Lee stared at the ring in her mother’s hand.  Couldn’t even make it past twenty-four hours, she thought miserably.  If I’d only remembered to leave it in London!  She sighed and sat down on the bed.  “All right, what do you want to know?  Yes, it’s my ring.”

“Obviously.  And now I see the slight tan line mark on your left ring finger.  It’s very beautiful and quite expensive looking,” Annie said in a challenging tone.

“Obviously,” Lee repeated softly, yet a bit sarcastically.  She could have written this conversation verbatim, and in advance.

“Were you planning on telling me about this?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Lee said matter-of-factly.

“Nothing?  Did John give this to you?”

“Yes, but it’s not what you think.”

“What should I think?”

Lee hesitated before choosing her words carefully.  “That it’s a very nice gift from a rich, generous man who can afford these things without them meaning  ‘everything.’”

“Then why aren’t you wearing it?”

“Because I know how you and Daddy think.  I knew your reaction would be…this!  That you would see it as either engaged or gratitude for ‘services rendered’.  It’s neither of those things.”

Her mother sat down.  “Then why don’t you just explain to me what sort of relationship you two really have.  A young, good-looking rock star in the prime of his life doesn’t live a celibate existence.  Does he see other women?”

“He doesn’t discuss that with me, Ma.  What he does with sluts is none of my concern,” she lied.  “I’m only concerned with how he treats me.”

“And how’s that?” Annie pressed.

“He’s protective, concerned and loving.  They all are.  He thinks I’m too young, at seventeen, to be making lifetime commitments.  And he’s certainly not ready for that.  But he cares for me, I know he does.  I didn’t want to bring him here.  He insisted.  Annie’s expression softened.

Lee continued, “He gave me the ring last February.”  True enough. “It was a Valentine gift.  Expensive, yes, but as you can see, money is not an issue right now in his life, and he’s very generous.”  A Valentine sounds plausible, she thought.

“My concern here is what this all means to you,” Annie said.  “Do you realize how much a man like that can hurt you?”

Lee’s eyes started to fill.  “We can be hurt by anyone we love, Ma, famous or not.  John is not the sort of man who can be pushed into anything he doesn’t want.  I’m willing to give this a ‘wait and see’.  I’m not exactly growing a beard here.  Besides, there’s no one else in his life.  Have you read a word in the papers about him and anyone else?”

“No,” Annie admitted, stroking her daughter’s arm.  “Okay, I’m going to trust your better judgment on this, but please be careful.”  She handed the ring back to her daughter.  “And don’t let your father see this.”

“I don’t recall letting you see it.  Where is Daddy, anyway?”

“At the bakery, picking up the pies.”

***

Lee went into the bathroom to shower and get ready, and Ann saw that the other bedroom door was ajar.  She looked in and saw John combing his hair in front of the dresser mirror.  She knocked and said, “Can I have a word with you, John?”

“Sure,” he said with a smile.

Annie came in and closed the door behind her.  “I’d like to say this before my husband gets back.  I found the ring you gave Lee.  I was going to send the jacket to the cleaners and found it when I was checking the pockets.”

“Oh,” he said, a bit at a loss.  “I really don’t see why she couldn’t just wear it.  I certainly didn’t want her hiding it from you.”

Well, hearing that is certainly a step in the right direction, Annie thought.  “Well, where I come from, that’s a bit more than just a friendship ring.  What exactly is this relationship about, John?  I don’t want my daughter hurt.”

“I care very much for your daughter, Annie.  She’s great, and no one knows that better’n you.  I thought she deserved to have a beautiful ring.  And it made me feel good bein’ able to give it to her.  I wouldn’t hurt her.”

“Maybe not intentionally, but…”

“Look,” he said, a bit shortly, “the last thing I want to do is expose meself to all this ‘family stuff’ right now…”

“Then why did you come?  Really?”

John hesitated, not really caring to get into this.  Did he really want to stand here admitting to her mother that Lee knocked him out from the very beginning?  How she fed his ego with her totally exposed, loving heart, her intelligence and funny personality, but yet kept his feet planted firmly on the ground?  How he hated all those phony show biz types?  How happy he felt when he saw her face every morning?  Her Americanisms?  How fantastic they were when they made love?

“Really?” he finally said.  “Self interest.  I don’t want to lose her.  The other times she’s seen you since she’s been with us, we were all together, the group.  I knew she’d be leavin’ with us.  This time, I wasn’t sure that if you got her home alone again for a couple of weeks I’d ever get her back.  She’s not in college yet like she’s supposed to be.  That was the deal, wasn’t it?”

Annie didn’t expect to see him so unsure of himself.  She found it very endearing, especially since he had the world by the tail and could probably have anyone he set his eye on.   A wave of relief flooded over her.  “You love her,” she said.  It was a statement, not a question.

John stood there looking serious and vulnerable.  “Yes.”

“All right, then.  Lee only has to go to college if she chooses to.  She’s the one who will have to do all that work, and she has to want it.  But Charlie doesn’t trust you, John.  Be careful around him, and her.  She’s our only daughter, barely eighteen.  You and my husband are both men, I’m sure you understand each other.

John nodded.  He’d had steady girlfriends, affairs and enough birds along the way that he hadn’t even bothered to ask their names.  He understood Annie’s concern.  “Don’t worry, Annie, I’m careful with her, and she knows how to keep me line, believe me!”

“Yeah, she can be a handful.  She’s a good girl but usually knows how to get her way.” Annie smiled   “She told me all you boys take very good care of her.”

“I would never let anyone hurt her, I swear.”

“I think I know that now.”  Ann turned to leave the room, then remembered something.  “By the way, we have a surprise birthday party planned for her, the night before you leave, at a restaurant in Little Italy.  I sent out the invitations the morning you arrived, a last minute decision.  I had no idea you’d be here.  If you’d like to hide out here and not be exposed to all that, I certainly understand.”

“I’ll have to give that a good hard think.  How many more will there be than the family crowd for today’s dinner?”

“About seventy-five,” she said, biting her lip.  “I invited some of her high school friends, all the aunts, uncles, cousins on both sides of the family.”

“Seventy-five!”  John could not believe his ears.  “And a bunch of teenagers!  The jig would definitely be up.  Might as well invite the press.”

“How did you keep her so well hidden all this time?” Annie wanted to know.

“There are always so many people around us when we’re in public, she just blends in.  She’s expert at it, hangs back with Brian, Neil or Mal.  Our close friends all know her and no one talks.  They know better, or they’re out.”

Ann had one last question.  “And if it gets out, will you leave her out in the cold?”

“No.  She’s old enough now.  It won’t be a problem.”

I do believe this man loves my daughter, she thought, relieved.  The only guarantee in life is that there are no guarantees.

Annie patted John’s shoulder.  “All right then, John, you’re a good guy.  I’m convinced.  Now I have to work on Charlie.”

                                                                ***

They arrived at the old tenement building on Mulberry Street, all five of them carrying trays of food, boxes of pies, bottles of liquor.   They started up the stairs, and after two flights, John started to get a bit winded.  Lee’s father was really huffing and puffing.

“And you say your Granddad lives up all these stairs?  How many more?” John asked, rounding the bend.

“Two more flights, fourth floor,” Lee answered.  “You two need to stop smoking.”

“You need to be quiet,” Charles said, stopping to rest.

“And your Granddad can do this every day?” John asked, surprised.

“Several times a day, and a darn sight better than us!  How fast is he, Ma?” Lee laughed.

“Like the wind.  And he still smokes those old Italian stogies.  Go figure!”

They just opened the door and walked in.  People didn’t lock their doors in this neighborhood.  They were the first to arrive, except for Lee’s Aunt Lucy, one of her mother’s sisters, who was tending to the turkey.

“Hey, my wandering niece, my baby!”  She ran over and hugged Lee.  Lucy had no children of her own and was Lee’s second mother.  She was one of the very few in on the actual secret that Lee was a friend of The Beatles, though she didn’t know all the details and was sworn to secrecy with the outer family circle.  Lee had sent her autographed photos of herself posing with them, and Lucy had been absolutely thrilled. 

“Aunt Luce, I’d like you to meet my friend John,” Lee said, dragging him forward and waiting for whatever crazy outburst there would be.  

“Ahhhhhhhh!” Lucy screamed, and everyone scrambled to shut the door, lest the whole building come running.  “Oh my God, my God,” she kept repeating as she threw her arms around John’s neck and squeezed, jumping up and down.  He was having that effect on everyone, and Lee quite understood. 

“I’m very happy to be meetin’ ya’ Auntie Lucy, but yer killin me!” John croaked, as Lucy pulled him down to her height.

“Ya know, Lucy, you need to be put away!” Charles said with a smile.  He had low tolerance for grown women acting silly.

“John Lennon in my father’s house!  God bless America!  I can’t believe it!” she said, pinching his cheeks, then kissing one.  “C’mere, c’mere.”   She pulled him over to the stove and dipped a wooden spoon in a pot so big it looked like a cauldron.  “Taste my sauce,” she demanded.  “Best in New York.” 

She brought the spoon directly to John’s mouth and held her other hand up under his chin, like one would do with a child.  He opened his mouth to receive it and nearly scalded his tongue, it was so hot.

“Whoa,” he said, fanning his mouth and dancing around

“You’re supposed to blow on it, silly,” she said.  “Don’t you know how to taste sauce?   It’s been simmering for hours?”

“I guess I’m a bit outta practice with me sauce tastin’.  Ith’s very good though,” John said mockingly, with a lisp.  Lucy laughed hysterically.

“Why did you make sauce?” Annie asked. “You knew I was bringing lasagna.”

“My meatballs are better than yours,” Lucy stated simply.  “John, let me take your coat.”

“Long as you give it back,” John deadpanned.

“I may not,” she said seriously, but with a sideways smirk.  John was beginning to see where Lee got her snappy comebacks.  Lucy turned to her brother-in law.  “Charles, make yourself useful and make the drinks!”  Then she whispered to Lee, “Take him in to Grandpa.”

Lee took John’s arm and walked him into the living room where Grandpa was watching TV.   He promptly turned it off when he saw his granddaughter, placing his stinky, lumpy cigar in the ashtray.  Lee’s Grandma used to hate them, and when she was alive she made him smoke a pipe instead. 

“Ciao, bella,” Grandpa said, hugging her.

“Buon giorno, Grandpa.  This is John.  John, this is my Grandpa Anthony.”

“Giovanni, piaciare, piaciare (a pleasure),” he said, shaking John’s hand and calling him by his Italian name.  He understood English perfectly, but his spoken English was broken and intermittently disbursed with Italian words if he couldn’t find the correct English ones quickly enough. 

He had been very well educated in Italy as a boy of his time and circumstance, attending a seminary school.  His mother had wanted him to become a priest.  He also learned to speak French and Greek at the seminary.  At sixteen he said, enough of this, no priesthood for me, and learned the trade of tailor, saving enough money for his passage to America, landing at Ellis Island in 1910 at the age of eighteen. 

He met his wife in America and married her three years later.  Lee’s grandmother had died just two years before, just when The Beatles came into her life.  It was almost as if they were sent by heaven, filling a terrible void, because Lee had been closer to Grandma than anyone else, and missed her terribly.  They looked exactly alike, and that made her Grandpa’s favorite grandchild.

“You look-a like-a nice-a boy, Giovanni.” Grandpa went on.  “You love-a my granddaughter?”

John laughed, a little taken aback at the directness of the question.  “Yes, Granddad.  Molto, molto.”

“Ah, bene. Good, good.  You know, I was-a married fifty-one-a years,” he said holding up five fingers on one hand and one on the other.  John and Lee looked at each other and giggled.  John was getting a tremendous kick out of him, all of five feet five of him.

Grandpa patted John’s cheek hard and reached into his pocket and peeled off a ten dollar bill, which he handed to him.

“Oh, no no, Granddad.  Please!” John protested.

Lee cleared her throat and John looked at her expectantly.  She mouthed something to him.

“What? he whispered, leaning toward her.

“Take the money,” she prodded, nudging him with her elbow.  “He does that with all the grandchildren. Take it.”

John smirked at her and then took the money.  “Oh, thank you so much, Granddad.  Grazie.”

“You a nice-a boy.  You get-a you hair cut.”

“Yeah, it is gettin’ a bit long,” John said, arranging it with his fingers, as was his habit.

“Okay, thank you.”

Grandpa patted John’s cheek again, pulled him down by the neck and kissed his cheek, before getting up and ambling off toward the kitchen. 

“I’m surprised he doesn’t recognize you,” Lee whispered as he left.  “He reads the Italian language newspaper from cover to cover every day and watches Ed Sullivan faithfully.”

Grandpa stopped in his tracks and turned to Lee, saying in Italian, “I know who he is!  You think I’m stupid?”

Lee couldn’t contain herself.  She started to giggle.  “Really, Grandpa?”

“What?  What’s he saying?” John demanded anxiously.

“He knows who you are,” Lee said happily.

“Beautiful music-a,” Grandpa said, waving his hand and humming the tune to This Boy as he continued on out of the room.

John looked especially touched by the compliment and totally surprised, especially since it was his song.  So much for the older folks only relating to “Yesterday,” John thought wryly, even though he always gave Paul his due on that one.

The rest of the clan started arriving and, needless to say, could not believe their eyes at finding a Beatle in their midst.  They were sworn to immediate secrecy, and John turned on the charm for everyone, especially the kids. 

For a change at a holiday meal, everyone was on their best behavior, until her Uncle Lou had a little too much to drink and picked a fight with his wife, Annie’s other sister, Mary.  Uncle Rocco, Lucy’s husband, was an absolute doll.  Then there was her mother’s only brother, Uncle Tommy and his wife, Aunt Rose, and their kids.  Good thing Lee’s father’s side of the family was spending the holiday at her other grandmother’s.  They could not fit another person around the tables.

The amount of food was overwhelming – first, the traditional Italian dishes: antipasto, lasagna, various meats and salads.  The turkey dinner with all the trimmings seemed like just an afterthought.  Two days eating with this family, and John already felt his trousers cutting into his waist.  Must stop this, he thought.  But everything is so good!  There was laughter, stories and teasing all around the tables.

After eating, the men retired into the living room in front of the TV to relax before the desserts and coffee while the women cleaned up, giggling and whispering and trying to corner Lee for information.

“We’re just good friends, and don’t ask again!” Lee warned.

“But you know him!”  her thirteen-year-old cousin Susie gushed.  “He’s gorgeous!  George was my favorite, but now I don’t know…”

“That he is,” Lee said uneasily, craning her neck and trying to see into the living room, worried about leaving him in there with the male family inquisition.

Meanwhile, things in the living room were just getting started.  “So, John,” Lee’s boorish Uncle Lou said. “I’ll bet you do alright with the broads.”

Charles hated his ignorant brother-in-law, but sat up straight, waiting for John’s answer to this question.

“I don’t happen to know any broads, Lou,” John said, crossing one leg across the top of the other and settling back.  “I’m here with yer niece, who happens to be a very good girl, but if you’d like to introduce me to some, well…”  He winked and elbowed Lou in his considerable gut.

Charles wanted to laugh out loud at the comeback, but contained himself and suppressed his smile, only barely.  John made eye contact with him and smiled, but Charles still remained aloof.  He doesn’t get off that easy, Charles thought.

Lou was so thick that he answered conspiratorially, “Hey, quiet, kid, the wife’s in the next room!”

What a prick, John thought, not appreciating the man’s obnoxious behavior.  One in every family.

Later, Lee came in and said, “Can I get anybody anything?  Grandpa, another glass of wine?”

“No, bella mia, I have-a enough.”

“Come, Giovanni, Let’s take a walk around the neighborhood, walk off this meal.  There’s Chinatown down here too.  Is it all right, Daddy?” Lee asked, showing him the courtesy of being in charge and not wanting to ruffle his feathers.  She knew he was watching them like a hawk.

“Robbie and the cousins already left for a bit to go to the penny arcade in Chinatown.  They were bored because they were warned not to bother John,” Charles said.

“What a good idea!  I do fancy a walk,” John said, jumping up to get his coat from the back bedroom.

No sooner had the door closed behind them than Lee said, “Race ya!”   She started down the stairs ahead of him.

He ran after her.  “’ey, wait up!”  When he caught up, he grabbed her arm and spun her around on the next landing.

“What’s yer hurry, girl?” he said, pulling her close and kissing her hungrily.  “We haven’t had a moment alone all day.”

“Hey, I warned you,” she said teasingly, “no kissing, no touching, no nothing.”

“Bollocks.  I want you so bad.  We’re getting to that hotel room tomorrow, alone, come hell or high water.  I know it’s only been a couple of days, but it feels like a month.” 

They heard someone coming down the stairs from up above and ran quickly down the rest of the way and out of the building.

“You know,” Lee said, “every September there’s a huge festival here on Mulberry, San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples.  It runs for about a half a mile, and has stalls with fantastic things to eat and drink, games, rides.  It’s always so jam-packed it takes a half hour to walk one block.  Great stuff, we kids used to live for ‘The Feast.’”

“You don’t like it anymore?” John asked.

“I have better things to do now,” she said, taking his arm and smiling up at him.

They came to an Italian import and gift shop and stopped to look in the window.  It was closed because of the holiday.  Lee stared wistfully at a poster in the window.  “D’ya think we could go there someday, John?” she asked.

“Where, Italy?  We already did earlier this year.  Rome and Milan, I seem to recall.”

“No, I want to go to Venice.  And not on a tour, on a proper holiday.  Maybe just us?”  She looked at him shyly.

“I do believe that’s the first time you have ever asked me for anything, Missy.  I used to ask you to go away with me all the time, and you always avoided the subject.”

“You know why that was.  Sorry, if you really don’t want to…”

“Just a bit surprised is all.  ‘Course I’ll take ya,” he said standing behind her, encircling her with his arms and pulling her back against him.  He nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear, “When would you like to go?”

“Well it’s cold there now, maybe in the spring, too many tourists in summer.”

He squeezed her tighter.  “Well, if yer a very good girl between now and then, we’ll see.”

She turned and hugged him around the waist.  “I love you, John Winston.”

He kissed her softly and sweetly, then did it again.  “Shhh. Don’t say that too loud in this neighborhood.  They’ll be gettin’ out the tommyguns.”

“Very funny,” she said, taking his hand and steering him towards Mott Street and the Chinese section.  All the stores here were open, since Chintown had not adapted to American customs.  They saw the cousins and Robbie heading toward them down the block and stopped to talk.

“Heading back so soon?” Lee asked.

“We already spent all our money in the arcade playing pinball and skeeball,” Robbie complained.

“Can’t have that,” John said, reaching into his pocket and peeling off some bills.  He handed them to Robbie.  “Go on, have fun.”

“Thank you, John,” the kids all said enthusiastically.  Susie got up her nerve and kissed him on the cheek.

“I’ll never wash on this side again,” John said in his falsetto voice, and giving her a one-armed hug.  “Shall I tell George you kissed me?”  She blushed and the rest of the kids got a big kick out of him.

John and Lee walked about Chinatown, in and out of the shops, buying little trinkets.  No one at all gave them a second look.  They even stopped in the arcade and played some pinball with the kids and took some of those silly photos on a strip in one of those photo booths.  John posed with the kids too, and they were thrilled.  He and Lee left them there and walked back the long way around, coming through the Bowery. 

John was amazed to see how many men were just lying on the sidewalk, asleep, with bottles tucked under their arms, and how many others came up to them with their hands out.  It made him a little skittish.  It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen homeless people before, but there were so many of them!

“Don’t worry, John, they’re harmless, just want a hand-out. There are plenty of missions around where they can go in and get a meal, but they want money for drink, I’m afraid.  You’ve heard of Bowery bums, I’m sure.  Well, this is the Bowery, and here they are,” Lee said, indicating them with outstretched arms.

“But can’t they get a place to live?  Must they sleep outdoors in doorways?”

“They choose to, John,” Lee told him.  “Nobody in this country has to starve or not have a roof over his head.  I guess they are so far gone as alcoholics, and this is a totally irresponsible life.  If you put them in a place to live they’d only drink the dole money, and to hell with everything else.”

The next time a man approached them, John gave him a ten dollar bill.  The man must have thought it was a single.  He thanked him over and over for the paper money, instead of the small change he usually, probably wondering at his good fortune.  After they started to walk away he must have realized it was a ten, and started yelling, “God bless you, sir, God bless you!   Happy Thanksgiving!” and doing a little dance.  It was probably more money than he’d seen in an age.  John gave him a wave and a nod.

“Where’s all this cash coming from, Lennon?  It’s like the loaves and the fishes.  Is your pocket a bottomless pit?” Lee teased.

“I came prepared, told Brian to fix me up with enough cash.  Travelers checks can’t be cashed without showing me passport.  Too many hassles.”

“You’re not carrying it all, are you?”

“No, I left most of it at yer parents’ flat in me suitcase.” 

Lee shook her head and smiled.  He was really surprising her on this trip.  He usually floated around irresponsibly, never making sure he had a penny his pocket, depending on everyone else to be prepared for whatever might come up.  She liked ‘grown-up’ John as well as ‘lost little boy’ John.  Just when she thought there wasn’t anything more to discover and love about him!

                                                                  ***

Over the next few days, Lee took John to every tourist trap in the city.  They went to the observation deck of the Empire State Building, and rode the Staten Island Ferry. 

John was very moved by the sight of the Statue of Liberty.  “I understand how all those immigrants felt, coming to America for opportunities,” he told her.  “It was what we wanted to do too, knock everyone out over here.”

“Well, you certainly did that, and then some!”

“Yeah, we grabbed her by the tits, didn’t we?”

“Gave her her first orgasm!” Lee agreed.  “She hasn’t stopped screaming yet.”  They both had a good laugh. 

When John learned that the ferry ride only cost five cents, he got a bunch of nickels before the return trip and kept feeding the turnstile, waving people through and saying, “Enjoy the ride!”

John invited Lee’s parents to a couple of Broadway shows and took them to dinner at the Plaza Hotel.  Annie was absolutely thrilled at the lavish treatment and Charlie was impressed with John’s ability to be a doting host.  They had a couple of lovely nights out, giving Ann a break from cooking, which took a lot of coaxing, and John was happy to do it.

A couple of times, John was almost recognized, people doing a double take, perhaps realizing a bit too late who they were looking at.  They’d laughed and made a run for it.

One day, Lee made Jack drive them out to Brooklyn and Coney Island, even though practically everything was closed down.  They walked the cold, deserted boardwalk anyway and ate Nathan’s French fries and hot dogs.

“How’s the ocean look from this side, John?” Lee asked.

“Same,” he answered.  One of the booths was open on the boardwalk, a game where you knocked down the dolls with a ball and won a teddy bear.  John tried several times and kept losing.  She tried and got three in a row and a teddy bear, which she promptly presented to him.

“Garsh!” he said, holding it to his chest and grabbing her.  “No girl ever won me a teddy before.”

“Glad to be the first at something with you,” she flipped back at him.

“You want to watch that fresh mouth!” he said, pointing at her.

“Oh, I’m scared,” she answered.

“I’ll scare ya!  Ya like bein’ scared?” he asked suggestively, leering at her.

“I think you know the answer to that one,” she answered demurely.  “Could be fun…of course, timing is everything.”

“Oh, it will be…”

***

A few days later, John and Lee sat across the table from each other staring into each other’s eyes and crunching on their cornflakes.  “

What’ll it be today, Lennon?” Lee asked.   Ice skating in Central Park?  Bronx Zoo?

He gave her his narrow-eyed squint.  “No more outdoor activities.  Too damn cold. Ya get my meanin’?” he whispered, so Annie wouldn’t hear. 

She did.  He’d been trying like mad to get her back to the hotel suite alone.   She been resisting, partly because she thought a little abstinence was building up some great tension between them, and partly not to give her father any more possible ammunition.

The other day when they came home from their daily sightseeing, John pulled her into the stairwell for a bit of a make-out before dinner.  Her father arrived home from work,  heard something, and found them going at each other, John’s hands under her blouse and moving up to her breasts. They’d jumped away from each other, John muttering an apology. 

“Get in the house,” Charles said to his daughter.

“Daddy…” Lee said, turning crimson.

“In the house,” he repeated, and Lee knew he was furious.  She went in, but kept the door open a bit with her ear to it.

“You’re staying in my home, John, and I don’t think that’s showing very much respect for me or my daughter.  She may be totally won over by you, but I assure you I am not,” Charles told him.  “To me, you’re just another guy trying to take advantage of an impressionable young girl.”

“Charles, I respect your daughter more than you can possibly know.   If it was only sex I was after, I assure you I can ‘ave ‘em two at a time and anytime I want.  I’m not braggin’.  It just ‘appens to be the way it is.  Lee is very special to me, or I wouldn’t bother.  Not with all this.  Trust me, please.”  John sounded very animated.  

“I’m trying to very much, so just keep it friendly, and we’ll get along just fine.”

The door hit Lee in the face when her father shoved it open.

                                                                   ***

Lee agreed to go to the hotel with him if they first went to the Metropolitan Museum, so she could answer truthfully that they’d at least been somewhere.  John readily agreed.  They spent the early afternoon wandering from room to room, admiring the Monets, Van Goghs, Picassos, and all the rest.

“’Ya know, I’m really enjoyin’ this.  If you hadn’t kept me panting and pent up all bleedin’ week, I might want to stay longer,” he complained.  “Now, please!”  It had now been eight days since they’d made love in the airplane lav.

“Is eight days a new Beatle record, John?” Lee was quite curious to know.

“That’s quite possibly right,” John said, feigning anger. 

“Good,” she said deliberately.

“Actually, I tell a lie.  There was a period there, when you were stringin’ both me and Ring along, near the end there…

“Excuse me,” Lee interrupted, “but I most certainly was not…

“You most certainly were!”  He lifted his finger to her, stopping her in mid-sentence.

“Anyway, there was a period there, right before I…before we…uh…that I’d gone without for about six weeks.”

“Six weeks!  You?  You’re kidding me, right?”

John scrunched up his mouth and shook his head no.  “No wonder I went a bit barmy there at the end,” he said, justifying himself.

“But why?” Lee wanted to know.

“Quite frankly, I thought you and I were in an “any day now” situation, and, well, I just didn’t want anyone else.  There.  Happy?”

“Oh, John,” Lee sighed, tears springing to her eyes, “that’s so sweet.”  She threw her arms round his neck and hugged his head. 

He kissed her neck and whispered in her ear. “Now?”

“Now,” she said, leading him out of the gallery and down the stairs, out to the car.

***

The minute they hit the hotel lobby, John took her hand and pulled her along quickly into the elevator.  He had one of his stoic looks going on and she didn’t know what to make of it.  She poked her face under his gaze and said, “Want to tell me something?”

His look said nothing, and he didn’t answer.

“Okay,” she said, amused and intrigued.  The elevator doors parted, and he pulled her along again, unlocked the door to the room, yanked her in, and then methodically locked, bolted and chained the door.  They took off their coats and threw them over chairs, and he ushered her quickly into the bedroom, still not saying a word.  She wondered what game they were going to play.

He removed his boots, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt and undid his trousers, propped up the pillows on the bed and lay down with his clothes still on.  She stood at the foot of the bed and gazed at her, making it obvious by now that he intended for this game to be played silently.

She stood before him in her sweater and slacks and he gestured at her in an upward motion, indicating that he wanted her to remove the sweater.  She crossed her arms in front of her and did just that, lifting it off and tossing it on the floor.  Then he indicated the bra.  She unhooked it, but didn’t part with it quite as quickly as the sweater.  She acted a bit shy, taking down the straps first, slowly, then removing it, but keeping her arms in front of her breasts modestly. 

John reached into his shirt and started stroking his chest in a circular motion, then stopped to squeeze his own nipple.  It was obvious by his movements and expression that he wanted her to do the same thing to herself. 

She suddenly felt as if she was undressing before a stranger – that’s how detached he seemed to be from her.  The effect it was having on her was so erotic, that she did indeed move her arms away so he could see her and stroked her own breasts for him, and then squeezed and rubbed the nipples until they were erect. 

She noticed the familiar bulge in his pants and was once again drunk with power.  He always made her feel that way when she was able to see or feel his erection.  He then gestured that he wanted the slacks off.

She was totally lost and caught up in the game.  This strange man was making her take off her pants.  She knew she shouldn’t, but he was making her, wasn’t he?  She didn’t want to upset him.  She had no idea what he might do to her.  Look at him lying there with that arrogant look of his, staring down that nose, making me do things I know I shouldn’t, she thought.  But I do have to do this.  For him.  She undid the button and zipper on the slacks and slid them slowly over her hips, stepping out of them.  She stood before him awaiting further instructions.  He twirled his finger around and she turned slowly around, pausing briefly with her back to him before facing him again.

He stared hungrily at her in her black lace knickers.  He reached into his trousers over his underwear and stroked himself slowly.  She’s so beautiful and innocent, he thought.  She will do anything I tell her to.  She has to.  I own her now.   Won her in a fucking card game.  He mentally laughed at his folly.

She reached down, stroking her thighs, her right hand moving front and center, pressing hard against herself.   He didn’t seem to react except for letting out an audible breath.  He continued watching her, the bulge in his pants now totally rigid and incredibly huge, straining against his underwear.

She knew what was coming.  He reached up, removing his trousers and underwear, and tossed them aside.  His eyes never moved from hers as he grabbed hold and stroked himself slowly and deliberately, expecting the same from her.  She carefully watched his fingers, noting his technique and rhythm. 

Now she was nervous, not quite sure she’d be able to fulfill this requirement, even though watching him created a need in her she couldn’t quite believe.  She didn’t think she could touch herself ‘that way’ for him.  Too embarrassing.  Damn him!   Now she needed to really badly.

Her thumbs hooked into the waistband of her panties, slowly moving them down and leaving them around her thighs.  She gently and quite shyly started stroking herself with both hands.  The breath caught in John’s throat when, on the upward stroke, her lips parted and he could see her wetness glistening, and her beautiful pink bud parting for him.  The more she rubbed, the more engorged she became, the more he was able to see.  Damn it, how did she know that not taking the knickers off would make him crazier than taking them off?

She started massaging that beautiful little head of hers with two fingers.  Slow circles.  Just like he did for her.  He was glad to have been getting it right all this time.  So wet.  Now one of her fingers disappeared inside her, the other never stopping the circles, except occasionally a quick flick over the top.  Good girl, keep doing that, he thought, getting a tighter grip, moving up speed on himself.  Her breath started coming faster and her hand moved faster and harder and he knew he needed to slow them both down.  Christ, she was so wet! 

He gestured to her to get rid of the knickers.  She did as she was told.  He got up on his knees and moved to the edge of bed where she was.  He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her gently onto the bed.  They were both facing each other upright on their knees and Lee went to embrace him, but he pulled away.  Then she reached out her hand to grab him and he smacked it away.

“John, please…” she breathed.  He wouldn’t answer or touch her anywhere.  He took himself in hand again, guiding himself to her and touching his ‘head’ to hers.  She gasped as he glided it up against her, then down again, her slippery wetness and his movement of himself up and back against her causing her to get lost within herself.  Incredible, she thought.  So fucking sweet.  The movement, gliding back and forth against her was bringing her right to the brink.  He was moving himself in little circles around her most sensitive organ.  She felt transported out of herself, no longer there.

He took her shoulders, flipping Lee on her back, and the move was so quick and the force so hard, she momentarily lost her equilibrium and felt disoriented.  He entered her hard and swiftly, filling her totally, then stopped his movements abruptly.  He started down at her, as if to say, ‘Are you happy now?’ but she was not.  She could not take it another moment, and lifted her hips against him.  John held her hips down with both hands, stopping her movements.  How long did he intend to keep this up?  She tightened her muscles around him.  He can’t control that, can he?

Lee looked up at him defiantly, daring him to make her stop doing it.  She continued contracting against him.  He smiled, and she knew he’d give in soon.  She had him now.  He finally moved back outwards and slammed himself into her hard.  He rode her high, knowing just where she needed him, every exquisite rough stroke bringing her closer.  She was so engorged and could not believe how much their little game had excited her.

They both now got into the business of finally bringing each other off, their prolonged week of agony now finally at an end.  He embraced her, and her arms and legs clung to him tightly, as he kept hitting that spot, over and over, until the explosion and her grateful release, her uncontrolled spasms causing such sweet sounds.  She wondered whose voice that was before realizing that it was her own. 

As soon as he felt her release, three more hard slams and he groaned out loud, shooting his tremendous load.  He felt as if the dam broke, contracting over and over, filling her, yelling her name, then finally kissing her, his tongue filling her mouth.

Does he know how good he is?  Does he do this for all the girls he’s with, even the ones he calls ‘slags’?  If he does, how does he ever get rid of them?   All these questions went round in her head, questions she dared not ask him.  The thought of him touching anyone else now drove her mad.  She’d sort of accepted it as a fact of life before.  Now the reality became much too painful.  She loved him much too much for her own good.  Looking up into his beautiful face, a tear dripped from her eye.

John bent down, kissing it away, and finally spoke to her.  “Yer quite a woman, missy.  Do you have any idea what you do to me?  How very much I love you?”

Lee had to bite her lip to keep from crying.  It was as if he had been reading her thoughts.  “That whole thing was a test, wasn’t it?  Felt like one,” she said, stroking his chest.

“Not at all.  Just incredibly fucking exciting.  Also another first for you, my dear.  First you won me a teddy, then you gave me total control.  Not bad.  But don’t you ever keep me waiting for a week again!  Understand?” 

She laughed and hit him playfully.  “You never made a girl do that for you before?”

“A couple of ‘em might’ve wanked because I couldn’t be arsed pleasuring ‘em once I got off, ‘specially if I had too much to drink.  Just slags passin’ through.  If yer willin’ to do it with strangers, ya can’t expect much.”

Lee thought about it, wondering if all she ever had was the opportunity to be one of his slags, whether she would.  Her first thought was absolutely!  But giving it further consideration, she decided no, remembering all the nights in the past she contemplated slipping into his bed at night while he slept, naked.  Never could.  Never would.  She wanted his love first.

He smiled and curled up against her, kissing her breast and resting his head on it and promptly fell off to sleep.  She gathered him close in her arms and fell off herself.

They were late to dinner that night.  Lee’s parents looked none too pleased when they finally walked in.

                                                                   ***

The morning of her eighteenth birthday, Lee woke up feeling very good and extremely legal.  She’d come to The Beatles at sixteen, but could easily have passed for twenty, since she was so tall and had that mature look in her eyes.  When she was made-up and dressed up, she looked even older.  She smiled, knowing she’d never have to hear Brian say again, “But she’s under eighteen, John!!”  I made it, she thought happily.

Her parents announced the night before that they wanted to take her out for a special birthday dinner, but John begged off, saying that she should spend some time alone with her family and that he would use the time to pack up and clear out of the hotel room so they could leave directly for the airport the next day.  She was very disappointed, as she wanted him to come to dinner too.  It was her last-ditch effort to get John and her father on better footing.

“Mom, tell him he must come with us!” Lee begged.

“John knows he’s very welcome,” Annie said, smiling at him.  “I already discussed it

 with him.”

“John,” Lee persisted, “what will you do for dinner?  Come.  I want you to come!”

“Ever hear of room service?  Besides, I think I’ve had my allotment of dinner for the rest of the year.  Annie, you are the most fantastic cook!  The lads are going to have a grand time takin’ pot shots at me.  Look at this,” John said, extending his stomach over his waistband. Mother and daughter laughed out loud. 

“t’aint funny, Miss!  I’m a rock star, a bleedin’ sex symbol, fer Chrissake!” he announced with a straight face, poking himself in the chest.  They laughed even louder.

“He delusional,” Lee said breathlessly, trying to stop laughing.

John poked her in the ribs and said, “I see some pin-ups in yer room that tell me otherwise, madam!”

“Good job putting them up for me, Ma.  You can take them down as soon as I’m gone.”

It was John’s turn to laugh.  “Always a wise ass,” he said , biting his lip and shaking his head.  She knew he wanted to kiss her.

                                                                      ***

When Lee’s birthday dinner turned out to be this huge party, Lee understood all too well why John didn’t want to come.  He knew all along, that stinker, she thought.

She looked around at all her old friends from school and the neighborhood.  Some she was very happy to see, others, if she never saw again, it would be none too soon.  Funny, that expression ‘you can never go back.’ 

All of a sudden, she felt homesick and out of place.  She missed Ritchie, Paul and George terribly, and Brian and Neil and Mal.  She never thought much about where ‘home’ really was, always feeling it was here with her family.  But she realized now for the first time that she’d left home a while ago, that they were now her family as well, and was very glad that tomorrow she was going back – not only home, but with the man she loved more than life itself.

She looked around for Jane, and not finding her, sighed and thought, late, as usual.

Everyone swarmed her, hugs and kisses all around.  All of a sudden, a great-looking, tall guy, at least six feet two, loomed before her.

“Oh, my goodness, Joe, is that you?” Lee asked incredulously.  Last time she’d seen him he was still pimply, about six inches shorter and was trying to get into her pants.  Constantly.  Their so-called ‘dates’ consisted of a Saturday night movie, during which he would snuggle up, stroke her arm, begin making out.  Then she’d have to stave him off, his hands everywhere, fast and furious.  She was not ready for any of that at fourteen or fifteen, and most certainly not with this yutz.  Then she caught sight of The-You-Know-Whos, and a standard was set, and Joe was out.  He soon found comfort in Maryann Novello, another classmate. 

Well the yutz certainly turned out quite princely looking, she marveled.  She wondered absently if he matured a bit in mind as well as body.

“Yeah, it’s me.  I guess I was a late bloomer.  Shot up all at once,” he smiled.

“Well, you did a good job.  You look great,” she said.

“So do you babe.  I’ve missed you.  Save me a dance,” he said, as she turned to greet some of her relatives.

                                                              ***

Meanwhile, John had made arrangements to arrive with Jane. Lee’s mom set it up, intending to see if he could sneak in for a short time, and sit with the relatives he already knew.

The car pulled up and John and Jane got out, walking up to the window, which had a sign that said ‘Private Party Tonight.’  They pressed their noses to the window and looked inside.  They could hear music blaring and could see that most of the young people were dancing and the relatives were sitting around the tables, chatting, laughing, eating and drinking.  There was a buffet table and a bar.

“What d‘ya think?” John asked Jane.

“I think you can walk in without any trouble.  Everyone’s dancing, having a good time.  They won’t notice.”

“I shouldn’t walk in with you, then,” John said, still a bit skeptical about the wisdom of taking a chance like this.  So far things had gone remarkably well, but he didn’t want to take unnecessary chances.  Good thing they were leaving tomorrow.  “They all know you,” he said.  “You go on in first, distract the young ones.  Then I’ll follow and sit meself back there with Auntie Lucy.  She’s all right.”

“Isn’t she a scream?  We always have a good time when she’s around.  I think not having had kids has kept her young at heart,” Jane said.  “Good luck. “  She gave him a peck on the cheek.  “Ya know John, I quite like you with the glasses,” she said, nodding her head and giving him a quick appraisal.

“Yeah, well, I don’t, but I’m thankful for not having to wear those fookin’ contacts for a while.  Such a bloody pain, they are.  I can’t tell you how many times the lads have cursed me out but good whilst on their hands and knees lookin’ for ‘em!”

Jane laughed.  “I can’t imagine any of them being so mean!”

“We’re all fuckin’ mean at times, lady, and yer lookin’ at the biggest lout of ‘em all.  Ask yer friend.”

“She has never said one unkind word about you.  She’s very much in love with you.”

John turned to Jane, giving her one of his ‘takes’ and smiled.  “Yer very sweet, Lady Jane.  I shall miss you after tonight, and please promise you will come for a visit.  Paul could use a bit of a distraction right about now.  Yer quite his cup of tea, and he won’t even have to worry about blurting out the wrong name.”  He gave her the evil grin.

Jane hit him in the arm.  “That’s not nice!  And it doesn’t sound too tempting to be just the flavor of the week.”

“Well, Lady Jane, you might just have to work that cute little fanny off a bit and make him forget prior dalliances.  That relationship is not written in stone like the papers and the fan rags would lead you to believe.  You have just as much a chance with ‘im as anyone.  Paul is a man open to suggestion, so I suggest you be suggestive!”

Jane smiled and said, “I suggest that we get in there now, then.”   She opened the door, leaving him outside.

John laughed quietly to himself, waited a decent interval, pulled down his new brown suede cap, which matched his jacket perfectly, and ventured in.  He walked straight to the back and plopped himself down next to Lucy and her niece, Susie. 

“Ladies,” John said, nodding his head.

“John!” Susie gasped.

“Are you out of your mind?” Lucy asked.  “They’ll be swarming you in a minute.”

“Not if you keep yer voice down,” John said, smiling through closed teeth.  He reached into his pocket, lit up a cigarette.  “Besides, even if I’m found out tonight and the papers get hold of it, we’re out of  ‘ere tomorrow.  Worth the risk, don’t ya think?”

“Definitely!” Susie said, excitement in her eyes.

“There ya go!” John said.  “Now don’t go blabbing quite yet to the cousins, missy.”

“I’m staying right here with you,” she answered, adoration in her eyes.

“That’s me girl!” John said, squeezing her hand.  What a charming rogue, Lucy thought, definitely knows how to work a room.

Jane slipped away from the people she was talking to and came to the table.  “Hi everyone, everything okay here?”

“So far.” John said in amusement.  “She hasn’t spotted me yet.  I’m waiting.”

“Hi Janie,” Lucy said, getting up and hugging her.  “I’m going to make John a plate.  Keep him hidden, I’ll be right back.”

“Jeez, I can’t get these women to stop feeding me!” John said.  “Tell you what, though, I could use a drink.  Do you mind?”

“Coming right up,” Jane said, walking off.

“Didn’t tell you what…”

“I know what you drink, John,” Jane said with a smile.

                                                                         ***

This music is truly crap, Lee thought, and went over to the table with the stereo and records, which Robbie and his friends had taken over.  She was looking for some Animals or Motown when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Been a while, but I do remember you at least enjoyed dancing with me, if nothing else,” Joe said, smiling and holding out his arms. 

“Oh, I enjoyed the dancing and certain other things in the beginning,” Lee said, placing her hand on his shoulder, “but you were such a letch, trying to get me to do things so much sooner than I was ready to.  I was just fourteen, for God’s sake!”

“I know, but you’re not fourteen any more, and you’re very beautiful,” he said, edging closer to her.

“Thank you,” she said, backing away again.  “What are you doing with yourself?  Do you have a job?”  Joe was a year older than she, and not too very swift, if memory served.

“No,” he said. “I got a basketball scholarship to Fordham.  I’m in my second year.”

“That’s great, congratulations.”

“Thanks,” he said, pulling her just a bit closer.  She allowed it.  It was just one dance after all.  He bent down and whispered in her ear, “You smell really good.”  Then he placed his other hand behind her back and pulled her close, stroking her back gently.  What an idiot, she thought.  As if he could possibly get anywhere with me.  She missed John so much.  She decided to call the hotel suite and talk to him after this dance.

John was watching from the table, getting irritated and wondered just who this touchy- feely bastard who was manhandling his girl was.  Jane brought him a Scotch and Coke and he grabbed her arm and pulled her down to him, asking, “Who is that fucker?”

“Oh, him?  That’s Joe.  Lee’s old boyfriend.”

“Is that right?”  The tic in John’s cheek kicked in really quickly.  Hen kept moving his head from side to side, trying to keep his eye on them, but other dancers kept getting in his way.  Jane could see he was getting annoyed.

“He doesn’t mean anything to her now,” she hastened to assure him.  “In fact, I don’t think she liked him much then.  He was always after just one thing, like most boys.”

“Interestin’,” John said, very tight lipped, his eyes on the dance floor.

Across the room, Charles was also taking in the scene.  He never did like that boy.  His father was a real womanizer and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Can’t teach your son to respect women if you don’t respect your wife, he thought.

The dance ended.  “Thank you, Joe, it was great seeing you again.  Good luck in school,” Lee said, attempting to disengage herself from him.

Aother slow song started.  He kept his arm around her waist and begged, “Oh come on, one more.  We always danced to this, remember?  Come on, just one more, okay?”

“All right, but then I have a lot of other people I haven’t spoken to yet.”

“Great,” he said, pulling her really close and getting into the rhythm of the music. 

Before long, Lee started feeling him, hard and ready, grinding against her.  “Get that boner away from me before I kick you where you live and tie your balls in a knot,” Lee whispered through gritted teeth.  “You haven’t changed one bit!”  She tried pushing away from him without making a scene.

“Neither have you,” he countered, holding on to her, not wanting her leaving him in the middle of the dance and in that state.

“You’re still an immature louse.  Let me go!”  Lee’s voice was rising and she tried to back away from him.

“I’d have thought that studying in Europe would’ve turned you into a more mature woman,” he said, moving his hands down to her behind and pulling her against him.

“I am, and I’m used to a more mature type of man.  In fact, I’m seeing one, thank you very much, and I don’t need your slimy hands feeling me up in front of my family,” she said, finally pushing him away and making her way through the tight dance floor.

John wasn’t quite sure what was actually taking place on the dance floor.  He thought he might have seen her push him away for moment, but then they continued to talk, so he wasn’t sure.  But then he saw the bastard’s hands on her ass, and he went blind.  He shot up so fast he knocked his chair over, making a beeline for the dance floor.

Lee had already moved away from Joe, but John pushed passed everyone, grabbing Joe by his lapels and propelling him backwards through the kitchen doors.  Lee only caught a brief glimpse through the corner of her eye of this guy in glasses rushing by her, but then she also saw her father also running past her from the other direction, also into the kitchen.  No, it couldn’t be, she thought.

Jane linked arms with Lee and steered her towards the kitchen doors.  A few people noticed the disruption, but not too many, as the dance floor was set up close to the kitchen, along with the stereo equipment.  “Get in there,” Jane said, “I’ll stand guard by the doors.”  She shoved Lee inside.

“What happened?” one of the girls asked Jane.  I saw some guy grab ahold of Joe and push him into the kitchen.”

“Oh, that was the bouncer.   Joe must have had a little too much to drink and is being escorted out the back door,” Jane laughed nervously. “Lee’s father’s having him thrown out.”

“I’m not surprised.  He’s always a problem at parties.”   They laughed.

In the kitchen, Lee watched as John punched Joe hard in the gut, and when he doubled over, he caught him in the jaw with his fist.  Joe was bigger than John and in great shape, but the element of surprise and John’s adrenalin rage held the advantage.  John had him down on the floor. 

“Where the fuck do you get off, thinkin’ you can put yer hands on me girl?” John asked, his hands around Joe’s throat.  “Huh?”

“Your girl?  Who the fuck are…” Joe said, gasping for breath.  John’s hat had come off in the tussle and Joe stopped, dumbstruck.   “Oh, shit!”

Lee started toward John, her hand over her mouth, but her father came up and grabbed her arm, pulling her back.  “Leave him alone,” Charles said.

“Yeah, mate,” John said, “I see we understand each other, you ‘n’ me.  Now why don’t you just pick yerself up and get yerself out the back door here.  You won’t be seein’ her ever again.”

Charles was impressed with the way John handled this.  Just enough of a beating befitting the crime, and leaving no doubt as to where this bastard stood in the future.  Just what he would have done if he had gotten to him first.

John got himself up and away from Joe, brushing himself off and tucking his shirt in his pants and straightening his jacket.  Joe stood up, looked at the three of them staring at him along with the kitchen staff, and headed straight out the door.  John started flexing his hand.

“John, are you all right?  You can’t keep doing this every time there’s a problem,” Lee scolded him.  “Soon you won’t be able to play the guitar!”

“This has happened before?” her father asked, getting upset.

“He once beat up a security guard for manhandling me.  He thought I was a fan that got backstage.  John ran off the stage in the middle of the show!” Lee said, exasperated.

Charles let out a hearty laugh.  “No kidding?”

“No, he’s crazy sometimes.  There was no need for this.  I handled that slime.  I can take care of myself,” Lee said very indignantly.

The two men looked at each other.  Charles said, “Lee, get outside to your party.  I need to talk to John.”

“Oh Daddy, what now?”

“Do you mind?” he said pointedly to his daughter. 

She looked at John, apology in her eyes, but John nodded his head and said to her, “Go on.”

When she left, Charles said. “I like the way you handled that, John.  I can see how protective you are of her, and I’m glad for that.  What I worry about is how safe she is from you.  I don’t need to be told what my daughter feels for you.  I can see it.  The question is, how do you feel about her.  How committed are you?  In plain English, I won’t have you screwing around on her and breaking her heart.”

John said, “I’ll tell you what I told your wife.  I love her.  She means the world to me, and it’s a crazy world I live in right now.  She brings a touch of normal into my life.  I don’t know if you can understand livin’ in a goldfish bowl, and how…”

“I’m trying very hard to understand, for my daughter’s sake, so why don’t you just tell me what…”

“I want to marry your daughter, sir!” John blurted out.  There was a very long and quite deafening pause, the two men staring each other down.

“What?”

“You ‘eard me,” John said, a bit louder.  “Marry her.  I was kind of hoping to ask ‘er first, meself, before tellin’ anyone else, but yer pushin’ me.  She’s bit young now, I figure, we have plenty of time for that, but if you think I’m goin’ to let anyone else have her, yer off yer gord.  I already took ‘er off me best friend.”

Charles stood there, searching John’s face for sincerity.  He found it, and not a hint of deception in his tone, just an intensity of feeling.  Reminded him of when he was first in love with Annie.  And John was not backing down.  Charles sighed and extended his hand to John.

“Okay then, John, I believe you.”

John took his hand.  “You approve?”

Charlie smiled.  “Gotta admire a man with the balls to tell a girl’s father that he loves and is marrying his daughter no matter what he thinks.”

“Well, I’ve always had balls, Charlie.” John said impishly.

“Well, look what you’ve accomplished in your young life!  You have a lot to be proud of,” Charlie said admiringly, patting his shoulder.  “I guess my daughter knows what she’s doing after all.”

“This is certainly an about-face,” John said.  “I thought you would have me down on the floor next.”

“If you have a little girl someday, you’ll understand,” Charlie said sincerely.  “As long as you take good care of Lee, you’ll be part of this family.” 

An overwhelming feeling of warmth and validation flooded over John.  It was almost like when his Uncle George used to praise him when he did his lessons well or did a good drawing – all the things he was sorely lacking, growing up with an absentee father, and mother too, come to that.

***

During the time that John was in the kitchen with Charles, apparently the cousins starting buzzing about who was in there and word filtered down to some of Lee’s friends.  When John followed Charlie out, one of the girls let out a squeal and several of the kids mobbed him.  Fortunately, where they were standing was not visible from the street.  They all started touching him, patting his back, asking for autographs.

Aunt Lucy came over and put her arm around her niece.  “Well, it was great while it lasted,” she said.

“Thank God we’re out of here tomorrow.  My parents will probably have to move!”

Lee stood there watching him signing papers, mugging and being her charming Beatle John.  During these times, despite their closeness and intimacy, she never forgot or lost the feeling of awe and excitement that all four of them still gave her.  It was her greatest joy.  The Beatles were magic.

When he was able to finally break away, John went over to his table and took a bag from under his coat.  He called Robbie over and handed him the bag, whispering in his ear.

Some of Lee’s girlfriends cornered her, wanting to know how she knew him and if they were ‘going together’.  She said, no, that she met them at a party and became friends and John was going to be in New York this week anyway, and that she thought she was just inviting him to a small dinner.  “Do you think if he knew there’d be this many people here, he would’ve come?” she asked, adding credibility to her story.

John then walked over, taking Lee’s hand and leading her over to the dance floor.  He then made a gesture to Robbie and Robbie put something on the turntable.  John popped his thumb up to turn up the volume.

Lee heard an unfamiliar guitar intro.  “What’s that?” she asked.

“Just a demo.  One of the songs from our new album,” he said devilishly, as if speaking to a stranger.

“Is not.  I was at every session.”

“Apparently not.  Shhh…,”  He smiled, putting his finger to his lips.

“What did you do?” she asked suspiciously.

“Happy birthday.”

She heard, “There are places I remember…”  Then him, “...all my life, though some have changed.”

He held her close, she rested her head on his chest, listening, quite possibly, to the most beautiful song she had ever heard.  She didn’t have to be told, from the words and range of emotion, that it was mostly John’s song.  She was having a very hard time keeping her composure.  How did he do it?  This piece of music never existed until he spilled it from his brain and fingers and mouth.  And heart.  To her, music was the most precious of all gifts.

Then she heard it... “In my life, I love you more.”  Then a most delicate piano piece.  It was suddenly too much for her.  She ran from his arms to the ladies room and bolted the door, crying her heart out.

John chased her down into the narrow corridor.  Jane followed him, shooing the kids back to the party.

He knocked at the door.  “What’s the matter?”  Jane saw him with his head to the door.

“What did you do?” Lee sobbed, her muffled voice coming through the door.  “They were in on this too?”

“Of course.  You heard them, don’t you?  We did it for you.  Don’t you like it?”  Jane moved to John’s side but could only hear sobbing coming from inside.

“C’mon…I thought you would be happy.  Didn’t react this way with I Feel Fine.”

“You already had that song when you met me.”

“Not all of it.  You inspired me to finish it.  We all think of you when we do that one.”

Jane gasped and brought her hand to her mouth.  John chuckled and threw an arm around her shoulder.  “Don’t tell yer friend anything, do ‘ya?”

“What?”

“Nothin’, nothin’.  C’mon out.  Please?”

“Go away,” Lee sniffled.

“What th’ fuck?  I really thought you’d be glad that I didn’t forget what ya said.”

“Of course I am.”

“Then?”

“How insensitive can you be?  In front of all these people?  My family?  That’s so private, so special.  Don’t you know anything?”

“I’m a man, for Chrissake!  We’re all pretty fuckin’ stupid.  I guess.  I certainly didn’t think that this would make you cry on yer birthday.  Quite the opposite.  Thought I’d get laid at the very least!!”

He heard her laugh in between the sobs.  He gestured for Jane to get lost and she retreated down the corridor.

“C’mon,” he coaxed her, “either come out or let me in.”

“No.  You’re a dangerous man in a toilet.”

“Even more so if you force me to make a scene.  Come on now.  I just made peace with Daddy.”

“Oh God, what did you do?”

“Never mind.”

For some reason, the sound of that made Lee feel uneasy.  “Jesus,” she mumbled.  He laughed silently and remained quiet for a while.

“John?” Lee called when she didn’t hear him.  No answer.

She quickly unbolted the door and ran right into him.  He laughed and gathered her in his arms, and she hugged him tight.

“Bastard,” she sighed.

“Bitch,” he whispered as he pulled her closer, kissing her head.

                                                                   ***

That night Lee couldn’t sleep.  She tossed and turned on her brother’s narrow bed.  She was both excited and glad to be leaving for London tomorrow.   She’d miss her family, of course, but couldn’t wait to see her boys.  John had been so sweet and patient, but she knew he’d had more than a belly full of ‘family life’, thank you very much.  It was time to go.

She was so restless, she got up and went into the kitchen for something to drink. She could hear Robbie’s heavy breathing from the couch and knew he was down for the count.  Heading back to bed, she could hear her father snoring loudly from behind the closed door of her parents’ bedroom.  How could her mother stand it?

She wondered if John was asleep, or as restless as she was to get going.  His voice kept going ‘round in her head, singing that line…“In my life, I love you more,” and the warmth welled up in her chest.

A sudden impulse overtook her as she passed her bedroom.  She silently turned the doorknob and pushed the door as slowly as she could, closing it behind her the same way.  She stood there a minute, watching and listening.  He was asleep.  Should she?  Probably not, but she would anyway.  That’s the ticket, Lee, throw caution to the wind a few hours before you have to be on that plane.

She slipped under the covers beside him and snuggled up.  He was in his underwear and a tee shirt.  She pressed herself under his arm and he automatically lifted it and pulled her to him, nuzzling his nose in her hair.  He must think we’re in London.  He felt so warm and strong and smelled so goddamn good.

Lee slipped her hand under his shirt, stroking his stomach and chest, then his stomach again.  He moaned softly.  She leaned over him, kissing his stomach, her hand moving down on him, her fingers under the band of his briefs, stroking him gently and caressing his balls.  He responded immediately, growing hard in seconds.  “Shit!” John cried, with a deep intake of breath, sitting bolt upright. 

Lee immediately covered his mouth with her hand.   She put her mouth to his ear, whispering,  “Shh!!  Are you trying to get us both killed?”

She pushed him down again and returned to her business at hand.  She moved down the length of his body and kissed him, flicking her tongue around the head and slowly taking him into her mouth, her fingers working him and bringing him in deeper with each stroke.

“Baby…” he moaned.  She immediately reached up again and covered his mouth with her hand and he caressed her hand and kissed it and took her fingers into his mouth, showing her with his tongue what he wanted her to do.  It was so exciting, following along, and his tongue felt so good on her fingers.  She took more and more of him, as much as she possibly could.  He felt incredible in her mouth and she wanted all of him this time.  She didn’t want him to stop. 

His other hand reached down between her legs.  As usual, she was so wet and ready for him, he was able to slip in so easily, everything so swollen and at the ready.  The angle she was perched at afforded him a perfect set up and while he massaged her sweet head, he slipped another finger inside her and then the third in the back way, after making her ready to receive it.  Just when she thought they’d pretty much done it all…  She thought she would pass out from the intensity of pleasure, as his fingers worked her.  The explosion came very quickly and seemed to emanate from everywhere when she finally let go.

John was distracted so by the strength of Lee’s orgasm, how it seemed to devour his entire hand, that he wasn’t consciously paying attention to keeping himself under control like he usually did when she was doing him.  Lee was sucking him so hard, working him so good, he was totally detached and in a totally different world, still not feeling quite fully awake.  The unreality of her parents, asleep in the next room, made it all feel rather like a dream.  It felt like a great high.  He reached down, his fingers grabbing her hair, his other hand copping hold of himself, not quite believing how huge she made him.

This is someone else’s cock.  Not mine.  He thrust.  She sucked him hard.  His hand over hers, moving, pulling at him, stroking the life from him and into her warm, wet mouth.   Her tongue’s doing strange, unfamiliar things.  So good, so goddamn good!  Oh baby, I’m coming, don’t let me go.  Don’t ever let me go!  I love you so much…

His warmth rapidly filled Lee’s mouth and she swallowed hard, but he kept coming.  She felt him throbbing against her lips.  There was more and more.  Always more.  It’s okay, baby, I’m here for you.  Don’t worry.  He groaned as if in pain.  She felt now as if he belonged to her, and only her.

“No, no, no baby.  Jesus, I’m so sorry!”

She let him go quickly, clamping her mouth over his, partially to shut him up and partially to share this with him.  John took her tongue into his mouth, caressing it with his and she felt like she could not feel where she ended and he started.  He tasted his essence in her mouth.  They were one, his arms and legs wrapped warmly around her.  He held her, stroked her, petted her.  She could easily fall asleep like this and that would definitely be a bad end to a pretty amazing week if her parents found her in here in the morning.  She had to go, and go now.  She pulled away.

“No!” he whispered.  “Don’t leave.”

“Yes.”  And she was gone.

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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