In The Arms Of My Angel

Chapter 134 - Supported, Never Pushed
"You really don't think so, Pa?" Urs heard Frank questioning as they walked away from the refreshments counter with drinks and snacks for the rest of the family.
"Nein, I don't. Just because you're born into a family that has enough money to live comfortably, that doesn't mean you're going to grow up to be rude and obnoxious. Just look in the mirror if you don't believe me, Frank. The reverse is also true, I'm not rude am I? Despite how hard Grandmami and Grandpapi struggled to put food on the table sometimes? You know so many of Mami's friend from the poorer side of town, they're not rude just because they don't have much....are they?"
"No, Papi. No they're not. I'm sorry, I don't know how you deal with it sometimes though. I mean just because that woman's paid for the best coach money can buy to teach her granddaughter to skate, it doesn't mean she's going to win. As if Seri's going to give up just because she's a couple of points behind. Stupid co.......Urgh!"
Urs patted Frank on the back as he pushed open the door that gave access to the ice arena, feeling proud that he hadn't let the woman's attitude wind him to such a point that he would turn round and give her what for. He knew Frank found it the hardest to ignore people like her and walk away but he tried, not really losing his temper unless they kept pressing him. Then either himself, Franky or Saskia would have to step in and calm him down despite his loud protestations. Urs took one last look at the woman who had riled his son up a few moments ago then followed him back down to where Saskia was sat with the other three children, quickly noticing that almost everyone was on their feet looking towards the 'kiss and cry' area with concerned looks on their faces.
"Something wrong, Sas?" He asked craning his neck to see what was happening and not being able to see much other than Franky with her right arm around Serena's shoulders, just like a few other competitors and their coaches.
"Yes, Denise collapsed just after the break was announced. Paramedics turned up a few seconds ago."
Urs remained standing, still craning his neck as he handed the snacks out and saw a stretcher being wheeled out of the area, Denise strapped to it and looking very pale. Once she was out of sight, everyone sat down and quietly questioned each other what could have happened to the current leader of the competition. He'd heard Saskia commenting that she looked pale during compulsaries and the short programme, that she didn't look as healthy as the rest of the competitors and questioning how she could be in the lead when she looked tired and undernourished. He'd heard a loud gasp when Denise had skated off the ice looking completely exhausted and had turned his head over his shoulder to see who'd made the sound, revealing a woman watching her, the fingers of her right hand at her mouth and tears glistening in her eyes and the woman who'd made the comment about Serena telling her to sit down and stop fretting, sure she was just putting on an act. A second look told him that the younger woman had disappeared and the older one standing there looking totally bemused as to what was happening. She didn't have to wait long for an answer and was soon storming out of the doors again once one of the referees announced that Denise Atcham had withdrawn from the competition. Urs, Saskia and the children all looking at each other once he'd finished, knowing that Serena was now in first place with just the freedance left to perform and she would be first to take to the ice.
Knowing that the freedance would begin any minute, Urs looked to where Serena and Franky were and saw that Serena was nodding while drying her eyes. Though he didn't have a clue what Franky had said to her, he knew she was trying to get her to calm down, especially since she got very nervous at this stage. A fact that was born out a few moments later as he watched roll her shoulders backwards, flex her neck from side to side and breath deep as she paced back and forth in the area, a tracksuit covering whatever her costume was.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Urs kept his eyes on her as he listened to Lauren announcing what song Serena was going to perform to and smiled when he saw that she was wearing a red, white and blue cheerleaders outfit as she launched herself onto the ice just like her mother and skated to the centre of the rink, taking hold of the two small pompoms she had secured to her wrists as assumed her starting position. She closed her eyes, took one final, long, deep breath then nodded that she was ready to begin. The next thing everyone heard over the sound system was Toni Basil's version of 'Hey Mickey' and almost the entire audience was clapping along as she moved around the ice. Serena smiling broader and broader the further she got into the routine and finishing in the side splits, her elbows on the ice and her smiling face cupped in her hands. Graciously accepting the audience's applause with a courtesy once she was upright and quickly heading off the ice and into Franky's welcoming arms. The two quickly taking a seat and waiting nervously for the score from the five judges. Their eyes widening in disbelief when they flashed up on the screen, giving her total of thirty-two out of a possible thirty-five, leaving the next skater with a lot of work to do. To beat her score, she would have to skate a perfect routine. In Urs's eyes he didn't see that happening but remembered Franky's words from the first time Serena had competed.
"Some skaters perform the freedance better than anything else, honey. You never know how well they're going to do until the day."
"Papi, sit back." He heard Ciara's voice instructing and felt her grab his arm as he turned to face her. "Do you have any idea how inter.....intimad......scary you look when you're perched on the edge of your seat and looking so serious like you are?"
"Sorry," Urs replied and quickly eased himself backwards, not surprised that Ciara would pull him up about the way he'd been watching the next competitor especially if Franky wasn't around.
Hearing giggling coming from his right side, he turned his head then shook it when he saw that Frank and Kurt had fallen into a fit of the giggles, knowing that they both found it very amusing to see their little sister step into Franky's shoes. The two of them whispering that they could hardly wait to tell their mother that Ciara had called him out again, they knew she would find it rather funny as well. Urs grunted a laugh, made himself a little more comfortable and placed his arm across the back of Ciara's seat to enjoy the rest of the competition, listening to songs old and relatively new, fast and slow, some he knew and others he didn't, watching a few skaters stubble and couple crash to the ice but only one of those having to be helped off the ice and doing so very reluctantly. It seemed to take forever for the final skaters scores to be announced and a look at the scoreboard told everyone she didn't stand a chance of winning, still she smiled as she left the ice, happy that she'd got through her first contest without any major mishaps and waving enthusiastically to her parents as she passed them.
"Hmmn. A shame the winner is too young at the minute, maybe in four years time. She shows promise and will probably surpass her mother and grandmother if she sticks to the sport." Urs heard behind and whipped his head round to see who'd said it, seeing nothing but questioning looks until he turned it around the other way and then only seeing a solitary woman heading up the stairs, taking one last look back to the ice before she disappeared through the doors.
Unable to imagine what the woman was on about, Urs turned his head forward and stood to allow Ciara to get past him, Frank and Kurt following suit and watching her head down to the hoarding, camera in hand and ready to go as the presentation podium was pulled out. Everyone clapped politely as third and second place medals and certificates were handed over, but the loudest cheer was reserved Serena who blushed bright red as she stepped on to the podium. Her head turning to find her family and her face turning even redder when she saw them standing and clapping enthusiastically.
A few moments later she disappeared backstage and that was where Urs found her and Franky accepting congratulatory hugs and kisses from some of the other competitors, Franky beaming with pride as Urs reached them and gave his congratulations to Serena, hugging her a little tighter than he intended to.
"What happened to Denise, Mami?" Jordi piped up up once he'd hugged his sister and kissed her cheek.
"Nothing to worry about. She fainted from exhaustion. From what I heard, her grandmother brought her here very early this morning to practice her freedance routine one last time and wouldn't let her eat anything but a couple of rice cakes before the competition. She came round just before she was wheeled away and told her mother she really doesn't want to skate anymore, not competition wise anyway. Carla seemed fine with that but Carla's mother is whole different ball game. She was absolutely fuming when she heard."
"As long as she's going to be all right, that's all I care about really." Serena sighed, the smile dropping from her face.
"She'll be fine after some rest and a few decent meals inside her. Now you go sort yourself out, you still have some packing to do young lady." Franky instructed, gently patting Serena's face once she'd wiped her tears away.
Serena nodded and quickly set about changing her skates for the trainers she'd arrived in. A few moments later the entire Buhler family began to make their way out to the Odyssey. They'd just got through the door when they heard the screech of tyres and stopped in their tracks as a BMW pulled to a sudden stop at the door. They started to walk again once the driver had left the vehicle, the man looking absolutely furious and shouting at the woman who Urs now recognised as Denise's grandmother. Every single one of his words audible, even from twenty-five feet away.
"THAT'S IT HANNAH! THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU USE MY MONEY TO PUSH DENISE INTO SOMETHING SHE'S NEVER WANTED TO DO. I'M SICK OF YOU TRYING TO LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH OUR GRAND-DAUGHTER. SO WHAT IF SERENA HARTFORD BEAT YOU EACH AND EVERY TIME YOU WERE IN COMPETITION WITH HER? YOU SHOULD BE PROUD YOU ONLY EVER LOST TO HER BY THREE POINTS AT MOST. IT'S NOT HER FAULT YOU QUIT AFTER SHE BEAT YOU A SEVENTH TIME. THAT DECISION WAS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. YOUR PARENTS NEVER PUSHED YOU TO CONTINUE. NOW GET IN THE FUCKING CAR AND LET'S GET TO THE HOSPITAL AND GO SEE HOW DENISE IS DOING. YOU'D BETTER PRAY SHE'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT AND I WON'T BLAME CARLA IF SHE NEVER LETS YOU NEAR HER AGAIN!..........DON'T JUST STAND THERE STARING AT ME LIKE I'VE GONE MENTAL WOMAN! I REALLY HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU AND.........URGH! GIVE ME STRENGH!!!!!"
"What does vivar......vicaris......that funny word mean Papi?" Jordi asked, strapping himself into his seat as the BMW screetched away.
"It means in substitution for. In other words, Denise's grandmother was never happy that she couldn't beat your Grandmami and pushed Denise into following in her footsteps. Very hard it soundS like. Probably hoping that she would be more successful than she ever was, not caring that it wasn't what Denise wanted to do. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Papi. In other words the complete opposite of Mami's reaction the first time Serena said she wanted to compete and asking Mami to coach her. Mami muttering to herself that she didn't think she would be able to get Seri as good as she is."
"Ja, something like that. You're so smart." Urs replied, closing the door and looking at Franky as he slipped into the driver's seat, knowing how unsure she'd been about being able to teach Serena enough to get her to competition standard. "Woman! You do get some knuckleheaded ideas at times." He informed, leaning over the space that seperated them and giving her a quick, but hard kiss on the lips.
"Paaaaaaaaaapi! Gross!" Five voices complained from the rear of the vehicle, making Urs, Franky and Saskia crack up laughing as Urs started the engine and manouvered the vehicle out of the packed car park to head for home.
Turn the page
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Wow what a horrible thing to do to a grandchild try to make her better in everything just cause the grandmother couldn't handle her own failure..

Urs did the right thing not letting Frank get into it with the woman..


I know he is proud of Seri...


More JJ

Laura

Chapter 134 - Una Bella Famiglia
"Urs Buhler, sometimes you are positively....evil!" He heard Franky stating as they and the children started to walk to Syvlie's new home on the Piazzetta Nilo.
"Why? Because Frank made me laugh when he came out of his room?"
"Yes. It's not his fault he's a little shy around strangers, particularly girls and those six that crowded around him last night were a......lot less shy. It's no wonder he came out of his room wearing a baseball cap pulled down over his sunglasses. And I remember seeing pictures of you looking like that when Il Divo first started. It's bad enough Kurt teased him, he didn't need you adding to it by laughing at him. Now go and apologise before I physically kick your butt."
"Funny! I thought you just had." Urs replied with a smile, feeling Franky's arm fly to his shoulder and the quick shove she gave him. "I'm going. I'm going." He laughed, holding both hands up in surrender and quickening his pace to catch up with Frank, who was walking several yards in front of his parents and two youngest siblings. "Kurt! Stop teasing your brother. Go and walk with Mami for a while."
"Why?"
"Because I said so that's why. I want to talk to Frank in private." Urs snapped, using a rare angry tone and watching Kurt head back to Franky. "I'm sorry about this morning Frank. For laughing at you. I shouldn't have done that, especially since I used to disguise myself the same way all those years ago."
"Huh?! Oh, it's all right, Pa. I'm not too worried about that, I'm more worried about that guy Carina's seeing. I don't like him one bit."
"Aiden?"
"Uh-huh! The guy's a.........he's no good, only after one thing. Says if she doesn't give 'it' up soon, he's gonna get her drunk and just........You know?"
"I know. Is that a rumour or...."
"Oh no. I heard him with my own two ears, told Carina too. That's why she wouldn't talk to me the other day. Thinks I'm jealous 'cos she has boyfriend and I don't have girlfriend. Pfft!"
"I understand. I know how much you care about her. You just have to let her make her own mistakes. You know Uncle Carlos doesn't like him one bit......don't you?"
"Yep! It's impossible not to notice, no matter how hard he tries to......Hang on." Frank asked, reaching into his jeans pocket, retrieving his mobile and reading his message. "Hah! Good riddance too." He smiled, beginning to pick up his pace and ignoring his siblings's loud protest to slow down. "That message was from Cazz, she's dumped Aiden and apologised for what she said to me. Uncle Carlos is a lot happier this morning."
"Oh good." Urs nodded, knowing that the Spaniard's worries over Carina and Aiden were stopping him from focusing on the new album as he watched Frank remove the baseball cap and sunglasses.
He couldn't blame him and didn't know how he was restraining himself from dealing with young man himself. He pondered the question for a moment and wondered if he was following his example, especially since Sylvie had got herself involved with a similar type of boy. Of course he'd wanted to go and punch his lights out and probably would have if Sylvie hadn't been able to deal with him herself. He'd still wanted to punch the living crap out of the boy six weeks later, when he and Sylvie had been out buying Kurt some new clothes. The boy and his new girlfriend following them around, the girl talking to Sylvie at one point, telling her that she didn't know what she was missing out on by refusing to sleep with her ex. Fifteen year old Sylvie just smiling and shaking her head as she turned and walked away.
Happy to see Frank smiling again, Urs gave him a pat on the back then turned and headed back to Franky. Kurt gave him an apologetic look then ran to catch up with his brother, their pace slowing to match the rest of the family and falling into chatting about something.
"Well for once in your life you were wrong Frau Buhler. It wasn't those girls that were bothering him." Urs informed, wrapping his arm around Franky's waist and hearing her tut as he pulled her close. "You knew that didn't you?"
"Of course I did. I sorted that out while you were down in the pool with Ciara and Serena. I knew there was something else bothering him but.....up comes that brick wall. I don't know why he does that."
"Because he still hates to see you cry and he knows when you're upset. Maybe he finds it easier to talk to me because he doesn't want to make you worry too."
"Hmmn. Maybe."
"What did you say to him last night anyway?"
"He asked me how he can tell if a girl is truly attracted to him or is just out for what she can get? I told him to smile and watch her face. If she's truly attracted, she'll return the smile rather smirk and give a satisfied nod. And he says 'Like Papi does with you?'"
"Finally he gets it."
"Well if you hadn't been so convoluted about the way you went about explaining, then maybe he would have got it sooner." Franky teased, placing a quick kiss on Urs's cheek. "You know straight and to the point works best with Frank. Not the all around the houses job you made of it when you tried to explain how he'll know if a girl wants to get to know him better for the kind of person he is rather than what he has. It took me less than two minutes to make him understand what you couldn't in ten. Yes, Jordi." Franky asked, suddenly switching her attention to him.
"You still haven't told me what that lady and mister said as we walked passed them?"
"Oh I'm sorry, Jordi. I don't know. I don't speak Italian, perhaps Papi might know."
"Che una bella famiglia." Jordi informed as Urs looked at him questioningly.
"They said 'What a beautiful family.'" Urs translated and watched Jordi's face turn to one of uncertainty.
"You're sure Papi?"
"Ja, I'm sure. Why do you ask?"
"Well I know you sing in Italian sometimes, but you don't speak it fluently do you?"
"No I don't, but I've heard it lots of times."
"Oh!"
"You know what I can't figure out Frank?" Kurt's voice cut through the conversation Urs was having with Jordi, making Urs turn his head in that direction and listen a little harder.
"What?" Frank asked with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.
"Why Mami and Papi like 'hibernating' so much. I mean I can understand them hibernating in bed, warm and cosy under the covers, but in the shower? That's what I don't get."
"Erm......." Frank faultered, glanced over his shoulder and quickly moved his mouth to his brother's ear to whisper.
"Really? Don't you think they're too old for that? I mean it's not like Mami wants anymore babies." Kurt asked, straight-faced and serious.
"Yeah, I do think they're too old! But there isn't much we can do about it is there? I mean it's not like we're old enough to move out. I've found the best solution is to put my earphones on and turn the volume up, don't hear a thing then."
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Kurt asked, tutting loudly and flicking his head.
Giggling, Urs and Franky looked at each other, both with red faces. The two of them knowing that 'hibernating' had become the codeword they used for when they wanted some private time together. In fact they'd 'hibernated' twice before flying out to Naples and once again on their arrival. They hadn't thought any of the children had heard anything, there'd been no indication at breakfast, no coughing as they entered the kitchen, no lowered heads or silly giggles from the older three who now knew all about the birds and the bees and how babies ended up in the mother's stomach.
Though he had been expecting to feel very uncomfortable talking to Frank and Kurt about that topic, the conversation had gone much better than Urs had assumed it would and the boys felt comfortable enough to come to him with questions that he answered matter-of-factly, just the way he had explained what happens during sex. He knew Franky had had a similiar conversation with Serena and she was just as comfortable talking to her mother. They both thanked God for that little booklet they'd found that explained how to deal with that particular subject and knew that it was safely tucked away, waiting for them to refer to if needed for Ciara and Jordi.
Urs looked at Franky again and noticed that she was still blushing about Frank and Kurt's conversation. She didn't need to say a word to him for him to know that she was thinking of 'hibernating' again, the sparkle in her eyes and the smile she wore were more than enough to let him know that.
"Don't you wish they could be spirited away for a short while sometimes? So that we could spend a lot longer 'hibernating'." He asked, whispering in her ear and making her shudder.
"Sometimes." Franky nodded in reply, her arm finally finding its way around his waist the two of them watching Serena and Ciara skipping ahead of them and seeing Kurt wave to a girl on the opposite side of the road who returned the wave until her father grabbed her hand and gently pulled her away, telling Maria that she was too young to be interested in boys at the moment.
"Hey! You'd better stop that." Frank teased.
"Why?" Kurt replied.
"'Cos I know a couple of girls back home who'd be jealous." Frank sing-songed then grinned at his brother. "Though I can't see what they see in you."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Geeze, Kurt. Nothing's wrong with you. J.O.K.I.N.G! Dummyhead!"
"You know some girls who fancy me?"
"Oh yeah. They don't stop asking me about you? Some of their questions are very embarrassing."
"Like who? How many?"
"I ain't telling ya, 'cos if I did your head would swell and you'd never get it through Sylvie's door."
"Oh hardy ha, ha. You are still soooooo not funny Francis Toni Buhler." Kurt rolled his eyes and shook his head as they turned left onto the street where Sylvie lived.
It didn't take them long to find the place and they all stood together, waiting for the door to be opened. A short, greying woman threw the piece of wood back and enthusiastically asked them to enter, saying 'Benvenuto' several times until a much taller man appeared behind her and spoke.
"Zia Fina, abbastanza. Sylvie ha spiegato che gli piaceva di essere trattati come persone normali. Basta con l'emozione."
"Lo so Fino, ma non è ogni giorno ho una superstar a livello mondiale in casa mia, per non parlare della sua bella famiglia."
"Argh!" The man growled playfully, shaking his head before he turned it to face the visitors and introduced himself as Fino Baracolo and the woman as his aunt, Fina. "I am sorry, my aunt has been like this since found out who's daughter Sylvie is and even more so since Sylvie said you would be coming to visit her before tonight's performance. She has been cleaning and cooking like demon since she heard."
"We don't expect to be fed." Urs stated, looking from the man to the woman and back again, trying to figure out the age difference and not seeing much of one, in fact they looked about the same age, both in their late thirties at the most.
"Ahhhh! I see Sylvie did not explain. My aunt is one of fifteen children, the youngest in fact. I am the eldest child of her eldest brother. I was born when she was six months old. Television was not permitted in grandfather's home."
"Oh, I see." Franky replied with a giggle as Fina stepped forward to kiss everyone's cheeks.
Frank, Kurt and Jordi blushing at the traditional greeting and hearing 'Quali bei ragazzi' as Fina pulled back, all of them knowing exactly what she'd said, having heard it several times over the past twenty-four hours and thanking her in her native tongue for the compliment.
"E così belle, belle signore giovani." Fina smiled after greeting Serena and Ciara in the same way, her head nodding when they also thanked her in Italian. "Come. We go find Sylvie now."
Urs and Franky nodded and followed Fina through the bed and breakfast to the conservatory, listening to Kurt and Frank as they chatted behind them.
"I thought our family was big." Kurt stated then blew out a long breath.
"Probably would be.......if we didn't have a television." Frank quipped.
Smirking, Urs and Franky looked at each other again, the two of them knowing that they rarely watched television and that it didn't really do anything to stop them from 'hibernating'. Seeing the hint of a tear in Franky's eyes and knowing where and when she'd gone back to, Urs quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"Don't angel. Please don't." He asked quietly.
"I'm sorry." Franky sniffed then coughed and took a couple of deep breaths to compose herself until she felt two hands touching her arm.
"We're sorry." Kurt informed sighing heavily.
"We didn't engage our brains before our mouths." Frank continued, swallowing hard the way he always did when he saw that he'd upset his parents.
"It's all right. You're both young and still have a lot to learn. Look at me, I'm nearly fifty and still make that mistake once in blue moon." Urs replied, returning the smile Franky gave him.
The boys nodded, returned Franky's smile and gave her a quick hug and continued to walk through the house. They found Sylvie in the conservatory but got a huge shock when they saw her standing at the window with a baby in her arms, singing the song Urs had sung to Frank in the NICU. The baby gurgling happy in her arms.
"She will make a wonderful mother one day." Fino informed quietly. "My sister was amazed that she offered to watch over him, he's been ill."
"Oh your nephew?" Urs asked, blowing out a long relieved breath, hearing Franky giggle as he did so.
"Si. Vitale. His parents are at church, arranging his baptism. For some reason he cries whenever I hold him, not so with Sylvie. He barely murmurs. She, my sister and my all say I do nothing wrong.........but still he screams. A ladies man already I think. I will leave you to it.......and go help my aunt prepare lunch."
"Like I said, we don't expect to be fed."
"Papi, you don't wish to insult Senora Garofolo do you?" Sylvie asked, pulling back from hugging Franky tight.
"No."
"Then don't refuse her hospitality. She's not treating you any different to any other parent that's visited their child here. She just wishes it was Uncle Carlos."
"Very funny." Urs replied, seeing Sylvie's teasing smile as he moved to give her a hug. "What is she really?" He asked quietly, her slender frame still in his arms.
"What do you think?"
Beaming a huge smile, Urs looked at Franky and watched her shake her head as the family moved to sit near where Sylvie had been holding Vitale, the little boy now fast asleep and snoring softly in his pram, a quick smile crossing his face. They quickly settled down to catching up with each other and Urs wasn't that surprised when Sylvie refused to say which Mozart pieces she would be playing later.
Senora Garofalo and Fino appeared a few moments later with plates laden with food, everything from seafood dishes, paninis, salads and her speciality for dessert. Everyone bar Jordi loving the Baba because he didn't like the taste of alchohol much. Jordi agreeing to eat half the huge slice Senora Garofalo had originally cut for him and rolling his eyes when Frank took the rest. Over coffee, Vitale's parents returned and thanked Sylvie once introductions had been made, making her blush by informing what a wonderful, kind and helpful young woman Urs and Franky had raised before they left.
Two hours later the Buhler family left and headed back to the hotel after thanking Senora Garofolo for her hospitality, the smiling woman blushing when Urs kissed the back of her hand and thanked her for taking such good care of Sylvie. The blush becoming deeper much deeper when Franky asked Fino to translate for her and telling Fina that what they'd just eaten was superb and that she'd didn't think the Buhlers would be eating much for the rest of the day. A fact that was proved correct later than evening. Still quite full from lunch, everyone decided not to have dinner before Sylvie's performance, perhaps afterwards.
Four Armani clad males and three females wearing emerald green, lilac and peach dresses sat in the audience of a small theatre in Naples later that night, listening to Sylvie play a selection of Mozart, the audience gasping when she walked on stage wearing the most beautiful dress Urs and Franky had ever seen her in. Plain pink material supporting her breasts attached to multi-coloured sparkly material that criss-crossed over her back and was cut away at the sides before falling into a full length skirt. The simple diamond ear-rings and necklace her natural maternal Grandmother had given her when she turned twenty-one making her look even more stunning.
Sylvie performed flawlessly for almost two hours and left the stage with several bunches of flowers in her arms, wiping a tear from her eyes as she went. The audience having given her her very first standing ovation, yelling 'Bravo' and demanding more. She came back out, played 'Liebstraum' and Liszt's 'Hungarian Rhapsody No.2' to finish the show, once again leaving the stage with tears in her eyes and demands for more. Returning once more to courtsey an blow thank you kisses.
As they left after congratulating Sylvie on a magnificant performance, Urs noticed Frank smiling at a couple of the girls who'd tried talking to him on their arrival in Naples. Urs said nothing, but waited for Frank's reaction and smiled as he turned and walked away once he'd seen the satisfied smirks. The two girls having obviously seen the size of the diamond Frank had in his ear before turning to look at what jewellry everyone else wore. The greed evident as soon as they saw the large, but simply set emerald Franky wore around her neck and the ear-rings she'd inherited from Urs's mother sparkling in her ears. The jewellery surpassed only by the smile on Franky's beautiful face, her attention, as always entirely focused on his and her bella famiglia as they started to walk to smart little street cafe they'd passed on their way to the theatre.
"Honey, I think we should wait to 'hibernate' tonight. Until we are sure the children are asleep for once." Franky whispered in his ear once they were seated and their orders had been taken, her hand resting lightly on his thigh.
"Hmmn. I agree, but it's going to take ever ounce of self control I posses to wait that long." Urs replied, giving Franky his Cheshire Cat grin and seeing her blush.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 135 - She's Not The Only Angel
For the first time they could ever recall, Urs and Franky could feel a lot of tension in the Miller house though it didn't appear to be between the couple. They appeared to be as loving as they'd ever been if the way they looked at each other was anything to go by. They both smiled and touched, spoke calmly and sat close to each other, but something in their eyes gave the game away, making Urs and Franky look at each other again as they set their coffee mugs down on the table.
"No David! It's not all right! She had no right to talk to you like that! You have been the best step-father she could have wished for! And I'm mad as hell that you didn't stop her leaving the house with that.........that.......Urgh!"
"Lauren! What on earth is going on?" Franky asked, moving to kneel in front of her friend and passing her a tissue.
"Stephanie! I don't know what's wrong with her just lately Franky. She's become so rebellious since she met Vince. Won't do a god-damned thing I ask her to and when I heard what she said to David.......I.......I wanted to slap her."
"What? I can't even begin to imagine what she could have said to make you want to do that. David?"
"She yelled at me to shut up and mind my own business when I tried to talk to her about Vince, Franky. Said I had no right to interfere in her relationships and called me a liar when I told her I'd caught him going through Lauren's purse. She stormed out of the front door, reminding me that I'm not her real father as she went. She was in Vince's car and they were away down the drive before I could do anything about it." David informed, speaking slower than either Urs or Franky had ever heard. "Her attitude has done a complete one eighty since she started dating that piece of crap. Barely looks at her books, never mind studying, comes home at all hours of the night and dresses like some cheap ass.......well you know. She flat out refuses to listen to anyone but that.......We're all completely lost as to how to turn her around again."
"God! I'm sorry. Neither do I." Franky sighed, shaking her head in disbelief and wrapping her arms around a now crying Lauren just as the front door bell rang.
Urs immediately leapt to his feet and moved quickly to admit Sebastien, Emma, Carlos and Barbara-Jean, all of them catching the heavy sigh he emitted as he closed the door and questioning what was wrong as they shrugged their wet coats off. He quickly repeated what David had said led the doubting foursome through to the lounge where they quickly changed their attitude. Barbara-Jean and Emma immediately joining Franky in comforting Emma. The four men knowing they wouldn't be going out to dinner at 'Ramone's' as planned.
"You all go. We'll be fine." Lauren sniffed, looking around at her friends.
"Non Lauren. You know we've always gone to dinner together before we launch the album." Sebastien shook his head, moving to sit on the coffee table. "It wouldn't feel right without you and David there."
"No, it certainly wouldn't." Urs agreed, looking at David and seeing the briefest, smallest smile cross his lips as he stood and started to head for the kitchen only to be stopped by Carlos.
"Sit down, David. I will go make the coffee."
David nodded sadly, resumed his seat and gently pulled Lauren into a tight embrace once he'd wiped his eyes. It was all too obvious to everyone else in the room that Stephanie's recent behaviour and her words had cut the couple to the core. They all knew the pair could usually handle most problems themselves but this was hurdle they were finding impossible to get over. Hearing Carlos sigh heavily beside him, Urs turned to look at him and quickly noticed he didn't look quite right either. Concerned when he saw a similar confused and upset look on Barbara-Jean's face he quickly followed Carlos in the direction of Lauren's kitchen, his eyes widening when he saw the Spaniard standing at the sink, his hands gripping the countertop tight, swallowing hard, his eyes staring into the darkness of the night.
"Carlos? Is everything all right with you and Barbara-Jean?" Urs asked, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Huh? Si, si. Everything is good between us. I just........I owe Emma an apology for the way I spoke to her before we left for Madrid. It appears she was right about Mama."
"About what?"
"Oh that's right, you don't know." Carlos replied, giving Urs a weak smile then taking a deep breath. "Other than that we'd had..........words. Do you?"
"No. Franky knows there's something wrong between the two of you, can't get it out of Emma though and Seb won't say either."
"Unusually. Is she all right now?"
"Fine. Over the shock at least and it seems Paulina has had the last laugh on Cyril." Urs replied, sighing out a breath and wishing that he'd gone to Paulina's studio with Franky, then she wouldn't have walked in to find her friend dead on the office floor, an empty bottle of Vodka lying by her side nor would she have to deal with police officers again, one eying her suspiciously once she'd told what she knew. It still irked him that she'd had to go through that three times over the next couple of days, the officer concerned not being satisfied until the post mortem results had come through, revealing that Paulina had died of cirrhosis of the liver and that her blood alcohol level was way above the limit permitted for driving in England.
"How so?"
"An alcoholic she may have become, but it seems she had come to realise how badly Cyril treated her. She sold the business two days before she died, put all the money into trust for their daughter and left her jewellery to her as well. Cyril gets nothing, other than to keep the house and the small amount in her bank account. Paulina's family are very happy about that." Urs informed with a smirk and heard Carlos release a small chuckle.
"He's not going to contest the will?"
"No. Apparently not, Paulina sold the business for much less than it's worth and Cyril's been advised that it could cost him more than what she got for the business."
"How do you know that?"
"Montgomery, her brother turned up at the garage after he'd been to see Paulina's lawyer, to thank Franky for trying to help his sister see what a worthless man Paulina had kept herself hitched to for all those years."
"You don't like him do you?"
"Nein. Although I don't usually judge a person by their reputation or based on a first meeting. However, what he did at the funeral was..........Well, it was disgusting. What kind of man shows up at his wife's funeral with his mistress on his arm instead of comforting his daughter?"
"I don't know amigo." Carlos replied, closing his eyes and shaking his head.
"So, Alvaro still having problems dealing with finding your father dead?" Urs asked, knowing that Chelo's son had gone to wake his grandfather from a siesta almost two years ago only to return downstairs and tell his family he couldn't, Carlos and his mother flying upstairs to find him gone.
"No, he's doing fine, the counselling has helped a great deal. No, that's not the problem at all. Mama, on the other hand is......is.......was diagnosed with the Alzhiemers. Emma thought that's what could be wrong with her when I explained Chelo's concerns about some odd behaviour a few weeks ago. I called her stupid and snapped at her, questioning how a physio-therapist could know about such things. I completely forgot her grandfather was diagnosed with the same thing, five years after she and Seb were married and he's now so bad.......that he's in a care home. However, it appears she is right. I have spent the last few days of my holiday helping Chelo move Mama's things into her home. Chelo is sure she can manage her......for now at least and I've told her to let me know as soon as she thinks she can't. The thing that hurts most is to see her look at me and to hear her insist that I am not her son, she calls Marco by my name instead. That and the fact she tore so many photos of me to shreds before Chelo managed to get them away from her."
"Gott!" Urs shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry Carlos. I couldn't even begin to put myself in your shoes."
"It's all right. I just wish I had noticed how oddly she was behaving over the last Christmas holidays."
"Don't beat yourself up about it. I'm sure Emma understands how worried you were."
"Of course I do." Emma's voice stopped the conversation and Urs turned to see that she was walking towards where he and Carlos stood. "You could have said much worse to me Carlos." She continued, placing a hand on left shoulder and gently pushing him round to face her. "That diagnosis is extremely hard for anyone to accept and it's not like I haven't learned how.....quickly you can go off over the years. God knows I've seen and heard that temper of yours often enough to accept the reaction I got."
"Si, you have. But I am still sorry for......everything I said." Carlos nodded, pulling Emma into a tight hug and holding her there for a second or two, turning his face to return Barbara-Jean's smile when he saw her standing on the threshold of the door.
"Right. That just leaves us with David and Lauren's little problem to sort out then." Barbara-Jean continued to smile and nod her head, seeming to indicate that she understood Carlos was apologising to her as well, even though not one word had passed his lips.
Urs started to walk out of the kitchen as Barbara-Jean walked towards Carlos and Emma filled a glass with water. He paused on the threshold, glanced over his shoulder and smiled when he saw the Spaniard and the American squeezing each other's hands. He held the door open for Emma and walked with her back over to where Lauren and David still sat and still looking very sad.
"You know, I'm glad Jefferson and Reegan aren't here to see them like this?" He heard Franky stating, her voice barely above a whisper as they watched Emma gently place the glass of water in Lauren's hands before turning to look at Sebastien and telling him that Carlos had apologised for what he'd said a couple of weeks ago, the Frenchman nodding and smiling once Emma was in his arms.
"Ja, where are they?"
"Colorado. They were supposed to be back yesterday, but David called his parents to see if they could stay a little longer.......in the hope they can sort Stephanie out before they get back."
"I can't even believe she's gone..........off the rails. She was so......" Urs sighed, the sound of the frontdoor knocker stopping him short and moving quickly to answer it, his eyes flying wide when he saw a soaking wet Stephanie standing there with Brandie Ramone by her side. "Has she been drinking?" He asked, picking up the faint scent of alcohol once the pair were inside.
"I don't think so. All I know is what on the CCTV cameras in my office. She was having a huge argument with some boy outside the front of the restaurant. I don't know what about, she wouldn't say. The next thing I know he's pouring two cans of beer over her head."
"Stephanie! Oh thank God." Lauren yelled, running into the hallway and attempting to pull the shivering young woman into her arms only to be pushed away roughly. "What the hell is wrong with you just lately? You tell me now, because I have had enough."
"Yeah?! Well so have I! I'm sick of you and David pretending that you're still in love with each other. I'm not that stupid mum. Not like you."
"Stephanie Francesca Taylor-Miller, don't you dare talk to your mother like that!!!" David's rarely heard, angry yell suddenly filled the air in the hallway making everyone turn to look at him.
"Don't you call me that? I'm going back to my old name."
"What the hell for? What have I done wrong Stephanie? Please tell me."
"Oh Bravo!" Stephanie sneered, clapping slowly. "It's a good job it's not Oscars time. You and mum would win Best Actor and Best Actress hands down."
"Stephanie! What are you talking about? David and I still love each other very much."
"Sure you do. I heard you talking about divorce a few months ago and yet you still use each other for sex."
"I would never do that Steph. It hurts to hear that you think I would..........Oh crap!" David huffed out a breath, his left flying to cover his mouth as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "You heard wrong Steph. It wasn't me and your mother who we were talking about. It was Summer and Reuben we were talking about."
"They're getting divorced?"
"No, Franky." Lauren replied, shaking her head but keeping her eyes focused on a doubtful looking Stephanie. "Summer was contemplating it a few weeks ago, because Reuben was behaving oddly. She thought he was seeing someone else. Turned out he'd planned a surprise romantic getaway for the two of them. Mom said she was the quietest she'd ever heard her when Reuben stepped out of the limo and told her they were going to Fiji for a whole month."
"I can imagine. I remember her saying that's where she would love to go one day, just couldn't imagine it ever happening." Franky nodded, then turned to look at Stephanie, her arms folded across her chest. "Okay young lady. You know I don't normally interfere and I wouldn't be now if my......your parents weren't so upset. What you have said goes some way to explaining your reprehensible behaviour, but it doesn't cover it all. Does it?"
Chewing on her bottom lip and with tears beginning to well in her eyes, Stephanie looked at Franky for moment or two then around the room. She swallowed hard as she looked into the concerned eyes of nine concerned people but only allowed her tears to fall once they'd settled on her mother and father.
"No, Franky." She sighed quietly then started to sob. "I've been such an id........"
"I can't speak for everyone else Steph, but you don't owe me an explanation. The only people you owe that to is your mother and father." Franky shook her head, the fingers of her right hand pressed firmly against Stephanie's lips a smile finding its way across her own when everyone bar Lauren and David replied in the negative.
"And you can explain once you're out of those wet clothes and you've had a nice hot bath." David nodded, flicking his head towards the stairs and smiling as Stephanie nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry for spoiling your evening everyone."
"And you can tell me and your father everything over a nice mug of hot chocolate?" Lauren queried making Stephanie pause as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"With marshmallows?"
"Of course." Lauren replied, returning the smile Stephanie gave her. "Thanks sis." She continued, turning back to Franky and embracing her tightly. "Steph's not the only one who's been an idiot. I should have pushed her much harder than I did to open up. I have been way too soft with her."
"We Lauren. We've been too soft with her. All of us, my family and yours" David corrected, his arm around Lauren's shoulders as she released Franky.
"It doesn't matter. I'm just glad to see you two smiling again. And I don't want to know whatever it is that's made such a sweet girl go off the rails a little."
"I think the fact that Damien has a girlfriend might have something to do with it and she's jealous of her." David shrugged.
"Maybe. Partly anyway, David. I just get the feeling she's going to reveal something more embarrassing and her behaviour will have very little to do with Damien. Whatever it is.........I don't want to know about it."
David nodded, zipped his lips and threw away the invisible key making a silent promise that he wouldn't ever reveal whatever it was Stephanie had to tell. His usual smile returning when Urs, Carlos, Sebastien, Emma, Barbara-Jean and Brandie said they didn't want to know either, all of them having seen how red Stephanie's face had gone before she scurried off up the stairs. David keeping the biggest part of his promise for the rest of his life, the only part he revealed being that Stephanie had ended her relationship with Nairn and was back on track with her studies and attitude.
With that, three Divos, their wives and Brandie Ramone bid goodbye to David and Lauren and made their way to their cars. All of them happy with what they'd accomplished that evening even though it meant they'd hadn't been able to eat at one of their favourite restaurants and wouldn't be teasing each other about the miscues and other foul-ups that had occured during the longer than usual recording sessions. It was enough for them that David would no longer have to pretend that all was fine and dandy at the Miller house, the way he had during the recent promotional tour.
Turn the page.
_______________

Chapter 136 - She's Still Got It!
From their vantage point, seated in a booth at the Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo, Urs and Sebastien could observe almost everything that was happening in the busy restaurant. They both smiled and waved to the couples and groups of people who walked past them and spotted several with their heads close together, most seeming stunned to see that neither Franky or Emma were with them, a few not giving a damn, simply happy with their companions. The rest giving them a very flirtatious smile as they settled into their seats, a couple scribbling something on a piece of paper and dashing to where he and Sebastien sat while their companions headed for the bathroom. The two Divos knowing that some sort of message and phone had been written down and placed on the table near their hands.
Without reading whatever the note said, Urs crumpled his up and listened to Sebastien call the waiter over to place their orders. The man leaving with two screwed up pieces of paper in his hand once he'd written everything down.
"Will you sit down." Urs growled, yanking the French man back into his seat for the fourth time in as many minutes. "Our plan isn't going to work if you keep standing up and having a good look at whoever comes in."
"Desole. I'm just......I don't know. I just want to know who these men are that are trying to bribe Emma and Franky away from us."
"And I don't" Urs hissed, sarcastically. "Who the hell said it's men anyway? It could be women."
"You think so?"
"Sure. They're both still very attractive women, we're not the only ones with gay fans."
"True." Sebastien nodded, twirling his glass of red wine around. "You really think this is going to work?"
"We can but try." Urs shrugged. "Everything else has failed. Our security team has failed to find out who's behind the gifts. All they've been paid for in cash so there's no way they can be traced back. Plus they've all been delivered by courier from the shops concerned. Whoever these people are, they've covered their tracks very well. And we've sat in a restaurant for almost three hours after the appointed time, waiting for whoever they are to arrive, only for no-one to turn up. Like Emma said, this just might weedle them out of the woodwork."
"Oui, I know. And obviously these me........whoever these people are have money. It seems they are following us around the world and those gifts they sent Emma and Franky..........très cher. If Emma had not read the notes first she would have dumped me on my derrier for buying such things. Franky too, non?"
"Oui." Urs nodded as the waiter arrived with their starter, swallowing hard as he watched Sebastien begin to deal with the first of five garlic snails.
He shuddered, then turned his attention to what he'd chosen, savouring each mouthful of carrot and corriander soup as he tried to remember all the gifts Franky had received over the past few weeks. It had begun with a huge, expensive floral display containing some very exotic and rare flowers. Then she'd received a pair of huge diamond ear-rings and a matching necklace which was followed by a pure white coat that she would have looked stunning in if it hadn't been made of real Mink fur. A miriad of other gifts arriving specifically for her, all refused with instruction being given to the courier to take it back wherever it had come from. The final one being delivered this morning, Franky being asked to come down to the hotel's car park and grumbling some choice cursewords as soon as she saw the most recent present, despite the fact he knew she would have loved to own the obviously imported black 'Scorpion Mark X' by Ronn Motor Company. He'd seen her eyes light up briefly when they'd spotted one in Texas. There was just no way she would purchase such an item only to have it sit in the garage most of the time. She was perfectly happy with the transport they had and would never have spent that amount of money on herself even if she could afford it. That to had been refused and sent back, the delivery drive looking at her like she was crazy and shaking his head as he got back into the cab of the truck he'd brought the pristine car on. Driving out as another one pulled in, a BMW convertible secured to the back. This one being for Emma and returned in much the same manner. Each and every gift accompanied by a note that read....
'Meet me in the hotel's restaurant tonight. 7:00pm. It will be to our mutual advantage. XXXXXX'.
That's when Emma and Franky had turned to them both and said that maybe the two of them should meet up with whoever these people were. Neither man had liked the idea until Urs had thought for a few moments, recalling that both he and Sebastien had gone to the hotel restaurant following the mink coat's arrival only to sit there for all that time with no-one arriving to take the other seats. The only thing that had made them slightly suspicious had been the smartly dressed man who'd turned up, took a long, slow look around the area after shaking his head at the maitre d' and had promptly left. The two of them had reluctantly agreed to Emma's idea but had insisted on being in the room just in case things turned nasty. So now, here they sat waiting for the booth next to them to be occupied, knowing that the maitre d' couldn't see them from where he stood and neither could anyone who came into the room without walking straight past them.
His starter finished, Urs pushed the bowl away from him slightly and looked at Sebastien when he heard familiar voices nearby, both of them wishing the could stand and see their ladies but knowing they couldn't if Emma's plan was to work. Ignoring the stunned stares he got as the women settled into their seats, Urs checked his watch and quickly showed it to the fidgetting Sebastien. Both of them raising their eyebrows when they saw it was 7:06pm and wondering if Franky and Emma were doing the same.
A few seconds later the sound of one male voice grabbed their attention and they both remained quiet.
"Francesca, Emma, so nice to meet you at last. I'm Gordon Alexander from 'Rolling Stone' magazine and the ed........"
"Stop right there. I know for a fact you are not Gordon Alexander." Franky's voice reached their ears, her tone calm but with a hint of anger. "I have met Gordon several times over the years, as has Mrs Izambard. Now you tell us who you really are."
"All right." The man replied after sighing heavily. "I'm Terence Hunt and this is my brother, Martin. Please select whatever you wish from the menu."
"We may have finally turned up Mr Hunt, but that does not mean we have agreed to dine with you." Emma informed, making Sebastien smirk and informing Urs that her tone told him she was already a little angry. "Coffee will suffice, thanks all the same. Now what do you want with me and Mrs Buhler."
"Okay. If that's what you want." Terence replied before taking a deep breath. "The truth is we're sick of seeing both of you being mistreated by your husbands. Therefore we........"
"I beg your pardon?!" Emma huffed as Sebastien was yanked back down into his seat again.
"Mistreated? Please explain how you think we are being mistreated."
"It's quite simple." A different voice piped up, Urs quickly figuring out that it must be Martin speaking. "Beautiful ladies such as yourself shouldn't be being dragged all over the world with a bevvy of children. You don't deserve that."
"Oh! Please tell me what we what we do 'deserve'." Franky asked, Urs giggling as he imagined her rolling her eyes.
"You deserve to live in the lap of luxury with servants ready and willing to cater to your every whim. The children should be at boarding school so that you can enjoy shopping for yourself or whatever you wish to do."
"Anywhere particular in mind?" Emma asked, coughing to stop herself from laughing.
"Greenwich Village, wherever you desire really?" Martin informed, Urs imagining the smile he wore.
"Oh yes. Terence and Martin Hunt. I recognise the names now. Highly successful cosmetic surgeons. Right?"
"You're right Fr......Mrs Buhler." Terence returned. "Okay cards on the table. We'd like you both to accept our offer of surgery to correct your flaws and live the life you should be leading with us."
"Flaws?!" Sebastien gasped, his eyes flying wide as he looked at a head shaking and smirking Urs.
"What flaws exactly?" Franky asked after hissing at Emma to sit down.
"Let's start with you shall we Mrs Buhler? A face lift first I think and breast implants too. A tummy tuck to give you back that perfectly flat stomach you once had and ridding you of all those scars, especially the one on your leg."
Urs laughed quietly, trying to imagine the look on Franky's face especially since at the mention of breast implants. He tried to imagine how much bigger Terence wanted to make them even though he thought they were perfect just the way they were at an English 36D. Despite the fact she'd fed all but one of their children herself, they hadn't really changed that much over the years due to the fact she'd worn one of the best support bras money could buy while pregnant and after giving birth. True, she had rounded out in the stomach a little, but that had little to do with her having the children. It was all down to the fact she'd stopped skating performance wise and her clothes were still a size ten. He smiled broadly, knowing that she kept her figure by joining in him in the gym now the children were older and was remarkably fit for her age.
"Much the same for me I imagine?" Emma queried, huffing out a breath as she did so.
"Yes. And we'd pin back those ears too." Martin replied.
"My ears?! What's wrong with my ears?"
"Well they do stick out a little bit more than they should."
"You may think so, but I've never had a problem with the way they are, neither has my husband." Emma snapped.
"Uh-oh!" Sebastien grimaced then smirked. "She's going to snap any second if he's not careful."
"Hmmn. So let me get this right. You are willing to do all that if we divorce our husbands and marry the two of you?"
"Correct Francesca." Terence replied, Urs picking up the different tone and wondering if the man thought he'd won. "We have enough money to get both of you quickie divorces and get the children off to boarding school. Once the surgery is out of the way you can spend the rest of your lives enjoying yourselves."
"Really? Well while that may be the way some women choose to live their lives it's not for me. I have no problem with those that choose that livestyle but I couldn't imagine it for myself. Frankly, I would find it very boring. I love the life I lead and my husband does not drag me around the world. I go with him willingly, as do our children. As for my scars, believe me I am quite able to pay for them to be dealt with. However, I have no desire to do so. My husband has no problem with them and neither do I. In fact they remind us both that the past was real and that we've come through it stronger than we were. If you think for one second that I would give all that up so that you can change me into some trophy wife for you Mr Hunt, you are sadly mistaken. How dare you be so presumptious as to think I would divorce Urs simply because you sent me gifts that he......You Mr Hunt can take your money and your arrogant attitude and shove it up your a...."
"Franky.......Calm remember."
"Sorry Emma. You can shove all that where the sun obviously doesn't even think about shining. Now if you'll excuse me."
"Mrs Izambard. What about you?" Martin asked.
"Oh you didn't get it did you? What Franky said applies to me too. Every word of it. In fact I'll go one step further. If I receive one more 'gift' like that, I will be consulting my lawyer. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want a harrassment suit to mar your reputation. Would you?"
"Erm...........No."
"Good. Then I think we've reached an understanding. Goodbye.........Gentlemen." Emma stated calmly though she hissed the final word before sliding out of her seat to walk the few steps to where Urs and Sebastien were seated. "What's wrong with my ears?" She asked once he'd greeted her with a firm kiss and she'd taken a seat next to him.
"Nothing Cherie. They're perfect just like you." He replied, gently kissing the top of her left ear, making her smile and shudder.
"Stop that! You know what that does to me."
"Oui I do." Sebastien replied, smirking and fidgetting once more, this time uncomfortably and covering his lap with the table cloth.
"Nicely handled, angel." Urs informed once he'd planted a very firm kiss on Franky's lips and she'd settled herself into a seat.
"Thank you, honey. Though I think I should have told them to try doing some good with their money and skills."
"Rather than trying to improve perfection."
"Oh well. I don't think they'd have listened anyway." Franky sighed, her right hand moving to rest comfortably on Urs's thigh. "Now what did you order me for main course?"
"Well I was thinking me, but I ordered you the steak, salad and fries. Should be here in a minute or two."
"Oh yum."
The two couples smiled at each other then started to talk the cities they would be visiting next only pausing to watch the Hunt brothers leaving the restaurant, bickering back and forth as they went. Urs seeing two tall, dark haired forms retreating, both looking around their mid-thirties.
"The day I want a toy-boy is the day you want a Barbie doll hanging on your arm." Emma huffed, smiling and shaking her head as the men disappeared through the door.
"Et qui n'est jamais va se passer, mon amour." Sebastien returned, kissing her cheek quickly and smiling when he saw how red Emma's face went.
The Hunt brothers forgotten the couples settled down to eating their dinner, all of them declining to dessert though not for any other reason that their appetites were satisfied. They left together with Sebastien and Emma wrapped in each others arms walking a few paces in front of Urs and Franky, comfortably holding each other's hands, their fingers linked together.
As they stepped into the lift, Urs turned his head over his shoulder and smiled when he saw the two men he'd heard debating Franky's age.
"No way. She's thirty five at the most. No way has she given birth to five children and been married for almost seventeen years."
"Well she has. I know it's hard to believe but she turns forty-seven just before this tour ends, but that's not the reason Urs is with her. She's not only beautiful on the outside, she's beautiful on the inside too. Herr Buhler is a very lucky man."
"He sure is."
Urs looked at the second man who'd spoken while he held the lift doors open and quickly remembered where he'd seen him before. He returned the smile and nod Christian gave him then lowered his hand, allowing the lift doors to close and take them up to their suite. As they reached the door, Urs scooped Franky into his arms and kissed passionately before they entered, her mouth slowly finding is way down and around to the spot behind his right ear that always drove him crazy with desire. He kicked the door shut, carried her to the bedroom and locked the door once he'd set her back on her feet.
Despite the fact that every drop of his blood seemed to be rushing to its usual destination, he walked slowly back towards her, looking her up and down with hungry eyes as he did so. He smiled as he reached her then quickly snatched her into his arms, the pair of them falling back onto the bed and removing each others clothes, their mouths locked together, tongues battling for control, Franky sighing in pleasure as she gave in to the light carress he gave her upper lip. Urs smiling as he pulled back to look at her face, both of them knowing that that particular touch of his tongue always made her surrender to him. Franky's hands finding their way up his back until they reached his head where she pulled him back down, an unspoken gesture that let him know she wanted more of the same. Urs grinning before he placed his lips against hers, more than happy to oblige, the three moans of his name coming from the back of Franky's throat strengthening his already hard arousal. His hands working their usual magic as they carressed Franky's body. Her breast still full and firm, the nipples hard despite the fact he barely touched them as he moved downwards to her stomach. The now familiar whimper escaping from Franky's lips as the middle finger of his right hand tracked the path of the scar on leg letting him know that she wanted him inside her but for once not giving in to her pleadings, instead moving that digit slowly upwards until reached her hip bone, lightly touching the ceasarian scar, her body twitching in anticipation of what was to come.
Their kissing becoming much deeper, more demanding as Urs slid his hand down between her legs, slowly bringing Franky to high arched back release, her muscles contracting rapidly as she came groaning his name. He didn't give her chance to regain her breath for once, but quickly pushed her onto her back, pushed his aching manhood deep inside then rolled onto his back, taking her with him. He sat up and waited for Franky to unfold her legs and lock her ankles behind her back before he began moving with her, the two of them quickly finding a perfect rythmn, his mouth nipping and sucking at the rose coloured peeks, his hands gently holding her hips while her fingers tugged gently at his hair. Holding his own release back until he'd driven her to a second orgasam and feeling her arch backwards as she came with him, groaning each others names. The two of them remaining locked together and holding each other tight until they'd got their breaths back.
Recovered, they re-dressed and headed into the lounge area, knowing that Saskia would be back with the children shortly. They sat snuggled up together on the couch once Franky had turned the television on and quickly found something that grabbed their attention. They hadn't been their for more than five minutes when the door opened and the children trouped in.
"Something wrong Frank?" Urs asked, noticing a slightly concerned look on his eldest child's face.
"No Pa. Not really. It just feels a bit weird, you and Mami feeling the need to sleep after a flight. I can't remember you doing it before. Then again I suppose it's to be expected, you are both knocking on a bit."
'You wouldn't be saying that if you knew how me and your mother had spent the last hour and half.' Urs's rarely heard inner voice commented while he smiled and watched Frank head towards where a smirking and blushing Franky sat.
All the children eager to tell both of them how much they'd enjoyed their day out at the Edo-Tokyo Museum and the Kanda Myojin Shrine.
Turn the page.

Chapter 137 - Conquering Angel's Fear
It was rare for him to see a pensive look on Franky's face, but that's exactly what he saw now as they made themselves comfortable in a psycologist's waiting room, hoping to discover why she still had a mild fear of cameras. Knowing that his recent, frustrated comment to her had pushed into doing this, Urs sighed heavily and took hold of her hand once he'd sat down. The last time they'd been here had been to help her deal with Anthony Strawson's attempted rape of her. Hypnosis had revealed the attack had been even worse than what she consciously remembered. He could still remember seeing her lying on the couch, the therapist holding her hands as he took back to that night and how she'd described Anthony grabbing hold of her from behind. That she'd been able to feel how aroused he'd been as he told that he was finally going to get what he wanted. How violently he'd thrown her to the ground and attempted to tie her wrists together once he'd dropped his full weight on top of her. The tears that had streamed down her face as she recounted every place he'd touched her, especially between her legs before she fought him off, managing to land several hard punches to his upper ribs before moving her hands up to the mask he wore, intent on finding out who her attacker was only to receive a hard slap across the face in return. Repeating the vile names Anthony had called her once she'd managed to fight him off. Somehow managing to re-fasten her jeans as she made her escape.
"Hey! That's in the past. Leave it." He heard Franky stating and turned his face towards her. "I know exactly what you're remembering Urs. I haven't had that nightmare in years thanks to Doctor Brown have I?"
"Nein, but....."
"But nothing. Just leave it where it belongs."
"That's easier said than done Franky. I might have forgiven.......Anthony...... for most of the things he's done, but that.........Not ever. Do you hear me?"
"I hear you, that's your choice. However, what I would like is your support and comfort rather than raking up old memories. It was bad enough you..........Urgh!"
"I apologised didn't I?" Urs snapped as Franky whipped her hand from his grasp.
"Yes you did, five hours after you'd opened your mouth, called my phobia stupid and told me it was about time I grew up. I've tried and tried to remember if there was some incident that made me afraid of cameras, but I can't and the only person who might know is........I do have some control over it you know, it's not like I run and hide every time a camera is pointed in my direction."
"I know. I'm sorry for taking my frustration out on you angel and apologise once again for snapping at you like I did, but after everything you did a few days ago, your face deserved to appear on the front page of the local paper."
"It's all right." Franky sighed, her head nodding. "And perhaps it would have if I could have got to see Doctor Brown before now. I know how much it frustrates you because I prefer to be behind the lens rather than in front of it and I'm sorry I didn't realise how much. I really should have dealt with it sooner. I'm sorry."
"Franky, shut up." Urs instructed with a gentle smile, taking hold of her chin and turning her face towards his so that he give her a firm but gentle kiss.
"Ahem!" A coughing Doctor Brown smiled as Urs released his hold. "Mrs Buhler, it's nice to see you again. Please come in." She continued, holding the door to her consulting room open and waiting for Franky and Urs to settle into the seats before she began her questions. "Has the nightmare returned?"
"No, no. I've not had that in years." Franky replied, shaking her head quickly. "I asked to see you regarding something completely different. Erm........a phobia."
"Of what?"
"Cameras."
"Oh!" Doctor Brown laughed, her eyes flying wide. "I'm sorry that was rude and very unprofessional. It just came as a bit of a shock considering how many photographs I've seen of you through the years."
"It's all right, you're not the first and I seem to be able to cope if I know cameras are going to be around. Most of the time anyway."
"Am I right in thinking you didn't really expect the local press to show up at the hospital the other day?"
"No, I didn't. Finding them outside A&E came as a shock. It's not like I did anything that special."
"Really? Going to the rescue of a family who'd crashed their car, staying with them and keeping them calm until the emergency services arrived then going with them in the ambulance because they'd reverted to their native Spanish and staying with them until a translator arrived is nothing special?"
"Not really." Franky shrugged in reply.
Urs rolled his eyes at Franky's last statement as he drifted back to the phone call he'd received three days ago. Franky calling him from the hospital, asking he could go and pick her up so that she could retrieve her motorbike from the stables after explaining why she was there in the first place. Calmly saying that she'd heard the crash while settling 'Dancer' down for the evening and had run out of the yard to find that a small car had hit a tree on the other side of the narrow road. That she'd immediately sprung into action, calling emergency services while checking the four occupants over. The two children in the back still safely strapped into their seats and appearing to by fine, apart from the fact the three and five year old were screaming at the top of their lungs for 'Mama' and 'Papa'. The driver more concerned with his pregnant wife than himself, speaking in disjointed English until Franky asked if he was Spanish, the two of them quickly switching languages while Franky checked the dazed but otherwise uninjured woman over and assuring her husband that she'd felt the baby kick with a smile.
The emergency services had turned up quickly and one police officer had tried to move her away from the scene until a paramedic said that perhaps it would be best if she stayed because he couldn't understand a solitary word of what he was hearing and the driver was a little combative, trying to get out of the vehicle, refusing to be checked for serious injuries. Franky had stayed and had managed to get the man to calm down while the police radioed for a Spanish speaker to attend the hospital. With him having to come from London through rush-hour traffic it had taken him quite a while to get there. Luckily no-one had been seriously injured, no broken bones at least, just bruising and the front seat passengers receiving minor burns from the airbags deploying. The accident caused by the man not being used to such winding roads and driving a little faster than he should have. The latter confirmed by accident investigators the following day. Urs had arrived to find her coming out of the accident and emergency department surrounded by reporters demanding to know if she was proud of what she'd done, their cameras flashing continuously in her face as she tried to make her way towards him. Firmly telling them she'd only done what anyone with first aid training would have done and that she wasn't the least bit interested in giving them an exclusive, no matter how much they were offering to pay her as she slipped into the passenger seat and roughly yanked the door from one man's grip, slamming it closed and asking Urs to get her out of there. The only people saying anything to the press being the injured couple, ending the piece by thanking the beautiful, flame-haired angel who saw them through everything.
"Nothing special my ass." Urs grumbled almost inaudibly, shaking his head at Franky and letting her now how proud he was of what she'd done with a huge smile.
"Well, much as I'd like to know what you DO think is special, we'd better get on with your session. A few questions first." Doctor Brown shook her head. "Okay, let's see if we can figure this out. Do you feel that people will judge you or that you don't look okay in photographs. Do any of your children have the same fear?"
"No. Some of the ones I've seen are amazing and I don't really care what other people think. Ciara had a problem for a short while. Seems to have outgrown it though, she's perfectly happy to have her photograph taken now. In fact she's fast becoming a bit of a poser."
"It usually happens when we're enjoying time together as a family, especially when we indoors and the flash is needed. She'd rather take the pictures than appear in them. It actually hurts to......."
"Yes Mr Buhler?"
"Well truth be told, it hurts to look through our albums and see so many pictures of me with the children. She loves them so much, I just wish we had the proof of how much, especially when it comes to Christmas and birthdays." Urs informed, shaking his head and squeezing Franky's hand as she sniffed an apology.
"I see." Doctor Brown nodded then sat back in her chair to think for a moment before speaking again. "Do you have any idea when you became afraid of having your photograph taken Franky?"
"No, but looking at what my parents took there don't seem to be so many the Christmas after my sixth birthday. I can't recall anything happening then."
"Is there a family member who might recall an incident that would have put you off?"
"No, not anymore. My Aunt Lena may have known, but it's too late to ask her now. She died two weeks after the tour ended."
"Oh and your cousins are all younger than you aren't they?"
"Apart from Sissy, she's a month older than me."
"Okay, let's see if hypnosis can help you once again. Make yourself comfortable on the couch."
Franky nodded and took a deep breath as she stood and Urs released her hand following a firm squeeze. She settled back on the couch after removing her shoes and listened to Doctor Brown's instructions once she was comfortable.
"Relax Franky. Relax and listen to my voice. Breathe slower.....slower...... slower......slower. By the time I count down to zero you will be calm and asleep. Five, four, three, two, one, zero. Franky, can you hear me?"
"Yes." Came Franky's sleepy reply.
"Good. I want you to allow your mind to drift back in time. You are forty-six years old, thirty-six, twenty-six, sixteen, six. You are now six, it's Christmas Day. Can you tell me what's happening?"
"We're up, Momma, Poppa and me. It's still dark outside. I'm sitting near the tree, tearing into my presents."
"Good. Do Momma or Poppa have a camera in their hands?"
"No, it's on the sideboard, where Poppa keeps it handy."
"Okay. What's happening now?"
"Poppa's helping me take my presents to my room. I have so many and a couple are very big, I can't manage them all by myself. And I have to get dressed and have breakfast before I get to play with them properly."
"Do you have a favourite?"
"Oh yes. The doll and pram Momma and Poppa have bought for me. It's exactly what I asked for."
"Right, you've eaten breakfast and your dressed. What's happening now?"
"Poppa's got the cine camera out. There's no snow on the ground, but it's cold outside. He's taken me out there to film me having fun with my favourite gift. He's smiling as Momma comes to his side to watch me for a while. Then she says we really must be leaving. We're having Christmas dinner with Aunt Lena and Uncle Lou this year."
"Good. Now you're at your aunt and uncle's home. What are you doing? Sulking because Momma wouldn't let me bring my pram."
"Do you have the doll?"
"Yes and Sissy is trying to take her away from me. Uncle Lou is telling her off though, saying that she should look with her eyes and not with her hands."
"Does he have a camera?"
"Yes. One of those that prints the picture out a few seconds after you've taken it. He's got everyone together in front of the fireplace. Taking lots of pictures."
"And you're not scared?"
"No. Not at all."
"Now you're sitting down to dinner. Is the camera still around?"
"Yes. Uncle Lou's still snapping away and I'm still not scared."
"Okay. How do you spend the time after dinner?"
"Playing with Sissy while the adults have a nap. My tummy's full to bursting but I don't feel tired."
"What time do you leave to go home?"
"Nine." Franky informed, giggling childishly. "That's late for me, I'm usually in bed by seven thirty."
"So Momma and Poppa take you straight to bed when you get home?"
"No. I get warm milk first and chocolate chip cookies. Momma has tears in her eyes though, so does Poppa. I don't know why they're crying. They say they're happy, but I know they're not. I wake up in the night and hear Momma crying worse than she did on my birthday."
"Do you ask her why the next morning?"
"Yes. She just smiles and tells me not to let it bother me and that she loves me very much."
"And where's Poppa?"
"Gone to take a present to someone. Momma says Santa delivered it to the wrong address. She must be right, 'cos I remember Santa doing the same thing the year before."
"Is he gone for long?"
"No. Doesn't feel like it anyway and he looks sad for a little while once he's back home, but a kiss and tight hug from Momma soon cheer him up. Momma's not very good cook, so we have fish and chips for dinner that day. Not that I care, there's always Grandma's chocolate log to look forward to for dessert. Poppa and me always argue about whose turn it to have the chocolate covered end."
Urs chuckled at Franky's last statement and quickly apologised to Doctor Brown when she gave him a stern look. Now he knew why Franky found it hysterical when he and Frank used to argue over who was having the end piece of the chocolate log. Both memories were wonderful and they had a record of the playful argument that all the children had gotten into with him as they arrived and grew older.
"No photographs that day?"
"No. It's one of Poppa's sad days. The day his Grandpere died. Poppa found him at the bottom of the stairs, he'd fallen and banged his head hard enough to break it."
"Oh! I see. What about the next day?"
"Poppa's happier this morning and wants to take a picture of me with my present in front of the tree. Momma looks unhappy about it for a second or two. I don't know why. Poppa's done the same thing for as long as I can remember."
"So he's all set, ready to take your picture. Can you described the camera?"
"It's old. Really big with a silver disc on top, a big lightbulb inside. He's had it since before I was born."
"What happens next?"
"I'm ready, Poppa smiles when I smile. I hear the click and then there's a big bang and my face gets hurt. I'm crying as Momma scoops me up and carries me to the kitchen and sets me down on the countertop. She's shushing me as she pulls my hand away and tells me there's a piece of glass near my left eye. She says it's just a little nick and quickly takes it out. It doesn't feel like a little nick, it feels huge and there's quite a bit of blood on the cloth she uses to wipe my face. She gets very angry with Poppa after that. She's yelling at him, saying that she'd asked him several times to get rid of the camera and buy one where there was no risk of the flash bulb exploding in someone's face. He looks at her, nods his head then goes outside to get rid of the camera once he's rewound the film. Momma's still angry with him when he comes back in, but she allows him to take hold of me and apologise. He cries because he blames himself for me getting hurt. Momma was right, it was only a little nick and I didn't get a scar."
Something suddenly clicked in Urs's brain as he listened to Doctor Brown bring Franky to consciousness. The first time she'd had the nightmare and explained why it had happened he'd asked why she'd never told her parents. She looked at him for a few seconds then said she wouldn't have been able to bear seeing her father that enraged never mind the thought of what he would have done to whoever had dared hurt her. She knew, full well, that Frank always reacted badly if anyone harmed her and had told him how she'd found him in garage one day, the back of his hands bloody from where he'd punched something, his anger at June Strawson raging simply because she'd called a thirteen year old Franky a 'red headed whore'.
"Well?" Franky's voice cut through his reverie and Urs saw that she was sitting next Doctor Brown. "Anything?"
"Yes." Stella nodded and allowed Franky to listen to the last part of the session. "Franky, I don't think you have a phobia of cameras at all. I think you subconsciously remember what happened and your father's reaction. In other words, you've learned to behave the way you do so that those close to you don't react the way he did. Your brain hasn't fully accepted that the chances of such a thing happening again are minute. I'm sure that if you were really afraid of cameras no one would be able to get anywhere near you with one. You're not the first client I've had who's had a problem with cameras. However, their cases are much worse than yours. You don't run away and hide or refuse to come out until the camera's gone, do you?"
"No. No I don't. God, I'm so stupid and selfish."
"Nein you're not, angel." Urs replied, shaking his head and walking towards her. Taking hold of her hands once he'd squatted in front of her. "It's perfectly understandable now. You were only six and you never did like seeing your father upset did you?" He asked and watched Franky shake her head as tears welled in her eyes. "It's not like we don't have any pictures of you at all. I know you've always taken as much as you can bear. And you're not selfish either. In fact you are the least selfish person I know. That's one of the many reasons I love you."
"I know, but why hasn't my brain made the connection that I could hurt the children, you or anyone else?"
"The brain is still quite a mysterious orgen Franky." Doctor Brown began. "Psycologist I may be, but neither or a single of my colleagues completely understand how it works and frankly.........well I don't think we ever will."
"Can you help me?" Franky asked Stella once she'd dried her eyes and smiled at Urs.
"Of course I can." Stella nodded and gave Franky's right forearm a comforting squeeze before she stood and walked over to her desk. "I'd like you to listen to this disc, especially before special family occasions or appearances with Urs. It will help you relax and be comfortable with being photographed. In time you may not need it at all. I'd like to see you again in a month's time, just to check how you're coping."
"Thank you Doctor Brown." Franky smiled as she took the disc from Stella's hand then bid her goodbye. "I'm sorry, honey." She continued once they'd left the building and were walking back to the car.
"What for?"
"For not even thinking something might have happened when I was younger and for all the times I've refused to have my picture taken. I promise I will do my very best to make this Christmas extra special and to finally have more than one photograph taken with the children and you. I won't hurt any of you like that anymore. Okay?"
"Ja, okay. Just promise me you won't get too upset with yourself if that proves too difficult for you. It's a big promise to make just a week before the big day. I promise to be more understanding now I know why you react the way you do. Okay?"
"Okay." Franky nodded, tears falling once again as she was pulled into a tight embrace and held there until she'd stopped.
By the time Christmas Day arrived, Franky was still a little bit nervous about having her photograph taken but managed to stand with each of the children in front of the fireplace and even with Urs. His favourite picture of that time being the one showing the two of them kissing under the Mistletoe for the very first time and Ciara beaming with pride that Mami had finally allowed her to use the piece of technology that Urs had never quite been able to get his head around.
As time went by, Franky had to use the disc less and less and became happy to have her picture taken. The only times she refused being the rare occasions when she felt a migraine coming on. By the time the children reached adulthood there would be over forty albums filled with pictures showing what wonderful siblings and loving parents they had.
Turn the page.
______________

Chapter 138 - There's A Papa Bear Too
He knew eavesdropping was rude and really wanted to concentrate on the conversation he and Franky were having with a group of parents, but another group standing just behind his right shoulder were talking at quite a high volume. Urs looked to where the some of the school's teachers stood and gave them a quick smile when he saw some of them shaking their heads, it was all to clear they'd heard everything the loud, boarish man said.
"I tell you, if Oliver had not performed so beautifully tonight he would not be getting his music player back."
"You are letting him have it back?" Another male voice queried in a haughty voice.
"Yes, once I've deleted those particular songs. He has already been warned that if I find him listening to that kind of music again I will smash the thing to pieces. I think the message that cultured people such as us do not listen that heavy metal rubbish."
"Sickening isn't it?" Urs heard a female voice questioning, immediately recognising it as another parent's as he watched the two men walk away.
"Ja. Gott knows what they would say if they ever saw mine and Franky's CD collection. They'd probably throw most of it out." Urs nodded then turned to Franky. "Sorry, I completely lost track of this conversation."
"It's all right. Elizabeth was just asking what Sylvie is up to and asking if Kurt is nervous about tonight."
"You must be very proud of Sylvie, Urs. She's very talented, have you thought of teaching music or singing when Il Divo comes to an end?"
"Erm.......It's one idea. Perhaps at the centre Si......Sarah Cullen centre, though I don't see Il Divo coming to an end anytime soon."
"I hope not either, but it's good to know that the idea's there. I can just see the classes now. All packed out with ready and willing pupils."
"Ja, maybe." Urs chuckled, his head nodding as Elizabeth walked away so that she could go and check on her daughter, the ever nervous Morgan. "Which one was Oliver again?" He asked, turning his face towards Franky.
"The boy who played 'The Swan' by Saint-Saens."
"Oh right! A much too difficult piece for him in my opinion. There was no feeling there, no passion. He was good, but.........I really do hate pushy parents."
"As do I Herr Buhler. I tried to tell Mr Goreham that, but he insisted that Oliver played that piece or nothing." Urs and Franky heard the new music teacher stating with headshake. "He and Mr Tobin even tried to get me let Oliver finish the show. However, there I did put my foot down. I don't give a damn how much money Linton Mitchell Goreham IV has donated to our music department recently. The choir has always ended the show and that is a tradition I am not willing to break. Talking of which, Kurt is feeling a little nervous, especially since he's heard that the headmaster intends to make some sort of speech before he performs. I've heard a rumour that he intends to mention you in said speech Herr Buhler. Could one of you come and see if you can calm him down. He's not listening to me."
Urs and Franky quickly looked around the area where the intermission was being held and quickly spotted Serena, Ciara and Jordi talking to a group of children, Frank nowhere in sight. Knowing that their eldest had been in need of the toilet ten minutes ago it was decided that Franky would go and talk to Kurt while Urs went to check that Frank was all right, especially since he'd dislocated two fingers a couple of days ago, had difficulty dealing with zips and buttons and flat out refused to let his mother help.
"You go. I'll keep an eye on them for you." Urs heard Elizabeth stating and returned the smile she gave him as started to head for the bathrooms.
"Oh I can play piano a little bit, but I prefer skating. Jordi's better than me and he's fantastic on the drums." He heard Serena informing as he walked to where the children stood.
"Yeah, but Kurt's better than me. I can sing a bit, not as good as Kurt though." Jordi nodded in agreement.
"I can play simple tunes but don't ask me to sing. I sound like some poor animal being tortured." Ciara finished with a shrug.
"Aren't your mother and father disappointed?"
"No. They've never pushed us to do what we do. We do it because we love it. They don't really care if we turn into performers or not. As long as we're happy in what we do."
"See Mummy. I told you it wasn't like that." One girl huffed, her face screwed up in a scowl and her hands fisted on her hips as she turned to face the tall blond standing nearby. "I love you lots but I hate it when you try and push me into doing things I have no interest in."
"I'm........I'm sorry Charlotte." The blonde replied, wiping her eyes before squatting to face the girl. "I'm pretty new to all this. If I'd have raised you myself, I wouldn't have........Grandma and Grandpa said you loved doing all those activities and made me promise that I would make sure you kept them up."
"It was silly promise to make Mummy. Ballet and riding is fun, but the other stuff........I don't want to do anymore. Especially singing 'cos even I know my voice is cra.........rubbish."
"All right. I'm sorry sweetheart, for everything, my addiction, my negle......"
"Mummy, just shut up and give me hug" Charlotte shook her head, her arms flying wide before quickly wrapping around her teary-eyed mother's neck.
Not realising that he'd actually stopped walking, Urs laughed when he felt Elizabeth giving him a gentle push in the back and started walking again, quickly putting together that Charlotte's mother was the former heroin addicted woman who'd just regained full custody of her daughter after almost ten years of her ex-boyfriend's parents raising her. Social services having taken Charlotte away from the couple at the age of one year due to severe neglect. Her natural father now dead, Maryann clean for over three years and married to Robert Burns. Robert Burns being the school's new music teacher, but most importantly completely in love with Maryann, adoring Charlotte and in the process of adopting her.
Hearing loud shouting coming from the direction of the boys's bathroom as he pushed the door open and recognising one of the voices, Urs ran down the corridor and flung door open, thinking that Frank was involved in fight. However, that's not what he saw and he stopped dead in his tracks, wanting to see how Frank would handle the situation he was in.
"Geeze Justin. Will you keep still and let me help?" Frank questioned, trying to yank Justin's right hand away from his nose. "Don't tilt your head back, you could choke on the blood."
"What do you know Buhler? Why do you want to help me anyway? You hate me."
"For your information I don't hate anyone. It's not the way I've been raised. I might not like you very much because you bullied Kurt, but I'm not about to stand by and let you bleed all over the place. I know more than you think. Now let me see what I can do to help. Do you always bleed this bad?"
"Yeah. Got a weak vein in my nose, slightest thing can set it going. Even sneezing like I just did."
"Well it was rather loud. I'm surprised they haven't tought you how to deal with it properly."
"Well, they did, but my dad says they were wrong, told me I should tilt my head back." Justin shrugged, pinching the bridge of his nose while Frank did what he could to clean him up a little.
"Your dad's not a doctor. Don't you think a doctor or nurse knows better?"
"I guess so. It already feels like it's slowing. Is it?"
"Yeah, you're shirt's a mess though."
"Hmmn. My dad's gonna be mad, but then again maybe seeing this he might finally agree to me having the vein cauterised. This is the third shirt that's been ruined this month alone. What happened to your fingers?"
"Dislocated them, playing football with Eden. He's got one hell of a right foot."
"I heard. And I'm sorry for shoving Kurt around."
"Not me you should be apologising to Justin. Yeah, you made me mad, but it's not Kurt's fault his voice broke and he's still able to sing is it? If you'd have rested your voice while yours was breaking maybe you'd still be able to sing and be performing tonight. You did have a good voice."
"You think so?"
"Sure. I'm no expert, can't play anything worth a damn and couldn't carry a tune if my life depended on it, but I like what I heard a couple of years ago. You should think yourself lucky Kurt didn't shove you back, he's much stronger than I am. Lifts fifteen pounds more than I do and makes it look like nothing."
"Yeah. I have noticed that, he's almost as tall as you too."
"Don't remind me. If he tells me one more time that he's the big brother now, simply because he's bigger than me........well I just might swat him one."
"Oh really?" Urs questioned seriously then chuckled when Frank whipped his head round to face him.
"Sorry Pa. I didn't mean that."
"Like I don't know that. Duuuuuuuuh!"
"Wow! You're dad's way cool Frank. Mine doesn't talk to me like that. He always shouts at me when I do or say something I shouldn't."
"I guess he's all right. At least he's agreed to teach me the basics of riding a motorbike."
"You can't do that! You're not old enough."
"On private land I am. Mam......Ma won't mind me going up and down the drive."
"Cool. Wish I could learn, dad won't let me near one. You got a bike in mind?"
"Yeah, don't think I'll get it yet though. Maybe once I've past my test and I've proven I can ride responsibly."
"Still, I wish..........." Justin's voice trailed off as the corridor door opened again and he saw his father standing next to Urs.
"Wish what Justin? Have you two been fighting?"
"No dad. I sneezed, the vein busted again and Frank's been helping me. When are you going to stop treating me like a baby and let me have the operation? I'm sick of ending up like this." Justin huffed, indicating his heavily blood stained shirt.
"I'm sorry Justin. It's just that I'm.......I'm afraid they might cause some damage by sticking whatever it is they.........All right. I'll call your doctor tomorrow. Now what were you discussing when I walked in?"
"Motorbikes."
"Oh! Right! Well that discussion will have to wait. Your sister's going to be performing in a minute, so back to the auditorium please."
Sighing heavily, Justin nodded and walked towards his father once he'd washed and dried his hands. He removed the offending shirt to reveal the dark blue t-shirt he wore underneath, a smile crossing his face when he saw that not much blood had seeped through. They left together, Urs catching the wink and nod towards Colin Browning gave him as they crossed the threshold, his confused look quickly being replaced when Colin raised his right hand as if gripping the throttle on a motorbike and nodded in understanding. He smiled, turned his head back to Frank and heard him sigh heavily.
"You worried about Kurt or is there something else bothering you Frank." Urs questioned, seeing that Frank had his hands stuffed into his jeans and his head lowered and knowing that he didn't have to tell him verbally how proud he was of how he'd handled the situation with Justin.
"No, not really, Pa. I'm just........a little scared to be honest. Wondering if I'll ever be as good a mechanic as Mami and Uncle Gabe. I wanna......want to take over the garages someday, but it's the books that scare me more than anything."
"Francis Toni Buhler. You know your mother won't pass her business on to you until she's one hundred per cent positive you can do the books without her help. I know maths is your weakest subject but you're not stupid Frank. I know you'll ask for help if you get stuck and so does Mami. However well you do, with your exam results or as a mechanic, we know you'll have done your best. That's all we've ever asked for, all we will ever ask for. We are both very, very proud of you and we always will be."
"I know, Pa." Frank nodded and allowed Urs to pull him into a rare tight hug. "Doesn't seem like five minutes since I walked into this place as scrawny eleven year old, does it?"
"Nein, it doesn't. Now let's go and see if Mami's managed to calm Kurt down shall we?"
Smilling, Frank nodded and made his way back to the schools auditorium and found their seats once they'd located Serena, Ciara and Jordi. Urs looked around for Franky and smiled when he saw her coming up to him from the backstage area. His brow furrowed when she got close enough to be able to see her feet and he questioned where her shoes were as he stood to allow her to sit down.
"They're backstage, Kurt threw up on them. He heard Mr Tobin going through his speech. Damn fool was going to introduce the choir following a few thank yous and he was going say that he had very high hopes for Kurt in particular, especially considering who his father is. When I heard that I went and found him, asked if it was true. He replied that it was and I let fly, asking him if he didn't think Kurt was under enough pressure without adding your name to the mix while I ripped that part of his speech up. I mean.........Urgh!"
"Calm down, angel. He's young and he's only been here two months. Got a lot to learn. Though I think you've taught him one lesson tonight at least." Urs shook his head and squeezed Franky's hand as the main lights went down and stage lights came up.
For the next forty minutes that's how they remained while they listened to other children perform on various instruments, only releasing their hands to applaud appreciatively and in particular for Justin's sister, Suzette who'd only picked up the electric guitar the year before. Her rendition of Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' performed almost flawlessly, her parents and brother standing while they applauded. Mr Tobin made his way on to the stage as Suzette and coughed before stepping up to the microphone. He took a deep breath and began to read through his speech, only pausing to let Oliver's father stand and accept the audience's appreciation for purchasing the new instrments. The man scowling and dropping back into his seat with an audible huff when the applause didn't reach the volume he'd so obviously expected.
Once the audience was silent, Mr Tobin spoke again, informing that he'd just received some wonderful news while Suzette was performing and that thanks to a mystery benefactor the school's antiquated recording system would be replaced with the best available over the summer holidays. Urs and Franky clapped along with everyone else, knowing exactly where the money had come from and the headshake Simon had given Urs while he asked why he hadn't said something sooner before asking his PA to find out what was needed. Urs felt Franky grip his hand a little tighter as the headmaster wound up his speech, introducing the choir as a whole rather than singling Kurt out.
The stagelights went up again, but Urs and Franky looked at each other with puzzled expressions when they couldn't see Kurt in any of the three rows of children who were quietly singing the introduction to 'Sing' by The Carpenters. Given his size, Kurt should have stuck out like a sore thumb, but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't see him. Urs had just begun to think Franky had failed when he heard a now familiar voice beginning to sing the actual words rather than the 'La-la-la-la-las', the choir singing along behind him as he walked to the centre of the stage and began swaying from side to side.
Stunned by what they were seeing, Urs and Franky listened to the rest of the song with wide eyes and mouths slightly agape then looked at each other briefly before standing to applaud along with the rest of the audience. Kurt and the choir taking a bow before they started to leave the stage, Urs and Franky laughing when their eyes locked with Kurt's and he gave his backside a little wiggle with a huge smile on his face before he disappeared backstage.
The audience began to filter and, with the rest of his family needing the bathroom again, it was decided that Urs would go and find Kurt. He made his way backstage with the parents of everyone else who'd performed and found him just as Linton Goreham opened his mouth.
"I would give u........." Linton stopped and turned to face Urs, who grabbed hold of his arm.
"Outside." Urs flicked his head towards a nearby door, strengthening his grip when Linton attempted to shake him off and instructing Kurt to wait for him as he yanked Mr Goreham towards the door.
"What do you want Buhler? To berate me for pushing Oliver, like you did when I wasn't happy with Olivia's performance a couple of years ago."
"No, I don't like pushy parents, clearly what I said back then never got through and I'm not surprised that Olivia left you as soon as she could to go and live with your ex-wife." Urs replied, shaking his head and pushing the bigger Linton against a nearby wall, holding him there while he spoke. "I am not a violent man Linton. I have a fair idea what you were going to say to Kurt, but I'm not going to let you upset him the way you almost did to Sylvie a few years ago. Go near any of my children and attempt to sully their performances again and you will leave me choice but to reveal the truth about you."
"I have no idea what you mean."
"Really?" Urs huffed a laugh, still holding Linton against the wall as he leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Are you sure about that? I know for a fact your history is a pack of lies, you never went to Eton or Oxford for that matter. That PhD you claim to have is not worth the paper it's written on. How many times was it your father served time for 'living off immoral earnings'? Twice?! Nein, that's not right erm........five wasn't it?"
"H-H-H-How do you know about that?" Linton Goreham gulped, his face becoming very pale and his eyes flying wide.
"That's for me to know." Urs smirked, knowing that he hadn't believed what Simon had been able to find out about the man at first and realising that it all appeared to be true. "Don't look so worried Linton, I can keep a secret, I won't say a word and neither will Franky. However, I can't say the same about the person who gave us the information. They just might let something slip if you go anywhere near my children again. Do we have an understanding?"
"We do." Linton nodded quickly and coughed once Urs had released his hold.
Chuckling quietly, Urs watched the hoity man head back inside, his eyebrows raising when he saw how tight the man appeared to have his butt cheeks clenched together. He huffed a quick laugh, realising that his straight-faced and serious look appeared to be more intimidating than he ever thought it was, then followed after Linton and quickly retrieved a still smiling and now bounching Kurt. The two of them walked through the school, found Franky and the children then made their way out to the Odyssey once they'd bid goodbye to the parents they knew well and got along with. As he held the door open for Franky, Urs took one last look back and smirked when he saw Linton Goreham swallowing hard.
With the family securely seatbelted into their seats, Urs started the vehicle and smiled when Meatloaf's 'Bat Out Of Hell' started to play. He laughed then joined in singing the song with Franky, Frank, Kurt, Serena, Ciara and Jordi at the top of their lungs as he drove them home.
A few weeks later Frank received his exam results and Franky immediately caught the dejected look in his eyes when he saw his maths grade, despite the fact he smiled, trying to hide his disappointment. She disappeared into her office and came back a few moments later with her exam certificates in hand and showed Frank her result. He huffed, took a deep breath then scanned the certificate, his eyes flying when he saw that his mother had barely passed that particular exam while he had done so much better. Franky having gotten a D grading, Frank a B. No words were spoken between the two as Frank handed the certificate back, the message communicated loud and clear.
"Success comes in cans, not can'ts."
The words she'd used each and every time Frank had said he couldn't do his math's homework or revision and more than likely what she'd said to Kurt when he'd been nervous about performing.
As for Linton Goreham, he was revealed for the liar he was six months later by the friend who'd accompanied him to the performance after a business deal had gone wrong. The friend's solicitor and several others able to prove that Linton had passed himself off as several different men in order to con people out of their money, the money used to finance his high flying lifestyle rather than being invested in time share properties that Linton didn't even own.
With his father sentenced to ten years imprisonment, Oliver was returned to his mother's custody. Oliver continued to learn to play the violin, though he would never become what his father had spent years pushing him towards, preferring instead to become a valued member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra rather than a stand alone player like Vanessa Mae.
Turn the page.
_________________

Chapter 139 - Two Scared
Fear was something he could only ever recall seeing once in Franky's eyes before. Not during her encounters with Jamie, Anthony or Owen or when flying had she let it show. Up until four days ago, he was positive she hadn't shown how scared she truly was of them. The one and only time had been that morning when she'd woken up, positive that there was something wrong with Flavian. That was the only time her entire body had shaken, her eyes had stayed wide and she'd gripped his hand as though her very life depended on it.
He flopped down on the couch in the waiting room, wondering how many more times he was going to have to sit there and wait while she had an operation, not that it really mattered he would always wait, no matter how long it took. He just thought she'd been through enough already and didn't deserve any more. Thinking that life could be very, very cruel sometimes, he buried his face in his hands and kept it there for a few seconds then ran his hands down his face. His mind drifting back to that morning. Watching Franky walk out of the bathroom, her eyes wide and tear filled, bottom lip trembling, stumbling towards the bed and sitting down before she collapsed in a heap.
Urs's eyes closed as he remembered her struggling to tell him that she'd found a lump in her right breast after checking herself, the way she always did once her period had finished, her hand shaking as she guided his to the spot. Neither of them saying anything when he felt that unfamiliar hardness, instead staring at each other with tears threatening to fall and mouths that had very suddenly gone dry. He didn't have a clue how long it had taken Franky to compose herself, he knew it wasn't long and she'd called her doctor immediately.
The man who'd decided to retire in three days had confirmed that there was a mass there and had arranged for her to come to the private clinic as soon as possible. Imaging tests had been carried out on her arrival, then they'd discussed the options of what to do if the lump proved to be malignant. He could understand her opting for double mastectomy and reconstruction but was praying hard that she wasn't going to have to go through any of that. The mere possibility of her losing her hair was hard enough to deal with right now. Knowing everything her mother had been through was one of the most difficult memories she'd ever recounted to him and one of the hardest he'd ever heard. He hadn't expected to shed many tears as she began, but the end of it they'd been streaming down his face. Though he'd never met Serena, he considered her a brave, but very stubborn woman, especially because she'd given her last ice-skating lesson, knowing that the cancer had spread to her spine and her Oncologist had given her month left to live at the very most. He didn't think he could endure watching Franky die the same way, despite what she said. She was almost a hundred per cent sure he could endure it, himself not so much, nowhere near the ninety-nine per cent Franky was though.
He swallowed hard and blew out a long breath, praying with everything he had that the lump would prove to be nothing serious. Besides cancer, they'd been told what else it could be, but he couldn't remember a single one of those at the moment. Knowing that Breast Cancer ran in Franky's family, he couldn't think of anything else but that right now and he felt more frightened than he could ever recall. He knew what to expect and tried to quieten the nagging voice that was constantly questioning if he would be able to watch her die like that.
"Shut up!" He snapped to the otherwise empty room. "I can. I know I can. But that's not going to happen. She's going to be fine. She's going to be just fine." He sniffed and dried his eyes.
Hearing the door open, Urs opened his eyes and turned his head in that direction to see a young nurse entering with a cup in her hands which she offered to him with a soft smile.
"Fwancesca asked me to make sure you got this."
"Thank you." Urs nodded, taking the cup with a gracious smile and very shaky hands.
"You don't wemember me, do you?"
Urs looked at the girl and, for a moment, thought she was making fun of the way he'd always said 'very', pronouncing it 'wery' instead, until he recognised her and remembered she had speach impediment.
"Erm........Jeanette isn't it?"
"That's wight." Jeanette nodded, taking a seat beside him. "Does she still do the toy wides?"
"Ja. I go with her whenever I can."
"Good. You know, I've never known anyone talk to my father like she did, that time she found me at the hospice. But she should have let him explain I'd only been in there while he went on honeymoon 'cos there was no-one else to look after me."
"I remember." Urs nodded, recalling that Franky had given Gerry a good telling off for not letting her know his daughter was ill in the first place.
The slender man thinking that she would have been too busy to want to hear anything about his troubles, his eyes looking anywhere but at her face, toeing the ground like a schoolboy who'd been caught doing something he shouldn't and fidgetting on the spot.
"You've been well since the bone marrow transplant then?" He asked of Jeanette, taking a swallow of the Camomile tea.
"Yes. Even learning to wide a motorbike. My boyfwiend thinks I'm cwazy. He hasn't dared get back on one since he lost control of his own fwhee years ago and bwoke his wist. Then again, I'm not a speed fweak like him."
"I know how that goes." Urs replied with a slow nod. "Frank's had a speeding ticket since he passed his test. We're taking the bike off him if he gets one more."
"She's in good hands you know? Doctor Porter doesn't make a very big incision and he's fantastic when it comes to......."
"I'd rather she wasn't getting another scar!" Urs snapped, then immediately apologised.
"It's all wight. I know you're scared."
"Does it show that much?"
"No. I've seen much worse." Jeanette smiled as she stood and excused herself so that she could attend to her duties.
Urs watched her leave then checked his watch and quickly calculated that almost an hour had gone by since he'd watched Franky being put to sleep then pushed into an operating theatre. He stood and moved to stand at the window, though he didn't remain there when he saw what he thought were reporters and photographers two floors below.
He thought about calling Lauren, Emma and Barbara-Jean, until he remembered that Franky didn't want them to know until her operation was over. His eyebrows raised briefly, pondering who he would be in more trouble with if he said anything and quickly decided it would be Franky who would give him hell for worrying her friends over what could be a minor problem. The last thing he needed right now was three females sitting with him, constantly checking their watches and wiping tears from their eyes. Telling their children had been hard enough, just like asking them not to say anything until they knew for sure what the mass was. He knew they wanted to be there with him, but they couldn't since they had all suffered a viral cough lately and he wouldn't allow them to run the risk of passing it on to another patient, however small the risk. He also had an idea that the other Divo wives might call Franky selfish for handling her problem this way, but could see her logic very well, there was no point in getting everyone upset.
Urs resumed his seat and reached for one of the magazines that sat nearby, though he returned it after flicking through and realising there wasn't much worth reading. He huffed out a breath, checked his watch once more then finished his tea. He'd just set the empty cup down when Jeanette came back in and informed that Doctor Porter had just finished and would be in to talk to him soon.
Urs watched her go then calculated how much time had passed since Franky had been pushed through the operating theatre doors and thought he would be receiving good news shortly. After all, they'd been told a double mastectomy would take around two hours to perform and only half that had gone by. He took a deep breath, sighed it out then answered whoever had been calling his mobile since shortly after their arrival at the clinic.
"Simon" He begam, trying to keep the tremor from his voice and failing."Ja........Ja, I do know where I'm supposed to be.........I'm at a-a-a private clinic.......Nein, I'm fine........Ja, it's Franky that has the problem, erm a lump in her bre.....Shit!........No, no-one beyond me, the children, Saskia and now you know........Huh?.......Because she didn't want them here, worrying when it could be nothing to worry about. Not all lumps means it's breast cancer you know?..........I know, why do you think she's got herself treated so quickly?........What?........Oh right! Did you really expect me to do my best yesterday, knowing what Franky had found?.........I'm sure I'll do better once I know for sure..........Biopsy first, they'll keep her asleep while they run test on that and go from there..........Danke! So do I. Gott so do I. Bye." Urs sniffed as he hung up and looked at his watch, seeing that another fifteen minutes had past and shushing his internal voice again when it tried to nudge that it looked like it was going to be bad news.
The door opened a few moments later and the softly smiling doctor entered and took a seat before he spoke.
"It's good news, as I suspected it would be. The lump was a Pyhllodes Tumour, quite a large one, but benign. I've removed it as Franky requested via the incision I made in the crease under her breast."
"Thank Gott!" Urs nodded, releasing the breath he'd been holding in one long slow blow, that invisible heavy weight he'd born on his shoulders for the last few days disappearing in an instant. "And she won't need any further treatment?"
"No, she can return to monitoring herself and she should continue to have a yearly mammogram."
"Thank you." Urs nodded and smiled as he shook Doctor Porter's hand.
He took a few deep breaths then left the waiting room with Jeanette and walked by her side to the private room where Franky had been put to recover. He took a seat by the bed, took hold of her right and kissed the back of it before returning the rings to her fingers. Her eyes flickered slightly as he pushed the eternity ring back into place and she just about managed to give him her questioning look.
"Everything's all right angel. It was nothing serious. Just a benign tumour, like Doctor Porter thought it was."
Franky nodded then started crying tears of relief. Urs shook his head while he removed his shoes then laid beside her, quickly gathered her into his arms and rocked her gently until she stopped crying.
"I'm sorry, angel. Simon called and I let it slip."
"It's all right. I know that you were really worried, why do you think I asked Jeanette to bring you the Camomile tea? Didn't work though, did it? I should have let you tell the guys so they could be here for you."
"Nein, not this time." Urs replied then kissed the top of Franky's head and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Don't be so knuckleheaded, angel. They'd have only made me worse than I already was by asking me if I was all right or if I wanted anything every few minutes. You know I would more thank likely have lost my temper with one or all of them."
"I know. I'm sorry." Franky informed after raising her face of his chest.
"Sorry for what?"
"Ruining your birthday. I know how much you were looking forward to spending a few days in Germany."
"Ja well, I wasn't about to have you worrying the entire time. Germany isn't going anywhere is it? And you haven't ruined my birthday. As long as I have you and you're happy and healthy, that's all that matters to me, angel. Okay?" Urs replied, for once giving her his favourite part of a stress busting massage, his eyes widening a little when he felt how quickly she relaxed.
"Okay." Franky nodded, her mouth forming a smile before she drifted back off to sleep off the anasthetic.
Urs watched her sleeping, knowing she would love the Victorian choker set he'd already bought as her birthday/anniversay gift this year. The necklace comprising over fifty Ebony multi-faceted beads, suspended in double tiers from a black velvet ribbon with earings to match, the whole ensemble named 'Serena'. Himself recalling that he hadn't even had to think about buying it, somehow he'd known it was destined to be hers as soon as he'd spotted it in small jewellery store in Rome.
He kissed her forehead then reached for the phone, dialled quickly and finally allowed few tears to fall as he passed on the good news to the children. The deep intakes of breath and the very shaky ones he'd let out while waiting all that time now calmed to a slower, relaxed pace. Eventually slowing enough that he could join in a much needed, refreshing slumber.
Turn the page.
_______________

No worries Laura. I understand how interesting wildlife can be, currently keeping an eye out for an urban fox that likes to visit my garden. He appeared yesterday with another one. Think they might be a mating pair, maybe there'll be cubs in a few weeks.




Chapter 140 - Backlash
Gott he'd never thought reporters and cameramen could piss him off so much, but somehow they managed it today. He huffed as he stopped his Harley outside the front door of his home. He was almost desperate to tell Franky that an article had appeared in at least one national newspaper that he had been the one sent to that private hospital and they'd reported he had cancer. He knew staff members hadn't said anything, well he hoped they hadn't, knowing it would cost them their jobs if they did. Add to that the fact the few who had somehow made it into the grounds had been ejected as soon as they'd been spotted.
Knowing he needed to compose himself, he took a quick tour around the front garden, taking deep breaths, though the questions were still buzzing round his head.
"Where was Franky while you were in hospital, Urs?"
"Why isn't she taking care of you if your ill?"
"Is she going to be there if you need further treatment?"
"Argh! Enough! He yelled and shook those thoughts away. "I wish she'd let me tell them that it was her not me. Stubborn, stubborn woman."
Turning on heels and knowing that she wouldn't let him do that in a million years, he headed for the house and slowly pushed open the front door, surprised to see that Emma and Barbara-Jean were sitting alone in the lounge. Franky and Lauren nowhere in sight, though their raised voices could be heard coming from Franky's office.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you." He heard Emma's voice as he headed in that direction.
"Why not?"
"Franky's just told us all about her little operation and Lauren's gone off at her."
"Oh! Well I'm still going in. Maybe I can calm them down." Urs nodded, pushing the handle down and entering quickly to hear Lauren raging at Franky.
"I DON'T CARE THAT YOU THINK IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, FRANKY. IT WAS A VERY SELFISH THING FOR YOU TO DO! YOU COULD HAVE..........SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME! I AM YOUR BEST FRIEND AFTER ALL."
"WELL IT'S A SHAME YOU DIDN'T THINK LIKE THAT FOUR YEARS AGO, LAUREN." Franky retorted, slamming a heavy book down on her desk.
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?"
"YOU KNOW VERY WELL. THE SMEAR TEST RESULTS."
"THAT WAS DIFFERENT."
"OH REALLY?! I'D LIKE TO BLOODY WELL KNOW HOW."
"IT WAS JUST ABNORMAL CELLS, NOTHING TO MAKE A BIG FUSS OVER REALLY."
"AND NEITHER WAS MY LITTLE PROBLEM, YET HERE YOU ARE MAKING A BIG THING OF IT BECAUSE I DECIDED NOT TO TELL YOU UNTIL A WEEK LATER. TWO MONTHS, LAUREN..............TWO WHOLE GOD-DAMNED MONTHS YOU WENT WITHOUT TELLING ME AND THEN I ONLY FIND OUT BECAUSE DAVID LET IT SLIP. SOME BEST FRIEND YOU ARE."
"Franky!" Urs raised his voice and looked at the two angry women.
"KEEP OUT OF THIS URS. THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND LAUREN. IT'S ABOUT TIME SHE LEARNED THAT THIS FRIENDSHIP WORKS BOTH WAYS." She snapped back, her eyes firmly focused on the woman she was arguing with. "LOOK AT YOURSELF, LAUREN. ALMOST FORTY YEARS WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER AND YOU STILL OPEN YOUR MOUTH BEFORE ENGAGING YOUR BRAIN. YOU EXPECT ME TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING BUT HOLD BACK WHEN IT COMES TO RECIPROCATING. YOU KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT THOSE CELLS COULD HAVE BECOME."
"OF COURSE I DO. I'M NOT STUPID."
"THEN STOP BLOODY WELL BEHAVING AS IF YOU ARE. DON'T YOU KNOW I STILL CARE ABOUT YOU AS MUCH AS I EVER DID? YOU'RE NOT ONLY MY BEST FRIEND, YOU'RE MY SISTER. I CARE ABOUT YOU AND I LOVE YOU."
"I love you too, Franky." Lauren sighed, her voice now almost inaudible. "I'm sorry for shouting at you. I shouldn't have done that."
"No, you shouldn't. Come here." Franky tutted, holding out her arms and waiting patiently for Lauren to step into them.
"And you're right, I should have told you about me."
"Yeah! You should have." Franky sniffed, pulling Lauren close and holding her tight until they'd both stopped crying. "You really are a.........."
"Numptynoodle." Lauren finished, laughing a little as she dried her eyes.
"Oh God! That's going back a bit, but yes you are."
"I'll leave you to it. Urs looks like he's got something on his mind. Just promise you'll tell me straight away in future."
"I promise, as long as you do the same."
"I swear, nothing like this will happen again." Lauren nodded, gave Franky another hug and left the room muttering to herself that should couldn't believe how stupid she'd been for raising her voice to her best friend.
"So! What's on your mind?" Franky asked, huffing out a breath and plonking down in her new office chair as Emma and Barbara-Jean popped their heads round the door to say goodbye.
"Huh? Oh I'll tell you in a minute." Urs replied, pulling up the old, tattered seat to sit beside her. "I want to know what the hell a 'Numpynoddle' is first."
"Numptynoodle." Franky corrected with a giggle. "It goes back years, to when Lauren and me were twelve. It's the word we used when someone had said or done something stupid. We haven't used it since we were...........eighteen."
"Oh, like 'Dummyhead'?
"Exactly. Now what's bothering you?"
"Remember I told you I thought I'd seen reporters and cameramen at the hospital while you were having your operation."
"Yes and that they were shown off the grounds PDQ."
"Ja." Urs nodded, knowing that PDQ stood for 'Pretty Darned Quick'. "Well it seems they weren't got rid of quickly enough and nothing was checked. That, or they weren't even on the grounds to begin with, using a very powerful lens.........Which would make much more sense. Anyway, There's a small article reporting that it's me who has a problem and there's a photograph of me standing at the window, looking worried."
"Oh. And you want to do something about it?"
"You know how quick such things get posted on the OF. I just want to check, see if anything's been posted."
Reluctantly Franky nodded and fired up her laptop as she reminded him that he really did need to replace the ancient thing that had stopped working properly just two days ago.
"We'll go get one once we've sorted this out, if anything needs sorting."
It didn't take long for Franky to get into the official site despite the fact that it had been updated and she hadn't used her account in such a very long time. A quick look around every topic on every forum informed there was nothing there at present, so they both decided it might be a good idea to quell the rumours before they even started. Franky logged out and remained that way while she and Urs figured out what they wanted to say. It came to Franky pretty quickly and she soon had it written down.
'Surprise! Urs here, just dropping in to say thank you for all the wonderful birthday greetings and to squash any rumours before they start.
Some of you may have read that I have been diagnosed with cancer and that I was undergoing treatment last week. I would like to reassure you that it was not me. It was someone very close to me and they were only in there for a relatively minor procedure, not cancer. The only reason I was there was to support them.
Please don't worry about me, David, Carlos or Sebastien. I assure you, we are all in the best of health.
Love, Urs xx.
Franky watched Urs login and begin to type his message, both of them giggling at his slow, two-fingered style.
"Remember, nobody likes a show off." Urs teased, knowing how quickly Franky's fingers could fly around a keyboard without her having to look at it.
"Well progress is something I suppose. At least you're using two fingers now and not stabbing at the keyboard with just one."
Urs blew a long, loud raspberry at his still giggling wife then continued to type, attempting to ignore the fact she kept teasing him by looking at her watch and making several spelling mistakes that she had to correct. After almost five minutes he was finished. The message posted he shut down the machine he still hated with a passion, despite all the years he'd rarely used one and led her out to the car.
They reached the computer shop and quickly selected a newer model with built in microphone and camera. Happy with his purchase, Urs drove home and quickly unpacked the new machine so that Franky could transfer all his stuff from the old one. He was just glad that whenever he did decided to use it, he wouldn't have to attach a seperate camera and would now be able hear Franky and the children much better when he wasn't home and they weren't with him.
That done, he logged back into the forum and sighed when he noticed there seemed to be a lot of replies to his message. Franky had left by then to make dinner and he had time to read most of them by the time the children arrived home from school and wherever else they'd been. Even though he knew he hadn't mentioned her by name, he was a little more than surprised that several ladies had guessed it was Franky he'd been talking about and every one wished her well.
A few weeks later, he sat watching television with Franky and cursed outloud when an advertisment came on, detailing a new, voice activated laptop that he would have found so much easier to operate judging by what he could see and hear. He looked at Franky, smiled then shrugged and huffed out a breath understanding now why she'd asked him to wait to buy a replacement for his. She knew full well that he would have preferred the new model but he'd been too impatient to wait for it to hit the stores. He threw his hands up in the air, then joined Franky in some very childish giggling.
Turn the page.
_______________

Chapter 141 - Win, Lose Or Draw!
After taking careful aim, Urs stood upright and grinned as he watched the black ball drop into the pocket. Finally, after three hours of playing pool against Sebastien, he'd won a game. He didn't care that the Frenchman had beaten him five to one, he was simply happy with the fact he'd dropped the black ball on the first attempt rather than the three he'd taken during every other match. All of their games had been decided on that dark coloured orb and Sebastien had cursed quietly each time he missed the pocket.
"Hey, Seb. I won." Urs informed, giving the distracted Frenchman's shoulder a quick shove.
"Huh? Sorry, Urs. I wasn't watching. About time though." Sebastien teased, looking at Urs quickly before returning to whatever it was that had grabbed his attention. "Isn't it nice to see Frank coming out of his shell. He's changed a lot over the last year. Not quite so shy around the ladies now."
Urs looked to the table where he knew Frank had been playing with Marco and smiled when he saw that he was talking with three girls. His body and face showing that he was perfectly relaxed with doing so, laughing along with them, his hands moving animatedly as he spoke. Urs took a closer look at the girls and immediately recognised two of them as Vicki and Poppy. The two young women Frank knew from school but hadn't really talked to back then, saying nothing more than hello each time he saw them. The other girl he didn't recognise at all but they seemed to be getting along all right, though she appeared to be younger than the other two and more interested in Marco if the furtive looks she gave him were anything to go by.
"Carlos has taught him way too much already, non?" Sebastien asked quietly, nodding towards Marco, having caught the wink he gave the unknown girl as he approached Frank and idicated it was his turn with his right thumb.
"Ja. Then again Marco didn't need much teaching, he's never been shy around the girls has he?"
"Non, not really. Mon Dieu, just look at him, debout comme un paon fier, que nous sachions qu'il n'a rien à voir avec la façon dont se comporte Marco autour des dames. là encore, c'est peut-être fait un peu."
"Ne pas le critiquer. Vous êtes tout aussi mauvais. You forget I've seen how much you celebrate when Eden scores a goal and I've heard how loud you yell."
Urs chuckled, turned his head to where an eye-rolling Sebastien indicated and shook his head when he saw Carlos watching Marco, letting everyone in the room know how proud he was of his son by nothing more than beaming a huge smile and puffing out his chest until David gave him a nudge and flicked his head towards the table. Carlos nodded then moved to take his shot while David looked to where Jefferson was bent over the table, Jefferson's eyes flicking towards his father then rolling backwards as he sent the cue ball towards the black one and huffing out a breath when it bounced off the cushion to end up right over the pocket, leaving Kurt an easy shot to take the game.
David's smile told everyone that he wasn't disappointed that Jefferson had lost three of his and Kurt's six games, his attitude to winning had completely changed years ago. No, Jefferson had given his father the eyeroll because he knew he didn't hold the cue in the traditional way, preferring to wrap the index finger of his left hand around the tip end of the cue to balance it rather than placing it in the groove between his thumb and index finger. It was a peculiar method of holding the cue and certainly one they'd never seen until Jefferson had done it but neither of them had considered it freaky, except David. He'd been soundly told off by Lauren for upsetting Jefferson and had apologised for what he'd said, but still wasn't quite used to see his son hold the cue that way. Jefferson being Jefferson, simply rolled his eyes whenever he caught his father watching and continued to play.
Urs turned to watch Eden and Jordi ending their game, Sebastien smiling and nodding his head, though not because Eden had won. Far from it, Jordi had beaten him six to nil. No that wasn't the reason Sebastien had such a huge smile on his face. The fact that Eden was a star player in the under fifteens football league was what made him so proud, especially since he'd scored at least one goal in each of the ten matches he'd played in so far.
Seeing Jordi smiling at him, Urs returned the smile and nodded, knowing how red his face would go if he verbalised how proud he was of him. He laughed, recalling the last time he and Franky had done that, Jordi having passed a math's test meant for sixteen year olds at the tender age of twelve, scoring ninety-nine per cent. Both of them whooping with delight, kissing and hugging him tight. Jonathon showing them both the paper Jordi had taken and understanding next to nothing of it. They were both very proud of the young man who'd been able to make some very complicated calculations without having to write them down or use a calculator and considering the idea of becoming a Math's teacher. Jordi knew, without having to be told, that that decision was his to make and that his parents would support him one hundred per cent, no matter what career path he chose.
The manager of the pool hall appeared a few seconds later and politely asked everyone to leave whether their games were finished or not. The only word of complaint came from a couple of teenaged boys who grumbled and stomped out of the room once their father had told him he would not ask for an extra five minutes so that they could finish their game, reminding them that the manager had a wife and week old baby to get home to. Urs smiled at the head shaking man as he walked past him then looked round to see where his sons were, his eyes widening when he saw Frank kissing Vicky, Poppy and the unknown girl goodbye on the cheek and shooting daggers at Kurt when he teased him by repeatedly chanting 'Frank's got a girlfriend, Frank's got a girlfriend.'
"Kurt Stefan Gabriel........" Urs raised his voice and somehow managed to keep a straight face when Kurt didn't heed Frank's warning and whipped his head round to face him.
"Sorry, Pa. Sorry, Frank." Kurt grimaced at his brother then blushed when Frank ruffled his hair.
"Don't worry about it. You'll learn one day. Knowing you, by the time you're fifty."
"Oh hardy ha, ha Franc....Frank."
"Amazing what they pick up isn't it?" Urs heard David questioning as their group started to leave the room and make for their vehicles.
"Ja. What was wrong with Reegan earlier?"
"She was sulking because I refused to let her come with us, said she didn't want to spend her night being pampered and watching some sappy film while all the girls ate ice-cream. Steph jumped in, reminded her it wasn't always like that and told her not to make assumptions about what would be happening 'cos Franky always manages to knock them for a loop when it was her turn to play hostess. You got any idea what she...........Stupid question." David laughed and slapped his forehead, knowing that Urs never knew Franky's plans for girly night.
"Are we all going for pizza Pa?" Jordi queried once everyone was outside.
"Sure, why not? It's been a while since we've had one."
"Pizza! Urrrrgh! Lauren's gonna kill me but.........I can't resist. We're eating in though." David informed with a slight grimace and a quick glance at Jefferson.
"Why would Lauren kill you for eating pizza?" Carlos questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"'Cos mum's put him on diet."
"Diet?!" Urs, Sebastien and Carlos questioned together with smirks on their faces.
"Sure. He's put almost twelve pounds on over Christmas due to the fact he ate most of that chocolate hamper Uncle Dale and Aunt Clarissa gave US, besides the usual stuff he guzzles over the holidays. No wonder mum is threatening to put the child locks back on the cupboards and fridge. He never did get the hang of those things."
"Big mouth." David huffed at Jefferson's statement, his bottom lip sticking out and arms folded across his chest.
"Then we know who he takes after don't we, mon ami?" Sebastien laughed, slapping the American hard on the shoulder and making everyone laugh.
Everyone was still chuckling as they made themselves comfortable in the cars, Urs not surprised to see Kurt in the passenger seat next to him, his legs were a fair bit longer than Frank's. He was pushing six feet tall already and would probably reach that mark before Urs's birthday with the rate he was growing. Urs started the car, knowing that he'd already grown out of the jeans he'd bought just before Christmas and he now wore ones with thirty-two inside leg measurement.
It didn't take them long to drive to their favourite place and find tables close to each other. Unusually, David took the longest to order and sulked playfully once more when Jefferson said that maybe he wouldn't get into so much trouble with Lauren if he had small thin based one, rather than the ten inch deep pan he normally had to himself. He huffed and partially agreed to the idea, ordering a nine inch rather than the seven, firmly stating that a seven inch wasn't enough to feed a mouse. The meal was eaten without any Divo business being brought up as was usual when it came to 'the post-CD completion boys's night out' and by the time they finished it was heading towards midnight. Since it was his turn, Urs paid the bill while everyone else made use of the bathroom facilities. He smiled at the cashier and waited nearby for the rest of the gang to return, surprised when Marco came through the door that seperated the restaurant area off from the conveniences without his father.
"It's all right, he's just........you know. The usual. Still can't resist a pretty face." Marco informed with a nonchalant shrug.
Urs nodded and began to walk with Marco towards the main doors where everyone else was waiting, his head whipping round when he heard loud, female shouting coming from the area Marco had just left and seeing Carlos emerge looking more dishevelled than when he went in, zipping his fly, re-fastening his belt and his head shaking.
"Guess it's just you and your han.........." The female voice trailed off as the door clicked shut.
"Amigo, Franky was right all those years ago. Such things will never stop while Il Divo is rolling, that is the third time I have been hearing words like that this week." Carlos informed with a smile and nonchalant shrug.
Urs nodded in understanding, knowing the Spaniard never left the bathroom in a that state and a few minutes later the cars were on their way again. However, as they headed up the driveway to his and Franky's home, he was surprised to see an empty taxi making its way down. Though puzzled, he drove round to the garage while David, Sebastien and Carlos stopped at the front door. He stopped dead in his tracks once he'd made it into the house via the backdoor, looked Franky up and down and tried to figure out what all the girls had been up to especially since she was wearing very tight fitting trousers with buckles and zips all over them, a black t-shirt with skeleton arms across the front, a black studded collar around her neck, a long, straight styled black and white wig on her head. A fake safety-pin piercing gripped the skin at the left corner of her mouth, connected to a double chain that led to the silver loop in her ear. She'd applied much heavier eye make-up than usual, dark eyelids surrounded by thick, black eyeliner. Her lips glistening with a light lilac colour, the outter rim highlighted with a much darker shade. Despite all that, Urs thought she still looked amazing.
"Punk night was fab Aunt Franky. Can I keep the wig?" Reegan asked, pointing to the bright blue multi-spiked design that currently adorned her head.
"Got some sort of plan for it?"
"Oh yeeeeeeeeeeeah!"
Franky nodded then hugged Reegan and watched her run towards a head-rolling David father.
Urs looked towards the lobby area and saw that all the women and girls were in a similar state of dress to Franky, giggling and refusing to remove their own brightly coloured wigs as they said goodbye and headed out of the door. Once they were out of the gate, Urs pulled Franky into his arms, gave her quick kiss and told her he and the boys had had a very good night.
"What was the taxi all about?" He asked, still holding her in his arms.
"Why don't you go and take a look?" She replied, nodding towards her office.
Urs looked at her confused for a minute or two then ran in the direction she'd indicated and threw the door open. He felt his eyes widen in surprise, a huge smile was returned and with a second Sylvie was in his arms, being held tight.
"Did you know she was coming home?" He asked, turning to look at Franky when he heard sighing happily.
"Urs, honestly! If I had have known, that's one secret I would not have been able to keep from you. I'm just as surprised to see her as you are."
Urs nodded, turned back to Sylvie and started rattling off questions, not giving her the opportunity to answer a single one and hearing her giggle as she placed her fingers on his lips.
"Don't you start with that, Mami and the girls were bad enough." Sylvie shook her head. "We're not here for long."
"We?"
"Hmmn. Nick and I. He's been wanting to meet you for a while, since a few weeks after we started dating. He would have come with me tonight, but he's been revising all morning for the abitilazione, now he's at the hotel, sleeping off the jetlag."
"Oh! So you're not staying here tonight?"
"No, Papi. I'm not a little girl anymore you know? I'm all grown up and we're..........we're being careful. No grandchildren for you just yet. Okay?"
"Urgh! Okay." Urs huffed, still seeing Sylvie as much younger than she was rather than the beautiful young woman she'd become. "I'm trying not to see you as child anymore. It's not that easy, okay?"
"I know you are. Anyway, we're here for a week and we'll tell you everything over dinner tomorrow. I've booked a table for all of us in the private dining room at 'Ramone's' for 7:00pm. Now I really must go, Nick doesn't sleep so soundly if I'm not there beside him."
Hearing the gate buzzer go, Urs and Franky walked with Sylvie down the drive, kissing and hugging her tight before allowing her to get in the car. She blew them both a kiss as the taxi began to move away, leaving her parents looking forward to the following evening as they headed back into the house.
"I blame you."
"For what honey?"
"Sylvie surprising us like she has."
"Oh! Right! Are you complaining?"
"Nein, she's had a fantastic teacher."
"Hmmn! And that my love, is what helps to keep a relationship exciting.......never knowing what your partner is going to do next."
"Tell me about it. You know, I erm........kind of like this look on you." Urs informed with Franky in his arms again.
"Really? I'll have to remember that." She replied with a smile and a headshake when she felt how aroused he was already. "Sorry honey."
"You mean.....?" Urs asked, watching Franky nod slowly in reply to his unfinished question and knowing that she'd started her period. "Ich hasse Mutter Natur".
"Ich nicht. Angesichts unserer jüngsten Aktivitäten ............. Ich konnte mit dem Rest zu tun." Franky teased in response as she turned out of his arms and ran upstairs.
Laughing and shaking his head, Urs followed after her, taking the stairs two at a time and heading for the en-suite where he quickly undressed and took the coldest shower he could ever remember taking. Dried off but still naked twenty minutes later, he slipped under the covers, gently tugged a drowsy Franky into his arms, the make-up gone, the 'piercings' removed and placed on her nightstand. He smiled and watched her sleeping soundly, wondering if she would ever dress up like that again until he joined her an hour later.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 142 - Punches And A Proposal
"Will we ever be rid of that family?" Urs huffed as he dropped down on his side of the bed and started to dress. "Then again, I could be completely wrong. Just because Nick has auburn hair and those cognac coloured eyes it doesn't mean that he is actually Anthony Strawson's son and not Matthew Jenson's. That's like saying Kurt isn't my son because he looks nothing like me or Franky. Much as I hate the expression, Nick could be a genetic throwback to his maternal grandmother. He's been raised well. Has good manners. Treats Sylvie very nicely, much better than some of her exes. Knows exactly where he wants his career to go and has worked hard to get it. Mmmn. And if they do build that new cancer hospital in Paris and he gets a job there it will be so much easier to visit them or vice versa. Maybe if Sylvie had shown us a picture of him I might not be having such a............What the hell is going on down there?!" He yelled hearing very loud shouting coming from downstairs.
He leapt from his seat, ran downstairs while tugging a t-shirt over his head and arrived at the kitchen door just in time to see Saskia coming out with Serena, Ciara and Jordi. All of them with wide eyes and mouths gaping as they headed for the lounge, the girls visibly shaking.
"It's all Kurt's fault, Papi. He's gone too far this time." Serena informed shaking her head and chewing on her bottom lip.
"He teased Frank about girls over breakfast." Saskia informed with a shrug. "Franky told him three times to quit it, but he ignored her. Frank just........well he launched his fists at him when he implied that.........Oh my God! What was that?" She gasped hearing the loud clattering of metal hitting the tiled floor and Franky cry out in pain.
Without any further hesitation, Urs bolted through the door and gulped at what he saw. Franky was in the process of getting up from the floor near the table, shrugging off both Frank and Kurt as they apologised and tried to help. She huffed, took a deep breath and finally stood upright, rubbing her right buttcheek as she did so.
"You!" She yelled, glaring angrilly at a hard swallowing Kurt. "When are you going to learn? Three times I told you to stop teasing your brother, but you carried on, didn't you? Get upstairs, you're grounded for the rest of the day and think yourself lucky I don't make it for a week!"
"Yes, Mami." Kurt nodded, his head lowered in shame, only it raising briefly to look at Urs as he turned on his heel and ran up to his room.
"I don't know what you find so amusing." Urs snapped, glaring at a giggling Frank.
"You're grounded for the rest of the day too. You know better than to fight with your brother. Get!" Franky hissed, flicking her head sharply towards the door.
"Yes, Mami." Frank nodded, his features now serious and beginning to walk out of the room only to stop on the threshold when Urs shouted his full first name.
"Bike keys." Urs demanded, holding his right out, knowing that Frank had been for a ride this morning and they would be in his pocket. "Don't even think of asking for them back for the rest of the day."
"Yes, Papi."
With Frank's key secured in his own pocket, Urs turned back to Franky, stepped towards her and wiped away the tears that had made their escape once she was in his arms.
"Are you all right, angel? What the hell happened?" He asked, feeling her rub at her butt again.
"Kurt teased Frank yet again about not having a girlfriend and saying that he knew Liah Anderson fancies the pants off him. Frank replied that she was a nice enough girl but he was interested, there's someone else he's interested in. Kurt kept on and on at him to reveal her name, then he put his foot in his mouth and said the reason Frank was refusing to say was because it's not a girl, but a boy. I told Kurt to stop and the next thing I know, I'm trying to stop the two of them from fighting. They got into quite a tussle and one of them ended up pushing me hard into the table. It was more Kurt's fault than Frank's, but Frank is old enough to know better. In fact they both are."
"Ja, they are. I'll go and talk to them both in a minute. Now, let me see what damage they've done to you. No arguments. If I go up there right now, there's only going to be more shouting." Urs insisted, gently turning Franky around despite her protests and lifting the fabric of the nightwear she still wore to reveal a small but angry looking graze that ran diagonally downwards to her leg. "You must have hit the table pretty hard, looks like it's going to be bruised as well. I'll get the first aid kit."
"I can manage."
"For Gott's sake woman. For once in your life would you let me take care of you?" Urs growled with a hint of annoyance in his tone just before he kissed Franky's cheek.
"Sorry."
"And stop apologising too. Those two need to calm down and so do you."
Once he'd retrieved the first aid kit, Urs quickly set to work cleaning the graze with anti-septic soaked cotton wool, gently patted it dry and applied some soothing anti-septic cream, somehow managing to keep himself under control as he rubbed the cream in. He heard Franky thank him, returned what he'd used to it's usual place then made her sit down and poured them both a mug of coffee once he'd washed his hands.
"I know you don't agree with the children hitting each other, angel. Neither do I, but maybe Frank has taught Kurt a lesson this morning. Kurt doesn't seem to realise that he might be over-stepping the mark. What's really pissed me off, is that Kurt's taken no notice of you and you've been hurt in the process."
"I know." Franky replied, her head nodding and sighing heavily. "I wish I knew why he doesn't listen to me when you're around though. When you're not here, he listens to me, when you're not, it's like he can't hear me. It's bloody annoying."
"I know, angel. I know." Urs sighed, wrapping his arm around Franky's shoulders and pulling her close. "Let's talk about something else for now."
"Like what?"
"Last night. I was a complete ass wasn't I? For doubting what Nick told us about his parentage."
"A bit. At least you didn't vocalise those doubts to anyone but me and I can see where you're coming from. If I knew for sure that Jasmine was the woman who Anthony attacked and raped, then I would agree with you that he's probably been lied to, but since I don't know that and neither do you we shouldn't say anything. It's not like he's turned out anything like Anthony. He's got plans and I'm sure he's going to fullfil them. He loves Sylvie too, doesn't give a damn about the fact she's older than him. Didn't you see the way he was with her last night, hanging on her every word?"
"You like him already don't you?"
"Yes, I do. He treats her like a queen, Urs."
"Ja, I know. Right now anyway."
"Oh now you are being ridiculous. They've been together much longer than we were before we got married. Almost twice as long in fact. Do you know something I don't?"
"Nein, I just find it very strange that he hasn't introduced her to his parents yet. Don't you?"
"Considering Nick's been studying and training in Naples and Matthew's in Milan.......Not really. No. It is a little bit harder to become a doctor in Italy in the first place, much more so than here."
"You checked up on what he told us, didn't you?"
"Some of it, not all. It's a complex process." Franky replied, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "What else is niggling you?"
"Well.......last night, when Nick pulled me to one side, I got the feeling he was going to ask for my permission to ask for Sylvie's hand in marriage. He didn't though, asked me if he could borrow the MG instead."
"Oh! Probably got something to do with the way looked at him. That stern look of yours scares the pants off of me sometimes."
"Ja, right! Of course it does." Urs laughed and shook his head. "Right, I'm going to sort Kurt's punishment out." He informed, standing once he'd kissed Franky firmly on the lips.
"Okay and Urs......."
"Ja?!"
"Not many men ask for permission these days. That's so old fashioned. Now your blessing on the other hand........"
Urs nodded then left the kitchen and made his way upstairs, approaching Kurt's room first and entering without knocking. The signal that let Kurt know he was in serious trouble.
"Well Kurt. What's your excuse this time?" He asked, his face stern and his arms folded across his chest.
"I-I-I-I don't have one Papi. I shouldn't have continued to tease Frank like I did and shouldn't have implied that he was gay either. I don't care if he is or isn't. I just want him to find someone nice, he's almost eighteen and hasn't even been kissed properly yet. He's so stuck on this one girl, whoever she is, but hasn't even asked her out yet. If she's as nice as he says she is, she might get taken by someone else. Then what's he gonna do? He isn't as shy as he used to be you know?"
"I know he isn't, but whether he gets with this girl or not it's none of YOUR business Kurt. Ja, he's eighteen.......and you are almost sixteen, old enough to know when you're over-stepping the mark, Frank always gives you fair warning. But what makes me really angry is the fact that you didn't listen to Mami when she told you to stop. Why are you always like that when I'm around? Do you think you know better than she does or something?"
"I guess I do." Kurt shrugged, chewing on his bottom lip.
"Well you don't. In future you listen to Mami when she warns you that you're pushing Frank or any of the others too far with your teasing. Do you understand me Kurt Stefan Gabriel Buhler?"
"Yes, Papi."
"Good. Now as for your punishment. The family bathroom is in need of cleaning. That you can get to work on, once you've apologised to Mami, your brothers, sisters and Saskia."
Without a word of protest, Kurt nodded, left his bedroom and made for the stairs only to pause at the top when Urs reminded him not to forget to clean the bath and shower plugholes this time, Kurt's face draining to a very pale shade and his cheeks puffing out as though he was going to be sick as he started to run downstairs, leaving Urs smirking because he knew Kurt hated that particular part of the job.
Setting his face straight again, Urs walked the short distance to Frank's room, entering without knocking once again to find him standing at the window, arms folded across his chest and staring out into bright sunlight, though he didn't appear to be appreciating it.
"I'm sorry, Pa. I shouldn't have let Kurt's words make me react like I did. Is Mami all right?"
"She's fine, just a graze on her backside. Was it you that pushed her?"
"Yes." Frank nodded, quickly wiping away a tear from his eyes. "I didn't mean to, Kurt just got me so riled up with what he said. It's none of his business if I have a girlfriend or if I'm gay, which I am not by the way. I know Liah fancied me something chronic a few weeks ago, I told her I wasn't interested and she was fine with that. She's not pushing me for a relationship now, just wants to be friends. She's seeing someone else and he's not the jealous type. Doesn't mind us being friends at all."
"Okay. And this other girl? Does she know how you feel?"
"Not right now, no. She's currently seeing someone too. She's happy with him. I can wait for her..........as long as it takes. I'll wait for her. And even if we never get together, I'm cool with that. She's all I want, all I ever will want."
"Well....that's erm.......a very mature attitude Frank." Urs replied, his eyes blinking rapidly. "I'm not going to push you for her name and neither will Mami. What Kurt did was wrong, but you have to understand he only wants to see you happy Frank. That's all any of us want."
"I know. It tears my heart out to see her with him, but I can live with it.......as long as she's happy Pa. That's all. Do you get what I mean?"
"Ja, I think so." Urs nodded, his mind flicking back to when he'd asked Franky for a divorce and how he would have reacted to seeing her with someone new if it had gone ahead, as long as she was happy, that's all he'd cared about back then, not his own heartache. "However, you know fighting with your siblings is one thing we will not tolerate Frank. You scared Serena, Ciara, Jordi and Saskia, don't let them tell you otherwise."
"I won't. I'm really sorry for losing my temper."
"Not me you should be apologising to, is it?"
"No, Pa." Frank sighed and shook his lowered head, his hands now pushed deep into the pockets of his jeans. "What's my punishment?"
"I've already punished you haven't I? By taking the bike keys away? It was today you were supposed to be meeting up with Justin to go for a ride wasn't it?"
"Yes, Pa. Can I at least ring him, tell him I won't be able make it?"
"Ja, but that's all. No talking about other things or making other arrangements. Once you've made your apologies. Mami first though."
Frank nodded and ran from the room with Urs following close at his heel. Urs stopped at the bottom and watched him head towards the kitchen while he let out a quiet, grumbled cry of 'Teenagers'. After huffing out a breath, he moved in the same direction and smiled when he saw Franky and Frank hugging tight.
"Kurt, shut up." Franky instructed firmly once Frank had moved away to apologise to his siblings and Saskia. "I'm fine. I do not need to go to hospital. It's just a graze and probably some bruising. I've had worse. Now stop asking me if I'm really all right and get on with your punishment."
"Okay, Mami." Kurt nodded, heading into the utility room to retrieve what he needed to clean the bathroom and beginning to head back upstairs.
"Hold up Kurt. I'll help you." Frank informed, walking towards his brother and placing an arm around his shoulder. "However, I am not cleaning the plugholes out, that's the worst part."
"Fiiiiiiiine." Kurt retched again and promptly disappeared through the door with Frank.
Peace restored, Urs settled back down at the table with the remainder of his family and smiled when Saskia placed a Dutch applecake in front of Franky who was busy informing him that Kurt and Frank had apologised to each other while he was coming down the stairs. Coffee and fruit juice had just been served when Urs heard the front door open and smiled when Sylvie entered with Nicholas by her side, holding his hand tight. Nicholas's other hand carrying a picnic basket that shook slightly. Urs retrieved the keys to the MG, gave them to Nicholas with an instruction to drive carefully as Sylvie headed out of the back door.
"Nick!" Urs raised his voice a little, stopping Nicholas dead in his tracks as he headed in the same direction. "If you're planning to do what I think you are, you have my per..........blessing."
"Huh? Oh! Right! Thanks. Erm.........How did you know?"
Urs laughed, shook his head then looked at a giggling Franky briefly before nodding his head towards the slightly baggy trousers Nicholas wore.
"Sylvie might not have noticed there's a small, cube shaped box in there, but I spotted it as soon as you walked through the door."
"Oh! Right!"
"Good luck." Urs waved and laughed, knowing that Nicholas was taking Sylvie to 'Brock's Cove', the place Sylvie missed most other than the Buhler family home and hoping that she would accept his proposal.
Frank reappeared a few moments after the MG had gone down the drive, his arms full of towels and called Justin once he'd put them in the washing machine and had set it running. He looked slightly stunned as he hung up and Franky questioned him as to why.
"I don't think he believed me at first. Then said he couldn't believe I'd let Kurt push ME into hitting HIM."
Franky smiled and nodded, then informed Frank that the rest of the family would be taking 'Alondra' for a nice long walk once they'd finished their snack. Frank looked disappointed then smiled when Franky informed that if he and Kurt wanted to go, they had better get a wriggle on and be ready to go in half an hour. However, Urs put his foot down a little firmer and reminded her they'd grounded them both, so they would be staying at home with Saskia, who had packing to finish as she was heading back to her homeland for ten days.
As they stepped out of the door, with a very excited 'Alondra' on her lead, Franky turned to Urs and whispered in his ear once she'd pulled him away from the garage.
"Oh no you don't Urs Buhler. You wait to find out. We are not going up to 'Brock's Cove' to spy on the lovebirds and that's final."
"Ja, Mami." Urs replied teasingly, wrapping his arm around her waist as they turned to head down the drive.
They returned two hours later with one exhausted dog and three equally tired children. A look towards the garage revealed that Frank was cleaning the mud off his off road bike and Kurt was washing the Odyssey, both of them having great fun with the hosepipes and buckets of soapy water until they saw their parents watching. 'Alondra' curled up in her bed and quickly fell asleep once they inside while the family she loved sat down to lunch and chatted about the upcoming album promotion and tour. They'd just finished eating when they heard the MG roar up the drive and decided to remain where they were.
A few seconds later, Sylvie burst through the back door, giddy with excitement that Nick had proposed in the traditional manner in the middle of the bridge near 'Brock's Cove'. Her face and eyes were shining with as she showed off the eighteen carat white gold solitaire diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand. The bands of the ring crossing over and around the one karat jewel. Once congratulatory hugs and kisses had been exchanged, Serena and Ciara dragged their sister into the lounge and began launching questions at her.
"Seri, Cici, enough. The wedding might not be for a while yet. Papi has to give me away and he can't do that while he's on tour......can he?"
"Nooooooo!" Serena and Ciara pouted almost together.
"And of course you'll be my bridesmaids and I hope Stephanie will be my maid of honour. Of course I'd like Aunt BJ to design and make my dress"
Serena and Ciara looked at each other, smiled then started jumping around the lounge, making everyone laugh.
"And you three......." Sylvie began, turning to look at Frank, Kurt and Jordi. "I'd like you to be ushers on the day."
"That means we'll have to wear real fancy suits.........Right?" Frank questioned, his head rolling on his neck when Sylvie nodded. "Okay! As long as I can take the god-damned tie off once the formal stuff is over with."
"Yeah me too." Kurt and Jordi nodded in agreement.
"Oh no. No, no, no. You're going to wear them for the whole day. Right up until me and Nicholas leave for the honeymoon."
"Oh hardy, ha, ha, Sylvs. You are so not funny." Kurt replied with a smile and headshake, knowing that his big sister was only teasing.
"Well, at least this time I'll have a longer to help arrange a wedding." Franky whispered in Urs's ear as everyone settled down to chat again. "There'll be none of that manic rushing around that our arrangements turned out to be."
"Argh! Get off! You loved every minute of arranging our wedding. Don't even try to deny it Frau Buhler." Urs replied then tugged Franky into his arms and gave her a very firm kiss, neither of them hearing what the children usually said when he did that.
Instead they pulled back and turned their heads to see seven smiling if somewhat red faces watching them.
"And that my love......." Nicholas began, tugging Sylvie up from her seat and into his arms. "........is just how we'll be when we get that........after so many years."
"I hope so. In fact I know we will." Sylvie nodded, tears brimming in her eyes as Nicholas leaned in to give her a firm, tender kiss that left her blushing even more as they seperated.
Urs and Franky left their family to it, both of them heading towards Franky's office so that she could do the garage accounts and he could check if he'd been emailed the complete tour schedule yet.
"Why do I suddenly feel old?" Urs asked while he waited for his laptop to come to life.
"You're not old, Ice. Ancient, decrepit, past it........." Franky's teasing voice informed though it quickly fell into laughter.
"I'll show you how 'past it' I am tonight, Fire." Urs fidgetted, coughed, shook his head then settled down to read the email he'd been expecting, one side of his nose wrinkling when he saw how long the tour was going to be. "Guess I'd better make the most of the next few weeks then." He huffed, looking at Franky as he shut his computer down and grinning like a Cheshire Cat when he saw her nod in reply, her face flushed bright red.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 141 - Selflessness, Selfishness And Sorries
"Sorry ladies, I haven't got time right now." Urs shook his head at the three women who'd stopped him in the lobby of the Best Western Hotel Galles, Milan, Italy in the hope of getting his autograph or a photo opportunity.
"Don't worry about her." A dark-haired woman smiled, standing very close to him and moving to place her hand on his chest, her head flicking towards the reception desk where Franky was trying to get Sylvie and Nick's room number. "She can wait a while. Actually I'm surprised you've brought her here, considering you're in the middle of a tour."
"You're not going to let her spend........"
Urs didn't hear the rest of what the ash-blonde woman said and didn't really need to. He knew where she was going and it still irked him that some people thought Franky was with him for his money. If only they knew the truth they'd been in for one hell of a shock, especially since her Uncle Lou had left her well enough provided for that she could have left him and lived very comfortably. He shook his head one more time, gently pushed the women aside and ran towards the lift, meeting up with Franky just as the doors opened.
"Sorry about that." He informed, nodding to where the women stood, all of them glaring at Franky as he wrapped his arm around her waist and stepped in.
"It's all right. I've told you so many times before Urs, that kind of thing is never going to stop and you don't need to apologise to me each time it does. I'm more worried about Sylvie and Nick than what those three think right now."
"Hmmn. Tell me again exactly what she said while I was on stage."
"That Matthew was......is dead, from a massive heart attack and the wedding is off, as is her relationship with Nick. I tried calling her back, but she wouldn't answer. And I don't think it's got anything to do with pre-wedding jitters or the fact some of Sylvie's plans haven't worked out like she wanted them to. I know she would have loved for BJ to make her dress, it just wasn't possible.....especially since you insisted it would be fine for the wedding to be held during the week's break." Franky informed once she'd pressed the button for the appropriate floor.
"I know, but nothing's been that hard to arrange has it? Or have you been keeping the problems to yourself?"
"No, I haven't. Everything's run very smoothy and she was overjoyed to find someone that could make the dress to BJ's design. I'm not sure, perhaps she's even blaming Nick for Matthew's death for some reason."
Urs nodded then yawned widely. Both he and Franky were jetlagged due to the fact they'd taken a light night flight from Sydney, Australia to get to Milan. Neither of them had slept much during the flight and they'd only spent a few minutes in the hotel room Lauren had booked for them, just long enough to drop their bags at the door and freshen up a little. He breathed out a deep breath knowing that the rest of the group were in New Zealand, enjoying the fact they could have a couple of days off before the first concert and wishing he was on a beach with Ciara and Jordi enjoying the island rather than where he was right now. At least it hadn't been all bad news they'd received, Frank was behaving very well for Gabriel and Christie and their children loved having him around, the only thing they complained about was the amount of noise he made when getting up in the morning, always slamming the door as he left to go to work at the garage with Gabriel despite several rather loud requests to close it quietly.
He didn't know exactly what had gone wrong between Sylvie and Nick at the moment, but boy was he beginning to wish he hadn't said he was fine with them getting married during the tour. However, he knew how important the date was to Sylvie and that she really wanted to get married on what would have been her paternal grandparent's wedding anniversary. And now it looked as if the event on 17th May wasn't going to go ahead at all.
Feeling the lift jerk to a stop, Urs dropped his hand to hold Franky's and stepped out with her, both of them turning right once they'd figured out that was the direction they needed to go and walking quickly to locate the room. They both looked at each other once they reached the door and heard the noises coming from within. There was no doubt about it. Sylvie was in one of her rare furious moods and was busy slamming drawers or wardrobe drawers. It all reminded Urs of what he'd heard Franky doing following the incident with Sina in Paris and made him swallow audibly. Feeling Franky squeeze his hand, he smiled, nodded then raised his hand and knocked loudly.
"Can't you rea....... Mami, Papi!" Sylvie exclaimed once she'd thrown the door open, her swollen eyes filling with fresh tears. "What are you doing here?"
"We'd like to know why you're talking of calling the wedding off." Urs stated once he and Franky were in the room and the door had been closed. "No skirting around the issue like you did over the phone. Have you and Nick fallen........Don't you love Nick anymore or is it the other way around?"
"Of course I still love him and he still loves me. Don't be so stupid, Pa.....I'm sorry, Papi." Sylvie sniffed, shaking her head as she led Urs and Franky into the lounge and sat down. "I just don't understand how such an intelligent man can be sooooo stupid. What kind of man doesn't tell his parents his girlfriend's full name, surprises them by taking her to meet them for the first time, knowing that they both know who you and Mami are, which causes his father to have a heart attack and........die."
"I sort of know how you feel Sylvie, but you shouldn't be blaming Nick for what happened to Matthew. He didn't have the heart attack until three days after meeting you did he?" Franky asked, shaking her head at Sylvie.
"No. What do you mean you kind of know how I feel?"
"Your father did the same thing to his parents. He hadn't told them my full name before that day and neither of them reacted well when he told them who I was related to. Your Grandmami worst of all, but Grandpapi wasn't happy either. He went very pale once your father had told him."
"Ja, he did. I noticed the way he looked at you while I was talking, mentally comparing you to..........He didn't even apologise for judging you until after the car crash that left me blind."
"None of that matters now." Franky smiled and shook her head then turned back to a quietly crying Sylvie. "I'm sorry, Sylvie. Don't you think you're being a little selfish?"
"Selfish? How?"
"Oh come on Sylvie think about it." Urs sighed then leaned towards her. "Think how busy Nick has been these last few months. Qualifying as doctor, having to find a job elsewhere because he couldn't get one in Naples. Asking you what you wanted to do about your career and supporting you through leaving Naples to find a job here in Milan, trying to find a suitable home for you both to move into once you're married and working on the wedding arrangements with you. Don't you think you're being very unfair to him? Ja, he could have prepared his parents a little better but I don't think he thought for one minute that his surprise would cause his father to have a heart attack. Actually, I don't think it did. Wouldn't it make much more sense for him to have had the heart attack right there in front of you rather than three days later?"
"Yes, I guess it would." Sylvie nodded after a few moments pondering her father's words. "God I'm so stupid."
"What was he doing at the time?"
"Matthew? Bringing a heavy patient down from a second storey appartment, no lift. Him and his partner had to carry him in one of those funny chairs they strap patients into. They'd just reached the ambulance when it happened."
"Oh Sylvie. Do you know anything of Matthew's medical history?"
"No, Mami. He just seemed remarkably fit for his age. Didn't seem like he had a problem."
"Maybe not, but he could have. From what I remember of Matthew, he never would let anyone know if he was feeling ill. When I dated him, he turned up, looking very pale, insisted he was fine as we entered the cinema and ten minutes later he was passed out on the floor with a temperature of 102. He'd had flu and a mild chest infection, but didn't want to cancel our date. If he was ill, I'm pretty sure he kept it from Nick, his wife too knowing him."
"Oh! Bet you kicked his butt for doing that, just like you're kicking mine."
"Ya think?" Urs shook his head. "Where's Nick anyway?"
"With his mother and sister, making the funeral arrangements. We haven't really spoken to each other since the other day."
"Where's your engagement ring?"
"I threw it at him when I told him the wedding was off and our relationship was over. I'm sorry for being so........so bloody stupid and selfish" Sylvie managed to inform through fresh tears, burying her face in her hands as she finished.
Urs and Franky flew to her side and each wrapped an arm around her shoulder, attempting to comfort her and stop her heart-wrenching cries. However, no matter what they seemed to do, she didn't calm down much and both of them looked at each other, trying to figure out what to do next. Urs thought of calling Nick, but given that he was helping his mother, didn't think it was a particularly good idea. Franky agreed with him and said that perhaps it would be better if they just stayed until he came back following a look around the room open and seeing male clothing scattered everywhere. Urs nodded in agreement with her and that's how the trio remained for the next fifty minutes, neither of them moving until they heard a very quiet knock at the door and a sad sounding voice on the other side.
"Sylvie........it's.......It's me. I just want to get my things." Nicholas informed, his usually somewhat loud voice barely audible.
Sylvie heard him, sat bolt upright, quickly wiped her face then stood and flew towards the door and flung it open one more time. She sniffed then launched herself at her startled fiance. Apologising between covering his face with kisses and holding on to his neck for dear life.
"I'm so sorry, sweety. I didn't mean those horrible things I said. I shouldn't be blaming you for what happened to you father." She sighed, pulling him gently into the room and wiping away the tears that had escaped from Nicholas's eyes.
"No, no you shouldn't. It erm......It appears he'd been ill for a while. Been to his own doctor with chest pains recently and high blood pressure but never told anyone. Not even my mum, which has upset me. Then again she's exactly the same when it comes to her health. I should have know though Sylvie. I should have known there was something not quite right with him."
"How could you? You've been so busy with your career, mine, the wedding, trying to find us a permanent home. He was here in Milan, you were in Naples, becoming what you'd always wanted to be, making your father even prouder of you than he already was. How could you know? I know you Nicholas Matthew Jenson, if you had thought for one second that he had a problem with his heart you would not have surprised him like you did. It's not your fault he's gone. I'm sorry to say it, but it's......It's very much down to him. You've always told me how stubborn he was when it comes to his own health and how he thought more about helping others than sorting himself out. Blame yourself once more and I will kick your ass to the moon. Do you hear me?"
"Yes." Was all that a now visibly crying Nicholas managed to say before he pulled Sylvie into his arms and held her tight, both of them burying their faces in each other's shoulders and crying hard for several minutes. "Does this mean the wedding's back on?"
"Of course it does. If you still want me."
"Of course I do. I've told you so many times before. Mu sei il mio mondo, la mia notte, la mia giornata. Lo sono niente senza di te il mio amore." Nicholas replied switching easily from English to Italian when he glanced to the left and saw Urs and Franky watching, completely forgetting that Urs could speak a little Italian and could translate every word he'd said as Urs leaned into Franky's ear and translated back to English for her. "Erm........I'm sorry we've caused you so much trouble, especially since you're touring. Are you sure it's all right for the wedding to be held that day?"
"Honestly, it's fine Nick. Unless Sylvie's already cancelled the arrangements." Urs shook his head as he watched Nicholas and Sylvie approach, holding hands tightly once .
"No, I hadn't done that yet."
"Gutt! It really is fine. I just hope the two of you will be as happy as my parents were."
"Something wrong Frau.......Franky?" Nicholas asked, noticing that she was looking Sylvie up and down, paying particular attention to her stomach area. "Oh! Don't you get any ideas, we've been too careful."
Franky said nothing in reply, but simply smiled and nodded her head at Nicholas's statement. Urs knew her well enough to know that she suspected something but didn't question her as to what until the four of them had eaten lunch together and they were on their way back to the hotel.
"No!" Urs laughed once she'd told him what she suspected. "I'm not ready to be a grandpa.......Oh Gott! Now I really do feel old. How far along do you think she is?"
"Not far, a couple of weeks at the most. It wasn't her stomach that gave it away. It was more the look in her eyes that told me. The one you missed each and every time I thought I was pregnant. The one and only thing you never picked up on. Trust me honey, a mother knows when her daughter is pregnant."
"Well, I think you're wrong. I didn't see anything but the love she has for Nick. And just for your information Frau Buhler, that sparkle has always been in your eyes therefore making it mission impossible for me to pick up on any changes."
"Guess we'll have to wait and see." Franky shrugged, still with the huge smile on her face as they stepped out the taxi they'd taken and made their way into the hotel.
Before they made their way up to the twelfth floor, Urs had a word with the concierge and asked him to make arrangements for them to get back to New Zealand as soon as possible. The woman nodded, picked up the phone and by the time Urs and Franky reached their room, the phone was ringing. Urs answered, his eyes flying wide as he listened to what he was being told. Two seats were left on the next flight and they had an hour to get to the airport if they wanted to be on that. The next available flight wasn't until three days time, all the others were fully booked, mostly with females that the concierge's friend at the airport suspected were heading out there for the Il Divo concert. Urs huffed, accepted the tickets and retrieved his luggage once it had been confirmed the seats were his and Franky's.
As they moved to leave the room, Urs looked back over his shoulder towards the open door of the bedroom and whined when he saw the luxury queen size bed he and Franky hadn't even used. Huffing he pulled the door closed and left the hotel, hoping that they would be given that particular room when the tour reached Milan and looking forward to spending at least one night cuddled up with Franky after the concert and they'd made love to each other as usual.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 142 - Compliments And A Very Close Call
"Yo! Swissy! Frenchie! Hurry up and get your butts aboard before this storm really kicks off!"
"Oui. Come along grand-père. We have spent enough time out here in this foul weather non? Emma and Franky will be.........." Sebastien stopped, noticing that several ladies were looking at him with confused expressions on their faces. "What is wrong ladies?"
"We always thought you referred to Carlos as grandad." One informed, trying to stop her skirt flying upwards and failing miserably due to the fact the wind that had been blowing since before their arrival had become much stronger during the concert.
"Oh they did. They started calling me that when I started going grey." Urs fibbed, tapping a finger at his right temple once he'd handed an autographed program back. "They think it is highly amusing. Especially Carlos."
"Well he doesn't have half so much does he? Barely any actually." Another blushed, handing over the gift bag she carried and telling Urs to be careful with it because there was something fragile inside.
"That's because he dye......Whoa! Mon Dieu! That was close." Sebastien exclaimed, his eyes still wide after hearing a loud clap of thunder followed by an extremely bright flash of lightening. "Sorry ladies, we really must be going." He smiled when he heard David shouting again, Urs and himself wishing the large group of fans a safe journey home as they turned away and ran towards the tour bus, giving a final wave before George, the driver, closed the door.
The two of them moved to the lounge area and took seats opposite each other as the bus began to move out of the car park, George taking great care as he drove through the gates, not wanting to damage the bus Il Divo as a group had purchased just over six weeks before. It hadn't been hard for them to reach the decision to buy the vehicle for the British leg of the tour, the only argument they'd had was how to fit it out. David had wanted bright colours with gadgets galore, Carlos hadn't been interested in the interior, preferring to ask what could be done with the outside and beaming a huge smile once he'd been told that it could be painted with group's name and images. Sebastien hadn't really said much, other than to ask if a small wine bar could be included. In the end they'd settled on a black and silver scheme for the outside with no indication of who the occupants were. Inside it was much the same, the seating covered in the finest black leather available. Spaces for drinks and snacks had been included and they could even pick up an internet signal as they travelled. Some of David's gadgets had been fitted, though not all of them. He seemed perfectly happy with what was there and was currently playing on the playstation with Jefferson. Lauren laughing as she watched them both, Jefferson whooping with delight when he won the car race.
A look to Carlos and Barbara-Jean told Urs they talking about something that might involve him if the furtive glances they cast his way were anything to go by. Whatever it was they whispering about, they seemed happy about it, they did appear to be smiling a fair bit. Sebastien was still in his seat, glass of red wine in his hand, Emma curled up by his side, their children and the rest of David's family already asleep in the curtained cabins situated at the back end of the bus. Urs looked in that direction, listening carefully between rolls of thunder and flashes of lightening. He could just about hear Franky soothing Ciara to sleep and knew she would stay there until their youngest daughter was sleeping soundly. His eyes widened a little, his mind wondering when Ciara would get over her fear of thunderstorms. He looked around for Jordi and shook his head when he couldn't see him. It would be highly unusual for him to go to bed before midnight, but that's exactly what he appeared to have done.
Shrugging, he made himself a little more comfortable in the black upholstery then turned his head to the minibar and retrieved a bottle of the flavoured waters it was always stocked with. At first he'd thought David's idea of buying the bus rather extravagant, but now he loved it, especially since it gave him the opportunity to see parts of Britain that he'd never come close to seeing. How anyone could call this part of the world boring he didn't know, they'd seen some amazing sights on their travels, especially since George knew the roads well and drove them to their next destination via scenic routes whenever possible. That was one good thing, the other being that he and Franky could sleep through the journey, both of them much more comfortably in one of the four double sized beds on the upper deck, rather than in aeroplane seats. He looked towards the windscreen and huffed out a breath once he saw that George wouldn't be doing that today. They were heading towards the motorway that would take them from Birmingham to London to play the last date of the current tour.
A look to his left brought Franky's new computer into a view and that it was switched on. He turned his head back towards the cabins and smiled when he saw her walking towards him, still unable to believe that she was going to be a grandmother in just over six weeks. He huffed a laugh when he remembered the phone call they'd received from Nick and Sylvie two months after their wedding. Though they hadn't planned it, Sylvie had indeed already been pregnant as she walked down the aisle on her proud father's arm. Both of them being shocked to discover that she was thirteen weeks gone those two months later. The latest scan revealing that they were expecting a boy, his name long since decided. Urs rolled his eyes backwards, recalling that he'd tried and tried and tried to get Sylvie to change the names around, only for both her and Nicholas to flat out refuse. Urs Matthew Jenson was what they'd decided on and Urs Matthew Jenson was what it was going to be. End of story.
He looked to the left again, saw that there were two emails awaiting Franky's attention and wished she would hurry up. He'd never opened her emails and wasn't about to now, despite the fact he was desperate to know how Kurt and Serena were doing. He looked back to the cabins and could just make out the fact that her rear end was poking out of the bed Monique usually occupied. She wasn't there long and was soon sitting by his side, lifting the computer onto her knees and opening Kurt's email.
"I don't know how Monique sleeps like that. I swear we're going to find her in the middle of the aisle one day." She informed, looking at the screen and copying the review Kurt had sent into a translation program.
"Me too." Urs nodded, his chin resting gently on her shoulder, having lost count of how many times Franky had gently rolled Sebastien and Emma's youngest back towards the other side of the cabin, having found her sleeping very close to the edge.
"Has Kurt finally sent you a review?" Urs heard Sebastien questioning and nodded in reply before Franky began to read, everyone else moving to listen to what a critic thought of the performance Kurt and the rest of the company he'd joined just before the tour had kicked had given.
"At first I thought the idea of having such a young company perform a new opera was ridiculous, just like I thought not many would attend La Scala to listen to a tale of tragic young love. However, I have had my opinion changed overnight as have a few others I think. Gianni Cormio gave a wonder performance as the brother of the lead female, despite his tender years the passion and emotion were all there as they were for Maria Garofallo who plays his tragic sister. That said, the voice that really grabbed everyone's attention was that of the heartbroken boyfriend to Ms Garofallo's character, portrayed by Kurt Buhler. So many, including myself, found it hard to believe that a seventeen year old could sing with such power, never mind portray such powerful emotions. From what I have learned about him, this young man was due to attend the London School of Music next year, but he changed his mind when he was offered this role. LSM's loss is most definitely La Scala's gain. I spoke to the young man after his performance and asked if his parents had seen it yet. Unfortunately, they haven't but have plans to do so once his father has recovered from the rigours of Il Divo's latest tour. He also informed me that his father was his main singing teacher, his bandmates giving him a few lessons. Senor Buhler should be very proud of himself and his son, the boy is remarkable and has quite a future ahead of him. The story is weak in places, but to the average opera goer it proves to be a sad but wonderful tale of love and dealing with loss. I shall definitely be going to see it again, this time for pleasure and pleasure alone. Senor Buhler may feel a little put out that Kurt is a baritone rather than a tenor, but he really shouldn't. Kurt's voice is rich, warm, deep and rather loud already. A few more years and performances under his belt, who knows, he might even rival his Uncle Carlos's voice."
"Pfft!" Carlos huffed after hearing the final line, making Urs whip round to face him, the Spaniard's smile and quick shoulder shrug letting Urs know he was only playing. "I was telling you the first time I heard Kurt sing that he would be a baritone, didn't I? Is nice to know I was right."
"For once." David teased and received a quick swat on the arm from Lauren.
"Oh my goodness." Franky gasped after reading what Kurt had written in the email.
Urs read quickly and smiled once he'd finished. Kurt was dating Maria Garofallo and she was the girl he'd waved to and smiled at when the family had gone to visit Sylvie in Naples. She was also the great-niece of Senora Garofallo, the woman who'd taken such good care of Sylvie. Kurt and Maria had lots in common. Besides having an amazing contralto singing voice, she enjoyed riding bikes, liked motorbikes and horses and had even asked him to teach her to climb. Climbing being something she'd always wanted to do, each of her previous three boyfriend's not willing to even try, stating that it was far too difficult an activity for a girl. He turned his head, returned the smile Franky gave him then waited patiently while she opened Serena's message. This time she let him read it aloud.
"I'd be the first to admit that I was disappointed and somewhat saddened to hear that Serena Buhler had decided not to continue skating competitively following her second placing in the British National Figure Skating Championships last year. She certainly had and still has the ability to compete at an international level. She is as graceful on the ice as her mother and grandmother ever were and a very humble girl off it. Her part in Beauty and Beast on Ice is not a major one, but still she does not disappoint. The layback spin she executes during the ballroom scene towards the end of the show is what grabs almost the entire audience's attention. I remember seeing Serena Hartford perform the spin in my younger years and never thought I would see better. Oh how wrong I was. Serena senior would be so very proud of her namesake and, having seen what her daughter used to do, I can only assume that Francesca Buhler is equally as proud. I close this critique in the hope that future generations of Serena Hartford's family continue to learn to skate. Bravo Miss Buhler, an amazing performance for one so young."
"Me too." Franky nodded, startling as the bus shook a little, the storm feeling like it was directly overhead.
"No mention of a boyfriend yet?" Sebastien questioned with a smile and a quick jerk of his body following a quick dig in the ribs from Emma.
"You know she'd only just finished with Steven just before she left for Russia. Not that it's any of your business anyway." Emma scolded then yawned widely. "I'm off to bed. Are you coming?"
"Oui ma cherie." Sebastien nodded as he stood and moved to follow her to the very back of the bus where the stairs to the upper level were located, leading to the four bedrooms the adults occupied.
Silence reigned on the lower level for a minute or two, everyone on the lower deck listening to the sounds coming from above.
"Stop it Seb. Wrong time." Emma informed, trying to be quiet.
"Merde! Je déteste la mère nature!" Sebastien replied, the thump coming from above letting everyone know he'd dropped down very hard on the bed.
"He just doesn't care where he is does he?" David asked once everyone had stopped giggling.
"Neither do you and Lauren. It's a good job our fans couldn't see how much this thing rocked this morning. You'd have stepped off looking very red faced as you made your way in for the soundcheck." Urs replied, knowing that David and Lauren had used the bus for a few moments of privacy earlier that morning, he'd seen and heard enough to know exactly what they'd been up and why they'd gone there, especially since Reegan liked to tease them that they were too old to get up to such shenanagins.
Smirking, David shook his head then turned to follow Lauren upstairs. Again, those left on the lower deck fell silent but nothing was heard from the couple other than the sounds of undressing and slipping under the covers. That left Urs, Franky, Carlos and Barbara-Jean downstairs, Jefferson having bid them all good night once Urs had finished reading Serena's review. They spent a few moments chatting, mostly about where they were headed once the tour was over. Urs and Franky nodding when Carlos informed that his family would be going to Houston for a couple of weeks then to Madrid from there. Franky stating that they were staying in England until Jordi had taken the exam he was revising for, then it was off to Venice followed by a trip to Moscow. Somehow, Urs had forgotten that Jordi would be taking a high level math's exam in a few days and didn't think he needed to revise for it. He looked down towards the cabins and knew, without going to check that revising was what he was doing.
He huffed a laugh, trying to remember how many times he'd heard that saying 'The quiet ones are always the worst' and not getting very far. Of all their children, Jordi certainly was the quietest, though not because he was shy, far from it. He just took his time, observed and listened carefully, especially when meeting new people. It didn't take him long at all to decide whether he liked them or not. So far, Jordi's way of dealing with people had worked almost flawlessly, he had a lot of good friends all over the world and only two had let him down by trying to steal something from the house when he'd brought them home. Those two friendships had ended very quickly, especially since the boys concerned had refused to apologise and said that Franky wouldn't have missed the Emerald and diamond ear-rings or the charm bracelet they'd tried to take. Quiet ones were definitely the worst, Jordi's temper had exploded, he'd dragged boys downstairs, out of the house and pushed them down the driveway and yelled at them not to even bother coming back as he closed the gates. Once back in the house, he'd calmed down then apologised to both his parents for mis-judging the young men. The three of them had hugged, assured him that it was all right then Jordi had flown upstairs, clamped a set of headphones over his ears and had spent the next couple of hours with his head buried in a very complicated mathematics textbook.
Throughout the entire journey thunder had continued to rumble, lightening cracked seemingly incessantly, the bus had rocked from side-to-side rather violently and George hadn't uttered a word. To hear him shout several expletives suddenly came as a shock and Urs whipped his head round to see what was wrong. His eyes immediately flew wide when he saw the middle-aged, powerfully built man struggling to keep the vehicle rolling in a straight line. Urs was about to stand up and go to see what was wrong when the bus shot to one side, then back to the other sending him back into his seat, a loud huff escaping from the leather and Franky grabbing on to his arm, her eyes wide in fear as his butt hit.
A look to where Carlos and Barbara-Jean sat told him they were in very much the same position. They heard George shout one more string of expletives and the next thing they knew the bus had broken through the metal barracade that ran along the side of the road and it was lurching even harder to the right. A few seconds later, they felt the impact as the bus hit solid ground and held on for dear life as it started to slip down a very steep embankment. Though he couldn't see out of the tinted windows, Urs thought that perhaps the floor would prove a safer place to be. He told Carlos, who instantly released the death grip he had on his seat and somehow managed to bring Barbara-Jean down with him, the two of them ending up holding each other tight, pressed up against the wooden surface of the seating.
Assuming that they were safe, Urs grabbed Franky around the waist and somehow managed to defy gravity to land up a little further down the narrow corridor from Carlos and Barbara-Jean. Gasping for breath, Urs lifted himself away from Franky and smiled softly as the bus continued on its downward journey.
"Are you all right, angel?" He asked, his voice only just about audible over the sound of thunder, lightening, screams from the back of the bus and the upper deck, metal scraping hard against rocks and earth, the violent shaking of the bus, glass breaking, wood creaking then snapping.
"I'm......I'm f-f-fine, honey." Franky replied without looking at him and swallowing hard, preferring instead to look over his shoulder.
Concerned as to what she'd seen, Urs turned his head to see what had scared her. His eyes widened when he saw that a tree branch had broken through the window and appeared to have embedded itself into the top part of the couch area. The angle looking like it would have punched a huge hole in the middle of Franky's chest had she still been there. He swallowed hard, turned back to her then felt something hit him hard on the left side of his torso, making him scream out in agony. He shook his head, trying to fight the excruciating pain and stop himself passing out but didn't manage to do so for long. Blackness descended a mere second after the bus struck something hard, stopping it going any further.
He heard and saw nothing for the next few hours but when he did wake he opened his eyes slowly, happy to see that Franky was alive, she was holding his hand and reassuring him that she, Ciara, Jordi and everyone else was fine apart from some bruising. He nodded slowly, saw tears glistening in her eyes and several making their escape as he gently squeezed her hand, his thumb turning small circles on the back, wishing that he could comfort her in the usual way as she began to tell Frank and Serena what else Fire and Ice had endured and had come through, still together and as deeply in love as they had been from the very beginning.
Turn the page.
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Chapter 143 - No One Was To Blame
Sometimes Urs wanted to strangle the man who'd put Il Divo together and he certainly had three days after the crash, the music mogul walking into his room with his bandmates and their wives to tell them through several yawns that he'd arranged for them all to do an interview about the crash without consulting them first. However, that hadn't been what irked them all, the fact that he'd arranged for the girls to be there was what had made them all yell in protest, particularly since he had no right to do that, they weren't under contract, therefore he had no say in what they did or didn't do. Urs thought he'd learned that lesson when he'd tried to arrange bodyguards for them all during their times off. He could still remember Franky's words and almost all of what David, Carlos and Sebastien had told him of what Lauren, Barbara-Jean and Emma had said to him following that particular faux pas.
Simon had allowed them to rage for a short while, then he'd raised his voice, firmly instructing them all to shut up and going on to explain why he'd done what he had once a nurse had popped her head around the door, telling them all to be quiet and reminding them there were other patients in the hospital who needed more rest that Urs had been made to endure. Her eyes had widened briefly on seeing Simon standing there, but other than that she hadn't reacted at all.
Once all the men had calmed down, Simon had sat down and concisely explained why he'd set up the interview, showing them the rumours and accusations that had flown around the world. The press were having a field day too it seemed. Simon had shown them several headlines from papers and magazines, the stories mostly rubbish, only the odd one or two cutting close to the truth.
The three that had pissed them all of the most being that it had been Franky's idea for them to purchase the bus in the first place. that Urs had broken his neck and would never breathe on his own, never mind walk again and that George had to have been drunk while driving 'Adiba', as he'd christened the vehicle the first time he saw the bus. All the stories were completely false of course, especially because George didn't drink to begin with, had excellent references and was considered one of the best in the tour bus driving business. Other than a minor accident two years prior, his record was spotless and even that hadn't been his fault. That had all been down to some idiot speeding through a red light as he was driving another group's tour bus through a set that was on green. Luckily, neither vehicle had been badly damaged. How George had survived their crash no-one knew, even the paramedics who'd attended the scene had said they'd entered the driver's area expecting to find him dead and they'd been amazed to find him alive, suffering no more than bruising and dislocated wrist.
Now here Il Divo and their wives were travelling towards the television studios, all still bruised. David, Lauren, Franky and himself in one MPV, Carlos, Barbara-Jean, Sebastien and Emma in the one following behind. They'd all been ordered to rest, especially Urs, and they'd tried to check the OF only to find it had crashed and they couldn't read their personal messages, never mind what had been posted on the boards. They knew their fans well enough to know they would be wanting to know exactly how all of them were doing and had, with a little reluctance, agreed to do the interview.
Urs looked across to David and thought he caught something in his eyes. Something was bothering him, despite the fact he wore his usual smile and Lauren appeared to be holding his hand even tighter. He could be wrong of course, Lauren nor any of the girls had talked on live television before and the guys knew what a daunting experience it could be, particularly if the host was a little hostile. He huffed out a breath, recalling that he'd heard one being particularly derogatory about Il Divo's first album backstage, only to do a complete one-eighty degree turnaround once he was in front of the audience. A quick smile crossed his face, his mind wondering what the man would think now, especially since the 'flash in pan act' had become a million times more sucessful than even they thought they would ever be.
"Don't worry about it, Lolly. You know they're nice, you've been here before." Urs heard David saying and watched him wrap an arm around shoulders.
"I know they are. I'm just so tired, I don't want to embarass you in any way."
"That will never happen."
Urs turned to look at Franky and gave her a quick smile, both of them knowing that no-one was sleeping well at the moment. Lauren being the worst of all of them, waking up every night in cold sweat, leaping out of bed to go and check that Jefferson, Stephanie and Reegan were all right. Everyone was currently having nightmares too, some worse than others, especially Jefferson it seemed. David had told them all he'd woken up screaming at the top of his lungs every night since the crash, the rest of them putting it down to the fact the young man had been the last to go to bed and had been reading when the bus started to roll over, the rest of the children had all been well asleep by then and didn't really remember much, certainly not the details Jefferson did.
Basically they'd all just woken up to find themselves in some very peculiar positions, some still in their cabins, pressed up against the interior wall of the bus, others pressed up against the lower cabins wooden bases, their faces or other parts of the their bodies suffering small carpet burns caused by the rough material that had been laid in the narrow corridor between the lower cabins. It hadn't surprised anyone that Stephanie had taken charge of the situation when she'd come round, checking the younger ones over and telling them to stay exactly where they were as she sat down to comfort a crying Monique and Reina. Reina was proving to have a forceful character, so much so that she often argued with Carlos and Barbara-Jean, usually about make-up, boys and clothes, but never for too long. She would usually calm down pretty quickly, spend a few moments thinking things through then go and apologise, particularly if Carina was around. How Stephanie had managed make her remain where she was until Carina had woken up properly, no-one knew. They were all simply glad it had worked. Carina had moved to comfort the two youngest Divo children, all of them wondering why they could hear pained groans coming from the upper deck and the front of the bus while Stephanie moved carefully to the lounge area, giving the other children a quick look over as she passed each one of them and giving them a re-assuring smile when they said they were fine.
Stephanie's newly acquired skills had certainly come in very handy that night and she'd even helped the emergency services deal with Urs while everyone else bar Franky was helped of the bus via the emergency exists. With Franky being trapped under his unconscious body and in shock herself, she hadn't been able to move and so hadn't done so, other than to turn her head so that she could rest her cheek against his head and whisper in his ear. Not that he'd heard her reassuring him that she was sure someone had witnessed the accident and that help would be there soon. Not until she'd finished talking to Serena and Frank had he heard those words and only then from Stephanie's lips.
Feeling their current vehicle begin to slow and turn towards the familiar entrance to the studios, Urs turned his head to look out of the front windscreen, his eyes flying wide when he saw how many fans were waiting for them. He even have time to estimate how many ladies were there, he was only sure there were more than there ever had been, instantly able to put names to some faces, others not so much and a few new ones. The car eased to a gentle stop and before the doors were even open they could hear the huge cheer that went up. David and Lauren left first and glanced back to the second vehicle as Franky got out. With himself still being quite sore, it took him a moment or two extracate himself and slowly ease himself upright. It still hurt like hell to move, despite the painkillers he was on and he had to take a couple of deep breaths once he was vertical again, Franky watching over him, just like she had the very first time he'd done. Urs nodding his head slightly, letting her know that he was fine and didn't feel faint like the first time he'd done. Walking hurt too, due to the fact the bruising on his back extended from just below his shoulder blade, down to his butt cheek. He'd been told to walk slowly but still tried to walk at his usual speed unless Franky caught him. She was watching him far too closely for him to even think about trying that now and, following a quick word with David, Sebastien and Carlos, more or less shuffled over to where the ladies were waiting, all of them full of questions.
"Ladies! Ladies! All those questions will be answered during the interview. We don't want too much fuss." David informed, his normal smile on his face. "Honestly, other than feeling a bit stiff and battered about, I assure we're all fine." He continued, reaching over one lady to reach the gift bag another was desperately trying to hand him and having a quick look inside. "Thank you, we're being well taken care of but every little helps."
Wondering what the American was talking about, Urs opened the bag he'd be given and graciously thanked the woman he'd accepted it from once he'd seen that it contained a rather large white pottery container filled with bath salts to relief aching muscles and stiffness. A glance to either side of him told him Carlos, Sebastien and David had received much the same thing. A turn of his head to Franky revealed she was holding a gift bag too, as were Lauren, Barbara-Jean and Emma. Franky looked the most stunned of all of them and Urs asked her why. She replied that she wasn't just stunned to receive the items her bag contained, she was also amazed that someone appeared to know what she'd once liked to use after skating performance. Knowing what she liked, Urs smiled then chuckled a little and took hold of her hand as their management team informed they really needed to be getting inside, the make-up ladies were waiting and they were due in the studio in fifteen minutes.
With David and Lauren leading the way, the group made it inside and were soon heading down the corridors that led to the make-up rooms, Urs and Franky trailing a little further behind than they normally would. As they reached the rooms Urs noticed that David and Lauren had stayed outside rather than going in and the bothered look had returned to his face.
"Something wrong, David?" Urs asked once he'd reached him.
"Yeah. It's......It's my fault that you got injured worse than anyone else. I'm so sorry, Urs." David informed with closed eyes and heavy sigh as he finished speaking.
"What do you mean it's your fault?"
"I asked Jefferson to put my metal DVD case in the luggage bay above the seating, but didn't check he'd done so properly once I was aboard. I'm so....."
"No David. I don't think that's what hurt Urs." Franky replied, shaking her head and looking him directly in the eye. "Given the size and colour of that thing I would have noticed it falling, but I didn't."
"I'm sure I would have sustained much worse injuries too, a couple of broken ribs maybe and a cut or two perhaps. Franky would have yelled out for me to watch out if she'd seen it. I agree with her, that's not the reason I'm so bruised. It is fairly heavy isn't it?"
"Yeah." David nodded, his eyes now open. "You really don't think it was that?"
"Oh come on, David, with all the stuff that's stored up there while we travel, it could have been anything." Lauren answered her head shaking. "Is that why you've been so quiet this morning?"
"Yeah. I didn't want to bother you with my worries, you have enough on your plate dealing with Jefferson's nightmares."
"You......numptynoodle. You are going to tell me everything when we get home. Do you hear me David Earl Miller?"
"Yes, Mommy." David replied, placing a quick kiss on Lauren's cheek before he pushed the door open and allowed her, Urs and Franky to walk into the room.
Three of the four make-up women were instantly recognisable as Louisa, Alice and Julia, but the fourth one wasn't and Urs caught the up and down sneered looks she gave Franky while she worked on Sebastien. From where he stood he could see sheet of paper lying on the countertop, listing who she was going to be working on that day and breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he didn't see either his or Franky's name there.
A few seconds later Urs eased himself into the chair Emma had left, telling her he was fine when she heard him hiss and re-assuring Julia that he was all right when he caught the concerned look in her eyes. She seemed happy with that and quickly set to work once he'd released the hand he'd placed on top of hers. Franky took the seat to his left, returning the smile Alice gave and quickly made herself comfortable, Alice taking amount to admire the colour of Franky's hair before she started work. Lauren sat to his right, shaking her head at a grinning David. She huffed out breath, then smiled at Louisa at let her go to work. The unknown woman introduced herself to David as Ione. He too caught the foul looks she was giving Franky and stopped her working on his face to ask her why. Urs couldn't hear Ione's reply, but whatever she'd said had clearly upset David and he kept a firm hold of the woman's wrist as he gave his reply.
"Listen Ione and listen good. You are not part of the Il Divo machine, you know very little about how the accident happened. Do me a favour, keep your opinions and snide remarks to yourself and just do your job." David snapped, a rarely seen flash of fury evident in his eyes, glaring into a gulping Ione's light blue ones.
"Well maybe now she'll learn to keep her big mouth shut." Urs heard Julia stating and whipped his head back round to face her. "She hasn't stopped since the day after the crash, questioning how the four of you could have let the girls force you into buying the co......bus and saying that Franky must have insisted on being treated before you because she wasn't brought out until a few seconds before you. Sniping that she was sure Franky was faking her injuries." She continued, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sighing out a breath and shaking his head, Urs turned to look at Franky and returned her smile, their eyes locking, the usual statement said without a word passing either of their lips. 'What we know to be the truth is more important that what anyone thinks or says'. And he knew the truth of why she'd been removed from the bus just before him. He'd injured her when he'd whipped her out of her seating and had landed hard on top of her once she was down. He knew he'd knocked the breath out of her doing that, but hadn't expected to find such spectacular bruising under her t-shirt once they'd been left alone. How she'd even allowed him to make love to her in that hospital bed he didn't know. He'd stopped himself as soon as he'd seen how hurt she was, but she'd insisted it didn't hurt as much as he thought it must. Despite their respective injuries they'd been able to continue, though at a very much slower pace. Both of them climaxing together, him moaning her name into the pillows, Franky gently growling his into the hollow of his neck. Neither of them feeling much pain until they settled down to recover. Now, three days later, her rib area was hurting much more than it had on the first day and yet there she sat, not giving anyone else in the room any idea how much she'd been hurt. Urs, himself smiling with pride, his mind wondering if Iona would have even gotten herself out of bed this morning if she was carrying those sort of injuries.
He hadn't paid that much attention to her on entering and turned his head to do so. She was tall, looked underweight, dressed head to toe in designer clothes, had some very expesinve jewellery around her neck and in her ears. He smiled briefly when their eyes met but quickly turned his head away. He knew that greedy eyed look well enough to know what she was all about, he glanced in the mirror and saw Sebastien looking at Iona as well, his brow furrowing and head shaking, the look that had always said 'Here comes another Jamie'. The private look they all used to let each other know that another woman was after one or other of them and exactly what it was they were after. The four Divos having never seen that cocksure smile or greedy glint in the features of the women they loved more than life itself.
Make-up finished, Urs brought himself upright once more, waited for Franky to come to his side, gave her the smile he reserved only for her as he took hold of her hand and walked out of the room without giving Iona a second glance once he'd thanked Julia for doing such a good job with a kiss on the cheek that made her blush slightly. As the eight of them walked towards the studio itself, Urs asked David what Iona had said to him and he replied that it was more or less what Julia had told him.
"The thing that made me snap was when she asked me why neither me, Carlos or Seb don't do something to stop Franky spending your money if we care as much about you as we appear to do. Sounded like she believed every word of what was printed in that gossip rag a few weeks ago." David finished with a headshake and huff.
Urs and Franky looked at each other, knowing that David was referring to the fact they'd been spotted in Milan and story had appeared in a magazine a few days later saying that Franky had forced him to take her to the city for private shopping trip. They hadn't read it properly, just scanned through and Urs had made Franky laugh at the end by saying the only good place for that story was at the bottom of budgie cage. They paused outside the studio doors but didn't have to wait for long. They were escorted through the doors as soon as the program went to a break and were all comfortably seated by the time the male host was looking into the camera again. They remained quiet as the man introduced the segment, declaring them as possibly the eight luckiest people alive. All of them replied with a collective 'good morning', then listened carefully to what was being asked of them.
"First of all it's good to see you here this morning. Let's start with the bus, who's idea was it to buy it and why?"
"Mine." David began. "If you've ever tried sleeping on a plane you'll know how uncomfortable it is. We're all knocking on a bit, need as much sleep as we can get between shows." He continued, smiling all the time.
"You speak for yourself." Carlos retorted, catching teasing glance the American sent his way.
"You visited the crash site yesterday, have you seen the bus too?"
"Oui, we have. We're all still amazed we all made it out of there without serious injuries." Sebastien nodded, his eyes wide. "It's a write-off."
"Who's the most injured? Were any of the children hurt?"
"Me." Urs replied, going on to detail where he'd been hit. "The children are fine, bruised a little and shook up still, but they seem to coping with what happened remarkably well. Most of them were asleep at the time, didn't feel anything really."
"Have you seen the news reports as well?"
"Si, is muy embarrassing seeing myself being brought out, more stubbling.....stumbling out really."
"Is it true you'd been sedated?"
"Si, I thought I'd killed Barbara-Jean a few moments after I pulled her out of her seat and landed on top of her. The paramedics gave ma a little something to calm me down because I was yelling at them to bring her back and refusing to move."
"A perfectly understanable reaction, considering what happened to Karen. Did he hurt you Barbara-Jean?"
"No, not much." Barbara-Jean replied once she'd stopped shaking her head at Carlos. "Just bruised my right shoulder when he landed on me. I'd only passed out, from shock apparently. I woke up a few seconds after I was put in the ambulance."
"David, you, Seb, Lauren and Emma were pretty much able to get out on your own. Do you know why?"
"Sure, because we were all in bed asleep on the upper deck."
"Carlos you're still a bit of a night owl then, despite being married with two relatively young children?"
"Si I am. Going to bed before midnight is still not me, not even when I've spent the day entertaining Marco and Reina never mind touring."
"Urs, you and Franky were on the lower deck too. Weren't you tired either?"
"No." Franky replied with a smile and headshake. "Even when we're at home, it's very rare for us to go to bed before midnight."
"Is it true you were a real heroine after the accident? Checking on the children and soothing them?"
"No, that wasn't me. I was more or less pinned underneath Urs, he'd passed out when he'd been hit. I knew better than to move him so I stayed where I was."
"So that's the reason you were taken out just before him?"
"Yes, the real heroine of the whole saga is not me or any of those seated here today. It's Lauren and David's daughter, Stephanie."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. It was her first night travelling with us on the bus too." David nodded, a proud smile now on his face.
"Her first night. Doesn't she usually travel with you?"
"She hasn't done that for a few years." Lauren began, pausing to swallow hard. "She's been at university, training to be a doctor. She qualified last week and only joined up with us that morning."
"You must be very proud of her, in both regards?"
"Yes we are, always have been." David nodded, looking directly into the camera that was on him.
"Urs, is it true Franky would have died if you hadn't pulled her out of her seat?"
"Ja, it is." He replied, closing his eyes lightly and nodding his head. "I had no clue that branch was going to come through the window, just thought the floor would be the safest place for Carlos, BJ, myself and Franky when I felt the bus starting to tip over."
"How do they know it would have gone through her chest?"
"Because some of her hair was found, snagged on one of the bolts that secures the seating, ripped out hair not naturally shed, they figured it out using a dummy. It amazed me how quickly they did it."
"Everything happened very fast, not just the accident but what was done afterwards. I wondered what Urs was meaning when he yelled 'No, not this way' at the top of his lungs. Now I am knowing, the four of us might not be here if we hadn't moved out of the seatings. A few bruises is nada compared to having your life cut short, no?"
"No." Three men and four women replied, all of the heads nodding in affirmation of Carlos's statement.
"And all of us caused some of the bruising to the girls. It's a wonder I didn't crush Lauren when I landed and squashed her against the side of the bus." David informed, squeezing Lauren's hand tight and blinking back the tears that had risen to his eyes.
"My butt doesn't hurt that much and you moved away from me very quickly once you realised where you were." Lauren replied, smiling and shaking her head. "Your arm came off much worse than my rear end, didn't it?"
"No, not really."
"Emma, what happened to you?"
"I don't really remember much, just that my right thigh was hurting a little as we slid down the embankment. Seb says he can remember waking up a little, thinking he was dreaming as he saw me fly over the top of him. He thinks he more or less fell out of the bed and knocked me up against the interior of the bus, quite violently. We can't be sure that's exactly what happened but we do have more or less have matching bruises on opposite thighs."
"So Franky, what about you?"
"I didn't come out of it too bad. Just a few bruised ribs."
"That I caused when I landed on top of you." Urs informed, shaking his head at the nonchalant way Franky had answered her question.
"What about your driver? Had he been drinking?"
"No he hadn't. We wouldn't have gotten on the bus or allowed the children on if we thought for one minute he had. George doesn't drink anyway. And that story that he was over-tired or inexperienced is complete rubbish. He takes a nap once we're inside the arena, doesn't wake up until Saskia calls him to let him know the children are on the way out. As for inexperience. There are only three more men in the whole of Great Britain more experienced than him and even then it's only by a few years. We were damned lucky to get him, we weren't the only group looking for a driver." David stated, his voice calm but firm.
"And he put up one hell of a fight, trying to keep the bus on the road. I saw him doing it." Urs added. "It just wasn't possible, not in those conditions. It's a wonder it didn't go over long before then in my opinion. If it had we'd have gone straight into a bank of trees rather than hitting just one after sliding down the embankment. Ja, we were very lucky to survive this crash, but I don't think we'd all be sitting here today if we'd have crashed half a mile either side of the scene."
"No, I don't think you would have either, not after what I saw. Do you have anything else to add."
"Just a huge thank you all to those who stopped to help, the emergency services for responding so quickly and for the get well wishes, cards and gifts we've all received. It's going to take some time for us to work our way through those, but we'll get there. Thank so much, all of you, for everything." David rounded up the interview, finishing just seconds before the programme went to another break.
"Seb, next time you see Simon you can tell him from me that if he ever arranges anything like this again without asking or consulting first, I will personally dump him on keister. Hard at that." Emma informed quietly as everyone stood up, her head nodding sharply as she said the final three words.
"You and me both hon." Barbara-Jean shuddered, looking at Carlos. "That was more nerve wracking than walking down the aisle on our wedding day you know?"
"Silencio, mi amour. You were wonderful." Carlos smiled, raising Barbara-Jean's hand to his lips and kissing the back of her hand. "Were they not brothers?"
"Absolutely." Urs, David and Sebastien confirmed as one, smiling at Franky, Emma and Lauren.
"And much as I would love to see someone dump Simon on his keister sometimes.....I don't think I ever will. I think he's learned a lesson, especially after having heard how you swore at him when he told us what he'd arranged. It really was rather funny to seeing him blushing, especially since he has heard all of us use some rather colourful language. Mon amour, trust me, what came out of your mouth the other day was enough to make him see he shouldn't do such a thing EVER again." Sebastien continued, finishing with a quick but firm kiss on Emma's mouth.
They left the studio all holding their respective partners's hands, quickly had the make up removed then made their way back outside and spoke to the crowd again. Several had tears in their eyes due to the fact they'd been able to watch the interview on laptops or the latest phones. They chatted to a few and Urs looked at one lady in shock once she'd told him that her boyfriend had also been injured in the storm and was currently in hospital with a severely broken left after being blown off his motorbike.
"Don't look at me like that." She instructed with a quick giggle. "He told me I had to come, wouldn't take no for an answer. Said he would sign himself out and accompany me here if I didn't agree. Trust me, you have no idea how remarkably stubborn he can be."
"I think I do." Urs replied, looking to a coughing Franky.
He huffed a quick knowing what she'd threatened to do to him when he'd tried to sign himself out of hospital just hours after he'd come round and against his doctor's advice. Being tied to a bed he didn't mind once in a while, but that was reserved for their bedroom at home, not hotel bedrooms and most definitely not a hospital bed. In less than thirty seconds Franky had made him change his mind. He'd fallen asleep again shortly after she'd pulled the covers over him and called him a stubborn so and so.
They chatted for a few more minutes then headed for the MPVs when it started to rain heavily. They made it back to their homes safe and sound, all of them walking through their doors to find that more get well cards and flowers had arrived since they'd left early that morning. Urs and Franky looked around the ground floor of their home to that every available inch had been taken by displays of different sizes and styles. The house had always smelled nice and did so now, but the scent from all the blooms was far too heavy so Franky moved around opening the windows. They then sat down on the couches to begin ploughing their way through the cards, reading each one carefully, both of them surprised to find how many different designs their were. They let Ciara and Jordi read the messages that had been included for them and smiled when they told them their school friends hadn't expected them to be back at school so soon and that they'd told each and every one of them that they'd wanted to go and they weren't hurt that bad anyway.
Once he'd fully recovered, Urs and Franky went out on a shopping trip though not for clothes or anything to wear for that matter. They went to a local junk shop where they purchased a rather large chest that would be placed in the attic and filled with all the get well cards they'd received. By the time Urs had finished putting the cards in, he had to call Franky up to sit on the lid so that he could close it. However, her weight didn't prove to be enough and he plonked down beside her, finally the catches hit home and both fell into hysterical laughter when they heard Jordi and Ciara's voices through the open hatch.
"Oh my God, Cici. Is nowhere sacred? I swear one of these days we're going to come home and find them going at it in the lounge. Probably on the couches."
"Ewwww, Jordi! Don't be so gross. They wouldn't ever do that."
Turn the page.
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