Through Chrissie's eyes

Epilogue

I was still undecided on what to wear at night time. I began to wonder if black really would be the ideal color of the dress I would wear. Black clothes always reminisced with elegance, but they sent much more sadness and mourning. And yet it wasn't a night of mourning.

I rustled my closet with energy, willing to find the perfect outfit. Well, not exactly perfect, but at least perfect in my eyes, an outfit I felt comfortable with. Then I remembered a dress that fit that description. I didn't care if I would repeat it, I no longer cared about media criticism.

I searched where I remembered seeing it for the last time, and there it was. The navy blue fabric gleamed to gray tones as the light struck it, and there were discreet silver dots on the sleeves and the skirt. That dress reminded me of a perfect representation of a starry sky, of the infinite universe. Definitely the perfect outfit for me.

So I changed quickly, seeing that I was almost late. I paused for a moment to observe my reflection in the vanity mirror. I didn't care about the extra wrinkles or the white hair, they were part of who I was now. However, I had an idea to complete my look.

I've never been much to wear jewelry, but I had some necklaces, and surely my favorite was the one with a Red Special pendant, the chain connected to the guitar pendant on the right side and closed on the left in the guitar's neck, and its color was in the same shade of red of the real one. As I put on the necklace, I remembered the funny story that happened when I won it.

I was working, organizing everything concerning Brian's career, when I received the unusual proposal of creating the necklace with the Red Special pendant. Brian found the idea rather unusual, but he agreed. As I learned later, when he saw it ready, he was dying to give it to me as a gift, but he thought the idea was too narcissistic, for him it was bad to give me a gift that would remind me of him. However, also finding the necklace beautiful, I ended up being faster and gave it to myself as a gift. That's when Brian said he wanted to give it to me and why he didn't do it. I just laughed and assured him that with necklace or not, I always loved to remember him, anyway.

After I was ready, I went downstairs and waited for my ride in the living room. Jimmy had made a point of picking me up, since Brian had to leave early.

"Good evening, Mom" my boy (who was no longer a boy, but would always be my boy) greeted me "you're so beautiful!"

"Don't need to say it" I said, he had take after his father with those compliments that embarrassed me. "Keep that charm to Rory, by the way, where is she?"

"She and Isaac have left with Uncle Roger" Jimmy explained as we left.

"And your sisters? Lou hasn't said anything all day, I'm afraid she's gone to travel again, and Emily, I'm pretty sure she's on her way was" I said, knowing my daughters very well.

"Mom, they're both on their way, take a deep breath, and don't worry" my son smiled as he took the wheel and started driving.

"Ha! You know it's no use asking me to calm down." I shook my head. "But okay, I know we'll meet the girls there, it's not possible they're going to miss a night like this."

And how it cost us until we got to that night! Difficult times almost made us lose track of time, how long it had been until we got there.

In 1986 Brian and I had a turbulent time; in May of that year he had suffered a terrible relapse of hepatitis again, getting much longer to recovery than the first time in 1974. I didn't leave his side for a single moment. I preferred the children to stay in Hampton than to see their father in those conditions that made them so sad. Brian's old ghosts came back in full force to disturb his mind, he was afraid he was disturbing the band, just now that they had reconciled, and besides, time had become our enemy. It wasn't just Brian's condition that left Queen's future obscure, but Freddie's condition as well.