I Need You

Part 59 - If You've Got Trouble

** Jeannie

            Our anticipation for the birth of our child made time seemingly slow down.  The nausea and vomiting had FINALLY subsided, but I was still eating more than I cared to.  I don't recall exactly when I started to notice the rapid expansion of my stomach or when I could no longer see my toes. My belly size didn't bother me much until I was admiring said bump in the mirror, holding it with both hands, and noticed that my lady garden could do with a bit of pruning.  I reached for my razor, and after a few swipes of it, I realized I wasn't getting much accomplished.  It was spotty, at best. Still clutching my razor, tears of frustration stinging my eyes, I wailed for assistance.

          "GEORGIIEEE!  Please help!" 

Loud thumping footsteps approached rapidly, followed by a thud against the door. After fumbling with the doorknob, he fell inside the lav, out of breath.

           "Baby, what's wrong?! What 'appened?!"

I was standing stock-still, bare-arsed, with partially landscaped bits. George kept it together for all of a minute before dissolving into a fit of laughter.

            "It's not funny, Georgie, my fanny looks ABYSMAL!"
           "Alright, Kitten, alright, let me fix it.  'Ere, sit on the edge of the bath." I handed him the razor and averted my eyes.
           "Blimey Lovey, you weren't jokin'. It looks like you have mange down 'ere!"
           "That's fucking hilarious,  George", I said rolling my eyes. "I'm so glad my mangled quim amuses you."
He took a few passes, admired his work, and presented me with a hand mirror.

           "Well? Is it sufficient?"
           "Yes, ta darling, I feel loads better. Sorry if I gave you a fright."
            "No matter, anything for you," he said with a grin. After giving me a soft peck, he placed a letter in my hand.

        "What's this?"
        "It came through the letter plate on the door just this morning. It's got your name on it."
      "Georgie, it's Sunday. There's no post today."
       "Hmm. Maybe it's from John. You know 'ow he likes to personally deliver 'is funny drawings."
       "I dunno, it cuts into his sleep,  walking out here. It's not his scrawl either."

            I tore open the envelope, addressed plainly to 'Jean Lennon'. The note was brief, but certainly to the point..

            Jean, you must be mad if you think you're George's only one. You're just a temporary obstacle between me and him, and not even a baby (which I doubt is even his) is going to keep him round. Enjoy him while you can. I'll see you soon.
                 
         It wasn't signed. Admittedly, this wasn't the first 'fan' letter I or any of the other girls had received, but the words stung all the same. Not only that, the mention of our unborn child chilled me to the bone. I threw it to the floor and bounded off to our bedroom. George entered not much later, holding the letter in his hand.

          "You know this is rubbish, don't you? It's some nutter tryin' to get a rise out of you, just like before.  Cyn's gotten them, Jane, I believe, Mo's gotten a few as well.  Lovey, try not to let it get to you."

          I couldn't see his expression through the tears that had slipped from my eyes, my cheeks stained with their tracks.

          "But Jules and Zak were never mentioned in those letters, George! Whoever this is could hurt Junior. They got to the door, they could easily get inside the house! I think we should talk to Brian."  

He hung his head, accepting defeat. He knew I was right. The other children were never brought up in letters, nasty as they often were, and no one had dared slip anything into the houses, not even the gatebirds.

         "We're goin' to get to the bottom of this and put a stop to it immediately.  Stay in the 'ouse, don't even set foot in the garden. I'll ring Brian and see what we can do. In the meantime, I'll run you a bath and fix you a cuppa. We can't 'ave you gettin' too upset in your condition."

He pulled me to him gingerly,  placing a kiss on my nose and then my stomach.

"Nothin' is goin' to pull me away from either one of you. They'll 'ave to get through me to even BEGIN to get close to you." 

He turned on the tap in the bath and ambled off to the kitchen for my tea, no doubt brewing himself a cuppa as well.  As soon as I heard the echoes of his footsteps recede further into the house, I grabbed the phone, desperate to hear my brother's voice, but not necessarily eager to tell him of the letter.
          I dialed his number, knowing full well the layabout was passed out in his sunroom, as per usual. Cyn's bright, sunny voice chirped 'hello' on the other end of the line.

        "Hi Cyn, is John about? It's important that I talk to him."
         "He's in the sunroom love, let me fetch him for you."

Following a brief silence and a bit of shuffling, John's sleepy voice croaked a quiet 'ello'.

           "I'm sorry to wake you, Winnie,  but I needed to speak to you."
           "Alright, Wils? What's goin' on?" 

The words didn't even escape my lips fully before my voice cracked, and I broke down completely.

             "Willy love, please calm down. Whatever it is, we'll get through it. Did you and George have a row?"
             "No, we're perfectly fine. He's been nothing but wonderful to me.  I just - I miss you, Winn, so much."
              "I miss you too, love, but it's not as if we're miles apart.  Cyn and I will bring Julian round as soon as he gets up from his kip, alright? Just please don't cry."
             "George ran me a bath and is fixing me a cuppa, I just needed to chat."
              "It's probably just your hormones, eh? You'll be alright,  Willy. Have your bath and cuppa, and a lie down if you can. I'll ring George before we come over, okay? And Wils, I love you."
              "Love you too, Winn. Goodbye."

  I returned the phone to its cradle, entered the lav, and sank into the tepid water of the bath, letting my eyes close.  As nice as it felt on my achey, tired body, I couldn't fully relax. The door opened quietly, and George placed the warm mug in my hands.

          "Feelin' any better, Lovey?"
           "No. I rang Winnie."
           "You didn't mention that letter, did you?"
           "Course not. I'd have to be daft to do something stupid like that. I'd be held responsible for unleashing his wrath. You know how he gets. I just wanted to talk to him, hear him.  I miss him, Georgie."
             "I know ye do. Neither one of ye can be without the other for too long. Ye 'ave tha' twin bond/thing even though yer not bloody twins.   'Ere, drink your tea, and 'ave a kip, alright? You need some rest. Maybe we'll go round to see John and Cyn later if yer feelin' better."
"They're comin' over when Jules wakes up," I said with a yawn.
"Winn said he'll ring you before they leave."
"Alright. Come 'ed, out of the bath with ye, and straight into bed."

After finishing my brew, I dried off, threw on a tee of George's, and climbed into bed, George wrapping himself around me.

              "So, what did Brian say then?"
              "E'll be over in the morning to discuss it at length with us, make a proper plan. Until then, get some sleep. All the doors are locked, darling, so don't fret."

I once again shut my eyes and somehow managed to fall asleep.  I'd need all the rest I could get before the "meeting" with Brian or the emotional visit I was certain to have with John. In that moment, at least, I would have peace.