Through Chrissie's eyes

Sons and Daughters

We spent much calmer times in London and, since it wasn't just me who missed pizza and movie nights, we did it a little more often, a little at home, a little at the Taylors, a little at home of the Deacons.

But increasingly, Freddie was absent, going at one time or another, since he had more attractive appointments in his view now. It wasn't only hi, that I missed, I missed Mary too. It had been a long time since she had spoken to us and I began to worry, thinking that she shouldn't be well and I should have worried before, but I didn't want to disturb her either. Maybe my simple presence would make her feel bad when she remembered happier times, which now had become memories of the past that was left behind. I spent a lot of time wondering if I should go talk to her or not. It was a dilemma that began to weigh on me a little beyond the score.

"Bri ..." I called my husband while we were in front of the TV in the living room, Jimmy was awake, but very quiet in my lap "it seems a bad idea to call Mary?"

"Mary? Oh, it's been a long time since we've seen her" Brian was surprised I mentioned our friend "it's not bad, no, indeed, it might do her good to see that we still care about her."

"I thought it would be kind of embarrassing, she'd talk to me after..." I didn't have to finish it for Brian to understand.

"No, if she has any reservations, it's Freddie, not you, I assure you" Bri advised me "I think you should really talk to her."

"I will, I will" I agreed.

And it really wasn't a bad idea. Mary's voice brightened on the other end of the line as she recognized my voice.

"Oh, I'm glad you called me, I was really thinking about doing it, it's just ... I was creating the courage, I think" Mary answered "but I needed that time away, it made me well, and ... I even managed to talk to Freddie normally."

"Freddie looked for you?" This information scared me a bit.

"Not too long ago, but it was a lot better than I expected" she said. "We're still good friends, and I was glad he trusted me. You know ... he needs us, more than he wants to admit. And I want to be friends with him."

"Yeah, I know," I nodded, "and I'm glad you are all right, too."

We continued the conversation a little longer, until she hung up. Mary was really better now, maybe enough to get back to our company.

As the months went by, it got closer to getting to know the new baby Deaky.
Michael (who was soon nicknamed Mike by Uncle Freddie, nickname John didn't think so bad) was born in the middle of the morning, and didn't take as long as his older brother. Mike was more agitated than Bobby, and still had more of the characteristics of Veronica, but if you paid attention, you would perceive the traces of John in his youngest son.

So, now in our meetings we had four little boys playing together. Bobby and Jimmy had created a strong friendship, even though they were so young, and the two took turns taking care of Felix, who was learning to talk and walk now. Sometimes the three older ones were fascinated, watching Mike.

"He's too small," Jimmy observed once, as I stared at the four of them, sitting on the floor with the children around me. "Why is he so small, Mom?"

"Because he's my little brother" Robert explained, "so he's a little boy."

"You're big boys and that's why you think Mike is so small," I laughed at their cuteness. "It's because he's been born a little while, every baby is small, and then he grows bigger, you understand, my love?"

"Oh ..." Jimmy exclaimed in concentration, his expression identical to Brian's when he thought about something.

"Oh!" Felix mimicked enthusiastically, watching Bobby and Jimmy in their process of learning to speak.

These moments warmed my heart with more love for the four little ones. Like it or not, Bobby, Jimmy, Felix, and Mike's relationship reminded me of the friendship their fathers and Uncle Freddie had. I hoped that the children would grow up to become inseparable friends.

Speaking of Uncle Freddie, I noticed him watching his nephews with that distant look, his facial expression showing that he wanted to smile, but he was holding it against his heart's will.

"I admit they're cute," he told me before I said anything.

"Yes, but ... That's not all you're thinking about, is it?" I took a chance, seeing that he was thinking of something else.

"Yeah, yeah," he looked down, but then disguised himself "none of you had a girl yet. Don't our boys want a little sister? I'll ask Jimmy if he wants a little sister ...

"Freddie Mercury, I hate it when you do this!" I said angry, but I ended up laughing, I knew he was joking, but it was his old tactic to avoid talking about his own problems by putting his finger on the wound of others.

But he ended up hitting on one thing, since the next one between me, Veronica and Dominique to get pregnant again was Mrs. Taylor. Roger, of course, burst into tears again, came to throw himself at his wife's feet, declaring that he didn't deserve a family like the one he had now.

"Rog, stop that" instead of laughing like us, Dominique pitied him "it's okay, I love you, you're a wonderful father, and I'm glad to be with you."

"Really?" He had to ask for it.

"Really" she replied, and finally her foolish husband got up, this time pulling her off the floor, excited by the news.

Since Freddie had thrown this idea into the air, we began speculating whether the new baby Taylor would be a boy or a girl. We started liking the idea of a girl, and wishing we had a niece.

"Guys, it could be a boy too, there's that possibility" Roger pointed out when he got tired of us all saying it was a girl "John had two boys."

"And what do I have to do with this example?" said Deaky.

"Roger" Freddie snapped, "you're scared to have a girl because you're afraid of the boys datinh her."

"It's soon to think about it" Brian let slip, finding Mercury's remark very bold. "she's not born yet, then it's going to be a long time until she starts to date"

"My God, guys, this is so ..." the mother of the child in question got tired "I have no words to say, just ... Let's wait, okay?

"Well spoken, babe" Roger agreed with Dominique, "it's a lot of speculation for one night alone."

"Yes" said Dominique, "all this conversation stirred the baby."

"Really?" that made Roger smile and forget the whole argument, making him touch his wife's belly automatically, feeling his son or daughter kicking hard.

We smiled at that Taylor family moment, only time would tell if we were right or not.