You've Got To Hide Your Love Away - A Beatles Fanfic

Chapter 4 - JOHNNY B. GOODE

••••
He could play his guitar
Just like a-ringing a bell.
Go go, go Johnny go go go!
Johnny B. Goode!
••••

The woman who opened the door looked slightly surprised to see the most popular band in England standing on her front step. She stood there staring at the quartet with a confused smile.

Paul was the first to speak. "This is Ruby Cohen's flat, isn't it? She invited us here after the show at the Palladium."

"Of course!" replied the woman, still standing in the doorway. "Of course she did! I'm her sister, Sandra. We share the flat. Please come inside."

Sandra stepped aside, allowing the four musicians to enter along with Mal and Neil. The home was not huge by any means, but it was certainly ample room for two women to live quite comfortably.

"How on earth did you manage to get here so quickly?" Sandra marveled as she ushered the group into the sitting room. "I apologize if I came off as rude at the door. I just wasn't expecting anyone yet. Ruby hasn't even arrived!"

"Oh, ya know," George answered, "with the fans gone potty and all, we 'ave to leg it out of places or else we get mobbed."

Sandra nodded. "Well, please make yourself at home. I know Ruby should be here soon." She motioned towards the small bar in the corner. "Can I get you a drink?"

For twenty minutes Sandra played host until Brian Epstein arrived, followed almost immediately by Ruby and her entourage of friends. Dave Allen, the comedian that appeared on the show that night also stopped in along with Bruce Forsyth, and soon Ruby's flat was bustling with people.

"You must have already been here while I was still in my dressing room changing!" Ruby exclaimed after finding out how long the Beatles had been in her flat.

George again explained how they have to zoom out of venues anymore or else risk being attacked by screaming fans.

With a laugh Ruby responded, "Yes, your fans do cause quite the scene! They surrounded my car thinking it was yours, and made it a bit difficult to get away."

"Mind if I have a go at your piano?" Paul asked once the party was in full swing.

"Please," Ruby responded, "help yourself."

Paul plopped down at the grand piano and began to tinker around, soon drawing a small crowd. He plunked out some random chords, seeming to create his own melody for a few moments, and then ended up going into a rendition of Little Richard's "Good Golly Miss Molly," the crowd of onlookers joining in with the lyrics.

Ruby was the loudest singer in the group. John watched her from across the room as he drank his scotch and coke from one of the fancy Italian leather couches.

"You guys were amazing tonight! Really had the audience going!"

John turned to the girl sitting next to him. He wasn't entirely sure who she was, but she had arrived right after Ruby so she was perhaps an assistant or a friend of hers.

"Hmm, ta," John replied with a nod.

"I never thought I'd be sitting next to one of you at a party," the girl gushed. "You guys are the best in England!"

John nodded again, this time looking more closely at the girl who was nudging her way over to him on the couch. Her dark black hair was styled in a delicate bouffant on top of her head with thick bangs covering her forehead. She suddenly looked a bit familiar, and John realized that she was one of the dancers he had been flirting with during the rehearsals.