Gabrielle snorted and shook her head. Astrid was curled up on an arm chair with a blanket wrapped around her. It was well past three in the morning. Without the help of uppers and drained from worrying Astrid fell asleep early. Gabrielle pulled her legs underneath her and watched Stu from the end of the bad
“You know” she said “you better be ok. Or else there will be massive problems”
He gave her a look “Ta, I know what you mean” he sighed “I’ll be fine. The head aches going away”
“Maybe” Gabrielle looked up hopefully at him “Maybe you and I should go back to England and we get you to a proper doctor who, you know. Speaks English”
Stuart shook his head furiously “No. I’m not having it, Gabby. I’m staying here with Astrid and I’m fine”
She pouted, thinking of all the overlooked things that could possibly be fatal. It wasn’t a very nice thought so she helped herself to the wine she and Astrid had been sharing. Stuart was adamant about getting some alcohol in him but with no avail.
“Gabby” he sighed “I was thinking about it”
“Yeah?” she looked up
“I was thinking” he said “When about are *you* going back home”
She hesitated “I dunno” she said at least
Stuart backed up against the head board “Well, maybe you should go. You know, the lads were saying this was sort of a holiday of sorts fer ye. Cause you weren’t sure what to do with yerself back in the pool. So maybe, now that you know what it is yer gonna do…” He trailed off and looked at Astrid
“I don’t think I want to leave yet” Gabby sighed
Stuart rolled his eyes “You can always come back, you know. But you should defiantly look into universities”
She gave him a wide eyed look “You don’t need to be so bleeding…”
“Wot?” he sat up “I’m saying you’ve got some obvious talent, you took to art like a fish to bloody water, Gabby. I’m just saying, go back to the Pool, send some things into the Art college’s in London.” He hesitated “What’re you accomplishing her other then destroying brain cells”
They grinned at each other.
“Ok” she consented “I’m not leaving for a month yet, the lads are only planning on two more months here, yeah?”
He shrugged “Sommmat like that, I reckon another two months before they pack it in or head over to the Top Ten Club”
“Top Ten eh?” she nodded “That’s good”
“So you’ll go?”
Gabrielle narrowed her eyes “I didn’t say that. I’ll ring home and see if they can set up me passage back and that.” she took a deep breath “I’ll call later this week”
Stuart rolled his eyes “You have an uncommon attachment to those blokes”
“Well” she laughed “Don’t you include yerself in that?”
“Ah” he grinned “But I’m not a Beatle you see”
Gabrielle grinned “You’ll always be a Beatle, yea tosser”
“Oh, no” he shook his head “I don’t think so”
“Mmm” Gabby kicked him in the foot “You are. In me head you are. More then Pete. He’s just a useless drummer, D’you know what I mean?”
“Yes” he grinned “It’s good to know I can still be in the best Mersey beat band with out having any bloody musical ability to speak of”
“Yeah” she sighed
Astrid startled awake as if from a bad nightmare. She put a hand to her forehead and looked concerned.
“Ah, Guten Morgen” Gabrielle said in sing song voice
“Sleep well in that chair?” Stuart laughed. Astrid stood up and gave him a kiss
“I slept fine, my love. How are you feeling?”
“Loads better” he grinned wickedly “Talking to someone who speaks my own language helps”
“Stu!” Gabrielle admonished “Don’t be unkind”
“I’m sorry Gabby” he pouted and turned to Astrid, putting his arms around her “My darling wife, I’m sorry to you as well”
Astrid giggled and shrugged “I’m not your wife yet” she said
“Aw, that’s cute” Gabrielle muttered standing up to leave
“Gabby, wait” Stuart called, she turned around and raised her eyebrows inquisitively “Astrid,” he said turning to his girlfriend “Gabby needs to call home. She’ll pay fer it as usual but can you punch the codes in?”
“Oh, god, Stu I just talked to them a few days ago, give it a fortnight or sommat, all right?”
“No” he shook his head stubbornly “Not all right. I know you want to stay here with us but you can’t. You have to go back you can’t hide here for ever”
Astrid raised her eyebrows in surprise
Gabrielle sighed “Come ‘ead Astrid. Let’s get on with it”