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

Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT BEFORE

••••
Were you telling lies,
Ah, the night before?
Was I so unwise,
Ah, the night before?
When I held you near
You were so sincere
Treat me like you did the night before.
••••

John knocked on the front door to Ruby's flat and stood there waiting for a response. His guitar case was slung across his shoulder as he couldn't have left it at Paul's, but he didn't dare run home first. After a moment the door opened and Sandra stood opposite John on the other side of the threshold.

"Twice in less than twenty four hours!" Sandra boasted with a smile. "One might think we were becoming 'hip' after all, what with Beatles showing up at our door now."

John smiled genuinely at Sandra. "Is that what the kids these days are saying?" he asked in a mock old-man voice. "Hip, are we?"

Sandra laughed and stepped aside to allow John inside the flat. "Ruby said you may have left something here last night. She's in the lounge." Sandra motioned towards the room immediately off the living room.

In all his comings and goings last night in the flat, John hadn't made his way fully into the lounge room. He followed Sandra as she led him there.

It was situated directly off the living room and housed an extensive collection of records, all situated on shelves lining one entire wall of the room. John was a bit shocked as he walked in the room and saw such a vast collection. The walls not filled with shelves of records were instead covered with framed portraits of Ruby from various photo shoots or live performances. Flamenco dancing dolls were scattered on side tables amongst an array of glass vases and ornamental statues. One prominent table on the far side of the room boasted a large silver tray full of bottles of various spirits.

"Ah, Mr. Lennon!" Ruby exclaimed, standing up from one of the couches as John walked in the room.

She was wearing a modest knee length dress in a dark navy blue color. A golden ruffled fabric accentuated the hem at the bottom and also around the neckline. It was quite the opposite of the large, lavish dresses Ruby was known for, and was certainly a contrast to the silky gown she had worn at the party last night.

"Miss Cohen," John nodded as he silently took stock of the room. "Quite the record collection you have there."

"Thank you," Ruby nodded. "It's a prized possession of mine."

"Oh lord," Sandra joked. "Get her started on those records and she'll never stop."

"Oh, you hush," Ruby chided and shooed her sister out of the lounge. Turning to John she added, "Feel free to browse through the collection if you'd like. The hi-fi table is right over there. Help yourself."

John leaned his guitar case against the couch and removed his jacket, draping it over the case. He walked over to the wall of records and ran a finger across a row of album sleeves, glancing at the artist names and album titles as he went. There was a large collection of various musical soundtracks; The King and I, Carousel, and South Pacific were just a few. There was also a multitude of albums by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley, and countless other recording artists. When John's fingers hit a specific record sleeve, he came to an abrupt stop.

"You listen to Cliff Richard?" he asked, turning his head to find Ruby.

"I listen to many things," Ruby replied with a smile.