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

•Part 46•

August 24 1966

She woke to the sound of the heart rate monitor and a wave of relief had flooded her entirely. Amelia was certain that she had been killed in that moment but saw the various wires that were hooked up to her. She lifted her heavy arms and saw the constellations of scratches and bruises that had collected all over her. Amelia knew that this tour wasn't going to be good for her and nothing was going to change that. A soft knock fell on the door, one suddenly reminded her of her fathers when she was a little girl.

"Good morning Amelia" Brian Epstein smiled at her.

"Hello" she said trying to sit up as best she could but winced at the pain.

"You stay right where you are it's fine. I just wanted to talk some things through with you" he said pulling up a chair beside her.

He talked to her for a good twenty minutes before leaving back to the hotel as he informed her of everything the doctors had done to her the previous night of when the accident happened. Brian informed her that he had talked to her parents already too. Just when she though there was some peace a sudden thud of quick footsteps emerged from the hallway and the doors were flung open to a very out of breath and panicked Paul.

"Thank the heavens, they wouldn't let me come until you had woken up" He said running to her said and taking her hand but she tensed as he touched a slit that had been plastered over.

"Don't touch me" she whispered unable to speak any louder. She was furious and hurt, both physically and mentally.

Paul turned white at the harsh words and couldn't believe what he just heard. Amelia was never that sort of dark and mean character but more like a delicate flower. She would laugh at mostly everything and was talented and positive but this was a side to her that not even she knew existed.

"Lia I am extremely sorry that this has happened" he said looking deeply at her with sympathy.

She noticed his bloodshot eyes and couldn't help but return the sympathy, but she was overridden with sadness.

"I can't do this anymore" she said looking down.

Paul shook his head slowly not wanting to believe what he'd just heard "Amelia don't do this" he pleaded.

"I'm serious Paul," she said firmly "I can't do this. It's just too much, too many things have happened to me and I can't cope with it anymore!" She said already starting to well up.

Paul sat in silence "I haven't had time to even speak to my family because of this a-a-and the magazine that I have to write and the photographs is just all too much Paul!" She stuttered.

"I know that I chose to do those things but" she paused not wanting to say the next sentence "I feel as if I'm doing all the work in out relationship".

It was as if a wall fell on Paul and those words tore it down.

"I chose to do those things for you reputation and to make you proud and," she swallowed about to burst into tears "and I get nothing back from you".

She covered her face carefully, realising there were stitches on her right eyebrow from where her head was smacked against the speaker.

"Actually, I do get something back," she correct herself after sniffing heavily "I get this" she gestured to her broken body that was so spotless before.

"I get kicked and trampled on and shoved and mentally damaged" she said now raising her voice "I have become so... anxious Paul!" She said looking at him concerned about her well being.

"A-a-and fearful of everything that was about to happen" she said squinting as she felt a sudden pain in her leg.

Paul saw his world fall apart in front of his very eyes, all the words she was say were making him feel as if he had murdered her without realising. However, he knew everything she was saying was true and it was truly how felt.

She took a deep breath after the brief moment of pain "what I'm trying to say Paul is that I need some time away"

"What?" He said confused.

"I'm going back home, tomorrow in fact. Brian sorted it all out for me earlier. I'm going to my parents for a while" she said shamefully in the opposite direction.

"But we can make things work" he said trying his best to fix the problem he had made.

"No Paul, we can't!" She said silencing him once again "I hate to be dramatic but you've done too much damage to me right now. I need some space" Amelia said and he hung his heavy head.

Paul realised that she was serious and not just affected by the anaesthetic, and he'd have to accept it quickly.

"Ok then" he said standing up "ill give you time".

"You don't get it do you" she said frustrated "I'm breaking up with you Paul, for good!".

"Then why did you say you needed space? Doesn't that suggest you're going to come back?" He said.

"I said that because I couldn't bare to say those words" she said looking at her dirty hands.

He looked at the floor, physically unable to make eye contact with her, and understood her completely. He accepted the guilt that had caused this accident to happen.

Paul turned towards the door and placed his shaky hand on the handle but paused "Goodbye Lia" he said with intense melancholy.

"Goodbye Paulie" she whispered again returning his feelings.

The door closed and she turned back to the seat where he was sitting and saw he had left a newspaper on it. Amelia stretched out her arm with all her strength to pick it up and brought back over to where she was. She popped on her reading glasses as Brian had brought all her belongings to her from the hotel.

The headline read, "Beatles show cut short due to youth stampede".

She continued to read the article, not noticing her tears dropping onto the pages and seeping through, about the event and a sudden realisation fell on her.

This was only the beginning of her recognition.