John and Paul were writing more songs. It was a bit weird because…. They were good songs now. Lots like Love Me Do instead of a bunch of shit Jerry Lee Lewis Rip-offs. No, they were *serious* song writers now. That bubble that George felt he could never be a part of seemed to be up again. Up with all of it’s vicious bubbley-ways.
George blinked. Bubbley-ways? What he fuck was wrong with him…
He plodded home, up the front gate. Glancing at Gabrielle’s house and at the window that was her room. She wasn’t up there. He wasn’t sure how he knew up he did. Through the front door and on to bed but Peter came barreling down the stairs at the speed of light before he could get very far.
“George?”
“Pete” he imitated his brothers pitch of voice and tried to step round him. He had to practice the new guitar solo for a Lennon/McCartney song. Damn them.
“No, Gabby’s here” Peter laughed, he had a camera around his neck, George noticed. “She and her dad stayed for dinner, which you *missed* by the way.”
“Ooh” George winced. That was that’s right. The ‘session’ ran a bit longer then expected.
“Yeah, come say hello, she’s entertaining us” Peter grabbed his brother by the arm roughly and dragged him down the stairs towards the kitchen
“Entertaining you”
“Yes” Peter laughed. He kicked the door open “Mum! George is here, he forgot about dinner again”
“No” said George, thinking of a lie quickly “I was… er, I ate at Paul’s.”
“Oh sure” Peter poked him in the chest “Is that why you’re so skinny?”
“I could still kick your arse” George giggled poking his brother back
Peter grabbed him around the neck and drug him over to the table. “Mum” he said “Do I have permission to kill George”
Louise sighed and shook her head “Darling, no. I quite like him”
“Fine” Peter released George, after much struggling “watch your back Harrison”
George snorted and got close to his brothers face “Don’t, mate. I know where you live”
Pete busted up laughing “You live there too!”
George grinned, pleased with his wit. That was almost a John comment. He looked over at Gabrielle. Sitting next to her mother pouring wine into their glasses. Her father talking to Harold Harrison, hardly taking notice of their antics. Gabrielle was wearing a big frilly pink dress.
George blanched “What the f-er…. Uh in the name of god are you wearing… Gab…?”
She laughed and shrugged “Remember when I was a bridesmaid”
George thought backwards. Bridesmaid “No….” he slid into an empty seat an scowled as his brother whacked him on the back of the head as he passed.
“Yeah, remember” she lifted the edge of her skirt and waved it in his face “Pink, frills, taffeta. John put it on his head and ran around the room with it on. That was the lat time I ever let you use my bathroom to practice on”
George looked thoughtful and then laughed “Oh, yes! I remember”
“I’m going to clean up, dishes” said Louise “Help me Peter
“What?” Peter exclaimed “Make George do it! He was late!”
“He needs to talk to Gabrielle” said Louise, picking up the empty dishes and starting for the sink.
Peter whacked George on the back of the head again an ran off to help his mother before he could do anything back.
“I have to tell you something” Gabrielle whispered. George nodded and nonchalantly grabbed the half empty bottle of wine off the table. “Lead the way”.
They headed for the back garden and decided to hop the fence for more privacy in hers. George went over first and set the bottle against the fence. He held his hands up to help her.
“Come ‘ead George” she laughed kicking one leg over and then the other. “I don’t need help”
“I know” he grinned “It’s the pink dress it makes me think you’re actually a girl or something”
“Oh fuck off!” she laughed and tried to hit him but he leapt out of the way. Gabrielle lost her balance and let out an uncharacteristic shriek that turned into a more characteristic cackle as she George grabbed her round the waist and she fell on top of him.
“Ow” he sighed.
Gabrielle was giggling madly, she climbed up on top of him a straddled his chest so the frilly dress spread out around them. “Ta, very much Georgie you broke my fall”
“Yeah, good thing you weigh less then most small children”
She hit him a again and George pretended to whimper “why must you hurt me, Gabs”
“You say dumb things.” she said as if this were the most profound thing ever. Then she lifted the edge of her skirt and tossed it over his face.
“Oh, god, and I saved you too!” he mumbled gasping and pushing the dress off his face.
“Oh” she deadpanned “What a ‘orrible way to die, death by er.. Falling off a fence”
“Better then, er..” he mimicked her “Death by suffocation and frilly pink things”
Gabrielle giggled “That would be a terrible way to die”
He threw her skirt back in her face. She laughed and tucked it in around her legs
“Saw your knickers” George cackled
“No you didn’t”
“I did” he countered trying to look convincing. And failing. Because George was a bad lier.
“No,” she laughed” What colour where they?”
“Uh, George fingered the edge of her skirt “Er… black and lacey and very tiny”
“No!” she laughed “They’re white and cotton and they go on for ages, all the way up to here” she reached hr arms up over her head and then sighed bring them down on either side of George’s face and hugging him to her. “I missed you, and this” she mumbled,
George nodded and hugged her back “I missed you too”
She smacked a kiss on either of his cheeks and leaned her forehead against his “I have to tell you something sad though”
“How sad?” he asked as she pulled back and leaned her hand on his chest
“I dunno” she sighed “I’ll just come out and say it”
“Ok” George nodded.
She didn’t say anything. But looked down at her hands and straightened George’s shirt
“Are you going to tell me?” he laughed
“Yes. Ok” she took a deep breath and was careful not to look at him “I’m going to school in New York”
It was out. There. New York. She said it. She was going and he knew and it was very sad. But where were the fake exuberant cheers of joy for her? Where were they? She didn’t look at him and stared at the sky. All the stars. Would they look like this in America she wondered? He still didn’t say anything, he should have hugged her and told her good for you! You’re getting out of here.
She looked at him and bit her lips. George looked sad. Very sad.
She was right, this was sad.
“New York” George said at last. More like mumbled incoherently. Hearing it come out of his mouth instead of her voice echoing around his head.
“Yeah” she nodded,
“How long” George caught her gaze. She pulled a face.
“Stop looking tortured” she commended
Now he looked surprised “Sorry”
“I’m leaving you too you know, it‘s not like this is any better for me”
He took a deep breath “Am I ever going to see you again?” he asked finally