𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂 ❦ (𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗠𝗰𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘆)

꧁𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝘁 𝗔 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗢𝗻 𝗠𝗲꧂

Susan and Ringo's engagement party, or what was then being called the engagement party, was underway. The drinks were getting poured and the shots were already being lined up. Linda was quite cautious about drinking after recent complications and was debating whether to drink at all. She had already been through a day of internal torment with the insufferable headache and body ache. Was drinking the very next day a good idea?

"Are you gunna drink?" Susan asked her quietly, stood nervously beside her.

"I don't know. Are you?" Linda could tell by Susan's expression that she was conflicted. For what reason, was beyond her.

"I don't know either. I feel a little sick, to be honest." Linda grinned, a thought coming to her head.

"You could be pregnant." She whispered. Susan looked at her with an extremely terrified expression. Almost giving Linda the idea that she was.

"What do you mean?" She challenged shakily. "I'm not pregnant."

"Ok ok." Linda backed away. "If you're so sure." Susan nodded indefinitely but her facial expression and body language were giving off a completely different vibe. Still, Linda wasn't going to press on the matter any further, retreating into her head to sort out her worries.

Even after Paul eased her mind, she was still finding it too hard to leave that night in the fog. Instead, she was desperate to shoo the fog away so she could remember. Anything could have happened. She lost her key for god's sake. A hundred questions were flying around in her head.

Did I drop my key? Did it fall out? Was it stolen? Where did we go after the bike ride? Why was I drinking? Where was I drinking? Why was I talking about Agatha Christie?

The last one made some sense to Linda. Agatha Christie was one of her heroes.

"Right!" John bubbled, pulling Linda back into reality with his booming voice. "Here we are." He passed everyone a shot, giving Linda a grin as he gave her one.

Linda looked at the shot, still undecided. Then, she glanced at Paul who looked back with a positive expression, holding up his glass as if to say "bottoms up", a gesture that Linda found unnerving.

Why is he so calm?

"To the soon to be, Mr and Mrs Starkey." John pronounced, holding up his shot.

"Mr and Mrs Starkey." Everyone toasted and took their shot, Linda having a moment of hesitation but eventually forced it down her throat, grimacing at the bitter taste of regret.

꧁꧂

Sat in contemplation, Linda was miles away, unlike the others who were indulging in one of many drinks. Glancing around wondrously, Linda noticed the absence of Susan, a confusing observation. This party was for her. She saw Ringo with the boys, seeming to be having the time of his life so that scrapped any assumption that he and they were off somewhere intimately celebrating. Maybe she had just gone to the toilet.

The night was proving hard to digest for Linda without the aid of her Agatha Christie that had most definitely dissolved in the Miami sea by now. Usually, in situations like these, she would immerse herself into a world far unlike her own.

Paul, taking advantage of the alcohol around, caught Linda dissociating in a corner, a sight that now felt nostalgic. But seeing her so disconnected wasn't the easiest to take. Especially since he knew the reason behind it.

He chucked another glass of tasteful acid down his throat and wiped his mouth. He knew he had to talk to her, iron out any creases in her judgement. And, with the alcohol numbing out his nerves just enough for him to feel confident enough to approach her, he took his gamble and made his way over.