Queen Daughter Short Stories

Alice Taylor

A request from mexicana_16 this is an epilogue for The Original Taylor Daughter set 14 years after Alice's passing.

Also looking back at the chapters in The Original Taylor Daughter, I mentioned Freddie had a grave, I guess when I was writing it I decide for the book he would have one which is why it is mentioned in this chapter, I know in real life he was cremated.

Felix is 24 years old

Rory is 18 years old

Rufus is 14 years old

Tigerlily is 10 years old

Lola is 5 years old

Alice would have been 35 years old

1st March 2005

White roses in hand, Roger kneels putting them in the flower holder on her grave, "Afternoon Alice," He smiles sadly, "Though I guess I should say Happy Birthday, that's why I've come to see you."

"35," He chuckles to himself picturing what she would be like if she was still alive today, "I can imagine you'd be off travelling, probably as Bowie's tour photographer and a successful events photographer on the side I reckon. I'm not sure if you'd have found someone else, I know how much Molly meant to you," He looks to his left a plot along where Molly's grave is, fresh deep red roses in the flower holder that he put their before moving to Alice's.

"I hope your together up there, Freddie too," He glances to his right, Freddie's grave two plots over also with fresh yellow roses he put there. The empty plot between Freddie and Alice's grave has been reserved by Roger for the day he passes so that he can be buried beside his daughter.

He pauses gulping back tears, "For 14 years I've been coming here to see you and I still can't leave without shedding a few tears. I miss you so much Monkey. Queen's going back on tour at the end of this month if you can believe it, well it will be me and Brian. Deaky retired in 1997 but Paul Rodgers is our frontman. He's not Freddie by any means but I look forward to performing for people again. I wish you were coming with us though, for a chance to be our tour photographer again. So much has happened since you've been gone, good and bad. But above all else I wish Tigerlily and Lola could have known you."

Checking his watch he realises the time, "Speaking of... I better go and pick up the youngest Taylor from school. Love you Ally, happy birthday."

When he stands, he feels a shiver down his spine. Looking around him, he sees no one and continues to the car.

Unseen to him, Alice stood watching and listening as he spoke to her grave. She watches him until he's in the car and drives off.

------

"Daddy!" Lola grins running over to him as he stands at the back of to crowd of parents waiting to pick up their children.

"How was school?" Roger returns a smile, taking her school bag in one hand and her hand in his other.

"Fun, we had art today. Oh, and I have writing homework," She climbs into the car with his help.

Once in the car himself, he continues the conversation, "I'll help you get your homework done before dinner. Brian is coming over as are Dominique, Rory and Felix."

"Uncle Brian!" Lola screeches with excitement, "Why are they all coming over?"

"For your sister's birthday meal."

Lola frowns, "But Tiger's birthday is October and Rory's is May."

"I mean Alice," He corrects her.

"Oh," Lola goes quiet.

They stay that way for the rest of the journey. At 5 years old he's hardly surprised that Lola forgets about Alice but it still hurts.

Later when dinner is ready and everyone is there, Roger calls everyone to the table. They eat as normal conversing about their days until Lola speaks, "Daddy, will you tell us about Alice?"

Silence covers the table, "Lola..." Rory goes to brush the subject away but Roger stops her.

"No, it's fine Rory. I know I don't talk about her often but that's because I miss her so much, remembering her still hurts even 14 years after she passed. What do you to know?" It's about time he had a proper sit down with all his children and talked about her.

"Everything," Rufus sits forward ready to listen.

"Alice is your eldest sister. She was born on the 1st of March 1970, that's why we're having this meal today, she would have been 35 years old."

"Wait she's older than Felix?" Tigerlily frowns, she always believed Felix to be the oldest.

"Yeah, she was my big sister," Felix smiles thinking back on his memories with Alice.

"She was the original Taylor daughter, not me," Rory clarifies.

"What happened to her?" Lola asks.

"She passed away in December 1991 from cancer," Roger informs them, "Just a few weeks after Freddie passed away. She had kidney cancer as a child and beat it but it came back as untreatable when she was 19," He continues telling them everything about their big sister. Moving to the living room when they finish eating to continue.

Brian, Dominique, Felix and Rory chip in with stories about her, "I wish I could remember her," Rufus huffs, knowing he was held by her time and again.

"You were only 9 months old when she passed," Debbie reminds him, "She loved you though."

Leaving the room, Roger comes back with some photo albums showing them photos of her, "What are these ones?" Lola opens an album that says Alice's photos on it.

"Your sister was a photographer," Brian answers having a look at them too, "A very good one. She was Queen's tour photographer for the last few years of her life and David Bowie's but she could photograph anything and make it look incredible. These are some of her photos."

"I'd love to be like her," Lola admires them with great interest, "To take photos like her."

"I'll get you a camera for your birthday if you're serious," Roger promises seeing a lot of Alice in his youngest despite them not sharing the same mum.

"I wish we could have met her," Tigerlily sighs, "She's so pretty."

"She would have loved you, she loved being a big sister," Roger is sure of that, "From now on, if you want to talk about her or ask me about her you can. I want you to know what she was like," He grabs his drink, "A toast, to Alice. Happy Birthday, Monkey."

"To Alice!" They all raise a glass to her.