To love a flower ~ Roger Taylor

Chapter 14

Renée woke up the next morning feeling strangely refreshed. A smile on her face, she hopped out of bed after stretching a little.

She walked right over to her record player and hummed to the melody as she got over to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast.

Around noon she called Mary, and the two girls spontaneously decided to meet up at Renée’s apartment in half an hour.

“Hey, how are you doing?” she greeted Mary as she came inside.
It was the first time that she was in Renée’s apartment, so she looked around for a bit, putting her bag on one of the chairs in the living room.

“Wow, it’s cosy here,” Mary commented. Renée gazed over the small living room leading into an open kitchen before she went over to the counter to cook tea, and answered while filling up the kettle.

“I like it too, it may be small, but it’s enough for me.”

When the tea was ready, they sat down on the couch, which stood in an alcove. “So tell me,” Mary began, noticing the smile on Renée’s face. “What exactly happened?”

Renée told her about everything, and how shocked she was when she found out what was up with Linda.

“So you two are alright again?” Mary concluded, and she nodded. But before she could explain anything further, the phone began to ring.

Renée frowned and held the receiver against her ear. “Hello?” when she realized that it was Roger, she felt butterflies in her stomach and turned to Mary, frantically pointing to the receiver to signalise that it was him.

Mary gasped and waved her hand at Renée so she would answer. “Hi, Roger.” She heard him clearing his throat on the other line.

“So uhm, I suppose Fred already told you, but we’re beginning with recording on Monday, and we’d like to have you there if you want.”

Renée had to hold back a giggle. “Yes, sure,” she answered. She could practically hear him smile through the telephone.
“Okay, great! See you then.”

“Yeah, see you on Monday.” He hung up. Mary and Renée squealed before beginning to laugh. They were behaving like teenaged girls.
 
                           <><><>

Over the next week, Renée spent a lot of time at the recording studio with the band, watching them do what they did best: music.

They also started hanging out in the evenings again, just like tonight for Brian’s birthday.

The past days, Renée had run around the city trying to find a suitable present, until she found a book about the galaxy Freddie had told her to look out for.

Around seven o’clock, she arrived at Brian’s apartment. She was a good twenty minutes too late, but since it was a birthday party, no one cared too much about it.

“Hi, come in!” John greeted her, turning around to yell “It’s Renée,” back into the living room.

Brian stuck his head out of the kitchen for a moment to smile at her, but then quickly returned his attention to what he was doing.

Renée walked over to the combined living room and kitchen. Freddie and Mary were still missing, as well as Roger, so for now, it was just her, Brian and John.

She put the wrapped book onto the table in the living room and John looked at her with a knowing smile.

She then walked over to the kitchen to see Brian shoving a frozen pizza into the oven. He smiled at her. “Glad you could make it,” he said and they hugged for a brief moment.

“Happy Birthday!” “Thanks, also for the present you brought.” “Can I help you with anything?” Renée asked, looking around in the kitchen.

Everything was tidied up, not even a single item stood where it didn’t belong. Brian was a scarily organized person.

“I don’t think I’ll need help with anything for now. They’re all late anyway.” He let out a short laugh. “But thanks. Although you could already get a few drinks out of the fridge, I know Mary doesn’t like it when they’re too cold.”

She nodded and walked over to Brian’s fridge. She set a few beers, a bottle of champagne along with some water on the counter, put them on a tray and brought them over to the coffee table.

Renée plopped down onto the couch and looked through the stack of magazines Brian had on a small side table.

“The evolution of our solar system, where do our galaxies come from?” “Well what did you expect, he studies astrophysics,” John chuckled.

Renée flipped through the magazine, looking at the colourful visuals of planets and whatnot. “It does look interesting,” she said.

She continued to look through the different magazines. They all had something to do with physics or astronomy, except the one at the very bottom.

“The newest sports-cars.” “Rog brought that one,” Brian told her, sitting down in the armchair across from John. “Of course,” Renée muttered, a grin stealing itself onto her face.

Brian turned to her, elbows resting on his legs. “Speaking of Roger,” he began, exchanging a meaningful look with John. She looked at him, then at John and back to Brian.

“Did he…did he ask you anything?” Renée furrowed her eyebrows. “No,” she began. “Not anything I can think of right now.”

“I knew it!” John whispered and Brian laughed. “He’s a chicken.”

“Can I ask what this is about?” she questioned, but just as John opened his mouth the doorbell rang. “Saved by the bell,” he muttered, but Renée didn’t hear him.

She curiously glanced into the hallway to see Roger walk in. He carried a rather sloppily wrapped present and put it on the table next to Renée’s before turning to her.

“Hello there.” He walked towards her and nonchalantly laid down on the couch with his head in her lap.

Renée felt her thighs tense in surprise, but relaxed as soon as he smiled at her.

John raised his eyebrows with a grin. Brian got a few glasses out of a cupboard and brought them over to the seating area while saying: “Rog, there will be no sleeping on my birthday!”

Roger groaned and started playing with a strand of Renée’s hair. “You can’t tell me what to do Bri,” he said mockingly. “And I’m not sleeping, I’m simply enjoying the view,” he continued, winking at her.

Renée felt herself blush and tried her best to hide the wide grin on her face. “Okay well then,” said Brian while getting up. “Tell the view what you’re supposed to tell her.”

And without further ado John and he left the room.
 
Renée noticed the tense look on his face and already felt scared of what confession was to come.

“Uhm,” Roger started and got up, sitting next to her. She raised her eyebrows.
“I…do you- I mean.”

He scratched the back of his head while looking down at his shoes in a flustered way and Renée couldn’t remember ever seeing him so nervous.

He gently placed his hand over hers and looked into her eyes and she was forced to fall into the ocean blue pools of passion that were his eyes.

“Would you go out with me? I mean like…like a real date?” A smile formed on her lips almost immediately and she squeezed his hand reassuringly.
“Yes, I’d love to.”

And for the first time in weeks, it finally happened. Roger leaned in, placed his hand on her back and placed his lips on hers.

She had anticipated it for so long. Now she finally felt the sensation again that was kissing Roger Taylor.

When she pulled back she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that seriously what you got so nervous over? Asking me on a date?”

He smiled in a boyish way. “Just didn’t want to be too forward is all.”