Chapter 15
By April 1965 the two were changing, but somehow they were as close as ever. They flew to Ireland to be with the Quinn’s for Christmas, where Brian utterly charmed everyone, including Charlotte’s skeptical father, and then flew to Morocco to check the place out. They had heard about it, how it was the happening place for rock stars to go and relax. Charlotte’s look was changing as well. Her hair, blond and straight, was well down her back. Her clothing was now evolving into a pre-hippie look, as was Brian’s.
While she kept singing at the Marquee, now with bassist Jack Bruce’s band, The Graham Bond Organization, she had to keep modeling in order to keep her career on track in the public eye. But it was in the public eye that she was given a lot of hassle, as she and Brian were followed everywhere by the press.
In late August she was sent to New York for fashion week, and indeed was the center of attention at every show. The Stones were back in London recording “Out of Our Heads”, and Charlotte retreated to her lavish hotel room each night, exhausted after a day of doing up to ten runway shows a day. She was also getting paid $3000 a show, making her the highest paid model of the year.
Upon arriving at her hotel, she noticed swarms of girls, maybe over a hundred of them, standing around the entrance, holding signs. Charlotte glanced back at the crowd as she was ushered towards the entrance, and say that they said “We Love You Beatles!” and “Marry Me Paul!”.
“Oh my god! Are they really here?” One model squeaked as they approached the lobby.
“Hmm must be.” Charlotte was a little too nonchalant for the model’s liking.
“You don’t like them?”
“Well I didn’t say that. Don’t get too excited, they’re regular people just like us.”
“No way!”
Charlotte rolled her eyes and went to her hotel room. She was too tired from the flight to bother finding out what rooms the boys were in, and besides, they were probably much too busy anyways.
At about 2am she lay in her hotel room reading a magazine when the phone ring. She anxiously picked it up, expecting it to be Brian.
“Hello?”
“Heelooooo? Is there a Miss. Quinn here?” A strange high-pitched Irish voice asked.
“Um, yes, may I ask who’s speaking?”
“This is your mum. I’m very upset with you.”
“Mum? Are you alright? You sound kind of funny. Besides, isn’t it very early in the morning there?” She suddenly heard laughing on the phone.
“Dear me, I can’t keep me ead’ on straight. Its John.”
“John?”
“Lennon my smart girl.”
“Oh, hi! I heard you were at this hotel, well I saw actually from the loonies outside.”
“We’re right down the hall. Must be the celebrity floor or somethin’ haha. There ave’ been models walking up and down the halls to their rooms tonight, Paul’s been drooling all night.”
“Yes! We’re all staying on this floor.”
“One question my pretty.”
“Sure”
“Why are you still chatting away on the phone when you should be in our suite with us?”
“Oooh sorry, what’s your room number?”
“407 We’ll tell the guards your cummin’.”
“Be right there.”
Charlotte hadn’t seen the boys in a few weeks. She had been over George’s to visit with Patti, but hadn’t hung out with them as a whole. In fact, she missed it. So she threw on a pair of silk lounge pants, flip flops and a sweater, glanced at her makeup free face in the mirror and left. She never needed to doll up for the boys, they were her buddies, and she didn’t feel the need to impress them physically.
She sauntered down the hall, and entered to find John, wearing a white tee shirt, black trousers and socks on the couch with a bottle of coke, George, wearing the same thing on the floor playing Monopoly with Ringo.
“Hey you!” George said happily and got up to hug Char.
“So, what are you guys up to?” She said, swaying to the Bob Dylan track on the record player.
“About to have us sum fun me dear” John said, rubbing his hands together.
“Awe guys, not another gang bang, I’m much too tired.” Char joked.
“We’ll get to that later. But for now, a nice big treat.” John said as he prepared a joint.
“What’s that?”
“Oh Char, don’t tell me your that naïve.” George smiled.
“Yes, I am.”
“Its great, you smoke it.”
“Like a ciggie?”
“Well, kind of, luv. Just follow me, It’ll make you feel nice and relaxed.” John said, lighting it up.
“Alright. Brian told me about this stuff. Pass it to me.”
Paul then walked into the room, eyeing Charlotte sitting next to John. His eyes narrowed a bit when he saw John’s arm around her.
“Cor, Char, ave’ you tried that stoof yet?” He said, sitting in an armchair.
“Well, not exactly, but there’s a first time for everything.”
“Tha’s my girl!” John said enthusiastically.
They all smoked a few joints, and by 5am Charlotte was well stoned. Luckily, she didn’t have a runway show until the evening. Everyone sauntered off to bed, but Paul and Charlotte went to his room. He lit some candles, and put on some more Dylan. She sat cross-legged on the bed, and he sat right in front of her.
“Did you ave’ a good evenin’ then?” His face was more beautiful than ever.
“Yes, I did. This stuff is fantastic. I feel so at peace.”
“Yea, it elps’ when we’re on the road. Its gets stressful.” The glow of the candle reflected in his velvety eyes.
“Thanks for inviting me. I was kind of lonely.”
“Can I tell you something Charlotte?”
“Sure you can tell me anything, we’ve been friends for almost three years now.”
“You know “I Saw Her Standing There”?”
“Yes of course”
“I wrote that about you.”
“Oh Paul” She was flattered
“Also, “And I love her”
“Paul…..that was after we dated.”
“I know”
“Was it a phase or something?”
“Pretty long fuckin’ phase, almost three years now.”
“Paul, this is all a little shocking, I mean, are you sure its not the pot that’s talking?”
“I’ve been waiting for a good time to tell you this.”
“Oh.” She looked down.
“I’m sorry if it’s a bit scary for you.”
“Its okay, I mean, you can’t help the way you feel.”
“How do you feel?”
“Well, I like you Paul, but you hurt me back when we were dating.”
“I know….I never should have let you go.”
