Just for Tonight

41.

Part 3.

Four years later.

Her plane had just landed in Helsinki. She waited a while to collect her luggage, then left the airport to hail a cab. A dry cold greeted her. She had finally become used to London's humidity, and had almost forgotten the cheeks, reddened by the stinging effect of the Finnish winter. She shivered and readjusted her coat.

She jumped into the first available cab and gave the driver an address.

Twenty minutes later, she knocked on a door.

Migé opened it and immediately took her in his arms.

"I'm so glad you're here, darling!", he whispered. Then, holding her by the shoulders, he examined her.

"You haven't changed a bit. Time seems kind to you."

"Migé Amour, you old charmer," she smiled briefly.

"How are things in London? How's everything? I haven't had many messages from you in the last three months...", he grumbled gently.

"London is still...London", she sighed, "I still love my job."

"And how's your boyfriend, Rafael?" he asked, frowning.

"He is fine, thank you," she replied faintly.

Then, at last, she dared to ask: "Is he here yet?"

Mige nodded.

"With his girlfriend, I suppose?". Her voice remained neutral.

"Yes, Chloe. With Emy. Didn't I tell you?"

"You did. And the others are here, too?"

"Everyone's here. But Chlo... don't expect anything from him. Not even a hello. Can you promise me that?". He looked at her with concern.

"Migé, our roads have parted. He has his life and I have mine. Don't worry, I'm not here for him. I'm here for Seppo."

When Linde, Burton and Gas spotted Chloe, they rushed to her and took turns hugging her. She briefly felt like she had come home, but then she pushed the thought from her mind.

"It's good you came. He loved you very much, even if he didn't know how to show it," Burton affirmed.

"It gave me a shock when Migé told me," she confided. "For me, Seppo was... immortal, I think."

"How was your flight?", Linde asked.

"Nothing to report, it's relatively short." She smiled at him.

Gas shook his head. "I think it's been a long time since we've all been together in the same room... even I cut ties, after my fight with V... but that's not important. Today, we're together for Sepp."

"Migé and I didn't know how to cut ties, so we didn't, and indirectly, I heard from all of you." Chloe winked at Mige, who smiled. "My little sister, whatever happens." He winked back.

She finally spotted Ville, with his back to her, sitting on the sofa, long blonde locks at his side. He seemed to want to turn his head in her direction, but changed his mind and looked the other side, at his girlfriend.

Chloe entered the living room, Migé helped her get rid of her coat and suitcase. "I'm putting it in my bedroom," he announced, "as you're staying here for the next ten days."

"Thank you. What can I do to help? What time do we leave for the funeral?"

"Make some coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. I'll get the beers out." He sadly smiled at her :"Our cab arrive in one hour".

Chloe headed for the kitchen area and prepared the coffee. She took out the cups, found some snacks and put them on a tray. She felt Ville's gaze on her back, but didn't turn around. Migé arrived with the beers. "Just serve him coffee. No beer for him", he whispered in her ear.

Chloe took the tray with the snacks and placed it on the small coffee table, right in front of Ville and his girlfriend, avoiding meeting their eyes. She returned a moment later with a new tray filled with steaming mugs of coffee. She set it down a little further, placed another mug in front of Ville and went back to the kitchen. She blew discreetly into her cheeks.

Migé looked at her attentively. She smiled and gave him a thumbs-up: "It's okay," she whispered.

Mige then saw something shining on her finger.

"Oh Chlo ... show me that!" he cried, grabbing her hand. "An engagement ring!" he exclaimed. "And you didn't tell me! Sneaky!". He laughed.

Ville heard Migé's exclamations and saw him admiring the ring. He bit his cheek.

"Migé, now is not the time... I'll tell you...", Chloe began.

"When is the wedding?", Migé asked again.

Ville stood up, his empty coffee cup in hands, and headed for the coffee machine.

"It's a ring, Migé. I don't know what it means. He put it on my finger a little before I left ... two days ago I think ... but he didn't say anything. Now you know everything." Her explanations were cut short when she spotted Ville two meters away from them, at the coffee machine. She could see him in profile.

He uttered a word, just by moving his lips. "Interesting". She was certain that's what he had said.

He returned to the couch. His girlfriend began talking animatedly in his ear. Apparently she had something to reproach him for. He barely replied, but Chloe knew him by heart. He wasn't happy, he was upset. She continued to speak rapidly, seeming to forget that it was a sad event that brought them all together that day, for all those who had known Seppo.

Ville obviously reminded her of this, because he murmured something to her and she fell silent. She looked straight ahead, her face inexpressive.

Chloe glanced very quickly in the direction of the sofa. She was beautiful. A model, no doubt about it. Blonde, tall, thin. Well-dressed. Until then, Chloe hadn't known how sexy black could be. She had to admit, they made a very handsome couple.

Burton and Linde joined Migé and Chloe in the kitchen area. Gas sat a little away from Ville. They had never been able to talk calmly again. Gas and Linde were now part of another band, and unfortunate things Gas had said against Ville or HIM had leaked to the press. But both knew that this was neither the time nor the place to talk about it again.

A horn sounded. The cabs had arrived. They all quickly put on their coats and rushed into the cabs. Ville, Emy, Linde and Burton in the first, Migé, Gas and Chloe in the second.