Smile for me, John Deacon

Chapter 66

Brian laughed a little and pulled me in for a hug. "Thanks Loretta. I'll be back in a minute. I need to go out for a fag. I'll come back afterwards." He said and I nodded.

"I'll see you then Bri."

He flashed me one quick smile before disapeearing outside. I turned around on my heels and walked back onto the stage. Freddie, John and Roger were all huddled together, talking quietly about something. John had his back toward me, Freddie and Roger standing in front of him.

"So when then?" Roger asked and an expession or excitement splashed across his face.

John was about to respond, when Freddie made eye contact with me and kicked John's foot.

"Ow, what'd you do that for?" John asked.

"Hey Loretta!" Roger said, emphasising my name.

I furrowed my brows and smiled nervously.

"What's going on guys? Why are you guys acting so weird?"

John shot a helpless look at Freddie. "Drunk. Super wasted. And a little high, you know the drill darling." Freddie said and waltzed towards me. "Did you get the poodle noodle to come back?" He asked me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, he went outside to have a smoke. He should be back shortly."

"Oh, okay. That's wonderful." He said an ruffled my hair. "It's only appropriate that we go out with a bang, not with a guitarist who's too big of a diva to complete sound check." Freddie joked. He let his arm fall from my shoulders and went on to somehow tease Roger. I walked over to John and he tried to kiss me on the cheek, but I dodged it. His face fell.

"Why did you dodge me?" He asked, not even trying to hide his disappointment.

"Because I want to know what all that was about. When I came back. Why were you all acting so weird? What did you not want me to hear?" I asked and plucked on the E string of the bass he was holding.

"It was nothing honey, just some guy talk." He said and smiled.

"Guy talk? About what?" I insisted.

"Umh... Roger has... a rash." He said and rubbed the back of his neck.

"A rash?" I questioned.

"Yeah. A rash. You know where. He didn't want you to hear about it. He's a bit embarrassed." John said, thinking he'd sold his lie but I wasn't buying it. But it was also obvious that he had no intention of revealing what it was that they had been talking about.

After Brian came back from his little break outside, the band was finally ready to continue with the sound check. After some tweaking of the monitors, they were all finally happy with their volumes and effects on each song. It seemed that peace had once again been restored to the land. They all laughed and high fived each other before coming back off the stage. John made his way to be and took my hand in his, giving it a little kiss.

"Ready to play your last show of the is leg?" I asked him. 

He nodded his head furiously. "Oh yeah." He said and grabbed me by the waist, piciking me off the ground and spinning me around, maiking me giggle like a child. "I can't wait to get back home with the love of my life." He said.

Hold up, stop the music. I froze a little bit. He must have noticed it because he put me down on the ground. My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. I had thought it many times, many, many times. But he had never said it. In the back of my head I had always wondered... did he feel the same? But then he said those words... Those words that I had wanted to hear for so long, those words that Freddie sang every night.