Temporary Secretary

Nineteen

"Are we there yet?" 

"Almost there, Stella. Just a few more minutes, all right?"

"Okay, daddy."

I sat in the passenger's seat, eyes closed and head laid back. It had been four days since my little morning incident, and we had just arrived back in London to go to a doctor and pick up some more things from the house to take back to Scotland.

We arrived at the house shortly and our little troop made its way inside. Paul and I went to the office first to check the messages on the phone. He hadn't really told anyone that he would be gone. He said something about pulling another "Case of the Missing Beatle" or something. I'll have to ask him about that later. We don't really talk much about his Beatle years, unless he brings it up. Though I'd love to know more about it, I don't push.

"Yes, Mr. McCartney, we've located the parents of, let's see, Amethyst Rowe for you. Their address is 115 Kidsworth Avenue in Adswood. That's a village in Manchester, Mr. McCartney. Good luck with whatever these details were needed for. Goodbye."

The message played from the answering machine while Paul sat at his desk copying every detail. I, on the other hand, just stood in front of him not knowing what to do.

"Well, it seems we will be making a pit stop on our flight back to Scotland, now doesn't it?"

"Paul, I don't know." 

To tell the truth, I was absolutely horrified to see my parents again, fearing that they would hate me for leaving, hate me for what I'd done, and especially hate me for the more recent decisions I had made, especially Paul. What would they say when they found out I was secretly in a relationship with Paul McCartney? The Paul McCartney? I'm sure they were wondering what had happened to their only child, but I was frightened.

"Love, you need to do this. They won't hate you, if that's what your thinking."

"I admit, I'm worried about that, but what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Paul, you're double my age!"

"Not exactly! Only nineteen years!"

I smirked at his accurate comment, but the worry was still there.

"I'll do it, but I'm not promising that they will be happy with us."

"Traditional, are they?"

"You have no idea. When I first got together with that awful boyfriend of mine, you would have thought I burnt the house down."

"I'm sorry, love." 

Paul pulled me into his arms and started stroking my back to calm me down.

"It'll be all right."

"I hope so."

Paul released me from his arms and went to listen to the remaining messages, mostly people wondering where he has been. He went to work returning their calls, telling them he would be away for the rest of the year. I made my way into the living room, but suddenly heard tiny voices arguing in the kitchen.

"James! Get out of the cupboard!"

"But there are cookies, Stella!" 

"James! Daddy will get mad if we make a mess!"

"Then get Ametist!"

"It's Amethyst, James! Pronounce it right!

I decided to intervene before it seems punches would be thrown over some simple cookies.

"I'm right here, you know?"

"Amethyst!" Stella seemed shocked at my presence, but James was still after the cookies.

"James, would you like a cookie?"

"Yes, please." He hung his head as if he had done something wrong.

I took two cookies out of the package, one for James and one for Stella.

"Here you are. Just eat them in here, all right?"

"We will, Amethyst. Thank you." Stella responded politely. 

"Thank you, Amethyst."

James actually said my name properly!

"James, you said my name correctly!"

"I did? I did!"

I brought him into my arms and ruffled his blonde hair.

"Good job! I think that deserves another cookie!"

James squealed in delight and I turned around to find the package of cookies missing. When I looked up, I saw Paul holding the back in his hands.

"Looking for these?"

"Yes, Paul."

"Trying to fatten the kids up, are you?" He joked.

"Of course not, but everyone needs a cookie or two every now and then."

He handed me one out of the package to give to James and then another one for Stella. He then took two cookies out and gave one to me.

"I think you need one."

I ate my cookie and watched him eat his as he put the package back.

"Ready to go to the doctor now?" He asked once he was finished.

"No, but I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No, sorry. Kids, pile in!"

"Where are we going? We just got back!" Stella said.

"We are going to the doctor and then it's a surprise. After that, we'll be going back to Scotland, so get whatever you want from here to bring it with you. You have five minutes to be at the door and ready to go! Go!"

Stella and James scurried off to their rooms to find their most precious items that they left behind and throw them into a bag.

Paul and I waited at the bottom of the stairs, making small talk to distract my mind from going to the doctors.

Soon enough, James and Stella came tumbling down the stairs with their prized possessions thrown into bags they found in their room.

"Good job, kids. Now let's go to the doctor."

"Who's sick?" James asked innocently.

"Amethyst wasn't feeling well, so I'm taking her to the doctor."

If only it was that simple. We loaded into Paul's car once more and made our way to the doctor. I was internally freaking out the whole way there, but come to find out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. I wasn't pregnant, thank goodness, but Paul and I learned our lesson of how important protection was. All done with that task, we took Paul's car back to his house, deciding against leaving it at the airport again, and called a cab. Next task, flying to Manchester and facing my parents.