PHOTOGRAPH SMILE CHAPTER SIX

BY SUE

 

Remember I don’t own the Beatles or their families. This is just a fan fiction from my warped mind.

 

 

“ Shall we?” Ringo looked up the stairs and back to his mates.

 

“ Can that room hold us all? You have enough instruments? I brought my travel guitar and amp. “ George asked and then informed Paul.

 

“ Yeah we used to, all four of us up there. What are three more? I think we can do it and I’ll have the recorder on for this one.” Paul told them as he poured more drinks for everyone and juice for Ritch.

 

“ Well, what song you and young John doing? We ‘ave ta take the bets now.” George snickered.

 

“ Dunno,” Paul turned to Julian, “ Whatcha think, mate?”

 

Julian thought. “ I wrote a song for a lark. It’s suppose to sound like a Beatles song and I’m gonna sing it like my dad, just for the critics, call it “ I Don’t Wanna Know”. Think we could fool with that one a bit? I’d like to get your input.” Julian looked at his Uncles for their response.

 

“ I’ll give it a bash. Love ta hear if ya got us down or what.” Ringo looked at him with approval and wondered what the song would sound like.

 

“ I agree with Ritch. Gotta hear if it does sound like a Beatles tune.” George agreed, eyeing the young man and then his two other mates.

 

“ Aye, makes three. But what Beatles song shall we sing?” Paul asked again.

 

“ Love Me Do or I’ll Be Back. I love those,” Julian spouted out, “ I play mouth organ too,” Julian gave an evil grin, “ Hold on”

 

Julian ran out to the car, opened a small compartment and took out two harmonicas. George followed him out to get his amp and travel guitar. Both chased each other back into the house laughing.

 

“ Ya think yer quick, there, Jules?” George laughed while catching his breath, “ Damn ciggies. Just quick again a few weeks ago.”

 

 

 

 

 

 “ See, I am faster. “ Julian chuckled, and then turned a bit so all could see what he had,     “ Here, got two. If these aren’t in the right key than we’ll ‘ave to pick another song, but I think this one will do.” He held it up to his uncles, James and Dhani.

 

“ Right, I never played, only your dad, so I don’t know a bit about them.” Paul gave a confused looked to Julian.

 

“ Paul, and we thought you played everything, now you’re ruining my image of you.” Ringo laughed at his friend.

 

 

“ Get off, you know I never played that.” Paul shook his head.

 

“ Each harmonica is in a different key, you see.” Julian informed them.

 

“Well I hope you have the right one, I’m anxious to hear how you play. Shall we forge on up?” Paul asked.

 

Everyone eagerly went to the stairs, and up to the third floor, into the music room. The music room was filled with instruments, amps, mics and a piano by the small window. The sidewalls had shelves that were fill with books and recording equipment. The walls had pictures all around. There were pictures of the Beatles, Wings, some gold albums and pictures that Linda had taken of the kids. There were also pictures of the whole family, and some of later years with Paul, George, and Ringo there were also some of the other Beatle children. The room was packed, but still big enough for an old couch and chair, with a worn out braided rug on the floor.

 

They set up the instruments. Paul put on his bass, Dhani, James and George plugged in their guitars, and Julian sat at the piano, Ringo behind the drum kit. They moved mics around for everyone and then tuned up.

 

They warmed up with an old song that everyone knew, George playing lead as the other two did rhythm. This song, their children were used to their fathers playing. They all smiled when the song ended.

 

“ That was great!” Ringo shouted to everyone.

 

“ Yeah, it was at tha’, “ George, agreed with a smile, “ Think our rhythm guitarists are getting quiet good.” 

 

“ I agree. Jules, what’s this song or do you want to do the Beatles tunes first?” Paul looked from the two young guitarists over to Julian.

 

“ Well, we could do my song if you don’t mind?” Julian looked to each of his uncles and then to James and Dhani.

 

“ Lets do yours.” Dhani said anxiously, strumming some chords on his guitar.

 

 

Julian explained how it went and that there was no piano since the Beatles didn’t play with one at first. Julian said he’d just sing. He wrote down the chords and put it on the one stand, all gathered to share it. He wrote one for the bass and Paul looked at it and smiled.

 

“ Reminds me of something we did play back then, eh Hari?” Paul smiled over at George.

 

“ It does at that. Rings you’ll like this one.” George kept looking over the paper.

 

“ Can I grab your right handed acoustic, Uncle Paul?” Julian asked as he picked it up.

 

“ Sure Jules. You do know your dad played that when he was over and we were writing a song, don’t ya?” Paul asked, watching Julian put the strap over his head. Paul stared a bit to long as did George and Ringo.

 

Julian felt this and turned to them, his brow rose as he glazed at each one. He began to speak, his voice filled with irritation at first. He then shook it off and joked about it, as his dad would have. The three all noticed, but didn’t say too much about it at first.

 

“ Does this bother you, then? I mean you’re lookin’ at me as if I WERE dad. I’m not, you know. And yes, I realized dad used this and I feel honored to use it myself, might bring me some luck.” He chuckled. His hand ran over the wood as thoughts of his dad flashed in his mind. Pictures of how he would have played it, writing songs, and how he’d sing with his mates. He gravitated to a picture Linda had taken of John and Paul together in that room, John using the guitar that Julian had on. It looked like it was taken in late 68. He had never seen this one and then realized some things that were now on the other self had covered it up.

 

“ Like tha’ one, do you?” Paul asked as he poured more booze into Julian’s glass and looked over Julian’s shoulder at the picture.

 

“ Yeah, I do. Never saw it before. It was covered by the things over on the other shelf.” Julian gazed at it a bit longer, and then he broke his stare, turning around.

 

“ It was during a rare writing session, back then. I always missed those sessions.” Paul mused, and then he too turned away from the picture.

 

“Don’t get soft, Paul.” Julian nudged his uncle jokingly, “ Right, lets get on with this sodding song.”

 

 

“ I think he’s becoming possessed by the guitar, he’s starting to sound as sarcastic as his da.” Ringo snickered.

 

Julian sat on the old couch, deep in thought. Maybe Ritch had something there, he thought as he continued to gently touch the guitar. Oh how ridiculous is that one, he chastised himself, and then began tuning the old guitar.

 

“ Ya know dad you shouldn’t stare at him like that. I know how it feels at school when people stare at me ‘cause I look like you. I love you dad, but it’s so bothersome.” Dhani scolded his father.

 

“ You’re right, son. Don’t have to scold me like I’m the younger one, well maybe we all acted a bit surprised at seeing him with the guitar on. Sorry Jules.” George apologized.

 

“ It’s fine.” Julian answered back with no emotion to busy tuning, while the other two both apologized for their actions too. Julian began to play the song, as it should sound, he did it twice, the lead and then the rhythm, “ You need me to do it over? Uncle Paul, Ringo, can you both figure out the bass and drums on this?”

 

“ No, think I have it and the rhythm isn’t hard.” George answered, while staring at the sheet in front of him.

 

“ I can suss it out, ‘cept dunno if you want it a certain way.” Ringo said, remembering how sometimes John and Paul would ask him to play something differently.

 

“ No, steady beat, as you did with the Beatles is how I wrote it.” Julian answered scratching his head. “ I just might play this if you don’t mind, no mic, just to play is all.” Julian stood up and walked over to the mic.

 

“ I don’t care.” George answered.

 

“ Me either, do as you want, Jules.” Paul answered too.

 

Julian saw Ringo nod along with his mates.

 

“ Good, then lets have a go.” Julian counted off and they started to play.

 

After a few tries, Paul turned on the small recording studio. “ I’m taping this all on one track, like we used to do, well I think we used more than one track, but hey, this will sound like the old days,” Paul snickered starting to feel the booze as he announced the song on the tape, “ Ok, this is Julian Lennon’s song, “I don’t wanna know”, done to sound like a Beatles song, so I’m going to do harmonizes and we shall see, ok folks?” Paul and the rest started laughing at how ridiculous he sounded.

 

They played it several more times as it came together. They were impressed by how well the song came out and decided to record the old Beatle tunes as well. Julian took out his harmonica and tried it out a bit, he played the parts of Love me Do and when he finished, the other five started to clap. Julian took a bow and then smiled.

 

They went on to play Love me Do, Julian doing his dad’s part, and Paul singing his own. The second time it was perfect after they all remembered it. James and Dhani along with Julian caught on quickly. Paul recorded it and then re-played it.

 

“ Must say, that sounds really good. I mean over 30 years later and I still think we sound like the Beatles and with Jules, I, well, I think it was damn near close.” Ringo smiled as he thought about the way they sounded like the Beatles. He remembered how when they had done the Anthology, he had the same feeling, but only it was John.

 

“ I agree. Jules you did a grand job. Your voice is a pitch higher in some parts but I think the fans will still be confused.” Paul joked with John’s son.

 

“ Good, then the bets still on. You’re all anteed up now, right?” George asked, a twinkle in his eye.

 

“ Yeah, dad, think we all did, except for Jules.” Dhani looked at Julian’s surprised face and then laughed at his friend.

 

“ What? Didn’t think me serious?” George laughed, putting his hand out to Julian,           “ Anti up, son,”

 

“ You’re serious?” Julian looked up at George, bemused.

 

“ ‘Course I am. We all are. Right chaps?” George looked at the other two Beatles who went along with the joke.

 

“ Yeah Jules, now anti up. Why’d ya think Paul taped it?” Ringo loved a good joke and also knew it was easy, since everyone except him was starting to get tipsy.

 

Julian looked around at the straight faces. Were they joking or were they serious? He didn’t know and never wanted any part of a Beatle reunion in the past. Now, he had thought about it and would do it if the situation were right, but hadn’t said anything or even made up his mind. It all depended on how this next CD came out to the critics. But he had fought hard not to be put in the middle of that and so did his uncles. He swallowed hard. “ I thought.”

 

 He looked at each face again, “ Well, we fought hard not for me to get in the middle of a Beatle reunion. You all had it with the tapes that Yoko gave you.“ Julian shook his head, not knowing what to believe.

 

 

George saw how upset and confused Julian was getting. Paul saw the look on his face and Ringo remembered how they had fought to keep him out of it.

 

“ Just teasing.” George said as Paul spoke along with him and so did Ringo.

“ Just a lark, son.” Paul told him on the edge of George’s statement.

“ Just having a laugh.” Ringo told Julian.

All three tripped over each other’s sentences, trying to take the worry away from Julian. Again, he reminded them of John, with his expression and disbelief.

 

Julian poured himself another drink and drank the whole glass down, quickly. He tried to swallow down his fear, the fear that he had worked so hard to leave behind in the music business. That forever question of recording and reuniting with his uncles as the Beatles, they were finally leaving him alone about it. He put his glass down and filled it again, adding coke to it. He then turned his head towards the older men.

 

“ I’ll be back?” Julian asked, “ You know, sing the song?”

 

“ I think that sounds ‘bout right, mates?” Paul asked.

 

“ Just have ta remember the chords and all.” George told them as he started strumming a chord and stopped at a bright light that flashed. George looked to the stairs and saw Mary with a camera.

 

“ Sorry, Uncle George. I want to get some shots of you all playing. I think it would be nice and I’m making copies of all the pictures for everyone.” Mary explained after the blush left her face. Her eyes automatically drifted to Julian. Their eyes met and then she realized what she was doing and moved her eyes around the room to see everyone.

 

“ I think that would be nice, luv. Your mum would be proud.” Paul told her with a lump in his throat.

 

“ I’ll turn on these lights and just put this portable one over here.” Mary drifted in and plugged in the metal light that shone all around them. She took a small hand held light meter and tested the lighting around the room as they watched for a minute. Satisfied, she took the flash off the camera.

 

“ That should help things. I promise I won’t get in the way.” Mary smiled and knelt down along side of the couch. She felt Julian’s eyes on her, and then they left. She wished she could go home with him, but she didn’t want things to come out, no one to know about them. She wanted time to see if this was right, or a re-bound, or even if Alistair would come back. She did love being around him and the sex they had discovered last night and that morning was unbelievable. She blushed thinking about it and looked around her camera case so no one would notice. She felt the heat leave as she changed her thoughts to more professional ones. She was like her dad. Most of the times she could do that with certain things like her camera and pictures.

 

 

“ I remember it, one of my favorite songs,” Julian told them, “ It’s A then A major, C quickly into G then G6, F, E7 and A. There’s more but you can figure from that, right?” Julian questioned George and Paul.

 

Paul’s brow furrowed as he scratched his head. “ And I helped write the bloody thing,” Paul looked over to George who was playing what Julian had said.

 

“ He’s right, y’know.” George looked up at Paul, with an amazed smile.

 

They ran through the song a few times while Mary took pictures of all of them. She noticed that she took a few of Julian and so she took separate ones of each person so it wouldn’t be obvious to anyone that might see the pictures she took. She thought the next time she could get away to Julian’s she’d take a few photos of them and develop the pictures secretly, so she and he would have a pictures of the two, together.

 

After they had gotten I’ll Be Back right and recorded they just drank and jammed. Mary laughed at how drunk they were getting as the time went by. She heard it in the music too. She took a few drunken pictures of them clowning around and then stopped and went downstairs to her sisters and aunts.

 

Around 2am they emerged from the music room. Everything turned off and left until later to bring home. They laughed loudly as they all fumbled down the stair. Ringo was laughing so hard at them tears came from his eyes. He was the only sober one of the group. Everyone came into the living room hearing the loud noise of the men coming down.

 

Ringo was down first and stood along side of Barbara, giving her a quick kiss. George and Dhani stumbled a bit as Olivia came over to them, smiling.

 

“ You two are drunk and I’m driving home.” She teased in a lecturing voice.

 

“ Think ya better.” George spurted out as he chuckled, watching Paul use the wall to hold himself up and James drop onto the couch.

 

“ Daddy, you’re bloody pissed.” Stella stated incredulously.

 

“ Sorry, little girl, bloody bladdered, I am.” Paul slurred his speech, still letting the wall hold him up.

 

“ James isn’t much better, sis.” Heather nodded to the couch that James was now fast asleep on.

 

Julian slipped on the second to last stair and fell on his bum. “Bloody hell.” He laughed hard and couldn’t stop as he sat frozen to the bottom step.

 

“ Jules, you’re blocking the way in the drive. I think we can get around you, but don’t think you should drive home.” Ringo seriously told him. He studied Julian as Julian grabbed onto the banister and pulled himself up.

 

“ You’re a right mess, you are.” Mary told him as she stifled a laugh.

 

Julian wobbled over to her and leaned his body towards her. “ Am I? You could fix that,” He said, lips pursed in such a tight grin, it almost looked evil.

 

Mary bent away from Julian knowing what he was about to do. She didn’t want to draw attention to them, yet everyone was watching.

 

“ Uncle Ritch is right, you need to be driven home.” Mary told Julian. He still stood, swaying before her.

 

“ Why don’t you go and drive me home?” Julian slurred, concentrating only on her. His hair was messed, his eyes half lidded and all he could think of was how much he just wanted her. He wanted her to himself, he wanted everyone to know and hell he wanted her body as well. The memory of the night before and the morning sprung up in his mind, making him smile even more.

 

“ Barb can drive our car and I’ll drive you home, Jules.” Ringo told him.

 

Mary was glad that her uncle had stepped in. She didn’t know what would happen if Julian stayed much longer in this condition. She looked at Ritch and then back at Julian. Julian took his hand and gently pushed her hair from her face. Mary moved away when he did that.

 

“ I think that’s a good idea, Uncle Ritch. We have to get daddy to bed. James is already passed out.” Mary explained as she looked from her sleeping brother to her dad almost sleeping, standing up against the wall.

 

“ Ok, I think it’s time to go. Dhani, George we’ll pick up the guitars tomorrow. Out to the car.” Olivia ordered them.

 

George saluted his wife and chuckled. “ Think wes in trouble, Dhan.” George slurred as he put his arm around his son, both leaning on each other for some support.

 

“ Thanks, see ya.” Dhani called back as they headed towards the door.

 

“ Right, Ta.” George yelled, Olivia pushing them out the door, “ Liv, I can do it,” George stubbornly said.

 

“ Right, luv. Night and again thanks, we had a great time. I can get around Julian, so don’t worry” Olivia told them as they left.

 

Stella and Heather walked over to their dad, each taking an arm. “ C’mon daddy, up to bed with you.” Heather told him.

 

Paul’s eyes were barely opened as he slightly came alive when his daughters pulled him from the wall.

 

“ Daddy, say good night.” Stella teased him.

 

“ Night all.” He snickered and let his daughters pull him up the stairs.

 

“ C’mon lad, it’s time to go.” Ritch put his arm around Julian in the same way he had done so many times before with John, “ Christ, you’re as bad as your dad was back in the day. Many times I had to get him home and to bed.” Ringo laughed at the thought.

 

“ I’ll warm up the car and then follow you.” Barbara said as she walked out the door.

 

“ Jules, where are your keys?” Ringo asked him.

 

Julian looked a bit bewildered at the question. “ Dunno.”

 

:” Julian Lennon, where are your keys so as Uncle Ritch can drive you to your flat?” Mary asked him, getting annoyed at the whole thing.

 

Julian stood straight up, still swaying, he moved toward Mary. “ Search me.”

 

“ You don’t know where they are?” Mary was exasperated by now.

 

“ No, I mean go on and have a search, check me shirt and if you like, me trousers too.” Julian flirted drunkenly with her.

 

Mary blushed and looked at her Uncle. “ You deal with him. I’m going to see how they’re doing with daddy,” Mary backed off and almost ran up the stairs. She didn’t know what to do. She felt her body react to Julian’s teasing. She fought it and had to get away from him.

 

“ Mary, luv. What no kiss good-bye.” Julian howled as he sloppily pulled out his car keys from his jeans, “ Here, Unc.” Julian dangled the keys into Ringo’s waiting hand.

 

“ Right, then we’re off. “ Ringo helped Julian to the car and into it. He buckled Julian’s seatbelt, gave Barbara a quick kiss and then got into Julian’s car so they could leave.

 

 

 

Barbara and Ringo helped Julian into the flat. When they entered the second door, Julian began to feel queasy. His hand went to his stomach, he felt the swirling sensation and his insides begin to start to burn into his throat. He felt it coming.

 

“ I’m gonna be sick.” Julian announced in misery.

 

“ C’mon Barb, help me get the lad to the kitchen sink, looks like it’s the last room.” Ringo told her quickly.

 

They grabbed Julian and dragged him into the kitchen. He didn’t fully make it to the sink as his insides came up onto the kitchen floor. Ringo half lifted Julian over to the sink and held him there to empty his gut out. Barbara took some paper towels and spray from the closet that she had found. She knelt down and began to clean up the mess.

 

 

Julian was finished as the cool water pounded into the metal sink, washing away any evidence of what had just occurred. He groaned and bent over to collect some water, but couldn’t move that far, Ringo was holding him up to tight.

“ I need some water from the tap.” Julian told Ringo.

 

Ringo loosened his grip and allowed the lad to slurp up the water, swish it around in his mouth and spit it back into the sink. Julian than drank like a camel. When he was finished, Julian straightened up, and then leaned against the counter.

 

 

Ringo wrapped his arms around a very pale, and not to lucid young man. He helped Julian up the stairs. At the top, Ringo looked to both rooms, and then to Julian.

 

“ Which room, son?” Ringo inquired.

 

“ There.” Julian pointed with a drooping arm.

 

Ringo took most of Julian’s weight onto him. He opened the bedroom door, turned on the light and sat the young man down.

 

“ Don’t lie down, want to get that stinkin’ shirt off of ya,” Ringo walked over to the bureau and took out a t-shirt. Ringo stood there for a minute, smelling the room. He smelt perfume and smiled. The boy must have had a girl over. He chuckled at the thought and then went back to Julian.

 

“ C’mon, lets have ya.” Ringo told Julian.

 

Ringo took Julian’s shirt off and held it away from him. Ringo’s face squinted from the smell, “ Where’s yer dirty wash go?”

 

Julian looked at Ringo blankly for a moment. “ Um, the loo. Basket.” Julian answered

 

Ringo went to the bath and dumped the shirt into the wash. He would have cleaned it off, but the smell made him dry heave. Ringo walked back into the room with a wet flannel and saw Julian fighting with the shirt.

 

Ringo shook his head. Damn, he remembered bleeding nights when he’d have to do the same for John. He walked over to the lad, still sitting on the bed.

 

“ Here.” Ringo helped guide Julian’s arms through and pulled the shirt down his chest.

 

“ Ok, it’s on. Now you can lie down.” Ringo told Julian and then washed his face with the cool flannel, “ Better?” Ringo asked, seeing Julian nod.

 

Ringo took Julian’s shoes off and then went to help the young man take off his jeans. Ringo sat on the bed to get a better hold. That’s when Ringo smelt that scent again, the perfume wafted past his nose and again he smiled.

 

“ Have a girl by last night and this morning, did ya?” Ringo chuckled.

 

Julian’s drooping eyes wandered up to the older man. He stared, not knowing how he knew.

 

“ I smelt the perfume.” Ringo answered the unasked question.

 

They got Julian’s jeans off and the covers over him. The air conditioner was colder than Ringo was used to. Barbara leaned on the doorframe, smiling as she watched her husband.

 

 

Ringo decided to turn the light off by the lamp on the bedside table. He saw something shine, a necklace. He picked it up and studied it. It was a gold M, Ringo wondered as he thought back to the flirting that Julian had been doing with Mary and how she quickly ran off after a few of Julian’s advances. At the time Ringo thought it was just due to the lad being so drunk.

 

Ringo held the necklace up to Julian and shook the lad until his eyes opened and tried to focus. The light hurt Julian’s eyes and all he wanted was sleep. He stared, having trouble focusing on Ringo.

 

“ Lad, what’s this, then? “ Ringo asked.

 

“ Necklace.” Julian slurred out. Even as drunk as he was he could see something in Ringo’s facial expression.

 

“ I know you’re not to bloody pissed to know who’s this is. It looks to me as Mary McCartney’s necklace.” Ringo stated, waiting for an answer. He knew it really wasn’t any of his business but he was now curious. Plus, he knew she spent time with Julian, had just been left by Alistair in some sort of a time out but was still engaged to him. Ritch also thought of how Mary had just lost her mother. He felt protective towards Julian suddenly, not wanting him to get hurt in this shuffle. He somehow felt that Julian would. Neither John nor Roberto were alive to help the boy out, so Ringo felt a pang of guilt, he needed Julian to know he was there for him. With helping the McCartney family, if Jules fell in love with Mary, it just might backfire on him. Since Jules was very close with Ringo’s own boys, he knew of all the bad luck that Julian had with love.

 

 

Julian lazily looked at the dangling chain that hung from Ringo’s fingers.

“ It’s Mary’s.” Julian simply said, sighing loudly.

 

“ You wanna fill me in on this? I think ya should. I’ll keep it between us, lad.” Ringo’s voice was filled with gentleness and concern. He laid the necklace back down on the table, still sitting on the side of the bed, close to Julian.

 

Julian struggled to pull himself up on the bed. He laid his unclear head against the wall, his shoulders rested against the headboard. “ Yeah, suppose so.” He answered quietly.

 

“ I’m all ear, Jules.” Ringo reassured him, a look of great concern was in Ringo’s kind eyes.

 

Julian gulped, he felt a bit more sober since Ringo had confronted him. His eyes burned, his head still very fuzzy and he couldn’t think. With all of this the truth came out of him.

 

“ I never meant ta fall in love with that one. I was as surprised as you are. Then, last night she stayed over, as she does sometimes. I woke to her in bed with me. I tried to get her and Al back together, honest, even with how I felt. I never told her. Guess she just saw it. We’re keeping it quiet for now, seein’ where things go. Don’t think she feels for me as I do for her,” Julian stopped. He thought about everything he told his Uncle from the beginning up until he confided his feelings and that he didn’t feel Mary felt as strongly for him. His head ached now. Dreary scenes filled his head of her leaving like so many other people had. He had told his mum about his feelings and just told her today that Mary and him had gotten together. He told her they were keeping it quiet and she warned him to be careful in her usual worried tone.

 

“ Jules please lad, be careful. The girl just lost her mum, her fiancé and is helpin’ her da through the grief as well as her own. She’s not thinkin’ to clearly and her feelings fer you might be a bit mixed up, right now. “ Ringo cautioned Julian.

 

 

Julian closed his eyes. He knew his mum and Uncle were right, only he couldn’t stop his heart from feeling so deeply. He couldn’t keep away from her pull. Julian felt trapped, he didn’t want to think of it and only wanted it to work, he didn’t want to lose his heart again.

 

“ I know, Uncle Ritch. Just can’t keep my heart intact. Don’tcha think I’ve tried that one? I didn’t make the first move, well maybe a little, but would back off. “ Julian groaned.

 

“ Sometimes it’s best to keep a perspective on these things, keep the truth in front of ya. Love is a tricky game, as you well know. “ Ringo offered.

 

Julian nodded. He didn’t feel to well and he tried hard to think about what Ringo was saying but his brain was shutting down. “ I’m tired and me head aches. Appreciate the talk, I need to sleep.” Julian slide down onto his pillows.

 

“ Right, if ya need to talk you can give us a ring. Let me get you some aspirins.” Ringo smiled and brushed John’s son’s hair out of his eyes. Ringo was surprise when he felt a bottle of aspirins enter his hand and looked up to see his wife. He kissed her hand and then took the water from her other hand. He helped Julian up and tossed some pills into Julian’s mouth. Ringo held the cup of water as Julian swallowed.

 

“ Ta.” Was all Julian said, his eyes were heavy and soon closed again.

 

Ringo stood up leaving the water and bottle of tablets on the bed stand. He took his wife’s hand in his and led her out of the room, turning off the light as Julian fell to sleep.

 

“ Remember when he was a small lad. Sleepin’ on the couch or helpin’ puttin’ him ta bed. He reminds me of that right now.” Ringo stood staring at Julian, “ God, Barb, I miss John.” Ringo sighed.

 

He took Barbara down the stairs, turned off all the lights and then looked back up the stairs. “ Hope the lad will be all right, I mean with Mary and all of this. I hate to watch his heart break once again. Zak has been there for him and Jas too, well you know that one. Guess no sense in worrying now is there. Just hope for the best.” Ringo again kissed Barbara, knowing how lucky he was to have her. He had had two great women in his life and was glad for his luck.

 

“ Lets go home, honey. He’ll have to see things out for himself as do our own children. I love you and love how wonderful you are with the kids, well they aren’t children anymore, but it still moves me. You were wonderful with him just now, too. You let him know you are here for him and he could trust you. I always knew your sons got a lot of you in them, plus Maureen, they’re lucky, I’m lucky.” Barbara said in Ringo’s embrace.

 

They locked both doors to Julian’s flat and left thinking about how lucky they were to have found each other, as they drove home.