What Is Life? - A George Harrison FanFic

Chapter 22

When I finished putting together some quick disguises for us, Paul returned and seemed all in on the idea. He got ready with me and then led me out to a car that was waiting with a driver.

"Really?" I asked thinking it was a little much.

"Let's go shopping," he said urging me to get inside the car, "nothing should stop you from doing what you came to the city to do."

"Paul, you're being so kind," I smiled, "I just feel bad because I literally made George stay home and not accompany me and now here I am having you accompany me."

"Well I wanted to talk with you anyway," he admitted.

We got in the car and the driver started driving us to a shopping mall.

"Is it about Linda?" I asked him.

"I think I'm in love with her," he said simply. I had never seen Paul McCartney like this. He was head over heels for Linda and I knew she felt the same way about him. However, unlike George and I they were taking things very slow.

"It's crazy how I convinced her to travel home with us so she could see the world and now here she is falling in love."

"Do you think she is?" He asked me sincerely.

"Can you not tell?" I asked him and he smiled back.

Then I continued, "But Paul, I know how you are with women, and how your last relationship went. I don't want that for her. You need to decide what you want in life."

"I want her... and Heather." He said to me and I believed him.

There was a moment of silence and then I looked at us both and started to laugh uncontrollably. We truly looked ridiculous.

"Can you take us back," I then said to the driver and he looked at Paul for approval.

"I said... take us back," I repeated, "I am Lauren Harrison and if I say to take me back you better, or else my husband George will be very unhappy." I threatened both of them and Paul began to laugh with me.

It felt ridiculous to be so demanding but I had grew frustrated when I was looked over and Paul was in control of where I was going and what I was doing.

Without another word or glance at Paul, the driver circled around, then and took us back to Brian's office. When we exited the vehicle there was a flock of press running up to the car.

"It's Lauren!" Someone yelled out, "who's she with?"

My heart started to beat very fast and I felt unsafe. Paul grabbed me and quickly walked me up to the front door. As he did so someone grabbed at his scarf and sunglasses he had on. Then they pulled off his hat and they went crazy.

"It's Paul McCartney!" Someone screamed. He shoved me into the doorway and stayed outside to give them what they wanted so they could leave us alone.

Moments later he returned inside to join me and looked absolutely devastated that that had just happened under his watch.

"Call George," he said "we're going to be on the front news of the papers in the morning and he will need to know."

I nodded and followed direction. I looked around for Brian for guidance and noticed he wasn't in the office. He would need to know that we had just been practically attacked outside by the press. He was always here so I felt a little concerned that when we needed him he was missing. 

"Harrison residence," Linda answered the phone when I called home.

"Linda," I said, "can you see where George is and tell him I need to talk to him?"

"Of course," she responded, "is everything okay?"

"Well, yes and no," I said "I might as well let you know as well."

"Are you safe?" She asked with a scared tone in her voice.

"I am safe. I'm here at Brian Epstein's office in London... with Paul."

"Oh that's wonderful news then, I'm sure he wouldn't let anything happen to you if you're with him."

She was very optimistic and I knew she wished that she was with Paul right now. It is funny that she and I were now with each others man.

She quickly found George and he got on the line.

"Linda says everything is okay?" He answered the phone without a usual greeting.

"Babe," I said softly, "there's been a small incident but yes I am okay."

"What happened?" He pressed the subject.

I told him how I had gotten overwhelmed and came looking to talk to Brian but that I ran into Paul. I told him about the disguises and how Paul was taking me shopping so I wasn't alone. Then I told him about how I just wanted to get home to him so we came back to the office but were completely surrounded by photographers and fans.

He grew extremely unhappy and told me that I needed to stay home and not go out anymore.

He also was concerned as to how Brian wasn't there to help us. No one knew where Brian was and that was a concern now that the papers would be running a story about Paul and I.

Paul and I drove back to George's and my home. And the moment I saw George he picked me up and swung me around gently. Just staring into his eyes in that moment I knew I was safe again. I now didn't plan on ever leaving our home again. I wanted to feel protected by my little bubble.

"Well this was a scary turn of events," Linda admitted once the four of us were sitting in the living room after the long day I had.

"Are you sure this is something you are ready for?" I asked her and Paul stiffened up and sat up straighter.

Linda looked over at him with a smile and then back at me.

"Not just yet," she answered honestly, "but... I do want to go slow and steady with you Paul."

George and I looked at the two of them who were now staring deeply into each other's eyes. Paul did not know what slow and steady was. We both knew that but somehow this American woman completely changed that for him. I knew he wouldn't hurt her.

"Move in with me," he then said suddenly.

"Wow," George said aloud in disbelief, "that's the complete opposite of slow, mate."

"I would be closer to the jobs I have booked in London over the next few weeks," she responded as she thought about it, "but I am so grateful for Lauren and George and I wouldn't want to just up and leave them and Heather has loved being here where there's someone to watch her when I'm gone."

"I understand," he promised and agreed that he would take things slower for her.

....

The next morning we woke up to many photographers outside of the front gate of our home. We had fully expected this to happen and so Paul stayed here with us so we'd all be safe in one place.

"Let's see what they are saying about us, Lauren Woods," Paul said amused at the thought that maybe the headlines would read that we were having a secret affair or that maybe I was carrying his baby, something ridiculous like that.

Then our phone rang. It was Mal and he desperately needed to talk to Paul.

Paul got on the phone and I saw his face turn white as a ghost. George was now in the room and we both looked at Paul with concern. We had no idea what was being said or what was making him react in this way.

"I will tell them," he said looking at us and then hung up.

He braced himself against our kitchen counter and said simply, "Brian is dead."

I felt like the world was coming down around me once more. How could this be? I knew how this will affect the men in my life very deeply and I didn't begin to know how to handle the pain of losing another close friend and ally.

George went into complete shock and Paul and him shed some tears over the news. Mal had told Paul that he was found at home of an apparent drug overdose.

Linda went out to retrieve a paper to see what the reporters were trying to get a reaction about and they wanted her to talk to them and she refused but when she returned inside to show us, the headline had read "Beatle Manager dead at 32."

Paul was relieved that there hadn't been news of me and him "sneaking around" or anything like that because we already had enough problems now that their lives were completely crashing around them.

John and Ringo couldn't even get to our home to join us in solidarity and be with the two other people that know the pain they are feeling due to the press being staged outside for a reaction. This upset George even further. Finally Mal spoke in front of our gate and urged them to go home and that we would hold a press conference the following evening.

He then retrieved Ringo and Maureen and John and Yoko and brought them to us.

Linda was in the kitchen making us all refreshments and the rest of us just sat in mostly silence. The elephant in the room was the fact that Brian Epstein managed their entire lives. They were quite spoiled by the fact that they didn't have to make many decisions in their careers. They just made their music and let someone else handle the logistics and most important let him control their image to the public which is what made them so popular.

"I just want to say," Ringo finally broke the silence, "through all of the shock and heartache, I am grateful to be sitting here with each of you."

George squeezed my hand tightly and I know that tugged at his heart strings. Everyone slowly started opening up and talking about Brian. The shock was subsiding and they each knew that they had to celebrate and remember their friend for the light he was in their lives.

I remembered how Brian was there for me when news of Darry's accident and untimely death had reached us all here in England. He along with the guys and Cynthia had been there for me.

'Cynthia,' I thought. I missed her deeply and wondered how she was doing. She was going to be alone to deal with this news on top of now being separated from her husband who so quickly moved on and left her and their son.

"I wrote something," Paul then spoke after another round of silence.

Linda was now at his side holding his hand.

We all just stared at him waiting for him to tell us what he had written. Tears welled in his eyes and he turned to John.

"It was before this news and now it almost seems like I need to put it on the back burner but since we're all here and sitting here in silence and feeling the hurt and pain of this terrible news, I think I should share this with you all."

I grew slightly happy for a brief moment because I was glad Paul was writing and knew this meant he wasn't going to give up after this bad news.

He asked John to step out into the kitchen with him to discuss the song and they were gone for what seemed like a long time as the rest of us sat in silence.

Yoko just didn't talk to us anyway, but Linda sat there unsure of what to say to break the tension and Maureen and Ringo looked like they were in pain. I just looked into George's eyes and saw how sad he was and decided to just snuggle up to him. He pulled me in close to him and I knew I was safe there.

When Paul and John finally came out Paul stood in the center of the room and spoke.

"I just wanted to let you guys know that I have been driving out to see Cynthia and Julian the past few weeks. I didn't give Cynthia a choice because I wanted to be there for Julian and she knew it would be positive for him to see me."

This news was shocking. She wouldn't even return my phone calls or let me see her but Paul had been in touch with them. John also seemed very okay with it and this was equally as shocking.

The room stayed silent. This information was awkward with John and Yoko sitting right there joined at the hip.

"Last week I was humming a tune on my drive to see Julian and I started writing a song for him," Paul told us and then things were meant more sense as to what his new song had to do with this information, "What he's going through with his parents splitting up, it's not something that a child deserves. I want to play the song for you guys and see what you think."

George looked upset but sat there and listened anyway. I squeezed his hand right as Paul began to play the song on the piano at the side of the room. He sang the lyrics to a song he was calling "Hey Jude," and everyone began to cry.

"That was beautiful," Linda spoke to which John then excused himself and Yoko followed him out of the room.

"Did that upset him?" I asked, "I think it is a beautiful sentiment as well."

"No," Paul said assuring me that things were fine and that John was excited for the song when he had told him about it in the other room before playing it for us. We assumed he was just feeling the guilt of causing this pain for his son.

Paul, Ringo and George decided to then go to him and show him that they all were there for him and that they would always be four best buds from Liverpool above all else.



.....
A/n:   I'm sure if you are reading this story you are a fan of the Beatles. I figured adding in the backstory for "Hey Jude" would lighten the mood surrounding the ultimate bad news of Brian's death. Before continuing the story take a break here, sit in a dark room free of distraction and play "Hey Jude" - The Beatles. Listen to the lyrics and feel the emotion to which Paul would be feeling as he wrote the song for Julian Lennon.