Gabby gave George a whack with her long stripy scarf It was freezing cold for the end of October and they were standing outside the Gabby’s new house in Primrose, waiting for Jeremy and Lottie.
Gabby had called Jeremy that morning, saying she was bring an old friend from Liverpool with her when they were meeting up at the house. Lottie was coming down from Cambridge to help her sign over everything and show her the wonky bits in the house. The attic was supposedly a bit leaky.
“So” said George, grinning and hit her back with his scarf” Is he a nice bloke?”
“I dunno” Gabby shrugged evasively “You tell me.”
George rolled his eyes “I’ve got to get back to the theater before four though, or Brian’ll shoot me”
“Oh, that’s right, I almost forgot.” Gabby said sarcastically “Because you haven’t mentioned it at all that you’ll be playing for the Queen Mother next weekend”
“Haven’t I?” George chuckled, she hit him with her scarf again. “Oh,” George sighed “You’re coming to Paris with us in January, aren’t you?”
“Why do I want to go to bloody Paris?” Gabby whined
“Uh” George shrugged “You can spend a load more money and see what new kinds of uppers you can get”
Gabby laughed “Good enough”
“Besides” George continued “You backed out of coming to Sweden and you somehow missed the train up to Blackpool for holiday”
Gabby made an exasperated sound “I was passed out on the floor completely hung over, and you lot left me there”
“It isn’t my fault you can’t hold your drink” George sniffed
Gabby whacked him again and a scarf war ensued until a black taxi pulled up. George hid behind Gabby out of habit. Jeremy and a cute blonde girl climbed out of the car and came towards them.
“All right luv?” asked Jeremy putting his arm around gabby and giving her a kiss.
“Fine” she smiled “Er.. this is George by the way”
Jeremy looked up at George and blinked “Er..” he said “Darling, you didn’t tell me your old friend was George Harrison”
“Christ” Lottie squeaked
George laughed and shrugged “Hello” he said, waving awkwardly.
“Yeha” Gabby filled in the silence “You know… er… I lived next door to George when I was small and we’ve been mates forever”
“Oh kay” Jeremy shrugged and held his hand out “Good to meet you George.”
“You too” George said diplomatically “Erm… this is a great house, all though I don’t know what she’ll do with all the room”
“Um. Hang on” Said Lottie “You’re a Beatle”
“…Yes” said George “I think i might just be”
“Ok” Lottie nodded, looking dazed. She shoveled around in her purse for a key and let them in. “This is just the foyer, sorry it’s so dusty I’ve not been here for months” she clicke don lights and led them around the rather Spartan house. It was obvious Lottie hadn’t spent much time there at all, which was a shame. It was a beautiful house.
“Oh Gabby, let me just show you this one thing” said Lottie, “The attics a bit leaky” she pulled down the stair steps that led up to the attic and climbed up. Gabby followed, leaving George and Jeremy by them selves.
“So” said Jeremy “You and gabby ever… you know”
“Er.. no” said George quickly “She’s like me sister”
*
“You see” said Lottie pointing to a dark patch on the floor where the wood had warped “Anytime it rains, it just starts seeping through. The Luckily this is just over a hall closet so the ceiling’s not ruined any where else”
“Oh right” Gabby pretended to examine the roof even though she could care less. She wanted this house. Leaky roof or no leaky roof.
“So erm…” said Lottie, pulling her coat around her self “You’re mates with a Beatle”
“Uh huh”
“How’s that”
Gabby cocked her head to the side “Rather weird actually, as of late” she paused “George just asked me… well… ordered me to come to Paris with him in January
“Oh really?” Lottie looked delighted “Oh we’ll have to get together... I’m leaving in December for Art School… mid term and that. It would be lovely to meet up with someone who speaks English too”
*
“How did you and Gab meet then?” George asked, rocking back on his heels
“Erm, her friend Eryn is a friend of mine”
George blinked “Eryn the receptionist?”
“Oh that’s right” Jeremy’s eyes went wide “Hey that makes a load of sense, she works at Abby Road, doesn’t she. I wonder why she never mentions you guys?”
“OH yeah” George nodded “She’s sort of supposed to not… you know.. go talking to the press or anyone about what goes on at the studio”
Jeremy snorted “That’s a bit secretive isn’t it”
George suppressed a twitch “Not really… not when everyone in the country knows who you are and they all want something from you”
“Oh come on, being famous isn’t that bad. Look at McCartney, he got Jane Asher” Jeremy grinned “To be honest I think Gabby’s you know, on the scale, higher then her”
“Higher then Jane?” asked George, he leaned back and looked up the attic “Is she really? That’s fascinating.”
*
“Are you fluent in Français?” Gabby giggled “I have the worst accent”
“Mais, oui” said Lottie “Toi aussie”
“Oui” said Gabby “Je etudiais dans un ecole tres strict” she said “Boarding School. Blech. George got off easy with half a year of German but I had to suffer through German and French, which is you know, unfortunate being I am tres stupide”
“Come on” Lottie chuffed her on the shoulder “You seem incredibly intelligent to me. What do you do by the way?”
“Photography” said Gabby “I was studying it in New York for about two years, but things just got too intense so I came back” she shrugged “I don’t need to work… so I was thinking of doing some freelance-ish stuff just for fun.”
“Yeah’ sighed Lottie “Me too… I just love clothes so I’m going to be a fashion designer”
“Oooh” Gabby squealed “Show me your designs some time, I adore clothes, ,I don’t know how to match them or what’s in fashion or anything but I just love them”
“I can see that” Lottie giggled “You recreated one of Coco Chanel’s outfits from the Fall runway right there didn’t you?”
“Yeah” Gaby sighed “I don’t know what goes with what… so I just sort of copied what she did.” She laughed “Only cost three 3,000 pounds too”
*
“So is it hard to play the guitar?”
“Not really” George shrugged “I’ve been playing since I was small, anyway… I don’t really think it’s that hard to pick up, you just have to have talent to be any good”
“So are you just one talented guy?” Jeremy asked
George sighed “Not really… it’s John and Paul who are talented… I just like guitars”
“Oh” said Jeremy, nodding “What are they like… john and Paul I mean”
“Gabby can tell you” George said shortly “I’ve really got to get back to Central London for a rehearsal” he turned and climbed up the ladder to the attic. Gabby and Lottie were talking engagingly about fashion. He sighed
“Gab, I’m going’
Gabby looked up “Oh, no George. Why?”
“I’m making an attempt to be responsible” said George and began climbing down. Gabby and Lottie quickly followed him and Lottie hooked the ladder back up to the ceeling.
“Will you tell Ring when you see him that Mo called just aftfer you lot left this morning?” Gabby asked
“Yes’ George kissed her on the cheek “Don’t forget that We’re going to the Whisky for drinks after the thing. And, hang on. Hang on” He pulled out a napkin. “Paul’s written you a letter”
Gabby looked at the letter in dismay. She’d been able to avoid Paul for two weeks now. “Oh good” she muttered and reached up to Kiss George good bye. “Ok I’ll be there, if I’m a bit late, it’s because I’ve died”
“Right” George kissed her again and waved at Lottie and Jeremy “See you”
After a bit Lottie said “He seems nice”
