Chapter 39
Adjustments


Sometimes our hearts get tangled and our souls a little off-kilter...

The back of Urs’ hand wiped a small circle on the steamy window of the bus revealing a steady cold rain splashing down on the dismal streets. He pressed his body closer to the window to lessen the contact of his fellow passenger’s elbow digging into his ribs. She seemed a pleasant enough rather overstuffed middle-aged lady, who had fallen blessedly silent after exchanging the standard pleasantries. A moment ago he’d seen a sign for the airport. It wouldn’t be long now.

He closed his eyes to the gloom outside and returned to his own personal dark cloud, cursing himself steadily, silently, and efficiently in Swiss German. Why had he allowed himself to be herded like so many cattle into the waiting bus for transport to the airport when there were perfectly good taxis to be had? Now if he’d been traveling as a Divo… As much as it pained him to admit there were times when this mingling with the masses was for the birds. Even an uncomfortable limo would be preferable right now. In a flash of insight he realized how spoiled he’d gotten and could hardly hold back a smile. Annie Joy would have been all over him like stink on a skunk if she was here, but of course she wasn’t.

The semi-scowl that had taken up residence on his face the moment she was gone returned. And why not, he thought. I’m entitled. After all I am the moody Swiss, at least until I get back to London, but he knew that wasn’t entirely true. His character and upbringing would demand politeness and good manners with everyone and a bit of charm tinged with patience at times he admitted honestly as he thought of the fans. But for now he wasn’t on the clock and seemed in no danger of being thronged by anyone more dangerous than harried passengers trying to be the first ones off the bus.

It was a good thing he wasn’t in any great hurry he thought as he calmly waited for the lady next to him to extricate herself and her large bag from the seat. He stepped out into the aisle, retrieved his guitar case and suit bag from the overhead rack and sidled toward the side exit.

**********

The attractive raven-haired flight attendant flashed Urs a smile that would have given Carlos a run for his money, “Let me take that, sir,” she offered, quickly and efficiently hanging his suit bag on a rack.

He answered with a polite, “Thank you,” and a perfunctory smile; charming, yet never reaching his eyes, perfectly serviceable for most social occasions. As he carefully arranged his guitar in the back of the overhead bin he thought back to the first time he’d smiled at Annie Joy. It was that night in the Japanese restaurant before he’d realized he could let his guard down and be just plain Urs. Then his smile had become real and when she had smiled back it was as if a million tiny suns were warming him from the inside. With Annie Joy you couldn’t help but be real.

He swung himself lithely into the window seat, closed the window shade, did up his seatbelt and luxuriously stretched out his legs to their full length. Thank Gott he hadn’t scrimped on an economy seat, especially after that cramped ride in the bus. He wasn’t tall by a long shot but his knees had been almost scraping the seat in front of him all the way to the airport. David most certainly would have had to sit sideways with his legs in the aisle. He’d have to ask him when he rode the bus last. Knowing David he’d probably quip, ‘about six inches ago.’

Rhonda raven-hair had returned bearing gifts; a pillow and blanket. “Can I get you anything else? A drink? A magazine?” she asked with a solicitous drawl.

“No thank you, I’m fine,” Urs shook his head. As if to prove his point he stuffed the pillow behind his neck and covered himself neatly with the blanket. As soon as she moved on to another passenger he turned toward the window and closed his eyes.

Sure you are Buhler, if fine means wound tighter than one of those strings on your precious guitar. I wonder what the flight attendant would say if you told her what you really want. ‘Please bring me one Annie Joy. Put her right here next to me. That’s good, close enough so I can gently skim my fingers across her soft cheek, dive into her dimples when she smiles and sink into the depth of her blue eyes.

For the umpteenth time in the past few days Urs reminded himself sternly that there was a hell of a difference between want and need and neither he nor Annie Joy needed any more complications in their lives just now. She was just opening herself up to the idea of new career possibilities; he was jumping back into the hectic schedule of Il Divo commitments to promote their new book and then after the holidays they would begin work on the new album.

Then there was his relationship with Cecile; that had to be resolved. Wasn’t that the main reason he’d taken this cruise in the first place? He was still at a loss to explain this attraction, this connection he and Annie Joy had found totally by chance yet in less than a month it would be Christmas and he would be with Cecile. Perhaps she would become more flexible, more supportive after he explained how he wanted their relationship to change. More and more it had become either/or due to their busy schedules but even when both was an option, it was Cecile’s version which usually meant doing two things she wanted to do. Why couldn’t she be more like Annie Joy?

Enough of this!. How ridiculous to think he could sort any of this out 31,000 feet above the Atlantic. When he got back he’d call Cecile and see if she could come down for a few days. It could be a jumpstart on their vacation together and it had been so long since they’d seen each other, but right now his brain was tired of thinking and he could feel a tension headache starting behind his eyes. He needed to relax and unwind. He flicked on his light. "I'd like a Scotch please...better make that a double."

Urs closed his eyes and flipped down his sunglasses, feeling the tranquilizing effect of the fiery liquid spread throughout his body. At least for now, Annie Joy had been locked away safe and sound in a corner of his brain reserved for friends only. She had refused to go quietly though and kept shouting, ‘Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.’ Urs got to #47 before he fell asleep.

**********

“There he is Captain Urs recently back from his voyage of self-discovery. Now tell me Captain did ye bring back any beauties, oops I mean booty?” David began cracking up as he removed his make-believe hand mic from in front of Urs’ mouth.

Urs simply stood there grinning at all of them as they waited in the office for their meeting to sort out their last few promo dates. Yes, it was good to be back. “Sorry to disappoint you guys but no booty this voyage and as Cecile’s coming for the weekend no beauties either I’m afraid,” he said as he sat down next to Carlos on the sofa, crossed his leg and brushed away a nonexistent piece of lint near his ankle.

“So you are doing the talking to her and having the adjustments to be together, si?” beamed Carlos happily as if he’d personally arranged Cecile’s visit.

“Talking probably won’t be high on his to do list this weekend, Carlos,” David commented dryly. “How long has it been since you’ve seen her Urs?”

“Awhile,” Urs grinned but refused to be baited. “Oh, I need you to sign this for a friend, if you don’t mind,” he asked as he leaned over and pulled a CD from his jacket pocket.

“But of course,” Seb answered taking out his pen. “And what is your friend’s name?”

“Annie Joy.”

Carlos’ eyebrows began to tango as he processed this unfamiliar name. “This is a new friend of the ship?” he asked trying not to sound concerned. It wasn’t that he was nosy per se, but at best Urs and Cecile’s relationship could be called up-and-down and when it was down they all paid the price in some way or another. Oh not that Urs’ focus lapsed, he was too professional for that, but he was certainly not Mr. Fun-to-be-Around.

“Well, yes I did meet her on the ship. Ackshully she ran into me during the lifeboat drill and about knocked me overboard the first day,” he chuckled. Seb looked concerned, Carlos looked worried, and David looked a bit envious.

“So you wanted to give her the gift for not pushing you overboard?” Seb guessed.

“Ackshully she’s never heard of us and at first she didn’t even believe I was a singer but now she does and I just wanted her to hear us,” Urs ran on, demonstrating his extraordinary breath control.

David gave him a time-out signal just as his speed and thick accent threatened to make him incomprehensible.

“So you got to know this lady,” Seb prompted.

“Well, of course, we had to be together everyday or else they wouldn’t believe we were newlyweds.”

“Madre de Dios!” Carlos’ eyeballs said hello to his eyebrows. “This is what Cecile will be doing the adjusting of? This weekend? You have the wife now?” Carlos stormed as his eyes searched the room as if Annie Joy were lurking under the furniture.

“No, no Carlos, it’s alright. I’m not really married. We just pretended to be married so that…”

“You could have a pretend honeymoon,” David finished admiringly and clapped Urs on the back. “You sly fox you.”

Urs gave David, Carlos, and Seb a withering look as he slowly repeated, “No honeymoon, no wife, no whirlwind courtship. Now just shut up and listen because I’m only telling this story once…”

But wife or no wife, from the way Urs’ voice softened when he talked about Annie Joy, Carlos knew Cecile would be in for the adjustment of her life.