Tomorrow Never Knows - Chapter Eighteen
Authors: lovely_rita_mm, jenny_wren28, & pennylane_fic
Starring: The Beatles and Maggie Sue
Rating: M for language, implied sex (though none of it is explicit) & implied drug use. Characters used in this story are either our creation, or are historically-based (ie, The Beatles).
Disclaimer: We don't own any of the Beatles, this obviously never happened, and is a complete work of fiction.
"Retrace your steps. Where do you last remember seeing her?" Maggie asked Paul.
"Losing Linda is not the same as losing car keys, you know," Paul said reproachfully.
"You're the one that doesn't know where she went. Do you want help or not?"
"Fine, fine. Let's see," Paul thought back. "I got Linda a drink, and then you and John left to dance, and then … ah! I left her with George and Pattie!"
He actually looked proud of himself. Maggie shook her head and sighing again said, "Well, you go retrieve her from George and Pattie, and I'll see if I can intercept Jane. If it isn't already too late," Not for the first time, Maggie wondered why she had willingly let herself get sucked into Paul's web of deception.
Paul found Linda still chatting with George and Pattie, though by this time, John had joined them.
"There you are!" Linda exclaimed.
"Sorry, there were a lot of people, and I kept getting stopped," Paul replied, giving her the same excuse he'd given Jane.
"Have you seen my fiancé? John asked Paul. "I left her with Ringo, but that was ages ago. I hope they haven't run off together. That would be terribly awkward for the band. Good drummers are so hard to come by," he grinned.
Paul tried to smile back but he wasn't in the mood for humor right now. He had to focus or everything would fall apart. "Don't worry, mate – she's with…" and managed to stop himself right before he said Jane's name. "Er, " he thought for a moment and then blurted out the first name that came to him. "She's dancing with Mick."
"She's what?!" John said, snapping out of his mellow buzz. "I'll cripple that son of a bitch if he so much as touches her!" He started to march off onto the dance floor to make sure there was no funny business going on between Mick and Maggie Sue. He trusted Maggie, but he didn't trust Mick as far as he could throw him, which might be what happened when he got his hands on Mick.
Paul mouthed "Sorry!" at Linda and raced off after John before he did something stupid.
"John, wait!" He reached John and grabbed his arm. "She's not with Mick, I made that up."
"What? Who's she with then?"
Paul looked around and spotted another decorative plant. He towed John towards the plant by the arm.
"Get off me, you stupid git! I'm not going to skulk behind that plant with you in plain view of everyone. They'll think we're up to something."
"Is that internet talk from the future still bothering you?" Paul smirked.
"Not unless it bothers you," John shot back.
"Not at all – I have no problem with the future thinking we're lovers, unless you do."
"Hey, I was the one that started some of those rumors, I'll have you know." He poked Paul in the chest with his finger for emphasis.
"Well, good for you, then."
"Yes, it is."
They stared at each other for a second, wondering how on Earth they had gotten to this point. They each remembered at the same time.
"Where is Maggie?"
"Jane is here!"
Both sentences were uttered simultaneously.
"Jane is here?"
"She's with Jane."
The answers also came together.
"Stop that, you silly nit," John said. "So, Maggie's not with Mick, she's with Jane…who is here?"
"Yes, that's what I'm trying to tell you. Jane decided to surprise me and just showed up – neither she nor Linda have seen each other yet and I'm trying to keep it that way. Maggie is helping to keep Jane busy right now, so I can spend time with Linda, but instead of doing that, I'm hiding behind this bloody great plant with you."
John just gaped at him.
"So are you going to help me or not?"
"You're on your own, son," John said, starting to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "You dug this hole, and now you'll have to sit in it! Just pick one of them, man – you can't keep doing this."
"You're a fine one to talk," Paul said. "You spent years fooling around on Cynthia."
"Yeah, but when I met the right one, I stopped all that. I made a choice."
"Bloody hell, you did. As I recall it, Cynthia dumped your arse and you spent the next two years screwing random birds while writing depressing songs and just generally wallowing."
"Be that as it may," John said stiffly, "I got out of the safe relationship and it's paid off. Maybe you should do the same thing. And if you don't, maybe Jane will dump your arse as well." And with that, John peered through the foliage, and, finding the coast was clear, left Paul to go in search of Maggie.
"Wanker," Paul muttered after John, as he pushed his own way out of the big plant.
"Sorry, luv," Paul said, when he'd made his way back to Linda, George, and Pattie. He smiled at Linda in apology, trying to be charming. "Do you want to get some air on the balcony, and let George and Pattie have a dance?"
"I'd love to," Linda smiled at him. Her smile always got to him – there was just something about it. Every feature on her face was perfect. How could he give her up? He couldn't, could he? Hoping Maggie was successfully keeping Jane occupied, Paul led Linda out onto the darkened balcony and took her in his arms.
* * *
Maggie threaded her way across the dance floor, trying to avoid being jabbed by overly enthusiastic dancers and trying to avoid bumping into people with her somewhat wide costume.
Where are Ringo and Jane? They have to be here somewhere, Maggie thought. This party is too blasted big. No, wait – it's a good thing it's so big, because it's the only way Paul has a hope in hell of keeping Linda and Jane from each other.
Maggie saw a cowboy hat, and hoping it belonged to Ringo, tapped the shoulder of the person wearing it. The person turned his head – it was Ringo! Relief washed over Maggie – until she saw that he was dancing with a black-braided Indian wearing a short, leather, beaded costume. Clearly Ringo was no longer dancing with Jane.
"Did you want to cut in, luv?" Ringo asked.
The Indian, who was, as it turned out, Maureen, gave her a sour look, which prompted Maggie to quickly say, "No, no – I was trying to find Jane – do you know where she went?"
"She went to try to find Paul. What's going …"
"Shit!" Maggie said under her breath, interrupting Ringo.
"What's wrong?" Maureen looked more interested now that she sensed drama
"Nothing, it's fine. I'll find her. Thanks."
Maggie knew that Ringo, who was in the same Beatle fraternity as Paul, would keep Paul's secret, but Maggie didn't want Maureen to know more than was necessary – as one of the Beatle wives, whatever she heard might get back to Jane.
She had to find Jane before Jane found Paul. Keeping her eyes peeled for women clad in flowing white gowns, Maggie worked her way through the party, smiling at the other guests, but trying not to get sucked into any conversations. At long last, Maggie spotted Jane, looking small and forlorn, standing next to a potted plant.
"Jane!"
"Hello. I don't suppose you've seen Paul, have you?" She looked resigned.
"Not recently," Maggie said truthfully.
"Sometime is going on with him, but I can't pinpoint what."
"I think he's just got a lot on his plate right now," Maggie said, again truthfully.
"I'm sure that's part of it," Jane sighed. "Still, I feel like he's avoiding me tonight. He keeps disappearing. I don't know what I did." She looked down. "Maybe it was a mistake to come tonight."
"Oh, Jane, I'm sorry Paul's being like this. I'm sure it's nothing you did." Maggie did feel bad for Jane. She really had done nothing to deserve this treatment, and though Maggie wanted Paul and Linda to get together, she didn't want Jane to be hurt by it.
"I know I'm not around much these days," Jane said, a little sadly. "I've just had so many offers for really good parts. I feel like I'm in a good place with my acting and I don't want to give it up, but it's getting harder to juggle Paul and my career. I don't know that I'm enough for him. Maybe he'd be better off with someone else who is more… devoted. I don't know, is that silly? How do you and John handle it? Isn't John a bit like Paul, not liking being on his own and all that? You work long hours, don't you?"
Maggie certainly knew something about not feeling like she was enough. Maggie answered, "Sometimes, yes, I do work long hours. It was worse when I'd just started with Apple though a lot of times my hours at work coincided with when John was busy at the studio anyway. But I can tell you that John and I have had plenty of fights over Apple. I think he realizes that I need it though."
"I wish Paul could see that as well. I'm nothing without my acting. It's who I am."
"Have you told Paul any of this?"
"I'm not sure he listens when I do."
"Maybe it's worth trying again."
"You mean, if I want to make it work with him?"
"Well…" It wasn't precisely what she'd meant.
"You're right – I should. And I will. Maybe after this film, I'll take a bit of a break. I could use it, and maybe it will be good for Paul and I. I don't want him to find a replacement, after all, do I?" Jane smiled, but Maggie wasn't sure she was joking. "Thanks for the advice. We don't chat much anymore, do we? I've missed it. Maybe we should have lunch sometime, once I'm done with this picture."
"That would be great," Maggie managed.
"Are you staying in London for the holidays, or are you going back to Liverpool at all?"
"We're staying in London for Christmas, and of course for Boxing Day, because I'm sure the Boys will want to see Magical Mystery Tour together – but I think we'll take a short trip back to Liverpool after that so John can spend some time with his Aunt Mimi." Maggie replied. She was relieved to be on a topic not related at all to Paul and Jane's relationship. Besides, John's family was interesting to Maggie, especially after all she'd read of it. Maggie had been nervous to meet the formidable Mimi for the first time (which had happened when they'd started telling friends and family about their engagement) but they had ended up getting along very well. Mimi seemed glad that John had chosen someone who was able to keep him grounded, and didn't tiptoe around his moods. Maggie hadn't been sure what to expect from Mimi based on what she'd read, but she knew John had a great affection for the woman that had raised him, and she was glad to have been pleasantly surprised.
Maggie had also gotten to know John's somewhat estranged father. John's history with Alf Lennon was complicated, and it had been Brian's death that had made John want to open the channels of communication again. Maggie was glad, and when she'd finally met Alf, it was easily apparent where John had gotten his charm. Alf was engaged to a woman much younger than him – much younger than John even. Pauline was sweet and seemed to genuinely love John's father, which was as inexplicable to Alf as it was to everyone else. They appeared to be happy together though, and Maggie hoped they would remain so. Maggie wasn't sure how long Alf and John would stay on good terms; though John had his ups and downs in both temperament and mood, he had undoubtedly mellowed in the past few years. Maggie decided to stay cautiously hopeful that their relationship could stay mended this time around.
Alf and Pauline were living in London in a flat that John paid for, and they were going to come over for Christmas dinner – another good reason to have Mimi safely away in Liverpool.
Explaining Maggie and John's somewhat complex holiday plans to Jane took a little while, and Maggie hoped that she'd kept Jane occupied long enough. Long enough for what, she couldn't be sure. Shouldn't Paul have made some excuse to Linda and come to find Jane by now?
"Well, it's been so nice to catch up, but I think I'd better be off, Maggie – I really do want to find Paul."
"I'll come with you. Maybe he's with John – I haven't seen him lately either."
The two of them wandered around the party, both keeping an eye out for Paul. Maggie wasn't sure what else she could do other than accompany Jane. Paul was on his own this time, and he certainly was going to get what he deserved if Jane caught him. Glancing around, Maggie happened to see Paul out of the corner of her eye. She was about to point him out to Jane when she realized that he was out on the balcony with Linda… kissing her!
"Jane, is that Paul? Over there?" Maggie hustled Jane past the balcony door, praying that Jane wouldn't look outside and see Paul and Linda together there.
"Where?" Jane peered where Maggie was pointing.
Maggie pointed at whatever was furthest from the balcony, where Paul and Linda were presumably still kissing. "Um, over there, near that plant. The one with the purple flowers."
"I'm not sure…"
"Why don't you go check it out – I thought I saw John on the balcony, and I want to see if it was actually him. I'll catch up with you later."
"All right – I'll see you later!"
Waving cheerily, Maggie gave Jane a smile, which faded the second Jane was gone. What the hell was Paul thinking? He could have easily been caught, and it would have been an ugly scene, one in which Maggie did not want to be involved. They'd avoided disaster, but only just. Paul needed to be more careful or he was never going to pull off this little "Three's Company" style scheme he was attempting. Though Paul had never even heard of that '80s sitcom, Maggie thought he was playing the Jack Tripper role tonight perfectly. The problem with this, of course, was that on the TV show Jack Tripper never successfully pulled off any of these sorts of ploys. Paul was in over his head, and she wasn't sure if he realized it or not. Sighing, Maggie headed back out to the balcony to try to see if she could talk some sense into him.
A/N: Thanks for reading! The next update will hopefully be next Sunday! We love comments, so please tell us what you think!