Not Just A Roadie / Queen Fanfiction

49 • Reconciliation

my mind was everywhere. on the guitar; in my wardrobe; in my car; on Jenny's whereabouts and wellbeing; the restaurant I'd chosen for lunch, you name it. with Robert strapped safely in the backseat and my acoustic guitar that I could miraculously still play sitting next to him, we were on our way.

Jenny had no idea that we were coming and I'd even managed a suit. a suit! what was this, the 1920's? okay, so it wasn't a full suit. it may have just been a pair of denim jeans with a shirt and black striped blazer, but it was a suit nonetheless. and I looked pretty suave in it, if I do say so myself.

Deaky decided it would be best to just drop me off outside Freddie's as Robert was beginning to whine to be back at home, presumably out of growing hunger. "thanks Deaks," I smiled through the open passenger window and watched him drive away.

doubting that Freddie and Jenny would be that irresponsible, I thought I might as well check to see if the boot of the car was unlocked so that I could put my guitar in it. much to my disappointment, the boot clicked open. they hadn't locked my damn car?! God knows who could have nicked it in the night.

I rapped on the glass-paned front door a couple of times and awaited an answer. "get your arse in here," Freddie ushered me inside and shut the door behind me before I could even cross the threshold.

"hello to you, too, Fred," I smoothed out my blazer and stood in his hallway, peering around for any sign of Jenny. "where's Jen?"

"she's just woken up, she's having a shower."

we waited for Jenny to come through and whilst we sat, I explained the plan to Freddie, who nodded along and smiled approvingly. "good job. hurt her again and I'll hunt you down."

"you already know where I live."

"hurt her again, run away and then I will hunt you down." very threatening, Freddie.

just then, Jenny came through in yesterday's clothes: white trousers, a lilac blouse and thick beige cardigan. even though she looked tired, dishevelled and distraught, her natural radiance still shone out and my stomach lurched with how much I missed her, even only in one night.

"hi," I arose from my seat and our eyes locked. rushes of affection for her charged at me and I fought everything inside of me that was telling me to kiss her.

"hi." the brazenness in her voice caught me off guard. she made the situation seem like we were just two old friends talking. my head was spinning wildly and my words couldn't quite get past my tongue.

eventually, I managed to get out: "how're you feeling?"

"shitty. I need a pick-me-up." now that she mentioned it, her hair sat lank, her posture was slightly more slouched than usual and her lips were chapped. but that didn't stop gushes of affection for her cascading into my heart; I thought she always looked beautiful, no matter what.

ping! an idea popped into my head and I jumped on it. "I have something that may cheer you up a bit, but I need my car back." this conversation was getting a little bit awkward now, with us just standing in the hallway whilst Freddie dithered in the doorway, listening in, but pretending that he was elsewhere in the house.

———

the car journey was slightly painful. no words were uttered. my hand ached to be safely on her knee, where it usually sat when I was driving, but today was different. today, my hand probably wouldn't even be able to grope through the brambles of tension in the car to reach the security of her knee.

we were nipping back to my house so that Jenny could get into some nicer clothes and clean herself up properly. it was reassuring to think that she called my house her home.

pulling into the drive, I decided to wait outside in the car whilst she got sorted. it couldn't take that long, right? wrong. half an hour later and she sauntered down the garden path, looking smugly triumphant and absolutely stunning.

a pair of bootcut jeans hugged her figure perfectly and the t-shirt that was tucked into it made her look adorable. she clacked her way round to the passenger side in her brown boots and strapped herself back in wordlessly.

my lips quivered with the exertion of forcing myself not to tell her how beautiful she looked and slip in some casual innuendo with a smirk.

again, we were driving off into the morning sunlight, but this time only I knew where we were going. the element of mystery both enthralled and concerned me. 10 minutes into the silence, I couldn't take it anymore.

"I didn't know she was going to come over." I guiltily told the red traffic light I'd just pulled up at. silence. i decided to continue. "she just...turned up." silence. "and started coming onto me and kissing me." silence. a sniff. silence. "I tried to get her to get off but she latched herself on to me like a bloody magnet." 

out of the corner of my eyes, unless they were deceiving me, I could've sworn I saw the smallest of smiles tug at her lips. "I'd never do anything to hurt you intentionally. I love you."

we drove for another 15 minutes in the world's most unbearable silence. it was so painstakingly tense that I could've kissed the ground once we'd reached our destination and were able to get out of the car. my muscles ached as if we'd been in the car for hours on end. Jenny and I stood on opposite ends of the car and I caught sight of her adjusting her brown leather belt. they matched her boots. how could she look so perfect whilst doing something so inane?

once the car was locked up, we went towards the front of the building, a restaurant, and a fancy one at that. it was called The Olive Branch and I'd discovered it on a drive months ago but had never had any reason to spend such incredulous amounts of money on a single meal. until now.

as we walked, my hand tingled with the uncomfortable desire to hold her hand. but i refrained. occasionally my hand bristled against hers and it was only until we'd gotten through the glass double doors that I threaded my fingers through hers. her hand was hot and clammy, but I felt her grip tighten as she held on.

god, it was like this was our first date: everything was so strained and I felt very gauche just waltzing up to the wait here sign, with the overwhelming sense that I didn't belong here.

the lights were prestigiously graceful, casting a gentle glow on the happy diners who were eating off of ornate plates at hard oak tables and holding their cutlery with immaculate etiquette. a lady dressed in a knee-length pencil skirt and waistcoat approached us.

"good morning, a table for two today?" her voice was crisp and proper, a reflection of her pristine self-presentation. even her dainty crown-shaped ear rings were exactly the right way up in her ears.

i pretended to look around and count, "hi, yeah, just two please." a smile played at my lips as I made gentle humour. deadpan.

"riiiight, right this way then sir; madam."

we followed her to a secluded corner of the restaurant and once the worker had walked away, Jenny broke into a small fit of giggles. "you idiot," she laughed, which seemed to be contagious as I laughed with her, but perhaps more because I wanted to see her face lit up with joy just a little longer.