I Learnt To Love In Liverpool | George Harrison ✅

♥ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 ♥

"Consequences of your actions, more like." I paused, "take the baby, I'm going to have a quick wash, do my hair and then I'll be back to get changed." I handed him Julian.

"I can't take him like this!" He looked at his erection again. "I need -"

"You need to watch the baby." I turned and went into the bathroom.

* * * * *

Twenty minutes later, I emerged. I had done my hair in a plait which started at the top of my head and went down to the middle of my back. I went over to my wardrobe, ignoring John's sultry gaze as I crossed the room. I chose to wear my deep green emerald dress, discarding the thick black belt which I would usually have worn it with. I put on my black pumps and then looked in the mirror, quickly swiping bright red lipstick onto my lips and a layer of mascara to my lashes.

"How do I look?" I turned to John.

"Like a vision." He promised, "but I really need to deal with the problem that you caused, Em, so if you'd take Jules then -" I took the baby from him and smiled, looking into Julian's little eyes.

"Daddy's being silly." I tickled Julian's belly gently and he giggled. My heart fluttered.

John smiled, "that's his first, y'know." And then he disappeared into the bathroom.

* * * * *

When John and I descended the stairs about twenty minutes after that, I held Julian. I had dressed him in a sweet little red outfit that John had brought from his and Cynthia's house the previous night. I adored Julian, and when I held him, I could imagine that he was mine. John and I went into the dining room, which was where dad and his girlfriend and her daughter were, and also Aunt Mimi, who had been invited to join us.

Four pairs of eyes met ours as soon as we came into the room.

"Emeraude!" Dad was first out of his chair, putting his arms around me and then shaking John's hand. "Happy Christmas!"

I returned the sentiment, "merry Christmas, dad." Mimi was hugging John at this point, and she then switched to me, hugging me and kissing my cheek as if I was the daughter she had never had. Well, she had always been fond of me. "Merry Christmas, Mimi."

"And to you, Emeraude -" she cut herself off as she realised there was something between us, and it wasn't the slightly fussy baby Julian, who John took from me to calm. "Is that a...?"

I nodded, very excited and very eager to share the news. "John and I are going to be parents!"

Dad was silent. He just stared at John. "W-what about George?"

Dad had always rooted for me and George over John. I didn't blame him; it made sense. George was more-or-less my age, with no children and no marriages behind him. John was three years my senior with a (soon-to-be) ex wife and a son.

Paul cleared his throat from behind dad and dad turned, received a glare from Paul before turning back to me. "Congratulations." He said, "I'm happy for you both..."

"Are you getting married soon?" Mimi asked, shocking both John, Paul, dad and myself when she didn't ask about Cynthia or enquire about how their relationship had ended.

John nodded, answering before I could. "In the new year."

Everybody seemed satisfied with that answer. Mimi took Julian from John and cooed at him as dad took my hand and led me over to the dining table, "Em, I'd like you to meet Angie, and her daughter, Ruth." He gestured to each in turn.

Angie smiled. She was in her early forties, with short curly hair and large glasses and a wide smile. "Lovely to meet you, Emeraude," she shook my hand - the one that dad wasn't holding. "Happy Christmas. Ruth and I got you something for Christmas, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." I replied, "Paul and I got you both something, too." I looked briefly at my brother and saw how confused he looked, though only somebody who knew him very well would have been able to see the confusion on his face. I had got something for Ruth and something for Angie, wrapped them, and then put both Paul's name and my own on the envelope. "Happy Christmas, thank you so much for coming."

I let go of dad's hand and went over to Ruth, who was sitting beside Paul. I knelt down, my knees clicking as soon as they bent. I winced, but tried to ignore it the best I could. "Hello." I said sweetly.

"Hello." She answered quietly, continuing to nibble on the piece of buttered bread in her hand.

"I'mEm. I'm Paul's sister. You must be Ruth." She nodded.

"I like Paul." She said, then giggling.

I nodded, "I like him, too." I gestured to John, who was once again holding Julian, "that's John, my boyfriend, and his son, Julian." Ruth smiled at the baby when he put up a fist and accidentally hit John in the chin. An idea formed in my head. "Do you like babies, Ruth?"

She nodded. "I've never been around one properly."

"How old are you?"

"Five."

I smiled, "I think you're old enough to hold a baby... would you like to?" She nodded and I stood up, using the table to pull myself to my normal height. Once I was standing upright again, I held out my hand to Ruth, who took it and then let me lead her across the room and to John, who was talking to Mimi in the corner. "John, this is Ruth," I gestured to the little girl, "she wants to know if she could hold Julian?" I looked him in the eye, silently assuring him that I would be right beside her and ready to take Julian from the little girl should I need to. He nodded and handed the baby to me. I gestured for Ruth to take her chair again and then I put Julian in her arms, not kneeling down the second time because I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get up again.

"Oh!" Paul exclaimed, standing up and slamming his hands on the table, shocking everybody from their conversations and causing baby Julian to cry. He winced, turning to me, "I didn't mean to make him -"

"It's fine." I took him from Ruth and soothed him, sitting beside her so she could still coo and awe at him, "he's probably hungry, anyway -"

"Aren't we all?" John threw himself into the chair opposite me, watching as I held Julian tightly, soothing him until he stopped crying, "brekkie!" And he began to pummel the table with his fists like an idiot.

"John!" Mimi chided, sitting demurely beside him, casting an accusatory glance at her nephew, "stop that! And don't slouch."

Ruth and I exchanged glances and then giggled. John did exactly as he had been told and Paul chuckled. Dad and Angie were still deep in conversation with each other.

"Ready to be served." Paul left the dining room and returned seconds later with a plate in either hand. He put it in front of dad and Angie and then left again, returning once more and putting food in front of Mimi and Ruth before leaving and then coming back with three plates and a baby bottle poking out of the pocket of his trousers. He gave John and me a plate each, put the last plate in front of his seat and then handed me the bottle of baby formula. "Happy Christmas, everyone." Paul paused, grinning for several seconds before he exclaimed, "eat!"