Hello

Christmas Day, Part II

In the back seat of Roger's Mercedes, a nervous Vivienne Florence was attempting to break my hand with her grip.

"If my Christmas present requires a blindfold and a car ride in a Mercedes Benz, it's gotta be good!" She squealed, squirming in her seat.

"Last time Lucy was in the back seat of my Benz, we were-"

"Noooooo!" I reached forward and put my hand over his mouth, only to have him lick it until I also squealed.

"God, you are disgusting. Yet, still attractive in an oddly sexual way."

"I am SO thankful I can't see anything."

"Oh, Lucy's got her breasts out. No biggie." Roger joked, pulling into my gravel driveway. Vivienne smacked my leg with her free hand, laughing. My house, my beautiful brick house. Seeing it made me feel homesick, remembering all the beautiful memories in it. Waking up to a crazy haired man in clogs and jeans doing my gardening, late drunk nights with Vivienne discussing new David Bowie records, the deathly sound of my washing machine faithfully cleaning various bodily fluids from my uniforms. Home.

I guided Vivienne out of the car, her hands gripping my forearms with matching Scottish skin.

"Last time we did this, you purposely walked me into a wall." She reminded as Roger took one of her arms so we could turn her around.

"Are you ready?" Roger asked, grinning at me. I looked back at him, nodding, as he untied the blindfold. Vivienne opened her eyes and stared at the house, to me, to Roger, and back to the house again.

"Viv you pork, your gift is the house." Her face dropped and tears formed in her eyes.

"Lucy's got no use for it and Lord knows she wasn't going to sell it to a complete stranger. This covers Christmas and birthdays for the rest of your life, by the way." Roger informed, handing her two sets of house keys. One pink, mine, and one bright yellow, formerly belonging to Brian May.

My heart burned a little, seeing them in the hands of someone else, but those were hands I trusted. Hands that deserved them. With a quick screaming session and a kiss on the cheek to both of us, Vivienne rushed into her new home. I walked over to Roger and let him envelope me, trying not to cry.

"Hey. You did such an amazing thing for her. You've given her a home that's hers, that has no rules and no punishments. You gave up a huge part of your life for your best friend and that makes me so proud of you." I kissed him slowly, pulling him into the house. Vivienne's shoes were roughly kicked off and scattered in the entryway, their owner nowhere to be seen.

"Are you alright here by yourself, Vivienne? Lucy and I have places to be." Roger asked loudly, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm more than alright! I'm set for life! You two are the best human beings ever!"

_________________________

I sat next to Roger, wrapped up snugly in his jacket with my feet towards the wood heater of his mother's back deck. I laced my fingers between his, holding his hand to my forehead.

"Please tell me you've got no tours in January." I begged. Having him home felt incredible, waking up next to him every day, not having to do everything alone.

"We leave for Asia in February." He looked over at me, smiling at the relief on my face. Loud footsteps to our left announced the entrance of barely walking Gretel Taylor, Roger's adorable niece.

"Hello little miss. Isn't it a bit cold outside for you?" Roger asked, standing up and walking over to her. He picked her up, swinging her onto his hip.

"Roger! Lucy! Desert is ready!" Winifred Taylor called from the kitchen. I gripped the armrest of the couch and yanked myself up, reaching out for Roger to stabilise me. Inside, a lounge room of people I didn't know smelled strongly of a sweet shop. I let Roger deal with the food, finding us a spot to sit inside. It was getting very wintry outside so I had no plans to go back out. As he asked Gretel's opinion on every desert option, I sat myself down unceremoniously in a brown leather recliner, crossing my denim Jean-clad legs. I sneakily undid the top button and slid the zip down slightly, pulling my shirt down to hide it. At that point in time, baby Guac was only the size of a passion fruit. It absolutely blew me away that soon they'd be the size of a watermelon and I'd have to push them out of my magic crotch shell.

Ouch.

"Auntie Lolly!" Gretel announces some time later, walking in unsteadily with a plastic bowl of lemon meringue pie and whipped cream. Roger followed quickly, bent over as if ready to catch her at any time. I lifted my food out of her hands as Roger sat down on the floor, Gretel on his legs.

"Hot." Gretel announced, pointing at Roger's piece of apple pie as he cut some off with his spoon. Roger stared her down and put the spoonful in his mouth, immediately yelling, breaking into a falsetto worthy of The Prophet's Song. He flicked his head back, furiously exhaling as Gretel and I laughed.

"She told you it was hot." I whispered, kissing his forehead. He closed his mouth and swallowed hard, breathing like he had just sprinted a marathon. If this is what the father is like, I can't wait to meet the child.