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Ahanamakye, ɔkyena – Part 2

Still enveloped in the comforting cloud of warm water and steam, Michael leaned in and kissed her with a sweetness that almost made her cry. When they were younger, they mostly ran wild when it came to sex. Their lovemaking was often the physical expression not only of their passion, but also of the frustration and desperation that tended to be such a huge part of their complicated relationship.

Now, as they felt time had finally started to be on their side, something had shifted. They could still get hot and dirty, but also reveled in the luxury of taking things slow, savoring each and every moment spent together, knowing that neither of them had to leave any longer.

It didn’t matter that the rest of the world didn’t know the truth. In fact, it was almost a relief. And not caring about what other people thought or said about them was an added bonus. They had struggled so much through the public belittlement and constant ridicule of their love, the first time around.

Well, no more.

This charity event was a shining example of Lisa’s and Michael’s new approach to media. They had tried their best to keep everything quiet – getting in contact with local fundraisers and associations in absolute privacy, trying to discover the best way to help, and then doing everything they could – together. They didn’t have the financial means they once had, when they were younger and very, very powerful – for a while, Lisa and Michael had indeed been the ultimate power-couple – but they could still do so much more than the average Joe. And they did.

Ivory Coast was their choice for the first step of what they planned would be a never-ending string of charity events all over the world, and wherever aid and assistance were needed. The African country held a significant place in Michael’s heart, but also was in need of support while still consolidating the gains of its relative peace, political stability and community development initiatives.

With over a million kids out of school, Michael and Lisa had chosen to invest their funds in financial education and equipment, teacher training and recruitment, and classroom construction. They had been in Abidjan for several days, following the works from their small headquarters at the hotel, and sometimes even going on site personally. They had been good at staying undetected by the media for quite some time, but tabloids seemed still very much interested in Lisa’s whereabouts and, above all, in Kellan. The baby she had with Michael. Well… the baby she had with Ethan Murphy, at least as far as the rest of the world was concerned. And Michael – Ethan – was an interesting fellow, too. His elusiveness and scarcity when it came to words only seemed to heighten the frenzy.

Speculations had run wild since a couple of paparazzi had been able to steal a picture of their half-black baby boy, a few weeks earlier, and hadn’t stopped since. However, Lisa and Michael were now a much wiser, more evolved, and media-savvier version of themselves. They had just decided to ignore the buzz completely, and live their life the way they thought was appropriate. Which meant as privately as possible. No more gnawing and grinding in the jaws of blood-thirsty tabloids, they weren’t having it.

Sadly, earlier that day, while going to the small town to meet with their partner association, it had been clear that some photographers were out to get them. Thank goodness Kellan had stayed at the hotel with his nannies, otherwise the usual strings of invasive questions would have resumed.

Michael, usually very calm but way more prone to reaction than he had ever been in the past, had asked a couple of paps to stay away as he and Lisa climbed out of their car. He had been a tad bit unceremonious and blunt while doing it, and that had made Lisa giggle. She knew it was liberating, for him, to lash out a little at those same people who had contributed to making his existence a Truman Show for about forty years. And he had become even nastier since the birth of their son.

“Wow, that was so macho, baby…” She had whispered in his ear while clinging to his arm, as they stepped into the building where the organization representatives were waiting for them. “I feel so protected. And a bit turned on, too…”

He had snorted, but then had ferociously glared at one of the paparazzi who was still trying to steal a couple of pictures. Lisa had to do her best not to burst out laughing. He simply was too much.

The meeting had gone very well, as Michael and Lisa had been able to actively participate in a series of initiatives aimed to guarantee quality primary education for out-of-school children living in situations of extreme poverty. Their flight back to Scotland was scheduled in a couple of days and, in a few hours from now, they would take part in the inauguration of a brand new school in a nearby town. Funnily enough, the opening would take place on Michael’s sixtieth birthday.

Now, as they just enjoyed their profound connection, wrapped in the comforting allure of the warm water, they let themselves sink into that lazy, languid build-up of passion that lately characterized their lovemaking. Slow caresses, kisses, time spent exploring each other’s body thoroughly, and their eyes constantly connected. Perfect blue pools reminding of deep, coral-studded coastlines meeting black supernovas in a starry sky.

Michael’s finger traced Lisa’s skin. From her jawline to her neck, down to her sternum and perfect breasts. She shivered under his touch and he glanced up at her, smiling.

“What do I get for my birthday?”

“Well…” She tried to control her voice, but as his caresses dipped even lower, on her stomach and sides, it was clear that her ability to speak was already slightly impacted. “You can have whatever you want… since you’re a big boy and all…”

He stepped closer, into her personal space, and started to kiss her neck. She squirmed, his bearded chin tickling her skin, and her hand came up, resting on the back of his head. Her fingers in his hair.

“Oh, am I, now?”

She had to smile. Her free hand reached down and stroked his still flat, taut stomach, then moved lower, touching him ever so slightly.

“Yeah… very big.”

She knew that if she looked down and saw the effect her touch had on him, she would lose control in a heartbeat. And she wanted this to simmer, instead. Especially after noticing Michael’s rotten mood after his nightmare, which was perfectly understandable, she needed for him to know that they had all the time in the world now. And that every single minute counted. No more moments spent running away from each other or trying so hard to fight the barrage of emotions that accompanied their intense love. Their present was only about opening up to the feelings and embracing them wholeheartedly.

She looked up at him. He was so gorgeous. Looking so strong, so healthy, still so very magnificent… And ultimately way, way younger than his age. She noticed the same thought reflected in his eyes, and it occurred to her that love could indeed be nurturing that way. Chipping away emotional and physical weariness, challenging the passing of time, dispensing such powerful energy – to the point that they felt like they could do anything.

Michael kissed her, and this time the contact was deep and passionate. Lisa whimpered, softly, and in contrast her fingers closed on him tighter. He sighed, then kissed her again, his hands roaming all over her body, speaking their silent language, stroking and seducing. His lips trailed a warm, passionate route down to her throat and collarbone, on her shoulders, kissing, nibbling. His teeth gently biting down on her flesh made her tingle all over and, once again, she took off. He was her sky, no parachute needed. The fall was so pleasurable and so secure.

When he mirrored her movements and his hand rested in between her legs, her hips pushed forward on their own volition and the motions on his steel increased in speed and intensity.

“God… baby.” He took her other hand and brought it down. “I wanna see it… touch yourself, let me watch you…”

She almost came at his words and, keeping her eyes on his, she complied. His flushed cheeks, the burning embers in his dark eyes only edged her further, and so did his hand covering hers, following her movements on a tactile level, too. She bit her lips, but the pleasure was building up rapidly and, at one point, she just couldn’t contain the moans any longer.

“Holy shit… Lise. You’re so beautiful. Shit…” His hand pressed deeper into her and she about shattered at the intimate contact. But she needed more. So much more than that. As much as she loved touching him, and as much as jerking him off was as pleasurable to her as it was to him, what she wanted was to have him inside. In so many ways. She just wanted him to never leave her.

Bringing his head down to her, she kissed him again, her tongue seeking his, her teeth gently biting his perfect lips.

“Give it to me, honey…” Another kiss. “I want it. Come on… give it to me…”

“Girl…”

Panting, Michael grabbed her by the hips and made her turn around, and she immediately knew what he needed. Resting her hands on the tiled wall, she arched her back and let the hot water run down her naked skin. His kisses on her shoulders, his hands stroking her thighs and parting them slightly, however, felt way hotter.

“Open up for me… Yeah. Just like that… but not too much…” His cock pressed against her ass, sliding against her tight warmth. “That’s it.”

She was already out of breath, and he wasn’t even inside of her yet. She was helpless and hopeless when it came to the sexual power he held over her. Even after all this time, and maybe now more than ever.

She had to close her eyes against the onslaught of feelings threatening to choke her.

“Come on… Mike…”

“What? Tell me…”

“You know it…”

“Tell me, Lise… Tell me what you want.”

She swallowed and pushed back and against him.

“Take me. Do me like this…”

This time he smiled, but when he spoke again, his voice came out through clenched teeth.

“Like this? From behind?”

“Yeah…” Barely a whisper.

“…Fuck… Hold on…”

His strong hands on her waist, he pulled her closer and she lowered her head. When her eyes opened again, her vision was unfocused due both to the anticipation and the curtain of water surrounding her. She focused on the physical sensation of him entering her slowly, inch by inch, and winced. The position certainly favored that sweet mixture of pleasure and pain. When he filled her with one, well-delivered deep thrust, she screamed out. He didn’t ask her if she was alright. He knew.

He just stayed perfectly immobile for a moment, then his hands moved again, caressing her body just the right way, cupping her breasts, running along the perfect curves of her waist and hips, and then coming to rest once again on her ass.

“God… You sure are perfection… I don’t know how long…” His low voice trailed off, and she let out a breathless chuckle.

“Then move… What are you waiting for…”

Her cockiness was rewarded by him pulling back slowly and then ramming into her once again. And, once again, she screamed out. He aligned his body to hers and started to move, in a perfect variation between slow motions and deep thrusts. It was all so erotic and tantalizing, and the sensory overload swept Lisa away in no time, as his arms kept holding her in place, stroking her, maximizing her pleasure. Buried deep inside of her, Michael did his absolute best to last as long as he could, but her clamping down on him, pushing her pelvic muscles forward certainly didn’t do much for his staying power. Holy shit.

“Lise… You’re killing me, baby…”

“Man… Are you kidding… Shit… You feel huge…”

He chuckled, but didn’t stop moving. Yeah. And she felt even tighter than usual. They so loved being creative when it came to sex. He was so happy that had never changed.

His motions picked up speed and he gave her a solid ramming as she started convulsing around him. The trick almost backfired on him, though, as his head began to spin. Shit – he was not as young as he looked, but with age came experience and self-control and, somehow, he was able to keep going. When Lisa started whimpering and writhing again, her whole body shook by a new series of spasms, his hand reached around and touched her just the right way and her moans became louder and louder. The fluttering of her muscles, on the other hand, turned lethal and at that point there was really nothing he could do to hold off.

“Shit… oh, damn it.” She felt in control and subjected to his every whim, all at once. And it was too erotic to resist. “I need you to come. Michael… please, I wanna feel you…”

He pulled her up and against his body, his chest adhering to her back, one hand on her throat, holding her without hurting her. She turned her head and they kissed and all the while he kept going, losing control. There was absolutely nothing she loved more than feeling him let go with her. Knowing he was comfortable enough to release all tension and drop every guard. She opened her eyes and found his. They were glassy. He blinked.

“Babe… Here it comes. Oh, fuck…”

And then it was just colors and symphonies.

 

 

 

The feeling of deja-vu was startling, and she glanced to her side to make sure they were not in 1997 and they were not in South Africa. Publicly, as freshly divorced friends. Privately, as lovers.

No. It was over twenty years later, in the most unhoped-for circumstances, but they were still together. Sitting at a table in what was set to become the schoolyard, they were protected by the hot African sun by a gazebo that she had asked to install. She had said it was needed to safeguard baby Kellan, which was true, but was also necessary to protect Michael.

She stared at them both for a moment. As the inaugural speech continued, she got lost taking in their mere presence by her side. Kellan was in his dad’s lap and was wide awake, his huge eyes observing the ever-surprising world presented to him on a daily basis. He had alreadybeen going through the early stages of speech, but was now quiet. His face the perfect epitome of wonder and amazement. Yes, she knew. The colors of Africa were so beautiful and mesmerizing. And Kellan didn’t know yet, but his daddy’s ancestors came from there, too, so in a way he was home.

One little hand clung to his father’s vest and didn’t let go. The little man was fascinated by anything with a texture lately – and he had already tried to chew on the shiny fabric several times. Lisa smiled and Michael’s eyes found her. He winked at her the best way he could from behind the lenses of his photochromic glasses, which were currently very dark given the luminous environment.

Lisa reached out and took his hand on the table. Kellan babbled, and she leaned over, kissing his chubby cheek. When she lifted her head, Michael was there. So very close. Still holding the baby in his lap with one hand, he used the other one to touch her chin gently, then kissed her on the lips. Just a quick, sweet peck. A little group of people in the crowd cheered and he blushed, grinning and backing off.

A life worth living.

They didn’t speak, at the inauguration. They just stood there enjoying the moment and reveling in the satisfaction of having done something good. The happiness painted on the children’s faces was more than rewarding, and Michael and Lisa didn’t need anything else, really.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, they took some time just to enjoy a drink, some appetizers and they made small talk with a few people. Michael was perfect in his role and, as usual, nobody suspected anything. For the entire world, with the exception of a few, well-selected people, he was nothing but an unknown, albeit wealthy American art dealer who happened to be Lisa’s husband. And he so loved his new persona. He didn’t miss the old one in the slightest, especially now that he knew he could still do what he believed in: try to heal the world as much as possible. The reevaluation of means, potential and intentions had been crucial for his new state of peace.

Nightmares or not. They too would be dealt with, eventually.

They left as the sun started to set and paint the beautiful landscape with its orange and red fingers. It was like having the chance of observing a work of art in the making, and Lisa and Michael walked quietly, hand in hand, toward their car. This time, Kellan was in his mom’s arms and was dozing off. The emotions of the afternoon a bit too intense for a four-month-old boy.

They didn’t see the lady coming. Maybe because she approached them so casually, or perhaps because she looked like one of the guests, with her perfect party dress and her flawless makeup.

“Hello… I beg your pardon…”

Michael and Lisa stopped. The lady smiled.

“Good evening… Miss Presley, Mister Murphy, I just wanted to thank you for being here tonight. It was so beautiful to see you take part in this event…”

Michael’s eyes narrowed, but he just grinned, politely, and nodded his head. Lisa smiled.

“It was our pleasure, really. Thank you so much.”

They started to walk away.

“Is this your baby? He is so gorgeous…”

Lisa stilled once again and, once again, smiled. But something in her expression wavered. When Michael stepped closer, taking Kellan from her arms, and quietly moving away from the woman, she wasn’t even surprised. Thankfully, the baby didn’t wake up.

“Yes, he is. Thanks again and… well, good night.”

She thought it was over when the lady spoke again.

“Is it true that he’s not Mister Murphy’s biological son, but Mister Jackson’s?”

Lisa closed her eyes for a second, then just resumed walking.

“That’s what the media believe, you know…”

The woman had caught up and was now walking next to Michael.

“We don’t care about what they think,” he just replied, very calmly. His hand rested on the back of the baby’s head, protectively. “I am Kellan’s dad. That’s it.”

“But don’t you think the public has the right to know the truth?” She stepped a bit closer to Michael and he shifted to the side. “I mean, this beautiful baby is obviously of mixed race.”

“Aren’t we all?” Michael smirked, but kept looking ahead. “Lisa Marie, do you have our car keys?”

“Yes…” Lisa rummaged through her purse.

“He does look like MJ, a little bit. There would be nothing wrong, if he were his, you know? If anything, it would put you in such a splendid light, Mister Murphy…”

This time, Michael stopped and turned to the lady.

“I’m sorry, what’s your name again?”

The woman’s cheeks reddened. “I don’t see how it is important.”

“It is. What’s your name?”

“Marisa.”

“OK. Marisa. Look, there’s no need for this. We don’t talk to the media about our private life. Don’t you worry about our son, about his race or about the rumors out there, OK? We don’t owe anyone anything. So please just leave us alone.”

“Would it be OK with you, in the hypothesis that this baby wasn’t biologically yours?”

“Leave it alone…” Michael muttered with a joyless chuckle, as Lisa finally opened the back door of the car and checked the baby car seat.

“One last question, Ethan… Mister Murphy. What do you think of MJ?”

Michael’s head lowered, then he glanced up at her, stilling his movements.

“I think…” He blinked. “I think he’d be more gracious with you than I’ll be in a minute, if you just don’t leave.”

Then he smiled. The smile never reached his eyes. It was the smile of a shark.

This time, Miss Marisa got the hint. Her face still flushed, she just mumbled some sort of apology and walked away.

Lisa kept checking that every single detail about the baby car seat was perfect. In an extremely, overly meticulous fashion.

“Fucking… bitch.”

“Language…” Michael giggled.

“How can you be so calm? I wanted to slap the fu… the daylights out of her…”

“Years and years of training…” He sighed and placed Kellan in his seat, strapping him up. He made a sound, then his eyes closed again. He was out like a light. “But you were good, baby… I mean, she’s alive, right?”

Lisa snorted.

“Yeah. I guess. Not sure her heart is really beating, though. I think Miss I-Beg-Your-Pardon might be a vampire.”

He chuckled, then kissed her and started walking around the car to get to the driver’s seat.

“Not possible. She looked way too cozy in the sun…”

“I think she took some pictures of us and Kel during the ceremony. I mean, obviously she was there.”

They both got into the car and he turned on the engine.

“Who cares, Lisa…”

“Didn’t you notice her?”

He just shrugged as they slowly started moving across the parking lot and toward the road.

“Nope… Don’t think so…”

Lisa turned in her seat and studied him, her eyes a perfect mixture or playfulness and pretend inquisitiveness.

“She was getting a little too close to you, though…”

“That’s because she wanted to see Little Man.”

“No, I bet it was because she wanted to suck you dry…”

“Of information, yes…”

“Not only that…”

He kept his eyes on the road but couldn’t help smiling. She was nuts. And she was bantering with him in that mischievous, playful way that always got them going.

“No, she didn’t…”

“I’m sorry baby, but she was gross. A gross, titty creature of the night…”

Michael chuckled, shaking his head.

“Sometimes I wonder why I love you so much…”

Lisa laughed and relaxed, leaning back in her seat.

“Yeah… sometimes I do, too.”

Silence.

“And you know what?”

“What, Mike?”

“The answer is that, no matter what… I can’t see why I shouldn’t be doing just that. So it’s all good.”

She took his hand.

“Babe…”

He raised her hand and kissed it, his eyes still on the road. Driving slowly and carefully. He wanted his family to be safe. Always.

“Mh?”

“What would I do without you?”

His smile faltered a little. But just a tiny little bit.

“I don’t know. I like to think that you’d love me forever anyway… even if I weren’t here…”

Lisa sighed and stared at the sun. A flaming ball in the darkening sky.

“No matter what, it’s always going to be like that. Whatever happens. That’s how love works…” She kept holding his hand in her lap. “…Sometimes it just can’t help it. It’s forever.”

 

The end.

 

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