first question... ~ Paul McCartney (1st book)

•Part 37•

April 3rd 1966

She clambered out of her seat and into the recording booth. Amelia carefully made her way through, dodging microphone stands and leads coming out of the floor with various instruments, towards the piano. She brushed her fingers over the keys, she wasn't used to a proper piano and felt like a proper musician for a few seconds. Until she played some odd notes snapping her from the professional feeling but managed to create a riff. It was only 4 notes but once they were played one after another, it gave the happy and uplifting feel to the song.

As she replayed the riff over and over until it stuck and matched the rhythm, Paul joined with his vocals and bass. This encouraged John with his rhythm guitar and Ringo with the drums. She picked up the chord sequence quickly and practically played through the whole song. After a big finish, the song was complete and ready for recording. Amelia was so pleased with the song that she bounced around the piano high fiving everyone in her path.

"Can we record it?" She said jumping towards, and almost into, the microphone.

"I did" George said from the recording booth, she was still adjusting to hearing his voice from the opposite room where she usually sat.

Paul and Amelia exchanged looks then to John and back to George with Ringo.

"With me on the piano?" She questioned and he nodded.

"I'll just mix it with the previous recording" he said flicking various switches and buttons as he began mixing the track.

The boys set their instruments down and picked up their jackets that had been draped on different items of furniture. She turned and saw that everyone was making their way out. John came over to Amelia and they talked for a few minutes about nonsense that only she and the rest of the boys understood. It didn't take her long to adjust to Johns humour and mannerisms, she was a flexible character and people's person. He soon caught up with the boys as a few of the staff from the studio tidied up leads and other recording implements.

They then left shortly and she faced back to Paul who was over the other side of the huge booth. She pulled up another padded stool, marked with the "Abbey Road Studios" logo, suddenly feeling rather worn out from all the excitement. Paul returned shortly after he'd snuck away to the back and came in with one of his acoustic guitars he kept at the studio. It didn't have a jack built into it which made it clear to her that it was his song writing guitar. She perked up at the sight wondering if he was going to play something to her.

He came over and planted a smooth kiss on her lips as if to say "thank you for your help today". They depend the kiss which sparked a flare inside her.

"I love you Lia" he said pulling away for a breath and stroked her face whilst he ran one hand through her hair gently.

"I love you too deer" she replied rubbing his forearm.

"I'd like to play you something if you hadn't guessed" he said also pulling up a stool to sit comfortably as he didn't have a strap on his guitar. She raised an eyebrow excitedly and smiled at him.

He relaxed in the position of the guitar on his lap and started picking, if Paul has written a picking tune it's going to be good, she thought.  Not only was he an exceptional bass player, he was also a brilliant guitarist, pianist and drummer. She focused on the melody. Then the words, such beautiful and clever words. She discovered that she was the centre of the song and it was too her, not just about her. Amelia felt hot at the thought and smiled with joy, these songs were special to her. She was already hearing the "ooo's" in her mind that could be added.

"To lead a better life I need my love to be here...

Here, making each day of the year
Changing my life with the wave of her hand
Nobody can deny that there's something there

There, running my hands through her hair"

This cracked the intimate moment between them as he looked up and they chuckled as he recalled what he'd done to her only a few seconds ago.

"Both of us thinking how good it can be
Someone is speaking but she doesn't know he's there"

She couldn't help but smile at the words. Soon the key shift and made her laugh because he knew how much she loved key changes in songs. The melody was beautiful, indescribable really. She felt that it was meant to be quite stripped back and calm, not much needed to be added to it honestly. The song finished with the final open chord of G causing her to flatter him with an applause.

"You've done it again Paulie" Amelia said hugging him after her set his guitar down on the laminate flooring.

"I know" he said smugly making her thump him playfully.

"Hey! we can't all be like you Paul," she said sitting on his lap comfortably "don't take this lightly".

She gently dropped her long arms around his hot neck and he wrapped his around her waist accordingly.

"Thank you for being my inspiration" he said planting a kiss on her lips that was suddenly rejected.

"Oh Paul stop saying that, you have a talent! I have nothing to do with this!" She said chuckling.

"Amelia why do you refuse to be praised!" He said slightly frustrated, she knew he was being serious when he used her proper name.

"You always make me seem like some sort of magical fairy who plants these thoughts into your mind a-a-and helps you write melodies and lyrics" she said standing up also becoming serious "and I'm not going to lie but sometimes it makes me feel..."

"Arrogant?" He suggested.

"Embarrassed!" She said and his face drooped like a dying flower "that's right. Whenever you tell the boys or any of the staff here how great I am... I feel like I have to live up to this expectation you have set for me". Paul hung his head.

"And frankly I don't enjoy it. You say I'm great all the time but now it's become a little tedious" she checked quickly to see if she had upset him and lowered her voice just incase "what if I mess up? I think. What if you make me seem like something that I'm not? I'm a journalist Paul. Not a music composer" she said sighing and hanging her head in turn.

"I'm sorry" he said after a few moments "I never knew you felt this way".

Neither did she to be honest.

"But Amelia, you of all people must surely know that relationships can spark an influence for music?" Paul said now standing up too and walking over to her.

She chewed on the inside of her mouth as she reached her realisation from the previous statement,

"I'm sorry" she said staring into space as a tear fell from her.

He pulled her in for a hug "it's ok. It's late".

"We've never had a proper argument before" she said as he rubbed her back with comfort.

"I wouldn't call this a proper argument" he said pulling away to grab his coat.

"Really?" She questioned.

"Yes, john and I have had worse" he said holding his left arm out for her to link with and so she did.