Through Chrissie's eyes

By the end of the show

Without understanding anything other than that the show was about to begin, I took my place in the middle of the audience. It even had a kind of cabin reserved for us, but I, Mary and Veronica, prefer to leave this regalia aside, feeling guilty for being treated with such privilege. Maybe I should start getting used to it, I don't know if I could someday, but at the moment, I wanted to be just another Queen fan, enjoying the talent not only of the newest artists of the moment, but first of all, they were my boyfriend and my friends, my family.

They performed all the songs on the album pretty much in a different order from the one on the album. I was wrong to think that I wouldn't focus on the show, with Freddie in front of everything, no show was predictable, and he always had a remarkable way to interpret the songs, he not only sang, he felt them, in a high intensity. It wasn't that Bri, Deaky and Rog didn't either, they did it in their own way, Roger in the drums solos and how he blinked and made faces to his band mates in the middle of the performance, Brian in the Red Special solos, the way he also walked to here and there when he played, John's peculiar way of dancing to each song, without ever losing his rhythm. And when they played my favorite songs, instead of closing my eyes and humming, I sang a little louder than I had the courage most of the time. At that particular moment, I felt at home, the music transported me to something familiar and comforting.

It was then that I realized that they had already sung all the songs and that there was no more. The boys exchanged glances with each other, I couldn't imagine what they were thinking by looking at them from a distance. I thought they would thank you and close the show. Freddie, John, and Roger gathered around Brian, and that sense of mistrust of seeing them that way on backstage came back to me with full force. I continued to pay attention to them, totally suspicious and alert, the three of them patted my boyfriend on the shoulders.

"It has been an honor to be here with you today, on this great night," Freddie turned to the audience, "thank you for coming and if you like, don't forget to buy our disc. Anyway, I will stop doing self-advertisement, because there is something very special that our friend Brian, brilliant and hairy guitarist wants to do and that is why I will give him the floor."

Palms followed as soon as Freddie had finished speaking, and he gestured for Brian to speak. Now I was confused... What was he going to do? Special thanks to someone, perhaps? A tribute to some professor of his who was present? He sighed in the microphone of his pedestal that echoed through the speakers, and I focused again on him.

"First, I want to wish everyone a good night, and my personal thanks to each one of you, that's truly incredible ..." Brian paused, he was a great speaker when he needed to be "um ... I know many of you guys aren't understanding what's going on, but ... (He was right, I didn't understand nothing at all) these three convinced me to do this ... (Oh it was all Deaky, Freddie and Roger's fault) and then I finally agreed. So without further ado, I'd like to kindly ask my beautiful, sweet lady Christine Mullen to come here."

Oh my God! Had I heard it right? Was Brian calling me up on stage in front of all the people? So his great special thanks was for me? I thought I was going to faint.

"Calm down, Chrissie, take a deep breath," Veronica advised, beside me.

"Go up there now!" thought my little daring side, "Don't let him wait, nor let him look like a fool in front of everybody."

"Go on, Chrissie," said Mary, "it'll be all right."

I took a deep breath, when I looked at Brian, he still hadn't seen me, he was looking for me in the crowd, with that look that always made me embarrassed and happy. I approached as I could, some people were opening the way to let me pass, and then he saw me, running to help me up the stairs. Brian put an arm around my shoulders, as if shielding me from everyone's eyes. He knew full well of my shame. I stared angryly at the boys, but I couldn't keep it for long. Brian turned to me, breathing a little out of breath.

"Sorry for that, Chrissie, I really didn't want to expose you like this, but you know, I agreed with them for the good of the band, so we don't split up right now that everything is going well," he explained, losing the nervousness.

"Alright" I ended up conforming myself to the whole situation "I forgive you, I'm already here."

"All right." Bri took a deep breath and took my hands, his hands were sweaty.

Then the boys and the audience watched us, their expectation for what was to happen was almost palpable.

"Chrissie, I-" Brian focused on me "you're so special to me! I know I say this a lot, but it's because it's true, you're just like I thought I wanted my ideal girlfriend, you think like me, you understand me, and every day you make me sure you love me, and I... How I Love You! I admire you, exactly for being who you are, as you are, they way you are. You're not just my ideal girlfriend, you have everything to be my ideal wife."

That's when I kept myself from freaking out. Oh Jesus! That was it? I felt tears streaming down my face.

"Christine Mullen." Brian knelt down and pulled a ring out of his pants pocket. "Will you marry me?"

I couldn't stop crying, I had to wait a moment to calm down, to be able to process all that. My Brian, awkward but talented, who was a genius, but had a huge heart, who considered me the most precious person in the world, wanted to marry me. Me, I never thought I'd get a good boyfriend, let alone a husband. And Bri was there, proposing to me in front of everybody. He was the one I loved, with whom I kind of started a life together. Marriage would be another step, a big step, to continue sharing our life with each other.

The applause and shouts of the audience brought me back to the present moment.

"Yes Yes!" I laughed and cried at the same time - "I will, I will!"

As I reached out my hand, I saw how much I was shaking. He put the ring on my finger and stood up. Brian gave me a hug to get me off the floor, which clearly meant "now we're going to be together forever."

When he released me, we looked at each other for a moment as we laughed, neither me or him believed in what had just happened.

"May I?" he asked me softly.

"Yeah" I said, ignoring the shame and the audience.

We kissed in front of everyone, which drew sighs from everyone down there and from the boys.

"Then that's it, people!" Freddie went back to talking to the audience "We appreciate your attention and encouragement during the show, and I hope you enjoyed the romance demonstration here, provided by our guitarist and his beautiful fiancee!"

It was then that the public reacted in such a spontaneous and lively way that O didn't believe that it was all because of us. They applauded standing up, with cheers and whistles.

"Thank you Imperial College!" Freddie said one last time and we stepped off the stage.

Brian had not left my side until now, and I was still in the clouds thinking that I would officially be Mrs. May.