"I love you, George." This was probably the thousandth time he had said it, but Ringo did not expect an 'I love you' back. He didn't even expect a reply at this point. He only came to sit and talk with George. Or, really sit and talk at him. The romance was over, but the love was still as strong, if not stronger.
Ringo stood up and went to give him a hug. His fingers brushed something cold. It came from the tombstone that sat over George's grave. A tear dropped onto the stone, streaking past the words 'Ringo Starr, beloved father, husband and friend'. Beloved Husband. Those words should have been his, he should have been able to come home, and hold him and love him. Then, maybe he could have loved him back.
Ringo stood to walk home. It was always a long journey to the graveyard, but the way back is always harder, especially when such a heavy load is carried. Suddenly, something hit his head and bounced to the ground. It was an acorn. Ringo picked it up, and put it in his pocket.
Ringo had been in the waiting room for hours. George had not been well, and had been in and out of a delirium for days. He was about to leave, but a nurse had stopped him at the last moment. She said, "He wants you, now. Please come this way."
Ringo practically ran to George's bedside, feeling a bittersweet feeling with the prospect of having the chance to say goodbye. He placed his hands on George's, looking happily into his eyes.
"Ringo, I'm so happy I can see you. You have never looked better."
"I could say the same about you, George. I love you, I love you so, so much. Will you say it back to me today?"
George looked away for a second, and when he turned back, his eyes were overflowing with tears. As they rolled off his cheeks and nose, he said to Ringo,
"For many years, I have wanted to say those words to you, but didn't. I wanted to make everything easier for you, but now I see I only made it harder. I wish I could have shown you how I felt when we first met, those raw, wild emotions of our best days, how deeply I felt even as we grew old. You are my life, my light, you are so incomparable, so faultless that you only made me see my flaws. I only wish to be half the man you are."
As they embraced, Ringo sensed that their time was limited even then. As he felt George leaving him, Ringo desperately asked, "George! George, will you say it? Will you say that you love me now?" To which he mournfully and weakly replied, "No, not today."
Ringo only hugged him tighter, and planted a kiss on him. "Don't worry George." He saw the light fading fast from his eyes. And saying these last forgiving words to George, Ringo saw the last smile pass over his dying face.
"There is always tomorrow."
Ringo found himself standing at the front of his house, and he sadly sighed. It was almost dark, and he felt tired. He did not feel hungry, so he decided to go to bed. As he climbed up the stairs, he felt around in his pocket.
When he reached his room, he sat down and opened up a jar on his bedside table. "This acorn hit me on the head today George, don't think I don't know that you had something to do with it…"
He chuckled as he placed the acorn into the jar; there were about fifty or so in the jar already. "I remember when you first told me you loved me. Well, you didn't exactly say it, but I knew what you meant. You told me that your love was like an acorn, that it would grow until it became a giant oak tree, and now I look at all these acorns and think, "The oak slumbers in its tiny shell, waiting for the opportune time be released from it's cage, just like you."
Ringo picked up an old framed photo of him and George together when they were at the beach. "You know George, I always felt like you were the stronger one, always thinking before you acted, compassionate, forgiving. I wish I could be with you. I feel so lonely at night, and I just want your arms around me, making me forget about all of my pain."
He placed the photo down on the nightstand, making sure it was facing him so he could look at it. Ringo kissed his finger, then pressed it onto George's face in the picture. "Goodnight George. See you soon."
