Contingent – Chapter 24 | Whole [Epilogue]

Chapter 24 | Whole [Epilogue]

belief (n.)

late 12c., bileave, “confidence reposed in a person or thing; faith in a religion,” replacing Old English geleafa “belief, faith,” from West Germanic *ga-laubon “to hold dear, esteem, trust” (source also of Old Saxon gilobo, Middle Dutch gelove, Old High German giloubo, German Glaube), from *galaub- “dear, esteemed,” from intensive prefix *ga- + PIE root *leubh- “to care, desire, love.” The prefix was altered on analogy of the verb believe. The distinction of the final consonant from that of believe developed 15c.

The be-, which is not a natural prefix of nouns, was prefixed on the analogy of the vb. (where it is naturally an intensive) …. [OED]

Meaning “conviction of the truth of a proposition or alleged fact without knowledge” is by 1530s; it is also “sometimes used to include the absolute conviction or certainty which accompanies knowledge” [Century Dictionary]. From c. 1200 as “a creed, essential doctrines of a religion or church, things held to be true as a matter of religious doctrine;” the general sense of “That which is believed” is by 1714. Related: Beliefs.

Belief meant “trust in God,” while faith meant “loyalty to a person based on promise or duty” (a sense preserved in keep one’s faith, in good (or bad) faith, and in common usage of faithful, faithless, which contain no notion of divinity). But faith, as cognate of Latin fides, took on the religious sense beginning in 14c. translations, and belief had by 16c. become limited to “mental acceptance of something as true,” from the religious use in the sense of “things held to be true as a matter of religious doctrine.”

Warrenton, Virginia – May 26th, 2002

They managed to sneak away from the wedding party pretty much unseen. Well, almost. They knew that, sooner or later, the guests would find out that the groom and the bride were not there. As a matter of fact, they probably had already noticed. But Michael and Lisa didn’t care. Those crazy moments when they were oblivious of everything and everyone surrounding them still existed, and they were grateful for each and every one of them. Reckless times helped their relationship to remain unpredictable in the most beautiful way.

Right now, as their families and friends were busy partying downstairs, the newlyweds were looking for another type of celebration. One that didn’t require the presence of anybody else but the groom and the bride. They entered their bedroom laughing, then slammed the door shut. Quietly, Michael turned and locked it, making sure nobody could interrupt them. Then he faced Lisa again, leaning against the door, eyes blazing, hands in the pockets of his couture tuxedo. For once, Michael Bush had not been involved in designing any customized suit for him, and Michael had just preferred to go for a more classic attire.

His eyes found Lisa’s and he smiled. There she was. His wife. Again.

Finally!

In a very ladylike manner, she sat on the bed and looked back at him, as if she was waiting for him to do something. Anything.

Well, for now, he was just going to take a minute or two to fully enjoy the stunning sight of his woman clad in that top-to-top floral guipure lace design. His eyes traveled to the strapless neckline and he remembered the sensual low back, and elegant fishtail skirt silhouette, the seductive contrast between the white dress and her tanned skin. Lisa shifted, cocking her head to a side, crossing her legs and Michael’s gaze moved to the stretch, boned corset and her suddenly visible thigh, revealed by the high leg slit.

“So?” Lisa delighted him with one of those sultry, sexy looks from below her long eyelashes.

Trying to look casual was not as easy as it seemed, for him. He managed to give her a vague shoulder-shrug.

“So, what?”

“So, what are we gonna do now… Am I supposed to strip for my man?” She bit her lip and winked at him.

“Well… You getting naked is always a feast for the eyes…”

“…Or are you gonna fuck your wife in her wedding gown?”

Dirty talk while looking like the most beautiful bride in the world? Was that what she was after? It sure worked for him. Michael’s self-control snapped. His intentions to take his time vanished. Unbuttoning his jacket and then taking it off quickly, he strode over to Lisa and she rose from the bed at the same time, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his head down, finding his lips, invading his mouth with her tongue. She tasted like champagne and something else, uniquely hers. The temperature in the room seemed to change in a heartbeat, turning from cool to tropical, quickly approaching the level of pure, chaotic heat. Melt zone alert…

She smiled in between kisses when she felt him fiddle with his belt buckle and her hands came down, helping him out, speeding up the process. A light caress where he was most sensitive gave her all the confirmation she needed.

“Oh, for real? Am I allowed to go for the big prize right away?” Her mouth moved to his neck, marking him with its scorching hotness. “I like the way you think… Hurry up, baby… We don’t have much time… And I need you so bad…”

She heard the unmistakable sound of his zipper being pulled down. Then his hand came up, closing on her throat for a moment in a gentle yet firm gesture, covering the pearl choker she had decided to wear for the occasion. The one he had gifted her with so many years earlier. It was precious, to her.

Michael’s gaze was smoldering.

“We have all the time in the world…”

And a place to call home.

They had found – and bought – The Waterfalls Estate in 1998, a few months after Michael had finally wrapped up his world tour. It was located in Virginia and overlooked the Potomac River. Over three acres of glorious land that offered all the privacy he and Lisa wanted for their family. The timeless, modern architecture of the main house was very different from the classic all-American beauty of Hidden Hills and the luscious ostentation of Neverland, and Lisa and Michael had been seduced by its charm the moment they had stepped into the property for the first time. They had fallen in love with the design interiors, the master suite privately positioned within a private wing of the main residence, the spectacular, paneled mahogany library. And then the ample wine cellar, the enormous outdoor terrace sporting one of the most exquisite views on the river they had ever seen, the ocean-blue infinity pool and the magnificent garden. Perfect for the future they wanted to build. Together.

As a matter of fact, Lisa and Michael loved their estate so much that they had decided to celebrate their wedding there, with their families and closest friends. Unlike the first time around, they had not been particularly secretive about the whole thing – and even the press hadn’t seemed surprised by the announcement. In fact, everybody had been kind of waiting for it. Lynsey, as usual, knew what information to deliver, when, and how.

The ceremony had been classic and grand. A fairytale wedding – the one that Michael had always imagined for himself, and indeed the one that Lisa deserved.

Of all people, Michael had probably been the most stunned when Lisa had finally told him that she was ready to marry him again. Well… She hadn’t exactly told him. She had asked him. After stalling on the matter for almost five years, she had been the one proposing to him, leaving him speechless and utterly defenseless. And so very, very happy.

It had happened earlier that year, in February, after the birth of their youngest son. Prince Michael Jackson II. Or, as everyone called him, Blanket.

They lay in the hospital bed, together. A perfect triptych of love. Michael spooning Lisa, and both of them holding their newborn baby, sleeping soundly as he clung to his mom’s body with his tiny hand.

The room was only dimly lit, and everything was quiet. After the nurse had left, wishing them goodnight, Michael had removed his shoes and jacket and had made himself comfortable next to Lisa as if it was the most natural thing to do. She had giggled.

“The nurse is gonna kick your ass if she comes back. You’re not supposed to be in bed with me.”

He had kissed her, gently, then his lips had rested on his son’s head for a moment.

“No, she won’t. She likes me. Come on… Scoot over a little. I wanna spoon you and keep an eye on little man.”

“Sure, you punk… Keep bending the rules…I’m supposed to rest, you know? Not being bossed around…” Her words were playful, and she had immediately complied.

Just like the first one, even this second pregnancy had been entirely unforeseen. And magical…

Lisa thought it would be quite difficult, for them, to conceive again given her condition. Yes, her blood clotting disorder had been perfectly under control for several years now, and she and Michael never took any precautions when they made love, but still… She knew their chances of getting pregnant again in the natural way were slim at best.

And then, while Michael was in the process of releasing his new album – which, very fittingly, was titled Invincible – Lisa had discovered that she was expecting again. She had been shocked.

Michael’s album not only had been a massive success on a global scale, but was also the first major work being released by their new, independent label. The one they had launched together a couple of years earlier, with the primary goal of promoting emerging artists who couldn’t find any space in more prominent labels. Meanwhile, however, Michael had finally managed to set himself free from the tentacles of the giant. He was, technically, label-less. It had only made sense, for him, to start working on his new album with the idea of releasing it under their very own Rhinoskin Records. At the same time, Lisa too had begun writing songs for her debut album – and back then he was still trying to convince her to sign for their own label. Which was something she wasn’t inclined to do, because she didn’t want to have any advantage.

Michael had insisted, stating that she would be safe from any unwanted intrusion. She had told him that she wanted to do her thing her own way. He had replied that she would have maximum freedom and, after several long discussions, she had finally relented and had signed. Of course, the tabloids had a ball with that one – but Michael and Lisa didn’t care. They were way too busy with so much stuff to pay attention to the pathetic crumbs the press had become accustomed to cling to, as of late. They had long stopped giving the media much ammunition, after all.

With all the inevitable stress and anxiety that had come with the whole process of writing music, releasing a new album and managing a new business together – and that sometimes included fights and endless discussions about what to do and how – Lisa hadn’t thought ending up pregnant could ever be possible.

How wrong she had been.

After those first moments of complete disbelief, sheer happiness had assaulted her. And Michael… well, saying that he had been delighted by the news was an understatement. He was the human manifestation of pure bliss. He was exhilarated with joy. He had been living in the euphoric, beatific dad paradise since the day she had told him their family was going to expand. And this time, he had been with her since the moment they had entered the hospital and throughout the whole delivery.

“Michael…”

“Yes, baby girl…”

She let the moment linger, then turned her head slightly, seeking his face. Her hand reached back, brushing a strand of hair away from his forehead. She found his eyes, and they were dark, thoughtful, and loving. Complete peace arose in her heart.

Look at him, she thought to herself. Look at the way he’s staring back at you. Like you’re everything he sees. Look how ecstatic he is. He has found his place in the world – completely. His life is full, he has gotten where he needed and wanted to be. And you have too. This is the beginning, Lisa. This has been the beginning for quite some time, now.

Ask him…

“Mike… Michael, my love. My everything… Would you marry me?”

Michael lifted his head from the pillow, very slowly. She could tell that he was totally not expecting that. His mouth opened, then closed again. He blinked, blushed. Then smiled.

She felt his warm hand on her cheek, then his lips over hers. Kissing and kissing her. She heard a sound. He was laughing softly, but his eyes shone with tears.

“Would I marry you? Well… Yeah. Fine. I’ll do it. You nut. Since you insist. I’m gon’ marry you as soon as your cute little ass leaves this hospital.”

Lisa chuckled, then kissed him again.

“Whoa, slow down there, champ…” She ran his hand through his hair, on the back of his head. “I wanna look perfect for our big day. Can you give me like… six months?”

“I’mma give you six hours if you don’t cut it out. We’re gonna get married before the summer. And that’s it. No more stalling.”

“Alright…” Lisa smiled and he knew she was on the verge of an emotional outburst. However, he admired how graciously she handled the matter. “No more stalling. Troublemaker.”

“Damn, baby… You look so fucking stunning. You are perfect.” He looked down at her, his breath uneven and shallow, as she once again sat on the bed and finished taking care of his pants. She did look gorgeous for real. In his eyes, she had never been more beautiful.

“I’m also horny as hell…” As she sat on the bed, her shaky fingers finally managed to free him from the constraint of his underwear. Which was a good thing, since he felt as if the space in his pants had decreased immensely in the past five minutes. Blinking at the sight of her small, soft hand on his impossibly hard dick, he could not help himself and reached down, interlacing his fingers with her. Loving Lisa was always exhilarating, but there were still certain things that managed to amp up his already considerable level of arousal. One of them was watching both their hands take care of him that way. The other was…

“Shit…!”

She didn’t grant him any reprieve as she quickly took him into her mouth. Squeezing his eyes shut, his head falling back in complete abandon, at first he didn’t know where to put his hands. He didn’t want to destroy her hairdo.

Oh, fuck it…

His hand fisted in her hair and she purred against him, reaching around, grabbing his firm ass, one hand grasping the fabric of his pants, the other sliding underneath, hot against his skin. She pulled him closer to her and he let out a long sigh. He couldn’t get enough of her. Ever. After all that time, the only thing in his mind whenever he saw her was to love her, love her, and love her some more. And to be loved by her this way.

The way her mouth slid on him slowly, the way her hands caressed him, he was pretty sure he would not last long. Half-heartedly he withdrew, stepping back. Taking a deep breath, Lisa looked up at him, then lifted her gown and her fingertips stroked her lacy underwear. Her eyes still tethered to his as he focused on her motions, she moved the skimpy fabric to a side and kept caressing herself, not an ounce of reticence in showing herself to him that way. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Michael swallowed. Once again, he could not help it. He reached down, grabbing hold of himself. Lisa’s eyes darted to his hand and her cheeks reddened.

“Oh, Mike… You know what it does to me to watch you take care of yourself…”

He cleared his throat.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…” She smirked.

“Spread them pretty legs a little more, then… I wanna see…”

The smirk got a little wider and she complied. “Like this?”

“Just like that.”

“Do you like watching me touch myself?” She closed her eyes for a second, sighing and moaning, then opened them again. “Do you like that, you bad boy?”

His grip on himself tightened and she reached out, holding onto his hand, contributing to his madness.

“You know I do…”

Another moan, her breathing uneven when she spoke again.

“You know… Every time I do this and you’re not with me… I always imagine it’s you doing it. Your fingers… Your tongue…”

Letting go of himself, Michael dropped to his knees and buried his head between her legs, only nuzzling at first, his perfectly shaven cheeks smoothly caressing the insides of her thighs while his long sideburns scratched her delicate skin. Then he unleashed the wildfire with his lips, his tongue and his fingers and she cried out, starting to come under his raw, deep kisses. His hands reached up, cupping her breasts, brushing her nipples with his thumbs, pulling the top of her wedding dress down unceremoniously, and as his motions slowed down his lips left a feverish trail on her legs, her knees. Then he kissed up her body, finding her chest, finally her mouth again.

The taste of her pleasure on his tongue only managed to bring Lisa’s recovery time down to zero. Quickly, she got rid of his bow tie – at this point, it looked crooked and was half undone anyway – and unbuttoned his shirt, yanking it over his shoulders, finding the hot skin of his chest. Her mouth on his pectorals, her hand once again moving on his cock slowly and he pulled her to the edge of the bed.

“Put it in, Lise…” The order was panted in her ear in a husky voice. He sounded as if he was trying hard to hold himself in check and it took all his self-control to do so. “Put it where it needs to be…”

Mesmerized by the intensity painted all over his face, she lifted her hips and guided him into the warm center of her pleasure. She held him and put him in as asked, her body imprisoning him, her head falling back as her mind seemed to register, once again, that he was way bigger than any other man she had ever been with. In so many different ways. And that no other man existed. There was no other outrageous display of masculinity she needed but her husband’s.

“Oh, fuck… Oh my God. Jesus.” Lisa swallowed and grabbed him by the shoulders, cradling his hips with her thighs. The sharp mixture of pain and pleasure that always accompanied his first thrusts left space to the amazing familiarity of him, and the bliss that came whenever their bodies blended. There was something so sexy – and yet so incredibly loving – in fucking while still wearing their wedding attire. Their second wedding… exactly eight years after the first one. And yet in a way their union had never ended.

Michael leaned over her and forced her back, onto her elbows, as he sank fully into her heat and kept moving.

“Baby…” His voice was deep and loving. His eyes were soft as he stared at her. “My beautiful, beautiful bride…”

Two years earlier

“So, you want to proceed right now even though you have not remarried?”

“Yet…” Michael cleared his throat and ignored the glance Lisa threw at him. “I mean… Yes.”

She twisted a strand of her long hair between her fingers, then put her hands back in her lap in a very composed fashion. She seemed very calm, but he knew her too well and was well aware that this moment, this moment right here, was charged with absolute electricity and expectations. He too was feeling bouncy. On the inside, at least. Outside, no apparent emotion was visible.

Around Prince’s third birthday, and after a bit of negotiation, a lot of whining and some more money, Deb had finally given up all parental rights, factually ending any parent-child relationship with the boy. Not that she had ever shown any interest in seeing him or taking care of him. She had relinquished her rights voluntarily, and the court had accepted the agreement without much of a fuss, especially since Lisa had formally expressed her intention to take over all responsibility and obligations through adoption. And so, after a few tense weeks, the court had ruled that there was “good cause” for the termination, and that it was in the best interest of the child to put down in black and white that not only Michael, but also Lisa would be Prince’s legal parent and guardian.

And today was the big day.

“Well, good. It has to be very clear that the voluntary termination of parental rights is rare, unless the minor child is being adopted.” London Miller, the family lawyer who was in charge of the proceedings, looked up at Lisa with his tiny green eyes. She smiled.

“And that’s what we’re here for.”

The lawyer didn’t seem to pay too much attention to her words, although it was clear that he had registered them. He looked like a very serious, very committed guy who had woken up in a bad mood. Well, it didn’t matter. As long as she and Michael could formalize something that had been going on since Prince’s birth: Lisa was his mom as much as Michael was his dad.

“From today onwards, Miss Presley will be recognized as the child’s mother for all purposes, including child support obligations, inheritance rights and custody. In this case, since you are an unmarried couple…”

Michael raised his eyebrow and glanced at her. She ignored him and fought the urge to shove him lightly.

“…Miss Presley will adopt Mister Jackson’s biological child, and you both will be Prince’s legal parents. This means that you both will have equal responsibilities to raise and support the child and, if you separate, each of you has the right to petition a court for custody of -”

“We will not separate.” Lisa smiled again, very gently. “Mister Miller, Michael and I are very much aware of all the legal ramifications of our decision. As a matter of fact, we’ve been waiting for this moment for quite some time, so…”

“…We would be very grateful if we could just speed up the process.” Michael finished for her. All the while, he reached out and took Lisa’s hand without his eyes leaving Miller. The lawyer, in turn, noticed the small gesture and seemed to think for a moment. Then he put one hand on the folder and, with the other, extracted a pen from the breast pocket of his jacket.

“Alright, then… I need your signatures right here… here… and here…”

After the meeting, Lisa and Michael managed to act like perfectly serious and collected businesspeople until they reached the elevator and the doors finally closed. They had been standing side by side, holding hands, both looking straight ahead.

The moment they were finally alone in the privacy of the elevator – although a security camera was likely filming them – Michael pulled Lisa close and, hands on her waist, lifted her off the floor as if she was nothing but a doll. Just as smoothly, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him, loving the contact, adoring his barely restrained happiness and possessiveness. She felt him smile against her lips and smiled back at him, caressing his hair.

“We made it, baby…”

“Yes. We made it! Thank the sweet baby Jesus! We went through every fucking page and every fucking signature without the world collapsing!”

He giggled, then kissed her again. All the while, he let her slide down, along his body, and kissed her some more.

“Let’s go back home, you foul-mouthed girl. Let’s celebrate.”

Lisa leaned against his chest, her arms still around his shoulders. “I think we should stop by at that amazing artisanal pastry shop near Richmond Highway…”

“I think so too. One cake for the kids… and maybe some little meringues for us…” He bent his head and kissed her ear. “I was thinking about a sweet treat after dinner…”

“I think that’s an amazing idea, Michael.” She bit his neck in a very subtle way, then purred. “Treat me, daddy…”

He drove inside of her with passion and set off another one of those shattering moans that always sounded like the most perfect music to his ears. He was the director and she wasn’t merely a musical instrument, but an entire orchestra, so shining and finely tuned, made to create the grandest sound. It was intense, it was raw, it was vital. As he kept moving, she grabbed his hair and pulled him closer to her mouth, her eyes fixed into his, her lips too luscious to resist.

“You are mine… Mine… Forever…” Simple words, pronounced in that deep, husky voice of his, the moment he released her mouth. His lower body seemed to act on its own volition, not slowing down the movements but giving her full, hard thrusts instead. She held her breast up to him and he captured it again with his lips. Lisa was an uninhibited lover, and had always managed to unleash the sweetest, dirtiest parts of him. Another reason why he loved her with such intensity and rapture that, sometimes, it almost felt like lunacy.

And although he was the one kneeling, she was the one confessing the only truth she had not been able to admit up until this point.

“Yes… I’m yours… And I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long…”

Michael’s head rose and he decreased his motions. He stared straight at her and she took his left hand, the one where he now wore his wedding band. And she kissed it. He blinked, then caressed her cheek, moving closer, kissing her lips slowly, gently, savoring that intimate interlude. So tender, so different from their indecent, raw sexual encounter.

His voice was soft. “Well, I’m glad it only took you five years to make an honest man out of me… Again.”

Rewarding her absolute honesty with another kiss, his tongue stroked hers as he framed her face with both hands. Still sheathed in her tight heat, his heart as full as it had never been before, his body ablaze, it occurred to him that all the pain and struggles they had endured had been worth this moment right here, right now.

Then Lisa smiled back at him, her fingertips running down his face ever so slightly, as if she wanted to memorize the tactile experience of his features. His forehead, his eyes, his nose, his lips, his chin.

He opened his eyes and was met by her sexy grin.

“Are you stopping?”

Michael’s hands slid down to her shoulders, her sides, finally her waist and, all the while, she brought her hands to his chest and down his abdomen, her legs clamping around his hips and driving him further into her body. She whimpered and he, too, let out a sigh.

“Loving you? Not at all…”

Once again he started sliding with her, his thrusts regaining a steady rhythm, their eyes now open and unable to break contact. The entire sensory experience converged into a microcosm made of moans, sighs, and inaudible sobs. They became a portal, their joined bodies hot and sweaty. The more his tempo increased, the more Lisa felt as if he was going to split her in two. Gasping, she held onto the edge of the bed as, once again, her body struggled against his passionate assault. His kisses, the way he explored her mouth, gently tugged at her lips with his, almost had her pass out. She felt imprisoned and freed at the same time. She needed to come. She wanted him to come – the way he wanted, wherever he wanted.

“Baby… Michael… I love you… Oh, fuck…” His hand disappeared in between her legs, and he touched her the way her body craved. It was too much. She was broken apart by pleasure, her nerve endings sharply aware of him also tensing, jerking, bucking against her, his face hidden in the crook of her neck now, his muffled sobs in her ear, his other hand clinging to her ass as he pulled her into him.

“Lise… fucking… shit… I’m gonna come…”

The ecstasy was almost excruciating, like dying and coming back to life. She held onto him as if he was her savior, her raft in the storm. Only, he was also the hurricane tilting her world off its axis. His violent climax dragged her along one more time.

It took them a while to calm down. Somehow, blindly, Lisa managed to slide her hand under the damp fabric of the white shirt he still wore. His back was sweaty, his hair wet on the nape of his neck and forehead. And he smelled amazing.

Her legs were still around his waist, shaking and yet unable to let go. She took a deep breath and his penis jerked again inside of her in the aftershocks of his pleasure, making her moan. Michael kept stroking her thighs and her back for a few, heavenly minutes as they kissed, without any hurry. It didn’t matter how many people were downstairs. Lisa and Michael were not going to do anything to please others, not anymore. This was their life. They had earned it, paying a price of tears and blood.

“Lisa… Princess…” His lips touched her closed eyelids, his strong hands holding her face in place as he kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, her mouth again. “I love you so damn much. So damn much.”

“You almost killed me with all that love…” Her breathing was still recovering. “But nothing, absolutely nothing in this world, I swear, can compare to the feeling of you inside of me…”

Michael smiled, then slowly withdrew from her body.

“And you don’t have the slightest inkling of what you do to me… You drive me wild…”

“Yeah, I do…” Lisa leaned back on her hands, feeling a bit dizzy. She knew they were both tragically unkempt, and they would be unable to get back downstairs in their former attires. They needed a shower.

Glancing down at the point of their connection and at their crumpled clothes, he tilted his head and squinted his eyes, smirking. Looking pleased beyond belief.

“Girl, we made a mess…”

“I know… we gotta freshen up…” Her legs still quivering, somehow she managed to get up and held out her hand to him. He took it, but not because he needed help to stand. Just to admire the ring on her finger. He grinned again, then looked up at her.

“OK… You go first. If we take a shower together, we’ll never leave this room…” Kissing the back of her hand, he climbed on the bed and just lay there, on his stomach. Lisa looked at him and chuckled. He was so beautiful, his shirt half soaked through, his pants crinkled and too low on his hips. Burying his face in the pillows he grunted, then turned his head and his bright eyes smiled up at her.

“What?”

“Nothing… I was just looking at you. You still manage to leave me speechless.”

The lewd, lascivious moment had turned into the lovely peace that, in the last years, had been permeating their relationship. Their relationship had become their home, the place where they belonged.

And among the myriad of feelings they felt, something new emerged. It was gratitude.

The 02 Arena, London – December 24th, 2009

Michael had never been this tense in his entire life. Or maybe he had been, but at the moment he just couldn’t remember having ever felt so out of it. Wearing his sparkling black suit, elegant and a bit unusual at the same time, those shiny black boots that made him visible even in the faintest light, for a moment he desired to be just slightly less eye-catching.

Backstage, ready to go out, he fiddled with his sunglasses, for once not really knowing what to do. After all, this was no longer a show. It was the interruption of a performance and he was not great at those. Not experienced at all. This was supposed to be the last concert before the Christmas break and he was going to suspend it mid-set.

Chewing on his lips, he felt insecure all of a sudden. He had always been pretty confident of his fans’ ability to understand him and support him, and after all, they had stayed by his side in much worse times than this, but still… It was the very first time in his career that he would not allow the show to go on. Not even when that fucking bridge had collapsed, he had abandoned the ship. But it was different now. Plus, there was the slight inconvenience of having to step onstage and personally declare the night to be… well, practically over. Unless the audience wanted to stay for an instrumental version of his songs, once he was gone.

“Mike…” Rob, a member of his crew, touched his shoulder, startling him. He seemed to study his face for a second. “Hey… You don’t have to go out there, if you don’t want to. I can do it. I mean… someone else can.”

“No… No, I got this.” Michael undid the first button of his shirt and loosened his tie a little bit. “After all, it’s not about anyone else. I’m the one who has to leave.”

“Alright, then… Whenever you’re ready.” Rob removed his hand from Michael’s shoulder and he straightened up, clearing his throat and glancing at himself in one of the mirrors positioned near the entrance to the stage. The reflection meeting him was familiar and foreign at the same time: he was as fit as he had been during his previous tour – Lisa loved him a bit heavier than he would have liked but, hey… if it made her happy…  – and in excellent physical and emotional shape. Strong, healthy. At fifty-one, he probably didn’t look any older than forty-something. Which was OK, since his wife was about ten years younger than him.

Stepping closer to the mirror, he checked his face. Then he removed his sunglasses and placed them in the breast pocket of his jacket. He couldn’t even hide behind his long hair, now. His most recent public image was sophisticated and mature, still glamorous but also intellectual. Well… Right now he didn’t feel brainy at all. He was nothing but a bundle of nerves. And he was very much aware that, within a few minutes, he would start to be very irrational and flip out. Therefore he had to get out of the arena as soon as possible.

Taking a deep breath, he finally stepped onstage and was welcomed by the cheering crowd. The love, the noise, deafening. The lights blinding. Quietly, smiling and nodding his head, Michael reached the center of the stage, walking through the dark, only one single followspot shining on him.

The “Unplugged, Unmasked Tour” had been an unmeasurable success, so far. At first, Michael had been hesitant at the idea of creating an entirely acoustic set for his shows, but Lisa had insisted, telling him that the audience would end up being blown away. And she had been right. Being her business partner now, she was even more pigheaded than usual, especially when she firmly believed in something. And she didn’t believe in anything or anyone more than her husband.

The outcome of the tour had been outstanding, even for his expectations, to the point that he had gladly added several more shows. But still, it was unanticipated. After all, he had been away from the public scrutiny for a bunch of years, producing other artists behind the scenes, doing charity work with Lisa, turning Neverland into a museum and an amusement park and clinic for sick children, and more than everything else, focusing on his family. No scandals, but also no attention – and all the while, so many other artists had been trying to take his place. The press still didn’t love Michael, the paparazzi were still not interested in his good deeds, but at least he no longer seemed to be the constant target of their unfair and gratuitous attacks. But again, what was there to attack? He was living a private life, with his wife, his kids, his work behind the scenes.

However, testing the waters about his possible return onstage had generated the usual frenzy. It was all the confirmation he needed and he had felt even more motivated to resume his role as a trailblazer. Lisa, too, had been ecstatic and had supported him through the whole process.

The idea of an unplugged tour had come out almost randomly, one night in Aspen, when Michael and Lisa were both half-drunk. It had sounded like a joke at first, and then it had progressively taken shape. It had become real. Eventually, the demand for tickets had exceeded the offer.

A two-hour set of unplugged songs and a little dance interlude. Just to show everyone that he who was called the King, was always the King.

And now Michael was going to put an end to it. Well… at least for a little while. He would need a bunch of weeks of complete privacy, minimum.

OK… maybe a few months.

He reached the microphone near the sparkling grand piano. The crowd cheered some more and then, when he lifted his hand, smiling, everyone finally went quiet.

“I am sorry for the interruption. And I am also so sorry for what I am about to say. It’s probably going to be unexpected for many of you…” Another smile. “…Or maybe not.”

The crowd stared quietly at what they perceived as a divine figure. A divine figure that was very much human, like everyone else.

“I know we were supposed to spend another hour together, but I have to go. And it’s not because I don’t want to be here with you, because I love you all, from the bottom of my heart… you know that… And I’m so grateful to have you all here with me tonight…”

The noise emerged from the darkness again and Michael raised his hand one more time.

“…But I think you all will be understanding once you know the reason why I have to leave you, at least for tonight.”

He paused. Should he say it? He could almost imagine Lynsey Fuoco’s quirky, happy voice in his head: yes Mike, say it as it is! The truth always works!

“Quite unexpectedly, since it was supposed to happen in about a week or so, my wife Lisa is about to give birth to our twins.” His smile got larger. He just could not help it. The audience started to cheer, applaud, yell in absolute delight. “So, instead of having a couple of brand new baby girls around the house for New Year’s Eve, in a few hours Lisa and I are going to get the most beautiful Christmas present in the world.”

More cheering. The joy coming from the crowd wrapping itself around him, enveloping him, sheltering him, warming him.

Everything was OK. Everything was exactly the way it was supposed to be.

“So please, forgive me if I have to run to the hospital, but I really don’t want to miss the birth of my babies… And feel free to stay. My amazing orchestra will play for you… And I, well… I will make it up to you very soon, I promise.”

The crowd applauded and laughed and Michael clapped his hands back at them, backing off and sharing his joy with each of his fans. Stepping close to the microphone again, he grabbed it with one hand while he pointed his finger up, to the spotlight shining on him.

“OK… I will see you soon. I love you. Merry Christmas… Good night… And… lights out.”

The stage went dark and, in that perfect darkness, he felt like floating in the deep water. But not adrift. Toward the shore.

The end.