Winter Queen (Roger Taylor fanfic)

23. ...they met once again

The enf of summer 1978

Roger assumed he's the last one to come to their meeting. He just confirmed his experience, that short-haired girls are wild and he didn't want to leave her bed so soon.

He ran into Brian in hallway, which cheered him, they wouldn't make such a fuss, if even him is late.

"What kept you?"

"Baby." Brian answered and headed to their common room.

"And you won't ask what kept me?" Roger shouted and followed shortly after him.

"I can imagine." Brian replied.

"Yes, Brian, you're quite right. And for those of you making notes - she was short-haired and yes, it was a wild ride." He announced and stopped at the door.

On the couch sat Freddie and Deaky and blond girl betweeen them. She held a package of photos, but now all three of them looked at Roger.

Josie believed she won't feel a thing, once she sees him. Or that she'll be able to hate him. Now, with a stinging pain in her chest, she realized she can't say whether she hates him or loves him. She still wanted to hit him, for the night in NYC and for what he just said. She didn't care he obviously had no idea she's gonna be here. Brian pushed him aside and went to her.

"Hi there, beauty!" he greeted her and they hugged.

"Hello, dad! How's Jimmy?" she asked and Roger couldn't believe his eyes, those two were evidently in touch.

"Diapers, screaming and blinking. No, I'm just kidding." he added. "Chris told me, that we have to plan dinner at our place, so you'll get to know him."

Brian let her go from his hug.

"You lost weight." he frowned.

"Yeah, Josie, how dare you, this true English gentleman likes fat-bottomed girls!" Freddie teased them and laughed. Roger still didn't even move, just stared at her. Brian was right and Roger missed the curves of her hips, that were now barely there. She looked at him, his hair was shorter than back then, messier. But that was probably only because he had no time to smarten himself up this morning.

Brian sat down, Josie stand just a few yards from Roger and hoped he'd say something to break the long quiet.

"Well, is the Cold war over?" he asked viciously and went past her. Her chin fell down in surprise, she couldn't even look back at him.

"Rog." Brian hissed.

"Do you want a moment alone?" Freddie suggested, he wanted to lift the mood.

"No, why?" Roger asked.

"To talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

The silence was even longer and more unpleasant then before. Josie clenched her fists and tried to stop the tears, that were coming to her eyes.

"Bri, I'll call you tonight, we can plan, when Scott and I will come to the dinner."

Brian had a painful twitch around his eyes, he understood she needed to hurt Roger right now, but he could imagine his will rage in the next few days. He just hoped they'll delay it a bit.

"Who's Scott?" Roger asked.

"My boyfriend." she replied, and his expression hardened.

"I see, is this why you came back?"

"I wanted to go back, when Scott got a post here, it just came together."

"What's his posting?" The cruelty in Roger's voice was clear, as he interrogated her. She knew he's looking for something to throw back to her face and she knew he'll find it. She answered anyway.

"American ambassador."

Roger laughed and shiver ran down her spine.

"Oh my, isn't it the highest aim of capitalism and freedom for the girl from Eastern block."

"Roger, stop it." Brian growled.

She wanted to get back at him, to reproach him for the two girls in New York, but she couldn't. She couldn't utter a single word.

"I'm leaving." she said and turned around. Brian and Freddie got up immediately and walked her out. Brian hugged her by the door in the hallway, she clenched him so tightly, as it could relieve her pain, while she cried.

"I'm so sorry, Josie, I didn't expected that." Freddie apologized, he insisted on her coming to the meeting and meet all of them. She pulled away from Brian and wiped the tears from her eyes. She was happy she stayed in touch with them, including occasional calls with Deaky, they were all so dear to her, they were like her family.

"My party will help make you fell better, I promise!"

"Freddie..."

"No, darling, I don't want to hear anything. Screw this jerk, you must come to my party! The theme is perfect for you, you'll be the best Alice in the Wonderland there ever was! I expect you to be the sexiest Alice ever!"

"Freddie..."

"See you on Saturday, I love you!" Freddie announced and quickly ran away. She looked up to Brian with a tormented face.

"Seriously, you can't let him down, he talks about it and plans it for weeks."

So she promised o come, of course she knew she can't let Freddie down. They said goodbye and Brian went back to their common room, where Roger was already furious.

"Roger, I advise you to stop right now, I'm not gonna argue with you about this." said Brian, before Roger could start.

"This is a band meeting! Is she in the band?"

"She simply returned and we all wanted to see her. Nobody expected you to freak out like this."

"I see no reason for her to be here." Roger insisted.

"Because she's our friend."

"She's our family." Freddie frowned.

"Since when?" Roger bursted out. "And how come she knows everything, have you been in touch with her?"

"Sorry, but if you sleep with a girl, it doesn't mean we can't be friends with her. We simply stayed in touch and it's going to be that way, get use to it."

"I don't need to get use to it, I couldn't care less about her." Roger snapped.

"Well, then we have no problem." Brian nodded.