The next couple months passed with everything getting back to things just as they were before everything. I still missed Brian terribly, I saw him nearly every day my entire life.
Things between George and I were at bay, and had begun to be more and more enveloped in the idea of fatherhood. He attended my every doctors appointment, and I was thankful to have someone who cared so much, though at times I could feel suffocated and uneasy about all that's happened between us.
I was waiting for the consequences of my phone call to unravel itself from the months prior. It wasn't that I didn't want Jane and Paul to be happy, it was that I knew they wouldn't be happy together.
"Hello, operator, yes, can you connect me to a Linda Eastman, New York?" I had pursed my lips as I made the phone call after I had heard the news Paulwas planning on proposing to Jane, twirling the telephone chord between my fingers nervously.
I felt like I was meddling, but in the moment I didn't care, Paul proposing to Jane would only make things worse in their relationship, so what was adding a beautiful photographer to the equation? Paul had already had a few mistresses in recent months anyway.
But something was different about Linda than other girls Paul had been interested in.
When she had picked up, I felt as if there was a lump in my throat.
"Hello?" Her American accent was warm and welcoming.
"Is this Linda Eastman?"I asked meekly, already recognizing her voice anyhow.
"Yes it is, may I ask who's speaking?" She questioned routinely, a calm that I knew would be ruined by my proposition.
I had a flash of doubt. It would be a somewhat odd request.
"This is Poppy Harrison," I began.
"As in, George Harrison's wife?" She sounded cool yet very intrigued in the phone call suddenly.
"I suppose if you put it that way." I smiled pausing for a moment. "I wondered, Mrs. Eastman, can you keep a secret?" I nearly giggled.
"I could, unless it something illegal." She joked back, causing me to smile warmly in awe of her humour.
"Oh no, nothing of the sort. George and I are expecting, and you see, I hoped you'd be interested in taking photographs for the papers when we make the news public." I bit my lip in anticipation.
I wasn't being completely truthful. Yes, George and I would eventually need to tell the world I suppose, but this ask was for Paul more than anyone else, the man was in a mess of a relationship. If he could just see Linda again, I knew he would realize it for himself. And if I could get pregnancy photographs in the process, I suppose it would be a win-win.
"Yes, I'd absolutely love to." She responded setting my nerves at ease.
"Right, that's fantastic! Of course, we'll have to wait until I'm showing," I paused looking down to my stomach that was more or less the same as usual, "if that's alright, I'll have George's people get in touch? So we could talk numbers and everything."
"Sounds like a plan." Linda replied enthusiastically.
Oh, little did she know.
When I had begun to show a couple months after the call, we finalized the plan to have Linda come to London. George didn't quite understand my infatuation with getting her and Paul together, but I saw the way he looked at a her. I haven't seen him look at anyone that way before.
"Mummy, look at what I made!" Julian came into the living room where Cynthia and I were practicing some transcendental meditation, something the boys, especially George, encouraged. I figured if anything it would clear my mind and be healthy for the baby.
"Sorry Cynthia, he slipped out of sight for one second." John spoke before picking Julian up by the sides and tickling him, scolding him jokingly for bugging Cynthia and I.
I couldn't say I didn't know what John was up to. I think that artist had a hold on him, there was a change in him I saw now clearer than before, though I wasn't exactly sure how to put it into words.
"You ready for the launch of the Apple Boutique tonight?" I smiled to myself knowing I had invited Linda to come down for the event as well as shooting George and I tomorrow. She would have to get back to America soon after though, since she was a mother herself.
"You bet your sweet George I did." He smirked just as George was coming into the room from behind him.
"What?" George asked, startling John as he did so.
"I've got to hide this baby bump tonight." I looked at my tummy which was really starting to become a real baby bump. I was over the moon about it, but George and I wouldn't quite be going public about it yet or else there would be no reason for Linda to come.
I had to beg Paul to visit a week earlier in Liverpool so he would be at the party, however it may have seemed suspicious I hadn't said much to Ringo as he was in Rome. Ringo understood however, the only one uninformed of my plan being Paul and Jane.
"You have to?" George moped, coming to sit beside me, folding up his legs in a meditation position just like Cynthia and I.
I leaned over placing a peck on his lips.
"Yes, and you know why." I tutted watching him smile coyly.
"Well, I don't have to hide mine, so I feel marvellous." John put his hand on his stomach as if he were pregnant.
"Put it away." George pretended to shield his eyes, laughing as John was trying desperately to stick out his stomach to mimic a baby bump.
"Speaking of pregnancy," I spoke struggling slightly as I stood up, "I've got to go to the bathroom, again." I sighed hearing Cynthia giggle.
On my way down the hall I caught a glimpse of a note on John and Cynthias bed. John had just come from there so I had an unsettling feeling about it, he was awfully chipper.
Looking back to make sure I wasn't being watched, I slid into the room and got closer to the letter as if it were a ticking time bomb, scared of what I knew I'd see.
John was scribbled in the neat and delicate handwriting and I let out a heavy sigh, putting a hand over my mouth and looking back again. When I realized no one had noticed I looked back down at the letter, deciding to pick it up.
The envelope had already been opened, and I had been able to catch a glimpse of the words Love, Yoko from inside before I felt a presence behind me.
I turned around startled, seeing John staring at my hand with a dropped expression.
"I can explain."
"I don't want to hear it John." I began to storm past him, shoving the letter into his chest while passing by him. I was furious. He was still after Yoko. I wish I could understand why, I really did. He was hurting more than Cynthia, he was hurting Julian.
"Don't tell Cynthia." He begged as I was just leaving the doorframe.
"Then end it John, or I might have to." I scoffed throwing my arms up, still being quite as to not alert Cyn and Jules.
He dipped his head, and from then on I knew he wouldn't.
