Emma walked out of the college, all smiles.  She’s been accepted. “Guess I’ll be seeing you around here.” Emma spun around and saw Stuart.  Her smile increased.  “Guess you will be.” “Come on.  I’m meeting a mate for a drink.  Come with me.  You need to celebrate.” “I’m only seventeen.”  Emma said, disappointed that she couldn’t hang out with Stuart. Stuart took her hand and started to lead her away from the college.  “So?”  He turned back to look at her.  “You’ll just have to promise not to drink anything.” There was laughter and mischief in his eyes. Emma laughed and let Stuart lead her. They walked for a few minutes then Stuart led them into a pub called Ye Crackle.  He stood at the front and scanned the faces until he spotted his friend.  He pulled Emma along behind him to the table where his friend was sitting. “Hey, John.”  Stuart said sitting down on one of the empty chairs.  He motioned for Emma to sit down.  She sat across from John who was dressed almost like Stuart. His auburn hair also styled the same way.  “Emma this is John Lennon,” Stuart introduced. “John, this is Emma James.  She just got accepted to the college.” “Congratulations.”  John said reaching across the table to shake Emma’s hand. Emma shook John’s outstretched hand  “Thank you.”  She said politely. “Do you want a drink?”  Stuart asked Emma, standing up. She looked up at him.  “Sure.  Just get me whatever you are having.” Emma was left alone with John.  She didn’t know what to say so she started tearing a napkin to pieces. “So where did you meet Stuart?”  John spoke up. Emma stopped ripping the napkin and looked up at John.  “I was drawing down by the river and he came up to me.  We got to talking and I told him that I was on my way to the college and he said that he was heading that way so we walked together.” John looked surprised. “What?”  Emma asked. “Usually Stuart is shy around birds.  You must be something special.” Stuart came back then with the drinks and Emma didn’t have a chance to ask about John’s comment.  They began talking.  Emma told them that her and her mother had just moved to Liverpool. “What made you come to this shite hole?”  John asked. “My grandmother lives here.  My mum and I are staying with her.” “What about your dad?”  John continued with the questions. “Back in Winnipeg.  My parents got divorced.”  Emma then glanced at her watch and stood up suddenly.  “I have to go.  I just remembered that I promised my mum I would make diner tonight and I still have to go to the market.”  She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulders.  “It was nice meeting you guys.  Maybe I’ll see you around campus sometime.”  Then she rushed out of the pub.     Emma got right into the swing of things at college.  She liked her classes, she was making friends and her teachers praised everything she did.  She hadn’t run into John or Stuart until she’d been at the school for two weeks. She’d just come out of Art History.  She rounded a corner and slammed right into someone coming the other way.  The force sent Emma falling to the ground, her books spilling across the hallway.  The guy she had run into quickly got down and started picking up her books. “I’m really sorry!”  He apologized. “It’s okay.”  Emma replied, standing up.  “It just as much my fault!”  The she looked up at him.  “Stuart!” “Emma!”  He smiled handing her the books he had picked up.  “I thought I might not see you again.” Emma took her books from Stuart.  “I’ve been really busy catching up in my classes.  I was just on my way home.  Did you want to go and grab a coffee or something?” “Yeah, that would be great.  I have to just drop off some stuff at my place first.  Is that okay?” “Yeah, that’s fine.”  They started walking then Emma spoke up.  “I’m sorry about the other day. I shouldn’t have left so abruptly.  It’s just that my family is kind of a sore topic at the moment and I’m just not ready to talk about it yet.” Stuart nodded.  “Yeah, that’s what John and I figured.  When you are ready to talk, I’m here to listen.” Emma looked at Stuart who was looking at her and she knew that he would be.   Emma became fast friends with Stuart and also with John.  Though all were different in their own ways, they still became best friends.  Just what Emma needed at the moment. Emma climbed the steps to Stuart’s Gambier Terrace apartment.  She could hear the music before she even reached the door so she just let herself in.  Whenever music was playing, Stuart was painting so she didn’t want to interrupt him.  She shut the door behind her and made her way to the couch.  Sitting down, she watched Stuart.  He glanced up and nodded his head in recognition that she was there and went right back to painting.  John came about 15 minutes later, guitar slung over his shoulders, and slid in next to Emma on the couch. “How long’s he been going at that?”  John whispered to Emma. Emma shrugged.  “He was like this when I got here.  Knowing Stuart, he’s been at this for hours.” “Hey, Stuart!”  John called.  Stuart’s eyes appeared over the canvas. “Emmie and I are starving over here.  Think you could take a break?” Stuart made a few more brush strokes then put his paint brush down. “Finished.”  He announced, wiping his hands on a cloth. John leaped up from the couch, grabbing Emma and pulling her up with him. “Where shall we go?”  He asked. “Mum and grandma went to Blackpool for the weekend,” Emma started.  “We can go there.  I’m sure we have something to eat. . .” John was already out the door. Emma laughed and waited as Stuart grabbed his coat.  He followed her out the door and down the steps to meet up with John. “Jesus, Lennon!”  She cried running to catch up with him.  “What is your hurry? Surly you’re not that hungry!” John stopped and waited for Emma and Stuart to catch up.  “I want to check out you posh flat, Miss James.”  Was John’s answer when the two had caught up. “John,” Emma cried throwing up her hands. “Stop saying that!  It’s just like your house. Hardly posh.” “Whatever.”  John swung his guitar around and began strumming.  The three walked in silence for a bit. “I entered a painting in the John Moore’s show today.”  Stuart suddenly said. John and Emma stopped walking and looked at Stuart.  “That’s fucking brilliant mate!” John cried. Emma was nodding her head, enthusiastically.  “Yeah, Stuart.  That’s really great!  I wish I had the talent and courage to do that.” “Oh, don’t start that again Emmie.” “Start what?”  She asked. “The ‘I’m not good enough’ bit,” Stuart explained.  “Why can’t we get it into your head that you are an amazing painter?” Emma ignored Stuart and opened the gate that led to her front door.  She walked up the steps and unlocked the door, moving out of the way so John and Stuart could come in. “Make yourself at home,” she voiced, throwing her keys down on a table that sat next to the door then walked to the living room where the two boys had made themselves at home. Emma flopped down on the couch next to John and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Tired, luv?”  He asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Yes.  I need a holiday.” “Aw, poor Miss. James,” Stuart laughed.  Emma threw a pillow at him. “Would you like something to drink?”  She asked getting up from the couch. “Got any Scotch?”  John asked. “3 scotch and cokes coming up.”  Emma smiled, walking out of the room. When Stuart was sure she was out of listening range, he leaned towards John. “I think something is bothering Em.” “You noticed that too?”  John whispered. “Something’s not right.”  Stuart replied, then sat up when Emma came back into the room. “Come see my room,” she said, handing out the drinks. They all trudged up the stairs to her room.  It was the top floor of the house and had been converted into a studio/bedroom.  To the left when you walked in was where she painted.  To the right was her bed and dressers.  She had books and records and notebooks stacked everywhere. Art supplies littered the floor. “Nice to know you cleaned the place up for us,” john joked as he walked into the room. Emma punched him on the arm and then flopped down on the bed.  She watched as Stuart walked over to her easel and stared at her latest painting.  She knew he was going to comment on it. He looked up and their eyes met.  “It’s quite dark, Emmie.” She leaded back on her elbows.  “Aren’t all artists supposed to have a dark period?” Reaching over to her night stand she retrieved her drink, taking a sip from the glass. Stuart walked over to her. “It’s not just the painting.  These last few days you have been acting different.”  He looked over at John.  “John’s noticed it too.  What’s going on Emma?” Emma looked back and forth between John and Stuart.  Both were staring at her with worried looks on their faces.  She hated when they did that.  Swinging her legs around, she sat up and put her drink back down on the table.  She’d never really gone into why she and her mum had come to Liverpool and they had never asked questions.  They knew she would tell them about it when she was ready. “I’ve just been thinking about my dad lately.  I miss him.”  She didn’t want to look at John or Stuart.  She knew they were looking at her with pity and sympathy in their eyes. “That’s all.” “No it’s not,” John prompted. Emma swung her head in his direction and glared at him.  “Yes it is.”  She insisted. John got up from the floor where he was sitting.  “No, it’s not all that is bothering you.” A tear slid down Emma’s cheek and she quickly wiped it away with back of her hand. “I’m just . . . I . . .”  She couldn’t find the words to describe what she was feeling inside. “When you’re ready to tell us,” Stuart spoke, “we’re here to listen.” That brought a few more tears to her eyes and also a smile.  “Want some more to drink?” Reaching into a basket Emma pulled out 4 bottles of rum.  “The drink of a sailor,” she laughed, handing a bottle to each of them. John took his.  “I’m the son of a sailors son, you know.” The three of them finished their bottles of rum and were spread across Emma’s floor. “You know what’s been bothering me,” Emma began. She didn’t wait for then to answer. She sat up.  “I’m scared that I will never go anywhere in life.  It is so stupid but it has been really bothering me.” “What do you mean?”  Stuart asked. “What am I supposed to do after I graduate?  This is a fucking man’s world. I’m not going to do anything in the art world.  And besides, I’m a crappy painter as it is.” John laughed.  “If you are a bad painter, than Elvis is a horrible singer! Jesus, Emmie! Stop saying you are a bad painter.  You are an amazing painter. You’ll be the one to break the barriers for women.” “Well I don’t think I am.  Stuart,” she turned her head so that she was looking at him. “You are amazing painter.  You will have an incredible career.  And John.  You are going to the top with your music.  I can just feel it.  It may take a few years but you will reach the top with a bang.” “And you, Emma James, will be right there at the top with both of us.”  Stuart stated. Emma started to say something, but Stuart held up his hand.  “We’re making a pact right now.  We stick together no matter what.  We need each other.  Nothing can stand in the way of our friendship.” “What about death?”  John asked. Emma added. “We’ll make a pact for that too.  If one of us happens to die, we’ll send them a sing from heaven.  Like a message to say that we are still here and we’ll be watching out for you.” “You mean like I coming back as a bird or something?”  John asked. Emma smiled.  “Yeah.  I’ll come back as a white butterfly.” “I’ll be a pigeon with a red head.”  Stuart laughed. They looked at John then, waiting for his answer.  Finally he looked at them. “I’ll come back as a feather.  That is what me mum always told me she would come back as. And she did. A week after she died I found a white feather on my pillow.” Emma hadn’t been in Liverpool yet, when John’s mum was run down by an off duty police officer.  “Fuck I miss her.”  John whispered. Emma crawled on her knees over to John and wrapped her arms around him.  “I bet you do.  And I wish I had known her.  Because if she was anything like you, then she was an amazing person.”  She held him as he cried.