“Welcome home, Mr. Lennon, Miss Mauro.”

“Thanks,” John and Lee said in unison as Bill the doorman helped the driver stack up the baggage on the lift.  “Everyone at home, Bill?” John asked.

“Haven’t seen anyone since I came on me shift this mornin’ sir, but I think they’re all home from their holidays.”

“Great!” John said happily.

The driver rode up with them, and John invited him in and rummaged through the desk drawer for the cash box and tipped him handsomely.  The driver looked around in awe, then hemmed and hawed, so John produced a signed 8 x 10 glossy from the desk and handed it to him with a smile and a “Thanks mate.”  The young man thanked him profusely, shaking his hand vigorously before heading for the door, grinning from ear to ear.  He had no idea, poor sod, that both Mal and Lee were both expert forgers and regularly replenished the supply.

“Another happy customer,” John said, grabbing Lee and pulling her to him.

“I thought he’d have a coronary when he saw who he was picking up,” Lee laughed.

“His eyes were more in the rearview mirror than on the road.” 

“Fuckin’ great to be home, innit?”  John said, giving her an extra tight squeeze.  “Ello, ‘ello,” he yelled.  “Anyone ‘ta home?”

No answer. They did a quick walk-through.   All the bedroom doors were ajar and the beds neatly made.  No note on the desk.  It was still early afternoon.

“That’s odd,” John said.  “They were all due back days before us.”  He leaned in, giving her the old ‘stare down’, bending her back over the desk and caressing her hips.  He knew her ‘spots’ so well.  “Well, well, all alone!  That’s one thing I couldn’t find for a minute in New York.  Italians and fathers everywhere you looked.”  He kissed her neck, whispering in her ear, “Fancy a romp?  I say we play Goldilocks and try all the beds.  I’ll be the Big Bad Wolf.”

Sooo good to be home, she thought to herself.

“But I don’t have any goldilocks and I think the Big Bad Wolf preferred Little Red Riding Hood.”

“We’ll improvise.  I have a very good imagination.”

“Yes, we’re acquainted,” Lee said with a sideways glance, trying to suppress a smile.  His hands always drove her mad.

The phone rang, causing her to start.  Absently reaching back for it, she brought it to her ear and said into the receiver, “Red Riding Hood, here.”

“’ey Red!”

“Paul, my love!  We just walked in.  Where are ya?  If fact, where are all of you?”  She moved the receiver a bit, as John was straining to listen in.

“All right here.  We partied all night.”  They heard the others all laughing and making ‘wa-hoo’ noises.  They even heard Brian’s voice.

“Without us?  What nerve!” John retorted.  “Have some good ‘party goodies’ there?”

“Absolutely.  Get in a cab and get over here!”  Paul sounded very excited.

“And where, pray tell, is here?  I’ve misplaced me crystal ball,” John laughed.

“Oh, right!  You don’t know.  Remember that house I was lookin’ at near the studio?  Well, I bought it.  I had left a bid on it, and it came through when I was on holiday!”

“You’re moving out on us?” Lee asked, sounding very upset.  First Ritchie, now Paul?  Even though Ritch made plenty of excuses to stay in town with them, especially when they were recording, he still was home most nights with his family.  Maureen would stay over for an occasional night out on the town, but she didn’t like to leave the baby too often.  Lee knew how lucky she was to be able to always be with them, even on tour.  But she was nowhere near ready for her domestic fairy tale life to be upset.  The best times were when everyone was here at home.

“No, no, not really,” Paul said reassuringly.  “You know, the tax and for investment purposes and it would be fun to have a place of me own.  Dad and Mike can come and stay.  You know, just an extra place.”

“Well, great, congratulations!” Lee said, sounding relieved, and wondering if he was moving Jane in as well.  “What street was it again?”

“Number 7 Cavendish.”

“Okay, give us a chance to have a wash and change, and we’ll be right over.”

“And a shag,” John added wickedly.

“Okay,” Paul laughed, “the extra five minutes won’t kill us.”

“You’re too funny, Mac.  Go on, miss, defend my honor!”

“You’re soooo good ba-by, just the best,” she purred in her best floozie voice.

“Bet yer arse, I’m good!”

“See ya in a bit, Paul,” Lee said, hanging up the phone and claiming John’s mouth.

“My room,” she said, meaning business.  She disengaged herself from him, picked up some of her bags and headed for her room.  As soon as she got in there, John heard her squeal.  He dropped the bags he had picked up and ran in to her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked anxiously.

“Look!” she said, excitedly pointing to her dresser and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

“How sweet!” she sighed, crossing her hands over her heart.  On the dresser were three huge vases of long-stemmed roses, looking like at least three dozen in each.  One was pink, one red and one white.  They all had cards pinned to the huge matching ribbons.  The white roses had one single red one placed dominantly in front.  She did a quick mental calculation as to which was from whom, deciding pink was from Paul, red George, because he was such a flirt, and the white with the special touch of that one red one was most definitely Ritchie.

She excitedly ran over and unpinned the card from the pink roses:  “Happy Birthday.  No more sweet sixteen.  Eighteen now.  All bets off.  Watch out!  Love, George.”  She laughed out loud, pinning the card back on the ribbon and discarding the envelope.

Well I got that one wrong! she thought.  Then the red ones must be from Paul.  The card read:  “You know, don’t you?  Ritch.  xo”  The tears welled up in her eyes as she pinned the card back on the ribbon, feeling a little ache in her chest.  She blinked back the tears, not wanting John to see her cry.

All guesses wrong, she thought. I’m losing my touch.  Stepping over to the last bouquet, she marveled that they were the most beautiful of all and how surprising and unlike Paul it was to suffer such details for her.  John was making a nonchalant show that he didn’t care to know what the cards said.  The last one read:  “Happy Birthday to a real woman who knows how to treat a man.  John’s a lucky bugger.  Love, Paul.”

She quickly pinned the last card to the ribbon, bending forward and walking along the three, taking in their lovely scent. 

“They’re really something, aren’t they?” Lee asked, turning to John with a smile.  “C’mere, big boy!” she demanded, holding out her arms.

“Sure,” he said in mock sarcasm, “now that they got you all juiced up, you look to the stud!”

“You had me juiced up before I got in here,” she said poking his chest.  She hesitated.  “Mind if I have a quick shower first?  I’m a bit ripe and sticky from that eight hour flight.”

“Sure, go ahead,” he said, kissing her.  She undressed and threw her clothes on the bed, walking into the bathroom in her underwear.  She left the door partially open and he soon heard the water running.  He quickly walked over and read all the cards.

You watch out!  Real cute, that, George, he thought, smiling, and not taking it too seriously.  Ritch’s upset him a bit.  Is he never gonna get over her?  Paul’s bothered him most.  What’s with this ‘real woman’ bit, underlined?  What th’fuck does he know about how much of a real woman she is?   He’d seen Paul in action too many times, turning on the charm, how he turned young girls’ heads.  They’d been givin’ it up to ‘im since he was fourteen, John thought miserably.

He took a deep breath.  What was he thinking?  Of course Paul wouldn’t try to pull her.  What was he thinking, really?  They were just birthday flowers, after all.  He quickly discarded his clothes and decided to show her how much of a ‘real man’ he was.

He stepped quietly into the shower behind her, arms encircling her waist, and she yelped and turned, punching him in the arm.

“When are you going to learn to stop scaring me?”

He growled, “Never.”  He took the bar of soap, handing it to her and demanding, “Soap me.”  She was about to return a smart comeback, but he looked so cute, his wet hair framing that incredible face, and she hated herself for being so weak and not being able to resist him for even one second.  She rubbed her hands slowly over the soap, and with one soapy hand and the bar in the other, she began lathering his chest and under his arms.

“I don’t think those are the really dirty parts,” he said, leaning in, pushing back his hair,  looking all narrow-eyed and gorgeous.  “If you need help finding them…”

“I can find them in the dark and at quite a distance, thank you.  In fact, they often find me, like right now.”

“He’s very dirty.”

“Then I ought to clean him, oughtn’t I?”   With soapy hands, she did so, slowly and deliberately.  He moaned in outright ecstasy and she kept him going till he thought he would burst, before he pulled away from her for a bit.  He found the shampoo on the shelf and poured some slowly onto her head and then his own, lathering his own head first, then spreading his fingers through her scalp and slowly massaging it into a nice froth.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensuous feeling of his fingers slipping through her scalp.  He slid his soapy hands down her chest and caressed her breasts.  He was being so slow and thoughtful.  He kissed her with both tenderness and passion.

“But Grandma,” he teased, “what hard nipples you have!”

“That’s my line,” she said breathlessly.

“’t ain’t my nipples that’re hard, Gran.”  She giggled as he slid his hand slowly down her belly, causing her insides to jump and quiver.  When his slippery fingers reached their destination, she threw her arms around his neck, lifting herself as high as she could, opening to him to receive his caresses.

He rhythmically got her going, their usual perfect dance.  He knew every nook and nuance of her, just what to do, how long to stay there, how much pressure here, how fast there.  It scared her to realize how well he knew her, and sometimes she cried after orgasm, because she was so vulnerable to him.  He was always in such total control of her body and her emotions.

He had her pressed against the tiles, and she was oh so close now.  “Almost, John, almost,” she sighed breathlessly.  His left arm came around her waist, lifting her as he slipped in and entered her so easily.  He pounded into her hard, as her arms climbed his neck and she lifted herself as high as she could, his right hand never leaving its work until he felt her explode against his fingers, felt the familiar spasms tugging at him, keeping his fingers going a few seconds longer, then torturously, a few more, until he knew she couldn’t take any more from the intensity of her moans.

He stopped long enough to let her come down, savor it, feeling all her muscles relax against him, and she rested her head on his shoulder as she slid her arms down and around his waist.

“I don’t think you ever kept me goin’ that long” she said to him.  “You’re trying to kill me.  Someday they’ll just find me in a puddle.”

A laugh emanated from his throat as he said, “Not through with you yet, woman.” 

He then pulled up her leg and slowly took his pleasure in her, so tight against him, he thrusting his entire length into her as he held her against the tiles.  She held her muscles tight around him, trying to give him as much pleasure as she could, running her hands to his behind, repeatedly pulling him into her hard.

“Much too big for me, baby.  Can’t take all of it,” she goaded him.

‘Oh, you’ll take it, all right,” he murmured through clenched teeth, and he pounded at her faster and harder.  She knew that would get him.  

“Love you so much, baby,” he whispered as he ground into her.  “Please never leave me, I need you so bad.”  A few strokes later, she felt him tense and release himself into her.  He cried out, his knees going a bit weak and she held him as tightly to her as she could.

They stood under the shower spray, getting the shampoo out of their hair before John took her face in his hands, kissing her so passionately and repeated, “Don’t you ever leave me.”

“Leave you?  Boy, do you have that wrong!  I’m not the one with the millions screaming my name.  Try living with that!”

“I’ve only ever said I love you to one other girl, because it was expected.  We went together for quite a while.  You’re the first I’ve wanted to say it to.”

They kissed again and again, the water cascading down their bodies.

                                                                     ***

After they dressed, John went into the kitchen to pour them both a cold drink.  He yelled to her from in there, “Hey, you’ve got some more admirers.”

Lee went into the kitchen and found yet two more bouquets of roses, not quite so tall, that were left as centerpieces on the kitchen table.  “My God!”  She was overwhelmed; yellow ones with a note, “Happy Birthday to my right-hand girl.  Love, Brian.”

The other one, also red ones, said, “For our best girl who often times saved us from being killed.  Love, Neil and Mal.”  John read the notes over her shoulder.  “They got that right!” he said with conviction, “startin’ with the time Mal lost me jumbo.” – referring to the time Mal lost one of John’s favorite guitars.

“Quiet, you.  They’re my sweeties.”

“Yeah, and you do half their jobs.”

“Oh John, we have to stop at Luigi’s on the way.  I ordered some pizzas to bring over.”

“What for?  It’s his party.”

“You know by now they’re out of everything and have poor Mal cooking.  What could they possibly have in an empty house?”

“See what I mean?”

“I can’t help it.  I’m a nurturer.”

“I know you are,” he said taking her face in his hands and kissing her.

                                                                          ***

Lee recognized the house straight off.  “Stop here, driver,” she said.

John performed a delicate balancing act with the boxes as he walked through the gate, while Lee knocked at the door.  It took a while before they saw any movement, then they saw peeking through the blinds and heard laughter and whispering.

“Put down the boxes and be on yer way, boy.”  Paul’s voice.

“Open this door before I feed ye these pizzas, boxes an’ all,” John yelled.

“C’mon, I’ve gotta go,” Lee said, doing a jig.

“Then go.”

“Paul!”

“What’s the password?”

“Pain in the ass nutter!” Lee shot at him.  “Come on!  I’m gonna pee myself.”

“That’s it!  Enter.”

The door slowly opened and everyone descended, all of them trying to grab Lee for a kiss.

“Sorry,” she said, pushing them all away, “but I really do have to go.  Where is it?”

“That way, on the left,” Paul laughed. 

“Bless you, my son,” Mal said, relieving John of the pizzas.  “They were about to send me out to shop.”  There’s only so much booze, weed and pills to sustain this lot.  Eventually they demand to be fed.  We finished everything except what’s left of these stale pretzels.”

“See?” Lee said to John, running off.

“Speaking of eating,” George said to John, “When’s the baby due, mate?”

“What baby?” John asked, all panicky.

“Yours,” George replied with a grin, pointing to the little roll hanging over John’s waistband.

“Yes, really John,” Brian chimed in, “you’ve gone to hell with yourself.  You have a photo session in a week and you had better concentrate on getting yourself back in shape.”

“Yeah, can you believe it?  Nine days, and I’m a sight!”

“No pizza for you,” George chided him.

“Fuck you, ‘Mr. I Could Eat Like a Horse and Never Gain an Ounce.’  It’s a party and I’ll start tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow never knows,” Ringo mumbled and there was a strained silence, then everyone cracked up laughing.

Lee came out of the bathroom and looked around a bit at the place.  Apparently the prior owners left behind quite a bit of furniture, though much of it was in pretty tatty condition and would have to be replaced.   A couple of pieces seemed quite nice, though, and looked worth restoring.

The guys were all crowded around a small cocktail table attacking the pizzas.  George was already seated on the couch, munching away.  She stood there staring at them.  “Well,” she said, “I’m here now.   Did you miss me?  Where’s the love?”

“Yeah, yeah,” George muttered.

“Happy Birthday,” Ritchie said, opening a bottle of beer.

“Many happy returns,” Neil said, biting into his pizza.

“Hey!” she demanded.

They laughed and all ran over again, grabbing at her, exchanging hugs and wet sloppy kisses.

“You guys overwhelmed me, ya know, with all those beautiful roses.  I love you all so much.  Thank you.”

“We’re pretty overwhelmed too,” Paul said, rubbing John’s stomach in small circles.  “What did you do to him, get him with child?”

“I know, I kept warning him but he kept packing it away.”

John asked, “What I want to know is how you manage to stay so slim in that house!”

“Oh, I was chunky enough all right, between my mother and grandmother feeding me as if there was no tomorrow.  When I started high school I lost some weight, but after I got that first letter from Ritchie, I just knew I’d be meeting you the next time you guys got to New York, so I started starving myself.  My mom was beside herself, seeing me eat but two bites at a meal.  When I learned that I was coming here three months sooner than that, I was living on vitamins and water!”

“You shouldn’t have done that for us,” Paul said.

“No, she did it fer me, yer stupid feck,” Ringo said, hugging her to him and kissing her cheek.

John eyed her sardonically and she winked at him and smiled.  He got it.

Lee pointed at George. “We caught you on TV, you miserable traitor!”

George smiled contentedly, settling deeper into the couch.  “Caught that, did you?” he grinned.

“Good thing we weren’t feeling any pain at the time or you’d be in fer it!” John said.

“What’s all this about and who’s we?” Ringo demanded.

“Our traitor friend here,” Lee explained, “got caught by the press at the Barbados airport, doing a pretty bad job of hiding Pattie, by the way, and to throw them off the scent announced to all to leave him alone and go find John in New York.”

Guffaws filled the room.

“Yeah, real funny indeed,” Lee said.  “Good thing John, my friend Jane, and I were high at that moment and thought it was hilarious.”  There was a pregnant pause.

Brian said, “I thought, John, that you were going to keep that stuff away from her?”

“She’s a grown woman now, Brian, and I’ll be doin’ the lookin’ out for her.”

Brian and Ringo exchanged glances and did not look too pleased with that bit of news.  More times than not, it was John who needed a keeper.

“Don’t worry, I could take it or leave it,” Lee assured them.  “I’d rather get silly on booze, smoking’s not my thing.”

“Anyway,” John went on, “we got Lady Jane New York all ripe for your pickin’, Paul.”

“Really?  I may take ya up on it if she’s anything like our girl here,” Paul answered.

“Trouble in paradise,” Ringo informed them in a very funny monotone.

“Really, Paul?  Didn’t you and Jane have a good holiday?” Lee asked, concern in her voice.

“Not really.  The trouble with holidays is there’s a little too much time to talk.”

“Talking’s good,” Lee said.

“You women are all alike,” he answered.  “Come on.  I’ll show you the upstairs,” Paul said, putting an arm around Lee’s waist and leading her upstairs, while John eyed them.

As soon as Lee and Paul were out of sight, the guys beckoned John into the kitchen and Mal removed a huge cake box from the fridge, while George started the tea.

“Great idea,” John said, smiling.  “She’ll love this.  Her parents had this huge bash for her – wall to wall noisy, nosy Italians.  Great people, but I couldn’t take another minute, I don’t think.”

“How’d it go?” Ringo wanted to know.

“Her mum’s a great lady, really, but her father was too fucking much.  Looked like he had it in fer me from the first.  Then he caught me pawin’ at her once and that was it.”

“I certainly wouldn’t trust you around my young daughter, if I had one,” Brian announced.

“Fat chance, Eppy.”

“Never mind that,” Mal said.  “Finish the story, did he hit ya?”

“Nah, I talked meself ‘round it, but then we had another run-in at the party.”

“In front of everyone?” George wanted to know.

“Nah.  In the kitchen of this restaurant.  Wanted to know what me ‘intentions’ were.  He kept pushin’ me and you know me, when you paint me into a corner!”

“You didn’t hit him, did ya?” Mal asked, as if he knew the answer.

“Worse.  I told him I was marrying his daughter, whether he liked it or not.”

Silence permeated the room. 

“I didn’t know you’d asked her to marry you, John,” Brian said.

“I haven’t.”

They all looked at each other, not knowing what to make of it.  With John, the general consensus was that it could go either way.

“You will, won’t you?  You can’t tell her father something like that, then not follow through,” Ringo said with conviction. 

“Of course, I am.  I thought I had a few years stay on that one, though.  Well, you don’t think I’m gonna let any of you lot have ‘er, do ya?”

“She’s not a prize we pass back and forth, John,” Ritch said.  “Even before what happened with me, I knew I lost ‘er to ‘ye fair and square.  She loves you.”

“There’s a catchy title for a song!” Mal quipped.  They all groaned.

John said, “Just in case you all don’t think I’m capable of such things, I love her a lot.”

“So when are you gonna ask her?” George wanted to know.

“Dunno.   When the time seems right.  So far I’ve been pretty good.  Not perfect, mind you, but I don’t want to do it until I really believe I have all these one-nighters outta me system.”

“Don’t think that’s possible,” George interrupted.  “Just ask Paul!”  Everyone laughed.

“I’ve been good so far, John,” Ringo said, “but let me tell you, the temptations are always staring you in the face.”

“That’s because you didn’t get the girl you really wanted, friend,” John said, hugging his shoulder.

                                                                       ***

Paul showed Lee around the upstairs levels, showing her where he planned to put a piano, tape recording equipment, this and that.

Lee stopped him.  “What happened with Jane, Paul, what’s wrong?”

“All she cares about is her bloody career.   It started out as just a nice general discussion of where we saw ourselves, say five years down the line.  She said she doesn’t want to stay at home with kids while I’m out on the road.  Meanwhile, she’s been out on the road with that Old Vic Company.  Now she’s going to be in this West End play and making out with this same actor, night after night.  I can see it in the papers –‘Paul McCartney’s girl being romanced by whatever ‘is name is.’ I paid her a surprise visit at rehearsal yesterday and the bastard was actually slipping her the tongue.  She’s making a fool of me in public.”

Lee laughed and said, “Oh Paul, that’s just acting.”

“Bollocks.  Tongue is tongue, and I don’t want her doing it!”

“You slipped me the tongue once or twice,” Lee said teasingly, then blushed.

“That’s different.”

“Why?  Because you’re a man?”

“Exactly,” he said, waving a finger at her.  He laughed.  “Besides, it is different with us.”

Lee smiled, then said, “You mean because we’re, what, like family?”

“Not family exactly…something more special than that, more special than merely friends as well.  Above that conventional stuff.  It’s like you’re ‘us’, but a girl.”

“Thanks for noticing,” Lee mumbled, in a very definite John-ism. 

“Oh, nothin’ gets past me,” Paul said, eyeing her appreciatively.  “Anyway, we have a bond in this group because of what we’ve been through together, that we can never fully express, even to each other.  When we need someone to grab onto, we come to you.  You make us all feel so relaxed and able to be ourselves.  We’ve all come to realize that hugs ‘n kisses and genuine affection are really important.  You always have to watch yer P’s and Q’s with yer girlfriend, always worrying about saying the wrong thing.  You never judge us or hold things against us, even when we’re being bastards.  It’s always unconditional love with you.”

“Of course it is,” Lee said, stepping over and hugging Paul tight.  She was so moved by what he just said.

Getting back to Jane, Lee said, “It’s different with her sort, Paul.  She doesn’t come from a working class background, like us.  Her father is a Harley Street doctor.  She was more privileged, independent -- probably the things that attracted you to her to begin with.  With her you can’t act like ‘I’m the man and you do what I say.’”

“You don’t seem to mind that John’s the boss.  I can see it.”

“I quite like John being the boss.  Doesn’t mean I’ll take his crap if he treats me badly.  But I enjoy feeling protected by a man.  If there’s this much difference in the way each of you see things, she may not be the one for you.  You have to have the same values.  Better to find out now than later.”

“You could be right,” he said seriously.

“Do you love her?”

“Dunno.  For a while there I thought she was the one, you know, fer later on when I’m ready to settle down.  While I’m in no rush to get married, I’ll want that someday.  I’m havin’ serious doubts now.  That song on the album…”

Lee interrupted him.  “I know, I picked up on it.”

“Can’t get nothin’ past you.  I usually don’t do that, that’s John’s department, expressin’ himself.   But I was sort of puttin’ her on notice.”

“She might not even get it.  Most people don’t listen or take things to heart.  Probably wouldn’t even occur to her that you would tell her something so personal in a song for the whole world to hear.”

“Mmmmm,” Paul said, sounding disappointed.  “Album’s in the shops tomorrow.  I had an advance copy delivered to her house a few days ago.  When I asked her yesterday, said she didn’t have time to listen to it yet.  Could you believe it?  You would have torn at the cellophane with your teeth!  And not because I expect her to be a squealing fan, but because I’m her boyfriend, and that’s my latest work, and isn’t she interested at all?”  He sighed and shrugged.  “Speaking of songs,” he asked, “how did you like yours?”

“Without a doubt, the most beautiful song, ever.   I can’t tell you, can’t express it.  I’ll cry.  How did you pull that off without me ever catching you?  I thought I never missed a trick.”

“We worked out all the bits in the music room late at night when you were asleep.  Then we recorded when we had Mal beg you to come out with him on a couple of food runs.   We had him remember other ‘errands’ he had to take care of before heading back.  Then we had the receptionist call to us when you got back, and we’d sit around looking bored, like we hadn’t done nothin’ since you left.”

“Pretty slick!”

“What’s pretty slick?” John asked as he got to the top of the stairs.

“She wanted to know how we pulled off ‘In My Life’.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t tell her, so she came to bigmouth!  Now we won’t be able to use that excuse whenever we want to get rid of ‘er again.”

“I’m pretty slick, myself, Lennon!”

“So I see.”

John did a quick walk through, hands in pockets, giving it his stamp of approval.  “This will do nicely while we’re recording.  Thanks, mate, very thoughtful of you.”

Paul and Lee exchanged glances.  “At your pleasure, John.  Actually, at mine.  I plan on bringing my conquests here.  I don’t like sneakin’ them out of the flat in the mornin’.”  He gave Lee a sheepish, apologetic look.

“I don’t really mind, Paul.  That’s your home.  Just so long as you don’t sit them down to breakfast with me, I’m fine with it.”  She turned to John.  “You, on the other hand, mister, are not to be getting any bright ideas about coming here with anyone but us.”

“She’s always thinking three steps ahead.  Jesus!”  John put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.

“We ready downstairs?” Paul asked.

“Yep,” John said, stomping his foot twice.

They marched Lee down the stairs and into the kitchen where they all waited around a table and huge cake ablaze with nineteen candles, which they were all frantically trying to get lit in time with their cigarette lighters.  They started singing “Happy Birthday” as soon as she walked in.  She had her hand over her mouth, but the tears came anyway, and she alternated between laughing and crying, and applauded them when they were done.

“Come on, baby, blow,” John said, more than suggestively.  She took his hand and said,  “Well, you have to help me, it’s awfully big!”  That got a few ‘wo-woos” and “ye-haas” from the guys as John helped her blow out the candles.  Someone turned on the lights and Mal handed her a knife and told her to make a wish.  It was only then that she realized the cake said, “Goodbye, Jailbait!!”

Neil went around the table, taking some great pictures of her cutting the cake, getting cream on their noses and them licking cream off her fingers. 

“Someone’s face will be in that cake soon,” John said half jokingly while Neil was taking a bit too long to take a shot while it was Paul having a go at her fingers.  “And I think it’s gonna be you, Nell!”

They all sat ‘round the table, eating cake, drinking tea and exchanging stories about their holidays.  George said he’d lost Pattie one day when they rented mopeds and was frantic looking for her, thinking they’d be holding her for ransom.  He kept going round the same circles, looking for her.  He finally went back to the hotel, ready to call the police, when the desk clerk said she’d returned hours ago.  He found her having a bubble bath.  Sounds more like a bubble head, Lee thought to herself.  Nobody was good enough for her boys.

They especially enjoyed hearing about Thanksgiving at Grandpa’s and John beating up Lee’s old boyfriend.

“I thought I was your first boyfriend,” Ritchie said indignantly. 

“Yeah, Ritch, sweet sixteen and never been kissed!” George said in amusement.  “Not this one.”

“Well!” Ritchie said.

“Believe me,” Lee said, “I didn’t learn what kissing was till I got here.  My first ‘real men’!” she said proudly.

“And last!” all four said at once, as if they shared a brain, and everyone had a good laugh.

Mal then shyly handed Lee a card.  “This is from me and Neil,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said, thinking it was just a birthday card.  Inside was a hand-printed ‘coupon’ with little drawings of hearts, flowers and balloons around the border.  It read,  “Entitles the bearer to a night out on the town, redeemable during the month of December, to anywhere she would like for dinner, and afterward, drinks and dancing.  NO BEATLES ALLOWED!”  This was followed by a skull and crossbones.  She got hysterical and said enthusiastically, “You bet!”  She got up and came around to kiss and hug them both and Mal pulled her down onto his lap.

“Let me see that thing!” John demanded.  Lee passed it round to him and he smiled.

“Anything to say?” Neil asked.

“Have a good time,” John answered with a smile.

Brian also handed her an envelope.  His message was written right on the card, also an invitation to one of London’s exclusive supper clubs and casinos.  He wrote, “A grown up lady should have a grown up evening out.  Very James Bond.  Formal dress only!”  It also had a specific date, one week hence.  That was Brian.

“Oh my!  Brian, that would be lovely,” she said, bending over and kissing his cheek.  “Thank you.”

George caught her eye and behind his hand mouthed, “Bor-ing!”  Lee turned her face from him so she wouldn’t laugh.

Paul produced a very ornate gold bag, with a name Lee most definitely recognized as jeweler to the royal family, and from it produced three small exquisitely wrapped boxes and placed them in front of her.

“This one’s mine,” Paul said, “and didn’t come from this store, in case you get a female notion of trying to exchange it.”

“What did you all do?” she asked, practically speechless.  “All those beautiful flowers and the party, and us all back together is so much more than enough…” Her voice cracked.  “This is much too much.”

“Go on, open it,” Paul said.   Inside the long, slim blue velvet box was a lovely bracelet in alternating stones of small sapphires and diamonds.

“Oh, Paul!  It’s so lovely.”

“It’s the match to the ring John bought ya in Nassau.  I went with ‘im to buy it.  I’ve been holding the damn thing since last February!”

She tried to fasten it to her wrist, but her hand was shaking too much.  She got up and went to him and made him do it.  He then took her face in his hands and kissed her lips softly and sweetly, twice.  “Love ya!” he said.

“Love you too,” she said, hugging him.

“Do mine next,” Ritchie said.

“Which one’s yours?” she asked, smiling.

“The flatter one, on the left.”

Inside a gold cardboard box was a black velvet box.  She was very intimidated.  Inside were round brilliant cut diamond stud earrings.  They looked at least a karat each.

“Oh Richard, no, I couldn’t.”

“You can and you will.  It’s a special birthday, and you’re special to me.  Wear them well, love.”

She removed the small gold hoops she was wearing and carefully put them on.

“Beautiful!” he said, beaming at her.

She went to him, and they embraced and didn’t let go for a long time.  They all heard a muffled sob.

“Come on now, don’t,” he whispered.  Then, especially low, directly into her ear, he said, “Just please, if Mo asks, tell ‘er John gave ‘em to ‘ya.  A wife wouldn’t understand, and shouldn’t have to.  Everyone knows to go along with it.”

Lee nodded her head and they kissed quickly.

She turned back to the table, wiping her eyes and George was waving his box in the air, making her laugh despite her very emotional state.

The box was square and could have only housed a ring.  “This must be the engagement ring!” she kidded.  John raised an eyebrow and she grinned at him as George said, “I could always exchange it for one,” trying to grab it back.

“No, I’m sure whatever you picked will do nicely.”

It was indeed a very beautiful ring, a solitaire emerald-cut ruby, very deep red, and she immediately placed it on her right ring finger and held it up for all to see. 

“Oh, George!  It’s incredibly gorgeous,” she said and he pulled her down on his lap, and they hugged.

“You do know,” he said, “that red is the color of passion.  It’s also good luck and keeps away the evil spirits,” he said, giving John a nasty look.  But John seemed to be enjoying it.  “So where’s the passion?” George wanted to know.  She laughed and took his face in her hands and planted one on him.  He looked at her, scrunched up his nose and mouth, and shook his head no.  She kissed him again, putting up her hand to hide them, this time some definite tongue going on, and for quite a while.

“All right, that’ll do,” John finally said.  He’d played that game and knew how it worked.

John stood up and went to her, taking took a box from his pocket had been beautifully wrapped at one time, same store as the others, but looked a little worse for wear, and the ribbon was flattened out.

“I guess you guys shopped together,” she said laughing.

“This traveled to New York and back.  Yer actual birthday was so hectic, and you wouldn’t even wear yer ring there, so I brought this back.  I was planning on giving it to you tonight before bed, but when his nibs called,” he said, glancing at Paul, “I figured it would be a little party.  And well…here,” he said, handing it to her.

“John,” she said softly, “no matter what it is, it will never be better or more valuable to me than that song.”

“Really?  Then give it here!” he teased, grabbing for it back.

“Never mind!  I’m going to need an armored car to get home.”  She opened the package slowly, biting her lip, wondering what he’d done this time.  She gasped.

It was a solitaire diamond, round, which was her favorite cut, set in a beautiful, fine platinum necklace.  She had a good eye and judged it to be at least two karats – large enough to say something, yet not so big as to be ostentatious.

She went to him and just looked into his eyes, not able to speak, tears dripping down her cheeks.

“I love you, baby,” he said.

“I love you more,” she answered.

They embraced and went at each other, never coming up for air.

“All right, all right, this is a kitchen, not a brothel,” Paul complained.  “Get the buckets!”

                                                                    ***

Back at home the next day, Lee rose early.  She had a lot of work ahead of her for their big party, which they’d decided this year would be on New Year’s Eve rather than before Christmas, which sounded more fun and festive.

The invitations were on the desk, as were her lists.  An invitation to a Beatles party was a very sought-after commodity, and she took great pains to make sure each one got into the right hands.    She had to write each guest’s name on each one, including “and one guest” -- meaning one only per invitation – then address them and make arrangements for them all to be hand delivered where possible.  She also had to hire security people for the building, including one stationed down in the lobby, inspecting the invitations and checking names against a list, keeping crashers out.  Another security person/bouncer would be stationed right outside the door, just in case.

She also had to hire the caterers and bartenders, plan for the little show, with skits and an impromptu jam session for some of their musician friends who wanted to participate, and decorate.

The night before, Brian had given her a short list of people he wanted included – a couple of business associates, a couple of ‘boyfriends’, of  course.  She laughed when she saw that he wrote “no guest” next to their names.   As she sat there glancing at the list, a name jumped out at her and she froze.  It was that woman journalist from the Evening Standard.  Is he out of his mind? Lee wondered.  The one thing they always did was take pains to make sure that no one from the press got into their private parties.  But this woman in particular was always a sore spot for Lee.

She kept turning up at different functions, and while she was friendly with all of them, she would invariably end up in some dark corner having a long conversation with John.  She’d been very kind to them in her coverage over the years and they, in turn, had given her many exclusives.  Lee was quite sure John had done her in the past.  A woman just knew these things.  Miss News Reporter was a bit older, attractive enough, and just the sort of woman John would have considered a great notch on his bedpost.

A couple of months ago Brian had set up an interview for her with John, and Lee was none too pleased that madam journalist wanted to conduct it at her flat.  Why couldn’t she come here, Lee had wanted to know, and see how you really live?  See that you have a girlfriend, she had wanted to say, but of course, that was a deep dark secret.  John just gave her the look that said ‘not another word about it’.  She’d backed off immediately.  

He had stayed out all night and Lee gave him the silent treatment for two days.  He swore to her that nothing happened, that they talked until two (did that line ring a sore spot now!) and then he invited her to a late night spot for drinks.  In any case, why did Brian want her here?  She considered doing a ‘let’s not and say we did’, but her Catholic guilt kicked in.  She decided to ring Brian at his office.

“Brian, I was just looking at your list.  I thought policy was no reporters at the parties?”

“It is,” Brian answered.  “Oh, you mean Maureen.  She did me a favor recently, keeping something really embarrassing out of print.  She heard we have some great parties and asked to be invited to the next one, strictly as a guest, completely off the record.  I don’t see any harm.”

“Of course you wouldn’t, Brian.  You’re much too trusting.”

“Tell you what.  You’re doing all the work.  If you want to include her, do, if not, don’t.  There’s always next time.”  He had to ring off as he had an appointment.

Great.  Now it’s down to do I trust John to be in a room with this woman or not?  The answer was yes, she did trust him if she was there.  But the point was, she was the one working hard to make this a fun and successful party, why should she have to be made to feel uncomfortable in her own home by a woman who was clearly after her man?

She decided to put this name on the back burner and run out to Harrods.  She was going to turn this place into a winter wonderland next week while they were out at their photo shoot, and had a lot of shopping to do.

                                                              ***

One night last year, after feigning ‘cramps’ and saying she wasn’t up to going out with them, Lee had dragged Mal out to get a Christmas tree and had set it up next to the piano and had taken great pains to decorate it as a surprise.  They came in late that night and saw the glow of it twinkling in the huge living room, and were so completely knocked out that they all sat up the rest of the night just staring at it and talking, and drinking hot toddies, and they all fell asleep right there on the sofas.   They loved it so much, the rest of the month they rarely went out, and they each made special ornaments for it, which Lee wrapped and saved and they promised each year they would make a new one each.  She was determined to get them into home front traditions.

This year she was determined to see that the decorations were even more magnificent.  She bought so many tiny white light sets that all twinkled quite slowly, giving off a really celestial feeling.  Today The Beatles were due to have their official annual photo shoot.  Lee dispensed Neil to take them, as she needed Mal all day.  Neil was given strict orders to keep them out all day and not return them till well into the night.  She was sure they’d be thrilled to have a whole day and night out to be up to no good.

“Malcolm,” Lee said, “remember the Christmas tree you and I dragged home last year?”

“Yeah, that was a bugger, at least eight feet!”

“Well, I want an even bigger one, reaching the ceiling this time.”

“How am I gonna…”

“Have someone deliver it or get a van – improvise.  I want huge.”

“Typical female!” Mal shot back turning on his big bright childlike smile.

Lee threw a pillow at him.  “Hop to it, and no lollygagging.  I’ll need your help decorating it.  And please, before you leave, have building maintenance send up a huge ladder.”

“Yes, boss!” Mal said, saluting and taking his leave.

Lee spent the day happily decorating, strewing the brass railing, bookshelves and cabinets with vines of holly and berries and twinkling lights, really decking the halls.  She hung mistletoe everywhere, even in the loos.  The kitchen was also decorated, a little certerpiece tree on the table.  Beautifully decorated white candles adorned bookshelves and tables.  The potted poinsettia plants arrived in mid-afternoon, as did Mal, with the most magnificent blue spruce she’d ever seen.  He brought two guys with him to actually set it up.

“Big enough, m’lady?” Mal teased.

“Could never be big enough, you know that!”

“More’s the pity,” Mal said, shaking his head.

They went into the kitchen together to grab some dinner before resuming their work.  They worked really hard on the tree to get it done before the boys came home.  Lee kept stepping back, making sure it was balanced on all sides, a true work of art, telling Mal, “Move that to the left, no a little more to the right…”

“If you step back one more time, I’m gonna open the balcony door and throw you overboard!” Mal complained wearily.

Lee was setting up the manger under the tree when she looked up and spied Mal silently laughing.  “Not a word, Evans!  It is Christmas, after all.”

“Didn’t say a word, did I?”

“Better not!” Lee answered as the phone rang.  Mal picked it up and said to Lee, “Neil wants to know if he can come home now.  He’s knackered.”

“Tell him yes.  Come on, let’s clear these boxes.”

After doing so, Lee went ‘round turning off all the lights and said, “Okay Mal, do the honors.”  He flipped the main switch.  The whole place came alive with the warm hazy glow that only Christmas seems to bring, a twinkling fairyland.

“Fantastic!” Mal said.  They hugged, taking it all in and congratulating themselves.

“Well done, Mal.” Lee said, giving him a tight squeeze.

***

As soon as they opened the door this time, they knew what to expect because so much more was decorated this year than last. 

“Wow!  First rate job, love,” Paul said.

“Amazin’” George said. 

“Did Father Christmas throw up in ‘ere?” John wanted to know.  Walking over to the tree, John exclaimed delightedly, “Oh Jesus, it’s baby Jesus!” when he spied the manger.

“Don’t make fun, Lennon, it’s really what it’s about,” Lee warned.

“I didn’t say anythin’!  It’s just…baby Jesus,” he said with an impish look.  “I love it.  Really.”  He had a really happy look on his face and she knew he was enjoying it, so it was worth it.

“George, you’re standing under the mistletoe,” Lee said pointing upward.

“Oh, hold on a mo’,” John said, running over, grabbing George’s face and planting a huge swack on his mouth.

George pushed him away, wiping his mouth with his hand, while everyone else fell about in hysterics.  “Try that again, you won’t be able to find your arse with both hands,” he spat.  “Do ‘ye think maybe next year we could all help?” George asked Lee.  “You shouldn’t have to do it all by yourself.  Looks like fun.”

Lee and Mal looked at each other and said at the same time, “Absolutely!”  But all Lee really heard was ‘next year,’ and that was enough for her.

                                                                    ***

The rest of December was great fun, with nights out and parties galore.  The night spent out on the town by Lee, Mal and Neil was a refreshing change as they went neighborhood pub hopping, something the boys weren’t free to do much.  They had hysterics poking fun at the boys and their little idiosyncrasies, most especially Brian, Mal doing a great imitation of him.  They ended up the night at a little out of the way blues joint.  It was wonderful. 

She came in at 4:00 a.m. to find John actually ‘waiting up’ for her in her bed with a book, when she thought he’d fully take advantage of the night to be out and about on his own.  She rewarded him by making love to him till daylight rolled in.

For her night out with Brian, she went all out, going to a salon to have her hair all done up and piled high, and finding these wonderful black gloves that went all the way up her arms past her elbows. 

“Why I do believe it’s Miss Hepburn, just back from Tiffany’s, no doubt?” George said with his toothy smile when he saw her.

John did a double take, not quite believing it was her.  “How come you never dress that way for me?” he demanded.  “All that effort’s wasted on Eppy.”

“It is not.  He appreciates elegance and good taste.  Anyway, what’s the point?” Lee answered.  “You’d have everything off me, and the gloves and hairpins as well, in two seconds.”

“Everything but the gloves, darlin’.  Keep the gloves, definitely,” he said, biting his lip and arching his eyebrows up and down.

The next time they made love, she did.

                                                                         ***

Ritchie and Maureen were anxious to have Christmas at their house this year as baby Zak was three months old, and already so wide-eyed and alert.  Ritch was looking forward to playing host, and so it was decided.  It was a cozy festive day.  Maureen’s parents were there as well, and they all couldn’t get enough of playing with the baby.  Every time Lee got hold of him, he smiled and cooed and did all the right baby things and he smelled so good.  She kept smothering him with kisses.

I’m much too young to be getting all these maternal pangs, Lee thought.  Must be that he’s so like his daddy.

“Mo, I think the baby needs changing, may I do it?” Lee asked.

“Be my guest,” she answered from the kitchen.

“Don’t let ‘im get ye’ in the eye,” Ritch warned.  “’e’s a sneaky little feller!”

“It’s okay, I could use a Christmas blessing,” she laughed, carrying him upstairs to the nursery.

As she stood there cleaning him and singing to him and powdering his little bottom, John came up behind her, causing her to start, as usual, and said, “You look like yer enjoyin’ that a little too much, missy.”

“Oh, no.  Too much responsibility right now.  But isn’t he just so beautiful and perfect?” she sighed.

“Uh-oh.  Danger,” he said, quickly snapping up the baby’s little red jumper.  “Come to Uncle John,” he said lifting Zak to his shoulder.  “Let us be away from the mad woman!”

                                                                          ***

New Year’s Eve arrived quickly enough and Lee was dressing and readying herself early, as she had so much to do.  She smoothed her new “pantyhose,” which were sheer black with silvery threads running through, and slipped into her considerably higher heels, as she no longer had to worry about towering over Ritchie.  Her dress had a black taffeta bodice with a flared bottom of black and silver stripes in silk, ending at mid-thigh.  She looked all legs and very festive.  She was also decked out in all her new birthday jewelry.  John’s necklace and Ritchie’s earrings looked magnificent.

John walked in in his underwear, rubbing his wet head with a towel.  “Great dress!  Where’s the rest of it?”

“You’re lookin’ at it,” Lee answered dismissively, checking her make-up in the mirror.

“You bend over and everyone else’ll be lookin’ at it!”

“Yeah well, that’s where your eyes are when we’re out at clubs, eyeing up all the dolly birds in their mini skirts.  I thought I’d keep your eyes on me tonight.”

“Good plan,” he said, slipping both hands up under the ruffled bottom and grabbing at her thighs.  She smacked his hands playfully away while giggling and backing off.

“Now, now, I have a lot of work to do.  Go get dressed.”

“You mean this won’t do?  I figured just a nappy and a 1966 banner, and maybe a top hat.”

“Actually, that would be great for later tonight!”

“Where would I get a nappy to fit me?” he asked.

“I’ll do you up with a pillow case and some safety pins.”

They both laughed and the phone rang.  Lee picked it up and said “Yes?  Okay, let them up.”  She turned to John. “Gotta go.  Caterers are here.”

***

Lee stood in the center of the room, her eyes scanning everything.  The decorations were all in place, noisemakers and silly hats for whoever wanted to wear them, the candles lit, the caterers and bartenders all set up on two sides of the perimeter of the room.  The bandstand and impromptu stage was set up on the side by the piano, with the Christmas tree to the extreme right.  Perfect.  Everything was perfect and the guests were due to start arriving at 9:00 p.m. and party well into the night.

The guest list was mighty impressive, and the security people started letting them up promptly at nine.  There were the Stones, of course, and their women, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, Eric Burdon and his crew, Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore and Peter Cooke, who were always great fun.  As soon as Dudley came in, he made a beeline for the piano and started the night rolling.  The drinks were flowing heavily and soon the smell of weed started permeating the air.  The New Year was underway.  Pattie came with her sister Jenny, Ringo and Maureen arrived promptly.  By 9:30 about one hundred of the one hundred-fifty expected were already there.

John made a grand entrance, and several people cheered when he came in.  Lee had to hold her heart, he looked so magnificent.  He wore slim black slacks which left very little to the imagination, plain slick black boots, and an Edwardian-style jacket, expertly cut to his body in black velvet.  His white shirt had pleats sewn down the front, and he had his usual couple of buttons undone.  That Adam’s apple always got her, and his hair was all shiny and perfect, with auburn highlights and those beautiful light brown eyes.  She wanted to swoon as if she was seeing him for the first time.

Several girls there were already trying to cozy up, even though they were the dates of other guests.   This happened everywhere they went.  Lee was quite used to it, but she hated it most in her domain.  One of the women was pulling on his arm, pleading with him, “Come, John, dance with me.”  Dudley was playing a romantic ballad on the piano.

John pulled his arm away.  “Sorry, but I think the first dance should go to my girl, don’t you think?” he said, loud enough for most to hear, as most everyone’s eyes were on him at that moment. 

He scanned the room till his eyes met hers.  Then he did that same slow deliberate walk he did the day he met her.  Lee’s heart was about to leap out of her chest.   This was the first time he’d said out loud in front of anyone outside the ‘family’ that she was his girl.  Ever.

He came up to her, his face inches from hers, repressing his smile.  “Come here often, beautiful?” he asked.

She smiled and whispered, “Very.”

“Fancy a dance?”

She bit her bottom lip and slid her arm around his neck.  He took her hand and placed it also around his neck, pulling her waist to him with both arms and holding her close as they glided to the music.  They soon heard whistles and applause and looked up to see the ones doing it – George, Ringo, Neil, Mal.  Even Brian was applauding.  Mick and Brian Jones and Keith were also making a fuss and soon the buzz started and the chatter.

Lee looked up into John’s eyes and asked, “Do you know what you just did?”

“About bloody time, don’t ya think?”

She buried her face in his neck, taking in his smell and never wanting to let him go.

***

The party was well underway, most of the guests having arrived by 10:30, and practically everyone was giddy or high on something.  Paul was spending an unusual amount of time at the bar and hopping off outside to the balcony with a guest or two for a joint.  He was looking none too happy.  Lee approached him and put her arm around his shoulder.

“Buy me a drink, sailor?” she asked him.

“Whatcha’ want?”

“Champagne, of course.  It’s New Year’s.”

“Like you need an excuse!”

“No remarks.  And what’s wrong?  Isn’t Jane coming?”

“She worked tonight, said she’d hop a cab right after the show.  I told ‘er I’d send a car, but she insisted I not bother.”

“C’mon, Paul.  This is not like you.  You bask in the glow of parties,” she said hugging his shoulder to her. “Cheer up.  I’m too happy tonight to be worried about you.  Oh, look  who just came in.”  Peter Asher and Gordon Waller came in with their dates.  Lee worked her way over to them.

“Gordon, didn’t you guys pick up Jane on the way?” Lee asked him.

“We stopped at the theatre, but the cast was having a little celebration and she said she would be by on her own.”

Lee relayed this information to Paul, who just muttered “Bitch!” and walked off and grabbed himself a random blonde to dance with.  He was already none too steady on his feet.

When midnight rolled around, everyone did the countdown, rushing around for someone to kiss at that special moment.  John grabbed Lee and spun her around at just the precise moment, giving her a breath-stopping kiss.  He pulled her out onto the balcony where they could see some fireworks in the distance and they cuddled up against the cold.  They were soon joined by most of ‘their lot’, all exchanging kisses and hugs, all of them yelling over the railing “Happy New Year!”  Lee could tell that Paul was extremely angry that Jane still hadn’t arrived, and when he kissed her, it was a little too long and a bit too intense, but she brushed it off as nothing.

***

The little show got under way, with Ringo manning the drums, guitars picked up by George, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Alan Price on keyboards, Mick and Eric Burdon grabbing microphones and taking over center stage.  The music was incredible.  Everyone was dancing, singing and having a wild time.

They’d worked out a bit of a skit before hand, where George and John would sing that Liverpool ditty “Dirty Maggie Mae,” about the Lime Street prostitute.  Lee had gone off to her room and changed into a very tight slutty dress with a red feather boa, pulled her hair up into a ponytail tied with a garish silver bow, and when she cued Ringo at the end of the song, she walked in, with him playing bump and grind on the drums to her every step.

With every step she shook her hips, chewed gum with gusto and swung her purse around.

When she made her way to the band, they had it worked out that with every hit on the drums, she would swing her hips this way and that and with each swing one of the guys would end up down on the floor.  Their timing was perfect, and neither she nor Ritchie were able to keep a straight face.  They hadn’t rehearsed any of it and it was totally spontaneous and great fun.

She then took off the feather boa and lassoed Dudley Moore with it, pulling him up the stairs.  She then ran her fingers through his hair, standing it up on end, as she tried to ‘proposition’ him.  He looked so comical under her armpit as they tried to negotiate a price.  He gently rested his head on her chest and said, “Could you extend me bit a credit darlin’, I’m a little short.”  The crowd went wild with applause.

Lee was so happy and into the spirit of the holiday and John’s announcement (and not to mention giddy on champagne) that she went over to Alan and whispered in his ear, he nodded, and she pulled over a chair and picked up a microphone and announced she had a song to sing to Mr. Lennon.

As the guys pushed him into the chair, he said, “Never mind yer singin’, and cover up them tits!”

“All in good time, my love,” she said, as she wrapped the feather boa around him and sang to him in the best voice she could muster, ‘Johnny Angel.’  As soon as Ritchie heard the song start he started tapping the cymbals and giving it a backbeat, and the rest of the guys joined in. 

John actually blushed, because whenever the part came to sing the words ‘Johnny Angel’ all the girls joined in the background, causing everyone to laugh.  At the end of the song he pulled her down on to his lap and gave her a wonderful slow kiss.  Everyone said, “Ahhh!” and applauded.

They got up and bowed, and he took her hand and whispered in her ear, “C’mon, let’s do that nappy thing.”  She pulled him off to his room, first retrieving some glitter and glue and a large length of ribbon from the desk that they’d used to make ornaments.

As she used the glue and glitter to make the 1966 banner for him to wear, she said, “Okay stud, down to your smalls.”  He quickly got undressed.  He was about to go for the underwear when she said, “No, no, no.  I don’t want any surprises tonight.  Too many hungry women out there.” 

She quickly pinned a white pillowcase to his underwear.  He was about to take off his socks, but she told him to leave them as that added a comical touch.  She then slipped the banner over his shoulder and under his arm.  “Perfect!” she laughed.  “I’ll get you a cardboard top hat.”

Lee called Mal over, and he entered the room and announced at the top of his lungs, “Hear ye, hear ye, I bring you officially the year 1966!”  Whoever was at the piano played a little fanfare and John walked in to a cheering crowd, Neil snapping away pictures like mad.  John decided to really party hearty from that point on.

At that precise moment, two new arrivals entered the flat, Lee noticed.  One was Jane, and since it was already 1:30, Lee thought it was about damned time!  Jane giggled when she got a load of John in his get-up. 

The other, much to Lee’s annoyance, was madam Evening Standard journalist, who had R.S.V.P.’d that she had an assignment that night and might be able to make it late.  Well it’s here, Lee thought miserably.  But she decided she would not let her or anything else spoil this perfect night for her.  John was not ashamed to have people know about them, and she was walking on air.

Lee watched Jane approach Paul to kiss him.  He gave her the cold shoulder.  When she reached for his arm, he stormed off into the kitchen, with her trailing behind him.  Lee had to hear what was going on and sidled up to the kitchen door, but with the noise from outside she couldn’t hear a thing.  She decided to walk in and rummage for something in the fridge.  They saw her but decided she was okay and kept talking. 

“It was just a little cast party.  I knew this party would still be going strong when I got here,” Jane pleaded to Paul.

“But you weren’t here for the bells, were ya?  You’re supposed to be with your boyfriend at midnight, aren’t ya?  Everyone had someone here but me!  I had me thumb up me ass!”

“Well, what do you want me to do about it now?” Jane asked, as she started to cry.

Lee decided to leave the room, she’d heard enough.  But just as she did she heard Paul say “Go fuck yerself!”

Lee was going off to her room to change out of her Maggie Mae costume when she saw Jane run for her coat and leave the flat in tears.  Ordinarily she would have felt sorry for her, but she knew she would not be anywhere but at John’s side at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

***

Lee was in her room fixing her hair after slipping back into her dress, and was looking forward to going back in and actually relaxing now that she knew the party was a success and everyone was having a good time.  The door opened and she heard someone come in.  Shehe turned to find Paul.  She decided not to mention the Jane incident at all.

“Paul, would you mind zipping me up?” she asked.

“My best pleasure of the night,” he slurred.   Hestood there a long time with his hand on the zipper tab, then kissed the back of her neck and her shoulder.

She giggled at first, but then began to feel a bit uncomfortable and said jokingly, “I know you’re a little uncoordinated right now, so I will remind you the movement for the zipper is up and not down.”

“I used to know that,” he said, kissing her shoulder blade and stroking her back, then slowly and reluctantly moving the zipper all the way up.

“So beautiful,” he said.  “I’ve never told you how beautiful you are, did I?”

“Don’t worry, Paul.  This thing with Jane will blow over, you’ll see.”  She turned and kissed his cheek.

“You’re amazin’, ya know.  You take such good care of us.  You love us.”

“’Course I do.  Now come on, we don’t want to miss anything good.” She took his hand.  “Let’s go.”

He gripped her hand tight and pulled it behind her back, pulling her up against him and taking her mouth much too passionately.  The shock at first was a bit much, so she let it go a few seconds, then pushed at his shoulder with her free hand.  He most definitely had a hard-on.

“Come on now, Paul.  Stop.  You don’t want to do this.”

“I want to do more than this,” he said going for her mouth again.

She kept him at bay and said firmly, “No you don’t!”

“You really don’t have a clue how beautiful you are, do you?” he asked.  He let go of her hand and moved his hands to her waist and quickly moved them up, caressing her breasts firmly.

She was about to grab both his wrists and push him away firmly when she saw John, fully dressed again, standing in the doorway, shock and disbelief on his face.

“What th’ fuck?” John said incredulously. 

George and Ritchie were right behind him, arms over each other’s shoulders, singing some drunken ditty.

“John,” Lee said, trying to explain, “he’s really wasted and angry with Jane.  This is nothing, really.” She tried to get out of Paul’s grip.

“So you thought you’d offer up yer tits in comfort? 

“Stop it!  You know me better than that.”

“Yeah, and I know him even better,” John said, lunging for Paul and grabbing for his lapels.  He pushed Paul up against the night stand and knocked over the lamp.  Paul was so high, he just laughed.  George and Ritch quickly came behind John, each taking an arm and pulling at him hard so he could not land a punch.  When John got like this it could take as many as four guys to pull him off. 

“John, no!  Please don’t hit him!  Nothing happened, I swear,” Lee begged.

Ringo turned to her firmly and said, “You, out.  And close the door behind you.”  When she didn’t move immediately, he yelled at her, “Now!”

She quickly left the room and closed the door.  How did this happen? she wondered.  This night was so perfect.  How could this have happened?   This was not her fault.  She did not understand what had suddenly gotten into Paul, but this was not her fault.  Now they were in there fighting.  She thought she would like to grab hold of that selfish red-haired witch and bash her around a bit.  She should have been here for him.

Lee returned to the party, trying to behave normally, act sociably and as if nothing happened.  Eventually, Ringo and George emerged with Paul, who sat down at the piano for the first time that night and did a bit of playing.  She tried to gauge from their faces what had gone down.  Finally, she couldn’t take any more.

“George?” she asked.

“It’s over, but just keep away from John for a while.  He needs to cool down.”

When she spotted him, finally, he was seated on one of the sofas with Miss Cleave, a joint in one hand, a drink in the other.

Lee went to her room and locked herself in for the night.

                                                                     ***

She didn’t think she could sleep, but must have fallen off out of complete exhaustion.  When she opened her eyes and looked at the clock it was 5:30.  She got up and listened at the door.  Not a sound.  She opened it and stepped outside.  Everyone was gone, thank goodness.  There was still the party mess, but the clean-up crew would be in this afternoon.  She went back to her room and wondered about John, if he was still angry.  He really shouldn’t be.  He should know instinctively that this night had been so perfect for her it could not have possibly entered her mind to do such a thing.  He knewhow deeply in love she is with him.  He knew.

Earlier tonight she thought they’d be making love right now, making love until the sun came up.  She decided not to take George’s advice. 

She went to her dresser drawer and found the red teddy John had given her for Christmas and put it on. She padded down the hall to his room.  It was pitch dark so she switched on the small lamp on his dresser.

She saw her right away, madam reporter, her distinct old-fashioned hairdo, her bare back.  John had his back to her and was lying on his side.  Lee was stunned, paralyzed.  She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.  Here.  He’s doing it here, where he lives with me.

Neither of them moved.  They were apparently not aware that she was there.  She stepped forward and yanked the covers off them.  Only she stirred and opened her eyes.  “What are you doing?” she asked Lee.  Lee just put her hand to her mouth and looked at John.  He was lying there in his underwear, and he still did not budge, not even to turn to look at her. 

Lee ran from the room.  In a blind haze, she grabbed a bag from the shelf in her closet and hastily packed some clothes, underwear, and personal items and rummaged through her purse.  She had only a few pounds in her wallet, which would not get her far.  She went into the hallway, turned on the desk lamp, and went to the cash box.  Not even bothering to count the bills, she stuffed them all into her purse and scribbled a note. I’ll pay you back.  She then went to the other box where they kept the passports.  It was locked.  Neil had the key.  Oh, well, I’ll get that another day, she thought.

She sat there a moment, looking around, thinking she’d better leave now before she became hysterical.

Part Two Coming Soon!

Lena King a New York State Supreme Court Clerk, and she loves her job.  In a prior incarnation she worked as a secretary and married quite young (twenty) to a Beatle person (twenty-one), a match made in Beatle heaven, or so she thought.  Would you believe his birthday was July 7th?  Typically, he had is mid-life crisis at thirty.  He got his new trollop and she got their beautiful daughter, who ironically, is now twenty years old.  She knows almost as much about the Fabs as her mother does, whether she likes it or not.  (She does.)  "How did they get outside the train mommy?" she giggled at four.  She's been spoon fed the stuff ever since.

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