Forever Isn't Long Enough
Book One:
Reasons To Smile
Reason#1: When a stranger becomes a friend
CHAPTER ONE
January 1963; London
The four Beatles sat in their hotel room. It was early evening and they had just come back from playing an afternoon show. Usually their manager, Brian Epstein, would join them but today, he had gone to Heathrow Airport to collect a family member of his that was visiting. After a hearty dinner, the four lads sat together in the living room portion of the suite around the coffee table. Each of them held playing cards. A wad of cash was placed in the middle of the table and playing cards were thrown messily around it. John Lennon smirked at the four boys who sat in front of him, he shuffled the cards in his hands. Paul McCartney bit his lip, as he glanced from his cards to the pile of 5 pound notes that sat on the table. George Harrison gave John an uneasy look as he studied his own cards glumly, knowing full well he would lose. Ringo Starr grinned at John as he took a long drag from his cigarette, he was the best out of all of them at card games, and was bound to win.
"Five aces" John revealed as he laid out his cards at the coffee table.
George, Paul and Ringo groaned and slapped their cards onto the table in anger. They took crumbled pound bills out of their pockets and threw them at John, who laughed manically, as he grabbed all the cash that was on the table.
"You've probably had an ace hidden in your sleeve" Ringo grumbled as John began counting his money greedily.
Brian Epstein came into the room and greeted them while hung his coat behind the door. A young girl stepped behind him and went to sit in a chair that was in the corner of the room. Eight eyes stared at her silently but she refused to meet anyone's gaze.
"Boys I'd like to you meet my daughter" Brian told them, motioning towards the quiet girl who sat in the chair examining her hands.
John looked over in interest and smirked, "Eppy, you mean you finally found someone crazy enough to marry ye"
"You know very well that I'm divorced Lennon" Brian muttered bitterly rolling his eyes as he handed them bundles of fan letters to reply to.
"I'm Paul McCartney" Paul announced pleasantly as he walked towards her, holding out his hand for her to shake.
The girl didn't say anything, nor did she even look up, which made Paul retreat his hand back uncomfortably. Paul cocked his eyebrow up at her. What an odd girl. She was odd-looking too. Her dark brown hair was wavy and long. She also wore a black dress, black flat shoes were on her feet and a black beret sat on her head at an angle.
As if someone had died.
"John Lennon" John told her as he leaped over the couch towards her chair. He grabbed her hands and held them at his chest, "You are a fine-looking bird. What's your name dolly?"
"It's none of your concern" she snapped and pulled her hands back sharply, turning to glare at him. Her angry dark brown eyes piercing his light brown ones.
George and Ringo raised their eyebrows at her temper but didn't muster up the courage to say anything. They went back to reading the letters but kept their ears on the conversation.
"I don't understand why you've got such a gob on" Brian told her as he picked up the day's newspaper, "You've been in a right mood ever since I picked you up from the airport"
"That's only because you shipped me across the pond without my consent" the girl told him her voice full of anger, "Now I'm being made to mind these four over grown children in this daft country"
"You were born and bred in this 'daft' country" Brian retorted folding his arms crossly.
"Wasn't my choice now was it?" The girl asked sharply.
"Aye girlie" John told her and sat on the chair's arm, "You don't have to mind us. We can behave. We've had lessons"
The girl rolled her eyes and picked at her chipping nail varnish, pointedly ignoring John, much to his dismay.
"You're all dressed in black" Ringo remarked carefully from across the room, "Are you alright?"
"Has someone passed away?" George asked softly as he looked over at her, his dark eyes wide with concern.
"Yes" the girl nodded making Brian turn towards her. She looked George dead in the eyes as she stated emotionless, "My soul"
The three Beatles frowned at the cynical rely but John laughed loudly in amusement before saying, "What a morbid bird you are"
The girl looked up at him and studied his face. He was the Lennon her father had warned her about in the car ride to the hotel. With his slanted eyes and devilish grin. She knew he was trouble, just from one look.
"Tell me" John stated wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "Are you really related to Bri? You're far too good-looking. I mean Brian's a swine"
"Oh Brian's not my real father" the girl replied nonchalantly as she shrugged out of his grip, "He found me on his doorstep, one cold winter morning. My real parents had left me there, you see, with a note that had my name on it"
"What is your name" Paul asked interestedly looking up at her from a fan letter.
"Lucinda Periwinkle" she told him and he nodded while giving her a charming smile.
"Nice to meet you Lucinda. I'm Ringo" Ringo told her waving a hand as he pointed to the quiet Beatle next to him, "This here is George"
Brian rolled his eyes at their gullibilty as he flickered through the newspaper, "Oh come off it. She's lying to you boys"
The girl—Lucinda—huffed and crossed her arms, she turned her face away from Brian and stared out of the open window.
"Her real names Cher Olivia Epstein. She is my biological daughter. Her mother and I divorced two years earlier and she went to live with her mother in America" Brian told the awe-struck foursome, "Cher is going to be staying with us for a while. It was arranged so after she finished her schooling I would get custody of her for six months, maybe even longer"
"Lucinda is this true?" John asked her in mock surprise as he held his hand over his heart, "We're you lying to us all along"
"Every word Lennon" Brian told him shaking his head, "Never believe anything that comes out of her mouth. I'm afraid she's very much like you"
"Fellow troublemaker, eh?" John asked eyeing her critically.
"Don't get any ideas Lennon" Brian told him sharply, "Cher is not your new partner in crime"
John frowned and went back to the sofa to finish off his letters, leaving Brian to talk to his daughter. His very rude, very interesting daughter.
"How's your mother?" Brian asked Cher without looking up from his newspaper.
"Unbearable" came the bored reply.
"Your step-dad? Seth was it?"
"Steven. He's...around"
"D'ya like him?"
"Can't say"
"Cher I haven't seen you in a year. At least you could hold a proper conversation with me" Brian told her, upset at her lack of communication.
"Gee father dearest. Wonder why you haven't seen me?" Cher asked sarcastically and tapped her finger against her chin as if she was thinking hard, "Oh right. It's because you decided to help four over grown men make noise and then I had to be shipped to The States"
"You used to be such a nice girl" Brian muttered and turned his attention back to his newspaper.
"Yeah well, life came in the way" Cher told him matter-of-factly, "I almost moved on and now you've gone and dragged me back into your psychedelic land. I'm sick of it"
Cher stood up suddenly and made her way towards the door.
"Where are you going now?" Brian asked her in a tired voice.
"To me room" she answered as she flung open the door, "Maybe I can try to sleep through the next couple of weeks"
Cher left the room with a bang and John smirked at Brian who looked distressed, "She's a lovely girl, ain't she Paulie?"
Paul muttered something unintelligible and Brian glared at the cap headed John Lennon.
Sorry if there's any confusion. The girls real name is Cher, she was only pretending to be 'Lucinda'. And yes I know Brian is gay, but can we pretend he's straight for the sake of the story? Thank you. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. More to come. Review for John Lennon's fisherman cap.