« This was meant to be », Paul answered Sean, not being able to hide the sad smile that had come onto his lips.

« I miss him, Uncle Paul... »

Sean's eyes had slightly darkened. They were now stained with a hint of sadness.

« I know son... », Paul placed his hand on Sean's shoulder and tried to give him a smile which he hoped wouldn't betray the sadness that he felt was slowly but steadily invading his heart.

He didn't want Sean to see how much he felt shaken, on the verge of breaking down.

Thirty-one years had passed since John had left this world. But the pain had not lessened. Thinking of John still hurt. The pain was still as unbearable as it was thirty-one years ago

Why had his best friend's life been stolen away from him in such a cruel way ? Why was John gone while the man who had hearthlessly taken his life was still alive ?

Paul imperceptibly shook his head.

« Uncle Paul... », Sean sofly called, noticing that Paul was lost in his thoughts and that the colours had drained from his face.

« Y... Yes ? », Paul stammered, snapped back into the reality. « Sorry... I was... Just lost in my own little world. Sorry, son"

« No...I am sorry, Uncle Paul. It wasn't my intention to awake painful memories. I'm sorry I hurt you... You and Dad were best friends. You were the brother he never had. You certainly are missing him even more than I am ».

Sean had placed a comforting hand on Paul's shoulder, gracing him with a sympathetic smile.

« Not a single day goes when I don't miss him... », Paul had a soft smile. « But he was Julian's and your father... I can not even imagine how painful it is for both of you not to have your father. You both grew up without him by your sides »

Sean nodded at Paul in silence.

« When I see the two wonderful men that both Julian and you have become... I'm sure that John feels proud of both his sons»

Paul gave Sean a warm smile.

« Thank you Uncle Paul », Sean gave Paul a smile he hoped would make the older man understand how much he was thankful to him for having said the right words to mend his sadness, at least a little bit.

« is everything all right here ? », Paul suddenly felt the gentle graze of Mary's soft hand on his shoulder. It had totally escaped his attention that his daughter was standing next to him.

« Yes, darling », Paul gave his daughter a soft, reassuring smile.

Mary softly nodded at her father. But the minute she laid her eyes on Sean's face, she froze, as an alarmed feeling spread over her.

Sean... Are you all right, buddy ? »

Mary instinctively placed her hand on Sean's cheek, in a gentle touch. Her gesture had the same softness in it than whenever she touched her little brother James , in an affectionate and comforting way.

The fact that Sean startled - almost imperceptibly- at Mary's touch didn't escape from Paul's notice.

« I'm... I'm fine, Mary... Thank you» he stuttered, apparently struggling a bit to hide his dicomfort.

Noticing Sean's shyness, Mary couldn't help but laugh.

« it's just me, Sean... Please let go of your shyness with me... You're the same as James to me. You're my little brother »

« Really ? », Sean asked, as his eyes grew wide with surprise.

Mary nodded, with a warm smile.

« We're part of one same family... Am I not right, Jules ? », Mary asked Julian, who had walked closer to her.

« Mary's right, Sean », Julian smiled at his younger brother.

« There you go ! », Mary gave Julian a high five, giving him a bright smile.

When she turned her gaze back to Sean, she had regained her seriousness again.

« You were always one of us, Sean...», Mary gave Sean a soft smile.

Sean looked puzzled for a couple of seconds. Then, he finally spoke, almost in a whisper :

« I'm sorry I was never really aware of this till today »

For the fist time since he had arrived, Sean allowed a bright smile to lighten up his smile.

« Son... We've got a surprise for you », Paul smiled at Sean. He was happy to see Sean finally feeling comfortable and relaxed. It had taken him all those years to realise that he was indeed « one of them ».

« A surprise ? », Sean's eyebrows knotted together, in a frown of surprise.

« Today's a special day, isn't it ? », Paul winked mischievously at John's younger son.

Before Sean could speak a word, a female voice startled him, suddenly filling the room with her song :

Happy Birday to you...

Heather had entered the room. She walked closer to where Sean was standing. In her hands, she was carrying a cake.

Only a couple of seconds later, Paul, Julian, Mary and Stella joined Heather in singing the Happy Birthday song for Sean.

Sean was finding it difficult to hold back the tears that were prickling his eyes. He was deeply touched by Paul's and his children's kind gesture.

Why did it take him so long to realise that they genuinely loved him ? He had lost so many years in keeping his distance with Paul and his children while they had always viewed him as one of them.

« Happy Birthday, Sean », Heather placed the cake at the center of the table and planted a candid peck on his cheek - Sean was touched that she had defied her shyness to come here and to plant a soft kiss on his cheek.

The cake that Paul and his children had chosen for him was a simple chocolate cake. It was made of black chocolate. A couple of roses made of white chocolate - Sean counted nine of them were placed around the edge of the cake, delicately outlining its round shape

Sean was finding this cake truly beautiful, despite its simplicity. Above all, he was touched by the McCartneys kindness.

The fact that Paul, Heather, Mary and Stella had remembered that chocolate was his favourite flavour - just like it had been his father's favourite flavour - was moving him to bits.

« How can I even thank you ? », Sean managed to say, despite the lump that has formed in his throat due to the fact that he was feeling a bit emotional.

« You... You shouldn't have taken so much trouble for me »

« It was no trouble, Sean », Paul smiled at John's son. « We just want you to celebrate your Birthday in a nice way

« I couldn't ask for a better Birthday celebration », Sean gave Paul a grateful smile.

« Thank you, Uncle Paul... Thank you to all of you... I don't know why it took me so long to realise that you were also my family. I'm sorry about that ».

« Please don't cry, little brother. It wasn't our intention», Julian said, while he was having trouble to hold back his tears himself.

« Sorry... I'm pathetic at hiding these happy tears », Sean smiled at his elder brother. Sean looked away and, bringing his fingers to his eyes, quickly wiped away the tears that were glistening in them.

The next minute, he turned his gaze to Paul.

« Uncle Paul... Do you mind if I... I mean, I never really told you how much you're important to me... »

Paul waited for Sean to find the right words to be able to express the thoughts that seemed to be stumbling in his head. The poor boy seemed to be distraught.

« Sean... It's OK... Don't feel scared to ask whatever you need to ask », Paul tried to give Sean a comforting smile.

Sean fell silent for a couple of seconds. Then, the words finally came out, tumbling out :

« Uncle Paul...Do you mind if I ask you for a hug ? »

Paul saw a mixture of embarrassment and fear - fear of rejection - on Sean's face. He looked incredibly fragile and vulnerable, just like a little boy.

« Son... You don't need to ask », Paul gave Sean a smile that he wanted to be as comforting as possible, that he hoped would erase Sean's fears.

Paul walked closer to Sean and wrapped his arms around the young man. He was aware that this present moment was special. This was the first time ever that he was feeling so close -physically as well as emotionally - to his best friend's younger son.

« Thank you, Uncle Paul », Sean whispered, while he was letting himself being gladly engulfed in Paul's warm embrace. When Sean left Paul's arms and faced him again, he was smiling. He was feeling at peace with himself. A feeling of contentement had filled his heart.

« Happy Birthday, little brother », Julian came forward and graced Sean with a warm smile. Sean threw himself in his elder brother's arms, in a warm hug.

« I love you, Sean. I'll always be there for you », Julian whispered in Sean's ears while he was in his arms.

« I love you too, big brother. I'm lucky to have you », Sean answered, fighting back his tears - tears of joy.

« I want a hug from the Birthday Boy as well », Stella smiled mischievously at Sean as soon as Julian let go of him. She was holding a camera in her hands, ready to snap a couple of pictures.

« I'd be happy to get a hug from you », Sean smiled at Stella.

A couple of seconds later, he pointed at Stella's camera and added cheekily : « Hey, isn't this Mary's job ? I mean... Taking phtographs ? »

« It's nice to swap roles sometimes », Stella graced Sean with a bright smile. It felt nice to see him being relaxed and at ease, for once. « I am a good photographer too, you know. Though not as gifted as Mary ». Stella had said these last words while she had turned her gaze to her elder sister. The soft smile that she had graced Mary with had not escaped Sean's notice either.

« You're a very talented photographer, Stella », Mary smiled at her younger sister while she wrapped her arm around her shoulder.

Julian watched Sean being hugged in turn by Paul's three daughters, while a soft smile was playing on his lips.

In the hug that Mary gave Sean, he saw the love of a mother. In Stella's hug, he saw the affection of someone who was hugging a close friend. Heather's hug to Sean was filled with a beautiful innocence.

Julian had voluntuntarily created a certain distance between him and the spot where Sean was standing. He wanted to be a silent observer, standing in the background. This moment belonged to his younger brother alone.

« Jules... »

Feeling Paul's hand on his shoulder, Julian turned his gaze towards him. Julian smiled sofly at Paul.

« When Dad passed away, I made a promise to myself, Uncle Paul... I promised myself that I'd always be there for Sean. He was only five years old when Dad died. I promised myself that he woouldn't be alone »

« You kept your promise in the most beautiful way, Jules. Sean is lucky to have you », Paul smiled at Julian. « John would be so proud of you, Jules... He would be so proud of both his sons »

« I miss him, Uncle Paul... I miss him so much », Julian's voice trailed off. He wasn't able to hold back his tears anymore. « Do you think... That he loved me ? Or am I just the unplanned child who came from a bottle of whiskey ? I love Sean. He's my baby brother. But Dad never gave me the kind of love that he gave Sean. I'm sorry... I know I'm talking like a selfish bastard but... »

It seemed Julian couldn't stop the words anymore. They were coming out in a relentless flood. Julian's eyes were filled with tears.

« Shh... Julian, Julian... Calm down, son », Paul took Julian in his arms and relentlessly rubbed his back, in an attempt to calm him.

« He loved you. I can assure you that he loved you. You were his pride », Paul said in a soothing voice, while he rocked Julian, like a child. « Your Dad was proud of you, Julian. He so wanted to mend his relationship with you. That's the one thing he wished he had done differently »

« I know... He tried to... We were beginning to be close again. I experienced his love for me. Our relationship was becoming beautiful. But before we could make it completely... He got shot »

Julian broke down again. Paul heard his uncontrollable sobs.

«Shh... It's OK, Jules... » Paul hugged Julian tighter. « He loved you, Julian. His blessings are still with you. Nothing can change that, all right ? Not even Death »