Shelter In Your Love (Beatles Fan Fiction)

75. All Things Must Pass

I join her on the sofa, perching at the other end, while George hangs back in the doorway. Minnie takes a cigarette out and puts it between her lips. There's a tremble in her hand as she lights it. I want to grab her and hug her but she's so prickly when she's like this. She's unreachable.

'See?' she says, dully, not meeting my eyes. 'I'm fine. You can go now.'

On the table in front of us is an overflowing ashtray, an empty wine glass and a half full brown bottle of pills with a doctor's prescription label on the front. I'm too far away to make out the faint type on it well enough to read it.

'Can... Can I do something for you?' I ask.

'Yeah, turn the clock back to yesterday and bring Brian back to life,' she replies, flippantly, and exhales a cloud of smoke.

'Do you want me to... get you something to eat? Make a cup of tea?'

Minnie rolls her eyes. 'That's you all over, isn't it? Polly, put the kettle on, we'll all have tea. Tea makes everything alright, doesn't it? Lets all have a fucking cup of fucking tea...'

I cast my eyes to the floor while I wait for Minnie to run out of steam, trying not to be hurt by her words. This is what Minnie does. She's aggressive, closed off, and now attacking me because I won't leave her alone.

'Such a bloody goody two-shoes, aren't you, Hannah? Miss fucking perfect. A good little girl, all your bloody life.'

'Hey,' George says, warningly, and both Minnie and I look up at him. He steps into the room, coming to stand in front of us on the other side of the table.

'And here's Prince Charming to save the day,' Minnie adds. She leans forward and knocks ash off the end of her cigarette, then lets it rest on the side of the ashtray.

'Don't pick on Hannah, Minnie,' George says, calmly. 'We're all upset about Brian. It's not just you.'

Minnie glares at him. 'You don't know what I'm feeling,' she spits at him, tears forming in her eyes. '"Upset" isn't the fucking word. That's the tip of the iceberg.'

George chews his lip, contrite. 'I'm sorry,' he says, quietly. 'You know, Brian is...'

Before he can finish, Minnie leaps up from the sofa and flies at him. George flinches in surprise but neatly catches her before she can hit him.

'Don't fucking say it!' she shrieks at him, ripping herself away from him. 'Don't you dare say it! Don't you say he's in a better place or he's at peace, because he isn't! Don't try to feed me any of your hippie, Hare Krishna fucking crap today, George!'

Tears stream down her face. She lashes out at him again, hitting his chest with the palms of her hands. He leans back from her. She's not strong enough to hurt him but he takes hold of her wrists anyway.

'And don't say sorry. What is the use of that? It's not going to bring him back, is it? Nothing is!' She writhes in his grip, aimlessly trying to claw at him. George doesn't move but he doesn't let go of her either. 'He should be here,' Minnie cries, her anger giving way to grief. 'Brian should be here...'

'Yes,' George says, quietly, letting go of her. 'He should be, Minnie.'

Minnie falls against him, crying. George looks at me, surprised, then hesitantly wraps his arms around her back. She cries on his chest, disconcertingly loud and desperate, unable to catch her breath, her whole body shaking as George holds her. As her initial outburst dies down, George jerks his head, beckoning me to them.

He gently maneuvers her away from him and into my arms. Minnie doesn't resist for once, she lets George move her and allows me hug her. She weeps as I attempt to comfort her, stroking her hair and shushing her without much effect. I look at George over her shoulder. He gives me a weak smile and steps back from us, slipping out of the room.