When I woke up I had to turn on slowly the machinery inside my brain. I didn't want to. I wished to keep sleeping pleasantly. I just wanna be a girl sleeping, devoted to any dream which my mind could hold. But please, I just wanted keep on sleeping.
Unfortunately I slept enough. I'm Elideth, I am in 1974. It's Monday and today starts off april month. And I'm at Roger's flat and puked my dinner.
Wait a minute. Last night I fell asleep on the sofa and now I'm in a bed. And I am, what am I wearing? Where is my galactic jumpsuit? My bag. My God, where is my bag?
- Good morning. You wake up at last.
- Roger, what have you done with my bag?
- I've done anything.
- Well then, where is it?
I jumped off looking for it everywhere like crazy. I rushed out of the room and crossed the living room. I sighed with relieve when I saw it just where I have left it, on the sofa as improvised pillow. My heart was getting out of my mouth. I opened it and checked didn't miss anything.
With that unexpected agitation I didn't notice I wore a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Roger watched me with his arms folded, leaning against the threshold and his smile said it all.
- What are you smiling at? -I asked while I closed again the bag and placed it over the table.
- Some day you'll have to tell me what you hide in there, don't you think?
- Why did I wake up in your bed and why did I wear this?
- My clothes suit you fine. That jumpsuit that you wore was very sexy but it was wrecked...
- Where is it? It's not mine. I should bring brack to Wendy but... Oh, God. Why did you took it me off?
- I just wanted you would be comfortable to sleep. I was a good boy.
- For your better, you know? Why do you smile again like that?
I couldn't help it. Roger's wolf smile made me nervous. Put on alarm all my senses. He unfolded his arms and slowly moved closer to me without looking away, just fixing his eyes on me. I looked down, uncomfortable, looking at my barefoot.
- You know? -he grabbed my chin to raise my face to him-. You are the most beautiful thing with whom I've woken up since such a long time.
I drew apart his hands which started to encircle my waist, with the utmost delicacy. I must push away and I didn't know how could he take it.
- I got a lot of things to do today, Roger.
- Are you telling me there will be no morning sex? I had hopes...
I must be extremely careful. A little bit of space but not too much. I was interested in being his tenant while I organized "my new life" in London. I needed his friendship.
Gently, I caressed his cheek touching his long blonde locks. The truth is Roger was very good looking with long hair. Very sexy. Any woman would like being on my shoes.
- Can I use your shower?
- You can use whatever it is in my flat. Me included.
I burst into laughter.
- May I have my good morning kiss in return?
I didn't hesitate to please him and gave him a short kiss which he managed to extend it a little longer. I had to pull my lips from his, struggling.
- Roggie, as a good morning kiss it's enough.
- I love how it sounds my name when you say it.
- I'm taking a shower, ok?
- The bathroom is yours.
Luckily it was Monday. I need doing a lot of things. First of all buying a lot of clothes, complements, shoes, lingerie, toilet articles, hygiene, the right bags on each occasion. That would take me part of the morning. Then I had to find a flat in a district as near as possible to Freddie's. He was living in Holland Park with Mary at the time so I would have very busy morning and part of the afternoon.
I put on again my beloved and wrecked dress and my silver sandals.
- Are you going out without having breakfast?
- My stomach doesn't feel quite well yet. I would love having breakfast with you but I'm very busy...
- You are saying we say goodbye here. I take the hint.
Oh, no. Roger. Don't say that, not even joking. I need you. You can't imagine how much I need you.
- I have thought in some pints at the end of the day. Would you like?
I had the advantage all the time, I was aware of that. As long as Roger didn't get anything sexual from me I would have him hooked at me like a doggie. But I must play my cards right and don't spoil everything. Tomorrow they were playing in Birmingham and I must be part of their entourage.
- It sounds fine.
- Write me off the place and the address and I'll wait for you there -I looked with my purest and frank eyes.
Roger returned with a piece of paper with the place and a beautiful distressed leather brown jacket which he draped me over my shoulders naturally.
- Wear this. You're freezing.
Roger was the tops. He was a man who didn't need to rack his brains to win the heart of a woman. It was enough he blinked twice and every woman would take their clothes off, sure. But that protective vein which he showed so naturally... He had no idea how much the girls, me included, turned on with that attitude.
- You are an angel. Thank you for lend me your bed. You are a good guy.
- Arrive in time. At seven.
- I will. Bye.
- Bye.
My heart or rather my phone was just operational concerning Turn back the Time App with its whatsapp included and all the services with no Internet. So Google Maps was useless in 1974 London. I used my Notepad which I brought to write down my street. You never know what could happen. Litte Roger knew that he was the only thing I could grasp there.
He was right, the first of april in London, even though it wasn't raining, luckily wearing my sandals, it was still very cold. The brand new spring barely noticed at all. My toes were freezing stones.
London was a rambling city and in 1974 looked a bit different than 2020 but at the heart it was still alike. I didn't know it so much as Birmingham, but I could manage quite well.
The money wasn't a problem. The budget for this second journey was fixed by Fooling in 1000 pounds. In 2020 it was still the wage of a lot of people and in 1974 it was a little fortune at my disposal. But I must manage my own affairs. It was a takeoff money to be able to settle my own living there. I had plenty of time to fill my wardrobe and lifting my self-confidence a little.
I had the things clear. My store was meant to be Biba and my wardrobe would belong to it. At the very heart of Kensington, just a few feet from Royal Albert Hall, in Kensington Church Street, it was the most influential clothing store since 1964. Barbara Hulanicki and her husband Stephen Fitz-Simon had turned that shop into a pilgrimage place for a lot of londoners girls.
For a girl like me in love with fashion, stepping into the seventies Biba was a milestone. A feeling hard to describe. It was just what I needed to reset my system and becoming from worm to butterfly.
I stood looking in awe the misterious logo in art decó lines and checked on in its window shops there were no manikin with clothes. Although five years ago Biba had sold its rights to Dorothy Perkins, the clothing chain, it didn't lose a bit of its magnetism or influence. Nevertheless the next year everything would change till that iconic store messed it up. Dorothy Perkins changed its style and ended up wreaking it all.
But that was the future and I was in the present. In its death throes but still you breath differently entering the door. It was still a sanctuary where the very Anna Wintour had worked as saleswoman. And the first and most important for me, Mary Austin, Freddie's girlfriend and muse, was working now there.
The year before the store moved to this seven store building, Derry & Toms. It was almost 2272 square yards which still were the delight of a lot of people and it was a tourist attraction in the capital.
Every Biba's floor had its own theme. Children's floor, men's floor, library, a beautiful food market provençal style and home's floor which sold wall paper, painting and even statues.
I walked around every floor like just another tourist watching everything with wide awake and mesmerizing eyes and beating heart but I found out the time just flew away and must focus. Third floor. Women section. Clothes.
From the moment that I stepped into there I knew this would took me hours. I was very dangerous in a clothing store with a lot of dream-like clothes. I liked everything!
- May I help you?
I turned around at that voice. It was a personal woman voice, very personal. Somewhat deep and exquisite in her spelling. I turned around to bump into miss Austin who stared at me with a faultlessly professional smile.
First I watched as she watched me. Again my dress caught her attention. Fashion was fashion after all. It doesn't mind if my design belonged to 2020, it fitted perfectly into that period time but at the same time it had certain extempore ingredient. Something which his perceptive boyfriend caught yesterday.
- Oh, sure. I was watching... no, I was admiring everything you have here. I don't know where to start.
- Well, I'm here to help you whatever you need. Take a look quietly.
- No, don't you go, please. I would like you to advise me.
- What did you think about?
- Well I need trousers, skirts, blouses, pullovers, coats, raincoats, boots, platforms, dresses, a lot of dresses...
Mary's professional and modest glance started to shine without fail. I was her wildest dream. I was finishing the store stock and she would sell me everything. Her sales commission could be generous.
- Have you decided restock your wardrobe, dear?
Well yes, Mary. I've left it all in 2020 and it's an emergency.
- Something like that.
I couldn't believe I was talking to the very same Mary Austin. Nevermore's muse. Freddie's muse.
- Is there something wrong? Are you ok?
- Wonderfully. It looks like I have stepped into heaven.
Mary cracked a wide smile. She was not specially a good looking woman but she was indeed stylish and special. Her way of moving, her voice, her blond hair cascading down her back in soft waves. It was understandable Freddie was unreserved in love with her. I couldn't help fixing my eyes to that beautiful beetle shaped ring which she wore in her wedding finger. I knew, as all the other fans knew, it was the engagement ring Freddie gave her.
- Well, would you like starting off with dresses? I notice they are your soft spot. Did you think about a specific style?
- No. I didn't think about anything.
- Don't you worry, madam. Follow me. I'll show you things which you'll fall in love instantly. Size 8, right?
- Well... yeah -I looked at myself. I was still surprised by some saleswoman's skill to got your size just right with a quick glance. Mary was one of the best-. Although sometimes I wear size 10 in certain things. Once I wore size 14, you know?
- Oh, darling. We all at any time have worn size 14 -she laughed funny-. Most of all in our teenage years when it came all the hormonal changes.
I thought that Mary wasn't so talkative, I guess she fulfilled her saleswoman role before a very appetizing customer. I imagined her more shy and reserved. But anyway, she was just talking about sizes. She wasn't exceed so much though.
- In fact I always dieting. If I wouldn't be careful I can't tell you what size I'd wear. I'd lose my job -she confessed me cupping her hand as though it was our secret.
She might be exceeding a little too much, yes.
- Have you to look slim to work here?
- It's advisable. Slim but healthy.
Mary showed me real wonderful dresses. All of them of my taste and style. I didn't know how she did it but she caught instantly my style as though we knew each other from the childhood and she knew my preferences.
The very first articles she showed me, I thought that could be hanging on any museum in 2020. A beautiful striped maxi skirt blue, green and red orange and a matching short jacket with huge green buttons. The skirt front had a design of green bucket and the jacket sleeves were bell-shaped. It was lined with dark red satin.
After a unmerciful orgy of fabrics, volumes, sleeves, necks, she came with a black lace dress with a similar style as my ill-fated dress.
- It's amazing. It has the same lenght, the lace, the volume.
- Well, the only thing which stand out in your dress are its wonderful sleeves. These ones are simpler... It's the most similar dress I could find.
- Thank you for your efforts, Mary.
- I couldn't help looking at it and that paint stain. You must be desolate.
If you knew how I made it and what I was hearing while I did it, Mary...
- Oh, it's horrible. That dress is marvellous. Where did you buy it?
- Oh.
Quick, Ash. Improvise, why don't you hurry up?
- A friend of mine tailored it. You can imagine my distress. It was a very special gift.
I was finding out that the lies went out of my mouth with a supersonic speed every time. I was becoming a sort of a politician on campaign.
- Ohhhh -Mary was almost physically hurt by my poor dress's destiny-. It's paint, isn't it? You don't know the paint composition, do you?
The composition? No. But I could tell you its location, although I won't.
- No idea. Why are you asking?
- It could be fixed quite quickly. But depends.
- Could you take care of it?
- I can remove it but I need some data. I don't want trying to fix it and make it worst.
- Would you do that for me? Would you save my dress? I couldn't yet tell my friend.
Well, it's enough of gloating over with your perfect lies. Leave alone that imaginary friend.
- You can count with all my determination. I'm carrying with me and you try to find out about the paint, ok?
- Mary, you are the best saleswoman that I've ever known.
- And you are the best sale I've had since I work here.
Sure, I was very profitable that morning. That's why she was so nice. I must not be so naive. Now I would have to go to Rainbow theatre and find out what was that paint's composition. It's non-stop here, the hours slipped away like sand between my fingers and I must not forget my date with Roger and try to be on time.
- There you have the dress.
- Well madam, you call...
- Elideth, we've been together all morning and I didn't even told you my name.
- I don't often ask my customer's name or telephone number, madam.
- I would like you addressed me without formality. As far as I'm concerned you are like family -I smiled at her, and I meant it.
Mary returned her smile in her own shy way but with a lot of honesty on her face and gestures.
- Tell me, please.
I noticed I had nor telephone number or home.
- I would rather call you if you don't mind.
- Of course. I'm giving you my Biba card. There you have the store telephone. I'm writing down my schedule on the other side.
- You are so kind.
- It's my job.
- I don't think your job is taking you home wrecked dresses.
- It's a design masterpiece.
- Well, I think I can finish my day shopping for now. It's been intense.
- Do you have your car near? A employee will help you to take your buy. Don't worry.
- I haven't any car.
- Do you live far? We have a service to send you home. My work colleague can write down your address. I'm getting late. My shift ended half an hour ago.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- It's a pleasure working extra hours like that. You are very nice.
I didn't know already if she meant it or it was just because I've spent a ridiculously huge amount of pounds there.
- Oh, my God, Mary. I've forgotten something basic. My disturbed mind -I said tapping on my forehead.
- Tell me.
- I need corsetry and lingerie. It's an emergency.
- Have you restock also all that?
I shrugged with innocent face and she started to laugh.
- Here we have a very complete section but if I tell you the truth and even though I'm violating specific rules in my company... Look, I advise you to visit a store outside Biba's universe. It has amazing things. I'm buying everything there.
- I don't want anything amazing. Just cotton panties and bras which suit me.
- You'll find them there, trust me. It's not far from here. I'm coming with you if you like. Give my colleague your address while I'm changing.
Mary was phenomenal, a real surprise to me. It was funny how we prejudge people so much. I liked her. She was one of my favourites in Queen circle. But she always seemed to me rather cold and distant. Just really caring with Freddie and nobody else. And she was such a refreshing surprise.
While I gave Roger's flat address on the counter, I heard an unmistakingly voice speaking to the employee.
- No, Rose. Send those clothes to Holland Road. Roger's flat is empty now.
- Freddie...