"Hey, I'm out!" Brian Epstein blinked as John's hand waved furiously in front of his face.
"Huh, what did you say?" asked he confusedly and focused on John. John dressed in underwear, towel around the neck. John with wet hair and...
"The bath's free. Are ya deff?" John, who was getting irritated.
"Oh, yes. No. I am going there. Thank you" smiled Brian forcibly and tried to dissappear behind the bathroom door before John gets curious. Sat down in the shower and rested on cool wall. Inhale, exhale. He stood up and let the water fall on his body. On the body he hated. He hadn't athletic shape, was a bit fat and weak. Even John thought it. He closed his eyes and the moment came to his mind.
It might be two o'clock, sun was doing its best to burn them down and they just got out of the sea. John had salt in his hair which suited him. He looked at Brian, scanned his body through. Brian shivered under his gaze, waiting for John's judgment nervously. And John said: "Don't ya want a race? Let's bet who'll be first round the buoy and back." He remembered his disappointment. John had to be sure about Brian's condition to suggest such a competition. Only good thing on this bet was that Brian won. He gave everything in, fighting for the piece of soul, which he didn't have anyway. At least he didn't have to sing Twist And Shout.
Brian stopped the water and took the shampoo to wash off the salt from his own hair. Twist and shout. He remembered recording it.
They were for 9 hours in studio, one hour missing to the midnight. George Martin suggested coffee in the EMI cantine, all of them ordered it except John, who drank milk for his vocal cords. They needed one more song for the LP. Producent looked at John and said "What about twist and shout?" Everybody in the studio knew that they have only one attempt. John wouldn't be able to sing it twice. Boys tried to make atmosphere and heat themselves up. John took of his shirt. Air was electrifying. They started. Brian was totally taken by the voice. It sounded like John's throat was ripping apart. His almost mad gaze was stucked on Brian while shouting those lyrics.
Brian slapped himself. "Stop thinking about John." muttered he quietly and picked up the soap, whiping the foam from eyes.
And today's morning. A soft voice woke him up. "Good morning, Bri. Even I'm up. How did you sleep?" First thing he saw was John's smile. He would give everything to be woke up like this every morning. This part of John, nice and kind, was undoubtedly one of his favourites. But John singing twist and shout with his captivating...
Brian threw cold water on his head. The coldest he could. It helped. His shocked mind forget last imagine and seemed to be frozen for a moment. Brian fast finished his shower and stepped out on the cool floor, grabbed his towel and dried himself. John had the similar towel only minutes ago. He pinched his cheek painfully. No John.
He sighed and got into pyjamas. He had to stop with those infertile phantasy. John was straight. And married. With a child. Man like Brian had no chance. "Certainly no chance." he muttered in his tooth brush and spit the paste out. Washed his face with freezing water once more and prepared to open the door, smiling innocently. His feelings must stay inside.
***
When Brian, cooled down and dressed in pyjamas, entered the room, John wasn't lying on the bed prepared for the night, which would everybody expect, but seemed to be performing a scene from a bad grotesque.
Lennon, whose aversion to suits was publicly known, was trying to scrag himself with his own tie in front of the mirror. This was so unmissable show, that Brian stood by the door completely wordlessly.
John roared mufflingly, he was a bit chocked, and pulled the tie furiously in completely bad direction. Brian definitely returned to this world, came to him and helped John with such a dangerous operation, which was really daily routine for Epstein, who weared tie very often.
John massaged his neck and hoarsed "Thanks, Bri. This bloody thing's gonna kill me. What are ya wearing?" the typical slightly sarcastic Lennon-sound echoed in the room.
"Well, I wanted to asked you the same. I thought you don't like suits." replied Brian, wringing his memory trying to find out whether was John speaking about something before.
"Course I don't! I hate them actually, but at first I wanted to make ya happy, cause it must be depressing, when you're always the only one with tie, and at second I'm gonna die tomorrow, so this only-good-for-a-funeral suit is great choice for this evening." John theatrically placed his hand on the left side of chest and shot Brian with aggrieved gaze. Brian didn't understand for a moment and then realised.
"John, should I remind you that it was your idea? And I find this suit really nice, too nice for a burial. Where are we going? I don't remember you talked about it before."
"Well, if you like it." John timidly touch his sleeve "We're going to the restaurant, the night's long and we've got holiday after all! C'mon Eppy. Dress yourself and hurry, I'm waiting outside!" the last words were probably spoken somewhere near the main door, whose shut could be heard.
Brian shaked his head and smiled as he took grey suit from the wardrobe.
John and his plans....
***
John was conveniently leaning on the wall in the semi-lit corridor and hedonicly enjoying a cigaret whose tip was shining through the smoke like crimson bloody Mars during autumn night. John exhaled and Mars almost disappeared behind the clouds.
Everything was quiet and nobody was there to tell him that smoking is not allowed inside. Slight smirk found his way on John's face. Rules, how exciting to break them...
He casually went to the window at the end of the corridor, his steps silenced by a thick carpet, and opened it.
Barcelona. Had he ever thought about being there? He put out the cigaret and threw it down. The church bell was counting carefully ten dongs.
Where's Brian, thought John impatiently and decided to have a check on him. The same moment he turned round the door opened and older man's silhouette could be seen in the light rectangle of door for few seconds until Brian switch the lamp off. John make up for him quietly and put his hand on Brian's shoulder. Brian startled jerked turned.
"Where've you been for so long time?" whispered John and Brian shivered. "It has been just five minutes, John" replied he in same volume. They were walking downstairs to the reception, neither of them wanted to break the silence. John was the first to do.
"When you were saving me from my murderous tie, I noticed you've got very cold hands. Ya nedded to cool down after seeing me hot chest?" The air between them became thicker.
"Of course not. After all I have seen you in the swimming suit before." muttered Brian and his face took the colour of Mars. Is he so easily predictable?
"Oh yeah, I just asked," said John as they reach the reception. He gave a dazzling smile to young receptionist as she took their keys.
"Where are we going by the way?" showed Brian his interest to warm up the conversation.
"You'll see." Well, John's wink was certainly not good sign. He led them confidently through the city, which was pounding with life. Are they going to some local Cavern? Epstein started to doubt. Was this all good idea? God knows what is he planning... Lennon is able to do something foolish and crazy, which would drive them into problems. John's voice came unexpectedly.
"Here we go, Eppy. Are ya scared? No need, I'm not taking you to a gay club." He laughed to his own joke. That didn't really calm Brian but the look of the restaurant did.
John chose really noble one, waved at the waitress and whispered her something. She nodded and they followed her to the back part of the room. They went through the door and Brian couldn't believe his eyes. He had underrated John.
He booked a small balcony for them, just with a table and two comfortable chairs. They sat down and John said "What'll ya have? Which kind of wine do you like?" he sounded like a roundabout-man offering his commodities. "Ehh, order your favourite." "So, tokai por favor?" raised John his eyebrows, the girl chuckled, wrote it down and left.
John looked again at the city, glittering in the night, so did Brian.
"Well, do you like it here?" asked John without ripping his gaze from the moon. "Yes, I do. You surprised me. I mean, for a while I was a bit scared of your plans." admitted Brian.
"Oh, you hurt me now. I knew that you love places like this. I won't take ya to a noisy club, though it might be interesting to hear what they play here." said John dreamily.
"Remembering Hamburg?" inquidered Epstein and looked straight at John, who felt it, but rejected to stop his eyes wandering.
"Yeah" breathed he out "Hamburg and Stu." In the reflects of moonlight could be seen that his eyes are getting wetter. He blinked and backed Brian his gaze. "You know, he is now..."
The door opened and that girl returned with bottle of wine and two glasses. She looked at John questioningly and he simply shook his head. She chuckled again and disappeared.
Her approach scattered the depressive mood which was starting to fall on them. John poured the wine and took his glass.
"So you started with Spanish?" teased him Brian, who knew that John hates this language.
"Nope. I learned just por favor. To book this place I had to find a bird who spoke English and she did it for me. The password was Englander, that's what I told her. And I ordered tokai, cause it sounds international. Let's give it a try whether it is really tokai." John laughed and raised the wine to the eye level. Brian followed him.
"What will we drink to? Julian and Cyn?"
"Cyn, Julian and his godfather!" proclaimed John seriously and tinkled the glasses.