“John, shut up” Brian snapped
They all busted up laughing at that, except for Paul who was sitting sulking like he had been all morning. They were sitting in the French airport, in a rather secluded spot that was usually reserved for pilots off dutey or the like. But being that the bus they were supposed to travel in had not yet reached the airport, it was currently a Beatle holding area.
John nudged her again. “Do it, go on”
She rolled her eyes and stood up to talk to the haggard looking woman manning the snack bar trolley in the corner.
“Bonjour” Gabby said, feeling silly. She turned around to see all the Beatles plus Mal and Neil looking on in fascination, which made her laugh a bit. They really were desperate for some entertainment—which was understandable. They’d been locked up since early that morning in planes, trains and rooms. T was enough to drive anyone mad.
“Bonjour” the haggard woman sneered “Qu’est que to veux?” she coughed raggedly.
Gabby ordered and then asked about the weather and the shopping in Paris—the woman repsoned reluctantly, realizing she was just putting on a show. She shoved the croisonts and coffees and Gabby and muttered a dirty French word reserved for foreigners. Gabby laughed again.
“She seemed nice” Ringo commented, taking his coffee from Gabby. “What she say?”
“That it’s raining and inflation is really high at the moment” Gabby snickered
Brian huffed back over to them. “What? Are you eating again?” he asked, looking at the croisonts in their hands.
“Brian you haven’t fed us yet” George whined “It’s two back in England, we missed lunch”
Brian ran a hand over his face and muttered to himself for a moment. He appeared on the nerve of nervous breakdown. “Quite right, quite right. Well—Neil, the car’s here. Can you and Mal start loading them into it”
“Yeah, come on, you lot” Mal grinned “We’re loading you”
“Oooh, I love it when you load me Mally” John joked.
Brian twitched his hands together looking over his eight charges before nodding. “Right, Neil you take them to the hotel in the van. Boys, I think you should rest and don’t over exert yourselves before the radio show at six—“
“Radio show” George whined
“Be quite George” Paul snapped
“Sod off, McCartney”
“Mal! Keep them separated” Brian shouted, glaring at them. George and Paul glared right back.
“We’re not kids, Brian” Paul started to say
Gabby could tell a fight was coming on. Things had been going so well and then all of a sudden they were fighting? Well, Paul had been in a bad mood all day— all month would be more accurate.
She placed a hand on his elbow and he looked down at her in surprise, closing his mouth firmly.
“don’t fight” she pleaded, looking at Paul but speaking to all of them.
Brian nodded, yet it was in the twitchy overstressed way that made Gabby think perhaps he needed a few days vacation or else he would explode.
Mal and Brian left, presumably to talk to people at the radio station and Neil herded them through back doors and secrey airport entrances to the van waiting. It was loaded with their gear already and just as Gabby was about to climb in a group of French boys and girls came round the corner, beatles signs in their hands. When they spotted them they started screaming madly and running.
“Oh shit” Neil grumbled, shoving John and Ringo in and running around to the driver’s side to yell at the driver to hurry up and make a get away.
“Tres Quick--- tres fast to uh aller le hotel---le george the cinque hotel. Allez!”
George, Gabby and Paul exchanged a look, one of mixed panic and amusement. Paul climbed into the van and grabbed Gabby’s hand to pull her in as well. They sat down and didn’t stop holding hands, which only Ringo seemed to notice. George got in and slammed the door shut.
“Bloody kids” Neil muttered
“There’s an awful lot of boys” Gabrielle noted
“I thought you were in a stable loving, monogamous relationship” John teased “None of that, playing with the boys in France”
“Shut up—it’s hardly a relationship” she muttered
“You’ve been with these geezers too long” Ringo laughed “you have the same standards for a boyfriend as they do”
*****
AN: Short. I know. Will do more tomorrow.