Roxan ~ In My Life with the Beatles

50 ~ A New Life

Property portfolio

Sophie and I have been in the Los Angeles area for a few years now. We settled down after Linda and I had scouted for weeks upon weeks for a suitably private abode.

We found that, and more. We found paradise.

A long bungalow with a second storey at one end, gardens of palms and hibiscus, a wall of ivy at the front, a picket fence at the back. The picket fence was old and weather worn but it did the job, holding Sophie back from the sea to play safely in her garden of green.

Yep the sea; the ocean really.

It's beautiful. Colours of blue woke us up every morning and lulled us to sleep every night. An ever-changing vista of boats and gulls, glorious sunsets . Plus, batten down the hatches, storms. Storms that made you feel like you were on your own little boat bobbing around on the ocean. Waves crashing, rain pelting the windows and lightning striking causing a million bolts of electricity to illuminate the sky, the beach, and beyond.

"So... what do you think?!" Linda glanced at me expectantly that day in 1970. January the 30th to be exact. "If you don't snap it up I will!"

"You know I'm going to say yes! I have already decided on Sophie's room, and saw a school nice close by as we drove here for the viewing" I smiled back at Linda as she fed Stella. We were sat alone on the back patio; the shutters behind us partially open, the real estate agent hovering incase we called. The house gave us no choice really, it was perfect and I had to have it.

After signing the document's we drove over to the office building I was thinking of adding to the business. LA was a thumping hive of music.

LA in the early 70's was the place to be.

Half an hour from the house- big tick.

Big enough to be grown into- tick, tick.

Plus, slap in the middle of a triangle of three recording studios – another humungous tick.

Absolutley perfect.

Deals done we were back at hotel in time to catch Paul and Heather for dinner.

"Well that's the most money I have ever seen dropped in a day; and I'm married to Paul McCartney!" Linda raises a glass of coca cola, we are both breastfeeding, so no alcohol for us!

"When do we move in" Paul grins cheekily up at us after wiping Heathers tomatoe sauce covered mouth.

"Next month, all the furniture I kept will arrive then, although, most of it will look horrid, old and dark like England. Lin?"

"More shopping me thinks!" Linda hoots with glee.

"Summers in LA by the beach sounds good for annual holidays" Paul hugs Linda and gives me a gentle friendly shove for a hint to a holiday invitation.

"Summers, winters and any season in between, we would love you guys to drop in" We all continue our lovely dinner, speaking of music and Sophie and my new home. Already making plans for the next time they are back in LA.

I fell into the lifestyle easily, laid back and downright casual, never a dull moment in the office or at home. Renovations made a mess of our paradise but it would be worth it in the end to have exactly what we wanted, how we wanted it.

The office grew threefold in as many years and I made sure it was able to run without me. Sophie was my life, not the business. The bands that stormed into LA for studios and gigs gave us a neverending flow of work and opportunity, but I was very aware of boundaries and made sure that the fast lifestyle I dealt with didn't invade my own personal space and life.

A few dates were had when I ventured to actually agree to saying yes to a guy, but having had John in my life, no other seemed to match up. I was open to the idea but my heart seemed to shrink back if anyone knocked too hard.

I don't think a woman could replace a man like John, I couldn't anyway. His aura and strength of personality slammed in the face of anyone I got close to. If it wasn't me doing silent comparisons, it was them trying to live up to being Lennon's successor and that was a damn recipe for disaster.

The closest I got to the fire of that type of personality was Mick Jagger, I know, what the hell right! I scraped myself away from the utter mess of a date, well actually I never got through the first;because of his pants.

They were too loose for my liking, always onto the next set of long legs. I walked out of a swanky restaurant on him that night because he thought it ok to fondle the waitress right next to me. He apologised but it was too late. We somehow managed to remain friends, and I even spend time with the band and Jerry Hall, his latest beautiful conquest when she's in town.

Linda groans loudly, often;

That I need to move on.That I need to take a chance. Harps like the mama bear she is, but I just need to reply back: who would she move on to if there was no Paul, and she zips her pretty lips shut.

Paul's idea to turn into a nun often makes for a laugh when they visit... but I don't think he could wear the smock and the nun hat all the time hehe

I don't mind.

I have Sophie... and she has me. And that's all that matters.