⇾ 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈

Chapter Nine: Everything Isn't Fine For Me and John

August 6, 1961

The next morning nothing got better. Brian confirmed that I had a fever and condemned me to my room for the day. I grudgingly agreed and he told me we'd get it looked at if it got worse.

I wasn't exactly thrilled about the whole thing. What a great first week. And what a way to spend your first weekend.

I wasn't sure what to do cooped up in this house all day, so I was actually glad when I heard the light clunking of rocks hitting the window. I found George, Paul, and John outside.

"Whatcha doin, Londoner?" called up Paul.

"I told you we shouldn't have bothered her," I heard John hiss.

"I guess I'm sick now," I painfully explained. "I've been confined to this house all day."

George cocked his head. "What's wrong?" he called up.

"Why don't you just come in here?" I asked. "I'm tired of shouting."

They shrugged and I retreated downstairs to let them in, even going through the trouble of tidying myself up a bit first.

"What did ye do to already get sick now, love?" asked Paul. I shrugged.

"I don't know what it is. Probably nothing bad."

"Famous last words," John said, smiling.

I shook my head and leaned back. "You guys don't have to stay here with me," I said then. "And I can't leave so...you all can get along without me today." I said.

John shook his head and fell back onto a couch, putting his hands behind his head. "We're staying as long as we need to. Gonna be sad not having you at rehearsal today. We've been enjoying your company."

"Have you?"

"Yes, we have," said George, leaning back.

"Good to know," I said.

Why did I continue to talk? It was becoming hard to swallow.

John looked at me skeptically. "You good?"

I shook my head. "I—uh—I need to find...my dad."

"Where is he?"

"At work. He works at a record store down the road."

God, it hurt.

"Do you need us to take you?"

"If you want."

"I—uh—" said George nervously.

"You two can just leave." John rolled his eyes. "I'll take her."

They nodded and looked at me sympathetically and worried. I waved. They left.

"C'mere." John held out his hand. I took it and stood. It was blinding. Why was it so worse all of a sudden?

"What's the place?" John asked.

"Somewhere on Walton Road?" I managed.

"Oh, Donna, we can't get there quickly."

I shrugged. "Just get me there."

So he obliged. It took some arguing, but he'd finally abandoned the idea of a taxi and was just walking me. I was fine everywhere except for the horrible feeling back of my throat. Why was this happening?

I hobbled down the streets of Liverpool, answering John's questions with either a simple head nod or head shake until we finally made it to the shop. I found my way in and up to the counter rather quickly. John told whoever was working that he needed to see Brian.

"Thanks, John," I managed to say as we waited afterwards.

"Oh, anytime, love."

The last thing I remember before succumbing to the pain was John shouting and Brian saying something to me: my name. I tried to tell him that I felt so much better now, but it was no use. The words just didn't come out.

August 7, 1961

I woke up to a bright light and Brian staring down at me.

"I—." It still hurt to talk, but certainly a lot less now.

"Good morning," Brian said, seeing that I was awake.

"What—?"

"Tonsillitis," he answered. "Wasn't just a sore throat after all." He smiled at me sympathetically.

"Where's John? And Paul and George? What day is it?"

"It's Sunday," he answered. "And I don't know where your friends are, but thank God that one got you to me when he did. He said he'd come by some time—." He paused.

I nodded and went to sit up. I was in the hospital, it seemed. Everything was bright and smelled of mints. I was in a horrible gown and my hair was a mess. Everything about this was just a mess. I guess I wasn't going to school tomorrow, was the first thing I realized.

"Well, kiddo," he said, patting my hand as a nurse came in. "I've gotta get back to work, but I'll be back in a few hours and we'll go home by tomorrow, promise."

I nodded. "See you then," I said and he gave a little wave before he left.

"How you feeling?" the nurse asked with a smile, rolling up on a chair next to me.

"Good as I'll ever be," I replied with a smile.

She scribbled something on a notepad and then left the room, saying she'd be back to check on me soon. I turned towards a table and saw that someone had brought To Kill A Mockingbird to me. I looked at it, confused, for a moment and then picked it up and opened it.

I read for about thirty minutes before I heard talking in the hallway outside the door.

"Emily, she's my friend. For God's sake, she just had surgery, and you're saying I can't see her?" It was John's voice. I hated eavesdropping, but my curiosity was too much to contain.

"John, it seems like you care more about her than me," Emily said, sounding hurt.

"Emily, it seems like you're too jealous to accept that we're just friends." John's voice was stone cold. "If you don't want to go and see her, then leave. I can't do this right now."

I imagine she nodded, or just turned and left, but nonetheless I could hear John sigh deeply before he came in. I hope I wasn't getting in between them.

He smiled when he saw me.

"Everything alright?" I asked.

His lips faltered, but that smile I'd come to love came back again almost immediately. "I'm not sure, honestly. She's been full of it this week." He sighed. "But, that's nothing for you to worry about, especially right now. How are you feeling now?"

I shook my head, sitting up. "About as good as I can be, I guess." I shrugged.

"Better than the last time I saw you." He chuckled and put his hands in his pockets.

"Where's the others?" I asked.

"Geo's out with some girl? Mary, I think is her name?"

I nodded. "He finally asked her out?"

"I guess he did." He slumped against the wall with a laugh. "And Paul is with his dad and brother. Some family thing."

I nodded.

"But, I'm here," he finished, smiling crookedly.

I shook my head, unable to believe it. Of all the people I could be with, it was John.

And I hated to admit it still, but his presence made me all fuzzy inside.

I wasn't falling too quick I hoped.