⇾ 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈

Chapter Seventy-One: A Thousand Emotions in the Span of Five Minutes

April 11, 1962

By the time we'd finished eating at the diner, the sun was already setting. It felt like it had been a year since we'd left Liverpool, not twelve hours. Brian was called that night. We didn't mention Stu. We felt better breaking that news in person rather than over the phone.

The Beatles were to have their first performance night on the thirteenth and the rest of the day was spent mostly thinking about that.

John and I split from the others after an hour or two, moving off towards a park a few blocks from our hotel, the very same one we'd been to last time I was here, and the one we'd brought George to. We found ourselves lying on the cold ground again, up next to the pond. We laid there silently for a few minutes, taking in the sound of crickets chirping around us and the feel of the wind blowing against us lightly every now and then.

Neither of us said anything. We just laid together, tangled in each other's arms as if it were the last time we would see each other. It seemed Stuart's death had opened our eyes to the harsh realities of the real world. Astrid had told us that Stu had died of a brain hemorrhage after denying treatment following a fight a few months previously. John had left the room angrily again.

"Donna, look," said John after a while. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Yes?" He was pointing to a cluster of stars

"It's the Little Dipper."

I turned my head to look at him. "I still don't see it," I whined.

"Look," he quipped, taking my hand and tracing the outline of it.

"Ohh," I said after a moment of realization.

"See it?" He laughed.

"Yes, I do. Where's the other one?" I asked amusedly.

"Uhh—." He scanned the sky for a moment. "There." He took my hand and traced it.

"Good job," I said, giggling.

We sat up and John continued to point out different star formations, his arm around my waist protectively. I wasn't sure how or where he'd learned them, but it certainly was impressive.

"I'm sorry you had such a trashy day," I said to him after a while.

He smiled down at me and kissed me on the head lightly. "It's fine, love. I'll be okay. Even if I'm not," he said with a smirk. "I've got the best help in the world." He tapped me on the nose playfully, brushing a strand of my hair back.

I giggled. "I love you."

"And I love you," he replied, leaning in to kiss me meaningfully on the lips.

~~~

That night, John decided to stay in my room. He put on his best begging face and said that he "just couldn't bear to stay away from someone as pretty as you." With a roll of my eyes, and much to his delight, I let him in.

"Just one night," he said to me from the bed. I was in the bathroom washing my face. "Brian'll be here tomorrow, yeah? I won't be able to after today."

I frowned at him. "Yer so stubborn," I said. He came over and put his arms around me from behind, causing butterflies to erupt in my stomach.

"So're you," he answered. "That's why we work."

I nodded. "I guess you're right."

I put all my things away and went to sit at the desk by the room's only window, John back on the bed. I pulled out my notebook and began jotting some stuff down. "Are you excited to start playing?" I asked John after a moment.

He nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. It'll be different," he answered. "Stu always came to watch us when he could."

I nodded sympathetically. "I know, but you're a strong boy," I replied with a light-hearted laugh. "You can do it."

He laughed. "Thanks, love. I won't let ye down."

I grinned. "I know you won't."

"Whatcha writing?" he asked, coming and sitting himself on the floor at my feet, his head on his hands, childlike eyes staring me up and down.

"Nothing," I answered. "A little poem."

He moved to stand on his knees and came up to stand over me to peer into the notebook. "Damn," he said, laying his head down on the desk and looking up at me with a twinkle in his eyes. "You're good."

I rolled my eyes. "I try."

"Well, it works," he cooed. "Yer the most talented bird I've met."

"Thanks," I answered with a giggle, closing the book and turning the chair to face him. "You're very distracting."

He snickered. "I'm sorry. I'm an attention seeker."

"I can tell," I said. He frowned suddenly. "Okay, love?" I asked, fiddling with his hair playfully.

He nodded. "Just thinking."

"Well—." I looked around. "Whatcha thinking about?"

He smiled at me. "A little bit of everything, I wager. It's a bit hectic up there." He pointed to his head. "It's like they've got a snow chance in summer."

We laughed lightly, falling into a slight trance for a moment. "Yer so beautiful," John said after a moment.

I blushed, but when I tried to hide my face, he lifted my chin back up and crashed his lips into mine with purpose. He lowered me down onto his lap and the tension in the air seemed to go away as the passion, and breathing, intensified. Slowly, our jackets began to come off, followed by John's shirt. His kisses were trailing down my neck and now my shirt was being lifted....

We were jerked apart by knocking at the door. Neither of us moved for a minute, just swallowing what had just happened. Finally, I found my senses as the knock came again and I stumbled to my feet, hobbling over to the door while fighting to slow my heartbeat back down as John scrambled to put his shirt back on.

I'd never felt so many emotions at once.

Paul was on the other side of the door. I knew that my face was bright red and tried to hide it again, but sensing my unsuccessfulness. Paul looked at us confusedly. He couldn't figure out why I was shifting around uncomfortably or why John looked slightly irritated.

Perhaps he figured it out after a moment because his face went slightly red for a moment as he cleared his throat. "Did I interrupt something?" he asked feebly.

I shook my head, breathing deeply. "Absolutely nothing."