Adore

                                    

                                          
"I want the entire street out of town 
Just so I can be alone with you" ~Adore - Amy Shark
                          
**Trigger warning:  physical abuse and derogatory language in this chapter**
                          


                          
August 23rd, 1959

                          
Paul knocked on the Jamison's door, he could hear a scuffle as Jenny's mother stumbled over what he assumed was one of Simon's toys and Jenny laughed.

                          
"Good afternoon Paul!" Ms. Jamison said laughing slightly.
"'Afternoon, everything alright?" Paul asked.
"Oh, of course, Simon just decided to line up his animals in the kitchen. Come in, you can be a part of the circus parade!" she laughed.
Paul stepped inside the home to see a line of animals stretching from the kitchen to the lounge and Simon lining up more.
"Jenny will be right down, she just went upstairs to get her gift" Ms. Jamison advised. Paul nodded and made his way to Simon.

                          
"Hullo, Simon," he said crouching down. Simon ignored him and played with the giraffe he was holding.

                          
"You've set up a nice little parade, haven't you?" Paul said as he added a blue hippopotamus to the line.

                          
"NO!" Simon said angrily taking the hippo out of the line "He doesn't go there!"

                          
"Sorry Paul," Jenny said as she reached the lounge "Mr. Hippo never goes before Ms. Giraffe, Simon why don't you show Paul the right order?"

                          
Simon nodded and placed the giraffe toy first "She always goes first, she's nicer."

                          
"Ah, my mistake," Paul said without question.

                          
"Did you get it??" Jenny asked excitedly. Paul grinned.

                          
"It's back at me house, figure we'll kidnap her for a few hours..she's probably climbing up the walls by now" he laughed "Did you get your present for her?"

                          
Jenny showed a small box she'd just finished wrapping.

                          
"Bye mum!" Jenny called as they walked out the door

                          
"Tell Charli I say 'Happy Birthday'" Ms. Jamison called.
                          
"So, what's the plan Macca?" Jenny asked as they walked along to Charli's house.

                          
"Honestly, I figure...we make some sort of excuse, but head back to my home and just let her relax, it's her birthday after all," Paul said.

                          
"Yeah, she said her grandmother is visiting for her birthday...if that's the case, that woman is harder on Charli than her parents can be," Jenny said shaking her head.

                          
Soon, they were at the McLeod's doorstep. Paul knocked, he and Jenny were excited to help Charli celebrate.

                          
A young woman, in her early to mid-30s, with red hair like Charli, answered the door.

                          
"Erm..hi, is Charli..I mean Charlotte home?" he asked. She smiled, she was tall and thin and had similar facial features to Charli's father.

                          
"Of course!" She laughed "I don't think we've met! You must be her friends, I'm her Auntie Mandy, up from London"

                          
Both Paul and Jenny visibly relaxed and introduced themselves, Mandy was much warmer and more welcoming than Charli's parents.

                          
"Charlotte lovey! You have guests!" she called. They heard Charli come running from the lounge. She instantly grinned as she saw them.

                          
Paul and Jenny both, loudly and off-key sang "Happy Birthday" to her.

                          
"Aw, thanks," she said blushing