Lady Madonna

We'll See

YEAR: 1965

The next ten minutes felt like a blur, I couldn't remember a thing. After the mask was put on my face, the next thing I remember was a nurse grabbing my hand and asking me a series of questions.

"Maggie, squeeze my hand if ye can hear me." One squeeze. "Squeeze my hand twice if ye can talk." Two squeezes. "What's yer full name?"
"Maggie Mae Eastman," I mumbled.
"Where are ye from?"
"America,"
"What's the name of yer daughter?"
"Heather,"
"Oh...yer boyfriend said it was Mary..." My eyes shot open. I had a girl? I thought.
"The baby is Mary, yes, and Paul is not my boyfriend,"
"Would ye like to hold her?"
"No," I murmered.
"Why not?"
"I'll drop her," I let out a faint laugh.
"Would ye like to sit up?"
"Not yet," I sighed. "May I rest for a bit?"
"Of course,"

The nurse quickly adjusted my pillow and let me sleep for a bit. Unfortunately, my slumber did not last for long, as I was woken up by a crying baby a few hours later. I rubbed my eyes and looked to the left to find Paul cradling the baby. I cracked a smile and reached for her.

"Maggie," Paul gasped, "ye scared me." I flashed him a quick smile and looked back to my new daughter. I did my best to move the blanket away from the baby's face. "Oh," he reached into his pocket, "here," he smiled and handed me my glasses.
"Thanks," I quickly put them on and looked at Mary. "She looks like ye," I whispered.
"She does?"
"Yeah...she has yer beautiful hazel eyes, yer dark brown hair, and yer cute little button nose," I smiled.
"Stop," he blushed. "D-Do ye wanna hold her?"
"It hurts to move...I wouldn't be able to sit up," I laughed.
"The doctor said it'd hurt for a few days," he pursed his lips.
"Well shit...if I wasn't gettin fired before, I'd be gettin fired now," I mumbled.
"Don't worry, I paid them good money to make sure the scar didn't show that much," he smiled.
"Ye didn't need to do that,"
"I know, but I wanted to,"
"Thanks," I sighed as I tried to sit up.
"Don't hurt yer self,"
"No promises," I teased. I eventually sat up in my bed; I was ready to hold Mary. "Can I see her?"
"Of course," he smiled as he handed her to me. "By the way, I called Linda,"
"And?"
"She should be here soon with Heather,"
"She's excited to see the baby I presume?"
"Linda said she's jumpin off the walls," he chuckled.
"That should be fun to deal with," I sighed.
"Maggie...ye don't seem to thrilled about Mary," Paul pointed out.
"I'm still tired...it'll hit me that she's my baby in a day or two,"
"Mum!" Heather cheered as she ran in. "What is it?" she asked as she climbed onto my bed.
"It's a girl," I smiled.
"What's her name?"
"Mary," Paul whispered.
"That's pretty!"
"Like you," I teased.
"Can I hold her?"
"Not yet honey, yer too little,"
"But mum!"
"Heather, we should leave yer mum to rest," Paul said as he picked her up. "Come on, let's go get some breky," he smiled.
"Okay!"
"Lin, can ye stay with me?"
"Sure," she sighed as Paul and Heather walked out. "I-"
"Told ye so, I know," I smiled at Mary.
"How has the press not caught up to you guys yet?" she chuckled.
"He's a master of disguise," I joked. "Do mum and dad know that I had a kid?"
"Sent them a letter a couple months ago...they sent one back a few days ago,"
"How mad are they?"
"They're mad they weren't invited to the wedding,"
"Wait...what wed-"
"I feel like you forget that you're supposed to be the good child,"
"I'm still not following..."
"They're thinkin you got married then had a kid. Little do they know you're a whore who had her outta wedlock,"
"Oh dear lord," I groaned.
"They're visiting next week and staying until I have to go home,"
"And yer tellin me now!"
"Sorry..."
"Ugh!"
"So...how are you and Paul?"
"What do ye mean?"
"You obviously like each other..."
"Yeah, so?"
"Do something about it!"
"Like what?"
"Well, you say you'd be ruining his life-"
"I would be,"
"You seem to be forgetting that two of his mates already have kids-"
"But they're married!"
"So? You're not gonna ruin his life. If anything, you're gonna make it better. Maggie, he wants ye to be his! Give it a shot!"
"I don't know Linda...please lower yer voice,"
"Sorry...please Maggie, it's so obvious that he loves you,"
"Whoa, no one said anything about love!"
"For fucks sake, he left Jane for you!"
"Linda-"
"No Maggie! He loves you, he loves Heather, and he obviously loves, oh god what's its name? Mary?"
"How do ye know he loves us?"
"You're a blind bird aren't you?"
"What?"
"I don't know," she smirked, "I'm tired, your kid is driving me mad,"
"Well ye only have to deal with her for another month,"

We continued to talk for about another hour before Paul returned with Heather.

"Hey baby! How was breakfast?" I asked Heather.
"Fun! Paul's really silly! Can he stay mum! Please!"
"We'll see baby," I smiled. "Do ye wanna go home?"
"No, I wanna stay with ye,"
"Honey-"
"Ms. Eastman, the doctor cleared ye to leave, y'know only if yer able to,"
"Are ye kiddin me? I can't even stand!"
"Ye can try to stand. Here, I'll help," she held out her arms and helped me out of bed. "There ye go!"
"Maggie, dear, where's Mary?"
"The nursery, calm down...hey Paulie, let's go for a walk," I offered.
"Where?"
"Nursery," I smiled.
"Sure,"
"Please be careful Ms. Eastman," my nurse advised.
"I will be," I mumbled. Paul took ahold of my arm and made sure I didn't fall. "I need to talk to ye,"
"Then talk,"
"Linda sent a letter to my parents saying I was pregnant...
"So?"
"They think I'm married..."
"What? Why?"
"I was the good child who never did wrong. I think they're just assumin that I got married then got pregnant,"
"Oh..."
"They're visitin next week to meet my little bundle of joy and my new husband."
"What are ye gonna do?"
"How many more hints do I need to drop Jesus Christ. I need to stay at yer house until Linda goes home,"
"Yer welcome to stay as long as ye need,"
"Ta," I mumbled as we walked into the nursery. "She's a cute little thing,"
"Like her mother,"
"Stop," I chuckled as I elbowed him in the stomach. "Come on, grab her and drop us off,"
"I thought ye were stayin with me," he teased.
"I gotta pick some things up ye nit,"
"I know, I know," he picked Mary up, "let's go."