TURN BACK THE TIME, BABE. BOOK 7. THE WILL TO CARRY ON

LISTEN TO ME, HONEY

FREDDIE POV

Farrokh had changed completely Stafford Terrace's atmosphere. It was still a stylish home of a megalomaniac rock star but wherever you laid your eyes on, there was the unmistakable trace of a baby at home. That kept bringing me some peculiar and mixed feelings.

I didn't know where to put all those feelings. At one hand that change warmed my heart pleasantly but on the other it got me restless and worried. I just kept telling myself I wasn't born to be a good father.

- He's saying Baba, not Papa.

- Actually he really meant to say Papa.

- Oh, really?

- Bah, what would you know, Deaky?

- Me? Nothing. I got three children, 7, 4 and 3 years old and one fourth on the way. Nothing at all.

- Did some of them utter the word Baba?

- Nope, everyone said Papa.

- You're pissing me off.

- The truth is I missed the three of them's first words. Farrokh is giving you his first words. Whether they are Baba, Papa or Gaga and it's beautiful.

- I'm a little bit lost. I don't know how to do it.

- Doing what?

- Becoming a father.

- It's so easy when they are babies. You just have to be there and you are already the centre of their universe.

- The musicians we don't use to be there. Travelling, touring.

- Don't worry about that. Eli as well as Ronnie with me will take charge so you don't fuck it all up.

- I got jealous about the relationship they two have. It's natural and fluid.

- Learn to face it. They had borne them for nine months in their wombs. At the end they spend their lifetime with the children as we are away.

- When Eli shows up, he only has eyes for her. She's gonna be an excellent mother and I...

- Don't take it as a contest, Fred. We will always lose out finally. They use to win us practically in everything.

- I don't like to lose, you know that.

- Why did you call me so urgently? I thought you didn't want to see our faces in such a while.

- That's what I meant.

- So?

- I just wanted to talk about the fatherhood to someone familiar with the matter.

- Oh, now I'm familiar with the matter.

- You are a great father. I've noticed. The way your children look at you. You might be away as you say but I can't see any reproach in your three kid's faces.

- I try but I don't have any idea what I gotta suppose to do. I can't give you a guideline about it. Why don't you ask Bri? He's also a father.

- We would end up having an argument, I'm sure.

- Or Rog.

- Rog is not living with Dom and he's not a good reference, actually.

- I admit it's quite exotic seeing you as a father figure.

- I don't know what I am. I'm just here trying to make him laugh. The truth is I always make him laugh.

- I'm sure of it. That's very important. We all are failing as fathers, mostly we the musicians who aren't at home quite frequently. We got to delegate in our wives. I'm very lucky with mine and Elideth is a very special woman. She will take care about the hard work.