"I hope there's no hard feelings between you, Roger, and Tim now."
"No, not really, we're just pretty shocked. I mean, we'll continue to do the gigs we had planned to do, and now we've got to start rehearsing with Fred and searching for a new bass player. We're going to put an advert out."
"Sounds like a good plan."
Lettie and Brian stood outside Imperial College. Lettie had gone to meet Brian there after his TA session and he was scheduled to go over to the Evans' house and tutor Chip, so Valerie said she would pick them up at the college.
"Oh, here comes your Mum." Brian spotted the shop van coming down the road towards them.
The van came bouncing down the drive, swerving a little along the way.
"That's not Mum..."
For one thing, rock music blasted from the radio and out the open windows. The van screeched to a bumpy halt in front of them, narrowly missing hitting the curb. Chip's head peeked out of the window. "Howdy."
"What are you doing?"
"What does it look like? I'm driving. I'm your ride home today."
"Oh, okay..."
"Hey, why do you sound so uncertain?"
"Well, we were just expecting Mum, that's all."
"You really doubt my driving skills that much?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Just hop in for crying out loud."
"Okay..." The two exchanged a wary glance and climbed into the back seat.
"I hope you're okay with this," Lettie said as she and Brian climbed into the back seat.
"Yeah, how bad can it be?"
"You really want me to answer that?"
"And away we go!" Chip started driving again.
"Ugh, I can't watch." Lettie buried her face in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut as Chip pulled out onto the road and into the stream of traffic.
Perhaps by some miracle, they made it home relatively safely, at least in one piece.
"See, you were worried for nothing."
"Chip!"
SMASH!
Distracted by boasting about his driving skills (if you could even call them skills that is. Whatever they were, they were not worth boasting about) Chip had swerved off the driveway and right towards their mother's potted plants. The front of the van struck the nearest pot which sat still for a moment before crumbling into a mess of pottery and dirt. A shocked silence followed.
"Oh shit-"
"Chip Petros Evanos!"
"Uh oh, she's yelling at me in Greek! I'm done for!"
"And we're out of here-" Lettie opened the back door and she and Brian jumped out.
"No, don't leave me!"
"Sorry, Mate, you're on you're own."
--------------------------------
"I hope your mother wasn't too upset about her potted plant," Brian said after dinner while he helped Lettie wash the dishes.
"Well, that pot was an ancient relic, passed down through generations - I'm kidding." Both chuckled. "Well, she takes a lot of pride in her garden. I bet she'll have Chip glueing the pot back together piece by piece. You're very efficient at washing dishes, by the way."
"Well thank you. I often have to clean up after my flatmates."
"Why am I not surprised?"
"Yeah, Tim's a bit better than Roger - a bit - but..." He shrugged. "Someone's got to be the organized one, I guess."
She chuckled. "Yes, indeed. Would you like to sit in the backyard with some tea?" she asked once the last dish had been cleaned and dried.
"I'd love to."
"Since it's such a lovely night."
"Yes, it is."
Soon they were sitting on the bench out back with steaming cups of tea, Brian strumming lightly on his guitar.
"Hey, 'on such a breathless night as this' - like in your song," she commented, looking up at the stars - Brian's beloved stars.
"Yes, it is," he agreed. "You remembered."
"Yeah, I did. You know, Tina has quite the theory going about that song."
"Does she now? And what is her theory? I do love theories."
"Oh I bet you do. She thinks that you wrote White Queen for someone."
"Ah."
"A girl."
"Yes."
"I thought it was beautiful."
He smiled. "Thanks. I'm glad, really glad. I was actually thinking of calling it 'Red Queen', because of your hair, but then I thought that might be a bit too obvious..." Both chuckled.
"So it was for me then?"
"Yes. It is for you."
"Wow, Brian, that's so sweet, thank you. I don't know what to say-" She was so flustered by the gesture. No doubt Tina would be rubbing in how right she had been about it for years to come.
"I hope it doesn't seem to forward or strange-"
"Not at all."
"Good, I'm glad."
"You really mean all that stuff you say in the song?"
"Yes, I do. Lettie-" He reached out and took both of her hands in his own. "I just want you to know that even though your plan didn't work out the way you thought or hoped it would, this is still a new beginning full of possibilities."
"Thank you, Bri."
"Of course."
"And I'm glad you're a part of it."
"Oh, well-" Now he was all blushy and flustered. "So am I."
"Will you sing it for me, White Queen? Freddie did a lovely job, but seeing as it's your song, and you wrote it for me..."
"Yeah, yeah, of course-" He readied his guitar. He cleared his throat and strummed the first notes.
"'So sad her eyes
Smiling dark eyes
So sad her eyes
As it began..."
Again, she watched him, this time more up close. How at ease and in control he appeared while performing.
'On such a breathless night as this
Upon my brow the lightest kiss
I walked alone
And all around the air did say
My lady soon will stir this way
In sorrow known
The White Queen walks and the night grows pale
Stars of lovingness in her hair
Needing - unheard
Pleading - one word
So sad my eyes
She cannot see
How did thee fare, what have thee seen
The mother of the willow green
I call her name
And 'neath her window have I stayed
I loved the footsteps that she made
And when she came
White Queen how my heart did ache
And dry my lips no word would make
So still I wait...'"
Next came his guitar solo. All of their songs had at least one moment in them where Brian could take the centre stage and show off his talent, where he could shine. And he never failed to impress.
Soon - too soon - the song was nearing its end. She was so enchanted by his performance she hardly realized when the song was ending.
"'My Goddess, hear my darkest fear
I speak too late
It's for evermore that I wait
Dear friend goodbye
No tears in my eyes
So sad it ends
As it began.'"
And it was there in that moment that she realized that that would be the perfect moment to kiss him.
And she didn't miss the opportunity this time.
She made herself wait until the final note had faded and, instead of applauding, she kissed him. He kissed her back.
"Here, sorry." Both chuckled as he worked to quickly remove his guitar from around his shoulder, separating them. Once the instrument was moved off to the side, they embraced again, more fully this time, practically in each other's laps. Tina would have been proud of the snog they gave one another if she had seen. Lettie would have to tell her later.
"Will you..." Brian said when they drew apart, breathless from their kiss. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
She smiled. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
"Is that a yes then?"
"Yes!"
"Yes to you too!"
"And don't worry, I'll drive you home," she said, making him laugh before they kissed again.
As it began...
(I'm using so many references from the song White Queen for chapter titles that I should have called this story White Queen!
Told you Tom Holland driving would come back later! ;) haha!
A couple more chapters left - of this first book! There will be a sequel! ;) Thank you so much for reading and, as always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :))