The Arch of Love ~ Paul McCartney

24. Jealous

Liverpool, 9 November '61, 11:45 AM

I hadn't told anything to anyone about me and Paul. When a letter showed up for me, that Friday morning, I had to pretend it was from a girl from boarding school. This was somewhat believable as I did keep in contact with a couple of them, especially Fran, but the slight blush on my face must've given away that it was someone else.

It was from Paul. We had exchanged addresses so that we could call each other, whenever that could happen. But apparently Paul had taken it upon himself to start a correspondence via letter. After that, more letters followed. I answered each and saved all of them in a little box in my room. All of his letters started the same. They all started with "My dearest Archie'. It was needless to say that after the letters started, no calls were actually made to each other. Somehow, the letters worked for us.

We were still keeping it quiet, but the amount of time we were spending together, showed me that there was definitely something going on. Something pretty serious.

Between me studying to become a nurse and him with his bug band, we couldn't meet up a lot. But every Wednesday and Friday night, if he was playing the Cavern, he would come over and bring me a kiss or two. And in the odd occasion he would have the night off, he would come over to the Cavern and actually spend the evening with me.

Then there were also the meetings outside of the Cavern. Scarce, but they did exist. Once or twice, we went to the pictures and saw whatever was screening, or we would ferry across the Mersey and treat ourselves to some chips. This unfortunately couldn't happen a lot, as neither one of us had ever any money.

'Are you coming with us, Archie?' Jackie asked as she put on her coat after our morning lesson had ended. Brenda was hastily packing up her books. I didn't even have to ask where they were going. It was where they went every lunch hour; to the Cavern club to listen to music.

'I'm not sure,' I said as I took my own coat and hung it over my arm. 'I might go home for a bit.'

'Ah, come on, Archie. Live a little,' Brenda protested as she took my arm in hers. 'You know, I think the Beatles are playing.'

'What has that to do with anything?' I asked, feigning innocence.

'Oh stop it. I know you've totally got a thing for Paul, don't you?' Jackie accused me, which made me let out a laugh. 'Don't laugh; it's written on your face.'

'It's not!' I protested. Without me even realising where we were going, we had left the college building and were making our way to the docks, probably to a little cellar or Mathew Street. Dang it, I didn't even want to come.

'It totally is!' Brenda chimed in. 'I don't understand it, though. I mean, have you seen Pete. He's way hotter than Paul is.' And cue the chitchat about the attractiveness of Pete Best. Mate, this was getting annoying.

Without every agreeing to it, I suddenly found myself walking down the steps of the Cavern Club. Malcolm, one of the bouncers, greeted me at the door; I really came here too often. As we walked down the steps, I pulled the hairband out of my hair and let my blonde locks fall down over my shoulders. Jackie had said, live a little. I could do that, right?

Brenda had been right; the Beatles were playing this afternoon. The cramped cellar was bouncing with music and bodies and on stage the band was making the most of their performance, brightening up the day of so many others.

We danced the hour away and when John announced the last song, I wanted to head back to school, but Jackie protested; she wanted to wait around and see if she could talk with Pete. As if that was ever going to happen. According to Paul, he was with more girls in a week than he could count on a hand. Quick and dirty with no commitments on top, was apparently Pete's specialty.