Another Day

Chapter 9

I don’t know why I left with George. I was just scared and desperate to get away from Danny. George acted as the only comfort in the midst of a nightmare, and I clung to him for safety.

Outside the diner, I started to cry even harder, making it impossible to see. My head ached; both my cheek and my eye had swollen horribly. Without a second’s hesitation George scooped me up bridal style and carried me to his car.

For a moment I didn’t care about what Danny would think. I cried into my hands and leaned my head on George’s chest, letting him carry me. White hot anger grew in the pit of my stomach amidst the shock and I cried because I was furious, sad, scared, hurt, and embarrassed.

George set me down in the passenger seat and ran around to the other side. I slumped against the door, wiping some of my tears away. Neither of us said anything as he put the keys in the ignition and took off. As the drive stretched on I got angrier and angrier at Danny. By the time we got to his flat I felt like my entire body was being mauled by rage. I wanted to hit something, I wanted to hit Danny, but that would only bring me down to his level.

The other lads were still awake as we entered the flat. They were slung about the floor and couch, Paul sitting mindlessly stroking his bass. Ringo, mysteriously, was no where to be seen.

They looked up as we walked in. I didn’t bother to shield my eye; there was no hiding the big ugly mark on my face. 

John saw it first.

“You knockin’ your birds around, George?”

George shot him a look and opened his mouth, but I beat him to it.

“He didn’t do you arse.” I shot back. George shook his head. “Her man did it, a fellow named Danny.” Paul looked surprised, “You staying here then?” He asked. I nodded.

Lennon waggled his eyebrows. “Where’s you friend? The pretty dark-haired one?” Paul shot him a look.

“At home,” I said, “Sick”

George nudged me. “Let’s get you some ice.” I followed him into the kitchen and stood awkwardly as he wrapped some ice in a dishrag and handed it to me. Once again, I found myself not able to meet his gaze.

“You can stay here as long as you like.” He said quietly. “I don’t think you should go back there for a while.”

I stared at the floor. Part of me was doing a dance and shouting at the top of my lungs that George Harrison told me I could stay as long as I liked, but the other part was hesitant.

I should stay, George has been nothing but kind to me. It would be unfair to push him away, not to mention completely stupid. 

“Where I come from men don’t do that sort of thing.” He continued.

I didn’t respond, readjusting the ice pack on my eye.

My head ache had dulled from a hammering on the inside of my skull to a continuous throb, and the ice was helping numb the pain from my eye. George took the pack from me and laid it on the counter.

“You tired?”

I nodded.

“You can sleep in my room again.” He took my hand and I followed him to his room. He gave me another shirt to sleep in, a button up this time, and I changed in the bathroom. When I came out, he wasn’t in his room. Feeling a little lonely I went to look for him. He was back in the kitchen, putting away the ice pack.

Somehow, from the time I went to the bathroom and came back, his shirt went missing,

He looked at me as I shuffled in and smiled. “You want something?”

I couldn’t help but appreciate his thin frame. He wasn’t made of muscles or puffed up like a cloud, but filled out enough to look strong and steady. I wanted to bury my head in his chest and sleep for hours. 

He came towards me and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t even begin to feel guilty about Danny. Instead, I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned my face into his chest and pretended that nothing existed outside of his embrace. He smelled of sweat and cigarettes, but also of shaving cream and something distinctly like home. 

Too soon, he pulled away.

“You want me to stay with you?” He asked, searching my face. I nodded slowly. 

“I’ll be in there is a second.”

I shuffled out of the kitchen and crawled into bed, curling up into a little ball. I tried to stay awake until George came back, but I blinked my eyes shut once and didn’t open them again until morning.