Roxan ~ In My Life with the Beatles

25

2 days til liftoff 3rd June 1964

The phone had rung 4 or 5 times, it's the middle of the night let me sleep would ya. I put the pillow over my head only to hear the phone, muffled this time, ring a 6th time. OK, OK hold your horses.

" 'Ello. This better be important "

"Rox it's Maureen. You need to come quick Richie is ever so sick. We are down at University College Hospital. I don't know what to do." Maureen bawled down the line.

"I'm leaving right now huny!" I hung up the phone receiver, tossed some capri pants and knit sweater on, then dashed to the street. Grabbing a cab was not too hard as one always sat on the corner waiting for nearby fares. I ran fingers through my hair to control the mop it had become from sleeping.

As I approached the desk, I spotted Brian up ahead pushing Paul, John and George into a room; I sped after them.

"Hey!! Where's... Maureen, oh huny" I ran to Maureen, she was a mess, mascara all over from crying and her hair was everywhere, not Maureen's' usual fine 'do. I gave her a hug but before I could ask what was wrong a doctor walked in, a clipboard pinned at his side, held under his arm.

"Mrs Starkey? Oh, yes there you are. Shall we step outside and talk privately." Maureen, shaking with distress, replied in the negative. She was staying put beside me.

"Well we have been doing some tests, given Richard some medicine to try and calm the fever, he also was given a tepid bath" George sniggered at the bath bit and Paul nudged him in the side. The Doctor continued on " It looks like the lad is stricken with a high-grade fever, and you did well calling the ambulance and getting him in straight away after he collapsed."

We all took in the information. Each one of us wanting to ask questions but too afraid of the answers. Brian stepped up.

"Hello, Brian Epstein. I am manager and good friend of Richard's, may I pose some questions to you as you can see, Maureen is in no state." I hugged Maur again giving her hand a squeeze. The doctor, looking for Maureen's approval, then nodded consent.

"How serious? Can he be released tomorrow? Can we see him?" Brian didn't dally he cut straight to the important questions.

"Serious, but he is stable" the stony-faced doctor looked at each of us while speaking "I envisage him being in hospital a minimum of a week to 10 days and yes 2 visitor's maximum at a time. Right, must do rounds now if there isn't anything else you needed to know?" Brian motioned there were no more questions, and with that, the doctor turned on his heel and exited the, now deathly, silent room.

"Maureen, Rox go in and see the lad eh" Brian pro-offered. I led Maureen out of the room we held hands and looked in on our Rich. He was asleep but looked so tiny in the bed, his skin was greyish like the life was being drained out of him, I stayed a bit and whispered get well soon to him then gave him a kiss on the forehead I then hugged Maureen telling her I would be outside. She needed to sit with him now. I just remembered him in hospital all those other times when he was younger and shuddered, hugging myself as I wandered back to the waiting room.

"He'll be right. Good ol rings, hard as nails our lad. Up and around in no time I say" John optimistically spoke up. Making most everyone agree.

"We'll have to cancel the tour" George piped up.

"Can't do that Georgie, its set-in contracts and reams of documents, isn't Brian?" Paul wished he wasn't right but guessed correct.

"Um. Yes. Yes- it is, unfortunately" Brian slumped on the nearest plastic chair his mind turning over. His well laid, meticulous plans were starting to unravel rather dangerously.