Contingent – Chapter 16 | We don’t know yet

Chapter 16 | We don’t know yet

surprise (n.)

also formerly surprize, late 14c., “unexpected attack or capture,” from Old French surprise “a taking unawares” (13c.), from noun use of past participle of Old French sorprendre “to overtake, seize, invade” (12c.), from sur- “over” (see sur- (1)) + prendre “to take,” from Latin prendere, contracted from prehendere “to grasp, seize” (from prae- “before,” see pre-, + -hendere, from PIE root *ghend- “to seize, take”). Meaning “something unexpected” first recorded 1590s, that of “feeling of astonishment caused by something unexpected” is c. 1600. Meaning “fancy dish” is attested from 1708.

surprise (v.)

also formerly surprize, late 14c., “overcome, overpower” (of emotions), from the noun or from Anglo-French surprise, fem. past participle of Old French surprendre (see surprise (n.)). Meaning “come upon unexpectedly” is from 1590s; that of “strike with astonishment” is 1650

“Michael! Michael! When did you come back from Switzerland? Was Lisa Marie with you the whole time?”

Michael snickered and ignored the voice. All the while, he kept sorting through the various clothes in the shop. By his side, Lisa too tried to block out the constant buzz coming from right outside the lowered shutters. People were pushing against the metal, rhythmically. She just hoped the shutters wouldn’t crumble under the constant, massive, undulatory weight.

The managers at the Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis could not believe their eyes, when Lisa and Michael – and a small, well-selected security detail – had appeared at the mall. It did not matter that Michael’s entourage had called them first, informing them of the couple’s intentions to spend a few hours inside their numerous shops. The new mall had opened just a few weeks earlier, but certainly was not foreseeing any special guest of their caliber. Especially with only a couple of hours notice.

So far, as the small group strolled around, the mall security had been able to keep the fans outside the perimeters of the stores – although Michael had been more than eager to shake hands and sign several autographs before going back to Lisa. She didn’t mind, although she had preferred to remain in the background and not engage too much, except for waving hello every now and then. She had never liked crowds – they made her feel anxious.

As she watched Michael interact with people, so graciously, she had started thinking how anything and everything about him had become annoying toward the end of their marriage. Right now it seemed unfathomable, but she remembered how poisoned her minds was, at that time. How the whispering voices had reached her heart as much as his, creating the distorting mirror that eventually had succeeded at separating them. How she had felt the weight and the scope of the constant intrusion, the external world butting into their private lives all the time. She had guessed it was because, when you feel like your whole existence is suddenly slipping through your fingers, you tend to become quite moody and irritable.

This was now another one of the many things that she believed had changed. Michael was a public person, he always had been and didn’t remember his life having been in any other way, and he was very honest, sincere in his interactions with fans. That was a beautiful thing, and not necessarily intrusive in itself. Mainly because he, too, had learned to separate the various aspects of their lives without compartmentalizing them in a way that, at times, tended to keep allies out and enemies in. When the fog was always thick, it was easy to take the wrong direction.

Keeping her back to the people behind the shutters, Lisa reached out and took Michael’s hand, interlacing her fingers with him. He stopped in mid-track, turning his head to look at her. He scrunched his eyebrows, surprised by that gesture, then lowered his silk mask and smiled. A full-blown smile, and she caught her breath. What she felt was relief. As concerned as she was they would slip back into their old habits, she had to admit that resuming the good ones was just as easy. And she and Michael had always, always held hands – both in public and private – except for a few, bitter occasions. This was the first time they did it again in front of other people since the divorce.

“You like the place, baby?” He glanced around, at the exquisite store left completely at their disposal. “I think it’s beautiful.”

Dozens and dozens of colored garments on display. Baby clothes for their baby daughter. Toys of all kinds. Strollers. Pictures of happy couples and families on the walls. It felt unreal.

Especially at the beginning of their marriage, when they were still actively trying to conceive and before all hell broke loose, on a few occasions they had spent some time in prenatal stores, just because they wanted to experience that feeling together. What they had felt back then was an incredible hope for the future. Expectations – very high. Trust and commitment to one another – at the maximum level. Love – way over the top.

“Lise… look at this footed PJ…” He had shown her the jammies. Fluffy, red – of course – and with a front zipper. Definitely cute. “I love it! I think we should buy it.”

She had laughed.

“He or she would look like a ladybug…”

“And this would be wrong because…?” He had scanned the garment. “On a side note, I don’t see no black dots. I don’t know what kind of ladybugs you guys have there in Tennessee…”

Lisa had shoved him, playfully, and he had laughed.

“When we’re gonna have our baby, or babies, we’re gonna make sure that whatever we buy, is not something you or I would like to wear, what about that?”

“Babies, uhm?” He had taken her hand and pulled her closer.

She had just shrugged. “We don’t know yet, right?”

“Right. By the way… you want me to dress up as a ladybug in the bedroom?” He had frowned. “What kind of pervert are you, lady?”

“I’ll show you pervert. But later. Now I wanna see that crib over there.” She had started to walk away, then she had turned to look at him, giving him a sultry look over her shoulder. “You coming with me, hubby? If you behave, we can go back to our baby-making activities as soon as we get back home…”

“I’m gonna come with you alright… By all means, take the lead…”

And now it had all become a reality. Only, they were no longer husband and wife. They were divorced. And although the love was still there, hope was permeated with fear and so was commitment.

Ah, the sarcastic side of life. Lisa held Michael’s hand tighter and he pulled her close, kissing her temple. It felt like a deja-vu somehow.

Someone from outside the store shot a series of pictures.

Click. Click. Click. Click. Click.

In a fast sequence. Lisa closed her eyes for a moment, pretending she and Michael were alone, then opened them again.

“I love this mall. It’s the first time I come here, you know… So, great choice, Mike. Good job.”

“You aren’t in Memphis very often. Well, I’m glad we’re doing this together.”

Her hand reached up and touched his face, stroking his cheek for a second as she stared at him, oblivious of the havoc they were creating.

“I am too.”

And he just stood there. Not ashamed, not embarrassed, not shy. And not hiding behind the mask. He just stood there and stared back at her, his eyes shining. And at that very moment, right in the middle of a crowded indoor mall, surrounded by hundreds of people, Lisa realized that his change was way more profound than she had initially imagined. And that maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t even a change, but more like an improved, expanded version of himself. A version that encompassed her and his soon-to-be-born babies. Something about Michael was evolving, and she saw the true family man behind the artist, the lover, the genius. She saw the father. She saw the partner who loved having prenatal classes with her and who tried to never miss a session. The way he looked at her was like nothing it had ever been. And what she saw reflected in his eyes was beautiful.

When she had finally told him that she was ready to go out, buying baby clothes was nothing but an excuse, really. She wanted him to know that she was right there by his side, ready to face the new direction their lives were taking. That she was on his side, no matter what. Of course, going out also meant getting hounded by fans, and possibly paparazzi, but she didn’t care. That was something she felt was now ready to deal with. In fact, she was way readier than she had ever been the first time around, especially since the preconditions seemed to be so different. That was why, when he had asked her if she preferred for him to be in disguise, she had replied that it was OK either way. Implicitly signaling that she could now stop hiding, and that he could too, if he so desired. He had looked relieved.

The shifting in perspective, on a merely logistical level, had also given them both a first taste of the audience’s reaction to their public statement. Something they had not felt the need to experience just yet. Just in case, Lisa had tried to get ready for insults and mockeries thrown at them like candies, for snarky remarks and insensitive questions.

They had never come. None of that shit had reached their ears so far, no matter what the press had been implying for weeks.

“Lisa Marie Presley is so desperate to have her ex-husband back, that she’s now ready to accept a baby that is not hers…”

“Miss Rowe has been duped by both Jacko and Elvis’ wild child…”

“Jackson’s downward spiral seems to know no end…”

And so on, and on. Painful to read, especially knowing how different the truth was.

After the first moment of shocking surprise caused by their announcement, the media had resumed their usual activities. Trying to gauge different, and increasingly weirder scenarios in which they could collocate the new information. Trying to make Michael look like someone he never was, and Lisa too, in the process. She doubted the press grasped the person she indeed was, but she didn’t give a damn. However, when it came to Michael, it was different…

“Hey… look at that!” Turning his face and kissing the palm of her hand, he grabbed her hand once again and pointed at a frilly bunny tutu bodysuit. “I think that one definitely belongs to the essentials.”

“I think it’s real ugly, Mike…” Lisa chuckled. “Plus, newborns don’t really like embroidery… their skin is very delicate.”

“Why do we never share the same taste in clothes?” He eyed her and she knew that he, too, had been thinking about the past. The dotless ladybug. “What do you propose?”

“Well… Let me see…” Lisa rummaged through a series of hangers and emerged with a plain cotton sleepsuit with long sleeves and closed feet. “I think this is perfect. She’s gonna sleep a lot, and this is gonna keep her warm and toasty. Plus, look at these poppers… we’re gonna need to be fast and efficient during outfit changes.”

She gave him a self-explanatory look, and Michael scrunched his nose.

“Right…”

“Come on… Don’t tell me you don’t love the space-themed prints on this one…!”

He sure did.

Eventually, they left the store having picked personally at least five sleepsuits, a couple of fluffy jackets, several bodysuits, an unthinkable amount of socks of all colors, a dress and cardigan set, mitts and hats, about a dozen of sweaters, various leggings and a cute pair of pram shoes – per Michael’s explicit request. And he was as happy as a kid.

On their way out, the crowd got thicker – and that wasn’t surprising. Without the physical protection of walls and shutters, it was obvious that the fans would come as close as it was humanly possible. The mall security and Michael’s detail could only do so much. Despite the crush barriers skillfully positioned, the voices – people yelling, cheering, whistling, talking, some of them crying – bombarded them as soon as they left the store and started walking to the staff-only area that led to the private parking lot where their car had been waiting for them. The uproar was deafening.

At first, the horde of people scared Lisa. After the divorce, that part of her life had luckily stopped existing. No more feeling crammed inside half-assed corridors or sandwiched in between screaming fans, no more fearing of losing sight of Michael or her kids as they tried to reach the entrance of their hotel or only heaven knew what other places, no more trembling inwardly at the sight of crazed individuals trying to cling to their car as they drove away, risking to end up mauled under the wheels. She didn’t miss that part of their lives, and she was pretty sure she would never get used to it the way Michael had.

This time, Michael seemed more protective than he ever had been before. His mask now covering half of his face, he didn’t hold her hand, but wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead, pulling her into him in a manner that seemed both thoughtful and vigilant. And she felt utterly safe, to the point that, after a few steps walked keeping her head low, she finally looked up, finding Michael beaming and waving and nodding at his fans.

Lisa glanced around, and what she saw were smiles. Directed at her, too!

“Boy or girl? Michael, Lisa! You gonna have a boy or a girl?”

“Michael! Lisa! Are you going to get married again?”

“Michael! Michael! Can I take a picture with you?”

“Can you give me a kiss? Kiss me, Michael! I love you!”

“Wait, is that…? Lisa! Lisa’s wearing the ring again!”

“Michael! Lisa Marie! Congratulations!”

Blushing, she lowered her gaze again and tried to block out the voices. And Michael’s grip on her body became stronger. Oh yeah, he had heard them too.

In the car, as they drove outside the parking lot, he kept holding her close, as if he was afraid she would vanish into thin air. Her head was resting on his chest as she listened to the regular rhythm of his steady heartbeat. He was glancing outside the window and seemed pensive again.

“Hey… You ready for our new prenatal class?”

He snapped out of whatever thought was absorbing him, and their eyes met. His lit up with that comforting, internal light again.

“Totally! I’ve read many articles about breathing, relaxation techniques and massages, you know. I think I’m gonna be much readier this time.” The public persona was gone again, and there it was: the man.

Lisa scoffed. “I bet you are. You’re probably readier than I am, for all this…”

Michael’s smile faltered, ever so slightly.

“What do you mean?”

Ah… apparently, she was not the only one to be scared and concerned about the fragile grounds they had been walking on. She had to tread carefully, especially because they didn’t need any misunderstandings. Not right now, and possibly not anymore. She licked her lips.

“I mean, my dear… that you’re only going to assist…” She playfully pinched his stomach and he jumped, “While I’m the one who’s gonna have a head the size of a grapefruit coming out of my cooc-”

Michael giggled and covered her mouth with his hand. “Lisa!”

Well, at least she had been able to relax him. And if things were going to go the way every single cell in her craved, he would probably be even more relaxed in a few hours. And she would be, too.

She nipped at the palm of his hand, just slightly and he looked at her, stunned, backing off.

“Ouch!”

“Oh my God, Mike, you’re such a baby!” She laughed and this time nipped at his forearm, harder.

“Hey! What’s gotten into you, uh?”

Lisa shrugged. “What’s gotten into me? As of late, you mean? Nothing. Zero, zilch, nada… Such a shame, uh?”

Michael rolled his eyes and blushed, then mumbled something about her being impossible. Or unbelievable. She didn’t hear well.

“You know, Michael… I already am going through that phase when I just walk away muttering “fuck it” every time I drop something on the floor…”

“Lisa, you gotta tone it down a notch or two with that cursing. ‘Cause if the baby can hear everything inside the belly, then I’m pretty sure her first word is going to be f…udge.”

“…Which means that I’m huge.”

“You’re not huge. You’re gorgeous and glowing.”

“No, Mike, I’m big. But thanks for thinking it’s cute that I’m getting fat.”

He snickered, but tried to keep a straight face.

“You really are not. But go on…”

“So, anyway, I feel like I’m only a cup of sand away from becoming a beached whale. And before I stop being completely mobile, which is gonna happen pretty soon, baby, I’d really love to have sex with my husband again.”

Lisa realized the word she had said, unintentionally, only after it left her mouth. Her husband… something Michael no longer was. She was pretty sure he noticed the slip-up and the subsequent panicking look in her eyes, too, but he handled it with grace.

“Well, in that case, I’m only too happy to give you a hand…”

“You gonna give me something else, too?”

“Oh my God, Lise!” This time he laughed, then cleared his throat and turned to her with a hot, serious look in his eyes. “But yeah, totally.”

Alright, now they were heading straight to that point where the playful bantering morphed into something entirely different. Because he was turning from the fussy, easily embarrassed guy into the seductive and totally irresistible man. She kept staring back at him, quiet for a moment.

“Let’s find a hotel, then. Like, right now. Let’s book a room for a few hours. Let’s get hot and dirty before going back at being considerate future parents. I know Graceland is not your favorite place to make love…”

Michael bit his bottom lip. He looked conflicted, and she knew why. On the one hand, he didn’t want to appear as if her family mansion affected him, while on the other hand, he felt the need to be in a more private space.

“So? You gonna help me out, big guy?” She placed her hand on his thigh, a little higher than was decent, then let her fingers slide up until they rested on his groin. Michael blinked.

Halting the movements of her hand with his own, he leaned forward, toward the driver.

“Henry… Please, find a nice hotel around here. Miss Lisa and I need to… talk in private for a little while.”

They didn’t have the chance to observe the beautiful Italian Renaissance structure of the Peabody Hotel, in downtown Memphis. One of the managers ushered them inside the resort from a private entrance, and nobody seemed to notice. The driver had taken a quick detour that had been able to confuse the few paparazzi still busy following them. The reporters hadn’t even seemed too committed in the chase. After all, they had gotten their pound of flesh when Michael and Lisa were still at the mall, taking pictures and shooting videos of them both.

The celebrity suites were all booked, and Michael and Lisa were escorted to one of the Romeo and Juliet suites by a very dignified bellboy who, for once, had no bags to carry whatsoever. Despite his utterly inexpressive face as the elevator reached the floor, Lisa was pretty sure the guy knew exactly why she and Michael were there. Talking in private, her ass!

And again, the suite was beautiful, really, but neither she or Michael were there to admire the furniture or the lavish carpets. In fact, they didn’t even bother turning the light on, although the light of day was already softening into the blue hues of the late afternoon.

They just walked over to the bedroom – which looked like a set of a 1940’s movie – and stood near the bed, face to face. Lisa got lost in the dark universes of Michael’s eyes for a moment. Then, when she tried to step closer, she found herself hindered by her prominent belly, bumping against his body. He smiled and scratched his temple, his eyebrows shooting up.

“See? Now I can’t even wrap my arms around my man’s neck.”

His smile turned into a heartfelt laugh.

“Stop complaining, woman! You look gorgeous, I told you. And… you and your man can experiment with some other positions…”

“Like?”

He stepped aside and moved right behind her back, standing a few inches away from her body, hands on her shoulders. Lips on the soft skin of her neck.

“Like this one….”

The moment he started to kiss her, her head fell back and she exposed herself to him completely. How was it even possible? Yes, they hadn’t made love in a few days, but this was ridiculous. And yet, she had come to terms with her never-ending attraction for him. There was nothing like being this close to Michael. Nothing like experiencing the profound connection they had always shared. It was magical. He was.

“Lise…”

“Mh…” Her hand reached back and found the soft texture of his hair. She entangled her fingers in his curls.

“I don’t want you to do anything… I just wanna give you pleasure… I want you to feel good…” He spoke in that low, deep, seductive tone that always managed to light her fire like no tomorrow. Her eyes closed, lazily.

“What about you, my love?”

She felt him smile against her skin.

“Oh, I think I’m gonna burst in a minute, don’t worry…”

Lisa laughed, lowly, then pushed her body back and against him, and what she detected against her ass was the exact opposite of the soft, gentle voice he was using to seduce her. Not that he needed it… it was enough for Michael to look at her in a certain way, and it often felt as if he was already inside her panties. She swallowed hard.

“No way I’m leaving you empty-handed…”

“I sure hope not…”

His hands moved from her hips up to her breasts, cupping them, massaging them. The amazing part of him that never failed to leave her breathless strained harder against her backside.

“God…” Her other hand reached back too, sneaking in between their bodies. Finding his hard length, and replicating on him the same ministrations he was subjecting her to. “Mike… Holy shit.”

“What…” His voice had become raspy. He pushed his hips against her hand in rhythmic motions, and Lisa tried hard to focus.

“You sure you still want to… you know…”

Lately, she had become a bit more insecure about her expanding body and, for a minute, she feared him not making a move on her didn’t depend on staying at Graceland at all, but more like on finding her completely unappealing.

“I’mma show you right now how much I want this…” His fingers got busy undoing her shirt and, once it was finally unbuttoned, he opened the front closure of her bra, finding her feverish skin. Lisa moaned, her head leaning against his shoulder. Her breasts had become incredibly sensitive, even more so than normal, and he seemed to love it.

“Look how beautiful and full they are… Lise… shit, you got no idea…” The delightful feeling of him fondling her just the right way, with that perfect mixture of gentleness and roughness, almost made her lose it. Then her rationale kicked in once again. Oh, hell!

“Mike… Wait… Stop…”

“What? …Why?”

“I gotta go to the restroom.”

The movements of his hands stilled, but the kisses on her neck continued for a little while. She turned her face and found his lips, and they kissed deeply, thoroughly. When he spoke again, he did it right against her lips.

“Sure. You go. I’m gonna wait for you… right here.” One last little kiss on the tip of her nose and he backed off.

Lisa turned to look at him. Face flushed, eyes dark and blazing, jeans suddenly too tight right under the belt, he looked at her with such sweetness that melted her heart. Her soul increasingly bared by the second, she managed to excuse herself and left the room, going back to the foyer for a moment, grabbing her purse in a hurry, and finally locking herself in the bathroom.

She loved how he focused on her pleasure every time they made love and how generous he always was in bed, but she also wanted this moment to be special for both of them. And he had been so concentrated on choosing garments for their baby girl that he hadn’t realized how quick and effective Lisa had been in picking some sexy lingerie for herself. She had been able to hide the small shopping bag in her purse without him even noticing it. Not that she had been thinking about luring him into a hotel room… no, not at all.

Lisa freshened up and got ready, all the while hearing his muffled, humming voice outside. He was singing. She smiled to herself, shaking her head. There was no salvation. She loved him like crazy. She could not imagine her life without him. And if she did, it was a somehow miserable existence, lacking something so important, so crucial, that even thinking about it was physically painful. She didn’t want that for her future. She didn’t want to be without Michael. She wanted him, with all her heart. And now – well, right now, she aimed to surprise him. And leave him speechless.

“Lise? You OK? You been in there for…”

The door opened and Lisa leaned against the doorframe, looking at him from below lowered eyelashes.

And he stopped talking right away, his lips still parted in mid-word. His eyes roamed all over her body, taking in the sexy, two-piece, see-through red baby-doll. With matching g-string, of course, because Michael loved that.

“How did you…” He blinked. “…You know what? I don’t care, come here…”

Finally feeling way more at ease, Lisa walked over to him and the kiss they shared was hot, deep, and promising so much pleasure down the road. Michael’s lips found her neck again and traveled down to her shoulders, nibbling, nipping. His teeth gently scratching her made her jerk and press further into his body. As his lips kept her engaged, he started fumbling with his pants, unbuckling his belt, unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans. He sighed, in relief, then started taking care of his shirt.

“No, let me…” Already breathless, Lisa covered his hands with her own and, biting her lip, undid button after button, then pushed the shirt off his shoulders. As he pulled his jeans down, she lifted his t-shirt and he got rid of that, too. Standing there, before her, with nothing but his boxers on, he looked like a pure work of art. She caressed his shoulders, his chest, then his stomach and solid abdomen. The moment her fingers traced the waistband of his boxers, he closed his eyes. And she did too, when she finally touched him again through the fabric. He was turned on like no tomorrow.

Michael started pulling her toward the king-size bed. Already half-drugged by his kisses, Lisa realized that during her previous pregnancies she had never really craved sex, not with such intense desire anyway. She was never comfortable enough, not physically or emotionally, she hurt everywhere and just wanted the whole thing to be over with. Plus, Danny was kind of freaked out as well. But then again, they certainly didn’t feel the ancient, deep chemistry she and Michael shared. So, all in all, this was another first for her. And like never before, it occurred to her that it was the first time for him too. The realization made her feel giddy. To be that woman. To be his woman.

All of a sudden, she no longer felt bashful. Quite the opposite, in fact. She just needed to be kind of creative with how they were going to do this.

Lisa sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hands on Michael’s hips. Looking up at him, finding his eyes, she pushed his boxers down. Her gaze lowered and she took a deep breath as she focused on him. He was too gorgeous.

“Lisa… babe…”

His hand appeared in her field of vision, grabbing what she craved so much. Holding himself out to her. She couldn’t have asked for anything more arousing. However, she started by caressing and kissing his thighs, his lower belly, feeling goosebumps arise underneath her lips. Under her ministrations, Michael trembled and his hand held himself tighter.

“Baby… If you keep that up, this is gon’ be over real quick…”

Lisa smirked, then looked up at him, her eyes hot.

“Oh, Michael… You’re never quick when it comes to this…”

The smile he bestowed on her was pure light. Then it turned into sighs and little sobs as she spent a little extra time kissing, licking and nibbling the soft skin right above his pubic bone. He had always been extremely sensitive there. All the while, her fingers caressed his inner thighs.

“Come on… Lise… gimme something more. You know you want to.”

Her caresses turned into light scratches and he jerked, moaning and planting his feet more steadily into the ground. And her lips finally found his cock, gently kissing, nibbling, licking.

“Oh… shit.”

His fingers tangled in her hair, his other hand still holding himself, he gently – but without any hesitation – guided her to do what he needed, his head falling back. The mere gesture – sweet, and yet domineering – sent a ball of fire down Lisa’s belly as she closed her eyes, enjoying his taste and his fullness. She loved this. She loved having free reign over him as she let him dominate her at the same time. And that demanding side hadn’t really come out to play for quite some time… She missed it.

Her hand covered his own and he slowly let go, allowing her to set the rhythm and pressure of her caresses and kisses, his hips engaging, his low moans edging her further. She reached down and started touching herself too, the pleasure too extreme not to. She was going to come, and he hadn’t even laid a finger on her yet.

A bit half-heartedly, she let go of him and his eyes snapped open. He looked down, surprised, confused. Rising from the bed, Lisa brought his head down and kissed him until she was breathless, enjoying the feeling of his touch on her ass, her back, her breasts again. Then he turned her around and she found herself facing the bed, Michael’s aura warming her from behind. Knowing what he wanted, she bent over the bed. Her ass pushed back, pressing against him, her hips rotating. With her belly leaning against the soft mattress, she had all the support she needed and felt no discomfort whatsoever.

“Girl…” He panted. “You good?”

“Oh hell, yeah…”

His fingers found her, and she was hot, moist, ready for him. She let him caress her and stroke her as his other hand gently touched her face. Closing her eyes again, she nipped at his fingers, then sucked them into her mouth. It was all the confirmation he needed.

Holding her by the waist, fondling her perfect ass, Michael guided himself inside the scorching hot paradise of her body with one long, slow, deep thrust. Her head fell forward, her forehead resting against the arm.

“Oh my God… Oh, baby…”

Merely a whisper. She was not sure he heard it, and yet she knew her body resounded into his so perfectly.

There was something so primal, so animalistic, in the way they were making love. For both of them, it was a great reminder that being pregnant didn’t mean stopping being lovers. Not at all. Bent over that way, leaned down onto her forearms, Lisa managed to turn her head and look up at him – the object of her love, but also her lust. He was moving inside of her, and each slow, deep stroke was accompanied by a soft, deep, breathless moan. He was sweating, and his skin glistened, making him look as if he was made of pure stardust. Stardust and steel.

Before she knew what was what, she started to come around him, pleading him, cursing. She couldn’t keep her eyes open, and the last thing she saw before her eyelids lowered was his face, tortured with pleasure, his irises black and shiny like burning coals. The primal gratification she felt was hard to describe. Despite all their hang-ups, despite their issues, it was in moments like this that she remembered how free he could feel, with her. How unbridled and uninhibited. That feeling of triumphant power was there, in each one of his dirty words, in each curse and moan, in each movement of his hips, in each kiss and stroke. Right then, right there, he was nobody else but Michael.

“Oh, God… Oh, shit…” Lisa bit down on her own forearm and winced as he picked up speed. Her legs started to shake, but she knew she was safe and secure with him. He knew how to treat her body. And although it was true that she could take a lot, it was just as true that he always knew how to push her a little farther. Almost disintegrating her with bliss and sexual ecstasy along the way.

“Baby… oh, fuck. You’re too much…” He bent over and kissed her shoulders, his arms coming around, his palms cupping her breasts, as he spoke in between thrusts. “I’m… nowhere… near… done… with you.”

The way submission and dominance mixed so seamlessly was crazy. She took the brunt of his passion and pushed back each and every time, her body suddenly lighter than she would have ever expected, her energies replenished. When he fisted her hair and turned her head to the side, quite roughly, kissing her, she came again and it was so uncontrollable that her muscles started to quiver, about trapping him inside.

“No… Don’t stop…”

“Girl… you’re squeezing me to death… shit…”

“Fuck me…”

Michael kissed her again. Then he set his jaw.

“Hold on…”

“Fuck me hard…”

“Lisa…” He was breathless, but straightened his back and kept going. And at one point, she thought she would simply stop breathing. What shocked her back to life was the feeling of his body tensing, trembling, then starting to let go.

Nothing but light. Light and silence were consuming everything else.

After making love one more time – this time slowly, languidly, Michael taking her from behind as he spooned her – they took a shower together, taking the time of lathering one another with the fantastic shower gel and getting lost in another round of steamy, quick sex under the hot water spray.

Finally, as they somehow managed to get dressed and Michael called his driver, asking him to pick them up at the hotel, they found a moment to talk. Something they had done a lot since he had come back to Los Angeles, but they had not felt the need to do again during their quick stay at the hotel.

Unsurprisingly, after taking the edge off several times and reacquainting themselves with each other’s body, the mood was way more relaxed, peaceful, and loving. Playful, even. Michael being a perfect synergy between a goofball and sexiness personified always managed to put Lisa in a great disposition.

“Hey… By the way, what do you think about the reception?”

“We didn’t see it. We were escorted in through the back entry, Michael…” Lisa joked, smirking, as she brushed her hair. He came up behind her back and kissed her nape.

“Ah ah, you’re a funny lady. I mean at the mall.”

“It was… surprisingly good. I mean, I know your fans love you, but I wasn’t expecting them to cheer for me, too…” She made a face. “They weren’t too happy when we got married.”

He shrugged. “They just got used to seeing us together, I guess. It had to happen.”

“What do you think about their reactions, instead?”

Lisa stared at his reflection in the mirror and he held her gaze. He looked thoughtful for a moment.

“Honestly? I think it was great. It sure felt amazing. It’s like… I don’t know, I felt they could identify with me as a human being, for once… You know… as messy and imperfect as the situation is, it is also… can we say normal, in a way? My life’s always been so different than anybody else’s, but right now… I like this. It’s refreshing. It’s new. For the first time, I’m kinda-sorta like the guy next door.”

She smiled and turned, looking at him without the obstacle of the mirror. He was so cute.

“Only kinda-sorta, Mike…” Her hand on his cheek, and she reveled in the feeling of his vibrant, lively warmth. “But I get it. And you know what? I think you’re right.”

“At the same time, I know it’s selfish. Because… well, because there’s so much pain in this whole thing, too.” He held her wrist and kept her hand against his face, as if he were afraid she was going to pull back. And maybe she would have. Tethered to his gaze, Lisa did her best not to spoil the mood. She understood what he meant, but she didn’t want to talk about this, not again.

“It’s OK. We’ll get over it eventually.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed.

“Haven’t we?”

She didn’t know what to say. It was clear that, to him, things were somehow back to normal. Or that at least he wanted so hard to believe they were. Their pain was divergent. He had felt betrayed in a different way than she had, during their marriage. Whereas Lisa had felt disposable, put aside the moment she changed her mind about having kids right away, he had thought she didn’t want to fight for their relationship. And that meant simplifying the whole thing considerably. But anyway, his healing time was not hers. Plus, they had never openly talked about his soon-to-be-born baby boy, Prince.

Lisa guessed Michael had never really asked what kind of relationship she was willing to build with the baby because he was afraid of the answer. And in all honesty, she didn’t have any. Not at the moment. Up until now, his baby was a fleeting, shapeless thought in her mind. There, all the space was still occupied by Debbie, and what had led to the current state of affairs. Lisa could only hope she would be able to separate the baby from his biological mother eventually. In her heart, she was sure she could do it, but she was not going to promise Michael anything anymore, unless she was one-hundred percent sure about the outcome.

“Getting there, Michael.” She gently removed her hand from his face, her skin mourning the loss of physical contact right away. “When is Debbie due, by the way?”

Michael blinked. A flash of awareness sparkled in his eyes. Oh yeah. He, too, was getting there…

“In eight days.” His voice sounded somber.

Lisa kept her expression soft.

“Well… that’s great, right? You’re gonna have time to shoot your new short film and you’ll even get used to changing diapers before Paris gets born, too.”

He lowered his head and gave her a very dry chuckle.

“Right.”

He looked up again and opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. Then he just pulled Lisa closer and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. When she brought his face down and sought his lips, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the taste of peace and silence enveloping their intimate moment. Then she backed off, giving him one last, soft smile, and walked out of the bathroom.

Michael just stood there, watching her as she closed the bathroom door, leaving it ajar, giving him some privacy. He feared and admired the way she was reacting to all this. Yet at the same time, he was not sure about his next move, yet. What was he going to do, after Prince’s birth? What did she expect him to do? Should he bring the baby to Hidden Hills, pretending everything was normal and hoping that Lisa would accept him right away? As if he was one of their own? One of her own? Like Joseph had done to Katherine, and to them all? Should he talk to her about what his intentions were?

Probably.

Yeah, probably that was the right thing to do. But he felt like walking on a very thin slab of ice, and it didn’t matter that he and Lisa were back together. The diamond ring back on her finger didn’t matter either. The only thing that was certain and unmovable about their shared future was their baby girl. And their love for one another – that, at this point, was apparent to him too.

He had doubted Lisa truly loved him, when he had received the divorce papers. Now he no longer did. But, unlike the past, the present assured him that love alone was, sometimes, not enough. That it was a magnificent protection as long as you didn’t puncture it and let it go flat tire.

The old anxiety resurfaced. It had stayed with him for the whole time they had been at Graceland, and maybe even before then. Michael had thought it would just go away, after having Lisa back, but it had not. Only, this time he was not entirely able to decode it.

Would he use Lisa’s reaction to his baby boy as a parameter to measure and define how reliable she was? How much he could trust her?

She loves you. But she’ll flee when things get ugly again, Michael. You know that, she knows too. When the going gets tough, she leaves. That’s what she does.

He shook his head, mumbling to himself.

Bullshit. He had to stop being afraid. He had to stop over-thinking everything. But what else could he do, when the first time around he had been reckless and careless, in a way? He saw that now. And yet there had been a justification for all his actions. Only, not everyone could see it. Not even Lisa.

His cell phone ringing from the bedroom startled him, almost giving him a heart attack.

“Shit…” he whispered between gritted teeth. It was probably his driver, telling them that he was waiting for them at the garage. “Lise? Can you get it, please? It’s probably our guy…”

“Sure…”

He heard her walk across the room, then answer the phone.

“Hello…?”

All the while, he opened the faucet and splashed cold water over his face.

“Sure… Sure! Wait a second…” Lisa’s muffled voice, then her steps getting closer and closer. She pushed the door open and watched him with huge blue eyes. “Michael…”

“What?” He turned to her, frowning, still dabbing his face with a towel.

She handed him the phone with a shaky hand.

“Speak of the devil… Looks like Debbie’s having your baby right now.”

He felt as if there was no more ground underneath his feet.

Hadn’t he and Lisa just talked and thought about change? Well, now it was happening for real.