Contingent – Chapter 9 | The normality we’ll never have

Chapter 9 | The normality we’ll never have

normal (adj.)

c. 1500, “typical, common;” 1640s, “standing at a right angle,” from Late Latin normalis “in conformity with rule, normal,” from Latin normalis “made according to a carpenter’s square,” from norma “rule, pattern,” literally “carpenter’s square,” which is of unknown origin (see norm). Meaning “conforming to common standards, usual” is from 1828, but probably older than the record [Barnhart].

As a noun meaning “usual state or condition,” from 1890. Sense of “normal person or thing” is from 1894. Normal school (1834) is from French école normale (1794), a republican foundation. The city of Normal, Illinois, U.S., was named 1857 for the normal school established there.

When they finally left the clinic, it was about 10 PM. During their trip back to the Savoy, Lisa asked Michael if they could stop at a small bistro along the way, because she was hungry all of a sudden. Craving something “yummy” to drink too. Pregnancy-related side effects – that’s what she said.

Melting, Michael smiled and sent one of his people out to grab whatever she wanted. Then, as she sipped her banana-blueberry smoothie, he asked the chauffeur to drive as close as he could to the St. James’ Park. As a matter of fact, Michael knew he and Lisa would never be able to simply step out of the car and take a walk like normal passers-by, but he hoped a privileged view on the lake would be nice enough. Nice, and romantic. Something was tickling his mind; its soft tendrils were slowly wrapping themselves around his heart. A heart which never managed to be too guarded when Lisa was physically present.

Eventually, the driver found the perfect spot and turned off the engine. Michael closed the privacy curtain and pointed outside the window as Lisa bit down on her sandwich and chewed like a squirrel. The view was spectacular.

“Watch… We’re looking east… toward Horse Guards…” Michael leaned closer to her and glanced out, squinting his eyes. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Lisa’s chewing slowed down, then stopped. She placed the sandwich back in her lap for a moment, her face turned toward the lake and the small islands, emerging from the water like lazy sea turtles. In the dim light, she could even make out the resident colony of pelicans that had been living there for over three centuries. She blinked, feeling the magic permeating the moment.

“It really is…” She turned back to him. “Want a bite?”

The corners of his mouth lifted, ever so slightly, and he looked as if he was about to say something. Then he just shook his head.

“No, thank you. I’m still a bit agitated… Not really hungry right now. But you eat, Lise. You gotta keep your energy up.” He smirked. “Is it good?”

She nodded her head and took another bite. Her eyes glancing up at him furtively. He was right. She needed to keep her energy up… but also to release some of the tension she felt.

And just like that, her hunger, too, just slipped away. At least, she was no longer hungry for food. All that remained was the tenderness noticing his gentle efforts to make everything perfect for her. When Michael decided to be present, he was all in – no holds barred. And it was hard not to find him endearing and lovable. Because he was.

And then… then there was that other problem. His close proximity moved something inside of her – something that she didn’t recognize. Or that she preferred not to recognize. It was like drinking a sip of fresh water after having been thirsty for so long. Long enough to forget that you needed water. She sighed.

“Man! I’m so worked up I’d run for miles. I think I’ll be wired for hours…”

“I know, right? A baby girl…” Her eyes rose and found his. They were dark, almost black, and they were still one of the most breathtaking sights she had ever seen. They were beautiful enigmas.

“A baby girl! A daughter!” This time, he smiled fully. “I’m so happy. And now I finally got my picture. I’ll take it with me everywhere I go… always.”

That pang, inside. Again. Lisa did her best to ignore it. She also hoped fear would resurface as soon as possible. Because fear, as horrible as it was, was also a perfect defense mechanism. It kept her on edge. And she didn’t want to feel safe around him. He was not safe at all. Despite being so sure of her feelings – or lack thereof – Lisa was well aware that her wounds were too raw still. For him to be so close. For him to be so… irresistible.

“So, when are you leaving?”

He seemed to snap out of a trance, and shifted in his seat, backing off and leaning back. Good!

“In a couple of days. Next stop, Tunis. And then I’ll fly to Asia.”

“Wow…” Lisa played with her sandwich, then put it back into its paper bag. “That’s pretty far away.”

“Yeah… And then it’ll be Australia. And then Asia again. And then back to the Middle East. Then Hawaii, and it’ll be 1997 already. In January, I’ll finally be able to take a break. And then, of course, the whole circus will start again.” He didn’t seem particularly excited. Quite the opposite, in fact. He looked frustrated. “It’s a fucking tornado. I mean, the good part is the fans. Always. I love seeing them everywhere I go. But other than that… I wish I didn’t have to do this. I’m starting to get too old for this shit.”

“That’s not true, Michael. You’re in great shape.”

This time, she turned to look at him thoroughly. He was, indeed, in excellent shape. He had gained some weight, and it looked amazing on his muscular dancer body. Her cheeks suddenly felt very hot. Goddamnit. Her hormones were all over the place and, as much as her heart didn’t seem able to trust Michael, her body still responded to him like a diapason.

At the same time, concern surfaced at his words. He seemed distressed, and it could get much worse than that. She knew him, she knew how he operated when too much pressure was put on him. Why? Why did she care so much, still? Because she wanted her baby to have her dad, that was why. Nothing else. Michael needed to relax. Just like her, he needed to unwind. They were both under so much physical and mental pressure.

“Yes, but I just don’t feel like hopping around the stage anymore. It’s exhausting. The jet-lag… the endless flights… Sometimes I don’t even know where I am, or what time it is.” He stared into space, frowning. “I don’t even remember a time in my life when I wasn’t doing this. But now I’m tired, Lisa… so very, very tired.”

She didn’t know what to say. She could take his anger. She could even take his emotional distance, at this point. But she had no defenses against his vulnerability. His mask had dropped and the jovial, at times seductive behavior he had maintained since her arrival in London was now nowhere to be seen. He looked overwhelmed, hopeless, and lost.

“I mean, I know why I’m doing it. I know it has to be done. Business is business. But when this tour is finally over…” He shook his head. “…I think I wanna make some major changes in my life.” His gaze dropped again and all of a sudden even his frame seemed to get smaller in size.

Almost unintentionally, she reached out and touched his hands, which were now clasped in his lap. He immediately looked up at her. His eyes now looked – surprised? She was not going to tell him that hers was nothing but muscular memory. Even less, she needed him to know that, that was what she chose to believe.

“You know what? You just try to make something good out of something… well, not bad, but certainly stressful.” She realized that it was actually the first time that she stopped to think about how all this felt for him. How much weight was on his shoulders. Yes, he was the father of her baby, but she had been a willing accomplice in the overwhelming situation they were now both caught into. The flower and the bee.

“And you? What about you?”

“What about me?” She smiled at him, softly, and ignored his warm hands now sandwiching hers.

Michael exhaled a long sigh, as if he wanted to get rid of the aggravating thoughts crowding his mind.

“Yeah, you. How have you been doing? I mean, are you OK with all this? Stressed out? Did you tell your mom? Your friends? Those friends you were out with, that night…”

Oh, he was prodding now. Michael was a curious man. That was no surprise. And despite his pervasive question, Lisa felt relieved that he now seemed lighter somehow.

“No, I didn’t tell my mother yet. But I’ll have to, as soon as I can. I won’t be able to keep it hidden much longer anyway.” She looked at him. “You wanna know if I was out with some guy that night, Michael?”

Better to be very clear. And he didn’t seem to mind.

“Yeah. Someone I know?”

Well, she had to admire his straightforwardness.

“I went out with two female friends. And I don’t even know why I’m telling you that.”

He didn’t let go of her hands, but shrugged and stifled a chuckle.

“Hey, I don’t wanna intrude. You’re free to do whatever you want. But since you’re carrying my child and all, I just want to be sure you’re always safe. That’s it.”

My ass.

She knew that look in his eyes. And instead of being annoyed by it, she felt like laughing. He was cute when he pretended to be unbothered by something, while it was clear that it rubbed him the wrong way instead.

“Look, I tell you what: if I meet someone interesting, you’ll be the first to know. OK?”

The almost imperceptible twitching of his hands told her that he was not OK with it at all. But he kept his cool.

“Yeah, you do that. Especially because… you know, about what you said to the doctor…” A small pause, and he cleared his throat. “…I mean, can you ignore it? Like… pretend it’s not there? Or are you supposed to go with it?”

There it was! She knew it! She had hoped he would just gloss over that little detail about her sex drive being a little higher than usual but no, of course, he had stored the information in the database of his mind. It was time to back off. And to cool off, too.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I’d like to go back to the hotel now, if it’s not a problem. I’m starting to feel tired.”

Their communication was like a poker game. Reveal a little, but never too much. Lie if necessary.

And yet sooner or later, she knew she had to stop trying to bullshit the bullshitter.

They did indeed go back to the hotel. Michael didn’t make any fuss, and walked her to her suite, then kissed her cheek before saying goodnight. A part of her was disappointed. But it was probably just her hormonal part – nothing a long shower, and maybe a few minutes of self-love couldn’t take care of. Yeah, him going back to his quarters was for the best.

And then, about an hour later, he was at her door again. She knew it was him. Who else could it be, a little before midnight? Michael had always been her personal night owl.

When he knocked, she was lying on the couch, reading a book, pretending to ignore all the pent-up energy and sexual frustration she had been feeling – in its magnified version- since she had landed in London. What she had said to the doctor was true. But as long as she had been in L.A., it had been manageable. She could take care of it by herself, she didn’t feel the need to have anyone in her bed. Everything had changed since she had seen Michael again. Her heart was not involved – at least, she felt it was quiet and remote enough not to worry too much about it. But the physical chemistry, well, there was nothing she could do about that. Not yet. Body and soul were such different animals…

Plus, no other man had ever been able to take care of her like he did. Even in the most unexpected moments. And maybe that was what her body remembered.

Maybe… Well, perhaps she could…

Yeah, and maybe you shouldn’t be even thinking about that.

He knocked again as she was already walking over to the anteroom.

“Lise?” His muffled voice from behind the door. She opened it and there he was, wearing his silly pajama pants, a quite unexpected black V-neck t-shirt, holding a chocolate box in his hands and smiling from ear to ear. She burst out laughing – she just couldn’t help it.

“Dude, it’s late! Whatcha want? What’s that?”

His eyes narrowed mischievously.

“No chocolate cravings? You sure?”

“Well…” She stepped aside and let him in. If she had to be completely honest…

Michael chuckled, guessing what she hadn’t admitted out loud. It sucked that he read her so well!

“I knew it! Did you know that it’s common sense that when you’re carrying a girl you tend to have sweet cravings? That smoothie got me thinking… you were hoovering up that stuff like crazy.”

Whether he was aware of what he was doing or not, Michael was systematically destroying layer after layer of her resolve to keep their relationship friendly-ish and formal-ish.

“Who told you that?”

“My mother.”

Lisa shrugged and closed the door. “God bless Kate. Very wise woman. Well, since you’re already in… what you got there?”

Michael examined the box. “It’s, ah… Belgian chocolate truffles inspired by cakes and pastries…”

“What?! Get out of here!” She tried to take the box from his hands and, when he didn’t let go, she started to unwrap it as if it were a Christmas present. Michael giggled.

“Whoa, slow down! Here, let me…” He playfully swatted her hand. “You have to work on your manners. Our kid will have to be a little more polite than that.”

He opened the box and a full tray of perfect little chocolate truffles was presented to her. Aw, that was sweet. And just like that, her eyes watered. Fucking mood swings! She sniffled.

“Hey… wow. Are you crying? What’s going on?” Michael bent his head and tried to intercept her eyes. And she hid her gaze from him, grabbing a truffle and putting it in her mouth instead. “Lise…” He chucked. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to laugh or get worried, really.”

She just waved her hand in the air and took another truffle. Then she finally managed to snatch the box from his hands and walked over to the couch.

“Ah… OK…” He muttered, pushing his hands into his pockets. He was mildly amused, but also very, very careful not to waste any second he could share with her. “So, anyway, I was sure you were jet-lagged and that you were still awake, that’s why I came back. I’m glad I was right.”

“You were right…” Another little praline. Why not. She needed some placebo. She hoped for some sort of chocolate miracle to keep her most instinctual part at bay. At this point, setting boundaries was becoming harder than she had ever imagined.

After stuffing her mouth with a final, delicious truffle, she half-heartedly closed the box and placed it on the table, then went pouring herself some water. “How I wish I could have a glass of red wine with this stuff… like, you got no idea…”

“Lisa…” He admonished her.

“But I’m having sparkling water instead! See?” She showed him the glass. “What are you? The pregnancy police?”

Michael snickered.

“Gosh, girl, you’re all over the place…” He walked over to her and took her hand, guiding her toward the couch. “Here, sit down. You need to relax.”

Soft and pliant, she obeyed. Well, that was unexpected. She did look tired, her eyes were glassy, but it was clear that she was not ready to go to sleep yet. Michael wondered what was keeping her awake. It couldn’t only be the time difference. There was something else, but again, lately Lisa had become almost a mystery to him. Some things, he could still decode – while others seemed destined to remain inscrutable.

He sat down at the other end of the couch and patted his thighs.

“Come on, gimme those cute tootsies… put ‘em here.”

She made a face and he laughed.

“Feet! Right here!”

Rolling her eyes, shaking her head and sighing dramatically, she obeyed, shifting on the couch until her back was resting against the armrest and her naked feet were in Michael’s lap. And the moment his warm hands started touching her, massaging her, caressing her, she struggled to keep her focus. She was hot, bothered, frustrated, confused and he was not helping. Or maybe he was…

Inside of her, a small, almost inaudible voice told her to be careful. Reminded her how easy it was to slip into the same old mechanisms, and how dangerous they were. How there was something much more important than their complicated, messed-up relationship and blazing sexual attraction.

Well, maybe this would make it less complicated, don’t you think? It would release some tension. Do you think it’s good for the baby, to be constantly fighting against what comes natural to you? Don’t you think you and Mike getting a little closer could be good for your little girl? Didn’t you say that you both need to relax? Do you really think that all that quality time by yourself in the shower, or under the covers of your bed, will always be enough? What are you afraid of? You love him, but you’re not in love with him anymore. That’s what you told him. And no matter what he says, he isn’t either. But you still are good together when it comes to that other stuff. Would you rather put yourself – and your baby – at risk with some random guy ending up in your bed? In the hands of a stranger? For real, Lisa? Aren’t you a little braver than that?

“Girl… stay here with me.”

She focused again and found his eyes trying to decrypt her thoughts. She knew he was good. She hoped he was not that good.

“I am here…”

“No, for real, Lisa Marie. I mean it.” The touch of his amazing hands was so gentle and soothing. In perfect contrast with his deep, now very deadpan voice. “We don’t have much time, and I need you to be in the moment. OK? Stay with me.”

God!

And yet she nodded her head. She guessed he still held a bit of power over her. But it was easy. She was still overwhelmed after the intense day, seeing him for the first time in months, the long flight… the fantastic news about the baby. She was not wholly herself. Not completely in control.

Michael’s hands moved on her calves, massaging, touching, stroking. She inhaled a deep breath. Part of her relaxing. While another part, well…

“You never answered my question.”

“What?” Her voice came out a little raspier than usual.

“You know what. What are you going to do about that? Have you thought about it?” He looked down at his own hands working her muscles and grinned, ever so slightly. “At least talk to me… Talking is allowed, right?”

“There’s nothing to say. You know how it is.”

He chuckled, as he kept massaging her calves, his warm palms running up and down her skin.

“How could I know? I am a guy.”

Lisa made a face.

“Exactly. That’s the answer.”

His eyes darted up and met her stern face. They stared at each other for a moment as understanding dawned on him, then they burst out laughing at the same time.

“Yeah… That’s how I’ve been feeling. There. Now you know.”

“Oh, wow… OK…”

His head dropped again and he once again focused on the task of taking care of her the only way he could. Silence fell for a few minutes, and she slowly stopped fighting against the marvelous sensation of being pampered by him that way. It was just so… nice. She had gone through the first trimester of her pregnancy in complete loneliness, and it hadn’t always been easy. Nobody knew what was going on except for her doctor and her lawyers. She had been extremely careful, too worried the news would reach the wrong people and be plastered all over the tabloids before she or Michael could have the time to do anything. She was well aware that the whole situation was a complete mess. For him mainly, but for her, too. On a couple of occasions, she had almost told her mother. Then she had always stopped. Because she wanted to cherish the secret for a little longer, without being judged, and because she was honestly afraid of the reaction she’d have to face. However, what she had told Michael was true: the pregnancy was still barely visible, but it wouldn’t be for long. And her mother… well, she hadn’t taken the news of her flying to London well. All of a sudden, Lisa felt relief wash through her. She was with Michael now – who knew and supported her. She was no longer alone. And he wasn’t either.

“Mike?”

“Yes?”

“I am glad you were there for the ultrasound.” Images of him holding her hand during the examination, his dark eyes huge and full of wonderment as he stared at the little human shape on the black screen came to mind. Her hear softened.

His hands stopped their seductive motions, resting on her calves. He looked up at her.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She nodded her head. “And I’m happy to be here with you.”

He just looked at her. His eyes narrowed for a moment.

“Have you ever felt lonely, Lise? Since you found out about the baby…”

Her gaze dropped. God, she was made of crystal. He could see everything. And he never, ever held back. Michael would always go in for the kill.

“Every day.”

It was the truth.

“So have I…” His caresses resumed. “And I’ve been thinking… Don’t get me wrong, I know what you told me, I know how you feel. I mean – you were very clear. But…”

“But?” Nothing but a whisper.

“But, I need this thing to be more than what it is now, Lisa. More than me checking in on you over the phone every other day. It’s not enough for me… I need… I wanna be more involved in this pregnancy. I don’t wanna have any regrets. I want to be there for you, whatever you need, always.”

“You are. You’ve been extremely supportive, Michael.”

“I am supportive how, exactly? ‘Cause I call? That’s the least you should expect from me. That’s the bare minimum any father should do.”

Lisa blinked, staring at him. He was completely present. Completely open. Completely honest. And as much as she was sure he would be a good parent, at that very moment it became so clear that he aimed at being the best dad in the world. Even before his babies were born. And that despite their problems, he was trying so hard to be a good, reliable companion for her.

“I think you got a lot in your hands already. I think you’re doing more than enough.”

“You don’t get it. It’s not about what you think… It’s about what I want. This is different from what I have with Debbie. Let’s not go back there. You and I, we are different, and you know it. Can I be more involved than this, Lisa? I mean, unless you don’t want me to.”

“Involved, how?”

“Closer to you. I can deal with boundaries -”

She snorted, and he, too, giggled.

“Wait – Alright, maybe I’m not so good at that, but I can try. If you let me. You said we could be friends. OK, cool. I think I can do that. But I also think we can allow ourselves to be closer than this, and you know why? Because I do feel lonely, too. We can only count on each other when it comes to this, can’t you see? This is just about… us. The three of us.”

She swallowed, her throat closing suddenly. Feeling very vulnerable. He was undressing her. From within. The three of them. And she knew, that if only she wanted it, it would probably be the four of them. But she couldn’t go there.

“You were the first one bringing up this friends thing, remember?” She tried one last, desperate defense. “During our divorce, when we were discussing our prenup.”

He smirked. “Oh, right… the prenup that ceased to exist. Yeah, I remember. Although that was before… before everything… Anyway, that would mean we’re on the same page, right? Friends.”

She kept staring at him, trying to guess if there was any undertone or nuance in his words. If there was something she was not seeing. But no, he looked completely sincere. As if he truly meant what he said.

“Go on…”

Michael nodded, curtly.

“OK, so… We’re here, just you and I. You’ve been going through some major changes in your body, and possibly you’re in one of the lustiest times of your life. I think I could help you with that. Hell, I think I should.”

Lisa chuckled, shaking her head.

“Is that your new way to try to get laid? Original.”

His eyebrows sprung up and he grinned.

“Well, I think I can get laid just fine if I want to. But in this case, you and the baby come first. You wanna call it being fuck buddies? Crass, but OK. Given the circumstances, I prefer considerate future parents.”

Lisa burst out laughing and withdrew her legs from his lap.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me…” She rose from the couch, her body tingling, her face and voice a mask. The idea of him getting laid with… anyone, really, not exactly appealing. She felt very stupid and uncomfortable all of a sudden. And although she was starting to feel like she had her head permanently impaled in her ass, making it impossible to see the good in his words, she walked over to the table and opened the chocolate box. She put a truffle in her mouth and tossed another one at him. He caught it in mid-air, without even flinching.

“Friends with benefits, then?” Michael started chewing the praline slowly, his eyes still staring at her. He was so unnerving. And persistent. And seductive. “Lise, if you don’t love me anymore, why should you be worried about me wanting to help you out? Unless, you know… unless you’re not even physically attracted to me anymore.”

It was quick, but she detected it. That hint of insecurity in his tone. His hang-ups, always there, usually well hidden, often masqueraded by sarcasm and insolence, but present in perpetuum nonetheless. And her sudden need to comfort him, to make him understand that it didn’t matter what she felt or believed she felt, he was still nothing but breathtaking in her eyes.

“I gotta go to the bathroom.”

Lisa stormed out of the room.

She closed the door and leaned against it, finding her reflection in the mirror right above the sink. The warm lights in the luxurious bathroom made her look even higher than she felt.

What the fuck was going on? Why was she so bent out of shape? He was right. She had told him she was no longer in love with him. His offer shouldn’t affect her that much. And she had to be honest: the idea of another man touching her, kissing her, making love to her, right now made her shudder.

While Michael… well, the moment he had put his hands on her, her engines had started roaring. Her libido had gone into overdrive. And it was hard to forget about that, and be collected, calm, relaxed, when thousands of ants seemed to race under the surface of her skin.

The tingling had started back in Los Angeles, while she packed up, right before leaving for the airport. She had quietly put her clothes into her trolley as her mother stared at her from the bedroom door. Her arms crossed over her chest, her face pitiful, Priscilla had looked like she had just gotten the worst news of the week.

“Lisa Marie…”

“Yes, mother…” She smoothed down a blouse in her trolley.

“Are you sure about this? Are you sure that seeing him is the best thing, right now? You two should get over this and start moving on for real. I mean, it is pretty clear to me that he’s been doing just that. Did you see those pictures of him with that other woman? That nurse?”

“Nope…” Lisa sighed.

“Is there anything that’s been going on between those two? I think there is. What else would he bring her with him for?”

“He went out with his make-up artist too, once. And guess what, mother? She’s just his make-up artist. You shouldn’t pay attention to what tabloids say.”

“Well, OK. But what about this other woman? What’s her name again?”

Lisa didn’t reply. Leave it to her mother to remind her why she should be thinking twice, when Michael was involved.

“I am just trying to look out for you, honey.”

“Thanks, but you don’t need to. I know what I’m doing.”

Did she, really?

“Why do you keep doing that, Lisa Marie? Haven’t you suffered enough because of him?”

She closed her trolley, setting her jaw. Thinking about how much they both had suffered. If only her mother knew why she was flying to London… Lisa was pretty sure her condescending tone would change. Maybe she would even shut up for a minute or two. Finally.

“I gotta go, mom. I’ll see you when I get back, OK?”

And now here she was. Hoping she would go through a “don’t touch me, don’t even look at me” kind of pregnancy. But no. Hers was a “holy hormones” kind of pregnancy. She had always loved sex, especially with Michael, but right now – she couldn’t remember a time in her life when she had craved it more. And behind that door, just in that other room, stood the man that more than any other person on the planet had always been able to get her rocks off.

She was in such deep trouble. Maybe her mother was right, after all. Perhaps she should have kept her distance and stayed in Los Angeles and sent Michael the damn picture via FedEx.

There was only one thing she could do: she had to get a grip on herself and throw him out. Send him back to his suite. Dismiss his very reasonable little speech about why they should count on each other on a more extensive level, and forget about his words completely. Tell him that he was out of his mind, that his way of thinking didn’t make any sense, and that they had not set new boundaries just to break them after four months.

His voice from behind the door intruded her thoughts.

“Lisa?”

She cleared her throat and splashed cold water on her face.

“Yes?”

“You OK? Did you barf after all that chocolate?”

Staring at herself in the mirror, she just couldn’t help but grin. He had to stop doing that!

Remember, Lisa? Remember how his ability to make you laugh was one of the many reasons why you fell in love with him, back then? How your ability to make him laugh made him fall in love with you?

“No Michael, I didn’t barf. I know when too much is too much. I’m not five, you know?”

She heard him giggle.

“Could have fooled me…”

She started dabbing her face with a towel, taking deep breaths.

“Lise… the doctor said you talked a lot about me…”

“Wow, you pay a lot of attention when it’s convenient, huh?”

“Might be. So… what did you tell him?”

She bit her lip, staring down at the towel in her hands.

“What did I tell him… I told him… that although she was a bit unexpected, this baby will be welcomed in our lives and that she’s gonna have one hell of a father…”

Silence.

Then his voice, again. Not playful, not mischievous, but deep. Serious.

“Open the door, Lisa.”

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror one last time and widened her stance. OK. It was time to put a stop to all this. This murderous tension was not at all what she needed. He had to go.

She walked over to the door and opened it slowly.

Michael was standing there, looking at her with a contemplative look in his eyes.

“If you want me to go, just say it. And I’ll go. And I promise, I won’t -”

Lisa grabbed his head with both hands and brought it down to her, and they kissed.