Only Love Remains - Paul McCartney Fanfiction

Chapter 12 - Rejection

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When we listened through the final mix of the single, I found myself tearing up, half because it was so personal to me, and half because it sounded more perfect than I could've ever dreamed of. I didn't even care about the success of this song or anything, I just wanted to release this in hopes that some other person can listen to it and relate to it and find a real connection with the music.

The single would be released next week on Thanksgiving Day, and I was super excited for it. I wanted to go home to Texas and be there with my family when it releases and show them what've I've been working so hard at.

Joshua was coming back to Texas with me, he had been planning to do so for thanksgiving anyway. He probably wanted to see what his family thought of the new song, he had been going on and on about how excited he was to show it to them. His parents were always so proud of him.

"Joshua, you need to release a solo album some day," I said as I stared off distantly, smoking a cigarette. We were in the studio listening to the album mix to make sure I was happy with it so far.

Joshua chuckled as he plucked through randomly improvised notes on guitar. D, E, F, Bb, bend up to B, trill between Bb and A. Perfect pitch could make me sound awful smart if I were to say all those notes out loud as he plays through them. It reminded me of when Paul played through piano chords while I was blindfolded and facing the other way to see if I could tell him what he was playing just by listening.

"A solo album? You know the pressure would scare me," Joshua laughed.

"You come up with great melodies all the time and you've helped me write songs before. Remember how you told me you were into poetry and would always wow the English teachers? I think you've got the perfect package to make your own record," I said. "You can even sing, I know you can. Don't think I ain't paying attention when you do backup."

Joshua knew I was always gonna push him to do more. I could be such a cheerleader, my encouragement skills could be pretty impressive. If I hadn't pushed Joshua already, I'm not sure he would've been reaching his full potential. I try my best to pull the best out of him.

"Gosh, Ramona, you're making me blush," Joshua said sarcastically. "I don't know, the idea is a bit nerve wracking. I don't wanna put something out and then feel like it wasn't my best."

"Hey, it's only the first one, you don't have to be Beethoven or anything," I said.

Joshua looked around in thought for a moment, before shrugging and smiling. "Okay, maybe I will. You have to help me with it though, promise?"

I chuckled and ruffled his hair, messing it up to annoy him. "Of course I will. We can talk to Andy about it later."

Andy managed both Joshua and I, it was easier and meant less conflict in business moves and ideas. He did a good job of it anyway, we both trusted him with our careers and that he would help us be able to keep going in the music industry.

We continued listening through the album, enjoying how it sounded. Marlon and Perry were two guys I could always trust to make my songs sound good. They had all this knowledge of how things should be while at the same time allowing me to experiment with new sounds or ideas. For example, one of the songs on here was a bit bass heavy, and I honestly adored how the song sounded. I didn't want to do it too much, it gets tiring after a while, but it's nice to hear it on a song or two.

I didn't spend a lot of time on recording compared to my other albums. Usually it'd take me about two months because of how much of a perfectionist I could be and how many changes I would make, but I limited the time on this one. It forced me to do the best I could and think very quickly. I'm surprised we ended up having time for an orchestra, but I'm so happy we got it in anyway. It sounded gorgeous.

I really wished I had Paul here to listen to it, he always came by to listen to it with me during the final stages. This album really felt like my best work so far too, so not having Paul here was even odder. Everyone here knew the situation, I trusted them not to go to the press with it, so they kind of all knew I'd be a bit down today.

Joshua tried to keep me optimistic and smiley all the time. Whenever someone was having a rough time, Joshua would always be the one cheering them up. He was the friend everyone wanted to have, that's why he had so many friends that adored and loved him. He was a sweet kid, it made me feel proud that he always tells me I'm like his second mom.

Once we finished listening through the album and were happy with how it sounded, we all went back to my house for some lunch. Now, I may be some big star with hit songs and quite a bit of money, but I would never ever stop cooking the meals at home. I was a damn good cook if I do say so myself, I learned it all from the women in my family.

They were all sitting around the table, except for Joshua who wanted to help me in the kitchen. I really do mean it when I say he's an absolute sweetheart. He even had his hair tied back into a loose ponytail to make sure no hair got in the food. You'd swear this man is as considerate as a saint.

As we came to the table to put the plates of food down, Andy was busy chatting to Marlon and Perry about how excited he was for the release. "Well, I think we've down an amazing job. We've worked really hard, all of us. Thank god for Ramona McCartney," Andy said.

Legally, my name was Ramona McCartney. I was a very traditional girl, so I thought why not change my last name? My name remained the same to the public, however. I guess my old name is now a stage name. Ramona Amada. I remember when Paul told me how he used to have a stage name, which funnily enough was Paul Ramon. We had a good laugh about that one, but we also found the coincidence cute.

I heard the phone ring and Joshua quickly picked it up for me since I still had plates in my hands. Everyone was smiling as they looked at the food in front of them, staring at it like it was some kind of gold.

"Gosh, I cannot wait to devour that fried chicken right there," Andy said, rolling up his sleeves. He looked across the table and gasped. "Aw you didn't tell me you were making grits. Now I don't know what to stuff myself with!"

Perry and Marlon just looked at us in amusement. Whenever I was making food and Andy was eating, he would get all crazy because it reminded him of home and his mother's cooking.

"Andy, we are celebrating a new album. You go ahead and stuff yourself like a turkey with a little bit of everything, this is a treat," I said.

"Ramona?" Joshua called.

"Yes Joshua?" I asked.

"It's a long distance call. You accept?" Joshua asked.

I stopped for a moment, knowing who was phoning the house. Joshua seemed to notice my uneasiness as he gave me a worried look, already seeming to know my answer. It would be the first time I'd reject the call. "Nah, leave it be," I said, trying not to give away any emotion.

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