Keep Yourself Alive - Roger Taylor

53

I sent him the most evil glare I could possibly muster, hoping he got the message that he should sleep with one eye open tonight.

We both walked over to the door, my hands visibly shaking. Roger noticed this and took my quivering hand in his still one, instantly calming me down a bit before we opened the door.

There stood my mother and father, looking as happy as ever.

"Hello Rose, Robert was it?" My father greeted.

"Roger" I said, clenching my jaw,

"Ah, my mistake" He nodded, and we motioned inside for them to follow in.

"It's lovely to finally meet you Mr and Mrs Thomas" Roger said politely, shaking their hands and taking their coats.

The awkwardness could be cut with a knife, and my knuckles were losing circulation as I clenched my fists together to prevent getting angry.

"Rose I think we need to speak, alone" My mother said.

"Okay, Roger could you pour us a few glasses of wine please?" I asked nicely, and he nodded before moving back into the kitchen.

"We don't support your decision about not having a job, but we support yours and Roger's relationship. I want to forget what happened those years ago, we were both out of order and recently it has been playing on my mind. I don't care if you're jobless or have a boyfriend in a rock band, you're my daughter and we need to accept that" My mother said, my father staying quiet.

"R-really?" I was choked up, my words not even forming properly as she practically apologised.

"Yes. When you told us that Roger was in a band we thought it was a silly hobby, but we have seen how he looks after you in the papers, how he proposed to you, it looked lovely" She said, sounding sincere. However, her tone was still very direct and stern.

"Well it's nice that you support me mum, but what about you, dad?" I asked, looking to the poker-faced business man that stood before me.

"I'm not convinced. How much can a band make? We make dresses for the Queen, we don't rush around after some boys in the band Queen" He sighed, arguing his point.

"Well I haven't made a dress for the Queen in 10 years, and neither have you, She only ordered one" I replied, which only angered him further.

"All I'm saying is, we are a respectable family, Rose. I don't think I like this Roger" He said disapprovingly.

"Well that's fine, I was going to ask John and Brian to walk me down the aisle anyway. If there is an aisle that is, we're not having a church wedding" I said, knowing it would annoy my perfect religious parents.

My father was dumbfounded, and my mother looked paler than ever, however I walked into the kitchen and they followed like lost puppies. I had finally found a way to shut up my parents.

Not long after, Rogers parents, Winifred and Michael, showed up at the house. This saved me from my parents as I got into a deep conversation with his mother about the wedding.

"Oh you are so lovely, Rose. I never thought our little Roger Meddows Taylor would get such a beautiful girl" She complimented, pinching his cheek.

My mother watched on in envy, and even I was envious of Roger. Why were his parents so nice to him? It's not fair.

"Meddows? You never told me your middle name was Meddows" I grinned, taking a forkful of hunters chicken.

"No I didn't. Thanks mum" He groaned, and the four of us laughed along.

"I love it, might even be a future baby name" my mother said, suddenly piping up out of the blue.

"Have you had any thoughts of having children yet?" My dad asked curiously.

The three Taylor's and I all tended up in shock. The baby, of course. I never told them about my baby.

"Actually yes, I was pregnant but I lost her unfortunately" I nodded, talking slowly and trying not to get choked up.

"Oh- Oh darling I'm so sorry" My mother said sadly, looking down.

"It was only a few weeks in, but it was terribly upsetting" I said, picking at the food on my plate awkwardly.

"It's bound to be, but don't worry love you are young and have lots of time to try again. You two are so amazing together and you'll make a lovely family" Michael complimented, patting my shoulder.

Roger gave me a side eye as if to ask if I was okay, which I nodded to. I have to be okay at some point, this sadness can't continue forever. At some point the subject was going to arise so I'm just glad that I stayed strong when it was mentioned so suddenly.

"When's Freddie back then dear?" Winifred asked, changing the subject.

"We don't really know, Mary is planning on visiting him in a bit though so we'll find out then" Roger nodded, biting the food on his fork.

The postcards that Freddie had promised to send never arrived. Lost in the post perhaps? I highly doubt it. I wasn't annoyed with him as such, just saddened by the fact that I couldn't talk to my best friend when I needed him most.

"Oh yes, how is Mary? She's a lovely girl" His mother continued.

"She's pregnant, Brian and John have just had their kids too" Roger smiled, looking back at me reassuringly, sending me a wink.

"Ah how wonderful, I can't wait to see Chrissie and Veronica at the wedding" She grinned.

"Actually Mum, Chrissie and Brian have split up" Roger said, giving her a sad smile.

"That's no good, whys that?" She asked.

"They were arguing a lot, and he's such a lovely guy he didn't want it to ruin their relationship for the two children" I nodded, and she sent me a knowing smile.

"Have you been looking for a job, Rose?" My father asked, sawing away at his food.

We all looked at him with a confused look, as he completely changed the subject.

"Erm, not really no. I was asked to do some modelling but it was when I'd just had the miscarriage and I wasn't up for it" I said, giving him a warning look.

"Modelling? You didn't tell me that!" Roger smiled, placing his hand over mine as if nobody else was there.

"When I bought my dress the lady took some photos, her husband got in touch the next day but I declined" I said, shaking my head.

"Why?" He asked, a shocked look covering his features.

"I don't know, I suppose I could ring them back later?" I said, and they all nodded intently.

"Me... a model?" I asked.

"Rose, have you looked at yourself? You're beautiful, I'm surprised you weren't a model before I met you" He breathed, keeping his shocked expression.

"I suppose I co-" I started, but my father interrupted me.

"Modelling isn't good, it makes you look common" He mumbled.

"Well I think she'll look beautiful, go for it hun" Winifred winked at me, standing up for me more than my parents ever have.