Brothers - Lennon/McCartney

Prologue

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On the 9th of October 1940, a nurse washed her hands before handing a baby, wrapped in white cotton, to it's mother. Her eyes looked tired as she held her arms out to hold the newest addition to her family, her hair swept out of her reddened face.

'He's lovely.' She caught her breath, stuttering slightly. 'Thank you, Nurse.' The nurse nodded in compliance and walked out of the room, returning a few moments later with a clipboard and pen.

'Has this lovely little fellow got a name?' She asked, pulling a baby tag from the sheet of paper in front of her.

The woman thought a little, taking in a deep breath. 'John.' She smiled. 'His name shall be John.'

'Just John?' She quizzed, tilting her head to write.

'John Winston.' She held his small finger in her hand and cried light tears from her tired eyes. 'John Winston Lennon.' She looked up to see the nurse taking down the notes with a small grin on her face.

'That's such a lovely name, Mrs Lennon.' She looked intent. 'Is there anyone we could ring?'

'My sister.' She said without second thought. 'I need my sister.'

***

Julia's eyes scanned her sister's face with desperation, needing to understand the look of doubt on her face. Mimi's face stayed strong, scowling at her younger sister with disappointment.

'You can't raise a child as little as John on your own.' She growled.

'Mimi please, John's my son.'

'Alf isn't coming home, Julia.' She folded her arms. 'He never was coming home.'

Julia's voice croaked as she tried to gain the confidence to speak back. 'I can raise John on my own.' Her voice failed her.

'You can barely look after yourself.' Mimi spat, hitting Julia straight in her chest.

Behind the door stood John, his small eyes struggling against his mind's intention to run in and burst into tears. He fought stronger than his mother and supressed the urge to collapse on the floor. Aged only four, John had witnessed the breakdown of his parent's marriage.

'John doesn't deserve to live like this.' Mimi put her foot down. She then whispered, 'you got yourself pregnant to a man you've known barely five minutes.'

'I'm sorry Mimi.' Julia pleaded. 'But she's out of the picture now, she's gone.' She cried. 'She's with a better family.'

'She's with a better mother.' Mimi sighed, helping Julia to sit on a chair in the kitchen. 'John deserves more than living with his Grandfather.'

'I know that!' Julia screamed. 'You don't think I planned this, do you?'

'Julia.' Mimi knelt down beside her sister and took her hand, 'I'm taking John to live with myself and George.'

'You can't do that!' Julia sobbed, pleading with all her might. 'John's my son!'

'I'll be back tomorrow.' Mimi let go of Julia's hand and walked out to find John sat in the corner, his head in his legs. 'You're okay John.' She said, shutting the front door behind her.

'Oh John!' Julia raced over to her son and cradled him in her arms. 'I'm so sorry.'

***

A knock on the door made Mimi jump up from her seat. John sat with a jigsaw in front of his skinny, crossed legs, his mind concentrating only on the puzzle. George smiled down fondly at his nephew, scruffing his hair in his hands with a smile.

'I'm confused.' John laughed, pushing George's hand away from his head.

'You can't just barge into somebody's house-' Mimi raced after the man at the door, following him into the room where John sat with his uncle.

'Where is- hello John.' Alf stormed through and picked his son up from the ground. 'I'm taking him out for the day.'

'You are not!' Mimi stomped her foot down. 'Put him down.' She grabbed his arm and forced John back to the floor.

After hours of arguing, Mimi showed Alf the door. His eyes looked heavy as he wandered out.

'I have nowhere to stay tonight.' He put on his sweetest puppy dog eyes. 'Can I stop here? Just for today?'

Mimi hesitated to speak up but caught glimpse of George crossing his arms and lightening his face. 'Just for tonight.' She opened the door and invited him in.

The following morning she walked down to the kitchen but saw no John or Alf. Her heart beat fast in her chest as she raced around the house in a hurry. 'He's taken John!' She ran into George's arms and sighed heavily. 'I knew he couldn't be trusted.'

'He won't keep him long.' George smiled, taking her hand and making her some tea.

'He might not.' She placed her hand to her hand and sighed again. 'Oh John.'

***

Two long months passed by before Mimi heard anything of John. Alf had essentially kidnapped him and taken him to Blackpool to stay with a friend of his. When John was returned to her, she hugged him for the first time in his life.

'It's so good to have you back, John.' She smiled. 'Now, go to your room whilst I prepare dinner.'

John did as he was told and walked to his room. He'd had to choose between his mother and father on that beach, eventually deciding to stay with his mother but he'd later been dumped back with Mimi.

Mimi wasn't his mum.

He folded his arms and curled up on his bed. Why did his mum not want him to stay with her? Was her new family better than him?

She'd found a nice boyfriend in Bobby and had two children with them. There was no room for John anymore. Not in her heart. She lived so far away that he barely ever saw her. Two buses and a train to see his mum?

Far too expensive.

***

By the time John was 14, his only father figure had passed away. Uncle George had taught him to read, write, play harmonica, fix jigsaws and introduced him to poetry. He'd hugged him when he was down, read to him when he was upset and just always been there for him.

But now he wasn't. He'd left him just like his dad had, just like his mum had.

All he had now was Mimi. And she didn't care. Not really.

***

John Winston Lennon had only just started on his life's path.

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Note: I want you all to know how this story came about before I begin to write it. As you all know, I've written quite a few stories with the ship between John and Paul, however, I owe an explanation.

I recently visited Liverpool and I did the Beatles tour of Liverpool. The tour guide focussed heavily on John's childhood and it really gave me inspiration to write this story. I wanted to focus on the FRIENDSHIP between John and Paul: before, during and after The Beatles.

Chapter One will be posted tomorrow. 

I aim to make this story as factual as possible, following John Lennon right from the start of his life, to meeting hid mum again, to meeting Paul, to meeting Cynthia and to starting The Beatles (seen as though there are no actual stories about John and Paul's lives and friendship like what I intend this one to be).

This book will focus mostly on John for the mostpart and how he dealt with the heartache of his childhood. Once Paul is introduced, I will show how their friendship grew into an unbreakable bond that is so beautiful and rare.

I hope that clears any questions up but feel free to comment anything that I haven't covered.

Thanks.

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