(August, 1964. New York, NY.)
I'd decided to meet the boys at the hotel. The Beatles were in town for the premiere of their first movie, 'A Hard Day's Night'. I was waiting for them to get dressed; as I sat in the living room of their penthouse listening to the radio, I was trying to keep my mind off of Danny.
I'd been trying not to think about that whole incident since it had happened. I'd tried calling Danny, but he wasn't answering. Marian told me he was still coming to the movie premiere, and that they were sharing a cab.
We were supposed to meet in the lobby of the hotel and then all go to the premiere together, all seven of us. I wasn't sure of how things were going to go over, since Danny was...since the incident. I figured Marian would be fine, maybe a little starstruck. And as for the Beatles...well, there was no telling how they'd act, in terms of goofing off.
Suddenly, the radio started playing 'Where Did Our Love Go' by the Supremes. I started tapping my foot. I found that kind of dancing to the song was getting my mind off of Danny. Soon the dancing moved up through my feet to my legs, then my arms, until finally I was full-on dancing around the room. I kicked off my shoes and the dancing escalated. I hopped up onto the couch and then jumped down, starting to sing along. The song ended, and then 'Rag Doll' by the Four Seasons came on. This dancing was more swaying and nodding along, since the song wasn't as dance-y. I just kept dancing anyway, and spun around in a circle during the chorus.
In the middle of the spin, I felt hands on my waist and someone singing along. When my eyes focused post-spin, I laughed, seeing that it was Paul.
" 'Rag doll, such a rag doll, though I love her so, I can't let her go'," Paul sang along. When the song slowed to just the 'ooh's' and the drums, Paul stopped and jokingly shook his hips like Elvis.
I laughed, and we continued to dance.
"Hey, when do I get a turn?" John said. I turned to see him leaning up against the wall, arms crossed.
"Next song!" I said.
"I was here first!" Paul said, sticking out his tongue.
"Boys, don't fight over me, please," I joked. John came over and shoved Paul away, and twirled me around before dipping me down. 'I Get Around' by the Beach Boys came on. John and I then danced, except he was dancing so goofily that I couldn't stop laughing.
Soon, George and Ringo appeared, all taking turns dancing with me. Of course, Brian ruined the fun by telling us that we had to get in the cab to go to the theater.
" 'I get around, from town to town, I'm a real cool kid'," George sang to himself as we waited for the elevator.
"Sure you do, Georgie," John joked. "You get around!"
"That'd be Paul," George smirked.
"Hey!"
"Boys, settle down," Brian said. "You're meeting Eva's friends, remember? Play nice."
"I always play nice on the schoolyard," Ringo interjected, pretending to punch Paul.
I didn't say much, I was so nervous about the Danny situation. I didn't know how everyone would get along...
The elevator doors opened to an empty hotel lobby, with the exception of Marian and Danny. Marian ran up to me and hugged me. Danny grinned broadly...this seemed odd, considering how we'd left things.
"I feel like such a movie star!" Marian gushed. "My first premiere!"
"Oy, same for us!" Ringo smiled.
"Marian, these are the Beatles," I said, drawing Marian into the circle. "John, Paul, George, and Ringo, this is Marian, we go way back."
As they all greeted Marian, I turned my attention to Danny.
"Glad you could come," I blurted, not sure of what else to say.
"Agreed," he said, putting an arm around me in a side-hug. "You look great."
"Thanks," I said, blushing a little.
"And this must be Daniel!" John said, shaking hands with Danny. "John."
"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you guys- all good things, I promise," Danny said. He kept his arm around me. John noticed this too, and we exchanged a quick glance. John smirked, but thankfully said nothing.
"She leaves out all the dirty things," John said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes. Danny laughed. At that moment, Paul came over and introduced himself to Danny while Ringo and George talked to Marian.
"Paul McCartney," he said. "Heard you and Haney here go back to grammar school?"
"That's right," Danny said. Instantly, he pulled me a little closer. I starting feeling uncomfortable, and when Paul noticed this, he cleared his throat and looked between Danny and I.
"Well, I think Eppy said the cars are 'ere. Eva, wanna head out?"
"Sure," I said, maybe a little too quickly. I was just relieved to get away from Danny. Why was he acting this way, why was he so different? Was he high or something?
Paul and I headed out to the cars, and quickly hopped in once we saw reporters heading our way. George got in right behind us, followed by Marian and John. Ringo, Brian, and Danny were the last to get in the car.
"You alright?" George asked quietly. I was sitting between him and Paul. Had everyone noticed my uncomfortableness?
"I think," I said, "let's just forget about it...We'll talk later."
Paul and George exchanged a glance, but then changed the topic.
After what felt like an agonizing amount of time, we finally arrived at the theater. The whole ride, Danny was seemingly having a good time with the boys and Marian; he seemed normal but I sensed something was off. I'm sure Marian sensed it, too.
Brian instructed us that the boys were to get out first, and then Danny, Marian and I would follow. As we approached the theater, I noticed the flashing cameras and screaming crowds. I wasn't completely used to it, but it wasn't too foreign to me. Danny kind of knew what this was like, too, since he was often at press releases and things to do with album releases (since he was a producer). Marian, on the other hand, looked like she was just told to give an hour-long presentation in Mandarin to the President of the United States or else.
"It'll be fine," John said, patting her hand before he leapt out of the cab.
"Sure," Marian nodded, trying to reassure herself. I smiled at her, grabbed her hand, and stepped out of the cab.
(June, 1997. Paris.)
"This is from the premiere?" Wes asked, handing me another photograph.
"Hmm," I said, nodding.
The photo he was showing me now was one that must've been taken as soon as I stepped out of the cab. I was wearing a black shift dress with some large jewelry, and my dark hair was all down. Marian was a step or so behind me in a yellow or gold dress, and then Danny was right beside me in his suit, grinning broadly and waving to the crowd. You couldn't tell any of the colors, of course; the photo was black and white. But one thing I noticed immediately was that Danny was holding my hand.
"So...things were complicated?" Wes asked, smiling slightly. I sighed, taking the photo from him.
"Yeah," I said, "but weren't they for everyone?"
"Sure, especially when you take this into account," Wes said, handing me a few more photos.
The first was of me and George dancing (clearly having a great time, perhaps due to too many drinks?), the second was of Ringo, John, Marian, and I, but I'm not really sure what we were trying to do. It looked like we were trying to make a human pyramid, or something like that. Another picture of George and I, this one candid. We were sitting in a booth, both of us smoking, and deeply invested in some conversation. The final photo was of Ringo, George, and I smiling for the camera. George had his arm around my waist, and Ringo had his right arm around me. In the background, Paul and Danny were deep in conversation. Marian was nowhere to be seen.
"What's complicated? Sure, maybe we had a few too many drinks," I said, and the crew laughed, "but I don't get it. We're just having fun."
"An arm around your waist? Holding hands?" Wes said, trailing off.
"We're friends."
"Oh? Isn't it correct that you and Danny Love dated for a while in the late sixties?"
I paused. I didn't want to answer this one.
"Well, yes," I said, faltering.
"Did you ever read the letter George wrote to you, but was never mailed?"
What?
"No," I said, "I'm sure it was just a 'hi, how are you?' letter."
"Hm, not exactly," Wes said, leaning back in his seat. "When we say 'complicated', well- there's a lot of documentation, or at least speculation, about the romantic interests that members of the Beatles had for you, and perhaps vice versa. We're trying to confirm that."
"Well, as you said, I dated Danny at one point. I never dated any of the Beatles."
"Yes, but is it possible that the rumors carry some weight?"
(August, 1964. New York, NY.)
The room was packed at the after-party for the premiere. We were at the hotel where the boys and I were staying in some ritzy party room. All around the perimeter of the room were tables and booths with velvet seats. Of course, music was playing- occasionally, a song from the movie's soundtrack would come on, but mostly, it was just the usual hits.
I was sitting in the booth with Marian, and let's just say that we were a few drinks in and were feeling pretty good. John and Paul were somewhere on the dancefloor, and I didn't know where Danny'd gone off to. That left George, Ringo, Marian, and I all in the booth- drinking.
"There we are!" Ringo grinned as the next round of drinks was brought over. Marian clapped and laughed.
"Who first?" Marian smiled. I raised my hand, grinning, and reached for the first glass. I couldn't even tell you what we were drinking at this point. My arms were sort of numb, and it felt like all of my extremities were heavier than normal.
"I'll drink you under the table, Haney," Ringo slurred.
"No way, Starkey," I said, trying to down my drink in one gulp. I got most of it down, but stopped when George made me laugh, leaving Ringo as the winner.
"Why aren't ya drinking?" Ringo asked Marian. I guess it was supposed to come out quieter than it actually did.
"I'm good for now," Marian laughed, rolling her eyes at Ringo and I.
"If I stay sitting 'ere, I'll fall asleep," George said, standing. "Eva, wanna dance?"
I enthusiastically got up, and would've tripped out of the booth had George not been there to catch me.
"Whoa, now," he laughed, hoisting me up. "Haney, I haven't seen ya drunk in a while!"
"And that's a problem?"
"No!"
We made our way to the dance floor, or really, George made his way to the dance floor and pulled me along. 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow' by the Shirelles came on, and George and I began dancing.
"So, is everything alrigh' with Danny?"
"I guess," I sighed. I was relying on George to keep me upright.
"You guess?"
"Well," I said, sighing again, "it's just...weird. The last time I saw him, he pretty much said he loved me," I slurred. George stopped moving and looked me in the eye.
"He loves you?"
"Apparently."
"And?"
"And what?" I said.
"What did you do?"
"Ugh," I rolled my eyes. The Beatles song 'Tell Me Why' came on; everyone else around us danced faster, but George and I just stood there, talking.
"Well?"
"I felt...weird. I told him I thought of him as a friend...he didn't like that..."
"S'pose not," George muttered. Then, after a pause, "Do you love 'em?"
I tried to make myself seem as sober as possible, and I looked George straight in the eye.
"No."
George nodded. He opened his mouth to say something, but then Ringo came over. I grinned, eager to change the topic.
"Rings!" I greeted, probably obnoxiously.
"Having fun?" he said, beaming.
"I think so, right, Georgie?" I said, turning to George, who smiled and nodded.
"Lads, Eva- smile for us?" said a voice. I turned and saw a man with a camera. I pulled George and Ringo in around me, and the man snapped a photo, and then walked away.
Ringo, after chiding George for not drinking more, eventually walked off to find John.
The rest of the evening was a blur...I know a few more photos were taken of me and the boys, but I wasn't sure where/when/how. Unfortunately, I remember the not-so-fun parts that came later.
I had stumbled out of the party room, into the hallway, and somehow made my way back up to my room. I had thankfully left some lights on, but they didn't help me that much. I stumbled into the bathroom and got sick. I was actually kind of comfortable sitting there on the cold, tile floor, enough that I was falling asleep...
And if you thought everything was blurry before, this is where my memory really went.
"Jesus, what the hell! Eva, c'mon, Eva," said a voice. Definitely not Marian.
"God...okay, okay...c'mon, let's get you up..."
I was lifted from my spot near the toilet. I could feel myself being carried somewhere, and then all of a sudden, I was plopped down. Ah, my bed!
"Okay...water..."
I heard some stumbling around, and then my head was lifted up. Water rushed down my throat.
And then I fell asleep.
I woke up the next day at noon. With a pounding headache, to say the least.
I stumbled out of bed, and went into the sitting area. I didn't see anyone there, thankfully, so I figured I could be as loud or clumsy as I wanted. I reached for the coffee pot that was in the kitchenette cabinets, but since my coordination was impaired (I was sensitive to light), I pulled other pots and mugs down with me.
"What?!" a startled voice said from behind me. I jumped, and turned around.