the drummer boy ❦ Roger Taylor

24

The next morning, Roger woke me holding a tray, with two slices of toast with jam, a bowl of strawberries, and a cup of tea. He struggled to carry it through the door, his expression completely concentrating and serious. I sat up, a massive smile on my face.

"Here you go." He said proudly, placing it on my lap, then standing back with his hands on his hips.

"Roger! Thank you!" I exclaimed, studying the tray.

The toast was pretty burnt, and the jam was in lumps rather than spread. It was perfect. He looked ecstatic when I thanked him, and perched on the end of the bed.

"How're you feeling?" He asked quietly. I shrugged, sipping the tea.

"I feel ok. Even better now that you've done this for me," I took his hand, "you're too good to me."

He squeezed my hand,

"I'm certainly not too good for anyone, Jules. Brian called this morning, asked if we wanted to go to a gig tonight. It's for a band we kind of know. I completely understand if you don't want to go, though. We can stay here, or do whatever you want?"

I sighed. I was not ready to go back to an atmosphere like that. But at the same time, I don't want to stop Roger from going. He deserved to have fun.

"I'll probably pass, Rog, if that's ok. You're going though." I said. He shook his head.

"No. No way. I'm not having fun whilst you'll be alone."

"Roger, I'm telling you that I'm fine staying in. You have to go, ok?" I protested, raising my eyebrows. He hesitated, then leant forward to kiss me.

"Want to stay here? Or I can drop you home?"

"I'll go home, spend some time with Debs. Thank you." He smiled, winking and leaving me to tuck into my breakfast.

-

Roger drove me home at about 4. We spent the day in his flat, watching tv and listening to music. We then had a long nap together, both of us still hungover and tired from the lack of sleep the night before.

Deborah engulfed me in a hug when she opened the door, almost in tears.

"Are you feeling alright? I was wondering when you'd be home. There's only so long I can keep mum off of my back." She whispered, guiding me to the front room and sitting me down on the sofa. I could hear mum in the kitchen, on the phone to someone.

"I'm ok, Deb, honestly. Thanks for not telling mum." I replied, to which she squeezed my shoulder.

"Of course, you asked me not to. That bloke didn't get off easy. Did you see the state of the boys when they came back?" She sat beside me, curling up. I sighed.

"I know. I feel terrible."

"Terrible? Why?" She asked, tilting her head.

"I don't know, I feel like I overreacted. Because of what happened to us the other week, you know?" She nodded solemnly, clearly more affected by what happened than she's letting on, "Oh well. Rogers out at a gig tonight, but I said I'd rather have a girly night with my sister." I nudged her.

"Just like when we were kids, eh?" She said nostalgically.

"We can go to the chippy, paint our nails, and listen to music?" I suggested, just as mum came in the doorway. I noticed that she was dressed up, similar to yesterday, with her hair nicely styled and wearing makeup.

"Who said chippy?" She chirped. We all laughed, and mum gave me a quick hug, "Did you have a good night with whatshisface?"

"Roger?"

"That's the one!"

"Yeah, thanks mum. Me and Deborah are gonna pop to the shops. What do you want?" I asked.

"I'm actually busy tonight. I'm going on a date." She blushed. Deborah and I shared a puzzled look.

"A date?" We said in unison. Mum stepped back.

"You know Tash, your friend from college? Well, her mum recently left him. It's awful. At the party last night, I saw her dad, Richard, and we got along like a house on fire. He asked me out for dinner."

Although inside I was raging, as mum had only just ended things officially with dad, I knew that this was for the best. Richard was a great man, so I was happy for him to take my mum out.

"That's great, mum." I said through gritted teeth. Deborah gave me a look,

"Great? Are you jo-" I sharply elbowed her in the ribs whilst mum was checking herself in the mirror. She grunted. "Ow."

"We're really happy for you." I said for us both. Deborah slumped back on the sofa with crossed arms, apparently not happy with the arrangement. Mum was glowing, over the moon that we kind of approved.

"Thanks, girls. I shouldn't be too late. Unless I stay round Richards, if you know what I mean." She snorted, making incredibly rude gestures. I pulled a disgusted face, the image of Tash's dad and my mum...I couldn't think about it without involuntarily gagging. She continued to laugh to herself as Richard arrived outside, and we waved her off as she left the house.

-

"So, are you worried about Roger doing anything tonight?" Deborah asked, popping a cherry in her mouth.

We had just lathered our faces in a peel off face mask we had got for Christmas the previous year and had never got round to using. Our nails were drying under the living room lamp, and music was playing quietly.

"Worried? Why would I be worried?" I asked. She adjusted so that she was now on her stomach.

"You know what I mean. Loads of girls will be there tonight, ogling him. I don't know how you're so calm." She said, fanning her now dry nails.

I stiffened up. Those thoughts had not even popped into my mind, until she had said it. She's right, though. Roger is beautiful, and from things that I heard, was a womaniser. I mean, is?

But he wouldn't do anything to hurt me, right? He asked me to be his half girlfriend for Christ sake, he clearly cares for me.

I know what men are like, though. Take my dad for instance. He wasn't getting any from Mum, so he had to seek for it in other places. I hadn't slept with him yet, what if he pushed me to the side for an easier, more experienced girl?

I'm being stupid. He likes me. He wouldn't have sex with a random girl when he likes me.

"No, I'm not worried at all." I said bluntly.

"Are you sure? Because-"

"I'm not worried." I shouted, causing her to raise her hands in defence.

"Okay, if you say so." She said sarcastically. I threw a pillow at her playfully.

"Don't put thoughts into my head!" I scolded. "Besides, he asked me to be his half girlfriend last night." I added, as casually as I could. My ear drums were then perforated by what I can only describe as a wild mating call. In reality, it was just Deborah screaming. I plugged my ears. "Jesus! Do you have to scream?!"

"I'M SORRY! I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED!" She continued to shout, actually physically jumping around the room. "How did he do it?"

"He just said, do you want to be my half girlfriend, and I said yes." I shrugged nonchalantly, even though I felt the same as how she was acting.

"I'm so happy for you, Julia!" Deborah cried, then disappearing in the liquor cabinet, "I think this calls for a toast." She smirked, grabbing the posh champagne Mum only uses on special occasions. Before I could say no, she had already poured out two tall flutes full. I couldn't waste it, so I took it quickly. "To my baby sister and Roger." She raised her glass.

"To my big sister and whoever she hops into bed with next!" I joked, clinking glasses with her and downing my drink.

-

Deborah and Julia remind me so much of me and my sister haha