No Place to Go

Nice going Mae, she silently scolded herself, now Paul definitely knows you’re obsessed with him! He knows, he knows, knows! And now he probably thinks you’re just a delusional fan who’s superficially in love with him.

Mae tried not to let it show that she was shaking as Paul put a hand on her shoulder and guided her and Mable into one of the rooms in the hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, Mae saw her sister turn pale and her eyes as big as saucers. Mae mentally slapped herself. She should’ve never gone looking for Mabel. She should’ve just stayed with the rest of the girls. But damn her jealousy at her sister for being alone with Paul!

Mae took in a shaky breath as he gestured for her and Mabel to take a seat at the table. She dared to look in Mabel’s direction, who shot her daggers amid her frightened state. Mae quickly adverted her gaze, looking down at her lap while Paul pulled up another chair, coming to sit across the two sisters. He drummed his fingers on the hard wood as he stared silently at the girls. Paul finally took pity on them, seeing that they were becoming unnerved, and spoke.

“Now,” He said in low voice. “What’s the problem here, eh?”

Mabel looked to Mae then to Paul, squirming in her chair.

“Nothing.” She muttered. Paul didn’t belive her and directed the question to Mae. But she gave the same response, making Paul sigh with frustration. What did he expect, though, these birds weren’t going to tell him they’d been fighting about him. But he was Paul McCartney and stubborn as hell.

“Come on girls!” He pleaded with them. “It’s only me.”

Only me. What kind of line was that?! Mae nearly snorted when he said that. She bit on her lip to keep from giving anything away and focused on something else in the room. Silence passed between the three of them. Suddenly, Paul got from his seat and went towards the door, locking it with a small click.

“I’m not opening this door until one of you tells me what went on out there in the hallway.”

The sisters exchanged brief glances, both of their eyes reading confusion and fear. The seconds ticked by as neither said a word from their chairs, with Paul staring at them intently. After some time, Mae mumbled something under her breath. Paul cocked his ear towards her and asked her to repeat what she’d said.

“I was jealous, alright?” Mae relented. “I was jealous that Mabel was alone with you and I wasn’t.”

Mabel looked at her sister in astonishment while Paul simply grinned.

“Now you can please just let us go? I’d like enjoy my birthday in the company of others rather than just you and Mabe … as much fun as the thought sounds.” Mae covered her face with her hands and sighed heavily.

Paul rubbed her shoulder butMae tensed up under his touch. He pulled away and went to unlock the door, giving Mae and Mabel their liberty. Both girls ran out as fast as they could.

“Where were you two?” Lorelai inquired when the sisters reappeared. “You’ve miss out on another song!”

“Remind me it’s better to stay seething with jealousy at my sister and Paul rather than go looking for them in a dark hallway.” Mae moaned, sagging down into a nearby chair. Some birthday this was turning out to be.

Lorelai looked to Mabel for an answer, who only shook her head.

“It’s a long story.” She said wearily.

“Where’s Paul gone?” John tapped Mae. “We had to sing without the bugger.”

Mae shrugged, not really caring at this moment for Paul. John gave her a curious look before turning his attention elsewhere. She sighed lowly, gazing about the room.

Izzy was still chatting with George, the two seemed to be in deep conversation about something. She laughed at words flowing from his mouth and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. To the left of the room was John, who was messing about with a guitar. Lorelai sat next to him, bobbing her head to whatever melody he was making, drumming her fingers on her thigh. John would look up at her occasionally, from his round glasses, causing a slight blush to appear on Lorelai’s cheeks. Mae instinctively wished that it was Paul serenading to her instead of John to Lorelai. But she quickly pushed the thought out of her head. It wasn’t that she was mad at Paul; she just wasn’t in the mood to be thinking about him. And she wasn’t in the mood to look for Mabel either. She’d disappeared again to God-knows-where. Probably to get back on that snog Paul had been about to give her.

“Eh there birthday girl,” A low voice startled Mae out of her thoughts. “What’re you doing here all by yourself? Shouldn’t you be the center of attention?”

Ringo sat down next to the her, giving the girl a shy grin. She quickly looked down at her lap to hide the reddening creeping across her face. Her ears began to heat up, like an unbearable fire.

“What’s wrong, luv?” The drummer asked. Mae lost herself in his large, blue eyes for a brief moment.

“Oh it’s nothing. I’m just a little mind blown right now. I mean, it’s not every day I get to be among you guys, much less have you all sing Happy Birthday to me.” Mae responded timidly.

Ringo laughed softly, taking Mae’s hand into his and patting it tenderly. Telling her this was a special day, he leaned across the table to plant a peck on Mae’s cheek. Her eyes widened and she couldn’t help the beam spreading on her face. Ringo winked and sat back in his seat.

“So I take it that Paulie’s your favorite, eh?” He said, folding his hands in his lap.

“I guess.” Mae mumbled. Ringo raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

“What’s this? Did our Paul go and do something to upset you?” Mae quickly denied that. Ringo left the subject alone and went on to another. “So Mae, do you work anywhere?”

This got a smile out Mae and she told him about her temporary job at Judith’s, a hairdressing salon nearby. Ringo’s face lit up in genuine interest as he told Mae he’d always wanted to be a hairdresser. From this, the two latched on in a conversation that they both found themselves comfortable in.

---

“Alright everyone, time to lock ‘er up!” John announced, clapping his hands. The four girls huddled together near the door as the men put everything in its place. Mabel had reappeared some time ago, a smirk on her lips. The lips that touched Paul’s. Mae wanted to retch. It should’ve been her, not Mabel, who got to kiss Paul. It was her birthday, after all. But Mae knew she sounded like a brat so she stopped seething. Or at least attempted not to wring her sister’s neck whenever she saw her.

“Group hug!” Paul yelled out as each girl got her turn to be hugged and hug a Beatle.

“It was nice talking to you Mae,” Ringo let her know as he wrapped her up in a warm embrace. “Come back any time, yeah? I’d love to see your face.”

Mae felt her chest burst with excitement as Ringo held her a second longer than the others. He gave her a goodbye kiss on her forehead while no one was watching. Mae gathered enough courage to stand on her toes and return the gesture, giggling at Ringo’s bashfulness.

The girls said goodbye to each other out on the sidewalk and parted their own ways, but only after agreeing to meet up again some time soon. Mabel and Mae offered to give Izzy and Lorelei a mini tour of London, being the natives. The latter two quickly agreed.

The walked home with Mabel was quiet. Mabel knew her sister wasn’t in the mood to talk to her; she probably knew what had happened with Paul in the hallway. Mabel bit her lip to keep from grinning. She’d kissed Paul McCartney! And it had been beyond wonderful. She knew he didn’t have those perfect, bow-shaped lips for nothing.

Mae, on the other hand, was occupying her mind with Ringo. She realized now, how much she’d underestimated him. In all honesty, he might not be as good looking as Paul was, aesthetically. But there something about him that Mae found herself attracted to. Maybe it was the fact that he didn’t act high and mighty with her. Well, neither had the others, but they hadn’t taken time out to sit and chat with her like Ringo had. This made her remember the conversation about hairdressing. Mae liked the thought that Ringo had confided to her about his ambition. A ghost of a smile passed on her lips as she continued walking and thinking. Perhaps Ringo had taken Paul’s place as her favourite Beatle.