The Benefit of Mr. Kite

4

YEAR: 1976

•John's POV•

"Hey dad," Julian started.
"What?" I mumbled. "I am very busy,"
"With your secret job?" he teased. "I can't believe you still haven't told Michelle,"
"Look, she doesn't need to know,"
"Dad...she lives in Beatle country...she lives with the most famous Beatle...she's gonna find out eventually,"
"Julian-"
"Why don't you wanna tell her? You're normally dying to tell people that you're the legendary John Lennon. Why won't you tell her?"
"Julian, leave me alone,"
"But dad-"
"Michelle!" I yelled.
"Oui?" she said as he entered my study.
"English," I warned.
"Yes, John? What do you want?"
"Get Julian out of here. I'm trying to work,"
"Fine," she sighed. "Come on Jules,"
"But Michelle-"
"Julian, let's just...come on..."
"Okay," he sighed. The two walked downstairs and had one of their usual talks. "Why does my dad hate me?"
"He doesn't hate you,"
"Yes he does. He doesn't care about me...I don't even think he cares about Sean..."
"Don't say that, Julian,"
"He only cares about you,"
"What?"
"He doesn't tell you, who he really is...he doesn't wanna scare you off cause, he likes you..."
"He doesn't like me. I'm a...I don't know the word Jules...help me out,"
"Are you going for, burden?"
"Yeah,"
"Well, you're not. He likes you,"
"Did he tell you that?"
"No, I-" he was cut off by Sean.
"Michelle! Get him!" I yelled.
"I'll be right back," she sighed.

She ran upstairs so she could sooth the screaming baby; after she calmed him down, she walked into my office.

"Hey John,"
"Yeah?"
"I wanted to talk to you..."
"About? Here, I'll take him," I said, sitting Sean on my lap.
"Julian and I had a talk-"
"Don't believe anything that comes out of that boys mouth,"
"Why are you rude to him?"
"Excuse me?"
"You're rude to him,"
"No, I'm not...that's how I treat everyone,"
"You don't treat me like that,"
"Yes I do," I mumbled. "Ordering you around, having you take care if my kids. I treat you as I would treat anyone else,"
"But you helped me learn English... You gave me a place to live... You gave me a family when I didn't have one..."
"Family?"
"I've been around you boys for about sept mois-"
"English," I smiled.
"Seven months," she chuckled. "And I like to think of you guys as my family,"
"Well that's very sweet of you to say,"
"I'll take Sean downstairs now, if you want," she offered.
"No," I whispered as I bounced him on my knee. "I think I'll keep him with me for a bit,"
"Okay," she said. "Bye Sean," she said in a childish voice.
"Bye," he mumbled.
"What did you just say?" I gasped.
"Bye!" he giggled.
"Has he ever said that before?" I asked.
"No," she shook her head in shock.
"Oh, my god, just get married already!" Julian said from the doorway.
"Julian!" Michelle gasped.
"Come with me," I gritted my teeth.
"I'll hold him," she whispered.

I walked out of my study and headed into my room so I could talk to Julian.

"What?" he frowned.
"Why would you say something like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like what?" I scoffed. "Why would you say shit like, why don't you two get married already? That's not just something you say!"
"But you marrying her could make her a legal citizen!" he pleaded. "Dad, the longer you wait to schedule her test, the more likely she'll be to getting caught and deported. And, I feel like you forget that, if she's deported, you get sent to jail and we're left with no parents,"
"Jules...I'm not just gonna marry a woman I don't love,"
"That's never stopped you before," he mumbled.
"What was that?"
"You never loved my mum..."
"Yeah, well, she never loved you," I spat.
"But Michelle does!"
"What do you want me to say, Jules?" I nearly cried as I bit my lip.
"I want you to say that you'll marry Michelle..."
"Well, that's not gonna happen..."
"Dad, please, hear me out!"
"No, I don't wanna hear anything! We're not getting married, and that's that!"
"But dad, if you guys get married-"
"Julian, stop it!" I yelled. "It's not going to happen!"
"Fine," he pouted as he ran out of the room.
"Jules...I...forget it..."

***

"John, can you pass the wine, please,"
"Of course," I smiled. I poured the bitter substance into her glass and carried on with dinner.
"So John," Michelle started. "Julian brought up a very good point today,"
"Oh yeah? What point was that?"
"How to make me a citizen, faster..."
"Oh, god," I groaned. "Is it the marriage thing?"
"What marriage thing? He just helped me with the final bits of information, I needed to know, for my test,"
"Oh," I sighed.
"Marriage thing...I'd like to get back to that. Julian, what did you say to your dad?"
"He said nothing,"
"I said-"
"Julian!" I snapped.
"I said nothing...nothing at all..."