Beatlemania!

I was perfectly happy letting my twenty-sixth birthday go uncelebrated, but Paul wasn’t letting that happen.

“You’re officially in your late thirties! That’s something to celebrate!” he laughed at me.

I slapped him. “Shut up!”

“I let you throw a party for my birthday!” Paul countered.

“That wasn’t even a party; it was just your silly band and myself,” I joked.

“Oi! Those are my mates you’re yapping about!” Paul glared teasingly at me.

“Well I don’t care for them!” I sniffed. “You have to choose: me or them!” I threw in a sigh for dramatic effect.

Paul scooped me up into his arms. “You do have a lovely body...”

I choked back laughter.

“But I have to choose them.”

With that, he dumped me on the floor. I laughed hysterically and stood up.

“Fine, Paul. You can have a party. But not for my birthday; for Zak’s. It’s his first birthday, isn’t it?”

Paul nodded enthusiastically. “But you can’t combine birthday parties with a one year old!”

I gasped. “Not just any one year old: it’s for Zak! Don’t you love him?”

He sighed. “You know I do, you silly girl.”

“Then?”

“Fine. One party; two guests of honours.”
~

Naturally, the party was aimed to be more for Zak than for me. Party hats and birthday cake. However, there were far more adults that I identified with. Lucy and Geoff came, and they brought along baby Linda. My entire family was invited as well, and naturally so were the rest of the Beatles.

For them, it was a relatively tame party, but Paul insisted that it was important for me to bond with my family.

“You mean for you to bond with them,” I smirked.

Paul blushed. “Step one is charm. Step two is trust.”

“Steps for what?” I questioned.

He winked at me and went to get some food.

It was probably the most innocent party any of the Beatles had been to in ten years, and I could tell they were amused.

“Having fun, George?” I asked with a grin as he approached me.

“Best party I’ve been to in a while, love,” he laughed, taking a swig of his lemonade. “Honestly.”

Pattie was eager to help Lucy with Linda Alice, and Zak loved the company. Maureen kept Jason close, and let Zak have his first taste of chocolate cake.

We all wore party hats, even my dad and Susan.

“Hey, Dad, Susan. Alright?” I asked worriedly.

“Of course, birthday girl!” Susan gave me a hug. “It’s a fab party, and the celebrities are just as fab!”

My dad rolled his eyes. “Paul’s been a great host, Alice. You’ve trained him well.”

I smiled proudly. “Seriously, no training necessary.”

Even dad looked impressed. “He’s a great guy. Probably the best you’ve ever been with, despite his being famous thing.”

I blushed. “So where’s my present?”

“It’s the big one, wrapped in pink,” Susan pointed out.

I grinned. “Excellent.”
~
My nieces and nephews had a great time with the babies and the Beatles, who willingly played multiple songs for them. John informed me that the White Album was finished recording wise, and they were stress free for a little while.

“So you can take that little trip to Greece alone with Paulie,” John winked at me rather obviously.

“He told you?” I felt myself grow red.

“’Course!” he smiled. “Look, you two go and have a good time, yeah? The three of us will hold down the fort.”

I gave him a big bear hug and kissed his cheek. “Thanks so much, John.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replied gruffly. “No come on, get back to the party.”

“I know, it must seem stupid to you...all of this party stuff,” I sighed.

John shook his head. “Nah. I actually think it’s sweet.”

I smiled gratefully. “I’m glad to hear it.”
~
My presents from all of my family members were pretty standard: clothes or books. Occasionally a book on clothes. Maybe a flower pot.

On the other hand, George and Pattie bought me a pair of the warmest bedtime slippers I had ever known to exist.

Ringo and Mo bought me a beautifully large and expensive book on art. Now I didn’t really get the time to read much, but books on art? I could look at them forever.

John bought me what I thought was a large box of condoms. He had written nothing in the card except “Be safe!” Paul and I laughed about it.

Paul mysteriously told me that his gift would have to wait until we were alone in Greece. My guess is it’s something sexual.

Well, I hoped.
~
The night before we left for Greece, Paul was sleeping and I was packing in the next room. All of the lads’ presents were making the trip with me; especially John’s.
As I threw the box into the suitcase, I noticed that the box had been opened, and as it hit the suitcase, all of the condom packets spilled out.

“Shit,” I whispered, crouching down to pick them all up.

I moved to stuff them back into the box when I noticed something glittery inside. I stuck my hand in and it came out with a beautiful necklace. Obviously real diamond, with a beautiful sun design.

There was another note from John:

Like I said, love. Don’t mention it.
~

Greece was beautiful. I knew what Dad meant as soon as we landed. Paul was not recognized by anyone, as we were on a very secluded part of the country. The sea was the prettiest shade of blue I had ever seen, and the sun was bright against my skin.

“Paul...it’s so beautiful here,” I gasped.

“It is,” he agreed. “Sorry about the cliché, but you look even better.”

I laughed. “If that’s a line to get me into bed...then okay.”

Paul grinned. “Guilty.”
~
Greece was amazing for a week. Then, I got sick. Not fatally sick, just vomiting and feverishness.

I read Paul’s mind as soon as I threw up for the first time.

“You can calm down, Paul. I’m not pregnant,” I snapped.

He relaxed and closed his eyes. “Then it must have been something you ate...”

“The damn fish at that dock. I knew I should have just had what you had,” I chastised myself.

“Don’t blame yourself, Alice,” Paul murmured, holding back my hair as I once again disappeared into the toilet.

“I was having such a good time,” I moaned.

“Me too,” he sighed.
~
Alice remained ill for the rest of their time in Greece. What started out as amazing became a dud of a holiday, and Alice ended up never getting her birthday present.

Paul fumbled in his jacket for the tiny box for the millionth time at the airport.

“You all right, Paul? You’re fidgety,” Alice scrutinized him carefully.

“Yeah, I’m fine. You?” Paul asked nervously.

Alice raised her eyebrows and laughed. “I’m fine.”

Paul exhaled when his fingers clasped around the velvet box with the ring inside. Alice’s gift would just have to wait...