Young Blood

Chapter Nineteen

 When I awoke, I was still in Ritchie’s arms. I felt a deep breathing pattern from him and his breath on my neck, shuddering slightly at how it felt. His breathing was warm and it felt nice, almost happy to know that someone just as complex as yourself was asleep and at peace beside you.

  I wanted to roll over, but I didn’t want to wake Ritchie. The sky was dark now, but there was a tiny glowing lantern above us. Ritchie must have lit it while I was asleep. How long was I out for?

  It must have been about eight o’clock. I had slept for ten hours at least. There was no way it could be this dark and before seven o’clock. It had to be at least seven. Or was it? I didn’t know. My head was spinning, my vision blurred. What did I do last night?

  “George?” I heard Ritchie’s familiar voice ask. “Are you awake?”

  “Yeah,” I smiled, rolling over. I pecked his lips, still smiling.

  “I dreamt of you,” he said. “I know that sounds cheesy, but I really did.”

  “Oh?” I raised an eyebrow. “What did you dream of?”

  I could barely see his big, blue eyes in the terrible lighting but from what I could see, his eyes were smiling. “We were here, in the meadow. But the gazebo had no roof, it was just open air. We were cuddling and kissing and then..” he looked down, a little depressed.

  “Then what?”

  “You asked me to marry you.”

  “Ritchie, I..” I looked him in the eyes and placed my hand on his forearm, pecking his lips. “I want to marry you.”

  “I want to marry you too. But we can’t, George.”

  “What if it was secret?”

  Ritchie paused in consideration. “I don’t know. I think they check your job. If they saw I was a teacher and you were a student they’d be enraged. Not to mention the fact that we’re queer.” He chuckled.

  “It’s legal,” I said, brushing some of his hair out of his face. “In Spain. I read it in the papers.”

  “George…” Ritchie sighed. “Don’t get your hopes up. We’ll never have enough money to go to Spain. I’m sorry, luv.” He frowned and leaned in to kiss me, but I rejected it.

  “We don’t have to get officially married,” I said, trying to keep on the positive side. “We can get married in spirit.”

  Ritchie paused once more, thinking to consider it. He was taking too long, and I was growing impatient. Then I remembered:  I still had the ring in my pocket. I had bought it the other day and kept it with me since then.

  I pulled the ring out and held it between Ritchie and I. “Ritchie.. I know we haven’t know each other for too long, but..” Ritchie’s eyes were full of tears, “I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  Ritchie looked at me like a sad puppy. His eyes were big, and his lip was quivering. He wasn’t sad though. He was crying tears of joy. “Yes.”

  I leaned in and hugged him as tight as I could. He squeezed me back and I could feel tears dripping from my eyes as well. “I love you.”

  “I love you too,” he smiled, kissing me for a long time. We eventually pulled away and stared at each other for what felt like forever. It was incredible.

  I placed the ring on Ritchie’s ring finger and looked into his eyes. “Do you, Richard Starkey, take me as your lawfully wedded husband?”

  Ritchie laughed. “Yes. Yes I do.” He cleared his throat. “And do you, George Harrison, take me as your lawfully wedded… husband?” He laughed again.