"I want a new boat."
"Are you serious?"
Adeline was cuddled close to Roger, holding up a magazine for the two of them to read. She had joined him, Brian, Cece, Deacy, and Veronica in the studio on a day off from work, and she was surprised to not see Freddie there.
"Wait, what about this one?" Roger wrapped one arm around her shoulders, using his free hand to point to the page.
"Absolutely not, mister. If you wanna have kids someday, we'd better start saving so they can go to college, or whatever you call it over here," Adeline said, flipping the page again.
"University, babe," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. She chuckled and set her head on his shoulder, going to flip the page again when Brian stood up behind them.
"Everyone up on the drum risers!" he said, looking down at everyone. "Up on the drum risers."
"Come on!" Cece stood from the couch and walked over, motioning for the four left on the couches to follow her.
"Thank you, Cecelia." Brian kissed her gently. "Showing some enthusiasm."
"Wives and everyone?" Deacy asked, as Veronica point to herself and asked, "Me?"
"Yes! Come on, John. Everyone."
Adeline set the magazine down and stood, stretching her arms over her head as John and Veronica made their way over. She and Roger walked over, with Roger getting onto the risers before Adeline. He set his hands on her sides and gripped his tightly, hoisting her up onto the risers with a grin.
"What's this about?" Roger asked, wrapping one arm around his wife. Ever since Freddie's party, Roger had been very reluctant to let Adeline out of his sight when neither of them had work. So when he felt her arms around his middle, he rubbed her shoulder gently while looking down at his friend.
"You remember our last concert? The crowd were singing our songs back to us. I mean, it was deafening, but it was wonderful," he said, chuckling slightly. "They're becoming a part of our show. I want to encourage that, so I've got an idea to involve them a little bit more."
Adeline glanced up at Roger, and under her touch, she could feel the subtle shrug of his shoulders. He squeezed her gently before letting go, and with a sigh, she pulled her arms away from him.
"Let's start with this." Brian stamped his foot twice while the others looked at him. Adeline had her head tilted, and one of her eyebrows came up in an arch. She and Cece looked to each other, then back at Brian.
"Stamp to this beat," he said.
"Genius," Deacy said, his arms folded over his chest.
"Thank you, John." Brian smiled, unaware of the look Roger and Deacy had shared. Roger smiled as Deacy smirked, all while Adeline shook her head with a chuckle.
"Come on," Brian prompted, and finally, the others began to stamp to the same rhythm. Once the rhythm was established, and Adeline had a hard time containing her giggles, Brian nodded and moved his hand.
"Now I want you to clap on the third beat." He stamped his foot twice more, then clapped right after. The group on the risers followed his instructions, and soon, the room was filled with the beat. Adeline and Cece looked at each other and laughed, shaking their heads as they clapped.
"Don't speed up," Roger called, and Adeline laughed more.
"Rog, keep that time," Brian said, and he made his way to the piano near the risers.
"I told you he has good ideas," Cece said, looking at her friend.
"They've been known to happen," Adeline agreed, and they laughed together, filling Adeline with the warmth she'd been missing the past few weeks.
"Ah, you kept time, Rog. Good," Brian complimented, and Adeline nudged her husband gently.
"It's not like you do that for a living or anything," she whispered, grinning as he bit his lip to hide his smile. Once Freddie joined Brian's side, the rhythm died down, and Adeline rubbed her tingling palms against the fabric of her dress.
"What's going on?" he asked
"You'd know if you were on time," Roger said, setting an arm around Adeline.
"I'm a performer, darling, now a Swiss train conductor."
"Oddly specific," Adeline whispered to Cece, who covered her mouth with her hand, masking her giggles.
"Sorry I'm late," Freddie said softly.
"Again," Deacy interjected, folding his arms over his chest.
"All right. Now, will you please tell me why you're not playing any instruments?" Freddie asked.
"I wanna give the audience a song that they can perform," Brian explained. "All right? Let them be part of the band. So what can they do?" He again stomped twice and clapped, which in turn encouraged the group on the risers to pick it back up as well. And soon, Freddie was doing it right alongside them.
"Imagine: thousands of people doing this in unison. Huh? Well?"
"What's the lyric?"
***
"Do you really have to go so far away?" Adeline asked, wrapping her arms around her husband's middle from behind. Roger was packing up one of his suitcases, stopping mid fold when he felt her. Sighing, he set his hands over hers and smiled when he felt her head on his back.
"You of all people know badly I wish I could stay. I'm gonna miss you like crazy," he said, tracing along the back of her hand.
"I'll miss you more. Who's gonna drum their fingers on my bare thigh every morning? Or try and convince me to stay in bed for another five minutes when they know I have work?" she asked, smiling to herself.
"Nobody had better do that until I get back," he teased, squeezing her hands. He let go and started to pack again, humming to himself. Adeline stayed quiet, closing her eyes as a soft sigh left her lips.
"You'll call me, right?" she asked quietly.
"Every day, if I can. And you can tell me all about your day and what your kids said that made you laugh," he said, looking at her over his shoulder.
"Speaking of kids, do you think we'll be able to start our family soon, Rog?" she asked.
"I hope so, Addy. I just need to find time to get away from the studio. I want to be there for everything," he said, turning in her arms to look down at her.
"You'll try soon, right?" she asked.
"For you, yes," he whispered, cupping her face gently. He leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips, and she returned the kiss softly. The ringing doorbell downstairs broke them apart, and with a sad smile, Roger let go of her.
"That'll be them," he whispered, feeling Adeline's grip on him tighten. Her hug was vice like in grip, and her face was pressed against his chest.
"Don't go," she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.
"Oh, Addy, I'll be back home before you know it. Hey, look at me." He used his thumb and index finger to tilt her head up, and the tears in her eyes made his chest ache. "We'll be in New York, yeah? I'll try and bring you back something. I know it's not New Jersey, not even close, but I'll try," he said, then pulled her into a hug.
"I love you so much, Roger," Adeline whispered, hugging him tightly.
"I love you more, Addy," he said, kissing the top of her head. The doorbell rang again, and reluctantly, Roger pulled away from her.
"I'll give you a call when we land, I promise," he said, picking up his suitcases.
"You'd better. Have a safe trip," she said, and he smiled.
"I will." He kissed her forehead and headed for the bedroom door. Adeline quickly wiped her eyes and followed him down to the living room, and then onto the front porch. She stood by the door as he went down the walkway, and when he turned around to wave at her, she nearly began to cry.
"Oh, Addy! I left a surprise for you, on your side of the bed! Love you!" he called getting into the car. He rolled down his window, leaning out a bit to wave to her.
"Love you, too!" she called back, and as the car started to drive away, she blew her husband a kiss, and watched as he pretended to catch it. Adeline waited until the car was out of sight before going back in and hurrying up to their bedroom. Sure enough, on her side of the bed, was one of Roger's favorite shirts, and Adeline was quick to slip hers off and replace it with his. She fell onto the bed and shuffled over to Roger's side, letting her head rest on his pillow. The next few weeks were going to be rough.