But I'll Be Back Again

Chapter 15: Kiss Off, Will You?

Brian Epstein took them to a photo session; the photographer was a friend of the Epstein family , this time they decided to convince him to let them use leather jackets. That week Ella had to help with some of the Beatles' mass-advertisement, he had grand ideas for his band and for the moment she was the only help he had. She went to get some flyers he had sent to print with their recent photographs, it was just a couple of streets away, she picked the 200 flyers. Once outside she decided to take a look at one, she saw it and a smile appeared on her face, they looked rad and cool, she put it back, but first she stole one, and as she was crossing the street she saw in a cafe, Paul and Cleo romantically immersed in a conversation, she tried not to look, but at the last glance she gave at the couple she saw a quick but romantic kiss. Her chest hurt again, but this time she didn't feel pity for herself, she scolded herself and moved on with her errand.

That same day, she had a lot of work, and spent the afternoon making calls, her boss was working really hard to get more people interested in his band, he even got the number of a radio station. At 7 pm they decided to continue the work for another day, as he closed the store he thanked her and said, "maybe if we continue to have more devoirs to do, later on I'll have to get another secretary," he smiled a little to himself. The man loved what he was doing and she saw that, "Miss. Marroco do you want me to drive you home?- oh I see that McCartney is waiting," he said, waving his hand to Paul who was standing by a van. "great! Because it looks like it's going to rain." He said goodnight and went to his car.

She sighed, and with a grin on her lips she approached to him, "this is not Pete's van, right?"

"No, I'm helping a neighbor with some errands," he went to open the door for her, and she entered. Once he was inside the car he continued, "he broke his left wrist the poor bloke, and cannot drive so this week I'm delivering his soaps, his hand-made soaps, to the stores." He started the van.

His neighbors' van was a very old Morris van, she noticed that lots of items were on the floor, some old packages of his soaps and of cigarettes, tape, and even some unopened candies.

"That's nice of you," she tried not to appear so quiet, he was her friend, right? She had to think that, it wasn't as if he had changed by dating that woman, "I went to apologise to Ricky as you said."

"The bad old Rick? I told you not to listen to me," he glanced quickly at her, he wasn't the best at driving, and not having a license meant he had to drive as perfect as he could, "what did he say?"

"Nothing much, I intended to return the necklace he gave me," she said, while still holding it, "he said that I deserved to have it, then he explained that he had gifted that exact necklace to at least two other girls, and they had either returned it smashed and in pieces, or completely burnt," she made him laugh.

"Are you friends now?" He straightened when he asked.

"I hope so," she said quietly, "Oh look at this," knowing that they were at a red light, she took a flayer she had stolen, from her bag.

He turned to look at it, "My face looks strange," he said and went on driving, he tried to go slower since the rain had started to pour, "what a deluge,"

"Are those the soaps," she said turning to the back, the smell of vanilla was quite potent.

"Yes, I arrived late at a shop and it was closed, I have to go tomorrow," he explained, he parked just outside of John's house, "You better wait here until the rain stops a little,"

She turned again to the back, hoping to find a big empty box to use as an umbrella, she knew if she stayed she had to continue to pretend that she wasn't hurt and jealous, "Is that empty? Oh no Paul there's a leak, a hole on the roof, the soaps!" She noticed and quickly grabbed the gaffer tape on the floor and went to the back to cover it.