Cavern 3rd August 1963

"Well good morning or should I say good afternoon" John heckled Louise jovially as he balanced Evie on his hip. Evie had her pudgy hands full with a toy in one hand and piece of orange in the other. Lou descended the stairs slowly looking at the two at the bottom with cautioned hope hovering in her heart and unbridled happiness across her features as Evie's big grin was bestowed on her mummy.

Louise hastened her pace as Johns remark dawned on her.

"What time is it!?" Lou ducked into the living room and stared at the clock on the mantle, making sure she was right at seeing the time had ticked so far into the day "Its twelve thirty!"

"Your Ma and I thought you could do with a sleep in" John moved around the room to settle Evie on the rug "Your parents went to the farmers market, Paul and Ring's will be here shortly and the other baby is in the back garden"

"No, I'm not and I'm not a bloody baby, Lennon" George wandered in scowling and sat on the floor  with a packet of crisps "Louise"

"George"

"Louise, did you realise that John walked out of your bedroom this morning"

Lou glanced coyly at John then grinned "Yes actually, I did notice a lump in my bed"

George and John started laughing hysterically, Paul and Richie wandered in as Louie eventually realised what she had said and how they had taken it- dirty and rude of course- she covered her mouth, eyes widened and giggling.

"Well I know we're debonair and handsome but laughing isn't the usual response to us entering a room, swooning yes, giggling no" Paul hugged Lou and joined George on the floor, Evie enjoying immensely her new life size toys.

"Hello luv, what was the joke then?"

"Hi Rich, I don't-"Lou started then got cut off to silent by George.

"Lou, just was telling us how John had a lump in her bed last night"

That started them all off again except Louise, she rolled her eyes and stalked into the kitchen to get some tea.

After sorting the kettle on the stove she walked back in to the front room, knowing full well that George would be ready to tease her, so she got in first. As George glanced up she launched, teasing back "I take it little Georgie has grown up a tad then, seeing as he doesn't seem to bat an eyelid that I had a big 'ard lump in me bed last night"

"Ewwww Louise that's just grotty that, dirty sister you are" George grinned broadly, the fangs she thought so cute on him, since he was a young fella, showing "But yes, I am now very grown up, if you must know" he winked and smiled like the cat the got the cream.

"Blow up doll not deflated yet then" Louise sat on edge of the couch and waved at Evie as the baby patted Paul's hand, Evie was hankering for her moptop toy's undivided attention again as he had wavered his eyes toward Lou's entrance and jovial teasing of George.

Johns head was spinning, Lou so clearly enjoyed the shady banter and turned it up a notch easily, he grinned happily watching the siblings launch at each other and wrestle towards his seat on the sofa, Evie was rescued by Paul and he stood pointing out her mummy and uncle George being silly.

Soon enough George was begging mercy and they sat gasping as John, Paul, Ringo and Evie grinned down at them, George tried to reach blindly behind himself to sock Louise gently on the chin but he collected her eye as she leaned over him instead 'ouch' was muttered and she quickly moved from her position sat on his back to grab him back in a headlock, fluffing up his hair.

The day meandered away, with Louise's' late start the afternoon quickly turned toward the night, meaning the boys left to get ready for the gig at the Cavern.
'Getting ready' for the lads entailed mucking about for three hours, shoving on shirt and pants in 5 minutes, tuning instruments in 10 and perhaps, if they felt like it, a few minutes of rehearsing.

On the other hand - Louise.

Before she could leave, she had to: feed Evie dinner, give her a bath, bath and dress herself, do her makeup and make her way down to the Cavern, luckily Mal popped back and picked her up or she would have missed the show completely.

"Nice dress" Mal walked over to the Harrison's front door as Lou kissed Evie and thanked her mother for letting her go out.

"Oh you! It's what I wore last night silly" Louise smacked Mal's arm lightly as she laughed. She wasn't overly impressed to have to re wear the same outfit but her only clothes were not worthy of a night on the town "Didn't realise my wardrobe was so dismal"

"Well it looks great and I'm sure the boys won't mind" Mal started the car and they went into the city centre, enjoying a chit chat about Mal's family and recent visit.

"I went to see Lil and Gary at the park the other afternoon"

"Aye she said that..was nice of you" Mal pushed his glasses up his nose.

"She's nice and it was lovely at the playground. You need to get home more or move to London .. she's lonely you know"

"I know. I've been looking but it's all so dear.. we'll sort something" throwing the indicator on Lou watched Mal manoeuvre the car down the packed narrow street.

"Bloody hell"

"Aye it's that exactly. Mind yourself in there, Lennon will have my head if you get hurt or something"

"Will do" Lou alighted from the car and watched Mal lock it up tight. "Let's do this"

"It seems so long since I've been in here, smells like something curled up and died" Louise wiggled her nose as she held Mal's hand as he led her down the crowded stairwell towards the main room. Smoke hung ever heavy, milling body's were trying to dance, drinks were grasped tightly and, more often than not, spilt in the throng.

Female bodies pushed and moved en masse, and surprisingly, nearly as many young men scattered throughout  the moving sea of humans. Louise recognising many friends from school and town so made sure to smile and say a quick hello as she threaded past through the perfumed crowd towards Brian who was standing by the door to the small dank dressing room.

A camera man was setting up at the rear of the room and Louise, again realised, that her so familiar little band was now much larger than Liverpool, too large maybe for all of England.

Brian had stipulated an audience of no more than 500 and Lou couldn't blame him as they both have seen how crowded the Cavern got and he had to think of The Beatles' safety now they were in much higher demand.

The support bands had already started and a few on the bill were now off side of stage milling with the crawd and drinking. Lou had missed both The Escorts and The Merseybeats, was able to manage seeing half of The Road Runners set and she was contentedly watching Johnny Ringo and the Colts as they went through their paces. Faron's Flamingos would be up next, then the boys should close out the night all going to plan.

The melancholy feeling swept her up in its warm embrace as she watched the faces drift before her eyes she didn't even notice John peaking at her from the doorway, the door only slightly ajar to protect the lads from the very people that loved them. Brian tapped her shoulder to wake her from the slumber of warm memories, it seemed like a lifetime ago, she shrugged to herself, it was a lifetime- Evie's lifetime.

"Oh!" Lou smiled guiltily at Brian then, when Brian pointed out John, she beamed and quickly stepped closer, squeezing between the brickwork and Brian to be within Johns reach and voice, the noise was already deafening "I was thinking of the old days, seems a million light-years since we were all back here"

" 'K.... , a lot has happened for sure. Any-hoot, we're up in a jiff, you right to stay out there with the masses, luv?" John tapped her locket that she remembered to place around her neck moments before Mal had arrived to collect her, she clasped it in her hand and nodded. "Ok well wish me, us luck"

Lou stepped closer still and kissed his cheek "Luck" Rubbing the lipstick print she had stamped his cheek with, away.

Faron and his band were performing in what looked like a pool of watery sweat and condensation, it was so crowded and humid that two members of the band just fell over! Collapsed there and then in a heap on the stage and as the music shuddered to a stop everybody watched as they were briskly carried outside to the fresher, cooler air to rouse them both. Louise gratefully accepted a drink of coca cola Mal pressed into her hand as the sickly boys were stretchered past.

A light over the bar dimmed and the stage lit up brighter than she had ever seen it before. Obviously the camera man needed his subjects lit well and not as dimly as it had been all night.

Brian hugged her to his side as they stood squished against the right-hand brick-wall, they both beamed as the lads jumped onto the stage with energetic abandon. Brian and her both proud as punch, happy that dreams certainly did come true.
Lou loved Brian, he was so serene in his demeanour, a calm in the storm making everybody relax and feel safe, it was certainly a feat for him to do, what with the boys overzealous antics.

"Okay, tatty'ead's, we're going to play a number or two for you"

The screams and squeals of joy that rang out settled as John spoke up, his voice clear and strong over the loudspeaker.

There was never anything elaborate about John's introductions at the Cavern in the past and in keeping with the reminiscing he ventured to stay the same. John was John with his hometown crowd. Tatty'ead was his usual smarmy intro, although the boys haircuts were the scruffiest in most people's eyes, here he addressed the gathered audience as the scruffs. He counted the boys in and they rocked the walls, rained the Cavern limestone dandruff as per usual and shook the crowd thoroughly.

Everything was sweaty and feeling.....well... wet. Lou had a bead of sweat run down her face and wiped her brow to stop more, she looked at Brian dabbing his handkerchief and smiled, so even the 'gentry' perspire.

Faron had warned Brian to make sure that the boys didn't slip on stage as it was worst than usual. Once the walls got wet, all that condensation ran or dripped down onto the stage and it was dangerous, puddling sweat, condensation and the Caverns shoddy electricity was a luverly mix - not.

This proved correct about twenty minutes into the lad's set, they fused the electrics and the lights went out.

As the power cut silenced their instruments and plunged the Cavern into temporary darkness bare seconds went by before John and Paul quickly sorted themselves to battle on. Suddenly, through the darkness, the first performance, of a version of  'When I'm Sixty-Four' , rang out over the crowd. Lou recognised '64' as one tune Paul would randomly tinker with, or as the boys say, stew on. 

Many days and nights of get together's Lou had bore witness to. Watching them mucking around and curiously interested she became when snippets of ideas would latch in their brains. When the magic of a new tune took their fancy they settled into concentration, became steely focused and really melded into one.
This was all well before formal rehearsals for the current level of mayhem, before the deal, before Lou and John got tangled, of course.

Now she missed it all, Evie was her life and that wasn't wrong or bad or even guilt laced but it did cast aside these moments, those precious' delicious morsels of the boys creativity.

Because to Lou, no matter about her and John and the troubles they shared, she knew these boys were bound for greatness, big things, good things. She loved them all, with or without success, but knew in her heart that success was what they craved.

A flashlight flickered over the boys faces and John was looking livid with the night's proceedings. Lou knew that face so well, the tense set of the jaw, the way his eyes flashed about. She ached to fix the lights before Liverpool once again saw John Lennon on a bender.

It wasn't enough to wish though, the lights didn't magical return, many minutes passed and Louie felt Brian's arm tighten around her in silent yet aggravated annoyance. He couldn't help, he had no idea of the electrical's in the place.

Someone yelled into the darkness "Bet you wish you never dropped out of the electrical apprenticeship now Georgie-boi" causing many in the crowd to laugh Lou included, all remembering the gangly kid's first job at Blacker's that barely lasted a month.

Girls screamed randomly and boys heckled and squeezed bums in the darkness causing more than one face to be slapped.

The primitive concert facilities that they had gone back to was now a giant drag. It must have tested Johns patience to the limit and beyond because he was suddenly in front of Lou, beady eyes staring in the darkness, closely pressed against her.

Normally, John would have cracked jokes while somebody got it right but he was in such a foul mood that he had come right off the stage leaving Paul, Richy and George to work out where he had gone.

"We never should have come back here" He glanced past Lou, plainly stating his annoyance to Brian then, not waiting for a reply "Come on luv, let's get out of this shit hole" John's voice swirled close to Louise's ear and she quickly latched on to his damp shirt sleeve while Brian grumbled behind them.

They were on the narrow street and 'round the corner in under a minute. The moon was full and bright with nary a cloud ready to scuttle across it, seen. Moonlight shone down making it easy to see the familiar streets around them, the garbage bins to their right were full and the scent of old fruit reached their nostrils but it wasn't so bad that they needed to leave, it was way better than the claustrophobic air of the Cavern they had left behind.

John deciding to sit on the wall at the back and wait, Lou struggled to join him so he grasped her elbow and she bounced up off an empty crate to make the cold brick seat, forgotten was her yellow and white dress, all she wanted was to be beside John gazing at the surrounding streets and places they remembered.

Paul, George and Richy would soon catch up. This was the usual spot after the shows of old, where they would chug a shared smoke and toss back a coke, nabbed beer or water.

"That was shite" John grumbled quietly and Lou held his hand trying to calm his pulse "Christ Lou Liverpool is the past, I want the future" John watched Lou's hand curl around his wrist and immediately felt saner, better.

"Let this be the last hurrah then, wish the Cavern well and walk on" Louise squeezed his wrist then released him, watching John jump off the wall landing on his feet as the three other boys ran down the lane to meet them.

"Well that was a bit grotty" Paul's ever-present smile faded away somewhat and he pursed his lips as he gazed up at Louise, the moon was situated almost perfectly behind her as it lifted slowly into the night sky.

"That lads, was the last hurrah, let's say ta-rah Liddypool and walk forward onto bigger and greater things" Johns use of Louie's wording was both flattering and telling. He trusted her to say the right thing.

He slipped his glasses on and, grabbing Lou around the waist, carefully dropping her down to the ground beside him. Turning slightly to the street-lamp, so her features were bathed in light. John lifted the locket and opened it for the second time in his life, bringing it closer to see. He was met with two small photographs- his and that of Evie's stared back at him, he looked up at Lou, his grin almost shy with the locket's sweet contents.

Louise smiled back with happiness at his discovery.