~*~Singer & The Soldier~*~ By: Ree

She was intently mixing something in one of the large copper bowls, stopping to read the sheet of paper that was presumably the instructions Ambra had left, then moving to the Aga to remove the lid from the Casserole that emitted a burst of steam into the air.

He glanced at Mami when he felt her hand on his arm and saw her leaning over to say something private.

“She needs to do it herself, Urs…it’s a woman’s instinct to feed her loved ones.”

They took the edge off with nibbles of the appetizers on a platter on the coffee table and chatted about the plans for the next few days. Urs saw Izzy finish whatever she had been doing at the Aga, replace the lid and carefully adjust the flame then move to the frig drawer to collect a salad and a cruet of dressing to place on the already set table. She added another place setting for her ‘surprise’ guest and went back to stare at the Aga.

He could tell she was nervous, the way she kept checking her watch, going to the Aga and studying the amount of steam escaping the casserole, leaning her bottom on the butcher block counter and staring at the pot, checking her watch again. This would be one meal that would definitely not be burnt.

She glanced towards him once and grinned, checking her watch and indicating ‘5 minutes’ and he gave her the thumbs up sign and a huge smile.

They were discussing the Chateau and missed the victory dance when she took the lid off the pot to survey the contents, then carefully held the handles with mitts to carry it to the table. Suddenly she was standing beside Urs waiting for a break in the conversation and smiling when he looked up at her.

“Dinner is ready, Urs, everyone…come to the table.”

Urs scooped Adam up and everyone followed, exclaiming over the inviting sight of a pot that still emitted steam from around the pillows of fluffy white caraway seeded dumplings that completely covered the top of what was sure to be stew hidden underneath.

“Knodel!! One of my favorites…and they look as light as air!” Urs gave her a hug and seated her beside Adam, Mami on the other side.

It may not have been a meal completely created by Izzy but all the kudos went to her for a first attempt that turned out to be perfect.

**

It had been a lovely evening. They finished dinner, including some of the chocolate torte from the shelving over the work area, then the men insisted on loading the dishwasher before they all parked comfortably in the nook on the sofa and chairs, deciding to stay in the cozy kitchen since the rest of the house was a bit lacking in furnishings.

After a while Adam grew tired and fell asleep snuggled in his Oma’s arms. Urs left him for a while, at her insistence, then finally took him up to bed and came back with the monitor.

“I didn’t have the heart to wake him to brush his teeth,” he said with a guilty smile at Izzy but she merely smiled and said that missing one brushing wouldn’t make his teeth all fall out, not to worry. He headed for the wine cellar and Marta went with him, curious to see what had been stored there. They came back with 2 more bottles of red and everyone slowly worked their way through them while catching up on what had been happening and what plans had been made.

“I sure hope this works out,” Gerd said with a grin. “When I went to admin and told them my plans they offered me a huge raise and a promotion…and I turned it down…and I’ve already rented my apartment…it went in just over an hour after I listed it…I didn’t realize that housing was so scarce in Willisau right now.”

“It will succeed…you’ll see…Claude and I went over some of the plans and the response has been phenomenal…we’re hoping to be open the first week of the New Year and already have tentative bookings.”

“We need to see about getting a part time physician too, Urs, for when I travel with you…or if we get lucky and get pregnant again.”

Both Gerd and Sally voiced their opinions that it was too soon, that she wasn’t strong enough yet. Marta silenced them with a quick rescue, quietly mentioning that it was, after all, up to Urs and Izzy…and God…and personally, she trusted all three to have good judgement. She adroitly changed the subject and left them all with gaping mouths.

“I have some news too. I’ve met someone and we’re dating, actually we’re thinking of moving in together….soon.”

She blushed furiously at the stares from her sons, accepted the congratulations of the two women who glared at their mates as they bombarded her with questions about this man in her life.

“Ja…tell us about him…does he have a decent job?”

“Has he ever been married?”

“Does he own his own house?”

“Have Nad or the other girls met him? What do they think?”

The questions were fast and frantic from her over- protective sons and Marta laughed, choosing to ignore them, for the moment. She calmly talked to Sally and Izzy while Urs and Gerd listened anxiously.

“We have a new choirmaster…he retired from a large cathedral in Bern but found that he was bored doing nothing so he applied for and got the position at the church when it became available. His name is Zus, from his Belo Russian grandfather and he’s lived in Switzerland since he was around 2…which is 52 years, so he’s a little younger than I am. I have a picture if you’d like to see it.”

She dug a photo out of her purse and passed it to Izzy who scarcely got a glimpse when Urs snatched it out of her hands and glared as he looked at it.

Gerd came over behind Urs chair and they stared at the image of a quite tall, well built man with a charming smile, thick grey hair…and THEIR MOTHER!! It was obvious they had been skiing, both still dressed in ski suits and holding skiis upright, both looking extremely happy…in fact Mami looked like she was a good 15 years younger than they were accustomed to seeing her.

“Zus was married for 22 years, no children, his wife couldn’t have any…she passed away 4 years ago after a long bout with cancer.”

“How serious is this?” Urs asked, still bristling slightly.

“He makes me happy…he’s a very nice man, Urs…strong but kind and gentle…Nadia likes him…please don’t be upset…I need a life that’s just for me…I’ve been Mami and Oma for so many years and I love you all dearly….but I need someone only for Marta…someone to share love with, to grow old with.”

Urs was literally stunned. He had never really paused to think of his mother as a person with feelings and needs. She had always just been there for all of them…she was Mami, Oma to the grand kids, someone to go to in times of trouble, to solve problems, to be the anchor in all their lives. And she was right! She had earned a life that would be just for her. Nothing would really change except that in addition to being who she had always been she would have someone who was hers alone, someone SHE could lean on, share with.

“I’m sorry…I didn’t think…it was a selfish attitude and I’m truly sorry…and happy for you. I wish you the same happiness that I’ve found with Izzy….I would like to meet him…as soon as I get used to the idea.”

He rose to come over and kiss her cheek, glanced at Gerd and willed him to accept this new version of their mother.

“I…I’m having trouble thinking of you THAT way…I mean you’re Mami…it’s hard to think of you with a…. partner,” Gerd said with his cheeks reddening.

“I see…you thought all 5 of you were Immaculate Conceptions.”

“MAMI!!”

“Think about it Gerd…and Urs, for I can still see some doubt in your eyes. When your children are grown and you reach your sixties, will you suddenly dry up and not want a partner to share your life, your bed?...or will you still be interested in the joys of sharing yourself with another being, one you care deeply about? I’m not talking only about sex but about the things that make life worth living…the closeness, sharing little things, moments of silence, of fun, moments when no words are necessary, sharing a sunset, a laugh, even sorrow for inevitably there will be some of those moments as well.”

“Well I think it’s wonderful,” Izzy said coming over to sit on the arm of Marta’s chair and rest her hand on the older woman’s tense shoulder in support. “You give so much of yourself and have for so many years…it’s time you had some joy out of life, now, while you have your health and beauty and can still enjoy it. I can’t wait until Christmas when we can meet this man who has stolen your heart.”

“Well, he gets points for being involved in music,” Urs muttered then smiled, trying hard to get his mind around his mother looking at a man the way Izzy sometimes looked at him. He thought about her ‘Immaculate Conception’ comment and laughed out loud.

“I’m doing it again…being over-protective, just like I tend to be with Adam…I really am sorry, Mami…you like this man and I should trust your instincts…you’ve sure never been wrong about the women I’ve chosen as partners.”

They chatted a while longer, finishing the second bottle of wine, discussing the plans for Christmas and agreeing that it was a perfect time to start a new tradition by having the celebration here at Reve. Sally thought that her parents would be able to come over for a week or two and Cody had already indicated his interest, there was plenty of room for the family to stay over and certainly lots to do.

So the night ended on a happy note as they all headed out to their suites.

CHAPTER NINETY NINE PART TWO…

“I’m very proud of you, Love,” Izzy said as she wrapped her arms around her semi naked partner and nestled her face against his back, her own slightly damp towel just barely covering her full breasts.

He paused with his mouth all foamy from the toothpaste, too full to talk just at the moment.

“For the way you handled the bombshell that Mami dropped on us. She’s still young, relatively speaking…at least young enough to have some wonderful years with the man of her choice….and he sounds like a nice man, with good values and a lot of the same interests.”

All Urs could do was nod his head in agreement and finish with the toothbrush. He rinsed, rinsed again and flushed out the sink and turned to cuddle her and give her a minty fresh kiss.

“It was just such a surprise…when we finally stopped picking at her and she told us about the trips they’ve taken, to Luzerne for that concert, skiing, the dinners, the week-end in Geneva, she looked so happy…I promise that when I meet him I’ll be open-minded, give him a fair chance. You know what’s really funny? When my father re-married I wasn’t upset…we aren’t all that close anymore and I don’t know his wife very well but I didn’t feel threatened or let down.”

“The good old double-standard….how long do you think Gerd will sulk?”

“Not long…Sally will straighten him out…and then he’ll pretend like he was not surprised at all.”

He had started a fire when they got to the suite and steered her towards the thick rug in front of the hearth, kneeling and taking her hands in his as she stood in front of him.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment all evening….no don’t sit…just stand there for a moment, looking so incredibly beautiful in the glow from the fire…I want to ask you something.”

The flames from the fireplace were flickering, making the glint in his honey colored eyes dance as he raised her hands to his mouth to kiss her fingers gently.

“Back in Bogota I rushed you, taking advantage of your confusion and the euphoria you felt at finally being free. You were vulnerable then, grateful that we had come for you, overjoyed to be back with Adam…I want to be sure that you didn’t accept my clumsy proposal out of gratitude or confusion. The time we’ve spent together since you’ve been home has strengthened my love for you, the desire I have to share everything I am or ever will be only with you, joys and sorrows, now and into eternity. If the past has taught me anything it is that without you my life has no purpose…with you, each day is a blessing, a treasure to be savored, enjoyed, a gift that keeps giving every moment of every day that I know that I belong to you and you to me.
So I am asking you again if you will commit yourself to a life with me, to share your love, to let what we have begun grow and become something that will only get stronger throughout the years before us. I love you, my Bella….will you marry me in front of Gott and our loved ones, here in this place that will become our home?”

He had freed one hand and reached under a pillow on the rug to take a small black velvet box in his hand, flipping the lid open and revealing the ring that Herr Copf had finished and sent with his mother.

Her face was wet with tears as she touched his sweet face and dropped to her knees.

“I have been yours since the moment you came in the cottage, drenched with rain. I fought it at first, this overwhelming feeling I had for you…but it was in vain. By the time Adam was conceived I knew that nothing would ever diminish the love I have for you…and there would never be another who could fill my heart the way you do. That has only grown stronger while we were apart… when you came for me as I knew you would, and when you asked me to be your wife I thought I would die with the joy of it. So yes, I will marry you, Urs…I will be your wife, your lover, your help-mate, the mother of your children, your friend for all of the days that the good Lord allows me and beyond….you are my destiny and I embrace it with open eyes and a heart so full of love…look in my eyes, My Love and you will see a soul that longs to be with you, only you.”

He slipped the ring on her slender finger, the ring guard that Herr Copf had put on making it fit perfectly. The fire in the emerald flashed the same color as her tear filled eyes as he brushed the glistening drops from her cheeks and leaned forward to kiss her lips gently.

No more words were needed as they entwined their bodies, gently loving one another, speaking in sighs, shivers, murmurs, moans, molding perfectly into one being in a dance of love, guiding, stroking, caressing with tender but eager fingers, mouths, tongues, skin that warmed then tingled with anticipation…it was a minute, an hour, forever…time had no meaning, only the feeling of body against body, body joined with body, the perfect rhythm of their dance building ever closer to a joy that would consume them both….he bent his face to hers, breathing rapidly, murmuring “I love you” and hearing those words gasped out of her sweet mouth, devouring her open mouth as her body rippled around him, welcoming the warm flood of his sperm as they crested together in endless waves of rapture that robbed them of breath.

He collapsed on her with his face nestled against her neck, gasping for breath, his heart racing in sync with hers, his long arms folded and tight against her sides and her limp hands in his hair as she held him, helpless, as the aftershocks rippled through out her.

“I think I died,” he murmured, the vibration of his voice making her shiver.

“Me too…”

They were quiet for a few minutes, letting their breathing try to return to normal.

“Too heavy?”

“No…perfect!”

Again there was only the sound of breathing….then…

“We have to do it twice, you know…”

She managed to move her head enough to peer at his face with a question.

“Get married…it’s Swiss law to have a civil ceremony too.”

She smiled and tugged on his hair to raise his head and nibble on his lips.

“Bring it on…once, twice, a hundred times….I WILL marry you!”

He laughed, then laughed again when she sighed as his now flaccid member slid out of the warmth of her.

He reached one long arm up to the sofa and pulled the throw down over them, taking most of his weight on his side and one hip but resting together clasped from head to toes. Sometime later he woke to find the fire burnt down to glowing embers and carried his love to their bed to spoon their bodies for the remainder of the night.

CHAPTER 100…TREASURE HUNTING

Gerd had obviously dealt with the surprising news from his mother before morning {or been dealt with by Sally} as he entered the kitchen and came to her for a hug, a Good Morning kiss and to murmur quiet apologies in her ear before seating himself at the table to pour a coffee.

Wisely, she didn’t pursue the matter, just beamed a huge pleased smile and carried on discussing the kitchen with Izzy.

“Where are your two guys? Not sleeping in surely?” he asked in a lull in the chatter.

“Shaving…Adam has this toy set…remember it from F.A.O. Schwartz?…he likes to pretend he’s all grown up like his Papa so Urs puts him up on a stool and lathers his face…they do look cute!”

“Wow! You got the ring!” Sally exclaimed, the first thing she noticed when she came in the kitchen.

The lovely symbol of their commitment was duly admired, Marta explained how she and Urs had arranged for her to deliver it and how she did when she accompanied Urs to the wine cellar, her mother’s instincts setting off bells and whistles at the little glance between this younger son and his chosen mate…someone else had plans for a commitment, and soon, if her guess was correct…and it usually was.

Urs and Adam eventually ambled in, Adam scurrying to his Mama with an imitation of Papa’s usual morning greeting.

“Good morning, Pretty Lady!” he said with a hug and sweet tasting toothpaste kiss before favoring his Oma and Sally with nearly as enthusiastic ones and climbing into his chair to see what was on offer this morning.

Everyone was dressed for work this morning, jeans, tees, comfortable shoes, the plan being for Sally, Gerd and Urs to go to the Chateau with the architect’s plans and begin sorting out what would be needed, what changes had to be made. Marta and Izzy would stay at Tranquillite and go through the bedrooms, suite by suite, doing the same sort of thing and Adam was going to be dropped off at Dee’s to play with Roger and Amelia, the only of Dee and Claude’s children who would not be away for the day at school.

“I was thinking yesterday that we should also check out the store room where Hugo found the high chair…there may be things in there that we can use…we both like antiques and even if there isn’t enough to completely furnish the house or the Chateau, adding one nice antique to a room can make a stunning statement…sort of like your teak cupboards.”

Urs nodded, busy wolfing down a huge bowl of Bircher muesli….for some reason {perhaps the long, thorough loving last night…and again this morning} he was ravenous today.

He glanced at Izzy and noticed that she was especially enthusiastic about breakfast as well and smiled. Perhaps that was the secret to helping her gain weight…stimulate her…appetite.

‘No problem…I can do that!’ he thought and laughed outright, quickly filling his mouth again so he wouldn’t have to explain why.

They took the rental for the short drive to the Chateau, laden with computer, briefcases, rolls of plans and thermoses of coffee, dropped Adam off at Dee’s and arrived just before the contractor Urs had arranged to meet at 8 a.m.

After an initial wander through they spread the plans out on the roomy dining table, covering the glistening mahogany with a table pad and a handy sheet of plywood first and began discussing the changes that would be needed.

Marta and Izzy decided to start on the top floor, leaving Ambra to happily deal with the kitchen and the supervising of the day maids who would be arriving around 9 a.m.

The suites at the top of the house were mostly empty of everything except a thin layer of dust but roomy and impressive never the less.

Wide dormer windows with bench seats built in opened onto the view of the back and front yards, the 2 ensuites were a little smaller but equipped nicely and modern, but all the walls and trim needed attention from a paint brush. One suite had no closet nor dressing room, a fact that amazed Izzy.

“Did these people not have many clothes? Or was everything folded and put in cupboards? I can’t imagine folding some of those full length gowns the ladies used to wear when this place was built.”

“I think it was the ladies maid’s responsibility to care for the Ladies gowns and they shared the maid’s quarters…you could put in a nice wardrobe, something roomy with rods and perhaps shelving on one side….that way you could avoid actual construction…but first you will have to decide on color schemes and get the painting done…I wonder if these rooms were initially used to quarter the staff so no importance was attached to keeping them nice.”

They discussed color schemes and made a note of the furnishings needed, both agreeing that in keeping with the age of the building and the name, soft hues would be the most appropriate.

“What if we named each suite something different? Perhaps after a flower or bird…somehow giving them color names seems too ordinary to me.”

“Good idea, Doter…if we can think of enough actual things or flowers…how many suites are there?”

“I think Dee said eight but I’m wondering now if she counted these quarters or the suite on the main floor. I kind of made the same mistake when I first saw the house, thinking it was three floors but now I realize there are 4 plus a very extensive basement area…if you include these rooms in the attic there must be about 15 suites.”

They were quiet for a few minutes, looking around, discovering that not all of the suites up here had ensuites and turned to each other with smiles, speaking at the same moment.

“What if…?”

“Have you…?”

They laughed and Izzy indicated that Marta should go first.

“Have you considered that you could use this entire floor for something else? You don’t really need the extra bedrooms.”

Izzy laughed.

“Exactly what I was thinking. This would make a great studio for Urs…we could knock out a few walls, soundproof it even more than it already is naturally…those trees outside would keep it cool in summer and sheltered in winter…and we could even put in an elevator, you know, one of those commercial types for moving heavier things up here…for sure the floors are stong enough to hold the equipment…I know he would dearly love to have his own space for composing and he could come up here and just close the rest of the world out.”

Marta clapped her hands together in pleasure.

“Excellent idea! But you need to get some professional advice on it, make sure it’s done right.”

“No problem…Simon likes me…I’ll ask for his advice.”

Just before they went down one floor to look at the other suites, they found an additional staircase that would be perfect for the elevator Izzy had mentioned. They went on with the inspection feeling like prospectors who had struck the Mother Lode.

**

Right after a rather late lunch the work continued, Marta and Izzy going to look at the items in storage while the other three went back to the Chateau to go over the plans the contractor had suggested. Adam had finished lunch and was napping peacefully with Amelia and Roger when Urs dropped by to pick him up so, at Dee’s suggestion, they left him until later.

‘Storage’ turned out to be a barn like structure hidden in the grove of trees behind the cottage and was crammed with centuries of items deemed too good to be completely discarded. It was yet another treasure trove and consumed both women for most of a dusty, fun filled afternoon.

They found wardrobes, chiffo-robes, heavy tables and chairs, side tables, sideboards, occasional chairs that needed recovering, trunks full of period clothing, box after box of books, head and foot boards that could be converted to accommodate the longer beds of modern times, secretaries, roll top desks, glass fronted display cabinets, an ancient wicker pram and best of all, an assortment of musical instruments just waiting to be loved and used once more.

Marta and Izzy took a break, sipping at the bottles of juice they had brought with them, covered with dust and cobwebs, Marta’s hair protected by a garish lemon yellow, feathered, wide brimmed hat that some Lady in past years had worn, likely very stylish in the day, but now adding an air of playful élan to the grinning woman.

“I worked as a milliner once for a while…just after Rolf and I split…it was fun but there really wasn’t much future in it…still, it fed the family…if my clients could just see me now.”

“It looks great with that streak of dirt on your cheek,” Izzy laughed, reaching out to give the streak a swipe that only made it worse.

“You’re not so squeaky clean yourself, Girl…at least you avoided the spiders …I think.”

Izzy was quiet for a minute and picked up another hat, this one also wide brimmed but green with several long fuchsia feathers sticking out at an angle.

“I used to wake up covered in bug bites in the camp… fortunately not from the bad bugs like the alacrans… scorpions…two of my most precious possessions were a jar of petroleum jelly to grease the posts Adam’s hammock hung from and the netting I used to keep things from dropping onto him from the ceiling….Gott, I came to hate bugs!”

Marta was silent, aware that she needed to talk about what had happened, to purge herself of any lingering memories.

“He hurt me…when Urs and Cody came for me, Urs hurt me…my face was bruised for days from the pressure of his hand on my face…but it was because I fought him…until I heard him say, ‘Liebe’…and something else but all I really heard was that voice, the love that I could hear even though we were struggling. It was like waking from a bad dream, not sure that what you felt and heard now was real, but praying that it was.

“He carried me out of that camp, in the darkness, through the jungle and it was like being re-born…and when we could finally talk without being discovered…he said he was there to bring me home, because he loved me…then at last I knew it was real and that I was truly free.

“I never stopped loving him during those 2 years and 5 months…what I felt for Urs and wanting to get Adam to him are what kept me alive and sane….I’ll make him a good wife, Marta…you can trust me with him.”

She looked up and Marta’s heart thumped when she saw the streaks of tears running through the dust on her cheeks.

“I know that, Liebling…and a good daughter to me…I love you like you were of my body.”

Her hand came out to brush the tears away and she smiled as the dust smeared.

“There now, we match…”

She plopped the ugly green hat on Izzy’s head and pointed to the spotted oval mirror leaning on the wall in front of them, both of them laughing and crying. After a few minutes they stopped and, the moment of tension and emotion relieved by laughter, went on with their treasure hunting.

Neither of the women were in the house when the trio came back in the late afternoon. They had picked Adam up and he called out eagerly for his Mama and Oma, wanting to share tales of the fun he had with his cousins and auntie.

Ambra was in the kitchen and laughed as they asked where the ladies were.

“They found my Hugo in the yard and dragged him into the shed to look at old things….that was a few hours past and I think they are still there.”

Curious now, Urs picked Adam up and, followed by Gerd and Sally, they went to investigate.

The door was open and the sound of laughter and conversation wafted out of the building.

“No…put it with the other instruments, over by the door…Gott, we’re going to need the man from the shop to come out here and give us an estimate…I can just picture the parties they had and the musicians strolling through the grounds…well maybe not with that standing harp but the other things… Marta, let me take an end of that.”

“Nein, Mme. Bella…let me do it…my Ambra will have my head if I let you lift heavy things.”

“Here, Bella…this will be perfect with your lovely hat…”

It was a scene from a movie when they entered the doorway and caught sight of the three ‘workers’, Izzy struggling to open a garish green and fuchsia parasol that did indeed match the floppy wide brimmed hat on her messy curls, only Marta’s butt visible until she stood tugging a small trunk to a very dusty tee shirt, another hat on her grey hair, this one matching the feathered stole dangling around her neck and Hugo, his lanky body encased in a red Swiss guard officers uniform jacket, complete with brass buttons and what was at one time a white harness and scabbard for a sword. He was lifting the small but rather heavy looking wooden trunk he wrestled from Marta and froze in place at the sight of the newcomers, his face turning red with the effort of the lifting the heavy trunk.

“Put it down, man, before you drop it…or burst a blood vessel,” Urs said calmly, laughing at the sight of his normally tidy mother and fiancé in their silly outfits.

“Gruezi…did you come to look for treasure too?” Izzy said with a grin, abandoning her struggle with the parasol and using it like a cane to strike a pose.

Urs was thrilled to see an old trunk with the official old uniforms of the Swiss Guard and teased Hugo that he was being presumptuous wearing the red doublet of an officer without having been promoted…he soon dug out the yellow, blue and red striped dress uniform of the halberders that was still used in modern times, thought about donning it but the dust gave him a sneezing fit so he resigned himself to merely wearing the morion he found, the purple plumes he said meant that it was the polished metal helmet of a Lieutenant Colonel.

It wasn’t long before a helmet clad Adam was sitting on the ground outside the shed, playing with some old toys that had been unearthed and wiped off, sort of, Urs, wearing an officer’s morion, was inspecting the numerous stringed {but no longer with any} instruments, Gerd had his own far too tight striped doublet complete with the pleated gorget collar and Sally looked ever so stylish decked out in a once white, yellowed lace bonnet and shawl as she sorted carefully through a box of delicate old books.

“What do you think?” Izzy said, coming up beside Urs.

“Can they be saved?...Ja, even for decoration…”

“Hugo says there’s a shop in town that does restorations of old instruments…we thought we might get the guy to come out and give us an estimate…there’s even an old piano back there but quite a bit of large stuff to move before we can get to it….and a beautiful dining room set, absolutely massive, with at least 15 chairs…why would they put all this stuff in storage? Some of it isn’t even damaged.”

Urs smiled at her, thrilled to see her so enthused.

“I think it’s human nature to want new things, to be ‘modern’…it isn’t until your home is full of new and improved that you realize that there is a beauty and value to possessions that have stood the test of time. And yes, I think we have to have the guy come out and look at these instruments…and the costumes…refurbished, they would make terrific decorations, some may even be usable, but if not, at least we should salvage them as historical objects. And I love your hat…it’s so…you!”

After another half hour they replaced most of the items in the shed, closed it up and went into the house for much needed showers before dinner.

**

Izzy woke to the sound of thunder crashing and lay for a few moments watching the flare of lightening that flashed across the sky nearby. Very quietly she slid out of bed, wide awake and filled with an anxiety that was making her quiver with anticipation, going naked to the windows that over looked the gardens below and watching nature’s display, thinking back to that time in Bancroft when the storm had started and she was alone in the cottage, the time before he had come to fulfill her dreams and enrich her life. So much had happened since then, joys and sorrows, now only memories, crowded out of importance by the plans they had for the future, the love they experienced every day, every moment they were together.

She felt his presence, even before she felt the warm arms that slipped around her body, pressing her back against the solid chest that rumbled with gentle vibrations as he bent his head to murmur in her ear.

“Just like when we met…the luckiest day of my life.”

His lips gently fluttered kisses across her neck, opened to nibble on her lobe and trace the curve of her ear with his warm tongue.

“I wanted to do this even before I got my wet clothes off. There’s something so sensual about you…I’ve never had a woman turn me on like you do, instantly ready…that first night, when I touched you…you were so wet, so eager…I wanted so much to give you pleasure but I wasn’t sure I could last…”

“But you did and you opened up a whole new world of sensation for me…no one had ever loved me the way you did that night…and I didn’t want it to ever end…..and I still don’t…”

She turned in his arms just as the lightening flashed once more, her ring catching the flare of light, her eyes wide and glowing, drinking in the sight of his dear face lit by the streak of dazzling fire.

“I want you.”

She could hear the barely suppressed lust in his voice, feel it in the arms that quivered as they tightened around her, setting her skin on fire, burning with a longing that was nearly frightening, deep inside.

“Love me, Urs, now…like the storm…hard and fast, with fire…take me …”

She devoured his mouth, wild with desire, her fingers in his hair, tugging, moving to his back to dig her nails in painfully, trying to hold on as he picked her up to toss her onto their bed. He growled deep in his throat as he fell heavily on top of her to bite at her mouth and rammed inside in a frenzy of lust when her legs came up to hold him in a vise, his hands rough on her breasts, his mouth following to suck and bite, his strong teeth clasping and pulling the nipples…his hands slid under her bottom to cup her cheeks, raise her hips and go deeper, rolling his hips to spiral inside, wet from the juices she was producing in her own frenzy, setting a fast, furious rhythm that made her gasp a plea for more, his swollen velvet balls slapping against her bottom as he increased the speed, entering his throbbing rock hard shaft to the fullest, pressed so tight that his nest of curls was crushing against her sweet spot, rubbing the tiny nub until she screamed his name as an orgasm consumed her.

He wasn’t finished, couldn’t see or hear her moans, intent only on the craving that this woman created in his depths, a craving that he couldn’t control, let loose now, a ravenous beast that couldn’t be leashed in…he inserted his fingers between them and stroked her clit to a yearning ache again, wanting to feel the ripple of her body in climax as she tightened around his pulsing shaft…he flipped them over on the bed so that she straddled his bucking hips, playing with her breasts as she rode him….but it was too tame…he needed more and her gasped ‘harder, damn you!’ inflamed him. He sat up, still joined, biting her breast, then her lips, standing and turning her, raising her hips, thrusting inside once more, his arm holding her around the belly and pulling her back to match his forward thrusts, the other rubbing her clit.

It was impossible to go higher…yet he took her there, bodies straining to reach a goal that stayed just out of reach…she clenched around him, slick and hot from friction, every thrust of his shaft seeming to fill her even more until she wasn’t sure any longer where her body ended and his began…the spasms started, eased, started again more intensely…she clutched at the damp sheets, pushing back, writhing her hips, trying to take him deeper, holding him prisoner inside with rippling muscles that moved the skin of his shaft, that beautiful rock hard hot **** that filled her totally. The lightening flared once more and he howled her name as he released, the warm fluid squirting inside to bathe the clenching muscles as she came again, rolling in waves around his pulsing member…. with a moan she went limp against his restraining arm letting the orgasm take her to another plane of existence where she had no control, could only lay against his arm, bathed in the pleasure that held her a willing captive.

Gently he lowered her to the bed again, laying partly on her boneless body, shuddering as he tried to catch his breath, able only to stroke her sweaty back with a weak hand.

When she could breathe again without gasping she turned her head to rest it against his, touching his lips gently, the taste of blood mingling between them from the bite he had given her in his frenzy.

“Oh Mein gott!” was all she was capable of at the moment.

“I hurt you…”

“You were wonderful!”

“You’re going to have marks…” he said licking her bruised and bleeding lip.

“You too…on your back…”

Outside the storm was moving on, the thunder farther away and the lightening flashes fainter as he pulled the duvet over them and snuggled her limp body into his arms, resting her head against his chest.

“I love you,” she murmured, nearly asleep already, more exhausted than she could ever remember being.

“I know…I will always love you…always!” he murmured against her head as he closed his eyes and drifted off, totally exhausted.

**

CHAPTER 101…LES AGE SAIN

The bed was a disaster area in the morning when she surveyed the sheets and duvet cover, both spotted with tiny pin pricks of blood from her lips and his back. She stripped them and hid the evidence in the closet, reminding herself to get some Hydrogen peroxide to clean the spots before they went to the laundry downstairs but smiling as she thought of how out of control they both had been.

“Ambra or one of the maids will do that, Liebe,” Urs said coming back from the bathroom with only a towel around his loins.

“For the day to day stuff I think I’d rather do our room myself, Urs…especially after a night like last night. Let me see your back”

He grinned and turned around.

Yes, it was pretty obvious what had caused the marks of nails on both sides of his muscular back…but they were closing up, already scabbed over. He turned again and gently kissed the little mark on her lower lip.

“I’ve never been such an animal before…I had no control of my body, couldn’t see, only a red haze and this feeling that I HAD to have you or die. I’m sorry if I hurt you, Baby.”

“Did you? I just remember wanting you so much that I could feel fire from the lightening on my skin and deep inside…we may have to stay away from each other during storms in the future.”

She smiled and melted into his arms, reliving some of the night in her mind, carefully keeping in control.

They made the bed together then dressed for the day of more work on the house and Chateau.

Urs teased her when she adjusted her thong several times.

“Woman are you thinking naughty thoughts?…we haven’t even had breakfast yet!”

Izzy laughed and pulled her jeans on gently.

“I seem to have discovered some rather tender spots…and no, you can’t check for bruises…but I may have to spend the day standing up.”

They could hear Adam talking to Percy, his stuffed bear, in a mixture of English, Spanish and some words that may have been French.

“He’s going to pick up French the easy way…from the other children,” Urs commented as they left their suite and went to get him ready for the day.

“I’m impressed with Stefan. He’s really responsible and mature for a 10 year old…but I think Dee and Claude are right to want a nanny and to give him some freedom…he needs to be with others his own age more, especially at his age.”

“And we need some time to talk about one for us, so we can have time alone…I love Adam but I want you for myself sometimes…we should ask Mami if she knows anyone in the family who might be interested.”

Adam had decided to dress himself this morning and though it wasn’t a perfect job, with buttons a little uneven and shoes on the wrong feet, he had done fairly well.

They silently chose not to correct him, instead praising him for his attempt and went down for breakfast.

Homer was out in the yard when they reached the kitchen so Urs managed to get Adam out of his mismatched shoes and into Wellies to go out in the still wet yard to play with the old dog for a few minutes. Izzy watched them through the window, her son who was fast getting over his nervousness of dogs as he threw an old tennis ball that was soft for the tender teeth and accepted it back to throw again. She felt Marta come up beside her and turned to smile at her fellow treasure hunter.

“Good morning…Bringing Homer with you was a good idea. Adam is getting really comfortable around him… I love to watch my two guys together. It’s something I used to dream about and now it’s true.”

“They certainly are a matched set…whenever I look at them it takes me back to when Urs was a little boy.”

Marta noticed the mark on Izzy’s lip and smiled but said nothing, keeping her thoughts to herself.

‘And that love bite takes me back too….so you two are well matched in and out of bed…Good for you, Doter!...Danke Gott you aren’t like that cold fish he was with for a short time while you were missing….it hurt me so much to hear the tension in his voice or see the pinched, unhappy look on his face…’

They came back in in a flurry of happy, tail wagging dog, laughing little boy and grinning man. As if he had known what his Mami was thinking Urs expressive face took on a look of tenderness as he stood from arranging Adam’s shoes opposite the proper feet and lay a gentle finger against the mark on his woman’s lip…then kissed it softly.

He put his arms around the two women as Adam scurried past them heading for the table.

“Two pretty ladies waiting for us…we’re lucky guys this morning, my Sohn,”

“Buhler, are you sure you’re not Irish? Some days you’re so full of the Blarney…”

“We invented it but the Irish stole the credit…Good morning Ambra,” he said with one of his trademark dimpled smiles as she brought fresh coffee to the table.

“Good morning, M. Urs…your timing is perfect…the croissants are just cooled enough to eat.”

“Croissants? Did I hear you right?” boomed Gerd as he and Sally entered the kitchen hand in hand.

“Did you hear that storm last night?” Gerd asked as he pulled Sally’s chair out for her, then threw his long leg over the back of another to seat himself and reach for the steaming warm pastry. “It woke us up and we watched for a while…it was so wild and wonderful.”

Busy with choosing sustenance, everyone missed the murmured “It certainly was!” from Izzy and the quick smile Urs shared with her.

Marta busily unbuttoned Adam’s shirt, supposedly to see the nice tee shirt he had on underneath and after suitably admiring it, did up the buttons again, in the proper holes, much to Urs’ amusement as he occupied himself readying a bowl of Birchermuesli for his son.

“I left the inventory we brought home last night on the coffee table, Liebe…just in case you find free time to go over it today. There’s some mention of storage in the tunnels under the house, in particular, kitchen equipment. If you go down there make sure you take a torch…I don’t know how long it’s been since anyone checked the lighting.”

“Not today, I think…we have plans to check out the bedrooms and make some lists…and then I thought we might get some fresh air …Hugo said there are quite a few plants at the old cottage that could be salvaged so if he has time we’ll take Homer for a walk and go see. Adam will be with us today as Dee has some things to do in Lausanne.”

“No playing with Amelia and Roger today?” Adam piped up with a wistful look on his face.

“Not today, Luv…today you get to play with Mama and Oma…and Homer…we’ll take him for a long walk and you can play fetch with him.”

“I like Homer…he isn’t bitey.”

“Well, I’m going to spend some time on the computer,” Gerd added to the conversation. “I need to get some quotes for the medical equipment you guys will need…and talk to the UN liaison and see just what kind of budget they have in mind. If we’re going to offer them exclusive rights to those 6 suites they can’t expect to get it without putting something up front…and don’t worry…I won’t give away our control of the facility, not even a little bit. I’m not just a pretty face you know.”

“Danke Gott!” Urs commented with a grin and fielded a croissant that was tossed at him.

Izzy had just finished brushing her teeth after breakfast and was replacing her phone in her jeans pocket when Urs sought her out, striding into their suite with a grin and quickly capturing her unresisting body in a bear hug.

“I’m heading out…but I couldn’t go without one last feeling of your delicious body against me….I’d like to stay home today and make love to you for hours, slowly, treasuring every touch, every moment…but I can’t…”

She ran her hands up his chest to his curly head, losing her fingers in his hair as she cupped his head and raised her face to him with a smile.

“I know, Love…there was something so liberating for me last night, something that made me believe that whatever we share is very special…what happened to me in that jungle was violence, not love, not even really sex, just the only way a vicious man had of trying to dominate me, mind and body. You set me free showing me that we can be wild, out of control with desire and still share unbelieveable pleasure…you are a very special man, Urs Toni Buhler…and all mine!!”

They indulged in a passionate kiss that could have gotten out of control easily but for the little voice that called up the stairs.

“Papa…Onkle Gerd says ‘No More Kissy face…time to work!’ Papa?”

Urs laughed and squeezed her bottom, sucking on the nipples that bumped out on the front of her tee shirt and leaving wet marks.

“Gotta go…I think an early night tonight, my little Goddess!”

He was gone in a flurry of blinky winks, adjusting himself in his snug jeans before he raced down the upper hall to the stairs….Izzy laughed and changed her tee shirt then went to join Adam and Marta.

The lists grew longer and longer as they went from room to partially empty room, keeping a detailed account of the condition, the dimensions, thanks to a handy tape measure Izzy had brought along, possible color scheme and names, helped of course by Adam who was fascinated by the echo of his little voice rebounding off the walls. Each inspected suite of rooms received a large post-it note with a number on the outer door for ease of delivering furnishings and they went on until only the Master suite and Adam’s rooms was left to do.

“This won’t be nearly the chore I thought it would,” Izzy commented as they returned to the Master suite. “Once we bring in the items we found in storage, we shouldn’t need more than a few modern pieces to finish them off…I think I even saw rolled up carpets behind the piano…we can have Hugo take them out onto the lawn and have a close look, see if they can be cleaned and salvaged.”

“What do you have planned in here, Doter?”

“Just the dressing room….I drew up some tentative plans on my laptop for it…I want to put in shelving, drawers and more rods, a space for all Urs’ shoes, good lighting and a couple of full length mirrors…maybe a little bench in the center to sit on and put your shoes on.”

“Don’t forget a shoe polishing spot…you know how Urs is about always putting his shoes and boots away clean.”

They both laughed indulgently over his shoe fetish, added a couple of minor things to the lists and collected Adam from his playroom to go down for lunch.

Today they were on their own, the others having packed a lunch so they could continue working on the Chateau, though for a change Hugo joined them, coming in timidly but soon warming up when he realized that he was welcome.

Ambra served them a hearty beef soup and thick slices of freshly baked bread then joined them at the round table.

“Ambra, have you had a chance yet to write down anything you need for the cottage?” Izzy asked.

Ambra hesitated so her husband spoke up.

“Refrigerator is broken, very old…is not safe…makes bad electric smell and doesn’t get cold….I pulled out the plug.”

“Let’s just get a new one then and start out fresh…pick one out and have it delivered…just let me know the cost and Urs will take care of it.…and that’s another thing…Hugo, I think for the next few weeks there is going to be too much really heavy work for just one man…do you know someone who would like some part time work to help you? We have a lot of furniture to move into the house, some things that will require a craftsman to refinish….Urs and I won’t be here after next Monday so I will leave it up to you to hire whoever you need and see that they do the work…I’ll arrange with Dee to pay them whatever you think is fair.”

He flushed with pride at the trust she was placing in him and dropped his head to concentrate on his soup.

“Oui, I can do that, Mme.”

Now that the subject of money had been broached they discussed management of the property and established a routine. Ambra said that the shopkeepers in Lausanne had always been amenable to running accounts for the estate so Izzy promised to open them before leaving again…and she asked for an accounting of all the supplies that had already been brought in, was relieved when she heard that out of habit the housekeeper had kept track of everything in a ledger.

Lunch over, they went back to the storage shed, settled Adam on a roomy sofa for a nap and started once more on the treasures, using a sticker system with post-its to denote the suggested suite the items would be taken to once they were cleaned and/or refurbished.

Around 2 in the afternoon Izzy vanished and Marta found her outside, looking at the amount of cleared space around the shed.

“Does Urs still have some motorbikes stored at your place, Mami?” she asked and received an affirmative nod.

“And a couple in London, the working ones…what are you thinking Kinder? You have THAT look on your face.”

Izzy laughed.

“You know me so well already. I was just thinking that there may be enough room to attach a roomy workshop on the shed without disturbing the landscape…you know, a place where he can work on his bikes without having to intrude on another area…there’s lots of stone around to make it blend in with the other structures, easy access to the drive…he could spend as much or as little time as he wanted in there and when he had to quit, just leave it in progress and shut the door.”

“And you could add a shower with good hot water so he can clean up…he would love it!! A surprise?”

“I was thinking maybe a Christmas present if it could be done in time…Let’s ask Hugo!!”

Hugo, it seemed, was all in favor of the project, just happened to know a couple of retired stone masons who would welcome the work and they spent nearly an hour working out the details, finishing when Adam came out of the shed, rubbing sleepy eyes and ready to play some more. Homer, who had napped on the floor beside HIS boy, came out as well, stretching, returned for his tennis ball and came back with tail wagging, also ready to play.

“Mme…it is going 3 in the afternoon…if you still want to go to the old cottage we should perhaps go soon…”

Izzy smiled and nodded.

“Thank you Hugo….I’m afraid I’m not very Swiss yet…especially when I’m having such a good time planning and treasure hunting. Yes, we’ll go now if Marta is ready.”

“Pit stop first for Omas and little boys, I think,” Marta said taking Adam’s hand and heading to the bathroom just off the kitchen.

Adam came racing back out just minutes later announcing to anyone interested that Oma would be a few more minutes because “girls have to sit to go pee and Oma is a girl”. Hugo pretended not to have heard him but the grin he was trying to hide gave him away and made Izzy chuckle.

The two males and one very happy dog started down the drive, going slowly because of the difference in size, the small boy barely coming up to the lanky man’s knees even though from years of hard work and his approaching elder years Hugo was slightly stooped about the shoulders. There didn’t seem to be an ounce of fat anywhere on his body, most of it, Izzy assumed worked off since he was incredibly strong, his neck and shoulders roped with muscle that could be seen through the denim shirt he wore. He wore his hair just a bit long, as if he couldn’t be bothered with barbers and allowed Ambra to trim it on a not too regular basis. It was his gentle attitude that intrigued her though, the respectful, but not fawning, way he was with both herself and Marta, the gentleness and patience he showed with Adam, answering the boy’s repeated questions calmly in such a way that Adam could understand…already Adam followed him around like a curious puppy, like he was now, walking with the same loose limbed, hands in pockets, stride as Hugo was and asking even more questions.

“He’s a nice man,” Marta commented as they followed along behind, enjoying the freshness of the air after the storm last night.

“Speaking of nice men…have you talked to yours since you’ve been here? He must be missing you…how about you…miss him?”

Marta smiled a sweet wistful look.

“I miss having him next to me in my bed…and how he makes this renewed old body sing.”

She peeked sideways at Izzy to see if she had shocked the younger woman, quite relieved to see her smile.

“My son is more like me than his father, all 5 of them are…it was one of the problems between Rolf and I…he found me too…demanding…he’s happy now with a trophy wife and their regular-as-clock-work once a week loving. Zus and I….we talked for quite a while last night on the phone.”

“I think the boys have begun to accept that you have a life other than just family and responsibilities…though at first I thought I would have to give Gerd CPR.”

Marta laughed at the memory of that conversation.

“I thought Urs would be the most difficult…as the eldest he’s always had to shoulder a large portion of the raising of the others, financially, emotionally…but I think the fact that he has traveled so much and seen so much of the world has made him a deep thinker and very open to different lifestyles…and you’ve been good for him, Doter. He has matured since he met you, not really changed, just grown into the man I knew he would be.”

“He’s a good man, Marta, you can be proud of him…I’m proud that out of all the women in the world he could have picked he chooses to be with me.”

Hugo must have tired of the questions they saw as he started tossing the ball down the road for Homer, passing it to Adam when the dog brought it back and laughing when the first attempt sent the bright yellow ball into the weeds at the side of the road.

“So when is he coming?”

Marta laughed at Izzy’s accurate guess.

“Today, around 6…he has Tuesday and Wednesday off and needs to be back for choir practice on Thursday….do you think the boys will flip out if we share a suite?”

“Maybe…but I’ll let Sally know and I’m sure we can handle them…Gerd would try to walk on water if she asked…and Urs…he may be a bit uncomfortable but I’m sure I can distract him.”

Marta laughed and reached up to touch her own lip, nodding her head at Izzy’s.

“I’m sure you can.”

They had neared the burned out property and stopped briefly by the side of the road, the two women catching up to Hugo, Adam and Homer who were all inspecting the tangled brush that completely filled in the old driveway.

“I remember it so well,” Hugo said when they approached. “A bad storm, worse than last night…they were staying at the Chateau in the servants’ quarters beside the pool so she didn’t have to climb the stairs…arthritis, you know. Everything went and fast…we still used gas then for some of the buildings and the tanks blew from the heat of the fire…you could see the flames all the way to the gatehouse…The old Duc set them up in the little cottage by the chapel, bought new clothes, beds, even a television though they never had one before…but it was sad…so much had been lost, so many memories…until one day about a month later he came to the cottage with a photo album…he had copies of photos from over the years, pictures of them when their children were young and so were they…he was like that, the Old Duc…a good man…like the new ones are going to be.”

He shook the sadness from his shoulders and went on with deciding on a path into the yard.

“Come…I will go first and clear a path…stay back a bit Little Sir, so the branches don’t hit you.”

Using sheer strength Hugo bulled his way through the growth, breaking branches, pulling vines and tossing them aside, casting away the detritus of over 15 years to open a narrow path that bared an old trace of driveway. The rain from last night was still heavy on the branches and they soon were all wet from the drips, hair plastered to scalps, clothing splattered but determined more than ever now to get into the yard and see what remained of what had once been well maintained gardens.

It took nearly 15 minutes of struggle to join Homer in the yard, the dog somehow managing to slip himself under, over and through the tangle with ease and stand waiting in the long grass of what had been a spacious yard with tongue lolling, seeming to laugh at his less nimble companions.

The dominant feature of the property was the building foundation, the stone frame smothered in vines that had softened the stark edges, hiding the charred remains of timbers and smoke stained stone. Several trees that had burned that long ago night had come down over the years, a couple leaning against the foundation, withered, devoid of bark, shiny from the rain, draped with vines that grew rapidly in the fertile soil. A huge tree was down across the yard, another victim of the blaze but this one having resisted the forces of nature until recently, the broken branches showing sandy brown still, the bare trunk grey and slick with rainfall, perhaps just last night succumbing to the wind that had accompanied the lightening and downpour.

Hugo pointed to a tangled rose bush that was still heavy with buds, most of the open blossoms having lost petals from the wind but the buds fat and healthy, nearly ready to open.

“This has no disease…if the vines are cleared away and the bush cut back it could be a good addition to the back garden…near where M. Urs had me put up the hammock… I believe it is scented.”

He reached into the tangle and plucked a bud, gently folding the petals back and holding it out to Izzy.

“MMMMM…smell this Marta…it’s spicy, almost like a carnation.”

“Mme., perhaps we should ask the Little Sir to stay away from the ruins of the house…the windows would have blown out and there may be glass hidden in the grass.”

“Good thinking Hugo…Adam…you can play in the yard near us but you are NOT to go near the piled up stones over there…that used to be a house and it burned, like in a campfire…there may be glass around it that could hurt you or Homer. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mama…no going near the piled up stones…I’ll watch Homer too…I don’t think he understands English too good.”

“Good boy!”

Adam scurried off to the waiting dog, carefully trying to throw the ball away from the forbidden zone, pausing now and then to pick up something of interest he found in the long grass, laying stretched out full length at one point to catch his breath and watch the scudding clouds over head while Homer plopped down beside him, panting but eager to continue.

The inspection of the old flower beds went on, revealing hardy plants that hadn’t given up the ghost to the invasion of weeds: sturdy old rose bushes, several varieties of daisy, a massive clump of veronica, the delicate tendrils of Dicentra hidden under a straggly Wisteria, dried remains of tulips, daffodils and flags that would bear investigating.

They parked their tired, wet bodies on the grass and discussed what should be done.

“It’s late in the season now…should we wait for spring?” Izzy asked.

“We should clear away some of the useless items and give the others a chance…it would mean getting some help though…I’m sorry, Mme. But with the furnishings and the work shop I won’t have much time to do it before the snow comes.”

“Then you go ahead and get someone in to do it, someone you can trust…and give me the account so I can handle it, just like with the stone masons…I do want this to be a surprise for Urs…and do you really think we can slip that Cross vine to start it growing on the workshop?”

“Yes, Mme…it grows like a weed, sort of like the Little Sir.”

Izzy had been watching Adam off and on, impressed with the way he kept Homer from venturing near the old house and stayed away himself.

They were back to playing fetch again and just as she looked over at him, Adam was climbing up on the huge tree that had fallen across the yard to reach for the ball that was wedged between a couple of small broken branches. His feet slipped on the slick surface, the rain and years of weathering turning parts of the trunk into a smooth grey wood that gave scant purchase to little running shoes.

She rose to her feet to go help him, watching him stretch…then slide over the smooth boll and disappear, head first, with a small shriek.

“Mama!”

“ADAM!!”

She wasn’t conscious of her feet pelting across the wet grass or the broken branches of the tree that jabbed at her hands and body as she threw herself onto and over the top of the trunk, only that she was where she had seen him slip…and he was nowhere to be seen.

She scrambled up and over, landing on what felt like very thick old boards…and with a small, boy-sized hole where a thick branch of the downed tree had broken through, punching a narrow opening through the wood.

Suddenly Hugo was beside her, roughly pushing her out of the way and tearing at the opening with his bare hands, only succeeding in making the hole very slightly larger and ripping the skin off his hands.

“Les age sain!! L’ c’est les age sain!”

‘Sain…that’s well in French….Oh god, he’s in an old well…Okay, Major, calm…time to panic later…’

Quickly she grabbed Hugo by the head and forced him to look at her….

“Get help, Hugo!...You can’t get that thick cover off without help to move the tree…GO!!”

He was gone in a flash, barreling through the narrow path they had made while Izzy slipped her jacket off and tossed it at Marta who had now managed to come around the fallen tree and gasp as she assessed the situation.

“My phone is in my pocket…get Urs…tell him to bring help…and lights.”

She slipped her shoes off and swung her legs over the rough edges of the hole, almost completely filling the small space.

“ADAM? ADAM CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

“Izzy you can’t go down there!” Marta was trying for calm as she fumbled with the jacket, found the phone and punched in the preset number.

“Have to…… ADAM, HANG ON LUV…MAMA IS COMING!”

She forced herself through the small opening, ripping her shirt and scraping her chest on the jagged edges…and was gone just as Urs picked up the call.

**

CHAPTER 102….LES AGE SAIN cont.

A long, sturdy branch was what had done the damage, punching through the old well cover with the weight of the massive falling tree boll behind it.

Izzy grasped the nubs of wet, broken branches sticking out at angles, feeling for the lower ones with her sock feet, going carefully but as fast as possible into the darkness.

“Adam, keep still, Love…Mama is climbing down to you…and Oma is phoning for Papa…he’ll know what to do to get us out of here…you just keep still and be a brave boy like Papa would be…”

She kept going, sliding sometimes on the smooth trunk where the branches had been smaller and snapped off completely, concerned because the further down she went the smaller the circumference of the trunk.

“Adam, talk to me…I need you to talk to me so I can tell where you are…”

“I’m cold, Mama…and my tummy hurts….”

‘Oh god, he sounds so far down there…I have to go faster…’

“Adam are you in water?”

“No…I’m stuck…stuck in a tree…it hurts my head when I try to move….”

Her probing hand touched what she was pretty sure wasn’t part of the tree trunk…

‘Roots! Some roots have managed to break through the well walls….his head hurts?...did he hit it? …..whoa…no more tree…now what do I do?...are there enough roots that I can use them to get down further?’

She braced her feet against the wall, feeling around for protrusions, grasped a handy root and went on, feeling with her soaked feet against the damp and oozing walls for more roots, stone work that had been pushed out, anything that would bear her weight.

“Mama? I can see something moving above me…is that you Mama?”

“Yes, Adam…I…”

The stone she had transferred her weight to slipped out of it’s niche in the wall and plummeted, her hands slid on the greasy surface of the roots and she followed the stone, twisting her body away from where she thought Adam was, hitting the wall with her left shoulder and bouncing off to fall butt first into water.

It was icy cold and smelly, thick with ooze from the mushy bottom that her feet sank ankle deep into when she tried to stand. Her head broke above the surface, in water to her neck, likely from the rain last night and run off from the surrounding ground. She choked back a scream that would have frightened her son as her damaged shoulder shot excruciating agony through her entire body.

Adam was crying now, nearly hysterical knowing that his mother had fallen.

“I’m alright, Adam…the water is not deep…keep still, that’s a good boy…I can see your shadow above me…just keep still so you don’t fall too.”

She had looked up, the shape of her son merely a wiggling dark outline against the dim light from above…he seemed to be caught in a knot of roots, some of which extended all the way to just above the water level….very carefully she tucked her left hand into the waist band of her jeans to immobilize her arm, then reached her other just above her head to tug on a dangling root. It seemed solid so she braced her feet against the wall and started a labourious, extremely painful climb up to her son.

**

The phone in Urs jeans rang insistently. His first impulse was to ignore it since his hands were full at the moment, moving a pile of books out of the library and into plastic storage tubs. He set the books down on a desk and grimaced at Sally who was similarly occupied, pulling the phone out and glancing at the call display. He smiled and flipped the cover up to connect.

“Gruezi…you miss me?”

“Urs, don’t talk, just listen.” His mother’s voice carried enough tension to make him freeze in place, every nerve on full alert. “Adam has fallen into the well at the burned out house…Izzy went in after him…Hugo went for help…we need her medical kit, lights, ropes, something strong to move a fallen tree and the well cover…Mein Gott! I think she just fell too!...Hurry! I’m going to phone Dee.”

The line went dead and he stared at the phone for a second before dropping it and whirling about to stare at Sally.

“Adam and Izzy are in a well at the burned out house…get her kit…our suite, dressing room…and torches!”

He was gone before she could react, racing down the stairs and out the pool house doors, across the expanse of rolling lawn, past the two guest houses, around the end of the garage and into the trees, taking the shortest way he knew to reach them, his mind racing almost as fast as his long legs, lungs gasping for air as he forgot to breathe, ‘I can’t lose them’ his mantra as he tried to go faster. A fence was in his way…he vaulted over, dodging around trees now, slapped by wet branches but not feeling them, skidding on the wet grass, leaping onto and over boulders in his way, over another fence and through someone’s back yard, a high fence this time but with a gap that he squeezed through, leaving a piece of his jeans on a protruding nail, through brambles that tugged at his skin and clothing, again a fence loomed in front of him, the musty smell of old wet ashes coming to him as he vaulted this one as well and neared the place he needed to be, straight through what had at one time been an herb garden, ignoring the scent of sage and rosemary gone wild, around the corner of the old foundation …THERE…his mother was kneeling on the ground, leaning over a small opening in a wooden cover, beside a huge downed tree. He skidded to a stop beside her, taking in her tear streaked face and pallor.

“In there?”

He threw himself on the ground beside the hole when she nodded and tried vainly to peer into the darkness below.

“Izzy? IZZY?”

“HERE! Did you bring a light?”

“It’s coming…are you alright?…and Adam…is he injured? Are you in the water?”

“Not now…there are roots….he’s hurt, in shock…keeps going in and out…”

“Papa?”

The weak voice of his son was nearly too much to bear and he felt his throat constricting, swallowed so he would sound a little more normal.

“Do what Mama tells you, Adam…we’ll get you out of there very soon.”

He felt Marta’s hand on his shoulder, and dropped his brow to the wood to deep breathe, trying for calm.

“Dee?”

“She sent out the alarm…help will be here soon. We can’t do anything until the tree is moved…Hugo tried to tear the cover off but it’s too strong for a man.”

“How could this happen? Why was he allowed near this old well?” he growled at his mother who paled at the anger she saw and felt in him…but he knew he was wrong to be angry and regretted his accusation immediately…coming at the scene from the other direction he had seen it instantly…with the tree in the way from the other side it wouldn’t be visible.

“I’m sorry Mami…you couldn’t know it was here…or what damage the storm did.”

“He was playing with Homer…if I hadn’t brought the dog…”

“Adam loves that silly old mutt…”

He threw himself at the edges of the hole, using his strength to break pieces off but making little headway. Even bracing his feet against the old wood had little effect other than to make him nearly black out from the effort. He backed off, circling the cover, frantically clearing away debris, searching for a place that might allow a handhold, loose nails, cracks, anything that would give him a chance to move the cover and free his family…there was nothing!

They could hear the squeal of brakes, then voices on the road, then crashing through the narrow pathway as Gerd and Sally raced into sight, several of the vineyard workers following closely behind. The sound of running horses and jingling harness got closer and suddenly the Friesians burst through the undergrowth with Hugo astride Bucephalus, festooned with coils of rope and waving a long, solid prybar, Inky right behind draped with coils of rope and clanking chains.

“Baby, the troops have arrived,” he called down into the darkness, laying once more on the cover with his head at the opening, trying to sound upbeat though he felt far from it.

“Urs, I need a board to strap Adam down…and a roll of tape…just in case…”

There was a catch in her voice that warned him not to ask ‘just in case, what?’

“As soon as we can…just hang on Liebe…”

He felt firm hands on his shoulders and looked up to see Gerd bending over him and Sally holding out a flashlight.

“Don’t look up, Baby…I’m going to shine a light down on you.”

He panned the powerful light down the inside of the well, surprised to see most of the stone work still in place until he was down about 20 feet. The branch that had poked through the cover ended then and he still couldn’t see them. Another 15 feet then at about 40 feet he saw roots poking through the rounded sides, a number of stones dislodged or almost falling out because of the thick growth…and then two small bodies huddled between a tangle of gnarled roots with Izzy’s pale hand holding their son in place. Not far below them water glistened faintly, interlaced with large and small roots that dangled from the main knot. Izzy was braced against the wall and one of the larger roots, one leg wrapped around a wandering tendril, the other with her foot against a stone that had been pushed partly out of the wall, her bottom against a knot of roots and Adam wedged between some others. There was mud…and blood… on both of them but she looked up and smiled…Adam lay motionless though his mouth moved and Urs thought he heard a whispered moan.

Urs looked up at the commotion around him, torn between wanting to help and needing to keep his family in sight.

Claude and a host of others had arrived. Teams were busily fixing chains around the downed tree, digging trenches under the boll and wiggling the chain underneath, then clipping the large hooks to the harnesses on the two eager work horses.

“Urs…Urs…listen to me…” Sally was prodding at him, trying to get his attention. “They’re going to move the tree…pieces of the cover might fall in and hit them…see if you can drop this down to Izzy to cover them so they don’t get hurt.” She held out a thickly padded blanket, the sort of thing you would put over a horse to cool him down or use to pad furniture so it didn’t get scratched.

“Rope…let me lower it…if she lunges for it she might fall again.”

Only seconds later he had what he had asked for and told Izzy what he was doing. He lowered it down while Gerd held the light, then watched while she awkwardly draped it over Adam and ducked under herself.

The horses seemed to welcome the command to go forward, taking up the slack in the chains…they leaned into the traces, straining to budge the tree, having little success at first…it moved, but only inches, caught on the spikey branches, snapped them off and rolled a bit, caught again on the cover over the old well. Claude and several other men jabbed at the seam between the well and the cover, using the space they made to pry the cover with the 8 foot long metal pry bar…it moved slightly…the teamsters encouraged the Friesians…the horses leaned into the traces again, bracing their huge feathered feet in the slick soil, straining with those massive chests while everyone present held their breath, standing well back out of the way…Marta slipped her arms around Urs waist and hid her wet face against his chest.

“Breathe, Mami…just breathe…it will work…”

She could feel the tension in his body, his muscles so tight he was shaking as he willed the horses to move the obstacle.

With one more massive surge from the Friesians the tree rolled away, snapping dried branches as it tumbled, taking the cover with it and the reciprocal motion knocking the men on the pry-bar to the ground. A cheer went up that was quickly stifled as Urs rushed to the now open well and peered down.

Several pieces of wood and small tree branches had fallen onto the cover over Izzy and Adam but they fell off, into the water, as she peered out from under, blinking in the brightness of the sunlight pouring into the well and several flashlights now shining down on them.

Sally lay down beside Urs, peering down into the well.

“Urs, you have to let me go down to put Adam on the back board…I know how to do it…and it looks to me as if Izzy has hurt her arm and can’t…I know you want to go get them but please…think calmly, logically…and let me.”

He closed his eyes for a moment then nodded.

“What can I do to help?”

“Don’t lose it!!! Be the first person they see when they get out…you mean everything to both of them.”

Gerd hooked her up, following her directions of how to make a harness. Urs found a perfect back board for Adam in the remnants of the shattered well cover and stuffed the rolls of wide tape from Izzy’s medical kit into Sally’s pocket, giving her a quick hug before she backed over the lip of the well and walked down the wall, one hand on the rope held by Urs, Gerd and one of the burly workers and the other clasping the board to her side.

They couldn’t hear the conversation between the two women, just a murmur with nothing distinct but those who found a spot at the lip watched as the boy was strapped to the board with tape holding his head and body immobile. Sally took a short length of rope and wound it around the boy, board and herself, put her arm firmly around him and called up to be pulled out.

The minute she came over the lip of the well with her precious burden Urs took the weight of the boy and board while Claude untied the rope around them. Urs gently carried Adam to the grass and lay him down, still on the board, shaking as he saw how pale the boy was and the blood on his muddy clothing.

“Papa?”

“I’m here, Sohn”

“Cold, Papa…hurts…”

“He’s in shock, Urs…you need to keep him warm.” Sally had suddenly appeared beside him, without her harness.

“Here, Urs, cover him,” Mami said pressing a thick blanket in his hands.

“Stay with him, Mami…I need to get Izzy.”

“Adam needs you more, Urs…Gerd has already gone down for her. She’s too heavy for me… and her shoulder is dislocated,” Sally softly explained.

He was angry for a second but Adam began shivering and he covered him, tucking the blanket around him and crooning to him softly to keep him distracted and calm, listening impatiently as Mami gave him a play by play of what was happening.

The blanket and the old German lullaby that he had first heard when he was a child soon had the desired effect and he felt the small hand he was holding relax as it warmed.

“She’s looking for you and Adam,” Mami said taking Adam’s hand from him and giving him a permissive push.

He looked up to see Gerd approaching with Izzy carefully in his arms, her left shoulder clearly distorted, body muddy and smeared with blood, hers or Adam’s, he didn’t know.

“Here… sit here,” Sally called out, spreading a blanket next to Adam and motioning that Gerd should sit on it. “She shouldn’t lie down…hurts too much.”

Gerd gently sat on the blanket, as near as he could to Adam and Urs caught her hand in his, wanting to hold her but warned off moving her again by the shake of Sally’s head.

“Urs…Adam?...”

“He’s resting, Liebe…I should beat you for going down there!”

She smiled through the tears that she likely hadn’t even been aware of.

“Later…looking forward to it…keep waking him up Urs…I’m worried about concussion…he needs a doctor, ex-rays…he complained that his head hurt…”

“I think it was the roots caught in his hair…but we need to be sure,” Sally added softly.

“Ambulance is on the way,” Claude said from nearby and Urs looked up in surprise, not even remembering when his cousin had arrived.

‘Wake Adam up’ she said…Okay, he could do that…

“Adam…wake up Sohn and talk to Papa…Adam!!”

The honey colored eyes opened and he struggled for a second against the restraints, settling when Urs put his hand on the little arm once more and held him gently.

“Mama is safe too, Adam…she’s right here beside you.”

“Mama climbed down the tree…but she runned out and falled in the water…she said “don’t move, Adam…be brave like Papa” so I tried…smelly!...don’t like that pool!”

Sally was kneeling on the other side of Izzy trying to take her vitals but having little success.

“Sal…did you tend to Hugo’s hands? He ripped them up trying to get the cover off…Sal, bugger off…I’m fine…or I will be as soon as my shoulder is set…you could do that but I would likely embarrass you by screaming.”

“Iz, you’re a wonderful doctor but you really suck as a patient…no way I’m playing with your shoulder and having you clock me with your good arm.”

She grinned and took the medical bag, going in search of Hugo who was sure to be more tractable.

The ambulance arrived, lights flashing but siren off, accompanied by one of the pre-teen girls who had returned from school to find organized chaos on the estate and Dee had dispatched her to the gatehouse to await medical help.

The medics quickly assessed the situation and loaded the injured woman and boy inside, offered to take Hugo too but he vanished like smoke at the suggestion. Urs hopped into the back between his son and his woman, nodded to Gerd who called out that they would follow and turned his attention back to his loved ones.

For a minute there was silence at the site of the accident.

Horst and Hans arrived to collect the Friesians, aware of what had happened when Dee stopped them as they got home from school. They talked quietly with the men still at the site, looking around for their father but well aware of his dislike of doctors and hospitals. They collected the harnesses and walked between the still frisky horses on the way back to the stables and praised them for their efforts, promising an extra ration of grain this night.

Sally began picking up the medical supplies that had been used or discarded, Marta was folding blankets, the vineyard workers were milling about, hands in pockets, some talking with their buddies, some going to the well to peer down into the depths.

It wasn’t clear later who started it, just that the act snowballed. One of the men picked up a large rock from the burned out building and staggered to the well head with it, dropping it into the abyss and waiting to hear the satisfying plonk as it hit the water far below…then another did the same, and another until men were knocking down the still standing foundation and ferrying the stone to the well in a steady stream. There would be no danger of another child or woman being trapped in this unused ‘sain’.

Jackets came off, the workers were actually smiling as they went on with this unplanned revenge on the forces of Nature. Hugo reappeared with a wheelbarrow and shovels…Claude and Gerd started filling the barrow with rubble from the old building while Hugo took his place in the effort, his bandaged hands soon bleeding through the dressings again but ignored.

Sally and Mami quietly left the men to what they felt needed to be done, walking back to the village, calling Dee and informing her of what was happening. Half way back Homer appeared from the brush at the roadside, the commotion and number of people present having encouraged him to run for shelter for the past hours. They walked into the driveway just as Zus stepped out of his Peugot. One look at the distress on Marta’s face and he opened his arms to enfold her in safety and let her weep silently against his solid chest.

**

CHAPTER 103….CHANGE OF PLANS

As the ambulance slowly made it’s way through the clusters of people lining the road through the village Adam was busy being his father’s son and charming the female ambulance attendant.

She had begun speaking French to him and Urs translated, laughing when Adam tried to nod his head and grinned.

“The lady is asking if you know your name, Adam.”

“I know that one, Papa…Stefan taught me…Je m’appelle Adam Diego Buhler, m’mselle.”

“Very good, Adam Diego Buhler…are you more comfortable speaking English?”

“Or Spanish…but I’m not too good on Schweitzer or French yet…my Papa and Stefan are teaching me. I falled in a pool.”

“Fell, Adam…and it was a well…or sain if you want to know the French word,” Urs automatically corrected him.

“And how old are you, Adam?”

“Almost 2…my birthday is next month and Mama has promised me a party….that’s when you have friends come to play with you and you have food that everyone shares.”

“It sounds exciting…my, but you are a smart little boy for not yet two…are you sure that’s how old you will be? And will you also have presents?”

“I don’t know…Papa, can I give everyone presents?”

He couldn’t understand why everyone laughed but smiled happily since laughing was better than the sadness he had seen on Papa’s face when they first got in this special car with beds…abulnance he thought it was called.

The other attendant was ministering to Izzy, cushioning her arm, starting an IV into which he introduced a mild pain killer for the obvious pain of her shoulder. He had checked her head and neck for injuries, taken her vitals, wrapped her body in the still wet clothing with blankets and now sat back to listen to the conversation as his partner kept the boy from falling asleep again.

“Adam can you feel me touching your hand?”

“Yes…your hands are soft…just like Mama’s and Oma’s…did you know my Oma has a dog?...his name is Homer and he’s so much fun….but he’s old and doesn’t climb too good.”

“Too well, Adam,” Izzy chimed in sleepily.

“But…Papa said it was a well that we falled in…Homer didn’t fall in…”

“Let it go Liebe,” Urs said softly leaning down to kiss her brow very gently. “English is confusing even when you aren’t injured….and you should just let the meds ease your pain…”

“Urs, promise me you’ll stay with Adam…promise me and I won’t fight the drugs!”

“I promise…but I won’t be far from your side…I love you…now go to sleep, Woman!”

She sighed and relaxed, letting the meds fuzz her brain, drifting into a limbo where nothing hurt.

“Papa?”

“Ja, Adam?” Urs answered around the lump in his throat.

“I had an accident…”

“I know, Adam,…that’s why we’re going to Lausanne to see the doctor….Mama needs to be seen too even though she is a doctor.”

“No…nother accident…I was scared and …I couldn’t wait, Papa…I was soooo scared and I peed in my cheans…jeans…I’m sorry.”

He was so serious and abject that no one had the gall to laugh.

“That’s alright, Sohn…sometimes it happens even to big boys, even to Papas. I’ll ask Oma to bring you some fresh shorts and cheans when she comes to the hospital….maybe a fresh shirt too since that one is all muddy.”

“Is Oma alright?”

“Ja…why do you ask Sohn?”

“Her voice got all crinkley and sad when she called down to us…and she kept speaking Schweitzer then going back to English. I love my Oma…she’s so soft when she snuggles. …and her kisses make owies go away right now! I wanted to ask her to kiss my tummy but I forgot.”

“Is that where you hurt, Adam? On your tummy?”

The attendant raised the little shirt gently and showed Urs what was under the gauze padding Sally had placed over Adam’s wound. He paled as he looked at the angry red gash along Adam’s side, then schooled himself to look closer. It seemed to be a shallow groove gouged in the boy’s side rather than a penetration and had bled profusely but now that it was cleaned and dressed was about 6 inches long and 2 wide…like he had caught it during his fall on one of the many broken branches sticking out of the tree trunk.

The attendant re-covered the wound and smiled, holding her thumb up to Urs to indicate that it wasn’t so bad and had been properly dressed.

“His Tante Sally is a nurse…and his mother is a Doctor…they knew what to do…I just know how to panic.”

The attendant laughed softly.

“You’re doing fine, Sir…calm, morale support is extremely important at times like this.”

Adam was drifting off again and Urs talked to him, surprised that very soon they were just pulling into the drive at the hospital when he chanced a look out the window.

There was the usual bustle of unloading the two stretchers, registration, which went very smoothly and both stretchers were wheeled into a large area with the dividing curtain pulled back so that mother and son could see each other, something that was done purposely to keep them calm.

Urs hung back, trying to be invisible so he wouldn’t be ordered out but listening intently as a doctor quickly checked out Adam, commented on the makeshift back board favorably and ordered ex-rays…he then turned to Izzy and after a brief examination ordered her to ex-ray, as well as a temporary dressing on her scraped chest.

He turned and looked at Urs.

“And you are…?”

“Urs Buhler, from Chateau Reve…this is our son, Adam and my fiancé, Isabella, his mother…Adam fell into an abandoned well, Izzy went in after him…that was around 15:30 H so it’s been nearly 3 hours since the accident.”

“I am Dr. Schloster…has your son ever been ex-rayed before?”

“No…I would like to go with him, help him through it if it would be permissible.”

“It says on the registration that your fiancé is a medical doctor.”

“Ja…until recently she was with the military, a Major in the Canadian forces but attached to the U.N.”

The doctor grimaced then smiled at Urs.

“We make the worst patients you know…”

“Not me,” came the groggy comment from Izzy who was reaching her usable hand out towards Urs. “I promise to be good for a while if you let Urs go with Adam.”

Urs took her hand and raised his brows as he smiled at the ER doctor.

“You might as well give in, Doctor…Izzy was a negotiator and was an Ace at her work….you’ve been out- manoevured, I think.”

So Urs waited while both his loved ones had their clothing cut off , fresh dressings put on and the dreaded back-less gowns placed over them, then followed the two stretchers through a maze of corridors, watched with longing as Izzy was wheeled into one room and accompanied Adam into another.

He talked to Adam to keep him calm and still, wearing one of the long padded vests that the attendant gave him and ducking behind the protective screen when the actual procedure took place {he was after all, eager to have more children}.

Once back in the cubicle he sat on a plastic chair between them, a hand softly touching each of them while they rested, trying to keep his own thoughts serene, to not dwell on what could have been and why the incident happened.

‘There’s no one to blame…that’s what makes it so hard…there isn’t anywhere to direct the anger I feel or the pain at seeing them both so helpless and hurting. I wonder how much grief Izzy will give me about not going with me on Monday? There’s no way she should be traveling, not now, not until she’s healed…and Adam…he needs to be kept quiet, not bounced around all over the place for the next few weeks. There’s no question of my cancelling… I’ve pulled that ‘Urs has the flu’ too often when we were trying to rescue Izzy to do it again…’

The doctor came bustling back in after about 20 minutes, smiling when he met Urs’ anxious gaze.

“Nothing but good news, I’m happy to say. There is no sign of concusion for the little fellow, though I’m not surprised. He’s alert and young, in good health…children have much more flexible bones than those of us having reached so-called maturity…the usual break for a child is something we call a ‘greenstick fracture’, like when you try to bend a green twig…it bends considerably before it breaks…except for shock, the abrasion on his stomach and a few bruises he is in fine shape and will mend quickly.”

He looked away from the still sleeping boy and at Izzy who now had her eyes open and was waiting for his news.

“Your injury will take longer to heal, I’m afraid…as you have likely surmised you have an anterior sternoclavicular dislocation…I assume you fell, hitting something on the way to the bottom of that well?”

She nodded and grimaced at the pain it caused her.

“I tried climbing down the tree branch that had made the hole but it was too short, didn’t reach Adam…the walls were slippery from the rain and seepage and when I tried to climb down using toeholds I slipped and fell…I think about 30 feet to the bottom of the shaft into four feet of water. I think I twisted myself so I wouldn’t hit Adam…he was wedged in a knot of roots….anyway my shoulder hit the stone wall. I used the roots and my good arm to worm my way back up to him so he wouldn’t panic and fall. Go ahead and set it, then we’ll take our son home.”

“The boy can go home with his father but I would like to keep you over night….”

“Out of the question!...I know how to do post procedure care and my nurse lives with us at the moment. I’m going home!”

“Izzy!! You promised!!”

“I said for a while…well, a while is over!...Urs I want to go home, to be near you and Adam…you know if I stay you’ll be torn and if you stay too you won’t sleep and you’ll be worried about Adam…and Mami, Sally, Gerd, Dee… everyone will worry if they can’t see that we’re fine…and Hugo…I need to tell him it wasn’t his fault…we couldn’t see the opening from the other side…Please!...let the doctor set my shoulder and then take us home.”

He sighed and leaned down to kiss her cheek gently, careful not to apply too much pressure.

“You know I can’t deny you anything…alright…but you WILL do everything you’re told to do for the next few days….or…or I’ll bring you right back here so fast your head will spin!”

She smiled and waited until he turned to address the doctor before whispering “Maybe!”

The small waiting room was crowded when Urs came striding out gently carrying his drowsy son.

A man he didn’t know but assumed was Zus had his arm around his very pale faced mother, Sally was leaning against Gerd, both sitting on the floor against the far wall, Dee and Claude were sitting together on a plastic bench…and there were actually some people waiting for news of other patients, something that surprised Urs for a moment since his own mind had been totally consumed with their own troubles.

“Four stitches but no head or neck injuries…he’s groggy from the shot they gave him, but I think the biggest problem we’ll have is getting him to slow down for the next few days.”

He transferred Adam to his mother’s arms and let her cry with relief into his curly hair, making his throat constrict with the love she had for this child of his body and her blood.

The man beside her didn’t release his arm from around her shoulders but held his other hand out to Urs.

“I am Zus…and how is your lady?”

“You picked a good time to arrive…Mami needs your strength…and I’m pleased to meet you…Izzy is having her shoulder set …apparently it’s a very painful process and she didn’t want me…or Adam… there when it happens…then she insists on going home.”

“I knew it…she can be so stubborn sometimes!!” Sally remarked with a wry laugh.

“Ja…she’s going to be a handful for the next while…and just wait until she learns that I won’t let her go with me on Monday…the roof will blow off the house.”

As if someone had thrown a switch he felt himself stagger, the strength he had tried so hard to show over the past few hours now abandoning him, leaving him weak and helpless.

“Can’t breathe…need some air…”

He was unsteady, using the walls for support as he made his way blindly out of the building, past the ambulances that were parked in the drive and around the corner of the building to lean against the wall, sliding down until he was sitting with his head down and eyes closed, gulping air into tortured lungs, down a throat that was tight, aching with constriction.

He felt someone quietly sit beside him, not speaking, just there, sharing the pain he felt, available if he needed to talk.

After a few minutes he opened his eyes and recognized his cousin’s legs and hands beside him, didn’t turn his head but started speaking in a low voice.

“I was angry with you, with everyone…I wished we had never come to Reve, never got involved in the project for the retreat…but it was all a reaction because there was nothing I could do except be angry. The horses were the only way we had of getting that cover off so quickly…and it was no one’s fault…the storm brought the tree down…that cover was so thick, only something like that huge tree could have broken it…and a larger person would not have fit in the hole…even Izzy had trouble and she’s so tiny…and I was angry because there was NOTHING I could do…”

“I felt like that when Amelia was born…I almost lost them both, Dee and our baby…I hated myself for making her pregnant too soon, hated her for making me want her so often, hated the doctors for not seeing earlier that she was in trouble….it’s a terrible thing to have to stand by useless, helpless, when the people you love are suffering. You want to find someone to blame, someone you can vent your anger on…but in the end you come to realize that accidents happen and there isn’t always something you can do except be there for your loved ones…as much as we would like to be, we are not Supermen or gods…even though our children and wives often treat us like we are, bless them…you held it together very well today, Cousin…lesser men would have broken down long ago…now, you’ve had your moment of weakness so get your boney ass off this cold ground and go collect your family…Izzy is right to want to go home…you and your love are the best medicine for them now.”

Claude stood and held his hand out to Urs, helped him to his feet, gave him a gruff smile and slap on the back and they went inside ready to be strong again.

**

CHAPTER 104… ‘SIXTY-NINE?’

“You know me too well,” Izzy whined to Sally as she was placed in the front seat of the Peugot with her arm propped up on the pillow her friend had insisted on bringing to the hospital.

“Shut up and enjoy the pampering, Major…and get used to it…I think one of the children could take you today, the shape you’re in.”

“Payback’s a *****, Lieutenant…remember that before you get too bossy.”

Sally lay her hand on Izzy’s cheek, neither of them meaning the teasing they were using to avoid emotional break down.

She gave her friend a little pat then straightened and smiled at Urs.

“Gerd and I will get the scripts filled and catch up to you guys back at Reve…Zus has offered to ride with us so Mami can help you with Adam and you won’t be crowded in the Puegot. Urs, you have to speak to Hugo…he thinks you blame him…well really he blames himself and is suffering with guilt…he seems to think you might fire him because of what happened.”

Urs looked totally surprised then concerned.

“It wasn’t his fault…it wasn’t anybodies fault…of course I won’t fire him…it was a freaky accident…I planned on talking to him, but to thank him for working so hard at getting them out…if he hadn’t had the presence of mind to get the Friesians….”

Dee came over and sat on the edge of the seat next to Izzy.

“If you and Adam are up to it, I’ll send Stefan over to keep him company after school tomorrow…by that time Adam should be itching to play and Stefan is old enough to keep him occupied but not too active. We won’t come to the house now…you both need to rest a bit, then have a light dinner…but if you need anything I’m just a phone call away.”

“Thank you, Dee…after the shock wears off he’s going to be hard to keep down…Just like his Mama, I think,” Urs said as he slid into the driver’s seat, looking over at Izzy and smiling.

“Go ahead, rag on me…I’m so drugged out at the moment I can’t smack you…but I will remember.”

He laughed and started the engine as Zus helped Marta into the back seat with Adam still in her arms, sleeping.

All three vehicles headed out, Zus going with Sally and Gerd to the pharmacy, Claude and Dee heading home to collect their children from a neighbours and Urs driving very carefully with his precious passengers.

It was full night now, a beautiful dark night with the stars twinkling, the moon cresting over the mountains and illuminating everything below with a silvery halo, the lights of Reve appearing in little flashes through the trees as if they were blinking in welcome. They turned in at the globes of light on each side of the entrance, slowed to make the curve at the dark Chateau and eased down the cobble stoned street of the village between the rows of houses with lights shining from the windows. Just before the turn into the driveway a crowd of very tired, dusty men stepped off onto the verge to let the car pass and Urs stopped the car to roll his window down and speak to one of the faces he recognized.

“Jacque…did you all go back to the fields? I thought you had all done enough for the day. Thank you for all your help…we couldn’t have got them out so quickly except with your help.”

“Thank you, M. Urs,” answering in French as Urs had been speaking. “No, M. Claude said we should go home…but we had a little thing to do at the cottage…the sain is now filled in, M. …it was something we felt we had to do.” He glanced in the vehicle and smiled with satisfaction at the sight of Izzy and Adam, safely on their way home. With another smile at Urs he joined the rest of the men, heading home themselves.

A teary eyed Ambra was waiting at the open door for them as Marta carried Adam and Urs scooped Izzy up to carry her into the house, carefully avoiding putting any pressure on her left side though a glance at her eyes convinced him that at the moment she wouldn’t feel anything short of amputation.

“Oh M. Urs…such a terrible thing to happen…”

“Cheer up, Ambra…it could have been much worse…they will both be fine after some rest and TLC.”

“TLC?”

“Tender Loving Care…good food, rest, and for Mme. gentle exercising in a few weeks. I’m going to take them both straight upstairs to let them sleep for a while. I think in about an hour they both should have some hearty soup, maybe toast. I’ll be back down as soon as I get them settled.”

Now that she had something to do the agitated woman appeared happier and scuttled off to the kitchen to see about a ‘hearty soup’.

They took both Adam and Izzy to the master suite, placing Adam on the roomy sofa with a heavy chair backed against it so he wouldn’t roll off and Izzy naked under the duvet with a pillow cushioning her left side and arm. Neither of them woke though Izzy sighed as Urs brushed his lips across her brow.

“I’ll be right back,” he said and raced across the hall to collect the BB monitor, placing it on the bedside table and turning to give Mami a hug.

“Now…lets you and I go down and get something to eat…your friend should be here soon with Gerd and Sally and he’ll be starving too…what a welcome for him!!”

“Do you like him? It’s important to me, Urs.”

He laughed and draped his arm around her shoulder.

“I hardly know him…but you like him and that’s what is most important…he seems very calm and centered…and he likes music, has great taste in women…what’s not to like?”

Hugo was in the kitchen when they made their way inside. He jumped to his feet nervously when he saw Urs, looking down at the floor and murmuring an apology but Urs ignored it, pretending he hadn’t heard and came over to gently take the older man’s bandaged hands in his.

“Hugo, thank you for what you did to get them out of that well!...if it hadn’t been for your quick thinking we would have taken so much longer to get that tree moved and the cover off… Izzy told me how you hurt your hands…”

Hugo was surprised at Urs reaction and stammered a bit as he looked in Urs’ eyes.

“I …I should have kept the Little Sir away from the well…but it’s been so long…I didn’t remember it was there…”

“And you couldn’t see it from the other side…it was an accident, Hugo…not your fault…and they will both recover nicely thanks to all the help you brought. I want you to get someone to help you for the next week, until your hands heal…you need extra crew to help with the stuff in storage anyway so hire whoever you need and give Izzy the names for their pay.”

He could see that Hugo was happy, relieved and embarrassed so changed the subject.

“We need to talk soon too…Claude tells me your sons are very smart, one with animals, the other really into computers and business…have you thought about sending them to college or university? The Duc believed very strongly in furthering the education of young people and it’s a tradition we would like to continue…I’d be interested to know what your hopes are for your sons and see if we can help.”

Hugo left soon after, changed dramatically from the fearful man who thought he might be fired into one full of hope, for his work and most importantly, for the future of his sons.

**

Adam was proud of his bruises the next morning, showing them off at every opportunity and mildly disappointed with his Tia Sally since she insisted on putting a dressing over his wound…it was difficult to lift his shirt and show everyone his stitches with the annoying dressing in the way.

Izzy was a little less inclined to show everyone her scraped chest and very cautious about the hugs she was offered, adamant to NOT take any more of the pain killers prescribed by the ER doctor, claiming that the excellent care she had received through the night of Urs icing her shoulder every two hours had done the trick and she didn’t need drugs.

Today the regimen was for heat on the joint and Herr Time Table appeared as if by magic as the second hand approached the two hour mark all through the day with heating pad in hand and a determined glint in his eyes. After the first few times she decided to give in graciously since it also involved a nice snuggle and those delicious kisses that she was never willing to deny.

She could see that he was tired, so she pouted until he gave up and napped with her, both in the morning and again in the afternoon while Marta kept an eye on their resting son…accompanied by Zus who never seemed far from her side.

Gerd had survived seeing a sleepy Zus coming out of his Mami’s quarters at breakfast time, his voice silenced effectively by Sally who saw his eyes narrow and none too gently squeezed his butt with one strong hand, hard enough to make him yelp and chase her down the hall where she allowed him to catch her. By the time she was suitably punished, the others were seated at the table and he forgot what he had been about to say.

Stefan came over after arriving home from school and the two boys delved into some of the educational toys in the play room. Adam was completely fascinated with the toys involving numbers and it became a mutual teaching session since Math was Stefan’s least favorite subject but the books made it fun and by the time he had to leave for dinner he had learned nearly as much as Adam. He promised to come back the next day, same time, unless his Maman had work for him.

Urs was feeling housebound by the time the afternoon had progressed and went for a walk, surprising himself when his seemingly aimless footsteps led him directly to the burned out cottage.

He smiled wryly at himself as he trudged along the now wide path into the property and paused beside what was left of the fallen tree….a neat stack of cut and split wood and sawdust from the saws was all that was left…and the well was completely filled in, the tracks of wheelbarrows clear in the dried mud leading from the old foundation to the well head that showed where the men had filled in the spaces around rocks with debris from the site. The entire top was covered to the height of a child with a secure pile of stacked boulders…the foundation that had been spearing into the sky was no more, the only evidence of it’s existence was a few charred timbers and sooty metal from the chimneys.

‘They felt like I did…like they had to do something to make it right…I know it was important to both Izzy and Adam for me to be with them…it was important to me too but I needed to DO something…taking care of them through the night left me bone weary but I needed to do it…at last I felt useful, like I was doing something to help…when I changed the dressing on Adam and took him to the bathroom and he patted my face and said ‘Danke Papa’, I felt like I’d won the Lottery….and Izzy when she looked at me with those lovely eyes and said that icing her shoulder made it feel better it was almost as good as an orgasm….Gott, I hate to see them suffer…Okay, only one more hurdle to jump…I have to tell her soon that she won’t be going with me on Monday….should I do it privately or chicken out and tell her in front of the others…she won’t create a scene if anyone else is around….Coward!!! scared of a little pixie of a woman!!...Damned right I am!’

He turned to retrace his steps and saw something out of his peripheral vision…there…on top of the stack of wood from the old tree…Homer’s battered yellow tennis ball where someone had placed it after cutting the tree up.

He reached for it, threw it up, caught it and laughed, forcing it in his jeans pocket as he headed home.

**

It was easier than he had expected…and no fireworks.

They had decided on trying to get Adam back into his routine as much as possible, with a few modifications, so after dinner and a round of quiet snuggles with everyone in the Lounge area of the kitchen they took Adam upstairs for a sponge bath. Izzy thought that his wound would be healed enough in 2 more days to have a careful shower with a waterproof dressing over top so this was a compromise for now.

Urs sat him on the vanity and carefully washed him down, avoided getting his wound or hair wet and Adam laughed about it, saying that it was a tickly way to get clean.

They both waited until he was asleep before leaving the room and Urs took her hand to lead her to the Master suite.

“I thought you wanted to go back downstairs?”

“What I want is some time alone with my best girl…Gerd had ‘that’ look ever time Sally got near him…and Zus is leaving tomorrow so I think he and Mami deserve some time alone…Gott, I can’t believe I’m saying that, never mind thinking it!”

Izzy laughed and wrapped her good arm around his waist.

“She says that you take after her, not your father, so why are you surprised?…at least she can’t get pregnant!”

“IZZY!!!”

“Oh don’t be so…so medieval! Your mother is a vibrant, healthy woman…and Zus looks at her the way you look at me….I’m happy for her.”

He was silent and thoughtful as they entered their suite, lead her directly through to the ensuite and started the shower running. Her med kit was on the vanity and he rummaged until he found a spare sling, setting it on the vanity and turning to help her disrobe.

“Do you think you can handle me washing your hair? It still has mud in it from the well.”

“No sweat…I know how gentle you can be.”

He was gently massaging her scalp with shampoo when she spoke up.

“You don’t want to talk about it but we have to Urs… Adam and I can’t go with you on Monday…...he’s fine but he really needs some quiet time, not hotel to hotel and planes, buses…and I need a couple of weeks to get so I don’t cringe everytime someone other than you gets close to my arm. I’m so sorry…we’ve been together since you brought me out of the jungle and it will be hard but we’ll survive this…”

“I didn’t want to talk about it…I was afraid you might get all stubborn on me and I’d hate to fight with you.”

“I might be muleheaded but I’m not a fool…rehab is very important for this type of injury unless you want lingering, sometimes lifelong after-effects. There’s too much in our future to have that happen so I plan on being very sensible…..well to be honest at first I was going to throw a hissy fit if you tried to get me to stay home but then when I thought logically about it… I’ll miss you, there’s no question of that but it isn’t forever….and the minute I’m able I plan on leaving Adam with Mami and coming to you to ravish you until you scream for mercy.”

He leaned forward and kissed her upside-down.

“Bring it on Woman! I can handle anything you can dish out!” he said softly, his breath warm and his tongue tasting mildly of chocolate cake.

He used conditioner on her hair and was rinsing it off when she softly asked him a question.

“Urs…do you know how to ‘69’?”

He dropped the spray attachment and scrambled for it before answering.

“Ja…it’s been a long time but I still remember…Baby, are you sure …I mean your shoulder….”

“There are some things I’m willing to be sensible about…like typing one handed or not cutting my own food, but loving you whenever I have the chance isn’t one of them. We have four days left before you have to leave and someone I won’t name knew that I was fretting over it and suggested we 69….if I can’t have that hard rod of yours inside of me at least I can have your magic mouth and fingers…. and feast on you until you cum in my mouth.”

She could feel his body responding to her even before he leaned down to kiss her again.

“It was my mother, wasn’t it?” he whispered while she was still dazed.

“Sort of…we don’t talk about what happens in the bedroom so she didn’t come right out and say it, just said she remembered having a sore shoulder once and….”

“DON’T…I don’t want to hear any details… but I can’t fight both of you…”

He turned the shower off and pulled the towel from the warming rods, drying her carefully, blotting her wet curls, dabbing gently at the scrape on her chest and licking the droplets off her nipples. A surge of fire rippled through her when he dried her bush, patting, then stroking his long fingers between the heated lips and looking up into her eyes with his half closed and the color of deep clover honey.

“How many times would you like to cum, Liebe? I want to watch you climax, to see what only I can do to you…”

He dipped his head down to her belly …she spread her legs further to give him room, leaning her back against the wall as his lips found her nub and sucked on it, pushing at it with his tongue as his fingers found the opening and curved inside, 3 clenched together, curving to touch her G spot and make her shudder as they gently stroked and her hips matched the rhythm…in, almost out, in again, joined by his wet tongue, his thumb on her clit, rubbing harder, her hand in his hair…she whimpered, opened further to him…and moaned as she exploded in pleasure and her hips bucked…her back slid down the wall and he followed her down, kneeling to take her mouth gently.

“That’s once,” he said as he picked her up carefully and carried her into their bed, gently laying her against the pillows they had arranged to support her shoulder.

One touch of his mouth on her inner thigh and she was eager once more, aching to be touched, tasted, sucked…she breathed deep, the scent of him different this time, muskier, exciting, his enormous, rock hard shaft only inches from her face….she touched it with her lips…he moaned and nibbled on her thigh, nipping, then kissing the smooth skin…she licked the length of him, her good hand creeping between his splayed legs to cup his sacs tenderly, massaging…he grew larger, longer and spurted, just a bit…she licked it off with long slow strokes of her tongue, moving her lips around him, swirling her tongue around the head, touching the retracted foreskin, that lovely smooth slit in the tip where pre-cum oozed….his tongue was hot and wet, lapping between her labia, touching the opening where she needed him to be, pushing inside and touching the sensitive walls, licking the juices from inside of her, his hand spread with the palm against her clit, making circles….he began to hum, the vibrations pushing her beyond control…his hips bucked, moving his shaft deeper into her mouth…she sucked harder, laving the tip with a ravenous tongue and moaning, moving her hand in a corkscrew motion around his almost bursting shaft, then down to his balls to fondle….he howled against her, his mouth feasting on the juices flooding as she climaxed, his hips bucking rapidly until his sperm flowed in spurts, hot and salty on her tongue. Very slowly she moved her head back, releasing him, licking the last few drops from the tip of his penis with little laps of her sticky tongue, swallowing and coming back to see if there was anything left.

“Urs…”

“Ja, Liebe…”

“I love your body….”

“I’ve noticed…..Danke Gott, because I love yours too…we fit together so perfectly…and you taste better than chocolate.”

“You taste salty…I like it….”

His face was resting against her mound, his breathing returning to normal but every exhale was warming her…as if he knew, his hand crept up to begin gently rubbing, palm flat again, making everything move, stirring the embers once more.

“Urs…”

“Ja, Liebe…I think I’ve figured out how…..let me move the pillows…”

He placed the extra pillow beside her and gently leaned her left arm on it, lifted her bottom onto his bent knees with one leg up over his left shoulder, the other bent to curve around his butt…His Little Soldier was almost ready again and she watched, fascinated, as he touched himself, making it spring to life, lengthen, thicken, darken with an infusion of blood. He rubbed the head over her swollen labia, touching her opening then coming back to rub her clit with hard wet strokes.

“Yes…oh yes, please…”

She watched as this gorgeous man, her man, became completely absorbed in giving her pleasure, touching her with his long fingers, thrusting his penis inside her, the muscles of his broad chest contracting as he moved, the cords of his long neck tightened as he fought for control of his own body, his eyes dark with lust as he watched her face, gauging how ready she was, careful to not give her any pain. He was slick with sweat, his skin glowing in the subdued lighting, his beautiful mouth open just enough to see his teeth and that tongue that she longed to suck on.

“Baby, I can’t wait…”

“YES!! NOW!!!...”

It seemed that the third time was the charm…..when he slid out of the warmth of her and was able to move he lifted her properly into the bed, arranged the pillows, went for a hot, wet cloth to clean them up and a warm towel to dry them both, then lay spooned with her, breathing softly on her face as sleep took them.

**

CHAPTER 105… PARTING

The soft light of a new day was filtering through the curtains when she woke, her shoulders bare except for Urs’ hand laying protectively on the edge of her sling.

She pulled the duvet up to cover them again and he stirred, murmuring soothing sounds in his sleep, meant to lull her back into a relaxed dream world.

Very slowly she tried moving closer, testing her shoulder for twinges of pain…but she felt good, the craving they both had appeased the night before having no ill effects.

‘How gentle he is, how caring….he would have been willing to stroke himself to completion last night if participating was too much for me…but would still have given me everything…I’m going to miss you so much when you go back to work, my Love…but I’ll concentrate on the positives of us being separated by distance, not by love, never that…I can get so much done here, supervising of course…and planning…he’ll be so worn out when he comes home for the Holidays….I can surprise him with an almost finished home, a relaxing retreat where he can shut the world out for a while.’

She breathed in the scent of their lovemaking wafting up to her from their bodies and smiled as she eased back into sleep.

When she woke again it was to find the space next to her occupied only by his pillow which he had pulled down to replace his solid body against her side. She could hear him humming in the bathroom, the intermittent running of the water in the sink a clue that he was shaving.

Very carefully she stretched, expecting and receiving a jab of protest from her healing shoulder, then holding her arm motionless as she rolled and got her feet on the floor.

“Hey…wait and I’ll come help you,” he called out, poking his half lathered face out the bathroom door and frowning.

“Can’t,” she said with a grin as the duvet fell away. “I’ll burst. Nice view to wake up to…” she laughed and reached out to pat his resting penis as she passed him in the doorway. She felt the stirring before she removed her hand and laughed as she entered the separate cubicle with the commode.

He had finished shaving and had the shower running when she came back out, much relieved.

“Good morning, Pretty Lady,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her with great care and dipping his head for a minty toothpaste kiss.

“Good morning SS…MMMMM…you taste good…better than me I think…”

“You taste like sex…it could be a new and very popular toothpaste flavor.”

“No thanks…I prefer the real thing…hop in the shower and I’ll join you as soon as I brush my fangs.”

He laughed and stepped into the enclosure, humming again for a few minutes, indulging in memories she found when she finished her brushing and stepped in…he was ready and just the sight of his swollen penis standing out proudly waiting for her made her groin flood with eager juices.

He adjusted the spray from one of the nozzles to pulse and nuzzled her neck carefully, avoiding her shoulder.

“Last night…I was so afraid of hurting you….”

“You didn’t….OH…touch me there again…yes, just like that….Ahhhhh!...Urs, that feels so good!.....do you like this?...”

His penis swelled even more, lengthening, the foreskin pushed back and the head red and angry looking when she fondled the wet and silky sacs at the base.

His moan was answer enough but he gasped “More!” as he leaned his mouth to hers and thrust his wet tongue inside.

Mouths still joined he lifted her…her legs wrapped around him as he pinned her to the wall and joined their bodies, thrusting inside in a slow cadence that was an intimate dance, gentle but building, building, building…and crashing over the apex to leave them quivering with shafts of pleasure that consumed every nerve of their spasming bodies.

Very slowly her legs came down, searching for the floor…he slipped out of her body, loath to let her go yet, enjoying the decreasing spasms he could still feel through her slippery skin…he lowered her so her toes touched the tiles on the shower floor and bent his knees to kiss the still engorged nipples on her breasts.

“When you’re better and come to join me, I’m going to make love to you for a whole day, time after time until neither of us can walk. I’ve never craved a woman the way I crave you….you are incredible…and I can’t get enough of you.”

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss his flat male nipples, making him moan.

“My Swiss Lover taught me everything I know…and if he doesn’t get some clothes on that gorgeous bod, I’m going to want an encore.”

He laughed…and turned the shower spray off, deciding that they had rinsed off the sweat and scent of love making…and that if they started up again, search parties might be sent out to find them.

**

After breakfast Urs offered to give Zus a tour of the village and the Chateau. Zus had been expecting a private talk between himself and the two sons of the woman he had come to love, and stoically accepted. Sally and Marta, though invited, wisely opted not to go, so the three men walked off with the Buhler men flanking the choirmaster, like a prisoner being lead to the gallows.

Izzy put her arm around Marta’s shoulder for a quick, comforting squeeze as they watched the men go through the gate.

“He’ll be alright…I think Urs likes him, so half the battle is already won.”

“How old is the estate?” Zus asked as they approached the village, for the first part of the walk the silence between the three men hanging heavily.

Urs explained some of the history, pointing out the various buildings, nodding or calling out ‘Good Morning’ to the few people not already at work.

“And that’s the chapel…Izzy and I plan to be married there on Christmas Eve…we were hoping that Mami would be able to attend but I don’t imagine you can get away then.”

“Actually the churches take turns holding the midnight services and this year it’s St. Ignatius turn…in Alberswill…but I don’t think Marta would miss your wedding anyway…she’s very proud of you boys and of your choices of ladies.”

“Was your first marriage happy?” Gerd burst out, his body language showing that he was tense, hands in pockets, shoulders hunched up so that his neck had disappeared.

“GERD!” Urs admonished but Gerd just ignored him, staring at the choirmaster.

“Yes, actually it was…Ciara and I were well suited, met in secondary school and had too few years together…it was disappointing that she couldn’t have children but we had each other and our music and that was enough….she was ill for a long time…and then she was gone… I had almost forgotten how to enjoy life until I met Marta…”

“And now?...” Urs asked quietly, shooting Gerd a look that promised physical pain if he didn’t hold his tongue.

“And now, the wonder of the world is clear to me again…my life revolves around this amazing woman, the capacity she has to care, to love, to live each and every moment and share with others…but it is on hold at the moment…Marta holds the five of you first in her heart and that is as it should be….she has told me plainly that if you can not accept the fact that she has chosen to love again then we have no future….I don’t know what to do to convince you that we are good together, meant to spend what years remain to us loving and caring for each other…I have asked her to marry me but she will not give me an answer until she knows you can accept me in your lives and hers.”

Urs stopped walking and the others stopped as well, Gerd scuffling the dirt with his shoe and not meeting anyone’s eyes, Urs appraising the quiet acceptance he saw on Zus’ face and the hope that was evident too.

“I find myself thinking about how I would feel if someone denied me a life with Izzy…it would destroy me, and her too I think…I don’t want that for Mami…the bottom line is that she deserves to be happy, to be allowed to be a woman again, not just the strong Mami and Oma everyone takes advantage of…she has given so much to all of us, living for us, raising us, always being there when we needed her, encouraging us by her quiet example to be caring, independent people…I like you, Choirmaster…I like the respectful way you treat my mother, the love I see in her eyes when she looks at you and in yours when you look at her…yes, it kind of sucker punched me when I first learned about your relationship but now that I’m used to the idea…it feels right…and you have my blessing…the stubborn one here may take a little longer to grow up but he’s young…give him time.”

He held his hand out to Zus who grinned with relief when he took it in both of his to shake.

Gerd laughed a bit self consciously and shook hands as well.

“It’s just that it’s hard to think of Mami in bed…you know…”

“Then don’t think about it!”…both Zus and Urs said at the same time and all three men laughed.

The tour of the Chateau was considerably shortened as both Buhler men could see that Zus was anxious to get back to Marta and tell her the outcome of their ‘talk’…

“Zus…go back to the house…I think someone is waiting just as impatiently for news as you are to go tell her…I don’t think you’ve heard anything we’ve said for the past 20 minutes.” Urs gave the grinning man a little push towards the door and laughed as his soon-to-be stepfather raced off.

**

A beaming Marta and Zus went back to Willisau late in the afternoon and the household went back to what passed for normal in their lives. The weather had a distinct snap to it now, the heating system kicked in at night and the days were bright and clear though a jacket was needed. The last of the work with the vines was winding down, only the ice wine vines left to harvest and that would not be until the first really good frost.

There was one more important meeting to discuss business for the estate, one that Urs attended more as part owner than actually a working member of the team…that would come later when he had the time and the area he could contribute his skills in became clearer.

Claude had asked the various manager to submit names for consideration for promotions, wanting to delegate more of the escalating workload to foremen who would be directly responsible for their own areas and report to the managers: at the wine cellars, the farm, the grounds, in the office, maintenance, stores. The temporary {single} harvest staff would be moving back into town, welcome to stay in the hotel-like buildings that the estate owned and pursue other employment until needed once more in the spring. Most of the village would stay, happily living the life as so many had always done, with friends and family after 7 months of working from sun up to well past sundown daily, usually 7 days per week. It was a time honored tradition, some of the crew having been raised here on the estate and wanting no other life for themselves. Scheduling was a night mare that somehow got sorted, the rotating days of chores that needed to be done somehow worked out and still left time for trips to warmer climates, family emergencies, play time and the anticipation of events such as Christmas or the wedding that was planned during that holiday.

Urs and Izzy took a quick trip into Lausanne to set up the accounts for their own personal household and to browse through some stores for furnishings. It was a relief to get away from the bustle at the house which seemed to be over- flowing with workmen at the moment…measuring, mixing paint, carrying pieces out of the store room onto the drive to place on tarps and begin the process of restoration.

And suddenly it was Sunday night, their last night of being together since he had carried her out of the jungle.

Urs sat on the edge of Adam’s bed for a long time, watching his son sleep, thinking of how quickly he had bonded with this small image of himself, this being that his love for Izzy had helped create.

‘Is this why sometimes when I see my father he has this kind of haunted look in his eyes?...because he left us?...I can’t conceive of ever willingly leaving Adam or any other children we have together….but then the love I have for Izzy will never fade like his did for Mami…it made my heart skip when Mami hugged me…she’s so happy that we’ve accepted Zus….all those years, not wasted really because she was always so involved with us, giving so much…I really am hapy for her, for both of them…and for us because we get to enjoy seeing her really living her life again….now if I can just get through the next few weeks of being apart from my own little family…of course I can, we both can…it was different before…there was nothing to come home to, not even a home really…that flat in Chelsea was fine but it never really felt like home….’

He could smell the light scent of Escada as she came up behind him and lay her hand on his curls.

“Did you tell him goodbye?”

He nodded and held up the calendar that still lay on the duvet.

“We marked the dates on the calendar so he can check them off every day…and I promised to work out a timetable so we can chat on IM.”

He stood and thumbtacked the calendar to the bulletin board where Adam had put up pictures he had drawn and the few postcards they had received from David, Carlos and Seb.

One more gentle kiss on his sleeping son’s brow and he took Izzy’s hand to lead her from the room.

“He says I’m not to worry about you, that he will take care of you while I’m working.”

“He’s learned that from you, Urs…the caring, nurturing…I won’t have a chance to misbehave.”

“Good…then I can just think about you, not worry. I just remembered this afternoon that you’re going to be stuck here without a car…we should have picked one up when we were in town.”

“I’m not quite ready to trust myself driving yet….and I’m sure between Claude and Gerd and Dee I can talk someone into ferrying me into Lausanne if needs be.”

“That was the nice, sensible answer I wanted to hear…I’m going to have my motorbikes shipped home from the UK…Claude says there’s lots of room in the garages to store them over the winter…maybe in the spring I’ll scout around for some space for my own workshop, but for now storage will do the trick. I was just thinking… ‘HOME’…what a great word, with so much meaning packed into only 4 letters…it’s been years since I’ve had a place that was anything other than temporary…and now, even half empty of furnishings, with you and Adam here this place has become the center of my universe. C’mon, Woman…we need to do some intense talking and snuggling…and anything else that comes up.”

“I’m sure something will…I was thinking about phone sex with you and it’s made me….eager.”

He laughed and spun her in front of him, lifting her by the waist and nuzzling her breasts through her shirt.

“You’re always eager…it’s one of the things I love about you.”

She wound her legs around his hips and he carried her into their suite, both snuggling in the huge armchair to the side of the fireplace, watching the flames and talking about plans for the house, their wedding, what kind of car they wanted to buy, the easy exercise regimen Izzy planned to start soon for her shoulder, anything but the promos and the separation that would come in the very early hours of the morning. Sometime during the talking, clothing disappeared, hands wandered, bodies warmed in a long, tender foreplay that evolved naturally into the rhythmic joining of sharing physical love.

**

He was gone when she fully woke in the morning, just as they had agreed on the evening before, but still a painful jolt when she reached for his body next to her and felt only pillow. Even before her eyes opened she could smell the elusive scent of his Bulgari…and something else.

She opened her eyes and looked next to her…a peach colored rose, still dew-drop sprinkled from the garden, rested on his pillow.

‘You never disappoint me, my Swiss Lover…there is such a streak of corny romanticism in you, sometimes I think you were born in the wrong era…I can just picture you in period costumes, looking elegant and mysterious, wooing the ladies of the court just with a glance, bending over the hand of the lovely damsel you had decided to favor with your attention, softly murmuring those words that would make her heart beat faster….and I love it…I love the way you have of expressing your love, the gentleness, the caring that is so evident in the little things you do…like going out into the new morning to find this one perfect rose to leave for me….I’m going to miss you so much…I already miss you!’

She took the rose with her into the ensuite, laying it on the vanity and laughing with surprise at the huge red paper heart backed with lacy white cake doilies that she found taped to the vanity mirror, his unmistakable scrawl across it.

‘Good morning, Pretty Lady! Remember that I Love You!’

There was a smudge near the bottom of the heart that made her curious and she removed the entire heart, doilies and all, carefully, to smell the mark, trying to identify it.

Toothpaste! At a disadvantage since men don’t wear lipstick, he had become very inventive and placed a toothpaste kiss on the heart. She laughed again, wept with happiness for a moment as she kissed the smudge gently and carried the message into the bedroom to retape it on the inside of her wardrobe door.

Soft sounds were coming from the BB monitor as Adam woke up and she dressed hurriedly, her heart much lighter now as she got on with the first day of their separation.

**

Urs was just boarding the flight to London, wondering if she was awake yet and had found the little surprises he had left.

It had been difficult to not give in to the urge to wake her for just one more kiss and cuddle in the morning…not impossible he found when he stood beside the bed and watched her sleeping, looking like an angel, his angel, this woman he loved so much that at times it was painful.

He had run in sock feet out to the garden and searched for a rose that the cold snap hadn’t damaged, finally found one, her favorite as it turned out, the lovely old peach grandiflora with the carnation like scent, a rushed back in the house leaving wet foot prints up the stairs.

He had changed his socks and checked that everything was ready for departure…the luggage he had packed last night, the message he had taped to the mirror in the ensuite…the small package he had left with Ambra he was confident would be delivered…one last time he feasted his eyes on her…then took his cases out into the hallway to await him as he peeked carefully in at Adam.

Now, smiling at the attendant as she directed him to his first class seat he thought how angelic their son had seemed, laying on his stomach, cover thrown off of course, his eyelids with those long dark lashes fluttering as he dreamt.

He stowed his carryon under the seat and sat down, stretching his legs out to get comfortable and glancing out the window.

Dawn was just truly breaking, the distant mountains becoming clearer and the peaks frosted in pink and gold as the ever present snow-caps reflected the morning light.

For the next 2 months or so their schedule was hectic, covering most of the civilized world, too much traveling to really keep straight in his head. They would be flitting from Europe to North America, Asia to South America, and everything in between in a whirlwind of promotional gigs that would be tiring but necessary to promote both the new CD and the up coming tour. At the moment it looked like all of January and part of February as down time then the tour would start on the 21st of February…well, earlier for them since they would spend the week before in rehearsals. By that time their plans should have come together…both Adam and Izzy should be well enough to travel, Mami would have come through with a nanny they could trust, Tranquillite would be furnished …and they would be married! Twice in fact!

He unclipped his seat belt and leaned forward to pull his carryon out from under the seat, delving into the pocket for the two magazines he had brought along for the journey then slipping it back underneath again. A sheet of paper fell out of the motorcycle magazine and he retrieved it, laughing when he opened it up to reveal a picture that Adam had drawn of their horseback ride. Printed in Adam’s uneven scribble across the bottom was a caption and a message: ‘Me and Papa…Secret cookies in the pocket…We lov you Papa’

He smiled and dug the carryon out again, found the plastic bag of cookies {one with a bite out of it that made him laugh} and had just replaced the case when the seat belt sign came on.

The ‘secret’ bag clutched to his chest, he smiled as the plane gathered momentum and eased into the morning sky, this painful parting eased by some shared cookies.

**

CHAPTER 106…THE RACE..X2


The schedule was grueling but accomplished…they all left the details up to Sam and Ruby, going where they were told, when they were told, concentrating on keeping their voices honed, giving performances that left the audiences wanting more, signing endless lines of books, CD liners, smiling, being charming, collapsing in one hotel room after the other to connect with loved ones via computer or cell phone.

There was a different dynamic to the group now, the year off and the things the men had all endured or shared having brought them closer together, more unified as a group. They had become Il Divo, not four soloists any longer who were all vying for their niche in the group but a single entity with excellence as their goal. They rallied round Carlos who was suffering through an amicable but painful divorce, sympathized with Urs over his painful memories of the well incident, gave Sebastien well meaning advice on coping with the teething problems with the twins and comforted David when it was learned that once again Trish was NOT pregnant and through circumstances, the group she had thought was succeeding was actually splitting up.

The tour planning went on, the Divos firmly at the helm when it came to the artistic control, chosing the tracks they liked or felt where best suited for the live performances, the planning sessions usually one of accord as they all seemed to be of one mind, agreeing with little discussion on most things…even the additional venues that continued to be requested.

Their participation was requested for the Nobel Peace Prize Event and they agreed, again for the Inauguration of the new President of the United States…and again they agreed, slotting in some promos in the US around the same time though it meant cutting into their free time. Honors like those were not something they would even consider refusing.

And for Izzy and Urs the secrets of Cyber Sex were secret no longer.

He talked to both Izzy and Adam the first night that he was away from them, then at Adam’s bed time asked Izzy to come back online when Adam was asleep. She guessed why and an hour later came on line, wearing only the silver pendant that had been beside her breakfast juice when she entered the kitchen.

‘Take care of my heart…I leave it in your keeping, now and forever!...Urs’ the little card had read and it made her cry as she put the chain around her neck, long enough to slip over without being undone. The silver heart nestled just at the top of her breasts, cool and comforting against the healing scrape.

She could tell that he had been readying himself, his breathing was ragged, his eyes dark and sultry…and her body responded immediately. They coached each other, requesting self caresses that inflamed the already building fires until both reached completion, then briefly spoke of love as their bodies calmed and they said good night.

At the estate the pace was anything but tranquil…workmen were everywhere, at the chateau, coming to the house to speak to Gerd and Sally even during meals, the yard and store room was swarming with workers, carpenters then painters where in the upper floors, delivery trucks seemed an endless stream as goods were brought to various buildings.

The stone masons had made a start on the new workshop/garage…and in the midst of all this chaos the work in the fields ended for the year and Claude held the usual year end party.

No one cared that the weather was decidedly chilly now…the party had always been held in the village square and would be this year. Decorations were put up, extra lighting installed, a band was hired from Lausanne and tables to be laden with food and wine where placed in front of every house with stacks of folding chairs at intervals that people could help themselves to.

The party was very like the one that Urs and Izzy had attended in Tribeca except that the participants tended to wear more, warmer clothing. This one too went on until the wee hours of the morning with the partiers crashing for a few hours of sleep on floors or spare beds until nearly noon the next day, then a good portion of them collecting their belongings from their summer quarters and boarding the buses and vans to leave the estate until the next season.

For Izzy the work then went on. Her monthly cycle came right on time, the exercise program she had started was going well and work on the house and new structure was beginning to show promise of what it would eventually be.

Simon got back to her with a massive list of recommendations for the studio and she spent hours on the computer making arrangements for delivery and installation…and the real bonus was that the elevator went in, only 2 days after the stairwell was demolished.

Adam’s birthday came and he was overjoyed with the party, all the children from the village converged on Tranquillite to play, feast and laugh, each one being given a present, a novel idea that he had mistakenly initiated and Izzy approved of…it became a tradition that he maintained throughout his life. The next day Zus and Marta, who had both attended the party, took him home to Willisau and Izzy, loaded down with, among other things, the video and still cameras she had finally remembered to buy, hopped on a plane to join Urs in Miami.

**

After the cool, crisp air of Switzerland the heat in Miami was oppressive…but she didn’t really pay much attention. He wasn’t meeting her, the risk of being recognized was too great and they were still trying to keep a low profile about their relationship, so she had a porter collect her luggage and scanned the arrivals area for a person who looked like a limo driver holding a sign with her name.

The porter had more experience with this sort of thing and spotted him immediately and within minutes she was in the airconditioned comfort of the luxury vehicle, speeding down the highway toward the city.

There was a very European look about Miami, she thought …at least in this area, South Beach she believed it was called, her experience with the Florida coast similar to most of her other travels…in and out with no opportunity to explore.

The guys were staying in a 5 star Hotel adjacent to the beach, a great location for night life if that was your interest and within a stones throw of the beach if that was more your style….Izzy was much more interested in having a large bed with Urs naked in it, a door that had a secure lock to keep the world out and room service so that they didn’t have to budge or get dressed…at least for 24 hours.

She had been bumped onto a slightly earlier flight, much to her appreaciation but the key card was waiting right where Urs had promised, with the concierge. The bell hop had to nearly run to keep up with her as they went down the hall, she inserted the keycard and pushed the door open, handing him the tip she had ready in her hand and was just shutting the door behind her when Urs came out of the Lounge with a huge grin.

“You’re early…I didn’t expect you for another hour.”

It wasn’t until they had been locked in a passionate kiss for over a minute that she became aware of other voices coming from the lounge.

“Someone’s here? Someone is here NOW?”

“I’m sorry Liebe…it’s just Sam and David…remember, you arrived early…we were talking about some changes to the itinerary…we won’t be long.”

He took her hand and squeezed it, leading her into the Lounge where both the other men rose and greeted her.


‘Alright…they can have 10 minutes…and then he’s mine…or you guys will find out what happens when you mess with a horny, ovulating woman who had to DIY for 3 long weeks…’

She mentally put on her negotiator ‘hat’, smiled and chatted amiably, asking about the schedule, answering questions about the flight, about Adam’s birthday party, about the plans the two men had for the next 2 days of free time.

The work related conversation seemed to be over so she slipped her shoes off as Sam expounded on the great seafood in the restaurants in the area. The light jacket fell to the chair as David gave detailed instructions of how to find a quaint family run operation that specialized in crab.

Urs raised his brows at her as the first two buttons on her blouse slipped through the button holes…she stared back and wet her lips…he groaned and David stopped talking briefly.

“”You Okay buddy?” he asked and continued talking when Urs choked out a gravel voiced “Fine!”

It was when she stood and let her blouse fall to the floor, reaching for the zipper of her skirt, her lacy flame red bra the only covering on the top half of her body…….then Sam’s open mouthed stare caught David’s eyes and he turned to look.

“That’s very interesting David…” she said as David slowly rose to his feet and his face turned the same shade as her bra, her eyes never leaving Urs’ as he sat frozen, watching her, not really registering that the two men were still in the room… “We’ll be sure to check it out…tomorrow…make sure the door locks behind you.”

Urs had no idea what David had been talking about when he remembered they were still present, but he managed to form some sort of semi-coherent comment that had both men leaving quickly, both also trying to hide the huge grins on their faces.

The door hadn’t even snicked closed when Urs caught up to her, shucking his clothing in record time…then he stood looking in wonder at this amazing woman who stirred him, who wanted him with the same lust that he felt for her.

“I missed you.”

“I’m here now…was I rude? I just couldn’t wait any longer….I’ve had a whole ocean of time to think about loving you….”

“You’re wearing my heart…”

“I seldom take it off….”

He caressed her silky skin, almost shy, tender with her…until she touched him and his control vanished…he vibrated with need under her soft, strong fingers, quivering as her wet lips and tongue tasted, licked, nipped, growled with longing when she submitted to his embrace, clasped her in quivering arms to carry her through the lounge to the bedroom and the king sized bed. They slowed the pace in mutual accord, murmuring the love words, the pleas that were not possible to meet in Cyber space until nothing mattered but the joining, becoming one, giving and taking until they reached the stars once more.

Urs’ breathing was still a bit ragged when he squirmed to the side to take his weight partly off of her and began laughing.

“What?” she asked dreamily.

“Sam’s face…did you see Sam’s face when your blouse fell off and those lovely breasts were exposed, only that scrap of red lace covering them?”

“No…I was watching you, looking at your mouth and wishing you would lean forward and suckle…I love it when you suck my breasts.”

“MMMMM…me too…I like the feeling of your nipple rolling under my tongue, getting fuller, harder. Tell me about Adam’s party…I need to be distracted or I’ll want you again.”

“…..and that would be a bad thing because….?”

He laughed and leaned over to kiss her….and crush her breasts against his chest….and moan when her hands strayed to the damp nest of curls at his groin…

“….or we could talk later…”

They showered while waiting for room service to deliver their dinner, then ate on the balcony, dressed only in the soft white terry robes that the Hotel provided.

She did tell him about Adam’s birthday party, and actually played the video of it on the computer while they laughed at the antics and Urs once more wished that he had been able to be there. Adam’s message to his Papa almost had him in tears as the happy little face explained, in a serious tone that reminded him so much of himself, that he understood and perhaps they could have another party when Papa was home…it was a fun thing to do.

“I told him how when I was little we would have an unbirthday party once a year for all the celebrations that had been missed because of my Dad’s postings. He thought that would be a good idea because we were still in the camp when it was your birthday and mine too…so don’t be surprised if he wants to have one before the tour starts.”

“I’ll bet you didn’t have to do much convincing to have Mami take him for a while.”

“None…we talk nearly every day, either on IM or on the phone and when she thought I was beginning to get a little over-anxious wanting to be with you, she just said “Doter, pack your bags and go see your man before you self destruct…Zus and I will pick Adam up and keep him occupied for a while”…..and being the obedient almost- daughter that I am, I agreed.”

“And being the obedient almost-wife that you are I’d like to have you back in bed, NOW…I don’t care that it’s early…we need to make up for the cuddle time we’ve missed.”

She laughed and jumped to her feet, saluting and giving him a crisp military “Yes Sir! Immediately Sir!” then making him chase her through the suite…but only for a few minutes until her own desire to be in his arms made her turn and get caught. Then they went to bed and talked themselves drowsy, spooned together as sleep took them to happy dreams.

**

It was dark inside the slender host body, dark and moist, the path wet once again with the fluid provided for the multitude of swimmers that wiggled their tails in an effort to be first out of the swarm striving for the same goal, fluid that was produced by the stimulation of the female glands during coitus.

Earlier, one had reached the objective, burrowed through the protective outer coating and was already in the process of moving into the protected womb, dividing again and again in the age old process of creating life.

It was 7 hours later than the miracle of conception that had taken place last night, the participants had initiated yet another opportunity for the sperm to be released and again circumstances were different from the flawed ovulation of the past month.

The ovaries had compensated for the long period of deprivation and starvation when no eggs were released, by producing two, as this host female usually did when healthy, the second still waiting patiently …there was time…the cycle of life would not expire for 72 hours after release, plenty of time for the race to be won, for one of the swimmers to reach the goal and create a second life to be nurtured until ready to emerge into the world.

Joy had been achieved and the minute sperm streamed forward, helped by the spasms of muscles that swept them deeper, closer to half of the miracle that waited to combine and produce a whole, a twin of the one now already busily dividing cells…not a duplicate but an individual, a fraternal or dizygotic twin, who would occupy his own personal amniotic sac but share food and space for the next 9 months with his brother, developing, growing strong and being loved, though unseen.

**

CHAPTER 107…THE VISIT


It was early afternoon when the happy couple finally showered, dressed in swim suits and shorts with light tops to go down to the pool. Neither was feeling very energetic or wanting to shop so the only other option was the pool or the beach for an hour or so, enough time for housekeeping to take care of the rooms.

They had thought to find a quiet spot, swim a bit and then stretch out well greased against the rays of the sun…but it was not to be.

Sebastien spotted them first, the minute they stepped onto the wide decking around the spacious pool and called out from the water, causing the cluster of other crew and Divos to wave and invite them over. They had commandeered a whole section of the roomy lounges, done cabana style with fluttering gauzy white curtains sectioning the areas off for privacy…too many people for that. The curtains were tied back, snacks and drinks cluttered the tables and an extra double lounge was being pulled over to join those already circled before they could think of a good excuse to find another spot.

“I think we’ll have to give in graciously, Urs…and then get away from them later for the evening…I mean I like our friends but I didn’t come to spend ALL my time with them.”

He grinned and took her hand.

“You have the negotiating skills…I’ll leave our get-a-way up to you.”

It was noisy for a few minutes while questions were asked about Izzy’s shoulder, about Adam and their new home, how long could she stay…Urs fielded most of the answers while Izzy took off her shorts and tube top, patted Urs on the arm and sashayed off to test the water with one toe while every male present, friends, crew, strangers, even the man who knew her body extremely well stared at the sight of her in her miniscule emerald green bikini.

“I thought Fee said she was skinny now…she’s filled out rather nicely…” one of the crew said not aware that Urs shot him a look that should have turned him to stone.

Urs felt David come up beside him but kept watching as Izzy dove off the edge into the pool, surfacing half way across the width with hardly a ripple.

“I don’t blame you…” David said. He was smiling when Urs looked at him.

“For what?”

“For what you said last night…no hard feelings, Man.”

“For what I said?....I don’t remember saying anything.”

David looked at him and grinned.

“When your impatient lady there started to…when the shirt…and she reached for the zipper and…..I mean I don’t blame you…you couldn’t take your eyes off of her and you sort of growled “Get out! I’m not sharing!”…”

Urs cheeks went flame red as he tried to apologize.

“I…I really don’t remember…she gets that look in her eyes and …and I’m just toast…I’ve never known a woman who turns me on like she does….”

“That’s because she’s The One…remember way back when you were with Valerie and you told me once that your relationship was ‘comfortable’….and you said you didn’t believe that marriage was necessary…you don’t feel like that anymore, do you?”

“Hell no!…life with Izzy isn’t always ‘comfortable’ …exciting, surprising, fulfilling, interesting… and yes, lusty, randy, incredible….but through it all she lets me be me, appreciates me for who and what I am, not some ideal that she wants to change me into…. I can’t wait for Christmas so we can be married…and it isn’t just physical…we fit on so many levels…I can’t conceive of a future without her in it. She literally makes my heart sing.”

David was perhaps one of the few people he could say that to and not be laughed at.

“I know exactly what you mean…My god, Man, do you realize how lucky we are?”

Urs grinned and shucked his shorts and shirt, toed off his sandals and headed quickly for the pool.

Now it was the turn of the women present to stare. Urs Buhler in jeans and a tight tee made grown women drool…in a suit he was the embodiement of elegance…in a tight pair of swim trunks that did little to hide his generous package, toned muscles and taut butt, it was enough to make most of the men present hate him.

Quickly he dove in the pool and swam over to join Izzy where she was treading water and laughing at him.

“You’re so shy…it’s really kind of cute…you have this amazing body but you don’t want anyone to see it.”

“Except you…and that suit you almost have on should be illegal. You’ve gained some of your weight and muscle back…you look good, Baby, wery, wery good.”

“It’s the first time you’ve seen me in a swim suit isn’t it?”

“Ja…but not the last…though I prefer you to just be wearing skin.”

“Lech!” she said and surged up to put her hands on his head and dunk him, then swim for her life.

He caught her easily and pulled her to the bottom of the pool…hidden from the onlookers he kissed her and fondled her breasts, letting their bodies slowly surface and releasing her just as their heads broke through the surface.

They swam lengths lazily, side by side, limbering muscles that had been strained during the night until Urs surged ahead of her and let his legs dangle, treading water. Izzy stopped beside him.

“Hungry?” he asked and laughed when at first she chose to misunderstand him.

“Don’t you ever get enough?”

“Wench! You know what I mean.”

“Yes…we forgot about lunch…do you suppose they have some kind of service out here?”

“Count on it…c’mon lets go order something.”

They swam to the edge and he boosted her out, following right behind and scuttling rapidly to the lounge to wrap a towel around his almost exposed loins. A pool boy appeared as if by magic, providing towels and menus and they ordered enough to feed a small army…and ate it all without sharing, except for the handful of fries that David stole, grinning when he got his fingers slapped.

“Back off, Stretch…I rarely eat junk food so I plan on enjoying every last one of these,” Izzy said with a grin.

“They’ll go straight to your hips…”

“No problem…the exercise program my own personal trainer puts me through will keep me toned.”

“And satisfied,” Urs muttered softly with a smirk but David heard him and laughed.

“I’ve heard that’s the very best exercise…” David said with a sigh since Trish was still in Europe.

“When is Trish joining you?” Izzy asked.

“Not till mid December in Denver when the group disbands…I think…the way Sam keeps adding stuff on we could be anywhere.”

“By the way I caught part of your on-line chat…it was great…a few bugs to work out but I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.”

“Baby, I’ve been meaning to ask about Cody…we haven’t heard from him for ages, since just after we split up in New York,” Urs said as he moved from the table to lay on his stomach on the lounger, his torso raised on bent arms.

Izzy shrugged, accustomed to long absences by her brother.

“He’s probably gone back to work even though he didn’t have to. Cody has never been one to remain idle for long…and I’ve learned that bad news travels fast so if there is no news that can only be good. Don’t worry, SS....he’ll turn up.”

“SS?” David asked and Urs blushed but Izzy calmly answered… “a pet name…Super Swiss…” and Swiss Stud laughed in relief.

Izzy stretched out beside him on the Lounger and David wandered off, since the fries were all consumed, to find someone else to pester.

“Your legs are in the sun…I should grease them with block,” she said but made no move to do so, the lassitude of a full belly and the warmth of the sun making her feel lazy.

“I don’t burn, not like Seb does…I think it’s the slight olive tone in my skin from my Italian Opa.”

“And the hair…hairy legs don’t burn as easily. Before I forget …I’ve had several chats with Trudi lately… remember her, from the store in Toronto…of course you do…she’s lovely and has a great rack…and you never forget a great rack…anyway I need to go talk to her about expanding the store…and I’ve come up with an idea so that I can keep my hand in as well. What do you think of this…”

He listened, fascinated with the way she emphasized her speech with hand movements, her eyes sparkling as she sat up Indian style, buoyed on by his enthusiastic responses.

“That complex of rooms when you first go into the basement would be perfect…I could have privacy, the door is about a foot thick and could be locked easily and the initial equipment wouldn’t be really expensive…I checked and there would be no problem sending finished product via courier to the stores….and now and then, when you have time off we could make little scouting trips together to buy or find gemstones…and why are you grinning at me like a fool?”

He laughed and leaned over to kiss her arm.

“As if you didn’t have enough to do…but I like it…you know I’m interested in rock hunting with you…and if it happens to be useful, keeps you out of mischief, then I’m all for it. You might even consider opening a store somewhere in Europe…maybe Paris or Geneva…or both if the demand warrants.”

She squealed with delight and threw herself on him, raining kisses on his laughing face, much to the delight of everyone within sight.

A little while later Sam wandered by with his arms full of briefcase, papers and the book he hadn’t had time to read while poolside and Urs called out to him.

“Sam, when do we go to Toronto?”

“New York next for 2 days, then Toronto for 2…why? You WILL be going!”

“Looking forward to it…Izzy has something she needs to do there.”

The relief was apparent on Sam’s face as he continued on his way.

The rest of the time in Miami was spent creating one memory after the other to see them through the next weeks/months when they would be apart: walking on the beach in the starlight, holding hands and kissing gently while the surf teased around their ankles, finding the crab shack that David had mentioned and wearing bibs to feast on the mound of crustaceans that were dumped on plastic sheets in the center of the table, laughing like fools when the juices ran down their chins, sneaking down to the closed pool at 2 in the morning to swim naked and nearly get caught by security {who knew they were there and made loud noises to warn them of the patrol, holding in their laughter at the sight of two bare butts scampering for safety with towels dragging behind}, talking for hours in the big bed in their suite while the moon and stars made their nightly treks across the sky.

Then there was the bustle of packing, the flight to New York and more rounds of signings, TV appearances, limos, makeup, video shoots, packing and off to the airport again to be charming as they went through the fans who always seemed to know just when and where the guys would be appearing. Unfortunately, on this visit, there was no time for the side trip they both wanted to take to Tribeca.

Pearson Airport in Toronto was the same scene again. Izzy was through customs first, her UN/military passort still good and expediting her entry into her home country faster than the paperwork Sam had for all of the Divos and crew.

She smiled as she made her way through the crowd of fans with banners, flowers and gifts outside the arrivals doors, quietly showed her ID to the security around the waiting limos and buses and was safely seated in the limo when the guys made it outside.

Urs ducked into the open door and plopped down beside her, taking her hand and grinning.

“I don’t know how they manage to always know…but it gives me hope that our year off wasn’t a mistake…the reception is amazing, the interest is still there…I have a wery good feeling about this CD and the tour.”

“You should…I keep telling you …you have to go online and read the comments…you have very loyal fans…yes, the year off was hard for them to endure but basically they understood and want only what’s best for you. I just hope that when they find out about me and Adam that they don’t get upset.”

“They won’t, Liebe…when they see how happy I am now, they’ll be happy for us…they might as well get used to it because you are permanent!”

They were kissing when Seb ducked into the limo and he laughed.

“Mon dieu…they’re at it again! Have mercy! My sweetheart is on the other side of the pond!

**

All too soon Izzy found herself on the Lufthansa flight to take her home to Switzerland.

It wasn’t as painful as she had thought it would be…after all she would be back in the whirlwind of duties at their home and with Adam, armed with videos of the guys and a special one of Urs talking to Adam and explaining what he was doing and that he would be home soon.

She had accomplished a great deal in Toronto, taking care of her personal banking, closing accounts and having the funds transferred to her new accounts in Lausanne, totally stunned when she saw the balances that had accrued over the years of not using much except for necessities…and the 2 year hiatus when she was a prisoner.

Her lawyer was working on the expansion of the shops and the arrangements she had made which now meant that her managers were full partners in the businesses, something she felt was only fair since they had kept the businesses flourishing during her absence.

The seat belt sign went off but she left hers clipped, leaning back in the seat and thinking of the lovely man who had braved being recognized so he could spend a few more fleeting moments with her before she caught her flight.

She could still feel the warmth of his hand cupping her face as he leaned down to kiss her good bye, still taste his smooth lips and the tongue that caressed her inner lip, still hear him whisper how much he loved her.

Her hand strayed to her stomach and she smiled.

‘We made a baby…I just feel it…I feel…complete…Gott, how can I wait until the test will be accurate…this was such a nice time with him….I love to see him so happy, so …playful….sometimes he’s like a little boy in a grown up body….and it makes my heart thud to know that I helped make him that way…’

“May I get you a beverage, Ma’am?”

Izzy smiled and shook her head.

“Just orange juice, please,” mentally adding ‘I’m pregnant’ and crossing her fingers.

**

CHAPTER 108…THE TUTOR

It was wonderful being home, having Adam come racing across the Arrivals floor to throw himself on her and be met with the beaming smiles of Zus and Marta. It seemed that in the 10 days she had been gone he had grown at least an inch, was speaking Swiss German much more clearly….. and had grown out of most of his shoes.

For a brief time she put aside her sadness at having to leave Urs, though she knew that when the house was quiet with everyone sleeping and she was alone with her thoughts it would hit her again, big time.

Work had gone on while she was away and she was amazed at the progress that had been made.

All the painting and most of the masonry work had been accomplished, almost all of the refinishing on the antiques was done and the pieces put in the places she had meticulously detailed on the plans and the biggest wonder was that there was an actual building in the grove of trees out back with only the finishing touches left to do before moving the tools and motorbikes in.

During dinner Sally informed her that work on the Chateau had progressed well too and there was very little left to do to meet the deadline of the first week of January. The next step would be interviewing staff and making those decisions.

“We should think about that part time doctor as well, some one to take over when you join Urs on the tour or if you just want some time off. General Haggerty sent Gerd some names for you to consider, but you need to go over them…that’s a little beyond me.”

“And I have someone you need to talk to as well,” Marta chimed in. “Remember you asked if I knew anyone who would be interested in being a nanny/tutor for Adam, maybe someone in the family? Well it happens that Zus’ widowed cousin has retired from her job as a teacher and since all her children are grown and moved away she’s at loose ends. She came to visit for a few days, met Adam and they get along brilliantly…I’ll give you her number and you can arrange to meet if you like.”

“I can’t believe how everything is falling into place suddenly….I’ll look into all of that tomorrow…and yes I’ll check out Urs’ studio as well, but tonight I’m just going to enjoy my family, and being home…and show you all the videos we made…Adam, Papa did a special one just for you because he misses you so much.”

“Papa comes home soon?”

“Not yet, Luv…if you check your calendar you’ll see he can’t finish his work for another 6 weeks…and then we’ll go into the airport to meet him.”

“Six weeks!” Gerd said with amazement. “That means he won’t make it home until the week before Christmas…will he be able to slip home for a couple of days?”

“Unfortunately no…he’s all over the place…Tokyo, South America, back to the U.S. then Europe…Adam and I may join him for a couple of days when they swing through Europe…it’s better for us to travel than for him to waste his energy coming home for only a few hours. I can’t wait to see his face when he sees how much we’ve accomplished!”

“How are you ever going to get everything organized, Child? Between Christmas, the wedding, the Center, Urs’ workshop and studio, work on the house… you have an enormous amount of things to take care of.” Marta shook her head in dismay.

But Izzy just smiled.

“If there’s one thing I learned in the military it’s how to delegate…nothing is impossible if you have enough backs and brains to pitch in…I mean look at how much was done during the 10 days I was away…it’s all a question of having good people and good planning….and I just happen to have the best management team in Europe available to give me a hand.”

She grinned at Gerd and Sally who assumed silly smiling poses then burst out laughing.

“Actually we do make a good team…we’ve accomplished so much…and haven’t had even one major argument…Gerd is a real magician when it comes to anticipating all the little details that make things go smoothly…”

“And my Angel puts a kind of military spin on things but with a homey twist…you’ll see when you come to do a tour…she even has an office set up for you and knew all the little things that someone in rehab needs to be comfortable…things like choices of privacy or interaction with other guests and staff, fun things to do that aren’t too taxing and are great exercise but seem more like playing…and we’ve tentatively hired a therapist/social worker for counseling…a Captain that General Haggerty suggested we speak with…she was part of a team that was injured in a roadside bombing in Iraq and doesn’t want to go back in the field again but is a career officer and re-upped…she’s been working at Bethesda and wants a smaller, more intimate posting.”

They talked far into the evening. Adam fell asleep in his mother’s arms, happy from watching the video Urs had sent for him {3 times} and tired from the trip and excitement. When everyone decided to head for bed poor Homer was torn between following Marta and Zus or making the trek up the stairs with ‘his boy’ and Marta laughed as she coaxed the old fellow into her suite.

“I just might have a hard time getting him to go home with me tomorrow…those two have become kind of attached while Adam was with us.”

“I don’t have a problem with him staying…except for the stairs…I really think they’re too much for him,” Izzy said.

“Don’t borrow trouble, Liebe,” Zus said gently. “We’ll deal with the bond between them when the time comes.”

Adam was clinging limpet like to Izzy as she carted him up to his room and got him into his jammies. He stirred enough to kiss her good night and mutter something about marking the day off on the calendar. That job drowsily done, he snuggled down and was almost instantly back asleep.

Izzy lay down on Urs’ side of the bed, certain that she was past just tired and wouldn’t be able to sleep. She pulled his pillow down to snuggle against it, searching for the scent of his Bulgari but all she could find was the clean scent of the soap from laundering the pillow slip.

‘Never mind…I still have the aroma of him in my mind…that clean, fresh scent when he’s just finished shaving, the spicy tang and musky scent of him when we’ve made love, that woodsy tone when he’s straight out of the shower, the pure male sweat when he’s been working out….I even like that one, it’s so real, so natural…maybe I should see if he’s on-line…12 hours difference in time…so it’s noon…no that’s wrong…he’s on a flight to Asia…Argh!!! I never can figure that out…’

She fell asleep trying to work out the complicated time zones and woke several hours later, still dressed and hugging the pillow, to strip to the skin and slide under the duvet.

**

Homer stayed.

The usually very well behanved old fellow simply refused to hear the commands to ‘Come’ and lay on the floor in the wide hallway, keeping his head turned as if embarrassed when Marta called to him. He sensed that he had won the battle of wills when Zus and Marta went on out to the car and he joyously followed Adam out as far as the bottom of the front steps, tail wagging and tongue lolling…strangely she wasn’t upset as they drove away, knowing how happy Homer was to have a boy to play with again.

The stairs were really no problem. Izzy and Adam developed a routine, setting up a cozy spot for him at the side of the wide stairs with a nice doggy-rug to sleep on and when it was bedtime for Adam he just pet his friend for a few minutes, told him to ‘Stay’…and the dog stayed, except for the brief foray out to water the weeds when the last person to go to bed let him out. He was waiting each morning with the canine equivalent of a ‘Happy Dance’ when Adam came galloping down the stairs and never far from his side throughout the day…and as a bonus, the other children were over joyed to have a share in a pet now.

Dee and Claude were moving to the Home Farm so Izzy had both of the under age children at Tranquillite…which was anything but tranquil with 3 little ones and a dog in and out of the house, in the play room now and then, in the kitchen often and very vocal…it seemed that the happier they were the more noise they made, something that Adam had quickly learned since he now had other children to play with and no threat of danger to himself or his mother.

Fortunately Ambra adored little children and set up a play area in the kitchen so Izzy could get some of her work done…and it did get done. As she had said, she was good at delegating and spent the majority of her time over seeing the various projects on the go simultaneously. It turned out that Hugo was a god-send, intuiting what she needed, always ready with knowledge of who could do what and when, keeping excellent records so that everyone got properly paid and making sure that what was done was done well.

Two days after arriving back home she went into Lausanne with Dee and Adam had the inoculations that should have been given to him when he was younger. He had a complete checkout with the new pediatrician who agreed that he was very gifted, would likely be fairly tall and could find nothing of concern health-wise, including the now healed scrape on his little stomach. A routine for the rest of his shots was set up, appointment made for an initial checkup with a dentist who specialized in children and that was another item checked off of Izzy’s mental list.

Then she and Dee went shopping, blitzing the stores for all sorts of items to make both of their homes cosy…like the large floor pillows Urs had requested for their suite, new rugs for the Lounge at the Home Farm, frames for the manuscripts Izzy had found in Pula, and two large cartons full of Christmas decorations as a start on what would be needed for Tranquillite.

They ended their shopping spree with practical purchases at the Pharmacy, both hoping to slip a pregnancy test kit into their own baskets without the other noticing, both picking the same brand and laughing when they each noticed the other had purchased one.

“Mine is just in case…” Izzy said and Dee shook her head smiling.

“Mine is because I need to confirm suspicions…we hadn’t planned on another but you know what they say about plans. What a hoot it would be if we both are and deliver around the same time!!!”

“Don’t say anything to Claude about me, Please Dee…if I am, I want to tell Urs first….and I can’t test for a couple of weeks yet.”

“Silly Sister!...of course I won’t…we gals have to have some secrets from them!”

**

Izzy talked to Zus’ cousin on the phone and accepted gratefully when the woman offered to come to Reve to visit for a few days, eager to check out the facilities of what could be her new home and willing to be interviewed. In fact, as she remarked to Zus in a phone call a few minutes after talking to Izzy, had the mother of her possible student not been so diligent regarding who would help mold her son she would have had reservations about what kind of relationship they could develop.

“If the boy is as gifted as you seem to think it will take careful planning to make sure he lives as normal a life as possible, at the same time feeding the appetite for knowledge he likely has. I think you’re likely correct but it’s hard for me to really know after only being with him a few minutes.”

“You’ll see, Ami…you know what a delightful child he is…both parents are very intelligent and caring…they encourage him to learn but also to have fun and play. Go visit…I’ll be very interested to hear what you say after you’ve been at Reve for a couple of days.”

So arrangements were made for Amida to come to Reve, left flexible since she would be travelling by car from Bern and wanted to sightsee on the way.

As luck would have it she arrived on a Saturday, just before lunchtime and Adam wasn’t home alone.

She drove slowly down the lane, paused for a moment to admire the chateau and as per instruction continued on under the arch, through the village.

It was lovely, well maintained and bustling with people going on about their daily lives, friendly smiling people who nodded or waved as she slowed to avoid the little groups of children scurrying home for lunch. She was impressed but not awed…Reve was not the first estate/village she had seen on her travels throughout the countryside of Europe since this type of set up was fairly common on the older estates. There was a community feeling about this one though and she was in a pleasant mood when she arrived at the turn into the driveway for Tranquillite.

Ambra answered the summons of the doorbell and welcomed her into the foyer, informing her politely that ‘Mme. is in the kitchen with the children,’ and indicating that she should follow her.

‘Children? I thought the little boy was the only child?’

Adam waved at her as she came in the kitchen and Izzy looked up from spooning some sort of mushy veg into Roger’s mouth and smiled at the newcomer.

“You arrived to a full house…welcome! Please make yourself comfortable and I’ll be right with you. No Adam…you must finish your lunch and have a nap before you visit with Mme. Amida.”

A few minutes later she joined the woman on the sofa, having traded places with Denys and left Ambra in charge of the group of children around the table.

“Sorry…most of the ladies have gone to the Home Farm to help with placement of furnishings so they left their little ones here for the day. It isn’t usually quite so hectic…I’m Isabella…How was your drive?”

“Beautiful…the weather has co-operated nicely.”

“Yes…that’s why this lot is so hungry…and quiet, relatively speaking…the older children have gone off on a trail ride but before they left, they took this horde out to play and get fresh air…most of them will have naps in the family room after lunch, the others up to the play room…and then we can have lunch and chat a bit.”

The two women went out to Amida’s car for her luggage then up stairs to get her settled in the suite where she would stay.

“I’ve put you in Cygne…it’s one of my favorite suites,” Izzy said as she opened the door with ‘Cygne’ and a pretty white swan on the blue of a pool of blue water {brass and blown glass} affixed to the first letter.

“How lovely!” Amida said as she surveyed the room: a four posted bed with white netting draperies tied back with deep blue velvet cords that matched the heavy drapes at the side of the netting covered windows and the soft pattern of the Persian rug that the bed was centered on, the furnishings of dark, highly polished wood that gleamed, a couple of well done oil paintings of landscapes on the pale walls and a small sitting area with Toille covered settee and 2 chairs in front of a fireplace.

“I hope you will be comfortable here…please come back down whenever you like…I’m going to supervise the end of lunch and get the children settled.”

Amida explored when Izzy left, unpacked and washed her hands and face, thinking about the glimpse she had of the boy who would possibly be in her care.

She had met him before, at his Oma’s home in Willisau and knew that he was a gifted child, personable and not at all spoiled, not yet. Now it was a question of how aware the parents would be of the encouragement he would need and the necessity of allowing him to just be a little boy whenever possible.

She went back downstairs, prepared to be interviewed by Izzy and ready to make a judgement about the environment, resigned that possibly this unique little mind would be lost to the world if his parents didn’t know how to cope with his abilities.

**

Another long and busy day and Izzy was once more almost too exhausted to stand in the shower before going to bed.

The house had been full to the bursting point with nearly 20 children of varying ages for dinner, less when the older kids went out on the horses but noisier since there were no older siblings to tone down the boisterous little ones. Still it had been fun, in an organized chaos kind of way and an excellent workout for the toys that lined the shelving in the play room…also an excellent way of seeing Amida in action as she pitched in to help with the children, somehow keeping them all occupied and happy while thoroughly enjoying herself in the process.

They had done the usual things at lunch, amida producing her references from the schools she had taught in over the years, the last one before retirement being a School for gifted children in Bern.

Izzy got her to open up about her teaching methods, using her negotiation skills so that after a rather lengthy and spirited discourse on how she liked to encourage the basics and expand any interest that became obvious until the child was older and could voice his inclinations, she had stopped talking and began to laugh.

“You’re good…have you ever thought about teaching…you’ve had me talking just like I try to do with my students.”

Izzy smiled.

“I think with working at the Retreat, keeping my skills honed and being an almost full time mother and wife, as well as travelling with Urs some of the time I have quite enough on my plate. I’ve done some lectures over the years and quite enjoyed it, so it’s a possibility after my family is a little older. We would like to have a few more children…both Urs and I enjoy being parents.”

Now as she changed for bed, listening at the BB monitor for sounds from Adam’s room, she thought how quiet the house seemed after the mothers had picked up their kids.

‘We’re right to want more children…even Tranquillite approves…it felt so vibrant here today with all these happy little voices…well a few minor discordant sounds with arguments and owies, but nothing major…and Amida fit right in…she’s very patient, very skilful at getting them to have fun and learn at the same time…I love how she made games out of the educational toys…I was so lucky to have Cody when I was little…he’s another born teacher…but then he went away, to school, then the service and Mom didn’t know how to handle someone like me…I was so out of my peer group, my friends drifted away, considering me too young or too nerdy and all I had left was learning…I don’t want that for Adam…expanding his mind is important but so is having friends…raising a gifted child is like walking a tightrope and I’m very pleased that Amida understands that…before the tour starts I’d like to have Urs meet her and we’ll come to a decision, but as far as I’m concerned…she’s perfect.’
She snuggled in bed with Urs pillow turned sideways and in her arms, her head on the edge as if his warm shoulder was there to rest on.

“Good night, my Love,” she murmured trying to remember just where in the wide world Il Divo was now…

**

The time had flown, the work, though not all that physical had kept her so busy that every night she would collapse, totally exhausted, so it wasn’t until she talked to Urs when the guys arrived in the UK again, on their way in a few days to Paris and Berlin, that she remembered that the time for her cycle had come…and gone, with nothing happening.

For a moment she felt dizzy as she clutched her stomach and the knowledge that she was likely pregnant became real to her. Then the floodgates opened and she had to scurry to the bathroom so no one would see her crying.

When she had calmed somewhat she raced up the stairs and dug through her purse, looking for the test strip she had purchased that first time she went into town, nearly 3 weeks before.

Of course it was positive.

She could hear Adam calling for her from downstairs and hid the strip in a little plastic bag, back in her purse, wiped her face with a cool wet cloth and went back down to give her son a huge hug and kiss.

‘We’re going to Berlin for the weekend…I’m not telling anyone until I can tell Urs first…Danke, Gott, Danke!!’

Somehow she got through the next 4 days and if anyone noticed that she smiled a lot they merely attributed it to the fact that everything was coming together nicely and both she and Adam were going to meet up with Urs for the weekend.

**

CHAPTER 109….BERLIN

Tegel Airport was bustling when they arrived, the hexagonal terminal swarming with people all intent on either meeting someone or getting to their departure gate on time.

As always Izzy’s papers facilitated a speedy entrance…she was going to miss having the weight of the military and the UN behind her once she became merely a civilian.

She wasn’t expecting Urs to meet them. They had talked about it and decided that there was a large enough fan base in Berlin to warrant not making an appearance that couldn’t be controlled, so when Adam tried to wiggle out of her arms, where she had him to avoid him being stepped on, and called out “PAPA!” she thought that he had seen someone who just looked similar to Urs…not so!

There he was, being adored by a small group of one woman and 6 or 7 girls, actually posing with some on each side, looking his usual charming self though he was dressed in one of his feeble disguises…jeans, tee shirt, leather jacket and his hair a riot of curls above an unshaven face.

‘Oh god, now what do I do?...I can’t go up to him and have Adam call him Papa, as he for sure will…’

“Hush, Adam…Papa is working…perhaps we can slip past and wait near the doors until he’s finished.”

As children are wont to do, Adam picked this particular moment to throw one of his very few ever hissy fits.

“But I want my Papa…PAPA!!!” He wiggled again, this time nearly succeeding in getting free as he threw his body backwards. Izzy nearly lost her grip on his little body and Urs heard him, looking up with surprise and beaming a huge smile in their direction.

‘Well so much for making a discrete entrance…’

Urs said something to the eldest member of the group and strode through the crowd over to them, taking Adam in his arms for a big hug and leaning over to kiss Izzy on the cheek.

“What are you doing here?…I thought we talked….”

“It’s alright…I couldn’t wait…”

They had both spoken at once, adding to the singsong chant that Adam was doing as he patted Urs face and kept saying “Papa…Luv you, my Papa!”

Izzy laughed and Urs draped his free arm around her shoulders, guiding her not towards the exit but towards the group of fans.

“It’s alright, Liebe…I couldn’t wait to see you and when I explained, these nice ladies promised to keep our secret for a few weeks.”

They had reached the group and the older woman smiled and held her hand out, introducing herself.

“I am Aneliese…from Rotterdam…my students and I are on a school trip and recognized the Swiss Rock God…I believe I saw you once before…several years ago, in Edinburgh.”

“Thank you in advance for your discretion, Aneliese. Yes, I was in Edinburgh with Urs once several years ago…then we were separated through work for a long time.”

“But I’ve got her back now and I’m never letting her go,” Urs said, making all the girls sigh at the romanticism of his comment and Izzy look at him in surprise that he would be so forthcoming.

“Aneliese, ladies…this is our son,” he said and Izzy’s hand flew to her mouth to check if it was gaping open.

“Pleased to meet you, Ma’am…my name is Adam Diego Buhler,” Adam said politely holding his hand out and again making the girls in the group sigh.

“You’re just like your father, Adam…such a charmer…and I’m pleased to meet you,” Aneliese said with a grin, shaking his hand.

The poor ignored porter was still standing by with the suitcase and carryon that was all Izzy had brought with them but now moved towards the exit when Urs motioned for him to go on.

“I’m sorry to rush off, Ladies…and I won’t forget my promise to you…thank you!” He patting his pocket which Izzy later learned contained Aneliese’s business card. He guided Izzy after the porter, both turning to wave at the little group of fans just before they went through the doors.

“You HAVE to explain what just happened there…after we get in the limo and I get a proper kiss Hello.”

“Deal,” he said with a laugh, indicating which of the parked limos was theirs.

Urs clipped Adam into the car seat the driver had provided, then eagerly did his duty with a blistering Welcome kiss that left Izzy quivering.

“MMMMM…you’ve been saving that one for a special occasion, I think…I’m sure my bones melted,” she said as she vibrated against his chest when he drew his mouth away from hers.

“That’s not the only thing I saved just for you,” he murmured softly, but couldn’t continue because of the public place …and the little voice that chimed in with one of Gerd’s favorite sayings.

“No more Kissy Face!” then adding his own comment. “Do you want to see my scar?”

Urs laughed and turned to give his son some attention, taking Izzy’s hand in his and playing idly with her fingers.

“Not now, Adam…it would mean taking your seat belt off and you know that’s not a good idea. I’ll see it when you have your bath. I have a real fun thing planned for us to do tomorrow…we’re going to Lego Discovery World…you know the Lego blocks you have at home that you can build things with? Well, here they have a whole building full of them and you can make things or learn more about them…or buy more pieces and little motors…it should be a lot of fun.”

Izzy squeezed his hand and grinned at him.

“Enough stalling…explain what was happening at the terminal…why weren’t you upset that the fans spotted us together?”

He laughed and settled back in the seat with a satisfied smirk.

“Like I said, I found I just couldn’t settle myself to waiting…so I got the limo and headed out, timing it perfectly I might add, but there was a flight from Amsterdam just ahead of yours and the lady you met recognized me. She was very polite and asked for autographs and pictures for her girls but I knew you were coming almost immediately so after we chatted for a couple of minutes I offered her a deal…I asked if she would NOT take pictures of you and Adam or post anything on the forum, not until after Christmas…in return I promised to send her a picture of our wedding day and mention her discretion when I announce on the forum that we are married…and that Adam is our son…it’s time, Liebe…I’m proud of both of you and of the fact that we are committed to each other…no more secrecy.”

Izzy beamed with happiness, secretly thinking that there was more than he knew to be announced…but not yet…first they needed to savor the moment privately, just the two of them, then gradually tell friends and family. She glanced at his happy face and wondered what his reaction would be.

**

They did manage a few private moments while Adam explored the spacious suite, but it was not the right time…Izzy wanted to have him alone, to savor the experience, to let him get used to the idea since with Adam he had been cheated out of the experience until long after delivery. So she just surprised him with a barely subdued passion that let him shaking as they stood in their room basking in the glow of kisses that promised much more…but later.

“Wow…so I guess Cyber sex wasn’t enough for you either,” he whispered against her neck as they tried to calm their breathing. “I missed you…Adam too of course but I really missed feeling your skin under my hands and my Toys crushed against my chest…Mein gott, you turn me on, Woman!”

“Really?.... and here I thought you had a giant wurst in your jeans for me to snack on later.”

He roared with laughter and squeezed her butt with both hands.

“You can try it later and see if you like the taste…c’mon, lets see what the boy is up to.”

There really was no need to look since they could hear Adam plinking away at the keyboard of the grand piano in the Lounge, not playing anything really but trying to find Middle C and do the FACE and EGBDF that Urs had taught him on their piano at home.

“It’s an octave higher, Adam,” Urs said with a smile as he strode across to the piano bench Adam had scrambled up on. He watched as the small hands tried to stretch just like Papa’s and hit the notes properly…it would be a few years before he would have the span to do so but with his insatiable curiosity he loved to try to make the right sounds somehow.

“Frau Ami says that in Geneva there’s a place that makes pianos for little boys…she says I should tell you about it and maybe we could get one.”

Urs raised his brow in question at Izzy.

“Frau Amida…that’s Zus’ cousin…she’s a retired teacher and is looking for a position as nanny slash tutor… I thought you should talk to her before a decision is made…maybe after Christmas.”

“That’s it? You aren’t going to tell me more about her?”

“No…I don’t want to influence your decision…and it’s not something I felt comfortable deciding on alone…our choice of tutor for him at this stage of his life will have an effect on how he feels about learning over the next few years…it’s something we need to be on the same page about.”

Adam watched his parents and sighed.

“Are you going to get all Kissy Faced again? You have that look Papa…”

Urs laughed and scooped him up off the piano bench for a tickle.

“Get used to it, my Sohn…I love it when your Mama lets me be the man of the family…she’s a very special lady!”

They both got Kissy Faced with Izzy, making her giggle and squeal for mercy.

The door bell rang and Izzy escaped to answer the summons, finding Trish and David on the other side and welcoming them in with hugs and laughter.

“We’ve come to take you to dinner…My god you look great, Izzy…country life agrees with you, you’re glowing…and look at Adam…he’s grown so much since Pula.” David had given her a hug and gone into the lounge to throw Adam up in the air for an airplane ride that made him giggle.

“Did Urs tell you we’ve offered to take Adam for the night so you two can have some private time?” Trish asked.

“Hasn’t been time yet…we haven’t even unpacked…do I have to hurry and change?”

“No, we’re early…and we’re just going to the hotel dining room…posh but private…the guys booked a room so we won’t be bothered with gawkers.” Trish leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Urs insisted…I think he didn’t want to go too far since he wants an early night alone with you. I get the impression that he really, really missed you.”

Adam scurried over to Izzy and was waiting for her to ask him what he needed.

“Yes, Adam?”

“Mama could I have my new book…I want to show Papa and Onkle David how well I can read now.”

She took his hand and they went into the bedroom to unpack the luggage, found the book and he scurried off. Izzy hung up the few items that needed to have wrinkles fall out, put the folded items in the dresser and stored the case before going back out to join the others.

Adam had just finished the story in his latest book and was closing it with a flourish when she joined them.

“Good story, Adam…and you read it well. The little boy in the story reminds me of you the way he’s learning about the computer,” Urs said and David agreed.

“But he doesn’t know about Skype yet…I like Skype…it lets me see my Oma…and she can see Homer now that he lives with us.”

They chatted for a while longer then the Buhler’s went to wash up and change for dinner while David and Trish fooled around on the piano. Twenty minutes later they all departed for the Hotel dining room and dinner.

**

It was just as well that they had booked a private room since the sight of those well known faces, all impeccably dressed, as they crossed the dining room created a murmur of recognition, though the well-behaved patrons merely stared and talked among themselves. Even if they had not been recognized as international performers the lovely women in their stylish outfits and the 2 men and little boy, all dressed in well tailored suits, would have caused heads to turn for a second glance.

Carlos and Sebastien rose from their places at the oval table when they entered and claimed Trish and Izzy for hugs and kisses and Adam for laughing handshakes.

Eventually they settled into their seats, ordering drinks and appetizers and scanned the extensive menu.

Izzy took a sip of the glass of red wine which was all she planned on having tonight and closed her menu.

“I’m starving…would you order for me Urs…you know what I like and my German isn’t all that great.”

“The next page is in English, Liebe…” he said with a curious grin.

“I know but I like to have you taking care of me…surprise me!”

He leaned over to whisper to her.

“Are we going to play timid and virginal tonight and you’re getting into the role now?”

She smiled shyly.

“Maybe…”

His pupils dilated in anticipation and his hand caressed her neck gently as his tongue peeked out to wet his lower lip.

He coughed and cleared his throat before picking up the menu again and studying it, a few minutes later closing the elegant cover and shifting his position in his chair, just a little uncomfortable in his well fitted dress pants.

**

Dinner had gone remarkably well…the food was excellent, the service impeccable and time had flown in the interesting company of their friends. It wasn’t until Urs noticed that Adam was fading, wanting to sit on his lap and snuggle that he realized it was after 9 and well past the little boy’s bedtime.

They left the others at the table arranging to have David drop by in about half an hour to pick up Adam and went back to their suite.

Urs and Adam showered together, then lay in robes {jammies for Adam} on the carpet in the Lounge to play quietly with the few toys Adam had brought with him while Izzy took her turn. She was just drying off when David arrived.

Adam collected Percy and went willingly into his Onkle’s arms, kissing his towel wrapped Mama and giving Urs a sleepy kiss at the door.

Urs tidied the Lounge, dimmed the lights, put on soft music and when he looked towards the bedroom she was there, radiant from her shower, dressed in a filmy white gown that did little to hide the lush body underneath and making his heart race as she glided slowly towards him.

“You are so incredibly beautiful…”

She was shaking when she reached him, her hands behind her back, looking like the Virgin Bride that he often called her.

“I have a present for you,” she said, raising her eyes to his and pressing something into the hand he had reached out to clasp her waist.

He looked down, puzzled at first at the oblong plastic in his hand. He raised it up, turning it over and looking at a small screen that was entirely blue with a white plus sign in the center.

“We’re going to have a baby,” she said softly just as he realized what he was holding.

He felt dizzy, over whelmed with love, with joy…and with fear…his legs wouldn’t hold him and he sank to his knees, wrapping his arms around her and nestling his face against her stomach, tightening his arms then easing off, afraid of hurting her, of hurting their child.

“Mein Gott! We’ve created a life…it’s inside you, right now…I’m sorry…did I hurt you?...Oh Liebeling…I’m so happy!!!”

In shaking hands she cupped his head, curly from his shower, and leaned down to kiss his upturned face gently.

“No one else knows…I’ve been dying to tell you for 4 days but I didn’t want to do it long distance…when you come home we’ll go see the obstetrician that Dee uses but I think we can safely plan on early August.”

He paled and then tugged her down onto the carpet with him.

“That’s a long time to go without loving you but we can do it…”

He wrapped his arms around her again but she pushed him away so she could look in his eyes.

“Urs did you think that we have to give up sharing love because we’re pregnant? That’s not true, Luv…after, for a few weeks my body will be too sore, but now…it’s quite safe…and my hormones will be all over the place, wanting you more than ever. You thought I was insatiable before…just wait until the second trimester, Lover.”

“But what about when you get big?...Mein gott, will your breasts get bigger too?...”

“We managed with my shoulder…we’ll just have to be inventive…and you’re so good at that…and yes, they will…bigger and afterwards full of breast milk.”

He lay back on the carpet and pulled her on top of him with her breasts resting on his face and his hands fondling them through her gown.

“Can I taste it?”

“You might not like it…”

He raised his brows then grinned.

“I love how you taste…EVERYWHERE!”

Very gently he rolled them over and lay her on the carpet, slowly raising her gown to reveal her stomach and splaying his fingers across the still flat surface with a look of wonder on his face.

“How big is it now?”

She put her thumb and forefinger almost together and smiled.

“About the size of a poppy seed…I think it was in Miami so that means we’re about 5 weeks maybe 6.”

“Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

She placed her hand on his and smiled.

“Yes…I have the proof right here…but you could show me again.”

She actually saw his robe begin to tent but he hesitated.

“You’re sure?”

She groaned and surged into a sitting position, leaning forward and pushing his robe aside, her mouth enclosing over the head of his shaft, licking, sucking, hands gently kneading the silken sacs that throbbed with sperm, while he whimpered then moaned and clutched at her hair.

“You win,” he gasped, moving away but only long enough to stand, scoop her up into his arms and carry her into their bedroom.

She wasn’t prepared for the total ecstasy he gave her that night, again and again, taking her to the brink and over, tenderly worshiping the body in which they had created life, gently guiding her as she fulfilled his every longing, giving him pleasure beyond compare to anything he had ever experienced. They slept, only to awaken to hands that stroked, mouths that licked and sucked, that inflamed, that found yet another way to achieve pleasure, slept again, then feasted on the tastes of each other, smothering the cries of joy with eager, bruised mouths, then sleeping finally, sated, wrapped in each others arms, their hands clasped over the safe haven of the child they had created from their love.

**

CHAPTER 110…LEGOLAND

“I love you, my little incubator,” was the first thing she heard in the morning, making her laugh even before her eyes were open.

He was laying watching her, with his head propped up on one bent arm, stretched full length beside her with his hand once again on her stomach. Some time in the night the covers had been tossed to the floor and they were both naked, uncovered…fortunately the room was warm and sunlight streamed in through the huge window and across the king sized bed.

“I feel like I’ve been hit by a very large truck named Urs,” she said as she experimented with stretching and found tender spots that she didn’t know she even possessed.

“You bit me!...I’m not going to be able to sit down today,” he complained with a grin, rolling to his stomach and craning his neck around trying to look at his butt.

Izzy sat up, remembering and laughing when she saw the clear marks of her strong teeth on his butt cheek and a large suck mark. It had been an urge she couldn’t resist, seeing that luscious ass unprotected, looking so firm and pink…she remembered how he had clutched at the sheet when she sucked on the stinging mark and moaned, nearly cumming…and how she had had been given one to match on the inside of her thigh.

She leaned over and kissed it better, giving his cheek a pat for good measure as she slid her feet over the edge of the bed.

“I only did what all the fans want to do…you have a gorgeous butt, Swiss.”

He surged up off the bed and kissed her, pulling her to her feet for a snuggle.

“Actually it felt incredible…it may become my favorite foreplay in the future.”

They showered, teasing and laughing, bathing each other, getting serious and talking about the baby and how they would manage both the gestation and the touring.

“August…so you should be able to travel until around the first part of July if we use charters or private.”

“Yes, so long as I stay healthy…and I will…I mean I’ll have to watch my diet and work out gently, nothing really brutal…and no jogging, too much impact…we’ll see what the OBGYN has to say. Oh Urs, I’m so happy to be able to share this with you this time. I used to talk about the baby with you, in my head, when I carried Adam…of course I had Sally and she was great, but I so wanted to share with you. And this time even if we have to talk sometimes on IM at least we’ll be together, sharing what’s happening. This trial period with the promos has proven that we can handle 3 or 4 weeks of just Cyber space when we have to.”

“But I would miss nights like last night…DIY just doesn’t come close…”

“That’s it?” she said with a pout. “You just miss the sex?”

She started to get out of the shower but he spun her back, trapping her in his strong arms.

“With you it isn’t just sex, minx, and you know it…you consume me…one touch of that mouth on me or those little hands or those emerald eyes going dark and smouldering and you can do anything, have anything…I can’t resist…you’re like a drug that I’m addicted to and I can’t get enough of you. But I miss all the rest too…the way you smell, the warmth of you next to me, that little way you have of thinking before you speak, the surprises you always casually toss into my day…I love the way your mind works, the way you have of immersing yourself in a project, like Adam, getting so intense about new things, the way you are so considerate to others, and yet can cut an obnoxious person off at the knees and still smile sweetly while you do it. You are calm and brave, you let me be who I am, don’t feel put down by allowing me to be a man…you are the complete package and I’ll love you beyond death.”

He kissed her with such tenderness that she felt like weeping…then he swatted her behind and grinned.

“Now get dry and dressed or we’ll be late picking up our son.”

**

They decided to walk the short distance from the Hotel to Potsdamer Platz to the Legoland Discovery Center, not making any side trips to the many Historical sites around them. Adam was too young and too freshly out of an environment similar to what would be depicted in some of the museums to risk re-opening old wounds that would only serve to set his young mind in a jumble. Neither Urs nor Izzy wanted him to think that toture, war and cruelty were common place in the world he now inhabited…time enough for that when he was a little older and could understand that such things were not to be condoned.

Instead they entered the colorful building that housed every type of Lego ever made.

Molded plastic hard hats were distributed and all three wore them, entering into the fun atmosphere as they gazed around in awe. The place was teeming with children, both little and adult sized, everyone with happy smiles as they went from one interactive area to the next. The hub of a coffee house in the center was buzzing with weary parents who were resting from their efforts at keeping up with very hyper children.

They joined a tour to see how Lego bricks were made but half way through another room caught Adam’s eye and he dragged his not very reluctant Papa off to see that one, Izzy following close behind, enjoying the funhouse atmosphere and the laughter of her two guys trickling back to her.

This room had many spaces where blocks could be assembled into whatever the imagination allowed. All three began working on a cityscape, adding things like firehouses, hospitals, houses with little trees growing in the yards. It wasn’t long before that became too tame and they moved on.

By the third area they were ready to move again…and then Adam discovered the next room, with the robotics.

Adam and Urs were on the floor, busily designing a farm of the future with robots that worked the fields, equipment that operated by sensor, either color, motion or sound, using the tiny tools to take the sensors apart and see why they worked, when Izzy crept up behind Urs and offered to bring him back a coffee from the atrium.

“Mmm…sure, Liebe…what ever you want…” he murmured, busy holding the connector cable for Adam as they built some kind of colossal earth mover.

She chuckled and left them, knowing well that he had no idea what she had asked.

She was in the coffee haus, chatting with a couple of other abandoned mothers when Urs and Adam ambled in with huge apologetic grins.

“Sorry…we kind of got carried away.”

“Mama you should see what’s inside those sense things…Papa and I made a whole farm, with quipmen and everything! We’re going to get some senses to take home…and more bricks!”

Urs raised his brow at her in question and she just smiled indulgently.

“What a surprise! But first I think you better have some lunch…Urs, Adam, this is Claire from Ohio, and her friend Sue from Illinois…their husbands and sons are busy somewhere too.”

Hands were shaken and idle chatter followed for a few moments then Urs and Adam went off to the kiosks to get something to eat.

The two ladies were gone when they came back, off to search out their own families for lunch and Izzy listened to both her guys as they went on and on about the farm they had built, laughing and remembering how some things hadn’t worked, how the excavator got confused and tried to dig a hole through the barn roof, how the robot kept spinning in a circle until they changed to the color sensor…Adam finished the minimum amount of lunch and then squirmed until he was given persmission to go a few feet away to sit on the floor with some other children and watch a video of building a space ship.

“I’m sorry, Liebe…this isn’t very exciting for you is it?”

“Urs, don’t you dare apologize for being happy. I don’t understand motors and building stuff that won’t fall down but I do understand happy and it makes me happy to see you and Adam bonding like this. I’ve been so busy lately that it’s nice to just sit and listen to all the laughter in this place…I could have done without Sue and Claire complaining about their husbands though. They seemed to think I’m strange because I wasn’t angry with you.”

“Nice strange…that’s why I love you so much…I thought we might go to the shop next, have what we decide on shipped home and buy one of those little travel kits for Adam to take back to the hotel. Then if you like we can go down to the pool for a nice relaxing swim…or you could go to the spa if you like?”

“Sounds good…about the pool that is…I’d much rather have you give me a massage later than some stranger…and I can return the favor.”

She smiled at the way his eyes darkened at her suggestion.

‘God I hope this isn’t just the honeymoon stage for us…I don’t ever want to have this passion we feel for each other end…he’s such a romantic person…I think there will always be something new and exciting no matter how long we’re together…please Lord…don’t let us slip into comfortable and complacent lives…I want to still look at him when I’m 80 and feel this rush of heat coursing through me….’

He reached over to take her hand and bring it to his mouth for a kiss on her fingers.

“What are you thinking, Liebe? You have such a wistful look on your face.”

She laughed and ducked her head, embarrassed.

“About getting old and still wanting to jump your bones…”

“Don’t borrow trouble, love…there will be enough of it to keep things interesting through the years…and enough romance to keep our love fresh and alive, we’ll see to that…I will never take you for granted…how could I?…you constantly surprise me…it still makes me laugh when I think about that imprint of your teeth on my…well you remember, I can see it in your eyes.”

“And you have something planned for tonight, don’t you? Something for Adam and I…is it a secret?”

“For now…but we have to make sure Adam has a nap at the pool….he’s going to be up late.”

No amount of pleading got the secret out of him and when Adam came back she was still none the wiser. They went on to the store to purchase the little travel kit which came in a brightly colored, molded plastic case and browsed through the other items, selecting a generous amount to be shipped: Robotics, battery chargers, a variety of sensors, the kit of miniature tools, connectors, cables and more bricks. Urs made sure to get on the list for e.mails of new products and the online catalogue and they headed back to the hotel, two very happy boys, one little and one, just as happy, but big.

Seb was relaxing at the pool when they made their way downstairs and they joined him, this scene much more calm and quiet than the previous pool time in Miami.

They all went for a swim then crashed on the lounges, telling Sebastien about Legoland in such glowing terms that he vowed to run by there the next day and pick up some things for his twins. Adam fell asleep, still clutching one of the miniature people from his travel kit in his pudgy hand and once he was settled Urs dug in the bag he had brought to the poolside, pulling out a book and leaning back in the seat to leaf through it.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you read an actual book,” Izzy said in amazement as she looked over at him. “Magazines, yes, but you’re usually too impatient for a real book.”

He grinned at her and turned it so she couldn’t see the title on the cover.

“Get used to it…if I’m going to keep up with Adam I better start hitting the books again…but this one I’ve been carting around for a few weeks now…I was waiting for the right time to read it.”

He held the cover up and she laughed as she read it, getting up and coming over to share his lounger.

“Honey, We’re Pregnant!” the cover exclaimed in big bold letters.

“I bought it in Miami but I didn’t want to jinx our efforts so I didn’t read it yet….I heard that I can expect mood swings among other things so I thought I’d get prepared.”

“You are the sweetest man!” she said and snuggled down beside him. “One thing I already am is weepy for no good reason…and easily tired…that will go away though so long as I keep healthy.”

They leafed through the book, looking at some of the pictures and the chapter headings until he felt her begin to fade and settled her with her head on his lap, beginning at Chapter One and starting to work his way through.

**

It wasn’t until after dinner that he guided them out to a waiting taxi and announced where they were going.

“The Zeiss Gross Planetarium and Observatory…they have a multi media laser show on the weekends and I’ve arranged for a session in the Observatory after…I thought before we check out the little Observatory at home, in the spring we should see if Adam is interested…he’s such a blank page at the moment…I really think it’s important to expose him to all sorts of different things now at an impressionable age and see just where his interests will take him.”

Izzy glanced at their son who was avidly watching the passing scenery, exclaiming now and then over the bright lights that he usually didn’t see since it was well past his bedtime already.

“Good thinking…I’ve always regretted not being involved in Geology more when I was younger…who knows…I might have gone that route instead of medicine but by the time I discovered how much I loved the field I had already geared my education towards medical sciences.”

“I was lucky…Mami always had a thing about music and started me off early…violin, piano, clarinet, vocals…still I almost chucked it all and went into maths and science, especially Botany until I got involved with Conspiracy… that of course led to choral and opera which in a curious way still meshes nicely with my love of Nature.”

“Especially now…with Reve it’s the best of both worlds…it’s hard to think of you without thinking of music…but if you had gone in a different direction I really believe music would still have been a big part of your life.”

They pulled into the parking area of the main building, paid and got out to walk towards the entry.

“This is an Observatory, Adam…like the little house you saw on the mountain top but bigger. We’re going to see a show that will explain what the stars, planets and meteors in the sky look like through a telescope and show us pictures…A telescope is a really big version of those binoculars you used when we were on the tour.”

“So many new words, Papa…it sounds like fun!!!”

Urs had arranged for front row seats. They were escorted inside the tiered auditorium, seated and looked around at the colorful displays on the walls, art work which depicted Nebulae, miniature hanging displays of planets arranged naturally and orbiting as they would in reality, a large screen in front on a raised dais and a lectern off to one side where a young man was arranging his notes in preparation for the evening show.

Both Adam and Izzy listened intently as Urs explained some of what they could see around them…they were surprised when the lights dimmed and the screen brightened showing a glorious burst of color that he said was the Crab Nebula, keeping his voice lowered as the show began.

The host welcomed his audience to the Planetarium, explaining a bit of the history.

It was actually the William Foerster Observatory and Planetarium and was built on an artifical mound, 75 meters high, formed of wartime rubble that was named the Insulaner. The actual telescope in the other building had been rescued from the old Urania Sternwarte which was damaged by bombs during the Second World War and the tradition of having the facility open to the public went back hundreds of years to the agreement with Fredrich the Third who agreed to finance the enormous expense if the public would be allowed access on a limited basis.

A picture of the night sky filled the screen, twinkling as the camera panned out further and the host explained that at one time this was the most astronomers could hope to see. Gradually the view expanded, the twinkling lights became more distinct, taking shape as the camera imitated the advances in telescopes, abruptly zeroing in on a cluster of lights which radiated more and more colors, more form, until he announced “and this is what present day technology allows us to view” and the screen filled with shapes and colors, patterns of swirling vortexes, a total spectrum of the hues on display in the night sky through the miracle of the powerful lenses available to scientists today.

For nearly an hour both Izzy and Adam sat transfixed with the wonders in front of them. Urs missed many of the changing screens, leaning back in his seat with satisfaction, glancing from Izzy on one side of Adam, to their son, both of whom stared, nearly unblinking and motionless, sometimes overcome enough to clutch at his hands…he had guessed right when he thought they might enjoy this experience, one he rarely missed when he came to Berlin.

The screen went dark and the house lights came up again when the show finished.

Izzy sank back in her seat, sighing, sad that it was over. Adam looked at Urs with a determined but awe struck gaze.

“I want to find some of those nebbals too, Papa…can I see some through our little house?”

“I don’t know yet, Sohn…and you have to learn about numbers and computers before you can find them…but if that’s what you want we’ll help you learn.”

“Urs, that was amazing…I went to a planetarium once, in Vancouver, but it wasn’t anything like this…thank you for thinking of this.”

He grinned.

“It’s not over yet, Liebe…I’ve arranged for us to go in the Observatory and have a session on the actual telescope… they’ll come for us in a minute.”

Sure enough the young man who had been host for the show came for them and after introductions, they went through a door marked ‘No Admittance’, down a hallway and into the rotunda of the Observatory.

**