I DON'T OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT DAHLIA, MARY, BRIANNA, AND JAMES
CHAPTER 11
8 months later
Paul's POV
Well, it finally happened. James was born after about three very painful hours of labor for Dahlia and another sore and bruised hand for me. It was worth it though; on September 18th, James Paul McCartney was born. When he opened his eyes for the first time, Dahlia gasped.
Flashback
"Dahlia, what...?" Dahlia looked at me with a big smile on her face.
"Paul...he looks exactly you. Here, hold him. Just look at him."
I held my son for the very first time and I looked at him. James opened his eyes and I gasped myself. James had the same exact hazel eyes that I did, shape and all. He looked exactly like every baby picture I had seen of myself, except with lighter hair. He was perfect.
"Wow. You're right, he does look like me. Talk about like father, like son, huh, love?" I said. Dahlia laughed and nodded at me.
"He's your "mini-me", Paul."
End of Flashback
5 years later
I couldn't have agreed more and now, it was truer than ever before. James was now four years old, about to turn five in about 12 days and he was an absolute nutcase. I loved the little bugger, but he was always running around, climbing things, and driving us all insane, but we loved him.
On one such occasion, Dahlia was out somewhere and I was chasing James around our house, trying to get him to calm down long enough so I could feed him. Anyway, I was chasing him around when out of the blue, Brianna swooped in and grabbed her little brother.
James pouted as Brianna held him in her arms. "Whoa, there, Jamesie. Sorry little bro," our seventeen year old daughter said.
"Thanks Brie," I said as Brianna handed James to me. I looked at James and said, "I don't get it, James. I've been chasing you for like twenty minutes and Brianna just comes out of nowhere and grabs you in about two seconds. I really don't get it."
Brianna laughed and kissed my cheek as she walked past me. "It's a woman thing, Dad," she called out.
I shook my head and looked at my son, who looked just as confused as me. "I guess it must be." James looked at me and said, "Daddy...Brianna is weird."
I laughed and said, "Well, maybe, but she's your weird sister."
"That's right. Brianna and Mary are my weird sisters. Mine and no one else's."
I nodded and carried James off to the kitchen. "Yep. Now let's get some food, okay?"
Brianna and Mary would be turning eighteen next month and it made me feel really bloody old. My little girls were seventeen and they were seniors in high school! They would be going to college next year! GAH! Brianna and Matthew were still going out and they were very happy. I once overheard, by accident I assure you, Brianna telling Dahlia that she thought she might be in love with him.
I had wanted to murder Matthew and faint at the same time, but I couldn't do either because one, Brianna would never forgive me for murdering the boy she "loves" and two, fainting would give away my position of eavesdropping. Yes, I was eavesdropping on my wife and daughter, but come on, what do you expect? I'm only being a nosy and overprotective father.
Of course, when Dahlia opened the door and saw me, I jumped back so that Brianna wouldn't see me.
Dahlia looked at me with a grin and said, "Were you just eavesdropping, Paul?"
"No, I uh, I was simply, um...walking..." I shook my head and said, "Wasn't eavesdropping."
"Oh my god, you totally were. Paul, you creeper!" she joked. She smacked my arm and I clasped my hands in front of me like John did in A Hard Day's Night, The Beatles' first movie, when he begged "Norm" not to cane him. "Please don't tell Brianna! She'll never trust me again!" I put on my puppy face, remembering when Dahlia said that if I used that on her, she'd never be able to say no.
"Okay, okay, I won't tell her. I promise. You cheat, you know; you remembered when I said I wouldn't be able to say no to your puppy face." Dahlia smiled at me. I smirked and said, "Yes, I did, so HA!"
She rolled her eyes and kissed me. Man, every time she kisses me, it's like the first time all over again. I am the luckiest bloke on EARTH! She patted my cheek lightly as she walked past me and I turned around and followed her.
"I love you, Dahlia."
"I know, I love you, too, Paul. And no, you cannot kick the shit out of Matthew for stealing your daughter's heart."
"Damn." How does she do that? How does she manage to guess whatever I'm up to?
"Oh, and in answer to your unasked question, Paul, I'm not guessing; it's woman's intuition." She smirked at me and walked off, leaving me behind, staring at her with my mouth hanging open. "That is incredible! I didn't even say anything!" I whispered to myself. I turned around to see my five year old son staring at me with a smile on his face.
"What?" I said. James shook his head and said, "Mummy's smarter than you, that's all."
"You're supposed to be on my side, you know!" I said to him.
"I am. Mummy's still smarter than you. Sorry," James said. I smiled at him and said, "You know, you might be my "mini-me", but you have your mum's cheekiness."
The expression on his little face almost seemed to say, "Well, duh, Daddy." I laughed and picked James up.
"Whoa, you're getting heavy, little man."
"Gee, thanks," James said.
"I meant that in a good way," I told him.
"Sure ya did."
I rolled my eyes and put James down as the phone rang. I picked it up and said, "Hello?"
"Paul? Hi, yeah, it's Ringo. Guess what, guess what, guess what?"
"Uh, what?" I answered.
I literally had to hold the phone away from my ear when Ringo answered.
"I'M A GRANDFATHER!"
"Wait, what? You're a grandfather? That's amazing! Congratulations! Oh, wait, hold on, let me get Dahlia. DAHLIA!"
"WHAT?"
"COME HERE!"
"Yes, Paul?" Dahlia said as she walked over to me. I pointed to the phone and she stood next to me and I said, "Ringo, would you like to tell Dahlia the news?"
"Yes, oh, hi, Dahlia, hi!"
"Hi, Ringo. Now, what's up?"
"Dahlia, I'm a grandfather! Me, a grandfather!"
"Really? So, Zak and Sarah had their baby? That's amazing!"
"Yeah, it is amazing. But that's not the best part!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! It's a beautiful baby girl! A girl!"
"Oh, Richie that's wonderful! What's her name?"
"Tatia Jayne."
"Rich, that's so beautiful. I bet she's so wonderful."
"She is, Dahlia. Oh my god, I'm so happy. I'm a grandfather. I can't believe it."
"Neither can we, Rich," I said. "Think about it, you're a grandfather at 45 years old! That's so young!"
"Yep, I know. So, tell me, how's Brianna, and Mary, and James?"
"Well, Brianna is in love with Matthew, by her admission, Mary has just started going out with Matthew's older brother, Ben, and James is a cheeky little nutcase."
"So, everything's normal then, eh?"
Dahlia and I looked at each other and said, "Yep, everything's normal."
"So," Dahlia said, "Have you told George or John or Brian yet?"
"I've told John and George and they were thrilled but I haven't told Brian yet, he's next on my list, though."
"Right, well, congratulations again," I said.
"Yeah, congratulations, Rich, seriously, we're so happy for you!" Dahlia said.
"Thanks, both of you. Hey, soon enough, guys, you might be right where I am now, only with Brianna or Mary."
Dahlia laughed but I said, "Hey! Come on, man, they're seventeen, give me some time before I have another miniature heart attack, okay?"
Ringo laughed and said, "Sure, sure, it'll only be a matter of time before Mary and Brianna each give you grandkiddies. Alright, I love you guys."
"Okay, Rich love you too, now go spend time with your granddaughter, mister!" Dahlia said.
"Yes, ma'am. Bye." Ringo hung up and I smiled at Dahlia.
"Richie is a grandfather! Oh my god," I said.
"I know! God, I can't believe it, it's amazing."
"Yeah, it is, love, it is."
Dahlia put her arm around my waist and I put mine around her shoulders. Richie is right though, soon enough, I'll be exactly where he is. But not too soon I hope.