CHAPTER ONE:
George Harrison, at the age of 17, had a girlfriend. She was called Annabelle. She had long, curly, bright red hair, green eyes and freckles. He loved her very much, but when George's band went to Hamburg, Germany they were forced to break up. Annabelle could barely live without George, so she went to see him in Hamburg. They ended up spending the night together. Neither of them thought of the consequences that could follow their actions, but they missed each other too much to care. They loved each other, but George refused to get back together for fears of being unfaithful to her. Her understood perfectly, but she heartbroken all the same.

Now, George Harrison, at the age of 21, just received a letter, one that broke his heart all over again. It was from someone George hadn't spoken to in ages. Since he was a teenager at the very least. It was from Mrs. Richards, Annabelle's mother. Of course he's received letters from Annabelle sometimes, but they were always happy and exciting. But now, all he wanted to do was sit down and cry for days. It dropped the letter on the counter and went to the phone. He was calling Brian, he needed to talk to Brian. It was more important than anything that he got a hold of his band manager. He reread the letter as the phone rang.

Dear George,

I write this letter to you because I have no other way to tell you. It would be inappropriate to call and I don't have your phone number in the first place. I would rather this be done in person, but I don't know where you are nor how to get to you. I'm writing to tell you because you need to know. I know she meant a great deal to you and though you refused to give her the love she deserved, you need to know. My daughter, Annabelle has been very sick, and I know she wrote to you often, but I'm nearly positive she never told you. But now, she's passed away, and I'm dreadfully sorry to be the one to let you know. Especially in this way. Just know that she loved you more than anyone else. She never married and she often talked about you and how much she missed you.
This isn't all I wanted to tell you, George. There's something else. Something I know for a fact that Annabelle didn't tell you. She came home from Hamburg more heartbroken than she'd been in a long time. You broke her heart, but she soon got over it. But George, that's not what I'm trying to get to you. You are the only one Annabelle was ever with. Like I said, she never married and we tried to get her with a nice young man every now and again, but no one ever measured up to you. We found out six weeks after Annabelle got home from Hamburg that she was expecting. You have a little girl named Maria Bethany. Annabelle didn't tell you because of your career and she didn't want it to affect anything with your future. I'm telling you this now because you have the right to know, and because I don't have any idea what to do with her now that her mother's gone. She's only three years old, soon to be four in April, and she doesn't quite understand what's happened to her mother. I'm getting much too old to look after a child and I feel you're the only other option I could think of.
Please consider taking her in. She is your child. I completely understand if you can't take her in, but I just want you to know her alternative is an orphanage or a life time of boarding schools. Either will make her miserable and I'd hate for the little thing to be miserable.
Think it over.
Francis Richards

George tapped his foot and read the bit about having a little girl over and over. How could Annabelle not tell him about having a daughter? He was no doubt going to take her in. She was his child and his responsibility, and he would have taken much better care of her is Annabelle had told him. He wasn't going to let the pour little thing be sent off to an orphanage or boarding school because of him.

"Hello?" Brian asked lazily into the phone. He'd clearly had a long day and George suddenly seemed to forget how to speak, "Hello? Come on then I don't have all day!"

"Oh, uh, Brian there's something important I need to talk to you about and it's a bit shocking." George said grinning as he found a photo in the envelope the letter came in or Annabelle and a little toddler George assumed was Maria.

"What's it about George?" Brian asked with a sigh, "What have you done now?"

"Oh don't act like I'm the one causing trouble all the time," George said with a chuckle, "Just promise not to be too cross with me? It did happen a while ago and I'm only just learning about it all."

Brian sighed over the line, "Fine George, but tell me tomorrow." he said, "I've already had to deal with John today and you can imagine what that was like. Meet me in my office tomorrow morning and then we'll talk."

"Thanks a lot Brian," George said, still smiling, "See you tomorrow." George hung up the phone and looked at the letter. He couldn't believe his lovely Annabelle was gone. On a happier side he could barely believe he had a little girl.

He suddenly wished he'd gotten back in direct contact with Annabelle. He would have met Maria so much sooner, and he would have been able to see Annabelle before she-

George stopped the sad thoughts that ran through his mind, but he couldn't do it for very long. As he sat on the couch, his heart ached and he finally bursted into tears. He had a hard time controlling himself for nearly an hour. He didn't care how loud he was and he didn't care if he ever stopped. He didn't realize just how much he loved Annabelle until then, and by then she was gone forever. His head started to ache after the long period of sobbing, and at that very moment, he vowed to take care of Maria no matter what Brian said. He didn't care how it effected his carrier and he didn't care what the others thought about it.

There was a sudden knock on the door and George rubbed the tear streaks from his face and walked to the door. He pulled it open and saw his newest female interest, Pattie standing there. Her eyes got wide when she saw George and she embraced him.

"George, what's wrong?" she asked as she led him to the couch. He had no idea how to tell her so he shook his head. She saw the letter on the coffee table and picked it up. George let her read it and when she was finished, she had a look of pure anger in her eyes.

"Who's this Annabelle?" she asked angrily.

"Pattie please," George said in a small voice, "It was a long time ago and-"

"George this says that you care a great deal about her." Pattie said.

"Well she's gone now so you have nothing to worry about do you!?" George asked getting angry at her.

"Well what about this kid, Maria?" Pattie asked getting up from the couch, "What are you planning to do about her?"

"I'm planning on taking her in." George said glaring at her. She was acting like George had kept this hidden from her for months, Ï've only just found out, Pattie! It's not like I've been hiding this!"

"I never said you were!" Pattie retorted, "Why're you taking it in?"

George scowled, "She's not an 'it', Pattie! She's a child; she's my child! I plan to take her in because she deserves a home and it's my job to give her that!"

"But you didn't even know about her until now!" Pattie said, "What if you pretend you didn't see the letter and move on with your life?" George shook his head.

"No Pattie, I can't do that!" George said standing up from the couch, "She's my daughter and whether you like it or not, I loved her Mum! I always did! I can't tell you the reason behind us not being together, because I don't even know why, but Pattie I owe it to Maria to at least take care of her."

"Are you really blaming yourself for what happened to her Mother?" Pattie asked, "It's not your job to take care of some kid!"

"Again, Pattie, she's not some kid!" George said, "She's my kid! She's mine!"

"Well what if you can't give her what she needs?" Pattie asked becoming frustrated.

"I can at least try and give her the things I didn't give her Mum." George said, "Her mother wrote to me every week. I barely noticed when the letters stopped. But she never mentioned that she was sick, nor that I had a daughter."

"Well maybe she mentioned it and you just forgot." Pattie said putting her hands through her hair. George shook his head.

"No, I wouldn't forget something like that." he said seriously, "Why're you trying to keep me from Maria?" He looked at Pattie with an equally as serious expression.

"I'm not," she said shrugging, "I just-"

"Pattie, I think it's time you went home." George said. Pattie shook her head, "Pattie, I just found out the only girl I ever really loved is gone, and now I have to figure out what to do with the child that she had! I need to think, and you trying to talk me out of taking in my own daughter!" Pattie had tears in her eyes as she walked toward the door.

"Think about what you just said George," she said quickly, "The only girl you ever loved? What about me?" George shook his head and turned away from her. He was slightly startled by the slamming of his front door, but he didn't care. He was tired from yelling and crying.

"How do you know this child's yours?" Brian asked rubbing his brow seriously. George pulled the photo out of his pocket and showed it to Brian. It was obvious the toddler was his. Brian nodded and took in a deep breath, "And I'm guessing there's nothing I can say to convince you not to take her?" George nodded and waited for Brian's final verdict. After a long time of silence George shuffled on his feet and scratched his head.

"Brian, I know you don't want us to have anything like that with what we're doing, but I can't leave her, knowing it was me that left her all alone. I already did that once to her Mum, and I know I hurt her more than I intended to. Brian please, She needs me, and I think maybe. . .I think maybe I need her too."

Brian nodded, "OK, George." Brian said, "But don't be expecting me to look after her when you've got to get work done. I'm counting on you to take full responsibility for her." George nodded and grinned happily. He left Brian's office after that and ran to write Annabelle's mother a letter.