Happiness Is Measured Out In Miles

CHAPTER TWENTY

The next morning was hectic again, because it was back to New York. While we were packing, John asked me about Edu:

We went on packing and then Brian came for us telling us there was a limo waiting for us outside the hotel, Again the same scene of crazy fans shouting, and policemen holding me back, and cameramen and photographers everywhere... Anyway, the trip was shorter, this time. At least I thought so. John read a book and Paul and Ringo played cards. So I sat next to George and talked to him:

I couldn’t think of anything else during the rest of the day. I suddenly felt myself back at the plaza and John asked me:

The Beatles played at the Carnegie Hall that night and I was once again separated from them when it was time to go to the concert.

It was great. I enjoyed it ver much. Once again, jelly babies were filling the floor of the stage. George loved them, but I don’t think he would love them that way. The Americans were really strange. And I finally could sing along with the boys. I had learnt the songs of so much listening to them ever since I had been in America. Needless to say the ones I liked most were John’s, or the ones that John and Paul sang together, like "From Me To You"... But every time I saw Paul getting close to John, my mind went up to the same place. Paul kissing me. Why on earth had he done that? He had always avoided me and he had always shown preference for Edu and then Eli, when he met her. But never ever a kind word to me. If we except that party when he told me all was because he liked Cynthia and saw me like a home wrecker. I don’t know, I didn’t want to think about it.

That night, we all went out again. I was having a great time. John was at his best, cracking jokes, pulling faces... he drank, but not much, the necessary amount to be jolly but not aggressive... Well, I had a great time until someone came, very smart dressed, posh people again, and told the guys he wanted to introduce to them to three gorgeous women. I knew John was joking but I still felt hurt when he jumped:

After a while I started to get tired.

I didn’t know when John came home but when I woke up the next morning, he was there, with an arm around my waist and all his hair in a mess. I looked at my watch. 9.30. I thought it was the right time to wake up John and put him to packing if we wanted to make it to the airport in time. I kissed him softly on his cheek:

It didn’t take us long. John had a shower while I packed and when he was done, then I had a shower and he packed. At 12.30 we were joining the others at the lobby of the plaza ready to go.

And by 1.30 p.m., the plane was leaving New York. The flight was long and boring and the boys did the same things they usually did during trips, they played cards, read or slept and sometimes John and Paul sat together and songwrote a little. I did the same this time. I didn’t play cards nor I songrwrote, but observed Paul and Ringo play. When I got tired, I joined John and George who were obviously talking about going home, especially George. I was shocked:

When we arrived in Miami, once again I found the repetition of the same scene I had lived and seen so many times so far. There were thousands of fans waiting, mostly girls. There were some limousines waiting outside the airport and we were immediately pushed into them. I was separated from John but I was lucky to be with Neil and Mal. At least they were familiar faces. Outside the limousine, some motorcycles were riding on each side. I felt like a princess!

Oh, the hotel was just MARVELLOUS. First row in front of the beach! Like I had always dreamt to be. The sea and the beach could be seen from my window. This was heaven. I made up my mind. This time, I wouldn’t accompany the guys to the rehearsals, like in New York. This time I would stay at the beach, sunbathing and relaxing, listening to the radio or reading, but I wouldn’t miss that for anything in the world. I was still looking out of the window when John came to my side and started looking out of the window too:

I suddenly felt someone by my side. It was George.

Oh, I was almost in tears. Edu was in trouble. I knew it. Well, I had to try. I looked up at my watch, 2.30, that was... Oh, that was late at night in England, maybe not a good time to phone Eli. But I would try as soon as I thought the time would be Ok.

Their plans for that evening were meeting more people, American acts they were great fans of. Then it was supposed to be another night out. I told John:

I had dinner at the restaurant of the hotel. When I first went down there, I was in shorts and a top, so hot it was. But when I poked my head at the door and I saw so many posh couples having dinner there, all well dressed and in their best clothes, I went up to my room to change. I hadn’t brought many smart dresses, but I had a couple of skirts that would do. I decided on a black skirt, knee length, and a matching top. I applied make up and combed my hair in the style of fashion. Then I was ready to go down to dinner.

The two men that had been hired as my bodyguards were at the bar keeping an eye on me, but I was left alone, which I was grateful for. I wondered where Maureen Cleave could be. I had lost her track when we went to Washington and I hadn’t seen her ever since.

After dinner, I went to phone Eli and Edu. Well, it was early morning in England and I guessed being Thursday here and Friday there, maybe someone would be woken up. Eli had exams so I decided to give it a try. Two tones, three... and at the fourth tone someone picked up the phone.

I was left with that unpleasant feeling in my stomach. She had said they both were alright. Then, what on Earth was going on?

I went up to my room and tried to sleep but I tossed and turned and couldn’t close my eyes. The noise of the waves breaking on the beach was relaxing but somehow I only wanted John to come and talk to him.

I changed my position in bed, but nothing, I couldn’t sleep either. I got up and looked out of the window. It was a beautiful starry night. The beach was empty and I hoped I could enjoy some relaxing and sunbathing the next day, or why not tonight? The night was marvellous and John and the Beatles wouldn’t be arriving until quite late in the morning. Without a blink, I took a beach towel, changed into comfortable and casual clothes, and went downstairs.

There were some guards at the entrance. Obviously, word had spread that the Beatles were staying there and so they wanted to avoid a mob scene. I had to talk to them, otherwise, they wouldn’t recognise me and I wouldn’t be able to enter the hotel. I addressed one of the big guys:

Out on the beach I spread my towel and sat down holding my knees for a moment. It was a little bit cool, but thankfully I had brought a cardigan with me. But then I lied on my back watching the stars. Oh, that was heaven! I closed my eyes and started thinking of my life so far. I could have been a mum if everything had worked out alright. But now I couldn’t have children any more. Never! Nor with John or with any other man. And the Beatle thing was also something good to have into consideration. They were becoming very famous. And I didn’t want them to be very famous. All the models, stars, actresses and gorgeous women already went for them, and I was just a normal girl from the east of Spain. Nothing special, gorgeous or wonderful. Nothing John could not find anywhere else. And suddenly I was scared. John could have any woman on Earth. ANY. Girls would only throw themselves out at his feet just for a simple look at them from him. What could I do to keep him? I couldn't do anything really.

I fell asleep. When I woke up, there was somebody by my side. I didn’t recognise where I was at first or who the figure was that was standing next to me. Then I suddenly recognised I was at the beach in Miami. I turned around and saw John laying next to me.

Still with John inside, he held me tight and rolled on top of me, so now I was lying on the towel and John was making love to me from the top.

After some minutes, John took me by the hand and got me up.

The next day was hectic for the boys too. They had lots of things to do but I decided not to accompany them and stay at the beach. Neil offered himself to be with me and Mal went with the Beatles.

We almost spent the day at the beach. Neil liked the sun, but not as much as I did and we had to put a sunshade for Neil to be under. But we both had a great time. Neil was really nice and I was getting very used to his presence.

Once alone I started to think. I for sure was having a great time with the boys. Well, girls would only pay thousands of pounds just to have the chance of looking at one of them, and here I was, in love with one, loved by one and friends with at least one more. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the friends I had left behind in England. I knew something had happened and I couldn’t enjoy the trip knowing that Edu maybe needed me. When Neil came back to see how I was, I had already made up my mind.

We had lunch together and after lunch I went back to the beach to keep on sunbathing and thinking. and well, John would understand. He and Edu had been friends for as long as he and I had been involved and that had been going on for some months now, And George would be glad I was doing it because he was also worried that he couldn’t talk to Edu either. Well, I just wanted the boys to come back to tell him.

By early evening, when the sun was already setting, I decided to go back to the hotel and had a shower. Neil had already gone. By early afternoon the beach had become almost empty and although he told me he would keep an eye on me from a window, he knew I was safe. So, as soon as I entered the room I headed for the bathroom and had a shower. I couldn’t believe it!. When I came out of the bathroom, I realised I was tanned, more than tanned, my skin had a sort of reddish colour, but that was OK, I looked prettier with a red shadow on my face.

I was till looking at myself in the mirror when I heard the door open and some laughers enter the room. The boys were back. Then John started to whistle. The whistles approached and John knocked on the door.

I was left alone in the room. I was confident that Brian would find a plane for me as soon as possible. The minutes I spent alone in the room seemed hours to me. I went out to the corridor, but it was full of people and I didn’t want to meet up with them. Outside the windows, I could hear the girls screaming and shouting the Beatles’ names. I tried to look out of the window without being seen and I saw "JOHN" written on the sand. Oh, no! Of all the Beatles, I had to see JOHN written.

After what I thought had been a couple of hours (but it probably had been 45 minutes or so), John, George, Brian and Neil entered the room. I looked at John and he looked at me. He didn’t smile and I started thinking that maybe Brian couldn’t find a plane. But Brian said:

I chose the other skirt I had brought with me and a black top that highlighted the tan I had got at the beach. John whistled when he saw me. I think that, being all dressed in black and with my black hair and everything, I somehow reminded him of the beatniks he had met in Hamburg, Astrid and her friends. He wore a suit.

The night was fun. At least I had a great time. There ere some comedians there that made me laugh a lot. John laughed a lot with them too and in one occasion he and Ringo were brought up to the stage the hotel had prepared especially for the occasion. And I laughed more with John and with Ringo. Ringo was a natural clown, but boy was he nice!

Then dinner was brought. I was sat at a table with John, Ringo, Paul, George, Brian and Mal and Neil. The only woman at the table was me. When the waiter came to bring the menu, I was surprised that the boys didn’t want to have dinner:

I went in and as soon as I touched the sheets of the bed, I fell asleep.

GO TO CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

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