In The Arms Of My Angel

Chapter 103 - Little Treasures
"And just where do you think you're going Frau Buhler." Urs asked, standing in the en-suite doorway fully dressed, watching Franky head towards the bedroom door.
"Erm......Downstairs for breakfast. It's well past nine o'clock." She shrugged in response while Urs strode towards her, gently took hold of her arms and pushed her back towards the bed.
"Not this year you're not. Back in bed."
"I thought we agreed about this when Frank was born, not too much fuss about this day."
"Ja, we did. But considering what we've been through over the past year, you deserve breakfast in bed. Please angel, get back in bed. This wasn't all my idea and you wouldn't want to spoil it for the children..........Would you?"
"No." Franky sighed, reluctantly slipping back under the covers and making herself comfortable just as the house phone began to ring.
Urs answered but was left wondering who was calling when he heard sniffing coming down the line and thought something awful had happened for a second or two.
"Oh Urs, the flowers are beautiful but the bracelet is......it's too much, sohn."
"Nein, it's not Mami." Urs shook his head, wishing he could have seen his mother's face when she'd opened the velvet pouch that contained a silver bracelet made up of twelve links, one inscribed on the outside with the word 'Grandma', the others with daisies. Alternate links engraved on the inside with the names of each of his and Franky's children, including Flavian. "Are you wearing it?"
"Ja, of course I am. Did you choose it?"
"With the children's help, ja. While I was........Never mind that. How's Liana?"
"She's fine. Getting around on the crutches very well now. Seeing his mother in that much pain has taught Tran a lesson at least."
"Good." Urs nodded, knowing that his sister had warned her son about leaving his skates lying around the house, particularly at the top of the stairs.
Liana's accident hadn't been completely Tran's fault though. If she'd have switched the light on, rather than trying to go downstairs in her family's new home without doing so she probably wouldn't have stood on the skates in the first place and therefore wouldn't have twisted her ankle badly before taking a tumble down the stairs. And at least that was her worst injury, her others only bruised ribs and a carpet burn somewhere rather embarrassing.
"Are the children up yet? I'd like to say thank you for my present."
"Ja they are, I'll put you through. We love you Mami."
"I love you too, Urs. All of you."
Urs smiled, transferred the call down to kitchen then hung up once Saskia had answered. From his position he could see the gifts he'd received for 'Father's Day' the previous year. The thin silver bookmark Franky had given him, inscribed with the words 'Words can never express how very much I love you'. His eyes widened slightly, recalling the number of times he'd thought he'd lost it only to find it under the bed or somewhere amongst the bed covers. At least it was safe now, lying there next to his alarm clock. It wasn't much of a gift considering the things they'd given each other in the past, but it meant the world to him, especially so because it was Franky's way of expressing her thanks for all he'd done in regard to Flavian.
Sitting underneath the lamp stood the silver scroll designed plaque the children had given him as their gift and he laughed as he remembered Frank, Kurt and Serena arguing over who was going to give it to him. That hadn't gone on for long and they'd all pouted a little when Franky had placed the box in Ciara's hands with an instruction to give it to Papi. Much as he loved the plaque and the inscription, the four handmade cards had meant so much more. He sighed happily as he read the incription.
'What makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so he called it.......Dad'

"Everything all right honey?" He heard Franky's voice questioning and quickly turned to face her.

"Sorry. Drifted off for a minute. Everything's fine angel. Mami loves her gift and Liana is coping fine." Urs replied, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before standing. "I mean it. Don't move." He warned playfully as he left the bedroom.

He ran downstairs, making his way into the kitchen just as Saskia returned the phone to its charger and smiling when he saw five eager faces waiting to show their mother how much they loved and appreciated her. Each child holding the gifts they'd made with Saskia's help, each small painted pot containing seven daisy shaped flowers with photographs in the middle and a banner stuck to the top, bearing the words 'Thank you for helping me grow'. All the flowers made from card in each child's favourite colour. Frank's in yellow, Kurt's in blue, Serena's in lilac, Ciara's in peach and Jordi's in lime green. A look towards Sylvie informed him that she was putting the finishing touches to Franky's breakfast, her gift and card already placed beside the plate and taking great care not to get the Maple syrup she was drizzling over the buttermilk pancake and bacon stack anywhere near them. While she was finishing up, Urs took the opportunity to head for the laundry where he quickly retrieved his gift, card and flowers.

With Sylvie carrying the bedtray, Saskia carrying Jordi, everyone headed upstairs to wish Franky a happy 'Mother's Day'. She smiled and shook her head as Sylvie set the tray down then took a mouthful of pancake and bacon.

"That's lovely. Thank you, Sylvie" Franky informed, turning her attention to the little ones, tears making their escape as each one handed over their gift and card, watching them all scramble onto the bed with the exception of Jordi, who was now in his father's arms.

She finished the meal, then opened the tube Sylvie had given her to reveal a scroll written in Sylvie's own hand, watching Jordi crawl around the bed before looking at Urs, each of them wondering when he was going to take his first independant steps without having to say a word. Urs kept an eye on him and shook his head slightly, knowing that he shouldn't compare Jordi to the other children, but feeling slightly worried that he wasn't walking yet, despite the fact he was almost a year old and the rest of the children had walked a few steps at least by that age, Serena taking the longest at the age of eleven months. He shook the worry away, certain the little boy would walk soon and turned his attention back to Franky who had just begun to read what was written on the scroll.
'A Mum Just Like You
I just want to let you know
You mean the world to me
Only a heart as dear as yours
Would love so unselfishly
The many things that you've done
All the times that you were there
Help me know deep down inside
How much you really care
Even though I may not say
I appreciate all you do
Richly blessed is how I feel
Having a mum just like you
Happy Mother's Day Mami, Sylvie XX'
"Thank you, all of you." Franky nodded, sniffing back tears as she hugged each child once more, just like she had when they'd handed over their gifts. "Such lovely gifts, I'll treasure them all forever."
"We's not finished yet Mami. Has we Papi?" Ciara stated, looking at Urs as he headed out of the bedroom again to retrieve the flowers.
"Oh my, Urs. They're beautiful." Franky sniffed, admiring the large pink lilies that perfectly complemented the lilac roses displayed in a luxurious matt black hatbox lined with gold voile before turning her attention to the card, wiping her eyes once she'd read the message, Urs knowing where that card and the rest would be put once today was over. "Can I get up now?"
"No, Mami. We still not finished." Serena informed while Urs moved to sit on the bed, facing Franky and placing his hands over hers.
"No telling me off." Urs instructed with a smile and a head shake, removing his hands to reveal a black, cube-shaped box with a quick chuckle.
Franky nodded slightly, took a deep breath and opened the box. Her eyes immediately flew wide and her left hand quickly covered her mouth. Her head shook and tears flowed again as she removed the platinum ring the box contained.
"Blue Topaz for Sylvie, Peridot for Frank, two Amethysts for Kurt and Serena, an Opal for Ciara and two Aquamarine's for Jordi and......Flavian. Right?" She questioned, smiling through her tears.
"Ja." Urs nodded, taking the custom made ring from her shaking hand and slipping it on to the middle finger of her left hand.
"It's beautiful. Perfect. Much more than I de........" She stopped and nodded when Urs placed his fingers on her lips to silence her. "Thank you so much, honey." She continued, placing her hands on Urs face and pulling him into a gentle kiss.
Thankful that the children had groaned for once, Urs pulled back and watched everyone but Jordi troup out of the bedroom whilst listening to the sound of Saskia's car heading down the drive, knowing that she would be heading to London to spend the day with her parents and recalling the grin she'd been wearing since tickets for 'Phantom of the Opera' had arrived just after New Year.
"Have you got anything else planned for today?" Franky asked, holding Jordi, tweaking his nose and giggling along with him.
"Oh ja. A family walk at 'Brock's Cove', lunch at 'Ticker's' then dinner here. We're not going to be able to do that as a family in a few days."
"I know. It's a fantastic idea."
Urs nodded, gave Franky a quick kiss, stood up and looked towards the already packed suitcases, reminding himself that he had a couple of items still to pack for the tour as he lifted Jordi into his arms. He looked at their youngest and smiled when he saw Franky's green eyes looking at him as if questioning.
"Babisad?"
"Nein. Babi not sad. Babi happy. Happy you're all coming with me for some of the tour."
"Newsork?"
"Ja. Newsork first. And that means a trip to Macy's for your birthday present."
"Yay!" Jordi clapped, though only his palms connected. "Downs now Babi."
"In a minute." Urs nodded then turned to look at a smiling Franky.
He returned her smile, but secretly wished Il Divo wouldn't be heading for the United States in a couple of days. He really wanted to spend Jordi's first birthday at home, celebrating his birth with a party, remembering Flavian throughout the day and spending some time in the memorial garden with Franky once all the children were in bed. He sighed, recalling how he angry he'd been when he'd been shown the dates for the American leg of the tour and how he'd unsuccessfully tried to have one of them changed. He'd expected Franky to be angry as well once he'd told her but she hadn't been. She'd swallowed hard and cried a little while he held her tight and apologised but she hadn't been angry at all. Instead, she'd reminded him of what she'd said after the miscarriage, more certain than ever before that he could get through a difficult performance and that they could always celebrate and remember before the show, there would plenty of time for that since that particular day would be a second show in the city.
"Downs Papi! Downs! Downs! Downs!" Jordi's loud demands and persisant wriggling snapped Urs back to the present and he quickly set him down on the floor, expecting him to crawl around on his hands and knees as usual.
"Oh my goodness! Aren't you clever?" Franky's singsong voice distracted Urs and he turned to see that Jordi was standing on two feet, stepping towards her with a huge smile on his face. "Clever, clever boy." She sighed, scooping him into her arms and lifting him above her head.
"Ja, he is." Urs laughed, gently snatching Jordi from Franky's arms and spinning him around, making him giggle, just like he had with the rest of the children the first time he'd seen them take their first steps. "I don't know what you were so worried about. I knew he would walk soon." He continued once he'd stopped spinning, holding a still giggling in his arms while watching Franky head towards the en-suite.
"Oui, bien sûr vous avez fait. Vous n'avez pas me tromper une seconde Urs Buhler." She returned, standing on the threshold, holding the door open until she'd finished speaking then pushing it closed.
Urs laughed then turned and headed out of the bedroom to help Sylvie get the rest of the children ready to go out for the day, all of them doing what Franky loved more than anything else. Spending simple, quality time with her children and him.
Turn the page.
____________

Chapter 104 - My Boys & Me
"What you getting that for? Harley Davidson's are better than Triumphs." Urs heard Kurt's raised voice off to his right and turned his head in that direction.
"No they're not! Triumph's are better." Frank retorted, whipping the leather jacket he held behind his back and giving his bigger built brother a hard shove that made him take a step back.
"Hey you two! What did I say when we came in here?" Urs demanded, looking at the pair of them sternly.
"That we've got to behave or we get nothing." The two boys replied almost together.
"But he started it, Papi." Frank huffed, flicking his head towards a scowling Kurt.
"I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it. Right now. What have I told you about doing that Kurt? Just because me and you prefer Harley's doesn't mean Frank has to as well. If he thinks Triumphs are better, then that's up to him. Would you argue with Mami about that?"
"Nooooo." A lip chewing Kurt replied, shaking his head.
"Well then don't do it with your brother. He has a right to his opinion. Same goes for you Frank. Any more of this bickering or shoving each other around and you two won't be going to Disneyland when the tour is over. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Papi. Sorry, Papi." The siblings replied in perfect unison.
"Good. Now, let's see what you've picked."
The boys looked at each for a few seconds and quickly decided to reveal their choices together. Frank had picked the childs version of Triumph's 'Live and Let Ride' leather motorcycle jacket and loved the motif on the back. Urs whipped it off the hanger and let him put it on to check the fit, his head shaking when it proved to be too small and quickly finding the next size up. He watched Frank look at himself in the mirror and smiled at the grin he received. Kurt had chosen a classic Harley-Davidson leather jacket with an eagle emblazoned on the back. A check of the fit revealed his was too big, so once again Urs picked out the correct size and received another smile following a look in the mirror.
"Right that's you two sorted. What are we going to get for your brother?" Urs asked with a nod to the buggy where Jordi was just beginning to wake, his eyes blinking slowly just like Franky did when she woke.
"He needs new shoes." Kurt reminded, throwing his jacket over his shoulder rather than hanging it on the buggy's handle like Frank had done with his.
"Silly me. How could I forget? Thank you for reminding me Kurt." Urs replied as they headed for the shoe department, though he hadn't really forgotten Franky's reminder at all. "Oh boy! This is going to be a tough choice boys." He sighed once they were in that part of 'World Biker's Paradise' and he'd seen how many different brands and styles were available just for toddlers.
"Honestly Papi. It's not that hard" Kurt tutted, his eyes rolling backwards before he looked at his brother woefully.
"This is easy compared to shopping for you. An hour we spent looking for your boots and then we walk out with the first pair you'd seen. Pfft! You're worse than Mami, it's never taken her that long to decided." Frank nodded in agreement, making Urs grunt a laugh.
"Do you need some help, sir?" He heard a female voice to his left and saw a smiling face when he turned in that direction.
"Ja. I'm looking for shoes or boots for my son."
"Anything particular brand or style in mind. Do you know his size?"
"Nein, brand doesn't really matter. Just shoes. Don't know his current size, he's grown a fair bit since my wife bought the ones he's wearing."
"Okay. Let's do a little measuring before you make a choice shall we. Would you like to follow me?"
Urs nodded and followed the young woman towards some seats where he removed the shoes Jordi currently wore and watched her take the necessary measurements following a bit of fidgetting from Jordi.
"Size 5." The woman informed, smiling at Jordi who looked at Urs before smiling back at her. "Thank you handsome. Now lets go and see what we have in your size shall we? Do you want to help me?" She continued, looking at Frank and Kurt, flicking her head backwards, indicating the shelves a few feet away where that size was arranged.
"Go on. I'll be watching you." Urs nodded when Frank and Kurt looked at him questioningly, unsure whether it was okay to go with the stranger or not.
Keeping an eye on the boys, Urs unzipped the baby bag he carried with him and quickly handed Jordi his bottle of raspberry flavoured water. He knew him well enough to know that was the first thing he wanted after waking and Franky always made sure there was a plentiful supply. While Jordi drank, he sat back and chuckled to himself when he saw how many pairs of shoes Frank was trying to carry at one time, Kurt rolling his eyes at his brother's attempts to carry all ten items of footwear. Kurt, himself, perfectly happy with the three pairs he held. They were soon standing in front of him with their eight selections neatly lined up for approval. Frank's all Triumph designs, Kurt's all Harley-Davidson.
Laughing, Urs shook his head, decided to be diplomatic and satisfy both of them. He quickly selected the Triumph Alpinestar 4 motorcylcle boots Frank had picked and the 'Faded Glory' Harley boots Kurt had made straight for. Once the shop assistant had checked that both pairs fit and weren't too heavy for Jordi, Urs strapped him back in the buggy and re-fastened his original shoes before heading towards the checkout only to be stopped in his tracks by Kurt and Frank's enthusiastic and rather loud shout for him to stop.
"Papi! Papi! Can we get this?" Kurt asked, pointing towards a glass display case. "Can we? Can we? Can we? Pleeeeeeeeease!"
Wondering what they'd spotted, Urs took a few steps backwards, saw what they were pointing at and nodded his approval of the rose design badge set with a red stone and bearing a banner that read 'Lady Biker'. Knowing who they wanted it for, he asked the assistant for one then finally joined the short queue for the checkout. With the items bagged and paid for, he left, got the boys into a taxi and they were soon on their way back to the 'Rockerfeller Center' to meet up with Franky and the girls.
Knowing exactly where she would be, the four males found their way to the ice rink and quickly located her out on the ice, though she wasn't skating alone or with Sylvie, Serena or Ciara nor another man. No, another young girl was holding her hands and Franky appeared to be guiding her around the rink, taking great care to avoid the other skaters while she skated backwards.
"She won't be long." He heard Saskia informing and turned to look at her. "Just wanted to do what she's doing now before we left. She spotted Skye a few moments ago standing at the side, listening to her adoptive mother tell her what was going on. Skye's always wanted to skate but with her being born blind, it just hasn't happened until now." She continued, nodding towards a dark-haired woman who stood with the aid of crutches a few feet away, attempting to sniff back tears and shaking her head.
"It's all right. We've got plenty of time." Urs shook his head then looked down to Ciara, who was busy rubbing her right thigh. "What's up Cici? Don't you like skating?"
"Yes, Papi. Just don't finks I'll be very good at it. I fell lots of the times. I don't wants to be as good as Mami or Sylvie or Seri, just don't wants to fall over all the times."
"You'll improve the more you go out there."
"I knows dat, Papi." Ciara tutted and rolled her eyes backwards. "Mami is always telling me dat. Onsley!" She huffed then moved to stand between her sisters to watch Franky.
"Guess that's me told?" Urs laughed along with a giggling and nodding Saskia.
He remained where he was and watched Franky lift Skye around her thighs, the little girl throwing her head back and spreading her arms wide while Franky spun on the spot. Even from over twenty feet away, Urs could see the huge smile Skye had on her face once she was back on her feet and watched her hug Franky tight before they headed back to her mother.
He turned his head in that direction and smiled when he saw the woman wiping her eyes and shaking her head while she thanked Franky. He returned Franky's smile and wave then chuckled when he saw the wide-eyed and gaping look Skye's mother had on her face. He returned her wave, gave her a nod when she pointed to Franky and indicated the ring finger of her left hand, then laughed when the woman swallowed hard. Franky seeing nothing of the interaction because she was occupied with removing the skates Skye wore then her own.
Following another hug, Franky was soon making her way towards him while Skye and her mother headed in the opposite direction, Skye expertly using her white stick to guide her through the crowds.
"Had a good time with Papi boys?" She asked with a smile on her face, removing the lilac baggie beany she'd shoved all of her hair into.
"Yes, Mami. Can we show you what we buyed?" Kurt asked, bouncing excitedly.
"Bought." Frank corrected and received a quickly stuck out tongue in response.
"When we get back to the hotel, Kurt. How many more times do I have to tell you that?"
"Sorry, Mami."
"Any problems?" Franky asked of Urs, shaking her head at Kurt but smiling.
"A little, the usual argument over which bikes are better. Nothing really and I sorted it quickly." Urs replied after giving her a kiss. "Why is Skye's mother on crutches?"
"Car accident three months ago. They had to amputate Cherry's lower right leg to get her out and her husband is still in re-hab. She was only fitted with the prosthetic leg last week, didn't think she would be able to make tonight's concert due to financial problems, didn't really want to come without her husband but he insisted, especially since the tickets were a birthday gift. A friend has made sure she got here all right, even paid to upgrade her hotel room and Skye will be there with her."
"Oh! Know where they'll be sitting?"
"Yes, front row, centre stage, seats two and three. And don't even bother giving her a blinky-wink. Cherry's a Cutie and Skye's only coming to keep her mother company."
"Pfft! Trust me, she won't be a Cutie after tonight."
Amid much giggling, the entire Buhler family walked the two blocks back to New York's Hilton hotel and made their way up to the Presidential Suite, the only room able to accomodate them all with the exception of Saskia, who had a Mini Suite to herself.
Once inside, Franky removed the brace she wore underneath her loose fitting fleece jogging pants then settled down on the couch to admire Kurt and Frank's new jackets, telling them she couldn't decide which one was best because she loved them both and doing the same with regard to Jordi's shoes, though Urs knew she was fibbing about that. He knew she liked Kurt's selection a little more than Frank's just by watching her smile and he was proved right later that night when Jordi wore them for the concert. As usual, she adored the badge but decided not to wear it until they were back home in England, saying that she thought it would look fantastic on the jacket of her fire leathers.
As he looked down to the audience that night, Urs spotted the woman who'd helped him during his shopping trip and returned her smile, gently holding her hand for a few seconds while he sang. However, despite his many attempts to get Cherry to look at him during the concert, Urs was unable to draw her attention away from Carlos and he became the subject of some playful teasing during post concert drinks with his brothers and sisters.
"Convert a Cutie to an Uber?!" Carlos laughed once he'd told him what he'd been trying to do. "Pfft! In your dreamings Buhler. Is never going to happen." He finished with a sharp nod then cracked up laughing along with Urs, David and Sebastien.
All of them feeling the need to laugh a little, because tomorrow would prove to be another hard performance for Urs to get through.
Turn the page.
_____________

Chapter 105 - I Can Keep A Secret
"You two any got idea what's wrong with him?" Urs asked holding the lift door open while watching David head towards the stairwell door, glaring back at him before he disappeared through it.
"Why don't you try asking him?" Sebastien huffed while Carlos grumbled something in Spanish.
"Have I said something to upset you all?" Urs replied, his brow furrowed as he pushed the button that would take them to penultimate floor of Steinberger Hotel Herronhoff in Vienna.
"No. Is nothing you have been saying. More like what you have been doing every night since the tour has begun. Especially to our American brother."
"Like what? Oh crap!" Urs huffed as the lift came to a halt and the doors opened to allow a middle aged man to step in, knowing that question would go unanswered for a while.
"Oh your three of the four members of Il Divo aren't you?" He asked once he'd pushed the button for the eleventh floor.
"Si."
"Where's the other one? He's my daughter's favourite. She can hardly wait for the concert tonight."
"Meeting his family for lunch." Sebastien replied with a smile.
"Oh! Much as she's looking forward to the concert, she can't wait to see that video everyone is raving about on your website for herself. Neither can I actually. The two of us are having quite a debate about who the woman skater is. Just like they are on the website." The man nodded with a huge smile on his face as he turned to look at Urs. "You can tell me. Is that your wife or not?"
"No, it's not her."
"Well that's a surprise. I could have sworn it was."
As he had when giving his reply, Urs kept his face stoic though he couldn't help but laugh once the lift had stopped and the man had left. They'd been touring for almost two months now, he'd heard the same question every night when they left the arena, had always given the same reply and had giggled over the debate that had fired up the forum from their very first concert. Most of the fans were saying that it was Franky, others were saying that it couldn't be her because the scar on her leg wasn't visible, others weren't sure either way. Nearly all the comments were wonderful though, most of them saying that it made them cry, others left wondering where the video had been shot. Much as he didn't like lying to their fans, he was prepared to do so to stop Franky suffering any backlash as were David, Carlos and Sebastien.
"Still not figured it out yet?" Sebastien asked, the lift pinging its arrival at their floor and stepping out before the doors opened fully.
"Nein. Tell me Seb."
"Urs Bühler, vous êtes un imbécile de première classe parfois." The Frenchman huffed, refusing to say any more and quickly disappearing into his suite.

"Carlos?"

"He is right. You are being the first class idiot sometimes, Urs. You know we are not having the problem saying that it it is not Franky in the video, but......it is what you do after the concert that has David upset with you. I know he's let things slip in the past, but do you really have to be watching him like the hawk once we're outside signing autographs?" Carlos asked shaking his head then storming off before Urs could formulate an answer.

Wanting to sort things out with David before this evening's concert, Urs moved to the stairwell door to wait for him. He checked his watch after a couple of minutes, then twice more before the door opened and David stepped into the corridor, still looking pissed at him.

"I think we need to talk."

"Yeah! We do. Not out here though." David growled, nodding his head down the hallway towards his and Lauren's suite, the two of them moving quickly in silence. "I'd like to bloody well know when you're going to trust me, Urs?"

"I do trust you."

"Sure you do. Hasn't looked like it for the past few weeks. I swore I wouldn't say anything about Franky doing the video and I haven't, yet you still watch me every god-damned night and I'm sick of it."

"Do you want me to get Franky to change her mind?"

"No. That's not what I'm saying. I can keep a secret you know? Do I have to remind you about Zurich all those years ago?"

"No. You all kept that secret very well, especially you."

"Yeah! Just like I have about the new arena."

"What about the arena?"

"I ain't telling you, Urs. I've kept it secret so far, I ain't about to reveal what Lauren has told me. Lauren was so excited once she'd seen the plans and couldn't help but tell me. I promised I wouldn't tell Franky and I haven't, have I?"

"Nein, I think I would remember Franky telling me if she knew."

"Exactly! I am not that stupid that I don't know I would have both of them on my case if I said anything about the video. Dealing with Lauren alone would be bad enough, I don't need you adding to it by waiting for me to slip up after show." David huffed, dropping down onto a couch and folding his arms across his chest.
Urs remained standing and allowed his mind to go back to the conversation they'd all had on the flight back from Willisau. He'd made them all promise not to tell anyone that it was Franky in the video and David had been the first to agree, followed quickly by Carlos leaving Sebastien to agree with a hint of reluctance, arguing that if Franky didn't really care what other people thought of her, why was she so against them knowing.
Urs fighting her corner, saying that she didn't want them to be harrassed by those who may think she was taking advantage of them in the hope something more would come of it. His eyes widened, his mind wondering how many people still thought she was after fame, despite the number of times she'd said that wasn't what she wanted and the number of times he'd confirmed her statement.
"I'm sorry, Davey." Urs sighed, taking a seat by the American's side. "I won't watch you anymore. I do trust you, you know that."
"Yeah, I know you do."
"And if I piss you off again, don't take so long to tell me."
"Yeah, okay." David nodded with a smile on his face. "You mind telling me something?"
"Depends what you want to know?"
"How do you it Urs? How do you stand on that stage night after night and not turn around to watch Franky? If that was Lauren..........I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off her."
"That's easy. Especially when I know Franky's up in a private box, sniffing back tears and wishing it was me she was dancing on the ice with."
"Oh, guess it is. I'm surprised she hasn't said anything about me being a bit grumpy over the past few weeks."
"She's been otherwise occupied."
"With what? Or is that too personal a question?" David asked, grinning. Urs knowing what he was implying.
"With trying to figure out where the money came from, David. You have dirty mind."
"No, I don't. I just know you two can't keep your hands off each other. You're not going to tell her are you?"
"You really think that I'm going to tell her that we 'did' pay her for the video in a roundabout way, by putting the money into the kids's accounts rather than hers and in such a way that she'll never find out where it came from? No way."
"Yeah, it was sneaky wasn't it?"
"Ja, it was." Urs nodded, checking the time again as he stood. "I'll see you later. I've got to meet Franky at the 'Hard Rock' cafe in ten minutes."
Urs left David's suite, made his way back out of the hotel and walked the short distance to the world famous restaurant. There he found Franky shaking her head at a young woman who looked a little bemused.
"Really? I could have sworn it was you, especially since I've watched all those YouTube videos hundreds of times? I'll leave you in peace, thanks for taking the time to answer my question though."
"No problem." Franky nodded with a smile on her face as Urs took a seat next to her and gave her a kiss on the lips.
"How many times is that now?" He asked quietly, glancing at the young woman as she stopped in the doorway, a sceptical expression still on her face.
"Seven hundred and three. The fifth time so far today."
"You given up trying to figure out where that money came from then?" He asked giggling along with her, noticing that she didn't have her laptop with her.
"Yeah. It's bloody frustrating, guess I'll just have believe what Erin told me about that frail, little old man turning up at the bank with an envelope full of cash, asking for it to be paid equally into our children's bank accounts. I do have other things to worry about."
"Oh! Like what?"
"What's happened between you and David since the tour started, he's not been his usual happy self? Is what I asked you to do about the video causing problems?"
"No, not anymore. Don't worry about it, it's all sorted. Seb and Carlos kicked my butt about that. Now let's eat."
"Okay. But I can't help but get the feeling you and the rest of the guys are somewhere behind that money going into the kids' accounts. It just seems odd that they got the exact amount you were going to pay Evelyn and wanted to pay me."
"Yeah, like we'd get that past you. Never in a million years, let it go." Urs laughed, thankful that his eyes were focused on the menu.
"All right. You all know you can't get anything like that past me anyway." Franky nodded, her eyes lowered to her menu, not seeing the huge grin Urs had on his face or hearing the words he whispered.
"Thanks Carlos, brilliant acting job."
Turn the page.
______________

Chapter 106 - A Boomfantastic Night
"I'm not going to stand here arguing with you about who's going to drive. Just give me the keys otherwise we'll be late and we'll be locked out." Urs heard Franky demanding, her right hand held out in front of her just above waist height.
"There's nothing to worry about, I know where I'm going and we have tickets." He shook his head in reply, slipping a thickly padded jacket on.
"Argh! I've told you twice I know a quicker route and it doesn't matter if we have a ticket or not, if we're not there before the event starts, then that's it. Even your charm and blinky-winks wouldn't get us in."
"What is all this shouting about? Isn't it about time we got the children settled in the car?" Urs and Franky heard his mother's voice behind them and turned to face her.
"Urs is refusing to let me drive, Mami. Despite the fact I know a quicker route to where we're going. Sometimes I wonder why I bothered taking driving lessons." Franky replied, glaring at him playfully.
"Do you always argue about who's driving?"
"Only when Urs is around and we're going somewhere as a family."
"Do not." Urs huffed, quickly stuck out his tongue and laughed when Franky did it back.
"Urs.......give Franky the keys. She's a perfectly good driver, isn't she?" Lorella asked, trying to keep a smirk of face and not quite succeeding.
"Ja. Why do I suddenly feel like a six year old whose been told off?" Urs asked Franky, handing over the keys to the Odyssey.
"Because you were behaving like one." She retorted, walking out of the kitchen and smiling when she saw their brood well wrapped up against the chill that pervaded the air outside.
Laughing and shaking his head, Urs followed after her and helped get the children settled in their seats then helped his mother into the front passenger seat. Once she was comfortable, he settled himself in the seat behind Franky and let out a sigh, knowing that's where Sylvie usually sat but that she'd gone elsewhere tonight with a boy.
"Quit it." He heard Franky's growled warning and raised his eyes to see hers in the rearview mirror as the engine roared to live. "You said she could go with Cody. You can't lock her up until she's of legal age, Urs. Cody seems all right, you have to trust her at some point. Besides Gary and India will be keeping an eye on both of them."
"Ja, I know. Sorry."
"At least she's older than you were when you and erm.....Donata started dating."
"Mami! We were eleven and I never kissed her anyway?"
"Oh you little fibber." Lorella laughed. "You forget I saw you once, kissing her goodbye at her front door."
"On the cheek Mami. That doesn't count."
"Eeeeewww! You kissed a girl when you were eleven?" Frank's groan came from behind Urs and he turned his head to see both Frank and Kurt's cheeks puffing out as though they were going to be sick.
"Gross, Papi." Kurt shuddered.
"I'll remind you of that in a few years." Urs grumbled in reply then shook his head as he turned it back to look at Ciara who'd patted his knee to get his attention.
"I fink kissing's nice, Papi. 'Specially when I see you and Mami kissing."
"So do I."
"Sylvie and Cody aren't as good at it as you and Mami though. Cody doesn't cough after he's kissed her and he doesn't fidgets like you do if they kiss while sitting down."
"Oh my God!" Franky's loud exclamation filled the interior of the car and Urs looked in the rearview mirror again to see that she was blushing bright red.
"Out of the mouths of babes.........is the right expression, nein?" Lorella asked, giggling along with a nodding Franky and Urs.
"Ja, Mami."
Knowing that his face was as red as Franky's, Urs continued to giggle along with her and his mother as the Odyssey made it's way through town, though he did look at all the children and laughed a little harder when Frank, Kurt, Serena and Ciara looked at him as if to ask what the adults found so funny. A glance to the back seat revealed that Jordi was more interested in what was going on outside, his eyes widening each time bright. multi-coloured sparkles filled the night sky.
"Wooooooooo!" He smiled when he saw flashes of red, gold, silver and blue. "Pretties, Papi."
"Ja, pretties." Urs nodded in agreement as music filled the cabin, a song he hadn't heard before began to play and the children joined in.
Remember, remember the fifth of November
The gunpowder treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up king and parliament.
Three score barrels were laid below
To prove old England's overthrow.

By God's mercy he was catched
With a dark lantern and lighted match.
Holler boys, holler boys, let the bells ring
Holler boys, holler boys, God save the King.

"How much is three score barrels, Papi?" Kurt queried once the song had been sung for a third time.
"Twenty."
"Wow! That's a lot to blow up house, isn't it?"
"Nein, I don't think so. The houses of parliament are very big."
"Bigger than our house?" Serena questioned, leaning around Ciara.
"Much, much bigger." Urs nodded. "Don't you remember the trip Mami and Saskia took you on? The one where the building had a huge tower at one end with a famous clock that tells Londoners the time?"
"Bell." Franky corrected, shaking her head as she turned onto the road that would take them to London. "Big Ben is the bell not the clock."
"Oh yeah! That was loud, even though we were on the street." Serena nodded, her siblings nodding in agreement. "Can you hear it from the studios Papi?"
"Nein, not unless I'm outside anyway and there's no traffic, even then only just." Urs shook his head, then thought a trip to the recording studios might be a good idea for the always inquisitive foursome, but not just yet, when Jordi was a little older and could ask questions as well. 'Hard to believe he's almost two isn't it?' His inner voice asked and Urs let out a long sigh, his mind flying back to this very night two years ago.
He could still remember how the almost eight month old had begun crying well before it was even dark outside. Urs spending over an hour holding him close, rocking and singing to him in a feeble attempt to get him to go to sleep. He'd only stopped during brief respites from the loud bangs and screetches that were going off outside, some of the bangs loud enough to shake the house and make Urs himself startle. He hadn't really quietened down until Franky had returned with a pair of baby ear defenders, apologising for forgetting to buy them as she entered the lounge and fixed them into place. Himself shaking his head at the apology, especially since they'd never had the problem before, none of the older children hadn't reacted like Jordi, despite the fact two of them had been much younger the first time they'd heard fireworks exploding.
None of that really mattered now, but it was something neither he or Franky would ever forget, especially since she'd felt neglectful for not even thinking that Jordi might react that way as she laid him down in the Moses basket following a kiss on the forehead and an apology. Jordi had been asleep by then and the Buhler family had left him in the lounge to watch the locals fireworks from the comfort of the poolroom. Despite that fact, they'd all gone to bed happy that night, their tummies filled with the food Franky had prepared earlier in the evening.
This year was proving to be completely different for Jordi. He was perfectly happy sitting in his car seat and attempting to match the noises he could hear beyond the confines of the Odyssey.
"Bang! Whoooooooooosh! Pretties! Yay! Gen! Screeeeeeeeetch! Cackle, pop. Pretties!"
Feeling the car begin to slow, Urs turned his attention away from Jordi and blinked rapidly when he recognised the gates that gave access to Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith, London. He and Franky had brought the children here several times and he knew those gates well enough to know that's exactly where they were and wished he'd paid some attention to the route Franky had taken because it had gotten them there almost seven minutes quicker than the one he usually took. He made a mental note to ask her at some point as she stopped, lowered her window and handed over the tickets. The female collector smiling as she glanced inside, counted the occupants and handed six yellow bands over before raising the barrier to allow access.
"Something wrong Mami?" He asked, noticing that Lorella was craning her neck, obviously searching for something while Franky turned the car into a parking space.
"Ja. Don't places like this usually have a big house somewhere? I can't see anything of one."
"Ah! Erm........You won't either. The house was demolished in 1941, only the stable block remains and that's been turned into a cafe."
"Tut! You could have told me that before now." Lorella huffed, playfully shaking her head. "In World War Two, I should imagine?"
"Ja, Mami."
"Well slightly disappointed as I am. I would like to come here again, when it's a little warmer perhaps?"
"Of course, Mami." Urs nodded, leaving the car and helping the children out.
Following a quick inspection, the children were soon divided between the adults. Franky taking hold of Kurt and Ciara's hands, Urs carrying Jordi in his right arm and holding Frank's in his left, his mother being left in charge of Serena. Feeding hungry bellies became the first order of business and the children were soon tucking into the 'Hot Diggedy Dogs' they'd asked for while their parents and grandmother enjoyed 'Herby Toad In The Hole'.
Knowing that the children hadn't had anything sweet all day, Urs quickly located another store and purchased three Toffee Apples for Frank, Kurt and Serena, two 'Ginger Cake Delights' for Ciara and Jordi, three 'Baked Apples' for Franky, his mother and himself and large bag of the 'Bonfire Toffee' he knew Franky loved. He just had time to pay for everything when he heard the loudspeakers asking everyone to make their way to their seats as the children's fireworks were about to start. It didn't take them long, since their seats were near the back and not one word of complaint was uttered as the children settled down. Despite the fact the temperature had dropped considerably since they'd left the house, no-one complained about being cold due to the fact they were well wrapped up and there was a huge bonfire roaring several feet away.
"Can we stay for the loud fireworks, Papi?" Urs heard Serena questioning once he'd unwrapped her toffee apple.
"Nein, Seri. Mami and me told you that before we left, didn't we?"
"Yes, Papi. But they go on longer than the children's ones."
"I know they do, but you'll have to wait and see what Mami has planned for afterwards, won't you?"
"You don't know?"
"Nein, she wouldn't tell me. All I know is that we're not leaving once the children's display is over. Now shush!"
Serena nodded then turned her attention back to the confection she held, quickly removing a piece of toffee and sucking into her mouth just as the first firework exploded, sending a miriad of brightly coloured sparkles into the air, the crowd oohing and ahhing as others followed in rapid succession. Urs looking at his mother and smiling when he saw how much she was enjoying her first ever experience of Bonfire Night. Following the trail of a rocket with her finger, herself and the children trying to predict where it would burst into flaming colour.
"I really am an idiot sometimes aren't I?" He asked Franky, dipping his hand into the bag of Bonfire Toffee and flicking his head towards his mother.
"Ja, you are. Too old for Bonfire Night. Pfft!" She laughed and shook her head in response. "You wait and see Urs Buhler, you'll be doing exactly the same with our grandchildren one day."
Urs laughed and shook his head at her comment then wrapped an arm around her shoulders, thankful that the seating allowed them to cuddle close to each other. Their hands managing to find the bag of toffee without having to look, their eyes instead spending the next forty minutes focused on watching the fireworks with the occasional glance towards the children and Lorella. They only really looked at each other once it was announced that this part of the evening was over and politely asking those wearing yellow wristbands to vacate the area. Both Urs and Franky noticed that the three older children looked slightly disappointed as they were led away but that quickly changed once Franky had guided them to the quieter area set aside for fairground rides.
Ciara chose which ride they went on first and the four eldest were soon enjoying the Dodgems. Serena chose next and the foursome enjoyed the 'Chair-o-Planes' just as much. Kurt followed her and grinned once they were all bouncing around in large castle. Gasping for breath, Frank informed that he would like to go on the 'Twister' but a look at the minimum height measure revealed that he was too small for the fast right, as were his siblings.
"Maybe next time." Franky soothed with a smile and head stroke to which Frank nodded and suggested the 'Ghost Train' instead.
While Franky and his mother took that ride with the children, Urs decided to take Jordi on the Helter Skelter that stood nearby. He could just about remember his father taking him on the same ride at the age of six and didn't feel uncomfortable at all with sliding down the windy slide with Jordi held securely between his legs. In fact, the best part of the three goes was listening to his youngest child whoop with delight each time they descended and ask to go again as they reached the bottom. A glance towards the ride the rest of his family were on revealed they hadn't come out yet, so he gave into Jordi pleadings, though he firmly told him only three more slides. Jordi smiled and whooped with delight three more times, the pair of them reaching the bottom on the last go just in time to see everyone else emerging from their ride. Frank and Kurt bickering back and forth about who'd been more scared when a skeleton had popped up from nowhere, though a quick, warning hiss of their names from their mother soon put a stop to that.
"Right, time to go home." Franky smiled once Urs was standing upright, Jordi in his arms.
"We can't come home yet." Serena and Ciara replied almost together.
"You and Papi has got have a ride togezzer first." Ciara continued when Franky looked at her questioningly.
Franky smiled, touched Ciara's face while shaking her head then turned to lead the way back to the car. Spotting the disappointed look all the children wore, Urs handed Jordi to his mother, quickly caught up with her and turned her around to face him once his arm was around her waist.
"Come on. We never have. Don't you think it's time we did?" He grinned, nodding his head towards the carousel they were standing in front of.
"All right. Just this once." Franky replied with a headshake and a giggle.
Holding hands, they climbed the steps and were soon aboard one of the horses that were capable of carrying two passengers. Franky took the front seat while Urs paid the fare then climbed on behind her, cursing the fact that he couldn't cuddle up against her back thanks to the pole being in the way, but wrapping his arms around her anyway. The ride started a few minutes later and they were both surprised with how fast it went. They barely had time to wave to the children each of the ten times they passed them and even then their faces were blurred. The ride came to a stop opposite to where they'd got on, but it didn't take long for them to locate everyone.
With everyone back in the car and Urs in the driving seat, Franky taking his arrival place they left the Park. Jordi falling asleep just as they reached the edge of London City limits, Serena and Ciara yawning widely and nodding off a few miles later. Frank and Kurt bickering back and forth as usual.
"That was a fantastic night." Kurt nodded with a smile on his face.
"No it wasn't." Frank retorted.
"Yes it was."
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was."
The pair of them continuing until Urs raised his voice and told them to quit it after five minutes.
"But it wasn't just a fantastic night, Papi." Frank informed, sounding slightly whiny. "It was 'Boomfantastic' night."
"Hey! I like that. 'Boomfantastic Night'." Kurt nodded in rare agreement with his brother.
"We've had a Boomfantastic Niiiiiiiiiiight. We've had a Boomfantastic Niiiiiiiight." Frank started singing while seat dancing and gave Kurt a nudge to join in, which he did very quickly.
"Gott! I hope they don't teach the other three that." Urs exclaimed after two minutes of listening to the couple sing, looking at a giggling Franky as he paused to check the road was clear to turn on to.
"You can hope all you like, honey. You know darn well he's gonna. Just like he did 'Wheels On The Bus'."
Urs groaned playfully, nodded his head then shook it slightly. Listening to Frank and Kurt singing the song until they were five miles from home, both of them having fallen asleep almost at the same time. A glance to his left made him smile even broader when he saw that his mother was smiling bigger than she had since Jordi senior's passing. Happy to see her that way, Urs turned the car into driveway, quickly tapped in the code while watching Gary and Cody escort Sylvie home.
Knowing that she was perfectly safe, Urs drove up the driveway and into the garage. With the girls being lighter than the older boys, he removed them after he'd handed Jordi over to his mother and gave them both to Franky. Kurt had woken, sleepily insisted he could walk into the house and did so, though at a much slower pace than normal. Frank briefly opened his eyes once, looked at Urs for a second or two then left the vehicle of his own accord. With the garage alarm set and the door securely locked, Urs made his way inside and trooped upstairs behind his mother and Franky to help get the children settled in bed.
With there being no need for a story tonight, the adults headed back downstairs and sat in the poolroom, thankful that it was heated as they settled down to watch the fireworks that were still going off miles away. Sylvie came in a few moments later, her face bright red and nodding that she'd had a wonderful evening.
"Thank you for letting me go, Papi." She sighed, giving Urs a tight hug which he returned. "You were wrong though. We didn't need a chaperone. We're both too shy to go..........well you know? Cody just about managed to kiss me at the front door and even then he was blushing more than I am."
Knowing that she was telling the truth, Urs nodded with a smile on his face then watched Sylvie hug and kiss Franky and his mother goodnight before heading upstairs to bed. He settled himself between the two women but looked at Franky confused when she stood and left to head for the kitchen.
"Vielen Dank für einen wunderbaren Abend, Urs. Ich hoffe, Sie haben eine Lektion gelernt heute Abend." He heard his mother stating and whipped his head round to face her.
"Welche Lektion?"
"Dass man nie zu alt, um ein bisschen Spaß haben, so wie man davon ausgegangen, ich war, als Franky schlug ich kommen für einen Besuch, vor allem für heute abend. Sie .......... freche Teufel."
"Ja, I have. Sorry Mami." Urs nodded once she gently patted his face. "I forgot how much you and Papi enjoyed fireworks, especially on Swiss National day."
"Ja, we did and I still do. Are you going to be able to make that celebration next year?"
"Ja, I told management not to arrange anything for that date. It's something Franky's been wanting to see since I told her about it."
"Good. It will be wonderful to have my whole family there for once."
Urs smiled and nodded, knowing that he hadn't been able celebrate that particular tradition with his family since he'd joined Il Divo and recalling how much fun he and his siblings used to have, watching millions of francs worth of fireworks go off on the 1st August every year to celebrate the day that the original three cantons Uri,Schwyz and Unterwalden, got together to swear that they would only be ruled over by a fellow countryman and not by strangers, to be there for one another and to help each other.
Franky returned a few moments later with a tray holding three cups filled with Mulled Cider to finish off this particular 'Boomfantastic Night' with a warm, comforting feeling. A huge smile lighting up her face once Urs had told her what he wanted to do and nodding her head in agreement.
Turn the page.
________________

Chapter 107 - Dance For Me

"She really doesn't know we're going to be here? How the hell have you managed to keep that secret?" Urs heard David questioning through his giggles as Il Divo, Lauren, Emma and Barbara-Jean made their way through the corridors of the studios where 'Strictly Come Dancing' was broadcast from.
"I have no idea." Urs shrugged, laughing and shaking his head.
"You have set the DVD recorder haven't you?"
"Ja David. I just hope I've done it right."
"Well I can always copy it for you if you haven't?"
"I'd like to know how you managed to persuade her to take part." Lauren stated as they stepped into the audience area and quickly found their seats near the dancefloor.
"That was relatively easy considering she knows it's something I've always wanted to see her do. That and the fact it's a tribute show for Michael's mother and Rose has an injury. Mind you it took both of us to do it, don't think even I could have persuaded her otherwise." Urs replied, looking around for Michael's cousin, spotting her quickly and moving to where she sat. "How's the ankle?"
"Fine, still can't put any weight on it, but the swelling's gone down a little." Rose nodded, smiling broadly though her eyes showed how disappointed she was not to be taking part in the show due to the fact she'd landed awkwardly and badly sprained her ankle just four days before. "And don't even bother asking me what Franky and Michael are dancing to again. I'm not going to tell you."
"She warned you didn't she?"
"She did. All I will say is that your finally going to get to see Franky 'Rock 'n' Roll'.
"Oh great!" Urs nodded, his smile broadening knowing that he'd been waiting to see Franky dance to a fast beat ever since Michael and Rose had taught Gigi how to Jitterbug.
"She doesn't know you're going to be in the audience does she?"
"No. We're all here. Think you can keep the secret?"
"I'll try." Rose nodded following a quick look back to where Urs had approached from. "You'd better take your seat, looks like they'll be starting soon." She instructed, nodding to where the orchestra sat and the singers performed.
Urs glanced in that direction, gave Rose a quick kiss on the cheek then returned to his friends and made himself comfortable. While they listened to the new host of the normal show tell everyone that they were there to pay tribute to Michael's mother, he tried to think of what Franky would be wearing to dance. He knew the top would be a plain t-shirt of some bright colour, but as far as the bottom half went it would be either a poodle skirt or tight-fitting, cropped, leather trousers. He smiled the Cheshire Cat smile, hoping to see her in the latter as Michael came to stand by the host's side to answer a few questions.
The entire audience laughed when Michael replied that he hadn't been a very good dancer to begin with, always treading on his partner's toes at some point or other. They let out a long awwww when he smiled at his teary-eyed mother and said that he hadn't ever expected her to retire from teaching people to dance and how shocked she'd been to hear about the tribute show, fainting into his arms after hanging up the phone and almost doing so again when she saw how many of her former pupils were backstage.
"No. My husband doesn't dance......not very well anyway." Micahel replied, looking at a blushing Byron who shrugged and returned the smile he received.
"There was a bit of a disaster during rehearsals wasn't there?"
"Yes, my cousin who I was going to perform with tonight landed wrong and sprained her ankle." Michael nodded then shook his head at Rose. "Luckilly, I have a fantastic friend who agreed to take her place..........after a lot of pleading from me and her husband."
"Your mother says your friend wasn't a very good dancer to begin with either."
"No she wasn't." Michael laughed and shook his head. "In fact I heard her say that she didn't think she would ever be any good, I can still remember seeing my friend walking around with books on her head to improve her posture and I can remember how mum cried the first time she saw us dance together at a mutual friend's birthday party."
"Is she nervous about performing tonight?"
"She always gets the jitters when cameras are present."
"Well we'd better let you get backstage and see if you can calm her down."
Michael nodded politely, shook the host's hand then started to move off the dancefloor until he spotted Urs and everyone else, his eyes immediately flying wide and his mouth gaping. Urs smiled, raised his right hand to his mouth and made a zipping motion. Michael nodded that he understood he wasn't to say a word then took a deep breath and continued his journey back to Franky.
Urs settled back in his seat and watched the show with a smile on his face, applauding loudly after witnessing various couples dance a Waltz, a Tango, a Samba, a Cha-Cha-Cha, a Foxtrot, a Quickstep, a Rumba and a Pase Doble. Finally it was Michael and Franky's turn to take the floor and Urs held his breath as he listened to the host speak fondly to Michael's mother, tears welling in two sets of eyes when he said everyone was going to miss her terribly but that she was to enjoy her retirement to the fullest and asking what her plans were.
"Oh nothing much really." Coral replied, sniffing and attemping to dry her eyes. "I'm finally going on a world cruise, something I've been meaning to do for years but never quite got the chance. Tonight has been wonderful, something I never, ever expected. Thank you so very, very much." She sniffed then started to cry.
"Well we're not quite finished yet." The host smiled turning back to the camera. "Ladies and gentleman, dancing to 'I Might', please welcome onto the dancefloor Michael Horton and his last minute replacement partner Francesca Buhler."
Urs clapped along with everyone else and beamed with pride when he saw Franky on the parquet, dressed as he'd hoped she would be, her hair tied up in a high ponytail, looking like she'd just stepped out of the 1950s as she and Michael assumed there starting positions.
A few seconds later, the music started playing, the singer came in just right and the audience began clapping to the beat. Urs watched Michael flipping and lifting Franky effortlessly around his body, her legs flying high into the air at one point only for them so slide between Michael's a second or two later and be pulled back to her feet without missing a beat. As the music and singing began to fade, Michael held a smiling Franky in his arms, turning her around quickly as they moved back into the darkness.
Panting hard and glistening with sweat they returned to accept a standing ovation, Franky giving her usual courtsey then heading to where Coral sat and giving her kiss on the cheek, her head whipping around quickly once her dance teacher had whispered in her ear.
"Surprise." Urs mouthed, laughing and giving her a little wave at which she blushed and shook her head.
"Man you are going to be in so much trouble when you get out of here." David informed, laughing and continuing to clap along with everyone else.
"Ja I know, but I don't care. It's worth it to finally see her dance on television, even if it isn't on the usual channel." Urs nodded as he watched everyone who'd taken part in the show return to the dancefloor, hug each other then Coral as the show came to a close.
Il Divo and their wives remained seated as the rest of the audience slowly drifted out of the studio and a few minutes later they were taken backstage into one of the practice rooms.
"Oh come on Franky." Urs heard one female who'd performed that night pouting. "You've got to do the next series. I'm sure Urs won't mind."
"No Sally. I know Urs wouldn't mind, but this was only ever meant to be a one night thing. If Rose hadn't been hurt, I wouldn't even have been out there tonight. Besides I've been asked to take part several times and have always turned them down. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't do it. I promised Urs I would go on tour with him again and that promise means everything to me." Franky replied, smiling and looking directly at Urs.
"Yeah. I know." Sally nodded slowly, sighed then moved away to go and talk to Coral
"No regrets?" Urs asked, holding Franky in his arms and smiling.
"Only a small one." She replied, her arms wrapped around his neck watching a questioning look find its across his face. "That it wasn't you I was dancing with out there."
"Yeah right!" Urs nodded then laughed at Franky's words before he kissed her, knowing that he would never be able to dance that way if she were to spend a million liftetimes trying to teach him.
Holding her hand, he let her lead him around and introduce him and the rest of the group to the participants. He spent a few moments chatting to Micheal, Coral, Byron and Rose while Franky left to shower and change her clothes.
She returned twenty minutes later, her mobile pressed against her ear and smiling as she wished each of their children a good night. They stayed for another hour or so then said goodbye with more hugs and cheek kisses and headed for the limo with Sebastien, Emma, David, Lauren, Carlos and Barbara-Jean.
As they stepped out into the cool night air, Franky was stunned to see so many of the audience waiting outside and thought they were waiting for the guys until they started clapping and asking for her autograph. She signed as many as she could with her head shaking when she was asked if she would be taking part in the next series of 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
It took almost half an hour for everyone to make it the short distance to the limo and once everyone was settled in their seats, Franky let out a long breath and squeezed Urs's hand.
"Promise me something?" She asked, her voice no more than a whisper.
"What?"
"Never, ever even try and persuade me to do something like that again."
"Funny. Seems I've heard something like that before."
"Hmmn. I really mean it this time." Franky giggled, knowing what he was referring to.
"Oh all right. I promise." Urs nodded reluctantly after a few moments of huffing from himself and the other occupants of the car.
Normal chatter filled the car as they were driven home, each couple congratulating Franky on her performance with a kiss on the cheek as they left and made their way into their respective homes.
Once back at their home and curled up in bed, Urs listened to Franky tell him that she'd thrown up four times while she waited to perform and had almost ran out on Michael while he'd been talking to the host.
"What stopped you?" He asked, clicking of his bedside lamp.
"Michael telling me he was even more nervous than I was. He'd thrown up six times by the time he did the interview bit. I didn't believe him at first, until Karl told me he'd seen him doing so and I saw how much he was shaking. God alone knows how we got through it without making any mistakes."
"Mmmn. You were fantastic. Good night angel."
"Good night honey. I love you." Franky sighed, kissed him and quickly fell asleep.
Urs left the bed once he was sure Franky was sleeping soundly and headed downstairs to the lounge. Biting on his bottom lip, he turned the television and DVD recorder on. Keeping the volume low, he skipped the DVD forward until Franky and Michael appeared and watched the performance again. Happy that he'd recorded the entire event, he labelled it, slipped it into a case and added it to the rest of Franky's performance recordings.
He turned everything off again then headed back up to bed and slid back under the covers, Franky not realising that he'd even left. He kissed her again then closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep, reliving watching her performance over and over again until he woke to go for his run early the following morning.
Turn the page.
____________

Chapter 108 - Angel's Biggest Sacrifice
In a far off corner of his mind, behind a locked door that he never thought he would open was the one thing he'd wanted to hear from Franky since she'd had surgery to repair her leg. However, now that she'd vocalised that very thought he didn't want her to do it. He loved seeing her out there on the ice, giving her all and was looking forward to seeing her skate at the new arena. With just a couple of weeks to go until that was complete, she was busy practising the routine at Alexandra Palace, either very early in the morning or late at night, refusing to let him go with her because she wanted the routine to be a complete surprise and had something spectacular planned.
"Spectacular." Urs huffed, sitting astride his Harley looking down towards the Oak tree Franky had almost hit when she crashed. "Well you've already done that. It's something I've wanted for so long, deep down. I just never thought I would hear you say you want to retire from performing. It's not that hard saying goodbye to.........Oh who am I trying to kid? It hurts like hell, watching you and the kids walk away from me at an airport, much worse than having to go on stage on Jordi's birthday. I've had hard performances before, but that one was the hardest yet. I thank Gott you were there that night and I thank Gott you keep me up to speed with everything the children are doing when we're apart. Even those few weeks apart are like years. Time drags and those beds are so cold without you there beside me. Still, I can't believe that you're willing to give up one thing you love for me. Then again, it's not just for me, is it? It's for our family too. Gott knows how you get them through leaving me.......but somehow you manage it. Don't think I would be able to, even with Saskia's help. Well angel, if retiring is what you want to do, then I........reluctantly and I mean very, very reluctantly agree." He sighed and wiped his face before putting his crash helmet on and restarted the bike.
As he started the ride home, Urs remembered how hard both of them had found it to say goodbye at airports, particularly once Frank had arrived and how tight they'd held each other, neither one prepared to let go first. Fighting to hold back tears as they slowly seperated, Franky allowing hers to fall as she headed towards the plane, himself doing so once he was aboard the flight he was on, no-one able to see because he kept his eyes hidden behind large dark sunglasses.
Stopping at a set of red lights, he chuckled when he remembered how Franky had asked him to record himself reading stories for Frank so that she could play them come bedtime. It was a fantastic idea and he'd felt very uncomfortable giving each character their own voice to begin with, but he'd got used to it over the years and had come up with some very interesting voices, ending each story with 'Sleep well, little one. Papi loves you'. He knew she still had the discs and played them for the other children whenever they couldn't be together. She'd also asked for his help to put a large map of the world up in the playroom so that she could engage the children in finding out where in the world Papi was, looping brightly coloured string around the pins and not forgetting to include the flight home. He tried to remember how many stories he'd actually done, but lost count because the lights had turned to green and there was an impatient driver behind him, honking is horn and flipping him the bird as he overtook and sped off.
Shaking his head and huffing out a breath, Urs smiled a little broader when he remembered the letter he'd found in his South African hotel room. Frank's writing immediately recognisible and settling himself on the bed to read.
'Dear Papi
We knows your job is hards and we wishes you didn't have to travel so much. It hurtses to say byebye to you, but it worths it. We knows it's hard for yous too, and Mami says that there will come a day that we don'ts haves to say byebye at all, but won't say when that is. Just says soons and we can't waits for that day to comes.
Anysway, this is just to let you knows that we all loves and misses you very, very much already and can't wait to see you on webcam.
Hugges and kisses from.
Sylvie, Frank, Kurt, Serena, Ciara and Jordi
PS: I wrotes Jordi's name 'cos he can'ts do it yet. :-)'
Seeing blue lights flashing a few metres ahead, Urs slowed his speed and barely glanced at the Mercedes that the police had stopped, obviously for speeding. The driver caught his attention more than the car and he wondered how many times John Whiteley had been caught, he certainly didn't look happy and fisted the roof of the car several times while officer 777, David Peter Miller wrote out the ticket. Laughing a little harder, Urs continued his journey home, knowing how hard David had laughed once he'd found out that Urs had been stopped for speeding and the name of the officer who'd given him the ticket. All these years on they still found it rather funny that only one of them had a clean driving licence.
He approached another set of lights that had just turned red and smiled as he remembered the reactions to Franky and Greg's video. By the end of the tour most fans were certain it was her and there had been some wonderful comments made on the OF. Franky had been right about one thing with regard to her skating, he'd read and heard several comments about her taking advantage of the guys if it really was her. He still didn't know how he'd managed not to admit it was her at the final concert, but he'd made a promise not to, had kept it and had somehow pushed those snide comments out of his head. The praise and appreciation of what she'd done for them far outweighed those and he made a mental note to ask her to print them off to add to the disc he had of that performance.
Spying Franky turning left ahead of him, Urs thought about increasing his speed to catch her up and ride by her side the rest of the way home. However, a quick check of his speed and his mirrors told him he'd better not. He was already at the limit, PC Miller was following behind and the last thing he needed was to give Carlos more ammo to tease him with. He still couldn't figure out how the Spaniard had a clean licence when he was the most impatient driver out of the four of them. He growled some choice Swiss-German swearwords as he turned right and let that infuriating fact go as he followed Franky through the gates of their home and up to the garage.
"Any problems tonight?" He asked once they'd both removed their helmets, knowing that a group of boys had been hanging around her bike the previous evening, one of them sitting on it and refusing to get off when Franky had asked him to do so.
"No. In fact Jason apologised and told me his father had given him a telling off for being so stupid as to assume a woman couldn't handle a Harley." Franky replied with laugh before she turned serious. "So. Have you thought carefully about what I told you?"
"Ja, I have. I still don't like the idea, angel. I really don't." Urs informed, dismounting his bike and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I could spend the rest of my life watching you perform and be the happiest man alive. You've already given up so much for me, I never actually thought I would hear you say you want to retire from performing. I know it's been a hard decision for you to make and I thank you for it. Just promise me a couple of things."
"Like what honey?"
"That you and I will still skate together when we've got time and you'll continue to teach the children. They love being out there with you, especially the girls."
"I know that. I'm not going stop doing that, not when we have so much fun Urs. I promise those things will continue."
"Good. The second thing is........."
"Hang on! You said two things. A couple is two and I think what you've just asked me counts as two things."
"I know, I know. Just one more thing." Urs asked, pouting a little which made Franky laugh outloud and nod her head. "What you're going to do in a few days is......special and it deserves a special arrival. You know it won't be just about your skating, there are other things you've been asked to do."
"Yeah, I know. I just wish I knew why they've asked me to do those things." Franky tutted and shook her head. "Go on honey."
"It's going to be a busy night angel. Please............Just this once, let me hire a limo to get us all there. You deserve to arrival in style everywhere you go, but I know you would never accept that. Please........Just this once?"
"All right. Just this once." Franky replied, giving Urs a quick kiss on lips. "Anything to keep you happy. My decision came as quite a shock didn't it?"
"Ja. Ja it did and I still can't quite believe it. But at the end of the day, it's your decision to make, not mine and I'll support you one hundred per cent. I know exactly why you made that decision. Now, I can hardly wait for the next tour to begin, there so many places I've been wanting to take you to, so many things I've wanted to show the children and I'll make sure we get chance to do as many as possible. I love you, Fire and thank you for the sacrifice you've made to keep our family happy."
"Thank you for those words honey, but it the grand scheme of things it's not that much of a sacrifice I'll be making in a couple of weeks. I love you and our children so much more than I do performing and I will be perfectly happy teaching them or skating with you once in a while. I truly, truly will. The only regret I will have is..........."
"The fact I've flat out refused to skate with you." Urs finished for her, shaking his head. "No angel, not this time. This time the attention is all going to be on you. In some ways, I wish it was happening tomorrow, because I can't wait to see what you've planned. Knowing you it's going to be fantastic and I think I'll be more than a little bit sad that I won't see you out there, performing again, once it's over, and I won't be the only one. You do know that, don't you?"
"Yes, I know. I know all too well honey."
Urs smiled and nodded as he bent his head to kiss Franky, both of them knowing how hard she was going to find it to say goodbye to those who loved to see her perform and those that appeared in the shows with her. He knew they wouldn't be happy and some would probably have something to say about her decision, but they would deal with all of that together..........as always.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 109 - Angel's Swan Song
He didn't have time for this, he really, really didn't. He frowned as he looked into the lounge room and saw only five children, dressed and ready to go. He knew the other one should be sitting on the couch waiting for the limo to arrive, but where in the hell was she? Hearing a noise from the kitchen he headed in that direction and huffed when he saw no-one but Saskia in there.
"Where's Ciara?" He asked with a slightly angry expression.
"In the lounge with everyone else."
"No she's not."
Looking confused, Saskia left the kitchen with him and shook her head when she saw the youngest female Buhler wasn't with her siblings.
"I swear, I left her on the couch with instructions not to move." She shook her head.
"Ciara's gone to the toilet." Kurt informed, teasing his baby brother with a toy making him laugh.
Urs raced upstairs, taking them two at a time and checking his watch. He calculated that he had five minutes to spare until the gate buzzer would go and the limo would come up the drive. This wasn't an important evening for him, no performance somewhere. No, this was about getting Franky and their family to the new ice arena on time for the official opening. She was performing tonight and had enough on her plate without worrying about the children. He and Saskia had agreed weeks ago that they would take care of them.
He checked the family bathroom and grumbled when he didn't find Ciara in there. A check of her bedroom revealed she wasn't in there either. He knew there wouldn't be any point checking his and Franky's room, she'd locked the door behind him at his instruction. He didn't want her interupted while she got ready. He knew she would be more nervous than ever tonight and wanted her to get a few moments peace before they left. He checked the boys's rooms and the nursery. A search of Sylvie and Serena's room proved fruitless, leaving him only the guest room to check.
She wasn't in her usual hiding spot under the bed, nor was she in the shower of the en-suite. He was just about to leave and search downstairs when he heard movement in the wardrobe and quickly opened the door. Without saying a word, he firmly lifted Ciara out and set her on her feet following a bit of struggling.
"Get off me!!! I not going and you can't make me!!!" She screeched, defiantly stamping her right foot. "I going back to Janey's party!"
"Really? Dressed like that?" Urs replied giving her the firm look that told her she was in trouble once he'd looked her semi-naked form up and down.
"No, stupid."
"Don't call Papi stupid. You know we don't allow that!"
"I not cared. I going find my party dress and I is going back to Janey's party."
"No you are not. You were told before you went that you would be leaving earlier than the other children and that Janey's mum has promised to bring your party bag over tomorrow morning. Weren't you?"
"So."
"So what?"
"Erm........."
"Besides the party ended almost an hour ago. Look." Urs squatted down and showed her his watch. "See the little hand is on the seven and the big hand is almost on the five. Which means it's almost seven o'clock at night, Ciara. The party finished at six o'clock, didn't it?"
"Yeeeeeeeees." Ciara nodded, sniffing and chewing on her bottom lip.
"And what comes after six?"
"Seden. I sorry, Papi. I still don't want to go to ice 'rena doh."
"Why? Don't you want to stay up and see Mami dancing on the ice?"
"Yes......but....I....scared."
"Of what?" Urs asked, scooping Ciara into his arms and sitting on the bed with her in his lap, waiting patiently for her to stop sniffling.
"Da canberas. They going to be lots there aren't they?"
"Ja, there are." Urs nodded, understanding what Ciara meant, despite the fact he didn't understand her fear of cameras, she would always cry if anyone came near her with one, even her own mother.
Most of the pictures Franky had taken of her weren't posed, she'd had to snap the shutter while Ciara was distracted. Despite that, they did have some beautiful shots in her album and at least two family portraits where Ciara had just about managed to stop herself bursting into tears
"There's nothing to worry about, Knödel. They'll only be taking pictures of Mami and everyone else that's going to perform tonight. I told you that already didn't I?"
"I don't 'member that bit. You sures they won't take pictures of me?"
"Saskia's taking you straight inside, to get you all settled in the box."
"Oh! I sorry."
"It's all right." Urs shook his head, wrapped his arms round the nervous little girl and took a deep breath while hugging her. "Now what did you do with your dress?"
Ciara looked at him, scrambled down from his lap and went to retrieve her what Saskia had put her in once already tonight while he was helping the boys. How she'd even got it off by herself he didn't know, but there it was unzipped and turned in the right way. It didn't take him more than thirty seconds to pop it back over her head, re-fasten it and help her into the matching balero jacket. Her hair, however, would prove a little more difficult to put back into the bow because it was so fine. Three attempts it took him before they were both satisfied that she looked pretty in the ivory and burgundy netted petticoated dress and the flowers and bows that ran around the hem hadn't been crushed too much. Luckilly she'd kept her shoes and tights on, so Urs didn't have to worry about that.
He stood, lifted her into his arms and gave her nose a gentle tweak before heading out of the guest room, reaching the bottom of the stairs just as the gate buzzer went and Franky appeared at the top. He slipped Ciara to the ground and gently pushed her towards the lounge while he watch Franky descend, looking more beautiful than ever in the tight fitting, violet silk halter neck gown he'd insisted she had to have for tonight's event. Even the rhinestones that decorated the bust area paled in comparison to the twinkle in her eyes.
"You look.........amazing." He informed, pushing the button to open the gates when the buzzer went again.
"You don't think I'm too old to wear this sort of thing?" She asked, smoothing the silk. "Mutton dressed as lamb perhaps?"
"Nein. You know so many people think you are a lot younger than you actually are. I've seen older women in such dresses and they don't even come close to looking as good as you. So stop worrying. Okay?"
"Okay." Franky nodded, smiling once he'd kissed her quickly on the lips and shaken his head at her.
"Mutton gekleidet wie Lamm." Urs tutted and flicked his chin in the air. "That'll be the day I ever think that Frau Buhler."
The limo pulled up at the front door a few seconds later, Franky and Saskia quickly settling the children into seats while Urs set the alarm and locked the door. Once out of the gates and on the road, Franky looked out of the window expecting to see people standing on the street, waving as they usually did when something major was happening. However, there was no-one around so she relaxed back and took a deep breath.
"Something very hinky is going on here." She sighed, nodding her head a little. "I know Lauren's keeping some sort of secret. Has she told you anything?"
"Other than to say you're in for a couple of surprises tonight, nein." Urs shook his head. "Just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride, angel."
Franky nodded, smiled and did as Urs had requested, though she did spot Kurt fiddling with his tie and gave him a stern look. He smiled sheepishly in return then pulled the knot back up to his throat, knowing he would be able to take it off once they were in the box and Mami had only asked her boys to look as smart as Papi for their arrival.
It seemed to take no time at all for the limo to pull onto the paved area that surrounded the new ice arena and when Franky saw how many people were outside she swallowed hard. They were behind barriers, standing at least three deep, four or five in places.
"Any idea what that is?" She asked, nodding towards the front windscreen after spotting something huge clad in white canvas while they waited for the chaffeur to open the door.
"Not a clue. Wouldn't tell you if I did?"
"The signs still covered too. Very hinky."
Both doors opened almost at the same time, Urs got out first and turned to offer his hand to Franky with a smile. She took a deep breath, placed her hand in his then elegantly slipped out of the luxury car to camera flashes, a huge round of applause, whistles and a little screaming. The children and Saskia slipping out unseen and quickly disappearing inside with the help of one of the arena's staff.
Once the local press were satisfied with taking photographs of their arrival, Urs stepped to one side and waited patiently while Franky posed with local dignitories, the men without whose investment the arena would not have been built and finally, Lauren and Shawn. The only shot he agreed to appear in being the final one. Shaking his head each time Franky asked him to step in, firmly stating this was her night not his.
He only moved to stand by her side when the mayor of the town offered his arm and led her towards the front of the area. Following a short speech he and Franky tugged on a couple of ropes, Franky's hand immediately flying to her mouth when she saw that the arena had been named after her mother. She shed a few tears and shook her head as she was guided towards the canvas covered item that had been placed just outside the entrance doors. She was left to unveil this on her own and almost collapsed to her knees when she saw Moritz's statue of her mother in perfect layback position towering over her.
Somehow, she managed to stay upright and accept both Ozelin's and Amery's arms. They escorted her inside, Urs offering a giggling Lauren his arm as well as Shawn. The three of them following close behind. They headed for the museum area first, everyone taking a close at all the items on display but paying particular attention to Serena Hartford's costumes, skates, newsclippings, performance photographs and medals. Franky had had no idea they were going to be displayed this way when she'd handed them over to Lauren a few days ago and tears found their way down her cheeks once again.
They were then shown the auditorium where concerts could be held and spent a few moments sitting in the comfortable seats, looking down towards the huge stage. After leaving there they headed up to the control booth and shook their heads when they saw the size of the rink. Lauren stepped forward, pushed a button on the control panel and smiled as the glass that protected the audience when the hockey team was playing slowly descended into the hoarding. The rink itself was standard size, but the seating would be able to accomodate twice as many as the old one and was already pretty full.
The dressing rooms came next and Franky's eyes flew wide again when she saw the individual ones. They looked more like they belonged in a top London theatre than in an ice rink and that was where Urs had to bid her goodbye so that she could get ready for her performance.
Holding her tight until she'd stopped breathing deep, he kissed her once more then wished her good luck before leaving. Not knowing where the box was, he walked by a staff member's side and thanked him once they reached the door.
"Amazing place isn't it?" David asked looking directly at Urs as he settled himself into a seat.
"Ja, not brought your camera tonight?"
"Didn't need to. This place is fitted with them."
"I'm surprised Sylvie isn't performing tonight." Sebastien stated, nodding to where the young woman sat with Ciara in her lap, watching the crowd flood in.
"She wanted to, but she's got an important piano exam in a couple of days. She's been concentrating on that, trying to get over her nerves." Urs replied, accepting the drink Carlos was offering him.
"Talking of nerves. How did Franky handle everything?" The Spaniard asked, settling himself beside Barbara-Jean.
"Fine."
A few minutes later, Il Divo, their wives and all their children watched the lights go down and listened to Lauren begin to speak, her voice resonating softly around the box making David shudder just like the first time he'd heard it.
"Oh my God! She's sounds even sexier on the new system."
"Ladies and gentleman welcome to the opening night of the Serena Hartford Arena. Christening the ice tonight is the daughter of that great lady and her equal on the ice, skating to Spandau Ballet's 'Gold'..........Please welcome Mrs Francesca Grace Buhler."
Everyone in the box braced themselves for the usual explosion of the lights coming back on but that wasn't what happened. Instead, they came on slowly, focusing on the centre of the rink then fanning out, Franky nowhere in sight and the wrong music was playing. They sat there looking at each other bewildered until the kettle drums and other instrument from 'Also Sprach Zathustra' resounded around the quiet arena.
"Oh my God! Look!" Emma gasped once she'd noticed a solitary beam of light focused towards the roof. "She's up there."
Almost as one the audience and all those in the box stood and clapped loudly as they watched a Franky hold her arms out to the side, her left leg slightly bent and tucked behind her right as the harness system lowered her to the centre of the ice. She looked absolutely stunning in the glittering gold sequined top dress she was wearing.
Urs could see her shoulders shaking and instantly knew she was giggling as she removed the harness and watched it disappear upwards again. She assumed her starting position while the audience settled back into her seats, most of them shaking their heads. He watched her take a deep breath then nod, indicating she was ready to begin. She moved slowy to begin with, keeping in time with the music, performing complex moves and long spins each time the lead singer held a note.
During the saxaphone solo, she used her hands a little more expressively and threw in some sultry moves that left Urs coughing and blushing a little. All too soon the song was coming to an end and everyone watched in amazement as Franky flipped backwards through three hundred and sixty degrees to land on both feet, dropping into the forward splits as the final note hit, her arms spread wide and huge smile on her face.
Rendered speechless by what they'd just witnessed, the occupants of the box stood and clapped loudly again as did the entire audience. Franky stood headed for the side of the rink where she accepted flowers, hugs and kisses before making her way to the entrance, struggling to wave as she stepped off the ice.
Time flew quickly after that, leaving Urs unable to remember watching the other performers but knowing that the entire event had been recorded once David had told him so. He noticed that the audience were beginning to prepare to leave only for Lauren's voice to stop them and make them sit down again.
"Thank you for returning to your seats ladies and gentleman. The show is over but I have just been informed that the star of our show wishes to say a few words before you leave. Please bear with her, it takes her time to do this sort of thing. Please welcome back onto the ice, accompanied by all those who have performed so wonderfully tonight.................Mrs Francesca Buhler."
Urs watched a still gold-clad Franky skate to the centre of the rink with a microphone in her hand, sending a flurry of ice flying as she came to a stop. She looked around the audience, then over her shoulder and took some deep breaths before raising the microphone to her mouth.
"Ladies and gentleman, thank you so very, very much for turning up tonight. I never expected this place to be so big and look so beautiful never mind be named after my mother. My mother would be so........so very stunned. Much like I was when I saw her name up there tonight and the statue outside. Before I say anything else, I really want to say a few thank yous. To Amery and Ozelin, thank you for financing this amazing place. To my best friend and sister, Lauren, thank you for somehow managing to keep this a secret from me for almost five years. I love you." Franky paused to sniff and take a deep breath. "To all you wonderful people who have turned out tonight and in the past to watch me and these amazing people standing behind me perform, a huge thank you. To the young lady who helps me take care of my children and has really become a member of our family herself.....Saskia, thank you. I would never have had time to practice for tonight without you. My final thank you has to go to my wonderful, amazing husband, Urs for giving me the encouragemnet and confidence to switch which leg I land on...........without him..........I would not be here today. Thank you, honey. I love you so very, very much. Oh dear. Almost finished. This going to be the hardest part." Franky coughed, sniffed, closed her eyes then wiped them. "Only one other person in this world knows about this and it's been a very difficult decision for me to reach.......one I never thought I would have to make, one it took me weeks to get them to agree to. I'm sorry to say.........that what you have seen me do here tonight........is for the last time. I have.........believe me, very reluctantly decided to retire from performing. I have....."
Biting his bottom lip hard because he knew Franky was referring to him regarding her decision, Urs listened to the audience begin to stamp their feet and yell in protest. Even the skaters standing behind her looked stunned by her announcement as did all the adults in the booth him, though none of them said a word. It took a long time for the audience to calm down and even then Franky had to plead with them to be quiet with her eyes closed and a headshake.
"My decision has nothing to do with the metalwork in my leg, tonight's performance was much less painful than the one I did when the old rink closed. No that is not the reason at all. I came to my decision because my children are getting to the age where they understand that Papi is going on tour, it's getting harder and harder for them to say goodbye to him at the airport. It breaks my heart to see them crying as he walks away to the plane and I know it hurts him to leave us behind. I can't put them through that anymore, that's why I've decided to retire and go with him on tour in future. I am so..........so very sorry that I will never perform here again.........but rest assured I will turn up now and again, however, that will only ever be for pleasure. Thank you once again for your support over the years.........I love each and every one of you." Franky finished, tears streaming down her face as she lined up all the other skaters in size order, tallest to smallest.
To the loudest standing ovation he'd ever heard, crying quietly and swallowing the lump in his throat, Urs watched Franky move to the head of the line, the whole group performing two figure eights around the rink, several with tears in their eyes. Franky then returned to the middle of the ice and waited until everyone else had left before she dropped into a graceful courtsey with her head bowed to each side of the audience. She stood for the final time, blew several kisses then waved as she skated backwards until she reached the edge and the lights had faded slowly. His heart swelling with pride that she'd managed to get through the speech without breaking down and the selfless act she'd committed in retiring from performing aged just thirty-seven.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 110 - It's Good To Be King
His gym routine finished for the day, Urs sat straddled over the seat of the multigym and smiled as he watched Frank and Kurt co-operating for once as they used the child's weightlifting set he and Franky had bought Frank for his Christmas present. Wiping himself down, he chuckled when he recalled the slightly disappointed look Frank had had on his face after opening a much smaller gift in Switzerland but not one word of complaint had passed his lips and he'd been more than happy to go outside with his brother and cousins to play football once Urs had assembled the nets with Lars's help. Up until a few days ago, Frank had thought his father had forgotten what was at the top of his Christmas list. Only Urs and Franky knew that wasn't the case, they'd got it for him months ago and it had been stored in the loft until the evening before they left for Lucerne and Frank had looked very confused on their return, especially since Urs had told him to go down to the basement gym on his own, something that he wasn't normally allowed to do.
Tentatively, Frank had taken the first step down only to stop and look at Franky for reassurance that it really was all right. She'd laughed, them smiled and flicked her hand at him, signalling that it was fine for him to continue. Frank had shrugged, then continued his journey until he reached the gym. The next thing Franky and Urs had heard was a very loud exclamation of 'Oh my gosh! Yaaaaaaaaay!' and the rapid clattering of Frank's feet on the wooden stairs as he flew back up them to thank his parents for the gift. Being Frank, he'd asked if he could have a little go right then, but he hadn't pouted or sulked when Urs had told him he had to wait until the next day since it was very late at night, well past his bedtime and he'd gone to bed a little reluctantly.
However, he had been up very early the following morning and had woken Kurt. Urs finding the pair of them sitting cross-legged outside the master suite wearing shorts and a vest top, the pair of them desperate to join Papi in the gym. He'd smiled broadly once he was squatting in front of the pair, to fasten Kurt's trainers. They'd gone down to the gym after, both of the boys copying the stretching and warm up routine Urs put himself through before getting down to lifting weights. Urs had placed the lightest weights on Franks gift and firmly told him not to even think of adding anymore without checking with Papi.
As they settled down to do bench presses and leg curls, alternating between being the spotter and lifter, music began to find it's way downstairs and Urs knew, without going to check, that Franky was up and in the music/dance room with the doors open. Going through a gentle exercise DVD with Sylvie, Serena and Ciara. Jordi, more than likely still fast asleep in his crib though Franky would have the baby monitor nearby.
Now, here they were in almost exactly the same position, six days into the new year, their regimes finished. Urs hoping that Sylvie was in a much better mood today as he put himself, Frank and Kurt through a cool down routine. He knew turning from girl to woman was a difficult transition but hadn't expected Sylvie to be so grouchy. Grumbling and huffing when she was asked to do anything, spending hours alone in her room, fast asleep, a hot water bottle clutched against her stomach, not wanting to interact with her siblings and shouting at them when they bothered her. Only the painkillers Franky used at that particular time of month easing the pain at the moment.
With Frank and Kurt walking up the stairs in front of him, Urs left the gym and locked the door as a happier looking Sylvie walked past him, holding Serena's hand to go upstairs for shower. Franky appeared a few seconds later with Ciara in her arms, the baby monitor clipped to her jogging bottoms revealing that Jordi was still asleep.
"Don't worry about her, honey. I know you don't like the idea of her being on the pill at her age, but it will help. I'm sure she'll be better next month."
"I know, angel. I just wish she would have agreed to go on it sooner."
"Maybe so, but she's so like you in that regard. You know we've always had a hell of time getting her to take any kind of tablet medication. Though you're worse, at least she'd take liquid meds without any bother."
"Ja, ja. Very funny." Urs huffed playfully, giving Franky a kiss on the cheek and sniffing as he pulled back though not because she smelled awful.
No, there was still as a familiar scent in the air, the same one that had been there the previous evening. He knew the aroma well enough to know what Saskia had baked, but a search of the kitchen cupboards hadn't revealed it, despite the fact he'd searched three times in total.
"God you are such a child sometimes." Franky informed with a laugh and a headshake as she headed for the stairs. "You'd better get yourself and the boys sorted out. Saskia's under strict instructions not to bring it out until we're all at the kitchen table for breakfast."
"Spoilsport." Urs huffed playfully, following after her, knowing what would come out of her mouth next and laughing when he heard it.
"That's not what you said last night."
Coughing several times, Urs watched Franky enter the master-suite and knew she would bathe Ciara before showering herself. Sylvie was doing much the same in the guest room en-suite with Serena if the giggles coming from that direction were anything to go by. That left the family bathroom free for Urs to deal with Frank and Kurt. They were soon freshened up and dressed in clean a clean T-shirt and jeans, leaving Urs to head for his and Franky's room to do the same. They exchanged a kiss as they passed each other and fifteen minutes later everyone was gathered around the kitchen table, enjoying juice, coffee, cereal and toast.
Saskia excused herself once that part of the meal was finished and headed for the laundry room while Franky cleared the table and Urs slapped his forehead and laughed. He hadn't thought to search that room for what he'd been hoping to see sitting in the middle of breakfast table. Saskia returned a few seconds later and set what she'd made down in front of him.
"I hope it's as good as your mother's." She smiled, nodding downwards.
"It might come a close second. No-one makes a better Swiss Dreikönigskuchen than Mami." Urs replied, knowing this was the first time they'd carried out this particular Swiss tradition at their home and setting the gold cardboard crown that sat atop the cake to one side. "Which one do you want Sylvie?" He asked, nodding towards the flower shaped cake, holding the plate in front of her.
"Errrrrrrrrrrrm..........This one." She smiled after circling the cake twice with a finger and quickly ripping the first of eight sections away from the middle one.
Serena followed her lead, took the section directly opposite Sylvie's and shot Kurt a scowl when she heard him saying she'd taken the piece he wanted. Ciara went next and was more than happy to take the piece next to Serena's. Kurt huffed before taking the piece on the left of Sylvie's, leaving Frank to take the one to the right. Everyone laughed when the plate was offered to Jordi and he made a grab for all of what remained. Franky reacted quickly, managed to get three of the four pieces away from him and wagged a finger in front of his face, the warning not to do that making him emit a small sob though he quickly calmed once Franky's hand was gently touching his face.
Three pieces remained and Franky insisted Saskia made her selection before either her or Urs. She reluctantly took the one to the right of centre piece then watched Franky take the one on the other side, leaving Urs the middle section. Knowing what one of the sections would contain, Franky broke Jordi's piece into managable chunks and gave them a quick feel before allowing him to eat it. Everyone else tore into their pieces, looking for the little plastic king.
They already knew Jordi didn't have it, neither did Urs, Franky, Sylvie, Serena or Ciara. Frank and Kurt had ripped their pieces apart much slower than everyone else and both still had a sizeable chunk in their hands. Looking at each other directly in the eye, they pulled it apart at the same time but only one face broke into a huge smile.
"Yay! I won." Kurt whooped, dancing in his seat and grinning as Franky placed the gold crown on his head, making him King for the day and able to boss everyone around.
It didn't take him long and Sylvie was soon nodding her head after receiving instructions to tidy Kurt's bedroom and make his bed with Serena's help. Frank was given the task of getting Kurt whatever drinks and snacks he was allowed to have throughout the day. Ciara, looked more than satisfied after being told she would be Kurt's playmate for the rest of the day, along with Jordi.
He hadn't thought of anything for the adults to do as they all left the table, the cake finished and dishes cleared away and still hadn't almost an hour later. Then he'd given Urs the task of tidying up the closet where everyone kept their shoes and coats, instructing him to make sure that anything that was too small or beyond salvaging was dealt with the same way as Mami did. Franky was given the chore of polishing all the silverware in the house, a job Urs knew she hated as much as he did cleaning out that closet. Saskia's orders were to keep an eye on the three children in the playroom, especially since Kurt wanted to make something with the craftsticks and would need a little help with the glue.
"Well, how was it?" Saskia asked as she stood to leave the kitchen.
"Very good, I miss the flaked almonds but they don't really matter that much and there was a little bit too much lemon for my liking, but otherwise it was great. Definitely second only to Mami's. You know, we could sneak off somewhere and do our own thing." Urs informed Franky, giving her the Cheshire Cat grin once Saskia had left them alone
"What? And get punished again for disobeying the King. Like we did last year. I don't think you could endure that again, honey. I know I couldn't." She replied, pecking him on the lips.
"Oh ja. Banned from touching each other until Tran was in bed. Nein, You're right, I couldn't do that for ten hours again." He nodded, knowing that his nephew had found the king the previous year and set that punishment when he'd found his aunt and uncle kissing in the conservatory rather than clearing the driveway of snow as he'd instructed.
Huffing out a breath, Urs kissed Franky then walked to the closet and began the chore he hated, especially since Kurt and Frank had the habit of throwing muddy boots or shoes in there without cleaning them first. A habit Franky, Saskia and himself were currently working hard to break, so far with very little success, but considering their ages, it wasn't that bad. At least the closet didn't smell of sweaty feet, dried on soil and God alone knew what else due to the fact it was well ventilated.
Still, it took him until lunchtime to complete the task and by the time he'd closed the door there was one small bag destined for the bin and a slightly larger one headed for one charity shop or another. By the time he'd returned from getting rid of the rubbish, Franky was in the kitchen preparing Kurt's favourite banana and raisin sandwiches for lunch. Though he wasn't particular keen on that sandwich, Urs sat down with the rest of his family and ate a couple then put Jordi and Ciara down for a nap.
Everyone else spent the afternoon playing whatever game piqued Kurt's interest and they all had a great time participating in 'Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games' on the new games system Urs and Franky had spent a long time debating over whether they should buy it or not. She'd eventually agreed with him, especially after having seen the vast amount of games available. The children had loved it as soon as he'd walked through the door with it under his right arm and they'd waited patiently while their parents set it up. Despite the fact they'd been desperate to use it straightaway, they'd all listened to the rules Urs had thought up for its use. It was definitely not to be used before school. They were to share and take turns in choosing a game. Any major squabbling would result in the controls being removed and the unit turned off. And it most certainly wasn't to be used if it was a nice day outside. There had been a bit of pouting and sulking regarding the last rule but a glance out of the window soon put a stop to that. There were more than enough activities to keep them all occupied after all.
Saskia prepared Kurts favourite meal for dinner and everyone enjoyed the Lasagne followed by home-made ice-cream. As the meal finished, Kurt hopped down from his seat and disappeared for a moment or two. When he returned, he presented Urs with what he'd made from craftsticks and waited for his reaction.
"Very good, Kurt. Very nice. Danke." Urs smiled and nodded after giving the photoframe an inspection, seeing a picture of all the children having fun in the snow in Lucerne and placing it on the table.
He didn't care that it wasn't perfect and there were a few glue drips here and there, Kurt had made it especially for him and that was all that mattered. With the meal finished and the kitchen tidied, the family settled down in the lounge to watch Kurt's favourite film, all of them laughing to varying degrees at Scrat the squirrel as he attempted to bury his acorn. Franky and Saskia wiping their eyes of laughter induced tears as the end credits rolled.
As Urs took Kurt up to bed a little later in the evening, he noticed that the King seemed to be deep in thought and questioned 'his Majesty' what he was thinking.
"Nothings much, Papi. I'ves enjoyed being king for a day, but I don'ts want to be one when I grows up. It's borings actlly." Kurt replied, snuggling deep into the covers and yawning widely. "I'd rathers do fings myselves even dough I not vere good at some of the fings."
"Trust me son, you'll be king of something one day, but if your queen loves you the way Mami loves me, you won't need to boss her around. Like Mami, she'll do things that need to be done simply because she loves you." Urs whispered then tucked a dozing Kurt in, not knowing if he'd heard the words his father had once said to him at the age of thirteen and several times afterwards. "Good night, your Majesty." He sighed, clicked the light off and closed the door.
As he walked back down the hallway he looked out of the window in the gable end wall and smiled when he saw a star shining brightly, standing out from those that surrounded it.
"I'm so glad you proved me wrong Papi. Just like you said you would all those years ago." Urs nodded, then returned downstairs to spend the rest of the evening cuddled up with his Queen, recalling the wonderful Christmas and New Year they'd had in Lucerne.
Turn the page.
__________________

Busy morning Laura, didn't have time to post between getting up and going out.


Chapter 111 - Angel In Danger
"You're enjoying this tour more than you have any of the others aren't ya?"  Urs heard David questioning once the four of them were settled in the people carrier and heading back to the hotel.  "I get a feeling Franky and the kids being around for the whole thing has something to do with that."
"Like having Lauren and your kids around for the whole thing doesn't make you happier either?"  Urs retorted, smiling broadly when the American beamed his smile and nodded.
"You dealt with the hassle you got over Franky retiring yet?"
"Ja.  Those people can think what they like, what the two of us know is fact more important.  Me even try to tell Franky what to do and when!  Pfft!  If they knew how long we spent arg....debating that they'd probably change their minds."
"How long did you spend arguing with her?"  David asked in his teasing tone.
"Debating David.  How many more times?!  Five weeks, two days and seven hours if you must know."  Urs replied, laughing and shaking his head until he looked at Sebastien and Carlos.  "Missing Emma and BJ?"
"What do you think?"  Sebastien snapped, glaring at him with his arms folded across his chest.
"Hey!  Don't take it out of me.  It's not my fault the football team finally made it to a final.  You've only got another forty-eight hours until she can be with you again.  Then we probably won't see anything of you other than soundchecks and concerts.  Think yourself lucky you're not in Carlos's shoes, not knowing when you're going to see your wife and kids again.  At least he's satisfied with the phone calls and emails he gets from Houston.  You don't see him sulking."
"Oui I know.  Desole."  Sebastien huffed out a breath, his head shaking as he turned to look at the unusually quiet Spaniard.  "Any news on Gunner this morning?"
"He got through the surgery well enough, should make a full recovery."  Carlos nodded, a quick smile crossing his face.  "If all is going well she will be back with me by next weekend."
Knowing that Barbara-Jean had wanted to be with her family when Gunner had his heart by-pass operation, David, Urs and Sebastien smiled and nodded until their driver slowed and moved the vehicle over to the side of the road.  They could hear the sound of sirens approaching and sat watching as all types of emergency vehicles whizzed past.  There weren't many and they were soon moving again and it was then Urs noticed their driver checking his rear-view mirror more frequently than he usually did.
"Something wrong Martin?"  He asked when he did again.
"Loads of press vans behind us, trying to get through traffic.  Looks like something pretty big is happening."
"Looks like they're heading for the city centre."  Urs nodded, watching the last of the emergency vehicles disappear over the horizon.
"Probably someone trying to rob somewhere, all the bank's are up that way."  David shrugged, looking out of the windscreen.  "Nothing for us to worry about really."
"Nein."  Urs shook his head, knowing that Franky, Lauren and Saskia had taken all of the children out for a quick look around the city and should be on the canal by now.
He sat back in his seat, happy in the knowledge that they'd been discussing taking a canal cruise as they left the hotel that morning.  Saskia hoping that she wouldn't throw up if they did do that.  He didn't know what else they planned to do and hoped Franky would leave a few places for him to show her, especially those where he'd performed with the opera.  He was looking forward to their day off tomorrow in order to do that and introduce her to some of those he'd sang with.  This would be he first opportunity since marrying her after all.
"Getting easier travelling with the kids ain't it?"  David's question broke the silence that had filled the people carrier.
"Ja.  Though I miss the fact that Franky barely squeezes my hand now."
"That's because she's concentrating on Jordi.  I've never seen anyone go that colour during take off."   Sebastien teased.
"I know.  He's not very good with heights either.  We took him to Devil's Drop just before the tour started.  Went exactly the same colour and threw up all over me.  It wasn't a very pleasant trip home."
"Listening to you complain all the way, I would imagine not."  Carlos grinned.
"Not funny."  Urs shook his head.  "Anyway he's been given something to help, I just gave it him a little too late to be fully effective the other day."
"Why you?  Why couldn't Franky do it?"  David queried.
"Because Kurt and Serena were arguing over a book at the time and she was giving them a good talking to."
"I'm glad me and Lauren never had twins.  I know I wouldn't be able to cope.  Jefferson's a handful by himself."
"Just like you then."
"Not funny Frenchie."  David laughed, batting Sebastien around the back of the head.  "Yours only behave when Emma's around.  With you in charge of them, they're worse than the rest of the kids put together."
"C'est mes petits anges vous parlez.  Arrêtez lorsque vous êtes en avance Yanky Boy."  Sebastien warned, playfully wagging his right index finger.
"More like little dev......Yowch!"  David's yell suddenly filled the air when Sebastien grabbed the thumb and pinky finger of his right hand, giving him the Chicken Wing.  "Okay!  Uncle!  I give Okay."
"It's your fault they're a little unruly anyway.  You're the one who encouraged Marie to put itching powder in one of Urs's shirts the other night.  It's a good job he could control himself on stage."
"Couldn't once the concert was over though could he?"  David asked, making all four of them crack up laughing for several minutes at the memory of watching Urs scratch furiously at his neck and armpits, cursing profusely in Swiss-German and thinking he'd caught Chicken Pox again.  "Good job it wasn't in his underwear huh?!"
Amid much hilarity, the people carrier pulled up outside their hotel and still giggling Il Divo stepped out.  They signed a few autographs before heading inside and going to their rooms.  Noticing the small amount of mess in their suite once he'd passed through the door, Urs began to tidy up, putting toys and books in the travel case and a couple of items of dirty clothing in the bag Franky used.  It didn't take him more than three minutes and once he was done, Urs turned on the tv though he ignored the news channel until the newsreader informed they were going to a breaking story.  His eyes widening when he saw Lauren, Saskia, his and David's children on camera, being held back by police officers, the children looking tearfully passed the camera, towards the building where everyone's attention was focused.
He heard a loud knock at the door, moved quickly to answer it and swallowed hard when he saw a pale-looking David standing on the other side.
"Have you heard?"  He asked, striding into the room and whirling round to face him.
"I haven't heard anything other than what's been said on tv.  Have you heard from Lauren or something?"
"Uh-huh.  She called just before I got to the door."
"And?  What did she have to say?"
"Erm.........Franky's being held hostage inside a bank with several others."
"What?!"  Urs yelled, turning his attention back to the tv screen.
He looked a little closer, noticed that Lauren, Saskia and the children seemed to have disappeared.  Wondering where they'd gone, he swallowed hard when he saw armed police officers with their weapons trained on the entrance of a bank.  The camera panned upwards a few seconds later to reveal helicopters hovering overhead, while the voice of the police negotiator could be heard.
"What's he saying Urs?"  David asked, his eyes wide and staring.
"Huh?  Oh...erm.   He's asking for any women and children to be released.  How long has this been going on?"
"From what Lauren told me it all kicked off a few moments after we'd left the arena.  She tried calling me, but lost her signal."
"Did she say how Franky ended up in there?"
"They pushed her in.  She'd only gone to the ATM to get some money out for the kids.  Lauren and Saskia were waiting across the road."
"They're armed......aren't they?"
"Yeah!  Wouldn't be a good idea to try and rob a bank without a weapon would it?"
"Nein.  I feel stupid for even asking the question."  Urs shrugged as another knock rattled around the room, David moving quicker than him to answer and quickly bringing Sebastien and Carlos into the lounge area.
"I saw Lauren, Saskia and the children on a news report.  What's going on?  Where's Franky?"  Sebastien asked, his eyes wide and breathless.
"She's inside the bank.  An armed gang pushed her in on their way to rob the place."  David informed, sighing as all four men sat down.  "The police are negotiating, trying to get the robbers to release any women and children, so far without much luck."
Despite his anger and fear, Urs knew he had to stay calm somehow and sat watching the screen intently, listening carefully to what was happening.  His head shaking when it was reported that despite half an hour of negotiations, not one hostage had been released yet.  He couldn't figure out why he hadn't ran out of the room and made his way to the scene.  Then again, it wouldn't have done much good to do that, he probably wouldn't get anywhere near anyway, plus the children would need his reassurance more than anyone else's.  Taking a deep breath, he turned his head to the left and gave Carlos a quick smile when he felt him squeeze his shoulder.
Hours seemed to tick by and silence reigned in the room until another knock came at Urs's door.  David moving towards it, quicker than he'd ever seen and yanking a sniffing Lauren up into his arms, holding her tight for several minutes, comforting her then turning his attention to his children.  Checking them over and smiling when he found no wounds.
"How are you holding up Urs?"  He heard Lauren questioning as she took the seat David had vacated though she didn't look directly at him.
"Not too bad.  Just trying to stop myself flying out of the door and running to where this happening."  He shrugged in reply, watching David get the children involved in board game to distract them from what was going on.  "I think I would have if the guys hadn't shown up.  Did she even see them coming?"
"No.  Neither did me or Saskia."  Lauren replied with her eyes closed and head shaking slowly.  "We didn't really see or hear anything until a gun went off.  We thought it was a car backfiring and when we turned round to see what was keeping Franky, she was being pushed through the doors.  She looked scared, but didn't seem to be panicking.  The next thing I know, the police are there, weapons drawn and we're all being ushered off because one officer recognised me.  Insisted on getting us out of there and brought us all back to the hotel.  The kids are handling it better than I am."
Urs turned in his seat to look at the children and smiled when he saw Frank with his arm wrapped protectively around Serena, Kurt was doing much the same to Ciara, despite her protestations.  Sylvie and Saskia sat either side of Jordi, Sylvie holding his hand, Saskia stroking his head.  Knowing that they all needed a re-assuring hug at the very least, he stood and trotted over to them.  Wishing he had more than two arms when each of them launched themselves at him at once.  Wondering how Franky had managed to hug them all following his father's death, but somehow managing to do it.
"Mami won't do anything sillies to make dem 'urt her, will see Papi?"  Jordi asked, attempting to dry his eyes.
"You know she won't.  She'll be angry, but she won't do that."  Urs replied, shaking his head and smiling a little, settling Jordi into his lap once he'd sat down.  "What are you all playing anyway?"
"Snakes and Ladders."  Serena replied with a sniff.  "But Kurt keeps cheating like he always does."
"Kurt, it's up the ladders and down the snakes, not up both.  You'll get nowhere by cheating.  How many times has Mami told you that?"
"Loads Papi.  Sorry."
"It's all right, I know you're all worried about Mami.  So am I.  It will be over sooner than you can imagine and she'll be safe and on her way back to us."  Urs replied, taking a quick glance at the tv, seeing nothing new then returning his attention to the children.  "You know I'm pretty good at this game.  How about I join in?  Give Uncle David a little time with Steph, Jeff and Reegan?  They've been frightened just as much as you."
He watched his children look at their friends, smiled when they nodded in agreement to his request then took another look back to where Sebastien and Carlos sat, their eyes completely focused on the tv screen, knowing they would alert him as soon as anything happened.  He turned back and soon became engrossed in the game, watching Kurt carefully for any signs of cheating, shaking his head and laughing when he tried just once.  At the end of three games, Jordi had won twice with his father's help and Ciara once.  They'd just set up for another game when Carlos's shout filled the air.
"Looks like someone's coming out.  One of the doors has opened, not very far though."  He informed when Urs snapped his head round and looked at him.
Urs stood quickly and resumed his seat, the older children taking places beside him, the younger ones sitting on the floor near his feet, Jordi settling on his lap, his face buried into his shoulder.  Urs smiled and slipped a hand into his hair, knowing that part of a stress busting massage had always soothed him.  He took a deep breath and turned his attention to where everyone else in the room was looking.
A few seconds later, the door opened a little more to enable three women to leave, all holding on to one another the two on the outside seemingly supporting the one in the middle who looked like she was in agony.  A collectively sigh of relief filled the room when they all saw Franky, only Urs's eyes flew wide when he thought recognised the heavily pregnant woman in the middle.
"That looks like Erika."  Sebastien informed very quietly in his right ear.
"Ja.  It does.  I doubt it is her though."  Urs shook his head, then returned to watching Franky helping the seemingly pain-wracked woman walk towards the armed police.  "She never wanted kids."
"Neither did you.  People can change when they find the one who is being right for them.  Just be looking a mirror if you don't believe me."  Carlos reminded quietly.  "I'm sure it's her."
"I guess we'll find out once Franky's out of this mess.  Though I'm positive it isn't.  That leopard couldn't ever change it's spots."
Silence fell again, everyone holding their breaths as they watched the women continue to walk until they were safe.  The pregnant woman was soon placed on a stretcher and spoke a few words to Franky before being placed in an ambulance with the other, older looking woman by her side.  Franky, herself was then guided towards a police car before the press could get anywhere near her.  Just as she'd disappeared out of camera range a loud bang went off inside the bank and police rushed in.  They emerged a few moments later with five men in handcuffs, quickly shoving them into transport, each and every one of them looking stunned and completely out of it.  Bank staff and the four male hostages were brought out just as Urs's mobile rang.
He answered quickly and let out the breath he'd been holding when he heard Franky sniffing down the line, asking him to get to the police station once she'd told him she was fine.  Thinking that her clothes might be needed for evidence, he ran to the bedroom, grabbed hold of her favourite jeans, t-shirt and clean underwear and shoved them into a bag.  He thanked Carlos and Sebastien when they offered to help Saskia look after the children, then hugged each of them, warned them to behave and made his way downstairs.
It didn't take him long to get a taxi and it within ten minutes he was inside the police station, being led to where Franky was explaining what had happened.  He paced up and down the hallway while he waited for her to give her statement and it seemed to take hours until his arms flew around her waist, holding her still shaking form close, rocking her until she'd calmed down.
"It was my own silly fault I got involved in the robbery at all."  She shook her head once they were in a room where she could change out of the paper jumpsuit.  "I'd forgotten to take the purse with the children's money in and didn't have any cash in mine.  The next thing I know, I'm inside the bank, lying on my stomach with my eyes closed, hands behind my head, like everyone else.  Everyone except Erika anyway, she was in no condition to........."
"That pregnant woman really was Erika?"  Urs gasped.
"Yes it was.  She married last year.  That was her mother-in-law on the other side.  The robbers decided to let the three of us go when her waters broke."  Franky replied, laughing a little as she finished speaking.  "That's gobsmacked you, hasn't it?"
"You can say that again."  Urs nodded, feeling his eyes still wide.  "She didn't say anything nasty to you did she?"
"No, but I don't think she expected me to help her.  She thanked me just before she was put in the ambulance, then off she went."
"Nothing while you were in the bank?"
"Nope.  She couldn't even look me in the eye when she first saw me.  Lowered her head and looked very ashamed.  I think her husband works in the bank because I did hear someone shout in protest when she was pushed hard into a seat.  I think he got hit, can't be sure though because I didn't see it.  I did hear Erika crying though."
"What were they after?"
"The money.  They thought today was the day the bank had the most money in the vault.  I think it was the bank manager who yelled 'Nee, het was opgehaald gisteren.  Er is nergens in de buurt van dat bedrag in de kluis.'.  What does that mean?"
"No, it was picked up yesterday.  There is nowhere near that amount in the vault."  Urs translated, knowing that Franky currently only spoke a few words of Dutch and she hadn't wanted to learn to speak it fluently until she'd mastered German and Swiss-German.  "So I guess you're going to have to come back at some point and give evidence."
"In about three or four months they said."  Franky nodded, finally dressed and brushing her hair.  "The children all right?"
"A little scared, but fine.  Can't wait to see you."
Franky nodded and after another kiss, she and Urs left the small room and found their way to the main entrance where she stopped and asked him to sign an autograph for the police woman who'd helped Lauren and Saskia with the children.  He handed it to her with a kiss on the cheek and watched her blush as he pulled back.  Just as they turned to leave Erika's mother-in-law came into the police station, beaming a huge smile as she walked towards Franky and pulled her into tight hug.
"Bedankt voor alles wat je deed. Erika had een jongetje twintig minuten geleden. Hij wordt genoemd Falko na mijn man. Ik ben zo blij als een grootmoeder eindelijk. Franky Dank je."  She rattled off excitedly, releasing her hold slightly.
"She said thank you for everything you did.  Erika had a little boy twenty minutes ago, named him Falko after her husband."  Urs translated, nodding towards the woman.  "She's very happy to be a grandmother at last.  I get the feeling she never thought she would be."
"You are right."  The woman smiled then thanked Franky one more time before allowing her to leave.
On arrival back at the hotel, she was greeted by smothering hugs, kisses and tears from the children and after spending a few moments assuring them that she hadn't been hurt, she turned her attention to Lauren and Saskia, doing much the same to them.  She looked at Carlos, David and Sebastien and quickly spotted a look she'd seen once before.  She shook her head and threatened to kick their asses to the moon for even thinking of cancelling that evening's concert.
Once everyone who didn't usually occupy the room had gone, the Buhler family settled down to some lunch and had a nap following that.  On arrival at the venue, Urs walked into his dressing room, immediately spotting an envelope on the dressing table.  He opened it, recognising the writing at once.

"Urs
I really hope you read this before you tear it up, it's taken me a lot of courage and time to write.  Courage that I don't possess to look your wonderful Franky in the eye or say to you face-to-face.  I know how much you must hate me for trying to destroy your relationship.
What you had to say to me in Paris all those years ago hurt me deeply, I'll admit that.  I don't know exactly why I behaved the way I did towards you.  Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I never felt loved by my parents and in turn didn't know how to love anyone else.  It's not easy growing up the way I was...........You really don't need to know about that now.

That day, I saw in your eyes what I saw in mine every time I looked in the mirror, though it wasn't exactly the same pain.  I'd hurt you, just like my parents hurt me, that wasn't right and was something I swore I would never do to another human being from that day on.  
I left Paris a few days after our confrontation and came to Amsterdam.  I had nowhere to live, no job, no prospects, but I didn't care.  I actually lived on the streets for three months.  I was attacked late one night, beaten so badly I was in a coma for four weeks.  Still my parents never came.  I woke up to find a complete stranger sitting by my beside, holding my hand, reading love poetry to me.  That person is now my husband, Uys Buevink, he works as a teller in the bank.  

He found me the night I was attacked and spent every spare minute he had helping me get back on my feet.  I trusted him that much I told him everything about my life, things I've only ever told  one person before, and how badly I'd treated you.  It still amazes me that he loves me after hearing about my past.  Like my best friend, Coralie, the one person I did tell, I expected him to walk away and never look back.  I wasn't the nicest person to know back then, in fact I was downright nasty.  We talked for ages, him making me see that I was worthy of being loved.  It's taken almost forty years for me to see that.  
Uys's mother insisted I move in with them when I left hospital, otherwise I would have been back on the streets.  Through them I have come to know what it is to love and be loved.  It's that warm feeling that you feel inside when the one you love does nothing more than look at you that proves how much you are loved by them, not expensive gifts, trips to luxurious locations and such.

I know you tried to love me that way and I'm so very sorry for all the times I hurt you, especially so over the Paris thing.  I will regret that for the rest of my life, because you're such a good man Urs.  I know we will never be the best of friends, but I would like to think we can be polite with each other at the very least should we ever meet again.  When I saw Franky in the bank and felt the first pains, I never thought she would help me as she did, not after what I'd done.  The fact that she did so amazes me.
Thank her for me because I don't think I would have got through it without her there, helping me breathe through the contractions once those men had allowed her to get up and do so.  I was crapping myself, she stayed calm and focused.  She was and is an angel.
I really hope you will be nothing but happy for the rest of your lives together, if anyone deserves a lifetime of nothing but happiness it is the two of you.  I will try my very best to do the same with my wonderful Uys.
Yours, still ashamed but wonderfully happy now.
Erika"

"Well, I never."  Urs shook his head, refolding the pieces and deciding he would show the letter to Franky after the concert.
Once the note was in the back pocket of his jeans, he changed for the concert and looked at the box where Franky sat with the children throughout 'Every Time I Look At You'.
Backstage he gave the note to Franky almost as soon as she walked through the door and watched her knock a couple of tears from her eyes as she finished reading.  
"See, I told you that she was covering a lot of pain didn't I?"  She sniffed, handing the letter back.
"Ja and I'm sorry I didn't see it.  She never would talk about her family.  But the one thing I'm not sorry about and I never will be sorry about is the fact that the way she treated me gave me the opportunity to meet you.  I can feel some sympathy for her now, but............er is maar een vrouw die ik liefheb. Alleen vrouw die ik wil liefde en dat is je mijn engel."
"I know."  Franky nodded even though she'd actually understood only a few words of the last few he'd spoken.  "It's not what you say with your mouth that tells me how much you love me, it's the way your eyes shine each and every time you look at me.  I love you too Urs."
Turn the page.
__________

Chapter 109 - Hard Decision
"Any idea what is wrong with him?" Urs heard Sebastien questioning as the two of them and Carlos watched a clearly upset David walk out of the recording studio.
"None. I did hear Franky asking Lauren if she wanted her to have a word with him just before I left the house. She sounded as upset as he looks."
"You don't think they're having the relationship problems do you?" Carlos queried with a surprised look on his face.
"Nein, doubt it considering how much they both said they enjoyed thier recent holiday." Urs shook his head. "But we're not going to get anything done while he's in this state. Someone needs to find out what's bugging him."
"No someone, the three of us will do it."
Urs nodded at Carlos who had moved to the door and held it open. Together the three of them left the studio and went looking for the American. They didn't have to search for long, Sebastien found him in one of the lounges, standing at the window, eyes tight closed, failing to hold back tears, hugging himself.
"Get lost!" David yelled when Urs touched him on the shoulder and asked what was wrong. "All of you just get lost and leave me alone."
"Non."
"Nein."
"No."
"David, there is obviously something upsetting you. We would like to know what, perhaps we could help."
"Huh! None of you would understand.........except Carlos......Maybe." David replied sharply to Sebastien's statement. "Neither you or Urs have......a pet."
"Something wrong with Rex?" Urs pressed gently, finally manouvering David into a seat, himself, Sebastien and Carlos listening to him take deep breaths and watching him wipe his eyes several times.
"He hasn't........He has bone cancer........in his legs."
"Oh Gott. Can anything be done for him?"
"No. Not treatable. Everyone wants to put him to sleep.......Everyone except me."
"I know it's hard, but it's the kindest thing if he's suffering."
"You wouldn't understand Urs. You don't have pets and never have as far as I recall."
"No I haven't but I do understand."
"You can't possibly."
"I can. My grandmother had a cat that had to be put to sleep." Urs sighed and shook his head then sat beside David. "Thing is I wasn't that keen on 'Lucifer' but he adored me, followed me everywhere I went whenever I was visiting my grandmother. He even slept on my stomach at night. Then one day she told me he was seriously ill and the vet had recommended euthanasia. Grandmami couldn't face going on her own, so I went with her and held him while it was done. The day after my twenty-third birthday I cried myself to sleep over the loss of a something that had done nothing but annoy me for the best part of fourteen years. Grandmami wanted to bury him and asked me to make a box. It took me three days to make something I could normally have done in a couple of hours. So I do know how you're feeling."
"Never thought of having a cat or dog yourself?" David asked, wiping his eyes.
"Franky would love a dog, so would the kids." Urs nodded with a smile on his face. "Unfortunately, Gabe is petrified of them and Christie is allergic to both cats and dogs. Remember, that's why we couldn't look after Rex that time you asked us to, your friend Robert's wedding?"
"Oh yeah. I remember." David nodded then looked at Sebastien who seemed to have drifted off somewhere.
"Desole. Just remembering about 'Xerxes', my neighbour's dog, He was more like everyone's dog really, if he wasn't at home, he'd be in one apartment or another, getting spoiled." Sebastien laughed and shook his head. "He had to be put to sleep when I was thirteen. His back legs........he couldn't walk and I had to help Monseuir Bonnet carry him downstairs to the car. I knew what had happened when he came back without him and cried for.......I don't know how long really. Everyone who knew him did."
"Got the assumings wrong again, didn't you David?" Carlos asked, placing a comforting hand on the sniffing American's shoulder. "It sounds like I have been lucky when it comes to the animals. At least I have never had to make that decision, but........."
"But what?!" David snapped when he saw the look of disappoint his Spanish friend gave him.
"Rex must be in much pain. You are being of the shellfish keeping him alive, allowing him to suffer like that. It's not you David."
"You mean selfish." David grunted a laugh and shook his head as he corrected Carlos. "You're right though, he's in a lot of pain, can't walk far without collapsing. Lauren's tried three times to take the decision away from me, but I've stopped her. The kids do nothing but cry each time they see him. I just never thought it would be this hard to let him go. I am.......I am being very selfish and.............cruel."
David took a few minutes to compose himself then retrieved his mobile from the front pocket of his jeans. Taking deep breath, he called home and waited for Lauren to answer.
"Hi baby.....Just......Just calling to tell you to.......to call the vet........Yeah, but don't let him do anything until I'm there, okay?.........I'm leaving in a few minutes.....Screw the album, I can't concentrate while Rex is suffering anyway........I'll see you in about half an hour......Yeah, I know.....Love you too."
He hung up then looked at Urs and asked if he wouldn't mind giving him a lift home. Urs nodded and, knowing neither of them would get any work done, the group headed out of the studios.
After dropping David off, Urs returned home to find Franky just finishing the garage accounts with tears glistening in her eyes. He gave her a hug and rocked her gently until Saskia returned from picking up the children from school. Together the two of them gently passed on the news, Frank taking it particularly hard and running off to his bedroom to cry. Urs left Franky and Saskia with the rest of the tearful children while he went to Frank, finding him sitting on his bed, quietly sobbing and repeatedly rubbing at his eyes with heel of his hands.
"I'm sorry, Papi." Frank sniffed as Urs sat down beside him, placing his arm around the little boys shaking shoulders.
"What for? You haven't done anything wrong."
"Crying. Big boys aren't supposed to cry."
"That's rubbish Frank, it's all right to cry for those we love and lose." Urs replied, using his free hand to turn Frank's face towards his own, knowing that his eyes were filled with unshed tears and feeling a few escape.
"I...I understand why Uncle David is having Rex euthanised, it's horrible seeing him like that and I wish something could have been done to save him but......"
"But what Frank?"
"Well.......if.......I know all of us fight sometimes, but I do love my brothers and sisters. You.....You and Mami wouldn't do that to any of us if we got as sick as Rex........Would you?"
"Of course not Frank." Urs shook his head and swallowed the lump that had risen to his throat. "We'd do everything we could to get you well again."
"Then why didn't Uncle David do that for Rex? Did he stop loving him or something?"
"Nein Frank, he didn't stop loving him, not at all and he didn't make the decision alone. He sat down and discussed it with his family, very carefully, it was a hard decision for all of them. Rex was very, very sick and in a lot of pain. Uncle David and Aunt Lauren looked at all the options available, but thought it wouldn't have been fair to Rex to put him through even more pain, when the possibility of him getting better was..........Well is wasn't possible. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Urs asked and saw Franky nodding quickly before he took a deep breath and spoke.
"He would have died anyway. And been in lot more pain."
"That's right. They involved their children in the decision, they know what is going to happen and they're all going to be with him while it's done."
"Are they going to bury him in the garden?"
"Sort of, ja. They're going to have him cremated and bury his ashes in the back garden. Uncle David told me so while I was driving him home and he'd like all of us be there when they do that."
"You did say yes to that.....didn't you?"
"I've got to talk to Mami and your brothers and sisters first. I'm not going force any of you to go if you don't want to. Okay?"
"Okay. I definitely want to go though."
"That's fine." Urs nodded, holding Frank close just as the house phone began to ring, but only doing so for a short while, somehow knowing that either David or Lauren had called to let Franky now Rex was out of his pain.
Father and son remained where they were until Frank had composed himself enough to go back downstairs and when they returned to the lounge, they found Franky with her arms wrapped around the remaining crying children, tears running slowly down her face until they'd stopped. As a family, they decided that they all wanted to be present at Rex's funeral and came up with ideas of how they could remember him. No-one ate much that night and everyone went to bed with puffy eyes and sniffing noses.
"Going to miss that gentle giant aren't you?" Franky queried through her sniffles once she and Urs were curled up in bed.
"More than ever thought I would, ja. So are you, don't even try and deny it." He replied and watched Franky nod.
Unable to sleep due to the fact they'd gone to bed much earlier than normal, Urs decided to tell Franky some of the mischief 'Lucifer' used to get into. Especially the time he'd almost ended up in the washing machine, having fallen asleep among dirty laundry and the numerous times Urs had had to pull his grandmother's fridge-freezer out because the cat had gotten stuck behind it.
"But the worst thing he ever did was pee in my running shoes." Urs informed with an eyeroll and headshake.
"I get the feeling there's a little bit more to that story."
"AndIwentrunninginthemwithoutrealising."
Franky giggled between sobs and Urs joined her almost immediately, the pair of them taking a long time to stop laughing and crying so that they could fall asleep.
Rex's funeral turned out to be a rather large affair with the Buhlers, Marins, Izambards and Taylors attending and crying to varying degrees. Once everyone had said their goodbyes, they all headed to the lounge where Frank and his siblings showed David and Lauren the scrapbook of photographs, drawings and paintings they'd put together with Franky's help. Everyone falling into a fit of giggles once David had looked at one particular photograph, showing Rex looking innocent and appearing to ask 'What did I do?' and what Frank had written underneath it.
"This is what made me laugh about Rex. The way he used to look at you when he far..........let one rip. You could smell it no matter where in the house you went."
"Good memory buddy." David smiled slightly, his head nodding. "Who would have ever thought we would know something that could clear a room quicker than Uncle Carlos?" Which earned him a narrow eyed, tongue in cheek glare from the slightly red faced, head shaking Spaniard.
Four months later, Lauren and David decided to get another dog because the house felt so empty without one and David had begun to develop a slight paunch for which he was teased by Carlos, Urs and Sebastien.
'Apollo', a brindle coloured Great Dane would be the first of four further Great Danes the Millers would own in their lifetime. Two harlequins came after him, named 'Deuce' and 'Koda' respectively. The final one, a completely black female named 'Bohemian' living to the age of almost fifteen, the only one to pass away peacefully in her sleep. David unable to completely control either of them, other than 'Boho' as she was affectionately known. Each of them rescued from a sanctuary and travelling the world twice as much as 'Rex' ever had.
Turn the page.
______________

Chapter 110 - Surprise Kids
With his latest acquisition tucked securely in his jacket, Urs entered the quietness of his and Franky's home, knowing she and the children were at David and Lauren's and would be for while yet. Taking great care, he unzipped his jacket and gently deposited what he'd brought home on the lounge room floor. He watched it for a minute or two, laughing when it looked back at him as if to say 'Where the hell am I? This place is huge.' That look didn't last long and it was soon off exploring.
Sitting down on the couch, Urs continued to watch, wondering how the previous owner's husband could have got rid of it. So what if it was hairless? It had lovely bronze coloured skin and the shelter assistant had given him plenty of information about it's temprement and care.
"Then again perhaps you are too painful a reminder of what he's lost, huh?" He asked, still keeping a careful eye on what the four month old was up to. "Hurt that you survived that car crash and she didn't I guess."
He hadn't been keeping an ear out for Franky's return but the little thing keeping him company had. It flew towards the front door, yapping loudly as the people carrier drove past and round to the garage. Quickly he moved to pick it up and returned to the couch, sitting with it in his lap.
"Hi honey." Franky asked as she entered the lounge, her eyes focused on watching the children head for the closet, making sure they hung their jackets up and put their shoes on the rack. "What is that?" She asked after few seconds.
"Looks like a dog to me." Urs replied grinning.
"Urs, we've talked about this. We can't have a dog."
"That Frau Buhler is where you are wrong."
"Awwww look! We got puppy." Sylvies's voice stopped the adult conversation and she quickly took a seat next to him. "What's wrong with it Papi? It's got no fur."


"Nothing liebling. She was bred this way."
"So she's a special sort?" Frank queried as the dog licked his face.
"Ja. She's a Xoloitcuintli."
"A what?" Kurt furrowed his brow.
"Xoloitcuintli or Zolo for short." Urs smiled, watching all the children be gentle with the newcomer.
"Does she have a name?"
"She does, Seri, but I don't like it." Urs nodded.
"Why?" Jordi questioned, drawing the word out.
"Because of what it means to some of the older generation."
"What's her name?" Franky questioned and lowered her head when Urs asked her to do so. "Oh my God! That's not suitable at all." She gasped after he'd whispered 'Doxy' in her ear.
"So we've got to think of something else?" Ciara asked slightly nervously.
"We haven't said she can stay yet." Franky replied, looking at Urs and shaking her head in an exasperated fashion.
"Pleeeeeeeeeease Mami. She's so cute." Serena pleaded.
"There are other things to be taken into consideration Seri. Uncle Gabe and Aunt Christie for one."
"It's not fair! Why should we be punished because......."
"Seri! That's enough of that!" Urs raised his voice.
"But why bother bringing her home if we're not going to keep her?" Serena whined again.
"I said that's enough. Give me chance to talk to Mami before going off half-cocked please."
"Okay Papi."
Urs shook his head at Serena then gently pulled Franky towards the kitchen door where they could keep an eye on the dog and the children.
"Look Franky, maybe I've handled this all wrong, but you and the children have been wanting a pet for years. They miss 'Rex' so much, I thought it would be a nice surprise."
"It is, Urs. Look at them, they're having a blast and you don't fool me for one second Herr Buhler, they are not the only ones missing Rex. Don't you even try to deny it."
"Not as much as our children are though." Urs nodded slightly, his eyes narrowed.
"You are still such a bad liar. I miss him like crazy and so do you. But you know how Gabe is with dogs. I don't want him to stop coming around."
"He won't stop coming around. He hasn't told you........has he?"
"Told me what?"
"He's been in therapy to get over his fear and he's been volunteering at the local shelter. Walking the dogs. Even saw him getting one of his own today. A ginger Wire Haired Fox Terrier. Call him if you don't believe me."
"I believe you. You forget I know when you're fibbing." Franky laughed then turned serious again. "Do you think that's why he's been scuttling off so quickly after dropping the paperwork off just lately?"
"Ja." Urs nodded, pulling Franky into his arms.
"What about Christie's allergies?"
"Seems both of us have been doing the same research. Neither dog should prove a problem to her."
"Okay. How big's she going to get?"
"Between 15 and 20 inches at the shoulder and she should weigh between 15 and 30 pounds. She's not the smallest, nor is she the biggest of her breed. They make fantastic guard dogs you know?"
"Really?"
"Uh-huh. You should have heard her barking when you came home. Heard you long before I did. I'm hoping she'll want to keep me company on my morning run. Wouldn't it be great to take her with us when we all go for a walk up at 'Devil's Drop?'"
"Yes it would. Okay. Am I right in thinking you've thought about when you're touring and we're with you?"
"Duhhhhhh!" Urs laughed, giving her a quick kiss on the nose. "I have all the paperwork ready and the equipment we need is reserved at the local pet store."
"Even coats for cold climates?"
"Like I didn't think of that?" Urs tutted, rolling his eyes backwards, knowing he was very close to persuading Franky into keeping the dog.
"All right. She can stay. You know the rules though?"
"Ja, ja. The same as Lauren had for Rex. There's no need to worry about her having babies of her own either. She's already been seen to."
"Good. Let's go and tell them then."
Grinning, Urs nodded, took hold of Franky's hand walked back to where the children were still happily with the children.
"Mami says she can stay." Urs informed and startled slightly when they all jumped to their feet, happily jumping around and shouting 'Yay'.
"However, there are some rules." Franky sighed following kisses and hugs. "She is not allowed upstairs, definitely no sleeping in any of your beds. I think all of you are old enough to take responsibility for her care. If I hear any arguing about whose turn it is to feed, walk her and such, I will be putting a rota up in the kitchen. Do you all understand?"
"Yes Mami." The siblings proclaimed as one, smiling when the dog barked and wagged her tail.
"Good. So what are we going to call her?"
"Where's the Xolotcu..........Xoloiz.........Zolo from Papi?" Frank asked, looking a little frustrated because hadn't been able to pronounce the long, complicated name.
"Mexico."
"Let's pick a Spanish name then." Ciara suggested, smiling when her brothers and sister nodded. "Can we use your computer Mami?"
Franky nodded and led them to her office, the dog following close at Ciara's heal and taking a few minutes to explore this room before pushing through Kurt's legs and lying down in the footspace. She turned the machine on, entered her password then decided to leave them to it. By the time she came out, Urs had let Gabriel in and he handed the garage paperwork over with a sheepish grin on his face.
"What have you called it?" Franky asked after looking at Gabriel's mobile phone and seeing a picture of his three children and Christie with their new pet.
"He was called Dante, but neither of us liked it. We changed it to Buster. I hear you brought 'Doxy' home." He finished, looking at Urs.
"Ja, the ki.....children are in Franky's office, looking for a new name."
"Good idea. You should have seen some of the looks I got from the old dears whenever I shouted that. She's a fantastic walker you know, just watch her near ducks. Silly thing thinks they always want to play."
"I've already been warned." Urs nodded before looking towards Franky's office on hearing Kurt shout.
"We can't call her that. It's boy's name you idiot. Look it says so there."
Not liking the fact Kurt had called one of his siblings an idiot, Urs poked his head around the door and gave the twin a stern look.
"Sorry Papi." Kurt grimaced. "Sorry Serena."
The apology accepted, the two hugged then returned to their assignment as Urs closed the door. Gabriel left shortly after, leaving Franky and Urs alone in the lounge to go through the paperwork. Urs decided to make coffee before they settled down and emerged from the kitchen with a smile on his face, having discovered that Saskia had made a Dutch apple cake before she left to go home for a friend's wedding. He and Franky had just finished when the children came out of the office, excited to tell them their choice, the dog once again at Ciara's heels.
"Alondra." Frank informed, puffing out his chest in a fair imitation of Carlos. "It means 'Defender'."
Urs and Franky nodded, then took their family and 'Alondra' outside in the back garden to play fetch, a game she proved to be very good at. Always returning the ball to whoever had thrown it. Something she would do until she passed away peacefully, aged 21 after a lifetime's love, devotion and protection of her family.
Turn the page.
_____________

Chapter 111 - Huge Mix Up
"Are you sure there's nothing I can get you?" Urs heard the hotel manager asking while he looked around his room, trying to locate an electric socket and quickly spotting one.
"Nein. I just want to be left alone so that I can call my wife."
The hotel manager nodded with a smile on his face then left the room, closing the door behind him. Urs huffed out a breath, shook his head then allowed a laugh to escape when he recalled what had happened just over twenty minutes ago.
Once he'd plugged his laptop in and had connected to the internet, he opened his email inbox and clicked on Franky's message first, anything else could wait. He smiled broadly when he saw the pictures of Kurt and Serena in their school uniforms then had a little giggle to himself, knowing that Kurt hated ties with a passion. He scrolled through the rest then placed his call to Franky.
"Hi eyes." Her sniffled answer came down the line.
"Hi angel. Feeling any better?" Urs replied, knowing that she had gone down with flu just two days before he had to leave.
He sighed, knowing that she would love to be where he was now. In Bern for a festival where Il Divo would perform for three nights only. He'd been so looking forward to finally being able to show her around one of his favourite places, only for all the plans he'd made to be dashed at the last minute.
"Dot ready, do."
"Oh. Still in bed though, right?"
"Yez. I did try to get up, bud Saskia sent me straight back."
"Good. The kids behaving themselves?"
"Yes. Spoiling me rotten do. I jus bored."
"I know. You were looking forward to coming with me, weren't you?"
"Yez. What's the weather like over there? It's done nuddin' bud rain here since you left."
"Erm......cool but bright." Urs replied, following a quick look to the window to see bright sunshine flooding into the room.
"Damned!"
"Thoroughly miserable aren't you?"
"Yez." Franky sniffed then started to sneeze, five times in total. "You sound a lod bore cheefud dan when you lefd."
"Ja I am. I got quite a shock when we landed. I saw Sven and Trista at baggage reclaim, they'd just arrived back from Gibraltar."
"Whad's so shogging aboud dad?"
"Nothing, except it's where they eloped to."
"Whad?! Well somebody's dot going to be very happy aboud dat."
"I know, hopefully Sybil will change her attitude when the baby arrives." Urs nodded then giggled when he heard nothing but silence at the other end of the line for a minute or two.
That silence gave Urs the opportunity to remember how he and Franky had been walking down a street, discussing upcoming events, neither of them knowing that they were on the street where Trista lived with her mother, not until the woman had almost knocked Franky over as she stormed towards her car, a large suitcase in her hand. She'd apologised quickly, then Sybil had appeared on the pavement, loudly proclaiming that Trista was not moving to Switzerland to live with someone she barely knew. Trista calmly replying that she was old enough to make her own decisions and if Sybil really felt like she couldn't manage the large property, then perhaps she should move somewhere smaller or hire a housekeeper. Sybil doing her utmost to stop her getting into the car and standing on the pavement with her hands fisted on her hips once Trista had driven away, muttering that she wished she knew who had played matchmaker between her daughter and Sven, because she would have a few stern words to say to them before heading back into the house and slamming the door. Urs and Franky had looked at the door, then at each other, shaking their heads before continuing with their walk. The last thing Urs had heard about the couple had been almost a month later, Lukas texting him to say that Sven and Trista were very happy, so much so that Sven was seriously thinking about proposing to her.
"Erb......How far gone is Trista?" He heard Franky questioning once she'd recovered.
"Five and a half months."
"Damn dis cold. It would hab been dice to see dem togedder."
"Awwww, never mind. Maybe if I tell you about my other little adventure this morning, you might cheer up a bit more."
"Oh! Wha' 'appened?"
"Everything was great until I got to the hotel and the receptionist said I had a surprise waiting when I went to get my keycard. I thought you'd pulled one of your surprises and had, somehow, managed to get here before us."
"With a temperature of nindy-nine, I don' thing zo."
"Ja well, I can dream can't I?"
"Ja." Franky replied with a giggle, followed by more sneezing and loud blow of her nose. "Go on."
"Well, after riding up to our floor with the guys, listening to Seb tell David off when he said he knew you'd been faking, I arrived at the room to find the door unlocked. I really thought I was right when I crossed the threshold and smelled chocolate candles burning and saw rose petals trailing towards the bedroom. I erm.....I started to remove my clothes as I followed the rose petals."
"Hmmmn." Franky whined then sighed. "Sorry.....Just......you know.?"
"Franky Buhler! What are you like?!"
"I dold you. Bored. Thanks for the imagary do."
"You're welcome. It gets better......a little bit anyway." Urs replied with his eyes closed, coughing to keep himself composed then launching into the remainder of his escapade.
"Anyway.....By the time I got into the bedroom, I was wearing nothing but my boxers. It was quite dark in there and I could just make out someone lying on the bed. I sat down on the bed and was just about to kiss who I thought was you when the light was switched on. The woman screamed and covered herself up, I flew off the bed and turned my head to see a furious man standing in the doorway. He was about to thump me when security stopped him. I got out of the room pretty quick and put my clothes back on. Then the three of us got into an argument in Swiss-German and we were still going when the hotel manager arrived. It turned out that the receptionist had simply given me the wrong room number and she was very red faced when she apologised."
"I bet yours was too."
"Just a tad." Urs giggled in reply, laughing along with Franky though he managed to stop long before she did.
"Do da guys know?"
"Ja. David almost wet himself laughing."
"Just like me then."
"You do know if this had happened a few years ago, I wouldn't have found it funny at all?"
"I know, but like I've told you so many times, bistakes are made, eben in Swizzerland."
"Yeah. I know. I've got to go now." Urs replied on hearing a knock at the door, knowing that he was running a few minutes behind schedule. "I love you."
"I lud you too."
"Franky?"
"Whad?"
"Put the laptop away and get some sleep."
"How did you.........?"
"Because I know you Mrs Buhler. The guys won't mind waiting an extra day for their wages. Gott knows they've told you that before."
"Okay." Franky sniffed while Urs listened to her fastening the zip of her laptop bag.
"And you know the rule about Londy being upstairs."
"It's dot by fault she's on the bed. Jordi let her in to keep be company. See's keebing watch ober be. Bollowing be ebery dime I go do da badroom."
"Maybe so. But she wasn't allowed to do that with Ciara when she was ill, why should she with you? Send her down."
"Okay." Franky agreed after sneezing again, snapping her fingers and instructing her to do as Urs requested.
Urs listened to what was going on and chuckled to himself when he heard Londy whine in protest at being sent away. With 'I love yous' and kisses exchanged down the line, Urs hung up, turned off his laptop and headed out of his suite. As soon as he stepped into the elevator, he heard David still laughing and looked at him harshly before he spoke.
"If you don't stop........" He began seriously then grinned. "I'll tell Seb and Carlos what Franky had planned for you when you weren't being very nice to Lauren the first time she was pregnant."
David immediately stopped laughing, his eyes flew wide and he swallowed hard, knowing that Urs was referring to the fact Franky had planned to hire an Empathy Belly for him to wear for a few hours if Lauren hadn't been able to make him see how much his jokes and actions had hurt.
"Erm.....Okay. I promise. No more." David shrugged at Urs then looked at Sebastien and Carlos who seemed to already know what he thought Urs had kept secret. "You know?"
"Si amigo." Carlos nodded his laughing head. "Lauren let it slip to BJ and Emma during one of their girly nights."
"The night all the girls had a little too much to drink." Sebastien informed through his laughter. "Emma told me when I picked her up. I didn't have a clue what she meant.....until I did a little research. Mon dieu! The image still haunts me. What she did to you after you laughed at Alondra is funny on its own, without adding that image, merci beaucoup."
"Yeah, yeah. Very funny Frenchie." David shook his head then joined his three friends in hysterical laughter when he remembered how Franky had paid him back for laughing at their pet the first time he'd seen her.
He hadn't meant to fall asleep on Urs and Franky's couch, but taking Apollo for a long walk with Urs, Sylvie, Frank and Alondra had exhausted him, so much so that he hadn't even taken a sip of the coffee Franky had given him when they'd got back. However, he had quickly nodded off and when he woke everyone was laughing at him, though he didn't know why until he'd gone to the bathroom and he'd got the shock of his life following a look in the mirror. Franky had applied make-up to his face, complete with a lurid coloured eye-shadow, mascara, bright lipstick, way too much blusher, long false eyelashes and a long, blond wig. How she'd managed to do all that without disturbing him, he didn't know, but he'd ripped the wig off before going back downstairs and he'd scowled at her.
"Hey! I did warn you she would think of a way to pay you back David." Urs had growled, catching the hard look he gave her.
"Yeah, I know. Sorry Franky." He'd smiled. "Where's the make-up remover? I couldn't find any in the bathroom."
"In the kitchen." A giggling Franky had informed, nodding her head in the right direction.
He'd flown in there and quickly set to work removing the make-up, surprised that it had been so thickly applied. It had taken him ages to rid his skin of the stuff and he'd used at least half of the cotton wool pleat Franky had supplied by the time he'd finished. That job done, he'd gone to remove the false eyelashes, wincing and hissing as he pulled the very end of the one on his left eye. Remembering seeing Lauren do it a couple of times, he pinched the tip again and pulled in a fluid motion rather than the short, sharp tugs he'd used before. The right one had been removed in much the same fashion, then he'd thrown everything in the bin and returned to the lounge to find Urs still laughing hysterically, holding his stomach with one hand, indicating David's chest with the other. He'd immediately looked down and quickly burst the two balloons he hadn't noticed had been placed there. He'd joined Urs on the couch, the two of them laughing over the way Franky had paid him back. He'd drank the coffee, despite the fact it was cold then headed to Franky's office to say goodbye before leaving.
On arriving home, he found Lauren in a fit of hysterics, looking at her laptop screen and taking several minutes to compose herself enough to speak.
"Oh my God! I warned you didn't I?" She'd asked, indicating the screen.
Unsure what Lauren was referring to, David had moved to stand behind her and gulped when he saw the images Franky had sent to Lauren in an email entitled 'Told You I'd Get Him :-)'. Four pictures of him sleeping on the couch, fully made up that Lauren downloaded and added to the collection on her laptop while he'd laughed and shook his head. Two days later, he'd listened to Sebastien and Carlos crack up laughing once Urs had told them how Franky had got her revenge. The four of them laughing until it was time to do the interview and perform a song from the recently released album.
"Anyway, how is she this morning?"
"A little better, still ill though." Urs sighed.
The event over, Urs returned home to find that Franky was still ill and made her stay in bed until she was fully recovered despite her protests.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 112 - Frozen In Fear
If there was one creature he feared, one he hated more than anything else on earth it was snakes. Yet he was standing in their hotel bedroom, looking at one, wearing nothing but the towel wrapped around his hips, trying to remember if the damned thing was poisonous or not. Thinking it probably was, due to the fact they were in Australia and trying to figure out how it had found its way ten storeys up.
Swallowing hard, he pondered the idea that maybe it had gotten into either his or Franky's luggage somehow. That would certainly be one explanation. So would someone putting it there on purpose. He tried to think of someone who would do that, came up with only one name and quickly discounted it, due to the fact she was long since dead and would still have been in prison if she wasn't.
He could feel the goosebumps on his skin, had been able to since he'd spotted the damned thing coiled up over near the door. Fear induced sweat was dripping down his forehead and he knew if he moved to quickly the snake would more than likely strike and perhaps sink its fangs into some fleshy part of his bare legs.
Slowly he turned his head towards the nightstand and let out the breath he'd been holding when he realised they would be leaving for the soundcheck in a couple of minutes. He spied his mobile and started to move his right leg back in the hope he would be able to keep moving and make it to the bed. However, the slightest movement of any limb made the foul creature hiss loudly so that hadn't been the brightest idea. There wouldn't be much point in shouting for help since Franky and Saskia had taken the children to Perth Zoo so no-one would hear him.
He could feel his legs beginning to shake, but didn't put it down to his fear. He knew that was down to a lactic acid build up in his muscles, standing with his right leg in front of his left for almost half an hour had definitely caused that. However, he wasn't sure how he was managing to breath so calmly, last time he'd been this scared he'd hyper-ventilated and passed out.
That had been when Lars had locked him in a very small, very dark cupboard at the age of twelve. He'd come round to find his maternal grandmother having more than a few stern words to say to his older brother, reminding him how he would hide under a table during a thunderstorm, no member of the family laughing at him, instead sitting close by trying to reassure him that he wouldn't be hurt.
Hearing noises from the other side of the door, Urs snatched his head up and immediately heard the snake hiss. Other than the fact they were male voices, he couldn't make out exactly who was speaking until one of them reached the door and pushed down on the handle.
"No!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "Carlos.......For Gott's sake don't open the door."
"Why? Aren't you being dressed yet? I have seen what you have many times Urs, there's no need to be embarrassed." Carlos replied, sniggering a little and letting go of the handle.
"Not funny." Urs shook his head. "I'm not bloody embarrassed, I've got better than you. I'm just......possibly in a life or death situation here."
"Someone is in there with you? Threatening you?"
"Nein. There's a bloody big snake in front of the door. Every time I move, the Gott-damned things hisses."
"What type of snake?" David's voice queried, once he'd sushed Carlos and Sebastien who'd been ranting over each other in their native tongues.
"No idea."
"How big is it?"
"Hard to say exactly. About three metres probably."
"Colour."
"Dark brown." Urs replied to David's question, laughing a little. "I thought you'd pulled one of your pranks when I first saw it."
"Oh come on, that fake snake gag went out of my repetoire a couple of years ago. Anyway, I'll go and get you some help."
"That would be the best idea you've had in the last five minutes."
He heard David grumble something then listened to him explaining the situation. That call finished he made another, informed their tour manager they were going to be late for the soundcheck and explained once more, telling Neil he had everything in hand and there was no need for him to come up just before he disconnected.
"Do you want the bad news or the really bad news?"
"How about neither?" Urs replied, inching his right leg back, unable to bear the pain any longer.
"Hmmn. Maybe it is better that you don't know what may be in there with you."
"Like what David?"
"Erm.......possibly a taipan. One of the most venomous in Australia according to the hotel's concierge. She says you're to keep as still as you possibly can while she calls someone to deal with it."
"What do you think I've been doing for the last thirty minutes!" Urs snapped, knowing his eyes were wide having been told what kind of snake lay in front of him. "Was that the really bad news?"
"No."
"What was then?"
"Erm..........."
"David!"
"Okay. Okay. She said it might take whoever she calls a while to get here. An hour maybe even two. The most important thing is that you keep still."
"That isn't going to be easy in a few minutes."
"Why?"
"Hello. What's the room beyond the bedroom?"
"The en-suite.......Oh you mean you're beginning to need the bathroom? You not got a bottle handy?"
"A bottle is going to do me no good at all........even if I did have one."
"Okay." David sniggered. "Gotcha. Erm......Nothing in there you could use to fend the snake off."
"No." Urs shook his head after taking a quick look around and seeing nothing that he could utilise to keep the snake at bay.
He didn't even want to try that anyway, not unless he absolutely had to. Yes he was in need of the bathroom though not absolutely desperate for it that he would take that risk.
"Seb's awfully quiet. Is he all right?"
"He's fine Urs." Carlos replied with a slight waiver to his voice. "He's gone to call Franky."
"What for? I'm all right. Scared shitless.........well not quite........Oh you know what I mean." Urs laughed feeling slightly embarrassed, his brow furrowing and swallowing hard when nothing but silence answered him. "You mean......just in case the worst happens don't you?"
"Yeah. You won't want our ugly mugs to be the last thing you see will you?"
"Nein." Urs gasped, finally realising how desperate a situation he was in if the snake was what they thought it was. "Ambulance been called then?"
"Asked them to, but they won't be able to do anything until the snake's gone."
"We could be doing with that man who likes the snakes in the hotel no?" Carlos queried, lightening the mood for a few seconds. "The Steve Austin."
"Austin Stevens you idiot." David laughed the correction and Urs shook his head. "Yeah. We could. You still think he's crazy Urs?"
"I wouldn't if he was stood between me and this thing right now." Urs replied recalling the time the four of them had decided to watch a nature programme one night and with it being David's turn to choose the rest of them had had to sit through a documentary about highly poisonous snakes.
David expressing how cool he thought the famous South-African was, having the nerve to handle them. Himself saying that the man must have some sort of death wish. Carlos saying nothing they could understand, staring at the screen in amazement and Sebastien doing much the same whilst mopping his brow.
He was beginning to wish he'd paid a little more attention than he had and that he'd memorised the information sheets they'd been given when they'd first visited those countries that had poisonous snakes. He could only remember them saying that snakes were usually found well away from cities, but there were a few occasions of them finding their way into cities and their buildings.
"Hey! Here's an idea. Can you make it to the connecting door and get out that way?"
"Not a chance David. I would have to walk around the bottom of the bed to get to it which would put me closer to the snake and, like I told you, the damned thing hisses with the slightest of movements."
"Sorry. Just thinking and speaking off the top my head, not thinking of the consequences."
"Nothing unusual there then."
"Not funny. I'm only trying to help." David replied, sounding hurt.
"I know and I do appreciate everything you're doing. Glad your on the other side of the door."
"Only 'cos it's stopping you freaking out."
Urs didn't make a reply to that comment, he couldn't because his mouth had gone very dry as soon as the snake had started to move closer to him. He'd barely taken his eyes off it throughout the conversation with David and Carlos. Now there he was, sweating worse than he did on stage, shaking, somehow managing to stay where he was, watching the snake move towards him.
"Urs? You Okay in there?"
"Not really. It's moving now.......towards me."
"Shit!"
"Meirda!"
"How far away is it now?"
"Just over a metre and getting closer by the second." Urs informed, his eyes closing when he heard how whiny he sounded. "Damn! I hate these things. Why is it moving?"
"Probably looking for somewhere a little darker to hide out or maybe it's hungry and sensed something moving. Where is it now?"
"Slithering over my feet. Oh shit! Shit! Shit!" Urs replied, hearing the phone ring in the lounge and listening to David answer.
Still watching the snake move itself across him and wishing it would do so a lot quicker than it was, Urs listened to what was happening beyond the door. He could hear David passing on everything he'd told him, ahhing and umming a couple of times and saying that he understood before he hung up.
"Hey bud! That was the snake man. He's on his way up. Wants you to watch where the snake heads for. He thinks it might be making for the bathroom."
"Okay. I think I can do that. Not that I have much choice." Urs nodded, feeling the tail end of the snake drop off his feet and turning his head to watch where it was heading.
His eyes widened when he saw that it was indeed making for the bathroom, constantly flicking its tongue, searching for something. Feeling a little braver now that it was further away from him than it had been when it was near the other door, he ran towards the lounge door, threw it open and slammed it shut once he was across the threshold.
Standing with his back against the piece of wood, eyes closed and breathing rapidly he took a few minutes to calm himself down. His eyes flying wide after a couple of breaths when he felt something being wrapped around his lower half and saw a smirking Carlos nod to the bottom of the door.
"Thanks." He nodded, securing the throw a little tighter once he spotted the end of the towel he'd been wearing poking through the bottom.
"Better have this." David smiled, handing him a very large Brandy.
"No. I'm okay now." Urs shook his head and moved to sit on the couch due to the fact he still felt very shaky.
He spent a few moments with his face covered by his hands, breathing deep and trying to relax his body. He only uncovered his face when a knock came at the door and watched David move to answer it, revealing the man they were expecting. All three men watching him stride confidently towards the bedroom, armed with nothing more than a lidded bucket and a long stick with a hook at the end once he'd been told where the snake was. He'd barely closed the door when Franky and Sebastien came back into the room, Franky moving to squat in front of him, their arms flying around each other.
"God I was so worried." Franky sniffed following a long embrace.
"You didn't have to come back."
"I was on my way back anyway. Jordi forgot to take his antihistamines before we left. Didn't want him sneezing through the whole visit."
Urs nodded then shook his head, knowing that Jordi hated taking pills to deal with his hayfever and would try to avoid doing so, saying that he had taken it whenever Franky asked. He giggled, wondering how on earth Jordi thought he would ever get away with that one. He hadn't even had to sneeze for Franky to know he was lying, his eyes always flying to the left and his face flushing red each time he did. Then he remembered that Franky always kept those pills in her toiletry bag and quickly shook away the images of the snake biting her.
"Where are the children?" He asked, swallowing hard.
"Downstairs. In the manager's office with Saskia. I wasn't about to bring them back up here was I?"
"No. Seeing you scared would have been more than enough for them." Urs smiled then looked around the room to see where his bandmates were.
He soon spotted David and Carlos over near the minibar, knocking back a drink each. Sebastien, however, still stood near the entrance, his eyes wide, shaking a little, completely focused on the bedroom door. Knowing that Sebastien's fear of snakes was much worse than his own, Urs stood, walked over to him and gently guided him into a seat.
He spotted the Brandy glass on the coffee table, picked it up, placed in the French man's shaky hands then patted him on the face, distracting him and nodding towards the glass. He smiled and gave Sebastien's shoulder a reassuring squeeze once he'd swallowed the alcohol in two large swallows.
"Thanks. I needed that." Sebastien sighed just as the bedroom door opened and the snake man stepped out.
"Got yourself a tiapan all right. A pregnant one at that." He informed holding up the bucket. "Found her in the towel hamper, already laid a couple of eggs."
"Just get it out of here please." Urs nodded, indicating the door.
"Not interested in how I think it might have got in your room?"
"No. I'd just like it gone as quickly as possible." Urs shook his head. "Neither of us are particularly........erm fond of snakes. So if you wouldn't mind.". He smiled and nodded towards the door. "Thanks for coming so quickly."
"No worries." The man smiled and shook his head as he strode towards the door. "At least none of you were screaming like little girls, unlike the last fella I saved from one of these. I'll tell ya, it didn't smell very nice in that room when I arrived. All that fuss from someone who acts so big and tough on and off screen."
Not really caring who the man was referring to, Urs watched him leave then asked Carlos, David and Sebastien to leave so that he could get dressed, promising to be quick. He then turned his attention to Franky and told her to do the same once he'd kissed her and thanked her for the support she'd given him, knowing she'd been scared herself. He watched her go, her eyes telling him how proud she was of him, then closed the door and got ready for the soundcheck.
He got back to the hotel well before Franky's return and listened to the still excited children tell him what they'd seen once they arrived.
"The lions were great." Jordi nodded in agreement with his two elder brothers. "But the thing I liked best was the snakes, especially when they fed that taipan." He finished, launching his hand at lightening speed towards Serena's arm, making her yelp.
"Jordi! That's enough."
"Sorry Mami. Something wrong Papi. You look pale."
"No, I'm fine." Urs fibbed, smiling and shaking his head. "Honest." He added when all of his children looked at him doubtfully and a smiling Franky shook her head.
During the concert later that night, Urs looked down and spotted the snakeman sitting at the end of the second row, holding hands with another man, the two of them completely engrossed in what they were listening to, both of them focused on an oblivious David. Urs's eyes widened briefly, knowing that Il Divo had a few gay fans, male and female, and had since the very beginning. Each of them perfectly comfortable with that fact and appreciating their support as much as they did the straight ones .
Turn the page.
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