Paul cocked his head to the side and gave her a silly grin. He relaxed his grip on her wrist and slid his hand down to hold hers. Gabrielle knew she must have had a look of compete apprehension on her face as he held her limp hand in his and then lifted her hand up and wrapped her fingers around his hand.
“all right Gabby?” he asked
Was he kidding? Did he think she didn’t realize how this worked. Gabby had seen him work the old ’McCartney charm on other birds before. She contemplated kicking him in the shis and then running away but then decided that might look a bit daft so she didn’t move.
“I’m fine, why?” she said quickly
Paul shrugged innocently. Oh Christ. “You haven’t blinked for about five minutes”
She blinked and then Paul looked over at George although he still held onto her hand “Got some pills there Georgie?”
George inclined his head towards John. The drug was already working, George’s fingers were tapping a quickly and repetitively on the table top and John was looking anxiously towards the stage. John shoved the packet at Paul who quickly swallowed two and then grinned at his friends.
“Are they gonna turn the recorded music on yet?” he asked John “We aren’t going back up there for a while yet they should…”
As if on command the jukebox sprang to life and recorded music was filtered through the smoky Kaiserkeller. “Come ‘ead Gabby, yer gonna dance with me” said Paul barely taking notice of anyone else and just dragging her into the fan pit/dancing area. It seemed more normal-style people were coming to dance now. Well, a few sailors and hookers, a few transvestites were wrapped around each other. Bit it added to the atmosphere.
Paul started telling her about the bird he’d tried to chat up but it had turned out to be a man. Discouraged and unsatisfied he decided to come back and play music with his mates.
“Oh sure” she laughed as he spun hr around and she came back into his arms “You probably just spotted some girl near us but got sidetracked or somethin”
Paul made an astonished sound “Why do you think I’m so sex obsessed? I came back to talk to you lot before I have to play”
“Paul” she laughed, he spun her around again and everything was getting nicely blurry again due to the alcohol and pills combination, and the fact that she was spinning a lot. “You *are* sex obsessed”
He laughed too “No more then your average Mersey side lad…”
A slow song came on, he pulled her closer and put his arms about her waist and droped his head down on her shoulder. Gabrielle immediately tensed up. She tried to calm down a bit and concentrate on swaying back and forth. Paul was of course, still talking. His voice was reduced to a whisper now but it was still very fast and she had a hard time keeping up with what he was saying.
“Paul shut it” she muttered
He clamped his mouth shut and smiled at her.
**
“Christ I’ve broken a string” George said, he swore as the string pinged and caught his index finger. He put his finger in his mouth, whining around it and trying to detach the sting from the fret board. “Have you got a spare B Johnny?” he asked looking over at the older Beatle
John looked up from the table “I need to do something” he announced, and stood up. “Come ‘ead Harrison lets do something. I’m bored how long before we get back on stage. Where’s Paul gone off to? He better get bloody back soon or we’ll put Stu on. Where’s Gabrielle? Is she with him?”
George rolled his eyes at John‘s unnatural energy “Yes” he said softly as he dug around in his pocket for a new string to change the broken one with.
John started pacing, Stuart and Astrid found it quite funny. “Lets do something then” he said again
“John” George sighed “Calm the fuck down a minute, all right? I’ll come have a ciggie with you, Christ, can’t you just shut up for two seconds” This was all said with the knowledge that he wouldn’t be publicly humiliated as he would have been had he said that to John at any other time. George smiled and looked down at his guitar.
“Ah, sod off” John shrugged and started towards the back door that was always left propped open to let fresh air in from the side alley. George followed him a few minutes later.
“Where’s Paul?” John asked again
“Inside” said George, he was switching from leaning against the wall to watch John walk around in circles to walking back and forth on his own.
“What time is it?”
“Bout two twenty five” said George, blowing out a plume of smoke and glancing at his watch.
John sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets “Let’s go plug back in then” he said shaking his head “No one worth pulling tonight anyway”
George nodded in agreement and flicked the rest of his fag into the gutter before following John back in.
Pete was still sitting behind his drum kit, still drinking the same beer, and still glaring at everyone around him. George approached him carefully, in an attempt to pull his amp closer to where he was standing tonight. Pete just looked at him and then looked at his watch and glared even more venomously at George.
“What is it?” he finally exclaimed
“We have four more hours” Pete said
“Oh well” he snapped, “That’s just too fucking bad, innit? Take some pills and you won’t get so bloody tired”
Pete crossed his arms and shook his head firmly. George could see John laughing quietly to himself and shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. “What?”
“You, when you get hacked off it’s fucking hilarious” John chuckled. Then he looked up “You see Paul?”
“Mmm, no” said George, he crossed his arms and continued to look “Where the fuck did he get off too?”
“Oh I see him” John picked up his guitar and slung it around his neck. “See, close to where Stu is”
“How can you see him?” George asked, “You’re completely blind”
John gave him a look “I’m not completely blind, I just can’t read signs.” he said “But look who he’s dancing with” John whistled “Wonder who that is”
George pulled a face “It’s Gab you blind bloody git”
John laughed and squinted “Oh yeah,” he said “Sorry mate, didn’t see her face”
George made a disgusted sound “I’ll go get him. Have to get me guitar as well”
He hopped off the edge of the stage and pushed his way through the crowds of Germans until Paul was in sight “Oy!” he shouted, if he heard him Paul made no sign of it. He had his face turned towards Gabrielle’s ear. As they turned around George could see she had her chin resting on Paul’s shoulder, which meant she must have been up on her tippy toes due to her lack of height. She didn’t look miserable, which was good. But then, her eyes were closed. Paul said something and she giggled and rolled her eyes. Then she spotted George and quickly waved at him. She pointed to Paul and mouthed “Bastard”
George sighed. Might as well let them finish, he figured. It was true though. Paul was a bastard. He went to get his guitar from Astrid and Stu, they were snogging and hardly noticed him. Yes, they were in love. George contemplated this for a minute. He might have found it disgusting, being in love, a few years ago. Now it just seemed like another thing that was happening to everyone. John said he was in love with Cynthia, even though he shagged more girls then Paul, George and Pete put together. Well, maybe not put together. Maybe, on average.
He walked back over to Gabby and Paul and flicked Paul on the back of the head to get his attention. Gabrielle laughed and pulled away from him. Paul turned around and looked pissed off.
“What?”
“We’re going back on” said George “Come ‘ead then”