A/N: Hey guys! RAWRbbY here! Umm, so this is just a little ficlet to celebrate Ringo's birthday. Happy birthday Ringo! 71 already? I couldn't even tell! Virtual cake to you! Also to pay homage to A Hard Day's Night, the word Beatles is never mentioned here! Just look for it! But anyways, I hope you enjoy this short story. Nice and fluffy for you all. Keep an eye out for my John story coming out soon. I don't when yet, just soon. You know if you want to, but if you don't, then okay. *Sniffs* All right, talk to you later. Bye!
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It should have been a good birthday. Presents were coming by the sack load from fans all over the world. Ones that stood out to him were chocolates from Belgium (Which were delicious by the way,) an ukulele from Hawaii (He'd ask George how to play later,) and a bull's ring from Spain (he didn't know if that was supposed to be endearing or an insult.) Maureen baked him a red velvet cupcake with a single 24 candle to blow out when he woke up that morning. She also bought him a nice silver Rolex watch because he was always asking her for the time. The premiere for A Hard Day's Night and its reception from the fans the night before was a present in itself.
But it wasn't.
Maureen spotted her husband lying on their bed and staring up at the ceiling. He wore a sad expression while country music played quietly from the transistor radio he held in one hand. The other was occupied with a cigarette. "What are you up to?" She went to lie next to him. It was the middle of the day.
"Oh hi." Ringo scooted over to make room. "Nothing."
"It can't be nothing sweetheart. Nobody looks down when it's their birthday. They song doesn't go 'Sad birthday to you, sad birthday to you.'" She sang, hoping to get a smile out of him, but to no avail.
He sighed. "Did you know that none of the others have greeted me yet?"
"What?"
"The lads. They haven't greeted me yet." He took a drag from his cigarette.
"Oh." Maureen said quietly. Ever since Ringo joined the band last year, the four of them have become almost inseparable. In the last tour, hotels would give them the entire floor so they could have privacy. But then they all just ended up sitting in the bathroom just to be together. He once told her that growing up was pretty lonely because he was an only child. But now, it was like he had three new brothers. They were the guys who knew him best. Maureen in moved closer so she could rest her head on top of his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his middle. She knew how much a greeting from them meant to him. "Maybe they're not up yet? Or they're just busy?"
"You know, I even expected George to call first." Ringo shrugged. He gently moved her head off of him and sat up. "Whatever though, I'm not going to sit around and mope. It is my birthday."
"That's the spirit!" Maureen pumped her fist. He put out the cigarette in the ashtray and bent down to put on his shoes. He turned off the radio and set it back down on the bedside table. "Where are you going?"
Ringo headed for the door. "I think I'll go for a walk around the neighborhood, if that's okay?"
She nodded. "Yeah, go ahead, it's fine."
He didn't have to worry about walking around, out in the open. Their house was in a small gated community and the residents were nice enough to give him some privacy when he needed it. Every now and then, some fans, maybe five or four of them at a time, would group around him for pictures and autographs or just to chat. Ringo took them in graciously. It was a refreshing change from having an entire city run after the other boys and him. But everyone's seen him already. They've gotten used to him. Ringo was at ease as he headed out the door.
It was a great day for a walk. Not too hot to wear a suit but not too cold either for him to need a coat. It was the type of weather where the sun was shining but the air was a bit chilly. Birds chirped melodically nearby. Maureen's bed of flowers in the front yard was in full bloom. The streets were empty, except for the little girl in the middle of the street.
Wait, what?
She was just standing there, walking around in a circle, unaware of her surroundings. No one else was with her. It was the most peculiar sight. Ringo went over to her. "Hey." She didn't hear him. "Hey, uh, little girl?" She looked up at him innocently. Her green eyes blinked twice at the strange man with the long hair standing over her. The little girl didn't look more than four years old. Ringo bent down to her level. "Hi, I'm Ringo." He stuck his hand out to her and she shook it. But she just stared at him blankly. "What's your name?"
The little girl kept staring at him and shrugged.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
She shrugged again.
"Oh, I get it, you aren't talking ay?"
Another shrug.
"I see you aren't with anybody. Were you just walking around here by yourself?"
The little girl nodded. "Oh, no shrug this time?" He laughed. "Well you know it isn't safe for a little girl like you to go walking around by yourself. Someone could kidnap you!" Ringo said dramatically, making her gasp. He grabbed her by the shoulders and gently shook her for effect.
"Does your mum or dad know you've been walking around by yourself?" She shook her head. "That's not right. I bet they're worried sick. God knows I would be too if I lost my kid." He scolded her. "Here, I'll walk you home. It's a good thing I found you before anyone else did. Is that okay?" She nodded. "Okay then, lead the way."
The little girl giggled enthusiastically and took his hand. Ringo had to take bigger strides to keep up as she began skipping in front of him. To make the trip fun (again, it was his birthday) he did whatever she did. He hopped over rocks after her. He nearly bumped his head when he crawled inside a big crack in the wall. He hoped she was taking him to her house and not just playing around.
They soon came to an eggshell two-story house with a porch in the front. He looked down at the little girl who nodded. Ringo made for the front steps. "C'mon then. Let's go see your parents so they know you're safe." The little girl stayed planted in her spot. Ringo felt that tug when she didn't move. "Huh? Is no one home?" She shook her head and pointed towards the side of the house. "Oh are they out back?" She nodded again and led him around the house. There was a gate going into the backyard. Ringo watched as she hopped up and down, trying to reach for the high latch on the gate. "Let me get that for you, little lady." He easily unlatched the lock for her and opened the gate.
"Surprise!"
"Happy birthday Ringo!"
Ringo forgot about the little girl, who had left him and went amongst the crowd. All of his friends, piled into someone's backyard. Familiar faces smiled brightly at him. He could smell something nice cooking on the barbecue nearby. A picnic table was decorated with glitter with a standing picture of the celebrant in the middle. Off to the distance by an oak tree, the children, plus the little girl, played a different version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Instead of a donkey, it was a picture of him and instead of a tail, in was a paper ring with tape on the back. It all came in a blur and Ringo couldn't help but just stand and stare from the shock. People started crowding around him and showering him with hugs and wishes. There were so many people that he couldn't thank each of them individually, not that he could even register who was who at the time. He knew they were all family and friends, but he was still trying to figure out all of it.
"Hey give the birthday boy some room!" Ringo felt someone jerk him by the arm out of the crowd. He started laughing when he saw who pulled him out.
"Happy birthday to you, you smell like dog poo! Happy birthday dear Ringo, give a kiss for me too!" John sang loudly and blew a party horn blower in his face.
"For me?" Ringo almost whispered.
He felt Paul drape an arm around his shoulders. "Uh, yeah! Who else's birthday is it?" He stuck a party hat on his head and snapped the band.
"You didn't think we'd forget did you?" George sidled up next to him.
"Well uh…"
"I'm shocked you would ever think that of us." John said in a mock-hurt tone. "Of course we'd never forget your birthday Rings!"
Ringo opened up his arms, signaling for a hug. The guys happily squeezed him enough to explode. "Thanks guys. You're the best."
George patted him on the back. "Let's go blow out your candles already! The girls picked out a really nice cake." He pointed to a table next to the grill. Maureen and the other Beatle girls were placing candles on top a giant cake and talking animatedly. The boys made their way over to them.
Maureen grinned when she saw Ringo coming. "You knew about this too?"
She giggled. "Once I saw you and Cindy leave, I ran as fast as I could to beat you."
"Cindy?" The little girl named ran to next to Maureen and nuzzled into her side.
"She's my cousin. You've never met her before so I thought she was the perfect bait. The boys told me they needed help luring you in while they set up the party and they knew you weren't easily fooled." Maureen wrapped an arm around Cindy. "Good job Cindy. You get the second slice of cake after Ringo." Maureen tousled her hair and she ran off again.
"All right Ringo, time to blow out your candles!" Cynthia finished lighting the last one. "C'mon everyone! Time for cake." Everyone gathered around the birthday boy again and sang.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Ringo, happy birthday to you!"
"Go on then, make a wish." Paul said across the table.
Ringo looked around at the expectant faces while trying to figure out what to wish for. He smiled. I don't need to wish for anything. He heaved in one big breath and blew out the candles. Everyone cheered. John, Paul, and George each stuck their finger in the cake and smeared his face with it.
Because I'm pretty content with what I have now.