Friday, November 22, 1963

It had been a couple of weeks since Sage and Isabel had began the employment for Briant Epstone, more importantly, for The Beetles.
In their time there they had witnessed history. The band had just released their second album in the UK With the Beetles. The album had been such a success that it had kicked their first album from the number one position. Their hit song "All My Loving" was currently playing on the stereo of Dacey's Delights where Sage was patiently waiting for her turn. The song upset her, it reminded her of Lemon and of just how awful he was. She wore her knitted scarf and warm clothes. Her fingers tightly gripped the gift bag she was currently holding. She looked at the long line and then at her watch and debated whether she should stay or just leave. Then she realized that in the line stood a familiar face.
George looked particularly startled when his eyes met her broken glasses. She flashed him a simple tight lipped smile and raised her hand up in a wave. He did the same and she was surprised when he advanced and joined her in the front of the line.
"Mind if I join ya?" He asked with a coy grin.

Sage simply nodded her head and allowed one of her clients? Superior? Boss? Whatever he was, cut behind her. She ignored him and focused her eyes on the dark wavy haired cashier at the front.
"So- you come here often?" She was taken back that George was actually making an effort for conversation.

"Yeah," she answered non challantly. "It's my favorite bakery," she added shortly after deciding to attempt to be friendly. She smiled slightly at him.
George internally cringed, he didn't want to be mean, but- damn, she really was a hideous munter.
"Yeah, they have the best bloody scones in all of London," he exclaimed looking at the front of the line excitedly. "They're good with a cuppa tea for keeping warm. It's like the Baltics out there. I can't wait for it to be warm again, so I can have lolly ices again," he said in one breath. She looked at him confused having no idea what he had just said. "Ah, right. You're not from the northwest right?" She simply shook her head. "I usually don't have any trouble since the lads all just picked up the same words, except for Dingo."
"So, you and the others go way back then?" She inquired as they stepped forward in the line. George began telling Sage how him and Poll went way back and how they had met Jon who put the band together and then he joked about how they stole Dingo from another band cause they had a good lad who was a bad drummer named Pete Best. "Dingo is our drummer and he's not even the best drummer in the band!" He laughed. "Well at least that's what Jon says," he noticed the way she stiffened whenever he mentioned Jon.
"I know Jon's an arshole," he said with his hands buried deep inside of his pockets. "But he's not half bad once you get to know him. He doesn't mean half the crap that comes out of his mouth."
"And the other half?" She said cocking a thick eyebrow up.
Then it was their turn. George looked at the cashier before them. His heart began hammering in his chest. Hands sweaty. She was the same one that he came to see every morning and the same one that kept him up at night in his dreams.

"Sagey?" She asked eagerly almost jumping over the counter. Her long black curls bobbing as she did. Bright blue eyes sparkling with the same joy she shared with her customers every single day. But what he loved most about her as her smile.
He was taken aback when she went around the counter in order to embrace the Munter. "Sagey! Where have you been?!" She asked in the hug. Her American accent was completely distinguishable.
"Working I'm afraid,"'she said casually. "Working! Ah! You just have to tell me where!" She reached for her arms giving them a tight squeeze. That's when she noticed the gift bag that she was holding onto. "I made this for my darling Godson. Hope he's not too big and it still fits him."
The peppy woman pulled out a knitted outfit and a small cap that Sage had made for her Godson. She was speechless. Sage couldn't help but grin, her enthusiasm was always contagious.
One of the great things about Lori Tomlinson Dacey was that she'd absolutely loved every single gift or anything you gave her. She would always say "it's the thought that matters!"
"It's beautiful," she nodded and gave Sage another hug.
"We have to catch up soon. But for now, I gotta work!" She said sheepishly grinning at the long line of customers.

'She knew her?!' George was taken a back. The Munter was intimate friends with her?! She was just full of surprises. He didn't realize that he had slapped the money on the counter. "Hers on me," he said quickly as in word vomit. The cashier smiled at him, he felt as if he was going to faint.
"Thanks Lorelei," Sage sang taking her scone with her. George stood there like a fool his eyes glued on Lori's smiling face.
"See ya George," she added flatly before leaving the place. She didn't even introduce them!
"W-Wait!" George called as he grabbed the bag of muffins from the counter and chasing after his accountant.

"Hey!" He said. His breath visible in the chilly morning air.
"You don't have to do that," she said as she quickened her pace as she made her way to Briant's office. "Do what?" He retorted.
"Buy me my scones, pretend to like me," she sighed. "Don't worry. I'm not paid to be friends or even like you or any of the others."
"I was just being nice," George said upset. "No, no you weren't. You saw me and used me to get ahead in line and now you want me to introduce you to my friend right?" He only glared at her. "You're not the first or the last," she said turning away from him and continuing her trip to the office.
"Wait-" George said once again this time he held her arm making her stop.
"I'm sorry," he breathed. "I'm sorry that Jon's an arsehole to you, that Dingo will be rude to you so he can please the other one (Isabel) and that Poll is just-" George cringed. "He pretends like I don't even exist!" She barked angrily.

Every single time she ran into Poll Macartney it was the same thing. He would either avoid her, look the other way or simply brush past her without another word. At least Lemon bothered commenting on her broken glasses.

"Right, and I'm just as bad for not doing anything to stop it." George raised both of his hands up I defeat. "Start from zero?" He said with a small grin offering his stretched out hand for her to shake. Hesitantly she reached for it and wrapped her fingers around his. George grinned broadly.
"Alright, it's set. I want you to know that our privileged friendship allows us to cut in line anywhere and with anyone," he said still grinning as he stuffed his face with a muffin. It seemed like all he did was eat!
"George, snap back to reality, you're a Beatle. You don't need to cut in line," she rolled her eyes. "Me on the other hand well, I'm just the Munter," she shrugged her shoulders pitifully. "Well, at least you're honest!" George teased as she playfully shoved him in the sidewalk.

...

Both finally reached the office. On their way there George explained to Sage a little bit more in detail of what the band did. He told her about the strenuous hours of recording in the studio, the other hours practicing, song writing and the touring or giving shows that they had to do. Sage was surprised, her entire life she had been blinded to think that the life of a musician was an easy one. It was not.
On the way to the studio George was harassed by many fan girls who wanted to take a lock from his hair or give him their knickers to sign (or keep).
"Thank God I'm ugly," Sage had muttered to herself when she saw George struggling with his crazed fans.

George and Sage walked into the heart of the offices smiling and laughing. Seeing this made Isabel's stomach churn uneasily. "Oh hi George!" She jumped on her heels and ran towards him immediately wrapping her arms around his neck. Geez! She was almost as bad as his fan girls. "I missed you," she said in a sultry tone. Her attempt to hypnotize him failed. "Hi," he muttered under his breath. "Yeah I'm late for a meeting," he said brushing her off politely.
Isabel cursed. That stupid, hideous woman was beginning to sabotage her plans!
"What do you look so damn pleased about?" She suddenly snapped at the brunette who was standing by the door with a sly grin.
"Nothing," she said suspiciously, "I just hope that you are ready for today, because our reports are due," Sage smiled maliciously as her. She was just as bad as Isabel. She tapped her dancing fingers on the beige carpet she was holding.
Isabel cursed once again.
"What do you want?" Isabel suddenly snapped. "Do the reports for me and I'll give you whatever you want," she pleaded taking Sage back by surprise.
"Thank you really, but thankfully I don't need anything," she stated dully. "The only thing I want is to earn a living and pay off some debts," she turned around and made way to the office.

Isabel felt her blood run cold. She had been so focused on other task that she had forgotten the main one. Her reports. Shit.

Today would be a happy day. Sage was confident in her financial advise and her accounting abilities which would certainly overshadow Isabel's and Briant would give her the boot. She walked into Briant's office walking a little taller, just like the other day. Poll and George were both sitting in one of the sofas. As soon as she walked into the room Poll ceased laughing and went dead quiet. 'Geez, he must really hate me,' she thought to herself. George elbowed him and gave him an odd look. He turned to face Sage across the room and discretely made a shrugging motion with his shoulders.

"Still wearing those glasses?" Briant commented as she made way inside of his small office.
"I'm saving for new ones, have to pay my rent first you know?"
'And the outstanding debt for my mother's medical expenses have accumulated' she thought to herself bitterly. "If any number on your report is wrong today-" Briant threatened with wary eyes.
"I know, I know," she nodded "But I can assure you I'm an efficient worker, with or without my glasses," she smiled at him before making her way to her tiny closet office.
"Sage, meeting room in a quarter of an hour, we'll be going over yours and Isabel's reports." Sage nodded.

Inside of her small office she did a little dance cheering while jumping up and down. There was no doubt, Isabel was not going to be able to present her reports and she'd get the boot. The evil had been defeated.
She sat in her desk gathering her supplies ready when she opened the first drawer and found a small box inside.
It was a small white box that she could hold with both of her hands. It had a simple blue ribbon wrapped and tied with a bow at the top. It was a present.
In the edge of her desk was a framed picture of Frank Sinatra.
Since Sage had never met her father, she liked keeping a picture of Frank around in order to pretend that he was him. She knew it wasn't true, but sometimes pretending makes people feel better. Besides, they were both American, right?
"This must be a prank... I can't wait to see what's inside, a mirror?" She said to Frank's framed picture.
Placing the box in the desk she began to disarm it as if it was a ticking bomb.
She removed the bow carefully and then removed the small lid even more carefully. She braced herself for whatever could be inside of the mysterious white gift box.
A stink bomb? A dead rat? Cosmetics? A secret admirer prank perhaps? It wouldn't not be the first time for any of the previously mentioned scenarios happened...
"Lets see what've you got for me Isabel," she finally opened it. She peered in and saw that the contents were wrapped in a thin decorative paper.
Then inside them was-

"A pair of glasses?" She was completely taken back.

She held the black rimmed elegant glasses in her hands as she eyed them carefully. They were designer eye glasses, dark and slick, anything unlike the bulky cracked pair that was being held together by tape. There was no note from who it was from. 'Isabel wouldn't be able to afford this. But what if she stole it and wants to incriminate me?'
Sage debated whether she should wear the new glasses or not.
"Well- maybe if I just try them on?" She slipped them on and wow what a huge difference they made!
Even the world seemed to change color. Everything look brighter, sharper, cleaner. There was no way she could go back to wearing the broken ones. She figured it had probably been Briant. As her boss he was probably concerned about the efficiency of her work. She made a mental note to thank him later.

She stepped out ready with her documents and her fancy new glasses. When they reached the meeting room Briant was sitting at the head of the table discussing finances with other men whom Sage could only assume were his financial advisers.
Isabel sat in a chair uneasy. Even her short skirt and sexy low cut shirt wouldn't be able to save her from this one. She was so nervous she didn't even bother to comment on Sage's new glasses, but Jon did.
"Nice glasses four eyes," he said teasingly as Sage sat down with a George and Dingo.

Jon was sitting on another part of the long table, he could be such a child sometimes. Isabel and Poll were sitting with him. Poll actually turned and saw her new glasses.

"Oh shut it Lemon, you have the same bloody glasses," George called from the other side of the room.
"Jon wears glasses?" Dingo asked.
"Hates wearing them, hates it when people see him wearing them even more," George explained. Sage flashed him a thankful smile.
"I never noticed that your eyes were green," he commented leaning in closer to look at her emerald color eyes. "Yeah" she said removing her glasses and polishing them.
"I have a tired vision, my head starts hurting if I don't wear them."
"Yeah. They are nice, I like 'em" even Dingo commented. He only did so to get a reaction out of Isabel who was frantically writing notes on a paper not even minding Lemon-Macartney in front of her.

Briant then stood up as the other men left the room and he proceeded to call Sage and Isabel to the front of the table to pick up the paycheck which could be their last. The blonde's hands were trembling as she did.

"Oh, and thank you for the glasses Briant," Sage said kindly.
His brows furrowed as he gave her a confused look. "What are you talking about?" He said eyeing her curiously. Sage's mind went blank. It could've been anyone inside or outside of this office. She looked at Isabel who was sweating bricks, it definitely wasn't her. She would've bee cherishing the moment if she had planned something vile.
Returning to her seat she began to explain to a George and Dingo what they should invest in, how to protect their assets, legally decrease their taxes and more. Briant listened carefully, so did George and Dingo nodding and asking questions about accounting terms.

Then it was Isabel's turn. She looked at the numbers on her sheet and saw complete gibberish. She could not make sense out of even what meant to balances assets with liabilities and equity, the simplest accounting equation.

"Um..." she stuttered. Jon and Poll starred at her blankly. It was obvious she had no idea what she was doing. This was it. Briant did not look happy. Dingo observed with worry, if only there was something he could do for her...

"It's not her fault," an unexpected voice spoke in her defense. They all turned to look at Sage with wide eyes. Even Briant was surprised, they all knew that Isabel wanted her gone from the job and insulted her whenever she could.
"What?" Briant drawled out confused.
"The other day Isabel phoned me to check on some accounting formulas, she misunderstood what I said and realized the numbers were wrong today." She lied through her teeth.
Isabel's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Formulas? But she should have those memorized already!" Briant exclaimed.
"True," Sage continued. "But she was dropped on her head as a child, which is why her memory is just awful. She can't even remember Dingo's name! Imagine that," she shook her head. "Is that right?" Briant inquired with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Yeah-Yes!" She exclaimed placing her palms on the table and regaining he composure. "It's true, all of it."
"I'd say it's best if Isabel returns to her desk to correct her... mistake, meanwhile I could read the numbers and give some advice to Jon and Poll."

Briant clearly knew that Sage didn't like Isabel. She had no reason to defend her or less lie to him and put her job on the line. He knew that it wasn't like her.
"Very well then," Briant simply shrugged and allowed her to leave the room.
"But you best have your report first thing tomorrow morning Ms. Murdock!" He barked. Before leaving she flashed Sage a grateful look. She did not return it.
'I hope I don't regret this..' she thought to herself.
George and Dingo stepped out of the meeting room. Briant left to scold Isabel, often times he felt like he was more of a father than a manager.

"So, why'd you do it eh? Sagey?" Jon said last leaning over and across the table.
"Do what?" She said as she squinted and wrote some numbers on the expense files that Briant had given her.
"You lied to Eppy to save the sexy incarnation of Satan," Jon said licking his lips intrigued as he mindlessly played with a pencil. Poll, like when around her, remained quiet. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she said focused on the paper.
"Bollocks!" Lemon exclaimed. He slammed a fist on the table making everything shake. "I will find out Sage Marie O'Shea!"

She froze this caught her attention.

"How do you know my middle name?" She lowered the paper, eyeing Jon suspiciously.
Jon's thin lips stretched into a smirk. He reminded Sage of a sly fox who had just gotten what he wanted. "I'll tell if you tell," he wiggled his bushy eyebrows.
'Not worth it' she thought. She decided to ignore him and simply returned to her accounting. Growing bored and in need of a distraction Jon stood up and without a word he left the room.
It was just Sage and Poll, not that she minded, she knew he wouldn't talk to her. Which was fine because it allowed her to finish correcting Isabel's mistakes.

Meanwhile outside of the meeting room, after receiving a scolding from Briant; Isabel sat in her desk in an attempt to figure out just what had happened. It was then that her phone rang. She immediately answered, "Hello?" She said.
She greeted the familiar voice on the other side of the line.
"I told you not to call me to this number!" She whispered in a hushed tone.
"I almost got fired today... I know, I know... I'm working on it!"
The mysterious person on the other side of the phone line sounded very demanding.
"Good things take time, give me a couple more days and I promise you I'll have something for you," she assure the person. "Someone is coming now, bye!" Isabel hung up.
Sage's eyes squinted at Jon's account. While the four men were beginning to have ridiculous spending- well there was just something odd about Jon's account. There were large sums of money missing that lead to nowhere and had no trace. It was just plain fishy...

"How'd you like the glasses?" She was surprised by the voice. She put down the papers and touched the edge of her new glasses. She couldn't believe it. She looked at Poll surprised.
"I felt terrible for breaking them, it's my way of properly apologizing," he offered her a charming smile. She looked at him unsure of how to respond. A thank you would've sufficed.
"I thought you hated me," she blurted. She instantly regretted the moment that her words left her mouth. "Hate? I thought you were the one who didn't fancy me!"
Sage allowed a humorous breath to escape her nose.
"Like I told George this morning, I'm not paid to like you four. Just to do your accounting."
"So how do you-like us?" Poll asked relaxing into his chair.
"I haven't decided if I like you or not yet-" she began, "but I know for sure that that damn Lemon is a prick!"

Poll chuckled. "Ah, Jon can be hard around the edges, but he's a soft hearted lad," he explained. She shook her head and once again glued her eyes to the papers she had on her hands. "That's what everyone keeps saying," she said with both of her eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"Is this going to take much longer?" Poll suddenly asked and uncrossed his legs.
"Afraid so," she said not taking her eyes off the papers. "Say, how about this, I'm free tomorrow afternoon. Why don't you swing by my house and drop them off, we can have some tea. Yeah?"
She blinked twice surprised, "uh, sure?" It sounded more like a question.
"Gear!" He slid a paper with his phone and address across the table.
"See you then Sage Marie. Ta!" He waved away with a wink and left.
Sage sat in her seat stunned, she hadn't realized that her ears were burning from embarrassment. What had just happened? Was Poll just flirting with her?
She shook her head, no of course not. That was impossible.