Just for Tonight

34.

"Our beloved, famous and so secretive colleague is there !", Matti cried throughout the office.

Chloe looked at him, puzzled.

Matti joined her and showed her a press article with a big headline :

Chloe, just for tonight ?

Below the title, there was a picture of Ville and her on stage, sharing their duet. She read some lines. It was about the bonus track on "Tears On Tape", and the journalist seemed to think that Chloe was cashing in on her famous boyfriend's success. The attack was well targeted. "A cover duet of a duet that Mr Valo has already done before with Manna... Chloe's voice is a pale copy of the original. The singer's latest girlfriend doesn't seem to be a source of inspiration. Next?"

" Is it that guy ?", he asked with a big smile on his face.

She couldn't help but smile, despite her reading . "Yes, Ville and I, we... Well, we are in love so...". She shrugged.

"Chloe... This article is really... Disgusting. You never told us about him. You never bragged about going on tour with him for months. I can't believe anyone would think that you...are using him. "

"Thank you, Matti. Seen from the outside, that's probably how it looks like. But the tour almost cost us our relationship. We've only just got back together and already he's off on the road again in Europe."

Matti thought for a moment.
"We're in the perfect place: the newspaper! Do you want a right of reply? We can interview you so that you can rectify what is implied in this article!"

She hesitated. Besides her need of speaking about him, maybe she could take that opportunity. But was it the right thing to do ?

" Matti, Ville is... A famous and public person. I can't do that without asking him for permission. And I don't know if it's a good idea. He is on tour and wants to focus on gigs only. I'm old enough to defend myself or ignore these little dirty tricks. Ville and I, we know the truth and that's the essential."

That evening, right after the show, Ville phoned her, clearly pissed off.

"Seppo showed me the article. They'll never leave us alone, it's not possible!" he protested vigorously.

"Don't worry, beautiful, it doesn't affect me. I know everything that's behind our duet. There's us, there's our story. Our walks through the cities at night. Our feelings. Our promises. Us."

"I wish you weren't alone, I wish I was there when you read that shit. Not to let you face this alone". He sighed.

"Maybe... As you know, I'm working with other journalists... Matti offered to interview me in response. What do you think about his idea ?", she asked.

"Matti ?". His voice became more distant.

She laughed. "Matti is a colleague and a friend. Moreover, he is gay".

She heard him smile.

"Do you want to do this interview? And expose yourself? "he softly asked.

"I especially don't want to expose you. You really don't need this kind of intestine war. You've got gigs to play and I like knowing that you're... Calm and focused."

"Chlo.... Honey, I'm not calm. You're not with me, how could it be?".

"How do you feel, how are you, Ville ?". Something in his voice alerted her.

"Fine. Really Chloe, I'm fine. Tired and I miss you like crazy. And if you want to be interviewed by your colleague, I agree. Tell them our truth. Take care, sweetie." He hung up.

---

"Chloe, what would you say to people who think that Ville Valo's fame helped you?", Matti asked.

"I won't say that they are completely wrong", she replied.

"Can you tell us more ?"

"The most important thing that happened to me thanks to his fame was that I was able to meet him in person, because I'm also a journalist. Without that, nothing would have happened". She smiled as she remembered the beginning of their story. "After our conversation, he hired me as his press agent for the tour. We share the same passion for music and musicality."

"And what led you to do a successful live duet, and then to record it? Was it a way for him to get your foot in the door? To make you his protégé, a new name in the music world?"

"We wanted to share something which belonged to both of us, in the madness of the tour. Just for tonight was a song within my reach, as my vocal range is similar to Manna's. The journalist who wrote this article is right, Manna is a sublime and accomplished singer. You have to understand that, while on tour, Ville didn't have the time to write a new duet. So we went back to this song. We never thought that the public would ask for it night after night. And I'm not his protégé, at least not in the sense that you mean". She winked.

"He went back on tour two months ago, just as you were getting back together. And you didn't go with him. Are you still a couple?"

"I think that's between Ville and me". She stuck her tongue out at him. It was a good thing the interview wasn't being filmed.

----
Ville. "Good job, honey. Short, sharp, surgical. So ...you."

Chloe. "I'm glad I did it and I hope it calms things down. How are you Beautiful? How's the tour going?"

Ville. "I'm doing well. Good night."

Puzzled, she looked at her phone, which had gone silent. Something was wrong.