Something In The Way She Moves (Beatles Fan Fiction)

Prologue

June, 1964

The summer heat beat down on her back. Normally, it wouldn't bother her. She should be used to this kind of weather. Growing up in Texas meant that she was all too familiar with dry, hot summers. While London summers were normally more mild and less bothersome.

But this was not a normal circumstance.

She crossed the parking lot quickly, on the off chance that someone she knew might see her and ask questions.

Inside the building, she bypassed all the people in the waiting room and walked over the the receptionist desk.

The middle aged woman looked up, boredom written clearly on her face.

"Can I help you?"

"I have an appointment. My name is Tessa, Tessa Gilbert."

The woman nodded and pulled out a book before finding Tessa's name. "The doctor will be with you in a moment. Please have a seat in the waiting room." She marked something down on the paper and motioned behind where Tessa was standing.

"Thanks." Tessa said to the lady, but she had already gone back to work, a clear dismissal.

Tessa sat down in a chair, isolated from other patients. The waiting room wasn't too packed and everyone there hardly seemed to notice her, but she still felt like she was on display. It was now that Tessa wished she had taken Franny up on her offer to come along. It would be nice to have a friend with her at the moment. But Franny was busy with dance class, and deep down, Tessa knew this was something she had to do on her own.

To pass the time, she stared at the clock on the wall, watching the hands slowly tick as each second passed. She tapped her armrest in time with the sound it made.

Tick,
Tick,
Tick...

"Miss Gilbert!"

Tessa looked up and saw that a nurse had called her name. She slowly got up and followed the lady as she led her to a room right off the hallway.

"The doctor will be with you shortly."

Tessa nodded slightly and looked down. She began to pick at her dress. The bright pink thread was slightly frayed at the bottom, which made for a great pastime while she waited.

Suddenly the door opened and a middle aged man with glasses and a white lab coat walked in. He barely even looked at Tessa as he addressed her.

"Miss Gilbert, my name is Dr. Fletcher. What brings you in today?"

"I... I think I'm mmh..." Tessa cleared her throat, working up the courage to speak to the doctor. "I've come in today because I think I'm pregnant." She rushed out.

"I see." Dr Fletcher said, thoughtfully. "And what makes you think that?"

"Well, for the last week or so, I have been getting really sick; vomiting all the time. And..." Tessa lowered her voice."I'm late."

"Well, the good news, Miss Gilbert, is that there are simple tests we can take to determine if you are really pregnant."

"Ok" Tessa nodded and allowed the doctor to do whatever he needed so she could find out if her life as she knew it was really over.

When the test was finished, the doctor left the room to get the results. This gave Tessa plenty of time to do nothing but think.

It was shocking to think barely six months ago, she was an average dancer, with hardly any social life. Not that any of that had changed in the past six months. But, when you start associating with famous rockstars, even on the down low, you are bound to create some new connections and experiences.

The thing was, that this rockstar life she had been experiencing was meant to be secret. Tessa didn't want the media hounding her and he didn't want his girlfriend finding out. That's how it was meant to be.

But if she turned out to be 'up the duff', everything in Tessa's life would change.

Tessa was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening. The doctor walked in. Tessa tried to read his face, but his professionalism made it impossible to tell the verdict.

He sat down and began to pull papers out of his file. Tessa watched him like a hawk; waiting for him to say something, anything. It felt like hours, even though it was probably only seconds. But Tessa couldn't take the wait anymore and cleared her throat to get the doctor's attention.

He looked up at her. The expression on his face was as if he forgot she was in the room.

"So doc... What's the verdict." Tessa tried to sound confident but it just came out pathetic.

"Well Miss Gilbert." He sounded ever the professional, "It seems you were right. You're pregnant."

Tessa froze. The room became muffled. Her breathing was short. It felt as though she was drowning. Unable to breathe. Unable to see. It seemed to take forever to grab her bearings.

"How... how far along?" She meekly asked.

"I would say a little over a month. The baby would mostly likely be born sometime in January."

"I.. I can't have a kid." Tessa felt herself begin to panic, "I'm a ballet dancer. I can't take time off to have a kid; they'd kick me out the second they found out!"

"Well, if you told your parents, I'm sure they would find a place for you to one of those homes for young mothers." He told her simply.

"Send me away?" She had only heard a little about those dreadful places. You were hidden away and under strict control until you gave birth. Then, the baby would be sent away to be adopted against your will. It made Tessa shudder just thinking about it.

"It's not so bad." He said, sounding unsympathetic. But, when he looked up and saw Tessa's reaction to the idea of going to a home, he quickly changed his tactic. "Well then, is the father in the picture? I would advise you to discuss this with him as soon as you can. Otherwise, by the time you are married, it will be too noticeable."

The doctor meant well, and he was right, she should discuss this with Paul. The problem was that she wasn't knocked up by some ordinary guy. Nope she just had to go get herself  pregnant by Paul McCartney, one of the most famous and well recognized individual's in the world.

If that wasn't already a problem. (Which it most definitely, definitely was) At the moment, Tessa didn't even know how to reach him.

Right now his band, the Beatles, were  in Australia, on their world tour. Even if she managed to get their number; which was highly improbable considering she wasn't a wife or public girlfriend, but Paul's secret girl on the side, she would just be one of hundreds of girls who would try to get a hold of the Beatles. At best, they would assume she was a nutcase and hang up. At worst, they might get a restraining order against her.

She could try to hold out until they came back, but by that time, it would be obvious she was pregnant. Her only option was to somehow get a hold of Paul, and fast. It was his kid and he should take responsibility.

"Miss Gilbert?" The doctor pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, doc?"

"I asked if you would be able to get in touch with the father. This is a big decision."

"Oh.. Uh.. Yes." She said with a sudden new found confidence. She felt a determination in her, to do whatever she needed to tell Paul about her new predicament. "Getting in touch with him will be no problem."

'Hopefully." A little voice in her head expressed doubt that she desperately tried to quell for the time being. She could worry about the little things later. Right now she needed to find a way to contact Paul and give him the life altering news.