Debbie Doll | Ringo Starr ✅

39

The entire drive to the hospital, I was thrumming with excitement and a hint of jealousy. John had called us hours ago to say that Cynthia was in labour, and then he had phone just twenty minutes ago to tell us that the baby had arrived - he and Cyn had a son, Julian.

"Do you think he'll be little?" I asked excitedly, "how small do you think he'll be, Ritch? Do you think they'll let me hold him? Oh, I want to just squeeze him!"

Ritchie chuckled, placing a hand on my knee to calm me, which it immediately did. "I don't think you should be squeezing any little babies, doll." He paused, "less so when it's not your own."

"I bet Cyn's over the moon!"

"I bet she's bloody tired and doesn't want too many people around her." Ritchie pulled up outside of the hospital, "I bet she doesn't want to be crowded."

"I won't crowd her." I said, "I just want to -"

"Hold the baby." He grinned at me, "I know, doll." He moved his hand up to my baby bump, "but not long and we'll have our own, and then you can hold them all you want."

I smiled at that, because there was nothing that I wanted more.

When we got to the hospital, Ritchie parked the car before he led the way to the front doors. We walked in, and almost immediately we were swarmed with the press. There were flashing cameras and reporters everywhere, all of them clamouring to speak to us and ask about the new baby - and our upcoming bundles of joy.

Ritchie put his arm out in front of me, forming a barrier. He tried to be as nice as possible to the media, because that was what Brian had ordered him and the lads, Cyn and me, to do.

"Hello everyone, thanks for coming." Ritchie said in a mock-polite tone, "John and Cynthia are thrilled to have you all here with them for the birth of their baby -"

"Is it here yet?" One reporter asked, snatching a few photos of Ritch and me together.

"Came just under an hour ago." Ritch told them. They all scribbled down the information, "we're all very excited to hold the new baby." He was being very careful about not telling the media the name or gender of the baby.

"Are the other lads coming, Ringo?" A second reporter asked.

"I don't know." He replied honestly.

"Debbie, when is yours and Ringo's baby due?"

"Well actually," I said, leaning a little on Ritchie as my feet and legs began to ache from standing for more than a few minutes, "we're expecting twins."

The reporters all let out an excited gasp, scribbling the news down once more.

"You'll all be back here in a few weeks. John and Cynthia's baby and ours are going to be about about three months apart, but since Cyn's carried a bit late, we're hoping they'll be a bit closer in age."

"We just can't wait to hold our babies." I said in an overly saccharine tone of voice, smiling at my husband and then at the photographers and reporters, the photographers snapping shots of me clutching onto Ritchie's arm, the two of us smiling at each other.

We excused ourselves from anymore questions and went up to Cynthia's private room on the maternity ward.

I looked around as we did, realising that in just a month or so, I would be the one in the bed with a newborn; but I'd have two. I couldn't wait, but I felt extremely nervous for my impending stay in the hospital - I hated them because of how long I had spent in them when my mother had died.

But she hadn't come out.

I would, though. There was no way that I would leave my two babies, and there was no way that I would leave my Ritchie. I loved the three of them too much.

"Here we are, then." He opened the door to the private room for me. I went in and saw Cynthia sitting in bed with a little bundle of blue blankets in her arms. She looked up and beamed.

"You're here!" She beckoned me over. I followed, looking around for a chair to sit in. Ritchie noticed my movements and anticipated what I would want, sliding a plastic chair underneath me. I thanked him with a small smile, and he excused himself from the room to give Cyn, the baby and me some time alone.

"How did it go, then?" I asked, looking at the baby, who was asleep. "Did it hurt?"

She shook her head, "I had an epidural - I didn't feel a thing." I breathed a sigh of relief now that knew that that was an option. "This is Julian, by the way." She tilted the sleeping baby my way so I could see him.

I cooed, instantly feeling my heart well up with love and adoration for the tiny little thing in his mother's arms.

"Isn't he just perfect?" I nodded because I agreed entirely. He was perfect. "John Charles Julian Lennon..." she was just gazing at her son, as if she couldn't believe that she was finally holding him.

I wondered if I would feel the same when my babies finally arrived.

"He's gorgeous, Cynthia. You and John are so lucky. Wow, I'm..." I'm jealous. Please let me and Ritchie have our babies come soon. "I'm so happy for you." I finished.

She smiled, "I'm hoping that he will bring the two of us closer together." She paused, "John and me, I mean. Do you know that he hasn't even held Julian yet?"

I sighed. John was a terrible husband and was likely to be an even worse father, but I didn't want to tell her that. Instead, I smiled at Cynthia.

"I'm sure he's saving it all up for when you're all home together." Her eyes shined brightly and I knew that she had bought my lie.

I sighed, wishing that I didn't have to lie to my best friend to protect her husband, who was also my best friend. It was all so confusing. I looked at Julian in her arms and envied him for the simplicity that his life consisted of in that moment.