“Can I please have some?” Gabrielle asked holding her hands out and smiling innocently
John raised his eyebrows suspiciously “Why”
“Because.. Why does anyone take them? Come ‘ead John. Pleeeeeeease”
He shrugged “Fine” and gave her a few.
That evening they did a run through of everyone’s positions and such. Kate, Gabrielle and Mary (maid of honor) dealt with an extremely frightened Janie after she missed her cue the first time.
“I’m going to mess up” she sobbed “I’m going to ruin my wedding!”
“er.. Don’t be ridicules. You’ll be fine” Gabrielle patted her on the head but then slipped away. Crying people generally weren’t her specialty. Drunken people. Now they were.
The Beatles were playing for entertainment reason and being paid quiet a bit. They did every daft song they knew for sentimental wedding purposed but once they ran out of those they started with the fast numbers.
Sometime around one Gabrielle realized that the only people in the back garden were those under thirty. The Beatles were still playing and acting a bit as if they were in Hamburg with their antics with a censor on the language and content. They were doing ‘Long Tall Sally’ and Gabrielle was substantially more pissed then John and Company. Benny the Best Man seemed was spinning her around. She was giggling and then caught sight of Janie and Fred. Slow dancing while all this was going on around them.
Ah, love. She could only be so lucky.
“Does anyone know how to play Bass!” Paul demanded
Benny spun Gabrielle into Kate. They busted up laughing “I do” he yelled and trotted towards the stage.
So Benny the lucky sod got to play ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ with the Beatles. Meanwhile Paul came upon the very very drunk Gabby and had a dance.
As we all know Paul and Gabby generally are touching before about five seconds before some kind of sexual act happens. John noticed them disappear in the direction of the van and then come back looking ruffled and ecstatic as well as holding hands. Lennon decided not to say something but instead pretend he noticed nothing.
The wedding went off without a hitch. The Beatles played at the reception. Paul and Gabby had about four quickies in the span of five hours. Where? No one can be sure. For some reason the gigantic pink dress did something for Mr. Macca’s libido. This time John did tease them. But he was so drunk and Gabby in general was something to be teased about they brushed it off as nothing. George was still clueless. More drinks and music ensued.
*****
Several weeks later George found him self much less merry.
It was raining. The sky was ominously gray. The train station was packed. Cynthia, Gabrielle, Mr. Gallagher, and George crowded together around Cyn and Gab’s bags.
Cynthia and George watched Gabrielle’s father hug her and tell her to be good for Auntie Irene. To be good and to study hard in New York. He would miss her very much and would she call and write as often as possible? It was tearing the two young people apart just watching it.
Gabrielle didn’t realize that the two weeks in London she had promised to her aunt for paperwork and such would be the two weeks before she was to depart for New York. Cynthia would get to go with her. Cyn couldn’t be more excited at this. Shaz had been the original traveling partner but now Shaz was sick. She came down with pneumonia and wasn’t fit to travel in a Plane. Stupid Shaz. If she died too then Gabrielle was not going to be very happy with her.
So it worked out lovly. Two weeks in London of shopping and paperwork and then on to Heathrow and New York to get settled. Did Cyn mind taking a month off from the Art School? No, she was looking for an excuse out during the summer. This was perfect.
George slipped his hand in Cyn’s. She looked down, or rather, up at him. He was much taller even though two years her junior.
“You’ll miss her a lot” she asked
George shrugged. Last time they’d been separated he cried. He was going to cry. He’d see her in… well in a bit.
“You should be going” Cynthia muttered
“No” George shook his head “I can’t leave the band. Not now that Brian Epstein is all over us and such”
Cyn nodded blankly and gave his hand a squeeze. Mr. Gallagher gave Gabrielle one final hug then stepped back. “I’ll be in the car” he said, giving his daughter a wink and then turning on his heel to leave.
Cynthia bent down to pick up her bag, George released her hand and took a deep breathe. “OH come on” she heard him whisper. Looking up she saw Gabrielle looking just about as sad as someone can look. Shuffling her feet. Looking not at all like normal eccentric happy Gabby.
“I uh..” she bit her lip and looked at the floor “So I’ll send you a letter or something Georgie”
“ok”
Cyn started tugging he bags towards the train. The were still staring at each other
“For fucken sake” she muttered “George give her a hug or sommat”
George nodded seemly they walked towards his best friend. Was she going to cry? Cynthia wanted to see. She stopped walking just in time to see Gabrielle sigh and suck in a deep breath. Then literally threw herself at George. Her arms went around his neck and her legs around his waist. Comical really. But was she crying? No.
“Oh god George I’ll miss you so much”
“I’ll miss you too” he pulled her closer and then her legs slipped down so she was standing again.
They hugged. She was lifted off the floor. His arms could have wound three times around the girl’s small waist. Muttering. What were they saying.
“D’you wanna go to Strawberry field when you get back?”
“yeah Georgie. But listen mate. When I get back you had better have a number one single”
“How about top forty”
“No. Number one. You will Georgie. Don’t worry I know you will. When I come back you won’t even know I’ve been gone. You’ll all be rock n roll stars with bodyguards and everyone loving you.”
“Are you sure”
“I’m yer biggest fan” she giggled “You better do it so I have something to show for all my efforts”
“What efforts”
“Oh god, I love you guys.”
“No. I love you, and god Gabs. You’d better come back in one piece”
Cyn wondered if ribs were being broken. George was biting his lip. He would split it if he didn’t stop. Physical pain.
That’s what it was.
Why did it hurt them so much to be apart?
