Time Passages (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

61. Barefoot in the Park

Freddie

We slowed the pace when the Tavern's pandemonium was reduced to a hushed, distant jumble of sound, and stopped altogether as soon as Julia tripped over the skirt of her dress and tumbled to the ground.

 "Darling!" I exclaimed, reaching down to help her up.  "You all right?"

"I'm fine, but I don't think my stockings are any better off- or my gown for that matter," she joked when she saw the smudge the snow-dusted sidewalk had left on her dress.

Too late I remembered her almost lethal heels.  "You poor dear, you've been running in those awful shoes this whole time, haven't you?"

"What shoes?" she grinned.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you not notice that we aren't standing at the same height anymore?"

My concern promptly turned to annoyance.  "My God, you didn't put your shoes back on?"

With a little scoff, Julia put her hands on her hips.  "Would you?  They were practically stilts!" 

Granted, she had me there- and what was more I was not up for even a playful row at present- so I let it go for now, answering with a single roll of my eyes before at last glancing about us to see where we had ended up. 

Julia and I stood under an arch of tall, leafless trees, severe and stark against the clouded sky except where the snow, falling a bit heavier now, was gathering along their branches, the light from the lamp posts dancing on their thickening white coats.  There was even a new, thin blanket of pure white concealing the pavement at our feet, much to Julia's simultaneous delight and chagrin.

"Where's Rudy?" she asked suddenly.

"Rudy?" I frowned.

"You know, Ru- oh, sorry, I mean, Charles," she corrected herself.

"Mm, yes, Charles," I nodded somewhat absently.  "It's true, he is a bit like Rudy was, isn't he?"  Difference is, Charles is a lot less reliable- and he's American.  Hm.  Maybe there's some sort of connection there.

Julia's mouth curved in an odd half-smile, as though she could read my thoughts. "I guess.  Do you know where he is?"

I shook my head.  "No.  He just drove me there and went away.  He said he had something to take care of, said it was important."

"Okay.  What's his phone number?  I'll try and reach him."

"That might not be possible, actually, seeing as I've still, uh- still got it.  His phone, I mean."  I pointed at the flat, rectangular bulge in my coat pocket; I couldn't understand why he wanted me to hold onto it while he was off on his little errand, but whatever.  "What do you need him for anyway?"

"So he can maybe pick us up and drop us off at the Tavern again."

"The Tavern?" I repeated. "Why? We just came from there."

"I know, but you see-"

"Did you forget something?  I mean, besides your shoes."

"Yes.  The c-car."  She rubbed her bare arms vigorously up and down.

My brows rose, my hands flexing to work out some of the stiffness.  "What?"

"The restaurant had valet p-parking, so they still have my k-key, and my c-c-car, so we're going to have to go all the way b-back the way we c-c-c-came."

Only when her teeth had begun to chatter this way did we realize how cold it really felt outside.  Julia passed me both my blazer and my heavier coat, which had been draped over her arms while we ran.  As I pulled on my jacket, I watched her do the same with her own long winter coat, but it didn't seem to be doing her much good at all.  Certainly not judging by the way she buttoned it all the way up and hugged herself to keep even warmer.