Paul McCartney Is My Teacher

She's Leaving Home

"I couldn't- as much as I'd want to, Ms Senneth..." She placed her finger under my chin and tilted my head up so that I was looking right into her motherly eyes. She took both of my hands in hers, and I was going to understand very clearly what she had to say.

"Paul will not refuse. You cannot stay here alone. Money, the pets, they aren't an object. Please Winona. Let us help you."

I nodded, finally. I was agreeing to something I never could've imagined in my wildest dreams three weeks ago. My eyelids were growing heavy- I needed sleep before anything else.

I laid my head down on my pillow, and Chita used my torso as a substitute for one. Canary and Eeyore snuggled up together at Chita's tail, forming a ying-yang symbol type shape. That was all I saw before I closed my weighted eyes. Just as I started to drift off, I heard soft singing:

She's leaving home after living alone for so many years...

Then, there was darkness

-+•+--+•+--+•+-

I woke up about an hour later. The pets that had been there when I'd fallen asleep were still there, but their positions had changed completely.

There was silence in the house, and as I opened my door a note fluttered down from where it had rested on the doorframe.

Winona,

Ms Senneth and I have just gone to get some things done- legal procedures and what not. Your mother has, unfortunately, passed away. Her body will be honored and buried accordingly, I'm so sorry. We should be back before you awake, but if not just take some calming alone time and stay safe until we return.

James Paul McCartney

How formal of him.

So my mom is gone- really, truly, gone.

I tiptoed out of my room quietly and just sat down at the top of the stairs.

I felt like there was something wrong with me. Why am I not crying? Why can't I feel...anything?

Well, it does nothing to dwell. I whistled for Chita and she came at me full speed, almost knocking me over. She had Canary on her back, I could've guessed where Eeyore was. I grabbed my guitar from the hall closet and took them into the overgrown jungle of a backyard- miraculously, there was still a section of the lawn where we could all see below our knees.

I sat on the concrete and strummed the guitar aimlessly. I wondered what to play, and in the ambient background I heard a car pull up. I decided on "American Pie" by Don McLean. It was a long song with different musical properties in different parts, and I wouldn't ever get bored of playing it.

Chita and Canary like to listen to the music. Eeyore really...can't, because, y'know, he's deaf.

I strummed a chord or two and eventually started to get into the groove. I even began to sing along.

The day, the music...died

We started singing

Bye bye miss American Pie

I thought about today as I sang. But it gave me a headache- what is wrong with me?

"Winona?" I heard Paul calling my name. I stopped plucking at my guitar strings and headed inside, followed by my pets.

"I didn't know you played." Ms Senneth commented as I met her at the door, where she was removing her dripping coat.

I shrugged. "I play, but I'm no good." I admitted. She shook her head and smiled.

"That's humble of you to say, but I don't believe it." I smiled, what she said sounded like something I'd seen on an episode of Goosebumps- "Be Careful What You Wish For", I believe.

"So," Paul entered the room again, still clearly unnerved by the state of my house. "Let's go, shall we?"

"Go where?" I asked.

"Well, we figured you might want to come with us, and I do believe Ms Senneth already told you- that is, if you want to come." He smiled knowingly. I saw a flicker of the younger Paul McCartney in him when he did so.

"Yeah...thank you." I smiled back.

"Well then, pack a small bag of what you need for now, and meet us back down here." I nodded.

"What about Chita and Canary and Eeyore?" I asked, worried about the fate of my beloved pets.

"They're coming too. I'm sure they'll get along swimmingly with Martha." Paul assured me. I smiled genuinely for the first time that day.

My feet barely touched the stairs (especially step number five) as I flew up the staircase. My room had looked the same for seven years. Brown walls, tan flooring, with little decoration- a Beatles poster and a portrait of Carol Burnett together with Helen Reddy being the only exceptions. No rug, no windows, just a small bed and a dresser surrounded by nothingness.

I took my school backpack (It was a school day tomorrow that I didn't plan on missing) and a blue overnight bag, and I threw in a pair of pajama pants, an oversized T-Shirt, toothbrush and toothpaste, a pair of shorts  a sweater and a Sgt. Pepper shirt for tomorrow.

On my way back downstairs, my foot went through the fifth step that I was so used to skipping. Wow, I must really be out of it.

"You ready?" Asked Ms Senneth.

I nodded and Paul opened the door for her, sneaking a kiss on her cheek. I 'awed' silently, I didn't want to ruin it.

Like Olive did. I thought bitterly.

I shook away the negative thoughts and followed them out to Paul's car.

"I need a nap." Ms Senneth stated, opening the back door. She chuckled "Wake me up when we get there."

Paul motioned for me to get into the front seat, and he started the car.