POV Freddie
Wessex Studios - London
August 1977
It's the last Friday in August. Bri, Deacy, Rog and I are leaving the studio after another day of recording and we decided to go to a pub for some drinks. Roger drove his Aston Martin quickly through the streets of London and Bri was sitting in the passenger seat next to Rog. Deacy and I were in the backseat of the car. The four of us were talking about the new album we were recording.
- Dear Bri, I have not asked you yet, but where did you get the inspiration to write the song It's Late? - I asked.
I confess that I am curious myself, I always want to know in whom or in which my friends were inspired to write a certain song. Bri remained silent for a moment and I realized he did not mean it.
"I'm sorry dear Bri, you do not have to say who or what you inspired to write It's Late," I said.
"I'll tell you one day, Freddie," Bri said thoughtfully.
Deacy was silent, and Rog stopped the car at a red traffic light tapping behind the wheel as he played I Stole Your Love from Kiss.
'' You played with my heart, played with my head
I got to laugh when I think of the things you said "(Roger was singing the song with a strong drumming on the steering wheel).
When the signal turned green Rog accelerated the vehicle and shortly after we arrived at the pub, where we were already known by the owner and the waiters took us to a reserved table and already brought drinks and snacks for us. Roger had cut his hair and now his hair reaches his ear. Deacy, who also had long hair, decided to cut it too, and now she had short hair and I also cut a little of mine, only Bri, continued with her hairdresser and said she would never cut her hair. Bri is very radical. He said his hair is his trademark.
While we were at the pub, we drank beers, ate some snacks, and talked animatedly. Roger saw a hot blonde, who was staring at him. Then Bri said,
"Do not even think about having the hot blonde, Roger. Jim Beach is already talking to his sister Clare, who is a lawyer and they are almost done with the nuptial contract, as it should be. Soon you will have a future girlfriend and bride. You can not put the plan to waste now.
"You do not have to remind me every minute, Bri," Roger said irritably, taking his beer. "My sister Clare, who has just finished law school, who already works as a lawyer, as well as being a lawyer for the band with the support of Jim, now he's formulating the contract too, all this is crazy.
"It really is crazy, but for the band's own good and the fans are not disappointed with you and do not disrupt Queen's progress, you will have to get married, Roger," Deacy said quietly. "Just a year and a half, pass fast, Rog. You'll get over it. Do this for the band, please. It is our only hope.
"I'll do all this for the band," Roger said, lighting a cigarette.
We left the pub around midnight and Rog left Bri and Deacy at home and was now taking me to my apartment in Kensington. Tomorrow, the boys and me, with Veronica, Mary and Chrissy, we agreed to meet Sue and Isabella at the Dominos pizzeria at 10 p.m. to eat the best pizza in the UK and have beer. We have already booked the place in the pizzeria and only one wing will be closed for us, so no one will disturb us. The boys and I are finishing recording Queen's new album and soon we will be making new shows, so while we are in London we want to see and talk to our dear friends. Sue and Isabella are very special, we met the two in Brighton in the summer of 1971 when Queen was still early in her career and was not yet known, it was just an underground band. The boys and I did a lot of gigs in Bella's grandmothers pub in Brighton. Roger refuses to go to the pizzeria because he said he would find Isabella.
"I do not want to meet Isabella at the pizzeria," Roger said irritably, driving the vehicle.
"Dear Rog, please, at least go for Sue. Hell, she's our friend, "she said angrily." Or do not you care about Sue? "
"Of course I care about Sue. She is our dear friend and also a colleague of Clare in law school, the two are also friends. I love Sue. She's beautiful and sweet, a good friend, "Roger said, looking at me quickly, and turned his attention back to the traffic. "But I did not want to meet Isabella.
"Rog, do not think about Isabella, you do not have to talk to her, okay?" Only with Sue, go to Sue's pizzeria tomorrow. When we finish recording the band's album, we'll be back on tour, we will not have much time to visit our friends, "he told him.
"All right," Roger said a little irritably. "I'm going to Sue at the pizzeria tomorrow night.
I smiled and at the same time I remembered everything that has already happened between Roger and Isabella. The two have been great friends in the past, but so many shits have happened and today both are like strangers ...
Shortly after, Rog parks his vehicle in front of the building I live in. I thank the ride of my great friend and band mate and I leave the vehicle and enter the building. I'm glad Rog agreed to go to the pizzeria tomorrow.
POV Isabella
Last Saturday of August. Nine-twenty. I'm done packing in my apartment. I look in the mirror of my room and smile. I'm wearing a short sleeve dress, a little above the knee, black in color, with a white ball and my black boot, long-sleeved, my long black curly hair is loose, I spent some eye pencils around My gray eyes. Around my neck I have a little silver chain, with the hippie symbol. I have a red lipstick on my lips. I spit some perfume and get a light coat. Although we are in the summer of London, summer will never be the same as Brazil. I take the key from my car and leave my apartment. I go into the parking lot, get into my vehicle, and fetch my friend, Sue, who lives five blocks away in an apartment as well. She was already waiting for me in front of the building. She got in my car, greeted me, and we went to the pizzeria, where we met the boys.
"Eager to see Roger?" Sue said provocatively.
I smiled and said:
"You love to tease me, do not you, Sue?" I know how Roger and you are friends, he adores you, but, I'm going to the pizzeria tonight, to review Freddie, Bri and John.
Sue rolled her eyes, smiling. As we drove, we were talking. Twenty-five minutes later I park the car in the parking lot of the pizzeria and the moment I get out of my car with Sue, a black Aston Martin, next to me, singing a high tire. I smiled wryly, already wondering who it was. From the vehicle Brian leaves with Chrissy and Freddie with Mary and the crazy driver: Roger Taylor. Freddie, Mary, Chrissy and Brian are going to greet me, while Roger happily greets Sue with a big hug. Later, Freddie, Mary, Chrissy and Bri greet Sue. Roger and I exchanged glances without speaking. I look at Roger and realize that he has cut off his beautiful long blond hair. He has blond hair up to ear level. Roger already had a boyish face and now with his hair shorter, he looked younger, in his twenties. He's too beautiful. Her beautiful blue eyes mesmerize anyone. He looked at me too intently, but we did not say a word.
We all entered the pizzeria and shortly after Veronica arrived with John and greeted us. All of us were together at one table together. Freddie, Bri, John, and Roger all commented on the recordings of Queen's album for Sue and me. Of course Roger did not talk to me, he ignored me, he addressed the word only to others. Then Mary would talk about her job as Freddie's personal secretary and sort things out for her friend. We talked and ate the pizzas and drank the beers, excited.
"Freddie's got me in trouble," Mary said.
"Dear Mary, do not exaggerate," said Freddie, laughing as well.
Roger lit a cigarette and looked intently at me intently as he puffed on his cigarette. I looked at him with disdain. Our friends noticed, but they pretended that everything was fine. Veronica and Chrissy talked about their married lives and being mothers, young people, but they said they were happy at weddings.
Sue then started talking to the boys about her job, at the labor law office, her Master's degree and her day-to-day running. She commented on the extreme cases of bosses and employees she had to deal with.
"Clare said you're working a lot with Queen too. My friend, though very young, is a very competent lawyer, boys. Be very proud of your sister, Roger. She's very clever, "Sue said, taking her beer.
"My sister, Clare, only gives me pride. So beautiful and young and has already become a great lawyer. Clare does a great job, for the band and still has the help of Jim Beach. Roger said smiling.
Roger's youthful smile is beautiful. It's the most beautiful smile there is. He noticed that I was looking at him. Then he took another drag on his cigarette and said wryly,
"And you, Isabella, how are things for you?" How is your life? All of us here have already talked a little about our day to day, our work and you have so far nothing said about you.
I drank my beer and smiled wryly at him. Freddie looked at us both, worried.
"Thank you for worrying about me, Roger," he said with a wry grin. "Well, you want to know about my day-to-day life, so let's go there: on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning, I have Master's degrees in British Literature and Spanish, after all, I will still be a great writer of success, including, soon, I finish writing my cousin book and also want to be a university professor of Literature. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday all day, I teach at the University of London as an English teacher. Tuesday night, I take Spanish classes, until December I finish my Spanish course, which lasts almost four years. Thursday night, I do swimming and when I finish my Master's degree, four months from now I'm thinking of taking German classes. You can tell that my week is pretty hectic, with many things to do. Oh and to relax, every now and then, I still sing under the shower, to forget all the obstacles, it helps a lot, it's a therapy.
"Incidentally, you have a beautiful voice to sing, Bella, after all, you were already part of the church choir in Brighton," said Sue smiling. "If you were a singer, you would certainly be famous.
"I do not belong to the world of music, leave it to our friends, Sue," I said, smiling. "I belong to the world of literature.
"And this your first book, you talk about what?" If you can say ... "Roger said wryly.
- Why do you want to know? By chance, are you going to buy my book when it's already on sale? - I said ironic - Worry about writing lyrics for Queen. You've never been a lover of reading as I once said to myself, Roger, a long time ago, but, I remember very well. So stay in the same music world and do not worry about my book, okay? Better that way.
Roger glared at me with his eyes, his blue eyes clear, the color of the sky, full of anger. Who told me to provoke me? I do not take it home.
"And how are your grandmothers, Bella, Mr. Mike, and Mrs. Janice?" They are very dear to us, I remember when Queen, at the beginning of the 70's, she was in her grandmothers' pub, they are sweethearts. "Bri smiled, relieving the tense atmosphere." I have not visited you for some time, for lack of time, but , Anytime I want to surprise them. The last time I visited, it was earlier this year, then I had no time.
I did not want to talk about my grandparents, but the boys love my grandparents.
"My grandparents understand perfectly the rush you have with tours, recordings, but my grandmother already said that when you visit her again, she will make cakes, salty for you," she said with a smile.
"Your grandmother cooks very well and we love it when she makes sweets and savers for us, dear Bella," smiled Freddie, drinking his beer. "I miss your dear and beloved grandparents.
"You really miss them, they're very different from your granddaughter," Roger said, looking at me angrily. "And you still have not answered Isabella, how are your grandparents, you did not answer Bri's question completely.
What a desire to punch Roger's beautiful face. Sue, who was beside me, looked at me in despair.
"Is something going on that we do not know?" Asked John. "What an astonished countenance of the two, are you hiding something from us?"
"Are your grandparents really all right, Bella?" Bri asked worriedly.
At that moment, Bri, Freddie, John, and even the idiot Roger looked at me worried. Veronica, Mary and Chrissy were also eager for answers and I did not know what to answer. Should I say or not about my grandfather's state of health? I do not want to worry them.
"They're all right," I said without conviction.
"Bella, you better tell the truth. You can not hide the real situation from them, "Sue said.
They looked at Sue.
"What do you mean, what real situation?" Brian asked.
"Do not care what Sue says, she's drunk," she said apologetically.
"I just had a glass of beer, Bella," Sue said seriously. "And if you do not tell me what's going on," I say.
I was shocked by my friend's reaction and as I was quiet, not knowing what to say, she really told everything that was going on with my grandfather Mike, who has Parkinson's Disease. I remained silent while Sue reported everything. After she had finished, they all looked at me in surprise, until after a few seconds Bri spoke with grief:
"Thank you for not trusting us to say what your grandfather has, if it were not for Sue, we would never know about Mr. Mike's illness, would we, Bella?" Thank you for your consideration, that's because you said that we are your friends.
"Bri, that's not it," I said in annoyance as Bri glared at me and rose from his chair.
"Excuse me, I'll be right back, I need to breathe a little. Said Bri.
I got up and went after my friend and pulled him by the arm.
"Release me, Bella," Brian said in annoyance.
"Bri, please, stop it," he said sadly.
"Damn it, Isabella, you did not trust us to tell you about your grandfather's health problem," Brian said. "Why did you hide from the boys, why did you hide from me?" Man, I love your grandmothers. You had no right to omit us about everything that is happening.
"Bri, my friend, please forgive me, I do not know what to say, I'm very worried and suffering a lot with all this," she said with tears in her eyes and Bri looked at me and hugged me.
"Why did not you tell us before, Bella?" Well, I want to help with the expenses of your grandfather's treatment, "Bri said sadly.
"Bri, please, I thank you, but never, I or anyone in my family will be able to pay you, in the future the amount of treatment you will have, spent.
"You do not have to pay anything in return, Bella," Brian said, smiling and kissing my forehead.
Bri is a great friend, he is very cute.
He paused for a moment, as if he'd had a great idea and smiled back and said,
-Let's go back to our friends.
We went back to the table and besides Bri, Freddie, John and even Roger volunteered to help my grandfather, I thanked him, but said I do not want to. My grandparents have two other children. My uncles are older than my late father. One of my uncles works as an accountant for my grandparents' pub. He holds a degree in Accounting. He has two children, a family to care for, and my other uncle works as a civil servant in Brighton Town Hall and is also married and has children. My uncles can help with a little bit too, yet it will lack many things for treatment. I commented with the boys that I do not accept their money, because I do not want people to think that I am opportunistic, that I am just their friends to want something in return, without knowing the reality, or the press itself thinks in this way, that I am Opportunist
"Fuck the press, Bella." You've been our friend for about six years, followed the great hard times that Queen went through before we came to stardom and now we want to help your grandfather, who has helped us a lot too, "said Freddie. "Your grandparents are also our friends." It will not be the fucking press, or outsiders, who know how important you and your grandparents are to us, we want to help you.
"Unfortunately Parkinson's has no cure, but with good treatment the disease can be controlled and your grandfather lives normally," John said.
"I thank you guys, but I do not want to intrude on my problems," she said thoughtfully.
"Bella, since you do not want my help from Freddie, Deacy or Rog, I have the solution." Bri smiled at Roger and me.
Freddie also looked at me and smiled and then John looked at them and smiled as well. They smiled and looked at Rog and then at me. Rog looked at them startled and then at me.
"And what is the solution?" I asked.
"Simple, dear Bella, you marry Roger and all your troubles will be solved," smirked Freddie.
Sue, who drank her beer almost choked and I slammed quietly on her back. After she recovered, she said:
"What's the story of Bella marrying Roger, being both strangers, like cat and mouse?"
Freddie smiled and began to tell everything that was going on with Roger, about his bad fame to the fans, his womanizing side. I listened carefully to everything and by the end of Freddie's account I said,
"So Jim Beach wants Roger to marry a woman for a year and a half to improve the image of the blonde and not harm Queen?"
"Exactly, Bella. If you agree to marry Roger, you will get a sum of five hundred thousand pounds, and all your grandfather's treatment can be paid for, "smiled Brian.
"Isabella can marry Roger," John said.
"I will never accept Isabella as a wife, I want to choose another woman to marry me," Roger said angrily.
"Bella is your chance to have the money for your grandfather's treatment, you see the solution has arrived," Sue smiled at me, speaking softly.
"You agree to marry Roger, and your grandfather will have the treatment," Mary smiled.
"A year and a half goes by fast," Veronica smiled.
"Before, you'll sign a nuptial contract, talking about everything that should and should not be done in a year and a half," Chrissy smiled. "Clare is working out the contract with Mr. Jim's help.
"And so my dear, do you agree to marry Roger, even if you hate each other, to pay for your grandfather's treatment?" Said Freddie.
I was looking at Roger. All this is crazy. Until a few days ago, he was kissing Debbie Harry at a Led Zeppelin show, betrayed Dominique and that betrayal was news across the UK. Roger is a womanizer, he does not value women. Roger and I do not get along, we've been friends in the past and today we're strangers. At this time, I first think of my grandfather, who is ill and wants to pay for his treatment. So this marriage will serve to clean up Roger's ridiculous image to the press and to the band's fans, who find him idiotic and irresponsible too, because really he is all this and will be for the treatment of my grandfather. I smile Machiavellian and look at Roger, who is desperate.
"Dear Rog, Isabella is a beautiful woman, she does not deny it. Said Freddie, smiling.
"Isabella is beautiful, I really will not deny it, but ..." I interrupted Roger at this point.
"I agree to marry you, Roger, I agree to sign this marriage contract and be your wife for a year and a half to secure my grandfather's treatment money." And then each one goes to his side.
Everyone looked at me in surprise and Sue smiled. Roger was astonished.
To be continued...