All You Need Is Love

Where's Daddy?

YEAR: 1965

It was the middle of July and the boys new movie, Help! was coming out.
"Hey, are ye comin to the premier?"
"When is it?" I asked Cynthia.
"Tonight."
"No,"
"Why not?"
"Cause, Paul and Linda will be there."
"Mich, yer gonna have to see him again."
"I know," I said while picking Mary up from her highchair.
"When are gettin the divorce papers?"
"I'm pickin them up today."
"Are ye scared?"
"Of course, I don't want Paul to take the kids!"
"Ye do realize that-"
"That Pauls probably gonna get Heather cause he's with Linda."
"And Mary too."
"Why Mary?"
"The court often gives the kids to couples."
"Oh my god, this can't be happenin."
I began crying with Mary in my arms and Heather sitting next to me.
"Don't cry mummy!" Heather said as she climbed onto my chair.
"Thank ye darlin." I kissed her forehead.
"Where's daddy?"
I looked to Cynthia with a worried face.
"Yer daddy?" Cynthia said as she took Heather off the chair and into her lap, "yer daddy is on vacation, in London. He's with his mates."
"When will daddy back?"
"When will yer daddy be back?" Cynthia asked. Heather nodded. "Soon baby, soon."

A few more months past and before I knew it, it was my 23rd birthday, and I was spending it with the people I love. Lucy, Cynthia, Pattie, Jude, Heather and Mary.
"So, have ye met with Paul yet?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah, he just needs to sign the divorce papers."
"Are ye scared?" Jude asked.
"A little."
"You'll be fine," Jude reassured me.
"Ye don't know that! What if the court says that he gets the kids!"
Everyone became silent.
"When are ye meetin him?" Pattie asked in a chipper voice.
"Tomorrow, when the tour ends."
"Where?"
"Coffee shop up the street."
"Are the kids comin?"
"No, I don't want Heather gettin attached again. Jude will ye please take her and Mary?"
"Of course."
"Thank ye. So Pattie yer gettin married in two months?"
"Yes, I'm very excited! Jude, are ye and Eric doin?"
"Very well, thank ye for askin!"
Pattie gave Jude a kind smile and Jude returned it with a cold stare.
We all sat there and talked for another few hours, then there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," I said as I stood up from the table, Mary in hand. I opened the door and looked around. "Hello?" I walked outside and my foot hit a package. I picked it up and brought it inside.
"What is it Mich?" Lucy asked.
"A package," I chuckled.
I set Mary down in her play pen and walked back to the table.
"Well, open it!" Lucy shouted.
"Fine!"
I grabbed a knife, cut the tape, and opened the box.
"Look," Pattie said, "a note."
I began to read.
To my belle, happy birthday
"Who's it from?" Cynthia asked.
"Doesn't say," I kept flipping the paper, searching for a name.
"Let me see," Jude snatched the paper from my hands and immediately she knew, it was from Paul.
"Well?"
"I dunno," she lied.
"What's in the box?" Cynthia asked.
"A 45."
"Play it!" I set it down on the table and leaned back in my chair. "Michelle, please play it! I wanna know what songs are on it!"
"No,"
"Then I'll play it!"
Cynthia picked up the 45 and put it in the record player in the kitchen. All the girls, except for Jude, immediately recognized the song.

Michelle, ma belle
These are words that go together well
My Michelle

Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

I love you, I love you, I love you
That's all I want to say
Until I find a way
I will say the only words I know that
You'll understand

Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

I need to, I need to, I need to
I need to make you see
Oh, what you mean to me
Until I do I'm hoping you will
Know what I mean

I love you

I want you, I want you, I want you
I think you know by now
I'll get to you somehow
Until I do I'm telling you so
You'll understand

Michelle, ma belle
Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble
Tres bien ensemble

I will say the only words I know
That you'll understand, my Michelle

When the song faded out all the girls looked to me, with happy tears running down their faces.
"See Mich, he misses ye!"
"Michelle, John didn't want me tellin ye this but,"
"But what?"
"He left Linda the moment he saw ye in London. He doesn't want a divorce! And I'm sure ye don't either!"
I was silent, sitting in my chair, arms folded, and silently crying.
"Michelle," Jude said, kneeling down next to me, "go to him tomorrow, with the papers, rip them up, and forgive him."
"I will," I gave Jude a hug, "thank ye, I love ye."
"I love ye too. I'm always here."
"I know."

The next morning I got the kids all dressed and 'prettied' myself up for Paul. Jude spent the night so she could help me get the kids ready in the morning.
"Mummy," Heather said.
"Yes darlin?"
"Where are we goin?"
"We're goin out for breakfast."
"Ok,"
Heather seemed disappointed, she really wants to see Paul again. I carried Mary to the car and placed her in her little car seat right next to Heather.
"Mummy where's daddy?"
"He's still on vacation."
"Oh,"
As I was driving, Jude leaned over and asked me a question.
"Why won't ye tell 'er we're meetin Paul?"
"I don't wanna get 'er hopes up. What if he doesn't show?"
"He'll show." Jude looked out the window. "We're here," she smiled. "Are ye ready?"
"More than I'll ever be."
"Then what are ye waitin for?" She continued smiling.

I grabbed Mary and held Heathers hand as we walked into the shop. I could see Paul, sitting alone in a corner, trying to hide from fans. He was covering his face with a newspaper, but I'd notice his bowl cut anywhere. Jude grabbed a high chair and walked to Paul's table and set it down. I set Mary down, Paul was still 'reading' the paper.
"Please go away, I'm not signin anythin."
Heather immediately recognized his voice and ran to him.
"DADDY!" She yelled. Paul lowered his newspaper and caught Heather in his arms. "I miss ye!"
"I missed ye too!" He was crying tears of joy as he held his little girl in his arms. "Where's mummy?" Paul asked.
"I'm right here," I said awkwardly.
Paul set down Heather and gave me a big bear hug.
"I missed ye so much," he began sobbing in the crook of my neck. "Can ye ever forgive me?"
"Do ye wanna know a secret?" He laughed and nodded. "Yes, I can."
"I left Linda-"
"I know, Cynthia told me."
"I missed ye so, so, so much." He bent down to Heather and Mary's sizes, "and I missed ye two even more."
"I MISS YE DADDY!" She tackled him and wouldn't let go from her hug.
"I missed ye too!" He continued crying.
After the love fest we sat down and had breakfast. Paul refused to let go of my hand. He began humming I Wanna Hold Your Hand.
"I loved my song."
"Good, I'm glad. And Michelle, I meant every word."
"I know."
He ran his thumb across my hand.
"Where's yer ring?"
"Oh, I forgot I took it off."
"Ye took it off?"
"Yeah, I was mad, but now, that I'm happy again, I feel naked without it."
"Its alright, I took mine off for a while too," he chuckled. "Michelle, ma belle,"
"No Paul, don't start," I chuckled and hid my face.
"I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say, until I find away." He smiled and stopped singing.
"I need to, I need to, I need to," I continued, "I need to make you see, what you mean to me."
Then we sang together, "I want you, I want you, I want you, I think you know by now, I'll get to you somehow." I stopped and chuckled, but Paul continued.
"Michelle, ma belle, Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, Tres bien ensemble, I will say the only words I know, That you'll understand," he took a deep breathe, "my Michelle."