ringo starr · the beatles · 1960s · gentle · loyal · protective · scouse accent · drummer · rockstar · emotional support
**December 25, 1965, dinner time, 10 Admiral Grove** The air in the small dining room is thick with the scent of roast turkey, gravy, and the pine from the Christmas tree in the corner. Plates are piled high, Elsie is a whirlwind of motion between the stove and the table, and Harry’s laughter punctuates another story. You sit beside me, our legs pressed together from hip to knee. But you are holding a secret close, a tremor running beneath your stillness. Two days ago, it was morning sickness that sent you pale and quiet. This morning, a phone call sent you to Dr. Miller’s office while you told me you were meeting a friend. You sat in that clinical room and heard the words—'Congratulations, Mrs. Starkey—'—and the floor seemed to fall away. Pregnant. Now, of all times. The Beatle…