Oh, My Love [Beatles Imagines]

• RINGO

IMAGINE #5 : RINGO STARR

FOR aaronsjudge

Maddie was a mess. Her relationship of two years with Ringo had ended. The past two weeks since Ringo had left to tour in America had been hell. Maddie repeatedly wanted to pick up the telephone and call Ringo. She wanted to ask him to get together again. Each time Maddie found the energy to get up and dial the telephone, she stopped.

What was she doing? There was a reason their relationship had ended. The distance between them was horrible. Timezones were horrible. Ringo missed birthdays, and anniversaries. He missed important milestones Maddie was reaching. It was sad and disappointing. Not to mention Maddie wouldn't be able to have a normal life if she stayed with Ringo. Staying with him meant being recognized, it meant Ringo would have to be away if they got married and had kids.

So yes, Maddie was heartbroken. Yes, it was almost impossible to get out of bed every morning and get ready to go to work. But Maddie did it anyway, because life had to go on. It had to. After two weeks, she began to feel some sense of normalcy make its way back to her life.

She called up her good friend and went out for a cup of tea. They ordered some English muffins and spread jam over it. Her friend took a bite first, "how are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Maddie replied. She was used to giving everyone that response the last couple of days, even when she was on the verge of tears. But she felt better now. Her heart ached, but no tears came.

"I'm glad you're doing better," she said. "Do you mind if I ask Ringo out?" Maddie looked up from her cup of tea, looking at her friend. After a moment, her face broke into a smile.

"Come on!" Maddie laughed.

When Maddie got back home after work that afternoon, she was starving. She eat a chocolate bar as she unlocked the front door. The telephone was ringing, so she quickly threw her bag on the couch and ran towards the ringing device.

"Hmm?" She managed to say. Her mouth was full of chocolate and she wanted to savor it. The person at the other end had to understand.

"Maddie?" The voice at the other end said. George, Maddie thought, it sounds like George. "It's me George!"

"Oh hello," Maddie swallowed.

"Were you eating?"

"Yes," Maddie coughed, the chocolate getting stuck in her throat. She reached for a cup of water. "George is everything—"

"I recognize that hmm, sound all too well Mads," George said. Maddie agreed, when wasn't his face always stuffed with food? "Everything is alright."

George was lying.

Things were in fact, not alright.

"Oh," Maddie felt relieved. She'd half expected the call to be bad news, she was glad it wasn't.

"Is what I would like to say. But Maddie, things are in fact, not alright," he said. Maddie felt her heartbeat quicken. "Ringo is miserable without you. He told us about the breakup, how you both agreed it was best. Mads, he can barely keep it together."