- I'm home! Is there anybody there?
Mary's deep and even so tremendously musical voice resounded all over the flat and I spotted Freddie's glowing eyes. Glowing with love.
- Yes, darling. We are in the kitchen. Would you like some tea?
- Yes, thank you.
Mary still delayed some more. Quickly we heard the funny and unique chatting that only take place between an owner and her pets.
- There you have it. The cats have come out when they heard her -Freddie growled, jealous, while he poured her some tea.
I smiled, moved.
- Hello, Elideth. It's fantastic to see you again. You've put on the dress. Let me see closer.
She made me stand up and spin twice.
- It looks like new.
- All thanks to you.
- Oh, it didn't took me so long. Freddie, you are hopeless with flowers... -she spotted soon my wonderful bouquet.
- Don't keep talking. The lilies aren't mine. Elideth brough them just for you.
- What an absolute beauty. How did you know? Freddie told you.
- I've said nothing. I swear.
- Thank you very much. It's a beautiful gift.
- Didn't you say you had inventory?
- It's tomorrow finally.
At that moment it rang the bell.
- Are you waiting for someone? -she asked.
- No. I'm coming -he said kissing her forehead.
I love them and hate them. These two, I mean. I was starting to feel so confused as Freddie. I wanted those lips over my forehead, and he would make me some tea and drove me crazy in the middle of the night playing the piano.
- Look who brought the tide -Freddie crooned jumping above Roger's shoulders.
The drummer's glance was direct to me and the bastard managed himself to that glance had it all: guilt, remorse, passion, restlessness. He wore a black cap over his beautiful blondie hair. He didn't get out his hands from his tight jeans's pockets. Yes, it could be said he was a 24 year old tempting boy. He would be 25 at 26th july. I thought amused he was younger than me.
- Some tea, dear? -Freddie asked, as usual a good host-. You are frozen.
- It's cold outside -he summed up wrinkling his snub nose.
- What brings you here, Taylor? -Mary asked smiling looking at him and me by strict turns, funny.
- I came to talk to Elideth -he said very serious.
- In that case we're leaving you alone to talk quietly.
- Mary, you didn't have your tea -Freddie complained.
- Come with me, darling -she grabbed his hand properly-. Help me with some things.
She took him upstairs winking at me. I smiled but I shook like a jelly. The fire that I had caught in Roger was my fault and now I must deal with the trouble on my own.
- Are you still angry with me? -he asked not daring to come closer.
I nodded without looking at him.
- You are killing me -he whispered.
- So are you, ok? -I answered not looking up.
- You a whole lot more. A lot more -he grabbed my chin staring at me with his hurtful eyes.
- Please...
- Let's leave it alone the hell up.
- Give me a break, please.
- I've given you already. Your time is up. I don't know what you're afraid of.
-I'm not coming back to your flat, Roger. Don't insist.
- I haven't talked about my flat. I'm talking about us. I'm talking about how I love you and want to be with you. Wherever and in any case. Say something.
- You've said it all. What do you want me to say? You are harassing me. I can't think...
- Well, don't think. Sometimes thinking so much is counter-productive. Look at me.
- I do.
- No, you don't look at me. You punish me.
- I think you deserve it.
- You're right. But not even the prisoners's punishment last forever.
From upstairs came Mary's musical laugh and looked at the ceiling biting my lip.
- Oh, fucking Freddie... -Roger growled with half a smile.
I looked at him and smiled too. Roger heaved out a relieved sigh and pulled me closer grabbing my hair by the back of my neck. I closed my eyes. It's almost time to finish, Roggie. Be patient with this sadist.
- I love your smile, you know? -he said stroking my hair-. And I want to see it every morning.
- Rog -I reprimanded him-. We agreed I'm not coming back to your flat.
- Did we agree that?
- Roger, I don't wanna fight.
- I don't either. I just wanna kiss you.
Leave it, Ash. Let him kiss you. It's just a kiss. I closed my eyes and felt him warm and longing between my lips. I opened them slightly to adapt his shape to mine.
- In this kitchen only the Austins can fuck -Freddie screamed giving two sharp taps at the doorframe. He did me a favour unconsciously.
- Fuck off, Freddie -Roger complained with his glance like a dagger of fire.
His beautiful laughter vanished at the bottom of the living room, leaving us alone again. Roger stuck his forehead to mine. He was mine, completely mine.
- We're going to Birmingham. We're playing tonight.
- I love Birmingham -I couldn't help saying.
- Do you want to know it with me?
I already know it, Roggie. I was born there 25 years ago. My brummie accent speaks out loud where I come from.
- Are you selling me a romantic runaway when you will be working?
- Yes. Are you coming with me?
- I don't know, Roger. I didn't like much the earlier experience.
- Do you mean you didn't like our show?
- I didn't mean the band. I meant that "groupie" stuff.
- I won't allow anyone calling you that or treating you like one.
- Won't you, really, my brave prince?
- You are my girl.
I rolled my eyes. How hyper could be.
- Don't go so fast, cowboy.
- Mary, will you convince her?
- Of what, darling?
- Of coming with me to Birmingham show.
- Eli, I'm coming too. Say yes. We're having a great time.
Mary was a fucking talisman in this mission. Whenever she appeared everything was untangled very simply and I got out safe and sound of my own troubles, divine and unchanged. I was going to say Yes, of course. But Roger got clear why I accepted to go. This ran smoothly.
- Ok.
Mary clapped joyfully and Roger grabbed briskly my waist to assure himself a more deeper kiss as the former. Mary kept clapping, cheering it up.
I got drawing him apart breathless and the first thing I saw was Freddie's unmoved face. He established himself as a perfect effigy at the moment. And my heart bolted definitely.
- We're having a ball. How happy I am.
Later on while we made some improvised sandwiches to eat before going out I couldn't help hearing both, the blond and the brunette boys.
- Hey, Rog. Don't you think your girl might like mine? -Freddie said provocative, as usual.
Roger turned to him with the knife above, mocking too.
- Fred, you'd be better shut up. Don't you think, miss Larson?
Miss Larson? To whom did Roger refer? It was something I had to find out.
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In 1974 the roads were a little different. It didn't take no more than an hour and a half from London to Birmingham. The journey was longer. The bus was comfortable but I hated travelling by bus, I got sick unfailingly. I hated being the centre of attention but obviously I was. Everything spun around me and my inability to vomit was notorious. Well, Freddie and Phoebe realized it in 1984.
They behaved beautifully with me, wrapped up in me all the time. I placed two seats to lying down. Mary built me a fantastic pillow with her fur coat and they tucked me in, kept me company and overwhelmed me with their attentions.
- Would you like some chewing gum, Tesli?
I looked up with that voice that I remembered but I couldn't locate. He was the unmistakingly Ratty. Why did a roadie like him travel in the band's bus?
- Tesli? -I asked him with a smile.
- From now on I'll call you that for your electric discharges. Instead Tesla, Tesli. Doesn't it sound good?
- Ratty, get lost. Dont get her dizzier -Freddie pushed him.
- Thanks for the chewing gum, Rat. Maybe later.
- How are you? -Freddie asked with serious face.
- I'm fine. Really. Take care of your business.
- No. We're taking fifteen minutes shifts each one to take care of you. You'll have to suffer me fifteen minutes.
What did he talk about? It was one of the most tender things someone did for me. I couldn't believe it. So nice.
- I thought you would be asleep my fifteen minutes but I see I'll have to give you conversation.
- There's no need...
- It was a joke, mousy. Close your eyes.
- If I'm closing them I get dizzier.
My unrest seemed relieved looking Freddie's beautiful eyes. He started to humming and I tilted my head a little, although I had to lean it again.
- Would you sing me a song?
- Which song would you like me to sing?
- I don't mind as long as it is a Queen's song.
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Once I got off that hellish machine, I stretched out like a cat and found out I had arrived my hometown. There it was Barbarellas club in Cumberland Street. Still in 2020 they played shows in there. At the Barbs, as it was called informally.
While the boys stepped into to make the soundcheck and the previous rehearsing, I decided walking around my town in 1974. I would stretch my legs and recover slowly from this sickness that I felt in the pit of my stomach.
I said I would take a walk and Mary asked if she could come with me. I rather be on my own. Running alone through those streets that I knew from top to bottom, had an undeniable charm. But of course I accepted willingly Mary's company. It was understood that she'd prefer taking a walk with a girl than seeing the boys fighting like kids over each show detail. Though all things considered, being direct witness of a fight genuinely Queen was one of my unfinished business. If everything went on well and the mission kept on, I would had a lot of chances to being witness of them.
After that winding journey, it was a delight and a privilege the opportunity to wander around mi hometown 21 years before I was born. There I was standing at Victoria Square in front of the impressive museum building. I had lost track of how many times I ran up those stairs to get into its galleries. Since I was a child my parents instilled in me the love for art and I remembered with special vividness Monet's Varengeville church. One of my favourites pictures.
- Would you like getting into? Apparently it's free -Mary said finding out my face almost red with joy.
- Oh, it would be fine. But we wouldn't arrive the show on time -I smiled at her sadly.
- Are you like Freddie, an art fanatic?
- I'm a fanatic of everything. Would you fancy having some cider at a pub from the 19th century watching the canals?
- That sounds amazing. Guide me.
As I walked by the known streets a thousand times explored on foot; the eternal shopping centre House of Fraser where one could find anything, Saint Philippe cathedral. The town essence that I've known it was still there inmutable although it was weird walking by the place of the futurist and huge Bullring and Grand Central, the vanguard shooping centre like a boxing ring, and now there was anything but empty fields. There wasn't either the ultra modern library that it would be built up in 2013. We got into The fighting cocks and we had some cider and rested our feet after that exhaustive journey which I forced her to make around the town.
- Did you know we have more miles of canals than Venice? -I asked her leaning out one of them while it started to rain timidly.
- Were you born here?
I nodded. I didn't take risks to confess her. It was obvious by my way of walking around its streets that I knew it like the back of my hand. Coming to that conclusion was logic.
- Have you got family here?
- Oh, no. Not now.
I wasn't lying either. I thought sadly that not even the woman that gave me birth had born in 1974.
- Are you feeling better? -Mary asked me with worried face.
- Yes, take it easy.
- I know we've just met and maybe it's a little too soon, but if you got any trouble and you want to talk.
- No. What did you say? Well... we all have problems... I...
- You look a little overwhelmed. Could it be because of Roger? You are not ready to have a relationship with him.
Oh, my God. Roger was the least of my problems. In this mission at the moment he was the less troublemaker. I was thinking of her fucking boyfriend and his song in my ear. I could feel still each one of his prodigious voice frames sticking in my ear and I wasn't able to manage in his presence. Each time I was more and more unable. And if I was unable I couldn't being able to work succesfully in that mission. It was this clear.
I needed talking to Alex, I needed talking to Fooling. I didn't need talking to Mary about the spell his boyfriend cast in me. Didn't she understand?
- I guess I'm not -I chose to follow the path that she herself led me. What could I do?
- Roger is an uncontrollable boy but he has a heart of gold. He might be not such a bad boyfriend for you, Eli. You might save each other.
Damn it, Mary. Is there any other word? Salvation. That's my premise since the daylight come till the sun sets. Saving Mr. Mercury from his fate. And do you talk to me about salvation?
- I'm very confused with my feelings, Mary. You are a lucky woman having Freddie. You are the perfect couple.
- It's not so easy. This band is filled with super egos and super "Me me me". It's a hard task. A Queen woman must be special to put up with them.
- I don't know how you're doing.
- I'm in love. I have much of my job done, don't you think?
I stood staring at her sweet blue eyes and felt myself so sorry for her. For everything which would come and which she would have to deal with. For everything she wasn't aware of or chose not to being aware of, who knows with Mary? She looked like a good fairy outside but inside was a mystery.
Not knowing why, I wrapped my arms around her weeping and I stood that way quite a while till everything calmed down and the rain got worse starting to soak us.
- We better come back and dress up. If I hadn't had inventory today, I would sure get drunk.
- Let's get drunk. Yeah.