FicWad

The phone was ringing at seven o’clock, but I ignored it. I was washed and dressed in a black pencil skirt and white blouse and I was just brushing my hair. I wasn’t going to be late today. It was Tuesday after all. I heard Lucy answer it. She was up early and ready for her job at Macy’s. She was executive manager, and she wore the title well in her black and red pinstripe suit.

“It’s for you.” She shoved the phone brusquely in my direction.

I took the white rectangle and placed it at my ear. “Hello?”

“Alice! It’s Ringo!” his voice was cheerful as usual.

I smiled. “How are you today? Last day in the big city.”

“I think we’re all a bit muddled and disappointed. We want to make the most of today.”

I was pulling on my heels as I spoke. “I’m sorry I’m not quite at your disposal. I have work today.”

Disappointment leaked through Ringo’s words. “When do you get off?”

“Not until five-thirty, I’m afraid,” I frowned. I wanted to spend another day with them as well.

“Oh, dear,” Ringo sighed. “We leave tomorrow you know.”

I winced. “Yes, I did know. Tell you what. I have a lunch break at twelve-twenty. How about
you lads take me out to lunch.”

There was a conversation on the other line and then Ringo came back on. “That sounds great, Alice. We’ll see you then, yeah?’

“I work at the Art Gallery on sixth,” I instructed.

“Right!”

“Tell Paul he mustn’t feel obligated. If he has other plans...” I trailed off, but I think Ringo got the message.

“See you then!”

~

Going to work was nice for a change. I gave the Spaniards a tour with almost flawless Spanish, and Leo spent the day following us and giving me grins and thumbs-ups. I was happy with what I was doing at the gallery. However, the position I really wanted was Leo’s. A chance to run the place and really be in charge. But, I liked Leo too much to even think about telling him this.

Leo liked me well enough, and Leo had a family to support. I did my job gracefully, and by the time lunchtime came, Leo was very generous.

“I’m going out to lunch today, Boss,” I warned him as I finished another tour, this time with some tourists from California.

Leo looked surprised. “Lunch-date?”

I blushed. “Not really. These lads from England are taking me out. They head home tomorrow, so...”

He waved his hand carelessly. “Go ahead, Alice. It’s good to have you back. Just be sure to return no later than three.”

I grinned. That gave me a solid two hours plus dawdle time. I spied a man who looked remarkably like George downstairs so I hastily said bye to Leo and started the walk down the stairs.

“Wait a second, Alice!” Leo called out.

I froze on the steps and waited for Leo to catch up. “Is that a Beatle I see downstairs?”

I laughed. “Yeah, it is. I’ve become friends with them these past few days.”

Leo looked in awe of me. He was from Florida, and had only been living in New York for about two years. He still saw past his nose.

“That’s fucking amazing! You can stay out until four, I just want an autograph!” Leo whispered.

I was unsure. “Are you sure you don’t need me?”

Leo waved me off. “Go on, Alice. And don’t forget the autograph, will you?”

I bounded over to where George was waiting.

“Hello, Mr. Harrison,” I smiled.

George grinned back. “Hi, Ms. Westwood. You look stunning; if I do say do myself.”

I blushed lightly. “Thanks. Shall we go?”

He nodded, and linked arms with me and we walked outside of the gallery rather casually.

“How much time do we have?” was John’s question as saw as I saw him.

“Nice to see you too, John.” I rolled my eyes. “Three hours,” I added quickly.

With a quick grin, he turned to his friends. “Where shall we head for lunch, lads?”

I glanced around and noticed that Paul was here. “Paul!” I explained in surprise.

“Hi,” he said quietly.

“I didn’t expect you...here,” I stuttered embarrassingly.

George smiled knowingly. “He had a change of plans.”

Paul sent his friend a dark look, and John ignored them both. “Alice, we want to take you out
for three hours.”

“Why how did you know I only had three hours to spare?” I asked sarcastically. “What have you got planned?”

“I suggested Central Park,” Ringo offered.

John digressed. “No, no. That’s an everyday thing for her. No way.”

I sighed. “You guys don’t have a plan?”

The four boys grinned. “Must’ve slipped our minds,” George grinned.

After we had walked for barely ten minutes, John and George announced they had to use the loo, and Ringo went with them after they lectured him on bladder cancer that could occur if you didn’t have a wee often enough. I laughed under my breath as the three boys stumbled across the street to the closest public toilet.

“So,” Paul said awkwardly.

I offered him a smile. “Look, Paul. I wanted to apologize for my crappy attitude whenever you
were at me and Lucy’s place. It was pretty shoddy of me.”

His expression looked strained. “Oh, don’t even worry about that. I, uh...Lucy phoned me up earlier this morning.”

I felt myself pale. “Ah.”

“So you know?” Paul’s expression looked earnest.

I remained loyal to Lucy. “Know what, exactly?”

Paul looked uncomfortable again. “She-she said...”

I jumped at an opportunity I couldn’t resist. “She loves you.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Paul sang for my sake. A smile crept onto his face.

I grinned. “She told me she was going to tell you. I’m sorry she put you in this situation.”

Paul winced. “It was horrible, Alice. I didn’t know what to say.”

I gave him a sympathetic look. “I can imagine. If I were you, Paul, I would apologize to her and
then leave her be.”

“I did,” he replied miserably. “I feel horrible.”

I put my hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Paul pulled me closer and I gave him a quick hug. By this time, the remaining Beatles had returned.

“Oi Alice! First you go after that security bloke, then our drummer, and now our bassist? Find yerself a laddie, miss!” John was wagging his finger at me.

I laughed. “Come on you lot. Let’s have one last lunch.”
~

I returned to the gallery at exactly four oh one, and I didn’t really want to leave the boys.

“Well,” I sighed heavily. “I guess this is it.”

Ringo shook his head like mad. “No! We’ll see you before our flight tomorrow. I promise.”

“We’ll save our goodbyes until then,” George declared in finality.

I felt an uncontrollable rush of affection for George at that moment.

“Kay. Shall I meet you...?” I trailed off, unsure what to say.

“In front of our hotel,” Paul blurted out quickly. I nodded, knowing he wouldn’t want to come
to the apartment and face Lucy.

“See you all then,” I faked a smile and went inside the gallery.

The place was empty, and I stuck around to help clean up and then Leo sent me home.

“Fuck, I forgot your autographs, Leo. I’ll get them tomorrow when I see them off. I swear,” I rubbed my eyes tiredly at 10:00, as we closed up.

Leo grinned beautifully. “Sure, Alice, whatever you can do.”
~

I was finally at home at eleven; very tired and very hungry.

“Alice?” a Lucy’s voice cracked. “Aliiice!”

She was drunk. I could smell the beer as soon as I walked in. I looked at my wasted friend in disgust.

“He doesn’t luuurve me, Alice,” She slurred.

I rolled my eyes. “What the hell did you expect, Lucy? It was supposed to be a fling!”

Lucy’s eyes were shining, thanks to the alcohol. Damn her! Even when she was wasted she was prettier than me!

“Were you with them?” she demanded. “With him?”

My eyes flashed dangerously. “I’m normally not one for gloating, Lucy, but I told you so!”

I skipped dinner and collapsed on my bed with a sigh. I fell asleep without turning out the light.
~
The phone was ringing, and Lucy was groaning. Glancing at the clock, I noted that it was barely six o’ clock and the sun was rising.

“Hello?” I rasped into the receiver.

“Sorry to wake you love.” George was on the phone. I think.

I roused myself carefully. “George?”

“No, it’s Paul,” he corrected gently.

I felt myself redden already. “Hi, Paul.”

“Can you get down here now? We have to leave soon.”

Shifting the phone to the other ear, I reached for my jeans. “Give me ten minutes,” I muttered before hanging up.

I washed my face and reapplied my make-up in seven minutes. I threw on my jeans and a sweatshirt before stumbling out into my car and driving to the boys’ hotel.

“Never pictured you with a T-bird,” Ringo remarked as I hopped out of my mode of transport.

“I never pegged you a drummer,” I teased back.

Ringo laughed and made a face as if to say, “touché”.

George looked sober and rather philosophical. “You know, Alice. I think I really could live here. You’ve proven to me that even the busiest of cities can help you relax.”

I forced the tears out of my eyes. “When do you lot have to hit the road?”

“About ten minutes,” John replied quietly.

I sighed sadly and turned to Paul quickly. He was the one I wanted to get out of the way first.

“Paul, it was wonderful to meet you, and I hope that er...the other events won’t spoil your memories of New York.”

I pecked his cheek shyly and he gave me hug, which I cut short only to look at his beautiful eyes again. He looked back just as intensely, and with one final blush, I looked away and turned to George.

“You’re a fab guy, George,” I teased, making him smile.

George let me kiss his cheek, and then pulled me into a large bear hug.

“Ringo, you’re the nicest person I have ever met in my life. Bar none.” Ringo’s hug was warm and just plain nice.

“You’re just as nice, Alice. And even funnier,” he winked and kissed my forehead lightly.

John was waiting, hands in his pockets and head bowed, for his own little words of praise.

“John,” I smiled at his name. “You sure know how to keep a girl entertained.”

With that, I hugged him bravely. I half-expected him to wriggle out of it, but his hug had the bear-ness of George’s and the sensitivity of Paul’s.

“When we first met and we went for lunch,” he whispered in my ear. “You only left ten bob.”

“You told me twenty!” I exclaimed softly.

John laughed. “I guess I wanted to spend more time with you.”

I felt my face grow hot, and I pulled away quickly. I kissed John’s cheek swiftly, trying to fight the blush that was surfacing.

“Right boys,” Brian Epstein called. “Time to get moving.”

I gave the boys another smile and a wave. “Say hi to the queen for me.”

The lads laughed and Ringo led the way into the car. George and Paul followed. John stayed behind for just a few extra seconds.

“Remember what I said at lunch on that first day,” I warned him, “love your family while you can, John.”

John didn’t appear to be listening. “Look, Alice...just in case I never see you again...”

He closed the space between us in two long strides and kissed me full on the mouth, ever so gently. I was rather taken aback, and I hastened to change the subject.

“I don’t want to make you all feel obligated to write to me...” I trailed off embarrassingly.

“We will,” John assured me. “You’re a hard one to forget, Miss Westwood.”

“It was lovely meeting you, Mister Lennon,” I shot back at him.

John tipped his imaginary hat and then climbed into the car. The Beatles were going home. And so, trying to be happy for them, I walked to Central Park and watched the rest of the sunrise, lying on the grass, this time alone.