Where I'd Gone ⌲ River Phoenix ((COMPLETED))

Halloween

September 6, 1986

I woke up in the middle of the night to the phone ringing. "Hello?" I said, trying to open my eyes.

R: Chris!

This was the first time River's talked to me since his birthday.

C: Oh hey River. Why did you wake me up at... 3 in the morning?

R: Oh sorry. But I can't do this anymore... It's taking over me.

C: Uh what's taking over you?

R: ... My dyslexia. It's killing me. My mother hired a tutor named Ed. And then she hired me a companion named Larry. He took me out-

I stood up in my bed hoping he's okay.

C: Are you okay?

R: Yeah... Yeah, I'm okay don't worry. It's just Larry took me around LA... Introducing me to his own friends-adults, some of whom liked to take drugs.

C: Oh no. Don't tell me what happened to Jerry happened to you.

R: Well no... I'm smarter than that. But what happened today was worse. So we went to Magic Mountain, you know in La, and we joined with Pat. I was literally tagging along with them for no reason. But we were having a lot of fun... Just not at the end of the day. So then we went to the same beach you and I went to... That same club that had cocaine and played Stairway to Heaven. But some guy took out-

C: Look, I'm really interested in everything you gotta say, but I'm tired as hell and I'm going to subconsciously distract myself from you and find myself falling asleep.

R: But Chris... I gotta talk to someone.

C: Well then talk to Martha. You seem to be talking to her a lot these past weeks.

I was content with that, so I hung up and fell asleep.

October 12, 1986

After I got home from school, I shuffled around in my drawers, trying to find something pretty to wear for tomorrow. I didn't find anything great. I was hopeless, so I just shuffled through my records. I needed some music to lift my spirits up. Freewheelin! I always envied the girl with Bob Dylan. I haven't played this record in years.

But I found a note. A crumpled-up, dirty note that was folded right between Freewheelin and Slowhand. It was from my mother, Jane, I knew because it was her handwriting.

30th December 1967

Dearest Paul, I've loved you more than words. But... my career simply means more to me than the typical upper-class relationship you intend on us having. I've been rather circumspect about this... and I wish to pursue my career without us getting in the way. It's not always fun falling in love with a rocker. Or a mocker... how Ringo says it.
With all my loving, Jane Asher.

The letter was never sent. It was evident that she was scared of breaking off the marriage so quickly. I couldn't blame her though, she seemed to have her whole life sorted out. I felt so overwhelmed that I called out to John. And who the hell is Paul?

"What's wrong?" He came up to me. I handed him the note and he read it. "Iris!" Then subsequently after Iris came and read it.

"God. Where did you find this?" She looked as if she just won the lottery.

"In between my records."

"Do you know what this means?" I shook my head. "You're mother's surname is Asher right?" I nodded, speechless.

"She dated Paul McCartney."

"Haha that's funny," I chuckled to myself. There's no way in hell she dated Paul McCartney.

"I just remembered, the night Iris approved the adoption letters, I went into your house to help you move out your things. There was a note that fell out of your record box. I stuffed it back in there as you were walking out with the box." John recalled, itching his head.

This is all bullshit! I thought. She couldn't have dated THE Paul McCartney. Then that means she would've met John! And George... And Ringo...

October 31, 1986

Through the weeks, Iris, John, and I searched the whole house to find any more letters from my mom. We, unfortunately, couldn't find any. I was so excited to know I could've been Paul McCartney's daughter.

___

At the end of class today, I was handed a flyer by a girl that read:

HALLOWEEN PARTY!! Come all!!

I turned around and saw the same girl do the same exact thing to Danny. Hey, if Danny goes, maybe I'll go.

____

As I practiced a new piano piece I got from John, my phone rang. "Hello?"

R: Hey Chris.

C: Hey. I've got a shitload of stuff I gotta tell you about

R: Same here.

C: First I find out that my mom dated Paul McCartney. THE Paul McCartney.

R: No way in hell man...

C: I don't get it myself either.

R: I gotta tell you about Larry.

C: How bout this, we can talk about it at this party. It's a Halloween party. This girl at my school invited the whole damn school.

R: Uhhh...

C: Please?

R: But, I don't know anyone there.

C: So? You know me right? And it starts at 8... So we don't have too much time left.

R: I don't know, yeah I guess. I just got back from LA, for the first cast reading of Little Nikita and I just finished up filming for the day for A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon.

C: Please River. I haven't seen you in a while. And Halloween is always the day when surprising things happen.

R: Sure I guess. What are you dressing as?

C: I have no idea. Why don't you come over and we'll figure it out?

R: But it's already 8. Hasn't the party already started?

C: It's always good to be fashionably late.

After we hung up, I walked up to Iris.

"Do you know any pretty girls I could dress up as? Or preferably ones that have the slightest physical face trait similar to mine?" She studied me for a minute.

"Audrey... You actually look like Audrey. Like a redheaded Audrey," She said and cocked her head as she traveled up to my eyes.

"Audrey?" I asked.

"Hepburn... I have some eyeliner and pearls in my room, let's go try them on." She beamed a smile at me.

I sat down in front of the mirror as I watched her tease my hair into a French twist. "Pearls!" I handed her the pearls and she placed them on me very gently. "Next is makeup." She powdered some foundation on me then I closed my eyes. I felt a liquid sensation glide across my eyelids and mascara brushing into my eyelashes. She then fitted me into a black dress and uncomfortable heels.

"Done!" I opened my eyes and I was astonished. It was beautiful - I felt beautiful. I just wish Danny could see me like this. I embraced Iris and thanked her, just as River walked into the room.

"Holy shit!" He cursed. Iris shot him a dirty glance. "Oh... Sorry. Chris, you look so different."

"I'll take that as a compliment..." I laughed, "Anyways, River where's your costume?"

"Uhhhh...." He tried to act busy.

"You know what? Just tell me some singers you like."

"Dylan, Pink Floyd, Marley... Uhhh..." I guess John had been eavesdropping and he burst in with a big smile.

"I got dreadlocks and a beanie that smells like weed?" John said enthusiastically. River shrugged and I found myself laughing so hard that my chest started hurting.