Debbie Doll | Ringo Starr ✅

21

Ritchie took me along to Brian Epstein's office, which was above his family record store, NEMS. We waited in the waiting room, the two of us jiggling our knees up and down nervously until Brian's secretary and the lady who ran The Beatles fan club, Frida Kelly, poked her head round the side of the door.

"He's ready for you." We thanked her and stood up.

"You're going to be fine." Ritchie reassured me, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Don't panic."

I nodded, though I couldn't stop myself from overthinking everything. I smoothed down the skirt of the gorgeous green dress that Ritchie had bought for me on the way here, and then I let him lead me into the office.

Mr Brian Epstein was sitting behind his desk, and he was on the phone. When we entered, he held up a hand to signal us to be silent. He smiled kindly as he gestured to the two seats in front of him. We sat in one each and joined our hands in the middle.

Less than a minute later, Brian was off of the phone. "Hello, Ringo," he greeted Ritchie, "I haven't heard from you in a while. How's your mum?"

"She's fine, I think." Ritchie paused, furrowing his eyebrows, "Brian, when I called earlier to arrange to see you, I was a bit vague -"

"You were," Mr Epstein confirmed before he looked at me. "Hello." I smiled, "and who are you, then?"

He sounded quite nice. Very posh, even. He didn't have much of a Scouse accent, and I wondered where he was from if not Liverpool.

"My name's Debbie." I paused, "it's nice to meet you, Mr Epstein."

"Brian is fine." He smiled, "the boys'll call me Eppy, but I'd rather that they didn't."

He frowned at Ritchie, who chuckled. "I want Deb to come to London with us, Brian."

Brian narrowed his eyes at me.

"Is she your wife?"

"No, but -"

"Only wives are permitted, and none of you are married, currently." Brian replied.

"But Cynthia's going with John."

"That is a different situation." Brian paused, "and if John has not told you why yet, then I am not at liberty to discuss it."

"But -"

"Ringo," Brian cut him off, "the band is supposed to be seen as free - available. If you bring a lady to London, and John does, too, then Paul's going to want to start being seen with that actress friend of his, and George'll find a girl, too. No exceptions."

"But -"

"Wives only." Brian sighed. "And it's nothing personal, Debbie," he turned his attention to me, "because you seem like a nice girl, but I'm not having my boys' reputations being ruined." He looked back at Ritchie, "I'll see you for the move."

Ritchie sighed and got up, leaving the room with me in tow. I didn't look back at Brian as we left, too upset to think about anything other than the future that Ritchie and I would not be sharing in London.

"Fancy some dinner?" Ritchie asked as we walked down the street, his hands in his pockets and me clinging onto his arm.

"I could eat." I replied quietly, staring at the pavement as we walked, my mind full of sadness.

"Nowhere fancy," Ritchie said, "just the chippy on Penny Lane. A first date, I was thinking?"

I smiled a little at that, but then my mood darkened again. "What's the point in a date if I can't even go to London with you?"

"Married couples go for chips, don't they?" Ritchie asked, looking at me. I furrowed my eyebrows as I turned my head to him. "Look," he sighed, "I need you in London with me, no matter what... so if that means that I have to make an honest woman out of you first, then I'll do it. No questions asked."

"But..."

"But what?" We had stopped in the middle of the street.

I bit my lip, feeling like I was going to cry at the thought of what I was going to say next. "What if you decide you don't like me?"

"Don't like you?"

"What if," I said, "in a few years, maybe," I paused as I wiped the tears from my eyes before I continued on, "you decide that I'm ugly? What if you find somebody who is better for you than I am?"

Ritchie kissed my lips softly, taking my face in either of his hands. "It won't happen." He promised. "You're it for me, Deb... and how lucky am I, eh? I get to have the most gorgeous girl as my wife!"

I giggled. I loved how excited he was to take me as his own forever...

"I didn't even say yes, yet!" I teased him.

"You didn't have to." Ritchie paused, "you haven't walked away, and that's enough." He pulled me closer to him, "Mrs Starkey..."

I giggled. I couldn't even fathom becoming his wife. I had never thought about being tied to him for the rest of my life before now, though obviously it was something that I desperately wanted.

"Yeah, go on then."

"What?" Ritchie asked in surprise, "really?"

I nodded, "yeah. You and me, Ritch, why not?"

He wiggled his head and shoulders to show how delighted he was.

"Not the exact answer I was hoping for, but it'll definitely do." He grabbed my hand and led me back to Brian's office. We marched straight past Frida and into Brian's office.

He was on the phone again.

When he saw us, he put the phone down immediately.

"Hello again," he smirked.

"Brian," Ritchie said, "my wife and I will be needing a place of our own in London."

I smiled. I loved hearing him refer to me as his wife.

Brian's eyes were wide.

"Y-you..."

"And you're coming to the wedding." Ritchie paused. "And arranging it, actually, since neither me or Deb have any idea on what is required for our nuptials." We then turned and walked away. As we left NEMS for the second time that day, Ritchie muttered, "fuck Brian Epstein." I smirked, unable to not agree with him.