20th July 1978
"Oh hiya doll... didn't expect to see you pop in. I close in about ten minutes anyway. You're about two minutes too late... Connie's just run across the road to get us a coffee." Julian smiled warmly as I stepped into the salon, sweeping up what seemed to be a little more of Connie's hair than I would've imagined as the radio hummed in the background. "How you doing ?"
"Not bad... just spoken to Mel. Same old shit really. Bruises is healing up nicely though- it's almost cleared up." He nodded with a noticeable twang of happiness, his smile beaming as I took a seat and flicked lazily through the first few pages of a magazine sat on the table.
It had been a good few weeks since I'd come home, finally relieved to fall back into the somewhat boring pattern I now appreciated following. I'd phoned mum almost everyday since I'd been back, listening to her stories for hours and hours knowing I was the only person to give her the chance to ramble on like she did. The last few times I'd rung however if found myself with no answer, but I never let my mind ponder on it for too much longer than I should've.
"So Connie finally got that hair cut she was begging for ?" I laughed as Julian nodded frantically, flashing his eyes slightly as he swept away at the mounds of her hair.
The track playing on the radio faded out, soon fading into another one that plucked my attention within seconds. 'Somebody to love' started playing, Freddie's distinctive voice filling my ears whilst I let them focus on every detail of the track.
It seemed everything somehow linked back to Roger now. No matter what situation I found myself in, he would managed to creep his way into it so effortlessly, without even knowing. My mums words about him always played their little show in my mind, making me question almost every move I'd made involving him, but unfortunately for me I couldn't change the past. I just had to hope I could get a good enough grasp on the fate of my future.
"Did you uh... want me to change the station ?"
"No no no no. It's actually a good song. He's gonna bloody pop up everywhere anyway... I can't exactly hide from him." I shrugged, dumping down the magazine I'd hardly bothered to look through.
"Ou hiya... I would of gotten you a coffee if I knew you were on your way sorry." Connie pushed the door open with her elbow, her hair sat gorgeously around her shoulders in a bundle of layers twisted into curls that perfectly framed her face. She handed Julian his coffee, both of us laughing when he dramatically threw down the broomstick in his grasp to take a sip of the drink still a little too hot for his tastebuds to handle.
"No worries... your hair looks amazing !" She smiled, blushing brightly as she took the seat besides mine.
"Thank you." Her and Julian both replied, almost in sync, their eyes meeting one another's as their laughs matched moments after. I was glad I did finally get around to introducing them, because I'd never seem two people click together to quickly. They were two pieces bound to slot perfectly beside the other.
"So... what exactly are we gonna do for the remainder of this fantastic evening ?" I asked, glancing at the two of them as they both shrugged and sipped their drinks again. "Oh wow... now that is helpful."
"Charlie's ?" Julian added. "Have you seen him since coming back ?"
"Yeah the other week... he gave me my update about Roger. He's recording an album in Montreux."
"Ooo well atleast theirs a new album to look forward to." Connie laughed. "I wouldn't mind a drink through. And I think I'd kill for a portion of those awful chips from the shop across the road from his."
"Well then... Charlie's it is."
-
I ended up stood outside the chip shop with smoke leaking from my lips as Julian and Connie ordered themselves whatever they did, eager to knock Charlie's back door and soothe my need for a drink.
The night was warmer than most, which wasn't a shock in the middle of July, and the air was more kind than it had been in the winter, carrying the mix of fresh flowers and cut grass rather than tangles of the cold.
I hadn't been left outside the shop by myself for too long, probably a total of about a minute, which didn't include the process of my lighting the burning cigarette, but I wasn't alone for long when I noticed a tall figure approaching the door.
"Sorry miss..." he stepped into the light the shop windows were kindly proving, his green eyes glistening beneath his dark tangled hair. His eyes were bold, immediately reeling in my attention with ease. They were shy though, too scared to focus on me for too long, which paired well with his scruff of hair and lips nibbling at his fingers. "I'm sorry but I don't suppose I could borrow a lighter. I've fucking lost mine."
"Sure." I shrugged, tossing him the lighter to which he immediately caught it and used it to give life to his own cig perched between his lips. I took the moment in which he was focused on the flame to observed him properly, noticing the shirt covering his torso was completely unbuttoned and his jeans seemed too worn. He was tall, not hugely, but my eyes certainly had to look upwards if they desired a glimpse of his.
"Thanks love..." he passed it back gently, taking caution in the way he looked at my features as we both released a grey swirl. "This might sound a bit ridiculous... but I don't suppose you're that model ? Ever done adverts or something like that ? I feel like I recognise you."
"Yeah I'm uh... Adeylnn Petrov."
"Oh wow yes of course ! My ex was a fan..." he nodded, still smiling brightly with a red hue to his cheeks.
"Right off to Charlie's we go then..." Julian announced, the door swinging open to reunite me with him and Connie, both of them pausing when they noticed the unfamiliar man standing besides me.
"Sorry... I'm Nathan. Just borrowed a lighter." He nodded again, this time slightly more nervous. The two shot one another a glance, smirking like they were plotting some from of an evil plan.
"Well... I'm sure Adelynn would love your number and she'll give you a call sometime, how's that sound ?" I could've killed Julian in that moment as I watched the words leave his lips, but I decided against it only for the sake of Nathan as he stood besides me with a baffled look in his face and a hand scratching the back of his neck.
"Oh... um alright." He passed me a business card, which I took slightly hesitantly after my shoe swivelled my cigarette butt.
"Thanks... maybe I'll see you around." I smiled, giving him a small wave as I feel in the gap between Julian and Connie. Both of them were stuffing their gobs full of chips in a poor attempt to stop themselves laughing as I rolled my eyes and grumbled.
"Thanks a lot you two..."
"He seemed nice ! I'm not letting you stay hung up on Roger forever anyway... it's boring." Connie sniggered, watching as I shook my head before rattling Charlie's back door. He answered almost immediately, a welcome smile as he peeled the door back, the three of us walking through.
"You two look overjoyed..." he pointed at the two gigglers either side of me as they nodded. "And you loom like you're gonna kill them Addy."
"Ugh they've just told some guy I wanted his number. He seemed sweet and all I just, I'm not looking for a relationship."
"No what she's looking for is an opportunity for Roger to come running back into her life." Julian added, slumping down on the stool beside Connie as I took a seat in the one besides him. Charlie's eyes shot up from the glass he was already pouring my drink into the second he heard the blonde's name.
"Do none of you read the papers ?"
"Well I've been at work the entire day... I know for a fact Adelynn tries her hardest to avoid them and-" Julian turned to Connie with a questioning look on his face.
"Haven't looked at today's one... why ?"
Charlie immediately stopped what he was doing, rushing out the back before returning with a copy of today's paper, the cover holding the title to a story that made my heart jump and breathe almost pause.
Roger Taylor, drummer of rock and roll band Queen, has announced himself as a 'free man' after suddenly splitting with partner of several years Dominique Beyrand.
"Fuck... he dumped her. I thought he was away recording ?" I mumbled almost, my hand holding my head as I tried to process what I'd read. It felt like a dream, even though it was one I never would of imagined to of dreamt, and I didn't quite know how to process it.
"He is. He finished with her... don't ask me why cause I don't quite know the reason behind it yet." Charlie handed me the drink he'd had to pause making, knowing I needed one now more than I had a minute ago. Julian and Connie sat analysing the paper, I think in more shock than I had been.
I thought the first thing to swirl around my mind would be the memories of me and him, the kisses and dances that seemed long lost in the pages of the past, but really what first entered my mind was the words of my mum.
She'd asked me to promise her if I ever had the chance to be with him again I'd take it, which I always thought deep down I would, but I was stuck trying to figure out wether this was it. I seemed to be constantly reminding myself of why I never did see him again, why we had been yelling and throwing our arms around, and I always thought I'd never forgive him.
I wasn't sure exactly why I did promise my mum something I believed to be so bizarre and so distant from my grasp, but I did. And I did of course still love him, despite the fact I found myself still trying to heal the wounds he'd left me with.
"How you feeling about that ?" Julian asked quietly, an arm falling around my frame that decided to rub gently circles against my skin. I wasn't really sure how to feel, and how long I would've gone without realising if it wasn't for Charlie. Or how I ended up with some guys number when really everyone knew I was still in Roger's grasp. Only now I'd let myself hit the floor, and let him be the one to dodge catching me.
"I'm gonna call my mum. I haven't spoken to her in a day or two and she always has something wise to say about him." The three of them nodded, Charlie watching as I tossed back my drink and pushed him the empty glass alongside a note, slipping away to the phone he had hooked up by the toilets in possibly the quietest corner of his bar.
I slotted a couple of coins into the machine, punching in my mums number, waiting as the line stayed silent. It wasn't silent for long however, the phone soon being grasped by whoever answered it the opposite end.
"Hello ?" Kim asked, a panic in her voice heavy and slightly scary.
"Kim it's Adelynn-"
"Oh thank god I've been ringing you all night..." she paused and sniffled, taking a short breathe to prepare herself.
I knew exactly what I was about to hear, despite how sudden and unexpected it had been, and about to wish never happened. But I didn't want to accept it then. I wanted to cherish every second I had left not knowing the inevitable fate of the next few moments in time.
"Adelynn... your mum passed away this morning. She's gone."
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