Yesterday

Chapter 35

I was so proud of myself for all of the progress that I had made so far already.

I was released from the hospital the next day, with a nurse visiting the hotel to give me daily check-ins, of course. My therapy sessions had begun the day after I got home, and I was taking medication for my "depression". That's what they diagnosed it as, but I liked to think of it more as just a darker time for me. I also learned, finally, to let Paul into my life with full welcoming and comfort.

"So," he said, turning to face me on the couch. We were having ourselves a lazy day, because Paul insisted that since I was having so many medical visits lately and taking medication that I needed more rest. He was sitting on one end of the couch, and had slid down enough for his feet to press into the floor and allowed his head to rest right in between his shoulders. I was laying on the other end of the couch, my feet in his lap. I sat up a little when he spoke. His eyes bore into mine. "I talked on the phone with John earlier this morning, before you woke up."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "And?"

He smiled before he answered. "Cynthia and Julian are up visiting for the next week or so. He wanted to know if you and I wanted to go there for dinner tonight."

I could hardly contain my excitement. "Oh Paul, I'd love to! I've wanted to meet them both for so long." I considered John a really good friend of mine, especially after he saved my life. I felt as if our similar family history created a kind of unspoken bond between us, and it was nice to have someone to share that with.

His smile widened and he let out a laugh. "I thought you might be excited." I crawled up from my spot on the couch and rolled over into his lap, nestling my face into his stomach to hide the fact that my cheeks had turned bright red. He leaned over and kissed my temple slowly before whispering into my ear, "Bet I can get ready before you."

I snorted. "Oh please, you take more time to get ready than a thirteen year old girl."

"You're all talk," he retorted with a sneer before pushing me off his lap and taking off in the direction of the bedroom. I yelped as I launched off the couch and onto the floor. I heard him laugh maniacally as he turned the corner.

"Hey, no fair! You got a head start!" I squealed as I jumped up off the floor and chased after him.

*********************

At around noon, we left the hotel and traveled the twelve blocks to the hotel that Cynthia and Julian were staying in. "Why wouldn't they just stay in our hotel with John?" I wondered out loud, and Paul just shrugged. "I dunno, maybe they didn't want to attract the press or somethin'." He was wearing an overly-large peacoat and a big hat that he could pull down to cover his face if necessary.

We arrived at the hotel and quickly made our way inside. The weather was changing drastically as the season changed from fall to winter - it was nearly the end of November. Walking up to the front desk, Paul lifted up his hat enough for his full face to show, and the man at the desk quickly went wide-eyed. "Uh, you must be here for Mr. Lennon," he said slowly. Paul gave him a smile and an impatient nod of his head. "Room 113, it's on the third floor." Paul tipped his hat to the man and led me to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, I laughed.

"Well aren't you just mysterious, Mr. McCartney?" I giggled, and he shoved my shoulder.

Finally getting to John's room, Cynthia answered the door about half a second after Paul had knocked. She had a bright smile on her face, and you could tell she had been anticipating our visit. She had long, beautiful blonde hair that was pulled up in a ponytail and her slim, blue dress made her look stunning. "Welcome!" she cried, taking me and Paul by the shoulder and guiding us inside. "Please, come in! Make yourselves at home!"

The surprise on my face must have shown, because John laughed from his spot on the couch. "Take it easy, Cyn. They just got here and yer already scarin' them off." She rolled her eyes at him and turned back to us. She smiled warmly at me. "You must be Charlotte. I've heard so many good things about you." I smiled back, glad that she didn't seem to be sympathetic towards me at all. The last thing I needed was someone else's pity.

Paul made his way over to join John on the couch, and I stayed with Cynthia. We talked about how crazy it could be to be in a relationship with a rock star, and we really did have a lot in common. I liked her.

"Did you want to meet Julian?" she finally asked me, and a smile blossomed on my face.

"I'd love to." I loved children, especially ones as young as Julian was.

She smiled back and turned to John.

"Hey Johnny, Char and I are going to go see if Julian is awake yet." Paul raised his eyebrow at me, but he didn't say anything.

"We just got Julian out of his crib and into a 'big boy bed'," Cynthia whispered to me, laughing. I smiled. The simple statement warmed my heart. Cynthia slowly opened the door to reveal a little Julian, laying in bed with eyes wide open. He grinned from ear to ear when he saw us walk in. "Someone is here to visit you," Cynthia said before making her voice lower. "It's the tickle monster!" she growled, pouncing on Julian and pinching at his sides. He burst into a fit of little giggles. "Mum, stop! Stop!" he choked, wiggling to try and escape her grasp. I stood back watching with a smile plastered on my face. It was the cutest scene.

She finally pulled away, both of them breathless. Julian's smile disappeared when he looked up and noticed I was watching. Cynthia noticed. "This is Charlotte, Julian. She is here visiting with Paul." His face lit up again. "Paul!" he exclaimed, jumping out of his bed and running out into the living room. Cynthia and I both let out a laugh. "Quite a handful, is he?" I asked her, and she snorted. "You have no idea."

We hurried out the door and went into the living room to find Julian already comfortable on Paul's lap. I watched them. I never noticed how good he was with children, and I must admit it was quite attractive. I watched them laugh together for a few minutes before John interrupted. "I need to talk business with Paulie for a few minutes, Jules," he said, and Julian frowned. John spoke softer. "Why don't you play with Charlotte until he comes back?" 

Julian looked over at me shyly, and I smiled at him. "Don't worry, I don't bite," I said, and he smiled back. John looked smug. "There you go, you two are friends already," he said. Paul stood up with Julian in his hands and carefully handed him over to me before walking off with John. I noticed that Cynthia had gone with them too, and I felt a little nervous being left alone with him. I studied his baby face, and was surprised at how much he looked like his father. His eyebrows furrowed together as he looked at me, as if he had never seen a face like mine before. It lasted for a moment before he smiled and cocked his head to the side.

"Hide and seek?"

I hadn't realized how much I loved children until that moment.