In The Arms Of My Angel

Chapter 76 - Time Out
After firmly placing a screaming Frank back on the naughty spot for the seventh time in less than two minutes, Urs reset the timer once again and returned to his previous task of cleaning the oven. His disliked the job, but thought Franky had done enough 'nesting' over the past few days and would be too tired by the time she got back from whatever it was she was helping Lauren with.
While he scrubbed at a small patch of baked-on food, he wondered how the hell she managed to ignore Frank's screams, even though it was rare for him to have a temper tantrum, like the one he was throwing now. Despite what the little boy was screaming between his sobs, Urs knew full well that Mami didn't put cookies on his lunch plate, they were given to him afterwards and Frank had been warned time and again about climbing on the worktop. He was certainly proving to be stubborn. The food removed, he'd just begun rinsing the cooker out when he heard the back door close and whipped his head round to see who was there.
"Don't you dare, Seb!" He yelled, when he saw that the Frenchman had squatted in front of his still crying son and had just opened his mouth to speak. "He's got a minute left yet."
"Oh! Desole Urs. What's he done wrong anyway?"
"He bit me because I didn't put a cookie on his lunchplate and I caught him trying to get to the jar." Urs replied, indicating the cream and white cupcake design jar they kept on top of the microwave. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Didn't Franky tell you she was borrowing us that cake stand for Glenn's birthay party tonight? She said she would leave it with you."
"Oh that's why that was out of the cabinet. She did tell me, I just forgot." Urs replied just as the timer buzzer went off. "Just let me deal with Frank and I'll get it for you."
Sebastien nodded and poured himself a coffee while Urs went to deal with Frank. Taking a deep breath and keeping calm he squatted in front of sniffling toddler and spoke to him.
"Francis, do you know why I put you on the naughty spot?"
"'Cos I bit you and.....and climbed on the workstop when I didn't get a cookie after you said no."
"That's right." Urs nodded. "Can I get a sorry and hug?"
"Sorry Papi." Frank snuffled, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands before giving his father a tight hug.
"Good boy. Now go and finish your lunch. I'll give you a cookie if you eat it all up, just like Mami does."
Frank nodded, walked toward the kitchen table and scrambled into a seat where he finally started eating the egg mayonaise sandwiches his father had made for him almost half an hour earlier. Urs smiled, left the kitchen but quickly returned with the domed cake stand carefully wrapped and placed in a newspaper padded cardboard box.
"Be careful with it Seb."
"Don't worry, mon ami. I'll take care of it as though it's my baby."
Urs nodded, trusting his friend completely with the cake stand that had once belonged to one of Franky's distant relatives and had survived two world wars, several moves and Gott alone knows how many children. It certainly would be a shame if anything happened to it now, as it would the crystal wine dencanter they kept in the same cabinet. However, that had once been proudly displayed in his maternal grandmother's home. Neither item had high monetary value, but their sentimental values were priceless. He watched Seb head back around the side of the house in his car then turned to see what Frank was up to.
"Finished!" He exclaimed joyfully, holding up an empty plate.
"Good boy." Urs smiled and went to retrieve the cookie jar, checking first to see if there was one of Frank's favourites inside and quickly deciding to have a little fun with him.
He walked over to where Frank sat, waiting patiently and held the jar while he looked inside, noticing the slight pout when he didn't spy his favourite chocolate chip ones.
"What's the matter?" He asked, barely able not to laugh.
"Did you have them?"
"Have what?"
"The choccy chip ones. I knowed there was two in there this morning. Mami said so and that I could have them...........if I behaved. I don't going to get them.......am I? 'Cos of what I did to you?"
Suddenly feeling a little guilty, Urs set the jar down on the table, lifted his son into his lap and gave him a hug. Frank spent a few moments sniffling and for a moment Urs thought he was going to kick off again. Luckily he didn't, he slid back into his seat and reached his hand into the jar, giving his father the opportunity for his bit of fun.
"Oh! What have I found here?" He asked, running a hand around the back of Frank's right ear and holding one of the biscuits in front of his face. "I wonder how that got there."
"I not know." Frank grinned, taking the biscuit and biting down quickly.
"Well if that one was there, must mean the other one is.........here!" Urs laughed, repeating the same motion behind Frank's left ear.
His head immediately snapped up and round when he heard familiar giggling from the doorway that led to the lounge and smiled when he saw Franky standing there.
"How long have you been home?" He asked, rising from his seat and walking over to give her a hug.
"Long enough to see your magic trick." She replied smiling. "Any problems?"
"Ja, but I sorted it." Urs replied then told her what Frank had done and watched her give the lip chewing little one a stern look, amazed that she didn't have to say a word, Frank seemed to understand how naughty he'd been with that one stare and quickly lowered his head. "What have you been helping Lauren with?"
"She couldn't get her new printer to work. Silly moo had somehow managed to install the ink cartridges the wrong way round." Franky shook her head and giggled. "One of these days she will read an instruction book properly."
"Don't hold your breath." Urs laughed, knowing that David would have done the printer for Lauren if he'd been at home, but he was currently in the States, helping his sister move home and Lauren was busy completing several cakes for upcoming family events.
"Anyway. Out of the kitchen. I want to get that oven cleaned out, even though it's not as bad as last time."
"No need. I've already done it. I needed something to keep me occupied while you were out. Saskia's gone for a bike ride with Sylvie, the twins were asleep and Frank was finishing his lunch."
"Thank you." Franky smiled, walking over to to the oven and giving it a good inspection. "Good job too. Well there go my plans for the next hour or so."
"Which means I get to put my plan into action." Urs laughed, lifting Frank into his arms. "You go make yourself comfortable in the lounge while I put him down for his nap."
Franky nodded, left the kitchen with him and quickly settled herself on the couch. Once Frank was tucked up in bed, he returned downstairs following a quick trip to the master suite. Gently, he lifted Franky's legs into his lap, removed her shoes and gave her the foot massage she loved, especially when she was pregnant.
He didn't mind the fact that she'd nodded off as he finished, she didn't have much longer left, needed as much rest as she could get and he was determined she would get it, no matter what he had to do. After all, even 'Duracell' batteries didn't go on for ever.
Turn the page.
_______________

Chapter 77 - Home Delivery.
"Don't be silly Papi." Urs heard his four year old son tutting and watched him shake his head. "How can that...." He paused to point at the five pound note he held. "....be worth more than this?" He finished, a huge smile on his face, holding up a two pound coin.
"It just is."
"Can't be. Metal is worth more than paper."
"Argh! Give me strength." Urs rolled his head on his neck, listening to a giggling Franky come into the lounge.
"What are you doing?" She asked, stroking the back of Frank's head.
"Trying to teach our son the value of money. I'm not having much luck. He still thinks the coins are worth more than the notes."
"Oooof!" Franky winced just before she sat down beside Urs. "Just another twinge. Sorry."
"Five days since you had a 'show' and still nothing."
"Could be a while yet. She's not due until tomorrow."
"I know." Urs huffed then laid a hand on her swollen abdomen, remembering the second scan they'd been to.
Almost as soon as the probe had touched her stomach they'd been able to see that they were expecting a single girl. Measurements had shown she was quite big for dates, but that had evened out over the last few months. An estimate of around six and half pounds had been given at the last scan two weeks ago.
"Anyway, back to the problem at hand."
"Hmmn. Let's see." Franky smiled and tapped the index finger of her right hand against her lips. "Why don't you take him into town to get something for the baby, like he's been asking you to for the past three days? Let him keep the two pound, but make sure he chooses something that's worth more."
"Now why didn't I think of that?"
"Jetlag probably." Franky teased, reminding Urs of how tired he'd been on returning from visiting Kurt, Mara and their latest arrival, a girl named Yacine Isabelle. "I could do with the peace and quiet to do the books."
"Okay. I get the message. You don't want us around." Urs laughed, gave her a quick kiss, stood and lifted Frank into his arms. "Where's Saskia?"
"She's taken Serena and Kurt over to Christie and Gabe's place for a playdate. I'll call you if anything happens."
"I know." Urs rolled his eyes backwards then stuck his tongue out at her.
Listening to Franky giggle he slipped Frank's trainers on, fastened a lightly padded jacket around him once he'd got the wriggling child into it and popped a wooly hat on his head. After grabbing his own coat, her lifted Frank onto his shoulder and flew him, Superman style out to the garage, depositing him in his car seat with a loud 'whoosh'.
Holding out his hand, Urs looked at Frank and watched him reluctantly hand the two pound coin over, remembering that he'd once put one in his mouth shortly after his second birthday and had almost choked on it. No-one had known where he'd got it from, they all took great care not to leave such things lying around and only Saskia's swift actions had prevented him from choking. A check-up at the hospital had shown that everything was fine, though Franky had still cried.
Reminding himself to teach his son another song as he settled into the driving seat, Urs rolled his head again then shook it while Frank's unmelodious tones filled the air. 'Wheels On The Bus' was getting on his nerves and he found himself wishing he would go back to 'Frere Jacques' as he drove down the drive. He, Franky and Saskia sang all different songs and nursery rythmns to all the children, but Frank seemed to get one stuck in his head on a constant loop. Serena's current favourite was 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' and Kurt's 'Ding Dong Bell'.
A laugh escaped as the image of walking into the nursery to see Franky holding their youngest son in her outstretched arms, gently swinging him from side-to-side, listening to him laugh while she did it filled his mind. His brow furrowed, wondering why he didn't always get the same reaction from him, but he did whenever he sang to Serena.
"Doesn't matter." He nodded once while he sat waiting for the lights to change. "As long they're happy to be around both of us, that's the main thing." He smiled, knowing how big Kurt would smile whenever he held him, almost as big as the one Franky had given him all those years ago, just before he stepped onto the ice to propose.
After parking the Odyssey outside a shop they knew well, Urs removed Frank from his seat and carried him inside before setting him down.
"Okay. What are we going to get?" He asked squatting by his side.
"I seed something over there when Mami bought that Nose's Ark money box for Reegan." Frank nodded, pointing off to his left.
Urs nodded, stood upright and allowed the excited toddler to guide him to a glass display cabinet where he promptly pointed at a pink star-shaped baby's first keepsake box with a little brown teddy bear sitting on top. Priced at just under five pounds.
Nodding his approval of the item, Urs listened to Frank politely ask an assistant for one then walked back with him to the counter and lifted him into his arms again.
"Oh dear. That's not enough Frank." Maria shook her head after he'd handed the two pound coin over.
"Papi. You got that plastic thing you use when we on tour?" Frank asked, tears welling in his eyes.
"No. I didn't bring it with me." Urs shook his head slowly while he reached into his pocket and pulled out the five pound note. "All I have is this."
"Is that enough?"
Maria smiled and nodded as she took the paper money and handed the coin back.
"No sign yet then?" She asked, handing over the change and watching Urs give it to Frank to place in a charity box for blind children.
"Not yet. She's getting very cranky." Urs replied with a laugh, knowing that Franky and Maria were friends. "And I'm not far behind. We've tried everything to set things in motion, no luck."
"That's a little TMI." Maria blushed and watched Urs's face turn a little-red.
With a laugh and thank you, Urs and Frank left and drove home in much the same way as they'd left, the only difference being that Frank held his purchase in his hands rather than drumming on the arms on either side of his seat.
They turned into the driveway just behind Saskia, followed her round to the garage, where Urs helped her with the twins before removing Frank. The five of them walking back into the house together, hoping to find Franky in the office, wondering where she was for a few seconds when they didn't see her in there until they heard a long shout of Urs's name coming from upstairs.
Urs flew up the stairs, taking them two at a time to find a semi-naked Franky sitting in the doorway of the en-suite, breathing as though she was in labour.
"I thought you were going to call me if anything happened." He stated, squatting by her side.
"It came on too quick." Franky informed between breaths. "I don't how I made this far, my water's broke when I was on the toilet. I feel like I need to push already."
"You can't......." Urs shook his head, feeling the colour drain from his face. "We've got to get you to hospital."
"Listen you stupid man." Franky growled like she'd been possessed by some sort of demon, grabbing hold of his t-shirt and pulling him close so that their noses were almost touching. "I said.....I feel....like I need........to puuuuuuuush. Hmmmmmmmn!"
"Shit!" Urs yelled and turned his head over his shoulder to see Saskia in the doorway.
"I guessed what might be happening. I've called her midwife. She's on her way. I'll keep the children out of the way."
"Thanks, but I don't think she'll be here in time." Urs shook his head, then moved to lift Franky into his arms and gently deposited her on the bed. "Okay. Calm down Urs. You've seen this before and you've read the books, you can do this." He reminded himself in a whisper, listening to Franky groan again.
Moving quickly to bathroom, he washed his hands, found all the clean towels he could, returned to the bedroom with them and placed the largest one under Franky's bottom once she'd lifted it a little. After making sure she was as comfortable as she could be, he perched himself on the bed, down near her legs and felt her grab his hand tight as she bore down.
"Gott! You're right." Urs gulped after taking a look and seeing the top of a head appearing between Franky's legs.
"No fucking shit Sherlock!" Franky screamed as another contraction began to build. "You're going to have support her head if Marlene isn't here by the time it's out."
"I know." Urs nodded, somehow knowing his eyes were wide as the top of the head appeared then disappeared again. "You're doing great."
"You are NEVER doing this to me again."
"That's almost what you said last time."
"Shut up Buhler." Franky growled, pushing hard once more.
"Shit! The head's out." Urs informed, adjusting his position, gently taking hold of the tiny head, making sure that the cord wasn't around her neck.
Watching Franky grab one of the towels and lay it across her stomach while they listened to the buzzer going downstairs. Both of them knowing that Marlene had arrived, but probably wouldn't be there in time to take over as Franky pushed again, this time long and hard.
"Oh mein Gott!" Urs sniffed and swallowed hard, lowering the little girl to the bed before lifting her in both hands to place the screaming child on Franky's stomach.
"Well that was quick." Marlene stated with a smile on her face as stepped into the room and started unpacking her equipment.
"You can say that again. Less than an hour." Franky sniffed then turned her head to look at Urs, who'd moved to sit by her side. "You were marvellous."
"Thanks." He smiled then took the gloves and scissors Marlene handed him and cut the cord.
"Everything's fine down there." Marlene informed with a huge smile after spending a few moments doing what she needed to do. "But a doctor will need to come and check you both over."
"I know." Franky nodded, allowing Marlene to take the new arrival so that she could be checked over and weighed.
"Six pounds eight ounces or almost three kilos. Born on the 12th of October at 1.21pm and healthy as can be. You got any names for her."
"Ciara Grace Lorella." Urs informed with a smile once she was back in her mother's arms, happy that Franky had agreed to adding his mother's name as soon as he'd suggested it. "She'll let me use her first name one day." He added with a nod to Franky.
"In your dreams Buhler." Franky batted back while she settled down to feeding Ciara. "You make the calls while Marlene cleans me up."
"Okay, but I think someone else wants to say hello first."
Franky looked to where Urs nodded, smiled when saw Frank poking his little head around the door. His eyes wide and swallowing nervously when she indicated for him to come in. Watching the him walk slowly towards Urs with his hands behind his back until he was lifted onto the bed.
"This is for her." Frank smiled and handed the gift over.
"It's beautiful. Go and put it on the dresser."
"Okay. Then can I go and have my lunch? I hungry."
"Of course you can, but not too much noise afterwards. Mami will need to sleep soon." Urs warned, lowering Frank to floor.
"I know."
The two of them watching Frank do as he'd been told before skipping out of the room and listened to him chatting happily to Saskia as they made their way back downstairs. Urs reached for the phone and took a deep breath before telling his mother what had happened, hearing her gasp in disbelieve once he told that he'd actually delivered their latest child. A quick sob escaping from both of them once he'd informed her that they'd named her after his maternal grandmother and had included her name.
That call finished, he watched Marlene leave then called the garage and informed Gabriel that they might not get paid until Monday at the earliest because Franky had just had the baby at home.
"No shit?" Gabriel's shocked laugh came down the line.
"No shit." Urs returned with a matching laugh.
"Okay. No problem. I'll see you later, busy, busy, busy."
"Bye Gabe."
He called Lauren next and listened to her gasp once he'd told her where Franky had given birth. Emma and Barbara-Jean reacted in much the same once they'd been told, all giving their congratulations and saying they would tell David, Sebastien and Carlos.
His final call was made to Kurt and Mara, his eyes widening when he heard Kurt panting down the line, somehow knowing he'd interupted something though his friend denied it when he asked. Franky giggling when he told her what he suspected and listening to her inform that his face had gone very red.
With no-one else to inform, he lifted Franky into his arms again and placed her on the new chaise they'd purchased just a few days before then set about changing the soiled bedding. By the time he'd finished, Sylvie had come home from school and they listened to her run upstairs and head straight for master suite. Smiling and placing a kiss on Franky's cheek once she'd seen her little sister. Leaving after a quick hold to change her uniform and head downstairs to help Saskia with the twins and Frank.
"So, just Europe next year?" Urs asked, taking a now sleeping Ciara from Franky and placing her in the Moses basket at the bottom of the bed once he'd kissed her forehead.
"Yes, just Europe. Sorry." She sniffed in reply after settling down to sleep.
Urs shook his head, moved to lay beside her, took her face into his hands and attempted to dry her eyes before he spoke.
"You don't need to apologise. As long as I have you and the children to come home to, I will always be the happiest man on earth. Today is one of the most beautiful memories we've created together. I love you Fire." He smiled then placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"I love you too Ice." Franky returned, resting her head on his shoulder and falling asleep to the feeling of Urs twirling her hair in his fingers.
Turn the page.
_______________

Chapter 79 - Don't Speak
Urs woke to Ciara's cries and bleary-eyed. He sat up, then stood slowly after looking at the items on his nightstand and moved to the bottom of the bed. Wondering where Franky was while he picked the hungry little girl up, he rocked her back and forth, trying to comfort her and not getting very far.
"Sorry." He heard Franky stating as she came back into the bedroom, took her from him and settled down to feeding her. "How's your throat this morning?"
Remembering his doctor's orders, Urs moved back to his nightstand, picked up the notepad and pen and wrote.
'Still feels like I've swollowed a huge pile of sandpaper.'
He huffed and turned the notepad round to show Franky.
"I know honey. Taken your medication?"
Urs shook his head and pointed to Ciara before he wrote again.
'Where were you?'
"Sorting Sylvie out."
'?'
Franky giggled on seeing the question mark then looked at Urs's questioning face.
"She's started her period."
'She's not old enough! Is she?!"
"Of course she is. I started mine at eleven." Franky informed with another quick laugh on seeing the stunned look this time. His eyes wide and swallowing hard, hearing him groan as he swallowed. "Take your medication, then go and gargle. You know that eases the pain."
Urs saluted, dropped the pad and pen back on the nightstand and took the painkillers before heading to the en-suite to do as he'd been asked. His face turned to one of disgust when the liquid hit his tastebuds but he knew he had to do it. He gargled for the recommended four minutes then spat the foul-tasting antiseptic out just as Franky came into the bathroom.
"Does it really taste that bad?" She questioned, washing her hands at the sink after disposing of Ciara's dirty nappy.
Urs grumbled quietly and offered her the bottle, questioning whether she would like to try some and watching her nose wrinkle before her head shook.
"Sorry honey."
The two of them made their way back into bedroom and placed themselves near the window. Urs stood behind Franky with his arms wrapped around her waist, the right side of his face pressed against her head while she pulled back one of the curtains and opened the blind.
"Oh it's snowing." She sighed then looked up to the sky. "Looks like the sky is full of it. Could be pretty deep, maybe five inches."
Urs grunted then rolled his eyes backwards when Franky turned to look at him.
"It might not be much in Switzerland, but it's going to cause mayhem around here." Franky smiled, raising her right hand to feel his forehead. "Feels like your temperature has gone down a little. Still feel as achy?"
Urs shook his head and swallowed again, his eyes screwing up in pain as he did so, then he raised a hand to his throat before he took hold of both of hers and squeezed tight.
"I know you're worried that it might affect your voice, but if you follow your doctor's orders, I'm sure you'll be fine."
"Sorry." Urs just managed to croak out, pulling Franky into his arms and holding her tight.
"What for honey?"
He released her, picked up the pad and pen again.
'Ruining Christmas.'
"You haven't ruined it honey." Franky soothed, touching his face and watching him close his eyes. "It's not your fault you caught Sylvie's cold, it caused Laryngitis and we couldn't go to Willisau. We'll manage, the presents are all downstairs. Sylvie and I managed to decorate a little last night and we've got the food to make a decent Christmas dinner. We have plenty of Christmases ahead of us."
Urs nodded then rolled his head on his neck as the housephone started to ring. He flopped back onto the bed and made himself comfortable next to Franky while he listened to her answer.
"Hello Mami." She smiled then pressed the loudspeaker button.
"Good morning Franky. How's my boy this morning?" Urs heard his mother questioning.
"His temperature has come down a little, but his throat is still very sore."
"Is he behaving this time?"
"He's being a brave little soldier." Franky nodded then giggled when she saw the narrowed eyed scowl Urs shot her.
"Good. I'm just calling to say thank you for the quilt. It looks beautiful on our bed. Wherever did you find it?"
"We didn't. Urs had it made especially for the two of you by Collette." Franky replied, recalling how long it had taken him to choose the Aubergine, old gold, raspberry and pale moss green the white background had been decorated with in a double wedding ring design.
"Oh right. Erm.....I think someone is a little jealous, Liana keeps threatening to sneak it out of the house."
"Oh now you've shocked him. I think he thought Liana wouldn't like such a thing." Franky stated and watched Urs nod, his eyes wide in surprise.
"She loves it. I'm going to have to keep a very close eye on her I think. Are the children awake yet?"
"No, except for Sylvie. They're still fast asleep. It's only six here."
"Of course it is. Sorry. You will call later, so that I can wish them happy Christmas?"
"Of course. Bye Mami, love you."
"Love you too and Urs, you do as you're told, do you hear me?"
"Mmmn." Urs replied with another eye roll, rather than attempting to talk while Franky hung up and he reached for the pad and pen again.
'No news from Carlos yet?'
"No honey." Franky shook her head and smiled knowing that he'd sent a text message late the previous evening to say that Barbara-Jean had gone into labour.
'Taking long enough.'
"First ones can Remember how long it took Francesco to arrive?"
"Mmmn." Urs nodded then looked at Franky woefully.
"What's up? Want a hug?"
Urs nodded quickly, moved down the bed a little and rested his head against Franky's shoulder. A smile found its way across his face as they wrapped their arms around each other and Franky's fingers slipped into the back of his hair, carressing his scalp lightly, taking the stress of the past couple of days away.
"Uh-oh! Sounds like they're awake."
Reluctantly, Urs eased himself away from Franky and watched her lift Ciara into her arms while he slipped a pair of pyjama bottoms over his boxers. The two of them left their bedroom to see Frank bouncing near the gate at the top of the stairs, Sylvie standing nearby holding Serena and Kurt's hands. Urs opened the gate and watched the children begin to troop down before following after them.
His eyes widening as they walked into the lounge to find the area beautifully decorated in red and gold. Five Christmas stockings in the same colour had been hung above the fireplace and he knew these would contain the small gifts they'd brought for the children.
He sat at one end of the couch and watched as the older children ripped into the larger presents. Sylvie thanking them with a huge smile on her face after opening her very own digital camera. Frank squealing with delight once he'd ripped open his package to reveal the Superman suit he'd been wanting for months.
"Ank oo." Kurt grinned at both of them once Sylvie had helped him remove the wrappings from a IQ Baby Musical Learning toy.
"Yay! Ank oo." Serena clapped then bounced on her bottom after she'd ripped the paper away to reveal an Enchanted Palace play toy.
"Pfft! Girly stuff." Frank huffed only to receive a warning growl of his full name from his mother while she showed an uninterested Ciara a 'Grip and Grasp Stroller Activity toy'. "Sorry Seri." He apologised, only to be ignored because Serena was busy removing the parts of her gift from the box.
Urs stood, retrieved what he'd bought for Franky and placed a kiss on her cheek as he handed it over. She let him take Ciara and tore through the paper at lightning speed to reveal a white square-shaped box. A huge smile lighting up her face once she'd removed the lid to find the lilac coloured long-line leather coat he'd spotted her admiring a few weeks ago.
"How do I look?" She asked with a sniff after standing to try in on.
"Beau....ti.....ful." Urs returned, swallowing in pain between syllables.
"Sorry." Franky sniffed, stepping forward and wiping away the one tear that had made its escape from his right eye.
Urs shook his head then nodded, pointed to the coat then shook his head again as he raised his hand to his throat. Hoping that Franky would understand that his eyes had filled with tears because of how good she looked in the coat rather than the pain he was in. A smile lighting up his face when he looked at her face to see her smiling softly with her eyes closed and her head nodding, realising she had understood completely.
"Your turn." She smiled, taking Ciara from him, placing her in the Moses basket they kept downstairs and making him sit before she handed her gift over.
His eyes filling up again after he'd opened the oddly-shaped gift to reveal a new electric guitar, the body inlaid with square sections of white 'Mother of Pearl' to resemble ice. Allowing a few tears to fall while he shook his head at her. Taking hold of her left hand when she moved to wipe them away, raising it to his lips and pressing a firm kiss in the middle of her palm while he blinky-winked her.
"Don't you start that." She warned playfully and nodded towards the children. "That's what's got us into trouble four times already."
Urs grunted a quick laugh then nodded his head and repeated the blink.
"You are so bad."
Urs nodded quickly with a huge smile on his face then turned his attention back to the guitar to spend some time taking in the finer details. Shaking his head at the engraving he saw on the panels under the bridges and the one that topped the neck, fiddling with the silver tuning-pegs. Admiring the black colour of the neck until he saw the personalised 'UTB' panel at the bottom. Deciding that he would leave it home as this was much too precious a gift to take on tour with him.
He moved to the music/dance room after a few moments, opened the cabinet Franky had had constructed to hold his collection, moved a few of what he already owned and set the new one on the stand in the middle, re-locked the door and took a deep breath before returning to the lounge. He helped Sylvie clear up the mess while Franky headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
She returned a few moments later, checked on a now sleeping Ciara and ordered everyone to the kitchen. With everyone in their seats, Franky served up a combination of whipped banana oatmeal, yoghurt and fruit puree and waited for their reactions before she ate herself. Sylvie tucked in with her usual relish, Frank looked disgusted at first then licked his lips after trying it, Serena and Kurt looked at each other, but quickly followed Frank's lead. Urs nodded his approval after swallowing a couple of mouthfuls easily.
The meal finished, Sylvie tidied up and said she would keep an ear out for Ciara while Urs, Franky and the three little ones headed upstairs to get dressed. By the time they'd finished and returned downstairs, she'd washed the dishes, had taken a few pictures on her camera and was talking to someone on the housephone.
"He's a little better this morning. Still hurts him though I think." Sylvie smiled as Urs approached and looked at her questioningly. "Uncle Carlos."
Urs nodded then repeated the look.
"They had a little boy. They've named him Marco Carlos Francisco." She laughed as Franky came into the lounge and asked for handset.
"You didn't name him that after me did you?" She scowled once she'd pressed the loudspeaker button.
"Wasn't my idea." Carlos denied with a barely hidden laugh. "It was BJ's."
"I don't believe you for one second Carlos Marin."
"Nothing you can do about it though."
"Just you wait until you get back to England."
"Okay. Now I'm scared."
Urs laughed a little and shook his head knowing that Franky was only teasing while he listened to her congratulating the couple before she hung up. He tried to insist on helping Franky with Christmas dinner, only to have Sylvie remind him that he was ill and say that he could watch the little ones while she helped. He did so without much protestation and sat on the floor while Frank, Serena and Kurt thanked their grandparents, aunts and uncles for their gifts.
It didn't seem to take that long, but by the time they finished dinner was ready and they were being called to the dining-room. Urs managed to eat the beef soup, but couldn't face the thought of trying to swallow Yorkshire puddings or roast potatos so decided not to even try those. Huge smiles spread across everyone's face when Franky presented individual chocolate mousses topped with white chocolate stars for dessert. Urs ate the mousse, savouring every mouthful, but insisted Franky have his star, the two of them falling into a fit of giggles as they pushed it back and forth over the table top between the two of them. Franky finally giving in, placing the chocolate in her mouth and kissing him gently while it melted. The older children groaning and mumbling a 'Gross!'.
This time he was a lot more forceful when it came to tidying up and insisted Franky stay with children. He and Sylvie made their way back into the lounge to find Franky sitting with Ciara in her arms, Kurt and Serena cuddled up against her and Frank sitting down by her feet. Urs lifted Kurt, sat beside her and settled the little boy on his lap then helped Serena move across to him. Sylvie sat on the other side, the family settling down to watch whatever the children wanted to see on tv. Urs nodding off halfway through 'Shrek' only to be woken by the housephone again, this time to hear Franky telling David and Lauren how he was before wishing them a Happy Christmas.
"What's up?" She asked on seeing a disappointed look on his face as she hung up. "Seb and Emma?"
Urs sighed then nodded.
"You've forgotten where they've gone haven't you?"
He looked at her quizically for moment then slapped his forehead after remembering they'd taken Sebastien's mother to the cottage in Quantocks, there was still no phone there and neither of their mobiles received a signal.
With everyone's stomachs still rather full from dinner, no-one ate much that evening. They simply helped themselves to whatever they wanted or prepared whatever the little ones asked for. Once they were all in bed, Urs and Franky spent a couple of hours, snuggled up on the couch watching her previous years' performance while drinking warm chocolate.
They went to bed just after midnight and looked out of the bedroom window to see a thick layer of snow lying on the ground, neither of them realising that it hadn't stopped all day as they removed their clothes and settled down to sleep.
"A good day?" Franky questioned once Urs had medicated himself.
He reached for the pad and pen again and wrote quickly.
'The best Christmas I've ever had.'
"Got to be the quietest one I've ever had."
His shoulders shaking with laughter at Franky's teasing smile, Urs tossed the items to the floor, took hold of her face and placed a firm kiss on her lips before he signed 'I love you' the way he'd seen Frank doing while singing 'Wheels On The Bus'.
"I love you too." Franky nodded, returned her head to its usual position and the two of them quickly fell asleep.
Following a further throat swab and a Laryngeal Electromyography by a Harley Street specialist six weeks later, Urs was given the all clear and was allowed to start speaking and singing again. The first thing he did after leaving the doctor's office was thank Franky for taking such good care of him by arranging for her to meet 'Nickelback' backstage following the concert they attended together. The second was to call Carlos, David and Sebastien to let them know the result so that they could finally begin deciding what songs they were going to sing in the next tour.
Turn the page.
___________________

Chapter 80 - This Isn't For Show
"No Urs. They'll be the ones to leave." Urs heard a newly married Michael stating while he glared at the two men who stood looking him up and down.
The same two men who'd made a move on him before the hall doors had even closed on Franky's retreating form. The same two men who had followed him around, making lewd comments and almost touching his rear end at one point. The same two men who currently had him feeling very uncomfortable. The same two men who'd ignored each and every one of his polite requests to be left alone. The same two men who had just about pushed his temper control to its very limit.
"I didn't mean leave as in to go home. I meant leave to.....get away from these two Michael. I've just about had enough of them, I don't want to cause trouble or embarrass Franky by hitting them, but I will if they make one more disgusting comment."
"Oh sorry. Anyway, Franky and you mean more to me and Byron than cousins who don't know how to behave in polite society. Get out!" He commanded firmly, pointing towards the doorway that gave access to the hall's ballroom and giving them a push in the right direction when they didn't move.
"C'mon Mickeyloo, everyone knows him and Franky is just for show." The man who'd introduced himself as Neil replied, swaying slightly due to the fact he'd had too much Champagne.
"No it is not!!!" Urs growled in reply. "You'd better leave me alone before I do something I really don't want to do."
"I'm not a violent man Neil, you know that." Michael shook his head. "But I will knock seven bells out of you if you and Carl don't leave now. Me and Byron."
Urs watched Neil and Carl turn to look at Byron who appeared to be watching what was happening though Michael's cousin Rose had his ear. Though he hadn't realised he'd become that angry, Urs looked down at his hands and uncurled his fingers, there was no way he was going embarrass Franky by becoming embroiled in a punch up with Neil and Carl. He raised his eyes just in time to see Byron wrap his arm around Michael and ask what was going on.
"Out." Byron snapped, grabbing each of the gay men by their jacket collars, lifting them slightly off their feet and forcing them towards the door once he'd been told.
"Sorry about that. Mum said they were trouble and perhaps it would be best if I didn't invite them but my Aunt May wouldn't have come otherwise. She's going to be mad as hell when I tell her."
"Don't worry about it." Urs shook his head then turned away from the man Franky had been a witness for. "I'm going to calm down. Can you tell Franky where I am when she gets back from wherever she's gone." He sighed indicating the doors that gave access to the garden at the back of the hall.
"Sure." Michael nodded, attempting a smile.
Urs stepped out onto the veranda then made his way down the steps where he found an old stone bench. He sat, loosened his tie then let out a heavy sigh. The sun had set over half an hour ago and a full moon now filled the sky, surrounded by millions of brightly twinkling stars. The scent of Apple Blossom filled the air and somewhere nearby he heard something scurrying through the grass. In most repects it was a romantic setting, except for his anger.
"Hey you." Franky sighed, taking seat beside him.
"Michael told you what happened then?"
"Yeah. He's really upset......just like you are. Those two have always been the same, even more so when they've had too much to drink."
"You don't think would have behaved that way if they weren't?"
"No, they wouldn't have dared. No booze, no guts those two. They didn't even come anywhere near you till I was out of the way did they?"
"Nein, they didn't. Have you seen anything of them since?"
"Yes, I have and May is furious with them, especially since they promised to behave. I swear if they were younger she'd be giving them good hiding rather than yelling at them for embarrassing her. She was shoving them both in a taxi as I reached the bottom of the stairs. God help them when they sober up, it isn't going to be pretty."
"It's not just them that's made me angry. You know I don't have anything against gays but I'm just sick of people assuming I'm gay and that me and you is just for show. If I was, I like to think that I would have the guts to admit it. I mean what do they want as proof that I'm not? Some.....Some sort of live sex show between me and you? It's disrespectful, to you as well as me."
"I know honey." Franky sighed, taking hold of his right hand in both of hers. "It just goes with territory I suppose, considering how many people inside are gay. At least it was only those two, the other thirty have been more than courteous haven't they?"
"Ja, they have. To both of us." Urs nodded then let out a long sigh.
"Yeah they have. And you know some people still think I'm a lesbian simply because I ride a motorbike. I know it's not always easy to ignore and believe me, I've wanted to punch several women in my time. However, I've found the more I ignore them and walk away, the less often it happens."
"Easier said than done sometimes though." Urs shrugged, trying to smile at her. "Especially if you're in a tv studio about to do an interview and the host is making his intentions very clear by touching your butt. I swear if David hadn't been there I would have broken that man's nose."
"Is that the interview you did where you looked like you really didn't want to be there and didn't say very much?"
"Ja. I thought it best not to say much in case I said something I shouldn't live on air. We wouldn't be where we are now if I'd have said exactly what was on my mind. I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but it does sometimes, especially when they're as pushy and disrepectful as those two ass......idiots."
"So the only reason you want me to go on tour with you is to keep people like that away from you?"
Urs looked at Franky harshly as she spoke then saw that she was smirking, obviously trying to make light of the situation and stop him dwelling on it.
"Or would it be just for the sex?"
Urs finally cracked up laughing and shook his head, amazed at her ability to make him see the funny side even when he didn't think there was anything funny about some of the predicaments he found himself in.
"Don't regret attending a gay wedding then?"
"No. Not at all. You're right, I should have been aware that someone might be that rude. And it's a long time since anyone made that assumption. I guess I should be happy it's only happened at one of the three weddings we've been to recently."
"Considering Moritz's brother is gay and two of Pia's uncles are, yes."
Urs nodded recalling Merle and Lars's weddings. Both huge events within a month of each other and having to be held in Lucerne itself because both sides of each family were so big, the extended families making them even bigger. Moritz was the youngest of nine children, Pia the middle of seven. Pia's mother had been introduced along with two of her eight brothers, one a year older than her, the other two years younger. Both men being very respecful despite their sexuality and even dancing with Franky at the reception. The same had been true of Moritz's brother, Tahbert. He'd spent at least an hour in his and Franky's company all three of them talking about their shared love of horses, the man himself not even making a move on Urs when Franky had gone to the bathroom, instead continuing to talk to him politely.
"And you look stunning, even if you are wearing a woman's tuxedo and it was a rather romantic ceremony." Urs laughed, wrapping his arm around Franky's waist and pulling her close. "I saw you knocking those tears from your eyes while Michael said his vows."
"Did not." Franky huffed.
"Did too."
"Soooooo didn't."
"Did." Urs shot back, quickly covering Franky's mouth with his own just as she opened hers to continue the silly argument. "Where did you disappear to anyway?" He asked, coughing to compose himself as they seperated.
"Oh nowhere special." Franky replied breathlessly. "Just to make sure my little surprise is ready for Michael and Byron when they finally head upstairs."
"Oh! They're going to be after payback aren't they? Just how many bells have you and Gabe tied under the bed?"
"Around a hundred and fifty." Franky informed with a giggle.
Urs spent the next few minutes laughing along with Franky, both of them managing to compose themselves quickly when Michael appeared, offering his hand and nodding back to the hall.
"C'mon Ginger. Mum would like to see us dance together just once before she heads home." He grinned.
"Okay Fred. But you step on my toes just once......" Franky replied, taking hold of Michael's hand and linking arms with Urs once she was upright.
"Hey! I was only nine and hadn't been dancing that long. I like to think I've improved considerably since then." Michael batted back.
"Just a tad."
The threesome giggled as they stepped back into the hall, Urs surprised to see that everyone had left the dancefloor. He moved to stand with Michael's mother, Ellen, and Byron while Franky headed to the middle of the parquet covered floor with Michael. Starting positions assumed, Michael gave a quick nod and a few seconds later the strains of 'Let's Face The Music And Dance' echoed around the room, Franky and Michael performing their interpretation of the song flawlessly, making several of those in attendance applaud with tears glistening in their eyes once they were finished, including Urs himself.
Turn the page.
___________

may be of use for this chapter.


Chapter 81 - Auf Wiedersehen, Papi
He felt Franky's hand slowly pulling away from his grip and opened his eyes behind the sunglasses to see what was going on.
"I'm sorry honey. I really need to go to the bathroom before we land. I've been trying to hold it for the past half hour."
Urs nodded and returned to resting his head against the commuter plane's window. Looking down on the lights below and swallowing hard as he remembered how they'd received the news.
They'd only been at home for two days following completion of the European leg of the tour, Franky accompanying him as she'd promised she would, meeting more fans than ever before. Trista turning up at the final London one, enthusiastically saying that she'd loved watching Franky skate live rather than on YouTube. Now, here they were on an emergency flight to Victoria, Australia, hoping against hope that things weren't as bad as they'd first been told.
"Hey! She's gone. Let's move." He heard an excited voice behind him and tried to pretend to be asleep while he listened to the two women approaching.
"God doesn't he look even more gorgeous close up? Can you imagine waking up to that every morning?"
"It's not the only thing I imagine doing."
Urs snapped fully awake, lifted his sunglasses and looked the two women up and down before he spoke.
"What do you want?"
"Autograph. Photo opportunity. Quick chat." The first woman smiled and took Franky's seat without being asked. "I've been waiting for this chance for ages, but err......she's always been hovering around."
Urs took the pen and piece of paper she offered, unfolded it, wrote something then re-folded it before handing it back. He watched the woman clutch it against her chest before it was shoved into her bra. He did much the same with the piece of paper the second woman offered, then replaced his sunglasses, hoping they would leave him alone.
"She does like to keep an eye on you doesn't she? Won't let you go anywhere on your own." Woman number one pressed giving him a quick nudge. "What are you doing on this flight anyway? Giving her another chance to spend your hard earned money I suppose. You know if you ditch her and hook up with me I would never........"
"Shut up!" Urs yelled, ripping the sunglasses from his face and glaring hard at the woman. "Just piss off and leave me alone."
"Urs!" Franky's yell suddenly filled the air
"Well I never." The woman next to him huffed though she didn't move from the seat. "There's no need to take it out on me if you and her are having problems."
"Excuse me, that's my seat you're occupying and Urs is in no mood to be dealing with fans right now. I would appreciate it if you would go back to your own seat and leave him alone. He's in enough distress without you two adding to it." Franky asked, tears brimming in her eyes though she spoke calmly.
"Now that's funny. He's always had time before. What's he so upset about anyway? Like I can't guess." The woman pressed, sneering at Franky.
"Please stop it." Urs pleaded shaking his head. "I don't need this. It's a.....a family emergency. Please, just leave me alone."
"Oh Urs. I'm sorr......." The woman began after turning her head to look at him and seeing how distraught he looked.
"You owe Franky an apology too." Urs replied, flicking his head in her direction while the woman rose.
"Sorry." She informed sarcastically, then returned to her seat with her friend.
The top half of his face covered by one hand, Urs sat breathing deep and swallowing hard again, his eyes closed until he felt Franky sit down and take hold of his hand again.
"Are you all right honey?" She asked, looking at his face once he'd removed his hand.
Urs nodded quickly then told her what had happened, watching a quick smile cross her lips when he told her they were going to be disappointed when they looked at the autographs, because he'd signed 'Donald Duck' and 'Mickey Mouse'.
"I'm sorry. I just lost it with them when I heard what they said. Wrong time, wrong place." He sniffed and wiped his eyes with the heel of his hand.
"It's okay. Understandable under the circumstances." Franky smiled and squeezed the hand she held. "Put your seatbelt on honey."
Urs looked up, realised that the light was on though he couldn't recall hearing the ping and quickly fastened the belt. He took hold of Franky's hand again once she was secure and could feel her shaking, finding himself wishing that she still squeezed as tight as she used to as the plane started to descend. She'd grown more accustomed to flying now, wasn't so frightened and he kind of missed giving her the strength to get through it.
Once down, the two of them left the plane hand-in-hand and moved quickly through the airport to find a taxi that would take them to the hospital. Thanking God that there weren't any fans or press around to record their arrival at either place once they were inside and finding their way quickly to a waiting room near the Intensive Care Unit. Urs only releasing his hold on Franky's hand to greet his family with a tight hug.
"How is he?" He asked Lars with an audible sniff, watching Joelle hug Franky tight.
"Not good Urs. They've just brought him back up from another scan." Lars informed with a slow headshake, wiping his eyes roughly with one hand, the other holding Pia's, his sniffing wife.
"What happened?"
"They were up on Mount Hotman, having a great time skiing." Merle sighed heavily, Moritz holding her around the shoulders. "Mami, said he just suddenly dropped to the floor. She knew he'd had a stroke as soon as she saw him, you know she saw Grandpapi have his first one."
"I remember." Urs nodded feeling Franky take hold of his hand again and returning the hard squeeze she gave him.
"They got medical help to him pretty quickly and he was stable by the time he arrived here. But.....Just as they got him into the Emergency Department, he suffered a massive one and they struggled to get him breathing again. They've got him connected to all the usual life-saving equipment, but they couldn't tell us anymore until he'd been for the scan." Lars informed, struggling to speak.
"Mami hasn't left his side for a single minute, except while he was in the scanner of course." Liana sniffed, holding her new husband, Peder around the waist, her face buried into his chest while his arms were around her shoulders.
"You have a problem on the flight or something?" Urs heard Peder questioning. "You look angry as well as upset."
"Ja, a little." Urs nodded then told them what the problem was despite Franky's insistance that it wasn't important right now.
"Maybe not Franky." Lars shrugged. "But you don't deserve that and neither does Urs. They should be happy he found such a good woman by now."
"Most of them are, it's only the odd one that isn't and probably never will be. Thanks anyway Lars." Franky nodded with her eyes lightly closed, feeling Urs squeeze her hand this time before he moved over to Joelle who hadn't said a word.
"Joelle. This isn't your fault you know?" Urs sighed, shaking his head at his sister. "Don't go thinking like that because you organised the holiday."
"But...he might be.....doing better if.....if I hadn't."
"Exactly. Might be. You can't be certain of that Jojee. He was over the moon when you gave him and Mami that gift for Christmas, wasn't he?"
"Ja, he was." Joelle nodded, closing her eyes tight and finally turning into her boyfriend's arms.
The ten of them took seats and sat holding each other's hands, forming one big circle while they waited for news on the Buhler patriach's condition. Hours seemed to tick by as they sat there, heads lowered and eyes closed in silent prayer. In reality only fifteen minutes or so had passed when they heard a quiet knock at the door and watched a young doctor walk in and introduce himself as Bruce Nash.
"I'm sorry there's no easy way to say this, but your father's brain is showing no signs of any activity. We've performed all the scans and tests we can. The only thing that's keeping him alive is the medical equipment he's connected to." Bruce informed slowly and calmly though his chest rose and fell quickly.
"So what you're really saying is that he's already gone?" Urs asked, tears welling in his eyes.
"I'm afraid so and a colleague has confirmed my diagnosis." Bruce nodded, towards the door as they opened again and an older woman crossed the threshold.
"I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do for your father." She sniffed then took a deep breath. "Your mother has been very brave throughout all of this. She wants you all to go in and say your goodbyes before we turn the equipment off."
"What about organ donation? He carried a card." Joelle queried, barely able to get the words out.
"I'm sorry they won't be any good, his organs had already begun to shut down by the time he arrived in ICU." Bruce shook his head and attempted a smile. "There won't be room for you to all go in at once. Four at a time at the most."
Though extremely upset at the news that had been delivered, it was quickly decided that Lars, Pia, Joelle and her boyfriend Jean should go first, followed by Merle, Moritz, Leanna and Peder leaving Urs and Franky to go last. The first group left with Bruce and spent ten minutes in the room saying their final goodbyes, returning holding each other and crying hard while they watched the second group go in.
Eventually Urs and Franky's turn came and they walked hand-in-hand into the room. Urs only releasing his hold to give his mother a tight hug, tears streaming down his face as she pulled back, retook her seat and took hold of her husband's hand.
"I...I wish we could have got here sooner Mami." Urs informed, moving to the other side with Franky and taking hold of his father's other hand, linking their thumbs together and wrapping his hand around the limp one.
"It doesn't matter. You're with him now to say goodbye. That's the main thing." His mother shook her head, reached over and gently took hold of Franky's free hand. "At least he's not in any pain. I couldn't bear that." She smiled, knowing what Franky had been through watching her parents die. "They've asked me if I want to switch the machinery off myself, but I can't. I've asked the others and none of them can either. What about you Urs?"
"Nein. I couldn't do that." He returned with a quick headshake and barely stifled sob
Feeling Franky squeeze his hand tight, he turned to look at her and saw her smiling softly through her tears, her head nodding slightly, saying what he needed to hear without opening her mouth, she knew he could do what had just been asked of him. He swallowed hard, closed his eyes then nodded before turning back to face his mother.
"Don't worry about it. It's just something they like to ask the family before they do it themselves. There's no rush. Tell me your favourite memory of him. I've asked your brother and sisters the same."
"Gott there so many." Urs sniffed and huffed a quick laugh. "I suppose seeing him hold each of his grandchildren for the first time is one of my favourites. Always with the same expression, proud and loving at the same time especially so with Frank."
"Those are some of my favourite moments too." His mother nodded, tears running down her face. "He had the same look each time he held one of you. I've never told you this, but up until that time to you fell through the ice I'd never seen him so scared. He cried like a baby that night, as did I."
"I can only remember hearing you." Urs shook his head. "Never thought it had bothered him that much."
"Well it did. The same as it did when you were ill with septicemia. He did exactly the same once we were back at your home. I'm not telling you in an effort to make you feel guilty Urs, just to make you understand what a wonderful, caring man he was despite the often times cool persona he projected. You are so very much like him."
"Ja I know. The good times are all up here." Urs nodded, tapping a finger at his temple. "Those are what I'll remember."
"Good. Then I think it's time we let him go."
Urs nodded and started to cry audibly as he watched his mother push the buzzer that would call the doctor in.
"Ready?" Bruce asked once he was in the room, standing by the ventilator, his fingers on the switch.
"Ja." Frau Buhler nodded with her eyes closed.
"Nein." Urs shook his head. "I.....I'll do it."
"Okay." Bruce nodded, stepped back and watched Urs, Franky and Frau Buhler kiss his patient goodbye.
Urs looked at the machine that was keeping his father breathing and closed his eyes after placing his shaking fingers on the switch.
"Auf Weidersehen Papi. Ich liebe dich." He sobbed as he flicked the machine off and listened to all the other monitors being dealt with in the same way.
He turned into Franky's waiting arms and spent a few moments mourning his father's passing holding her tight until she gently pushed him away.
"Mami needs you now." She smiled through her tears, nodding over his shoulder.
Urs turned away from her, saw that the sheet had been pulled up over his father's face, Bruce had left and his mother had her face buried against her husband's shoulder. Moving slowly, Urs walked around the bed, gently placed his hands on her shoulders and waited until she was ready to move away.
After a few moments, she stood, turned into his arms and held tight to him while she continued to cry. Franky placed a comforting arm across her shoulders as they moved to leave the room. It took the whole family almost an hour to compose themselves enough to decide to leave the hospital and they did so united in their grief, stepping out of the main entrance and straight into taxis to head for Christopher's holiday home. Carlos having contacted Karen's 'brother' as soon as he'd heard the news, the man turning up at the airport and handing the keys over just before Urs and Franky had checked in.
"I don't know how you did it twice Franky. I never thought I would have to do........stay with someone I loved while they......they di........died" She heard mother-in-law stating through her tears as Joelle gently guided her towards one of the seven bedrooms in the bungalow. "Would you do something for me?"
"Anything, you know that Mami."
"If you do decide to have more children and you have a boy, name him Jordi."'
"Have you two been talking?" Franky asked with a quick smile at Urs and his mother.
"Conspiring, is more like it." Urs nodded quickly with a smile and a sniff. "I'm sorry, I know you think we have enough already and I did agree because of all the pain you went through carrying Ciara with that bolt in your leg and the risks at your age. But we have been talking about it. Just one more?" He asked, his eyes pleading.
"I'll see what my doctor says, I won't unless he thinks I can cope again. Okay?"
"That's good enough for me." Urs nodded, pulled her into his arms and watched his softly smiling mother walk into a bedroom before they followed after her into another room. "How do we get him back home Franky? I don't know if Mami knows where to start, I certainly don't. I can't think straight at the moment. I never thought we were close, but now he's gone I.......I realise how close we were. He was there every time I needed him. That's what I want for our children, me, always there if they need me." He stated, dropping down onto one side of the bed, sitting with his head hung low until Franky pressed the phone into his hand and reminded him that there was a Swiss embassy in virtually every country while she searched for a number. "I forgot."
Urs dialled slowly and sniffed back his tears while he waited for the call to be answered. He explained the situation calmly, accepted the condolences with a respectful thank you then listened carefully while the person he was talking to explained that they could arrange a private flight to take his father's body and all his family home, but it would cost since the insurance would only pay for his parents to return on a normal flight.
"I don't care what it costs. I'll pay it." He nodded then listened to what he needed to do, passing the information on to Franky and watching her write careful notes before he thanked them again and hung up.
Urs and Franky stripped down to their underwear, slipped under the covers and held each tight, their usual positions reversed. Urs crying quietly, feeling Franky's massaging his scalp until he fell asleep, Franky remaining awake until she heard the sobs coming from the rooms around her stop.
Turn the page.
____________

Chapter 82 - He Wasn't Always Right
He woke very early, much earlier than he usually did to go for a run. He eased himself away from a peacefully sleeping Franky. Without showering or shaving first, he dressed, picked up one of the small notebook his mother had given him the previous evening and made his way out of the house.
Without having to think of where he was placing his feet, he walked a familiar but rarely used route, sat down cross-legged at the edge of the lake and spent a few moments staring at the front cover of the notebook, tracing his own name with the index finger of his right hand.
"I wonder how many he actually filled." He thought outloud on seeing that it also bore the number four below his name.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the cover and began to read what his father had written.
"Sometimes I despair of my youngest son. He called today, sounding very tired, to tell us that his relationship with Erika has ended. He said he was doing all right but if I know my boy like I think I do, he's not eating or sleeping properly and has shut himself off from his friends. What he has failed to realise is that Carlos, David and Seb think of him as a brother. I live in hope that he will come to see this one day.
Perhaps I should have told him what Erika was like when he first brought her home, saved him the heartache. Gott knows she had a reputation. Then again, I doubt he would have listened to a word I said. That's the trouble with him, he falls too quickly and hurts so deeply when it all goes wrong that other people get hurt as well. I hope he doesn't fall that quickly into his next relationship. I've told him time and again to take things slowly. I shall just have to wait and see about that."
"You're right, I wouldn't have listened." Urs shook his head as he turned the page and read once more.
"To say that I am in shock would be an understatement and a big one. Urs surprised us today by paying a visit with his latest girlfriend. Francesca Gibson by name and, from what I know of her so far, a wonderful girl. Though I was shocked and scared for him when he told us who her half-sister is. From what I have seen today, I judged the girl much too harshly. I can understand why he's begun to change his mind about getting married. She's his one and only, I'm pretty sure of that.
When I first heard Urs say that he never wanted to get married or have children, I was disappointed, thought I'd done something to put him off. No, as he sees it, it wouldn't be right to have children with someone like the selfish Astrids and Erikas of this world, never mind marrying someone who thinks more of possessions or what the latest fashion trend is than other people. Franky, it seems, certainly doesn't fit that mould in any way, shape or form. Though I think she would look amazing in Armani or Gucci, she could wear rags and still look stunning."
"Or a greasy overall." Urs nodded, recalling the first time he'd seen Franky working at her garage. "And she does look amazing in Armani."
"Well he finally did it. He got married! I've never seen him look so happy, not even after the first Il Divo concert. He was bouncing then, not the quiet, reserved man I know and love. Yesterday, when he first saw Franky coming down the aisle, I thought he would jump over the Empire State Building in a single bound if he had been able. Apart from Lorella and my girls, I have never seen such a beautiful bride. The only down point being that her own parents weren't there, I think her father would have been in tears as he walked her down the aisle, I definitely spotted Gabriel knocking a few away, though he denied it following the ceremony. I let a few go too, don't think Urs saw me crying though. He couldn't take his eyes off Franky."
"Nein. I didn't notice." He shook his head and flipped another page over.
"Urs is going to be a father in about eight months. I am so very proud and can't wait to hold my grandchild. Actually, I can't wait to see my child holding his child."
"Thought there'd be more in that regard Papi." Urs laughed, his head shaking due to the fact that though there were few words written, they'd been written big enough to fill the whole page.
"Stupid, stupid boy! Gott I wanted to shake him when he finally woke up. Saving him from drowning when he was younger scared me, but having to sit by his side listening to that heart monitor bleep faster and faster while he fought that infection was very nearly the end of me!
I love him but I can't feel sorry for him at the moment. He's not only put his family and friends through hell, he's probably lost Franky too. I'm holding on to the hope that she will allow him and us to see little Frank if the relationship ends. I don't know what Franky wants to do to him right now, myself I want to beat him to within an inch of his life. However, that is not the answer and Lorella would have something to say. She always has understood him better than I, she's right he is more sensitive than he will ever admit to, keeps the pain buried so deep within no-one has ever been able to break down his walls completely. I seriously doubt anyone ever will, including Franky."
"Got that one wrong didn't you?" Urs sniffed, feeling the sting of tears and allowing them to fall while he looked out across the lake.
He hadn't really cried since the night his father had died, not at either of the airports, not when the family had walked through the arrivals area at Zurich as a whole, ignoring the couple of shouts of his name, the camera flashes, the microphones and demands to be told what had happened. Somehow he'd managed to hold them back when he'd seen his children at the house with David, Lauren, Carlos, Barbara-Jean, Sebastien and Emma and when they'd all hugged him tight. Not even at the funeral while he listened to life his father had led, holding Franky's right hand in his left, his mother's in his right. Now they streamed down his face because reading those few pages had made him realise how much his father had loved him.
He set the book aside, deciding to read whatever else his father had written at some other time. He heard footsteps close behind him, turned his head over his shoulder and attempted a smile when he saw Franky making her way over to him.
"How did you know I would be here? I've never shown you the way." He asked once she was sitting by his side, holding his right hand.
"I didn't. Mami told me and gave me directions."
Urs nodded, then turned his attention back to the water glistening in front of him, watching the local swans and ducks swim up and down in search of their breakfast.
"Is this where it happened?"
"Where I almost drowned you mean?"
"Yes."
"Ja." Urs nodded. "Back then the water would freeze over again almost as soon as any hole was made in it. It used to get so hard you could skate on it and never have to worry about falling through. It doesn't do that now, not even round the edges."
"How deep is it?"
"About three metres at its deepest. I went through just over there, a few days into Spring." Urs informed, pointing off to his right. "Where the jetty is. Do you see?"
Franky looked to where he'd indicated, nodded when she saw the old wooden planks and supports of the openwork structure. Thinking that it didn't look very safe now but perhaps it had been much sturdier at the time of Urs's accident.
"Papi was standing at the end, watching me try to skate a few feet away from him. He told me not to go too far out but I was having so much fun, I ignored him, thought it was safe and the next thing I remember is trying to swim in freezing cold water. I was exhausted within seconds and so cold, so scared. I really thought I was going to die, I could feel my heartbeat getting slower and slower. Then all of sudden Papi was there, heaving me out, telling Lars to run back to the house and call an ambulance. I can't remember him saying much other than to tell me to hold on while he ran with me in his arms. Not even the next day, he left Mami to give me a telling off and I didn't think he cared that much, never thought he was affected by my stupid decisions. I know better now." Urs sniffed, tapping at the book before opening it and letting Franky read the last part he'd read.
"He never took you out on the lake again, did he?"
"Nein. I asked him to many times, he always refused. Too scared it would happen again I think, though he never admitted it." Urs sighed then smiled. "You know he told me once that he would love to see you skate out there. Me too. I even caught him on the phone once, trying to find out how much it would cost to freeze the lake." Urs informed with a quick giggle followed by a sniff. "You should have seen his face when he was told. It would have been worth every one of those eight thousand Euros per minute though, to see you out there......just for a moment."
"Maybe one day it will freeze over again." Franky sighed, her eyes filling with tears. "It's always been something I've wanted to do. Skate on a lake I mean."
"Yeah, I know. I remember you telling me." Urs nodded, moving his right arm around her shoulders and holding her against him. "I'll hold on to that dream coming true one day. Gott Franky, I knew this would happen one day but I never thought I would feel this bad when the time came, didn't think I would miss him this much. There were so many things left unsaid, so many things left undone between us."
"I know, it's not only you that feels that way, but the main thing is that you know how much he loved you Urs, that's the most important thing. That and the fact Papi was so very proud of you even though he didn't say so very often, you only had to look at his face to know that."
"I know. How's your wrist this morning?" He asked, attempting a smile, his head nodding slowly, taking hold of Franky's right hand and looking at the finger bruises a press photographer had caused by grabbing hold of her, trying to get a better picture of the family arriving at the airport, reporters throwing questions, demanding to know what had happened in Australia.
"It's still a little bit sore, not so bad as it was the first day."
"I really thought he'd broken it when I turned round to see what was going on." Urs shook his head. "I really wanted to punch him you know?"
"I know you did." Franky nodded. "But it wasn't the time or the place and Mami needed you more than I did. I really thought she was going to faint when we landed. Maybe I'll let you defend me like that if it ever happens again."
"Ja right! You'd be pulling me away, just like you did the other day and you know it. Has there been any reaction to those pictures that were posted on the site?" Urs huffed a very brief laugh, knowing that pictures of the coffin, the family arriving in Zurich and his furious reaction to her being seized hold of had been posted on the official forum.
"Don't know, the thread's disappeared."
"Oh, I still might post a message later to put a stop........" Urs stopped speaking on feeling Franky's fingers on his lips and seeing her head shaking. "Something on the next album then?"
"To Papi, not to me. You know I don't need it."
"Nein, you're not going to get your way this time. I am going to thank you on this one."
"All right, just this once." Franky nodded her agreement.
"So, did Mami send you out here to find me?"
"Yeah, she wants to go through some of Papi's things, before we leave. You promised you'd help. She said no rush though, she was just beginning to tell Sylvie about some of the trouble you got yourself into."
"Oh Gott!" Urs laughed, his head shaking. "Knowing her she's probably started with the time I took a huge slice out of Aunt Beatrice's birthday cake when I was seven. I denied it for hours, despite the fact there were crumbs all down my shirt and chocolate all over my face. Papi thought that was hysterical. Guess it was one way to get her to make another one huh?"
"I guess so. Did you get a slice of the second one?"
"Ja and half of Uncle Oscar's piece. He never has been very fond of chocolate, not like.........like.....li......."
"Papi." Franky sighed, her arms now around Urs, holding him tight and rocking him gently while he finally let go of all the emotions he'd been holding in since the day of his father's death, silent tears streaming down her own face.
He had no idea how long they spent that way but by the time he'd stopped crying, the sun sat high in the sky, warming both of their faces. He stood then helped Franky to her feet and walked back to the house with his arm wrapped around her waist. There he found his family sitting around the huge table in the kitchen, his mother with a small man's jewellery box in front of her which she opened and retrieved a cube shaped black box.
"He wanted you have these, Urs." She informed, pushing the box towards him with a gentle smile on her face once he'd taken a seat. "He always thought they were too much for him to wear and only did so once, during the cruise around the Meditteranian, but I hope you'll wear them more often than that. During the next tour maybe?"
Urs lifted the lid on the box and took a deep breath when he saw a pair of half carat diamond cufflinks set in silver.
"Particularly when we're performing in Zurich." He nodded following a quick look to Franky, knowing that she knew he always wore one of the several pairs she'd given him over the years and watching her nod with an approving smile on her face.
Turn the page.
_______________

Chapter 83 - Keeping Me Up To Date
As he had every ay since the end of the European leg of the tour, Urs turned on his laptop as soon as he left the en-suite of his hotel room, tapped in the password and dried himself off while it booted up. It didn't take long and he was only wearing his boxers when the message box popped up, informing him that he had two messages. He opened the inbox and huffed when he didn't see Franky name showing up today. He continued to dress, smart but casual, for the party Il Divo always threw at the end of a tour and was almost ready to go when the message alert sounded again.
"Strange." He sighed on checking again, still not seeing the one name he wanted to see above all others, knowing that Franky had promised to record and send messages from the children whenever he didn't have time to spend online with them and that she'd kept that promise, up until today anyway.
Knowing that he had a few moments to spare, he sat on the bed and spent the next few minutes watching the video Franky had sent him a few months ago. The beginning showing Frank on his bike, pouting a little while Franky informed that he'd wanted her to remove the safety wheels just three weeks after she'd bought it for him. Their eldest child riding in a very wobbly fashion down the drive, almost falling to one side as he reached the gates, completely unable to turn the bike around and looking frustrated as he got off, turned it around, remounted and pedalled back to where his mother stood.
"Hello Papi! Love you. See you soon." Frank's happier face beamed from the screen then he jumped around with excitement.
"He tried that yesterday and actually fell off. Refused to get back on." Franky's giggle informed while she recorded Frank repeating what he'd just done.
The image switched to Kurt and Serena, sitting next to each other in the battery powered truck his parents had bought for both of them the previous Christmas. The two of them looking as though they'd had one of their arguments, if they scowls they shot each other were anything to go by.
"Stop pouting Kurt. Ladies first, remember?" Franky instructed in her firm tone.
"But she's not a lady. She's just my sister." Kurt's voice retorted, which earned him a quick warning growl of his full name from Franky while Urs giggled.
As with, he watched Serena drive the Pantom Racer Truck down the drive and back up again, though torturously slowly. He laughed outloud when he remembered allowing Franky to do the same in the Odyssey before he'd agreed to her taking driving lessons and how he'd her teased by pretending to be asleep as she stopped at the closed gates. He chuckled again watching Kurt climb into the driver's seat and Serena shaking her head, defiantly refusing to sit in the passenger seat until Franky asked her to because she was making a video for Papi.
Once she was secured, Urs looked at Serena's face and noticed the apprehensive look she wore as Kurt pulled off, applying his foot to the accelerator far too hard and running a few metres over the grass before regaining control to repeat what his siblings had done, though at a much greater speed.
"There you go, honey. Told you he'd be our speed freak." Franky chuckled, the image wobbling slightly.
"Hello Papi. Miss you. Loves you. See you soon." The twins chimed in perfect unison, huge smiles on their faces and hands waving.
"I gots a new friend Papi." Serena continued. "Kurt don't like hers but I nots cared. I tell you all 'bouts her when we........you come homes. Byeeeeees!"
"I did nots says I did nots like her. I just said she's........"
"Kurt!"
"Sorry Mami. Erm.......I did a naughty Papi, 'bouts Seri's friend........but I said sorry once her Mami and Papi 'splained. Loves you. Bye!"
The image switched again, this time to a bemused looking Ciara who sat in her high-chair looking at her slice of Frank's birthday cake as if to say 'Is this all for me?' as she raised her eyes to the camera lens. Urs laughed outloud again as watched her grab towards the cake, Franky gently pushing the hand away just as it connected with the icing though not before Ciara had managed to get her palm covered in the sweet confection.
Continuing to laugh, he shook his head recalling that the other three had done exactly the same with their own birthday cakes. Swallowing the lump that had risen to his throat, he watched Frank blow out the candles and wished he could have been there rather than in Sydney, performing at the time. It would have been nice if his family could have been with him and he knew Franky would have gone with him through the whole tour if Ciara had been a few months older at the beginning but that wasn't to be and he was so happy that Franky kept in touch this way.
He sighed out a breath then watched with a proud smile on his face as he watched and listened to Sylvie playing piano. His eyes widened when he spotted something he hadn't noticed the first time. There she was playing 'Walking In Memphis' without the aid of sheet music and he found himself disbelieving how good she'd become over the past few months, hitting the wrong key only three times throughout the whole piece, her beautiful face flushing bright red as she finished and heard Franky complimenting her.
"Hello Papi. Miss you loads. I passed my piano test! Just like you said I would." Sylvie grinned, standing to remove a sheet of paper from the piano seat, beaming a huge smile as she held the certificate up to reveal that she'd got a 'Distinction' grade, rather than the 'Pass' grade she'd assumed she would be given on the day she'd taken the test, four weeks ago.
Beaming with pride, Urs continued to watch what else the children had been doing with their mother and Saskia. The three day trip to Tynemouth particularly grabbed his attention though he could do without hearing three of the four children singing that infernal song as Franky drove through the gates of the 'Blue Reef Aquarium' while Saskia filmed.
How the two women got all three of the older children through forty naturally themed habitats without one or other of them running off he didn't know. Just like he didn't have a clue how they managed to get those particular three to sit through a couple of entertaining talks without complaining but there they were, sitting side-by-side, listening to the man talk about Stingrays, occasionally glancing at the two boys who were playing up nearby, moaning at their mother about how boring they were finding the trip.
He laughed once again after watching Frank and Kurt press their faces against the glass of one display, both of them informing that they couldn't see anything only jump back a split second after a couple of seals had playfully thumped their noses against the thick glass. Their frightened faces quickly becoming huge smiles as they watched the graceful animals performing some underwater acrobatics. A walk through a tropical rainforest followed that and Urs shook his head after listening to Serena ask Franky if she could have a Pygmy Marmoset for a pet and seeing her bottom lip protruding once Franky had gently but firmly said no. Serena didn't pout for long and was soon standing between her brothers to watch Cotton Topped Tamarins eating and quickly questioned Saskia what they were consuming.
"Ewwwwwwww! Bugs? Urgh!" The threesome gagged together once they'd been told and Urs laughed again after seeing the disgusted faces.
Checking his watch, Urs quickly calculated that he didn't have enough time to watch the rest of the video and quickly skipped forward until Franky's face appeared on the screen. She lay in bed, wearing one of his Harley T-shirts, her eyes filled with unshed tears as she told him how much she loved and missed him. Hoping that he'd enjoyed all the videos she'd sent him over the past few months and saying that she was counting the minutes until they were together again.
"I love you, honey. See you soon. Goodnight, Ice." She smiled, knocked a tear from her eye then stopped the recording.
"I love you too, angel." He sniffed then took a deep and closed the laptop down.
He barely had time to slip it back into its carrying case when he heard a knock at the door. His brow furrowed, knowing that he wasn't expecting any of the others to be there. From the very beginning, they'd all agreed to making their own way to the party rather than arriving as a group, since it gave them a chance to give their personal thanks to all those that travelled with them and they could spend a few moments talking to their favourite people that way.
He huffed out a breath as he closed the bedroom door and hoped the first violinist was standing on the other side of the door. He thought she had finally got the message earlier in the week when he'd told her that he wasn't interested in her. She could dress as sexy as she liked or try to flirt with him onstage at every given opportunity, he loved Franky and wouldn't even consider cheating on her, despite the fact he was desperate to make love to her again after months apart.
"Gott! I wish Ellen hadn't come down with food poisoning." Urs grumbled as he headed towards the door, recalling that the woman who had been first violinist throughout the whole tour had tried to go on stage five nights ago, despite the fact she was throwing up every few minutes.
Shaking away the images of Rachel, Ellen's replacement, Urs grabbed the door handle and looked through the peephole.
"Nein, it can't be." He shook his head when he saw who was on the other side. "Then again she is a devil for surprising me with a visit when I least expect it." He laughed then whipped the door open to reveal a smiling Franky standing in the hallway, Ciara in her arms, Sylvie to her left, Frank, Kurt and Serena standing in front of her, though those particular three threw themselves at him and began speaking at the same time.
"Hey! Whoa! Whoa! First things first." Urs instructed, gently tugging Franky into the room and giving her long, passionate kiss once she'd handed Ciara over to Sylvie.
"Papi! Does you have to? Urgh!" Frank gagged while Kurt and Serena shuddered.
"Trust me, you'll understand when you're older."
"Don't think I want to grow up. Kissing girls is just ikkey." Frank replied with a sharp nod of his head that made Urs and Franky giggle.
"Those first few concerts were had to get through weren't they?"
"Ja, they were but....Erm......but Papi's little quote at the beginning of the first book helped."
"What did he write?"
"Wenn ich ein Denkmal in dieser Welt haben, ist es mein Sohn. If I have a monument in this world, it is my son. He wrote the same about all of us."
"That's nice. Someone obviously didn't hear what I said just before he boarded the plane, did he?" Franky asked, using her thumb to wipe her lipstick from Urs's mouth.
"Don't recall that you said anything." Urs shook his head after a few moments thought. "Then again, I was trying not to........cry." He continued, the final word leaving his lips very quietly.
"I know, honey. But I did say I would try and get us all here for the party. I'm not surprised you didn't hear me though, what with Kurt and Serena yelling that they didn't want Papi to go and your PA saying that you really had to."
"I remember. It was so hard walking away while listening to that commotion." Urs nodded, kissed Franky again, this time on the cheek then took Ciara from Sylvie. "Look at you! Aren't you getting a big girl?"
"Babi." Ciara smiled, wrapping her arms around Urs's neck while he breathed deep.
"Ja, Babi, that's me. Now, I want to hear a few things before we go to the party." Urs smiled, leading everyone into the lounge and sitting on the couch with Ciara curled up in his lap and Franky sitting on his left hand side. "Serena, tell me about your new friend."
"Her name is Tessa, she's four, but she doesnunt look it. She tiny, smaller thans Cici was when she was borned, even when she standing up. She skinny and she not got much hair and looks a bits like a little old lady. Her Mami and Papi say she a primedeal dwerd."
"Primeordial Dwarf." Franky informed with a smile when Urs looked at her questioningly.
"Where did you meet her?"
"At da soft playcentre Mami took us to. No-one else would play wid her and she crieded when I asked if I could play with her. So did her Mami and Papi when they seed us having funs togezzer."
"And you young man, what naught......What did you do that was so naughty?" Urs asked, looking at Kurt and stifling a laugh when he saw how uncomfortably he fidgetted.
"I said Tessa was.......was the.......the 'u' word." Kurt gulped, whispering the last three words. "Mami told me off and made me apologise straight away 'cos it's not nice to say that word to anyones and dare's..........everything is beautiful, in it's own ways."
"Ja, it is. I thought you learned your lesson the last time you used that word though."
"Sorry, Papi. Got's to learns to engagers my brains before I opens my mouse, don't I?"
"Ja, you have." Urs nodded, reaching forward and ruffling Kurt's hair before turning his attention to Frank. "Don't be in such a hurry to get rid of those training wheels, a little more practice first. Like Sylvie does with the piano."
"Okay, Papi." Frank nodded, a huge smile on his face.
"Talking of which. Well done Sylvie. Told you didn't I?" Urs teased, holding out his right hand because he and Sylvie had a small wager on her result and watching her reach into her purse to hand over his winnings. "I'm joking. Treat yourself with it, you've earned it. Any other news?" He finished, looking to Franky for an answer.
"Sylvie."
"What about her?"
"It's nothing much really Papi. Just that Mrs Stark is organising a recital at school to showcase everyone's musical talents." Sylvie shrugged nonchalantly.
"All of it Sylvie." Franky asked, laughing and shaking her head.
"And she's asked me to perform last, the main event."
"Good. When for?"
"End of Winter Term."
"Okay. We'll be there."
"What if Simon arranges a last minute performance?" Sylvie question with an audible gulp.
"Don't worry about him. I don't think he'll be doing that again any time soon. Not if he wants to keep us all happy he won't." Urs informed with a laugh and a headshake. "Right, that's us caught up, let's get going to the party."
With that statement, the entire Buhler family left the suite and made their way to the function room. Urs didn't care that David, Sebastien and Carlos all looked at their watches as they walked through the door, he could take whatever teasing or playful jokes they could come up with. Urs looked around the vast room, spotted Rachel sitting alone in the corner then listened to what the orchestra's conductor and organiser had to tell him.
"If you use my orchestra for the next tour, she will not be with us. She decided to quit, handed her notice in this morning. You are not the only one she tried to seduce."
Urs nodded, knowing that Rachel had tried it on with virtually every married man involved with Il Divo, especially his brothers, musicians and management, then turned his attention to having fun with his family and friends.
So engrossed was he in enjoying himself, he didn't notice that Rachel had already gone by the time he and Franky decided to leave. With four sleeping children they climbed aboard the private jet Urs had originally hired to take him home alone, quickly got them settled and secured. Once they were in the air, Urs and Franky snuggled up together and began discussing the idea of adding another child to their family in much more detail than they had following his father's death. Agreeing before they settled down to sleep that this child or children would definitely be their last.
"Funny. Could have sworn we said that when we knew Kurt and Serena were on their way." Urs teased, holding Franky close, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.
"Yeah we did. But I absolutely, positively mean it this time." Franky replied before covering a long, wide yawn and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Of course you do." Urs chuckled to himself once he was absolutely positive Franky was asleep.
Turn the page.
______________

Chapter 84 - Auction Fever.
Urs pressed his forehead against the solid piece of wood Franky had just slammed behind her retreating form, closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. He knew she hadn't wanted to appear at the 'Celebrity's Partner Auction' but he managed to talk her round, gently explaining that it was not an auction where people bidded to win a date with a celebrity's partner as she'd thought at first. No this was a new idea where wives, girlfriends, et cetra of celebrities would auction something they owned to raise money for charity. He huffed a quickly laugh recalling how dumb she'd felt once he'd explained then she'd agreed to his request.
"Have you been putting your foot in it again?" He heard Carlos questioning behind his right shoulder.
Urs nodded, still with his eyes closed and taking a deep breath before he spoke.
"By sulking about what she's decided to auction and arguing with her about it."
"It's a little too late to be trying to change her mind now. The catalogues have been printed and you did persuade her to do this."
"I know. I just can't imagine that dress on anyone else. I thought she was going to donate it to the museum at the new rink."
"Why for? She never wore it to perform there. Wouldn't something of her mother's be more appropriate? She does still have the pink dress, no?"
"Ja, her skates too and some of the costumes she has worn to perform there. She's right, if she can let it go for the sake of charity, I should be able to as well. I should be happy knowing that she wore it for me and only me. I'm an ass sometimes."
"Si, you are but she loves that way." Carlos informed, giving Urs a quick shove and making him laugh.
"I'd better go in and apo...." Urs began, his hand on the door handle only to stop short and whirl round to look down the corridor when he heard Sebastien shouting his name, running towards him as fast as he could. "What's wrong with you? I thought you were staying out front."
"I was but I heard something I didn't like the sound of in the bathroom." Sebastien replied, gasping for breath, his head nodding. "An argument between a man and his mother I think. He spoke with an accent that matched yours and called her 'Mutti' when he told her to mind her business."
"Okay. What has it got to do with me?"
"Not you. Franky and the dress. It is lot number 301, non? There hasn't been some mistake in the catalogue?"
"Yes, 301." Urs nodded, watching Sebastien swallow a mouthful of water he'd taken from the cup Carlos had handed him. "What did you hear?"
"I don't know who he is, but I heard him say he doesn't care how high the price goes, he's determined to win the auction and get that dress. He also said that he planned to collect it personally then set fire to it in front of Franky as revenge for the way she humiliated him at the Palace Hotel."
"Peder!" Urs exclaimed, his eyes flying wide. "Damn him! I can't let him do that, but there's no way I'll be able to outbid him. He's way out of my league."
"We could pool our resources." Carlos suggested with a quick shrug.
"No, I can't ask you to do that. It wouldn't be enough anyway." Urs shook his head.
"Can't ask who to do what?" A familiar but rarely heard English accent questioned from nearby.
"Simon! I thought you weren't going to be here." Urs exclaimed, taking the offered hand for a shake.
"There's some piece of jewellery my mother would like in the auction. It's her birthday soon, thought I'd give it go." Simon replied, shaking Carlos's and Sebastien's hands as he spoke. "No David?"
"No. Lauren has the flu. He's stayed home to take care of the kids." Urs informed.
"Oh! So what's the problem?"
Urs took a deep breath then repeated what Sebastien had just told him and added how Franky had humiliated Peder in Lucerne, listening to the man laugh heartily for a few seconds before his features turned serious again.
"Any idea how much he's worth?"
"Last I heard around twenty million pounds." Urs shrugged in response.
"Huh! Pocket money." Simon laughed again, his eyes flicking from side-to-side, Urs knowing that he was formulating a plan. "Come and show me who I'm up against."
Urs nodded, pointed towards the room where Franky was changing into the dress then made a zipping motion across his mouth at Carlos who nodded his compliance that he wouldn't say anything. Sebastien accompanied Simon and Urs back down to the atrium where the event was being held and searched for the man they were looking for, each man peeking through a curtain that screened off the participants from the audience.
"End of the second row, right in front of the podium."
"That's him." Urs nodded, his eyes narrowing when he saw the smug look his former friend was wearing. "I should go out there and punch his lights out."
"Someone should." Simon nodded in agreement. "However, that's not the way we're going to handle it. Leave it with me, you get back to Franky. How nervous is she?"
"Don't even go there?" Urs shuddered. "She threw up twice on the way here."
"No chance she's pregnant again?"
Urs shook his head quickly in reply then turned away from Simon and Sebastien. His head turned over his shoulder as he pushed the corridor door open and couldn't help but grin when he saw the two men eyeing him suspiciously. No, Franky wasn't pregnant again, at least she hadn't told him she was yet.
"Was it him?" He heard Carlos questioning quietly as he returned to his previous position.
"Ja. Has she come out at all?"
"No. Someone has gone in though. Very pretty lady. Some supermodel according to BJ." Carlos replied, rubbing at his ribs.
"She caught you looking didn't she?"
"I am not blind Urs. BJ is not the jealous type and she understands that I appreciate beauty in all its forms. Just doesn't like it when I spend a little too long looking."
"Except when it comes to male nudes." Urs teased, knowing that Gloria had cleared out her attic, found one of Karen's earliest drawings showing a naked man sitting on a plinth with his legs slightly open and had asked Carlos to put it in the auction.
He laughed recalling how Barbara-Jean had teased him about getting it framed and having it hung above their bed because she liked it even more than the one that hung in their home and how he stared at the picture for a long time before shaking his head. That stunned goldfish look was still very funny as was listening to him grumble and curse in his native language. He laughed a little louder when he remembered Franky feigning complete shock at what they'd all heard come out of his mouth once the penny had dropped that Barbara-Jean was winding him up.
"I am going to see how the picture does." Carlos huffed, his head-shaking as he began to walk away, heading for the atrium.
Listening to Carlos muttering in Spanish and chuckling to himself, Urs raised his hand and knocked on the door. His eyes flew wide when Franky didn't answer herself and he saw a tall, leggy, blonde-haired and blue-eyed woman smiling at him instead.
"Don't look so worried. I don't bite Urs, you're so not my type plus I'm married to an amazing man." Nerissa Ogilvy informed, stepping back so that he could enter. "Franky's just putting the dress on."
"Oh! Why are you in here with her? If you don't mind me asking."
"Roses in my room. My manager forgot to mention that I'm allergic to pollen of any kind and since this was the only room without flowers they asked if Franky would swop. I wasn't about to put her out so I asked if she didn't mind sharing. I was quite surprised when she said that she didn't. That'll teach me to give any credence to those rumours, I really should have paid more attention to Orva. Oh listen to me prattling on, I'll leave you to it."
His eyes wide again, Urs watche Nerissa leave the room only turning around when he heard giggling behind him.
"Does go on a bit doesn't she?" Franky asked, fiddling with the fabric on her arms. "How do I look?"
"As beautiful as the first time I saw you in it. Still fits pretty good too."
"Actually it feels a bit tighter than what I remember."
"You look wonderful." Urs shook his head, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sorry for sulking and arguing with you about putting it in the auction. You're right, your mother's things and the costumes you actually wore to perform at the old rink would be more appropriate for the museum."
"Apology accepted." Franky smiled then kissed his lips quickly.
"Stop shaking. There's nothing to be nervous about. You've performed in front of more people than are out there."
"I know, but they're all famous in one way or another. Do you know there's even royalty out there?"
"Big whoop!" Urs laughed, twirling his right index finger in the air.
"That's not funny." Franky shook her head, knowing that meeting such people never fazed him.
"You'll do great." He sighed, listening to a knock at the door, moving quickly to answer and offering his hand to Franky once he'd been told her time was fast approaching.
He watched her take a deep breath and shook his head when she took hold of his hand and held it tight. Together they walked to the backstage area, where they listened to the auctioneer rounding up a sale.
"Emma will have something to say, spending that amount of money on a bottle of wine."
"No she won't." Franky shook her head. "She asked him to try and get it for her father's birthday next week. She's going to be over the moon."
Urs nodded, gave Franky a quick kiss on the lips, wished her luck then gave her a gentle push towards the stairs that lead up to the stage. He listened to the auctioneer introducing her and watched her confidently step out onto the stage before he moved to where he, Simon and Sebastien had spied on Peder.
Bidding started off slowly, Peder making the first bid of a thousand pounds, sneering at Franky who appeared to be ignoring him, preferring instead to take in the beauty of her surroundings with a smile on her face. Another man raised the bid by five hundred pounds, making Urs almost laugh when he saw the scowl Peder shot him. The two men then took it in turns to raise the price, moving up five hundred pounds at a time, until they hit twelve and half thousand.
Urs watched Peder fold his arms across his chest, the smug look returning thinking he'd won as the gavel dropped once.
"Simon!" Urs growled quietly.
"Thirteen thousand." Simon's raised voice filled the air just before the gavel struck home for a second time.
Covering his mouth so that no-one could hear him laughing, Urs watched Peder whirl round to glare at Simon and raise the price. The two of them quickly becoming embroiled in a battle until the price reached nineteen thousand pounds.
"Twenty-five thousand!" Peder yelled just before the gavel hit home for a third time.
"Thirty thousand." Simon snapped back quickly, smirking at Peder, his body shaking as though he was laughing.
"Thirty thousand, once.......twice........sold to Mr Simon Cowell." The auctioneer's voice filled the air.
Simon smiled like he'd never seen before as the sale of Franky's 'Fire and Ice' skating dress ended, Peder wearing a look of defeat on his face and his fists balled up, knowing he would never be able to out-bid Simon.
Urs looked at Franky and swallowed hard when he saw how pale she'd gone and watched her wobble slightly as she turned to head off-stage. He moved back to where he'd left Franky, took hold of her lower arms, gently guided her to a seat and made her sit down before she fainted, then asked for someone to get her a glass of water.
"You okay?" He asked after a few minutes of listening to her take deep breaths between sips of water.
"Yeah. I just never expected it to go for that much. Why would Simon want it?"
"No idea." Urs shrugged, listening to another participant being introduced, though he didn't pay attention to what was being sold until he heard Simon's name being broadcast as the winning bidder again. "Let's get you back to your room."
Franky nodded, stood slowly and allowed him to support her still slightly shaky form back to her room, where she promptly changed back into the clothes she'd arrived in, hanging the ice-dance dress back on its hanger and placing it back in its cover once she'd done so.
Urs closed his eyes for a second or two, after watching her wipe a tear from her eye just before she fastened the zip. He started to step forward, but quickly turned in the opposite direction when he heard a commotion in the corridor outside. He threw the door open to find Peder in the middle of confronting Simon, calling him some foul names and balling up his fist to take a swing at him only for Simon to send him crashing to the floor first.
"Grow up Cottier." Simon hissed, shaking away the pain in his right hand. "Don't you get it? Revenge is for the weak minded. Why don't you try finding yourself a girl that loves you for who you are and not your money. Now piss off before I give you what you truly deserve."
Urs watched Peder scramble to his feet, give Simon one last glance then lower his head and let out a heavy sigh before he turned away and left.
"What's going on?" Franky's voice came from behind him.
Urs turned to face her, gently pushed her back into the room and explained what Peder had intended to do with the dress.
"I'm sorry for not telling you and not going out there myself to bid. I couldn't let him do that Franky and I know he wouldn't have given in to me until he was sure I couldn't go higher. I would have given my last penny to stop him."
"I know you would. There's no need to apologise, dummyhead." Franky sighed, taking his face into her hands and kissing him gently. "Thank you anyway."
"Ahem!" Simon's cough filled the room. "Don't bother Franky." He shook his head when she moved to hand him the dress. "You take the dress home."
"But........." Franky gasped only to Simon raise his hand, indicating that he wouldn't listen to whatever she had to say and quickly turning away. "Well I never." She huffed as a stunned looking Carlos came to the door with Barbara-Jean.
"Thirty thousand pounds for a pencil drawing." He shook his head disbelievingly.
Together the quartet found Sebastien and left the hotel. He cradled his precious purchase all the way home with a huge smile on his face. Emma received a telling off from her father for spending so much on him, but he accepted the vintage bottle of wine and opened it to celebrate his seventieth birthday, much to Sebastien's approval.
Franky returned the 'Fire and Ice' dress to its storage box in her wardrobe then shook her head at Urs and thanked him once again with tears brimming in her eyes. He held her until for a moment or two and only released his hold because she was in need of the bathroom. While she was attending to her needs, he started to get ready for bed and had only just removed his socks when he saw a box on his nightstand that he was certain wasn't there this particular morning, the lid bearing his name. He opened it carefully and smiled when he saw that it contained thirty chocolates, but that wasn't the thing that made him smile. Franky had found a surprising and inventive way to tell him that he was going to be a father again, by using the chocolates. The message read:
'I'M PREGNANT SIX WEEKS LATE'
Wanting to make love to her but knowing they'd both had a very busy day, Urs removed the rest of his clothes, slipped under the sheets and waited for Franky to cuddle up next to him. It didn't take her long and his hand immediately rested on her stomach. Urs fell asleep that night, feeling like the King of the World, his Queen snoozing happily beside him.
A document arrived at the house by courier few days later, signed by Simon gifting the dress back to Franky accompanied with a gentle warning not to ever think about selling it again. All tolled, the auction raised almost three million pounds which was donated to a Leukaemia research charity.
Turn the page.
____________

Chapter 85 - Bothered
Though still slightly upset about the previous day's events, Urs set a smile on his face and looked towards the new extension he and Franky had decided to build on the house. With her carrying twins again they'd both quickly realised five bedrooms would be nowhere near enough to accomodate nine people. They'd asked Lauren to contact her artictect friend and he'd come up with a three bedroomed extension plan with a playroom on the lower floor for the children. Franky had wanted just the bedrooms but it hadn't taken him long to persuade her to add the playroom as well, that had taken nothing more than a look around the toy littered lounge from her and she'd giggled while nodding her agreement.
The extension had gone up in what seemed like next to no time and the builder had taken extra special care to find bricks that matched the existing building, so much so that you could barely tell where the old house ended and the new build began. He'd done just as good a job on their home as he had on Carlos's and had laughed when Franky pulled him into a tight hug when he'd told them the building was complete. Knowing that the decorators didn't want his help, he started heading for the stairs only to stop at the top when he spotted Frank and Kurt coming out of one of the new rooms, dragging a black bin liner between them.
"Need a hand there?" He asked shaking his head at them both and watching Frank hitch his jeans up.
"No, we can do, Papi. It not that heavy." Kurt shook his head, sending the builder's helmet he wore falling to the ground.
"Are you sure?" Urs asked, placing the helmet back on his son's head and tighening the headstrap a little.
"It's only waste wallpaper, Papi. Mr Bellingham nearly finished and said we could help tidy up."
"Oh, Mami will be pleased then."
"And you won'ts?"
"Of course I will, Kurt. I've just got wait for Uncle Gabe to come over and help with the furniture Ciara asked for and sort the guest room, then we're done. Aren't we?"
"Yeah. I glad I don't have share with a siss......a girl anymore." Kurt huffed then grumbled something about pink and his room being much better.
Urs laughed, watched the two boys work together to get the half-filled bag downstairs and followed after them, thinking they looked so cute in their jeans, white t-shirts, builder's boots and helmets and toolbelts. He tried to remember exactly how times they'd dressed that way, both desperate to help while the work was being carried out and the disappointed looks he'd seen on the faces when Franky had told them they couldn't help in the extension because it was far too dangerous and he'd agreed. They'd both jumped for joy and whooped loudly after being told they could help Mr Billingham but they weren't to touch any of his tools. Hell they'd even asked to go to bed early so that they could be up in time for his arrival at 8:45am.
Even Serena had got in on the act when her room was ready to be done and she'd barely come out of the lilac and white space for the first two days. She was so like her mother with regard to that colour. She loved it, most of her clothes had at least a touch of it somewhere or other. He continued to watch the two boys work together, opening the front door for them and giggling when he saw them struggling to get the bag in the mini-skip that stood just outside.
"Papi!!" Frank yelled his head whirling round to look at his father. "We can't get it in."
Urs stepped outside and moved to pick the bag up only to stop when he saw both children looking at him in an exasperated fashion, their little fisted hands firmly placed on their hips in an imitation of their mother. Somehow knowing what they wanted, he picked them both up once they'd taken hold of the bag again and shook his head as they placed the bag in the skip. Pleased with their few minutes of work, Frank and Kurt ran back upstairs, leaving Urs knowing they would wait for Mr Billingham or his assistant to give them another suitable chore. He grumbled something about Aaron then headed to the kitchen where he found Franky sitting at the table, watching over Serena and Ciara while they ate their breakfast. He knew Frank and Kurt had already eaten because he could see their dirty bowls waiting to be washed.
"Morning angel." He sighed, giving Franky a kiss on the cheek.
"Huh? Oh sorry, honey. Morning."
"What's wrong, Franky. Are you..........'Ascaris'?
"No. Well partly." Franky sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I'm sad he's gone, but happy that he didn't have to be put to sleep. I've got my memories."
"Ja, you have. So you're still upset about what happened yesterday?" Urs asked, knowing that she'd received a phone call from Miranda the previous morning, tearfully telling her that Zachariah had discovered the horse dead in his stable, Franky not breaking down into tears until she'd hung up.
"No. You dealt with Aaron very well. I'm just being..........Oh never mind. It doesn't matter."
"Yes it does. Is it because he's upstairs?"
"No. He's not here anyway. Doug fired him last night. It's not the fact you caught him rifling through your drawers that's bothering me. Well it is but that's not the main thing."
"What is it then?" Urs nodded, smirking a little and wondering how black Aaron's eye was this morning.
How the young man had even been able to get the lockable drawer open he didn't know. That hadn't been thing that had made Urs punch him in the first place. No. He'd entered the master suite just in time to see Aaron lifting the cufflinks his father had left him out of the box and give them a good inspection with a grin on his face. Had he been a few seconds later they would probably have been in his pocket and Aaron would have moved on to Franky's jewellery box, though he wouldn't have found the Chaffee stuff, that wasn't even in the house. That was held in a security vault in London.
As it was, Urs had gone into the room at just the right moment, grabbed hold of Aaron's wrist and grabbed the cufflinks out of his hand. Aaron had swung a fist but that had failed to connect, however, Urs's hadn't and he'd landed a really hard punch on Aaron's right eye. Both Franky and Mr Billingham had appeared in the room just as Aaron brought himself upright and, much as she hated physical violence, she hadn't given Urs a telling off for hitting him. Mr Billingham had looked like he was ready to kill the man, his face had been crimson red with fury, ten times redder than he'd ever seen Carlos's go when something had upset him. With it being the end of the working day, the middle-aged man had grabbed his nephew by his collar, apologised to both himself and Franky and dragged a yelling Aaron out of the house, loudly informing the young man that he would be telling his mother what Aaron had been caught doing.
"Franky?" Urs sighed because she hadn't said a word in almost thirty seconds according to the clock that ticked loudly just above her head.
"Really, I'm just being a silly, hormonal, sentimental, old fool."
"Nothing wrong with being silly or sentimental, but you're not old and you're not a fool and you can't help your hormones. Tell me what's wrong angel."
"You remember we saw that man proposing at 'Ramone's' last night?"
"I remember, especially her face when she saw the ring. It was beautiful."
"Hmmn. That's what's got me feeling a little down."
"Why? You've always been perfectly happy with your rings. That ring was nowhere near your taste and I've never known you to be jealous." Urs sighed, knowing the platinum band they'd seen the previous evening had one large central diamond surrounded by others with four darker stones, probably sapphires, set in the corners of the unusal square-shaped plate.
He knew Franky's taste well enough to know she would never wear anything like that because she'd always preferred simpler jewellery, hadn't looked at the complex stuff when they'd been deciding on wedding bands and some of those had had some very ornate engraving on them.
"I'm not jealous you idiot." Franky huffed shaking her head. "My rings are beautiful, more precious to me than their monetary value because you gave them to me. But so was that ring."
"How can it be? You've never owned anything like that." Urs furrowed his brow in confusion.
"Yes I have, before I met you. That ring was my Grandmother's engagement ring. It's the one I sold to help get the garage out of the red."
"You can't be sure about that."
"Yes I can, Urs. That ring was custom made for my Grandmother, there's not another one like it. I was hoping that I would have enough money to buy it and it's matching wedding band back one day."
"Oh. Sorry." Urs sighed, wondering how much she'd got for the rings when she'd sold them, though he would never ask her. The one he'd seen last night looked very expensive. Expensive enough that only someone like Simon would be able to afford them.
He knew the Hartford side of Franky's family had a lot of money and owned a lot property in town, though they hadn't come from the area. They'd come from further north and had once owned a huge home with acres of land around it, she'd shown him the old pictures. That had burned down three years after the family had sold it, the fire started accidently by unsafe electrics.
Her uncle had once owned the largest house in the town, one that made theirs look miniscule in comparison. He'd sold that shortly before Franky's accident and had moved to a smaller property in one of the outlying villages. Though Lou Hartford had slowed down considerably since suffering the stroke that left him unable to attend his and Franky's wedding, Urs knew he'd fought hard to get well again and had expanded his port folio abroad, with a few properties in France, Belgium, Austria and the Irish Republic and was looking to invest in Italy, Switzerland or the USA.
He knew Franky had sold the rings to pay of debts and the mortgage her father had taken out on the garage, but had never asked exactly how much for and wasn't about to now. She'd only ever said that she'd used the money to pay off the debts. He'd always wondered how much they were actually worth and how the hell she'd managed to sort things out. He smiled, thinking that she had done a really remarkable job getting the garage out of debt and for her to live comfortably in her own right.
"It's never going to happen though, honey. There are more important things we need or will need than a couple of rings that I never really liked that much to begin with and would have been ruined if I'd had them enlarged."
"They were too small?"
"Way too small. Grandma Hartford had really slender fingers, just like that woman did last night. I couldn't even get the engagement ring on my little finger. Sometimes........sometimes I just wish my father hadn't been such a proud man, that he'd accepted the financial help he'd been offered by mum's family. Stubborn, stuborn man!"
"Ja, sounds like he was and his daughter's just like him." Urs replied with a laugh, watching Franky's eyes widen. "What I don't get is why you didn't sell the rings to your uncle."
"Because Aunt Lena and Sissy disliked them more than I did. They would have just sat in Uncle Lou's safe and neither of us wanted that. I did talk to them about selling them before I did so. We all thought it was the right thing to do, someone out there would appreciate them and actually wear them."
"Oh! You are just as stubborn as your father, Franky. I've told you before, you are not Superwoman, but yet you still tried to insist on helping me move the furniture into Serena and Kurt's rooms and sulked when I said no. Gabe and I know what's going where in Ciara's room and the guest room, just like we did in Kurt's and Serena's. Leave it to us. Okay?"
"Okay." Franky tutted and shook her head at him. "I do know how stubborn I can be. You're right, I am just like my father in that way. You got any objections to me, Saskia and the girls organising the playroom once you and Gabe have taken the furniture upstairs."
"No." Urs shook his head after a few minutes thought, knowing most of the things going into the room were light enough for all five women to manage, pregnant or otherwise. "Where is Saskia anyway?"
"Erm....She's gone out to get something for me. I'm out of my favourite crisps."
"I got you six packets yesterday!"
"I know you did, I've still got plenty of Strawberry jam left. I can't help my craving."
"Don't Franky! Yeuch!!" Urs grimaced and shook his head just as Saskia entered the kitchen.
She carried a fairly log box in her hands which she placed it in front of Franky and informed her that she'd bought a whole box of crisps in the hope that they would last for a week. Knowing that her curent craving over these two children was Worcestershire Sauce flavoured crips, smothered in her favourite jam Urs watched as Franky stood, moved to the fridge, retrieved the large pot and sat smothering it on the crisps once she'd got the box and the first of forty-eight packets open He watched the way she devoured the packet, swallowing bile as she did so, knowing that it wouldn't be the first time she would do that today.
"Perhaps I should have bought two boxes." Saskia laughed, watching Franky open another packet.
"No perhaps about it. You should have."
"Urs wait a minute." Franky giggled as Urs stood on hearing Frank and Kurt yell for his help again. "Has Frank told you he's changed his mind about his bedroom?"
"Nein. I thought he was still perfectly happy with 'Superman'."
"I know, but he changed his mind after seeing Kurt's room."
"Okay. I'll go have a word with Doug. I guess you'll be helping Frank find something he likes?"
"Actually no, he's already done it. Even printed it off to show me."
Urs looked at Franky, his eyes widening in surprise and his mouth gaping when he saw the piece of paper Franky handed him. That quickly turned into a huge grin when he saw a motorbike themed room, though not the Harley Davidson he'd been hoping for. No, the picture showed a dirt bike paint by numbers mural that he would like on one wall, the bike leaping through the air and he'd even decided on the colour for the other three walls. Sunset Yellow. He knew Frank could operate a computer, but didn't know he could do so well enough to use the search engine and print things off.
"Never mind, honey." Franky laughed, patting his stunned face gently. "You'll catch up...........one day."
"Well, anything is better than 'Superman' and you, Mrs Buhler, are so not funny." Urs shook his laughing head at her teasing and pulled her up into a very passionate kiss, completely forgetting that Serena and Ciara were in the room until Serena yelled, making both he and Franky crack up laughing.
"Paaaaaaapi! That's gross!"
Turn the page.
________________

Chapter 86 - Blast From The Past
"Have you nearly finished? The limo will be here in two hours." Urs queried, checking his watch then turning his attention to watch Franky finish the garage's accounts.
"Almost." Franky smiled, glancing at him briefly not seeing him move to stand behind her, startling a little when she felt his lips nuzzling the nape of her neck, making her moan as he moved to nibble her ears. "And if you......Mmmmn......If you carry on like that I'll never be finished."
"And we'll be very late for tonight's event." Urs laughed reluctantly pulling back, lightly sucking on her earlobe. "What's this? We've not even discussed moving house, we've only just finished the extension." He asked as she handed him an estate agent's wallet
"Read it. It's not about a house."
Urs set the wallet down on the desk, opened it and read the details quickly. A garage was up for sale well away from the one Franky currently owned. He knew they were very busy there, there didn't seem to be a day that the books weren't full and people came from miles around to have their repairs or MOTs done. He nodded quickly, reminding himself that his bike was about due for its annual test as he continued to read. He knew Franky wouldn't be asking for any of his money as she had enough of her own to buy the place, but he felt a little uneasy about her doing so.
"You haven't put an offer in yet have you?"
"No. I thought I would run the idea by you first." Franky returned, closing her laptop and placing a hand on her six and half month swollen stomach. "God I'm as big as house again."
"A very sexy house." Urs reminded with a quick smirk and a kiss on her lips.
"Focus Mr Buhler." She batted back with a laughing headshake, tapping at the details. "What do you think?"
"Depends who's going to be running the place."
"I was thinking of asking Blair."
"Blair?! No." Urs shook his head vigorously. "I think it's the wrong time to be expanding your business anyway."
"Oh really? Why?"
"In case you have forgotten, you are six and half months pregnant. With twins again I might add and I still don't trust Blair a hundred per cent. With all the running around you do, taking Sylvie and Frank to school and the garage you do own at the moment, where are you going to find the time to get another up and running?"
"So you're not willing to take over those roles while I do? You don't start work on the next album until the end of April, plenty time for me to get a new business running ."
"I know, but there's loads of work to be done before then. Picking the songs, deciding who's going to sing which part, the artwork, promotion stuff. You know that."
"Oh I see and all that comes before the children and me huh?"
"No. I......" Urs paused to sigh heavily and closed his eyes. "No it doesn't. It never has and it never will. Think about it Franky, a new business and two new babies. It's too much."
"In your opinion?"
"Exactly." Urs nodded in reply to her snapped question.
"Okay fine. We'll just do everything you want for the rest of our lives shall we and give up my hopes and dreams? Well thank you very much for your support!" Franky huffed, moving out of the office to head upstairs to get ready.
"Bloody hormones! Bloody mood swings!" Urs yelled, fisting the glass desk in frustration then sitting in Franky's chair.
He huffed and leaned back in the chair to think for a few moments. He'd never known Franky to be like this with him whenever she was pregnant. Sure there were little arguments now and again through all the others, deciding on names, how to decorate the bedrooms and such. Not even the pain she'd endured carrying Ciara had made her snap at him every five minutes like she was currently. She seemed to sail through the last two trimesters once the morning sickness was out of the way.
He turned on his laptop and spent a few moments cruising around the Forum to see if there was anything on there that had upset her. His head shaking and another sigh escaping when he read nothing but complimentary posts. So clearly that wasn't the problem he decided as he logged off and shut the machine down.
He sat and thought a little more, remembering the wonderful Christmas they'd had. His mother's tears on seeing Franky pregnant again and knowing they were expecting two boys this time. Her delight when she opened her gift to reveal a photograph album containing pictures of his father proudly holding each of his children and grandchildren as babies, some in black and white others in colour. A huge smile lighting up his face when he remembered the gasp she'd let out on seeing the final photograph showing everyone together. All of it arranged by Franky at his request.
"Eureka moment." He nodded then rolled his head on his neck after recalling how busy she had been over that period.
Helping Sylvie and Frank learn their lines for their Christmas plays. Buying and wrapping all the presents herself because he'd been away for a week, performing at various pre-Christmas events. Leaving her to make the travel arrangements to Lucerne, only just making it back in time to see Frank play the role of Casper in the school nativity play and Sylvie play 'Cinderella' in her school pantomime. Franky recording every second for prosperity. Returning home to find that she'd already packed for their Christmas trip.
"And I had the nerve to tell her she was taking on too much, even thinking about opening another garage." Urs shook his head, stood and made his way upstairs, pausing to listen to the children playing happily with Saskia in complete control as he reached the top.
Looking into Sylvie's room he smiled when he saw her hunched over her desk, obviously concentrating hard on the evening's assigned homework while listening to some sort of music via her headphones. Rolling his eyes backwards again when he realised he couldn't distinguish what the tinging noise he heard was, but giving her a quick smile when she looked at him.
"Not too loud remember." He reminded with a nod at the earphones.
"I know Papi." Sylvie replied with a tut and eyeroll of her own. "I do listen to you and Mami you know?"
"I know." Urs nodded then swallowed hard, knowing that she was beginning to show an interest in boys and wondering what her current crush looked like.
All they'd heard so far was his name and age. Lewis aged fourteen and a bit, nothing more. No description or whatever they had in common had so far passed her lips, not even when gently pressed for the information.
"Let her tell us when she's ready." Franky's words suddenly rang around his head and he smiled once more as he pulled the door closed and continued his journey to the master suite.
Smelling Lillies as he crossed the threshold and smiling when he looked down to Franky's dressing table to see that she decided to wear the jewellery he'd given her for Christmas. A quick laugh escaping when he recalled the shocked look on her face once she'd opened the package to reveal a matching diamond necklace, bracelet and earrings. The necklace and bracelet simple straightlined pieces, the diamonds set in a four clawed eighteen carat white gold. Fifty diamonds in the bracelet, almost twice as many in the necklace. The earrings nothing more than simple one diamond studs set in the same way. The whole collection named 'Eternal Love' and purchased because he did love her, not to prove how much.
"I don't care how simple the dress is, she'll look stunning as usual." Urs nodded after glancing at the covered dress hanging on the outside of her wardrobe as he made his way into the bathroom. "I'm sorry." He smiled, watching Franky wrap a towel around herself.
"It's okay. I'm sorry for being so snappy just lately. I just miss working on the bikes and riding and climbing and skating."
"We don't have to go tonight you know?"
"I want to. I really do." Franky nodded and smiled, feeling Urs's finding their way around what little remained of her waist. "I'm not in the least bit tired."
"I know, Duracell." Urs teased and laughed when she gave his arm a quick slap. "I'm sorry for saying no to the garage, I know you like to keep busy when I'm not around and the kids are asleep. I know you're having to turn customers away too, especially since Forrester's went bankrupt. And you're right, I could take over a few of your responsibilities while you set the new garage up, be more supportive. It's not like any of the guys arrive too early in the morning for me not to be able to take Sylvie and Frank to school at least is it?"
"No. It's not. So you're saying I can go ahead and make an offer?"
"As long as you're sure you can.....Argh! What am I saying? That'll be the day you can't manage anything huh?"
"Yeah. Thank you honey."
"It's nothing." Urs shook his head then smiled as he pulled back from a very deep kiss. "As long as you're happy that's what's important."
"I am very happy. I don't think I could be any happier if I tried. Now go and take a shower, you stink of horses and motorbikes and that won't do for tonight will it?"
"No. It's just a shame we have spend it with everyone else."
"Oh don't pout." Franky laughed and shook her head. "It's the first time ever."
"I know. I just prefer spending the evening before Valentine's Day ALONE with you." Urs smirked, gave the new mirror hanging above their bed a quick nod and watched Franky's face redden, amazed that she still blused that red after so long while he listened to her giggling.
"Just go, before I change my mind."
"I've told you before about teasing me." Urs whined, covering his groin with his hands and heading at breakneck speed into a very cold shower, knowing that if they made love they would be late for the charity Valentine's ball they'd all agreed to attend and they would be teased unmercifully again.
Calmed down and dried off, Urs stepped back into the bedroom just in time to see Franky slipping into her what she'd chosen to wear and stepped forward to fasten the zipper on the full-length red column dress, watching Franky stick her leg through the long split at the front while he placed a few kisses on her shoulder.
He coughed, moved away from her to get dressed himself and watched her pin her hair up into a romantic style and apply her make-up as he did so. He frowned slightly when she turned to look at him but had to admit she did look beautiful, even better than she had on their wedding day. The frown dropped and turned into a loving smile and he watched her fasten the jewellery into place.
"Wow!" He sighed and shook his head once she'd completed her outfit with a pair of red two inch heeled evening sandals.
With his hair in concert mode, a red tie fastened around his neck and his jacket on, Urs placed Franky's wrap over her shoulders and smiled when she used her thumb to wipe the lipstick of his lips following a firm kiss. He offered her his hand and felt the familiar shudder run through his body as she took it and left with him.
They said goodnight to the children first, the two of them laughing when Frank moaned while wiping lipstick from his cheek and Kurt copied him.
"Mami's a pretty princess." Serena informed, pulling back from a tight hug.
"And so are you, but no more playing with Mami's things okay?" Franky reminded with a smile before quickly telling Urs that she'd caught her playing with her make-up earlier that day. "Little monkey had told Saskia she was going to the bathroom."
"Sorry Mami." Serena replied, looking at her parents through her eyelashes and seeing her father shake his head while he tutted.
After saying goodnight to a still studying Sylvie, they made their way downstairs to await the limo. They didn't have long to wait and both smiled as they settled themselves in their seats. Comfortable familiar chatter and laughter rattled around the car as they way driven to a hotel in the city. All four men proudly walking their ladies through the entrance to the sight of flashing camera lights. Urs pausing to talk to Franky once they were in the oppulant ballroom and nodding to a table in one corner as he did so.
"Is that her husband?" She asked, her eyes focused on Astrid who appeared not have noticed their entrance, too busy showing off the large jewel that hung around her neck to anyone that would pay attention.
"No I don't think so. He's a lot taller than the man I saw her with at Schipol. In fact he looks very much........Oh Shit. It is him."
"Who's him?" Sebastien questioned from Urs's right side.
"Hans Brill. You know, that man that David once said would be replacing me."
"Oh oui. I remember." The French man giggled at the memory while Urs grumbled something inaudible under his breath as they watched Astrid and Hans hurrying over to the group.
"Nice to see you again Urs." Hans smiled resentfully, offering his hand for a shake and squeezing hard when Urs took hold.
"You too Hans." Urs nodded, applying a firmer grip.
Hearing Hans hiss and watching him flex his fingers once he'd released him. Introducing Franky first before moving onto introduce Sebastien, Emma, Carlos, Barbara-Jean, David and Lauren. Then listening to Hans introduce Astrid to everyone though he kept his eyes focused on Urs.
"What are you doing here anyway? Working? I heard you had a full time position with the opera" Urs queried with a quick smile.
"No. Accompanying my father. He's an investor in some new arena as is the man that owns this place. They're good friends and father wanted to come and see how work was progressing."
"I see."
"You know Urs, you should think yourself very lucky to be where you are now. If I hadn't turned Simon Cowell down, you would probably still be with the opera and I would be where you are."
"Not what I heard Hans." Urs returned, matching the man's smirk and taking a deep breath when he saw how the Dutchman was leering at Franky.
"They're not much are they?" Astrid suddenly butted in, looking at Franky's jewellery while she lifted the huge stone from her chest. "This was my Christmas present from Hans and my dress is by Armani. That's how much he loves me."
"Yes I'm sure he does." Franky returned calmly, watching Astrid look at Urs with a smirk on her face.
"I'm sure he does too." Urs nodded. "But then again I don't have Daddy's money to fall back on do I? Everything we have we've both worked hard for, but you wouldn't know what hard work was if it jumped up and bit you on the ass, would you Astrid? Though I must say I'm surprised to see you with another singer, considering you hate opera and you've obviously never heard the expression 'Sometimes a whisper is louder than a shout'."
Unable to formulate a response, Astrid simply looked at Urs with a confused expression, scowled and huffed, turned sharply away from the giggling group, dragging Hans behind her and dropped down into her seat at one of the tables.
"Oh there you are Franky." An English voice stated once the eight of them were seated at their table with drinks in hand. "Can I introduce you to the man whose money got the new arena underway? But for his investment we wouldn't be where we are now."
"Of course Amery." She smiled as she stood to be introduced to Ozelin Brill, a diamond trader from Amsterdam.
"I'm sorry, Herr Buhler. I was not aware you knew Astrid. She has never mentioned you. If I had known I would not have brought her along for the trip." Ozelin informed, shaking Urs hand once Franky had introduced him.
"It's not a problem." Urs replied with a smile and a headshake.
"I remember seeing your mother skate Frau Buhler. She was amazing, as are you from what I have seen."
"Thank you Ozelin." Franky returned, watching the man turn his head to look at his son and his girlfriend and listening to him release a heavy sigh, his head shaking.
"I wonder how she'll react if she ever finds out that the stone is really cubic zirconia?" Ozelin asked when he saw eight questioning faces looking at him.
"Not good." Urs shook his laughing head.
"Yes well. The boy is a fool. There was no way I was going to allow him to give a real diamond that size to someone such as her. He will learn his lesson one day as he will to tell the real thing." Ozelin shook his head with another exasperated sigh. "Which I can tell you are wearing Franky, without having to have a close look. You're husband clearly knows quality when he sees it and I don't mean the diamonds. You far outshine those."
"She sure does." Urs nodded, holding Franky's hand on top of the table and watching her face redden for the second time that day while she thanked Ozelin for the compliment.
"A dance later, if you feel up to and Urs doesn't mind of course?"
"It would be my pleasure Ozelin." Franky returned, standing and walking with Urs to the dancefloor where a Waltz was being played.
"Handled that pretty well didn't I?" He asked, holding Franky close.
"Stop fishing for compliments Buhler."
"Awwww!" Urs pouted playfully. "I can't remember the last time I received one from you."
"Really?" Franky smirked. "I suppose I'll have to give you a reminder of last night when we get home then."
"Promise?" Urs batted back with an accompanying flirty eyebrow raise and a blinky wink.
"I'll think about it at least."
Realising that she was teasing him again, Urs pulled her as close as he could and hoped that the bulge in his trousers couldn't be seen while he whispered in her ear that she was in trouble again.
"Well duuuuuuh."
"Stop it." Urs growled low and shaking his head. "Otherwise I'll take you somewhere and spank you."
"Promi........." Franky began only to be stopped by Urs pressing his lips firmly against hers, his tongue flicking against her mouth, promising much more later.
"She still gets to you the same way huh?" David asked with a teasing grin once they were back at the table.
"And she always will." Urs nodded, held the chair out for Franky then covered his lower region with the tablecloth while they cuddled close together to watch the other guests dancing.
It was well passed midnight by the time they reached home after spending the night dancing. Ozelin leading Franky expertly in a wonderful American Smooth halfway through the night, leaving the dancefloor to a gentle round of applause that neither Astrid or Hans co-operated in.
They checked on their sleeping children before heading to the bedroom and Franky's brow furrowed while she watched Urs rummaging through her drawers.
"Remember that time just after our accident?" He asked, grinning and holding up two of her silk scarves while he dropped to the floor at the bottom of their bed.
"You devil you." Franky growled, moving as quickly as she could to join him,
Feeling him hard against her thigh for third time that day while he rid her of the dress and she disposed of his clothes. The two of them blindfolded as they made love to each other almost the same way they had that time, the only exception being that Urs had driven her to her third and final orgasm by taking her from behind in a spooned position, following her over a few seconds later with a soft whisper of her name against her neck, making her shudder.
They moved to the bed, talked about the events of the day while they cooled down then drifted off to sleep, laying spooned together holding each other lovingly. Franky's hands on her stomach, Urs's atop hers, fingers linked together, soft smiles on their faces when both babies kicked at the same time.
Turn the page.
_________________

WARNING


Chapter 87 - Zerrüttet
"Mr Buhler, please let go of your wife's hand. She's asleep now and we really need to get her into theatre if we're to save the other child."
Urs looked at the nurse, his eyes blinking rapidly, Franky's jewellery clutched tight in his left hand, his right still gripping her left tight, the way he had since they'd been to scan room to find out why she had only felt one baby kicking since waking this morning.
"Oh. Sorry." He sniffed, his voice barely a whisper, releasing his hold and watching Franky disappear through the theatre doors.
"It's all right." Nurse Isabel Moody smiled softly. "Come with me, we have a waiting room set aside for you."
Urs nodded, reluctantly left the anasthetic room and followed the middle-aged woman up a short corridor and into the waiting room. He dropped down into one of the couches, refusing the offer of refreshment as he reached for the landline phone.
"How long will it take?"
"About an hour. Do you want me contact anyone for you?"
"No, thank you." Urs shook his head, closed his eyes for a few seconds then dialled his mother's number.
Fighting hard to hold back his tears, he told her what had happened and wasn't that surprised when she said she was on her way over. He knew they would need help with the other children, since Franky would be out of action for a week or so and would have to take things easy once she was home.
That call finished, he called home to let Saskia know what had happened, that he didn't have a clue what time he would be back and to tell her to expect his mother to arrive at some point. He swallowed hard, hearing her release a sob just before she said goodbye and hung up.
He remained seated, chewing on his fingernails, praying, hoping against hope for a miracle that in the back of his mind he knew wouldn't happen. He was finding it hard to accept that one of the twins was already dead and the scan had revealed his brother could be heading the same way. He swallowed hard, recalling how quickly medical staff had moved to get Franky into surgery for an emergency ceasarian, cancelling another patients's planned one and getting her ready quickly. Tears streaming down Franky's face as she was wheeled into that little room to be put to sleep. His own face wet because he wasn't allowed to be at her side in the operating theatre.
So engrossed was he in wondering how Franky was doing that he didn't hear the door open again or turn his head to see who had entered.
"Mr Buhler." Nurse Moody sighed, sitting on the coffee table in front of him.
"It's over already? How........"
"No. Not yet." Nurse Moody shook her head and reached to give his hand a gentle squeeze. "Mr and Mrs Miller are outside, they want to know if they can come in. I haven't told them what's happened. I don't even know how they knew you were here."
"Me neither." Urs sighed, closing his eyes and nodding his agreement to them coming in.
He took a deep breath as Nurse Moody left and ran his hands down his face while he listened to her ask them to come in.
"Hey buddy. What are you doing here? The twins aren't due for another month and you only had a scan last week."
"I know that!" Urs snapped in reply to David's enthusiastic smile. "I'm sorry. How did you know we were here?"
"Saw your car parked outside when we leaving after visiting Dale and Carissa They had a baby girl last night. Lauren couldn't wait to........"
"Urs, what's wrong?" Lauren asked gently after grabbing David's arm to silence him.
"Franky's having an emergency ceasarian. Erm.......She couldn't feel one of the baby's moving this morning. She managed to sleep all night without being woken up by him pushing his feet against her ribs. Her midwife told us to come here, they gave her scan but it was too late for him, he was already.........dead." Urs informed, his tears now flowing freely, his body shaking.
"Oh man no." David gasped then lowered his shaking head and wrapped his arms around a now crying Lauren. "The other one?"
"Looked like the cord is wrapped around his neck, his heart was still beating. He's a good size already, so if he makes it he probably won't have to go into NICU."
"You called anyone?"
"Just my mother." Urs shrugged, wiping his face. "She's coming over to help with the others, calling Saskia once she's got a flight booked."
"Well she won't be able to pick her up." David informed after checking his watch. "She'll be doing the school run soon. Sylvie's going to know something's wrong as soon as she see her. You can't expect her to deal with them and fetch your mom from the airport."
"No." Urs sighed, closing his eyes again. "I don't want her catching a taxi either."
"Don't worry about it. I'll go and pick her up and I'll call Carlos and Seb, let them know. Okay? Don't want them coming back, upset with you do you?"
"No. Thanks David." Urs shook his head, knowing that the two men would have something to say if they came back from visiting their families in three days to find out that he'd kept the news from them. "Gabe too. What about picking Steph up from school and........?"
"Mum and dad are having them all tonight. They're fetching Steph from school." Lauren replied, sniffing back her tears. "Would you like me to stay with you until Franky's out of surgery?"
"Nie.......Ja." Urs nodded, watching David stand and feeling him give his shoulder a gentle squeeze before he left. "I didn't even think about........"
"It's all right, Urs." Lauren replied reaching for his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "We'll be there, should you need us. You know that."
"I was going to take her out tonight, for dinner at that new place in the city. To celebrate the opening of the new garage."
"Delhi Nights?"
"Ja. Took me weeks to get a reservation. I'd erm.........err......better cancel the table."
"I'll do it." Lauren sighed, reaching for the phone and dialling without having to ask for the number, cancelling the reservation quickly following a brief chat with whoever had answered. "David and me love that place. Been there quite a few times, got to know Rashid very well." She informed, seeing a slightly astonished look on Urs's face as she hung up. "Franky been craving that kind of food just lately?"
"Couldn't get enough of it." Urs nodded, huffing a quick laugh. "She sent me out at midnight the other day, the car still smells of Chicken Madras."
Unable to think of anything else to say to each other, Urs and Lauren became quiet, still holding hands, sniffing occassionally and taking deep breaths. Each of them becoming lost in their own thoughts, Urs staring at the ugly red carpet beneath his feet, paying no attention to the gold pattern swirling through it and not hearing the door open once more.
"It's all over." Nurse Moody informed, resuming her previous position on the coffee table. "Franky's in the recovery room as I speak."
"The boys?" Urs asked, gasping for breath.
"The dead baby's just down the corridor, in the nursery morgue. They're cleaning him up and dressing him. You can see him whenever you want. The other one is in the nursery, being fed. He's nice and healthy."
"You won't have to.........to autopsy Flavian?"
"I can't say." Nurse Moody shook her head. "Franky's surgeon is just cleaning himself up. He'll let you know in a little while."
The words were barely out of her mouth when the door opened once more, this time Franky's surgeon made his way in and listened to Urs repeat his question as he sat down.
"I doubt that very much. I'm satisfied as to the cause of his death. However, the coroner will have to look him over. You understand I'm as certain as I can be that he'll agree with me?"
Urs nodded quickly, swallowing the sob that attempted to escape, knowing that neither he or Franky would be able to deal with having their son cut open. Listening carefully to the doctor explain Flavian's cause of death and nodding that he understood nothing could have been done to save him, he'd been dead for hours.
"Erm......We did have slight problem with Franky after the operation. A small blood clot found its way into her heart. We managed to dissolve it with medication. She's doing fine now, but we will need to keep an eye on her for a few days."
Urs's eyes flew wide on hearing that news, realising that he could have lost her too if the problem hadn't been spotted and the staff hadn't reacted quickly. Hearing Lauren let a sobbed 'Oh No' escape as she squeezed his hand tight.
Gabriel arrived a few seconds later and took a seat next to Lauren while Urs left to go and see Franky. He was led to a private room and quickly took hold of her hand once he was by her side. He watched her eyes flicker open and shook his head when she apologised for what had happened.
Though still drowsy, she demanded to see Flavian. He was brought in, dressed in a white gown, wrapped in a blanket, looking absolutely perfect except for the two dark rings around his neck. Tears flowed down both of their faces while Franky held him close, singing to him and stroking his face. Urs feeling unsure about holding him for the briefest of seconds but quickly realising he needed to say goodbye.
Hours seemed to have passed by as Flavian was handed back to a nurse, Franky now asleep again, but a quick check of the clock in the room informed Urs that only half an hour had gone by. Knowing that she needed her rest, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips then left to see Jordi. A smile lighting up his tearstreaked face when the little boy yawned widely then promptly fell asleep.
Feeling torn between staying at the hospital for Franky's sake or going home for the sake of their other children but realising he could come back later, Urs returned Jordi to the plastic crib after placing a gentle kiss on his forehead then left the nursery to find Lauren and Gabriel waiting for him, each saying they would hold off visiting Franky until the following morning.
The three of them leaving the maternity unit to find a small group of press waiting outside, immediately launching questions at Urs, one insentive reporter repeating what had been said when Franky had miscarried in New York. Urs balled up his right hand and took a swing at the man but failed to connect , due to the fact that Gabriel had whirled him away and was telling him to take a few deeps breaths.
"Ignore the prick. It's not what Franky would want is it?"
"Nein." Urs whispered, his head nodding slowly and doing what Gabriel had commanded.
Relatively composed, Urs made his way to his car, hugged Lauren and Gabriel then drove home, arriving at the front door just as David was leaving from dropping his mother off. Thanking him with a brotherly hug before allowing him to step into his car and watching him leave before crossing the threshold and closing the door firmly behind him.
Gently explaining what had happened to Sylvie, Frank, Kurt and Serena, holding them tight and allowing his own tears to fall again while they cried. Shaking his head when Frank demanded to go and see his mother, promising to take him in the morning. Somehow managing to put the events of the day to one side while he ate a little dinner with everyone. Reading a story them before showering and making his return to the hospital.
His eyes widening when he pushed Franky's door open to find her with Flavian in her arms again and listening to a nurse tell him that she'd yet to ask about Jordi.
"Give her time. She needs to grieve. She'll come round."
"Ja, I know she will." Urs nodded, wiping a tear from his eye and finally crossing the threshold, quietly seating himself beside Franky and stroking Flavian's head.
The only sounds filling the room for the next two hours, Franky's distraught crying and his own sniffing and hard swallowing, his gentle rocking of her for once providing no comfort or solace.
Turn the page.
______________

WARNING


Chapter 88 - Broken Angel
Tears welled in Urs's eyes as he looked down into the Moses basket, watching Jordi sleeping peacefully though knowing there should be another little boy lying beside him in another basket. His eyes closed as he sat down in the rocking chair Franky had used to feed all of their children, all of them except Jordi. His head hung low while he recalled everything that happened just over a week ago and since.
His hand raised to wipe his eyes as he recalled Franky's reaction once she'd woken up fully from the operation. She hadn't wanted to see Jordi at all, preferring instead to talk to, cuddle and kiss their dead child. Closing her heart to their live one, no interest in feeding him, changing him, nothing at all.
He sighed heavily wondering what he could do to get her to show some interest in him despite the fact that she'd barely spoken to him except to snap at him. Locking herself in her office or spending her time with the older children rather than him. The two of them no longer sleeping together, Franky spending her nights in the guest room, the door firmly locked. Hearing Jordi begin to grizzle, Urs stood, made his way to the mini-fridge and placed a bottle in the warmer once he'd retrieved one.
"Everything okay in here?" He heard Saskia's voice questioning from the doorway though he didn't turn to look at her.
"Fine. You sort the rest of them out. I can manage."
"Okay." Saskia sighed heavily, pulling the door closed behind her.
"It can't go on like this." Urs shook his head, the tears finally falling as he lifted Jordi into his arms and set about feeding the hungry little boy.
Jordi Xavier who'd been removed from his mother's stomach at 3:59 pm on the 30th March, weighing a healthy five pounds, named after his paternal grandfather. Flavian Roberto being delivered a few moments later, weighing three ounces more. His middle name coming from Franky's maternal great-grandfather. Cord entanglement and stricture being given as his cause of death. Urs swallowed on recalling hearing that, everything had looked so good at the previous scan apart from the complete placenta previa.
"Can I come in?" He heard his mother's voice questioning after she'd knocked and opened the door.
"Ja. Of course."
"Oh Urs." She sighed once she was squatting in front of him.
"I don't know what to do Mami. I......We need her, but she doesn't seem to care anymore. I know she's hurting, but so am I. We all are. I've tried talking to her, she just doesn't hear me. I think.......I think she's blaming me for asking......Oh Gott."
"Here let me take him." His mother requested, standing and lifting her youngest grandchild into her arms when she saw how much his father was shaking and taking a moment to settle him down. "Don't think like that. It's not you she's blaming, believe me she's not. You both discussed having another child for a long time, carefully weighing up the pros and cons just like you did with the rest." She continued, squatting in front of him again, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Ja she's probably feeling the loss deeper than you are, just like she did when she.....when she miscarried. I think that.........that you're both misreading each other. She's lost, Urs and for once in her life, doesn't know how to get back. Don't you think it's time you kicked her butt for once and brought her back to you?"
"Mami!" Urs exclaimed, his head snapping up and his eyes wide on hearing an unfamiliar hint of nastiness in his mother's voice. "I thought you loved her."
"I do Urs. I do. Like she's my own. You know that. But she seems to have done what you used to do when you were hurting and you've allowed her to get away with it for far too long. She didn't like it when you brought your barriers down, why should you tolerate her doing it? You have to make her see that she's not one mourning Flavian's loss." His mother finished with a loud sniff.
"Ja. Ja, that is what I have to do. I'm sorry Mami." Urs nodded while his mother shook her head, then he took a deep breath and dried his eyes before he left the nursery, knowing exactly where to find Franky.
He took another deep breath on finding the office door locked then took a step back and kicked it down at the fourth attempt.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? I have work to do." Franky snapped, glaring hard at him before turning her attention back to her laptop and the pile of papers rather than the photograph frame she'd been holding when he entered.
"You also have a funeral to attend this afternoon."
"I told you the day you arranged it I wouldn't be going."
"Oh yes you are." Urs yelled, grabbing hold of her right wrist and yanking her up from her seat.
"Get your hands of me!" Franky yelled, slapping him hard across the face with her free hand.
"No. You're going to Flavian's funeral if I have to force you into a dress and hold you this way throughout the whole God-damned service."
"I'm not going. There's nothing you can do to make me."
"Argh!" Urs yelled, grabbing at his groin and dropping to his knees after Franky had kneed him hard. "You didn't have to do that." He stated, raising his head to see that she'd resumed her seat.
"You shouldn't have grabbed me like that." Franky returned, rubbing at her wrist.
"I don't know what else to do." Urs shook his head, still on his knees. "I can't do this alone Franky and you need to let him go. We still have Jordi."
"I would rather have neither of them than just have him."
"Franky! Don't say things like that. It wasn't his fault that Flavian died." Urs pleaded, rising to his feet slowly.
"I know that. I should never have agreed to get pregnant again. Should have resisted your pleadings. That's what I should have done. Then everything would be fine. Hmmmn. Yes. I should have said no."
"So that's it? You are blaming me."
"You wanted more. I didn't.........not really. But as usual I gave into that stupid look you give me every time you want things your way. That stupid blinky wink thing you do. It's pathetic really."
"You don't mean that. I only do it when we're both in a playful mood."
"So I guess I won't be seeing it anymore then?"
Angry, upset and knowing that things really couldn't go on as they were, Urs pulled Franky's chair away from the desk, grabbed hold of her again, this time by the tops of her arms, shaking her a little.
"LET ME GO! LEAVE ME ALONE, URS. LET ME GO! Ple.....ease. Let me go."
"Nein. Not until you've listened to me. You are not the only one hurting, Franky! He was my baby too and we could have lost both of them. I could have..........I could have lost you too. I'm hurting just as much but you could care less about anyone but yourself! The way you're going on it's like.......For Gott's sake!.........I didn't want this taken, but I let you talk me into it." Urs yelled, picking up the picture she'd been looking at, one that showed a semi-naked Franky with Flavian cradled in her arms, her eyes closed, kissing his forehead, him standing behind her and slightly to her left, shirtless, doing exactly the same, his arms wrapped around her. "HE WAS MY BABY TOO DAMN IT!! And you have the nerve to call me selfish sometimes?"
"You didn't have to carry them!" Franky yelled, slapping Urs's face hard again.
"Gott forgive me." Urs whispered just before he raised his hand and slapped her back.
Tears immediately ran down his face as he watched Franky raise a hand to her stinging cheek, her tear-filled eyes wide in shock that he'd actually struck her.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Not ever." Urs sniffed, his eyes closed, arms hanging by his side, his whole body shaking. "I can't do this on my own. I can't bury him without you there. I can't. I can't be strong for myself, you and the children. We need to be strong together. I-I-I need you, Franky. Please don't put me throu........Please..........don't."
For the first time in days Franky looked at him properly and suddenly realised how much she'd hurt him with her cruel words and actions. He was right about one thing, he was hurting just as much as she was, heartbroken as a matter of fact but trying so hard to hold it all together for her sake.
"Oh God. How could I have ever said those things to you?" She asked quietly between sniffs, watching and listening to him trying to gain control over his emotions and getting nowhere.
She had wanted another child just as much as he had, they'd talked about it long into the night, taking everything into consideration, the fact that they could conceive twins again and knowing the pain she could be in with her leg. He's supported her one hundred per cent with regard to the new garage, helping her, Blair and a few new employees set it up. Making sure she didn't work to hard.
He'd been through it all. Every scan, every test and every appointment. She swallowed hard remembering how she'd heard him swallow a sob on hearing that they couldn't detect Flavian's heartbeat and the look of pure distress she'd seen in his eyes while she was wheeled to an operating theatre. What he'd gone through waiting to know that she and Jordi were all right she didn't know, they hadn't talked properly since that day.
Her eyes closed as she remembered him telling her that he'd done everything that needed to be done. Registered the twins's birth, Flavian's death and arranged the funeral, all of it done in one day, refusing help from anyone. She sniffed, knowing that she had refused to see their friends when they'd called round to the house offering their support, instead locking herself in the guest room, huffing at Emma's threat to send Adam around at one point.
Franky breathed deep and slowly raised her right hand to touch Urs's face, hearing the faultering breath he took and watching his eyes open as soon as she touched him.
"I'm sorry, Urs. I didn't mean it, I honestly didn't." She sniffed, unable to hold back her tears any longer. "It's not your fault. It's mine. It's all mine. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
"What do you mean it's your fault?" Urs asked, his eyes flying wide.
"All the.......All the things I've been doing over the past few weeks, the extension......the......the new garage......the party and dancing.....You....You were right....it was too much. It was my fault we nearly lost them both......I......didn't want to touch Jordi......in case some......something happened to him.....I...... thought......you.....you blamed me as well. I'm sorry I misread what I........what I saw in your eyes. I thought.........I thought you'd.......were angry with me. I......thought you' given up on me. I wasn't..........strong enough to......to ask if......you had......I-I-I-I couldn't bear to think that.......I've been waiting for you to do.......some......to tell me......you....you di........Oh God, what have I done? What have I............."
"Oh my Gott, Franky. Come here." Urs sniffed, snatching her sobbing and heartbroken body into his arms, quickly burying his face into her hair once the two of them had dropped to their knees, holding each other tight. "Sshhhhh. It's all right. It's all right angel. I could never blame you. It's no-one's fault. No-one's. You're not to blame, you're not. Ja, you've been busy but no busier than normal, you took easy when you needed to, allowed me to help much more than you did when you had to move and you got plenty of rest once the new garage opened. I just didn't see.......Oh Gott! If anyone should be sorry........it's me."
"We should never have turned that grief counselling down should we?" Franky asked pulling her head off Urs's shoulder once they'd spend a long time crying together.
"Not this time, nein." Urs shook his head in agreement, remembering that they'd been offered the same thing after the miscarriage. "They said anytime you know?"
"I know they did." Franky nodded, feeling Urs's fingers on her face, wiping her now silent tears away. "We'll talk about that once today is out of the way. Okay?"
"Okay." Urs nodded, smiling through his tears, holding Franky close again and rocking her gently until she didn't shake anymore. "Come and see him." He pleaded, moving to stand and offering a hand once he was up right. "He looks so much like you. I'm hoping his eyes are going to be as green as yours."
Franky sniffed, nodded, took the hand offered and kept a tight hold of it as he lead upstairs and into the nursery. He settled her into the rocking chair then lifted their little boy into his arms and gently handed him over to his mother.
"Jordi, this is your mother. She knows she's done wrong by ignoring you this past week, but please forgive her. I knew she loved you really. She is and will always be a very special angel." Urs asked, his right hand carressing the little boy's head while he looked directly at Franky.
"I'm sorry." Franky sniffed, touching his face again before turning her attention to the bundle she held.
Moving their son to rest against her chest, her right cheek pressed against his head and tears running down her face while she apologised to him and rocked in the chair. Hearing Urs's mother come into the room, Franky lowered her head in shame only to feel the elderly woman's hands on her cheeks, lifting it to face her.
"I'm so sorry Mami."
"It's all right liebling. I can understand your reaction. You've been through so much in your life. No-one is that strong that they don't break at some point. Losing Flavian was your breaking point, that's all."
"Yeah." Franky sniffed with her eyes closed and head nodding.
"Just promise me you'll take the help that's been offered this time."
"We're going to." Franky nodded, opening her eyes and giving her mother-in-law a brief smile before turning her attention to Urs. "Tell me what you've arranged for the funeral. Where's he going?"
"They offered to put him in communal grave with other stillborns. I said no. I checked through your papers and he can go in the same grave as your parents. Erm........I've chosen a white coffin that I want to carry with you by my side. He'll be dressed in what I bought to bring them both home in. The jeans, leather jacket and.......baby biker boots."
"It's okay." Franky shook her head, touching Urs's face again and wiping new tears away. "It's exactly how I would have dressed him."
"I know." Urs nodded, taking a now sleeping Jordi from her and depositing him the Moses basket. "Come on, bed. I know you've hardly slept since you came home, don't try telling me any different." He demanded, offering his hand again.
Franky nodded, took the hand and allowed Urs to guide her to the master suite. Touching his face again and apologising once more as they settled down together in their usual positions. The two of them falling asleep quicker than they ever had, if only for a few hours.
Turn the page.
____________

Chapter 89 - Goodbye Flavian/A Mother's Courage
Urs fastened the last button on his shirt while watching Franky brush through her hair, her eyes focused on what little jewellery she'd decided to wear. Plain gold studs and a matching necklace. He heard her sigh heavily and moved to stand behind her.
"Too new?" He asked, catching the glint of the sun's rays bouncing off what she'd purchased for herself just over a month ago but hadn't worn yet.
"Yeah." Franky nodded then returned the jewellery to the box it had come in.
Urs moved over to his nightstand and retrieved what he'd been wanting to give her since a couple of days after the ceasarian. Not wanting to upset her even more, he hadn't done so and now thought that had been a mistake. Perhaps it would even have helped. Taking a deep breath he removed the sterling silver necklace from its box and spent a few seconds admiring the Forget-Me-Not flower and the single Aquamarine birthstone charm hanging from it. Moving quietly, he walked back over to Franky, placed it around her neck and waited for her reaction.
"It's beautiful and very appropriate. Thank you. Whenever I'm not wearing it, I'll hang it on the photograph frame. What about you?"
Urs retrieved his jacket from the bottom of the bed, showed her the inside pocket and watched her smile when she saw that he had the same pendant and charm dangling from a silver pin, engraved with Flavian's name.
"Erm.......Who's going in the cars?"
"Just you, me, the children and my family. Everyone else is meeting us at the church."
"Oh. I've hurt them too haven't I?"
"Particularly Lauren." Urs nodded, pulling Franky up into his arms, seeing tears welling in her eyes and gently wiping them away. "Don't worry about it. She's hurt but thinks she would have reacted much worse if she was in your position."
"Yeah she would have. I lost count of how many times I found her crying about Steph and I always asked her where she'd been when she was allowed to visit her. When she finally told me, I so wanted to go and give Nick's mother what for."
"You weren't the only one. David did too." Urs nodded then checked his watch. "They'll be here soon. They can open the casket if you want to say a final goodbye."
"I think we all need to do that."
Urs nodded, kissed her gently then slipped his jacket on. Together he and Franky walked downstairs hand-in-hand. Franky taking the seat Lars vacated as she stepped into the lounge, quickly gathering all the children around her and hugging each of them tightly.
"I want Flavian have dis Mami." Frank sniffed, holding up one of his many 'Superman' figures.
"You can give it to him in a little while sweetheart." Franky nodded, touching his face and wiping his eyes.
Urs looked at the other children and quickly spotted they all held something that they wanted to give Flavian. Sylvie had a small white teddy bear that matched the one she'd given Jordi, Kurt had his favourite train, Serena had her favourite book and Ciara held her favourite blanket. A look to his mother, who held a peacefully sleeping Jordi, informed him that she held the pillow she'd made for Flavian.
A few moments later, the gate buzzer broke the silence in the room and Urs moved to press the button. He waited by the front door and shook the funeral director's hand once he'd opened it. He could hear Franky crying even before the tiny cotton casket was removed from the back of the hearse. He flew to her side and held her tight as the coffin was set down where the coffee table usually sat and the lid was removed.
Feeling how bad Franky was shaking he helped her stand and supported her as she bent over their little boy, attempting a smile when she saw the way he was dressed. Silent tears ran down her face as she leaned closer and kissed his cheek. With tears still in her eyes, she turned to look at him and smiled as she watched him do the same. After kissing him on the cheek, she turned her attention to the children and helped them place the items around Flavian's body. 'Superman' and the teddy were settled under each arm, the train was set down near his right hip, the book on his left. Flavian's head was lifted gently so that the pillow could be placed underneath and finally the blanket was tucked around him. Once his family had been given the opportunity to say a final goodbye and tiny posies of Eidelweiss had been placed around his head, the lid was replaced and lifted into Urs's arms.
Somehow managing to stop himself from shaking and with Franky by his side, he carried Flavian out of the house and placed him back in the hearse. The two of them shocked by how many flowers surrounded him, all shapes and all sizes from those who knew them well. They held each other for a few minutes then made themselves comfortable in the lead car with the children and his mother. His brother, sisters, their partners and Saskia would follow in the second car.
Hearing how faultering Franky took a breath as the cars began to move, Urs took hold of her right hand in both of his and turned small circles on the back with his right thumb throughout the entire journey to the church, listening to his mother attempting to sooth the now crying children, assuring them that their parents would be all right in time and hearing Frank sniff as he looked out of the darkly tinted window.
"So many peoples watching Papi. Somes crying and I've never seen them before."
"Yeah. That happens sometimes Frank."
It seemed to take an eternity for the cars to make it across town and into the cemetery grounds, everyone struggling to hold back tears as they stepped out of the cars. Urs nodded to his bandmates and their wives as he helped Franky out. She herself gave her female friends a very weak smile when she saw them and lowered her head when she saw their tears and those of David, Sebastien, Carlos and Stephanie.
After kissing her gently, he guided her to the back of the hearse where both of them took deep breaths as the door was opened for a final time. With the coffin in Urs's arms again and Franky's arm around his waist, he calmly carried Flavian into the small chapel to the tune of 'Jesus Loves Me'. Sniffing, he gently lowered him onto the plinth and laid his hand on the lid before taking a seat on the front pew next to Franky, linking his fingers with hers and squeezing gently.
He'd already told Franky that he hadn't been able to find any suitable hymns other than 'Amazing Grace for the service but had planned something. He held her close while they listened to the vicar, who'd performed their marriage ceremony and baptised the children, slowly work his way for the funeral service. The one hymn he'd selected was sung by the entire congregation followed by prayers. No time at all seemed to have passed as he stood, looked to Lauren and watched her take his place. Attempting to calm his whirling emotions, Urs stood in front of a solitary microphone and gave a small nod once he was ready to begin singing Celine Dion's 'Fly'.
'Fly, fly little wing
Fly beyond imagining
The softest cloud, the whitest dove
Upon the wind of heaven's love
Past the planets and the stars
Leave this lonely world of ours
Escape the sorrow and the pain
And fly again

Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore
But hold this mem'ry bittersweet
Until we meet

Fly, fly do not fear
Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don't wait for me
Above the universe you'll climb
On beyond the hands of time
The moon will rise, the sun will set
But I won't forget

Fly, fly little wing
Fly where only angels sing
Fly away, the time is right
Go now, find the light'
Having been unable to look at Franky throughout the song, knowing that one look at her would have caused him to stop and break down, he looked at her as the final notes faded and sniffed hard when he saw tears streaming from her closed eyes and the soft smile on her lips. He walked back over to her, his eyes widening slightly when she stood abruptly, threw her arms around him and held him tight while she kissed his cheek. They held each other for a few minutes, Urs rocking Franky gently while he looked at all those in attendance and saw that everyone was crying to varying degrees.
Carlos, David and Sebastien were seated close together and they all smiled softly with tear-filled eyes and nodded when he looked at them. He returned the smile, knowing that he'd asked them to perform the song with him, only for each man to refuse, assuring him that he could do it on his own. He gave Franky one final gentle squeeze then moved to resume his seat.
"I called the vicar when you were the shower. I......I want to read something, but I-I-I-I can't go up there on my own." She informed in a barely audible whisper, nodding towards the microphone. "Please."
Understanding that Franky was asking for and needed his support, he took hold of her hand and led her back to the microphone. He listened to her sniffing and swallowing hard as she unfolded the piece of paper that he hadn't noticed she'd been holding. She coughed, then looked at the packed church before she began to speak.
"It erm.........It wouldn't feel right for me to let Fla.....to let Flavian go without saying something. It might take me some time to get through it, so please.....bear with me."
Still holding her hand, Urs saw Franky turn her face to look at him and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze with a smile and nod then listened to her read slower than he'd ever heard.
"Don’t let them say I wasn’t born,
That something stopped my heart
I felt each tender squeeze you gave,
I’ve loved you from the start.
Although my body you can’t hold
It doesn’t mean I’m gone
This world was worthy, not of me
God chose that I move on.
I know the pain that drowns your soul,
What you are forced to face
You have my word, I’ll fill your arms,
Someday we will embrace.
You’ll hear that it was meant to be,
God doesn’t make mistakes
But that won't soften your worst blow,
Or make your heart not ache.
I’m watching over all you do,
Another child you may bear
Believe me when I say to you,
That I am always there.
There will come a time, I promise you,
When you will hold my hand,
Stroke my face and kiss my lips
And then you’ll understand.
Although I’ve never breathed your air,
Or gazed into your eyes
That doesn’t mean I never was,
An Angel never dies."
Urs nodded, kissed Franky's temple as she finished then guided her very shaky form back to the pew. He knew she was struggling to get through what little was left of the service but was sure she could do it. He sat, squeezing her hand again, looking at her as the final prayer was spoken by all those in attendance. Hearing 'Brahms Lullaby' begin to play and knowing what he had to do, he stood for a final time and returned to the plinth. With Franky by his side, he carried their son out of the chapel and round to where Frank and Serena Gibson rested.
He looked into the deep, dark depths of the grave and swallowed hard before settling the tiny basket on the bands that would lower it into the ground. He and Franky held each other tight as the final part of the service reached its climax and had to use what little strength he had left to keep Franky on her feet. She managed to compose herself a little, but still needed his help to add her handful of earth to the vicar's and his own. They remained at the graveside and watched everyone else do the same, giving reassuring looks to the children as they approached.
Once they were left alone, he turned Franky into his arms and rocked her gently while they cried. Relatively composed after he didn't know how long, they moved to where the earth had been piled up and read the cards on the floral tributes to the children. He didn't know or care how long they'd spent there but smiled broadly as he watched Franky take Jordi from his mother and hold him tight to her chest with one arm. He lifted Ciara and Serena into his arms, Franky held Kurt's hand with her free one while Frank held hands with Sylvie and his grandmother.
"Take good care of our eternally sleeping angel." Franky asked, looking back to her parents's grave.
Facing forward again after a few seconds, she nodded then slowly moved away with her family, back to the car. The drive back to the house seemed to take no time at all and Jordi was screaming for his bottle as they crossed the threshold. Knowing he would be hungry, Saskia had one ready and waiting and their youngest child was soon sucking hungrilly, cradled in his mother's arms. With the bottle drained and Jordi burped, Urs insisted on changing his nappy. He walked upstairs with him watching Franky give each of the children a tight hug and telling them how proud she was of them.
He made his way back down to find Lauren, Emma and Barbara-Jean all shaking their heads at Franky's offered apology, the three of them sure they would have reacted in much the same way if not worse. Carlos, David and Sebastien shaking their heads when she thanked them for being there for Urs, despite the fact he'd refused to let them help with the arrangements.
Slowly, everyone started to drift away to make their way home, hugging both himself and Franky tight before they left. Having spent very little time with the older children over the past few days, Urs got them ready for bed and read them a story while Franky got to know Jordi a little better though she did kiss and hug each of them before they were put to bed, Urs telling each one how proud he was of them as he tucked them in.
"No more." Urs sniffed once Franky lay almost naked in his arms once more. "No more children."
"What?"
"No more children." Urs repeated shaking his head at the astonished look Franky gave him. "I know you would agree to more and we were warned about the risks before we agreed to try. When we succeeded, we agreed there wouldn't be any more, no matter what happened."
"I would give you that football team you once teased me about if you wanted them." Franky nodded and watched Urs do the same. "Okay. I'll talk to my doctor about getting sterilised when I go for my six week check."
"No. I'm going to get myself fixed."
"But....." Franky began only to be silenced by the fingers Urs placed on her lips.
"No buts. You already have more scars than you deserve, visible and invisible. Here." Urs sighed, touching the scar in her hairline. "These two." He nodded, tracking the ones on either side of her chest. "Here." He continued, running a finger down the one on her thigh. "Here." He smiled, lightly carressing the ceasarian wound. "The deepest of all and the only one that matches my own, right here." He sniffed, blinking back tears as he placed a hand between her breasts. "You are not getting anymore, no matter how small they might be. Do I make myself clear.......Fire?"
"I understand, Ice. I really do, but.......let's not make that decision right now.......when we're both still so emotional." Franky requested, sniffing and trying her hardest to smile. "It's been a long day. I am so very, very proud of you for doing what you've done today and the last few days, all of it. Let's go to sleep without doing what we normally do."
"You tell me what you want first." Urs sighed, seeing a look in her eyes that he'd never seen before, almost as if she was apologising for disappointing him. "Listen to me liebling. You don't need to apologise anymore. You have never, ever disappointed me and I know you never will. We have to stop adding to our family at some point......don't we?"
Sniffing back tears and swallowing a sob, Franky nodded quickly with her eyes closed. It took her a few moments to compose herself enough to be able to speak and when she did, tears still streamed down her face.
"There's only one thing I want right now. I just want you to hold me like you'll never me go. I love you so much Urs Toni Buhler."
"Sure. I love you too Francesca Grace Buhler and I am very proud of you as well. Come here." Urs nodded, eased her a little closer and held her tight to him, fighting hard to hold back tears once more, though he didn't succeed when he looked down and saw that she was clutching the necklace tight and heard her crying.
Too thankful that he'd got her back to stop them falling and not feeling ashamed to let them run down his face while he listened to the slow breathing he hadn't heard since the worst day of their lives.
Turn the page.
_______________