John had disappeared with May into the kitchen and Keith, Harry Ringo and myself went into a back room that had a lounging area and a pool table. 

"You play pool?" Harry asked as he headed to the table. 

"I've played before, but I'm not very good." I replied. 

"Yeah...I can vouch for that." Ringo laughed. 

"Hey! Don't be mean." I teased. 

"Who is being mean to you?" I heard John's voice. 

I looked over to see him and May walking into the room. May’s hair was a bit disheveled and I figured what had gone on in the kitchen. 

"Ringo." I replied. 

"Rings? I don't believe it." 

"We're talking about her pool playing." Ringo remarked. 

John laughed. " Or lack of..."

"Well it's a good thing I'm not going to be your partner." I said. 

"Yeah...she's going to be mine." Harry said coming to me and putting his arm around my shoulder. 

"Thank you for the confidence Harry...I appreciate that." I smiled. 

"Don't say we didn't warn you, mate." John said to Harry. 

"How about a game then Lennon? You and May against Mirel and me." 

"Do you know how to play May?" I asked. 

"She couldn't be worse than you." John laughed without letting May answer. "You're on." John said shaking Harry's hand. 

"Harry, I should warn you...I am as bad as Ringo and John say." I laughed as we went to get our cues. "John ended up paying a few date nights for George and Ringo when we played as partners."

"Relax Mirel...it’s a friendly game." Harry winked as he handed me a cue. 

We spent a few minutes reviewing some basic points before starting the game. Harry and John played most of the rounds and we quickly noticed May and I were on the same basic playing level-extremely bad. 

"Okay Mirel...concentrate here....try to hit the cue ball hard enough to knock the 8 ball into the pocket but not too hard that it goes in with it." Harry urged. 

"She's going to scratch...and that's if she ends up hitting the cue ball in the first place." John said. 

"Be quiet John." I said as I leaned on the table to try and make the shot. 

Surprisingly enough, I connected with the ball and the 8 ball went in while the cue ball remained on the table. 

"Ahh!" I squealed with delight as I saw the 8 ball go into the pocket. I ran over to Harry and hugged him. He hugged me back and picked me off the floor. I was so excited to have actually made the winning shot! 

"What do you think about that John!" I boasted when Harry put me back down. 

"I'm surprised." He laughed. "Didn't think you had it in you." 

"Are you sure she's not Emma?" I heard Ringo say from the other side of the room. 

"This time I'm positive Ringo." John replied with a smile. 

"Who's Emma?" Harry asked. 

"My twin sister." I answered.

"I demand a rematch." John said. 

"No...I'm going to walk away now...while I am ahead...." I said smiling. 

"Keith....how ‘bout a game?" John asked. 

"Sure." Keith said. 

Both Ringo and Keith stood up and walked over to the pool table, leaving the empty seats for Harry and me. 

I could hear the commotion on the other side of the room between Keith and John as they played pool. Ringo and May were chatting away nearby.

Harry and I got to talking about his new album. I hadn't realized that John was producing it. He told me some stories behind the recordings thus far and I laughed just picturing the two of them in the studio creating such chaos. I caught John glancing at us a few times when Harry and I got a little too rowdy. 

"John's probably wondering what we're talking about." Harry leaned in as he caught on to John's curious looks. 

"C'mon...this will really get him wondering." Harry said as he led me out of the room and into the living area where we had spent most of the afternoon.

"So how long have you known John?" Harry asked as he poured himself a drink. 

"It's been at least...8 years." I said thinking about it. 

"Would you like another drink?" Harry asked. 

"No thanks." I declined. 

"I'm surprised I hadn't met you before now." Harry said. 

"Oh well it's been years since the last time I saw him. We kind of met up again recently. Randomly actually." 

"Yeah? Well John seems to be rather fond of you." Harry remarked gulping down his drink. 

"We've been friends for a long time..." I continued. 

"So you two are just friends?" 

"Yes. Of course." I said trying to state the obvious. 

"I see." he smirked as he put his drink down and started walking closer to me. "In that case...let me tell you Mirel, that I have grown rather fond of you too in the last few hours...but unlike Johnny I want to be more than just a friend."

Harry's boldness caught me off guard.

I laughed uneasily. "That's a bit forward Harry, don't you think?" 

"That's just the kind of guy I am Mirel...I call it the way I see it...no use in sugarcoating things. Don't you agree?" Harry's eyes were fixed on mine. I didn't know what to say to that so I just stayed quiet. "Maybe we should just find out if you feel the same way." Harry said as he approached me. He had backed me up against the wall. I had to admit that the current situation was somewhat arousing. I hadn't found myself with a man like this in a long time. The last few years had been sprinkled with lame dates- men that were anything but interesting. Harry and I had been getting along quite well tonight and as much as I hated to admit, his bad boy image was attractive.

As Harry leaned in, I felt my hands involuntarily stop him. "Harry....I don't think we should...." 

"But I do." Harry said as he grabbed me by my waist and pulled me towards him...just inches away from his face. 

My heart began beating faster as he held me there. "Are you going to tell me you don't want me to kiss you?" Harry asked. 

I wasn't sure if his words were said with confidence or just plain arrogance, but the truth was that I did want him to kiss me. I hadn't seen such intensity for me from a man since I had been with John...

Suddenly, we heard someone loudly clear his throat and I pulled away from Harry quickly. I looked over to see John and May standing in the doorway that separated the game room and the living room.

I quickly diverted my eyes and found the glass Harry had put down minutes earlier. I took a gulp from it. 

"Didn't see you there Johnny...thought you were still playing pool." Harry said laughing awkwardly. 

"We just finished." John said coldly before going to the bar again and refilling his glass. 

For the next half hour John was quiet...he hardly said a word-not even to May who was sitting next to him. He was, however, consistent in his drinking. The others didn't seem to notice much since they were too busy laughing making fun of the people on the television screen.

I eventually realized it would be best to call my mother and let her know I wouldn't be there to pick up Elise tonight. In fact, with all the drinking I had done tonight, chances were I wouldn't even be able to make the drive home myself. 

"May? Could I use your phone. I need to make a quick call." I asked her from where I was at. 

"Oh sure!" She said. "You can use the one in the bedroom so you can have a little more privacy...besides with all this racket you probably wouldn't be able to hear much." She smiled. "It is right through that hallway...second door on the left." May finished pointing in the direction of the hallway.

I called my mother to check up on Elise and let her know that I was in Santa Monica and would be back to pick up Elise tomorrow. We stayed on the phone a good 15 minutes, me trying to explain to her what had happened with John this afternoon, but not wanting to tell her all of the details of the night. I told her I had drunk some tonight so that was the main reason I was not leaving until tomorrow morning. She agreed it would be best that way and reassured me Elise would be fine. I had no doubt in my mind...Elise loved spending time with her grandparents. They spoiled her so. 

As I turned around to leave, I spotted John at the doorway. I wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there.

“That was my mom…Elise is staying with her and dad tonight. I don’t think I’ll be able to make the drive home tonight…I hope you and May don’t mind if I stay the night.” I babbled. 

“No…of course not. “ John said. “ You can stay here as long as you’d like.”

I smiled. “it’ll only be for tonight. I’ve been drinking and I really stayed much longer than I had initially intended to.” 

“But you’ve enjoyed yourself?”

“Oh yeah….it was great to see Ringo again…and meet May…she seems nice…”

“And you got a chance to meet Harry…” John stated. His tone of voice had a hint of resentment behind it. 

“Yes…and Keith.” I said trying to play it casual. 

“But you seem to have hit it off better with Harry, wouldn’t you say?” John said bluntly as he came closer. 

“Well I got a chance to talk with him a bit more than I did with Keith.” I responded. 

“Talk…is that what you two were doing?”

“Yeah…we were just talking John.” I answered feeling a bit interrogated. Did I really have to explain myself to John? 

“Kind of like what you and I are doing. Talking.” John said as he stood directly in front of me.

“Yes.” 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but it was a little more like this, right?” John said as he took me by the waist and pulled me forward so that we were inches from each other…I gasped by the abrupt movement and found myself looking up at John. I recognized that look…I had seen it many times before. Actually, I had been in this same situation countless times before with John…many years ago. The similarities were undeniable: a drunken John, the bedroom, the indisputable sexual excitement building between us. Years ago, this scene would have led to John and I making love…or having passionate-could-care-less-who-was-in-the-other-room sex, but tonight wasn’t like before. Not only was John married to Yoko, but his lover was in the next room, not to mention that this was THEIR bedroom. 

“So what were you two talking about, luv.” John asked. We were so close to one another that as he spoke, his lips lightly brushed mine. 

“About the album you two are working on.” I said trying to pull back a little from him, but John had a strong grip around me which wasn’t letting me move in the slightest. 

“You could have asked me about that…I would have gladly told you about it.” John continued. 

“So tell me about it now.” I suggested. 

“I’m sure we could “talk” about much more interesting things.” John responded before he moved his head and began nuzzling my neck. 

I brought my hands up from my sides and put them on his shoulders, trying to lightly push him away. Truthfully, I could have more actively resisted, but John’s touch felt so natural to me. It was as if the years had never passed. His hands wrapped around the small of my back which brought our bodies closer together. I could feel his heart pounding against my chest.

“Stay away from Harry Mirel…” I heard John say in my ear. 

I was surprised by what John had just said. All of this was to try and keep me away from Harry? His behavior had nothing to do with what we had once shared…but was all just a way to keep me from getting involved with Harry? I mentally cursed at myself for letting myself think otherwise. For years I had convinced myself that I was over John…that he was the father of my daughter and that things just hadn’t worked out between us…that he was now just a good friend, but the last few minutes had completely changed all of that. I had felt myself react to his touch…felt myself drawn to him…wanting him…longing for the past. He on the other hand was just a drunken man, being aroused by a woman and getting his male ego hurt when he saw another man in pursuit of one of “his” girls. I thought back to when he and May had walked into the game room. May looked tousled and I could only imagine what had happened between John and her in the kitchen….if it was anything like what John and I used to do it was obvious John didn’t have any resurfacing feelings for me…it was just him being horny and egocentric. 

“No John. I like Harry. He’s a nice guy.” I finally said. 

“Stay away from him Mirel…he’ll only hurt you.” John growled and as he said that I felt the difference in his touch; it grew forceful as his hands tightened. His grip was so tight that I yelped as I felt a sharp pain on my ribs. 

“John the only person who is hurting me right now is you….Please let go.” I gasped. 

I didn’t think John had even heard me since it took a few seconds before his grip loosened. I pulled away from him, this time with conviction. I could still feel the aftermath of his hold on me. I looked at him with sadness and sighed. “You’re drunk…as usual.” I said before walking past him and heading back to the living room. 

Ringo, Harry and Keith were all hooting at a girl in a bikini on the TV and May seemed to be waiting for John. 

“Did you see John?” She asked. 

“No.” I lied… “He must have gone to the bathroom or something.” I said as I walked towards Ringo. I tapped him lightly on the shoulder and he looked up with those bright blue eyes of his.

“Can I bum a cigarette?” 

Ringo looked surprised. It was a very rare thing for me to actually join anyone in a smoke, let alone ask for a cigarette on my own. 

“Sure, luv.” He said as he stood up and pulled the pack out of his shirt pocket. “I’ll join you.” He said walking with me to the balcony.