The Arch of Love ~ Paul McCartney

4. Lost stars

St Mary's Hospital, London, 14 January '67, approx. 1:45 pm

I didn't see Paul after that. I made sure to stay far away from EMI Studios as everyone knew that was where they were recording. I even took detours to and from work in order to stay as far away from him as possible.

Was it sad that our little reconnection ended like this? Yes, it was. But I couldn't be too sad about it. A few months ago he had been miles from my mind, just a story that would occasionally slip out at parties if I had too much to drink. "Did you know that I used to know Paul McCartney?" Of course, that story could now change to "Did you know, I slept with Paul McCartney? Twice." But doing that would mean doing exactly what he accused me off and I wasn't going to do that. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

So I mostly stayed silent. Fran asked me a couple of questions, but I wouldn't answer them. Eventually she gave up as well and Paul McCartney was forgotten from our lives again.

That was, until, one day, I got called up to the office of the supervisor of the maternity ward. I didn't even work on the maternity ward; I worked in the paediatric department. Of course, it could be about a premature baby that needed immediate attention and I was getting the heads up. That's how my path usually crossed with Dr Nolan and that was what I was expecting when I knocked on his office and walked in.

It was busy in his office. Most of them I had expected; Dr Nolan, Dr Andrews and nurse Grace Foster, all of whom did actually work in the maternity ward. I had worked with all of them on premies and if it wasn't for the other two people in the room, I would've still thought it was a premie case.

'Ah, nurse Murray, good that you could make it. Please have a seat. I'd like to introduce you to Mr and Mrs Starkey,' Dr Nolan said as he introduced me two the last two people. Yes, those people.

Mr Starkey, who was also known as Ringo Starr, bandmate to that one bloke I was desperately trying to forget. What was he doing here? More important, what was I doing here? Why was I called into Dr Nolan's office?

'Pleasure meeting you,' I said, whilst I sat down in the only chair left. I looked at Dr Nolan to urge him to start explaining, which he did right away.

'Good, now that we are all here, I'll explain why I asked you to come,' he started. 'Mr and Mrs Starkey found out this morning that they are expecting their second child.'

'May I?' Mr Starkey asked and when Dr Nolan nodded approvingly, he continued. 'Yeah, we are very happy that Mo's pregnant again. And as I'll be in the studio 'round the corner a lot, we thought this would be the best hospital to have the baby in. So that's why we're here.'

When no one continued or explained me being there, I sat up. 'Excuse me. Congratulations, by the way. But why am I here then, if you don't mind me asking? I don't mean to be rude. It's just that I usually don't work on the maternity ward,' I asked. I didn't really know where or at whom to look, so I just looked at Mr Starkey as he was the last one to speak.

He got my hint and smiled kindly. 'We'd like to have the same team of doctors each time Mo's got a check-up. Dr Andrews and nurse Foster were on the team when our son was born, but the other nurse got married and stopped working,' he explained. 'Which is why we need another nurse. You're a scouser too, aren't ya?' He said it as if it was clear as day why I was here. Which, for the record, it still wasn't.

'Eh, yes I'm from Liverpool,' I answered. I was so confused. What did that have to with anything. 'How d'you know that?' I was usually pretty good at hiding my accent; seven years at a boarding school in southern England had taught me that. People generally didn't notice where I was from.

'You helped our son when he had an infection last year. You being from Liverpool really calmed me nerves,' Mrs Starkey explained in a quiet manner.

Did I? I honestly couldn't remember. I saw so many sick children each day that I couldn't even tell you the name of the kid I took the blood pressure of this morning. Let alone a child I treated a year ago.

They didn't really give me any time to think, though. 'We'd like ye to do that again. Me mam always said someone from home'll calm yer nerves when yer giving birth,' Mrs Starkey continued in her Liverpool accent. There was no way of hiding where she was from.

'What Mr and Mrs Starkey mean, is that they would love you to be part of the team that monitors the pregnancy from now until the birth. Of course this comes with a bonus. So, what do you say, nurse Murray?' Dr Nolan asked me. I gathered that Dr Andrews and nurse Foster had already approved of it.

Did I want to join their team? I didn't mind a pregnancy case every once in a while. I just didn't want to do their pregnancy case. I tried my hardest to avoid Paul and his stupid band and now this came along.

I couldn't even remember taking care of their son, last year, but now I wish I hadn't. If I hadn't, they wouldn't know I existed and wouldn't ask me for their stupid team. They would've asked nurse Williams from Yorkshire or something like that. Just not me! And I couldn't even say no. That would be rude. Especially since Dr Nolan probably knew that I could use the extra money as my wallet was still recovering from the California trip.

I knew I was trapped. I had no choice but to take the case and help this stupid Beatle get his second baby! So I put on my best smile and nodded. 'Of course, that would be an honour.'