Parenting Paul

Chapter 6: An Awkward Introduction

"What are you doing here anyways?" Paul asked as he turned to her and leaned his back onto his countertop. "I was just grabbing John's glasses, he forgot them again....." Yoko answered as Paul took a sip of his drink, and watched Yoko put her hair back in front of her face. "I also wanted to know if you had a spare microphone.....Julian  was playing around in the studio last night, and we came home to find out our Sony 400X microphone was broken...." Yoko added as Paul looked up at her directly. "Mhm...are you sure that you didn't break it?" He mumbled with a swallow of his beverage as she turned to him with annoyance. "Do you have a spare microphone?" She asked, displeased. "In the farthest left room, should be inside a box labeled MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT...." Paul answered as Yoko stood up, and headed towards the hallway. Once Paul was alone, he bent down and patted Martha on the head, just as Linda had done, as she licked his hand.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, which made Martha bark again. "Shh...Enough....." Paul scolded as he opened the door, and saw a tidy, uptight and aristocratic man standing in his doorway, with a young, precocious and innocent girl beside him wearing a psychedelic purple, multiple colored flower shirt, as well as a Navajo style coat made of tanned elf leather and sewn with sinew. "Can I help you?" Paul asked as the man fluffed the girl's gray denim overall skirt. "Are you Sir James Paul McCartney?" The man asked as Paul studied the two of them. "Umm....yes? But why did you call me Sir?" Paul asked as the man looked at him forebodingly "Because, I'm a man of business......and I expect my granddaughter to be tended to most appropriately....." Lee explained as Paul nodded slowly, but with confusion. "And...you're bringing her to me?" Paul asked with misgiving. "I was told to do so by her mother.....I've learned it's best not to question her judgment, although I find it very unorganized, unorthodox and sometimes even absent minded..." Lee continued as the young girl looked at Paul with large icy blue eyes.

"Okay?" Paul replied back as Lee took a deep sigh. "Just....watch her....you'll be fine, I already told her..... to mind her manners...." Lee finished as he headed back towards his car, as the young girl turned back and watched him start the vehicle engine. Paul and the girl stood in silence for a few moments as they watched Lee drive off. The girl then watched Paul naively, as Paul continued trying to process what had just occurred. "Err....erm...um...would you like to go inside?" He offered as he stepped back towards the apartment, to allow her to come inside as well. "So what do they call you?" Paul asked as he shut the door, and the girl took her coat off. "Mostly Heather....H-E-A-T-H-E-R....I just learned how to spelt it...." She answered sweetly as Paul nodded. "Alright ..um....how old are you?" Paul asked as he grabbed his coffee cup off the counter again. "5....and three fourths, at least....that's what papa told me...." Heather answered softly as Paul studied her and Heather continued to look around the apartment.

"Papa?" Paul began as Heather studied him just as intensely as he was to her. "And...who might that be?" He asked as he shifted his eyes away from her to diminish the awkwardness. "That's my daddy...." Heather answered softly as Paul nodded with another sip of his coffee. However, before Paul could ask any further questions, Yoko, who had been rummaging around in Paul's backroom made her way obnoxiously down the hallway. "I didn't see any microphones in that box....just useless wires....it's fine, I'll see if George or Ringo has one...thanks anyway..." Yoko began as Heather watched silently with intrigue. Yoko, then, noticed Heather watching by the doorway and brushed her hair out of her face, with a sickeningly sweet smile that was obviously forced. "Awww....who is this?" She asked in a mushy tone as Paul shifted his eyes back to Heather.

Paul remained silent as Yoko approached Heather closely, and kneeled to her view. "What's your name, precious?" Yoko asked as Heather continued to be quiet, but enjoying the chaos. Yoko watched for a moment as the room began to feel very awkward again. "Is she okay? Can she speak?" Yoko asked as she stood up straight, and Paul snickered. "Yeah, she just doesn't like you....." he replied as Yoko rolled her eyes and marched to the door. "You're such a dick!" She snapped as she left abruptly. "Bitch, bitch, bitch....." Paul whispered as Heather turned back to the door, listening to it slam with a bang. Momentarily, the both of them stood there in the silence, as they listened to the sound of the clock on the wall clicking, ticking and tocking.
"Listen kid...." Paul finally began as he shifted his eyes up towards the clock. "It's 9:25am on a Saturday.....I'm gonna go back to bed, but you can flip through the tele.....I get about 3 channels, and if the weather's nice there might be an extra one...." Paul said with another sip of his coffee, as he headed back towards the hallway. "Wait!" Heather soon shouted as she followed behind him, and he turned around. "What?" He asked with annoyance as he looked down at Heather's face. "Didn't my grandpa tell you that you needed to watch me?" Heather asked with confusion. "Can you wipe your own arse?" Paul asked thoughtlessly as Heather rolled her eyes with disbelief. "Yes, I can wipe my own ass..." she answered with a  serious tone.

"Then you don't need me this urgently..." Paul grumped as he headed toward the hallway with Heather following behind him. "Why are you going to bed when the sun is up?" Heather asked as Paul groaned and turned to her again. "You're from America, correct?" Paul asked with suspicion as he studied her. "Yes..." Heather whispered as Paul bent down to her level, almost causing his coffee to spill. "I was born in Tucson, Arizona....and then when I was 2, mommy and I....we moved to New York...." Heather continued innocently. Paul thought for a moment trying to be cunning as Heather watched him sweetly. " Did you know?....if it's 9:30am here in London, England......then it's 4:30am in New York?....then if that's the case it's 1:30am in Arizona?" Paul questioned as Heather listened with fascination. "No......" Heather admitted as Paul stood up, and took another sip of his coffee.

"That means.....it's still bed time, and I'm going to sleep.....watch the tele quietly, I'll check on you whenever I wake up...." Paul answered as he finally made his way to his bedroom, shut the door, and left Heather alone in the hallway. Due to wonderment, and now isolation within new surroundings, Heather turned around and made her way back into Paul's living room. Decorating the space was an assortment of items in relation to the Beatles, including records, photographs, magazines, and newspaper clippings. Slowly, Heather kneeled down in front of the television, and picked up one of the records and began to point at the letters "T-H-E....."she spelled out as she slid her fingers across the letters.

"Th......th...the...B-E-A-T-L-E-S.....Beee...ah....tl...es?" She sounded out softly to herself as she tried to read what the record cover said.  Heather then glanced her eyes around the record cover, and saw an image of Paul there, except that his face was cleanly shaved, and his hair was noticeably shorter. "What's all this stuff?" She whispered to herself as she swung her head around as she looked at the clutter, and then scooted herself so she could reach the knobs of the television set.

"Good morning citizens of the United Kingdom, this is James Harold Wilson of Rievaulx, the prime minister......I'm here to discuss and update everyone about Britain's role within the Cold War, specifically how to aid the United States with their battle within Vietnam, I'll be meeting with president Lyndon B. Johnson, the members of the United Nations, and of course her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II....in hopes to come up with some sort of plan in the most peaceful way....."

Heather then began switching the channel several times trying to find something that was entertaining, which was much more difficult than she was expecting.

"Welcome back to Tea Time with Gloria Dunderfield and Janice McLoughock, this episode we will discuss sugar in your tea, should you have any? If so, how much is too much?"

****

"This game of cricket between Edinburgh, Scotland  and Belfast, Northern Ireland.....has been very exciting for us all in Britain....as they are bitter opponents who have years of rivalry....."

"The television here is boring!!" Heather soon whined as she stood up, and then hopped on the couch, and layed there watching the monotonous cricket game.