Miss Americana // The Beatles

Chapter 16

Chapter 15

April 14, 1960

John and I walked quietly into the room at the Bambi Kino around eleven the next morning. Our train left earlier this morning from Paris, and we had just arrived to see Stu and George sleeping peacefully in this dingy room. John took off his shoes and lied down on our bed. He motioned for me to do the same, and I lied in his arms thinking about everything that happened this weekend.

John had proved to me that Hamburg had only hardened his shell more on the outside, but inside was still that sweet man that I loved so much. I wanted the rest of this year to fly by, so we could get married as soon as possible. We talked about the future almost the entire night last night. After John proposed to me, we sat at the sparkling Eiffel Tower for another hour before heading back to the hotel. We took another bath together and made sweet love the rest of night. We only slept a few hours, but our Hamburg schedule had made our bodies used to that. I felt completely rested after our short getaway to Paris.

I looked up at John, who had fallen asleep and was snoring quietly. I heard Stuart grunt, which he does in his sleep, and George roll over on his sofa. I'm sure the boys had a late night partying last night. I couldn't believe how everything was turning out. We were all growing as musicians and artists. The boys had developed an impeccable style that I knew would get them places. Now, John and I were engaged, and we would get married upon our return to Liverpool. I honestly couldn't wait.

"Sasha," I heard someone whisper. John snored loudly once more and went back to being quiet.

I looked to find Stu sitting on the edge of his bed in just his briefs, "Hi Stu."

Stuart stood and put on his drainpipe jeans and a black t-shirt, "Can we talk outside?"

"Sure," I said. I moved myself from John's arms without waking him and left him a note saying I'd left with Stu.

Stuart and I walked down the street to a café to get some coffee. Our walk there was in silence, and we didn't speak until we sat down at a table with our cappuccinos.

Stu poured a sugar packet into his, "How was your trip?"

I smiled, every detail coming to mind, "It was wonderful. John is still the man I love. It's just that when he's here in Hamburg, his hard outer shell that he puts on gets harder," I tried to explain.

"I know what you mean, but I'm glad you were able to work everything out with him. You two have a relationship that many people dream about until they've dreamed their whole life away and waste away alone," he spoke beautifully, "I use to dream of a companionship with someone like you had with John. I used to dream of you being my girl, but I've found my girl. I just had to come to bloody Germany to find her."

I smiled. I admired how intelligent Stu was. When he spoke, it was like the whole world stopped to listen to his poetic words, "So, you and Astrid are going well I assume?"

Stu sighed, "I'm moving in with her next month."

I almost spit out my coffee, "What?"

"She begged her mother to let all of us stay there, so we could get out of the Bambi Kino, but her mother said that it was just me or no one," Stu explained, "I agreed. I'm moving next month. I love her so much, Sasha."

Stu looked deep into my eyes with a passion that I used to see in John's before Hamburg sucked all the life out of him. However, I saw glimpses of it this weekend.

I still couldn't believe Stuart was leaving all of us at the Bambi Kino, "Why next month? Why not now?"

Stu took a cigarette from behind his ear and lit it with one of the matches from his pocket, "A little birdie told Paul and Pete that old Bruno is moving us to a nicer club next month, the Kaiserkeller."