Great Expectations. - Now Complete

Chapter 7

George left her the following morning. She seemed happier, less tense. He had managed to persuade her to take some money from him, should any emergencies arise as well as put more money in  the meters. He had also given her the private number of Brian's PA so she could contact him should the need arise. Then, after one last kiss, he walked down the steps to the awaiting car.  He turned and they waved. Then he was gone.

Touring was still a bore. The lads were becoming increasingly disillusioned by the whole thing. They missed their famillies and friends too and had since banned Brian from arranging long tours for months on end, refusing to go.

"Writing to Alice?" Ringo asked George one evening, as they were sat trapped in their hotel room as usual.

Smiling. He nodded.

"You like her a lot then?"

He grinned at his friend. "I think I'm in love."

Ringo laughed. "Can't beat the love of a good woman George mate Tell us about her then."

"She's 21, soft brown curls, the deepest brown eyes you've ever seen. She's witty. Intelligent. She's perfect."

The two continued in silence for a while. Ringo reading and George writing to Alice.

"Ringo?"

"Mmmm."

"What's it like being a dad?"

Ringo put his book down and looked at his friend. "Being a dad? It's amazing! Going home and seeing Zak's face when he realises it's me. He's just started to say daddy and he's walking too!" He put his hand in his pocket and took out his wallet. In it were some photos which the proud dad shared with his friend.

"When Zak was born, what did it feel like when you held him for the first time?"

He watched as Ringo's face softened with the memory. "I was scared at first. I'd never held a baby, then when he was put into my arms something just took over me. This overwhelming feeling that I wanted to protect him, nurture him the best way I could. He was mine but he was me, if that makes sense."

George looked thoughtful. "Do you think that you would feel the same way if you hadn't been the father?"

"What's that meant to mean?"

"No, I'm not suggesting anything mate," he paused, "No, what I meant was if you loved someone who was having a baby but you weren't the biological father, do you think it would change how you would feel if that child was handed to you straight after birth like Zak was?"

Ringo's almost immediate answer surprised George. "For me, I would say no. If you meet and fall in love with someone who is carrying a child by another man then that person must be pretty special. Let's face it, I can't imagine many men would do it. For me, knowing that this tiny living being, this person that has just emerged from the woman you love, who helped put it there is incidental. There's more to fatherhood than putting the sperm there George. Being a father is the one who wakes up and feeds them even though you're so knackered you're half dead. The one that goes mad with pride after the first smile, the first word, the first step. Look at the way Harry was with me when he married mum and took me on as his. Perfect example."

"Could you do it, do you think? Take on another man's child even before it was born."

"I'd like to think I could. I'd like to think I'm a good enough man to do that. Why?"

"Do you think though, you would love that child any differently if you and the mother then went on to have children together?"

Ringo looked at George. "You mean, would you love your natural child more than what is technically a step child even though you had cared for it from birth?"