“I can do Mary had a little lamb too” she said proudly “And half of row your boat”
“Let’s here it then” Paul encouraged her. He hoped one day he could have kids. He wanted ten of them. And maybe some of them would be into music. God. That would be wonderful. Paul slipped into a half daydream about teaching his son or daughter to play the guitar when Jen was yanking on his sleeve
“Hey Paul” she said “If Gabby makes our food all icky like can you make us cheese sandwiches?”
“Yes” he agreed “Er… how often does she burn things?”
“All the time” moaned Tommy, he slung his rabbit up on the piano bench and climbed into Paul’s lap “One time, she made us Oatmeal and there was a crust on top!”
“Yeah, and the only thing she can make normal is tea” sighed Jen
“Or Cornflakes” added Tommy “Corn flakes are yummy”
Paul nodded “She doesn’t do to well in the kitchen then?”
“Yeah” said Jen she rolled her eyes “Do *not* marry her Paul, you will *starve*”
Paul busted up laughing and Tommy and Jen joined in with him. Poor Gabby, he thought.
Paul knew how to play a few songs on the piano too so he showed them to the kids. One was a slow soppy number that Jim McCartney loved to play because it reminded him of Mary. Paul wasn’t sure why you would want to remember something sad like that. And then he knew a few Christmas songs and several Jerry Lee Louis, Little Richard type songs. He played them and sang along much to the delight of Jen and Tommy.
“That’s rock n roll music” Laughed Jen, when he finished one “Is that what kind of music you play?”
“Yup” Paul nodded and stuck a few chords. Chords to the ‘Gabby song’ as it had now been labeled it in his head.
He hit the chords in rabid succession, biting the inside of his cheek and switching from a Dmaj7 to a D#7 on one of them. It sounded slightly better that way.
“You play guitar too?” asked Tommy enthusiastically
“Yup” said Paul “And Bass” C flat “And Drums” C minor. He pulled his hands off and looked frustrated
“Whoa!” exclaimed Jen “That’s a lot!”
Tommy twisted around to look up at Paul “What’s wrong?” he asked
“Aw” Paul shrugged “I’m working on a song… and I can’t figure out how it should go”
“How’s it go?” Jen wanted to know
Paul sang what he had so far and then dropped his hands off. God. It wasn’t going to get any further then that. The last time he or John had this problem with a song they totally just forgot about it. The problem was this one was constantly running around in his mind. It was like he knew how it was supposed to go but he couldn’t wrap his mind around it. ((AN: That’s what we call a musical genius folks)) Still…
“Is it about a girl?” asked Tommy wrinkling his nose up in disgust
“Oh, how romantic” Jen sighed “I wish someone would write a song about me”
“Ah, one day the lads will be lining up to write songs about you” Paul laughed
Tommy ‘ewww!’ ed loudly and Jen blushed and nodded exuberantly. “I hope so!” she laughed
John had an idea about the chorus. ‘Now, How could I dance with another. When I’m with her I get scared”
A good idea in theory, as most of John’s were. And he had been half joking when he suggested it. And it worked with the melody Paul had carved out for the song. Ugh, it was just so fucking annoying not getting the lyrics right the first time because you agonized over it for ever until you got it right. He hadn’t realized he was playing the chorus over and over again on the piano. Just the chords they’d figured out on guitar.
“Paul” Tommy laughed “You look like you just swallowed tuppence.”
“Oh yeah” Paul shook his head “Wanna go bother Gabby?”
His little charges cheered in delight and raced towards the kitchen.
**
Meanwhile, hovering over a giant pan of eggs, Gabrielle was quite pleased with herself. They were yellow. The colour they were supposed to be. Not brown, or black, or…. Green. She giggled happily and Claire imitated the sound.
Then Jen and Tommy raced in with Paul not far behind them. Tommy reached Gabrielle first and grabbed onto one of her legs. Jen was a bit taller and grabbed at her waist.
“I won!” the both yelled at the same time
“No you didn’t you stupid poo head, I won” said Tommy
Jen gasped and looked at Paul “he called me a stupid poo head!”
“Now, now” Paul tutted. He walked over to Tommy and gently extracted his arms from Gabrielle. She noticed his hands were lingering on her legs a little longer then they should have. She didn’t really care. Oh wait, yes she did. Jumping and defiling Paul in front of children would probably scar them for life.
“Don’t call yer sister a poo head” Paul told Tommy
“Yeah, poo head” added Jen helpfully
“Hey” he pointed at Jen “Neither of you are poo heads. Now stop it”
Gabrielle detangled herself from Jen “I’m putting the baby to sleep” she announced tiredly
Paul looked over at Claire. The little blonde child had a bottle of milk in her mouth and was looking drowsy. She also, noticeably, had giant spochs of Green down the front of her. Paul looked at Gabrielle. She also had giant splotches of green down her front.
“You should clean her up” he advised
Gabrielle threw a wet flannel at him and it hit him square in the chest “You do it. I changed her diaper, and I had mashed peas dumped on me, and I was vomited on”
“Aww” Paul walked over to her “I think vomit green suits you nicely.”
She giggled “Whatever, we still have to feed frick and frack and give them bathes.”
“So” Paul grinned “Does that mean I get to see you all wet when you get splashed”
She poked him in the chest “Leave me a lone and wipe off that child, you poo head”
Paul saluted her and set about cleaning up baby Claire. Mashed Peas were tangled in the front of her hair and were all around her mouth. He wiped her off as good as he could and listened to Gabby converse with the other two.
“Hey it looks normal!” laughed Jen
“Of course it does” said Gabby “It’s one of three things I can make”
“Wow, how long did it take to do that?” asked Tommy
“A few years” she shrugged
Paul grinned and gave Claire back her bottle “There you go luv, have fun” He plucked her out of the high chair and rocked her back and forth “So, How could I dance with another” he sang “La da da da nuh nah” Paul looked at Gabrielle and caught her eye. She jerked her eyes away quickly. Paul laughed “Well she looked at me, and I…oh I could see, that before to long…” he leered at Gabrielle and spun around a bit, Claire, still in his arms, giggled and cooed in delight. “She’d want to shag me-eee”
“Paul!” Gabrielle exclaimed and gestured to the kids
He shrugged. And then he thought over what he’d just said. Oh god. Second verse. He had a second verse!
“That’s it!” He sputtered and raced over to Gabrielle placing the child in her arms. “Quick, quick, piece of paper”
“Paul got inspired!” squeaked Jen around a mouthful of eggs.
“Quick, what did I say?” he asked Gabrielle,
“Er” she jiggled the baby and sang “Well, she looked at me, and I- I could see. That before to long she’d….” her eyes darkened “You can’t say she’d want to shag me”
“How about” He cleared his throat “That she’d want to fu-eeh. Never mind”
Gabrielle looked thoughtful “You could just say Before too long, I’d fall in love with her”
Paul’s eyes brightened. That was it. “Yer a genius” he laughed and leaned forward to give her a quick kiss.
“Eww!” Jen shrieked “Ewww eww eww!”
Gabby sighed and gave him a look “Ta” she muttered and turned around to go put the baby to bed
“Yer still a genius!” Paul yelled at her retreating back. He giggled at the two egg consuming children “Think she’s a genius guys?”
“No, she’s just a poo head” giggled Tommy
“Shut up Thomas” Jen bopped her brother on the head “Gabby’s really pretty and smart and nice too… even if she can’t cook”
“Jen” groaned Tommy “You are a poo head”
“Come ‘ead guys.” Said Paul he sat down at the table “It’s nearly seven, we should be thinking about bed soon.”
“Ehu” Jen groaned “When we go to sleep are you gonna try to kiss Gabby again.”
“That’s gross!” squealed Tommy.
Despite him self, Paul nearly blushed. Bloody Christ. Discussing your sex life with toddlers. “How about this” he suggested “You two go sit on the couch and watch telly for a little bit. I’m gonna go make Gabby hasn’t dropped yer baby sister on her head”
Tommy laughed uncontrollably all the way out to the couch. He was still clutching his side with laughter as Jen said “I hope she drops her. Claire smells really bad”
Tommy wheezed.
Paul flicked on the television “Ok, just stay here and don’t hurt each other”
“Bye Paul” Jen waved at him as he ran up the stairs. Three floors, but which one was the baby’s room on? He check the first floor and found a bedroom and a bathroom and then checked the second floor. A room with a crib at the end of the hall. Paul poked his head in and caught sight of Gabby, walking back and forth in the darkened room. She was humming under her breath and jiggling what looked like a half asleep baby that would gurgle every now and then.
She was humming the her song.
Paul pushed the door open a little wider and leaned against the door jam. God This was an unnatural attraction.
Gabby put Claire inside the crib and hovered for a bit before backing up. When Paul came into view she squeaked and jumped backwards.
“Fuck off” she hissed at seeing his bemused expression.
Paul waved her out and she shook her head and followed
“Fucking Christ, you scared me” she said “I thought you-”
Paul cut her off. He pressed his lips firmly against hers and gripped her arms, pulling her close. He managed to old her there for a few seconds, not even slipping the tongue. A few seconds of her lips crushed against his.
“No” she tore her mouth away, breathing heavily “Don’t even start with me”
“Oh come on” he urged her, he whirled her around and pressed her into the wall. “Please, why not”
“Because!” she whispered fiercely “You… we…no!”
Paul ignored her and let his mouth slide down her neck in wet hot kisses. Her jaw clenched up in what he hoped was an attempt not to make any pleasant noises of pleasure. He pulled back to look at her. By the way she was glaring at him with lust filled eyes, he couldn’t be sure if she was hating or loving it. He slowly let his thumb drag across her soft pliable lips, hoping she would react somehow. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes in what looked like resignation. Her kittenish tongue poked out a bit ran across the pad of his thumb slowly. Her eyes met his. That was all the go ahead he needed.
Paul placed his mouth on her neck again. Planning on giving her a hicky just to make life a bit more interesting. Because it wasn’t all ready right?
He found the edge of her skirt and lifted it high enough to slide his hand under and find her legs. His hands were cold against her warm skin and she leaned farther back into the wall. Paul’s fingers slowly and deliberately slid up her leg. Up her inner thigh and stopped just below her knickers.
He was about to go further about to touch her again but then something quite mood killing happened.
“Paul the Telly’s doing something funny!” Yelled Tommy from down stairs. Gabrielle jerked away so hard she nearly fell over. Paul made a grab for her
“All right?”
“Yeah” she breathed and brushed her hands down herself “Fine”
He watched her carefully. She seemed …flustered. Not a usual Gabby Characteristic. She ran her hands through her hair and hurried past him. He watched her go. Hmm. Passionate secret snogging sessions. Would it be like this forever? All two people who knew about their Hamburg love tryst were under the impression she’d been swayed not to do something like that again.
Paul though Gabrielle was trying to be unusually moral about it all. She usually didn’t give a fuck. So what was her problem now? If he wanted to, he had an idea he could get her to do what he wanted. In a closet or in a bed. But then again… if it was the other way around and Paul had actually cared that he was making an attempt to shag George’s best friend… and he didn’t want to do it. If Gabby had been the instigator of all of this, she probably would have gotten her way too. Just because she was too fucking gorgeous.
There was sudden screaming from downstairs. It jerked Paul away from his thoughts and brought him back to present
“Arg! We’ve got you now!”
“No! No! Please, not that! Don’t tickle me! Anything but that!”
“Get her Jen!”
“Sit on her head Tommy!”
Paul trotted down the stairs, curious to see what was going on. He was greeted with the image of both of the small children sitting on top of Gabrielle. Jen was shrieking madly and whacking her cousin in the face with a Pillow. Gabrielle was laughing uncontrollably and still trying to call for help. Paul watched, unsure of what else to do. Just watching was fun.
“OK! Ok!”
“Do you give in?” asked Tommy
“Yes” she sighed, pretending to be defeated “I give in. You can have Paulie give you a bath”
“Yes!” The kids cheered and climbed off Gabrielle.
They caught sight of Paul and ran over to him, grabbing each of his hands “You’re gonna be the Captain” Tommy told him seriously
“And I’m the first mate” continued Jen
“Right, and I’m the look out. That means I get to half my kaleidoscope in the bath and if I see anything like an Ice Berg I tell Captain Paul”
“All right, sounds gear” He looked back at Gabby.
She gave him a cheeky smile and plopped back on the couch. “Have fun!”