“My, my, Gabrielle auntie Anne was chanting. Anne was Louise Harrison‘s sister. She was a petit woman with vibrant red hair “How about you, have you got a fella yet?”
“Er…no”
Anne clicked her tongue. “Find yerself a nice lad and settle down. What d’you need college and all that bloody lark for”
“Anne!” Louise hissed, looking amused none the less “We’re all very proud of our Gabby”
“Yes of course Louise” Anne rolled her eyes and patted Gabby on the shoulder “We’ll talk later. Maybe we’ll teach a few things to cook. You know. Men like that”
“Great” Gabrielle grinned wryly and George giggled despite herself .
“Shut up you stupid git” she muttered, whacking him on the shoulder when she had a minute
“You can’t even boil water. It’s ridicules how terrible you are at cooking stuff”
“Like you’re any better Captain Frozen fish sticks” She snorted
They were shown to their rooms and had to double up. John and Paul opted to share in order to write songs.
“Sides” John shrugged when asked if sharing would be incontinence “Isn’t like we’ve not done worse”
Neil and Pete doubled up and Pete missed the annoyed look Neil shot him. Gabby had her own but George started hanging about the door asking her questions about daft things.
“George, fuck off” she said , giving him an exasperated look and pushing past him into the old hallway
“Why, I’m bored and no one will talk to me”
“Go play with the kids around the barn” she suggested
“Gabby!” Anne called up stairs “Are you busy!”
“No!” She yelled back down and turned to George, now fiddling with the cadet blue drapes that hung lavishly over the single paned windows. It was so cold. Gabrielle wondered if her fingers would drop off in the night.
“Can we fit you for yer dress then, luv?” Janie yelled
“Sure, come ‘ead” Gabrielle went back to her bedroom, George at her heels, the sounds of his aunt and cousin following them up the stairs. She padded into her room and sniffed. Her nose filled with the frozen air. She wouldn’t be surprised to find icicles.
Looking at George she said “Wanna sleep in here. I’m gonna freeze so maybe you’ll get the bed warmer”
“Sure” he shrugged “Better you then me bloody brother”
“Why?”
“Dunno” he shrugged “Yer nice and squishy” he grinned and got the desired response, a slap.
Janie and Anne entered the room with the dress maker.
“Mrs. Husbands is going to pin the dress up for you” Auntie Anne informed her. “Now just get undressed and we’ll see how close a fit it is.”
Gabrielle nodded and turned away from George, She yawned lazily and stretched her arms up “Can you undo them bloody buttons Harri?”
“Yeah” his hand gracefully brushed her hair away over her shoulder and skimmed down the buttons.
Gabrielle saw the look Anne and Janie exchanged “What” she asked blankly feeling George’s fingers work down her slender back. A slight shiver ran through her. George felt it and hesitated briefly before continuing figuring she was just cold.
“Nothing” Janie said quickly
Gabrielle shrugged and her shirt came off she dumped it on the bed. “Are you going to make me wear a big petticoat, Auntie? George…” she gestured to her skirt
“Why are all yer buttons back here” He muttered unhinging the one at the waist of her A-line skirt and doing the zipper down.
I dunno. She started to wiggle out of it
“Wait!” Anne demanded “George, it isn’t proper for you to see a lady in so little clothes”
“What” he blinked “She isn’t a lady she’s *Gab*”
“Go on your way. It isn’t decent”
Gabrielle slid her skirt down her legs “I don’t care. It’s just George he doesn’t matter”
“OH thanks” George pretended ot be offended but headed for te door seeing the murderous looks his old Aunt was giving him “I’m going, Christ. Don’t melt down”
“Oh my god” Janie squeaked drawing attention to herself. Underwear clad Gabby, George and Anne all looked at her
What” they echoed she was staring at Gabby. Gabby shifted uncomfortably as George and Anne’s eyes went to her too.
“Yeah…” she trailed off hopping someone would tell her what was going on.
“Nothing” Janie shrugged, “Yer just….a bit emaciated”
“Oh fuck off” Gabrielle said a bit more harshly then she intended “I’m not bloody wasting away. You’re all daft. Am I wasting away George?”
“Well I dunno.”
“See”
“He said he didn’t know and you are much much *much* to thin” Janie informed her
“Janie, drop it. I’m fine. Look, it’s not like me fucking bones are sticken through”
Janie shut her mouth in a tight line.
“She’s fine” George rolled his eyes and at last went out the door with a “Oh, what’s for diner by the way?”
Mrs. Husbands put the dress on Gabby and fitted it to her taking in and letting out seems. Gabrielle tried not to twitch but standing still for so long was *so* boring. Especially aft Janie went off to talk with George and she’s lost both of her conversationalists. Mrs. Husbands was humming Frank Sinatra songs as she worked and Anne was puttering around , mm humming now and then and watching.
The dress was another frilly number like the pink on back in Liverpool. Pointlessly frilly and daft. This one was pale pink. The dusty rose color went well against Gabby’s fair skin. Thin simple straps held the satiny top up. A low cut neck line straight across. A giant skirt with about eight petticoats underneath. So much ruffle crap.
