Miss Americana // The Beatles

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

July 25, 1961

Paul had been home from Hamburg for about a month now. Their stint this time had been shorter. We hadn't really spoken, and part of me hated that. Apologizing for the way I talked to Paul before he left for Germany was on my list of things to do. The truth is, I just wanted to know the real reason John wouldn't come say anything to me. No apologies, no sign of him anywhere.

"Are you sure you don't want to see the Beatles at the Cavern tonight?" Maureen asked me for what seemed like millionth time, pulling me out of my thoughts as we walked down the street.

We had met for lunch at a café close to my house. Maureen and I had become pretty good friends over the last few months, but I still wasn't comfortable telling her about my past. She was younger than me, and not that I think she wouldn't understand, I didn't want to scar her thoughts about love.

"No, I think I'm just going to go home," I told her, "but you have fun."

We said goodbye to each other, and I began the short walk to my house. I thought about Stuart. I hadn't heard from him since the end of last month when he sent me a letter. I guessed he had stayed in Hamburg a little longer to be with Astrid.

When I got closer to my house, I noticed a figure of a man leaning against the brick fencing facing the house. His back was to me. I felt my palms start to get sweaty. If it was John, I wasn't sure what I would do. It had been so long since I had spoken to him that I didn't know what to say. I walked slowly up the gate and sighed loudly as I was face to face with Stu, something was different about him.

"Stu, you scared me to death," I said, "Your hair?"

Stu brought me into a tight hug, "Do you like it? John laughed when he first saw it."

I pulled back from him, keeping my hands on his upper arms as I got a second look at his new hairstyle. It was long and pushed down in the front to meet his eyebrows. I had never seen a haircut like it, except on Klaus of course, "It looks nice on you."

"You really think so?"

"Yes, you look quite handsome," I told him as I brushed through his soft hair with my fingers.

He looked deeply into my eyes, and I looked away before it got too romantic feeling. He placed his finger under my chin and leaned down to kiss me sweetly.

He brought me into a hug again, "I missed you so much, Sasha."

I got scared again for a moment by the way he was talking, "You're still with Astrid right?"

He chuckled into my neck, "Yes, and I love her. She's the one that gave me this haircut."

I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent as his arms wrapped even tighter around me. He always knew when I needed a big hug. Stu had a sweet, compassionate, and understanding side that went to a level that I had never seen with John. At my brain's mention of John, as if on cue, he turned the corner in the distance and began walking down the sidewalk headed for the house. I guessed he was coming to get Paul for the gig at the Cavern. He stopped a little ways down the street when he noticed me hugging Stu tight on my front porch. For the first time in the plain daylight, my eyes locked with his. His stare was hard and jealous.

I looked away and released myself from the hug, "Come on, Stu. We have to go inside."

Stu looked confused and followed me inside. I slammed the front door behind him and began to pace in front of him. I brought my hand to my forehead in disbelief. I couldn't believe that John had just made eye contact with me.