Love Is Strange - Prologue
Title: Love Is Strange
Pairing: Ringo Starr/Charlie Tillman (OC)
Rating: G (But, subject to change)
Summary: Interracial. During The Beatles first trip to the States, Ringo Starr connects with Charlie Tillman, a member of the black girl group The Debutantes and friends of The Beatles. What happens when two people who appear to have nothing in common have more in common than they thought possible?
Notes: Takes place during the events of ‘Dearest’.
Archive
Prologue - I’ll Leave a Mint On Your Pillow, Love
Ringo settled onto his bed and rested his head against the pillow. He tiredly yawned and closed his eyes. “In London for a few days and then onto the States, Mo.” He spoke around the cigarette pressed between his full lips.
“Oh.” Maureen shortly responded.
He knew his on again, off again girlfriend was upset. Ringo pufuntionarily addressed her. “I’ll phone you again from New York.”
“Are you ringing off?” She hesitantly asked.
“I am.” He indifferently answered her. Ringo slowly pulled the cigarette from his mouth and blew out a cloud of smoke. He knew Maureen was a good girl but Ringo wasn’t ready to make a committment to her. Ringo thought when the Beatles were finished in a couple of years that he’d marry her. He couldn’t settle down right now. Everywhere Ringo and his mates went the birds wanted to be theirs for the evening and he couldn’t resist.
“Goodnight, Ritchie.”
“Goodnight, Mo.” He placed the phone receiver back onto the cradle. A thoughtful look appeared on his face. He wondered what the Beatles upcoming trip to America would mean for the group. He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up.
Ringo walked into his adjoining bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror to stare at his reflection. He wanted to figure out what all the fuss was about The Beatles but more specifically him. Ringo turned his head from side to side and studied his profile. His defining feature was his nose and he felt it’s prominence mocked him.
His mum Elsie would often tell her Ritchie, “You’ll grow into it.” He wondered if that would ever happen.
(****)
Charlie briefly stared her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She closed her eyes because it was difficult to face herself when she didn’t like what she saw in the mirror. In her eyes, The Debutantes were failures but more importantly she was a failure. The group had returned to New York as nobodies. In comparison to The Beatles who were a media sensation.
She turned on the faucet and hunched over the sink and splashed her face with ice cold water. Charlie wanted to wake herself up and chase away the melancholy thoughts that plagued her mind. She shut off the faucet and straightened up and once again stared at herself. The water slowly dripped down her face.
Her grandmother Ida would often tell Charlie, “You’re nothing special.” She wondered if that hateful old woman was right about her.
“You can stay for as long as you want.”
Charlie looked in the mirror at Stan. He was a tall, broad shouldered, barrel chested beefy young man and in her opinion good looking for a white boy. His frame took up the space in the doorway. “It’ll only be for a few days.” She casually replied.
“It could be longer if you want.” He suggested.
“I don’t.” She abruptly replied to his offer. Charlie felt she needed to be rude to make it clear that her staying with him wasn’t out of affection but necessity. They’d never been boyfriend and girlfriend because Charlie never stayed around long enough for their relationship to evolve from casual sex.
Stan briefly nodded. “Offer still stands, Tillman.” He tiredly replied.
"I know, Rizzo." She flatly stated. They’d done this song and dance before. She’d turn up, he’d let her in and she’d be gone without a word.
End Of Prologue - I’ll Leave a Mint On Your Pillow, Love
Chapter One - Hitching a Ride