Shelter In Your Love (Beatles Fan Fiction)

18. Just to Dance With You

If somebody tries to take my place

Let's pretend we just can't see his face

In this world there's nothing I would rather do

Cos I'm happy just to dance with you

New York was insane. As a city, it was always alive, wired, something going on, but once the Beatles had landed, that turned up an extra notch. It was February, snowy and freezing cold, but that didn't dissuade anybody. Beatle fans routinely blocked the streets and traffic couldn't get through. The news was full of stories of people trying to get into their hotel, just trying to reach the four of them.

On Tuesday, we travelled down to Miami and I was quite glad to get away from all the madness - and also, the snow. It was at least ten degrees warmer in the south and the difference was remarkable. Sometimes it was hard to believe all these places were in the same country.

Before Christmas, some of our tour dates had been postponed. We were heading to Miami for a couple of shows, plus a couple of radio spots and magazine interviews for local press. Four days and a packed schedule, made busier by the news of Ricky and I getting engaged. If that was still on. I hadn't heard from him since Sunday night. I'd tried to call him, but the phone just rang out.

Ricky, Maurice, Minnie and I were to travel down together - by car it had been decided at the last minute, as flights were suspended out of New York by snowstorms. Bet and Cat had family in Miami, so they'd gone ahead the day before. There was a heart in mouth moment, when I truly thought Ricky was going to stand us up, but he ambled up, half an hour late, and with a sheepish smile on his face. It would have taken nearly twenty-four hours to drive directly, so we stopped off at a motel half way down. Our first appointment - a local radio show - wasn't until Thursday afternoon, and we had a little spare time.

As we booked into the motel, I went to Ricky's side. He'd been quiet, not talking to me the whole journey down. 'I can share a room with Minnie, if that's better,' I tell him, carefully.

He shakes his head, not looking at me, and goes to speak to Maurice. Minnie and Maurice get individual rooms. Ricky and I are to share. It is a less than luxurious wood panelled room with a double bed, a chair and a wardrobe. As soon as we get there, Ricky goes into the bathroom and locks the door, switching both the taps on over the sink. I sit down on the edge of the bed, unsure what to do. I don't know where I am with Ricky at the moment, but I know we need to sort this out before it consumes us. After a few moments, Ricky opens the door again. He leans on the door jamb, putting his hands in his jeans pockets.

'I'm sorry, Hannah,' he says, surprising me.

'What for?'

'For uh, walking out the other night. For over reacting.' He comes into the room and sits on the bed next to me.

'I'm sorry too,' I say earnestly. 'I should have told you... properly about George. We were close, for a while, but it's not like Minnie said.'

'It's okay,' he says. There's a undertone of sadness to his voice.

'I was seventeen, I thought I was in love with him, but I was just... just a kid. We followed them to Hamburg, but when I got there George was with someone else.'

Ricky raises an eyebrow.

'He kissed someone else,' I explain. 'We kind of got back together, but it wasn't very long before George had to go home. And then after that, we came here. To New York. I haven't heard from him since then. I'd no idea what had happened to him until all this Beatles stuff started.'