Living on the Streets - McLennon AU

45.

(A/N- Fast update because why not.)

9th April, 1957

"Who's that?" She asked, taking a sip of her coffee and pointing towards Louise.

"Oh, just the waitress." He shrugged, sitting across from his mum.

"Is she nice?" Her tone changed, it becoming clear to John what she meant. He rolled his eyes at her.

Oh lord.

"No way, mum. She seemed upset so I asked her what was wrong. Says it's family troubles."

"Did you give her some advice?" She pulled a cigarette packet from her pocket, along with a lighter.

"Yeah, I just reassured her, y'know?"

Julia smiled at that, leaning over to ruffle his hair with the hand that had the cigarette packet in.

"That's my boy, always reassuring others." She took a cigarette from the packet, tucking it away. "I don't know where you get those characteristics from, 'cos it's definitely not your father or I."

He didn't respond, not really knowing how to answer that. Instead just sipping his coke.

She took a drag, reverting her attention back to John. "Speaking of the bastard, you spoke to him recently?"

"Yeah, he called me for the first time in like 3 months the other day. Asked me if I'd chosen a record from the catalogue, as if him buyin' me that would make up for the last, like, 5 months." John huffed, obviously pissed off at him still.

"Always been a selfish git, hasn't he?" She smirked, taking another drag.

"I don't know what you ever saw in him, mum." He sighed.

"Me neither." She said, crossing her legs and taking yet another drag, as if it had been her first cigarette in months. "But atleast he did somethin' right."

"What's that then?"

"Helped me make you..." She smiled, teasingly, seeing John cringe.

"Mum..." He scrunched up his face, causing a laugh from the woman, who eventually put out her ciggy in the closest ashtray.

"No but seriously, John, I couldn't be more proud of you... Mimi always calls me, tells me how good your grades are in school, how much of a kind boy you are." She smiled, proudly. "And you with that poor girl over there, you've just demonstrated that out to me... And I couldn't ask for a better son."

He felt his eyes water.

"And John, I know that I haven't been the best mother..." She looked down to the table, taking a breath.

"Mum, please don't do that to yourself." He sighed, sadly.

"No, I haven't." The woman looked back up to John, her eyes looking sorrowful. "But, I do want you to know that I love you, baby. And I do wish that I was in a better position... That you could have stayed with me... But Mimi, she did a great job at doing what I couldn't." She whispered the last part.

"Mum, you've been amazing, and just because you weren't my main carer when I was younger, that doesn't mean you weren't still a great mum." He reassured. "You made sure to check on me often, you didn't try and buy your way back into my life... And you cared. So please, stop apologising, because you really don't need to."

She nodded at him, wiping underneath her eyes with the back of her hand, carefully trying not to smudge her mascara.

"Thank you John." Julia smiled, placing a hand on his.

They talked about all sorts, the woman being particularly interested in how John's music was going. However, when she heard about a certain boy named 'Paul', she couldn't stop listening.

The way John spoke about him... It was if he was... In love.

"And mum..." He said, his voice going hollow.

Was he really going to tell her?

He could see her gaze soften, she was listening alright.

"I- I think I love him..." John whispered, so nobody could overhear.

But she didn't seem angry, she didn't even seem surprised.

"I know." She smiled, his nerves going away. "I can tell by the way you talk about him."

"Are you not... Mad?"

"Of course not!" She chuckled. "I wouldn't be mad if you're were tellin' me about a girl you thought you were in love with, so why should I be mad about you tellin me of a boy you think you're in love with?"

"I-"

He didn't know what to say, instead just smiled back, sensing she wasn't finished yet.

"If you love him, you need to tell him. Have you kissed him yet?" Julia raised an eyebrow.

"Y-Yeah." He stuttered out, his cheeks going red. "And he kissed back."

"Then you need to make it clear how you feel, and that you want to be with him, yeah?" John felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Mum..." He smiled, looked her in the eyes.

"No problem Johnny." She returned the gesture. "Please don't be afraid of who you are... If I've learnt anythin' in my life so far, it's that. And I don't want you to think there's somethin' wrong with you, 'cos there isn't."

He stood up, walking around the table to hug her. She froze, not expecting the embrace, but eventually hugged him back, holding him close.

"We haven't done this since I was like... Ten." He laughed.

"Yeah, I know..." Julia spoke into his shoulder. "But hopefully we can do it much more, eh? How does that sound."

John's just nodded, holding her closer.

"Thank you mum, it means a lot..."

"No problem, baby."

And they stayed like that, for what felt like a lifetime to John.

Not that he was complaining, he'd never felt this emotionally close to his mother in a long while, and he did miss it. He missed her.

John could have stayed in that hug all day, if it was up to him.