(April, 1964. New York, NY.)
After the whole nightclub incident, I had tried to lay as low as possible. I returned to focusing primarily on my job (how shocking and unthinkable!) and saw less of the Beatles. I kept in touch, of course; we wrote letters and occasionally called each other on the phone. They were busy recording and filming their new movie.
The media had lambasted me as the girl who was trying to split up Paul and Jane, the girl who had masquaraded as a friend of the boys only to get one to sleep with her. Both (and all of the other theories) were so far from the truth it was unbelievable. From what Paul had been telling me, though, his relationship with Jane wasn't going all that great anyway. The press about him and I didn't help things.
I returned to writing about fashion and working on my photography. Marian was set to visit me on the weekend; she mentioned something about an in-service day where she didn't have to go to the school where she was teaching- or something like that.
Presently, I was sitting in a cafe God know's where. I had left the office early since Cass, my boss, was irritating me so much and had just hopped in the nearest cab and asked where the best coffee was. That was a vague description in New York, but I guess I was trusting a stranger/cabby. I sat down at the nearest window spot and began reading some of the notes Cass had written on the draft of my article and photo spread.
"Haney? Eva Haney?"
I looked up. This sometimes happened since people recognized me so well from being seen with the Beatles and being one of the top photographers at Vogue.
"Wow, you look...great! It's been a year or so, hasn't it?"
"Danny?" I said, a smile spreading across my face.
"What, didn't recognize your old pal from Pittsburgh?"
"Not with that outfit, I didn't!" I jumped up and hugged Danny Love.
"I'm trying to look hip," he smiled, "you know, on trend with all those Californians."
"Sit down," I motioned. "Wow, it's so weird to think I haven't actually seen you in so long! I mean, the phone calls and- what are you doing in New York?"
"Oh, usual business," Danny shrugged. "Really, Marian gave me a call last week and said she'd be in visiting you. I figured I might as well see you both."
"That's great!"
"Plus, I wanted to see how my new apartment is looking," Danny said, smirking.
"You have two homes, now?" I asked.
"Perks of being a record executive," Danny said. "Speaking of which, the apartment should be finished by the time Marian's here. I was thinking of throwing a house warming party? You free?"
"Of course! I'm not up to much these days beside work," I said. "You're going to throw a party like you used to do in Pittsburgh?"
"You bet," Danny smiled. He looked older compared to when I'd last seen him. His hair was a little longer; perhaps he had hopped on the Beatle-mop trend. He was also very well dressed, clean-cut, sharp- all those adjectives. Danny cleared his throat.
"How are those famous friends you talk about so much?" Danny said, not looking me in the eye.
"The Beatles?"
"Who else?" Danny laughed.
"Oh, they're good. I haven't seen them since they went back to England in March to start their movie. But they're good."
"I, uh," Danny cleared his throat again, "heard some rumors about you and a certain Brit, and-"
"-they're not true," I finished, slightly embarrassed. Danny's face lit up.
"Oh?"
"Hmm. Just rumors, and misunderstandings."
Danny nodded and there was a pause while a waitress came over and asked for his order. When she was gone, he fidgeted with his hands. I'd never seen him act like this before.
"What about you, Daniel? Any updates in your life?" I asked. He shrugged, and smiled and rolled his eyes simultaneously.
"You haven't read the scandal sheets?"
I shook my head.
"Well, I wasn't entirely honest when I said my only reason for coming to New York was business and a visit with you and Marian," he began. "Last month, my girlfriend and I...things didn't end well. She said that she needed some time to see other people, and that God needed to bring the right guy to her...I dunno."
He paused, and looked out the window. I quickly grabbed my camera (I had one on me at all times) and snapped a photo of him. He half-smiled. I didn't really know what to say to all that about his girlfriend, so I just looked at my camera and waited for him to speak again.
"But it's good to know you're doing well," Danny continued, "and you look great."
"Thanks, you too."
"Anyway, enough about me...I need to get going anyway. I'll give you a call about the party."
"Sure. Good seeing you, Danny." I got up to give him a hug.
(June, 1997. Paris.)
"I guess this is where we come back to Danny," I said. Wes and some of the crew laughed. "He came to New York after a split with his girlfriend at the time, Carrie Newton, and sort of reconnected with me and some of our old friends. I hadn't seen any of the Beatles since they'd gone back to the U.K. to make A Hard Day's Night..."
(April, 1964. New York, NY.)
"Eva, glad you could come!" Danny grinned as he opened the door to his apartment- or should I say penthouse?
Marian and I exchanged a glance- Danny had certainly upgraded from the small home in Pittsburgh over the years.
"What about me?" Marian said, feigning annoyance. Danny jokingly rolled his eyes and then pulled her in for a hug.
"Come in," he said, leading us into a crowded room. Somewhere, the sounds of "Walk Like a Man" were being blasted throughout the place. Everyone was either nodding along tor they were too drunk to notice or care.
Danny left Marian and I to talk to someone from the record business, which left the two of us without drinks (we were quickly handed two beers).
"Danny seemed excited to see you," Marian said, smirking.
"Oh, come on, we just haven't seen him in so long."
"That's right, you were busy with those British boys," Marian teased. "You really have it made, you know? Everybody wants to meet those guys."
"It's not like that," I laughed. "They are pretty cool, though."
"Oh, I know, I've read all your articles...and the scandal sheets. What happened with McCartney?"
Marian was smirking like a middle-school girl trying to get all the details about the latest gossip. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help smiling a little bit.
"I told you, it's not like that! We're just good friends- that picture didn't mean anything."
"I think it did to Danny, though," said Marian.
"What, no!"
"What, yes! He's been staring at you for the past five minutes from across the room. Looks like someone's got a crush."
"C'mon, that's..."
I trailed off as I looked across the room and saw Danny. There he was. Sure enough, he was looking over at Marian and I, and when he saw me looking, he waved excitedly.
Was Marian right? Did this boy that we'd grown up with really have a crush on me? The boy that all the girls in the neighborhood wanted to go out with? Me, of all people?
After the party, I didn't know how to feel about Danny. I mean, I was surprised that there was a chance he felt that way about me, but simultaneously, I wasn't too shocked. It seemed natural. After all, we'd been friends for so long...but how did I feel? I felt like I didn't know what to do. Of course I liked Danny, we were friends. And I guess I was flattered that of all the other girls, he picked me.
Wait- but this was just all speculation. There was no confirmation that Danny felt that way, I was just taking Marian's musings a few steps farther.
I decided to forget the whole thing unless Danny himself confirmed how he felt.
It was now the end of July. In my mind, things were still fine with Danny, even though Marian insisted he still had a crush on me. She said that since a few months had passed, his feeling had probably only grown stronger- but I didn't know if I wanted to hear that. Meanwhile, George had called me and told me that their film was set to be released in a week or so. He said that he wanted to see me in New York at the premiere, and of course I agreed. I'd be there anyway, covering the story.
As soon as I'd gotten off the phone with George, the phone rang again.
"Eva, are you busy tonight?" Danny asked.
"No...you throwing another party?"
"No...I need a break from that stuff. I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk, get some fresh air? Like we used to do in Oakland."
"Sure," I said, feeling a little wary internally. Where was he going with this?
"Great! I'll meet you in an hour."
An hour passed by too quickly- I needed more time to mentally prepare. I did have enough time, though, to call Marian and tell her what was going on. She, of course, was excited, and tried to calm me down. All I wanted to do was vent to someone that wasn't excited about this situation, and would just talk about it with me logically. George would've been the perfect person...
As Danny and I walked around Central Park, I tried to keep calm and act naturally. Danny seemed to be fine, nothing out of the ordinary.
"Anything new with you lately?" Danny asked.
"Well, not really," I laughed. "Oh! I guess I'm going to a movie premiere in August."
"What movie?"
"It's the American premiere of the Beatles movie," I said. "I was going to cover it anyway, but then George called..."
I stopped talking when I noticed Danny's expression.
"What?"
"I guess you're pretty good friends with them, huh?"
"Yeah," I nodded, "but that doesn't mean you're not my friend."
"Hmm."
"Well, would you like to come to the premiere? It'd be nice to have some friends from home there," I said after a pause.
"Sure!" Danny's face lit up, and then fell again.
Another pause. I immediately started feeling anxious.
"Eva," Danny began, "can I ask you something?"
I nodded.
"When we were kids, and all the girls in the neighborhood were after me- I don't mean to sound cocky, but it was obvious- you never acted that way. Er, you never seemed like you wanted to be...with me like that. I...I guess I always wondered why..."
"Uh, I dunno. I guess I wasn't like those other girls, all giggly and silly. It's not that I didn't like you, I just never saw you like that," I stammered, not really making sense.
"Oh."
"It's not that you're not attractive or something, you are. I'm just...I don't know, we're friends."
"Marian always told me that she thought we'd be good together, y'know," Danny added.
Damn it, Marian. Why?!
"Oh...well, you know Marian....She's been trying to get me a boyfriend for years," I said, trying to make a joke. Danny didn't laugh.
Danny stopped walking.
"Eva, I'm leaving New York tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Business...I need to go back to California to sign a deal about a merger. I wanted you to know."
"Oh...Well, I'll miss you. We'll have to do something when you come back here..."
"Eva, you don't get it," Danny said. I could feel my face getting hot. "I'm leaving tomorrow, I've been in New York for months...I wanted to see you when I got back, just for old times' sake. But what I saw you that day in the cafe, I don't know, I-"
"Danny-"
"No, listen- I saw you that day and it was like I'd never seen you before. I'd gotten out of this relationship with Carrie, and thought I couldn't be happy for a while. And then I see you, and it was so- it was such a relief. And since I've stayed in New York I've just wanted to spend time with you. We-"
"Danny, I'm flattered, but just because you and Carrie are broken up- you just feel this way because your other relationship is over and you're upset," I interrupted.
"No, I'm not!" Danny said forcefully. "Eva, I want-"
"Danny, you're not listening to me, I just don't think this is the right time to talk about this. You're leaving tomorrow, you're not that long out of a relationship, maybe we just need to think about things, ok?"
"Eva-"
"Danny, I'm so sorry, I just need to think about all of this...I don't mean to hurt you, I just need to process it, ok?"
"I guess," Danny said, his face expressionless. He started walking again.
"Wait, Danny-" I began, trying to catch up with him. I reached out and grabbed his arm, and he spun around.
He kissed me, and held me tight.