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Apparently there was the Rock Star Karaoke Party at the Jolly Goat that night and when they arrived at the premises where music with slightly off-key vocals came from inside Tommy moaned in annoyance. He never would have thought that Barbara would still go to such an event like this. He only knew of one occasion at a caravan park and that had not ended very well. Apart from that it obviously was very loud inside. But before he could suggest they should better go somewhere else the girls hopped up the entrance stairs with linked arms and the most joyful laughter. Well, he had to take all of her, Tommy told himself, even if that included a karaoke night. At the sight of the laughing women he shook his head in disbelief but Curt just slapped a prank onto his shoulder. "As long as the girls will enjoy themselves, Tommy, it will be fun to watch the untalented makin' a fool of themselves. C'mon, let's get us a drink."

They settled at a bar table around a column and Curt brought the first round of drinks. There were the usual locals sitting at the bar near the pumps almost unimpressed by the noise around them. They looked grim and probably talked about the latest pension curtailment or beer price increase or politics or whatever bad news angered them. The pub was slightly crowded with people of all ages. Some played darts, some played billiards and some just enjoyed themselves with a pint in front of the small podium on the opposite wall. It was not more than one foot high, with a DJ table in the corner and a microphone in its centre. Colour lights were blinking and a glitter ball made its slow rounds on the ceiling. At the moment two tipsy girls in their twenties roared Satisfaction from the Rolling Stones making suggestive gestures towards two young men who were obviously theirs. After their performance the young women stumbled into their arms and a lanky boy entered the stage. The DJ announced him.

"Now here's Tobias for you, known as the fifth Beatle. Here's I Wanna Hold Your Hand."

It was a very lousy performance and the poor boy earned not much applause. After Tobias there was Bruce singing Aretha Franklin's Respect which was a lot better but still funny in itself. Barbara and Yazemine defamed them all and had their fun showing their bitchy sides. It was not very encouraging for anyone near them who might have heard the women. But Yazemine's husband still dared to sing. The next round was brought by Tommy and after one single sip Curt entered the stage. His version of the Kinks' All Day And All Of The Night was quite good and ended with him going from the stage with the microphone still in his hands and singing the last words directly towards his wife. He finished with throwing the microphone to the floor while he gave her a kiss.

Meanwhile Barbara had freed herself from Tommy's close embrace and had brought the third round. She was glad that Yazza and Curt were openly exchanging affection so it made it possible for her to hide her own hugs and caresses behind those extroverted two. Anyway all four were talking animated shouting over the noise of the music. They had all kinds of light topics during this evening and time flew by like nothing.

Two sips of the next beer already had run down Yazza's throat when she received the mic from Jenna who had sung a very bright version of Black Sabbath's Paranoid. It was a crude mixture of songs throughout the evening so Yazemine did not hesitate to give her own interpretation of Top Of The World. The Carpenters probably would have disfavoured it. After her performance Yazza stayed on the stage. Barbara's eyes went wide when she heard her starting to speak. She knew what would follow now.

"Ladies and Gents, I want to take advantage of having this mic here. you know, there's a woman in this pub-" Barbara groaned and tried to hide behind Tommy. "-with whom I've sung a lot and, believe me, it was not only in the school choir. At the moment she's hiding behind that tall and handsome man over there. C'mon, Barb! Like in the old days!"

Encouraging applause and Tommy's merciless nudge made her step next to Yazemine. The first notes from ABBA's Dancing Queen could be heard. "I've always hated you, Yazza." she said with a broad grin. Their show, hesitant in the beginning but growing in its certainty, was a huge fun not only for them with all that laughter in between and those ridiculously not so synchronised dancing moves. Afterwards they stumbled towards the edge of the little stage, still laughing, where Tommy had appeared. Barbara wondered for a brief moment if he actually was going to perform his own song but dismissed that thought straight away. Ah, well, no. Not his Lordship!

But in fact Tommy was going to do just that. He had had just that tad of too much alcohol and just had downed a whisky in one gulp to put away his stiffness and muster enough courage. Fortunately the pub was not as crowded anymore as it was when they had come there so before Barbara was able to leave the stage he had entered it already. His arm went around her waist to hold her close to his chest and keep her there with him.

"You stay here!" he whispered with the first tunes of the next song already coming from the boxes. Barbara's eyes went wide open. He could not be serious. Tommy just grinned and did not let her escape his arms. Then he started singing.

"I know I stand in line until you think you have the time to spend an evening with me..." Barbara blushed and averted her eyes when he softly swayed them to the music. "And if we go some place to dance I know that there's a chance you won't be leaving with me..."

"Oh, bollocks!" Barbara said and it could be heard in the entire bar.

It made it difficult to go on singing with that amused grin in his face. "And afterwards we drop into a quiet little place and have a drink or four..."

She snorted a laugh. His grin turned into a loving smile. "And then I go and spoil it all..."

Now Barbara took a heart and quietly sang with him. "...by saying something stupid like I love you."

Tommy bent his face but before he met her lips she went on singing with bright happy eyes. "I can see it in your eyes that you despise the same old lines you heard the night before..."

Tommy shook his head. "Never!" he whispered into his mic.

"And though it's just a line to you for me it's true and never seemed so right before!" Now he was able to get a small kiss from her so when the song went on he was not able to sing it. The overpowering lump of happiness in his throat made it impossible so Barbara went on singing alone.

"I practise everyday to find some clever lines to say to make the meaning come true..."

"Smart mouth!" Yazza blurted out and earned a laugh from Curt.

"...but then I think I'll wait until the evening gets late and I'm alone with you..."

Yazza's next loud filthy comment made Barbara snort another laugh so the next lines came only from Tommy who had found his voice again. He sang it against her earlobe and it sent a shiver down her back.

"The time is right your perfume fills my head the stars get red and oh, the night's so blue..."

Barbara joined him. "And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like I love you..."

It may have come from their slightly tipsy state that they had forgotten that they actually stood on a stage with the spot lights on them but finally they let the song play on without vocals. They indulged in a short but visibly sensual kiss. Frivolous cheers made them stop it and whistling and applause accompanied their quick exit from the podium.

Yazza just pulled her shyly blushing friend into a big hug.

"Oh, god, I think I've had too many drinks!" Barbara mumbled.

"Just the right amount, Babba." Yazza shoved another glass of beer in her direction and with a nod to the stage she added "I haven't seen you like this for too long! 'n' it's good he's changed that!"

Very much later that night, after an enjoyable time with another couple of pints but definitely without another show appearance, they all were shoved out of the pub. The bar maid had been so kind to call two taxis which now waited outside. Yazemine turned and pulled Barbara in a big hug. They still had giggled about something that only they would find funny but now she turned serious and whispered into Barbara's ear.

"You both look so happy, Babba. You definitely should keep him." Turning towards Tommy she eyed him closely while shaking his hand. "And now for you, Mr Lord. If you ever [HICK]"

A hiccup interrupted her speech and made her giggle again but she did not need to say more anyway. Tommy continued for her. "I understand. If I ever hurt her, you're going to kill me. But I'll never hurt her, Yazemine. Never in all my life." His arm squeezed Barbara's shoulders. "I promise you that and I promise I'll take care of her." His voice sounded not less tipsy than the others'. In response Yazza only nodded and stumbled into the waiting cab waving a good bye, immediately followed by her husband.

When Barbara and Tommy were in Belgravia it took her some time to open the door. In the end inadequate chuckles made her shake so much that Tommy helped her with the keys after he had paid the driver. They started a passionate snog right behind the door and it continued on their way up the stairs. With each step they undressed one piece after the other and left a trace of clothes on their way up to his bedroom. There they unceremoniously dropped onto the mattress. His bed was so comfortable that it soothed them straight away.

"Ah, what a nice evening." Tommy slurred. "And you have such a beautiful voice. Babba." He chuckled a bit before they exchanged a deep kiss. Sliding deeper with his lips across her throat and stopping at her breasts he rested his head there. Actually both seemed to be too inebriated to go on with what had started so promising in the entrance hall but his heart still rejoiced in general.

"Ah, mmmh, I love you." he mumbled into her bosom. "Will you marry me?"

"Hm? Err, nah..." Barbara sleepily answered. She already was halfway into dream world and it looked as if she had not fully understood what he just had said.

"Hmph, well..." Was all Tommy voiced into the soft pillow that was her body before he followed her into sleep.

A deep groan was heard from his left side.

"Are we having a hangover, Sweetie?" Tommy did not bother to open his eyes when he quietly asked. He did not feel too well himself.

Another groan was more than a positive answer. "We have." she whispered exhausted.

"Why the heck are we in Belgravia?"

"You told the taxi driver. I don't mind."

Tommy turned and felt his head almost exploding with that movement. "Oh, goodness, I haven't had such a boozy evening in years. Well except for-"

"Tom?" Barbara interrupted him.

"Hm?"

"Could you please be silent for another few...?" she started but her voice trailed off into an annoyed moan.

"...hours?" he asked with a suppressed chuckle.

"Oh, gosh, yes, please!" This wish came from her innermost heart.

It was a bright day outside and that meant they had slept at least until noon. Fortunately it was Sunday and they were not on call so they could take another nap and did not need to get up. Only in the early afternoon they finally peeled themselves from the covers and both agreed on never drinking alcohol again or at least not as much as they had had yesterday.

The day went by very quiet with them lounging in front of the TV where nothing in particular was shown. Tommy's mind circled around the question if he really had asked Barbara to marry him. He would have asked her again, but he had the vague memory of her saying no and so he did not dare. It would look odd. Plus he did not want to hear another no from her. He alternated between being ashamed and being sulky. He was not very proud of the untimely moment he had asked her, now, only a few weeks after their first kiss and all that when they were both quite drunken. On the other hand he was a bit hurt by her negative answer. He did not know that Barbara constantly was thinking about the same. She asked herself over and over again if her mind was playing tricks on her and, if he really had asked her, why on earth she had said no. Of course she also did not dare to bring on that topic. Of course it was not the most romantic way. Of course it was too early for it. But she should start thinking about it. If this relationship was going to last longer than a few months she definitely should keep it in mind that he may want to have it signed.

In fact although that topic was not brought up again it rotated in both their minds from then on. Not knowing that the other felt quite similar both blamed their hangover for the silence on that day but his proposal still was there somehow - for the rest of this Sunday and the rest of the following week.

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