like a pomegranate | george harrison

12 - Take Her Out Tonight

When night falls, Cloud decides to doll herself up. Struggling to decide, heaps of her new mod and hippie clothing pile up her bedroom floor next to pairs of knee-high boots, dolly heels, colored tights, and empty hangers.

George sits on the bed in amusement, smoking a cigarette, complimenting each outfit more than the last.

When she finally makes her decision, he warns her what this will mean, the two of them going out tonight. Getting caught in the press.

A sadness settles in Cloud's chest. This night marks the end of her and George's cozy little world, living in secret at Kinfauns. Gardening together, him teaching her to meditate, giving her guitar lessons with his fingers holding hers in the right places.

Once the public sees them out together, the camera flashes will begin and never end.

The bubble of privacy has already been popped, Cloud points out, with her musical debut with Apple Studios. But they both know this will be very, very different.

It will most certainly mean the end of her part-time job. Once Cloud is known as a Beatle girl, that'll be the end of getting to teach the girls.

George peppers soft little kisses down the back of her neck, his dark eyes watching them standing, together, in the mirror. His arms wrap snugly around her hips.

The heavy smell of tobacco, lavender and incense that hangs around him makes her stomach do flips.

"It's about time we go out. I've been cooped up in your damn house for too long," she sighs. He kisses her on the cheek.

"Did you just curse me house?" He asks, pretending to be shocked.

"Sorry. This haven of peace and love," she corrects herself. George smiles crookedly and lifts her hair to kiss the spot behind her ear.

"That's better. Your only worry-" he kisses her neck "-should be enjoying the night. Okay?" He gives her a tight squeeze, forcing a smile out of her.

"The lovely Miss Harford," he whispers in her ear, mocking the newspapers. "Beatle girl."

"Oh, come on," she laughs.

"Engaged to be married within the month to George Harrison of-"

She jokingly pushes him off of her, and in a second he has her wrestled down to the bed.

"I'm a-" she grunts, struggling against him as their limbs tangle with each other like a pretzel "-musician now. I'm never getting married!"

He pins her by the wrists, and she squirms in his grasp, giggling madly.

"Succumb to me madame!!" George shouts in a silly voice. "You cannot resist me forever!"

"Never!" Cloud fights back. She tries on a dramatic British accent. "You think because you're a big-shot pop star that you can have me just like that? Think again, you sop."

They both roll off the bed and hit the carpeted floor with a heavy thud. George immediately scrambles off of her.

"Oh my- Cloud, are you alright?" He peers over her while she holds her stomach with laughter.

"Yes!" She cries. He grabs hold of her shoulders and pulls her upright. "If you were trying to make me fall for you, that's one way."

"So it worked, then?" He winks.

"Hmmm..." She taps her chin and looks pensively at the ceiling. "Let me think. Nope."

George pretends to stab himself in the chest and falls flat on the floor, faking his death.