It's Complicated - A Gary Barlow FF

Chapter 41

***8 Days Later***

It's the day we're travelling home from Dubai and I can tell Michelle is a little bit upset. She really doesn't want to leave this place and neither do I, but I have to get home as we go straight in to rehearsals for the next eight to ten weeks after the weekend, beginning on Monday. It has been an amazing seven days out here, slightly dampened by the argument on the first night, but now we both look back on it and all we can do is laugh to be honest. It was quite stupid. We spoke about it at dinner last night and honestly had tears in our eyes from laughing so much.

''Babe, are you nearly ready? Khalil will be here in 10 minutes to bring us the airport and we don't want to miss our flight'' I call in to Michelle from the bedroom as I zip up the suitcases and make sure I have everything we need for the flight to hand, passports, laptop, wallet and phone.

''Do we have to go home, Gary? I love it out here. Nobody bothers us when we are out of the house and with the tour only two and half months away, your life will be chaos'' she pouts as me as she comes in from the bathroom. 

''Ah sweetie, I know. I don't want to go home either but I promise you, once the tour is over and I have a few days off from the studio, we'll go away again somewhere else, OK?'' She shakes her head at me.

''Gary, I can't ask that of you. You just whisked me away to Dubai for 10 days. I wouldn't feel right going away with you again so soon if I didn't help at least a little bit with the cost of it'' 

I understood where she was coming from but I had absolutely no problem paying for it. I mean, like I told her at Christmas, what is the point of having millions in the bank if I can't spoil the ones I love? I'll just have to explain that to her again or work out a reasonable solution. 

''Don't you worry about that babe, we'll sort it out when the time comes. Maybe I'll let you choose the destination this time, eh? How's that sound?''

''Gaz, I would be happy spending the week with you in Blackpool, just as long as you let me pitch in a bit. It's not fair. I mean, don't get me wrong, what you've done for me, is beyond what words can express but at times, I don't feel right about this, you know?'' 

I take a few moments for it to sink in and it hits me. She wants to be as independent as possible, but I also want to spoil her. 

''Ssshh, babe'' I whisper in her ear as I pull her close to me, wrapping my arms her waist.

''We'll suss out the details nearer the time, OK?''

She quietly nods as she cuddles in to my chest. A sudden knock on the door brings us both out of our little trance. 

''That must Khalil here to collect us, baby'' I whisper in to her ear as she cuddles in to me tightly once more, giving me one more squeeze before pulling away. 

''Let's do this then. Don't want to keep England waiting for the return of their new national treasure do we?'' she giggles out at me in a sarcastic manner. 

''Listen now babe, that was one stupid magazine. I am certainly not England's national treasure......not yet anyway'' I say quietly throwing a cheeky wink, picking up out bags and making our way down the stairs.

I open the door to find a beaming Khalil standing in front of me. 

''Hey there, mate'' I say shaking his hand before bringing him in to a small embrace. 

He really is a star this guy. He has looked after us very well this week. Anything we needed he was able to get for us and recommended some amazing restaurants for us. We only stayed in one night and that was basically us getting drunk as farts and have sex the whole night. I could barely breath let alone stand the next day. 

''Hello Mr. Gary, how are you this fine day, sir?''

''I'm very well thanks, but please, call me Gary. I'm only 35 so there isn't any need for the sir quite yet'' Khalil looks down at the floor as if he's embarrassed. 

''You've got it, Gary. May I take your luggage?'' 

Handing him our cases, he strolls over to the car at the bottom of the drive way and places them in the boot. Double checking that I have everything again that's needed, I pull out the door behind me for the last time, lock up and put the keys away in my laptop bag. God knows when they will be used again. Hopefully sooner than the last time. 

This has been an amazing trip, but I am ready for home. I know that once I'm home, everything about the tour becomes very real. Thinking about that brings on a wave of nerves because it's been 10 years since Take That have done a show, but it's also an opportunity to show everyone, as well as ourselves that we still have got what it takes. This tour is going to be amazing and we are going to make a statement. How big will the impact be? We'll just have to wait and see.