Parenting Paul

Chapter 32: Grow Up!

Meanwhile, at Jim's house, Paul was biting his fingernails and peeling the flaking skin off with anxiousness as he listened to the phone trilling. "It's gonna be okay son, you're doing what's best for the child." Jimmy encouraged as Paul turned to him swiftly with his eyes glistening their hazelnut innocence at him. "Hello this is United Kingdom Social Care Services. How may I direct your call?" The phone soon asked politely as Paul faced himself back towards the phone's wall restraints. "Yes, um...errm, I would like to report that I've found a missing child...." Paul soon answered as Jimmy watched him from the table with worry. "A missing child? Could you further elaborate? How old is the child? Where did you find them? Are they showing signs of abuse and/or neglect?" The phone asked the voice, seemingly very distressed and concerned.

"Um, yeah...um...she's about 5, she was dropped off at my door, y'know my apartment door.....and no she doesn't seem like she's been abused, she's got clean clothes...." Paul explained nervously as he began to rip the skin off his thumb. "Well sir, child abuse can mean numerous things...like malnourishment, and even darker subject areas we don't need to necessarily go into...." The phone explained as Paul nodded as Jim walked up behind him so he could listen. "No, no she's just lost, I don't see any signs of that at all...listen, she was dropped off at my door a few days ago, and I'd like her to be returned to her parents if possible...." Paul tried to reassure the worker as they voiced understanding of the situation. "I see, well did the child mention where they might live? Can you describe the person who dropped her off at your door?" The worker asked kindly as Paul attempted to collect his thoughts.

"I think the person who dropped her off was her grandfather.....and she mentioned something about being from New York City..." Paul answered softly as Jimmy's eyes widened in dumbfounded disbelief, "Alright sir, could you give me one moment?" The worker asked, their voice still deeply confused and troubled by the situation. Paul soon removed the phone from his ear while the phone trilled once more, and as he watched Jimmy pace around the kitchen. "Good lord! You didn't mention that the person who dropped her off at your apartment was her grandfather?! I mean what the bloody hell!?" Jimmy asked as Paul remained frozen listening to the phone trilling endlessly. As the men remained locked in silence the front door suddenly swung open violently  as Ruth ran inside of the house whilst crying. "Daddy!! Paulie! Help me!!" Ruth cried hysterically as the two men turned to the commotion of Ruth trying to get their attention.

"What's the problem Ruth?" Jimmy asked as he cleared his throat and Ruth tried to catch her breath. "Heather and I walked to the playground at my school.....we were playing with my friends Bobbi-Anne, Randall and Margaret....but then Bobbi-Anne began teasing Heather for being new here, and then....Heather threw wood chips at Bobbi-Anne....and then ran away!!"  Ruth continued on with panic as Jimmy looked at Paul,  "Now what do we do?!" Paul asked with worry as he watched Jimmy pick Ruth up and off the floor. "Finish the phone call, then go out and find Heather.....she couldn't have gone far...." Jimmy soon responded as Paul noticed the phone had stopped trilling. "Sir, are you still there?" The worker soon asked as Paul cleared his throat and Jimmy walked up closer so he could hear again, with Ruth resting her head on his shoulder. "Yes, I'm here... " Paul answered as he looked at his father and little sister with worry.

"Alright, could you please give me your name and address?" The worker asked as Paul nodded slowly and faced the phone again, as he sighed. "My name is James Paul McCartney, and I live at 634 Cavendish Avenue near St, John's Wood in England, United Kingdom." Paul answered as the worker listened intently to his answers, but then became silent for longer than Paul expected. "Wait, you're not Paul McCartney of The Beatles, are you?" the worker asked as Paul sighed with annoyance. "Yes, I am...but what does that matter?" Paul asked as Jimmy rolled his eyes as he listened to the conversation with frustration. "Well, my records indicate Mr. McCartney that someone had requested that you speak to our adoption/foster care branch.....about potentially adopting their daughter named Heather Louise See..." the worker explained as Paul's eyes widened with shock. "Who would do that? I don't have the time for raising a child?!" Paul argued as the worker vocalized understanding. "The records show that the request was made by someone named Linda Louise Eastman, who is the biological mother of the child....she also claimed that you both are currently in a committed relationship and expecting a child together within the next several months..." the worker informed him as he listened speechlessly.

"We were actually gonna call you later this week to discuss official adoption arrangements, but it sounds as though you're not interested in being involved with Heather's care...is that correct?" The worker asked as Paul remained silent and turned toward his father again with uncertainty in his eyes, bottling up, with a bombardment of tears, while Ruth watched with innocent concern. "Um, I care about Heather....but, I'm not really able to care for her, y'know, the way that she needs to be....at least I can't without the help of her mother..." Paul answered as he sighed deeply and Jimmy walked away to take Ruth to another room. "Alright, would you like someone from social services to come collect the child? We can do that sometime in the following weeks...if that's what you want...the choice is yours Mr. McCartney..." the worker offered as Paul nodded again trying to collect himself whilst Jimmy returned to the kitchen. Paul thought for a moment, trying to process everything he had been told, while Jimmy placed his comforting hand on Paul's back. "Yes...I would like it if you could do so......" Paul replied softly as he sniffed trying to prevent the tears from rolling down his cheeks. "Of course Mr.McCartney, we're terribly sorry for all of the trouble this has caused for you, we shall have someone at your apartment to collect the child within 14 business days, thanks for your cooperation with us, it's much appreciated, and congratulations on being a father yourself." Then worker said as they hung up, while Paul face palmed, and Jimmy began to pace around again.

"Who on earth is Linda Eastman? Do you know her?" Jimmy asked as Paul nodded with guilt, and Jimmy stopped his pacing around, "Yes dad, I know her, she's an American photographer....." Paul began his answer as Jimmy studied him, "But I've known her for almost two years now, and I don't see her ever doing anything with any ill intentions whatsoever..." Paul explained as Jimmy sighed trying to calm himself down. "I didn't mean that way, all I meant is, who is this person? Why would she claim that she's expecting your child?" Jimmy asked as Paul bit his lip and looked away with embarrassment. "Because....um...because....she erm, might be?" Paul answered weakly as Jimmy stared at him blankly. "What the bloody hell does that mean?!" Jimmy asked with even more confusion as Paul slammed the phone onto the holder. "WE HAD SEX !!!!!!" Paul soon screamed as Ruth peaked out from the wall that separated the kitchen from the living room.

The two men then stood in the kitchen with their tempers raised to the boiling point, whilst Ruth watched innocently as she eavesdropped on the conversation. "We had sex in my apartment last time she was in London, it was beautiful and I hadn't ever felt so intimate, valued, loved and cared for by anyone like that before! It was...it was as if it were....magical ...." Paul gushed as Jimmy rolled his eyes at Paul's lack of intelligence nor respect  regarding the severity of the matter. "We also had sex when we were on Mal's yacht that one time...." Paul then added in thoughtlessly as Jimmy shook his head. "Paul, it doesn't matter when you did it, what matters is there's TWO young children who need you to get your life together and grow up!!" Jimmy scolded as Paul looked down with shame. "You've got Heather, an impressionable and very vulnerable young child who's run off! You've also got another one on the way, and if this Linda is how you're describing her, she's gonna return here someday, and she's gonna expect you to get off your arse, and help her raise and manage the children, together as a team! That's how it worked with me and your mother, and it's how it works with Angela now while raising Ruth, that's what parenting is!" Jimmy explained as Paul nodded with understanding, he then looked up at the wall where there was an old framed picture of himself, brother Michael, his father Jimmy and their mother Mary McCartney together at the Liverpool Downtown Market square.

"You're right, you're absolutely right dad, I can't act like some good for nothing wanker! Mum would expect hella more out of me!" Paul sniffed as Jimmy nodded, and sniffed as well. "Your mother didn't just expect things out of you boys, she KNEW you could tackle anything, anything that came into your life, she believed in you and your brother more than anything else, so much, even I can't even comprehend it." Jimmy encouraged as Paul nodded and Ruth wandered back into the kitchen excitedly. "You can do it Paul! I know you can, you're the only person I know who can jump on one foot while playing hopscotch, not even Bobbi-Anne Barington can do that!! Anyone who can do that, man, they must be special!" Ruth added in as Paul laughed weakly as Ruth smiled back at him.