7.

He was watching Viva entering the house and went to buy some fine drinks for Martin and flowers and presents for Sue and the kids. He smiled and started to think what to buy for Viva. Maybe if he buys jewel for Ava, it won’t be conspicuous to give one for Viva, too. He didn’t know what kind of jewel yet, but he wanted her to wear it over her heart, what’ll remind his little birdie.

After he bought the drink and the flowers, he went into a jewellery, but came out after half an hour, because he didn’t find what he wanted. He entered another shop where he found a nice little silver bracelet for Ava, which made little clinging sounds with its lucky symbols. He bought it immediately then he was just staring at the wares when something came into his mind.

“Excuse me” he turned to the man, who locked a tray away which was already examined by him “Do you have necklaces with bird medallions?”

“Oh yes, we have, Mr. Gahan” nodded the older man and went to another counter to pull out two other trays. On those beautiful and fine little silver necklaces were lying with different bird figures, which were shining from the little worked-in gems when the light hit them.

He’d chosen a phoenix because Viva brought the fire of life for him again. His blood was fizzling and burning and his heart was pounding wild and manly power was seething in him again. Where was that tired, prostrated, always deprived self of his, which he’d left behind in New York… He was watching the phoenix with the red rubies on his palm and felt his lover’s burning love.

“This’ll do. Would you pack it, please?” he added finally.

He came out from the shop with a satisfied smile and went back to the hotel to inform his wife about his longer stay. He got ready and after a while he was knocking on Suzanne’s door.

Sue was really happy to see Dave – she liked him. A long time ago it happened that she’d opened her heart for him because of Martin when she was expecting Calo. Even if Dave couldn’t do anything, at least he’d listened to her.

While he was hugging Sue, he could peek over her shoulder into the open kitchen, where Viva was helping to her siblings – they were preparing for dinner. Suddenly he felt himself like a wolf in the sheep fold.

Viva looked at him and smiled unnoticed then he warned the kids that Dave arrived and they were already running towards him. The singer stepped in and saw Viva disappearing behind a door – this made him a bit sad – but she arrived back with her father, while Calo was already clinging to his neck.

“Dave, we’ve met ages ago” Martin shook his hand and patted his shoulder.

“Exactly nine days ago, Marty.”

“Haha, since when are you so accurate? Don’t say you’ve changed!”

“Maybe, it can happen” answered Dave and gave the exclusive vodka to Martin, which he liked really much. Suzanne was already composing the fragrant bouquet of her favourite kind of flower in a vase. She smiled “Dave is a big knave, but he always knows what women wants” she thought. They were smiling at each other and she needed to confess that the singer was still mesmerizing and charming. And Calo was already playing on the kid-sized acoustic guitar with an Elvis dance.

“Suzanne’ll kill you, Dave! Are you crazy? You brought a guitar for the lil’ devil? Even I didn’t dare to do it!”

Dave was just laughing, but his eyes were elsewhere – on his lil’ bird, who was coming to him now. He barely could hold him back not to hug her, he nearly reached out for her, but he stopped himself in time.

Ava came forward and hugged him. Dave gave his gift to her and Ava tried the bracelet happily on. He put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a little bouquet of white roses. Ava was laughing happily.

Dave stepped to Viva and put the black velvet box onto her palm. She took it and gave him a shy kiss on his face – the trace of her lips were burning on his skin. When she opened the box she called out “This is beautiful, thank you! Would you put it on?”

“Of course, but first I’d give you this before it’d fade” and he pulled out a white lily from behind his back. Viva blushed – she understood: Dave thanked the gift she gave him in Madrid. Dave knew she understood it and needed to concentrate hard not to give her a burning and telltale gaze.

“Dave, I thought we have months till Christmas!” laughed Suzanne “You wouldn’t have bought so many things!”

“Oh, come on, it’s nothing for the hospitality” he smiled lopsided while he took out the necklace from Viva’s hand and stepped behind her to put it on carefully. There wasn’t any danger now, so while Suzanne and Martin were handling with the kids he could gently caress Viva’s neck. He inhaled her flower scent with a wobbly breath and stepped away from her before he could do something stupid.

“Thank you Dave, this is really beautiful!” she looked into the mirror and tried not to pay attention on her skin’s burning “It hadn’t been necessary!”

Martin came back and led them to the dining room. The table was beautifully prepared. Dave smiled and helped to put Ava’s bracelet on again and sat down to the table. Viva helped her mother without a word.

“Dave, dear friend” turned Martin to him “You’d really leave without a word?”

“I didn’t want to disturb you” he shrugged with a smile.

 “You didn’t want to disturb? Don’t play tricks, you’re always welcome.”

“Sure, I know it, I just…”

“Is there something, Dave?”

“It’s so, so… I don’t really know…nothing…just…”

“Jen?”

“We can say…”

“Dave! Do you remember what I’ve said?”

“Yes, to get rid off her, but the children…”

“You see it’s possible to solve the problem and see them…”

“Marty! Jen is not Suzanne… she… she’d break me…”

Viva tried to pay attention on the kids, who were explaining something to her, but with half of her ears she was following the conversation between her father and Dave and she gulped a big one. She couldn’t imagine how difficult the situation was for Dave. She was terribly sorry, because it seemed his third marriage was a failure, too. Because if he’d really loved her, the night in Madrid wouldn’t have been possible to happen.

As she looked at her love she saw his darkening eyes and the sadness in them. It really wasn’t a game loving him, she thought it wouldn’t be easy, but now she just wanted to run to him and kiss down all the wrinkles from his face. It was an unbelievable thing to love Dave. It was unbelievable that Dave, the matured and desired man, was returning her feelings. And she couldn’t understand why Jen wasn’t able to love him as he deserved. She felt where the mistake was. We can’t tear out the eagle’s wings scot-free – it’ll die silently or will inflict bloody wounds.

She hoped one day Dave’ll be only hers, but she knew she must pay for that. She didn’t think her beloved and adored father’d speak with them after it. Especially when a baby would born from their relationship.

“Viva, honey, would you give me the sauce?” her mother asked her for the third time till she came back from the clouds. By that time every eyes –even her lover’s- were on her. Viva blushed.

“Oh, sure. Sorry, I was thinking” she handed it over.

“And what about, dear?” she got a smile from her mother.

“Nothing, nothing” she blushed even more.

“Someone has a secret here” laughed Martin.

“I… well, OK. Maybe it’s not the right time to speak about it, but I was thinking about school. About the university” she said as she put mashed potatoes on Calo’s plate “Dave, would you mind it?” she allowed herself a quick gaze at her lover.

“Why would I?” he smiled and Viva needed to concentrate hard not to miss the plate with the next portion of potatoes.

“How do you get on with the preparing for your final exams?”

“Fine, fine. I’m nearly ready with the revision and I was thinking about the universities.”

“Wow, you managed to choose?” asked his father.

“Well dad, I thought I’ll run for the piano fellowship in the classical music department at Princeton University. The entrance examination’ll be in 3 weeks time, where I must play 3 short works and they’ll ask some questions from music studies. What do you think?”

Martin was smiling broadly “So after all you’d chosen music? I thought you’ll defy, although you play the piano very beautiful!”

“Come on…”

“Yes, you do, indeed! Oh I’m happy from this! So those piano lessons weren’t in vain, see?”

Viva saw that her father was happy from this news. She looked at her mother a bit scared and saw immediately she didn’t like the idea too much.

Suzanne didn’t say a word but her face showed she had no palate for the thought that Viva’ll move away so far. She was angry because of Martin, who enthused openly. Furthermore she wasn’t overjoyed from the fact that Viva wanted to be a musician – even if she wanted to deal with classical music. She knew her father too well. Viva was always like her father – it seemed that in this, too.

“Mom?” asked Viva unsure “What’s your opinion?”

“Well… to tell the truth I’m not happy you want to go so far away. We’ll talk about this later.”

“But mom, I want to do this…”

“Later, dear” she said nicely, but her eyes glinted stricter.

Viva sighed a big one. She knew this would come, she knew her mother quite well. Rather she turned back to her food after an “alright”. She decided she won’t leave this to her mother. Now she had a goal and she wanted to reach it. Till this she was just living her life, but now she’ll do everything to reach what she wanted. If it’s necessary, she’ll be hard with her mother. She’ll bring up everything –every little harm- if she can reach her goal with them.

But Martin was visibly overjoyed because of her choice and he was bucking her up till Suzanne interrupted him a bit sharply not to encourage her that much, first the two of them should speak about it.

Suddenly Dave felt a light touch on his shoulder – Suzanne asked if he wanted more roasted chicken. He didn’t show surprise, he got used to be touched although sometimes he didn’t like it. But Sue’s touch wasn’t disturbing.

“Yes, please” he looked into her eyes smiling kindly and this made the woman’s smile wider as she gave him the food.

Viva wasn’t blind, but acted as if nothing had happened. She’ll not be jealous on her own mother. Rather she smiled at her father. She knew he’d like the idea, he always wanted to raise musicians from his children. And Viva felt more and more that it was the right thing for her. She must do something only with her mother, who was just laughing on Dave’s joke.

Martin stood up from the table with his cell and went out to call someone. There was nearly silence by the table. Calo and Ava had finished dinner and asked if they could go out into the garden. Their mother just nodded while her full attention was on Dave. Viva felt herself more than unpleasant. She was the small one – the adults were speaking above her head. But Dave was her lover not her mother’s!

After a while she held herself back with difficulty and grabbed her spoon over the remains of her dessert so hard that her fingers turned into white.

“I wanted to say earlier that I liked your new solo album very much. I’ve listened to it when it wasn’t played by Viva in her room” smiled Sue while she sat down next to Dave for a chat “It’s a very deep album.”

“Yes it is. Thank you. I’m glad you like it” he smiled at her from the bottom of his heart. He was always happy when people granted his works “And do you have a favourite song from it?” he laughed shortly and got a big smile from the brunette.

“Yes, I think it’s Deeper and Deeper…” she picked off a tow from Dave’s suit.

At that moment they heard a clash from behind. Viva dropped her spoon into her plate and stood up quickly to pack the things away “Sorry” she implied for the previous sound.

“What’s the problem Viva? If there’s something you can tell me. Is there something wrong with your new boyfriend, you know, whom you went for a trip?”

Now Dave dropped his spoon and nearly his glass, too. He smiled with sorry in his eyes and Viva ran up into her room.

“Teenagers!” said Suzanne “I think I shouldn’t have mentioned it in front of you, you know she’s ashamed. But it seems there’s someone she loves. My poor one, this university, too! If the boy won’t go to Princeton, I don’t know how they’ll bear the distance.”

“So you let her move to New Jersey?” asked Dave gulping from his soft drink.

Sue recognized her mistake and frowned as she looked at Dave again.

“Well first I need to talk with her about this whole thing. I must admit that I don’t really like this idea. There was a musician in the family and you see… But I’m a bit silly to say things like these for you, I’m sorry” she pressed his hand softly.

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