𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎// john deacon

chapter twenty one - the furniture store

  VALERIE SAT IN her now nearly empty apartment, gazing out of the terrace window at the view.

   She was alone right then. She was enjoying the silence, as the past few weeks had been hectic.

   While she had purchased the house a few weeks before John and the band left for America, she hadn't told anyone. She wanted to wait and surprise them.

    But Valerie had to move in. It was quite overwhelming and very melancholy packing up the apartment she had spent nearly eleven years of her life in.

She was simply sitting in her apartment, taking in the view of the busy street she would so dearly miss now that she would be moving out of the city.

   She startled when the phone rang, losing her footing and slamming her foot on the hardwood. Frazzled, she walked quickly to the phone and picked it up to stop it's shrieking.

    "Hello?" A voice on the other end called out. Valerie immediately recognized it as John's.

   "John! How are you?" Valerie asked, though knew probably not much had changed since she had spoken to him the day before.

"I'm great. Tour's going well. I miss you, a lot. We're in Florida now. Orlando. It's absolutely horrendously hot here!" John exclaimed through the phone, making Valerie laugh a bit.

"That's Florida for you. Should've done your research on the states, Johnny." Valerie jokingly chastised him. She could practically hear him roll his eyes.

   "The best research is just being here. How've you been?" John asked. Valerie leaned against the wall and looked around.

    "Well, busy packing up my apartment." She said, closing her eyes while she waited what she said to register with John.

    "Shut up. You bought the house." John stated, making Valerie sigh with relief that he didn't get mad at her.

"I did. I saved up enough and I've been offered a job at the college, so I'm all set! I can't wait until you get back and you can see it." Valerie said in a rush, a grin on her face.

"What, did you think I was gonna be mad? It's your house. That's awesome that you bought it! And congratulations on the job." John said. Valerie could hear the applause of Freddie, who was currently trying to arrange John's wardrobe.

    "So you're moving in now?" John asked.

    "Well, packing to move. I didn't realize just how much shit I had until I started packing! Payton, Periwinkle, and Evan are going to help me move in over the next few days." Valerie said, twisting the phone cord in her hand.

   "I can't wait to see the house,"

   "You've already seen it!"

   "Oh, shush! Now I'll get to see it as your house. It'll have more of your personality. And working electricity," John said with a small laugh that made Valerie smile.

    "Really though, love, congratulations. And I can't wait to see you when we get back. I've got to go, Freddie is insisting I try on a shirt he bought me the other day." John said with a sigh, and Valerie laughed aloud.

    "Alright then, you have fun, Johnny."

    "Oh, of course. I love playing dress up. I'll see you soon." John said. And with the click of the phone line, he was gone.
*****

    "You have the most horrendous furniture of anyone that I've seen, Valerie. I'm taking you shopping." Periwinkle said that afternoon while she side stepped around boxes.

    "My furniture is absolutely lovely. And buying new couches and stuff is expensive." Valerie complained as she ate some strawberries.

   "Evan's already getting drapes and whatnot for you. I figure, as a gift, I'll take you out shopping."

   "Quite possibly the most expensive gift you could give. Good lord, Peri, you treat me too well." Valerie said, ready to spout off a list of reasons as to why she didn't deserve to be taken out shopping.

"It's the least I can do. A graduation present for the soon to be Professor Cartaya." Periwinkle said as she twirled her key ring around her finger.

    "Whatever you say, Peri. I-"

   "Don't you dare say that you'll repay me. It's a gift, love, you've already just bought a house." Periwinkle said as she and Valerie headed out the door.

   The drive to the furniture store was filled with talk of John, Valerie's new house, and how she would deal with living alone.

   "I'm gonna buy a dog once I've saved some money." Valerie said with a shrug. She was used to living with Brian or constantly having the band over, so it would be a bit of a change.

"Oh, lovely." Periwinkle said as the walked into the furniture store through the already open front door.

    "Are you sure you want to keep that hideous couch of yours?" Periwinkle asked as they walked by a beautiful dark blue sofa.

Valerie turned to Periwinkle and rolled her eyes as she continued to walk toward the dining room section of the store.

"No, lovey, I don't need a new sofa. Mine is just fine."

"Mhm, sure." Periwinkle said as she wistfully as Valerie dragged her on.

    "I just want a table and a few chairs, that's all. I'm going to buy beds and whatnot to fill the guest rooms on my own." Valerie insisted before Periwinkle could say any more.

   Periwinkle, a few years older than Valerie, worked as a doctor at the hospital and made a fair amount of money. Furniture would be no problem for her, but Valerie was too modest.

    "Not if I have anything to say about it. But moving on," Periwinkle said quickly,  "what about John? Think he might move in with you eventually?" Periwinkle asked casually as she ran her fingers along a carved, mahogany dining table.

    Caught off guard, Valerie rammed her thigh into the corner of another table and cursed softly.

    Through gritted teeth, Valerie managed to laugh, her cheeks going red. "I don't doubt he will,  at some point. But we haven't even gone on a proper date, Peri, I can't get ahead of myself." Valerie said as she sat down on a chair.

    "You alright?" Periwinkle asked, going over to check on her friend. Valerie nodded, and Periwinkle spoke again.

     "You're right, you're right. I guess I'm getting ahead of myself,  too. I will say, I've been rooting for the two of you since I met the two of you. You really are in love with him." Periwinkle said with a smile, and Valerie laughed slightly.

    The whole situation was just a bit awkward, but it gave Valerie something to think about. It made her wonder if John even loved her.

    "I like this table. How about it?" Periwinkle said, snapping Valerie from her thoughts as the red head went over to inspect the beautiful mahogany number.

    "But Peri, it's so expensive."

    "None of that, love. It's my graduation gift." Periwinkle insisted as she started off with Valerie linked to her elbow to look at nightstands.