Roses in December

Last Christmas

Merry Christmas to all the Dealor fans!

Roger watched as the snow sprinkled to the ground outside. It wasn't that dramatic type of snow that you see in the movies or even the poetic type that you read about in books. It was just snow on a chilly day. Perhaps it would be thick enough to make a snowball out of or even a snowman perhaps?

Roger used to drag his sister outside to play, their coats barely buttoned and boots nearly falling off as they would scurry through their lawn, leaving footprints behind them in the snow. Roger would twirl around and around, attempting to catch the different snowflakes on his tongue until he lost his balance and crashed back down onto the earth.

He would lay there for a moment, letting the snow gently cover his face before wiggling about, moving his arms and legs until he created his own little snow angel.

He would play outside for as long as his mother would allow him to and then hurry back in; hair wet and cheeks rosy. He was a rambunctious lad and his mother knew this well. She never tried to stop him or deter him in any way, where his father couldn't seem to handle his particular amount of energy.

Roger couldn't say he had calmed down much as he grew into adulthood. While he wasn't bouncing at the seams to go out in the snow, but still found himself running amuck throughout his home.

But that's just how Roger was. Small child or average sized adult, he was wild at heart and he wanted to enjoy every single moment that he had, especially after everything he had been through.

The year had come and gone. The latter part of '76 and the former months of '77 had been a complete and utter roller coaster for Roger in every sense. It did a number on him emotionally and physically, and to top it off, the band put out a new album that was doing well. They were currently within the top ten, which was a win in their book even if Freddie was a selfish bastard and wanted them to be at number one.

Though, to be honest, Roger was a selfish bastard too and was right beside him, wanting the very same thing. It was Brian and John that were logical and were proud of the world they had put out. Top ten was good enough for them.

Hell! They were in the top five in America. That was a win even Roger didn't seem coming.

They already had plans on their next album, and Roger had been working on a bit of a funk track that he was rather hopeful on. One that would feature his own voice alongside of Freddie's. It was still being workshopped, but he was hopeful for it.

John had written something for it as well; another gorgeous tune that Roger was lucky enough to get a sneak peak of. It was still too early to tell how it would turn out, but by the lyrics along, Roger knew it would be good. Leave it to the love of his life to write another silly love song.

Of course, the album would be worried about in the following year. They were still enjoying the final days of 1977 and Roger didn't want to rush anything yet. While he had fully recovered from his crash, and then recovered from the memory loss he faced, Roger still had a few moments where he feared for the worse.

He would close his eyes and find himself wondering if he opened them, would he forget all over again. Would he lay back in bed beside the man of his dreams and wake up not knowing who he was?

Roger had always been an advocate for self care and mental health, so he didn't bat an eye when John had suggested they see a therapist after everything that had gone down. It was helpful, being able to let it all out on someone other than his bandmates.

His post-recovery life had been another other than smooth sailing, though Roger never expected any less. After all, the life of a rockstar wasn't meant to be simple. If he wasn't simple, he would have been a bloody dentist like his father insisted he become. He wanted wild, and unimaginable, and unpredictable!