CAUSE & EFFECT (Vol III)

Part 20- "You're a vile piece of work you know that?"

Freddie lowered himself slowly into the bathtub. The bubbles were as usual, overfilled, a skill he could never quite master and always overdid.

While Garden Lodge was on the market, Roger had offered his place up for him to stay until he could settle in something.

Living with his parents turned into a daily grill over why he drank so much, why he didn't eat enough, and why all he wanted to do was sleep.

Focusing on nothing but whatever bottle was at hand, and studio sessions, Freddie was beginning to relax in the water as the phone rang.

"Fuck off!" He called out.

As the ring continued to irritate him and destroy any chance of a relaxing bath, he threw his arms up and stood, bubbles clinging to every part of him.

Wrapping a towel around his torso, he stomped to his bedroom leaving wet foot marks behind him "what" he answered annoyed.

"Fred it's Rog, I'll be bringing dinner home, just wondering if you were hungry for anything in particular or...." Roger waited for a response. His usual smart-mouth was replaced by his inner mother-hen, which during his spare time, focused on getting Freddie back on track.

Freddie appreciated his inclusion in Rogers decisions, a quality he would normally hate, "whatever you're getting will be fine Rog, I'm having a bath"

"Oh, alright mate, enjoy, I'll be about an hour" Roger knew Freddie had a keen obsession with baths and wanted to leave him to it.

Walking back slowly to the bathroom, the bubbles that had clung to him had dissolved on his body, leaving small rings of soap.

He leaned on the vanity and hung his head low, carrying all his weight on his arms.

Looking back up, he studied his body, he had indeed lost too much weight, a side effect of having next to no appetite for over a year. His face was more hallow now with his bones protruding across his cheeks.

He turned and stepped back into the bath. The water feeling somewhat hotter now. He looked across the empty spot, a sight that had recently stated getting used to, but today had made him upset.

He wished she was there. Sliding her long legs up his chest, before he would grab them and kiss the tips of each of her toes softly.

The memory of their last bath together flooded him, the image of her with her hair clipped high on top of her head with two stands always falling to frame her face.

A heavy tear began to form, then dropped down his cheek. It felt cold against his face. Lifting his hand from the water he brushed it off, but realised there was no point. A steady stream began to flow now.

His repressed sadness and anger had combined and  was looking for a way out.

Making no attempt to suppress it any further, he let it out. His heavy sobs echoed against the walls. Like a child he sat alone crying, wishing desperately that somehow he would wake up and it was all a dream.

A terrible, terrible dream.

                                    ***********

"So I need to tell you something" Diana's softly spoken tone had Daisy put her fork down slowly and glanced up.

"Well I figured that much, you never take me out to dinner unless you know I'm going to disapprove with whatever you're going to say, so....out with it".

Diana began to fidget with her hands. Her nerves were getting the better of her, something that rarely happened.

"I....Roger and I have been seeing eachother in secret and we've decided to get back together!" She blurted the sentence out so quickly, that Daisy squinted trying to process what she had just heard.