Let It Be (A Beatles Story)

Chapter Fifty-Four

The 1964 American tour started only a few days later, and things got even more insane.  The lads performed all around New York, including Carnegie Hall.  Most of the lads enjoyed it, but John wasn't always happy.  Sometimes fans were actually sitting on the stage with them, and they would grab at the boys and shout at them.  He thought it was like being caged at a zoo.  

But then the lads went down to the Sunshine State to play another Ed Sullivan Show.  After that, however, they had as much free-time as they wanted in Florida.  It was wonderful.  

One day Brian rented a boat for the lads, and we went out on the water.  It was great.  We found a way to listen to music on the boat's radio, and the lads were able to sit down and have a drink.  They were all in their finest vacation clothes: button-down shirts and capris or shorts.  

I had a bit of free-time before they did, so I went shopping for a swimsuit.  Though it was probably less skimpy than swimsuits in 2014, for the bottom part of it was shorts instead of a bikini bottom, wearing that gave the lads an opportunity to see more skin than they had wanted to.  

I relaxed on the bow of the boat, closer to the water than any of the lads dared to go.  But Paul and George were at the back of the boat, meanwhile Ringo and John were at the front with me.  Walking past them, I turned the radio up loud, the rock and roll song blaring.  I took Ringo's hand.  "Dance with me."

My statement caused John to look at me.  Ringo was silent for a moment, then smiled.  Though he grew nervous when I stood on the bow of the boat, and tugged him along to join me.  "You won't fall in," I had to speak loudly over the music.  

So we danced, and John continued to drink.  He let me taste it, and it was quite friuty, but to me it was too sweet.  Soon I offered him to join us, and he did.  

Paul and George must have heard our laughing and became curious.  The youngest Beatle didn't smile and just sat, meanwhile Paul joined in on the fun.  I offered a hand to George, but he didn't take it.  However, when Paul asked him, he did.  He stayed away from me though.  

I caught Paul staring at me long moments at a time.  The amount of skin I was showing obviously had an affect on him.  I laughed, but continued to dance.  Everything was so wonderful that day.  The water was calm and clear, the sun was beating down with heat the Beatles had never felt before and they were getting their well-deserved break.  

A few minutes later, the lads took a break and Brian arrived.  I, however, was busy looking out at the water, so I didn't notice.  Before Brian could say a word, John shouted, "The pirates!  The fiends!  Abandon ship!" He shot up, grabbed me and we both tumbled off of the bow into the water.

The ocean felt amazing in the heat of day.  I quickly swam up to the surface, looking up at Paul's frightened face.  I laughed, and splashed him.  John came up from underwater a few moments later. 

After swimming around for a few minutes, Paul offered me a hand to climb back into the boat.  He offered one to John too, though I could tell immediately that this wouldn't end well for Paul.  The older Beatle yanked his arm and he fell head first into the water.  He came up spouting water from his mouth.  Splashing John, he said, "That was not funny."

"It was from up here," I interjected, giggling.  He play-scowled, and splashed at me.  

"Missed me-" I began to say, before someone pushed me from behind and I slipped into the water.  As I shook the hair out of my eyes, I saw Ringo immediately point to George, so he wouldn't be the one to wrongly feel my wrath.  I didn't know if George did it because of our fight, or because he was trying to be somewhat playful.  Either way, I wasn't going to let him get away with it.