One Day in a Record Store • Roger Taylor

43

"Hello, this is Dylan."

Roger didn't think he could get any more nervous.

That was until she answered the phone. He'd been silently hoping that she'd be asleep and he'd get her voicemail.

"Hello?" She repeated when the line was silent.

Roger just stood there with the phone against his ear, his mouth open and no words coming out.

"Are you okay?" Freddie asked. Roger shoved the phone into his hands before darting off for the washroom.

"Hellooo?" Dylan asked again, and Freddie nearly missed her.

"Dylan? It's Freddie," he told her.

"Oh," she said, having a feeling of why he was calling. "What's up?"

"Are you doing okay?" He asked, completely disregarding her question. "Roger told us what happened."

Dylan felt herself get even more nervous thinking about what Roger had told them, how he told them.

"Dyl?" Freddie asked when she didn't say anything.

"Is he really mad at me?" Dylan said without thinking. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Mad at you? Not at all," Freddie replied. "Mad at himself more than anything. Convinced you hate his guts."

"Is he with you?" She asked hesitantly. "Can I talk to him?"

"He ran off when you answered the phone."

"What?"

"He dialled your number. Was already nervous doing that," Freddie began. "And when you answered he freaked out and just handed me the phone before running off."

"Are you serious?" She asked, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Deathly serious," Freddie told her. "Go ahead and laugh. I know you want to."

"Oh my god," Dylan said between quiet laughs. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh at that."

"It's fine, dear. We laugh at him all the time," Freddie said. "Any message you want me to pass along to him?"

"Well, I don't hate him, for starters," she told him, earning a small laugh from Freddie.

"We've been telling him that!" Freddie exclaimed.

"You guys were correct."

It was quiet for a bit before Freddie spoke again.

"So, I know it's not really any of my business," he began. "But, are we seeing you for Christmas?"

"Apparently my sister told my mom I wasn't coming home for Christmas-"

"Oh, Rog is going to be ecstatic when he finds out!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Don't tell him."

"What? Why?"

"I was thinking of flying out for your Christmas Eve show. Surprising him. And the rest of the guys," she said, feeling nervous as soon as she said it out loud. "Unless you don't think it's a good idea. Nothing's booked yet, I just-"

"My lips are sealed, dear," he cut her off. "He'll be over the moon."

"Thanks, Fred," she smiled.

"If there's anything I can do to help, let me know."

"Actually..."

"I'm listening."

"Where is this show?" She asked. "And how far is it from the airport? You think I can get a cab?"