"The boys are on their way!" My uncle exclaimed racing around from hallway to hallway in search of any last detail in the house he could fix.

I was sat on the couch with my nose in a book unable to actually bring myself to read. My stomach was twisted into knots as a mix of emotions took over me from overthinking the way George acted towards me on Tuesday.

At this point I felt as if Friday was only a very distant memory that meant nothing to George at all. As much as I tried to think of something else, my mind always wandered back to George.

It was now Thursday night and the boys and their parents were coming over as a sort of "get to know the manager" dinner.

I really hoped tonight could be when I tell Paul about Iris. It was already bad enough I've been keeping it from him from this long. It had to be done and I couldn't put it off any longer, no matter how nerve wracking the whole thing was.

There was a sudden knock at the door making my uncle jump. "Oh, someone's here, I've got it, don't be nervous Poppy!" My uncle called over even though it wasn't me he was trying to convince to not be nervous.

When my uncle is nervous he cleans the entire house, and since he's practically sweating through his suit and he's as jittery as someone after seven cups of coffee, you could imagine just how spotless the house was.

He even made me wear a modest ballerina pink dress to be "presentable" even though I would much prefer to be wearing jeans and a plain shirt on a Thursday evening.

"Brian, this is my aunt Mimi Smith, Mimi, you've met Brian." For the first time ever John sounded calm and solemn. I was almost curious as to if it was actually John. I put the book down and peered over to the door to see John in a suit and wearing, glasses? Where did John Lennon go? I stared at the sight watching his aunt greet my uncle with a very judgemental look on her face.

"Yes, please come in, make yourselves at home." My uncle Brian lead them to where I was sitting, making me tense slightly as John's aunt's gaze fell on me. She smiled brightly and extended a hand.

"Mimi Smith." She spoke softly with a smile. I tried to push my rattling nerves out of mind as I stood up and reached for hers to shake it gently.

"I'm P-Poppy Epstein. It's lovely to meet you Miss Smith." I choked on the words hoping that I wouldn't be instantly hated by John's aunt.

She was very poised and proper and it seemed as if she maybe were forcing herself to stay calm. I'm sure it wasn't her first choice for John to be in a rock and roll band.

"Oh please, call me Mimi." She looked slightly impressed by my mannerisms I had practiced millions of times before she'd gotten here. I hadn't any clue why I was so nervous, but I had a feeling John's aunt wasn't who I feared to meet the most.

"Brian, you never told me you have a daughter." Mimi scanned over my appearance with a small smile.

For a moment I wondered if Mimi had caught on to my uncles sexuality like the boys had.

"Oh no, she's my niece." My uncle Brian's face was red probably thinking the same thing as I was. Mimi's smile faltered.

"So does she usually come over for dinner, or is that only when there's boys over?" Mimi's expression twisted into a stone cold poker face instantly. The words stung and my stomach twisted tightly into knots.

"Mimi." John spoke warningly.

"No it's alright," I assured John. "Actually, I live here with my uncle. M-my parents passed a long time ago." I spoke quietly feeling tiny under the burning stare of Mimi.

However that statement was only half true, my mother had passed away when I was only ten years old. As for my father, as far as I'm concerned he's dead as well. It was a sensitive topic for me, so when someone asked if simply lie and say they'd passed in a car accident. Her expression softened instantly in regret.

Ding. The doorbell rang pulling us all out of the thick uncomfortable tension lingering in the room. My uncle mumbled a quick I've got it, and quickly found his way back to the door. John pulled Mimi aside and appeared to be telling her how ashamed of herself she should be.

"Jim McCartney, it's nice to finally meet 'The Brain Epstein'." I heard a jolly voice introduce himself. I knew it had to be Paul's father and I was quite curious to see who gave Paul his good hair and thick eyelashes.

"Hello Brian." Paul sounded slightly embarrassed by his old man. I smiled to myself slightly as they found their way over to the living room as well. When they came into view, my smile fell to the ground. Iris was standing with Paul. Could she even give him a night off??

I clenched my fists staring at the sight of their hands locked together snugly. John rolled his eyes in irratation as if he was reading my mind and mumbled some cuss words under his breath making me purse my lips to keep from giggling.

"I'm Paul's father Jim, you must be Poppy." Jim held out a hand with an warm smile that brightened my mood. I shifted my attention to the kind older gentlemen with a smile.

"That would be me." I shook his hand with a blush spreading across my cheeks. Out of the corner of my eye I watched John quickly snatch the glasses away from his face as he began to talk to Paul, but trying to completely block out Iris.

Soon Pete and his mother joined in with George and both of his parents following shortly after. I spoke my hellos but watching George direct his attention anywhere but my direction was slightly disheartening. Seeing him only strengthened my feelings and yet, he seemed as if he'd never seen me before in his life.

His parents seemed to take a liking to me however, as if they already heard about me.

"Oh, you're such a pretty young girl." George's mum who introduced herself as Louise praised me with a warm smile. George cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Erm, thank you, would you please excuse me a moment?" I noticed that George didn't seem fond of this interaction I was having with his parents.

I had gone to the bathroom quickly, mostly to escape the unbearable situation that was George's silent treatment.

When I had returned I isolated myself on the piano bench in the corner of the living room feeling completely unlike my usual self; the truth was I wasn't quite myself for awhile, and why? I could only think of one reason, George.

He took up the majority of my thoughts and I felt like a complete git for hoping there was still a chance for him and I considering we hadn't talked for a week. A week. That seemed like a universal signal for "I'm trying to get away from you".

"What's got you down?" Paul asked sitting himself down on the bench beside me. I tensed up for a moment and looked behind him seeing Iris was in a conversation with John's aunt Mimi, obviously being dissected by her questions. I smiled to myself triumphantly for a moment.

"Nothing." I shrugged focusing on him once again. He gave me a look but turned his attention down to the piano and started to play a simple yet beautiful piece that he must've thought of himself. He didn't seem to believe me but I was thankful there was no further questioning as I watched him play. Softly, he began to sing quietly, only loud enough so I could faintly make out the words.

"When I get older losing my hair, many years from now," His sweet sounding voice sending goosebumps all over my body. I listened intently, watching his hands glide across the piano keys with ease. He glanced over to me and when he saw the big grin on my face, his face lit up with excitement.

"-You can knit a sweater from the fireside, Sunday mornings, go for a-" In the middle of his song the shrill call of a certain blonde haired devil horned girl interrupted.

"Paulie! Can I steal Popeye away from you for a second?" She asked condescendingly. Popeye. Ouch.

"Like the sailor?" I muttered to myself with confusion.

"Actually, her name is-" Paul started to correct her.

"-Thank you, come on Prudence." Iris grabbed my arm and forcefully heaved me up from the piano bench hurriedly. Prudence? That wasn't even remotely close to my name. She pulled me to the vacant kitchen, where the food had just been finishing up in the oven.

"May I help you?" I jolted my arm away from her grip uncomfortably. She stayed with her eyes narrowed at me in disgust.

"I know you know about the other night." She crossed her arms over her chest. I rolled my eyes knowing exactly how this conversation was going to go.

"Look, if you say anything I swear I'll-" she looked like she was about to explode with anger. There was a certain look in her eyes that not only displayed anger and distrust but fear and uncertainty, maybe there was after all a human under the heartless and cruel exterior.

"-You'll what? Take my boyfriend Micheal? Oh hold on a minute, you've already done that." I retorted making her become even more angry.

At any moment the vain in her forehead could pop and she would most likely begin to scream, but all I could do is stare at her motionlessly, waiting for her response.

"Oh right," she spoke just now realizing how we first met. "He told me I was a better kisser." She spoke childishly with a smirk.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes to try and hide my insecurity, maybe that's why George didn't want to talk to me. God, This isn't the time brain.

"At least I was faithful." I growled in a low voice. In an instant she raised her hand and a sharp pain came to my cheek and I clutched onto it feeling the mark she'd made on my face. I winced and let out a small whimper just as a satisfied smile spread across her face.

"If you tell Paul-" she started to threaten me with a scowl.

"Paul already knows." John's voice startled us both as he leaned against the frame of the kitchen door with Paul looking distraught beside him.

I looked between Paul and Iris in bewilderment. It looks like the problem had figured itself out for me. There was no going back now.

I could feel my cheek throb and I placed a hand on it and began to rub it wincing. I'll keep my mouth shut and stay out of it, I decided standing still. It would be difficult however, being physically right in the middle of them. John seemed to be getting quite the kick out of this as he had the biggest smile I'd ever seen before on from ear to ear.

"P-Paul-I-I," Iris stuttered wide eyed and more frightened than she'd ever looked before.

"You cheated on me." He whispered to himself in disbelief. I pursed my lips longing to be able to slip away to my room, but with Paul and John at the doorframe my escape route was blocked.

"You should go." He spoke calmly making Iris's face turn red. Maybe I could slip out the back door and walk around to the front of the house, I thought to myself wanting badly to remove myself from the uncomfortable conversation before I was somehow brought into it or slapped again.

"Oh come on Paul! You can't say you haven't cheated on me before! I know you've done worse!" She yelled angrily.

Paul stood in place, fury burning in his once gentle brown eyes. Iris shook her head in hysteria.

"You're heartless Paul McCartney. Heartless!" She yelled before storming out the back door. My jaw dropped open as I watched her sprint away from the house, becoming engulfed in the darkness outside.

"Heartless." Paul scoffed trying to play it off although he looked completely destroyed by the word. He frowned looking at the ground deep in thought. I opened my mouth to speak but I was unable to come up with anything consoling enough to say to him to I stayed silent.

"If it helps, she was a well known drag. We often used to wait till you two left then said rude things about her." John shrugged and patted Paul's shoulder. Paul rolled his eyes at John's remark and left to go back to the living room sulking. John and I exchanged a look of pure bliss as Paul left the room.

"Up high!" John whisper yelled holding both his hands up high walking towards me excitedly. Although I felt guilty, I jumped up to high five him because I was glad Paul finally saw her true colours. John started to do a victory dance that looked more like a fish out of water jumping around. I couldn't control my giggles as I watched. I swear he was the world's biggest five year old.

I walked over to the freezer and grabbed an ice pack to rest on my cheek. I'm sure it was still red and I hoped my uncle wouldn't be able to tell there was something wrong with it.

Relief washed through me as I held the ice pack against my cheek. Ding. The oven timer went off and my uncle walked through the doorframe making me toss the ice pack back quickly into the freezer and close the door to the freezer hoping he wouldn't ask me anything.

"Where did Iris go?" My uncle Brian asked nonchalantly going to take the food out of the oven.

"Uh, erm..." I tried to put a sentence together in my head that would make sense.

"She wasn't feeling well." John shrugged. I sighed in relief and as my uncle ducked down to get the food out of the oven John sent a wink. I smiled and rolled my eyes at his playful nature.

___________________

Dinner went by smoothly, Mimi being the only one of the parents to show her distaste for the amount of time that was about to be spent on this band. Everyone was quite kind, and for the first time I heard Pete speak more than two words. As the night went on and Mimi's questions began to run out they started to leave soon until it was only Paul and his father left, the both of them being very kind and helping us clean everything up.

After a couple moments of washing dishes with Paul, he finally spoke up.

"Did she really? You know," he bit his lip unsure of how to put it. "Break, you and your boyfriend up?" He gulped keeping his eyes on the plate he was drying. I frowned slightly.

"Yeah." I spoke almost in a whisper recounting the earlier events. He must've heard the whole conversation. I winced at the thought of it.

"How could she do that to you? You didn't deserve that." Paul muttered making me knit my eyebrows together with confusion. He was the one who'd just found out he'd been cheated on and he was asking how she could've done that to me?

"-Paul, I-it's alright, I'm more concerned about you." I set the dishes was cleaning down and turned to him.

He looked over at me with pain prominent in his eyes. As a tear rolled down his cheek, I reached up and wiped it away with my thumb gently.

I could barely stand to see him this broken, I could tell that he was tired of putting up the front he had been all night and probably only wanted to stay in bed alone.

I brought him into a hug and I heard him begin to whimper into my shoulder quietly. "Maybe I  am heartless." He mumbled. I pushed him back so I could look at him in the eyes.

"Paul, you aren't heartless. You're one of the most kindhearted people I know. One day you'll show her just how wrong she was when you're up onstage in front of hundreds of screaming fans. I know you'll make it." My words seeming to send reassurance through him, he brought me back into a tight hug.

Now that Iris was completely out of the picture and Paul was back on his way to recovery, there was only one thing left to worry about,

George.