"Hailey why on earth did you chose the graveyard shift, who in their right mind will come in at this time of night or morning should I say" I checked the huge mirrored pieces of glass above the front entrance.. the glass was set out for the hours of time and ticking hands told me it was way, way, way past my bedtime.

The gallery was a tiny shop off campus, students were able to on-sell their artistic creations, this themed night tonight, or should I say this morning, was held to coincide with his visit; figuring with him in town, a stream of fans would buy up big time.

Him being my secret past.

"Here take this" Hailey clomped over in her heavy army boots, fashion I'm told again. She held a twenty dollar note in her outstretched hand " Stop belly aching and fetch some grub from over there please mummy" Her slender hand pointing diagonally across the street to the corner kebab shop twinkling lights over its name and a flashing 'OPEN' sign on the door.

"Do they sell chips and bread?" Being surrounded by all this Brit art, and George's face especially, made me badly crave a fresh chip butty, his favourite if I remember correctly.

"What? No..... I don't know. They sell kebabs that's what we all buy... from the kebab shop" Hailey pouted then went back to sweeping invisible dirt from the pristine floor.

Hails was instigator of all this, thus insisting I stay to 'help'. My fault I suppose, I never could stop listening to the boys music. All this time, from her birth, no, from conception, the lads sang tunes in the background of my life always.

Art was her passion and a French Art studio, so impressed by her creations in all mediums, sent her letters of invitation to visit France and work alongside leading artists. A once in a lifetime opportunity but she has baulked yet again. It's my fault, her knowing of my France phobia for want of a better word, keeps her hesitating to accept offers.

Her flat, my new home, since we lost her father and the farm all within 5 years, is our flat now.

I really tried to blend into the harsh landscape and did settle into the Australian way of life. I became a farmer in every way- driving tractors, mustering animals, branding, feeding orphan lambs, riding motorbikes and horses, driving the stock from the market in the beat-up Bedford truck the sheep jam packed in the crate, like, well, like sheep.

But he died and I struggled on alone, with Hailey at University. Only, in the end, I was to be beaten by both the drought and the bank. The foreclosure sale was early last week, the auctioneers hammer slammed down on my heart hour after hour as equipment, stock, furniture and the land was sold.

The tinkerling bell advised I was entering Harry's Shop and a large bearded man walked to the counter.

"Evening. No Morning Lovely" I relaxed he was as Welsh as a leek, nearly a neighbour in the ancient past.

"Oh yeah. Hi ummm morning. Can I get a vegetarian kebab"

"Let me guess.... Hailey's sister" He flirted... there was no way he could miss I was a hefty bit older than being Hails sister 'She said she was on duty tonight, how's it going over there"?

"Mum actually but thanks anyway" He was rough and ready, covered in splattered oil from the grill but a compliment is a compliment, so I took it "Dead as a dodo"

"Well it was going great guns earlier must be a lull" He was a jolly man over six foot, an air of mischief about him "And what can I get you my love?"

"A serve of chips please" I teetered on asking... it wasn't on the menu board, but he was a Welshman after all "You wouldn't have a loaf of bread by any chance, I'm dying for a chip butty" I grinned as his face lit up. I got my wish.

*********

Pauls POV

"Dad are you sure, it's a pretty seedy area?" Stella watched as the bright lights fell away to near darkness. As the city centre became less busy, retracting into smaller streets off the main. Shop fronts still, but some boarded up and others looking like they were in need of a coat of paint.

"Look! 'Harry's' is open! It's not all bad" I replied justifying our current destination. The kebab shop lights bounced off the car and no sooner had I spoken the taxi pulled to a stopped.

"We're here Mister McCartney." the Australian taxi driver watched his passengers alight.

"Not Mister just Paul mate, thanks..... got a card so I can call for a ride later, yeah?" I swapped autographs for his wife and the cab fare, for a yellow cab business card. Stella tugging on my arm to get me off the street.

"No body guard, nothing. You're an idiot dad"

"You're body guard enough, my love" I grasped her shoulders turning her to enter the 'Acidni'.

Then it hit me- backwards it spells Indica- the gallery name in London. Bloody hell!....

Those were the days.

"Morning!!" The young girl beamed but didn't show any recognition to my mug. I must have frowned as she and Stella both cast me a strange look. She then launched head first into a spiel of welcome "Ok, firstly welcome to our Melbourne University Beatles Art exhibition. Lots are mine, lots are Uni mates and some are, well, some are my families. Please have a look around, any questions just ask, my name is Hailey by the way"

We circumnavigated the ground floor trawling over paintings, busts, abstract pieces, honoured to all of the band. There must have been 20 large items down here and Stella was, I thought, as entranced as I. I saw Hailey's name on some that were very, very good.

"Upstairs" I pointed.

"Awww, no dad you go. I'll chat to- Hailey... isn't it?" Stella looked at Hailey, then sank onto the low couch that Hailey had been sprawled on when we walked in.

Hailey was lovely. Dark hair, green eyes open face and very pretty, in seconds they were talking art and partying.

GIRL - an international language.

Upstairs was better. Smaller pieces but way more detailed, how anyone got so much off a photograph I don't know, haven't got much time for faces when I paint would rather anything other really.

Hailey's name popped out now like a red beacon as I strolled toward the back of the display, where a wall of frames hung. Must have been around twenty there, all small, all similar, all with Parisian landmarks in the background. All with a title and small embellishments- hearts hovering over Johns face, Richie at a piano, George smoking on the balcony, me sound asleep on my bed...

Geez...

France.

God, so long ago.

It was bittersweet and cherished feeling as I stood visualising France circa '64.

Geo, Rings, John, Bri... and these portraits and scenes weren't from any photograph.

Paris was special that trip and no proper pictures other than our own were taken in those rooms.

Photographers, well their cameras, stayed outside on that visit.

Another sketch of me again. Out of sequence from the French ones though. A t-shirt very like my old favourite teal t-shirt, hair and eyes mad scientist looking and..... holey cow- The 'Toilet Brush Paulie' title underneath the piece caught my eye and I did a head swivel plus 360 turn in case this was candid camera.

Now wide eyed I re-studied the lot with fresh eyes recalling old memories, this one, 'toilet brush', the first of the lot. Her initials hovering in every single corner, tiny, discreet and so very very familiar....

"Chip Butties!! WooHoo. Would you believe, he was as Welsh as a leek!!" She bellowed from below the stairs.

"Mum shush it up. We have visitors!!" Hailey squawked out.

"Oh blimey"

"Speak properly mum"

Oh hell?"

"Mum!!!"

"Hello, I'm her mum and I like Chip Butties" she said, the voice so familiar. Her. I haven't seen her since France, shit.

"Hello, I'm Stella"

"Oh, I sort of know that. Here alone are you?...." She questioned but she knew, she knew. Fuck, what do I do.

Run down and be a clown all funny, tell her off for not ever staying in touch after dad passed.....or be Paul Fucking Big Head and swagger down there not giving a crap.

No... Christ...  I don't know.

It's Abbs....

Abigail.

"Hailey, I need to head home now" she lowered her voice and my head screamed, nonchalant yeah that's what I'll do.

"Can I have some help with these pictures please. Upstairs, toward the back of the room. Just want the artist's mindset" I yelled from the top but out of sight. Good plan Einstein.

"Mum that's your stuff! See I knew you should have been here!" Hailey laughed then questioned with concern... "Mum?" Shit did she faint? "Mum!"

"You go Hailes, you know art talk, I'll go out the back and make tea" Abigail. Our dear Abigail was floundering and begging for a way out, in this case tea was her rescuer and I felt a right prat to put her on the spot but we shouldn't talk in front of the girls, should we?

"No mum. Now go on up there, the customer's waiting" Hailey must have pushed her because I heard a bang and an 'ouch'.

"Alright, alright, here eat the kebab while it's hot. Stella might like a chip butty, hmm?"

The wrought iron told a tale, every step bringing her closer. A creak and groan of metal in the ascent.

"Customer my arse" floated softly up to my ears as she took the stairs, a cuss for me no less. I grinned happily. It was Abs for Christ's sake!

I walked back to stand in front of the 'toilet brush'.

"Gee, you're a blast from the ancient past" Abigail spoke quietly as she neared. All those years and her speech was still pretty, musical and light.

If she hadn't run what would we be, what could have been.

"Seems like yesterday looking at these though" I stood statue still unable to turn and she crept ever closer til her voice shed her position just over my left shoulder.

"Sorry I didn't know she was hanging them" Abigail stepped, up closing the gap, placing a hand on the picture "Never did put the toilet brush in, did I" she mused.

"You won't run... if I look at you?" I waited and felt her turn to me, I did the same.

"You may run once you've looked at me though.." She smiled shyly and all was right in the world, time stood still, she was still as beautiful as the day she left Paris.

"Don't. Don't knock yourself. You're still beautiful" I moved a strand of hair that covered her eyes hooking it over her ear, the tremble from both of us was extremely evident. Her eyes dropped away, moments passed as we waited for our mouths to make a sound.

Her fingers entwined in front of her stomach and I wanted her to be comfortable with me again, like we were in the old days.

She finally, finally clenched her fists and released them, her eyes meeting mine.

Abigail.

Breath man.

"Paul, I'm so sorry for Linda. She-"Abigail stopped, flustered at bringing up Lin I guess.

"I'm getting over it, slowly.. It's getting better every-day" We both laughed softly at the song reference. "You. Are you ok?"

"Yea hokey dory. Couldn't be better. Wonderful"

"Liar mum..." Hailey was at the top of the stairs; stood watching our little tête-à-tête, then she moved swiftly across the room to stand close to her mum, gazing into Abbs eyes then at me "We lost dad and the farm. And now mum is here, in town, living with me, in my flat. We're ok but no, we aren't hokey dory mum..... Here, Stella thought you would like one too" Two chip butties were shoved in my hands and she disappeared quickly back downstairs.

"My daughter, a mouth like mine. Large!" She laughed shakily, pulled one of the buttys from my hand, then slid to the floor below our pictures.

"I can't believe this is happening. You here. Me.... I spotted the ad in an upside-down paper on the flight in this morning. Bloody 'Acidni' nibbling at my thoughts all day, then when I arrived out front of the shop just now.. suddenly it became crystal clear -Indica!" I'm prattling on a hundred miles an hour, hoping she doesn't disappear if I blink.

"All Hailey. I think I infected her with Beatlemania from conception" We both bit into the sandies sighing at the taste, remembering early days.

"I'm not here long, two days. Can we see you. I mean... can I see you? Please" I chucked the doe eyed boy look on high, hitting her with the McCartney charm, she slapped my arm knowing exactly what I was on about.

"I don't know, you don't want me moping around and you would be so busy too right?"

"Not really, I didn't book anything much for this stop and haven't accepted any of the usually invites that come with each town. I'm all yours!" I smiled broadly and was met with a small timid one in return. "I've missed you..." Abbs baulked then glanced up and I followed her gaze and found two very interested girls hovering staring intently at the both of us.

"Stella, meet Abigail, a friend of mine, of your grand da's, the Beatles. Geez you were right in the thick of it with us for a while, yeah?!"I nudged her happily and she grinned shyly, seeped now in similar memorys.

"Mum!?" Hailey obviously knew who I was now as the jaw dropped and the look of utter confusion raced across her face. "Really???"

"Come on Hailey, let's leave the folks, you promised me a cuppa" Stella recovered first, surprisingly really as she had been so overprotective of me lately and now, here I was sitting cross- legged on the floor eating chip butties, with the gallery girls mum... in the middle of the night... in Melbourne.

"Maybe she thinks you're crazy" Abigail giggled.

"What?"

"Stella- you're wondering what she's thinking of all this" Abigail took the napkins and stood up. We both groaned as we did so, smiling at the concurring thought of unbending of limbs and the late evening.

"Will you spend some time with me? You, and Hailey of course. You can be tour guides" I was clutching at straws as she gazed, seemingly confused at the art around her. Don't say no, don't say no, running on repeat in my head.

"Ok"

"OK?!"

"OK, Paul. I'd....I'd like that"

"Really?! You're not going to change your mind are you. Pretend you're sick or something?"

"No Paul I swear I will not pretend I'm sick or change my mind. I really want to spend time with Stella ...and you" Her smile was so beautiful and I couldn't help but hug her to me, so many years slipped away and I felt as close to her now as I did then. Being back with her felt like home.

I counted every breath she took and memorised her fingers splayed gently on my back, locking it all away in my heart.

"Right, so here's the address, I'm under Paul Ramone"

"Obviously" She groaned and I remembered, laughing "Couldn't come up with anything different in all these years?!"

"Actually, I talked him into using it before we left England we were discussing John and the early band days in the fifties" Stella laughed but Abigail's face fell over John, he was a tender spot, still, for both of us.

"All right. Ten a.m. tomorrow, no today. I'm so confused" Abigail wearily wiped her face, the night was draining our minds.

"Today! And bring an overnight bag so you can both stay over, ok! No saying no"

"Still bossy as ever I see McCartney"

"Always Abbs, especially when I want my way"

********

"Dad what was thaaaat!!!!!!!!!!!!" Stella pushed then prodded my shoulder good naturedly and let out a gasp as she attempted to stir me to open up all the way back to the hotel. The taxi had been waiting, still parked out the front of the gallery, much to my dismay. I couldn't stall or linger for chitchat while waiting for the cab. 

I wouldn't budge. Not a word til the girls were together tomorrow would I utter. I sighed and her eyebrows shot to the roof. "And that! Sighing"

"I'm tired"

"You're completely shaken and stirred by Hailey's mum"

"Abigail"

"Yea Abigail" flittering her long fingers in my face "Promise to tell.. tomorrow" Stella fell silent cuddling into my side, I kissed the top of her head "Hailey is nice and her mum seems.... cool"

"I promise, Abigail and I will tell you both tomorrow."