Don't Talk! (Freddie Mercury / Queen)

26. I Can See What You Want Me To Be

F.M
New York - London
June 17th.

"George! Hello!"

"Freddie?" A sleepy voice replied.

I attempted to hide the panic from my tone as I wove the phone chord through my fingers tightly. "Sorry to bother you dear, but have you heard from Hayes recently?"

Not a word from any of you. I mean it.

"Oh you know what he's like when horses are involved, I'll tell him to phone you later when I see him." George answered dismissively.

I frowned, "You're in New York?"

"No?" I could sense George's frown, "He's here in England. The Royal Ascot is on? It's the one day a year I see him smile, surely he's mentioned it."

Okay, so as you know, a few nights ago I copped off with another man. Let's all just get over it. I admit that it was not my finest moment, nor was it remotely satisfying. Not worth it, not one second of it. When I woke up, I crawled out of Tony's flat and found I had nowhere to retreat to. Naturally, I now stayed at Hayes' whenever I visited New York. I didn't think I would be very welcome there after my piss poor behaviour the previous night. One part of me wanted to have it out straight away, but a larger part of me knew it was best to avoid the critic for a day or two.

A day or two passed with no contact from Hayes. On the third day, I caved and tried to phone him. I was ready to brush things under the carpet and apologise, but Hayes wouldn't bloody answer. I then invented reasons to casually drop by his apartment, and his workplace, but both trips were a failure. His secretary informed me that he wouldn't be in work for the week. Naturally, I began to worry. George was was my last resort, but it yielded the best results.

Unluckily for me, I forgot that man was an overbearing mother hen when it came to his younger brother.

"Freddie? Is everything alright? Should I be worried?"

"No!" I relaxed ever so slightly, "I must have forgotten that he mentioned it." Because we haven't been speaking.

"Good." George sighed a breath of relief, "He appears to be in his element. Three piece suit, horses and gambling."

That does sound like Hayes' idea of nirvana.

"I am going to attempt to drag him home later, so I'll tell him you were asking for him."

"Alright, thank you George." I cooed and hung up the phone, only to redial it once again almost immediately.

"Mary, my darling!" I sang into the speaker, "How are you? Brilliant - I hope."

"What exactly is it that you want Freddie?"

"Not in the mood foreplay?"

Mary chuckled, "No, not exactly."

"Okay fine," I sighed dejectedly, "I need you to accompany me to Berkshire."

"What business do you have in Berkshire?"

"I don't appreciate your tone honey," I sniffed, "I am a high flyer in English society if you must know."