Mister Nobody – Part 29 | You make me feel like I am whole again

Scotland, two weeks later

A bit reluctantly, Michael disentangled himself from Lisa’s body and kissed her softly on the temple, on the top of her head, on her neck. Still half asleep, she smiled and purred and reached out, blindly, until her hand found Michael’s face. Her caress felt like heaven and he, too, closed his eyes for a moment. He loved it when she touched him. He had missed her hands on him, her body on his so bad, while she was away.

He had been deprived of touch – and, specifically, of her touch – for so long, during his exile, that even now, after seven months, every stroke of her fingers, every kiss, moved something deep inside of him and made him shiver.

“Don’t go…”, Lisa mumbled, sleepily, and his smile widened. He kissed her cheek, very gently and pulled back, leaning on his elbow, looking down at her.

“I’mma take a quick shower and make some coffee… so you can wake up properly… and then we can go to the clinic… OK? You rest up some more, baby girl…”.

“Mh…”.

And then her breathing deepened once again. Michael shook his head, still smiling, and quietly got up.

It was their big day. Well, mostly his big day, since he was going do his part in the IVF procedure – by donating his sperm. Michael was thrilled albeit a bit worried, but he was not going to let Lisa know anything about that last, little detail.

Would he really be fit for the procedure? After all, he was no longer a guy in his thirties. Yes, he was active and energetic, but he was still a 58-year old man with a bit of baggage. Was he really suitable as a donor? Or would they be forced to use someone else’s sperm?

Michael frowned to himself and lathered his torso, absent-mindedly, his damp, dark curls falling on his forehead.

Of course, even in that case, Michael knew he would love the kid just the same, and yet… the old desire had resurfaced as if the last twenty years hadn’t passed at all, since Lisa’s return. Since Lisa had asked him to make a baby. Their baby. And he truly, truly wanted to be her baby’s daddy. Her husband, too – and yet, he still hadn’t given the ring back to her. He was waiting for the right time to lay down the marriage proposal on her and he thought they already had enough to take care of, for the time being.

Right now, what Michael sincerely hoped, with all his heart, was that the baby could be the result of their love. With a little help from science, given the circumstances, but still… he couldn’t ask for more. And his worry couldn’t overcome the overall excitement about the entire matter.

Well, at the very least the preliminary tests had all gone well: he was healthy. The day after Lisa’s return, they had gone to the clinic and met the doctors who would be performing the procedure. Michael had been asked to leave a sample – for analysis. Which he had, possibly in one of the most uncomfortable moments of his life, but hey, if he was requested to squirt in a cup to make his and Lisa’s baby, he was going to do it, no problem.

He had been tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, Human T-lymphotropic Virus, cytomegalovirus, cystic fibrosis, karyotype, blood group, Fragile X syndrome, spinal muscular atrophy, thrombophilia and they had also performed a full blood count. It was all good. Phew! It had been a relief for him and Lisa, too.

Of course, she too had been subjected to several tests and even her results had been more than encouraging. They were both in good health. So, in theory, all was well.

Today, he was going to “donate” for the first time, and they were going to have another conversation with the IVF specialists who would be working with them: doctor Andrew Lu and doctor Bianca Russell. All the while, Lisa had already started her hormone therapy.

Michael relaxed under the water spray and took a deep breath.

He had also been asked to abstain from any sexual activity for five days before the donation. Which had been the worst part of it all, for him.

“The short answer is that we are looking for the best sample you can provide, Mr. Murphy,” the doctors had explained. “Since studies suggest that saving sperm for donations results in superior samples.”

He had nodded his head, and Lisa had squeezed his hand, comfortingly. Yeah. Apparently, their reunion was studded with numerous moments of sexual abstinence. It would have been hilarious if it weren’t so freaking loathsome.

To Michael, the explanation the doctors had given was more than enough, by the way. But no. They had carried on for a while.

“See, Mr. Murphy… ejaculating once a day for two days can impact your semen on the day of collection, and this will affect both the volume and total sperm count. Sperm concentration and volume increase with prolonged sexual abstinence but, on the other hand, it may also affect how well they swim and survive… So, as far as the ejaculation goes, our policy…”.

Again, Michael had nodded with a very vacant expression on his face. After the fifth mention of the words “sperm” and “ejaculation” in the same sentence, he had started to disengage from the conversation and think about the flying monkeys of the Wizard of Oz. Just because imagining jungle monkeys with mighty bird-like feathered wings attached to their shoulders was more entertaining and slightly less uncomfortable than the little chat the doctors were trying to have with him. Then Lisa had squeezed his hand again, and he had turned to look at her. He had seen her frown and had cleared his throat, loosening his tie a little bit.

“I totally understand… Although I’ve read that having regular sex clears sperm from the testicles and prevents the natural build-up of DNA damage…”.

The doctors had stared at him with a puzzled expression.

“It was… um… an Australian research, I believe”.

Lisa had smiled that fake smile she kept in store for awkward social occasions.

On the other hand, Doctor Lu had just clasped his fingers on the desk.

“Yes, indeed. Fascinating research. Yet, sexual abstinence is common practice at our clinic”.

“Of course,” Michael had nodded his head once again and the conversation had finally come to an end.

“Dang, Lise… sure as hell there’s no shortage of doctors in our relationship, lately”, he had whispered into her ear twenty minutes later, as they walked out of the building hand in hand.

She had snorted, rolling her eyes.

“Sometimes I really wonder how I manage to keep a straight face when you act like that.”

“Because I’m marvelous and you love me?”.

“Yeah… Possibly…”. She had chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. “…An Australian research?”.

“It’s true though! I did read it!”.

“You’re so funny. You can be the dirtiest man on the planet in the privacy of our bedroom and yet so squeamish about the same, exact subject…”.

“It’s all about the momentum, baby girl… and the company, of course. Otherwise, it just sounds kinda gross and embarrassing”. Michael had turned to her and grinned. “Plus, I’m not only dirty in the bedroom, but also in the shower, in the studio, in the kitchen, in the-“.

She had laughed.

“Yeah, I know… cut it out”.

It was indeed all about the momentum, Michael thought, as he nimbly climbed down the stairs, whistling a tune, and headed to the kitchen. He was half dressed, his blue shirt tucked into his pants but the first buttons still undone, his loosened tie hanging around his neck, his hair still wet.

The doorbell rang, and he twirled around, without missing a beat and still whistling to himself, swinging over to the hall in a sort of improvised dance. It was probably Richard, the other security guy, informing him that he was going to start his shift at the gate at Randall’s place. Michael had often told them that they both could pop into the mansion and have a cup of coffee, or anything they needed. And sometimes, they did.

He opened the door and found himself face to face with Miss Carroll.

Michael stopped in his tracks, genuinely surprised.

“Oh…! Miss Carroll… Good morning”.

“Hello, Mr. Murphy. I…”, she looked a bit flustered. “…I left a message for you on your answering machine, informing you that I was coming over”.

Michael’s eyebrows sprung up.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t checked my cell phone, yet, but… please, come in”.

He moved to the side and observed her as she slowly stepped into the house, glancing around. He hadn’t seen her in almost a month and was frankly surprised that she had appeared out of the blue, on a Saturday morning, basically without waiting for any confirmation from his side. Maybe something bad had happened? Was she there to deliver some crap about the house? Impossible! Michael frowned.

He put up his usual, cordial front and gestured to the kitchen.

“I was… ah, going to make some coffee… Wanna join me?”.

Miss Carroll, who this morning looked a tiny bit dressed to kill, nodded and smiled.

“You’re very nice, Mr. Murphy… thank you”.

They reached the kitchen, and he immediately got busy with the coffee machine, turning his back to the woman.

“Please… have a seat… So, um, what brings you here so early?”.

“Well…”, Miss Carroll gingerly sat on one of the stools by the kitchen island, “…I was in the neighborhood for business, and I thought I would stop by for a quick visit. The greenhouse is splendid, by the way”.

Michael smiled and took a small cup from the cabinet.

“Thank you… Espresso?”.

“Yes. Black, no sugar”.

“On its way…”.

“Plus, since I’m here… I’d also like to take the chance to tell you something”.

Michael poured the coffee into the cup and turned, and once again, found himself face to face with the woman, now standing almost in his personal space. How had she managed to move so quickly and silently? He hadn’t heard her. Maybe he was getting older, after all.

A little taken aback, he handed her the cup.

“Your coffee…”.

“Mr. Murphy… Ethan… Can I call you Ethan?”.

Why was he under the impression that Miss Carroll’s voice had suddenly become sultry?

His brow furrowed.

“Uh, sure.”

“You can call me Shelley.”

He grinned at her, uncomfortably, and moved a step back when she purposefully stroked his fingers, while taking the cup from his hand. Michael leaned against the kitchen counter and watched her with big eyes.

“OK…”, he replied, cautiously. What the fuck?

“Ethan… The time we spent together made me understand that you’re more than a client, to me… Even though I have to admit you’ve been nothing but a wonderful, amazing, honest client…”.

She placed the cup on the kitchen island and moved another step closer to him. Michael noticed her flushed face and slightly uneven breath, and it dawned on him what was possibly going to happen.

“…I know you told me you’re in a committed relationship and all, but… are you really? I mean, I don’t have any reason to doubt your words and yet… Your… girlfriend is nowhere in sight and… It seems to me you’re interested in me, too… Maybe she is… neglecting you?”.

Was she on drugs? Michael was speechless.

“So…”, Miss Carroll touched his forearm, and he froze, not really knowing what to say or what to do. “I was thinking… that maybe we could, you know… since you’re always here all alone… maybe sometimes I could keep you company… I’d know how to take care of you properly, believe me…”.

Her hand slid under the cotton of his sleeve, touching his naked skin and he blinked his eyelids, stunned. Abort!

“He’s not alone, though.”

Lisa’s calm, even voice startled them both, and Michael took a long breath, slowly turning his head: she was leaning against the door frame, barefoot, freshly showered, wearing a bathrobe and looking gorgeous and perplexed. And a bit annoyed.

Miss Carroll’s face turned beet red instantaneously, and she moved a couple of steps back.

“Miss Presley…”, she breathed out with an embarrassed chuckle.

“In the flesh.”

Michael’s eyes shifted quickly from Lisa to the realtor, and then back to Lisa. He cleared his throat.

“Miss Carroll… Shelley… This is Lisa Marie, my fiancée”.

He gestured toward her and pushed his hands into his pockets.

“I’d like to say that it’s a pleasure to meet you, but…”, Lisa made a face and shrugged. “…this is actually awkward”.

“OK, eh. You know what? It’s nothing, really”, Michael interjected, but Lisa’s eyes stayed on the other woman who, suddenly, looked no longer sultry and seductive. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“Miss Presley… well. I am so very sorry. I was convinced that… You know…”.

“That I wasn’t really his fiancée?”. Lisa raised her eyebrows.

“No, it’s just –.“

“Well then… in that case, you knew I was, and you made a move on him anyway… So… What does that say about you?”. The entire situation had a certain Debbie flavor that Lisa did not appreciate.

Miss Carroll just shook her head, not really knowing how to respond to that.

“Never mind. I think it’s best if I just leave”, she eventually breathed out, grabbing her purse and quickly walking out of the kitchen.

Before Lisa or Michael could say anything, they heard the door slam shut, and silence fell in the room.

Michael, still leaning against the kitchen counter, pushed his bottom lip out and stared at Lisa with huge eyes.

“Well… That was… embarrassing”.

“For her… yeah”. Lisa sighed and raked her fingers through her hair, stepping into the kitchen and grabbing Miss Carroll’s cup. “Well, since she’s not drinking it…”.

Michael swiftly took the coffee out of her hand.

“No, missy. Just decaf for you!”. He gulped down the coffee, grimaced because it was not sugared, and handed Lisa another cup. “There.”

What a control freak!

An unreadable expression on her face, she took the cup from his hand and sipped the liquid quietly, staring at him from below her long eyelashes.

“I swear to God, I was never interested in her,” Michael stated, staring back at her.

“Mh-mh.” Lisa took another sip of coffee.

“You mad?”.

“Should I be?”, she handed him the empty cup, and he placed it in the sink.

“No.”

“Then…”. Lisa stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. “…Ethan… I can call you Ethan, right?”.

A crooked, mischievous smirk appeared on her lips as she repeated Miss Carroll’s words. Michael giggled, his hands snaking around her body and resting on the small of her back. Pulling her into him.

“Sure… You can call me whatever you want”, he replied suggestively, making sure their bodies were thoroughly connected.

She brought his head down and kissed him on the lips, softly at first, and then deepening the contact, her tongue stroking his. He was more than eager to take things to the next level, but knew he couldn’t. She moaned into the kiss, and he backed off slightly, narrowing his eyes.

“Weren’t you even a tiny bit jealous?”. His hands explored her back and landed on her ass.

“You want me to be?”.

“I like my woman a bit possessive…”.

“Really?”, she cocked her head to a side. “That’s so unlike you…”. She remembered his need for “personal space,” when they were married. She remembered how, during their ugliest fights, he had accused her of always wanting to be around him. Of smothering him, even. Which, of course, had never been her intention.

“Things change.” Michael’s dark eyes studied her.

“Do they?”.

“Can’t you tell?”. His gaze wandered vaguely on himself, on her, and then all over the room. Yeah. He was right. The house. Him. Herself. Everything had changed. And yet it had stayed the same.

“Wanna know what I think? I think you’re the possessive one, here…”.

He snorted, dismissively.

“Am not.”

Lisa smiled.

“Just for the record… I am always jealous of you, Mike… Always been, always will be”. She kissed him again, slow and deep. “But the time of insecurity’s long gone… I know you love me. And I know how much I love you. Above all… I now feel secure and safe in this relationship. I trust you. I trust us”.

Michael didn’t think his heart could get bigger than it already was, and yet it did. Lisa’s words managed to rip it open, and his soul soared. Somewhere. Up there.

“And anyway…”, Lisa’s lips descended on his neck and kissed his skin slowly. “I really can’t blame the woman… I mean… how can she resist all this sexy thickness of yours? Mike… I can’t wait for these donations to be over. I wanna have my way with you… knowing you’re all mine…. Mine to touch…. Mine to fuck”.

He shivered under her kisses and then straightened his back, slapping her ass playfully, making her gasp.

“Woman! You’re such a bad little thing! Go get dressed! I’m totally ready for the whack-off room now… Come on, let’s do this!”.

Lisa threw her head back and laughed. All the while, Michael thought that he really needed to have a word with the security guys about who was and wasn’t allowed through the gates. Yeah. In this specific case, he was definitely going to go back to his old habits.

“…We’ve conducted further tests on your sample, Mr. Murphy, and apparently, well… that’s some high-quality sperm you got there”. Doctor Bianca Russell smiled at Michael and Lisa, very comfortably, as if she was talking about a shirt or a vest.

Michael’s initial embarrassment suddenly dissipated and he felt the old male cockiness resurface. There! See what this 50-something dude could still do. His chest swelled up, and he tilted his chin up proudly.

Grinning, Lisa threw him a glance. Her eyes asked him to stop playing the peacock. Oh well.

“I can see you’re pleased,” Doctor Lu interjected, clearly amused by Michael’s reaction. “So are we. But the point is, the quality of the semen is just as important as the quality of the eggs, as I’m sure you already know. Miss Presley froze her eggs when she was 37. Still quite young. So, it’s not exactly surprising that her samples are basically flawless. On the other hand you, Mr. Murphy, are over 50… And although every individual is unique, it is well known that the fertility of couples declines with age. This certainly happens to women, but there is a gradual and variable decline of modest proportion in testosterone production in older men, too”.

“Well, I’m not old,” Michael retorted in a low voice.

Doctor Lu laughed.

“No, you’re not. That’s why I said older. Anyway, although age is a factor in a man’s fertility, surely it’s not the only thing to consider. Think about Charlie Chaplin, who fathered a child at 73”.

“I know, right? I love Chaplin, I totally admire him”, he interjected.

Lisa pinched the bridge of her nose, stifling a chuckle. This procedure was becoming a bit of a macho show-off.

“So, all in all, your sample is the proof that lifestyle, diet and overall health are way more relevant factors than the actual biological age of the donor. The latest researches show that it’s not too hard to find many examples of older men who have fathered healthy kids. In a nutshell, the sperm of an older donor 40 to 70, who is healthy and active in all areas of life, reduces very little in quantity and quality. And that’s precisely your case: you exercise regularly, have a healthy lifestyle and diet, an active sex life with your partner. Everything, in your machine, works just fine”.

“Heard that?”. Michael nudged Lisa slightly, and she rolled her eyes, imperceptibly, then smirked at the doctor.

“Doctor Lu, you just made him so happy… you have no idea”.

Both doctors laughed.

“OK, then, let’s just review the entire procedure together, shall we?”. Doctor Russell gave Lisa and Michael the pamphlets.

“Miss Presley… you’ve already started your treatment and, when your uterus will be appropriately matured, your eggs will be thawed and fertilized with your partner’s sperm. The embryos will be cultured for three to five days, and one or two of them will be transferred into your uterus”.

“OK,” Lisa took a deep breath. “And are you saying that… I might be able to carry them? I mean, Ethan and I were open to considering the idea of a carrier…”. Lisa glanced over at Michael, nervously, and he studied her face without saying a word.

“During our preliminary meeting, you told me that you suffered a miscarriage when you were younger,” Doctor Lu interjected.

“Yes.” Lisa blinked. “With my… second husband. We were… twelve weeks pregnant when it happened”. She exhaled, the pain of that experience still raw, even after all those years. And especially given the current situation.

Michael’s gaze dropped, and he stared into space.

“Yes, I remember. But then, eventually, you ended up having a couple of healthy twins with another man”.

Instinctively, Lisa squeezed Michael’s hand, afraid it would slip from her fingers. It didn’t. He stayed still but did not withdraw his hand. Lisa bit down on his lip.

“I did. After my blood clotting problem was discovered… and handled”.

“OK. So, we know that you carried four babies without any particular problem”.

“I was younger, though, as you said,” Lisa murmured, evenly.

Doctor Russell beamed at her, very sweetly.

“True, but today we also know that pregnancy in older women – and, more specifically, in women over 50, and you’re 49 – are at no more risk than those of younger women, when IVF treatment is concerned. Of course, you will have the same likelihood of developing classic complications such as gestational diabetes or premature labor, but not unlike any other patient undergoing the same treatment under the age of 42. The only difference in risk, in your case, is that you’ll have a marginally higher rate of developing high blood pressure”.

Michael sat up.

“We’ll have to pay attention to that, then. She suffered from the same problem years ago”.

Doctor Lu turned to him with a slightly perplexed expression on his face, probably wondering how Mr. Murphy could know. Well… Ethan undoubtedly wasn’t there, back then. But Michael was.

“And we will,” the doctor replied matter-of-factly, turning back to Lisa. “Anyway, if you’re well-screened and well-cared for, you really should do OK. While egg production does indeed decrease with age, a woman’s ability to carry a child conceived via IVF will change less over time… since the uterus is a very different organ than the ovaries”.

“Let me give you my opinion as an obstetrician,” Doctor Russell chimed him. “Many women in their fifties, today, are as fit and healthy as women ten or fifteen years younger.”

“What about the success rate?”, Michael asked, very calmly.

Doctor Lu blinked.

“In my experience, I’d say around 25%-40%”.

Michael turned to Lisa and looked at her for a moment, sucking on his bottom lip. In his eyes, she saw absolute trust and complete love and had to suppress the instinct to reach over, grab his face and kiss him all over. Once again, she squeezed his hand, and this time he reciprocated the gesture with a smirk.

“So… are we ready for the first donation?”. Doctor Lu smiled, retrieving his tablet from a drawer.

“Sure.” Michael stood up quickly and smoothed down his jacket. “Where do I go?”.

Well, once again he had to admit that the donation room – or, as he called, the whack-off room – was a bit of a turn-off. To say the least. He had long realized why some men felt cockblocked in there, as he had read on the internet.

The room was a little too bright, and Michael immediately closed the shutters, to create a bit of atmosphere. It was also scarcely furnished, with a blue armchair, a coffee table with a stash of untouched porn magazines, and a huge plasma TV. Nothing else.

Michael took off his jacket, rolled up the sleeves and loosened his tie, all the while undoing the first button of his shirt.

OK. He could do this.

Of course, had Lisa been there with him, he had no doubts he wouldn’t have any problem in getting hard in no time and jacking off – and all the while, having fun too. This, though, was a bit different and not exactly ideal but still, what he and Lisa had, right now, was precious enough to make everything look brighter, lighter, better.

Michael sat and placed the sterile cup on the table, distractedly starting to flip through the pages of a magazine.

Mh.

Naked ladies everywhere. People copulating. Close-ups of various anatomical parts. He usually appreciated porn, but in this case, it was doing nothing for him, although he had to admit that he found a rag about bondage kind of interesting. He didn’t know why, but it made him think about secret clubs for a privileged clientele, sexy videotapes, and masks… and Lisa tied to a bed, blindfolded, wearing a sinful red corset. Wouldn’t XXX be a perfect name for such a wicked place?

Michael frowned. That was a weird thought. Where had it come from?

Placing the magazine back on the table, he sighed and leaned back into the armchair, remote in his hand, turning on the TV and surfing through the channels. No, the vintage, hairy porn really was not his cup of tea. Actually, nothing seemed to really tickle his appetite, as confirmed by the very dormant state of his penis.

He turned off the TV and rested his head back, closing his eyes.

Use your imagination, Michael. You’ve always had plenty of that… and nothing could ever compare. Except for, of course… the real thing.

Oh yeah.

Behind his closed eyelids, images of Lisa appeared, and a small smirk found its place on Michael’s lips.

Lisa smiling at him, seducing him with her eyes, taking his hand and gently pulling him into their bedroom. Michael’s memory was photographic, and he could still remember every detail. He just had to concentrate, and he could almost see everything as if he, himself, was a subjective camera.

Only, this was not a movie. It was a reminiscence.

Lisa leaning back on the bed, her torso naked, her perky breasts only waiting for his lips, wiggling out of her tight-ass jeans, putting on a little show for him. Her smile, again, that sexy way she had to bit down on her bottom lip, those hooded eyes getting darker, stormier.

“Why don’t you come here, big guy…”.

Her arms stretched toward him, calling him to her. She was his siren, how could he resist? He was adrift in her ocean.

His eyes closed, Michael remembered lying down, onto her beautiful body. Lisa’s fingers fiddling with his t-shirt, taking it off, almost ripping it open in those hot, frenzied moments. Her voice dropping, becoming a whisper, her warm breath into his ear.

“Let me feel your skin… I need to feel you, Mike… All of you… everywhere”.

Oh, how he loved her voice, her husky drawl. How tantalizing and arousing it had always been.

Something stirred in his pants with no effort whatsoever and, without opening his eyes, he popped the button open, zipping down his fly.

“Baby…”.

Once again, her voice pushed him forward. That, and the memory of her warm hands running onto his back, resting on his ass, pulling him into her.

“God… you feel so good… so good”.

How could she manage to always be sweet and dirty at the same time?

Her hips moving against him and Michael reached into his pants, grabbing himself. Yes. It was working just fine.

“You don’t know what you do to me… How my body aches for you…”.

She had purred those words against his skin while kissing and sucking on his neck, while reaching down and caressing him, stroking him. Michael knew that his own hand could not compare to the tightness and hotness he experienced while he buried himself in her body… but his mind compensated what was missing, making everything easier. So much easier.

Taking a deep breath, he started to rub himself through his underwear and felt himself grow some more. The movie kept playing in his mind smoothly, not a single glitch.

He had pulled her jeans down, together with her boy shorts. He remembered that they were of a light shade of purple, very thin, almost like a second skin. He had then kissed her tanned legs, from her calves to her thighs, taking his time, listening to her breathing become irregular and rapid, her whispers of love turn into moans of desire.

“You’re torturing me,” she had breathed out at one point, and he had smirked, glancing up at her, taking in the sight of her cupping her own breast, her other hand in her hair.

“Yes, I am… open up for me, Lise… Let me see…”.

Michael reached into his briefs and started stroking himself, shivering. He exhaled deeply, his fingers closing tighter around his now rock-hard erection.

Yes, indeed. His “machine” worked just fine.

The powerful remembrance and the intense desire of having Lisa finally pregnant with his baby both contributed to his arousal. His movements became fluid and regular, as his mind kept wandering.

He remembered having pushed into her hard and deep, with slow, powerful strokes, one knee on the mattress, one foot on the floor, steadying himself. Lisa’s leg hooked onto his arm, and he had looked down at her as she gripped the sheets with one hand, the other one rubbing in between her legs.

“Oh yeah, baby… there you go…”, he had panted, his eyes mesmerized by her movements. She had moaned and cursed, throwing her head back, an expression of perfect rapture painted on her gorgeous face.

“You… are… so… fucking… beautiful…”, he had groaned in between thrusts. “Come on, baby girl… come for me… Let me hear ya”.

And she had. She had trembled, and shaken, and spasmed, her body writhing, the thin layer of sweat making her skin look like polished marble.

He had finally laid down in between her legs, and she immediately had grabbed his head, bringing it down to her, kissing him wildly, their tongues meeting and stroking against one another, their rhythm replicating his movements inside her body. Now, Michael found the same pace on himself as he kept replaying that memory in his mind.

“Fuck…”, he let out under his breath, incredulous at the fact that he could get so aroused just by reminiscing something he had done thousands of times with the same woman. And yet, that realization was so powerful in its pure perfection. It just felt so right.

“Yes, baby…”, Lisa had placed one hand at the center of his chest, while the other one had reached down, caressing him, fondling him. “That’s it… Fuck me hard… don’t stop… Gosh, you’re so fucking big”.

“And you’re so damn tight,” he had immediately replied, his breath ragged, his voice breaking, as he kept pushing into her, as he watched her flushed skin, her breasts move with every thrust of his hips. Her legs closed around his waist like a vise had made his eyes roll back in pleasure and he had winced. He was trapped. In the best possible way. He had propped up on his hands, giving his lower body more freedom, and had started to take her faster, deeper, harder. No restraints. He knew she could take everything he had to give her.

His vision partly compromised by wild strands of hair falling in his eyes, he had grunted and moaned and cursed as Lisa’s nails dug into the small of his back.

“You like this, baby girl?”, he had swallowed and gritted his teeth for a moment, “You like it rough?”.

“Fuck, yes,” she had replied, her eyes opening and locking with his. It had been the best turn on imaginable, and Michael remembered how he had started to throb inside of her, his self-control slowly slipping away despite his desperate efforts to keep himself in check for a little longer.

But they were that kind of couple. They liked it hard and fast. Not all the time… but quite often.

“Shit… I’m gonna come, baby”, he had breathed out and Lisa, immediately, had preceded him, once again clamping down on him, reclaiming every inch of him, forcing his release. It had been inevitable.

Both back then, and right now.

Michael’s eyes snapped open, and he found himself engulfed with pleasure. He bit his lips and winced, exerting maximum control over his body to do what he was required to do.

Just like Michael, Lisa hated tabloids. But, at the same time, she had been waiting for a while now for Michael to finish his thing and she was getting bored, sending emails left and right and surfing the internet with her smartphone. Michael was not a premature ejaculation kinda guy – Lisa smiled to herself. And quite proudly, too.

When she flipped through the pages of one of the magazines she had found in the waiting room, she wasn’t even that surprised to see an article about them. Two sheets – wow. And she didn’t even look bad in the pictures. She knew why: those photographs had been taken at the airport, while she was leaving for Scotland, ready to start her new life with the man she loved. The man she had loved all along. The man she felt she was meant to be with.

She remembered that day, and how happy she was. A bit anxious about surprising him, maybe, but still ecstatic with joy and self-awareness. She was healing, and on her own face, she could see, for the first time in years and in those candid tabloid pictures, hints of the pure, undiluted happiness that she had always been able to experience with Michael. It didn’t matter how hard things could be between the two of them – Lisa knew that he had that power. The power of making her feel complete, whole, right.

She didn’t bother reading the entire article. Just the title and some tidbits here and there.

“Lisa Marie Presley flies back to Scotland – Elvis’ daughter back with her sexy art dealer?”.

Oh, he was sexy alright. Lisa smiled to herself and shook her head, glancing at the description the journalist made of Michael.

“…Tall and fit, Ethan Murphy sports the physique of someone who’s never been passive in his life…”.

No shit.

“…When he appeared in Los Angeles last spring, to take care of Lisa Marie after her accident, her fans went crazy and now the very private art dealer, born in New York but with an Irish passport, has his own fanbase…”.

He surely did. The journalist – and Lisa checked her name, Barbara Thomas – had no idea.

“…The flawless suits, those strands of white curls on his temples, in perfect contrast with the rest of his dark mane, the neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard and his impeccable style are, apparently, just some of the qualities adored by his fanbase. Which, unsurprisingly enough, is mainly composed of women – of all ages! – loving Mr. Murphy’s silver fox sex appeal”.

Yeah, Barbara Thomas apparently had the hots for Michael, and she didn’t even know it, Lisa thought. She was amused. Since she had met him as an adult, Michael had always been gorgeous and sexy in her eyes, and she was pleased that, even on tabloids, he was finally being recognized for what he was.

“Without a doubt, since this elusive New Yorker appeared in her life, Lisa Marie seems to be glowing.”

And glowing she was, indeed.

Lisa was frankly surprised the rags hadn’t gotten a whiff of their little trips to the clinic, yet. But Scotland, after all, didn’t have a real tradition concerning celebrities being stalked by paparazzi – not like L.A., at least. However, she knew it was bound to happen, sooner or later. And, in all honesty, she didn’t give a flying fuck.

Finally.

“Hey…”. Michael’s voice surprised her, and she looked up at him, standing a few feet away from her. He was smiling.

“All done?”, she put the magazine back on the coffee table and got up, walking over to him and giving him a quick peck on the lips.

“All done. I was a good boy”.

“And are you satisfied?”.

“Hardly,” he scrunched his face.

Lisa glanced down at his crotch and snorted.

“Baby, what’s with you and zippers?”.

Of course, it was down. It happened often.

Blushing and giggling, Michael pulled up his fly.

In the car, as they drove back to Musselburgh, Lisa gazed out the window, listening to Michael hum along with a song playing on the radio. She smiled to herself, softly. She didn’t even remember the last time she had seen him so carefree, so hopeful about the future. And even less, she remembered the last time she had indeed felt that way, before that very moment. That recognition was not good –  because it meant that it had been a long-ass time.

“Hey… Any news from your lawyer?”. Michael turned down the volume and glanced at her.

Lisa’s smile disappeared.

“No… Lockwood is clearly procrastinating… and trying to bury me under a shit-ton of files. All the while, asking me to pay for his very expensive lawyers, of course…”.

Michael’s jaw tensed, but he didn’t comment.

“I mean… it was clear that it wasn’t going to be a quick, clean divorce…”.

“Like ours…”, he mumbled, and Lisa sighed, reaching over and resting her hand on his muscular thigh.

“Yeah… the clean and quick divorce that shouldn’t have happened at all”.

“Can’t say I disagree…”. He kept staring at the road, driving slowly.

Lisa shook her head.

“Anyway… apparently, he’s not giving up and not giving in. He got used to a certain lifestyle and he’s expecting me to pay for it for the rest of his life. He’s like a fucking spoiled 4-year-old”.

“And delusional. He was always in for the money, Lise…”. Once again, his dark eyes turned to her for a moment. “Have you ever really thought about this possibility?”.

“That he was never in because he truly loved me?”. She pondered over his words for a second. “Well, sure as hell he’s forcing me to think about it now…”.

“Look, I spoke to that dude. And he was rancorous and nasty, to say the least. I don’t like him”.

“You never really liked him, Michael”.

“True. But had I imagined that he could stoop so low? No. I mean – he’s just vile, Lise. I’m sorry you have to go through this because of that fool”.

“I know”. She exhaled and rubbed her forehead. “I just want it to be over… And move on. With you”.

“Let me tell you one last thing… I know you really don’t wanna talk about what’s going on with Beavis and it’s totally OK… I understand how painful it is for you, but –“.

“Michael… you gotta know that you being here with me is what makes a difference”. She shifted in her seat to take a good look at him. “Whatever cheap shot he has in store for me, I got you in return… and I know everything’s gonna be fine eventually. Because baby, you are the proof that miracles happen, even in my life”.

She saw him blink and then he reached over, taking her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it.

“I love you like crazy, Lise. You couldn’t really expect me to stay away forever”.

“Well, let’s just say you didn’t make it easy this time”. She threw him a crooked grin and he let out a low, dry laugh.

Good. Apparently, they could start joking a little bit about what had been the most significant tragedy of their lives. His disappearance. The death of the public persona he had always been. And, inevitably, the end of a huge part of who he was, too.

Well, maybe joking was not correct. This was more like sarcasm… because deep inside, Lisa knew that nothing Lockwood could reasonably do to damage her could compare to the idea of Michael dead. Of Michael gone. Of Michael never returning to her.

And she knew it had been excruciating for him, too. Stressful, hard, both on a physical and on an emotional level. He had changed everything about himself to live again, safely. How many other men would have crumbled under such an immense pile of shit?

But not Michael. Michael was strong. He was the strongest man Lisa had ever known, and he had shown it once again, facing the most difficult challenge of his life. He had survived. And he had bounced back.

And now he was there, with her.

Lisa was fascinated by this more mature, calmer, less wired, softer even, version of him. Michael was different and yet the same man she had fallen in love with, so many years earlier. He had just… evolved, somehow. Lisa thought that not only age had contributed to that metamorphosis, but also the complete U-turn regarding the environment he was immersed in. Basically, Michael had been forced to learn a different kind of living, a different type of interaction with people and himself.

She knew he was scarred. She knew there were wounds, in him, that maybe were never going to heal completely. But she had also seen him suffering from PTSD after the trial. In the few occasions they had met, after the 2005 events, she had noticed how withdrawn and folded over himself he was. How profound and rooted his pain and trauma had become.

And now, this. This was who he was today – the old and the new Michael blending together so beautifully. And Lisa was so in love with him – with the imperfections and humanity and flaws that made this man so special, so unique, almost semi-divine, otherworldly.

Her wide-open heart had flown over to him and had found his heart, just as unrestricted. Everything, now, was different and yet the same, new and yet exactly the way it had always been bound to be. They were continuing their journey together by starting from scratch, somehow, but with a maturity that was unspoiled.

“Anyway, I just wanted to say that, I know it’s painful for you… but I ain’t going anywhere, baby. As in never again. And dude’s uninfluential… eventually, he’ll just disappear into the wind… like the nasty funk that he is. Alright?”. He grinned slyly, and she had to laugh. She loved it when he was mean – and he could be, very, when he wanted to. He just didn’t like to show that part of him that much while, in fact, it only added to his appeal.

“You’re gonna get full custody of Harper and Finley and dude will have to learn to fend for himself and stop acting in this anal-retentive manner. It’s childish. Plus, now we’re gonna have our baby and that’s the only thing that matters. Our family”.

Lisa had been stifling a chuckle for a while now, but his rant was making it harder and harder. Plus, the huffy version of him was especially endearing… when his annoyance was directed at someone else.

“You’re right. And by the way… you did such a good job today, baby…”.

Once again, her hand rested on his thigh, caressing and massaging.

“I know. Did you hear the doctors? That’s some high-quality stuff I got here”.

“I had no doubt”, she played along, smirking. She leaned over to him and kissed his cheek.

“Why don’t you pull over? You totally deserve a reward and I was thinking that… I wanna give you something”.

“Can it wait until we get home?”. He was letting it simmer a bit, Lisa could tell.

“No, it can’t”. Lisa’s hand slid up his thigh. “Pull over, Michael”.

He didn’t need to be asked again. Smoothly, he reduced the speed and parked the car on the side of the road, but under the soft, enveloping branches of a huge weeping willow. He turned off the engine and looked at her, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

“So?”.

Lisa freed herself and him from the constraint of their seat belts and he immediately grabbed her by the back of her head, pulling her into his kiss. Her fingers moved up some more and reached his crotch, and Michael’s hand covered hers, pressing it against that part of him that was already growing nicely.

Lisa backed off slightly and her gaze fell on his mouth.

“How was it? What were you thinking about, while you were playing with yourself? Were you watching a movie? Or did you use a magazine?”.

“Nothing of that sort… I was actually thinking about you”. He guided her hand on his straining erection, moving her fingers the way he liked. Lisa felt a familiar warmth invade her belly and tightened her grip on his dick.

“Yeah? About what, exactly?”.

All the while, she pulled down his zipper and he undid the button of his pants, helping her free him.

“About fucking you… the way you like it. The way we like it”.

“So… weren’t you thinking about me going down on you?”. Her raspy voice touched him as much as her fingers, and he inhaled sharply.

“No… Why don’t you show me what you mean exactly?”.

“Yes, sir…”.

Lisa raked her fingers through her hair and bent over, immediately licking him, kissing him thoroughly, her lips and tongue dancing their slow, passionate dance, turning up the heat of every single nerve ending in his body. Michael kept his eyes open and fixed on her, his teeth biting down on his bottom lip.

“You get so hard when I lick you like this… Have I ever told you how much I love your cock?”.

“Not today…”. His hand resting on her head, he pushed her down gently. “There you go, baby… Come on, stop teasing… take it”.

One hand on his dick, the other still on his thigh, she took him into her mouth and he moaned, then let out a sigh.

“Oh yeah… Like that. Touch yourself, Lise…”.

And she did. He saw her hand disappear under her skirt and his pleasure heightened, if ever possible. The way she swayed her hips, all the while never letting go of him, was another part of their mesmerizing dance and he found himself pushing up and into her mouth slowly, the pleasure so extreme that his vision started to blur.

“Shit…”, he groaned, fisting his hand into her hair, and she moaned in return, backing off slightly and stroking him lovingly.

“Don’t hold it, Mike… Let me finish you off… I can feel you’re almost there”.

Her eyes looked up at him and he tilted her chin up, kissing her deeply.

“Then make me come, baby… Come on. You know what to do”.

Still touching herself, her movements quickening, she took him into her mouth again, the clamping of her lips lethal now and he leaned his head back into the seat, his hips still pushing up, in perfect sync with her.

“Oh fuck… Damn, Lise… I’m…. Shit!”. He gritted his teeth and started to spasm and, in that same moment, she came too. For a split second, he wondered how she managed to pleasure him and herself at the same time so flawlessly, then he got swept away by a climax so violent that his legs trembled.

Lisa eased up on him and kissed him softly, her hand stroking his chest now. He caught his breath for a minute and then pulled her up, claiming her lips and finally holding her in his arms.

“I love you so fucking much”, he murmured, his voice hoarse, kissing her neck. “Let’s go home, baby… Let me take care of you properly”.

She chuckled.

“You ready to put up with an even hornier version of me when I get pregnant?”.

“Oh, don’t worry… I plan to fuck you for the entire time… you know it’s good for the baby”.

“…And the baby mama”.

She kissed him again, framing his face with her hands.

“And the baby mama”, Michael replied, softly.

She pulled back and stared at him.

“Mike…”.

“Mh?”. He twirled a strand of her long hair in his fingers, his eyes half-closed, his entire body relaxed in the seat.

“Do you really think it’ll work?”.

This time, he looked at her, intensely.

“It will. I have no doubts”.

Chapter song