***
'Hey Pete,' Paul pulled him back into the room. 'Look here.' He pointed at a condom pinned on the wall.
'Burn it.' Pete laughed. 'I dare you.'
'Shall we?' He smirked.
'What's the worst that can happen?'
***
'Deported?' John threw his pencil onto the table. 'They're both being deported?'
'That's what the officer said.' Astrid said.
'Fuck.' John tapped the wood in front of him. 'What the fuck for?'
'Arson.' Stuart shrugged. 'Attempting to burn down the cinema.'
'Did they bollocks.'
'They have enough evidence to send them home.' Astrid said. 'I'll see you later.'
John shook his head. 'Looks like we're off home Stu.'
'John.' Stuart sat on the edge of his bed. 'I am home.'
'What?'
'Hamburg is my home.' Stuart told him. 'I'm not coming back to Liverpool.'
'What do you mean?'
'There's nothing there for me anymore.'
'There's nothing here for you either.' John furrowed his brows.
'Astrid's here.'
'Fuck sake Stu.'
'We're gettin' married.' He smiled. 'I really love her, John.'
'What about the band?'
'I'm sorry, John.' Stuart sighed. 'I'm leaving the band.'
'But we need you.'
'I'm staying here with Astrid and Klaus.' Stuart said. 'I'm not coming back and that's that.'
'Get out.' John ordered. 'Fuck off.' He screamed. Stuart walked to the door.
'I'm sorry.' He left.
John threw his bag on the floor and kicked it away. 'Fuck.'
***
Paul took in the scent of the saltwater beneath him, watching the current of the Mersey flow out into the sea. He threw a pebble into the water and watched it as it dropped into the deep unknown.
'What are you doing out here?' John asked, walking to stand beside him. 'Your dad asked me to go lookin' for you.' He said. 'It's not what I'd planned to do on my first day back in England.'
'I needed some air.' Paul shrugged. 'Figured this would be the best place to come.' He sat on a bench and continued to stare out at the river.
'What's wrong?' John got straight to the point.
'Dot's pregnant.' Paul admitted, taking a deep breath in. 'Dad wants us to get married and seal the deal.'
'But you're too young to get married?'
Paul scoffed. 'That's what I said.'
John didn't know what to say. He stared at Paul and noticed a sad look in his eye. 'Do you love her?'
'I like her.' He shrugged.
'But do you love her?' John repeated himself in a collected tone.
'No.' He said in a cautious manner, taking his attention from the river and to his twiddling thumbs. 'What am I supposed to do?'
'Marry her.' John put his hand on Paul's. 'That's the only decent thing you can do.'
Paul shook his head. 'But I don't think I can be a dad.'
'You can.' John nodded. 'You didn't think you could be the bass but here you are.'
After Stuart had left the band Paul had no other option than to be the bass player in the band. He went out and used his wages to buy a fancy left-handed hofner violin bass. It was classy and unique and Paul loved it.
'Thanks John.' Paul said, his tone grateful but still lost. He didn't want a child and he didn't want a wife but he was cornered.
'Maybe something will come up.' John said. 'Perhaps she'll fall for someone else.'
Paul laughed. 'We can only hope.'
***
George stepped into the kitchen and made himself a sandwich. John played with a fork in front of him. He took hold of the pen and started to write.
'I don't think this song is going anywhere.' He admitted defeat and put the pen back into the pot.
George shrugged. 'I can't write music.'
'We need Paul.'
'He's with Dot.' George said.
'Fuck Dot.' John shook his head. 'Poor Paul.' He put his hand to his fore head.
'He got her pregnant.' George took a bite into his sandwich and sat opposite John.
'It doesn't mean he has to be condemned to her for the rest of his life. He's 18.' John spat. 'Fucking bitch.'
'Look, it'll be alright.'
'You reckon?' John looked at George.
'I reckon so, yeah.' George smiled.
***
Dot's eyes were raw, her hair a mess. Paul ran to be by her side and wiped the tears from her eyes. He noticed turmoil take over her mannerisms as she held her stomach in agony.
'You're going to be alright Dot.' He said.
'Are you the Father?' The nurse walked in with a folder tucked in her arm. Paul nodded. 'I'm afraid it's not good news.'
Dot roared from her heart, her screams heard from the corridor. John's heart went into his mouth. Paul walked out of the room, clutching his shirt. He broke down against a wall and sighed. John raced to his side.
'She lost the baby.' Paul cried.
'I'm so sorry, Paul.' John pulled him into a brotherly hug and soothed his back.
'I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.' He sobbed into his friend's shoulder.
'Upset.' John shrugged with a little laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
'I feel relieved.' Paul collapsed into another cry. 'And that makes me such a bad person.'
'No, no it doesn't.' John looked Paul dead in the eyes. 'It makes you human.'
'I - I just lost a child.' Paul cried. 'And all I can think about is when I can end it with her.'
'Paul-' John pushed him up against the wall and placed both his hands on either of Paul's shoulders. 'Stop it.'
'I'm a terrible person. My God-'
'Paul!' He rithed him into the wall. 'Stop it!' John ordered in a strong tone. 'I'd be thinking the same.' He said. 'You can't help your feelings, but for Christ's sake you have to be there for her. She needs you.'
'You're right.' Paul nodded, pushing John away. 'You're right.' He repeated, pulling John into a tight hug. 'Come in with me.' He asked.
'Of course.' John agreed.
Dot was facing the window and staring out. She wasn't looking at anything in particular, she was just staring.
'How are you feeling?' Paul asked, taking a seat on the chair beside her bed. She didn't respond. 'Sorry, stupid question.' He twiddled his thumbs. 'Are you in any pain?'
'You're not my doctor, Paul.' She cried. 'You're supposed to be my boyfriend.'
'I know.' Paul furrowed his brows.
'If you want to end it then end it.' She sobbed. 'Don't keep me hanging on.'
'I-'
'I know you stopped wanting this to work as soon as I told you.' She turned to him, wincing at the pain in her abdomen. 'So please, just put me out of my misery and tell me.'
Paul felt a tear fall from his eye. 'I don't want to be with you anymore.'
'Alright.' She nodded. 'You can go.'
'I can't go.' He stayed put. 'I'm going to be right here with you, by your side through this.' He took her hand.
John smiled at him, proud that he was doing the humane thing. He was proud of his best friend.
'I don't want you here.' She scolded his hand by throwing it away. 'I'd prefer not to see you again.' She turned away. 'Not ever.'
John watched as Paul stood up. 'I understand.' He said. 'Just know: I'm always a phone call away.'
'Just leave.' She pointed to the door.
'I'm so sorry.' He kissed her forehead.
Once they had left the room, Paul started to wimper again. 'My God.' His voice cracked.
'Come on, let's get you home.' John smiled lightly, walking beside Paul the whole way home.
Once back at Forthlin Road, Paul walked straight to his room. Jim ran to the door and took one glance at his son before speaking, 'bad news?'
'She lost the baby.' John said simply, not fooling about for the first time in his life.
'Oh no.' Jim sat down in disbelief.
'I'm going to stay here with him so he isn't alone.' John said. Jim nodded, unable to do or say anything else. He watched as John walked up the stairs.
Paul was curled up in his bed, his duvet suffocating him just enough. He sobbed quietly, his heart gently breaking. John clambered into bed with Paul and cradled him in his arms.
'I'm here.' He whispered, feeling Paul's sobs on his chest. His face was buried in John's warmth as he wimpered like a puppy.
'I love you John.' He managed to choke out.
John closed his eyes. 'I love you too, Paulie.'
***
John woke to the aroma of Paul lingering in his nose. Paul's hands were intertwined with his own as he opened his eyes to see a blinding light. George stood over the pair of them with a grin on his face.
'This is cosy.' He smiled, nudging Paul awake. Paul's eyes widened once he noticed the scene he has awoken to.
'This isn't what-' He jumped up, his eyes still tender. John laughed.
'I think he fuckin' knows that.'
'You two are strange. I get it.' George smirked. 'But I know for sure you ain't queer.'
Paul blinked awkwardly at him.
'I'm sorry about Dot, Paul.'
'It's alright.' Paul said. 'I'd rather forget about it.'
John's voice croaked. 'Fuck!'
'What?'
'I was supposed to meet Cyn last night.'
'Tell her you were with your boyfriend, she'll know who you mean.' George joked.
'Sod off Harrison.' John said.
'You are practically a couple, if it were anyone else I'd be sure you were queer for one another.'
'Fuck off.' Paul laughed.
'What? You can't say you don't see it. You've done everything but sleep together.' George smirked.
Paul shook his head. John's finger rose up. 'Ah, that's where you're wrong!'
'What? You have slept together?'
'Fuck sake.' John rolled his eyes. 'We ain't kissed either, you swine.'
'That could be arranged.' Paul straddled John in a joking manner, leaning into kiss him on the lips.
'Christ, careful Paul or there'll be rumours.' George giggled.
'You're actually quite a good kisser.' John winked.
'Thanks Lennon, the birds love it.'
'This got weird.' George said. 'I only came to ask what time we have to be there tonight.'
'Ha!' Paul scoffed.
'Seven.' John smirked.
***
The three boys walked down the several flights of stairs and reached the cellar, smelling nothing but the sweet smell of booze and sweat. Paul noticed a small puddle of vodka in the corner and raised his eyebrows as the cloakroom girl bent down to clear it up.
'This is it.' John said. 'This is The Cavern.'
Paul smiled. 'I like it.'
'Hey fellas, can I help you?' The girl asked, her ginger hair falling just above her eyes. 'Welcome to The Cavern.' She smiled warmly.
'Cheers.' John said. 'We're The Beatles.'
'Oh you're the band?' She asked. 'Follow me.' She took Paul's hand and pulled him into a small room behind the stage. 'This is your room where you can warm your vocals and get your instruments set up.'
'Thanks miss.' Paul bowed.
'So, what do they call you then?' She asked in an inquisitive tone.
'The Beatles.' John winked. 'I'm John.'
'Hello John.' She greeted in a strong accent.
'This is little George, baby of the group.' John said.
'Hey George.' She shook his hand.
'And this is Paul.' He said.
'Wonderful.' She kissed his hand. 'I'm Cilla. I'm like your sponsor or whatever you want to call me. I'll be looking after you here in The Cavern Club.'
'Lucky we got someone so attractive.' Paul winked.
'Cheeky.' She laughed. 'Hey, you might know my mate Ringo.' She pulled Ringo in from the corridor. 'Hang on, I was told there were four of you?'
'Yeah, our drummer must be lost.' John rolled his eyes at the invisible Pete.
'Alright fellas.' Ringo smirked. 'Bad luck about Hamburg.'
'Yeah.' George blushed.
'But now you've got Cill lookin' out for ya, you're in good hands here.'
'Cheers Rings.' She gloated.
'Would you mind filling in for our drummer? We start in about 15.'
'I'd be honoured.' Ringo agreed. 'Rory won't mind too much.'
'Pfft.' Cilla scoffed. 'Rory will be pissed.'
'That's why I said yes.' He winked. 'I'll go let him know.'
Ringo walked out. Cilla smiled. 'I do his mum's hair.' She told them.
'Right.' John nodded with a cocked eyebrow.
'I'll leave yas to get sorted, good luck.'
'Cheers.' They all smiled.
***
Note: sorry it took so long to update this book. It's been months and I regret not posting the next chapters. I hope you all still enjoy this story, I'm still so proud of it.
It was my good friend Eman that reminded me to update, thanks for always reading and encouraging me to update!
Please continue to vote and comment if you are still enjoying this book and I will continue to update now that I have spare time!
HelloLittleReader x