Break Me One More Time [McLennon]

in which it is the summer of '69

It was hot — very hot — and The Beatles were lounging outside, soaking up the rays of sun. It had been just a few months since the chaos of Spring when George learned Paul's big secret, Pattie agreed to marry George, and John asked Paul to marry him, and the cool wind and rains of April were a mere memory in everyone's minds. They were confronted, now, with humid air that made breathing just a little bit difficult and sunshine so extreme it threatened to burn all of their skin right off.

There were two reclining lawn chairs stood a few feet apart that Paul and John were stretched out upon.

Ringo was sitting at the edge of the inground pool that John and Paul had had installed in their backyard in the past few months. His feet were dipped in the water and he kicked legs legs a little bit, making small splashes. "The pool was a good decision," he said.

"I think so, yeah," Paul said, propping himself up on his elbows. The world started spinning a little bit and Paul figured that the heat was so bad it was making him dizzy. "What do you think, Georgie?"

George, who was basking on an inflatable pool float that crept across the surface of the water, stuck his arm into the air and indicated his approval of the pool with a thumbs-up.

"Glad you like it," Paul said. He laid back down slowly, wincing. He noticed how sore he was and tried to figure out what it was that he had done to make his body ache so much. Again, he attributed it to the heat. "Johnny?"

John hummed from his chair. "Yeah?"

"Come lay down with me?" Paul asked, a hint of a whine in his voice.

"Paul," John laughed. "I love you dearly, but it's far too warm for that."

"Oh, very well," Paul said, sitting back up, wincing once more, and swinging his legs over the edge of the reclined lawn chair. He rose to his feet, stretching his arms above his head, and he stiffly crossed the stone patio built in around the pool. He dipped his toe into the water, testing its temperature before kneeling down at the pool's edge and sliding in.

"Oh," George said. "Pattie and I've picked a date for the wedding."

"Oh, excellent," John called from the patio. "When will it be, then?"

"December fifth," said George.

"Interesting choice," said Paul. He swam lazily. Really, he was floating across the pool and vaguely moving his arms and legs.

"'Interesting' meaning bad?" George asked.

"No, just 'interesting' meaning interesting," Paul said.

"Hm," said George.

"When are you two having your backyard wedding thing?" Ringo asked Paul and John.

"We haven't picked a time yet," Paul said, a little out of breath from the small bit of movement he'd been doing for the past couple minutes. He swam up to the side of the pool, folding his arms on the pool's stone edge and leaning his weight there. "We've been talking about it but we think we'll wait until after we release the next album."

"The next one's gonna be a big one," said John. "I can feel it."

"Yeah, Johnny?" Paul laughed.

"Yeah!" John exclaimed, propping himself up on his elbows. "I can feel it in my bones."

George snorted.

"What about you, Ringo?" John asked. "When are you finally gonna ask the big question?"

"Maureen and I got married a month ago, actually," said Ringo.

John raised his eyebrows. "And you didn't think to tell us?" he asked.