Joan, Jude, and Julia: With The Beatles

Chapter 16

  Chapter Sixteen

By the time the girls got upstairs, the sight wasn't very pleasant. Ringo sat on the bed next to George, who was staring wide eyed at John and Paul. John's hands were clenched in tight fists by his sides, and the red on his right knuckles matched that on Paul's face. Paul was on the floor, half sitting half laying, trying to stop the blood from leaving his nose.

  It was all so overwhelming after what had just happened, that Jude could no longer contain herself, and emitted a piercing scream. The scream silenced the shouting in the room immediately, and now all eyes were on the three girls. Jude covered her mouth, and shook her head repeatedly before running from the room. The Beatles stood frozen as the other two girls departed moments later, leaving them to think.

A few agonizingly long minutes later, Joan returned to the room with a damp cloth. She helped Paul sit up the rest of the way, and wiped the blood off the face gently. Paul gave Joan a grateful but weak smile as she helped him up and onto the bed. John was nowhere to be seen.

  "What happened here?" Joan said, pulling a chair from her desk. She sat down and faced the three boys on the bed, waiting for an explanation like a mother with her children. The boys looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, not sure exactly what to do. Finally,George said,

" There was a bit of a, um... scuffle." Joan rolled her eyes.

"I know that," she stated, "But why?"

"Well, erm, you see...." Ringo began, but stopped when he saw the look Paul was giving him. Paul turned to Joan.

"It was nothin' luv," Paul said softly. "We were just getting a little restless is all, and when we're stuck inside too long with nothing to do, then little things can turn into bigger things. It's alright, though, I'm fine. John just needs to cool off."

Joan wasn't entirely sure she'd herd the whole truth, but decided to let it go for now. She nodded, and walked out of the room. George elbowed Paul roughly in the ribs.

"'Everything's fine!?'" George whispered fiercely. "Everything is not fine! What were you thinking!?"

"I know what I'm doing," Paul hissed back. "We need to work this out ourselves. We always do. This is no different. Trust me Geo, this problem is the last thing they need."