I spotted a dyer's bag in his hand and guessed joyfully it would be my dress. I didn't even dare to ask him if it really was.
- Hello... -I answered covering my legs and standing up.
- So, are you getting into my flat? I don't know, I just don't know. I have two cats, did you know? They could devour a mousy like you.
It seemed he wasn't moody anymore, as by magic. He was again the playful Freddie whom I met in the broom closet. I was confused, I couldn't give him a simple reply.
- I thought you would come to pick up your things with Roger.
- I'm not getting back Roger's flat.
- Oh, what happened? Living together has proved to be hard -he spoke ironically opening the door and letting me go into first.
- I don't want to talk about it.
- Sit wherever you like. I'm putting the kettle on for the tea. Give me the flowers, I'm putting them in water. They're beautiful. She'll love them.
- Is it my dress what you're carrying?
- Oh, yes. Here. It's faultness. Put on it.
I brought down the side zip of the protective case and saw the lace at the right edge where it was the ugly stain before, it was pristine.
- It's perfect. Thanks a lot for take care of it...
- Put on it.
- Why?
- Because I like seeing you with that dress. You are a real celestial vision.
I stood there staring at him with my half open mouth and as though my will wasn't mine anymore, I ended up opening the case and pulling the dress out.
- You don't have to change your clothes here -he smiled mischieviously with an absolutely wild glare in his eyes-. You can do it in our bedroom if you like.
I had my cheeks not only blushed but steaming hot and Freddie stepped closer, leaning over my ear.
- That blush doesn't fit you at all, mousy.
A lock of his dark hair touched my ear and it shook me all over. Such a sexual person had to notice those signs forcefully. I wasn't subtle at all in my way to put across my emotions.
- Upstairs. Turn left and you'll arrive my room.
I climbed up the steep and neverending carpeted stairs and arrived a little but light bedroom. The bed was big with a lot of colourful cushions. The headboard was literally a baby grand piano. It was true that Freddie used to play from his bed.
At a corner near the piano there was a litte round desk filled with untidy papers. A magnet appealed me helplessly to them, as it happened to me earlier with Roger and his Sheer heart attack embryo. The fanatic in me thought any paper was some precious lyrics in the works. Leaning over them I saw they were sketches of drawings. They were pencil drawings.
They were Freddie's, no doubt about it. I recognized his lines. The same lines that became my improvised model in 84. I was going to touch them but I refrained, I didn't want snooping anymore. It seemed something very intimate and precious. Something just for the two of them and I felt like an intruder. I stepped closer the full-lenght mirror by the window and I was going to put on my beloved white dress by express order of Mr. Bad Guy.
My flowered dress wrinkled at my feet on the floor. I watched myself standing there in underwear in front of the mirror. Honey Pie's lingerie was very daring but incredibly becoming. Mary was absolutely right to advise it to me. After all, she was a saleswoman, she knew about these things. I slid my white dress through my head.
- What the hell are you doing? How long does it take to put on a ridiculous dress?
I turned around startled. I wasn't sure if my dress had covered all my body. How long had been there? I hoped he didn't watch me in underwear. He came closer from behind and he stared at ourselves at the mirror. He turned me around almost briskly and buttoned up slowly and delicately the two front buttons. With the tired resolution of a mother who always takes care of everything before an always absent-minded daughter and with her head in the clouds.
Once again déjà vu. It was as though I came back to 1984 and met again that rather fatherly and measured Freddie. He placed his hands softly over the ruched fabric of my waist and caressed between his fingertips the other fabric which fell loose around my hips. I closed my eyes a moment to open up instantly and getting back to reality when he pulled his lips nearer my ear and whispered:
- The tea is getting cold.
I swear I could perceive his chuckle while he came down joyfully the stairs. I picked up my other dress and followed him.
- Sugar?
- Two, please -I answered him feeling the blush didn't leave me.
Just thinking he would see a little piece of my skin dressed up in that provocative underwear, my pulse raced. And I was sure it was like this. Freddie was so silent like the cats whom he adored so. And he felt everything and absorbed everything with those unredeemably beautiful eyes.
- Try not to get dirty, mousy. Mary and I are not going to be there eternally to get you off the hook.
While I stirred my tea my overexcited pulse made me uncapable to do it without looking like the tea were spilling out of the cup. Freddie, laughing his head off and filled with a mischievous pride to know himself the cause of my restlessness, took my trembling hand between his. I was cold as a stone and his long and strong fingers were warm and threaded playfully between mine. His smile just got calming me down a little.
- Easy, for the moment my cats didn't detect you. I guess you aren't a too tasty mousy.
We returned to the starting point. At that exotic moment in which our eyes met for the first time. Although he couldn't know my eyes had stared at him just a few moments earlier. When he was flying real high and he couldn't control his exaggerating sounds of joy out of his throat.
We shared a secret and now I was stuck at full into his domestic and straight happiness, it seemed still more obvious to me. I don't know if he could get a hint that his secret could go to my grave. I don't know who was that passionate lover who did those things to him that afternoon but it was still soon for Minns. Their official relationship didn't start till summer of 1975. Mary could take some breath at the moment, noone could disturb this peace which both made in this cozy flat.
- It happens to me like you do, you know?
He said this to me suddenly and I got out of my self-absorption, my eyes widened to him.
- Hmmmm?
- Shopping spree, I mean. I need buy me a lot of nice things to forget my problems and for a while I forget, don't they?
I couldn't tell him that was my principal motivation yesterday. I couldn't tell him my shopping spree must be like this because I'd come from 2020 with nothing but the clothes I was wearing and it was demanding a new life there because of him and just for him. For his salvation.
- Biba is a magnificent store. I would buy even the carpets. And Mary is the sweetest and nicest woman in the world. You are a lucky man.
- I know it well.
He was let himself a little sad sparkle in his pupils making that statement. I knew it all. I had an advantage over him. I knew that apart from his evident sexual conflict there was such a convulsive period within Queen in which they were working so hard, sold out and they were still poor as rats.
1974 was a fascinating period in their history but a little minefield and I've fallen there without a compass and instruction book. Being careful not to blow up.
- So? Then you're going with your buy at your home running away Roger?
- I got no home... at the moment. I'm staying at a hotel till I find a flat.
- You can stay here as long as you need. We just have a bed, you should sleep on the sofa. But it's very comfortable. And if the cats don't eat you up before and they like you, they can warm your feet.
His smile was always beautiful but at these moments it seemed so clean and sincere as a child. I knew that Freddie offered me his home with the utmost honesty. His generosity was unlimited.
- No, really. I don't want to bother you. You've been too kind to me.
- Well, we both know that I've been a litte rude with you and now I apologize.
- Oh, it doesn't matter.
- At the Rainbow when Rog kidnapped you I really hurt myself with my nails on the palm of my hand.
Oh, Freddie. Stop speaking like this, please. Where do you want me to look at when you say such a thing?
- And when Roger told us how wonderful you were and was so in love with you, I wanted to be your wedding's godfather and at the same time crushing his balls. What do you say?
I say you're killing me and I want to get out of here, because I can barely breath. I jumped off the chair and went to the big window in the living room. I opened up to breath and the cold wind hit my face.
- When I saw your silhuette leaning against Biba's counter I made an effort not to squeeze you in my arms and steal away what Roger took with effortless ease.
- Roger didn't take anything.
I turned around to bump into his deep eyes over me. An instant staring at my eyes, an instant staring at my chin and lastly at my helplessly electrified hair. I and the damn electricity.
He, of course, noticed quickly and with sweet smile put his big palm open over my head. My electrified locks stuck inmediately to his hand but there was no discharge. Sure, I must imagine. It couldn't be, he was an electric power station himself.