Break Me One More Time [McLennon]

in which everyone's on edge

In June, when Paul turned twenty (again), Jim invited him, John, George, and Ringo to come over and have dinner.

"Paul! Happy birthday, son!" Jim grinned when he opened the door. "Hello, George. Hello, John. And you just be Ringo," Jim gripped Ringo's hand tightly and shook it. "It's very nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. McCartney," Ringo smiled.

"Well, welcome to our home," Jim said, leading the four boys into the kitchen and gesturing for Paul's friends to take a seat at the table. "Paul, can you put the rice on the stove?"

"Yeah," Paul nodded.

"Mike!" Jim called.

"Yeah, dad?" Mike walked into the kitchen.

"Can you check the vegetables that are in the oven?" Jim asked.

Mike nodded and opened the oven door. He grabbed an oven mit and pulled the tray out, placing it atop the stove next to the pan of that Paul had just put on a burner for the rice.

John, George, and Ringo waited patiently at the table while all three of the McCartney men worked feverishly.

"Okay," Jim said when dinner was finished. He, Paul, and Mike began to set plates filled with food out in front of each chair. We are having seared salmon with gingered vegetables over white rice - Paul, you have seared tofu."

"It looks fantastic," George said.

"Why, thank you, George." Jim smiled. "All right. Everyone dig in."

Everyone began to eat and they all complimented Jim on the meal, telling him over and over again how delicious it was.

"So, boys," Jim said. "Paul has told me that you have a really great manager, now."

"Oh, yeah," John nodded. "Brian is the greatest."

"Wait a minute..." Jim said with a thoughtful look. "When you say Brian, do you mean Brian Epstein?"

"Yeah," Ringo nodded.

"Do you know him?" Paul furrowed his brows. He didn't remember his father having any connection to Brian. He couldn't...could he?

"No, I don't know him," Jim shook his head. "Not personally, anyway. I know of him... There's, uh, a lot of talk about him around town, you know."

Oh, Paul thought.

"What kind of talk?" George asked.

Uh-oh, Paul thought.

"Just rumors and things.." Jim said uncomfortably.

"Like what, dad?" Mike asked curiously.

Oh, no, Paul sighed inwardly.

"Well, people talk a lot and most of them say that, well, that Brian Epstein is a..." Jim dropped his voice to a whisper that was just barely audible. "A homosexual."

Ringo choked on his food, and George swallowed hard and raised his eyebrows. John and Paul glanced at one another, then quickly looked away. "Dad," Paul said. "Stop."

"I'm only telling you what I've heard," Jim said.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," Paul said. "Brian is one of the nicest people I've ever met and he's been a damn good manager so far."

"Yes, well, just keep in mind that you've got your public image and your career on the line here," Jim said. "And besides, homosexuality is illegal."