The Arch of Love ~ Paul McCartney

23. Wherever I go

Notting Hill, 18 June '67, 10:47 PM

I didn't think of him, tried my best to push him out of my daily life, but I couldn't help to be reminded of Paul with everything I did. When I was making a cuppa, I was reminded at how Paul drank his tea; a splash of milk and two spoons of sugar, not stirred enough to fully dissolve the sugar. When I caught a whiff of cigarette smoke (which was almost all the time), I remembered how he would light a cig after sex. The long drags he would take, almost always offering me one as well.

There were memories all the time. We had had many times together, some better than others, but they were all coming back to me. The one that kept coming back, however, was the night what had started it all. The night when we agreed to keep it quiet, but to do it anyways.

And that was the memory I was thinking about tonight, while I lay in bed, on top of the blankets, because it was too warm to sleep under them. I stared in the direction of my window. Because the curtains were drawn open and it was a clear night, I could just about make out some stars. Stars always seemed to give me some clarity, but tonight they just took me back to the start.

Liverpool, 12 October '61, 5.20 PM

I hadn't heard anything from Paul since that night two weeks ago, when we had sex. Jackie and Brenda had asked me about my time with Paul, the day after, but I hadn't told them anything. Now I was happy I hadn't. Apparently, I was a fool once again; sleeping with a guy that disappeared the day after.

Paul hadn't promised me anything. All he had said, was that he would be in Spain with John and would meet me on Wednesday after. Only I didn't know when he would be back in rainy Liverpool. Last Wednesday I had waited out my time in the Cavern, waiting for Paul to come or Marty to finish working. It turned out to be the latter as Paul never showed up. He wasn't there on Friday either, so I had to assume he wasn't home yet.

I didn't expect anything anymore. He probably wasn't going to come today; was going to stay far away from the Cavern Club just to get away from me.

This was why it surprised me so much when he suddenly showed up next to me at the cola bar. I was sitting on my trusty barstool at the corner of the bar, reading a book and listening to the band with half an ear. I didn't quite catch their name, but it was something to do with a hurricane; there weren't half too bad.

'Well, well, well. If it isn't Archie Murray,' he said as he took a sip of my cola.

'Hey!' I protested, yanking it back to me, but managing to spill half of the brown, sticky liquid over my blouse. Nice. 'Paul, hi, you're back!'

I took a good look at him. He looked virtually the same, except for the hair, which was lying flat on his head, instead of in its usual quiff. I had never seen anyone wear their hair like that and wasn't sure about it, to be honest.

He grinned. 'Told ye, didn't I? Been back since Sunday, but I didn't know how to tell you, so I had to wait. Surprise,' he joked and he opened his arms.

'It's great to see ya,' I answered, also grinning. Because it was great to see him. Part of me hadn't expected to see him ever again after our rendezvous in the backroom and with the days passing that part had grown. I had almost given up, but here he was, proving my doubts wrong.

'Same. Here, let me have another sip; I'm parched!' And with that he took my cola and actually finished it!

'Stop that!' I protested. 'That was my only free drink of the night!' I tried to elbow him in the stomach to stop him, but he caught it.

'Careful with that one, love. I think I still have a bruise from the last time I came in contact with those elbows of yours,' he hinted, a boyish grin flashed on his face. He let go of my elbow, but managed to catch my hand in the meantime.