Chapter Text
The day after Live Aid was a sunny and weirdly regular Monday for Jim, who managed to wake up just an hour later than his usual and -as Garden Lodge's gears started turning- he stepped out the villa for a little walk under the cherry tree. Freddie would have woken up around midday, and he had some time for himself to cherish the quietness of Garden Lodge's garden, even if it was still a work in progress. Live Aid's shenanigans, the after-party and then a night of love with Freddie did tire him out, and some silence and peace were needed for good balance.
He sat directly on the grass near some flower bushes, and brushed his big hands along Tiffany's soft fur as she trotted towards him.
“Tomorrow's my last day at work, but with all the fur you have I'm sure I'll keep brushing and combing hair here as well.”
Jim's mind wandered about that client who always requested for him, even if he usually cut men's hair.
“I hope that lady, Veronica, won't be too hurt by me leaving. I mean, I'm just a hairdresser, but I can't help but wonder if Samantha was right about her… crushing on me. She's sweet and lovely, but she deserves her husband's love, not mine.” He added, and Tiffany rubbed her tiny nose against the palm of his big hand, letting out a content mrrrrp.
“I should bring her flowers one last time, for a proper goodbye.”
“You know what, darling? I want to invite my bandmates and their family here for dinner!”
Freddie's voice echoed in the big salon at Garden Lodge, still freshly painted yellow. He insisted on painting some details himself, and was very proud of his work. “I feel so bad for John -dear him- he couldn't have his family around for Live Aid, and Queen should be our big family, so we should all celebrate together.”
Jim almost choked on the lunch.
“Tomorrow for dinner? I'll be at work until five in the evening, I won't be able to help…”
“Nothing to worry about, dear. Liza and Phoebe are capable enough, we're not throwing a party as huge as last time.” Freddie waved his hand, and both Joe and Peter nodded at him.
The rest of the day was spent with Freddie making phone calls, Jim tidying the garden, and Phoebe and Joe already preparing the house for the hosts. But it wasn't until Jim and Freddie were in bed that the singer finally asked what was keeping his “gardener”’s mind so occupied.
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“I mean, dear, that I noticed something's turning in that head of yours.” Freddie rolled on his stomach, giving him the look of someone ready to listen to some gossip. “You said it was okay for you to quit at the salon and work here permanently…”
“Yes, absolutely!” Jim was quick to stop Freddie, “I was thinking about a lady who comes to the salon.”
Freddie raised his eyebrows, surprised.
“Oh don't give me that look, Freddie! No need to be worried, you know she's not my type.”
“Ain't say anything.”
Jim sighed.
“It's just that… she's nice, she says I am her favourite hairdresser and we had chatted a lot while I cut her hair.”
The Irish man followed his stream of thoughts, telling Freddie about that elegant, simple lady who not only admired his work but also found in him a quiet and understanding confidant as she revealed her sorrows and worries about her husband, while keeping her family's anonymity. He told Freddie about Samantha's reprise and how that bug kept eating at his brain, making him worry for that lady's heart, even though he considered her just as a friend.
And he told Freddie about his doubt whether to give her one last flowery gift or leave her as if it was just a regular day, despite their regular days being often met with flowers for her garden.
Freddie listened carefully, admiring his new boyfriend's huge and sensitive heart and the contrast with his rough and bulky appearance. Maybe it was silly, but he was constantly falling deeper in love with Jim.
“Darling.” He stopped Jim's speech right at the end, looking directly in his eyes.
“I'm sure whatever happens tomorrow it'll go well. Bring her some flowers -not too many-, give her the best haircut, and thank her. Then turn the page, and she'll make it anyway without you.”
It was bittersweet, but Freddie was right.
And so the next morning, Jim left Garden Lodge with a small bouquet.
“I'm really sorry for having booked all of a sudden, but I've been told it's your last day here and… I don't know, I just wanted to get a final haircut from you, if that makes sense.” Ronnie arrived at the salon precisely in time with a weary smile on her face as she saw Jim.
“I'm honored, mrs. Veronica, and don't worry, I don't have many other appointments today.” He simply replied, taking care of her bag while she sat on her usual chair.
“Did you find another salon, if I may ask?”
“Oh no, I'm actually changing job entirely. I've been working as a gardener on and off but now my, uh- my main client hired me to take care of his villa full time, and the pay is really good.” Jim couldn't help but smile fondly at Freddie's kindness, at how much they loved each other and at how much the singer was giving him, “I will miss working here but, you know, it's also nice not having to manage two jobs.”
“Oh no, I understand!” Veronica nodded, and in her heart she was happy for him as well.
“You'll be in good hands, if you'd want to keep coming here!”
“I will, it's not too far from home either, and your seats are the most comfortable ever, especially the wash basins. My only regret would be not having brought my husband to you, he'd really need a good haircut!”
“I don't want to be invasive, but… How's your husband doing?” Jim asked some minutes later while waiting for the hair mask to settle.
“He seems to be better, the event he was involved with went well and it looks like his mood has lifted a bit. For sure that's one less thing to worry about, but…” Ronnie pursed her thin lips.
“We're going to some friends’ for dinner later and he seemed a bit upset that I booked an appointment today. Gosh, I hope he's not thinking I'm having an affair, that would be ridiculous!” She let out an awkward chuckle and Jim followed.
“Well, if that's of any comfort, he won't have to worry about me anymore!”
“Silly!” She waved her hand in dismissal, now with a genuine chuckle.
“Besides that, I feel hopeful for him and -if God wants- he'll be able to rise up again. Yesterday's event could be a good starting point.”
Jim hummed in agreement, glad that things seemed to get better. Veronica also sounded more relaxed while talking about her husband, compared to the prior weeks.
Then something popped in his mind, like the pieces of a puzzle putting together without him even realising there was a puzzle at all.
“By any chance, is your husband's name J-” he got suddenly interrupted by the loud sound of a hair dryer next to their station that completely muffled his voice. Obviously, that wasn't meant to be a question.
And even if her husband's name was John and if he was at Live Aid, it was such a common name that probably there were at least a few dozens of Johns, and the chance of more than one of them having a wife named Veronica was quite high. So Jim shook his head with a giggle, abandoning that question in the air.
Jim’ fingers danced around Veronica's short copper hair and she silently admired his work knowing it was the last time. It was incredible seeing such masculine and rough hands moving so delicately to cut her hair with precision. It was a bit like watching John's hands dancing on his bass, his long and rough fingers pressing the keys and plucking the strings, but the two scenes ignited totally different reactions in her. Obviously John's hands were a completely different matter of artistry -and arousal-, with Jim it was simply a curiosity given by the stark difference between the bulky man and his almost ephemeral ability.
The silence between them was comfortable, broken by the other hairdryers humming in the shop.
“This is as perfect as it can be, thank you Jim. I guess I won't be shy about being photographed later today, if that happens!” Veronica beamed, looking at her own reflection as she stood at the counter.
“It's my pleasure, mrs. Veronica. And I hope we'll happen to see each other someday. I'll stay here in London, so… who knows?” He smiled, deepening the dimples in his cheeks.
“Absolutely! The world is small, it'll be a pleasure to see you again.” Veronica shook his big hand after paying for the service, but the hairdresser blocked her right at the door.
“Mrs. Veronica, just another minute!” She turned around to meet a tiny but lovely vase with a plant of yellow roses. “Just one last pot of flowers for you. I'm really grateful for your appreciation of my work, especially since usually I'm a men's hairdresser, it was… unexpected. And for your knowledge about flowers' meanings, it's been helping my gardening job a lot already.”
“This is lovely! You're absolutely welcome Jim, I sincerely wish you the best for your new job and new life.” Despite her lack of words, Jim saw the mutual gratitude in her eyes, and simply smiled at her, returning inside the shop with a little bow.
Before turning on her engine's car, Veronica stared at the pot of yellow roses for a while, remembering that time she answered a couple of Jim's questions about the language of flowers; it wasn't something he used to consider that much, his strength was in the actual growing and shaping of plants, but was interested in learning as well. With a smile -and a last glance in her car's mirror- she turned on the engine and drove home.
John was in the living room watching TV with all the kids when Veronica returned home with a fresh haircut and… a brand new vase of yellow roses? After the whole afternoon spent trying to set up the kids for the evening -Laura was especially fussy about her dress- John felt a wave of discomfort running up his spine at seeing his wife returning from the salon with yet another floral gift.
He didn't feel like fighting, but even after the emotional rollercoaster of the previous days he didn't know how to deal with it and he felt like going back to step one.
He glanced at her to greet her, she looked absolutely gorgeous and whoever that hairdresser Jim was, he surely knew how to emphasize her features and make her smile glow simply through a haircut. John's jealousy caught him by the throat and he struggled to swallow it down in front of the kids, but the icy glare he shot at the flowers didn't go unnoticed by Veronica.
“Ohhh new flowers!” Laura beamed and jumped down from the chair where she's been sitting for the past half hour, while her dad carefully braided her hair.
“Uh, yes-” Veronica stuttered a little, caught off guard by the look John gave to the flowers, unsure of what that meant. “If you like it, we can plant it at your window, Laura.”
“Is it a rose?”
“Yes, yellow roses mean friendship in the language of flowers. Jim wanted to give me one last goodbye before changing his job.” She replied to her daughter, careful to also look at John while explaining. Still, he stood up and walked upstairs with a face of stone.
“I like it!” Laura replied, unaware of the tension between her parents, and Veronica simply put the pot on the table.
“We'll take care of it tomorrow, then. Are you all ready for the evening?” She asked the rest of the kids, who answered with a choir of “yes”.
“Good. Now it's mommy and daddy's turn to get ready, keep watching cartoons in the meantime. Robert, you're in charge.”
Upstairs, the air in their bedroom felt thick as molasses and Veronica stared at her husband hastily tossing around clothes, eyeing the bathroom door as soon as she walked in, clearly looking for an escape.
“John, are you okay?” Veronica asked, somewhere between testing the waters and genuinely worried.
“Hm-hmm” he nodded, trying to sound unbothered -and clearly failing-.
Ronnie sighed, walking closer to their bed.
“Don't tell me you're upset because of a vase of flowers, you know Jim is a gardener too and just gives me flowers and tips for our garden. That's going to be his job full time now.”
To John, she missed the point. He tightened his lips, annoyed that he couldn't find the shirt he wanted either.
Meanwhile, she stared at him and studied every movement of his.
"Are you… jealous?”
Without raising his eyes, John scoffed.
“No, it's nothing.” He lied, and she kept staring at him, now with her hands on her hips. She wasn't in the mood to fight back, she wasn't in the mood to fight at all; instead, John's feelings and silence saddened her heart.
Finally John lifted his eyes, and his whole facade fell off. Not surprisingly.
“Okay, yes, I'm jealous.”
“It's just some flowers, John.” Veronica replied in a tired voice, giving him a sad smile that he didn't accept.
“And it bothers me that he's giving you flowers.” His tone was dead serious, trying hard not to let tears spill out. It wasn't just that, obviously, she should understand.
“They're plants for our garden, not flowers for me!”
“I don't care, I'm uncomfortable with another man giving you… that kind of attention. It should be me.” Staring at the floor, he finally admitted it, his face burning with shame. Veronica's mouth flung open, not expecting such words from her husband, who's never been jealous about her in his whole life, sometimes just a bit overprotective, and unfortunately lately has been rather distant, too stubborn to open up.
Suddenly, a bubble of laughter erupted from her lungs, taking both by surprise but mostly startling John. It wasn't a mocking laughter, but a chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.
“Oh, John, there's nothing between Jim and I, believe me!”
“But-!” John was taken aback, slightly offended, and she walked towards him, finally reaching out to cup his face in her hands and seek for his gaze.
“I'm really sorry about the stress you've been going through, and I'm sorry for not having listened or noticed your discomfort before… But I'm serious when I say there was nothing but a friendly acquaintance between Jim and I, I don't even know him that well! I just liked how he cut my hair without gossiping like the other hairdressers. Probably I'll never see him again, either.” She tried to comfort him, avoiding any fight this time. Not after such a lovely day and a rather positive ending to the whole Live Aid ordeal.
“Ronnie, you don't understand…” John grumbled, making Ronnie let out a dry chuckle.
“Oh, don't I? Believe me, I understand the fear of my beloved running away with someone else, maybe a younger and prettier girl on the other side of the globe…” There was a hint of sadness in her words which made John instantly regret all of his inner turmoil and his jealousy.
“I learned to trust you and your words about that, John, even if sometimes it was hard, and I would never want to put you in the same situation. You and the kids are the most important things to me… however that shouldn't stop me from making friends or treating myself with a good haircut and gardening.”
With a deep sigh, John sat on the bed, immediately followed by his wife.
“No, you're right.” He whimpered.
“But now I can't deny I would've loved to get more flowers from you!” Veronica tried to lift his mood again, booping his cheek and leaving him speechless.
“I-”
“I'm joking, love! First we should fix our communication.” Her tone got more serious, yet soft. “I'm saddened that you've felt like that without telling me… and I'm sorry for not noticing.”
“Don't be sorry, Ronnie. I already told you I'm sorry as well, it's been all so stressful… the album, the tour, Live Aid, and my mind just started to make things worse. You're right, you're allowed to have friends and I should trust you.”
Delicately, she caressed his fluffy hair and let his head lean on her chest, allowing their spirits to calm down and think for a silent moment. They both knew they loved each other, and Ronnie was sure John was doing his best to rekindle their relationship and let his stress behind, he just really needed to learn again how to let his feelings known to her, instead of keeping everything in.
“Now that we're here… thank you for getting the kids ready while I was out, Laura's braids are beautiful.”
John lifted his shoulders, he was their dad and that was his duty, but Veronica wanted to show him some appreciation anyway, and leaned in for a repairing, sweet kiss.
“Now, let’s get ready for dinner at Freddie's and leave all of this behind, okay?”
“Deaky! Veronica!” Freddie beamed from his front door, “and look how cute the Deaklings are!”
The whole family arrived at Garden Lodge shortly before dinner time, while the sun was still up and painting long shadows on Freddie's perfectly cured garden.
“Don't call me cute, Freddie!” Robert whined as Freddie ruffled his curls and hugged him.
“Nooo, you're right! Now you're a big and responsible boy, of course!” He chuckled, giving the boy a vigorous pat on the back. “Welcome in, darlings. I carefully removed all the potential threats to children and to my belongings, so as long as you stay downstairs we're all happy.” He waved his hands while the Deacons gathered inside the villa, admiring the newly painted walls.
Roger was already there with Dominique and the kids, but they all seemed to be in the backyard, probably admiring the koi pond in progress. Brian and Chrissie were late as usual, hopefully not for long.
“Who is this?” Michael asked, carefully approaching an orange cat curled up on a chair who allowed him and Laura to pet him.
“That's Oscar, Mike. Jim lured him into this house a few weeks ago and he seems to love my chairs the most. Now that I speak of Jim…” Freddie turned towards the garden, raising his voice, “Jim dear! John and Veronica are here!”
Shortly after, Roger walked in followed by a tall, Irish man with a thick mustache and friendly eyes that John immediately recognised.
“John, you've already met Jim at Live Aid.” Freddie introduced them again and moved aside, so Jim gave John's hand a firm shake.
“Yes, I remember.” He nodded, and Jim smiled politely.
“Glad to see you again.”
Then, the Irish man moved his eyes to John's wife at his side, who was staring at him with the widest eyes possible.
“JIM?!”
“Mrs. Veronica?!” Jim gaped, and the three of them stared at each other trying to process the whole scene.
John, in the middle, felt like an absolute idiot.
It couldn't be that Freddie's Jim, his new boyfriend, was actually Veronica's hairdresser, the one who made him so jealous in the past few weeks.
“Wait…” Freddie broke the awkward moment, “Don't tell me the customer you were worried about this morning was… Veronica?!” He asked, trying hard not to laugh, and Jim blushed vividly.
“Um, apparently so.” He replied, awkwardly rubbing his own head.
“And don't tell me you're now Freddie's gardener?!” Veronica added, putting the puzzle together.
“Actually, a bit more than a gardener, uhm… but yes. And… You're married to one of Freddie's bandmates.” Jim observed, realizing that one of his theories were correct, despite he tried to convince himself that such a coincidence wouldn't exist.
“Well, isn't the world small?” Next to them, Freddie was in tears of laughter, clapping his hands.
“I can't believe this…” John shook his head, letting out a sigh that sounded more like a chuckle. He's never wanted so bad to bury himself.
With Brian, Chrissie and Jimmy's arrival, the rest of the dinner went by smoothly, the kids entertained each other and the adults recalled Live Aid and remembered good memories, updating Jim on almost everything he's missed from the very start of Queen, including the whole story of John and Veronica.
John often kept his eyes on him and on Ronnie, but judging by how lovingly the Irish man looked at Freddie it was clear that he wasn't absolutely a threat to his marriage, and John slowly got more comfortable with him as well. As Veronica mentioned, he seemed a good listener, much more calm than Freddie and definitely a lot less judgemental or rude than his previous boyfriends, and his first impression of being a good partner for Freddie was now sealed into stone.
A couple of hours later, John walked alone outside in the garden, admiring the stars above London and smoking a cigarette. It was then that he felt a presence walking quietly next to him.
“Hey, Jim.” John greeted him, offering a cig which Jim accepted shyly.
“Thanks.”
They stood silently under the peony before Jim found some courage to speak.
“I… uh, I'm really sorry if I caused any trouble.” He stared at the ground while John's gray eyes shot a surprised look at him. “It was quite awkward earlier, and I've been told my acquaintance with your wife could've been, uh… misinterpreted.”
John was about to open his mouth and reply, but Jim cut him off with a gesture and an apologetic look in his dark eyes. “I'm honest when I say my gifts were all just out of friendship, you know, women aren't exactly my, um…”
“No, I understand. It's all good.” John nodded with a genuine smile, perfectly aware of how it was for Freddie, it must've been the same for Jim.
The gardener took a long drag at his cigarette, not looking at John.
“Veronica has always been very private, and I've never asked further about who she was, but I know for sure your wife cares a lot about you, John. Keep her close.”
With a shiver, John felt bad for ever doubting her or thinking she didn't love him anymore. It was a baseless fear built only on his own lack of self esteem, and it was something he'd have to work on -hopefully, together with her-.
From being a feared love rival, Jim showed instead how a good confidant he could be.
“Thank you, Jim. I surely will.” He gave the gardener a hopeful smile, then, after a drag of his cigarette, his eyes landed on a bush of well kept flowers. “Now that I think of it… I might start gifting her some flowers myself, so an expert's word might come handy.”
He gave Jim a sly grin, to which he replied with a chuckle.
“Sounds lovely.”
"Ah, one last thing..." John whispered, then pointed at his own head.
"Do you think I need a haircut?"