Less than two weeks later, I found myself on a BOAC flight headed for Heathrow. 

I no longer had an apartment.  Within two days of posting a notice on campus, it had been snatched up, though I had several calls after the fact from girls who wanted to live in the apartment where Paul’s girlfriend had once lived.  What little furniture I had stayed behind.  The rest of my belongings I stuffed into the car and took home to my mom.

My mom had become my best friend.  Helping lug stuff up to the attic.  Helping me pick what I should take and what I wouldn’t need. We’d always been close, but those few days together brought us even closer together.   When Mom drove me to the airport and pressed $100 in my hand, “just in case,” we both cried.   When she hugged me goodbye, I almost wanted to forget about England and stay with her.  .

I tried to make the most of my time confined to the airplane. Once the initial excitement of taking off and being in the air had worn off, I tried to write a little.  Brewing in the back of my mind was a tale in the tradition of my heroine, Nancy Drew.  I figured I could send my character, whom I had dubbed Angela Daniels, off to London where she would get involved in some sort of mystery.  What, I had yet to think up.  But I tried to get an outline started and use my own experiences to get some basic background out of the way.  I was surprised, when the stewardess came by offering lunch, to see that nearly three hours had gone by.  If I kept myself immersed in the project, the time might pass quickly.

But it didn’t.  Shortly after lunch we hit what the captain informed us was turbulence.  The next few hours dragged on as I tried to focus on anything but the bouncing of the plane.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we began our descent.  I had never been so happy to see the land below me.

When we finally landed, I was glad to get up and stretch my legs.  With all of the turbulence, I had only gotten up twice during the long flight to go to the bathroom.  Otherwise, I had been strapped into my seat, staring at my watch, watching the minutes slowly tick by.

I made my way off the plane and found my bags before I found Mal.  He could hardly be missed.  He was so big. He immediately grabbed my bags from me and helped me through customs and such.  Either he had quite a lot of pull or I looked as green as I still felt, because we swiftly passed through everything and were out to the waiting car quickly.

“Would you like a drink?” Mal asked me, once we were settled in the back of the car.

“Do I look that bad?”

“You don’t look bad, you just don’t look good.  A little pale.”

“I’m not a seasoned traveler.  I’ve only been on a plane 3 times in my life.  We bounced around a lot this time.  I don’t like that.”

“I don’t like it either,” he confessed.  “I’m not a big one on air travel either, though you’d hardly guess it from all the flights that I’ve been on.  And the nightmares I’ve been through.  Some day ask me about our experience in the Philippines.  We were lucky to get out of that one alive.  Why don’t I fix you a Scotch and coke?”

“Why not?” I wasn’t a big drinker, but he was offering and it might settle my stomach.  “Where are we off to?”

“After a great deal of thought, we came up with a great idea on where to put you.  You’re going to be doing a lot of work with Neil, myself and Alistair.  The majority of goings on will be taking place at our new office.  It’s quite an impressive place.  Eventually it will have a recording studio where the guys can work whenever they’d like.  The office also has a small suite, a miniature flat if you would.  Originally we thought of it as a place for the guys to crash, but it really hasn’t gotten all that much use.  So we’re giving it to you.  This way you don’t have to room with a total stranger and when we need you at an odd hour, you’ll be right there.   Its offers the best to both parties.”

His words all came out in a rush, and even though I was jetlagged, I got the feeling that there was more to what he was saying.  I was too tired to try to find out.  Besides, who was I to question?  I was being given my own room rent-free, and a job. 

“It sounds interesting,” I said, taking a sip of the drink he handed me.  It was strong and the Scotch burned as it went down.

“I’m sure you’ll like it.  And with no rent, you have to agree the price is right.”

“I’m trying to go with the flow, as you suggested.”

“Right.  And if you find that it’s not what you want, well, eventually you could get out and find your own flat.  But I really doubt that.  You couldn’t find a nicer place if you tried.  All the comforts of home and such.”

“I’m sure it will be fine.  I do appreciate all you’ve done for me, Mal.”  I reached over and gave his hand a squeeze.  “You’ve been so kind.  And I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve all of this.”

“Nothing but the best for Paul’s girl,” he teased.  

“Yeah, right,” I said sarcastically.  “Hasn’t that died down yet?”

“There’s always going to be an interest.  When it comes to the Beatles, there’s always interest.  Especially in the eligible Paul.  The birds hang outside his front gate, you know.  Day and night, rain or shine.  Since he lives right in town, he gets the most of it.  The others get it too, but with their wives and homes in the country...You’ll see.  But don’t you worry, you’ll get used to it.”

“I just hope they lose interest in me.  Isn’t Paul seeing someone else?  Or dating or something?”

“Paul’s got his share.  There’s even one who sort of lives with him, but...”

I giggled.  “Hey Mal, I’m not his real girlfriend.  He can do whatever he wants.  I’m not complaining.”

“Yeah, well some of the girls are.  They want her out and you back.”

“Back?  I was never in to begin with.”

“But they don’t know that.”

“You know, I’m really beginning to feel like Alice in Wonderland here.  Everything that’s up is down.”

“That’s the way things are in the land of Beatles.  The building’s not far now.  It’ll be pretty quiet at this hour.  The guys are off in Twickenham filming, so no one’s around here.  I thought after we got you in and showed you around we could head over to the studio.”

“I’m afraid I’m lost again, Mal.  Are you saying you want me to go somewhere tonight and meet the Beatles?”

“Why not?  Isn’t it time you meet the guy you’re dating?”

“Tonight?”

“Come on, they’re all dying to meet you.”

“But Mal, I’m a mess.  I’ve been flying all day...”

“Here we are.”

It was getting dark, but I could see it was a plain white brick building.  No sign of any Beatle madness here.  Only when we got to the front door did I see a small brass sign that simply said “Apple.”  Mal took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. “Welcome,” he said, swinging the door open.

It was a lovely office.  Almost like a suite of doctors’ offices.  There was a hallway with several doors and a staircase almost in front of the door.  But lining hallway were lots of boxes.  Some were open, with papers and things overflowing out of them, some were still closed, stacked on top of each other.

“You’re all the way up on the third floor,” he said, leading the way.  “Most everything goes on down on the first floor.  There are a few offices on the second.  And then on the third is your little suite and some unused space.”

“What’s with all the boxes?” I asked.

“Stuff that you’ll get to sort through.  We get tons of mail and stuff.  Mostly junk.  But who knows, we might find a gold mine in there.  Or you might.  You’re going to be in charge of all of that organizing.”

“Great,” I said, trying to sound excited by it.

“And here we are.” Mal put down one of my bags and took out another key.  He unlocked the door and handed the key to me.  “Welcome to your new home.”

It was not unlike my old apartment, only a lot nicer.  We entered into the living room area.  Straight ahead was a kitchenette, and off to the right was the bathroom and a bedroom, all fully furnished.  It had that sterile kind of hotel feel to it, but I figured with the right touches it would be lovely. 

“It’s really nice,” I said.

“It needs a woman’s touch, I know.  You can do what you want with it.  It’s all yours now.  So you want a few minutes to freshen up before we head over to Twickenham?”

“A few minutes?  Do we really need to go tonight, Mal?  It’s not that I don’t appreciate all that’s been done for me.  I do, I really do.  But I’m filthy.  And tired.  And...”

“And nothing.  I’ve got my instructions.”

I rolled my eyes.  “How much time do I have?  Can I at least take a shower and change?”

“Depends on how fast you can shower and change.”  He looked down at his watch.  “I can give you twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes?!”

“Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it, I’ll take it.  Just leave the bags.  Are there towels in there?” I indicated the bathroom.

“Like I said, nothing but the best for Mr. McCartney’s lady.”

“Out!” I commanded.

I quickly undressed and jumped into a hot shower.  The warm water felt wonderful.  I had some kinks that needed working out after sitting in a cramped airplane for so long.  I wanted to stay there for hours, but I forced myself out and quickly toweled off. 

What to wear to meet the Beatles?  I unzipped a suitcase.  Nothing seemed right.  What could they expect at this hour of the evening?  I pulled out a pink cardigan and black slacks.  I was definitely not with the “in crowd.”  Trendy was not me.  But I was passable.  I pulled my damp hair back in a ponytail.  There was no time to try and set it in curlers or do anything fancy.  There was barely enough time to put on some mascara, blush and lipstick. I looked presentable, but not like any of the glamorous people the Beatles would be seen hanging around with.  It would have to do.

Mal had yet to return, so I decided to do some exploring.  I opened the door and went out into the hallway.  I decided to head downstairs to the second floor, but as I was coming down, Mal was already on his way up.

“I like a lady who’s on time.”

“Thanks.  I thought I’d come find you.  I shut the door to my apartment, but I can’t find have the key.”

“No problem,” he said, holding out a key chain for me.  “Was just bringing this up for you.  The big one’s for the front door and this smaller one is for your new flat.”

“Okay, let me just lock up.  I won’t need a jacket, will I?”

“No, you should be warm enough in what you’re wearing.”

I quickly ran back upstairs, locked the door and put the keys in my pocket.  When I turned around Mal was right behind me. 

“Ready?” he asked.

“This was your idea, not mine.  Will I do?”

“It was his idea, not mine.  And you’ll do just fine.”

“I’m not too much of a plain Jane, am I?”

“He’s dated a Jane and she was anything but plain.  You look like...you.  Can’t be anything else can you?”

“I could, I suppose, if you thought...”

“Come on now.” He took my arm and led me downstairs.  “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Then why do I feel like I’m going out to face the firing squad?”

He laughed as he led me outside to the car that was still waiting.  “I suppose it could feel that way.  But don’t you worry, I’ll protect you.”

“Thanks, but I’m still nervous.”

“How about another drink?”

“I’ve never been much of a drinker, but maybe it’ll help me relax a bit.  Geez, I haven’t been here a day yet and already I’m turning to an alcoholic from all the drinks you keep plying me with.”

“Two drinks hardly make you an alcoholic.  Maybe a little tipsy.  Would you prefer a smoke?  Very relaxing.”

“No thanks,” I replied.  “I don’t smoke.”

He handed me a glass.  “Do you mind if I smoke?” 

“It’s your car,” I said taking a sip.  Either this one wasn’t as strong or I was getting used to it, because it didn’t burn quite so much..

“Actually, it’s their car.  The company car, I suppose you could say.”

I watched him light, what I at first thought was a cigarette. Then I realized that it was not like any cigarette I had seen or smelled before.  I watched him take a long drag off of it and wondered if you could get high off of secondhand smoke.

“Never seen one of these before, have you?” he asked.

“No,” I said slowly.

“Want to try?” he asked holding it out to me.

“Uh... no thank you.”

“It’s okay, Andrea.  It doesn’t turn you into a crazed lunatic like those school films say.”

I felt myself go red.  “I wasn’t thinking that.  I really...God, I feel so stupid.”

He laughed.  “Don’t.  You’re a little innocent, that’s all. Nothing wrong with that.  Bet Paul will find it endearing.”

“Now you’re making me nervous again!”

“Sip your drink.  Relax.  Look outside and enjoy the scenery.”

I took another sip and did as he told me. It was dark, but I could still see plenty.  Here I was back in London again.  I tried to take in as much as I could.  There would be so much to see and so much that I could do now.

It didn’t seem like much time at all before the car was pulling up to a large gate.

“This is the studio where the boys are making the film.”

“Another movie?  Like Help?”

“No, like the film that goes along with ”Strawberry Fields Forever.”  They’re making another little clip for American television.”

“Oh, I get it.  Instead of live performances they send a film.”

“Right.”

We were waved inside the gate and pulled into a parking spot right alongside the building.  Mal took my hand and helped me out of the car.  We went inside and made our way down the hall. I knew we had reached our destination when I saw a security guard standing outside one of them. 

We went inside.  It was a large room.  We stood in the darkness, but the front was ablaze with lights.  There were cameras and all sorts of film equipment. In the very front was a mock stage.  And that was where I first saw the Beatles in person.

“God, it really is them,” I said under my breath.

“It really is,” Mal chuckled. “I’ll introduce you.”

But before we could even move forward a voice boomed out, “All right.  One last take now.  Quiet now.  Rolling.”

There was silence for a moment or two and then Paul began to sing “Hey Jude.”

I’d never heard it before, of course.  I stood there in the darkness transfixed by it all.  I was hearing a brand new Beatles song, live!  I was in awe. 

As the song was coming to an end, an audience that had been invisible previously jumped up on the stage and sang the chorus over and over again.  Mal tried to push me towards the front to join them, but I hung back, nerves definitely getting the better of me.

When the song was finally finished, all the lights came on.  It was blinding, and somewhere out there a voice yelled out, “Very nice.  That’s a wrap.  Thank you all very much.”

“Come on,” Mal said, pulling me forward.

“They’re busy,” I protested. 

“They’re not that busy,” he replied, practically dragging me to the front.  He pulled me through the hordes of people who were still hanging around – technical people who were cleaning the area, taking down lights, etc. as well as the fans who were still vying for autographs or personal attention.

It was George who saw us first.  “Hello Mal, who’s your friend?”

Mal pulled me up onto the makeshift stage alongside of him.  “George, this is Andrea Bakker.”

“Ahh,” he said, carefully putting his guitar down and taking my hand.  “So you are the infamous Andrea.”

I felt myself go red as I shook his hand.  “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Harrison.”

“Please, call me George.  After all, you’re dating one of my best mates, we should be on a first name basis.”

If it were possible to die of embarrassment, I would have keeled over right there and then.  As it was, I could feel myself getting even redder, if that were possible.

“Andrea just got in,” Mal explained, “so she’s a bit jetlagged.  But I wanted to bring her over to meet you all.”

George nodded.  “You should know the people you’re supposedly hanging out with.  You picked the right one, you know.  If word had gotten round that it was you and me, my Pattie’d have me head.”

Now I truly wanted to sink into the ground and die.  “Honestly, Mr. Harrison, George, it wasn’t like that at all...”

“Andrea,” Mal said, “calm down.  George’s just having a go at you.”

“Yeah,” George assured me.  “I was just having a little fun.  Didn’t mean anything by it.  You have to realize, people say the strangest things about us.  If I don’t make fun, I’d go out of my head.”

“Hello there,” said Ringo, making his way over to our little group.  “Am I correct in assuming that this lady here is the Andrea that we’ve all been hearing so much about?”

“Don’t tease,” George warned.  “She’s awfully sensitive about it.”

I made a conscious decision to take control of the situation.  “Ringo,” I said, sticking out my hand.  “It’s nice to meet you.”

He shook it gently.  “Nice to meet you too.  I hear you’ll be working at the office.”

“Yes,” I said, trying to convince myself that it was perfectly natural to be talking to Ringo Starr and George Harrison about my job. 

“Well then, I guess we’ll be seeing you around.  I’m going to be heading out.  Go home to the wife and kids and all that, you know.”

“Yeah, me too,” said George.  “Well, at least the wife bit.  I’ll check in on you, Andrea.  And don’t worry, I don’t bite.”

“That’s Paul’s forte,” Ringo whispered in my ear before the two of them headed off.

“Come on,” Mal said pulling me along, “there’s still John and Paul.”  He looked around.  Paul was still surrounded by a group of women.  John was nowhere to be seen.  “Hmm, seems as if John has slipped out.”

“And Paul seems to be awfully busy,” I chimed in.  “Why don’t we just head back to Apple?  Two Beatles is more than enough for one day.”  I took his hand and tried to get him to head towards the back exit of the studio.

“Hey, Mal!”  The voice that called out was all too familiar, and Mal stopped.

“Guess you’re not getting out of this quite so easy,” Mal teased me.  “Yes, Paul!”  Now he was pulling me along, my tiny hand engulfed in his. I was beginning to feel very small.  He put me smack dab in front of Paul. 

“Hello, Mal.  And who might this be?”

“As if you didn’t know,” Mal replied.

“Ah, so you’re Andrea,” Paul said, looking me up and down. “You’ve caused me quite a bit of trouble, you know.”

I wasn’t sure if he was teasing me, as the others had, or was serious.  He had a serious look on his face and I wished that I were back in Dolan’s again.  If I could have reversed things right then and there, I would have gladly accepted Mr. Hess’s dinner invitation.  As horrible as it might have been, it could not have been as awful as standing there in front of Paul McCartney at that moment.

“Now, Paul…” Mal began.

“Don’t you ‘now, Paul’ me, Mal.  She has caused quite a ruckus.  Even more so than usual.”

I felt my face getting redder and redder and forced the tears back that were starting to well up in my eyes. I stood there silently.

“Paul,” Mal said, in a hushed voice, “you were the one who asked me to introduce you to Andrea.  She’s come all this way...”

“Yeah, on my money.”

This trip to England was quickly becoming a nightmare for me.  Why had I come?  I had wanted exciting new experiences, but this was rapidly turning into more than I could handle.

“Paul!” Mal said, rather forcefully.

“Mal, I’m not a little boy, so don’t talk to me as if I were one.  I know what I said, but...”

“I think,” I cut in bravely, “that I’d better leave.”

“Just wait a minute,” Mal said, trying to take charge of the situation.  “I’ll take you home.  You just wait over there for a minute.  I need to talk to Paul for a moment.”

I pulled away from him and sat at the edge of the stage.  I tried to take deep breaths and not lose my composure.

The hall had excellent acoustics, so even though I was a distance away and they were speaking softly, I could still make out most of what they were saying.

“Paul, you were the one who said you wanted to meet Andrea.”

“Yeah, I know.  It seemed like a fun idea at the time, Mal.  Kind of a lark.  But now...I dunno.  How much do we really know about this girl?  I mean, she’s trying to publish a book and what better publicity than...”

“Paul, Neil and I went through this with you.  Her book was accepted by the publisher long before this rumor started.”

“True, but now think of how she’ll be able to cash in on it.”

“Look Paul, from what I’ve seen and heard, she’s done nothing of the sort.  If she were going for publicity or even money, why would she be denying it?  Claiming that she was your girlfriend would open more doors for her.”

“And how do we know that she hasn’t been doing just that?  I mean, this could all be a show.”

Mal sighed. “You’re right, Paul.  It could be.  But my gut doesn’t tell me that.  She’s given up just about everything she has to come here.”

“Which just reinforces my point.”

Mal sighed again.  “So what do you want me to do, Paul?  She’s given up her apartment in the States, sold her car, packed away most of her belongings, and now she’s here.  She’s got a couple of suitcases and a work visa, courtesy of Alistair’s clever footwork.  Neil needs help at Apple and she’s willing to do it.  As a matter of fact, I think she’ll be perfect for it.  What do you want me to do?  Should I send her home?”

“I don’t know.  I suppose if we need the help, we should try her out at Apple.  But just keep her away from me.  She’s caused me too much trouble as it is.  I mean, Francie is ready to pack up.  And Linda won’t have anything to do with me any more.  It’s all because of her.”

“Is it, Paul?”

“Look Mal, it’s been a hell of a long day.  Just take her back to wherever she’s staying.  Let her work at Apple if Neil needs her.  But other than that...I don’t even want to see her.”

“Whatever you say, Paul.”

“Yeah, whatever I say.”

I could hear Mal’s footsteps coming toward me.  He sat down next to me and put his arm around me.   “You okay?”

“Sure,” I said miserably.

“I’m sorry Andrea.  It’s been...he’s had...well...it isn’t always easy to be a Beatle.  That’s probably no excuse for his behavior, but for now it’ll have to do.  Let me take you home.”

Home?  I was miles away from home.  

We sat silently on the ride back to Apple.  I had a million confusing thoughts running through my head, and Mal was obviously at a loss for words.  He seemed as embarrassed as I was about the whole situation.  I hoped that his job wouldn’t be in jeopardy over this whole mess.  He still managed to be a gentleman.  He helped me out of the car, unlocked the front door of the building and walked me up to the third floor.

“Andrea,” he said, as I turned to unlock the door, “don’t let tonight get you down.  Things have been a little difficult for Paul recently...”

“All because of me, he seems to think.”

“No, he doesn’t think that.  I mean, what he said, it’s not you.  He knows it too.  Things are a little rough right now and you were just an easy target for his frustration tonight.  You were right, I probably shouldn’t have brought you over there, but what’s done is done.  You try and get some rest.  Neil will be in around nine or so tomorrow morning. Just come down and introduce yourself.  He’s got a lot of work that he needs help with.  I’ll try to be here too, but they may need me over at the recording studio.  You’ll be okay.”

His words were not reassuring to me, but I didn’t want to seem ungrateful for all that he had done.  “I’ll be fine, Mal,” I lied.  “I hope to see you in the morning.”

“Right then.” He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and took off down the stairs.  

***

It was a restless night for me.  I was exhausted, but I couldn’t sleep.  I debated whether I should unpack or not.  If I wasn’t going to stay for very long, it seemed foolish.  On the other hand, it would give me something to do.  I couldn’t make up my mind, so I just lay in bed in the darkness, wondering.

I did eventually drift off, but had bizarre dreams and finally got up around six.  I showered and dressed again, wondering what the rest of the Apple staff wore to work.  I settled on a plain white blouse and a red skirt.  It was hardly the latest trend, but then, I had never been trendy.  I couldn’t afford to be, and at Dolan’s, conservative was how you had to dress if you wanted to keep your job.  Mini skirts may have been in, but you didn’t dare wear one to work.  I had purchased a black one and kept it in the back of my closet, hoping that someday I might get the chance to wear it.  But my first day at Apple didn’t seem like the time to try it out.

I was ready to go to work by 7:15.  And I had taken my time getting ready!  Since I still didn’t know what to do, I checked out the kitchenette.  It was pretty bare, though I did scrounge up a bit of instant coffee and some not too stale bread to make toast.  As I ate, I tried to work on Angela’s adventures in London, but the story seemed to be going nowhere.  I forced myself to concentrate.  If this job at Apple failed, and I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that it would, I had to make some money.  With one book under my belt (almost), I had better get cracking on another. I might have to cash in on my notoriety after all.

By quarter to nine I could take it no more.  When I stepped out in the hall, I could hear noise coming from downstairs.  I locked my door and headed towards it.

The second floor was still deserted, but on the first floor I found a gathering of four people, three women and one wild looking man, in the kitchen area.  They were laughing over cups of tea.  But when I popped in, all of the laughter stopped.

“Who are you?” asked one of the women.  She had perfectly straight long blonde hair and was wearing a revealing hot pink blouse and Pucci mini skirt.

I felt most definitely out of place.  “I’m Andrea.”

“Oh,” said another blonde, with false eyelashes so heavy and thick I wondered how she managed to open her eyes.  “Neil’s not in yet.  Why don’t you go sit out by the reception desk and wait for him?”

“No need,” said a newcomer. His voice was friendly, yet his tone said he meant business.  For a slight man, he had quite a commanding presence.  “I was hoping to beat you in, Andrea, but being just upstairs you clearly have the advantage.  I’m Neil Aspinall and I run Apple.”  Again his voice was forceful, letting everyone in the room know who was in charge around here.  He held his hand out to me.

I shook it.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Neil.”

“Why don’t you come with me and we’ll get you started.  There’s lots of work to be done around here.  There never seem to be enough hands to help.”  His comments were obviously directed at the group who had been so icy to me and I would be forever grateful.  He spun out of the room and moved quickly down the hall.

I scurried behind him.  He hurried down the hallway and unlocked one of the few closed doors.  He flipped a light switch and threw off his coat.

His office could have belonged to any high-ranking corporate officer, if it weren’t for the wild artwork on the walls and the long table strewn with photos of the Beatles.

“Have a seat,” he said, plopping himself down behind a massive mahogany desk.

I perched on the edge of a chair.  I sat up straight and gave him my best and most eager to please smile.

“You’re miserable here aren’t you?” he asked.

He certainly was direct.  I wasn’t sure how to answer him.  I felt alone and left out here, but I didn’t want to go flying home after less than a day in the country, either.

“No need to answer.  I’d be miserable if I were in your position too.  Come to a foreign country, get thrown into a new place to live and a new job.  Your ‘boyfriend’ snubs you and your co-workers are cold as ice.  Why should you be happy?”

“I guess you summed it up right there,” I replied, not knowing what else to say.

“You probably want to run right back to America now.  I wouldn’t blame you.  And if that’s truly what you want to do, I’ll be happy to help you.  But I’d really like it if you stayed on for a while.  From everything that I’ve read, you’re an extremely intelligent and hardworking girl.  That’s what I really need right now. Besides, Mal thinks your great.  George and Ringo don’t think you’re all that bad either.  So I’d like you to stay.  What do you say?”

“What about Paul?” I asked softly.

“Aw, Paul’s just in one of his moods.  I should have warned Mal.”

“He seems to think I’m a gold digger.  I’m just trying to latch onto him for the publicity to help get my own career under way.”

“He’s got you confused with his real girlfriend.”  He grimaced.  “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.  Fran was going to help out at the office too, but once she got her claws into Paul...well now her only job is to walk the dog and bonk Paul.”

“Oh.”

“Listen Andrea, we’ve gotten off the track here.  Are you going to stay or are you going to go?  I need to know, because I have a hell of a lot of work in front of me and if you’re staying, I’m going to get you right into the thick of it.  If you’re leaving, I’m calling Alistair and having him set up your trip back.  I don’t need someone else to come on board, screw around for a while and then leave.  What I need is someone who will really work.  Someone who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.  To get in the thick of it.  So what’s it going to be?”

I wasn’t sure what to tell him, but my options back home were limited.  At least here I had a job and a place to live.  I took a deep breath.  “I think I’d like to stick it out for a while.”

“Good girl.”  He stood.  “I’m going to get a cup of tea.  Normally, I might ask you to get it for me, but I’m not putting you back in front of the firing squad again, at least not yet.  Besides you Americans haven’t the slightest idea on how to make a decent cup of tea.  Do you want anything?  We’ve got coffee, tea, juice, and lots of the stronger stuff, but personally, I think it’s a bit too early for anything like that.”

“No, I’m fine,” I assured him.

“All right, then.  I’ll be right back.  We’ve got a lot to take care of this morning.  Mary Hopkin will be around this afternoon.   I’ve got a lunch meeting with her, so we’ve got to get you up to speed there.  I think you two will get on quite well.  Her parents are a bit protective of her, and you just might be the right liaison between us and them.  While I’m gone, you take a look at those photos over there.  We’re working on a collage for the next album.”

While he was gone I did look over the photos. They were hundreds.  All of the Beatles, together and alone, in their youth and present day.  I had no idea how Neil intended to put them together.

When he returned, we went over the plan for the new Beatles album.  There were so many songs, that it would be a double album and after much debate, it had been decided that the cover would be plain and simple.  All white, it would simply say The Beatles.  Each album would be stamped with a number.  Inside the package would be a poster – photos on one side and lyrics to the songs on the other.  We played around with the photos.  There were piles of rejects, possibles and definites.  And then we’d go back over it again.  Definites would end up in the reject pile and rejects would come back into the possible pile.  We laid them out in different arrangements, moving things around and back and forth, trying to find that “right” look.  Of course, what we finally settled on had to be approved by the Beatles themselves.  All the while, Neil was giving me a crash course in the Beatles and Apple.  He gave me the entire history as best he could, starting at the very beginning and trying to bring me up to date. 

“That should do for now,” Neil said, giving our latest layout a once over.

“You must be all talked out,” I said.  “I really do appreciate you giving me the entire history in only,” I looked down at my watch, “four hours.”

“Is it that late? God, time certainly has gotten away from us. Mary is supposed to be here in about 15 minutes.  That’s one thing you’ll learn, Mary is the only one who is not only punctual, but is nearly always 10 minutes early.”  

“Okay, so what can I do to help out with Mary?”

“Hmm...well, I think I’ll have the two of you go out to lunch. You can get to know each other a little better.  I really would like to have you handle her.  After spending the morning with you, I really think the two of you will get on well. She also needs to go over some photos.  We have her scheduled to do some TV and radio interviews.  I might have you go along with her on those and...”

His intercom buzzed interrupting them..  “Neil, Mary Hopkin is here to see you.”

He looked at his watch.  “Earlier than usual,” he commented to me.  Then he went back to the intercom.  “Tell Mary we’ll be right there.”  He turned to me again.  “Come on.  I know the two of you will get on.  And you can have a nice lunch together.”  He reached in his pocket and few out a few bills.  “This is for you.  It should be enough for a meal. We’ll need to set up an expense account for you.  Come on now.”  He was hurrying down the hallway to the main entrance with me following closely at his heels.

Seated on the sofa in the reception was a very pretty blonde woman.  She stood and smiled when she saw Neil coming down the hall towards her. 

“Ah, Mary,” he said, embracing her.  “Good to see you.”

“Thank you,” she said softly, and with a distinct Welsh accent

“Mary, I’d like you to meet Andrea Bakker.  Andrea’s just started out here and I thought it would be nice if the two of you went out to lunch together.  Andrea’s going to be working very closely with me and I’d like the two of you to get to know each other.”

“You’re the one Paul’s not dating, right?” she asked, smiling warmly.

“You’re the only one who’s gotten it right so far,” I replied, returning her smile.

“I heard from Paul that you’d be coming over.  Have you met your supposed fiancé yet?”

“Fiancé?”

“Last I heard,” she said.  “So, have you met him yet?”

“Just briefly,” I said, trying to avoid any discussion.

“He’s a lovely man,” she confided.  “He’s been like a big brother to me.  Only he’s never done any of those rotten brother things that you hear about, like setting me up with some creep or reading my diary.”

“Well,” said Neil, obviously pleased at the way things were progressing.  “Why don’t you two go on without me and share some girl talk.  I’ll be here when you get back.  Take your time.  Andrea, you might want to take advantage of that offer because it probably won’t happen again for a long time.”

The two of us headed outside into the bright sunshine of an early autumn day.

“So, where would you like to go?” I asked.  “I’m completely lost around here, so you can do the picking.”

“Why don’t we just walk for a while and see what we come upon?  Neil said to take our time.  And I don’t have to meet Paul until 3 or so.  That is, if he’s on time.  If he gets wrapped up in the studio, he’ll forget all about me.”

“Where are you meeting him?” I asked with a sinking feeling in my stomach.

“Why, back at the office, of course.” She laughed.  “How silly of me, why would you know that?  I keep forgetting that you aren’t really his girlfriend.  All the stories that have been going around and I almost believe it.  I suppose I’m rather lucky.  So far the press has been kind to me.  Of course, I have no notion how long that might last. Right now I’m the flavor of the month, but that can change at any moment.”

“I sort of know how that is,” I confided.  “One minute I was just living my boring little life and then next, I’ve got reporters calling me.”

“Now that I’ve got you, you have to tell me how all of this came about.”

We walked along and I told her my whole story.  I only broke my narrative twice. Once when we stumbled upon a pub and my stomach let out a loud growl.  She laughed and we went inside to get something to eat.  When the waitress took our order, I paused.  Mary found the whole thing as extraordinary and outrageous as I did.

“Well, now you’ve got me really worried about the media,” she confessed after I finished my tale.  “I can’t believe what they put you through.  And that horrible man who you used to work for.  It’s too bad you aren’t seeing anyone.  He could stand to be roughed up a bit.”

I shook my head.  “He’s not worth it.  I still haven’t figured out why he suddenly decided to pick on me.  Dolan’s is full of eligible females.”

She shrugged.  “Who knows why anyone finds some one attractive.  I mean, Paul is quite handsome.  And with all the work we’ve been doing together you’d think that I’d have a schoolgirl crush on him or something.  But the one I think is really cute is George.  And he’s closest to me in age.”  She let out a little sigh.  “But George is married, so...”

“So you’ve got a crush on George,” I teased.

“You mustn’t tell,” she whispered.

“Who am I going to tell?  I just got here, remember?  But now it’s your turn.  I need to find out all about you and how you got involved with the Beatles.”

“I’m not really involved with the Beatles, per se.  It’s Paul.  He’s my producer.  The one who ‘discovered’ me.”  She took another bite of her sandwich and told me all about herself.

I sat back and let her do the talking.  I enjoyed listening to her, she had such a melodic voice.  She was the first one who made me feel comfortable just sitting around talking.  Mal, Neil, George and Ringo had been nice enough, but here was someone who I could really relate to. Someone, who although she lived thousands of miles away from me,  could understand what I had gone through and sympathize.

“...so now here I am with this recording contract with Apple.  Everyone’s been really nice to me and I enjoy it, but I’m not certain if it’s what I want to do with my life.”

“Well, Mary, you’ve got plenty of time.  Why not take what you have now and enjoy it?  You don’t have to do it for the rest of your life.”

“I know.  It’s just this album…it’s all right, but I don’t know if this is necessarily the kind of music I want to do.”

“So you make some changes on your next album.  And if you don’t like that you make different changes on your next album.  And on your next, and so on.”

“Do you think I’ll really record that many?”

“That’s up to you, isn’t it, Mary?”

“I suppose, but...”

“It’s your career.  You can listen to me, you can listen to Paul, you can listen to whomever you want.  In the end, though, it’s got to be you who makes the final decision.”

“How did you get to be so smart for an American?”

I laughed.  “Believe me, I don’t feel all that smart.  I don’t know what I’m doing with my life either.”

“But you’ve got your first book coming out.  I think that’s wonderful.”

“We’ll have to wait and see on that one.”

“You’ll give me a copy, won’t you?”

“Of course.  Are you sure you want one?  I mean, it’s just a children’s book.”

“Of course I want one.  Autographed and all.”

“Only if you’ll give me an autographed copy of your album.”

“You work at Apple, you don’t have to ask.”

“I’m not asking Apple, I’m asking you.”

“All right then, let’s make a pact right now.  I promise, no matter how many albums I make, to always send you an autographed copy, no matter where you are in the world. In return you promise to send me autographed copies of all your books, whether they are for children or for adults, no matter where I am in the world.  Is it a deal?”

“It’s a deal.”  I looked down at my watch.  “My God, it’s already quarter to three.  We’d better get back!  I don’t want to keep Paul waiting for you!”  I frantically waved at the waitress to get the check.

Mary laughed lightly.  “Oh, don’t worry.  Paul’s never on time.”

But I worried.  The waitress took her time bringing our check (probably payback for our dawdling over the meal) and Mary was in no rush to hurry back to the office.  I tried to pull her along, but she only laughed at me. 

“Andrea, I’m telling you not to worry.  Paul is always late.  I’ll bet he’s even forgotten that we are supposed to meet.  He’ll end up rescheduling with me and all I will accomplish today is going over a schedule with you and Neil.”

But my gut feeling was right.  When we walked in the office, Paul was sitting on the receptionist’s desk flirting with her.

“Paul!” Mary declared, surprised.  “Well, I guess it’s good thing we didn’t make a bet, Andrea.  I could have lost my life savings.”

Paul jumped off the desk when he saw us.  “Mary, where have you been?  It’s after three.”

Mary laughed.  “Really, Paul, it’s not even ten after.  You certainly can’t chide me for being ten minutes late after all the times you’ve stood me up.”

He put his arm around her.  “Mary, you’re my girl, I could never be angry at you.  I just worry.  Of course, Andrea should have known better than to keep you so long.”  His voice was still cheery, but I could tell there was a barb in there intended for me.

“I apologize for keeping Mary so long,” I said softly.

Mary laughed again.  “Don’t apologize, Andrea.  Paul’s forever keeping me waiting.  Besides, I’m the one who dawdled.”  She poked Paul in the ribs.  “And I’m not apologizing for that.  I was having a great time.”

“I’m glad you had a good afternoon out with Andrea, but I’m sure she has work that she needs to get back to,” Paul said, rather pointedly.  “And you and I need to go upstairs and go over a few things.”

“Sure, Paul.”  They headed up the stairs together, but then she stopped and turned to me.  “Andrea, thank you again for a lovely lunch.  I hope we can do it again soon.  And I really am looking forward to working with you.  It’ll be nice to get some female perspective around here.”

As they continued up the stairs, Paul looked back at me and glared. 

“Your boyfriend doesn’t like you much, does he?” asked the receptionist.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I replied automatically.

“That much is obvious. Neil’s back in his office”

“Thank you,” I said coldly.  No one was going to make this easy.  At least I felt I had made a genuine friend in Mary.

Neil’s door was half open when I walked by.  He was on the phone, but he gestured for me to come in. He quickly wrapped up his conversation and hung up the phone.  “So how did things go with Mary?”

“Fine.  She’s very nice.  I’m sorry I took so long.”

“Long?”  He looked at his watch.  “I hadn’t noticed.  But no matter, I told you to take your time today.”
“Yeah, but Paul was waiting when we got in.  Mary was ten minutes late.”

“Did Paul give you a demerit for that one?”

I nodded.

“I’ll have to straighten that boy out.  Now, don’t you worry.  I’ve got lots of work for you to take care of. Unfortunately, what I need right now isn’t as much fun as going out to lunch.”  He took me to an office right across the hallway from his that was filled with file folders and boxes, all with brimming with clippings.  “Welcome to one of my many nightmares.  This is definitely the unglamorous side of the job.  We’ve gotten quite backlogged here.  The press office usually takes care of these things, but it’s slipped by the wayside.  If you’d like to use this for your office, we’ve got to get this mess under control.”

For the next several hours, I sat sorting clippings.  Not just about the Beatles, but about the various artists on the Apple label.  Since I had no idea who was recording on Apple, other than the Beatles and Mary Hopkin, Neil provided me with a typed list of the others.  I had no idea that Apple was so involved with so many different types of music.

I sat there, doing my job, trying not to listen as co-workers walked through the hallway, happily chatting away.  And in some cases, talking about me.

“She’s got Neil wrapped around her little finger, but he’ll wise up soon enough...”

“...I heard Paul doesn’t like her at all.  He was livid that she was out with Mary Hopkin this afternoon...”

“How the hell did she get here any way?  I mean, what kind of talent does she have?”

“...so she must be really good.  I mean, she got Mal to bring her over here.  And you know he’s the worst of all of them.  The man’s brain is in his penis.”

I tried to tune it out, but it was hard.  I even thought that some of them were extra loud outside my door, wanting me to hear the worst. A few even peered in and snickered.  I ignored it as best I could, but it hurt.  I knew I needed to be strong.  With a little friendly persistence, it might even blow over.  But how long would that take?  I didn’t think I could last very long and yet I didn’t want to let Neil, Mal or even Mary down.  They had been so nice to me.

“Hey there,” George Harrison popped his head in.  “Didn’t anyone tell you to go home?  It’s quitting time.”

I looked up at him.  His smiling face was a sight for my eyes.

“Hey now, it can’t be all that bad.”

I sighed.  “I guess I lost track of time.”

“It’s after six.  I just came by to pick up Paul and to take a look at the new studio.”

“New studio?”

“Downstairs.  Hasn’t anyone shown you around yet?”

“Aside from Neil, no one’s said more than two words to me all day.  I’m not very popular around here.”

George stepped inside.  “And why might that be?”

“I don’t know.  I’m the new kid, and my reputation precedes me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  He sat down on the desk, carefully moving aside a pile of clippings.

I looked up at him.  Was I really about to share my troubles with one of the Beatles?  “Well, I guess it’s because I got this job because of who I am, or who people think I am.  Or what I am.  That I got this job because of the publicity.  And I did.  I didn’t go through all the crap that everyone else had to.”

“What crap might that be?  There are some people who’ve been with us since pretty much the beginning.  There are some who used to be part of Brian’s staff.  But a lot of the so called ‘staff’ around here basically wandered in off the streets.  I mean, have you met Richard?  He’s a nice enough guy, but he’s tight with Derek Taylor.  That’s how he got his job.  He didn’t go through some hour-long interview or intense screening process.  They’re probably just jealous.”

“Jealous of what?”

“Aw, who knows?  Probably think you’re tight with the four of us or something.”

“I haven’t even met all of you yet.”

“Go on!”

“No really, for someone who’s supposed to be dating one of the famous Beatles, I have yet to meet all of you.”

“Well, I was with you when you met Ringo.  And I’ve heard about your little run in with our Paulie, so that leaves John.  He is a difficult one to track down these days. He’s kind of in his own little world.  Him and Yoko.  They’re into some strange stuff.”

“I won’t ask.”

“Don’t, cause I can’t explain it all.  They call it art.  I call it...well, never mind what I call it.  So come on then, like I said, it’s after six.  You can call it quits.  This stuff’ll be here tomorrow.  I promise.  Let me show you the new studio.  ‘Course, it isn’t finished yet, but you’ll be one of the first to visit the bowels of Apple.  We haven’t allowed much of the staff down to check it out.  You’ll be privileged.”

“Oh good, another reason for them to hate me.”

He reached out and touched my cheek.  “Oh luv, it can’t be that bad.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I said it was, would you?”

“Yeah, I would.” He sighed.  “I’m really sorry, Andrea. I wish there was something I could do.”

“Other than divorcing your wife and marrying me,  I can’t think of a single thing,” I said, smiling at him.

“Now there’s an idea,” he teased.

“Yeah, it would take the pressure off of Paul.”

“You know, actually...do you meditate?”

“Meditate?  Afraid I don’t even know what that is.”

“It might help.  It’s something I learned, and it really helps you put things in perspective.  It’s very relaxing.. You use your mind to relax and let go.  Patti was the first one who learned about it.  Maybe she could come by and talk to you about it.”

I was skeptical.  “What does this all involve?”

“Just an open mind.  It’ll bring you to a higher level of consciousness.”

“And this is safe?”

“The people in India and a variety of other countries have been doing it for centuries.  Hell, what do you think Christ was doing out in the desert for those 40 days?”

“Meditating?”

“Exactly.  I’ll talk to Patti and have her give you a call.”

“Okay.”  I figured I had nothing to lose.

“Now come on,” he said hopping down from my desk and offering me his hand, “let me show you around downstairs.”

I took his hand and followed him down the now deserted hallway and down the stairs.  It was obviously in a state of renovation because there were bits and pieces of carpentry equipment all around.  But what caught my attention immediately was a piano off to the corner.  A drop cloth had been thrown over it, but it had been removed by the man who was now sitting behind it, playing a sweet tune.  I groaned inwardly when I saw who it was.

“Evening Paul,” George said, still holding onto my hand.  “I was just looking for you.”

“You’ve found me.”

“So I see.  I was just showing Andrea here the studio.”

“Thought we agreed to keep outsiders away from here,” Paul said, not even looking up.

“Yeah, well, John’s had Yoko down here and...”

“She insisted we change the color of the carpet so that it would be in harmony with the rest of the room.  I know how you feel about that.  So why are you dragging more trouble down here?”

George rolled his eyes and squeezed my hand as if to tell me that it was all right.  “Really Paul, didn’t your mother teach you any manners?”

“My mother’s dead,” Paul replied bluntly.

“Is that your best excuse for being so rude in front of this young lady?”

Paul shrugged.  “I just thought we agreed that we wouldn’t have a lot of people down here.  You want to break that agreement, that’s your business.”  He went back to playing the piano in a disinterested way.

“I think I’d better go back upstairs now,” I whispered to George.

“Whatever you like, luv,” George said, giving my hand a final squeeze.  “I’ll have Patti give you a call.”

As I went back upstairs I could hear George say to Paul, “Now, what was that for?”  I hung back to listen.

“I don’t want her around,” Paul replied.

“That much is obvious.  Then why’d you agree to having her come over?”

“I don’t know!  It just seemed like a good idea at the time and now it doesn’t.  I just wish she’d go away. I wish things would go back to the way things used to be.”

“And how might that be?”

“Just the four of us making music. Working together. It wasn’t so complicated.  No girlfriends in the studio.  No fighting. Just us.”

“Ah, the good old days.  I’m afraid those are gone.  Things change, Paul.  This really doesn’t have anything to do with Andrea, does it?”

“In a way no, and in a way yes.  That damned rumor...Things were starting to look good between me and Lin, you know.  Now she’s gone and Francie’s on her way out too. Wants to go back to New York.”

“I don’t think you can blame all of your romantic troubles on Andrea.  Jane left because of Francie.  You don’t think Linda would have left too if she found out about Francie?  You didn’t think Francie would leave if she found about whoever the next one would be?  If you want commitment, man, you’ve got to quit screwing around.  One woman isn’t going to stick around forever if you’re bonking another at the same time.”

“Thanks for your words of wisdom, George.” Paul’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.

“Just give Andrea a chance, Paul.  If she turns out to be a horrid little shrew, we can send her packing.  If she’s as dedicated and sweet as Mal and Neil seem to think, we keep her on.  She seems to be a hard worker.”

I suddenly got a case of the guilts.  I’d been standing at the top of the stairs listening in for too long.  I hurried back to the office and did my best to clean up.  I’d made a good dent in the piles that Neil had left for me, though there was still plenty to do.

“You still here?” Neil’s voice made me jump.

“You didn’t tell me I could go.”

“Andrea, you don’t need me to tell you when to come and go.”

“Aren’t you the boss?”

“Well...I suppose...sort of.”

“Then you need to tell me what hours you’ll need me to work.  I do realize that I’m ‘on call’ so to speak, but I need to know what my ‘regular’ hours should be.”

“I try to be here between nine and five...”

“Fine.  I’ll work nine to five and if you need me for anything else you just let me know.  I’ve made some headway on this clipping project.  You’ll need to tell me where you want all of this stored when I’m finished.”

“Will do,” he said, scanning the room.  “You really have made progress.  I’m heading home.  It’s an early night for me.   But tomorrow is going to be a busy one.  Oh, Mal called and asked about you.  He said he was sorry he didn’t make it round today.  He’ll try to pop in tomorrow.”

“That’s awfully sweet of him.  I guess I’ll call it a night then.”

“Right.  I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“Good night, Neil.”

“Good night, Andrea.  And congratulations.”

“For what?”

“For making it through your first day.  I know it hasn’t been easy.  But as time goes on, it’ll get better, I promise.”

“Can’t get no worse,” I joked.

***

I went upstairs.  It was not yet seven o’clock, but I was tired.  I remembered that I really didn’t have any groceries and I was definitely not up to going out alone, especially when I was still unsure of my surroundings.  With my luck, I’d get lost and never find my way back to Apple. Dinner looked like it was out of the question.  Of course, I could always scrounge around the office kitchen area.  I was relatively certain that everyone had gone home, but I didn’t want to risk running into any unfriendly staff.  If Mal came by tomorrow, maybe he could give me a ride to a grocery store or some sort of market.  One night without dinner wasn’t going to kill me.

I was halfway up when I heard George call out to me.  I turned around and peeked down at him.  Paul was standing by his side.

“Good night, George.  Good night, Paul,” I said as cheerfully as I could muster.

“Aren’t you going home?”  George asked.

“My home is the apartment on the third floor.”  Then, thinking the better of what I had just said and not wanting Paul to be any angrier than he could be, I added,  “It’s a temporary situation, of course.  Until I can find something on my own.  Of course, this way I can also be at Neil’s beck and call any time of the day or night.  I’m always here.”

“Beck and call girl,” George mulled it over.  “I like it.  I ought to get one of those myself.”

“Well, technically I work for you too.  So if you, either of you, need something done here at Apple, day or night, just give me a call.”

“I’ll remember that,” George replied.

Paul stood silently by his side.

“Well,” I said uncomfortably, “you both have a good evening.”

“We’re going over to Abbey Road,” Paul began suddenly.  “Would you like to tag along?”

I was stunned.  This was the first time that Paul had spoken to me in a friendly way.  I didn’t know what to say. If I said yes, would I be a pest in his eyes?  If I said no, would I be considered ungrateful?

“Yes, Andrea, come along with us,” George prodded.

“I’d love to,” I began, trying to be as tactful as possible, “but I’d just get in the way.  Besides studio time is something that the four of you share.  It’s private.  I wouldn’t want to interrupt that.”

“It’s just me and Paul tonight,” George said.  “You wouldn’t be any bother.”

“I don’t know.  I still feel like I’d be imposing on you. Besides, you’ll be busy and working until late into the night.  I need to be here early for Neil.  It would probably be best if I just stayed here.”

“We won’t be that late,” Paul said quietly.  “I’m just adding a bass line to one of George’s songs.  If you get tired, we can get you a car to bring you back.”

“We’re just going to fiddle around a bit.  Have some sandwiches brought in for dinner.  It’s nothing formal,” George added.

My stomach growled at the thought of dinner.  “If you’re sure that it’s not an imposition.”  I directed my statement to Paul, looking right into his deep brown eyes for any sign of hesitation.

“It’s not an imposition,” George assured me.

“Are you certain?”  I was still staring at Paul.

“Yes,” Paul replied shortly.

“Then I’d love to go with you.  Can you just give me a minute to run upstairs and get a sweater?  I promise I won’t take long.”

“Go on then,” George said, giving me a nod.

I turned and ran up the stairs to my room.  I quickly pulled the key out of my skirt pocket, dropping it in my excitement.  I unzipped one of my suitcases and rooted around for a sweater.  Finding a white one, I put it on, ran to the bathroom and quickly combed my hair and put on fresh lipstick.  There wasn’t time to do much else, I didn’t want to keep George and Paul waiting.  I flew back down the stairs.

“Two minutes and forty five seconds,” George declared, glancing at his watch and grinning at me.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I replied, smiling.  “I promise to make it up to you.”

We got into George’s car.  I couldn’t believe that he drove himself, but I guess he enjoyed it.  Since I was the smallest, I volunteered to sit in the back of the tiny sports car.  Once George got behind the wheel we were off.  Now I knew why he enjoyed driving.  He drove like he was on a racetrack.  I don’t know how long it usually took to get to EMI studios on Abbey Road, but we were there practically in the blink of an eye.  Whatever traffic there was on the road, George deftly weaved in and out of.  I didn’t say anything.  As a matter of fact, the whole ride was silent except for the sound of the traffic and the sound of the motor.

I must have been a little white-knuckled from the whole experience because when Paul pulled the seat forward so I could get out, he offered me his hand to help me out and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll get someone else to drive you home.  I don’t risk a ride with George more than once a week.”  He smiled hesitantly at me, the first time he had done it since I’d met him.

I tried to return the smile.  I was more nervous about him than about George’s driving!

We went inside and I got a special pass that said I was allowed on the premises.  I followed them to the studio where George Martin was waiting for them.  He was a very handsome and distinguished man.  He immediately made me feel at ease in a situation that was definitely uncomfortable for me.  He and George quickly reviewed what they wanted from Paul, and then the two Georges and I went up to the control booth while Paul fiddled with his bass.

Upstairs, I sat quietly in a chair and watched the magic as it unfolded before me.  I had no idea what went into making a record.  All of the knobs and switches amazed me.  I knew that I was privileged to be witness to it.

It only took about forty minutes for Paul to lay down the track.  We took a dinner break as they listened to the playbacks.  Sandwiches and Cokes had quickly appeared.  I munched on a ham sandwich as the three men ate and listened to what I thought was the finished project, though I later learned there was much more to do!

When I finished eating, I stifled back a yawn.

“Are we keeping you awake, Andrea?” George asked.

“I’m sorry.  It’s been a long day and I’m still not used to this time change.  I’d better head out and go to bed.  I really do appreciate you letting me watch you work.  It’s really been fascinating.  And it was a privilege to meet you, Mr. Martin.”

“The pleasure was all mine, Andrea.  I hope the next time we meet, we’ll be able to have a little more conversation.  I don’t think you’ve said a dozen words all evening.”

“Just admiring the artists at work,” I said, grinning.  “I just need someone to call me a cab.”

“We’re finished up here,” George said.  “I can drive you back.”

“Don’t do it,” Paul warned.  “The life that you save could be your own.”

I laughed.  “I’m more than happy to risk it, but I don’t want to be a bother.”

“It’s no bother,” George assured me.

“Tell ya what,” Paul cut in,  “Andrea and I are sort of going in the same direction.  She can hitch a ride with me and we can send George home alone.  That way he’ll get home quicker to his beautiful wife and our lives will be saved for another day.  How does that sound?”

“Very generous.”  I was unsure of what else to say.  I simply followed Paul’s lead.  We all said good night, leaving George Martin in the control booth.  George zoomed away in his car and after only a few minutes of waiting, a car showed up for Paul and me. 

Sitting beside him in the back of the car, I was unsure of what to say or do. 

It was Paul who broke the silence.  “Andrea, you probably think that I’ve been very rude....”

I jumped in,  “I understand completely. I mean I’ve been thrust into your life, totally uninvited. And you don’t even know me.  You must think that I’m a real social climber.  I suppose at the beginning it might have been a little amusing for you, but now I’ve just totally invaded your life.  And that’s really rude.  I’ve even got the nerve to come over here and start working for your company.  And I know what this all looks like, but I really didn’t mean to start any of this.  I’m sure you’ve heard the story before, but you’ve got no real reason to believe what I’ve said.  And if you’d like to me just go back to America and...”

He took my hand.  “Andrea, slow down there for a moment.”

Even in the dim light of the car he must have seen how red with embarrassment I was getting.  “Sorry, I’ve been babbling on.”

“I have been rude,” he said.  “I don’t know you, and I have been jumping to conclusions.  This whole thing has been a bit much.  But it’s probably been more than that to you.”

“Can I be honest?” I asked softly, looking into those deep brown eyes that were now gazing at me warmly enough to make an iceberg melt.

“Please do.”

“I would never want to be your girlfriend...”

He started to laugh.

I laughed too.  “That didn’t come out quite right.  What I mean is, I’m not your girlfriend and the media has put me through the wringer.  I can’t imagine how bad it would be if I really was your girlfriend.  People turn on you, the phone never stops ringing...”

“Welcome to the world of Beatlemania.”

“I bet Paul McCartney’s life isn’t all that easy either.”

“No, sometimes it’s not.  While we’re being honest here, I’ve been going through a bit of a tough patch.  Has nothing to do with you.  But what’s been going on has just made it a little rougher.  And I have been taking it out on you.  I want to apologize for that.  And I don’t want you to go back to America.  Everyone seems to like you.”

“Everyone?  Are you kidding?  The entire staff hates me except for Neil and Mal.  Not that I’ve met everyone.  But there’s a whole bunch that’s been avoiding me, so I have to assume that they’re not that anxious to meet me either.”

“I’m sure if you just give it time...”

“They’ll come around?  Maybe, maybe not.  How about you?”

“Me?”

“Are you going to come around?”

“Oh, Andrea,” he said, patting my hand.  “I haven’t been very fair.  We started out on the wrong foot.  Why don’t we start over from the beginning?  Okay?”

“Okay.”

He took my hand and shook it formally.  “Hi, Andrea.  I’m Paul McCartney.  It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.  I hope that we’ll have a chance to get to know each other and become friends.”

“Hi, Paul McCartney.  I’m Andrea Bakker.  I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve indirectly caused you.  I appreciate the opportunity you’re giving me to work at Apple.  I promise to do the best that I can.  And I also hope that over time we can become friends.  And just friends.  I don’t want any crazy rumors flying around us!”

He smiled as the car pulled to a stop in front of the building.  “Well, it’s a start, I suppose.”  He slid out of the car and offered his hand to help me out.  “You have a good night now.  I’ll see you around.”  He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

I said nothing, but watched as he got back into the car.  As it pulled away, I walked up the steps and unlocked the front door.

I was in the midst of a deep sleep when the alarm went off the next morning.  It took me a moment to focus.  At first I couldn’t even recall where I was – this certainly wasn’t my apartment.    But it was.  It was my “new flat.”  And I had better haul my butt out of bed and get downstairs and start working.

I tried to force myself to take a quick shower, but the warm water was so inviting, I couldn’t help but dawdling a bit. I reluctantly got out and realized that I had spent way too much time.  I towel dried my hair. I really wished I had brought a hair dryer with me, but with the difference in voltages it wouldn’t have worked any way.  I really did need to get out and do some shopping.  There was still no food in the place and I definitely needed some essentials.

I put on a sapphire blue cardigan and black slacks before pulling back my hair into a simple ponytail.  I looked even younger than my years and I still definitely did not look like I belonged at Apple.  I put on some make-up, some deep blue eye shadow, and took my time coating my lashes with thick black mascara, topping it off with some frosted pink lipstick.  Now I just looked like a kid who was trying to look older.  This was never going to be me.  I was never going to fit in.  I sighed.  Maybe if George remembered to mention me to his wife, and she did call, instead of learning about mediation, she could teach me about “the look.”  I knew that she was a former fashion model.  Maybe she could help me.

I managed to get myself out the door and down the stairs before nine.  I had planned on going straight to “my office” to deal with the clippings, but saw that the light was on in Neil’s office, so I popped my head in.

“Morning boss,” I said in my most cheerful voice.

He looked up from whatever was holding his attention on the desk.  He didn’t look too happy.  “Morning, Andrea.  How are you?”

“Better than you, judging by the look on your face.  Something wrong?  Is there anything I can do?”

He motioned me over to him.  “You take a look at this and tell me what you think.”

I looked down at his desk.  What he had been staring at so intently was a black and white photo of John and a woman I didn’t know.  John had his arm around her.  But what was so incredible, at least to me, was that they were both stark naked.  “Is this some sort of a joke?” I asked tentatively.  “Some sort of initiation rite you put new employees through?”

“It’s no joke,” Neil said grimly.

“That’s really John Lennon?” I asked, looking more closely at the photo.

“That’s really John Lennon.”

“And who’s that with him?”

“That is the love of his life, Yoko Ono.”

“Okay…and is there some reason why you have a photo of them naked on your desk?”

“Album cover.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s the cover of their new album.  Two Virgins.”

I began to giggle.  “Oh Neil, you’ve got to be kidding me.  You can’t have an album cover with naked people on the front of it.  And Two Virgins?  You’re joking, right?”

But his face was still very serious.  “I’m not kidding you.  And it’s not my idea.  John wants the world to see him and Yoko as they really are – naked and true.  And this album is going to let the world share their love.”

“But you can’t use a photo like that on an album cover!  Can you?”

Neil shook his head.  “I don’t know.  I just don’t know.  It’ll get out there somehow.  It’s John.  But if we got flak over his comments about Jesus three years ago, can you imagine?  Well, at least they’re not touring any more.”

“So,” I said, trying to put on a happy face again.  “What can I do to help you?”

“Just shoot me.  I’m getting too old for all of this.”

“Oh come on, Neil.  It’s not all that bad, is it?”

“No,” he said.  “I suppose we should look on the bright side.  When this masterpiece of John’s is released, everyone’s going to forget all about you. You won’t be the headliner any more.”

“See there is a silver lining behind every cloud.  But seriously Neil, what can I do to help you?”

“Well, for now, I’m condemning you back to your office to deal with more clippings.  But maybe you’ll stand by my side when I try to talk John out of this.”

“Of course.”  That’s what I said, but I was shaking on this inside.  After seeing a photo of John Lennon naked before I’d even met him, I didn’t know if I could look him in the eye!  But I resolved to do my best.

“Okay, I’ve got some things I need to deal with.  You get started on those clippings.  I think Mal will be by later to see you.”

“Great,” I replied, leaving him to his work.  But before I went in I thought I would get a cup of coffee, or tea, if the former wasn’t possible.  I put on a cheery face as I went into the kitchenette, ready to face whoever was in there.  Thankfully, the place was deserted.  And there was half a pot of brewed coffee just waiting for me.  I rooted around for a clean mug and poured myself a steaming cup.

“Good morning!” A cheery voice startled me.

I whirled around, nearly spilling my coffee in the process.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.  You must be new here.”  He was a small man with black rimmed glasses and close cut dark hair.

“Yes,  I’m Andrea Bakker.”

“Hello, Andrea,” he said, offering me his hand.  “I’ve heard so much about you.  I’m sorry we haven’t had the chance to meet before now.  I’m Alistair Taylor.”

At last, someone who was friendly!  “It’s nice to meet you.  You must be the famous Alistair who got me a work permit.”

He laughed.  “That’s me.  They call me Mr. Fix-It..  They need something, I go and fix it.  You need something, you let me know and I’ll fix it for you too.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.  And since I seem to be the general do anything girl around here, if you need any help, I’m just down the hall.  And if you really need help, I’m just upstairs at night.  But I suppose you know that.”  

He nodded.  “I arranged it.  How’s the flat?”

“Very nice.  I need to find some staples though. Woman cannot live on coffee alone.”

“Would you like me to have some groceries delivered for you? If you just give me a list...”

“Please, I don’t want anyone going to any trouble for me.  I might ask you to point me in the right direction of a grocery store later.  I’d really appreciate it.”

“Of course, Andrea.”

“Well, I’ve got lots of clippings to go through.”

“They’ve stuck you with that fun project, now have they?”

“Hey, a girl’s got to start somewhere.  Might as well be the bottom.  I’ll see you later!”

I spent the next few hours going through more clippings.  It wasn’t the most thrilling job in the world, but I did get some satisfaction in seeing the piles get organized.  I had an entire box devoted to Mary.  Three boxes were clippings on the Beatles as a group.  And then each individual Beatle got his own box.  It was all coming out quite nicely.

My stomach started to growl and I was wondering what I should do about lunch.  Maybe Alistair could point me in the direction of a grocery store and I could get my shopping done on my lunch break.  I didn’t want to disturb Neil.  On a trek to the bathroom I noticed that his door was closed and I imagined he was bogged down with more problems than he could tackle.

I wandered through the hall, but didn’t come across Alistair and with the looks that I was still getting from the rest of the staff, I was afraid to ask anyone where he was.  I figured I could make it on my own, if I just kept my head on straight.  I was bravely heading out, when Mal came in the door with another man.

“Andrea!  Are you on your way out?”

“I was just going to get a bite.  I didn’t tell Neil though, he’s behind closed doors.”

“Well, let us take you out.  This is Pete Ham.  Pete’s part of the Iveys, a group that we’ve just signed to Apple.  Pete, this is Andrea Bakker.”

“Hello, Andrea,” he said shaking my hand.  He was tall and had a warm smile.

“Nice to met you, Pete.  I guess I should say welcome to the Apple family.”

“Thank you.”

“I was just going to take Pete down to the studio.  Once it’s finished up, I think we’ll shoot a promo film for the Iveys down there, to start to get them a little publicity and such.  Why don’t you come with us?”

“Are you sure I won’t be butting in?”

“Of course not!” Mal boomed.

So the three of us had a look round the unfinished studio and then went out to lunch.  By then I was starving, and I held my own with the men when it came to food.  Mal was a great story teller as he explained to Pete how I happened in to end up in England.  His twist on the story had the both of us rolling on the floor.  Especially when he did his impression of my former boss, Mr. Hess.  I had tears running down my face, I was laughing so hard.  Then, not to be outdone, Pete started telling stories of his adventures in the Iveys and the jokes that the band members, particularly lead guitarist, Tom Evans, played on each other.  By the time we were finished eating you would have sworn we were old friends.

When I looked down at my watch I saw that nearly an hour had passed.  “I really hate to eat and run...”

“And stick us with the bill,” Mal joked.

“I need to get back to work.”

“It’s all right.  I’m the boss.”

“Mal!  That’s very sweet of you, but I was out for nearly two hours yesterday with Mary Hopkin.  Neil probably thinks all I like to do is go out to eat.”

“I hardly think so,” he signaled to the waitress.  “We’ll get out of here soon enough.  Can’t let you walk back to work alone, now can we Pete?”

“We wouldn’t be true gentlemen if we didn’t.”

“After the stories you two have been telling me, you expect me to believe that you’re gentlemen?”

“Hey, who’s buying you lunch?” asked Mal.

“So that’s what qualifies you as a gentleman?” I asked.

“Need I remind you that I fixed you tea and dried your tears when you got fired from your last job?”

“Well, you have now.  Thank you very much, Mr. Evans.  I guess you are a gentleman.”

“What about me?” Pete asked innocently.

“I don’t know about you yet,” I teased.

“Well then, give me a chance.  What are you doing tonight?”

“Well, I don’t have my date book with  me, so I can’t be 100% certain.  But I do believe I’m doing…absolutely nothing.  Why?”  

“How about dinner and a movie?”

“You’re kidding right?  We just met.”

“Hey,” Mal said poking me in the ribs, “He’s offering you a free meal.  When a starving artists offers you a free meal, you take it.”

“Are you a starving artist?” I asked.  “Because if you are, then I’d feel really guilty saying yes, but equally as guilty about saying no.”

“I’m not quite starving,” he replied.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course he’s sure!” Mal boomed out again,  putting some money in the waitress’s hand without even looking at the bill.  “What time are you going to pick her up, son?”

“How about seven?”

“Seven would be fine,” I replied.  “Now come on, you handsome men.  Walk me back to the office before I get fired.”  

I spent the rest of the afternoon working with Neil on various projects. Alistair was also in need of some extra help, so I was in and out of his office too.  I liked keeping busy and doing whatever needed to be done.  I was also getting a feel for all of the various artists that Apple was handling.  Around five thirty Neil called me into his office and  told me that I should call it a day.  He reached into his desk and pulled out some money and gave it to me.

“Your unofficial first paycheck.  You’ll need something to get you through the weekend.  Monday I’ll take you over to the bank and get you set up with an account.  Will you be all right by yourself here over the weekend?”

“I’ll be fine,” I assured him.  “It’ll give me time to explore.”

“All right then. I know you have a hot date tonight, so why don’t you run upstairs and get changed.”

I rolled my eyes.  “I’d hardly call it a hot date.  I barely know Pete.  But he seems nice enough.”

“And talented.  The Iveys could go far.  If only we could come up with a better name than that.”

“What’s wrong with the Iveys?”

“It’s just too...I dunno...it’s too cutesy.”

“Well, I like it.”

“There’s no accounting for taste.  I’ll see you on Monday morning.  John and Yoko are supposed to come by and discuss the album.  I’ll need you on my side for that one.”

“I don’t know if I can face John Lennon now that I’ve seen him naked.”

“Just imagine what the fans will think.”  He grabbed his coat.  “Have a good time tonight, Andrea.”

“Thanks, Neil.  You have a good weekend too.”

***

I started unpacking things once I got upstairs.  Things were looking better and I didn’t think anyone was going to throw me out.    It also gave me a chance to evaluate my wardrobe and try to decide what to wear that evening.  I really didn’t have all that much.  I looked at the money that Neil had given me.  I wasn’t that familiar with the currency and wondered if I had enough to buy groceries and a new outfit or two.  I could always take the money I had brought with me, $250, which included the $100 my mother had given me, and get it changed.  But I thought it might be best if I did that on Monday when I was with Neil at the bank.  In the meantime, I decided on the white sweater I wore last night and a blue skirt.  It wasn’t quite a mini, but it would have to do.  I put it aside and continued hanging up skirts and blouses.

When the phone rang, I nearly jumped out of my skin.  I didn’t even know it worked.  Who would have my number?  My mother didn’t even have it!  Which reminded me that I had yet to call her to tell her I was all right.  What kind of daughter was I?

The phone rang again and I hesitantly picked it up.  

“Hello?  Is this Andrea?” said a brisk British voice.

It wasn’t my mother, but I didn’t know any other woman who would call me.  “Yes,” I said hesitantly.

“This is Patti Harrison.  George’s wife.  He asked me to give you a call.  Said you were interested in meditation.”

“Oh, yes!  Actually, George suggested it.  He said it might help me de-stress.”

“Life with the Beatles can be very stressful.  Meditation could definitely help.  If you’re free tomorrow, I could come by and go over some of the basics with you.  If you really get into it, I can suggest some classes you might like to take.”

“That would be wonderful.  Would you mind if I asked you another favor?”

“What’s on your mind?”

“I know we don’t really know each other, but I do know that you have impeccable fashion sense from the photos I’ve seen.  My wardrobe is sadly lacking.  I don’t have much money, but I was wondering...”

“Say no more.  I guess George didn’t mention that I am a shop-a-holic.  I just love finding a good bargain.  We’ll do that first.  Is ten too early?”

“No that’s fine.  I guess you know your way.”

“I think I can find it.  We’ll have tons of fun.  I haven’t had a girls’ day out in a long time.  You have a good evening, Andrea and I’ll see you at ten tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Patti.  I’ll see you then.”  I hung up the phone, relieved that I had made another friend.  Or at least had someone who was willing to take me shopping around London. 

It was nearly seven, so I did a quick freshening of my make up and went downstairs.  I didn’t know if Pete knew that I lived at Apple or not.  I figured I would make it easy for him. Just as I was coming down the stairs, the door opened and in came Pete.

“Perfect timing,” I said.

“I aim to please.  You really should keep that door locked, you know.  You’re here on your own.”

“I think the last person out is supposed to lock it. But I’ll make sure it’s locked when we go out.”

“If you’re ready we can go now.”

“I’m ready.”

Pete’s car was parked right out front.  Even in the fading light I could tell it wasn’t in the best shape.  He proved to be a complete gentleman, opening the car door for me and making sure I was comfortably seated before closing it.  He got in and started it up, without too much trouble.

We drove to a restaurant not too far away.  He hadn’t had a chance to make a reservation, so we had a drink at the bar before being seated.  It was relatively quiet for a Friday evening, so the two of us had a chance to talk a bit.

“So, how you do you like England so far?” he asked, making polite conversation.

“Haven’t seen all that much of it yet,” I confessed.  “This is only my second day here. Trying to keep busy at Apple.  I suppose you’ve heard how I got the job.”

“Mal mentioned something about it.  And I’ve seen your name in the papers.”

I rolled my eyes.  “I never would have thought...so how much is Mal paying you to take me out tonight?”

“Andrea!”  But he had a guilty look on his face.

“So he’s not paying you, but maybe he made a gentle suggestion that you ask the new girl out?  You’re a good-looking guy Pete, you must already have a girlfriend.  What’s she think of all this?

“I don’t really...her name’s Beverly, but...some day I’d like to marry her, but it doesn’t mean that...what I want to say is that...  Bill, our manager, thinks women are a distraction.  He wants us working on our music.  Writing songs. Of course that has caused some problems, especially with Ron.  He got married in June and there’s a baby.  It’s causing a lot of problems in the house.  Not that it’s Ron’s fault.  Tommy makes a lot of trouble for him and I have to wonder...”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

“Mal did not pay me.”

“But...” I prompted.

“He talked about you on the way over to Apple.  Said that you were a really nice girl and told me about how you’d ended up here.  And how people hadn’t been very nice to you.  He said that he thought you and I would get along.  And we are getting along, aren’t we?”

“So far so good.  I do appreciate your company Pete, but I don’t want you to feel like you have to go out with me or even be nice to me because of what Mal says.”

“I think our table is ready,” he said, standing.  “I didn’t ask you out to dinner because of Mal.  I asked you out because I like you.  I liked talking to you this afternoon.  I thought we might be friends.”

“I’d like that,” I said, taking his arm and going into the dining room.  “If I came across too strong, I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize.  Let’s just be friends.”

“Sounds good to me,” I said sitting down at the table.

Over dinner that night we did become fast friends.  He talked about the band and his music.  I told my version of life’s events that had brought me here.  He had always dreamed of having his music heard.  I’d always dreamed of having my books read.  Before we knew it, it was nearly ten and we had missed the movie.  Neither of us minded that much.

We drove back to Apple and Pete came up to my flat where we talked for several hours.  By midnight my eyes were growing heavy and Pete, seeing that, got up to go.

“If I didn’t say so before, I’d like to thank you for dinner.  I had a wonderful time.”

“You said so at least three times before, Andrea.  I had a wonderful time too.  Mal was right.”

“Yes, Mal was right.  But I don’t expect to see you here again on a Friday night unless you’re with Beverly.  If she’s the woman you really want to marry some day, you’d better treat her right.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, giving me a kiss on the cheek.  “Maybe the next time I see you, you’ll be on a hot date with Paul.”  

Go Read Part Three!