Get It Straight, Or Say Good Night

Corners of a Sandwich

" ........ Really I thought Missus Rigby went to church in Woolton, why would she be buried in Speke?" Louise chatted happily with her Ma as they wandered home, they had ducked to church as George slept in, he worked hard with the band and Lou had convinced her mother that it was for the best.

There were a few fans at the rickety front gate, two girls Louise knew from school and ten others that proclaimed to have known at least one or more of the boys. They were all busting at the seams with excitement as George had just ducked out and signed all their autograph books. These girls were a treat compared to the London squawkers that seemed to roost at Lou and Johns front gate. The Liverpudlian girls were all very civilised, and didn't raise too much ire with George's Mother with their chattering and general standing about.

Lou smiled at the girls saying 'hi' to the few she knew vaguely from school as she passed them by.

"Oh no she had a falling out with pastor Benedict, something about raising money for orphans. She wanted the money to buy new kitchen items for the parishioners committee. So she moved, silly old woman" Ma Harrison tutted, then pushed the gate closed as Louise stepped up the path a few paces ahead of her.

"Excuse me Louise, could you sign my autograph book too?" One of the fans asked, Louie stopped dead in her tracks and turned about smiling, more than a little stunned that she had been asked. She walked back to the gate nonetheless, just to be polite.

"But I'm not a Beatle! Ask Nancy here, I'm just Louise" Louie hugged Nancy, who had just arrived and grinned at Louise baulking at the request.

"Oh come on Lou, you're famous now, you are. 'Pool girl married a Beatle'... you're virtually one of the band" Nancy hoisted up her own pen and autograph book, wiggling it comically and laughing at Lou's look of mock terror. They had been in the same grade together, not exactly best friends but chatted and spoke to each other when the met up in the street or at the club. "Go on, be a sport, and let us touch your hand too..... For those hands have touched royalty" Nancy rolled her eyes as all the girls assembled rushed at Lou like vultures for a signature. Nancy nudged Louise cheekily "And those mitts have probably touched a cite (?) more too. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge and all that, hey Lou. Lucky git"

Louise cackled shoving Nancy about happily and smiled and chat away with the girls and laughed at the few crass jokes they tossed at her, all in good Liverpudlian fun. Finally finished, Lou walked to join her mother who had been waiting with great patience, whilst nipping spent buds from the flowers either side of the front door.

Ma continued de-budding as Lou arrived beside her but Lou was now zoned out of Ma's local gossip.

The look on George's face as he stared down at them from the upstairs front window was foreboding.

He was absolutely livid.

"Can't you both stay a little longer Louise?" Ma chatted on unbeknownst to Lou's lack of concentration on her "We haven't had a Sunday roast with the whole family together in so long"

"What Ma? Oh Ummm no I'm sorry Ma, George needs to be back for something or other" Louie took one last glance up and breathed a little relief that George had disappeared back inside, perhaps he just thought the gate-birds were causing trouble.

With bags packed and in the boot, Louise kissed her Ma and Da goodbye, it seemed like ages since they'd had a visit, which it wasn't really but they looked so much older than before, Ma especially; Lou cast her eyes once more over the ever vibrant woman who looked tired, worn perhaps. Like the years were moving faster for her aging parents. They were growing older and if George and Lou weren't careful they would miss their parent's life.

George shot Lou a look, she couldnt determine, over the cars roof and Louie got a sinking feeling in the pit of her belly.

George was usually ribbing her, testing her patience mostly, pushing buttons, cracking her up and she would enjoy one upping him always but today it all seemed, well ..... just.... off.

Maybe he just misses the lads, it had been three days; both Lou and George had escaped up to Liverpool for Ma's sixtieth birthday while John, Paul and Richie conducted interviews for the forthcoming tour.

"Well that was a great weekend wasn't it Georgie" Lou grinned, looking back over the seat to see that Evie had already drifted off to sleep after only the few kilometres they had just travelled. She turned about as George scratched his ear in desperation. "What is it George? Those fans were no harm, didn't you see Penny from the café? ...... You're not missing the lads are you? It's like you lot are corners of a sandwich and the filling all falls out if you're apart"

George grumbled something indistinct quietly and lit up a smoke, holding it with one hand as he drove and kept scratching his ear with the other.

"Stop scratching your bloody ear, how long have you been doing that for anyway? It's all red" Lou pulled Georges hand away and got a annoyed slap back for the trouble. Holding her hands up in mock defeat Lou turned to the front and watched the rain beat down, it would be a slow journey back with a grumpy monkey by the looks. "Slow down you were speeding coming up here but it's raining now you need to drive to the conditions, think of Evie"

"Shut up Louise!!!" George berated as he wound the window down and tossed the half-smoked cigarette out into the puddles, he slowed the car to a better speed and looked a tad sheepish for a few seconds then he set his jaw and grasped the steering wheel much too tight. "Why didn't you tell me, I'm your brother for fucks sake".....................................