I Learnt To Love In Liverpool | George Harrison ✅

♥ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ♥

Two Weeks Later,

18th June 1964

The girls at the gate of 7 Cavendish Avenue screamed when they saw me approaching. Dhani burst into tears and I took him out of his pram, holding him with one hand and pushing the pram with the other. I scowled at the girls.

"Look what you've done," I said to the first one who tried to talk to me, "you've upset poor little Dhani -"

"Dhani?" Another girl asked.

"Is that John's son?"

"The one in the paper?" A fourth girl asked.

I huffed and strode off, using my key to open the gates and push the pram through before I followed it then closed them behind me. The girls all shrieked, trying to grab at Dhani and I and begging me to let them in.

I turned to them, "you're loony, aren't you? You're outside Paul's house at all hours -"

"Didn't you sleep with George and John?" An unfamiliar girl asked. I had never seen her before today; either outside my house when John had lived there, at Paul's or at the house recently since George had moved in. "I bet your baby was -"

"Finish that sentence, you little slut, and I'll -"

"Em!?" I turned around and saw Paul on the doorstep, his hand across his forehead like a sun visor. "What're you doing over there?" He hurried down the steps then jogged over to me and Dhani. He took one look at me and then at the girls, "a'right, you lot," he said, addressing them, "get lost - you've made poor little Dhani cry." Paul took Dhani from me. The girls didn't move. "I mean it!" He said menacingly, and they scarpered.

Paul turned to me as soon as the last girl was across the street and wouldn't be able to hear us.

"Happy birthday." I said quietly, watching him with Dhani.

Paul smiled, "thanks.. Happy birthday to you, too. An' thank you for coming -"

"We're family, aren't we?" I replied, "of course I'd come and say happy birthday - though I will admit that Julian wasn't in the best of moods this morning and as a result I forgot to bring your birthday present -"

"Come for dinner!" Paul exclaimed suddenly.

I jumped in surprise but a smile spread across my face.

"Dad'll be here, too. No Angie or Ruth since Ruth's got the pox, or something -"

"Oh, poor Ruthie." I frowned, "but of course I'll come - this'll be the first time that dad has met Dhani, too -"

"And bring Jules and George."

That stopped me in my tracks.

"B-but you s-said -"

"Em, if you're going to marry George -"

"But I don't know if I am, Paul." I let him lead me inside. Once we were in the living room, I sat down and continued. "I love George, of course. For me, it's always been George, and... and... and anybody else was a mistake on my part. I love how safe and loved that he makes me feel. I love he looks after Julian, and how he treats Dhani like his own son - but I also loved John -"

"You thought you loved John." Paul corrected. "Em, I think you just needed a change, and John came around at the right time... do you regret your... time with him?"

I shook my head and Paul's eyes widened. That hadn't been the answer that he had been expecting, clearly. "If I regretted John and me, then I wouldn't have Dhan, and I definitely don't regret him."

"Well take Dhani from it, then." Paul smiled at the baby before looking back up at me, "Em, do you regret leaving George for him? Do you regret all of the unhappiness? The tears?"

I was silent for several seconds, and then I whimpered, "yes..." I then regained my voice, "but not Dhani. I do not. Regret. Dhani." I had to make that very clear.

Paul nodded. "I know."

"Or Julian."

Paul nodded again, "I know... and you've done more for Jules than Cynthia ever did."

I nodded, "I know."

"Paul?" I looked around nervously at the sound of Jane's voice.

Paul bit his lip, "she was hoping to talk to you -"

"Me?" I echoed incredulously, "about what?"

"Emeraude." Jane came into the room as soon as I had finished my sentence, and I wondered if she had been outside the door listening. "Welcome."

"Uh, thanks?" I answered, turning to look at Paul, who shrugged at me and then continued to lavish his attention on the happy Dhani. Wherever that baby went, he was worshipped. By George, by me, and even Julian, and now by Paul.

Jane turned to Paul, "you didn't tell her, did you?"

"Tell me what?" I asked, feeling more and more like this was an ambush.

"Paul and I moved in together!" Jane squealed excitedly. I looked to my brother, who looked less than impressed with the way that Jane had told me the news, but he shrugged as if to say, you know what she's like.

I sighed. Moving in together. That was usually followed by an engagement, and then by a wedding and a baby afterwards.

It only hit me in that moment.

I was stuck with Jane Asher for the rest of my life.

Jane as my sister-in-law. Jane as the mother of my nieces and nephews. Jane as the wife of the brother that I was closest to. Jane. Jane. Jane.

"That's great -"

"Of course, I'm going home tonight to finish packing some of my things, but come tomorrow -"

I stopped listening to the annoying redhead, because I still had tonight with my brother.

"Well," I said, trying to imitate a cheery smile, "Dhani and I will be going now..." I took Dhani from Paul who gave me a kiss on the cheek and then I turned to Jane. It practically killed me to throw a, "nice to see you again, Jane," at her...

But that wasn't enough.

"Oh, Dhani!" She exclaimed fawning over my baby and practically snatching him from my arms. She cuddled and kissed and cooed at him, and I could tell from the way that Dhan was fidgeting that he was very uncomfortable with her.

I sighed and took Dhani from her forcibly, "yes, lovely, isn't he?"

"Absolutely!" She didn't seem to notice my hostility. She had completely changed her tune from when we had last met - she'd been with Cynthia, and had tried every which way possible to make me feel inferior.

"Well, George has got lunch on for us, so we best be going." Lie. "Happy birthday, Paul." I nodded at my brother, and then I looked at Jane, "Jane." And then I turned and walked out of there with Dhani, neglecting to take his pram back with me because I knew it would be fine at Paul's and I couldn't be bothered to push it home.