Stars in Your Eyes (Queen/Roger Taylor)

37. Roger

The alarm blares, jolting me out of deep sleep. I hurry to shut it off before it awakens Sky, who is sleeping peacefully next to me. Running a hand through my tousled hair, I stretch my arms into the air and crack my neck. Skylar stirs and murmurs something unintelligible as she reaches out her hand in my direction. I'm so tempted to lay back down and have a cuddle, but, instead, I reluctantly stand and walk to the bathroom.

Halfway through my shower, I hear the door open, and, a moment later, Skylar slips into the shower.

"Hi, love," I say happily. "I thought you'd be sleeping all day."

"I plan to," she murmurs, wrapping her arms around me and laying her head against my collarbone as the water pours over us both. "I'm so tired. But I haven't seen you all week."

"You're working too hard," I reply. "It can't be good for the baby."

"She won't be here for another few weeks," Sky responds sleepily. "Tell me about what you've been up to and why you're awake so early."

Her body relaxes against mine as I chatter away, and the warm water cascades over us. It's as if we're in our own little world, and I wish I could take a snapshot of this moment.

"So once we finish filming the promo video today--"

At this, Skylar looks up with interest. "Oh, that's today? You finally figured out where to do it?"

"We did," I reply, pausing for a long moment before taking a deep breath. "The cottage."

Skylar pulls away from me slightly, wiping away water from her eyes. "The cottage?"

I hum in response, making a big show of shampooing my hair. When I finally open my eyes again, she's still there looking at me with bemusement.

"There are a few things to unpack here, Rog," she says, prompting a groan on my part.

"I know, I know--"

"First off, can we agree not to call it a cottage? Because it's anything but."

"Fair point," I concede. It's not a cottage; it's a glorious estate that I'm bloody proud of. The boys all took the piss that I blew our first advance in one go, but we'll see who's left laughing when all is said and done.

"And is that really the best you lot could come up with? A garden? That doesn't seem very... Queen."

Truth is, the band had rowed for hours about it, but, in the end, no one had come up with a better idea.

"And correct me if I'm wrong," Skylar continues, "but do we actually own 'The Cottage' yet?" She makes exaggerated air quotes with her fingers.

"Well, we signed the majority of the paperwork--

"--but is it possible that the current occupants still live there?"

"They do still live there," I concede, "What's your point?"

"Love, this is a terrible pla--" she trails off and winces as if in pain. I look at her with concern as she rubs a spot on the side of her belly.

"You alright?"

"It's like she's drumming in there," Sky says, looking at me accusingly. "I don't think she likes me very much."

The pain gone, Skylar leans forward to kiss me briefly on the lips, then steps away with a bemused look on her face.

"Back to what I was saying," she says as I groan. She carefully steps out of the shower and reaches for a towel. "So, the four of you decided that it was a good idea to film your promo video in the backyard of a home that we maybe half-own in the snow? You'll all freeze to death."