"So, have you been enjoying yourself, Martha?"
"I really have, Paul. It's been amazing! I don't think I've had this much fun since I was small," I answered with a smile.
Paul had had an amazing day planned for us. We went for breakfast that morning in a small cafe I had never heard of and then we went out into an open field and spent hours just playing in the fresh snow. We made snow angels, snowmen, and even had a snowball fight that I swear he cheated in. After that, we went to his house and had lunch with his family. I had thought it might be uncomfortable, but Janet was there too and she looked about as relieved as I did that we weren't facing all of them alone. I figured Paul and Mike had planned on lunch together or something because the whole bunch were there. His dad wasn't as intimidating as I thought he was going to be. When lunch was over, we stayed and talked with his family a bit, but left after an hour or so because Paul wanted to show me HIS Liverpool. We visited places he spent time at when he was little and things like that. An abandoned playground at a school spurred another snowball fight which I swear he cheated in again. That brought us to an early dinner at the restaurant we first ate at.
"So, you've told me about your childhood, your family, your life in general, but I don't believe you ever told me why you came to Liverpool of all places. It certainly isn't because of the lively atmosphere of the place."
"Well, I came because my Aunt Dolly invited me. When she moved here, she offered me a chance to study abroad you could say, and I took it. I barely got to see her because she travels so much. Switzerland one month, China another. She did visit, but it was never for very long because she had to be off to somewhere else. I guess this was her way of making up for all the missed time."
"Ah. So is she your mother's sister or your dad's," he asked.
"Neither. She's my godmother. They're important in the Mexican culture and she's so close that she's like an aunt. So ever since I was little, I've called her Aunt Dolly."
"I see. So your family is really close?"
"Unbearably so, sometimes. One tends to get lost in the crowd at family get-togethers, though. What about yours?"
"Well, as you saw at lunch, we're a crazy bunch. I can't believe my dad showed you my baby pictures. He's never done that before."
"I thought you were a cute baby," I said smiling. "Besides, if you ever meet my mom, you'll probably see mine too. She's been known to do that."
"Is that so?," he devilishly smiled when music started from the small jukebox the place had. The melody of Earth Angel filled the restaurant and a few couples started to dance.
"Care to dance?," Paul asked offering me a hand.
"Sure, why not?," I answered as he led me to the small space people were dancing in.
Earth angel, earth angel, will you be mine, my darling dear, love you all the time, I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you....
The scent of cigarettes and his cologne that overwhelmed me the night before when Paul gave me his jacket overtook me again and I was in heaven. We slowly swayed to the music and I realized it had been forever since I had heard this song.
"Hey, this could be our song," Paul murmured, breaking my thoughts. "You, know, since this is the first song we've danced to."
"You know, you're right. I guess, then, it is our song," I said with a smile.
"My darling dear, love you all the ti-ime, I'm just a fool, a fool in love with you....," Paul sang to me as the song ended.
"You know, you definitely are a fool, Paul McCartney," I laughed as we walked back to our table. "So, are you playing tomorrow?"
"Nah. I don't think so. Why?"
"Well, I did promise to invite your friends over before. Maybe we can have a small party with your friends and a few of mine. And invite those friends of your visiting from Hamburg," I said finishing my drink.
"Sounds great. I'll check it out with the guys. About what time?"
"How about seven? No, eight sounds better. I don't have classes until the new year anyway."
"Okay," he answered, getting up. "Shall we be off then?"
"Yep."
"Then, let's get outta here," he smiled.
Paul opened his door after he had dropped Martha off at home. He closed the front door and leaned against it as moments from that afternoon went through his head. He smiled as he remembered the way she told her stories, always with enthusiasm and an animated look on her face.
"I'm home," Paul yelled into his quiet house. "Anyone here?"
"Yeah, Paul, we're in here," he heard his dad yell from the kitchen. "John called earlier and I told him you'd call him back."
"Thanks," Paul said walking to the phone in his hall. He quickly dialed the number he knew by heart and a female voice answered.
"‘ello?"
"Hi, Mrs. Smith. This is Paul McCartney. Is John at home?," Paul asked John's aunt.
"Just a second, Paul," she answered. "John! That charming friend of yours is on the phone!"
Paul blushed at the compliment and heard John thunder to the phone.
"Hey, Paulie, how was your date?," John mocked.
"Just great. What'd you call for earlier?"
"Cutting to the chase, are we? I just called to tell you that Mike doesn't have to give up his car on New Year's. Pete's friend Neil will take us to the audition."
"Okay. Hey, Lennon. What are you doing tomorrow? Martha's having a small party and she's invited all of you. Stu and Astrid as well."
"Tomorrow? Sounds good. I'll let the rest of the fella's know."
"And be on good behavior, Lennon."
"What? Would I embarrass you?," John asked as he hung up.
"So, did you finish your Christmas shopping yet?," I asked Janet as she melted cheese over the stove for her dip.
"Pretty much. How about you?"
"Yeah. I just got Paul's present this morning when I went shopping."
"What'd you get him?"
"You'll have to wait to find out. Let's go over who's coming tonight. I invited Paul and his friends. I'm thinking they'll be bringing dates or something. You invited everyone from school?"
"Yeah," she answered munching on a carrot slice. "I invited that new girl, Laura, too. The one that's also from Texas. That way she can meet everyone from school. Did you get your records down?"
"Yeah. You know, I invited Ringo," I said giving a sidewards glance to Janet as I filled a bowl with chips.
"You did what?! I thought you liked Paul!"
"I do, but Ringo's a great person. He's a friend. That's it."
"What ever you say, Marth. I think tonight's going to be very interesting....."
"Hi!," I screamed over the music blaring from inside. "You're John, right?"
"Yeah. Are we late?," he answered.
"Not at all. Come in," I said stepping aside to let him and the pretty blond with him in. "Hi. I'm Martha," I introduced myself to her.
"My name is Cynthia. Your house is beautiful," she replied.
"I'll be sure to tell my aunt. It's her house," I smiled taking their coats.
"She did a great job decorating."
"Can we cut the chit-chat and party?," John cut in.
"Go on ahead. Everyone's in the sitting room," I said heading back to the door which someone had knocked on.
"Hi! Aren't you Laura?," I said opening the door. Just my luck. Someone had put Larry Williams' Slow Down on the record player and I had to strain to hear her reply.
"Yeah! Thanks for inviting me!," she shouted so that I could hear.
"I'm glad you came!," I shouted back as Paul and his friend George came up behind me.
"Laura, this is Paul and George! Guys, this is Laura!," I introduced them. "She's new to Liverpool like me!"
George smiled and started talking to her as Paul looked at me.
"You wanna dance?," he asked putting his arm around me.
"Sure," I answered as we walked to the group dancing in my front room. As we started dancing to the song, I noticed that George and Laura had followed our lead and were dancing close by. I smiled thinking that they made a nice couple.
The song ended and I heard the door knock again.
"I better get that," I told Paul as started for the door. I reached the door at the same time Janet did.
"You want to get it, Marth? Or do you want me to?"
"I'll get it so you can get back to Mike," I teased her.
"Ha-ha, Marth. You're such a card," she said as she walked back to the party.
I opened the door and there was Ringo on the stoop along with a breath-taking man and a pretty, petite blond woman.
"Hi! I'm Martha," I said introducing myself (again) to the two I didn't know.
"I'm Stu and this is Astrid. We're friends of John and the others," he said reaching out his hand.
"Ah! The ones from Hamburg. Paul's told me a bit about you," I said letting the three in. "And how've you been, Ringo?," I asked as Stu and Astrid went in to the party.
"Okay, and you?," he answered looking intently at me.
"Never been better," I answered. "We sort of worked things out and it was all a big misunderstanding."
"Oh. Well, you wouldn't happen to have any cute friends, then, would you?," he asked smiling at me.
"You are something else, Ringo. And thank you for understanding."
"It's no problem, Martha. I know you like Paul and I knew it two nights ago. Just call it hopeful thinking. But we're still friends, right?"
"Of course! Now lets get back to the party," I said as we started for the party.
"And then, Paul came out with a toilet seat around his neck!," John said animatedly as he finished a Hamburg story that had the party in fits of laughter.
"Sorry, John," Paul said laughing. "As I recall, it was you who had the toilet seat around his neck. Just like it was you who went into the square, in long underwear, to read the newspaper. I remember you telling people that looked funny at you that the light was just right to read by there."
That set off the crowd again then John set off on another story about Hamburg.
‘This has been a pretty good night,' Paul thought as he looked at Martha, who was next to him on the couch. She was watching John's story and smiling occasionally at his crazy antics.
Paul turned his attention back to John who was now telling another story with the aid of Ringo.
‘Probably exaggerating the truth about when Ringo sat in for Pete in Hamburg,' Paul smiled, knowing that John loved to stretch the truth when it fit him. Especially since Pete wasn't there to correct him.
"Paul," he heard someone say. "Paul, are you in your own land?"
He looked at Martha, who was poking him in the side.
"Huh?"
"Welcome home, Paul," she said laughing. "I was asking you to come with me to the kitchen so we can get some more chips."
"Okay," he replied getting up off the couch. ‘This is the time to give her the gift,' he thought, realizing that they'd be alone in the kitchen. He had realized that afternoon that the next day was Christmas and he hadn't gotten her a gift, so he went and had bought her something special.
As they reached the kitchen and the door had closed, Martha turned around and looked at him.
"Okay, I didn't really bring you in here to get chips. I wanted to give you something," she mumbled, shyly. "And I know we didn't say we'd get each other something, and--"
"It's okay," he cut her off. "I got you something too."
"Let me get it real quick!," she said running to a cupboard. She pulled out a wrapped gift, about foot long.
"Here, open it first!," she exclaimed excitedly.
"Okay," he smiled, unwrapping the gift. It was a black velvet jewelry box. He opened the box and inside was a watch.
"It's beautiful," he said in awe of the gift.
"Look on the back!"
He turned the watch over and on the back there was a small inscription:
"How'd --," he started when she cut him off.
"Mike. He told Janet you were going to an audition for Decca on New Year's. He also told her about how you guys always say you're going to the toppermost of the poppermost," she explained.
"It's perfect," he whispered pulling her towards him for a kiss. When the kiss ended, he pulled a small box from his pocket. "Sorry. I don't really do well wrapping."
"It's okay,"she replied, opening the box. He saw tears well up in her eyes as she pulled out the bracelet. It was a silver ID bracelet, designed for a woman. The nameplate said "Martha, my dear" and the flip side said, in small lettering, "All my loving, Paul."
"Paul, you shouldn't have. It must have cost you a bundle!"
"It's nothing I won't get back after that audition with Decca. They have to take us. There's no reason for them not to."
"I sure hope so, Paul," she said. "You guys deserve it."
"Don't worry. That record contract is ours," he said pulling her in for another kiss.
"Well, that was an interesting party. I can't believe that Laura and George hit it off so well! He seemed so shy...," Janet said picking up some of the empty cups on the coffee table.
"You're kidding me! I was thinking they made a cute couple. Did he take her home?," I asked.
"Yep. She was so happy! So, did you give Paul his gift?"
"Yeah. I gave him a watch with "To the toppermost" engraved on it. He wondered how I figured out the poppermost thing. But, oh, his gift. Well, it's incredible!"
Janet hadn't seen the bracelet yet. Mike had kept her pretty much occupied that evening and I hadn't a chance to show it to her yet.
"Let me see it, Marth!"
I held out my arm for her to see the bracelet on my arm. It truly was a beautiful present and I felt bad that he probably spent a ton of money on it. Money he probably really needed. Especially if he was going to London for New Years.
"That's gorgeous, Martha. He must be pretty serious about you. That must have cost him a fortune!"
"That's what I was thinking. But he says he'll make it up when the group gets a contract with Decca. He says he's certain they'll get one after their audition."
"Well," Janet said holding up her half-empty glass of soda. "Here's to the Beatles and their Decca audition!"
"Here, here!," I said holding my half-full glass up. "May they reach the toppermost of the poppermost."