But I'll Be Back Again

Chapter 25: "Where words leave off, music begins."

"We should play the songs we'll have to play for the St Valentines gig." George suggested, "I don't know if I remember the chords correctly, we need practice," as he adjusted his jacket. It was getting cold before the crowd arrived to heat the place.

"Sure,"  Paul simply said, concentrating on his bass solo,

George looked at him suspiciously, "Just a sure? Not a c'mon Georgie we know that already," he tried to imitate his grave voice he tended to have.

But his friend didn't answer, he was pensive that night, Paul tended to get lost in his thoughts, and if he was playing something, it was even more difficult to pay attention to what was being said to him. He was trying to find a reason, why his need of accompanying his friend Ella to her presentation, made him feel guilty, as a cheater.

His bandmates were already on another topic, as they saw another band enter the back room where they were, before hitting the stage.

That's when he suggested to John, "Why don't you accompany me to Ella's graduation thingy?  It's today after our show."

John was talking to another musician, he simply looked at him quick and nodded a big NO, "Are you going?" He turned to see him again, asking sharply.

Paul's eyes darted to his bass, trying to avoid his friend, "Yeah," he said in almost a murmur, "Yeah," he repeated, "I mean of course, she told me no one has accepted her invitation, not even her dear cousin John," he said all that without looking at him,

He sat in front of him, taking his bass off his hands, and shook his forefinger at him, "Don't Paul." He then sighed, and a defeated tone he simply asked, "Is there a reason why you want to go to Ella's school thing?"

Trying to appear indifferent he responded, " Told ya... poor lass, no one's going to see her presentation, I don't want her to feel alone."

"That's sweet," Pete said, but stopped there when John looked at him suggesting him to shut up.

The door opened, it was the manager of the pub telling them to hurry up and to get set, behind him, Cleo entered and in an eager embrace, wished Paul good luck. "I'll be on a table at the front, this time I promise to stay during the whole show," she said pointing at his bandmates with an open palm.

Once she left, Pete asked him if she knew about his plan after their performance,

"I will tell her," he said trying to collect all his scattered thoughts as he wrangled his hands , he dared to look at John, who was clearly annoyed, and decided not to say another word.

She stayed during the whole presentation as she had promised, never  had her character been more apparent, but Paul was too pensive to see it, she had listened through the door, which wasn't completely closed; about his plan, but she had already a plan in mind.

Once they had finished, and he had his bass on his case, he went out, thinking his girlfriend had left, he tried to hurry to the exit, as he walked out the door he spotted her just in front of the pub, with such a sweet smile that looked fake.

As he crossed the street, he thought on how to explain that he was going to go to be a support for Ella, Paul even thought on asking her to come with him, but she had other suggestion before he could express his.

"I have to ask you something," she said holding his hand, "it may seem very sudden— even stupid of me—but you see... I think you should come with me to the doctor."

He felt instant and sharp worry for her, "Are you ill?" His eyes even watered,

It was alleviating for him to hear her say that she wasn't, then she said, "I felt this pain on my lower stomach, and then I remembered, my period hasn't come," she bit her upper lip to hide a smile.