CAUSE & EFFECT (Vol III)

Part 11- "You're going to help me?"

This chapter is a tad dark so my apologies. The story is taking a turn down a different road and I promise it will be worth it.

One Year Later

Lighting up her cigarette, Daisy inhaled the smoke deep into her lungs, before blowing it out in a steady flow infront of her.

She kept her eyes locked ahead and her body language closed off.

"Daisy, you've been coming to see me for four months. I can't help you if you don't share anything with me"

Giving her therapist a half smile which borders on cynical, Daisy looked down at her hands. Frail and weak. She was a shadow of her former self since her break up with Freddie a year ago in Cuba.

After heavy intervening from her family and Diana, she reluctantly agreed to start seeing Dr Angela Miller, a renowned therapist in London, who she would visit every week to discuss her "feelings"

"Help?" Daisy finally asked, her voice gentle and empty "you're going to help me?"

"I'm trying Daisy, but you're not giving me anything to work with" came Angela's reply.

Raising her shoulders into a shrug, she dropped them again and sighed "My marriage broke down, I lost the only man I will ever love, how exactly are you planning on helping with that"

Angela leaned in towards Daisy and placed her hand on her knee "What happened after Cuba. What was so irreversible that you have completely shut down from the world around you. Talk to me"

Looking out towards the window Daisy stared at a bird sitting on an electrical cable balancing as the wind blew. She closed her eyes and thought back to that day. The day she returned to Garden Lodge.

A year ago

Slowly she turned her key for what she knew would be the last time. Trying to memorise everything about Garden Lodge even its front door, she took a small step inside, another last she presumed.

The house was unkept and lifeless. The smell of stale air was all around her, the kind you find in abandoned homes. Was that what Garden Lodge had become? An abandoned home?

Silently, she walked up the stairs, sliding her hands along the dusty rail to her right.

Freddie had moved in with his parents to avoid the media stakes outside his once beloved home.

Since her return to London three weeks prior, Diana and Daisy moved in together in a large four bedroom apartment in the heart of the city. Two singletons and a baby.

Finding the courage to gather her things, she finally decided that this would be the day she said goodbye to her home with her once beloved husband.

Stopping short as she opened the bedroom door, she stood motionless as he turned towards her from the large arm chair in the corner of the room.

"Freddie" she said in a slight surprise. Her heart began to beat furiously under her chest, not only because of her nerves, but because that was the reaction he brought out in her. He always knew how to make her heart skip a beat, or even several beats. just by being around her.

"You came" His voice was hoarse, she knew he'd been chain smoking. His appearance gaunt and frail, not much different from her own.

"I uh...I didn't expect you to be here...Di said you moved in with your parents" Daisy became nervous and shaky. She had no idea what state Freddie was in or how he would respond to her being there "I'll be quick I just need to get my things"

"The divorce papers are signed and in the kitchen" he said quickly, his voice dropping at the word divorce.

Daisy had been avoiding the topic of divorce. Her own partial denial over the complete dissolving of her relationship, kept her hoping that she would somehow wake up from this nightmare and they would be together again, happy.

"I can lock up if you want to leave" she changed the topic.

Freddie stood up, the light behind him created a darkness over his face which made him look menacing.

Taking a small step backwards, Daisy swallowed hard.

As he reached her, he stood a mere breath away from her face. He tenderly stroked the side of her cheek. Memorising her delicate features, as flashbacks of their entire relationship played in his mind.

"I will never...stop loving you Daisy" Gently he leaned closer and kissed her parted lips. Closing their eyes, their lips barely touching, both fearing they would not be able to stop.

Reaching behind her, he took her head with his hand while the other pulled her closer into his body.
His smell was intoxicating to her, her body relaxed as did her throat as she released a moan. More and more she wanted him, never once thinking of the complications.

His taste, a mixture of cigarettes and alcohol, his soft tongue wrapping around hers with an increase from before.

She pulled away in sudden fear of his magnetism taking over her.

"I've come back every day, in hopes I would see you" he confessed while leaning his forehead against hers.

His tear fell straight down and melted into her blouse. He watched it disappear while leaving a small dark mark.

Present day

Angela had stopped taking notes and was emerged in Daisy's story.

"So you still left?" She asked curiously

Daisy nodded and gave a sad smile "I had to. Our love is...it's just not enough"

Angela corrected her posture and tried to speak. Her inner 'hopeless romantic' wanted Daisy and Freddie back together. Like most of the country, she was shocked by the divorce announcement that flooded the media a year ago. She was an avid Queen fan and despite having secretly having a small crush on Freddie herself, she knew what sat infront of her. Freddie Mercury's only happiness and love.

"Have you spoken since?" She asked again sounding more as a friend than a therapist.

"We try not to be around eachother, but yeah, we've spoken briefly. Diana and Roger have split so it's easier to be away from that lifestyle this way..." Daisy trailed off.

"And work? How's that going?" Angela changed the subject in hopes of coaxing Daisy to speak.

"Work is fine...actually, it's the only thing keeping me together. My business partner has been my rock, he's really surprised me with how supportive he's been" Daisy confessed as she began to tap her foot against her chair leg.

Angela's eyes dropped to the source of the tapping then back at Daisy "Alex?"

"Yeah" Daisy said without elaboration before scrunching her face "I mean, he's...he's a little full on, but it's understandable. His assistant just up and left without a word a few months ago so he's become a little clingy to me"

Angela's interest perked up "he left? That's odd"

"It was, after years of being together he just vanished" Daisy shrugged "maybe he had enough. He's got me now though, actually we have eachother"