Through Chrissie's eyes

First day at school

The days passed with the agitation of the shows of divulgation of the album "The Works", the first shows of Queen that Louisa could see. It was amazing how she thrilled with every opening of the performances, jumping, clapping, singing, and even waving from afar, giving a hello to Brian and her uncles. Me and Jimmy loved Queen, but we were more restrained than Lou when we saw the shows.

Returning to the part of our life that didn't involve the band, Brian and I prepared for another challenge as parents. Jimmy was old enough to go to school, and of course I worried.

One night before his first day of school, I put my son to bed, and being aware of what he was like, Jimmy realized something was bothering me.

"Mom, did someone make you sad? It wasn't me, was it?" he asked.

"No, no, my love, of course it's not just that ..." I was scared for blaming him (something else inherited from me) "you grew up so fast, and tomorrow you go to school, I was just thinking I'll miss you when you're not home."

"But I'm coming back" Jimmy told me with absolute certainty "just like when Daddy traveled and promised he'd come back and he came back. You'll pick me up later, won't you?"

"Of course I will" I nodded, "I'll be there."

"So we have a deal?" My little boy waited for my answer.

"We have, we have." I stroked his cheek.

He was only 6 years old, but he was so understanding, his attitude filled me with pride and comfort. I tucked the plush dalek around him, all those years still his favorite plush.

"Good night, Jimmy" I kissed his cheek, "sleep with the angels."

"Good night, Mom" he told me, and I got up to Louisa's room, but she and Brian found me halfway there.

"Lou wants a kiss from Mommy before going to bed." Brian explained why she was still awake.

"Ah, did you miss me, young lady?" I played with her, taking her from her father's lap "come on, let's go get you to sleep."

I laid Lou on her bed, adjusting her covers, while she stared at me intently.

"What is it, Lou?" I asked.

"Mommy sad?" she answered me.

"No, I'm not, stay calm, my princess, now you just have to sleep." I leaned down to kiss her cheek, she turned, settling to sleep.

I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to fall asleep, as Brian and I did every night. My husband said nothing about what Louisa noticed in me, just put a comforting hand on my shoulder. As soon as our little girl slept, we left the room. It was our turn to sleep, but not before Brian talked to me about what I had.

I lay down and stared at the ceiling for a while, and he watched me, felt his gaze on me.

"You're nervous because Jimmy's going to school." Brian's tone had no doubt, he was sure of it.

"I'm sorry, I know it's silly, but ..." I turned to look at him. "Bri, I'm afraid he won't make friends, that he will have trouble adapting, someone will bicker with him, he..."

"It's okay, I understand you." Brian approached me. "I have the same concerns, but I know he'll do well, I only have reservations about the teachers, you know they can be worse than a troublemaker classmate, but Jimmy is brilliant and smart, he'll be fine."

I just nodded, hugged Brian, holding him tightly, snuggled into his chest, trying to forget the worries.

The next morning, I woke up my little boy, helping him into the school uniform. I smiled to see him ready, so cuddly and elegant, in blazer, tie, shorts and socks three quarters and social shoes. His father, also full of pride, soon took a picture of him, before we took him to school.

Brian drove, and from the passenger seat, I checked the children in the backseat. Jimmy was fine, but still nervous, since he'd brought the dalek with him, to make him feel safer. I just hoped he'd leave the plush behind, someone at school could tease him.

"So that's it, son, we're here" Brian announced after parking the car.

Jimmy looked out the window, sighed, then straightened his pack on his back, looked twice at the dalek, and decided to leave it behind. Louisa looked at the plush with a certain dread, as surprisingly, she had a certain fear of daleks.

My little boy opened the door and left. Before entering the school, he placed his little face in the window of the car, next to Brian.

"Bye, dad, bye, mom, bye Lou!" he said excitedly, "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, we'll pick you up" Brian confirmed. "Good luck, my boy."

"Thank you" Jimmy replied.

"I love you, honey" I told him, not letting the tears come.

"I love you too, Mom, you, Daddy and Lou" he said and waved.

It was our cue to leave, but Brian also didn't want to leave before we saw him come in. Yeah, my son was growing up and I just could wish the best would happen to him on his first day of school.

Thank God, Jimmy soon adapted well to school and he liked to go, but of course he didn't like the typical things we all don't like at school, such as a very short playground, boring classes, impatient teachers and, of course , some classmate who didn't like him too much, but nothing that Jimmy couldn't overcome.

So we went back to the issues surrounding Queen. It was a Wednesday afternoon when the phone rang, and I answered. It was Freddie wanting to talk to Brian. He was polite to me, but it was clear he was in a hurry and nervous.

"Bri, Freddie's on the phone" I warned my husband, a little worried.

"Did he tell you what it was about? Did he sound fine?" Brian was alert as well.

"No, but it does seem urgent" I said, what I had realized.

"Okay." He nodded and picked it up.

The call was quick, Brian gave only short, affirmative answers.

"What is it?" I asked as he hung up.

"Freddie wants me to go to his house now, he wants to have a meeting with us" my husband explained.

"Oh my God, what happened?" My concern increased.

"Maybe it's no big deal, stay calm, my love, I'll be back soon, okay?" he said and stood up quickly.

"If you can, don't delay, okay?" I asked as we said goodbye, still in fear.

Brian nodded and kissed me.

Louisa and I watched him leave the house, until the car disappears at the end of our street. It was hard for me to stay calm when Freddie did something, especially when he wanted to talk to the boys so suddenly.