Our Story

Chapter 10: Our Home

Present Day

Anna sat cross legged beside her grandfather while she listened to his story intently. Roger was still fixed on the album in his lap, trying to draw what memories he could from each of the pictures he came across. He had just finished telling her of the time Freddie had gone to New York for the second time.

"Now why on earth wouldn't you tell him that you'd miss him so much? You two could have literally talked it out and saved all of the fuss!" Anna piped up when Roger had paused his story, "I mean I know Gran said you weren't very emotional but Grandpa that's ridiculous." she had chuckled toward the end.

Roger let out a small breathy laugh of his own and he shook his head gently, "I know I was such a fool back then wasn't I? I thought that If I told him how I felt he would cancel his trip to stay in London with me and I didn't want him to do that. You know, I actually did tell him about how I felt then many years later."

"And?" Anna asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"And, he told me in his exact words, 'Darling, I love you, but I'd never give up an opportunity of a lifetime like that, you must be daft', so I suppose I could've just expressed my feelings after all." Roger laughed, turning the page of the album.

Anna let out laugh and shook her head, peering into the album as well. Roger had turned another page before he suddenly stopped and pointed to one particular picture. In the picture, a young Roger was standing in what appeared to be an empty room, with the exception of a few stacked up boxes, while he was holding a small box in his arms. There was a bright smile on his face while Freddie was standing beside him, pressing a kiss to his cheek while holding a lamp in his own hand.

"This was taken December 19th that year." Roger said softly, there was a gentle smile on his lips, "I remember because we were moving into our first house together. You see, Freddie had come back from New York at the very end of October, and in the first two weeks of him being back in London we decided to move in to a new place together. I think that's when things had become very serious between us, that's when we started to feel more.. Solid, you know what I mean?"

Anna nodded and studied the picture closely, she couldn't help but to notice how happy they looked in the picture and how happy they were to be together. For a brief moment, Anna wondered where it all went wrong, what had happened to what they had..? But Anna knew they would get to that side of the story eventually.

"How did you two come about that conversation? Did you bring it up or did he bring it up?" Anna asked instead, a smile graced her lips.

"Freddie was always so much more straightforward than I was when it came to- well just about anything, it was him who brought up the idea though I had been thinking about it too, I must admit." Roger paused and let out a fond sigh while he looked at the picture, "I remember that day so clearly too, when he told me he wanted us to move in together.."

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November 2nd, 1974

Days had turned into weeks and weeks into months and before either of them had known it, Freddie had been back in London from his trip to New York. It had been a tough and lonely past couple of months for Roger but he didn't like to dwell on that, all that mattered was that Freddie was home again and that they were together.

Roger had woken up early that morning for no reason in particular. The sun was rising steadily over the neighborhood and there was a ray of light pouring in from the bedroom window. Roger's eyelids fluttered open after a few blinks and he turned his head to look beside him. Freddie was laid there facing him, his hair was positively unruly from last night's love making, and there was a ray of sunlight spread over his peaceful face, illuminating his sharp features. Roger sleepily smiled to himself and turned over on his side so that they would be facing each other. Freddie had been home for two weeks now and Roger was still amazed to wake up to him most mornings when he stood over. Roger reached an arm out and gently held the side of Freddie's face, rubbing his thumb gently over his lover's prominent cheekbone. It was something he'd often do if he woke up before Freddie, he would take a few moments to just admire the man's beauty and perfection. Sometimes Freddie would be in such a deep sleep that he wouldn't even notice Roger's touch but there were other times where it would it wake him up almost instantly, really it was a gamble.