If I Could

{52} - Fun It

"I don't know, but I thought that after going through the whole Daisy-John kinship situation you'd be more used to amazingly shocking coincidences".

"I really should start getting used to them", Belle uttered as she fixed her coat. "I'll go upstairs to unpack my luggage. Do I get a say in which bed I want to sleep?".

"Don't, Belle," Freddie stopped his daughter by grabbing her shoulders.

"Why?".

"You don't want to waste any time unpacking. Let's go to Roger's cabin and see if we can help," Freddie suggested in such a strange but convincing tone.

"All right, let's go," Belle agreed. "But you are acting so strange, Dad".

"Don't badmouth the man who brought you to this world, Gabrielle," Freddie teased his daughter as they walked out of the cabin, laughing.

But they didn't have to walk very far, since Roger wasn't in his cabin, he was smoking a cigarette as he chatted with a man who looked like the spitting image of Roger and a mysterious blonde girl.

"Oh, wow. Am I seeing double?", Belle exclaimed as she stood right next to Roger, the unknown man and Roger looked like twins. It was unreal.

"Belle, this is my cousin, Ben Hardy. He is the one who invited me to this beautiful place. And this is his wife, Michelle Astryr Hardy," Roger introduced the couple to Belle, who seemed delighted to meet them and shook their hands. "This is Belle, one of the most special people in my life. And this... is Freddie Mercury," Roger pointed out at Belle's father. "I'm pretty sure he needs to introduction."

Ben's eyes brightened as he smiled broadly. "Sir, I'm a huge fan of your music. It's an honour to meet you."

"Look at this kid and his great taste in music," Freddie quipped. "Thank you, nice to meet you both. How long have you guys been here? I had not seen you before."

"We just arrived a few hours ago, Sir," Michelle responded with politeness. "But we had to go back to Linz and shop for a few groceries. Ben eats like there's no tomorrow", she laughed.

"I can totally understand that," Freddie said. "In fact, I'm hungry now. I'll ask Jane, the owner of all these precious cabins, if she has any bread pudding for me. Excuse me, kids."

"We have to go too. We have to unpack our luggage. See you later, guys," Ben said to Roger and Belle as he took Michelle's hand.

"All right. See you later," Roger responded as he watched the couple walk away, he was now alone with Belle, who seemed to be worried. "What's wrong?", he asked.

"I think I'm starting to regret being here," Belle murmured. "I'm worried about Alice. She's so little, I shouldn't have left here alone."

"She's not alone", Roger remarked. "You said the nannies and her aunt were with her. Oh, and Rami, of course."

"Yeah, but I still feel bad and somewhat guilty."

"There's no reason to feel like that. Alice is safe. Do you want to call Rami?".

"No, it's fine," Belle answered. "I'll call him tonight."

"How did he react when you told him you were coming here?", Roger questioned as they sat on the steps of the front entry stairs of his cabin.

"His reaction was surprisingly nice. Too good to be true. Every time he starts acting in such an angelic, saintly way I know there must be something going on and I was right", Belle confessed with a despondent tone and downcast eyes.

"What did he do this time?".

"I found some condoms in his drawer," Belle confessed, letting out a deep and heavy sigh. "And we don't use them. I mean, we didn't use them."

Roger gulped and scratched his head. "Damn, what a complete and utter idiot. I'm sorry, Belle. He's awful."

"He is, but I mean, I thought we were doing fine. Like, this time I genuinely believed we were in a good place and I believed we could be a normal couple but I think I'm done with him for good. But I don't know what I'm going to do when I get back. It's a million times more complicated to end things with someone when you have a child with them."

"Tell me about it", Roger exclaimed. "Anyways, this is not the place or the moment to think about that boor. Do you want to me come over? I haven't cooked anything but I do have some delicious chips," Roger chirped.

"Sure", Belle smiled.

Belle and Roger entered his cabin and started talking about more pleasant topics, such as Roger's amazingly new hotel in Manila and Belle's nomination for a fashion award.

"Open wide," Roger encouraged as he picked a chip out of the bag and held it in front of Belle's mouth.

Belle took the chip instead. "The last time I did that, I almost died".

Roger laughed before drinking some soda. "I'm glad you didn't die."

Belle glanced at the clock and gasped. "Roger, how the hell is it 8 P.M already?", she yelled. "I have not even changed my clothes into some more comfortable ones. I need to go to my cabin. I'll be right back."

"Sure", Roger said. "But there's something I need to give you before you go."

"What?".

Roger kissed Belle, and she was completely surprised, it was more like a peck, but it came completely out of the blue for her.

Belle laughed once she was out of Roger's cabin, bringing her hands to her cheeks. It was completely dark outside but that didn't matter. Her joy was bigger than her.

She knocked the door of Freddie's cabin, hoping he would be there.

He actually was there, but he didn't open the door.

"Hello, Belle", Freddie greeted as he peeked out the window. "Is there anything I can help you with?".

"Yes. I need you to open the door, obviously."

"I can't", Freddie denied.

"Why?".

"You won't be staying with me, Belle. You'll be staying with Roger. He needs you more than I do."

"What?", Belle frowned. "Dad, no, I can't. Open the door, please."

"Sure", Freddie opened the door, but he didn't open it completely. Instead, he only took Belle's luggage out. "You'll be staying with Roger. Don't be disobey me."

"I cannot do that, please, let me in!", Belle knocked his door louder.

But Freddie simply laughed and closed the window.

"Good luck, Belle. Tell me how it went tomorrow".