Two hours later. She was still going on. Thank god for Tea because they’d been through about four pits all ready. Every half and hour Gabrielle’s father would pop in and go “How about a cuppa?” and then disappear again. She didn’t it hear George in the kitchen, he must have left. Bloody Aunt. Bloody Aunt who as staying for a few days. Bloody tea.
She looked down at her hands. Not shaking yet from OD’ing on Caffeine. Perhaps if she drank another four pots of tea she would have a seizure from all the caffeine. Or maybe a life time of tea drinking had rendered her dependant and nothing wou-
Mr. Gallagher ambled into the room “Ah, Tea? Need a new pot?” he shot her an apologetic look and then mouthed something “Wot?” she said a loud
“Beg yer puddon (because that is how you *really* say it!) dear?”
“Oh…er” Gabrielle paused “Nothing”
Someone knocked on the door. She nearly sprinted across the room “I’ll get it!” she called cheerily hopping over the back of the chair.
At flinging the door open she came upon Cyn standing there looking dejected but very pretty in a lavender dress. “John stood me up” she pouted
“Oh” Gabrielle leaned against the doorframe “What’s that Cynthia? You need to speak to my father? By all means, let me show you”
“Wot?” Cyn looked confused “What’re you on about?”
“He’s in the kitchen, let me show you” Always the horrible liar Gabrielle pushed Cynthia into the kitchen thankful that Auntie Pru had distracted hr self with pouring tea.
The kitchen door slammed shut behind them “What was that all about?” she asked
Gabrielle groaned “My Aunt. I’ve been stuck sitting there listening to her for *ages*”
“Euh” Cyn sneered “I hate that”
“Me too”
“You escaped?” he father came over, looking confused
“Yes” said Gabrielle stiffly “No thanks to you, you take her for a while”
Mr. Gallagher sighed “Fine, I reckon it is my turn” he put on a brave face and headed for the living room.
Gabrielle shuddered “Let’s get the fuck out of here” she mumbled grabbing her coat off the back porch.
Cynthia followed her and watched her friend put on her scarf and mittens and coat. “D’you think he’s fallen out of love with me?” she asked quietly
Gabrielle made an exasperated sound “What? No. Of course not Cyn, he loves you. I know he does. He’s just John and he’s a bit erratic”
She huffed “I bought a new dress and everything”
“It’s very pretty” Gabrielle commented, winding her scarf into a knot at her throat “He’s just John, you know”
“Yeah” Cyn sighed “And it may be the end of me but I love him for it”
Gabrielle giggled “Oh” she said “I hope I fall in love like that one day”
“Aw, come ‘ead. The lads will be lining the streets for you Gabby”
“Shut up” she laughed
“No, straight on” said Cyn, she hooked her arm through Gabby’s and they started walking towards the bus. “Where’re we goin?”
“Er, I dunno. Wanna get pissed drunk?”
Cynthia shot her a look “Don’t we need the lads for that”
“Oh come on! Be wild, be free be independent and all that rubbish. Come get sloshed and drown your sorrows with me. It’ll be fun. We can have a men are evil-like evening”
“Ooh” Cynthia laughed “I like that”
“Good”
***
“Green Leprechaun” Gabrielle shook her head
“What?” Cyn laughed
“Nothing, it’s just in Hamburg all the bars and things had names like… well they were named after things”
“Dirty things I guess?” asked Cyn “Oh my, I don’t know how you survived”
“I like getting of my head” Gabrielle laughed, they pushed through the door and there, in all of their beatle-y glory were the Beatles. At least three of them anyway. Drinking as usual.
Cyn and Gabrielle looked at each other and made ready to bust up laughing. Cyn put her finger to her lips and inclined her head towards them. The girls, as quietly as possible walked over to John. Cyn tapped him on the shoulder and he looked back at her and then spun around
“Cyn!”
“Hullo John”
“Oh, god. Cyn, luv, I totally forgot. I’m a git”
“Yeah you are” she nodded
“A really big, insufferable, chauvinist one too” added Gabrielle helpfully,
John pulled a face at her “What’re you doin here then?”
“It’s a pub” said Gabby waving at the space around her “What d’you think you do in pubs”
“Drink?” asked Paul, he waved the bartended over.
Gabby slid into the seat next to him and flashed him a smile “Ta. Rum and coke”
“Cyn, I’m so sorry, luv…” John was saying to a placid Cynthia “d’you forgive me? Please luv”
A smile bubbled up onto Cyn’s lips “It’s ok, I guess just don’t do it again
Paul watched Gabrielle shake her head with a bemused grin on her face as she sipped her drink. “How’d you find us then?” he asked.
Gabby raised her eyebrows at Paul. “We weren’t meaning to. I was gong to get Cyn drunk”
“Oh why am I not surprised” George grinned
“What?”
George giggled “You’re an alcohol fiend”
Gabrielle’s mouth fell open. She closed it and laughed “Scuse me? I believe it was you, Harrison, who got on the table in Hamburg and declared to a room full of transvestites and fairy sailors you were going to consume all the alcohol in the whole world before you died”
“I did not!”
“Oh, yes you fucking did” John laughed
“No I bloody didn’t” said George
“Well you wouldn’t remember it would you?” said John.
“Remember” Paul nudged him “That was the time where the next morning you were so sick we just let your head hang out that window for like, hours”
“And then Paul and I stuck your head in Pete’s suitcase!” John, Paul and Gabrielle busted up laughing. George looked like he was having trouble remembering.
“I still don’t remember that, but I don‘t remember much” he consented
From there the conversations proceeded to those drinking stories that you can never actually remember half of the events happening. And the oddest places you’ve ever woken up.
“Paul’s back garden” said George decidedly “I lay there for about four hours after I woke up. I couldn’t decide if I had fallen out the window or if I just passed out there.”
“Oh Christ, I remember that. You came walking down the street and you were all” Gabrielle rolled her eyes up in her head and flopped her head down like a drunk “’Ey Gab, who the fuck am I’”
“Oh” george nodded “And you ran back in the house”
“Yeah”
Paul laughed “George always thinks he can handle more then he actually can”
Gabrielle nodded in agreement.
“No, you do it more then I do Gab” said George
“I don’t!”
“Yeah you do” said Paul, “I distinctly recall a time when I had to walk you home and you were so sloshed. You still thought you could drink more then me”
“That’s a physical impossibility” Cyn laughed “I don’t see how you could, you’re so tiny”
Gabrielle huffed “I am not tiny, and I *can* drink more then Paul”
“You can not!” he laughed
“I can, and John too” she giggled
“Ooh” said John “Would you like to prove that Gallagher?”
“I would” she nodded
“I bet on John” said George “She’s not a light weight but still.”
“I’m with Gabby” Paul laughed, he put his arm around her shoulders “John’s already had a bunch”
“You’re *not* talking about a drinking game or something” Cyn sighed “Honestly Gabby”
“What?” Gabrielle laughed, “Why not?”
Cyn laughed “You are as bad as they are”
“Right” John nodded “Vodka?”
“Yes!” she agreed, clapping her hands in earnest
“Oh fuck, I’m putting ten pence on John” George chuckled
“Ten P!” John exclaimed, pretending to look hurt as the Bartender set up shots “Is that all I’m worth to you Harri?”
“No you’re only worth five”
“A pound on Gabby” said Paul
“Two pounds on Lennon”
“A fiver”
George gave a short laugh “Ten! I’m winning, I don’t fucking care”
“Fifteen” said Paul, he looked at Gabrielle “You are going to win aren’t you?”
“Er…” she looked at John, he was conversing with the bartender “Sure?”
“Fifteen quid” agreed George
“Right, Gabbah bird?”
“Yeah” she laughed
“Trade places with our Paulie here”
Paul and Gabrielle traded places and George went round to stand be hind John, muttering “don’t loose” as he went.
“Right” said Paul “As the only person who’s on Gabrielle’s side, I volunteer to carry her home after she passes out”
“I’m not going to pass out!” she whirled around to glare at him, he just laughed “You’re on my side!”
“I’m not carrying John” George snorted, he looked at Cyn “Can you manage him?”
“Oh sure” Cyn laughed “Just cast him off to me”
“I’ll pay for a taxi after I win” said Gabrielle with a cheeky grin
“Ok,” the shots were lined up, the bartender stood hear with an amused look on his face. “Can I get a drum roll please, Gabby?” he gestured to her drink.
She picked it up giggling as Paul and George tapped out something on the bar counter.
“One, two, three!”
They tossed back the drinks and Cynthia laughed and turned away as they winced. The normal burning sensation traveled down their throats. John cackled and gulped down some air.
“Another?” he asked
“Yeah” she agreed, nodding. Paul rested his hands on her shoulders and rocked his palms back and forth. She turned to look at him as the shot glasses were filled again. He winked at her and she turned back around immediately.
A second, and then a third and she was leaning against Paul giggling and trying to remain serious as Cynthia was coaxed into counting them off in a German accent. George had slid up on the bar. He watched Gabrielle giggle and Paul wind his arms around her shoulders. She didn’t seem in danger of falling over. Paul looked up and caught George’s eye. He shrugged smugly. Because only Paul can shrug and be smug about it. George patted John on the back. “Come on mate, don’t loose me money”
“I’m fine George” John giggled “I feel fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine”
Fourth, fifth, six, seventh, eighth, ninth…..
Gabrielle slipped sideways in her seat and Paul caught her. “Steady on” he murmured, pulling her up.
“I am good!” she announced sitting up straight and putting her arms up in the air. She fell backwards against Paul and draped her arms backwards around his neck. “I’m so fucking good, I’m just. I’m great. More” She managed to pull Paul’s head down to her face. He glanced up at George, he was talking to Cynthia and giggling. Not paying attention. He looked back at Gabby.
She giggled “Paul, I fucking love your hair and I-”
“Ten!” John announced “Cynthia my darling lovely girl, count us off”
“Von!” Cynthia said slapping the bar. Gabrielle pulled away from Paul and grabbed her shot glass. John got his and he ruffled Gabby’s hair with a wink “Das two-er” Cynthia giggled, she put a hand to her mouth and cleared her throat “Treigh!”
John and Gabrielle knocked back the shots. Gabrielle grabbed her beer and nearly spilt it on herself getting some.
“How are you darling?” asked John after making a big show of puckering his face up
“I’m good, I’m still going to win”
“Yeah” John laughed “right. Physics are still on my side”
“But-” she started to say but waved it off “Whatever, get me another one” She leaned back against Paul and tilted her head back to look at him “I usually only do ten” she muttered “If my liver gives out will you be sure to… I dunno. Do something”
“Sure” Paul laughed he set her back up against the bar. Gabrielle was struck by a giggle fit then.
“Right! Only way to do this is two at a time” said John
“Two at a time!” she stopped laughing “Are you fucking mad?”
“Yes” he cackled and ruffled her hair “Unless you’re scared”
“I am not” she retorted huffily “fine. Two at a time”
“Can you do that?” asked George, one eyebrow raised
“Well we’re going to” John nodded and grabbed two. He threw back one and then the other and looked at Gabby. With a sneer she did the same.
That was… how many was that? Gabrielle closed her eyes, letting her head swim and the shook herself to clear her vision and follow the vodka with beer. Oh she’d run out of that now too.
“Ok” John sighed, he put a hand to his head “I think I’m done”
Gabrielle’s eyes shot open. “Hah!” She laughed forgetting about the swimy visions “I win!”
John shot her a dirty look “You’re still paying fer me cab” he asked
Gabrielle nodded and stood up to give him a hug.
“Damn it Lennon” George whined “Whhhyyy…. I have to pay fifteen quid now”
“Yeah you do!” Paul chuckled, Gabrielle spun around, forgetting he was there
“We won!” she giggled, throwing her arms around his neck.
“By forfeit” said George “It shouldn’t count Macca”
“Oh,” Paul laughed “But it does”
“Fine” George retorted childishly “I’m keeping your capo then”
Paul stuck his tongue out childishly