#borhap!chrissie

The following days for Queen were filled by preparations for the show in Hyde Park. As much as John Reid was taking care of everything, Roger, John, Freddie and Brian made a point of being present to find out how everything was being organized. Once again, Brian brought me to see the stage assembly and all the sound equipment. There were at least fifty people working, running back and forth, resolving any setbacks here and there. Brian took me by the hand to a certain distance from the almost ready structure of the stage, and we stood right in front of it.

The size of that thing made my stomach go tumbling. Something as big as that, to be used by only four people, four people of my family, whom I loved very much. Queen was growing and the crowd still frightened me. But I decided not to let this frighten me, they would be the center of attention, not me. More and more people recognized their talent and this in itself was what made me happy.

"It's going to be a big event, isn't it?" I said to my husband aloud.

"Yeah, Branson didn't measure up," Brian sighed, "they're going to fill the park on Saturday, that's what I expect, so it's all worth it."

"Bri, I ..." I hesitated, still impressed with all the work to organize the show "I never asked you this, but ... seeing a stage of this size, doesn't intimidate you a bit?"

"Oh yeah, for sure" he laughed, a little embarrassed "but after the tours I got used to it. Do you know what helps a little? It's just that no one is looking directly at me, and even if they look, there's no way I'm going to notice it because of the distance the audience is from the stage, besides, we're four. And ... Freddie always draws attention to himself."

"That's true" I said, remembering how the singer was a little more excited than usual in recent days over the show "he's trilling, but you?"

"A little nervous, really" Brian confessed "but until that happens upstairs, when I start playing with the guys, we kind of have fun and help forget the fear of the stage, we connect with the audience and we end up changing the same energy. They end up paying more attention to the music itself than to each of us. It's incredible! What is it?"

I loved watching Brian as he spoke excitedly about something he loved, and I was there in that kind of situation again, staring at him with shining eyes.

"Nothing, it's that ..." I lowered my eyes, but I got the courage to say it "When you talk like that, it always makes me fall in love with you even more."

"I don't know what I did, but thank you" Brian smiled and gave me a quick kiss, which was allowed in his current work environment.

"I hate to interrupt the two lovebirds, but we need to rehearse Bri" John came to call the band's guitarist "did you see Roger? He missed a while ago."

"Oh, I have no idea where he got in" Brian said, a little worried "I'll see if I find him, John, and we'll meet later."

"Okay, I'll wait for you" John nodded and went to the stage.

"Look Bri, I think I have an idea where he is" I remembered the motive of embarassment that our friend had last week "go to meet Freddie and John, I'll find Rog."

"Okay, thank you" He kissed my cheek as he said goodbye.

I went to the Mr. Branson's trailer, a kind of mobile office to take care of the details of the show very close to where it would happen, and of course his faithful squire Dominique was accompanying him and helping him in everything. I looked around the trailer, but there were no signs of Roger around. I knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer.

"Chrissie!" Dominique smiled at me after opening the door, looking slightly relieved "what can I do for you?"

"Actually, I don't think I'm going to need any help." I looked away at a roguish way looking Roger inside the trailer and stared at him, angry "I found exactly what I was looking for."

"Come on, Chrissie, you didn't come here to scold, did you?" he shrugged, pretending to be innocent.

"I came to do you a favor, the boys are looking for you to rehearse, now!" I put my hands on my waist, placing authority in my voice.

"Okay, you don't have to say again" he muttered, and before he followed me, he gave Dominique a puppy look.

"Duty calls, Mr. Taylor" she replied, sounding irritated "You have to work, and so do I, ah, and one more thing, if you feel thirsty again you don't have to come to me just to drink some water, there's water wit the stage assistants, okay?"

He nodded to her, unable to say anything new, and finally left Dominique alone.

"But what is this water story?" I asked as we walked side by side.

"Oh, I was thirsty and I came to ask her where the water was" He shrugged.

"Seriously?" I looked at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world "and what else did you invent just to see her? Because I know that's exactly what you've been doing all day, I've seen you after her earlier."

"Oh Chrissie, I was just having some doubts about how everything will work, that's all ..." he thought I was misleading him with that naughty smile of his.

"Look, listen to me, if you really like her, you have to let the poor girl breathe, you're obsessed with her, if you didn't notice" I said, annoyed by his behavior.

"You know my bet? I'm running late to get it done, one time she'll agree to go out on a date with me " Roger explained, but it only made me angrier.

"And you already asked her out?" I crossed my arms.

"No ..." I ended up finding his fault "but I'm working on it."

I just put a hand on my forehead and shook my head, trying to cope with his stupid insistence. I stood in a corner of the stage to see the rehearsal.

Roger joined the boys, who received him with grunts and grimaces. So they ignored the delay and began rehearsing. They touched the entire Sheer Heart Attack, and Roger scowled here and there in the process. Before moving on to the next song, the drummer asked for a pause.

"What is it now, Rog?" Freddie asked him impatiently.

"No, it's just that ..." Roger grimaced and tried to move his foot "it looks like someone glued chewing gum on my pedal!"

"You're kidding ..." Brian sounded incredulous.

"No, man, that's serious." Roger lifted his foot hard and really had a gum glued to his sneakers"I'm going to complain to Branson, how absurd, it's clear someone put this here on purpose ..."

Without much thought he tried to take the chewing gum with his hand, and suddenly, a firecracker exploded near the battery. Roger jumped and screamed as sharply as when he sang, we all got scared, we looked around to see who had been the author of the prank, perhaps the same person who had glued the chewing gum.

An instant later, Dominique appeared and I soon realized that she was holding on to keep from laughing.

"I was standing nearby and I heard something popping up," she explained to the band. "Has anything serious happened?"

Roger rose angrily and went to her full of demanding.

"First, someone stuck chewing gum on my pedal, and then they popped a firecracker near me, I'd love to find out who it was and have a nice chat with him, Ms. Beyrand" He was speaking with his hands on his waist, ignoring the charming way he had used to speak to her so far.

"Well, you're talking to her Mr. Taylor" she allowed herself to laugh "it was my way of making it clear that your pursuit with me was already over the edge."

I saw the confused face that the drummer did while processing what Dominique had told her, she had just confessed that she had made those pranks with him. Instead of yelling at her, or playing the charming, he started to laugh. Even Dominique was confused by his reaction.

"You had the courage to do this to me? I have to congratulate you!" Roger laughed a little more. "Darling, you rock! And look, I called you darling with all respect, just to make it clear. And I apologize for being a sticky tick today. Can we start over?"

 He ended up offering her a hand, which she ended up shaking.

"Apologies accepted Mr. Taylor" Dom replied, and I realized that she was a bit impressed that he had laugh of her pranks.

"You can call me Roger" the drummer offered.

"And you can call me Dominique, out of work" she smiled.

"You mean I'll see you out of work?" Roger risked.

"Who knows ..." Dominique let it out. "Now come back to the rehearsal, I've already messed you up too much."

After dinner, the boys continued rehearsing and rehearsing, they would come to our apartment after the rehearsal, other days we would take turns, we would go out to eat pizza, so we could please everybody in our group of friends.

My new friends, I must say. I was used to Roger's company, Brian's best friend (though my boyfriend wouldn't admit it), and now I don't know if I'd be okay without Freddie and John around. Of course Freddie was the difference, the bold, the guy with crazy ideas, but in the end, (another thing Brian had to admit) were very good and worked.

John was the quiet one, that whenever he spoke, he added something that was missing from the conversation or what we were doing, and only he could see what it was. The boys were getting on so well that anyone who saw them didn't even suspect their fights when they started rehearsing together. But that doesn't mean they stopped fighting. Usually it was a childish bicker, or a disagreement here and there, but nothing close to a gladiatorial spectacle. Seeing the four coming home to the sound of laughter and excited conversations about music made me happy. I saw them coming like this after a day of rehearsal and I got excited too.

"It all worked out well today, by your faces ..." I said, after giving hi to them.

"Except for some broken strings, it went well," my boyfriend agreed.

"If you didn't get much excited that wouldn't happen," John mused.

"Don't care about them Bri," Freddie said in his defense. "The more you get excited, the better!"

"It's not good if that happens at a show." Roger raised the question.

"It wob't happen," Brian promised his friends, "I think I can get carried away and not break a string."

"You're lucky I saved you some strings as a precaution" Roger said at last.

"I wish I had seen today's rehearsal," I said.

"You're use to go to the rehearsals, Mrs. May?" Freddie asked, emphasizing the last word.

I got shocked as I understood what he said, and Brian choked on the spot.

"Sorry for causing that reaction," the band's vocalist spoke again, and I could tell he was trying to control his laughter.

"Why ..." I was still trying to recover from the shock. "Why did you call me that ... Freddie?"

"Oh, you're practically Brian's wife, and you look after us almost like a mother would," he explained to me. "Mrs. May is the perfect nickname for you."

"Maybe someday she'll be Mrs. May" Rog murmured, but I heard.

"That's ... A compliment then," I breathed, but I decided not to let him win this, he was almost killing me and Brian in embarrassment "but you know what? You three are big enough to take care of yourself, but you insist in behave like children."

"I've already apologized and if I need to, I'll apologize again." Freddie sounded genuinely regretful.

I looked at Brian for help, and the poor man could not even look me in the eye. Freddie had raised a subject that Bri and I hadn't stopped to think about much before. I didn't think I was ready to marry yet, nor did he.

" I forgive you" I ended up surrendering, but I had a special trick under my sleeve !but let's change the subject, are you going to do shows again or not?"

Brian smiled relieved that I had changed the subject.

"Oh yeah, the rehearsals have been going well and now we just need to decide where we're going to make a show," he explained cheerfully.

"I know where we're going," Freddie announced, "Ealing Art College!"

"As if we could choose ..." John shrugged.

"We really have to check their schedule first," Brian recalled.

"Not for that." Freddie pointed at him and then picked up the phone, dialing what I assumed to be his college secretary.

The boys made faces with what the singer did, but in the end we were watching with expectation.

"Hello, I'm Freddie Bulsara, representing the band Smile, we wanted a night in the auditorium for a show" Freddie said at once in his best boss tone "yes, I know, uhum, no, no, ok, ok, thanks."

He hung up and was silent on purpose. Appreciating our expectation with some pleasure.

!What's up?" Roger let slip.

"I hope you're ready to debut this weekend!" Freddie announced with open arms.

The boys cheered. After the euphoria passed, I remembered something else.

"This is the perfect opportunity to introduce Veronica to us, John" after all this time we hadn't been properly presented to her yet.

"I don't know, Chrissie, from what I'm saying about these guys, she's not too excited to meet them," he chuckled.

"You can't just tell our bad stuff to Veronica, Deaky," Freddie complained.

"I know your bad stuff and I still love you guys anyway," I tried to remedy with a smile.

We left the girlfriends subject so they start thinking about the presentation that was to come.

During the rest of the week, I noticed Brian a little apprehensive, with the show and something else.

"Chrissie," he called out to me as we had dinner, "what Freddie said ... He kind of hinted at a ... Marriage ... It's not that I don1t love you, or think of the future, it's just ... Marriage is a big responsibility, and I want to be able to give you a decent life, with everything you deserve ... We're just not financially well now ..."

"Bri, it's okay" I reassured him since he was scared to death -"I also have reservations about this, but I also think that it's not yet the right time, I also want to make a commitment to you, I also love you and I understand you."

"Really?" he asked, still uncertain.

"Really," I rose and hugged him, "and don't mind if Freddie calls me Mrs. May."

"I won't mind if you don't mind," Brian said.

"Now it doesn't bother me any more, it's a sign that we make a perfect couple," I smiled.

I just kissed him, so we agreed on the subject of marriage.

Then, after waiting so long, I would finally see a Smile show, Brian and Roger excited to be back, Freddie and John eager to contribute to their music and the four happy to play together. I was the only girl in Roger's van, which made me miss Jo, but so much had changed since I had been in that van for the first time ...

I got out of the van, letting the boys take the instruments. Before I went to the auditorium, someone called me.

"Chrissie!" I turned to John "I told Veronica I was going to meet her there, she's probably already arrived."

"Oh yeah, I got it" I understood and kept walking.

I knew Veronica by sight, and I recognized her again as soon as I saw her. She looked at everything with an apprehensive look, I think it was the first time she was going to a show.

"Hi," she said half-timidly, "are you Veronica, John Deacon's girlfriend, the band's bass player?"

"It's me," she nodded, confirming, "you can only be Chrissie, right, the guitarist's girlfriend, Brian, right?"

"Yeah, John passed on the correct information," I chuckled. "It's me, he warned me to come find you."

"Yeah, it was good Johnny did it because I don't know anyone here," Veronica explained.

"Oh, neither do I" I said, "just Freddie and Tim, some of my friends who study here."

"I don't know why, but I'm kind of nervous about them, does that happen to you, too?" Veronica asked me.

"Oh yes, believe me, they give their all in rehearsals, and this is the first time they perform together, but I know they're incredible, you'll see," I guaranteed.

"Yeah, I know they're very experienced in this band thing, so it's going to work out okay." Veronica used optimism to ward off anxiety.

I looked at the stage and everything was ready, they were about to begin, but Brian called me from where I was. I excused Veronica and I went there.

"I couldn't start the show without a good luck kiss," he told me, smiling. "It's already our tradition."

"But everyone's watching," I laughed nervously.

"That was no problem at Imperial College," he mused.

"That's because it was your college," I said, but he didn't understand.

"It could be very fast then," he suggested.

I kept studying, trying harder to keep my grades good, and also grating a lot on every new work that appeared. I was already used to this rhythm and the demands of college, but things got more difficult and more demanding in the last year, I think it was because now it was near to finish and to be free of all that madness.

Even though I had my own busy routine, I was part of Brian's routine and he was part of mine. He was still unfolding with Astrophysics, the band, and the teaching job. Maybe I should add something else to this list: Freddie.

Freddie was so determined and tough-headed that he would give Brian a hard time on a new level, which didn't compare to the same hard time the band itself did.

When the boys finished rehearsals, they usually went to my house or I went to Roger's apartment to meet them there. After two weeks rehearsing with Freddie, the usual meeting of our gang was cast aside.

There was one particular night when I barely recognized my boyfriend. Brian opened the door at once, and let it hit hard, it was unintentionally, but his anger eventually provoked it. He strode down the corridor, muttering something, he tucked the Red Special in the bedroom, then came back into the living room, screaming through his teeth. I thought he hadn't noticed me, sitting on the couch. He stood for a moment, took a few steps forward and some behind. Finally he put his hands on his waist and sighed, exaggeratedly and deeply. Yeah, Bri was keeping a lot of anger inside him.

"Oh ..." He winked at me, as if he didn't know how he had stopped there.

For a moment he was my old Brian again.

"Hi?" I tried, still confused by his behavior "Bri, are you all right?"

"Sorry about that, I scared you, didn't I?" he sat next to me, tired and frustrated "the rehearsal wasn't that good ... I didn't want to bother you with my problems."

"No Bri, it's no trouble at all" I felt sorry for him and kissed his cheek "you're my boyfriend, which makes your problems a bit mine, too. So tell me, please, otherwise you're going to explode."

"Yes, I will," he closed his eyes and gave another long sigh. "Freddie ... Freddie is ...

"Demanding?" I suggested.

"Unbearable!" he screamed and I jumped out of my seat involuntarily "sorry, I scared you, but that's it, you know, he changes the lyrics of my songs, and he doesn't like the way we play his songs, and worst of all, he fought with the two bass players who rehearsed with us. This way we will never get a bass player and the band isn't complete without one. Man, I thought he wanted to be part of a band, but it seems that he doesn't collaborate because it seems that he does everything for us not to get along or play any musicright ..."

I gulped, perplexed. I didn't know how to respond to any of this. Freddie had seemed to me to be arrogant and full of self-confidence, but inside he had a needy heart, he didn't look so much like what Brian had said right now.

"You ..." I tried, "did you talk to him about it? What does Roger think?"

"He thinks the same as me, and he even discussed it with Freddie, so I didn't say anything," Bri explained.

"Well, you still have a little patience," I smiled a little gravely. "Maybe if you tried to understand Freddie's side a bit, I don't know, maybe he has something nice behind all the arrogance ... at least I noticed that he's not totally like that;"

"I'm trying, Chrissie," Brian seemed calmer now, "really, but more for the band, maybe a little because he's a good singer ..."

"It's a start, my love," I hugged him, he really needed it, because he held me tight and laid his head on my shoulder. I stroked his hair, the way I said it would be all right.

The phone then rang, separating us from each other for a brief moment.

"Do you want me to pick it up?" I asked and he nodded. "Hello?"

"Hello, I wanted to speak to Brian May, please, is he there?" I heard a young man talking on the other end of the line.

"He is, but I don't know if he can answer," I said, "wait just a moment."

"Okay," the voice on the phone answered.

"It's for you," I explained to Bri, "do you want me to answer it?"

"No, no," my boyfriend decided, "you can let me pick it up."

Brian got up and took the phone from my hands.

"Hi, it's Brian, how can I help you?" he said, and as he was talking, his expression improved "do you know where The Kensington is? Meet me there in an hour and we'll talk more, okay? All right, bye, bye, see you later."

He hung up and I was curious.

"What is it?" I asked anxiously.

"It was a bass player who saw my ad for a test." Brian smiled brighter. "I'll tell Roger to meet him."

"I wish you'd be lucky with this" I said.

"God, I hope so, my love." He kissed me goodbye. "I'll go and I'll be right back, bye!"

"Bye!" I said and I saw him come out excited.

At least his anger at Freddie had passed and now Brian had returned to his usual calm.

When Bri returned from the meeting with the bassist, he came home with Roger, but no Freddie with them.

"Did Smith get another member or not?" I questioned the boys.

"That depends on Freddie." Roger rolled his eyes.

"And us seeing John play," Brian added, "but he has experience."

"So his name is John?" I finally knew.

"John Deacon," Roger finished, "but maybe Deacon John is better."

"And what did you think of John?" I continued "less temperamental than Freddie?"

"Ah, that's for sure," the drummer emphasized.

"He seems to be a nice guy," Brian gave his impression. "At least that's what I found, wasn't it, Rog?"

"I thought so too," our friend agreed.

They found John right when they were almost losing their temper with Freddie, renewed Roger and Brian's spirits.

Freddie learned that they talked to John and the three agreed to a test with the bassist. Late in the afternoon on test day, I received a visit from home.

"Hi, what can I do for you?" I answered after knocking on the door.

I came upon a rather insecure, timid young man, dressed in a very tight and conservative manner, as if for an important job interview, expect for the long hair and the stringed instrument inside the case attached to his back. I realized that I had seen him somewhere.

"Hi, I'm looking for Brian May's apartment, he said it was here, and you must be Chrissie," he said. "I'm John Deacon."

"Of course, John, the bass player!" I said shaking his hand "Nice to to meet him. Come in, please."

John followed me into the apartment.

"Brian hasn't arrived yet, he's still at school, but soon he'll come" I explained the absence of my boyfriend.

"He told me he'd be a little late," John said, "I'll wait for him in the meantime."

"Make yourself comfortable, John," I offered, and we were silent for a moment.

We were two shy people, and when two shy people met, usually one of them could start a conversation that the two people would identify and would not stop talking so soon.

"Mind if I ..." I began, "I've seen you somewhere before, and it wasn't in another band, because I only see the Smile shows, so maybe you saw me in this place that I saw you and remember me, perhaps?!

"Ah, now that you said, I've seen you at Maria Assumpta University" John reminded me, "my girlfriend is studying there too."

"Ah now it makes sense!" I remembered "Veronica, one of the freshmen, isn't she? I only know her from afar."

"That's her," the bassist nodded.

Brian then arrived before we continued our conversation.

"Oh, hi Chrissie, I saw you've met John," he said as he walked in, put away his things, and picked up the Red Special. "See you later, my love.”

"Bye and good luck on the test, John" I said goodbye to the boys.

"Thank you," returned the bassist.

We went side by side, for an instant, I felt an urge to take his hand to walk hand in hand. How could I was thinking something like that? We were friends and holding hands was a ... well, never mind. I ended up making a face for thinking these things. Good thing Brian didn't notice that. I contented myself by walking right next to him. The two quiet, but excited. I could at least notice Brian's exciment.

Because we were college students, we had not much money left. I knew Brian was making a living for the time being with the band, but that doesn't mean they made a lot of money. I already counted on the little that my parents could send me to help me while I was in college. When you spend most of your time studying, and you don't have much work experience, it becomes even more difficult to get a job. Then as we walked, I realized that we were going straight to the nearest bus stop.

"You're going to have to get another bus," I tried to joke to break the silence.

"I thought I'd borrow the van, but it's Roger's, and I didn't want to bother him if he needed it, which almost always happens," Brian justified himself, but I understood the situation myself.

We waited for a bus to arrive, and Brian called me up. I noticed that this would take us to the outskirts of Hyde Park. It wasn't very wise to go to a park at dusk, and once again I was confused at the thought of what he had planned.

When we got there, the sky was already dark, although by my accounts, it should be a few minutes past 7 PM. We went down and got to where I had deduced, Hyde Park.

"I have to confess something ..." he said as we entered the park.

"What?" The way he said it made me worry and my heart quickened.

"I left home a little late so we would get here after dark," Brian seemed nervous to confess, "don't laugh at me please, but I ... I wanted to see the stars with you, and here is my favorite place to do it since I moved to London.!

"Hey, no need to worry" when I noticed, one of my hands was already on his face "I think it's beautiful, the sky, and you ... I mean, you liking watching the sky.!

Brian laughed with joy at me liking his idea. At that moment I realized how much I liked his smile.

"Then come with me," he said with a glint in his eyes.

We walked through the park, Brian was determined and knew exactly where he was taking me.

"Oh," he said.

There was a thin little tree there, away from the others, and the grass was neatly trimmed close to it. Brian walked over to the tree, and hesitated for a moment.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I forgot to get a blanket so we could sit down." He looked embarrassed by this little planning fault.

"Oh, no problem." I took off my jacket since the night was not so cold, stretched out on the floor and sat down.

"No, Chrissie, don't do that, it's going to get dirty..." he worried.

"No problem, I'm going to wash it myself," I shrugged, carefree, "come, sit down."

He smiled and eventually accepted my little madness. Brian snuggled up beside me, there was a safe distance between us.

"Now I understand why this is your favorite place," I said, looking up, "it's the perfect angle to see all the stars ..."

We were lucky the weather was clean that night. Here the lights and buildings of the city didn't dazzle the brightness of the sky.

"You see that one there?" Brian pointed, excited. "It's Orion, my favorite."

I could see where he was pointing and I looked in that direction. It was so cute that he had a favorite star.

"You really understand the universe to know such a specific name," I said, "that's really cool."

"Oh, thanks," he blushed at the compliment.

"If I may say Bri, I would never have guessed that you are the guitarist of a band if I didn't see you performing," I said, feeling comfortable "because it seems like liking physics, math, astronomy, doesn't match rock. But that's no problem, it just makes you more interesting."

"Do you find me interesting?" "That surprised him "because I don't find myself interesting."

"It was exactly what I told Jo about me these days," I had to laugh.

"But I think you're interesting ..." Brian hesitated again. "Look, Chrissie, since you said something honestly about me, I think I have the right to say something sincere about you, do you think it's fair?"

"Yes, that's fair." I was curious to hear it.

"You're ..." he struggled to keep his eyes on mine. "You're the kind of girl I've been waiting for all my life, some nerd like me, who understands me, understands my way, and supports my dreams. And I'm pretty sure you're all that. I don't know how you feel, but ... after we started talking, and you went to our shows, and ... what I want to say is that I really like you. I just..."

"Brian ..." I sighed.

At first, I was moved by him seeing me in a special way, then I thought that Jo was really right. Brian liked me, but did I like him too ? I saw him the way he saw me. He made me feel so comfortable, he understood me, he was always kind to me. As I stared at him still in surprise, my heart was racing.

"You don't have to answer anything if you don't want to" I felt a certain sadness in his voice "I just thought I had to tell you."

"Brian," I said again, even making a decision, I would do everything with calm "I ... I like you too, and I guess I just realized it now."

"So ..." he resumed, the joy returning slowly to his eyes "if I like you, and you like me, I need to ask you something."

"Say it ..." I requested, excited.

"Christine Mullen, do you want to be my girlfriend?" Brian said softly.

"Yes I do," I said in the heat of emotion, from the heart, but in my mind I knew it was the right choice.

We were both completely compatible, we had dreams, goals and support each other.

Brian approached me carefully, and I leaned toward him slowly. He cupped my chin gently. I looked into his eyes that kept shining.

"May I?" He said softly, and I knew exactly what he was going to do and I craved it.

"Yeah," I said, smiling.

Brian's lips found mine, in a slow, delicate kiss. My mind exploded, and I wanted to stay there forever. I rested my arms on his shoulders and he put a hand on my waist. And then we split delicately.

"I don't know what to say ..." I confessed.

"Do you regret it?" Brian said playfully.

"No way." I gave him an unexpected hug.

We didn't have much time for our honeymoon, we just spent a weekend in Hampton with Brian's parents and soon we got back to London, I didn't mind having traveled to a simple place, my husband's childhood home had also become a special place for me, that brought me peace and quiet.

Quiet was not all that was waiting for us in London, Queen worked hard at more local shows, which I always attended. Brian's time had now increased a little, he had finally graduated, he was officially an astrophysicist. But even so, other worries hovered in his head.

We decided to move, we had saved enough to buy a house, and while Brian didn't rehearse or compose we would go together looking for the perfect home. We walked quite a bit through Barnes until we came upon a house that caught our attention almost at the same time.

The sign on the front said it was for sale, we ran over there to take a look, admiring what we could see from the outside.

"It's two floors up, so it means it's at least have three rooms and one loft," Brian guessed.

"Yes, it is, probably," I said, "but do we need all this space? Don't get me wrong, my love, is that we are accustomed to a small space and ..."

"It's going to take some time to adapt? I also thought about it" Brian scratched his head "but just think ... We don't have to squeeze on our couch to watch a movie or Doctor Who!

"But I like our sofa ..." I pressed my lips pretending to cry, joking "it's so comfortable ... and if it could talk it would tell so many stories that I love ..."

"Yes, it'd also complain about how we were able to let Roger jump in it so many times" my husband laughed and brought me closer to him, returning to admire the house "we have to see it inside to make sure it's the right house."

"Let's talk to the broker," I agreed. "Let's see what happens."

We scheduled a visit to the property we had seen, and the broker was waiting for us when we got to the house.

"Mr. and Mrs. May, right?" he greeted us "I'm pleased to meet you, I'm Matt and I hope we can do a good deal together."

"Yeah, us too" Bri said.

I noticed that Matt stared at my husband for a while, and I could almost bet on what the broker was thinking.

"Sorry, Mr. May, but it seems like I know you, or I've seen you somewhere" Matt said as he guided us around the house.

Brian looked at me for help, he knew how to deal with fans when he was in a show environment, but here, while he was just a husband looking for a house with his wife, declaring with all the words that he was Queen's guitarist was rather embarrassing .

"Brian is a teacher ..." I tried to help him disguise, but I don't think I was that successful.

"Oh yeah" that seemed to be enough for Matt for a moment "it's that you look like a guy I saw on a new band album cover, that must be it."

"Yes, it must be," Brian agreed, wanting to avoid the subject.

Matt then took care of showing us the house, there was a spacious living room, full kitchen, laundry, ladder with protection (although no children would live there), upstairs plus two bedrooms and a loft. Brian went to the window of the room and took a good look at the sky from that angle.

"Just by that view, I'll take the house," my husband decided, "did you like it here too, Chrissie?"

I was grateful that he wanted to know my opinion.

"It's a great place, really" I agreed.

"Sorry, Mr. May but ..." Matt inspected the view from the window "I don't consider this a beautiful sight."

Really, looking at it from above you could only saw houses and more houses, but that wasn't what Brian was thinking.

"I'm an astrophysicist too" Brian explained modestly "and apparently when will come the night, you'll get a perfect view from here to observe the sky."

"Oh yeah." Matt was nice, but he was struggling not to look at Brian like he was crazy.

We decided to stay with the house, and after organizing our belongings and picking a few new ones to complete the new house, just before the change, Brian decided to have a serious talk with me.

"Chrissie," he called in his most serious tone, while we were in Roger's apartment, since ours was messy because of the move "I've been thinking one thing, and as much as I'm happy with what I decided, it scares me a little."

"You can tell me, my love" he actually sounded concerned.

"I've decided to stop teaching, we can pay the house for what I earn with Queen, and John is hitting the last details of a tour in Japan, so I ..." he breathed "I'll be Queen's full-time guitarist , it will be my official occupation."

"And that's great!" I smiled, expecting this to happen due to everything the boys had achieved so far "and why you still look sad?"

"I'm going to have to leave my my doctorate for a while, that's it," he said, "but I love making music, and that's exactly why the four of us have worked so hard."

"Surely, then enjoy this moment," I hugged him, knowing that Brian would like to continue studying, but now all musical possibilities were open for Queen to explore.

It was strange not to have to carry my own change and pay a company and employees to do it for me. It was another little privilege of my new life, at least I could still unwrap and pack everything I wanted, and that's what Brian and I did. Our books went to the loft, arranged on his old bookshelf and even Red Special had a place reserved just for it.

"Isn't it an exaggeration to have a room just to keep your guitar?" I let it out, finding the idea absurd.

"It's not just for her, it's a place for me to write songs" Brian explained, making his smartypants face "but you never know when or where the inspiration hits."

"I know ..." I laughed, understanding his logic as usual.

When he had time at night, Brian watched the sky through the attic window, through a telescope, another valuable gift from his father, and from time to time he called me to see it with him. It was during one of the watches that he became restless.

"I had an idea for a song," my husband explained to me, kissed my cheek and ran downstairs to jot down before he forgot.

This was one of the first ideas he had in our new home. Another idea came while we were asleep. Our heads were a few inches apart, my right hand resting on his chest, which made me feel him stirring, he began to murmur something before he woke, until he began to hum softly.

I stared at him, eyes heavy with sleep.

"Sorry, but I was asleep" I complained.

"Forgive me, but I had an idea" Brian kissed my hand that was on his chest, slowly stood up and went to write the bloody music with which he had dreamed.