⇾ 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈

Chapter Eighty-Three: But, You'll Pay Later, Love

June 6, 1962

"Anything that makes you unhappy?" George Martin asked the four terrified Beatles in front of him.

George Martin wasn't supposed to have sat in with the boys during their recording. He'd left that to an assistant named Ron Richards, but when Richards was impressed with "Love Me Do," he brought Martin back in to listen. He seemed reluctant, but by the time the boys were done with "Besame Mucho," and "Ask Me Why," he seemed to be sold.

"Well, for a start," said George, trying to throw humor into his fear. "I don't like your tie."

John shoved him hard in the side, but the others, even George Martin himself, laughed. Brian, having given them a long lecture on not acting like a fool, put his head in his hands. Although I'm sure he knew that wasn't going to happen with this particular group of boys.

"I'll be sure to take right good care of that. Thank you, George" said George Martin. George Harrison gave a little nod. "If there's nothing else, you four can be on your way. I want to talk to you, Brian."

Brian gave me a look that reminded me that I should stay behind with him. I was his assistant after all. John gave me a little pat on the back and hustled the other three out of the room. I moved to stand next to Brian, having been previously told to write down anything important he said on a little notepad I'd been given.

"So—?" asked Brian hopefully. "What did you think?"

George broke into a huge smile. "I like what I see," he replied. "Although—." His voice trailed off. "I'm not so sure about the drumming."

My stomach lurched and I fought the urge to gasp aloud, alarmed with the words that would now be noted in my handwriting. What were they going to do?

"Other than that," he said, clasping his hands and taking a look around. "I'd love to see them sign a deal sometime soon. I'm excited to see what they can grow into."

Brian sighed slightly in relief. I knew these words were like music to his ears. "Thank you so much," he said.

"When do you think they'd be ready to record a proper record?" he asked, leaving Brian speechless.

"As soon as possible," he finally responded, a little chuckle releasing with the words.

"Well, Mr. Epstein—." He extended a hand. "You've got a deal." Brian scrambled to shake his hand, thanking him over and over.

~~~

We found the four boys outside gathered around the car. I, still under the command of Brian, had slipped the notepad I'd taken notes on into my purse, not wanting them to find it and see what George had said before Brian himself could tell them.

We rushed over them with huge smiles on our face. We saw George scramble to turnt other three away form him to face us. When they caught sight of us, they ran to meet us halfway.

"We've got a deal!" exclaimed Brian between gasps for air. "You're recording your first single in a few months!"

No one really knew what to say at first. There was a piercing silence where their mouths all just hung open in sheer disbelief, perhaps believing for a moment that they'd misheard the man in front of them. Brian and I waited patiently for a moment while the words sunk in.

When George had to jerk out of his trance to catch the guitar case he'd nearly dropped, John finally snapped back into reality. "Really?" he asked stupidly, his face glowing.

Brian nodded happily. "Yes, really."

The others laughed joyfully, not really knowing what else to do.

"Well," said Paul. "Let's celebrate then!"

We all laughed and piled into the van that Brian had somehow come into possession of to carry all six of us. George shoved his guitar in the trunk and hopped in behind us. Paul sat himself in the front seat where I usually sat, so I found myself in the middle row with John and George on either side of me, Pete in the back.

Brian drive us down to a cinema that we found a few blocks from our hotel. The whole ride there, the band wouldn't stop talking. They kept asking Brian when they were set to record the single he'd teased, and he would over and over reply that he didn't know yet. The other may have, but I sure didn't miss his uneasy glances back towards Pete.

We were led into a comedy movie no one had heard of by Brian. I was hoping John realized that he couldn't try and woo me while everyone was sitting next to us. That's usually what happened when we came to movies. That's why I tended to try and avoid them.

I was shoved against the far wall with John next to me. It seemed like a ploy to me.

I didn't know what was happening during most of the movie. I had to keep scolding John for trying to sneak a suggestive movement when he'd move to take a handful of popcorn.

Halfway through, he took to giving me begging looks, trying to rope me into giving in.

"John, no, stop," I whispered flatly, shooting a look at Paul to make sure he hadn't noticed anything John was trying to do. "Watch the movie."

He frowned sadly and rested his hand on my thigh, right at the hemline of my dress. I let him do this so he'd stop trying anything else. I leaned my head onto his shoulder as everyone in the theatre began to laugh. I'd missed the joke they had all found so amusing.

John kept his eyes zoned in on the screen for the next thirty minutes or so. When a man was left in the rain by a gurl onscreen and everyone began to laugh again at the sheer stupidity surrounding the situation, he leaned down.

"But, you'll pay later, love," he said in a low, teasing growl that sent a shiver down my spine. I nodded, not knowing whether to feel fear or excitement. He smirked, noticing he'd gotten exactly the response he'd intended to provoke.