SWEETHEART • MJ [ORIGINAL]

Prologue/Playlist.

SINCE DAY ONE, Ariah Capri McCartney always thought folks pitied her. That was her own logical and individual reasoning for Linda and Paul McCartney adopting her at only six months of age. Why else would the McCartneys, of all people, adopt a beautiful baby of African-American descent to call their own?

It had been ages since her parents had even had a conversation together with her. For the McCartney couple was always occupied with strong arguments due to their rocky marriage. Many times, they wouldn't even pause to acknowledge Ariah's presence.

Yes, it was hurtful to know that her own parents didn't seem to have a care in the world about her like they used to, but it became life as the entire McCartney family knew it.

"This is an abomination!" Her mother Linda screamed in the midst of glass dishes breaking.

"This is what you always say, dear. Now, if you will just calm down," Cut off by his wife's screams and cries, Paul's point made in a loud tone of voice didn't get through to Linda.

"Calm down? Calm down? You, expect me, to calm down?" Mrs. McCartney's screams increased in volume, causing her voice to be clear and audible to all of their children, who were upstairs and going about their own business. Though it was hard, considering the fact that another fight between their parents was breaking out. Again.

"There's no need to act outrageously, love. I'm faithful." The former Beatle himself tried to reassure his wife. He attempted to be the peacemaker of the relationship, but his efforts were in vain. A few more words were said back and forth before the rest of the conversation became inaudible to the children upstairs.

Linda had been upset with Paul for almost a year. Ever since John Lennon, a close friend of the McCartney family and former bandmate to Paul, was assassinated, Linda and Paul hadn't been the same. Problems arose when Paul turned to alcohol or chose to spend his nights in isolation away from the family. Linda thought it was highly inappropriate, but Paul believed his wife was overreacting. Blowing it out of proportion, even. Mrs. McCartney had accused her husband of infidelity on multiple occasions, but he denied it every time.

This left the woman in pure fury and her anger influenced her decision to file for divorce.

"Zuri, Stella, Ariah, come down here. Now please." Paul called from downstairs, finally ready to make the terrible announcement to his three daughters. "We're in the cellar."

Stella, who was two years older than Ariah, trickled out of her individual bedroom. She made her way downstairs as Ariah came out of her own room as well. The two came into the cellar to see a solemn Linda and Paul, who wore an expression that was unreadable.

The youngest McCartney child, Zuri, who was only five years of age, trickled down from the family's foyer. She had just finished putting a puzzle together, but crawled into her mother's lap.

"What's going on?" Ariah questioned as the first person to speak up, hoping that they wouldn't announce what had been possibly to come, considering the state of her parent's marriage.

Paul looked down and fiddled with his wedding ring, while Linda looked completely distraught as she held Zuri tightly in her arms.

"Tell them, Paul." She waved her hand in a shoo-shoo manner. By that time, Ariah and Stella knew what their father was about to say.