Handle With Care - Book 4 in "What is Life" series

Chapter 4

The past few days were like magic, writing recording and presenting the tape to the producers. When Jeff and I played the song for them they almost fell out of their chairs in pure shock.

"Is that... Bob Dylan?" Someone asked at the chorus.... And.... Roy Orbison?"

"And Tom Petty," I added.

"I'm in there a bit as well," Jeff added with a laugh.

"Talk about a super-group; this is almost better than a Beatle reunion!" Mo exclaimed and looked thrilled.

"That's what we were hoping to hear!" Jeff said and I smiled wide.

"But we can't use this," Mo then said.

My heart sank. I didn't understand.

"I told you to bring me a song worthy of being released as a single," he explained, "....but this... this is too good. This will be the talk of the decade if it is released. This is... historic."

I felt like he was being a little bit dramatic. The five of us were just best mates and we didn't understand the grandeur this all would mean if we got together as a group.

"What if George sings the song by himself," Jeff then suggested.

"No," I said immediately, "look.. I didn't write this song by myself and I didn't sing it on my own. This isn't just my song and I won't record it on my own. We will have to use a different song."

"When I told you to bring me one more song I didn't think I was going to be the catalyst for the biggest supergroup forming," Mo laughed to himself in awe.

"What are we to do?" I said standing up and walking out of the room. I began to pace the hallway and Jeff and Mo followed me.

"I believe I can get the others to allow for one less song on the album," he admitted,  "we can choose one of the others as the second single and bump the one we had to first position," he said as if he had already thought of this.

"So this was all for nothing?" I asked and shook my head.

Unbelievable. We worked so hard on this song.

"May I reiterate that I sent you off to bring me back a song and I unleashed the greatest creative forces on the music industry. If you five decide to I think this could be big. Instead of this one song think about what an album would do."

"That would change the music industry forever," Jeff said and I looked at him. He was right. This song would be wasted being on my own album.

I didn't care about any of that though. I would take on a project of that magnitude just merely to get to spend time and make music with my best friends.

The thought made me very happy.

....

I returned home to Lauren and Ethan and he ran up and gave me a big hug.

"Hey little man," I said giving him a pat on the head, "where's your Mama?"

As if she read my mind she came walking in to greet me as well. It was nice being back in our home here in Los Angeles. Even though it feels strange to be without our other kids. We needed to get back home to them soon.

I knew Ollie would want to be a part of this experience of making music with the guys, and he would be ready to hop on and play guitar with us.

"How did it go?" Lauren asked me hoping the song made the producers proud.

I filled her in on everything that was discussed and she was surprised that they turned it down.

"What would your band name me if you all got together?" She then asked me and I hadn't even thought about that.

I wasn't even sure the others would be as ecstatic about the idea like Jeff and I were.

"I don't have any idea on that," I admitted to her, "we would have to decide down the road."

"How have I never asked... who came up with the name of the Beatles?" She then asked me.

This caught me off guard and brought me way back.

I don't often think of my life before Lauren. Everything has been Life with Lauren for me these past twenty years. Even when we were apart and with other lovers.

This question brought me way back to our days in Liverpool.

"It was John of course," I finally spoke.

She smiled at the mention of his name.

"I wish he were here," she said and I stood up from where I was across the room to sit beside her.

She leaned her head on my chest and we sat in silence a few moments.

"Lauren," I said, "you don't have to be strong. You can let it out."

"No, I am okay," she assured me, "I am prepared for tomorrow when we bring Ethan to see his father's old studio."

This is what Lauren decided she wanted to do to honor Glyn while we are here.

There was a trust set up in Ethan's name to have his share in Capitol Records someday if he ever wants it as Glyn's only child. However, in the mean time Glyn's business partners continue to keep his memory alive and use the studio for all kinds of music. Not just rock and roll but plenty of pop and country.

I knew Paul had been doing some recording there with the likes of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder as of late and I decided to surprise Lauren by inviting Paul to be there tomorrow.

Neither of us have spoken to him in a very long time. We have grown very far apart over the last few years.

We continue to have legal dealings on Beatle royalties and other business ventures Paul has gotten into so we don't always fraternize. Lauren too has given up on trying to keep her friendships.

It all became to hard on her when many of her friends lost touch and grew apart. She definitely has stopped trying to be Americas sweetheart.

Her greatest role is mother to our children and that's her biggest concern as they grow older.

"You sure get lost in thought a lot," she said making fun of me and I began to laugh at the thought.

She was right. I was always the quiet beatle not because I didn't have much to say but because I have always been one to think long and hard before speaking.

My mind is quite inquisitive.

...

The next morning Lauren and I walked hand in hand with Ethan in the middle.

"What is this place?" Ethan stood outside looking up at the iconic building in the heart of Hollywood.

We didn't stand outside for long as we knew in a few moments there would be many paparazzi there to take our pictures.

One person spots us and then it's like a swarm coming to get a picture of us to post to some newspaper or magazine. It gets old very fast.

We hurried inside and were greeted with a warm welcome from the staff there.

Lauren was happy to get to see some old familiar faces and friends of Glyn's. A part of me wishes he would come walking out of some room or studio and give her a calming hug.

He was her best friend. I am man enough to admit that he was just as important to Lauren as I am.

Lauren couldn't stop looking at Ethan as he explored the building. She was giving him free reign to look around and I knew she was soaking in the memories and the thought that Ethan was walking the same halls his father walked for many years here.

A few minutes later we were finally joined by a familiar face and my surprise for Lauren was unleashed.

When Lauren saw him her eyes lit up and I was relieved that she displayed such an emotion. The surprise would have been ruined if she didn't have any desire of seeing him.