Right now she was wondering if it was possible that the leather trousers she borrowed from Astrid would ever come off. It didn’t seem so. It took about ten minutes to get her into the tiny things. They didn’t even fit Astrid anymore.
She looked at George, staring uncomfortably at his shoes. He wore leather trousers a lot. There were probably some major chaffing issues that he was kind enough not to share with her. But they did make his arse look nice. Which is saying something considering George’s lack of arse. But it was a nice arse. Even if it didn’t fit his pants completely. Still a nice arse.
He cleared his throat again. As if he wanted her to say something
“Oh” she started “You know what I was just thinking?”
“what?” he looked up at her with inquiring eyes
“How I’m gonna get me self out of me fucking pants”
George stared at her for a second and then laughed “Gab, what’s in Windsor?”
Gabrielle stood up suddenly “Let’s go for a walk”
“But,” said George standing up as well “I want to know”
“I know you do” Gabrielle grinned winningly and nodded her head towards the door “I’m supposed to meet someone at the top ten club in an hour”
George blinked “Who?” he asked, curiosity creeping into his voice. He knew of her uncanny ability to become friends with people quickly. But she hadn’t been anyplace other then Astrid’s house and the Kaiserkeller…. And the strip club.
“The drummer from Rory Storm” she said, and began bouncing back on fourth on her toes “Let’s go then. Come ‘ead Georgie” she pulled on the sleeves of his jacket and backed up a bit.
“What? Ringo?”
“Yeah Ringo”
He consented and followed her.
They didn’t even get all the way down to the street before George started to ask again what the argument was and what was wrong with her Auntie Irene.
“George drop it” she said shortly
“Gab, why don’t I know about this”
“Because it isn’t anything to do with you”
He stopped and grasped her by the arm, pulling her back a bit “Tell me”
Gabrielle groaned and tossed her arms up in the air before continuing to walk. “It’s just” she started to say “It’s not a big deal. Me Auntie Irene is a bloody control freak. That’s all there is. Me Mum’s from Windsor and that’s where all her family’s from. She met my father in London and went back to Liverpool with him. They got married and all that. No one from her well-to-do like family liked dad or the idea of marrying someone who doesn’t speak proper English.” she said the last part a bit spitefully “So basically, my grandparents died and didn’t leave anything to me mum. It all went to Irene who’s a,” she laughed “A barren widow”
“A barren widow?” George repeated
She nodded “A barren widow. And anyway, to put it mildly, she’s loaded. Of course, the *sensible* thing, in her mind would be for us to come live in her *estate* instead of that ‘dilapidated shack’ of a house, ad Rene calls it”
George snorted “I happen to like your house” he said defensively
Gabrielle laughed and continued “Well, you see… my mum has sort of been proving a point for the past twenty years that she doesn’t need money, and can live happily in a council house with a bus driver’s income. And we *are* happy. I wouldn’t trade it you know. I’ve got you and I’ve got Shaz and I really love my life so far… “ she took a deep breath “But now… you know, it’s all becoming so blurred and I don’t know what to think. I’m not going to be living with my parents all my life. I”ll probably move to London. So it’s only a question of me mum now… and that‘s basically the whole thing in short”
George lt all this sink in. It is funny what you don’t pick up on, isn’t it. He sighed and said “So you’re rich?”
Gabrielle laughed “No, *I’m* not rich. Just my auntie. God, would I live in a council house if I was loaded?”
“No, it probably wouldn’t be the sensible thing”
“Quite right”
The conversation lulled as the reached the Reeperbahn. You tend to look more once you get there. Especially at night when all the freaks come out.
“So how do you like Ringo?” George asked
Gabrielle giggled “Better then Pete, I dare say”
“Mmm” George nodded “In more ways then one”
The Top Ten club was much bigger and much nicer then the Kaiserkeller was. It was also right on the high street, just to add to it’s marvelously seedy splendor. The hurricanes weren’t playing, but Rory, with his platinum blonde hair wasn’t at all hard to spot lurking around.
“Why is it still open?” Gabrielle asked, sniffing, it even *smelled* better then the Kaiserkeller.
George shrugged “Probably opens later”
“Miss Gabby!” Someone yelled, loud enough to incite giggles and raucous laughter from others in the vicinity. Gabrielle looked at George and they laughed quietly as Ringo approached them.
“George!” he greeted George with a firm handshake and a slap on the back “How are things over at your club”
“Oh fine,” George nodded, ever the anti-social Beatle.
Ringo turned to Gabrielle and gave her a hug. “Happy birthday luv” he told her sincerely “How old are you? Twenty?”
“Er… no, eighteen” she said uncomfortably. George found it hilariously funny “I’m actually younger then George” she added
“You’re having me on” Ringo laughed “Eighteen? Good job the police didn’t find you out”
“It is”
“Come ‘ead and say hullo then. You already know everyone George, I think Johnny’ll want to have a word with you about Guitar’s and all that rubbish” he looked at Gabrielle “Ever met any of our lads?”
She lied and shook her head. There had been one incident when Rory Storm, oh fuck it, she was calling him by his real name. Alan. There was one incident when Alan tried to give her a pull. The four year age difference and the fact that that would make him a pedophile was the only thing that stood in Gabrielle’s way to agreeing.
Ringo introduced everyone, “Rory, Johnny, Ty, and my lovely lady this evening, Miss Aimee.”
Aimee waved at Gabrielle “Hello” she said, with a convincing English accent.
“Hi” she said waving back and looking at Ringo “Well how goes the celibacy?”
He laughed “Just promise not to tell” he said in a stage whisper
“What’s this?” asked George, he plopped down next to Aimee and gave her a big smile as he did with most pretty girls. Aimee just laughed it off.
“Nothing” Gabrielle muttered, find I set at the other end of the table next to Rory. “Hullo Alan” she grinned
Realization dawned of his pretty face “Yer the bird from the Jacaranda!” he laughed
Ringo looked up from fondling Aimee. “I know, I think I’ve seen her around there before”
“No!” said Alan/Rory “Remember Johnny, we saw her and we were gonna….”
“Oh yeah!” Johnny interrupted, “Hullo again” he added with a nod in her direction
“You know her?” asked George, he then jumped a bit as Aimee rested her hand on his leg. He gave a her a perturbed look but then smiled.
“Imagine that. How would it turn out you were a mate of George’s.”
“They tried to give me a pull once” Gabrielle explained, rolling her eyes.
“Hey, she’s legal now” laughed Ringo
“are you?”
“Yeah that doesn’t mean I’d go for any of you dirty old men” she giggled