Queen Of Hearts | Roger Taylor

XXIV

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Roger called the first night after they had left. And the second one. And the third one. And every other one since they left, which was a week ago. The tour was six weeks, and I had hoped he would stop calling after four nights, but this time he didn't give up. I knew he was even calling when I wasn't home, because the neighbours complained of all the noise.

I tried to distract myself all the time, working more in the hospital than I should. I took up extra shifts from co-workers – so many that I only came home to sleep and eat breakfast. Mary and Delilah had been begging me to out with them, but I wasn't ready to have the conversation about why I broke it up with him yet.

This day had gone just like the others. I had worked till eight and was now parking the car in front of the apartment. I was exhausted, and tomorrow was a day off. Yawning, I locked the car after stepping out and made my way inside the building. I suddenly saw they there was light coming out from under the door. I was sure I didn't leave it on when I left this morning, I hadn't even turned it on.

I twisted my key into the lock and opened the door. There was music playing and for some reason, I liked the feeling if gave me. I put my bag by the door and took of my coat, walking in the living room and seeing both Mary and Delilah sitting on the couch. They had a glass of wine in their hands and there was a spare one on the table.

Something about seeing them sitting there, waiting for me to come home, made me emotional. I started to cry. Immediately, they both stood up and wrapped their arms around me, giving me the comfort, I needed. Neither of them said anything, they just stood there and held me.

"We're really sorry, love. You don't have to talk about it. Let's just drink till we can't anymore," Mary told me.

I sniffed in her shoulder. "I miss my brother."

"Then call him. He's been asking for you," Del advised me. I pulled back from the hug and wiped away the tears. She handed me note with a phone number on it. "This is the number of the hotel they are staying at right now."

I smiled and them and turned around, walking to the phone next to the dining table. My two best friends both grabbed their coats and left, signalling me they'd be back soon. I dialled the number and pressed the horn to my ear. It took a while before someone answered.

"Hotel Velvet, this is Laura. How can I help you today?" a cheery female voice with a heavy American accent answered the phone. I sniffed, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"Hi, could you connect me to the room Brian May is staying in? Tell him it's his sister calling," I asked her. I heard some shuffling on the other side.

"Of course, ma'am. Please hold," she said.

Before I could say anything, the line changed to an automatic waiting beep. I knew this could take a moment, so I put the horn down and poured myself a glass of wine. I was going to need it while crying my eyes out.

The waiting beep stopped and I heard how someone breathed through the phone. Without even hearing his voice, I started to tear up. God, I was such a mess after just a week. What was this going to be like when he would leave for months?

"Lo?" my brother softly asked for me.

"Hi," I whispered. I tried to hide the fact that I was crying, but he knew me all too well. I put a hand over my mouth to keep the sobs from spilling out, but it was no use.

"Oh, Lotus. Why didn't you talk to me earlier?" he asked. I could hear the pain and pity in his voice. I knew that he had been worried about me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what to say," I said. I hadn't even thought about calling him to let him know how I was doing. That's how focused I was on getting through these weeks. I couldn't stop and give myself a break.

"You don't have to apologize. I know it's been hard," he reassured me. I smiled through my tears. He was always being too nice to me.

"Tell me about you. How's the tour?" I asked, distracting myself from talking about my pain.

"It's been really good. The crowds are amazing, and we are having so much fun. I wish you could be here," he said. I could hear the smile in his voice. This was really something he loved to do and I was happy about it. "Dad told me the other day that I even sound like the rock stars he hears speaking on the radio."

I laughed. "I'm glad you're doing well. It's apparently better for twins to get more separation when they're older."

"Really? Well, I'm not so sure about that," he reacted. Brian and I had always been close and I couldn't imagine us not being like this. But then again, once we would older and both start having a family, we would live separately.

"It's the first thing I learned in my new course," I told him.

He wanted to say something, but the door opened and loud voices entered the room. I didn't know what was happening, but I could guess who it was. It was his voice that boomed through the receiver of the phone. Even from a distance I recognized it.

"Brian! Come, party with us!" he yelled. I held the phone to my ear, hoping that my brother would not tell him that I was the one on the phone.

"Sure, let me just finish this call," my brother said. I breathed in angst. "I'll speak to you soon, okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Go have fun," I wished him. I wanted to put the phone down but hearing him speak made me unable to do that.

"Is that Lotus?" he asked. My brother stayed silent. "Can I talk to her?"

"Roger, that's not a good idea," I heard how Brian tried to calm him down.

"No, I need to speak with her. Right now," he now said, sternly. I couldn't see what was happening, but my guess was he was grabbing the phone. Before he could get a chance, I slammed the phone down on the hook.

It rang again, seconds after that. I picked it up, slamming it down again. But it kept ringing. I sighed, knowing that I couldn't sit here forever, picking up and ending the call. I grabbed a thick duvet from Brian's bed, and laid it over the phone. This muffled the noise enough so that the neighbours didn't hear.

Then I grabbed my bag, coat and walked down out the door. The girls were standing outside, looking at me quizzically when I walked towards them. Delilah put out her cigarette with her foot and hooked her arm through mine.

"Come on, we're having drinks. My treat," I said. 

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i know this is short! and there was a long wait! but i am promising you the next chapter it going to make it up for it xx