Chapter: 8

When George got back to Paul's house, he avoided Mrs. McCartney and went straight to the guest room; where Liz was hopefully still asleep.

He saw his guitar in the floor leaning against the wall where he'd left it and considered finishing the song he'd been writing. He sat down in his usual seat and plucked at his guitar with a sigh.

Liz sat watching his sleepily, but he hadn't noticed she was awake until she started to hum along to the tune she'd heard many time before.

"Oh, Liz I didn't notice you were awake…" George muttered and put his guitar done.

"No, it's alright; I like when you play." She said with a yawn.

"Well you need to go back to sleep…"

"George!" she exclaimed cutting him off, "What happened to your eye?"

George sub-consciously touched his bruised eye and grimaced, "Oh, I ran into this bloke at the grocer's earlier." He didn't want to tell her it was her father that hit him.

"Has Mrs. McCartney seen it? What did she say?" Liz was in a slight panic.

"She hasn't seen it, Liz and I don't plan on her seeing it either."

"Why not?" Liz frowned at him.

"Because if she or my mother found out, they'd have my arse on a platter." George picked his guitar back up and plucked at the strings again.

"But you can't hide it from them for very long, George." Liz said softly.

George sighed, "I know, but it's worth a try, right?"

Mrs. McCartney walked in the room with a tray of food for Liz; and at seeing George's eye, went totally crazy with worry.

"Well, so much for keeping it a secret right?" Liz smirked.

"Who hit you George?" Mrs. McCartney asked sternly.

"Nobody important, I promise." George made a small face. He'd just lied to Paul's Mother to her face.

"If it's not important then why won't you say?" Liz asked shrugging.

"Because I don't want to." George shrugged again, "And it was handled and done with before anything horrible could happen."

"Oh, well then," Mrs. McCartney sighed and handed Liz her tray of soup and bread.

"Thank you." Liz said smiling a small smile.

"You're welcome dear." Mrs. McCartney said smiling back, "George could I speak to you in the hall, please?"

George nodded and followed her outside of Liz's room, shutting the door behind him.

"Have you found anything out about her?" she asked hastily.

"I found out where she lives, her last name, where she goes to school, and…" George stopped before he could say anything about Liz's father.

"And….?" Mrs. McCartney persisted.

"And…her Mother died when she was young." George said suddenly remembering that certain detail.

"Alright, but what about her father?"

George didn't say anything on this subject, and Mrs. McCartney just walked away. George shrugged and walked back into the guest room.

Liz was already finished eating and she looked a little green.

"Are you alright, Liz?" he asked just before she hopped up and ran to the bathroom. George went after her and found the bathroom door shut. He pushed it open and saw Liz on the floor throwing up. He sighed and pulled her loose hair away from her face. This process was messy enough; getting puke in her hair wasn't going to make it any better. When she was through she wiped her mouth and he led her back to the comfy bed in the room at the end of the hall. She curled up in the warm blankets and closed her eyes as she slowly fell into much needed sleep.

George watched her for a while, and when he got bored he went looking for Paul.

George found him in the living with his friend John. He'd heard about John from what Paul had told him. He was an eighteen year old art student that had a band.

"George," Paul said pulling George to the sofa, "This is John Lennon, John this is George the one I was telling you about."

"Hello, Paul tells me you can play raunchy?" John said eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, I can," George raised his eyebrows back.

"Can you play it for me?" John asked sounding a little bit excited.

"Sure, I just have to get my guitar…" George hurried out of the room and into the guestroom where Liz still slept.

He came back and sat down in the floor in front of John, and played the song requested. John listened quietly, and when the song ended, John said, "Do you have any interest in being in a band?"

"Well, I haven't really thought about it." George shrugged.

"You wanna be in mine?"

"Sure, that would be gear!" George said smiling crookedly.

"How old are you George?" John asked out of curiosity.

"Fourteen," George picked at the chords on his guitar.

"A little young, but you're too good to pass up…" John sat back on the couch and looked up at the ceiling.

Mrs. McCartney came into the room and offered John some tea, which he politely accepted.

"George how's Liz doing?" Paul asked suddenly remembering why George had been at his house so much lately.

"I don't know, she seems to have gotten worse." George looked at his lap, "she's asleep at the moment."

"Did she eat all her lunch?" Mrs. McCartney asked.

"Yeah, but it came right back up." George shrugged and sighed, "How's her side been looking?"

"Well," she said passing a tea cup to John, "It seems to be pretty much healed up, but I'm not worried about that anymore."

"Maybe since her cut's healed she'll go see a doctor…" George pondered.

"George, you need to go home for a bit," Paul said, "Your mum keeps calling here wondering about you."

"Yes, I agree with Paul," Mrs. McCartney said nodding, "You look exhausted, you need rest."

"But what about Liz, I can't just leave her." George said.

"I'll keep an eye on her, don't worry George." Paul said standing up to walk George out.

George sighed and stood up following Paul out.

"I'll make sure she's alright George," Paul said.

"Thank you, Paul," George said turning away and heading toward his house.