⇾𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐈𝐈

Chapter Sixty-Five: You Are Forgiven

May 19, 1967

I woke up at seven the next morning, remembering clearly that I was working at NEMS with Thomas before the party tonight.

John was next to me, still asleep and facing the opposite direction, so I stood up and pulled a nightgown over my body, slipping out of the room as quiet as possible.

I made my way downstairs so I could grab the first piece of food that interested me, which happened to be a banana. I peeled it and sat down at the counter, staring blankly at the wall in front of me.

By the time I'd finished the piece of food, I heard John come down the stairs to my left. I looked over at him and smiled.

"Sorry to see you've gotten yourself dressed already."

"Don't be cheeky," I teased.

"Hey, that's my line," he quipped, coming to sit down next to me. He took a banana of his own out of the bowl and began to eat it.

"Sleep well?" I asked him.

"I did," he responded. "And you?"

"Like a baby," I replied with a laugh.

"Like these babies?" he asked with a dopey grid, reaching down to rub my stomach with his free hand.

"Yes, actually. They were very calm last night."

"Splendid." He continued to run his hand along my stomach until one of them kicked in response. Then, he grinned in satisfaction and retracted his hand, resuming his eating.

"They're gonna hate you by the time they're born," I teased. "They're gonna recognize the voice and realize you're the one that's been provoking them for nine months straight."

He chuckled. "But they'll love me anyway because, without me, they wouldn't be alive!" Suddenly, his smile faded and he took on a somber look so quickly that I found myself worried. "Donna?" he asked.

"Yes, John?"

"You don't think that people will ever tease them for being my children, do you?"

"Tease them? I'm not sure your father being a Beatle is something to get teased about," I responded with a laugh, taking his hand in mine.

"Well, you know what I mean," he said. "I just want them to have a normal life. I don't want them to be treated differently."

"John, their lives aren't going to be normal," I told him and his face sank. "And they really aren't going to be easy either, but that's why we're here," I assured him.

"Why?" he asked, not really understanding what I was saying.

I sighed and looked around. "We'll always be here to help them through everything," I told him. "You get that?"

He thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yes," he assured me. "I get it."

I leaned over and kissed him briefly. "Now, let's get ready. Brian wants to see you all at NEMS in a bit."

"You're working today, aren't you?" he asked sadly.

I frowned. "I'm afraid so."

"Damn," he said. "I was hoping we could stay up in bed until we had to get ready." He winked cheekily.

"Shove off," I responded with a laugh. "Now, come on."

~~~

"Hey, Donna, look." I looked up from my lap to see John pointing out the front window. "They repaved the roads."