"Out, out!! You bloody lads bursting in at all hours. George, get this lout out now" Harold was red with anger as he began bustling toward John to scoot him out the front door.

"I'm here for Louise not George, Mister Harrison" Johns face was contorted with a mix of worry, panic and a small trace of terror, he had planned everything but hadn't told Louise and looking at her now he deduced he probably should have. No other way to say but she was a mess with a red cheek to boot.

Harold ceased movement toward the door and returned to his seat, head in hands, dejected and suddenly looking a lot older than his years.

Paul entered the fray leering in over Georges shoulder.

It was fast becoming a free for all.

Louise groaned to herself and began pacing not wanting the panic to set into her pores and make her regret ever having confided in John. W. Lennon. Watching her feet, one hand over her cheek the other clutching herself across her stomach, that stomach.. she moved about til she stood by the fireplace.

Her mother joined her there.

During Christmas and the cooler months, they would often stand together quietly and watch the new days' freshly lit fire come to life, the small pieces quickly sparking to smoke and crackle. Or better still, when they harmonised together, singing carols or other tunes while the dinner cooked on the stove. Now it was a meeting place of sheer regret and horror of her daughters future for the mother and terror of the unknown for Louie.

"Louise" mother put a hand carefully on her child's shoulder, her daughter, the baby she oft cuddled even as a girl of her age now they were still close. Now she was facing womanhood head on at such a tender age "Is John, John Lennon, the father?"

Louise looked at her mother blankly, not registering the question posed. Her mother shook her by the shoulders at that point wanting the answer come hell or high water.

"Is the Lennon boy the father, Louise" Mother said it louder and shook Louie once again. Louise glanced across, over her father's head settling her eyes on her brother. George had questions written over his face like tattoos of intrigue. She couldn't answer his eyes now and perhaps not ever and her gaze flickered over to Paul, eyes watching worriedly and finally settled upon John.

He smiled the secret smile not many saw, her mother was having none of the silence and shook Louie til her bones rattled. "Is that boy the father" The finger pointed toward John and he immediately walked toward the women, making himself a prime target for Louie's father to damage his person as he was within arm's length now.

"Yes Mrs H. I'm the dad" John spoke clearly and loud enough for the entire room to hear his words, Paul had to physically restrain George from launching at Johns back. "I'm here to see you and Mister Harrison, mam"

If it hadn't been a tense moment Louie, Paul and George would have hollered with glee, John cap in hand was not a sight seen often, if at all.

But it wasn't a carefree moment it was Louie's watershed, her life.

Louie stared blankly ahead, the small cuckoo clock held her eyes fixed on the hands ticking quietly, her hold on reality felt as though it was disappearing, slipping away toward possible nightmares of the unknown. John wasn't the father was he, no 'o course not.

"No!"

"Louie, it's alright. We need to tell them" John was stood beside her, she hadn't noticed him move so close, his fingers on her elbow holding steady "I'll look after you Lou, promise"

She felt faint and dis-attached from her body.

Like she was looking down upon a scene of a play.

Louie put a shaking hand over John's as he guided her carefully to a chair by the window, kneeling in front of her he squeezed her knee then stood and whispered "trust me" in her ear then turned about to speak to her parents.

George was as pale as Louise, Paul deciding to let him be and watched with interest as George came forward to lean against the doorway, shaking his head slowly with disbelief. Paul knew, he had the inside scope on this, tonight.

George knew nothing, which, with the way George was wanking about, showed he was in the dark on all things 'Louise' as usual.

John had slowly unraveled Lou's predicament as the week progressed and somehow Paul became John's support and ear when John wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing.

Filling in forms, catching buses, talking to Brian. Oh yea, Brian was properly pissed but John seemed unperturbed and continued forward in his attempt to shore up some assistance for Louise.

It intrigued Paul to tell the truth, John feigned mere worry for a mate but what he had done this week and what was about to be presented tonight was not classic Lennon. It was a stranger that moved about the room and the town during all this, these plans, these events, just for a friend, a mate, a girl.

"Mister Harrison, Mrs H" John addressed Louise's parents like he was addressing the king and queen of England, with deference and a subtle posh tilt to his voice, more upper middle class Brian, less John. "Louise and I know we have behaved immorally but I assure you that I have your daughter's best interests at heart and-"

"You knocked her up you lout" Harold barked back angrily "How is that in her best interests, you tell me that son"

John swung round toward Mrs H, he could charm her just a little easier usually, not get away with murder but perhaps he could sidestep the war cries of Harold Harrison. "I know, but I want to do her right"

"Right? You have condemned the girl to a grey life for the next year and beyond and I have no doubt this episode will be with her the rest of her life. She will be moving away from hearth and home to lay her head on a strange bed and give birth alone to a bastard child, Mister Lennon" So Missus H wasn't such an easy mark.

Louise, hearing the words so clearly, so plainly black and white, so nasty from her mother, sobbed. Her body racked with waves of gasps and upset, she had held so long. At one point, she stood and clutched the sheer cream curtains of the front window in her hands and not even realising when they tore away... that she herself had ripped them down.

"The only place she will be is by my side. I plan on marrying her you see" John felt Lou's eyes boring into his back as his proclamation settled over her, the sobs gave way to huge grabs for breath, eyes wide with bewilderment and disbelief.

"Lad, your nought but a lout with no job and no prospects" Missus H sobered a little, her eyes watching the boy as he stood his ground, if he was nothing else, he was determined to see this through, she mused to herself.

"Well maybe I was but as of today, the band..." John was interrupted by Harold Harrison scoffing loudly "As of today the band has a recording contract and our second single is currently being pressed for sale" John clicked his fingers for Paul to hand over the first bit of paper.

Harold Harrison rubbed his sweaty hands on his pant legs he knew this didn't he, he had signed on his own son's behalf, that grey afternoon in Epstein's office down in central Liverpool, George, being under the legal age to sign such a document. Mrs H took the paper and looked it over then tore her eyes away to meet her husbands, he nodded forlornly that it was indeed legitimate.

"And I have had bans read at the church in preparation for our marriage" John had indeed, he had them read but he needed two more Sundays for the entirety to be formalised in the eyes of the church. But this piece of news, and, he clicked his fingers once again, a piece of parchment from the local parish priest was testament to his stubborn, unwavering willingness to go through with all this. To step off his own self built cliff.

Daring now to glance at Louie was another thing entirely, he finally did a half turn and witnessed for the first time her speechlessness in the matters being rattled around the room about her. She glared at him with a mixture of hatred, thanks and he cockily hoped, wonderment. Re grouping his thoughts he spun back to face her silent parents and pressed ahead, not leaving the discussion open for fear her parents would pounce on Louie for confirmation of Johns actions and words.

Missus and Mister Harrison stood, heads together, by the fireplace looking over the paperwork, muttering about job opportunities if the band floundered. John ignored the negativity, he had to, if he let that enter a small crack in his own thin facade he would fall over his own drive and will to succeed.

Louie stirred awake finally. 

Funnily, John had her pegged as a turned-on bird but tonight she was as doughy as Paul's sheila, Dot.

Hopefully it was just the shock of his ingenuity.

He had, if he was being truthful, stunned himself a few times this past week also.

Her shaking bobble head in the negative got wilder as she closed in on John and he, at first, thought she was going to smack him one in the nuts. But all Louie did was get right in his face and whispered loudly so that only he could hear her anger, oh and perhaps Paul and George who stood gaping no more than a few feet behind him. "What the fuck are you doing?! Are you mad Winston!"

"Hey! Leave Winston out, Maybelline" John grumbled as her breath laid over him heavy and mad as a cut snake.

It was time.

"Mister Harrison, Missus Harrison. I will be taking Louise out for a walk for supper now" John grabbed her rather firmly by the elbow closest to his rib cage, just in case she decided to prod him one in the side ".....To discuss our wedding plans"

The exit was swift, John and Paul shut the front door behind them without too many problems or mutterings, tugging on coats for the cool air that nipped at their heels and John leading a silent and meek Lou like a lamb from the slaughter, she still wasn't thinking straight John mused. That would likely change soon enough though, she was the type to whip herself back to shape quick smart.

Everything was grand ......although George was now tagging along behind, much to Johns annoyance.

"Take the kid to the pub Paul" John grouched as George smacked into his back when they stopped on the footpath outside the Harrison abode suddenly.

"Sure, come on George mate we can celebrate the forthcoming nuptials" Paul grinned at John then rolled his eyes after seeing John's grimace.

Had he really thought all this through......