On Loving Paul [McLennon]

Linda Eastman

Later that year, when the Beatles are recording another album called Revolver, the band was in the studio and decided to take a smoke break.

"Shit," John hissed. "We're out of ciggies."

"I'll run to the store and get more," Paul offered.

"Thank you, love." John smiled and pecked Paul's cheek, causing Paul to blush viciously and shuffle away toward the door.

"Hurry back!" Ringo called after the bassist as he left the building.

Paul walked along the pavement, hands stuck inside his pockets, and began to whistle a tune. He looked up to see the leaves of the trees that was planted along the sidewalk every five feet or so. The leave were orange send red and yellow and brown now, giving off a very autumn feeling which was only right seeing as it was early in October now.

The second youngest Beatle walked into the drug store that was conveniently located just two blocks from the Abbey Road recording studio. He picked up two packs of cigarettes and headed toward the cash resister where he saw a woman with a young child paying for a gallon of milk and a carton of eggs. Paul smiled.

"You're short a pound," said the store employee who stood behind the counter coldly.

"Damn," Linda hissed.

Paul pulled a pound from within his pocket and reached around Linda and he laid it down in the counter.

She looked around, about to protest, but she never got the words out. She just stood there, mouth hanging open.

The man behind the counter scooped up the pound and put it into the cash register. "All yours," he pushed the milk and eggs toward Linda who shook herself from her trance, picked up the eggs and milk, and led Heather from the store.

Paul paid for the cigarettes then left the store to find Linda and Heather standing outside. "Hi," he smiled.

"Hi," Linda smiled back. "You didn't have to do that."

Paul shrugged his shoulders. "It's no big deal, really."

"I don't care," Linda shook her head. "It's a big deal to me. I barely get by some days, you know."

"Why are you here in England?" Paul asked in a kind voice. "Don't you have family in America who can help you out? England isn't the nicest place, sometimes."

"Neither is America," Linda said. "I'm not exactly on good terms with my family. Actually, I'm not on speaking terms with them. They think I'm stupid and foolish for leaving my husband when I had a child with him and have a child to raise. My mother called me selfish for taking Heather with me when I left because she could have had a better life with my ex-husband, an easier life. And she's half right about that, but I'm not selfish for bringing her with me. If I had thought that she would have had a better life with him, I would have forced myself to leave her there. But he hit me and I had no reason to believe that he wouldn't do the same to her so I left and got a divorce and went to my parents and they disagreed with my decisions. They judged me and so I left and came here to start fresh. Heather is all the family I'll ever need, right?" She smiled down at her daughter.

"Yep!" Heather smiled proudly.

"That's awful," Paul said. "What your ex did and what your parents did. Listen, if you ever need anything I'd be happy to help, okay?"

Linda laughed. "I don't know if you'd noticed, but you're kind of worldly famous. How am I supposed to get ahold of you?"

"Do you know where Abbey Road studios are?" Paul asked.