Just for Tonight

37.

She knocked at his door. Mige opened it.
"Chloe ... what are you doing here, darling ?", he asked, surprised. It was the first time she'd been to his place."But please come in," he added.

"I have to speak to you. All of you," she softly answered.

"Let's see, what's this about?", he nervously said. "He sent you, didn't he?"

"It's my own initiative", she pondered."I need to know what you all think. How you feel about it", she admitted.

Migé took time to think. Chloe sat down on the sofa and he offered her a drink.

"I don't know if it's a wise idea. But I can give a call to the guys and see if they want to talk about it", he sighed.

Chloe nodded as he took his phone.

He came back to her after a few minutes and sat down beside her.

"They are coming. All of them. But how are you, Chlo? I'm so happy to see you despite of the situation." He hugged her.

"I'm fine, Migé. I needed to see you all". She weakly smiled.

The gang arrived at Migé's house. They embraced, and Chloe felt the emotion overwhelm her. They looked at each other and soon began talking at the same time. Chloe let them express themselves.

"I just can't believe it. All I have is music," Burton said.

"I've already got offers for another band," Gas replied. "But I've got to fix my wrists first. Without that, music's over for me".

"I'm thinking of giving guitar lessons," Linde mumbled.

"I'd like to know how he's doing", Migé sighed.

They looked at Chloe, who had remained silent.

"May I speak freely and without judgment?", she asked.

"Of course you can!", they exclaimed.

"My first question, do you understand Ville's decision?" she inquired.

Linde was the first to respond. "I don't. He just said we'd gone around HIM and it was over."

"He also said he felt lonely, but I don't agree. We've always done everything together. I know he can play a lot of instruments, but we're a team and always have been," Burton added.

"Yes, but he was the boss", Migé admitted.

They turned to Chloe, who was listening attentively.

"Ville thinks ... that HIM has become a burden. He carried the project, was the creative force, and he no longer has the energy to continue. You know him, he'd rather quit before he releases the album that's too much. So far, do you agree with him?". She looked at them one by one. They shyly nooded.

"He also saw in you a desire to go elsewhere. Is he wrong?" They lowered their heads. "How was the tour, by the way ?"

Gas spoke up: "He hasn't stopped complaining. About everything, the sound system, the equipment in general. He was even more of a perfectionist than usual. I didn't get it. It was going well, from my point of view, except that he missed you and that was visible."

"That album was very important to him. He wrote most of the songs during the year we were apart. He wanted the tour to be extraordinary", she explained.

"It's really hard for me that everything has come to such an abrupt end," Migé said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I absolutely agree on that one," Chloe smiled. Burton, Gas and Linde agreed.

"Are you free tomorrow evening?", Chloe asked, "come to my place, we'll be a bit tight but we'll eat together and talk." She winked.

They nooded. It was time for her to come back home.

‐------

Chloe had prepared everything. Room for everyone, a few pizzas, drinks and Ville's state of mind.

"Open your mind, let them speak and listen to them, Beautiful", she warned him.

Ville felt uncomfortable and anxious. They all arrived at the same time. Chloe greeted them, while Ville remained seated on the sofa. He finally got up and approached his friends.

Migé immediately took him in his arms. The emotion was palpable. Burton, Gas and Linde took him in their arms too and Chloe deliberately stayed back, preparing the drinks and plates. They took their places, sitting in a circle around her coffee table. She heard them talking about the adventures of the last tour, their mood lightened.

She smiled as she listened to them. "This is what a family should be like", she thought. "We may no longer understand each other, we may shout at each other, but in the end, it's the bonds we've forged over so many years that are the strongest".

At lunchtime, Ville tried again to explain his decision. "I apologise for the way I announced the end of HIM. I wasn't very formal. We've done a great job, but it's time to turn the page."

Migé intervened: "What I find most shocking is that it's coming to such an abrupt end. We haven't put out a press release yet, I suppose Seppo will do that."

"I'll do it myself in due course," Ville replied.

"Migé is right," Burton added. "We can't end up like this."

"What about one last tour," Chloe said in a voice so low that they doubted for a moment that she had actually said anything at all.

They all looked at her, puzzled.

She cleared her throat before continuing. "HIM deserves a last dance. A goodbye to his fans. And most of all, you deserve to end this adventure this way. A celebration in music."

"Maybe we should discuss about a last tour with Seppo", Gas said. " But first, I'll have to go to the doctor for my wrists."

Everyone looked at Ville. He deeply sighed. "Let's see what we can do. For us, for the fans, for HIM".

Migé called Seppo, who didn't hide his delight at the idea. Half an hour later, he knocked on Migé's door, happy to see them all together again.

He took Chloe aside. "Thank you, my girl. I know you're behind this. I know that he draws strength from you and that your advice and support are more than important to him. Thank you for allowing us to experience a worthy ending."

"What are we going to call this tour, since we don't have an new album to present?", Linde asked.

"I like the idea of the last dance, as Chloe called it," Burton replied.

"How about the Farwell Tour?," Gas added.

"Bang and whimper tour," Ville murmured.

Everyone agreed.

Later that evening, Ville took Chloe in his arms. One last point bothered him.

"Do you think you'll be allowed to come with us? I know how much you like your job here. But I need you to do this. To say good-bye to my whole life's project."

"As long as you need me, I'll be there," she replied, burying her face in his chest.