I Learnt To Love In Liverpool | George Harrison ✅

♥ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧 ♥

John looked at me and smiled, "you will call if you need me, won't you?" I nodded, promising to do just that.

"She won't." Paul said teasingly as he put an arm around my shoulders, "she's got me."

John smiled at his friend and then turned back to me. "If McCharmly ever gets too much, then you know where I'll be."

I nodded again, giggling at his nickname for Paul, "Menlove Avenue."

He nodded, "and don't you forget it." Mimi was watching from the living room window having already given me a kiss on the top of the head and a hug goodbye.

I turned to Paul, "let's get on 'ome then, eh?"

"Let's go." He led me down the garden path of Mendips and then along Menlove Avenue, back towards Forthlin Road.

As we walked, Paul hummed. "That's a pretty tune." I said. It had, of course, been accompanied by the sound of my suitcase's wheels on the pavement. Paul had insisted on pulling it himself, though I had offered to help several times.

"Oh," he said in surprise, as if he hadn't realised that he had been humming it, "just something me and John 'ave been tinkering around with.

"Has it got any lyrics?"

"Not yet."

I hummed in disappointment, "I'd like to hear them if it ever gets any."

Paul shrugged, "maybe it will, I dunno. If it does, you'll be the first to hear it." I smiled at that. We walked in silence, this time without the humming, for a few minutes longer before Paul said, "can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." I replied, shrugging, "though I think that if I'd have said no, then you would have asked anyway."

He chuckled, "you know me so well, Em... anyway, I wanted to ask what you thought about Geo."

"George?" I echoed in surprise. Paul nodded. I narrowed my eyes at him, "has this got something to do with John asking me last night?"

"John asked you?" Paul echoed, an octave higher than usual. I nodded. "What did you say to him?"

"The same thing that I'm going to tell you;" I paused, "George is sweet, and I like him a lot, but I think we're both a little nervous around each other."

"Ah, yes well, Geo's always been -"

"Babied." I finished. "I know. The youngest in his family and in the band." I sighed, "well, I definitely like him, so is that the answer you were looking for?"

Paul held his hands up in defence, "who says I was looking for any specific answer?"

I giggled and elbowed him. "You're too much, Paul."

A few minutes afterwards, we arrived at 20 Forthlin Road. Paul led the way up the garden path and opened the door without a key. He led me inside.

"Da!" Paul called up the stairs, "we're home!"

Jim appeared in the doorway up ahead of us, wearing a greying apron and holding a wooden spoon in one hand. He looked quite funny in his attire, and I had to resist a giggle.

"Em..." Jim trailed off as he hurried over to me. Paul stepped out of the way just in time, and Jim took me into his arms.

I hugged him back, my heart slowing as I buried my head in his shoulders and whispered, "dad..."

When he pulled away, dad asked, "are you alright? I'm sorry I couldn't come - it was too late and I couldn't rightly leave Mike in bed - but I sent Paul over for you."

I nodded, "I'm fine... and Paul was enough. We stayed at John's last night."

"Mimi's taken a shine to her." Paul said in an amused tone, his eyes glittering with a smile as he excused himself and went into the living room, leaving me and dad alone.

"Did they question you?"

I nodded, "made me relive it all... God, it was horrible -"

"Well at least it's all over, now." I agreed, humming my reply. "I've set you a bed up in Paul's room - I'm sorry we don't have more space. I did try to get Mike to move in with Paul and give you his room, but -"

"Rooming with Paul's fine." I promised dad, "he's, um... well, he's everything to me, now. Nobody's ever been so kind to me in my life. Him and John have really made me feel welcome."

"O'course he has," Jim said, hugging me again, "I raised him properly, and Mimi did a good job with John, no matter what anyone says about her."

I wondered just what people said about her. She seemed perfectly lovely to me - if a little standoffish and abrupt at times.

Dad noticed that he was still holding the wooden spoon and he chuckled, "I was just making dinner. You like Scouse, aye?"

"Scouse?" I echoed, "like... people, or -"

"No, sweetheart," dad cooed at me in an amused and adoring tone, "scouse is a dish - it's why we're called Scousers by the Southerners."

"Oh." I said. "Is it, y'know -"

Dad laughed, "a'ready got you using his language, has he?" I assumed that he was referring to Paul, so I laughed.

"It's contagious -"

"My ears are burning!" Paul chimed from the living room. I heard the sound of a phone being placed onto the cradle and then he appeared in the doorway to the living room. "I was goin' out to meet George after dinner, Em. Fancy coming with?"

I looked at dad and he shrugged, "Em, I don't know how strict your mum and -"

"Stepdad."

"I don't know how strict your mum and stepdad were with you, but I trust my boys to be sensible, and I trust you. If you want to go out then go, and just make sure that someone walks you home if it's late at night -"

"She'll usually be out with me anyway, da." Paul said, throwing his arm around my shoulders, something which he seemed quite fond of doing. "We've got the same friends now, ain't that right, Em?"

I nodded and smiled at my brother and then at our dad.

Jim smiled at the two of us, "I love how close you are... dinner'll be a few minutes, so why don't you set the table?"

Mike was thrilled to see me at dinner, and even more thrilled to hear that I would be living with him permanently and not just part-time, which he had first assumed when dad had first broached the idea of him moving into Paul's room.

"I'm still not giving you my room, though." Mike concluded at the end of his long list which consisted of all the ways having a sister would benefit him.

Paul and I, sitting side-by-side, fought back a laugh, and Jim looked amused as he shovelled scouse into his mouth.

Paul looked at his watch, "well," he said, finishing his dinner, "time to go." He turned to me, "you ready?"

I'd barely eaten my dinner.

"Paul, she hasn't finished -"

"It's okay, da." Paul said as he turned to Jim, "I'll get her some chips if she gets hungry -"

"I could actually get them, Paul." I said, turning to Jim, "I have the money that you gave to him for me."

Dad smiled, "I'd almost forgotten. I'm sorry I couldn't give you any more than that -"

"It's fine." I paused, "£3 is enough, really. And besides, you're going to be letting me live here -"

Dad replied, "as my daughter, I wouldn't have it any other way -"

"Em, we're going to be late!" He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of my seat and into the hallway. Something about Paul made me wonder if he ever was so bothered if he was late to something - I wondered what made tonight any different.

"Bye, dad! Bye, Mike!" I called before Paul shut the front door behind us.

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