From Seeds to Flowers | John Deacon

Chapter 16

October 18, 1971

Thalia stayed mostly silent since she heard the news. She was so conflicted about the whole situation but didn't know how to properly convey what she was feeling.

During breakfast, Thalia began to speak up more. She told John the plans for the day. They would take a cab to Guildford, where Thalia's parents had been living. The ride from Southampton, where the band was currently staying, to Guildford was a little over an hour, so the couple decided to stay the night there and drive back the next day.

Even though Thalia didn't make much noise that morning, the rest of the band was not afraid to make a clamor. Brian and Freddie were loudly arguing about something over the breakfast table and Roger, who really had no part in the conversation, somehow joined in as well. John was trying to hold back laughter because of how ridiculous they were all being.

Thalia poked at the eggs on her plate as she listened to the boys' argument. She smiled softly. She was so lucky to meet these people, even if they were completely insane, they were all her friends. Her eyes glanced up and checked the clock.

"We better get going," she announced to the group, which suddenly became silent.

John stood up. "Alright then," he said with a sigh. "We'll be seeing you again sometime tomorrow."

"Buh-bye," Roger said. "Have fun on your little trip by yourselves."

Brian promptly hit his arm. "They're going to a funeral, you buffoon."

Roger nearly choked on his eggs.

With that, the couple left. They met a cab outside the hotel and put their bags in the trunk before sitting in the back together.

The drive seemed to go by quickly. Thalia and John's hands, not the fractured one, were intertwined for most of the duration of the drive. About halfway through Thalia became much more talkative than she had been earlier that morning. She was telling John about the times when her mother would visit. She would come for Thalia's birthday, which worked out because it was so close to Christmas, being on December 19th. She would usually leave to spend Christmas back home, though.

Whenever she needed a break from talking she'd ask John to tell her about his family. He talked mostly about his dad and occasionally about his sister, Julie. Thalia could tell how much he missed his dad. She was grateful for the fact that she wouldn't have to go through pain in remembering good memories with her father, but she still had the pain of not having any good memories with him.

They arrived at Thalia's mother's house a little after an hour since they left. They were greeted at the door by Dottie and a melancholy woman who John had never seen standing close by. Dottie pulled the couple into a hug.

The woman stepped forward and gave Thalia a hug, not as warm as Dottie's, but still a kind gesture.

She turned to John and looked at him with sore, red eyes. "I'm Ruth, Thalia's mum. You must be John." She extended her arms for a hug.

John smile was full of empathy as he accepted her hug. He knew what she was going through, what losing a loved one was like.

Ruth led them into a living room with a little television in the corner and the ugliest curtains John or Thalia had ever seen.

After their greetings, Dottie took Thalia away to talk in private, just to ask her how everything was going with her situation. That left John with Thalia's mom. The two sat on the couch in the living room in silence.

While fidgeting with his cast, John heard sniffles coming from his left. He turned to the source of the sound, Ruth, who quickly wiped away the tears she had let slip.