Love Is All She Needs

Chapter 7 - America

Songs:

- All My Loving (Anthology)

January, 1964

"Charlie, I've been thinking..."

Her heart sank. It was never a good thing when Uncle George started a conversation with "I've been thinking." It meant he needed her to do something better.

"I know, I need to settle on what to do after school. I'm sorry." She sad hurriedly. Her pre-emptive apology was unnecessary.

"Well, yes, but that's not what I was going to say."

"Oh."

"Here, sit with me."

They sat down at the kitchen table. Charlie felt her palms get sweaty.

"The boys are in Paris right now. They finish up their residency on the fourth, and then they fly to America."

Charlie nodded.

"Well, they have some public appearances there, one of which is a popular television show in America. They'll perform on the show and make a few good connections in the industry by doing so."

Charlie nodded again. She had no idea where he was going with this. She twisted her long hair between her fingers nervously.

"Charlie, show business is difficult to get in to. You have to know people to get in well with them. This... could be a good opportunity for you."

Charlie furrowed her brow. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, the boys fly to America on your birthday. I believe you are enough of an adult... to fly there on your own to meet them."

"What?!"

"Happy birthday, Charlie."

"Uncle George! This- this is too much! I can't... are you serious? Fly to America?! Alone?!" Charlie had barely ever left London, and had never left the United Kingdom. Her mother had always told her they'd travel all over Europe and America when she got better. Obviously, that never happened.

"I've spoken to Brian about it, he said he'd arrange for a car to pick you up from the airport and transport you to the hotel the boys are staying in, and that he'd arrange for you to have a room on their floor. You'd need to take a few weeks off from school, but you work so hard anyway, I don't think it will matter much. This gives you a chance to get to know people in the industry in America, in the event that's where you choose to end up after attending university."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you Uncle George!" Charlie jumped out of her seat and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm very proud of you, Charlie."

***

February, 1964

The boys had already popped a bottle of champagne by the time Charlie reached their hotel rooms. Brian escorted her in, laughing and smiling at the boys' shenanigans. She was handed a flute upon arrival, and she was drunkenly serenaded.

"HAAAAPPY BIIIIIIIRTHDAY TOOOOO YOOUUUU!" George scream-sang the entire song, slurring her name somewhere in the middle.

"We should write a better birthday song, you know? Like a catchier birthday song." Paul launched into a proposal to John, who was busy trying to pour more champagne from an empty bottle.

This would be the first night Charlie would get drunk. She got so drunk, she forgot which of her names she was currently calling herself, took her shirt off and hung out in nothing but a brassiere, and got incredibly close to making out with George. She had enough of a sober moment to say no, because she knew she'd want to remember her first real kiss, and that moment was the last part of the night she remembered at all. She danced on tables and broke glasses, she laughed at things that weren't funny, and she ended her night with her head in the toilet. The boys were proud of her, for whatever reason. Ringo was the sober sally of the night and checked in on her every few hours, eventually scooping her up and placing her in one of the beds.

It had been the best night of Charlie's life.

***

"Alright, so we have an agreement?" Charlie said, with her hand over her eyes at brunch the next morning. "Nobody tells Uncle George what I did last night."

"Not even the part where you danced on the coffee table?" Asked John.

"Or the part where you took your clothes off to a Chuck Berry record?" Asked George.

"Or when you nearly kissed -"

"NO. Nothing. Or I will personally find your upcoming tapes for release and burn them myself."

"I have no idea what conversation I just walked into, but Charlie, please do no such thing." Brian sat down at the table, handing Charlie a cup of coffee. She sipped it grumpily. Brian seemed to have this look in his eyes, like he knew what she'd done last night, but he didn't mention it. He continued to talk to the boys.

"Boys, tonight you have an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. It's a popular television show here in America and if it goes well, it could be the thing that puts you on the map here."

"Will we have a chance to warm up?" Paul asked, ripping apart a bagel.

"Yes of course, there will be a sound check ahead of time."

"Do we have to talk?" George asked, nervously.

"It's highly likely. I've been working on a script for you so you don't have to come up with what to say on the spot." Brian replied. George grinned.

"Charlie, you will be joining me back stage, correct?" Brian said. Charlie smiled, still covering her eyes from the light, still slowly sipping her coffee.

"After about three more of these, yes, I'll be joining you."

***

The Ed Sullivan theatre was beautiful and new-aged. None of the group had ever seen anything like it. The set the show had come up with included colors and flashing lights, which amused Charlie, since televisions were in black and white and wouldn't show color anyway. Brian was dressed in a sleek suit and Charlie in a modern dress, so out of her fashion taste that it made her uncomfortable, until she realized she fit in quite well with the other girls she saw at the television set. The dress was puffy and brought the blue out in her eyes. If only she'd tried to make her hair match the look.

Brian had clothed the group in matching suits. They looked sleek and professional, which was funny, because their personalities were anything but. The boys rehearsed each number a few times, planning what they'd say in between, and getting a feel for how the sound felt in the studio.

This would prove to be pointless, since they couldn't hear themselves anyway.

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!'

The sound in the room was so loud, Charlie's eyes started watering. She could feel every part of her body vibrate. She looked at Brian, who had started chuckling. They couldn't share their reactions with each other, it was just too loud. The sound of dozens of girls screaming their heads off was absurd and overwhelming. Charlie peeked onto the stage to see the boys, who were laughing, but also struggling to stay together.

"One, two, three, four, one, two,

Close your eyes and I'll kiss you

Tomorrow I'll miss you

Remember I'll always be true

And then while I'm away

I'll write home every day

And I'll send all my loving

To you."

It was messy, but the boys kept smiling, obviously loving the attention. Paul could barely hear himself singing. George was just slightly lagging. Ringo had a dopey smile, which showed he was actually following the boys bouncing to find the beat. John very hesitantly sang the harmonies into the microphone. Charlie felt an overwhelming sense of pride for them, and she couldn't felt the urge to scream along with the crowd, but resisted. The last thing she needed was to come off as a fan when she was supposed to be making an impression on the professionals that surrounded her.

The performance didn't last very long, just a handful of songs, but Brian was right. It was the performance that put the Beatles on the map in America. Their popularity skyrocketed, they were chased and followed for the entirety of the rest of their trip.