A Killer Queen (John Deacon)

Chapter forty-eight

TRIGGER WARNING: HOMOPHOBIC SLUR. I DID BLEEP IT BUT JUST A HEADS UP.

I kissed Snowball goodbye. Hugging him tightly, feeling sad that I wouldn't see him for a while. That his owners would be gone and then back and then gone again for a while. But he loved Amber and I knew he was going to have such a good time with her.

I caught the bus to the train station and boarded a train to Bournemouth which was a two-hour ride.

I gazed out the window, leaning on my hand. I watched the sunrise, the golden-lit trees were blowing in the morning wind.

I was sitting next to this elderly woman who kindly let me have the window seat. She kept mostly to herself, reading the newspaper and drinking a cup of tea.

I wasn't hungry the first time the lady came by with food and drinks but the second time I got a scone and some tea.

I was getting very excited. The guys had no idea I was coming or that I would be with them for the full tour.

"Going to Bournemouth for something fun?" The old lady next to me asked breaking the calm silence.

"Yeah actually," I replied before taking a drink of my tea. "My boyfriend's band is on tour there and I'm heading there to join them. They don't know I'm coming, and I'm getting super excited."

"Aww, how lovely. How long have you and your lad been together?" She asked.

"About three years now." I smiled.

"Aww, how sweet." She smiled. "I wish you two all the happiness in the world."

"Aww, thank you! What brings you to Bournemouth?" I questioned taking another sip of my drink.

"I'm on my way back from visiting my son. I live in Bournemouth actually, my son lives in London."

"Well, that's nice. How old is your son?"

She folded her newspaper up and placed it on her lap.

"He's 45, he moved to London for school to become an engineer and just stayed there. I miss him a lot. I try to go down as much as I can. He would visit more but he works a lot."

"Aww, I'm sorry. I work a lot too. Well, I just quit one of my jobs so I only have the one. My boss was starting to be sexist towards me."

"Men believe they rule the world but in reality, it's us ladies that do all the hard work, and they just take credit for it."

I was shocked by her words. Usually, older ladies always sided with sexist men.

"He said a man could do my job quicker and faster and even the men in my department told him that wasn't true. That I was the hardest worker they had ever seen. He gives me a huge workload and then expected me to do it all in an unreasonable amount of time!"

"Don't sweat it, sweetheart. In my day you were lucky to even be considered for a job. Things are moving in the right direction. Women are finally taking the world back. It will take time and you quitting is a step in the right direction."

I grinned.

"Thank you?"

"Dorothea, Dorothea Wilson. And what's your name sweetie?"

"Nina Jackson." I smiled.

"Nina," She said taking my hand in hers. "Keep up what you are doing. Don't stop the fight. One day girls will be able to get just as much respect as a man, I can feel it, but it's up to women like you."

I got off the train at around 8:30 AM.  Bournemouth was a very pretty town on the coast and I knew it was a huge tourist destination during the summer. November wasn't its high point, but it looked stunning with the fall colors.