Chapter TWENTY-THREE..do you still love me?


The show for the soldiers was a little different than what was done at the large stateside venues. First off, there were no Armani suits, Armani and dry, dirty fields not exactly fitting together, so they all wore fatigues, complete to the military boots. Urs and David had both dug out their old service gear to wear, David’s from ROTC and Urs’ from the compulsory Swiss service. Carlos had his as well but back in Madrid so along with Seb he wore issue. The set was very plain, in the largest mess tent, just a tarp back drop and a small stage with a few stools in the center and the small orchestra behind the singers. Some of the tracks would be done with the aid of back up tapes, the orchestra would play for the rest. And tonight they had a special guest.

They started with their signature piece, Regressa A Mi and when the cheering had died down, David took the mike while Urs went out of the spotlight to carry Honey onto the stage. Although all of them wore army fatigues or camos, somehow they managed to carry off an elegant but casual look.

David had started his little speech while Urs got Honey settled on one of the stools.

“We are so happy to be here, to bring you some of our music at this special time of year. Not all of you may realize how dear to our hearts the Allied troops and medical staff are to us, to Il Divo as a group and to one of us in particular.

“About 11 months ago, one of the Allied choppers went down in the mountains near Herat. It was thought at first that there were no survivors, but one person did survive….the 5 months pregnant civilian techie who was on her way to fix some computer equipment. She survived, against all odds, gave birth to twin sons and managed after several months of danger to get them into the hands of an army doctor and thus to their father, our own Urs Buhler.”

Urs took the mike and continued the speech. “Part of the reason for coming here was to find out what happened to the love of my life, the mother of my sons. I needed to know what happened to her, to find her if we could, if not, to at least attempt to have her rest in peace.”

He took a few steps to Honey’s side and put his arm around her shoulders.

“If I’ve learned anything from all this, it’s that you can not easily keep a Canadian down. Today we found my little Petite Etoile, my Bush Baby from Northern Ontario and I want to thank every one of you. Without the tours we have had through this country we would not have been together again this night.”

The intro for the First Noel started and they all got ready to sing. Urs smiled at Honey as he waited for his part, gave her a quick kiss and started to sing. Honey sang the descant after the first verse then added her unique harmony throughout the rest of the track.

The applause was deafening. Nothing spreads faster than news through a soldiers’ camp and it seemed everyone knew exactly how they had found Honey, how close she had come to being ‘collateral damage’, twice, and how one of those times she had actually helped save one of their buddies.

They went on to sing a number of other requested Christmas Carols then there was a request sent up from the audience that Carlos took and passed to Urs. He whispered to Honey and at first she said no, but he gave her ‘The Look” and she laughed. He asked the Orchestra leader just before the finale of Adeste Fidelis then went back to her side to join in the ending and without much intro the orchestra played ‘That’s All I ask of You’ from Phantom of the Opera. Urs sang the Raul role to Honey’s Christine and the other Divos sat on the edge of the stage enjoying the tender performance.

Their voices blended well together, Honey’s rich, clear mezzo the perfect accompaniment to Urs’ Lyric tenor. They traded off singing alternate verses to each other just as the characters would have done on stage, in the brief 8 bar interlude Urs swept her off the stool and swung her around kissing her tenderly, then he let her feet just barely touch the floor and held her against him as they finished the last chorus, in true operatic style.

They sang for another hour, downing copious amounts of juice with honey for a sweetener to keep their throats moist, some Il Divo songs, some requests, some Carols. By the end of the second hour, they were ready to call it a night but the audience wanted more.

Honey noticed how hoarse Urs was getting and knew that they all needed a break. It is possible for a tenor to push their voice to complete a performance but not advisable. She slid off the stool and took a few faltering steps to the front of the stage just as the last track finished, standing with one arm up for quiet and holding a mike to her lips with the arm in the sling.

Behind her she heard the guys all trying to get her to go back to the stool but she laughed and spoke to the audience.

“Yeah, Yeah, I know…the docs say I walked too much and hurt my feet….what do they know about being out there and taking little walks in the lovely countryside of Afghanistan.” The soldiers laughed, knowing just what she meant and accepting her as one of them.

“Listen, guys and gals, the band here would sing themselves hoarse for you, that’s how much they love what you’re doing for the world and for them in particular. They need to take a break and rest those vocal chords for a few minutes so how about we amuse each other. Anyone in the crowd ever heard of the Eagles, or Abba ….OK, how about Dire Straits …. Great …. Someone bring me an Axe.”

She slipped her arm out of the sling as one of the soldiers jumped on the stage and brought her an electric guitar from a musician in the orchestra. With only a couple of practice riffs she started the intro for Sultans of Swing, though it was a bit difficult with her very short nails. Part way through the first bars she realized that someone else was playing an electric also, and much better than she ever could. She glanced back and saw that Urs was playing and grinning at her, David had taken over the piano, Carlos was on the drums and Seb was playing acoustic. She grinned at them and started the verse, singing low and husky and the audience started clapping in time to the music, a few more daring souls up and dancing.

The track finished and Urs started the riffs for Money for Nothing. Just as she caught up and started the verse two soldiers vaulted up on the stage, another lifted up a wheel chair and the first two lifted her to place her in the chair and went back to the audience. She glanced and saw Urs laughing his ass off, didn’t miss a beat, just kept singing, saw the friendly nurse from the med tent bring all the guys a large glass of something to drink and disappear again.

She started Calling Elvis, thinking she would stump her impromptu band but they went right along with her, good enough musicians to catch on without much trouble, none at all for Urs since he had cut his musical teeth on this kind of music.

She figured that had given the guys time to have their drink and rest a bit, must have been 10 or maybe 15 minutes. Before things got out of control she opted to calm them all down. The guys should be about ready to go again, so she turned a bit to Urs and gave him a throat cutting motion that meant ‘Cool it, baby’ and started to softly pick the intro for Gounod’s Ave Maria. David caught it right away and she stopped with the guitar when he took up the soft tones on the piano.

He played the intro for Time of Our Lives when she finished Ave Maria and the band started to sing again, with Honey doing the Toni Braxton part and the guys drifted back to take up their mikes as the musicians took their instruments back. Once more the requests kept coming to the stage and when they could, the singers accommodated the audience. After 45 minutes of more songs and laughter, everyone just jamming now and having a great time, the audience most of all, someone sent up a request that Urs thought was a joke….Rapid Roy, the Stock Car Boy….Honey nodded to Urs and asked him to get her the electric guitar again. He did just as they finished a finale and she immediately started the opening of the old Jim Croce track, the others catching on quickly.

They were having fun but it was time to bring it to a close. Urs asked the orchestra for I Believe in You and announced that it had been an honor to spend the night with such a great audience but it was time for hard working soldiers and singers to call it a night.

“And what a night it has been. We will never forget it or your smiling faces. This one is from the heart. Thank you.”

**

Urs took Honey by the med tent for fresh dressings, scolding her about making her feet bleed again but very proud of her for helping them out and for conquering her stage fright.

When they made it back to the tent for the night they found that someone had thoughtfully made a larger bed for them by piling a couple of double air mattresses and lots of blankets on the floor, had used one blanket to make a little privacy partition of their end of the tent and that all 3 guys were sleeping.

Urs helped Honey maneuver her fatigue pants over her padded feet, slipped her army tee up over her head and helped her out of the cool air in the tent and under the covers. He sat on the edge of the blankets to slip off his fatigues, carefully keeping his back to Honey so she wouldn’t see that his body was responding to her. He was trying desperately to keep control of his emotions, wanting to love her but determined not to rush her. He slid under the covers and leaned over as she lay quietly on her side to kiss her neck and tell her good night.

“Urs,” she whispered.

“Uh huh,” he murmured and snaked his arm over her shoulder to hug her, just a bit, with his head on the pillow beside hers.

“There was a time when stripping me of my clothes made you hungry for me. Do you not want me anymore? Has it been too long? ” He could hear the pain in her voice even though she whispered and he drew her back against him, leaning over her shoulder and pulling her flat to slip under his chest, still trying to stay in control though now he was shaking with the effort.

“For 15 months I’ve been aching to touch you, to feel you in my arms again. If anything, I want you more now than ever. But you’re wounded, tired and we aren’t alone. I love you my Liebe, mein Gott how I love you, but I can wait to share love with you.’

She snuggled closer to him and murmured against his curly chest hair as she wiggled closer, closer until their bodies were touching.

“They’re all asleep…I know how gentle you can be……I trust you not to hurt me, as I did that first night….. please… I’ll try to be very quiet.”

Urs groaned, pulled her up to his mouth and took hers gently then with less and less control as she wound her hand in his hair and pressed against him, twining their legs together and moaning with need.

“Little One, you can’t know how much I’ve missed the way you kiss me…your whole body gets involved….even your soul….and I want more….” he whispered against her neck when they broke apart.

“Only you can take me to paradise, Urs….. I want more than just the memory…” her voice was husky with longing as she whispered to him and let her mouth reach forward to bite his shoulder, gently.

The last thing Urs was conscious of beyond their small circle of love was his friends quietly stealing from the tent, then he too was lost in the rapture they had too long been denied.

**

Urs was just finished packing up their gear when David came back to the tent from breakfast.

“Hey…we missed you guys at breakfast.”

“Honey had to go for a shower and dressings before the transport. David, thanks…for last night. I vaguely heard you guys leave.”

“We sort of figured you guys could use some privacy. We did try 3 times to come back before it was quiet in here. My god, man….two and a half hours!..... were you trying for some kind of a record?”

Urs looked at him and blushed a bit but then smiled and answered.

“Encores…”

David sank to his knees and touched his head to the floor, bowing and chanting: “Swiss Rock God, Swiss Rock God.”, then fell over laughing when Urs shoved him and said he had to go back for Honey, leaving the tent laughing just as Seb and Carlos arrived.

***