Stop Crying Your Heart Out - McLennon AU

4.

14th April, 1963

After a few more seconds of staring at the sleeping baby, Paul flopped down onto the sofa, in hopes of being able to gather his thoughts.

But that hope was soon gone, as he'd felt a piece of what he guessed was paper, dig into his leg.

"Ah." He cursed to himself quietly, feeling it poke into his leg. "What the..."

When he grabbed the paper, he saw a note from the music place John worked at. Paul's heart sunk once again as he read the notice.

Dear Mr Lennon,

We understand your request at this time, however, after looking into your cause have decided in having to deny it.

We understand that you may need longer than what the normal paternity leave may grant you: '3 weeks' away from work, however your request of 6 months off from work, with pay, can not be granted.

This is only granted to women who are able to take maternity leave after giving birth. We do apologise, but the company is not able to go through with this request.

You are still able to have 6 months off, however pay will not continue after 3 weeks.

If you have any problems with this notice, please ring the following number below:

08367 267296

~Allerton Music Department

Paul was in shock at what he had just read.

"Those bastards." He whispered to himself, mouth hung wide open as he re-read the letter.

John was going through a lot of shit right now as it was, having to learn how to raise a baby basically on his own and having just lost his own wife, and the poor man was already having to worry about money problems.

Paul wanted to cry for him, but the sadness he felt for John was soon wiped away with anger. He read over the number at the bottom of the letter once again, contemplating weather to call it or not.

He knew John wouldn't have done it already. The man would probably have just sighed at the letter, letting it fall from his hands and land wherever it pleased. But Paul wasn't going to stand for it.

No. John needed longer than 3 weeks with his son, and he needed money too. Paul wasn't going to give up until he got it.

The man looked once again over the basket, smiling at the sleeping baby infront of him, before heading straight for the telephone in the corner of the room. The letter remained grasped in his hand.

"Hello, this is the Allerton Music Department. Who is this speaking?" A female voice asked from the other end.

"Hello there. My name is Paul, I am here about a letter my friend John Lennon received recently."

"Oh." Said the voice from the other end. She obviously knew what Paul was about to say, John wasn't just a person who worked for them, the story of Cynthia's death was all over the local times too. "Is this regarding the 6 months of Maternity pay that we have denied your friend?"

"Well yes, yes it is." Paul's pissed off voice returned. "I have just read the letter for myself, and I think it's unbelievable."

"Sir, I understand what you're saying."

"I haven't said what I have to yet." She quickly quietened. "What I was about to say was that my friend has been going through an extremely rough time recently. But I won't go to much into it, because I'm sure you read the newspapers anyway, correct?"

"Yes... Yes I have sir."

"Exactly. You know what my friend has been through, yet you're still sayin' that he should only get 3 weeks off with pay? He's barely been sleepin', and he's only left the house once in the last four days! He's in no condition to return to work and he needs money."

"Okay, I get what you're sayin', believe me I do... But maternity pay can only be granted to women, the mother of the child."

"But he's a single father, a strugglin' single father. The mother of the child is no longer on the scene, you know that. Just because he isn't a woman and didn't give birth, doesn't mean he isn't lookin' after a child." Paul tried to stay quiet, remembering that the baby was sleeping.

"Sir, I have indeed read the story about Mr Lennon, and I think it's awful what has happened to him and his family, everyone here does, but we just can't allow him 6 months away from work with pay. He can still remain off work if he needs it, but being payed after 3 weeks is just not possible."

"Well what do you expect him to do then?" Paul asked, an accusing tone. "Leave his three week old baby at home alone?"

"There are all sorts of benefits that have come in recently, your friend is entitled to many of them."

"Benefits?" He asked, appalled at the word.

"I know that word sounds bad, sir, but it really isn't. Some people do need an extra hand, and in this case it's clear your friend does."

Paul took a moment to gather himself up, knowing that he wasn't winning this situation.

"Well... Do you have some sort of list of the ones he's entitled to?"

"Yes, we can deliver you a list via the post."

"Fine." He sighed in the end. "But just know, I'm not satisfied with this outcome."

"I know." He heard her sigh back.

Paul placed the phone back in the holder, running a hand through his hair in stress. He knew John wouldn't be happy about this in the slightest either.

Now he had to think about how he was going to tell him.