Parenting Paul

Chapter 25: Heather and the Hang-Over

Simultaneously during this time, Heather weakly opened her eyes and noticed that she was laying down on top of a wooly carpet rug that was on the hardwood floor of someone else's living room. "Ouch, Where am I?" She groaned as she sat up and turned towards the couch where she saw Paul laying there, fast asleep. She watched him with curiosity as she listened to his light snoring as she tried to figure out where they both had ended up. Heather then began to smell the scent of bacon and pancakes coming from the kitchen behind the dining rooms, and she heard the sound of footsteps approaching her. "Oh, good morning, I was wondering if you two were up yet?" Pattie Boyd, who was still in her evening gown, asked caringly as Heather faced her. "Hey! You're the girl from the cookies aisle at the store, how did Mr. Paul and I get here?" Heather asked as she bounced to her feet and Pattie giggled. "I'll explain at the table, come along, I bet you're hungry for some breakfast." Pattie coaxed Heather into the kitchen where George was speaking on the rotary phone.

"Yes, Paul is at my house, Pattie and I will make sure that he will arrive at the studio ready to work...." George replied to the phone anxiously as Heather watched him with curiosity. "Why does Mr. Paul gotta go to some studio for work?" Heather asked as she watched George and followed Pattie to the kitchen table, and watched Pattie place down onto the table a plate of breakfast food. "George and Paul are musicians, and quite frankly special ones if I do say so myself." Pattie explained as she then handed Heather a plastic purple cup of orange juice. "Musicians? Hey! That's what the Beatles did right?! I know Mr.Paul was one of those!" Heather exclaimed with excitement as Pattie sat across from her and began to eat her own breakfast. "He still is one of those, but as of late, it hasn't been easy to be one...." Pattie explained as Heather studied her with confusion. "Why not? Making music sounds fun! I'd love to do that when I'm bigger..." Heather questioned as Pattie giggled. "Yeah, it does sound nice for a career, and oftentimes it is, but like anything in adult life, there's stress on occasion, and one of those occasions is happening momentarily." Pattie tried to explain as Heather turned herself in her chair to face towards the livingroom to watch Paul who was sleeping on the couch.

"Is that why he's so sad and goes to his office lots and lots?" Heather asked as she listened to Paul moaning and grunting in his sleep. "It's possible.....Paul has this goofy side to him, but he's also sensitive about things too....." Pattie soon explained as she sipped her coffee. "What things?" Heather asked as she turned back to face her plate. "Well, when he was 14 his mother died.....breast cancer.....that absolutely broke him." Pattie answered as Heather turned back to face the living room. "His....his....mommy.....his mommy died?" Heather asked with concern as Pattie nodded slowly as she watched Heather who was facing away from the table. "Yes, and he tries to hide how much it hurts him, and to be fair, he handles it well, or as well as one with his amount of fame can." Pattie answered as Heather nodded with understanding, but did not look towards her.

"He's got his father Jimmy, his brother Mike, his step mother Angela and step sister Ruth too......so it's not all bad, but it's hard for anyone to lose their mother." Pattie tried to answer with reassurance as Heather finally turned back to her. "My mommy lost her mommy too....right before I was born..." Heather soon whispered as Pattie looked at Heather with interest. "I'm sorry..." Pattie whispered as Heather looked down at the ground and then sighed. "It's okay, my mommy always says to me, Heather, as long as I've got you, I'm okay." Heather tried to say to lighten the mood making Pattie grin, as George hung up the rotary phone. "What did Alan say?" Pattie soon asked as she sipped her coffee again, and George sat down beside her. "He wanted to know if Paul was still upset about us working at Twickenham Studio..." George answered as Pattie nodded. "And?" Pattie asked as Heather watched them with fascination. "I told him it's pretty likely.....and then that Paul arrived here at 4:30 this morning, and I will wake him up promptly...." George answered as Pattie leaned into George's ear. "Did you inform Alan about the child?" She whispered as George shook his head. "No, I didn't wanna get into that with him, I don't need Alan up my arse, meetings are stressful enough already." George answered softly as Heather silently left the kitchen and headed towards the living room where Paul was still sound asleep.

Heather stood by the living room entrance that was connected to the kitchen, and continued watching as Paul slept with concern. "It's sad that Mr. Paul doesn't have his mommy..." Heather whispered as George walked in behind her. "Alright, it's nearly 11:50 am it's time for Mr. McSleepy to wake up....." George began as he walked over to the couch and Heather followed behind with interest. "How are you gonna wake him?" Heather asked with worry as she watched George kneel down beside the couch. Hesitantly, George began to slowly tap on Paul's cheek as Heather watched with her eyes glued to the two of them. Paul however did not respond, making George ponder his next moves. As Heather and George remained puzzled and stressed by their time ticking away, Pattie stepped in and peaked from the kitchen. "George, Is he waking up at all?" She asked as Heather and George turned to her, and George shook his head. "Hasn't moved, he's gone to the world....but we gotta be at Twickenham at 12:30pm, what should we do?" George questioned as Heather soon stepped even closer to the couch, and began climbing on the couch cushions where Paul's feet were resting. "Little girl, what the hell are you doing?" He asked as he watched in awe as Heather tried to balance herself so she could stand on the cushion.

"I'm gonna climb and jump on Mr. Paul! That's how I wake up my mommy when she doesn't want to....." Heather explained as George remained kneeled on the floor stunned by her. "Careful sweetheart, he's been drinking, that might not be the wisest thing to do.." Pattie warned as George turned his head back towards his wife with dumbfoundedness. Heather then bent her legs and pounced onto Paul's stomach making him alert to the commotion, which made his eyes fly open in confused horror. "AHHHHH!!!!!" Paul yelped with painful surprise as Heather smiled at him innocently. "Good morning Mr. Paul....." Heather giggled as Paul looked at her with agony as George, who was still on his knees near the couch and Pattie still by the kitchen entryway trying to hide that they were laughing. "Where...what, what....where......where am I?" Paul questioned as he trembled as Heather made her way back to the floor, and George stood up back to his feet. "You're at my house you bloke...." George teased as Paul slowly sat up and placed his hand on his forehead.

"Your house? I thought Heather and I were at the pub....how did we get here?" He asked as Pattie made her way over with coffee for him. "Yes, you arrived around 4am..intoxicated...." George explained as Pattie handed over Paul's coffee cup. "This poor little girl, she was so tired she was practically asleep trying to help you inside...." Pattie continued as Paul listened and took a deep sigh of guilt, as Pattie and George looked at Heather. Paul looked at Heather with regret as he watched George grab his guitar, and Pattie walked over to grab the protective case for the instrument. "We'd best get to Twickenham Studio, or else Alan will have a major moment about it.." George soon said as Pattie helped him pack his bags. "Shite....I forgot we don't get to use our studio, what right does that bloody prick think he has to take away what John and I purchased ourselves?" Paul argued as George sighed and Pattie looked down. "We shouldn't argue about it, he's our manager...we don't want any conflict..." George tried to deflect attention from the issue as Paul stood up, and put his hand on his forehead.

"Can I go to the studio too? I wanna! Please please!" Heather asked as Pattie nodded to her as Paul nodded his head slowly. "Yes, but um, dear Pattie could you please get me an aspirin, acetaminophen or something? I've got such an awful headache...." Paul answered as Pattie nodded and walked off to grab some medicine for him. Several minutes later, the three of them were in George's car while Pattie plopped two tiny pills into Paul's hand through the car window, as Heather leaned over the car seat that George was sitting in with curiosity. "Mr. George, are you part of the Beatles too? Like Mr. Paul?" Heather asked with wonder as Pattie giggled as she walked away back to the house. "Why yes, I am....." George answered as Heather's eyes lit up as she climbed up into the passenger seat. "Wow! Will I be able to sing songs with you? I'd love to do that with you! Mr. Paul and Mr. Ringo too!" Heather continued enthusiastically as George started the vehicle up. "I say mate, where did you find this kid?" George asked as he nodded to answer Heather's question, and turned his head around towards Paul who was sitting with his eyes closed in the backseat. However, Paul didn't answer as the car began to back up, and Heather attempted to crawl back towards Paul in the backseat.