Real Love: Chapter Three
Real Love
Title: Chapter Three
Authors: lovely_rita_mm & jenny_wren28
Starring: The Beatles (specifically John Lennon) and Maggie Sue
Rating: R for language, sex, & implied drug use.
Disclaimer: We don’t own any of the Beatles, this obviously never happened, and much to the real Maggie’s disappointment, is a complete work of fiction.
Next up, Maggie calls John out on past behavior - will she get away with it?
Previous updates are located HERE.
Chapter 3
Paul looked over at his wife as she slept. He couldn’t believe that they were really together - and for good this time. He couldn’t remember ever being so happy. Suddenly he went cold. Linda was his wife. That meant… cancer. He’d nearly woken Linda up right then and there to tell her what he knew about her future. But she didn’t have cancer right now - it was still somewhere off on the horizon. Still, she should know. He would talk to Maggie Sue when he saw her tonight and ask if she would help him break the news to Linda. Paul settled back onto his pillow, but he wasn’t sure he would be able to fall asleep. The knowledge of the future weighed so heavily on him. The only thing he had to cling to was that Maggie Sue had told him that in the future she’d altered by warning them all in 1964 Linda was all right. He had to believe that was true. Linda’s daily presence in his life was so new, but already he couldn’t imagine living a single day without her.
* * *
“What’s your schedule today, luv”? John asked. “Don’t forget we’re going over to George’s tonight.”
“To record demos for the Whi...er, your next album? I wouldn’t miss it!” Maggie smiled. She leaned over the breakfast table to give John a quick kiss. “What time are we heading over there?”
“I think Pattie is going to have dinner for us...”
Maggie grimaced. George and Pattie were heavily into their vegetarianism and were currently going through a raw foods phase. “Thanks for the warning. I’ll make sure I fill up at tea.”
“Tea?”
“I’m having tea with Jane.”
“Oh, luv - I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
“What? Why? That’s ridiculous. Besides it took forever to set this up, between her schedule and...”
“Luv, Jane and Paul are over. Done.”
“So, that means we’re all done with her?”
John just shrugged.
“You know, once Pattie warned me you’d feel that way. But I don’t get it. I’ve been friends with Jane for years. We all have.” She looked at him pointedly. “We’ve even vacationed with her. You don’t just drop friends like that. But no, wait…” Maggie slowed, what she’d read in countless books coming back to her. “That’s exactly what you Beatles do isn’t it? You just cut people out of your life without a backwards glance.” John wouldn’t quite meet her eye. “Well, frankly, I think it’s a terrible way to treat friends, and I’m not going to be like that.”
“When it’s over, it’s over. I don’t know how else to explain it.” He still wouldn’t look at her. Apparently the china pattern on his plate was fascinating.
“No, John. It’s that none of you like confrontation, so it’s easier for you to just walk away than to deal with the fallout of your decisions. It’s cowardly. What you did to Pete...” Maggie couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. She loved the Beatles dearly, despite their faults - but their treatment of Pete Best was something that had always bothered her as a fan. And now she was calling the real John Lennon out on it. Whether she doing it as a wife or as a fan she wasn’t sure. But the words came out before she could check herself.
John was silent. He couldn’t really deny the things that she was saying. He knew she’d read more biographies about the Beatles than he cared to remember. “Pete was years ago,” he said stiffly.
Maggie leaned over. “Do you not feel anything about what you guys did to him? Not so much replacing him. I know that’s what you felt you had to do, and Ringo obviously belongs in the group... but having Brian do it - and then never speaking to him again for the rest of your lives? He was your friend. You shared Hamburg together - and then never another word?” Maggie shook her head. “I guess I’m just not built that way.”
John stayed silent, which surprised Maggie. She’d expected sharp words, a fight. Clearly there was some deeply buried guilt. It’d been easily pushed aside during the sheer excitement of Beatlemania until it had been conveniently forgotten about.
“What do you want from me?” John twisted his napkin, clearly uneasy. “What’s done is done.”
“I don’t know - maybe you could apologize to Pete for the way you treated him. See him next time we’re in Liverpool. Life is too short to...” She stopped when she realized what she’d said.
“My life is too short.”
“Oh John, no,” she said hastily, reaching out a hand to him. “I didn’t mean it that way. But it is true that life is short. For all of us.”
John took her hand and squeezed it. He finally looked up, with a chagrined look on his face. “I’ll think about it.”
Maggie’s jaw dropped. “You will?”
“Yes. Damn you. You’re a bad influence on me. Making me all soft. I have a reputation, you know.” He looked at the fingernails on his other hand, inspecting them for invisible grit.
Maggie smiled at him. “I know. You’re John Lennon, professional Bad Boy. And I love you for it.”
John gave her a real smile, the kind that lit up his face. The kind that used to make her swoon slightly when looking at photos of him on the internet with her best friend Jenny Sue. “Can I tell Jane you said hello?” she teased.
“Of course.”
She kissed him affectionately and ruffled his hair.
After he helped her clear the breakfast dishes, Maggie got her things, ready to race over to Apple. She had some work she wanted to get done before leaving early for tea.
“Luv, luv - running everywhere at such a speed.”
“Going back to bed, then?” she asked John as she grabbed her shoulder bag.
“Think I’m lazy?”
“Think I’m crazy?” she countered.
“Yes. But that’s why I love you. Off to work with you. I’ve got songs to write.” He kissed her and shooed her out the door.
* * *
“Jane!” Maggie got up from the table where she’d been waiting to greet her friend.
“Maggie!” Jane gave her a hug. “It’s been far too long!”
“I know, it really has. Have I even seen you since India?”
“I guess not.” Jane sat down and looked for a place to stow her bag. “Things have been so busy, time has really flown.”
“How are you doing?”
“Well, thanks, and you?”
“Great!”
Maggie decided maybe it’d be best to get the elephant in the room out of the way. She knew that she and Jane had been on good terms in India, even after the debacle of the fancy dress party. But now Jane’s boyfriend was married to one of Maggie’s best friends. It was…awkward.
“Jane, I’m so sorry about how everything happened. With Paul.”
“Oh, it’s all right. Not your fault.”
Maggie shifted uncomfortably. As far as Jane knew, Maggie wasn’t involved. She didn’t know that Maggie had been campaigning for Linda practically since they’d met at that Beatles concert in ’66.
“But I feel badly. Especially since Linda is my friend and I’ve kind of been in the middle. I’d understand if you never wanted anything to do with us ever again. But I hope that’s not the case.”
“Oh, Maggie, I know it seems terribly awkward - but really, it was all just Paul and I. We wanted different things. I think everyone else knew that was true, but it took Paul and I a really long time to admit it to each other.” Jane tilted her head to the side and gave Maggie a lovely, yet sad smile. “I guess it took a lot less time for Paul to figure out what he really wanted. He waited what, a week after we broke up to get married to someone else?”
Maggie felt her face flush. She’d forgotten that what seemed completely normal to her would look crazy to the rest of the world. To her, Linda and Paul had already been married for thirty years. “Yeah. I guess there’s nothing like your ex-boyfriend’s wedding being splashed all over the papers, let alone right after you break up. I’m so sorry, Jane.”
“It’s all right.” It clearly wasn’t. “Or it will be someday. At any rate, you and I are fine.” She took a sip of tea, and then looked at Maggie over the rim of her cup. “I’m glad you want to stay friends in spite of everything. I have to confess I was a little surprised. It’s not the Beatle way you know. You only get one chance with that lot, and when they’re done with you...”
“Yeah, I know. Beatles.” Maggie just shook her head. “Ridiculous boys. But enough about them. I have some news.” She had intended on telling Linda and Paul about her pregnancy first - but Jane was here, and Jane was a friend - and it just felt right.
Jane set down her tea cup, and dabbed at the corners of her mouth daintily with her cloth napkin. Then she fixed her eyes on Maggie, giving her full attention.
“Oh? And what might that be?”
“I’m pregnant!” There she had said it. Maggie bit her lip and looked at Jane, unsure of how she would react to the news.
She needn’t have worried. A smile blossomed across her friend’s face and she leaned forward to take Maggie Sue’s hand in hers.
“Oh that’s wonderful! Unless you’re about to tell me that Paul is the father - because that would be even more awkward for all involved.”
Maggie’s face turned mock serious. “Oh, I know. What would Ringo think? Even if I named the baby Richie, the eyelashes would give his real father away!”
“I hope it’s a girl, those lashes are ridiculous on a boy.” Jane’s mouth twitched at the corner.
Maggie let out a loud guffaw and then clapped her hand over her mouth. Jane broke out into laughter at the expression on Maggie’s face. Neither girl could help their reaction - they both knew how vain Paul was about his long lashes. Any lingering tension instantly dissipated, as Maggie and Jane giggled like two school girls gossiping about how silly boys were. And they were, in this case, very silly.
~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N
It's nice that Maggie and Jane are still friends - but will Pete and John kiss and make up? And if they do, will Paul be jealous of the kissing part? ;-)
See you next week!
Continue to Chapter Four
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