,” Julie coos, holding her son by the waist and leading him to the kitchen. There he sits at the counter while she puts on some tea for them both.
“I’ve missed you too, mum.”
“How have you been? How is America? American Idol?” She is itching to hear everything.
“It’s going pretty well, actually.” He smiles. “I think it will be a huge success.”
His mother gives him another tight hug. “Your father would have been so proud, Simon,” she says after a minute.
He gives a small, sad smile that makes Julie’s heart ache. They both wish Eric Cowell was here to see Simon do so well for himself. Neither had expected him to get far in life, but he has been places his brothers could only dream of. He smiles the same smile as his dad did and his eyes water just slightly.
“Thanks, mum.” His mother places the tea in front of him once the kettle whistles, and kisses his head which is of easy reach when he sits.
They discuss a little of what has been happening in their lives, talking like the best of friends with affection for each other. Julie knows she can tell her second son anything, and they can discuss whatever is on the other’s mind. In many ways, Simon reminds her of Eric, which sometimes makes things easier to cope with. He had quickly seen that his mother needed at least a piece of her husband around and had matured almost overnight, stepping up and becoming that memorable peace.
Somehow or the other, Paula has managed to have her name eased into the conversation.
“What is she like, this Paw-la? She was quite famous some time ago, I believe.” Julie taps her chin thoughtfully as she sips from her cup.
“She’s… hard to describe actually,” he says, as surprised as his mother for being at a loss of words. “She’s fairly diva-like, pompous artist you know – she’s stubborn as hell, rubbish at standing up to me… It’s actually kind of sweet, though…” Simon trails off realising he is babbling. He colours.

“Must be quite a lady,” says Julie, drumming her fingers teasingly.
“Rather,” he agrees with a slight shrug. Not that he can fool his mother, nonchalant as he believes he is.
“Is she beautiful?”
“An acquired taste, perhaps,” Simon responds vaguely, knowing that she is very much his taste indeed.
Most of the afternoon is spent with his mother; before time catching up with his friend Rav Singh in the evening. Rav is an accomplished Punjabi born English man, someone Simon considers good company. They go to Stringfellows for a few drinks and a few more girls. They are delighted with both, the latter’s brunette catching Simon’s eye with a wink. Men would be men and so the night goes by the way men like best.

***
In a few days time, Simon’s family and friends are lazing about, spending Christmas in sunny Barbados. His brothers Nick and Tony are there along with their wives and mother. Simon has invited both Jackie and Sinitta, two of his closest friends. Both Jackie’s husband and Sinitta’s fiancé are being perceptibly ignored, while both women faun over their best friend. Simon loves the attention of course, waterskiing with them almost every afternoon. On one of the sunny afternoons, Jackie takes Simon’s hand and leads him away from their other friends.
“Walk with me?” she requests and he happily obliges.
And arm wrapped around her shoulders, they head for the seashore. Their shoes are already off letting them enjoy the cool water and sand between their toes.
“Have you missed me?” asks Simon.
“Almost as much as you’ve missed me,” Jackie giggles.
“Wow – that’s saying a lot.” He smiles in such a way that she can’t decide whether he is being sarcastic or not. She pinches his side and watches him squirm. He quickly snatches her fingers with his, holding them tightly away from his body. They stay this way, pulling their hands back and forth for a few minutes, before laughing and continuing along their path.
“How’ve you been, darling?” She asks.
“Oh you know, fine; excited about the new show. What about you?”
“I’m okay. My mum was ill though – I’ve been taking care of her.” Simon stops their stroll and turns his friend to face him, concerned.
“Is she alright? I would have been there if I had known.” He knows how much Jackie’s mother means to her.
“I know, Simon. She’s alright now.” He kisses the side of her face in response.
They pass most of the evening together, away from everyone else. Despite the fact they had been together some years ago, their relationship has become extremely platonic and they both enjoy the comfort zone they share.
“I was thinking we should hook you up with someone,” Jackie says. “You’ve been single for a little too long now.”
“Oh don’t worry about me. I quite like being on my own.”
“Your mother doesn’t, I’m afraid. She’s worried about you.”
Simon pouts. “Don’t do that; it’s not fair. You can’t bring mum into this,” he whines.
“You’re over forty, Simon! You can’t go out drinking and getting laid every night like a teenager anymore.”
He flushes slightly. It is embarrassing to hear these words directed at him from a woman. “It’s about the image.”
“I think it’s time for a more decent image. Max and I are going to have a talk.”
“Oh God,” Simon groans. He knows his publicist Max bends back and forth like a twig in Jackie’s hands. He’d never say no to her.
“Aw, your mummy would be proud. Her little Simey is growing up!” She exclaims. With a kiss planted on his cheek, she runs away as fast as she can, Simon at her heels.
***
“Dad!” Paula squeals in delight, holding her father close. He chortles kindly, kissing his youngest daughter’s head. Harry would never say it out loud, but she is his favourite of his two children.
Paula lets him into her house, where they sit and catch up in the living room. She stays close to the older man, hugging and kissing him numerous times. She doesn’t get to see her father all that often, and cherishes the time that they spend together and catch up on the other’s life. So he tells her how his wife, Paula’s step-mother, is doing and how she forces him to play golf on weekends. She, in turn, tells him about American Idol, Randy, Ryan, Brian and for whatever stupid reason, unable to control her tongue – or was it her heart? – ending up telling him about Simon too.
“He is that British man right? Wendy told me about him,” Harry presses. Paula silently curses her sister. “Is he being mean to my girl?” Harry teases and pinches her side. She blushes.
“He can be summarised into one word: arrogant,” she rebuffs. She doesn’t want to talk about Simon. She certainly doesn’t have anything nice to say about him.
“Paula,” Harry begins, gently. He raises a finger in his fatherly way and Paula feels six years old again, after knocking down her mother’s vase as she practised being a ballerina in the living room. “If I know one thing about men – people in general, it’s that there is always more to them that meets the eye.”
“You haven’t met him, dad. That’s all I’m saying.” They leave it at that. The rest of the evening is spent watching a classic movie, lightening up the spirit of the house. Even the three Chihuahuas jump in the fun, playing with their granddaddy. Paula pushes her father’s words to the back of her mind, choosing to focus on the present, saving the analysis for another time. Right now, she is at peace. She wants to prolong it as long as she can.
Alas, all good things must come to an end; Paula’s peace is disrupted the very next day.
“Hey, baby!” Randy greets Paula with a bear hug. “Had a good break?”
“I did, thank-you. What about you?”
“It was da bomb. Though I hate to admit it, I kind of missed you and Cowell.” He chuckles.
“I didn’t miss him,” Paula says.
Conversely, her horrible opinion of him had lessened and like most cases, absence had made the heart grow fonder, even if it was just a little bit. She did not dread to see him like she had in auditions and she was sure they could attempt a friendship this time. She hoped so anyway, because being on bad terms with people - especially men - were not on her Favourites List. However her strong front and brick walls that she had put up crumbles quickly and suddenly she seems to be all talk and no action the second he walks through the door. Her eyes can’t peel themselves away from his rugged form and bulging biceps. He had even gotten a slight tan. Swallowing a lump of denial in her throat she tries to ignore the tingling feeling she gets when Simon waves at her from across the room. He simply throws a hand in the air, cocking a brow in her direction, and she feels very stupid gawking at his almost graceful mannerisms. Ryan seemed to have a change of heart too, and now quite fancies teasing Simon and Paula into friendship. They were all quite sick of them bickering, and so he took the initiative to end it.
“The Yin to Simon’s Yang,” he says when he gets the opportunity. “Paula Abdul.”
She gives her co-judge a smirk, as if to say ‘that’s right. I rule you,’ and he plays along, kissing the air around her. Everyone including the contestants starts chanting ‘Kiss her!’ and for a moment, Paula considers it – his lips had felt good on hers, she remembers bitterly. Simon looks at her intently for the briefest of seconds, an eyebrow raised.
“You know you want to kiss me,” he says, and the moment is lost. Paula remembers herself – just because she doesn’t mind being friendly doesn’t mean she is about to give in to this egomaniac.
“I don’t think so.”
“That’s not what you said last night,” quips Simon filling the room with ‘oohs’. Paula’s lips are pursed and she shakes her head in an irritated manner.
During their break, she had begun to think that perhaps he wasn’t all that bad, and she could easily handle his commentary. It seems that she was wrong though; she doesn’t feel strong enough to fight back. When they were on holiday it was easy to forget him, having no reason for him to plague her mind. But now, they are going to sit beside each other up to three times a week, consecutively, and thoughts of him become suddenly very difficult to get rid of.