I turned to look at him. He looked good despite the obvious last night hangover and probably he would sleep three hours at the most. With his fur coat, his elegant scarf and his left fingernails painted in black, drumming restless over the counter.
- Elideth -he nodded with a fair share of expressiveness-. I see you are quick and able. You are living with Roger and wearing his jacket. What really surprise me is you don't have already his flat and car's keys.
- What are you doing here? -I asked unnecessarily but rightly.
- Roger has just called me euphoric because he says he has just met his future wife. Could it be?
I rolled my eyes while I bit helplessly my lip. Roger was a big mouth and I was getting fed up among all of them.
- He just left me sleep in his flat last night.
- You are going to come back to that flat, as I can see.
- I needed a place to leaving all this.
- You don't have any house.
- Well...
- Freddie, what are you doing here? We didn't talk about you came here today.
- Lately we didn't talk about anything.
Mary threw herself to his arms lovingly while Freddie got the most of it to give her that kind of kiss you keep watching while tilting your head, dumbfounded.
- It's enough. We have company -she tapped his chest reproving but obviously pleased with his "hello". Who wouldn't?
- Did I make you happy visiting you?
- Very happy, you know that. I introduce you a good customer...
- Elideth -he answered quickly raising his majestic chin.
- Do you know each other?
- By sight. Roger knows her more intimately. She was in our show last night.
- Oh, really? Did you enjoy?
- Darling, she's a groupie. She always enjoys.
- Don't call her that. She's a fan, an admirer.
- That has nothing to do with sleeping with complete strangers.
- Fred, you're extremely rude with her.
Freddie Mercury making a fuss over sexual freedom. Bite your tongue, Ash...
- I told Rose to send her load of compulsive shopping our home. Roger is not at his flat now. Are you alright with it?
- Perfect. In fact Elideth and I are having a business underway.
- Really?
- No, it's just I'm taking care her dress. It has a horrible stain and I think I can remove it. It would be a pity throwing away that beautiful thing -she explained him showing the stain which he had seen very well.
- Ah, the infamous stain. Yes, it's a pity.
- I just need to know what kind of paint it is.
- I'm telling you. It's watercolour.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, one of the Rainbow's cleaner ladies paints. I know about these things.
- I forget how good you paint and how watchful you are, darling -she scratched his chin gently, smiling-. Elideth, you are nearer to recover your dress.
- I don't know how to thank you.
- We'll think of something, don't you think, Freddie? Come on, we're coming with you to the store. It's just a block away.
I watched how Mary grabbed Freddie's arm lovingly and touched his dark long hair. Yes, they made a beautiful couple in spite of all and felt sorry for Mary because if she only knew what his boyfriend did so near the watercolours.
-We've arrived, Elideth -Mary informed me while I was a few steps behind them, deep in thought.
- Honey Pie? -Freddie turned around to look at me.
I lifted my eyes from the floor to bump into the most spicy glance of Freddie's catalogue. Seeing the window shop at my left hand, I understood where that mocking glance came from.
What did Mary advise me? That was rather a sex shop and I thought of something more like Intimissimi. The distance between both stores was enormous.
- Oh, oh. Somebody wants impressing our Rog -Freddie couldn't help saying.
I flushed terribly. Even my hair was flushed.
- Leave her alone -Mary elbowed him-. Darling, enjoy. I advise you The sweetest dream section. There are wonderful things.
- You don't have to rack your brains with Rog. You could put on a blanket and you would look sexy for him. You'll find it easy.
- There is nothing between Rog and I. I've just slept in his home -I burst without intention at all. Anyway, I've said it.
- Sleep, sleep. Now we describe everything as sleeping. The word "fuck" is beautiful.
- Freddie! It's enough...
- Sorry, love. You know the hypocrisies piss me off.
- Are you calling me hypocritical?
Are you really, Mr. Ass sticking out in the broom closet?
- Rog had said one thing totally different and I believe him.
- Believe whoever you please.
- What's going on here? Let there be peace. I'm begging you.
For an instant our eyes without question spoke for us with no need to say much more. And Mary was between us, without understand a thing and very awkward.
- Elideth, we're leaving you with your shopping spree. You have my Biba telephone. We're keeping in touch.
- Thanks for everything, Mary. You've been an angel today.
- So are you. Bye.
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I leant tired on the column which faced Honey Pie window. I've spent much of the morning and early afternoon shopping and I found out I haven't eaten not even a single coffee the whole day. I was weak and dizzy. Besides I had to buy panties and bras and my goodness, it wasn't to be that place filled with whips, hair shirts and all the other junk. I didn't imagine Mary exploring there. But then I thought with a boyfriend like Freddie one must put her skates on.
Freddie... Freddie had again pierced me till its hilt the sword of his disdain, without caring about his very girlfriend was there. Why did he treat me so unkind and suddenly send my shopping to Holland Road's flat?
I tasted pleasantly my coffee with a piece of cherry pie. I looked at the tea room's great clock. It was 3 p.m. It couldn't be. Did it last so long sweeping away all Biba stock?
I wore a maxi flowered dress in shades of lila and pink with neckline in V and balloon sleeves. Funnily enough it suited just fine with my masculine distressed brown leather jacket. Apart from countless clothes and shoes, I bought quite a lot bags, hats and several complements. After that shopping spree it only remained my underwear, some perfumes and at least a toothbrush.
I grimaced at Honey Pie just across the street. What did I lose getting into it? I don't think Mary wanted pull my leg. I was sure I could find decent panties and bras. I had my feet shattered.
After a much needed refreshment, I got into that sanctuary to sexual enjoyment without prejudice. My goal was the lingerie area but the only things my eyes spotted were torture devices which seemed from the spanish Inquisition time. I got away from that to bump into more riding whips. I hoped that wasn't My sweetest dream corner which Mary refered to.
I asked the saleswoman and led me to the bottom of the store at right hand. It was one of the areas completely dedicated to lingerie but there I couldn't find a pack of 6 white cotton panties and basic underwired bras.
That was the utmost fantasy translated to underwear and I admitted there was amazingly beautiful things which I wished to test. At the end I gave up to the evident charm of sexy underwear and decided buy everything there. I spent so much money that they gave me a gift voucher to my next journey in that perverted kingdom.
When I got out of there it was half past four. It remained barely two hours and a half to get into a perfume shop and a pharmacy to buy a toothbrush and a few tampons boxes.
It was 06:00 p.m and I did nothing but shopping all the time. And the wrost of it is all my purchases were in Freddie's home. Thank goodness Honey Pie's articles were safe with me. What a foolish girl, I was blushing just thinking those things might fell his hands.
Curling up in Roger's pleasant leather jacket I thought of him for the first time in the whole day and I felt awful. He was so sweet, a big mouth saying those things to his friends, but at the end a good guy. I had to buy him something just only for taking me in under his roof. It meant a lot to me knowing I had a place to stay the night and with a trusting person.
After racking so long my brains I decided buying him a beautiful silicone and steel bracelet which would suit him wonderful in his worked wrist. I looked at it over and over again while I tried on my own wrist and decided to buy it. It was the least I could do.
I arrived the pub in which we arranged to meet ten minutes later, running. But luckily he didn't arrived yet. The first pint I drank it too fast, so the second one I spent a little longer. When I finished with arsenal of peanuts and lupins, you could say I was merry, I thought among the alcohol haze that he really stood me up. The clock said 10:00 p.m. 3 hours waiting could be considered a real standing up.
I like being punctual and the people who arrive late by rule at dates, they get me upset. But one thing was arriving late and other not showing up. In spite of I care about Roger just because I need him to make this mission successful, the hurt pride of any girl who is waiting for so long in vain, started to make an impression to me.
I wasn't drunk but I wasn't in the best conditions either. Even so, I must move. I was a 2020 disaster stuck in 1974 and I carried with me such a material to turn on half London and my feet burned desperately. I got no choice but return to Roger's flat and trust he would be there. Ten at night wasn't the ideal hour to take the subway one girl alone, so I chose taking a taxi. I required urgently making a review of day's expenses. I exceeded and so.
I couldn't believe when Roger opened the door with his face totally changed.
- Where the hell have you been? I was dying of worry.
- Where the hell have YOU been? I've been waiting for you three hours at the fucking pub where we met this morning, ok?
Roger flew a hand to his mouth as though he did something horrible. It was clear he had just remember we had a date. And I thought that I could control him. Ashlee, this is going to be extremely complicated.
- Oh, fuck. Sorry, forgive me. I forgot completely.
- Oh, really? Come off it. I didn't figure out.
- Are you drunk?
- Of course not, I've just had a couple of pints. And I've had peanuts and lupins for dinner so I'm feeling sick, disappointed and hurt with you.
I overacted although Roger was swallowing the bait till the end. What a cutie with his good boy face trying to explain the best that he could. I needed one more night there and keeping him at bay not having sex and I had the perfect alibi to make him sleep on the sofa.
- I'm so sorry. I've been busy with the boys rehearsing the setlist for tomorrow...
- Yes, I know. Freddie told me you were euphoric.
- Where did you see Freddie?
- Wherever. The important thing isn't where I saw him but what he told me about you.
- What did he told you?
- Apparently, we had a great time last night. The fact is vomiting twice it's not something I regard as having a great time...
- Elideth...
- Unless you decided having a great time with me while I was sleeping like a log. Did you do that, bad boy?
- Of course not.
- Then what are you talking to the boys about? Why do the boys think that repeating a lie a lot of times this lie could turn into a truth?
- Forgive me.
- I don't think I have so much mercy inside my heart. I would have to forgive you too many things today. If you've forgot our date maybe I don't mean so much to you.
Great Ash, keep like this a little longer and if you shed just a couple of tears this could turn out rather well.
- Babe, you mean so much to me. I'm absent-minded, ask anybody. That doesn't mean you don't mean anything to me.
- I'm very tired. I don't want seeing your face in all night. The bed is mine, I think I've deserved it. And I don't want you near.
- Alright -he acepted with his head low.
Alright? Did he really say that? Roger was absolutely edible. I, of course forgave him. Was he a bigmouth and absent-minded? What a huge faults. But for me these faults were useful tonight and that was all that it mattered. I refrained myself to kiss his blond head and got into the bathroom with all my packets.
I brushed my teeth carefully, I was one hour in a bubble bath and then I did math. I've spent 154 pounds and 76 pennies in all. I did the math twice suspicious but that was the amount. I had still a good financial support. I sent a review to Fooling detailing the expenses and the day events.
I rummaged among my packets trying to pick up a dressing gown which didn't make me look like a sexual bomb. I brought out every garment in despair and none of the three dressing gowns I bought served to take the trash downstairs quietly. Fuck, I've visited Honey Pie. What I was thinking of? I chose the most demure model, green lace which reached a little above my knees. I got out the bath fast trying to get the bedroom in a record time and lock me down there. But Roger paciently had waited to finish my whole ritual and waited for me outside. By his glance I didn't think my dressing gown was specially demure.
- Are you feeling better? -he wanted to know with his eternal good boy face.
- I'm still angry, Roger. I don't wanna talk anything till tomorrow. I'd rather not to say what I think about you.
- Alright.
Once again alright? It was one of his tactics used when he pissed girls off. Sure. I tried to hide my smile, struggling. I, as the rest of the girls, would have forgiven him instantly. But he couldn't know that I had a very important mission in hands.