Now if they could just find a balance for those tempers…
Glad you’re enjoying M/L and K/T! Well, we’d have to go with Kyle on this one, too… but, Tess might just talk him into giving it a shot, lol! Just not too sure about the success rate!
Well, Maria’s gonna give that explanation a shot. Let’s hope Evil Hank wasn’t involved in this one!
mary mary: Maybe… Yeah, we’re pretty sure Kyle wouldn’t be too happy about that.
And we’re glad you did!
Natalie36: Well, there may be some yelling… But, he will realize that it’s not her fault.
80s_UnLove_Child: Nah, she’s not gonna pull that card. Now there’s a scary thought!
Lots of possibilities for everyone! Ya just never know about the baby’s room… actually, we don’t know yet… they haven’t shared the details with us yet.
Maiqu: It was evil, but… we’re gonna fix that!
If Tess gets her way, he’s gonna end up in the snow.
destinyc: Nope, it’s not her fault. We can hope that he’ll take the news well… it could happen.
begonia9508: Ah, it won’t be their last fight, but hopefully the last fight of this magnitude!
kismet: We’re thinking that higher brain function might just be put to good use this time around, lol.
Special gift, huh? Wonder what that could be? LOL!
Yeah, Kyle’s had some issues with his nuts, poor guy!
sarammlover: Well, they’re gonna go into a little more depth in this next part, with the explanation and the apology.
Part 81 – Reasoning and Reconciliation
“You talked to my mother?!” he shouted, jumping to his feet and rounding the counter to face her directly. “Behind my back? Why, Maria? Why the fuck would you talk to that woman after everything I told you?” He could feel the anger building and he moved his hands erratically as he started to pace in front of her.
“I didn’t want to,” Maria defended herself. “I told her to go away, but she wouldn’t leave me alone.”
“You said you talked to her! That implies that you carried on a conversation...” He shook his head as he turned to glare at her, confused by her behavior. “Why didn’t you just walk away from her?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because she was totally desperate and maybe I thought that she had somethin’ important to say.”
“She was desperate?!” He moved to the living room where he had more room to pace; the kitchen was just too confined. “Desperate?” he repeated incredulously. “The woman let my father beat me, Maria! I can’t believe you would go behind my back and give her the time of day!”
“And she told me somethin’ that all of you need to know,” Maria interrupted his rambling. She wasn’t going to scream back at him, because she knew that would only make things worse.
“What? That she’s sorry?” he sneered. “You think I give a fuck how she feels? I spent my whole life in the same house with that woman and did she ever once come to check on me after Hank beat the shit outta me? NO! Did she go to little league games, high school football games, or any other sport I participated in? NO! She never gave a fuck about me, so she has no right to come in here now and pretend that she cares!” he ranted.
He finally came to a stop and he turned to look at her over the counter that separated them. “You know better than anyone else what that neglect did to me... to my brothers and my sister... how could you betray me like this?”
His words hurt, but she tried to stay strong. “She wasn’t here just to say that she’s sorry,” Maria whispered.
Michael could hear the hurt in her voice and he suddenly realized just how much his reaction was affecting her. “Maria...” He sighed raggedly as the anger inside of him eased and the fight began to recede. He didn’t know what else to say and he dropped down to sit on the edge of the couch.
Maria bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying or screaming or anything. Why had he fallen silent suddenly? Had he suddenly realized that he couldn’t be with someone like her? Someone who he felt he couldn’t trust?
It had to be important if Maria had stopped to listen to his mother, right? She wouldn’t just ignore his feelings on that subject and go over his head to deal with the woman. He looked up at her, seeing the expression on her face that suggested her mind was working overtime.
He motioned for her to come over to him, needing to be near her, to let her tell him what she needed to tell him, and to have her tell him that whatever it was, it would be okay.
She walked over to him slowly, sitting down on the coffee table facing him. “I wouldn’t have listened to her if I hadn’t felt like it was somethin’ important, Michael.” She looked down at the ground, trying to think of a good way to tell him the truth, but nothing came to mind.
He took a deep breath, reminding himself that he needed to stay calm. He shifted restlessly before reaching out to let his hands rest over hers where they were rubbing her legs nervously and he felt his own nerves begin to settle.
“Okay, I’m tryin’ to be calm here, Maria, and you know me, so y’know that’s not an easy thing for me to do in situations like this. But, you’re gonna have to open your mouth and do what you do so well.” He grinned and ducked his head to meet her gaze as his tone turned teasing. “Y’know I’m referrin’ to your ability to talk here, right?”
“Yeah,” she answered hoarsely, taking his hands in hers. “Okay, um, she told me that Hank isn’t your biological father… you and Brendan, I mean.” There was no other way to say it.
Michael’s mind went blank and his vocal chords locked up for several seconds. Not his biological father? He swallowed hard and shook his head, certain he had heard wrong. “What?”
“Um, your mother had an affair when Hank left her alone in New York, when Alex was little, and... and that other man is your father, Michael.”
He surged to his feet and went right back to pacing around the room, conscious of her eyes following his every movement. “No, it’s not possible,” he denied. “That would mean that everything I am, everything I’ve built my life on... it’s all a lie.”
“I know, I...” she sighed, “I don’t know if we can really trust her, Michael. But what she told me made sense and I can’t think of any reason why she would make this up.”
“What about Brooke?”
“Uh, we didn’t really talk about her, but I think Hank’s her father.”
It would make sense, Michael realized. He and Brendan didn’t look anything like Hank; they were both tall with muscular builds and light brown hair that leaned towards a dark blond in the summer, while Hank was tall and lean with cold, gray eyes. “Did she know back then? That me an’ Brendan aren’t Hank’s kids?”
“Yeah, she knew it. Hank found out about her affair and then he found a way to get rid of the other man. He left and she never saw or heard from him again. She kept her pregnancy a secret as long as possible, so that Hank couldn’t force her to have an abortion.”
“Well, I suppose I owe her for that much at least,” he muttered grudgingly. God, what if Hank had found out when an abortion had still been a viable option? he wondered, shocked. “So, Hank knows Brendan and I aren't his?”
“Yeah, but he forced her to pretend that you and Brendan were his.”
“Why?” He knew the answer before he even asked the question; Hank would never have allowed that kind of information to get out because of the embarrassment it would have caused. “Did she tell you my real father’s name?”
“Uh, yeah, it’s Adam Smith.”
“Well, there’s probably no shortage of guys with that name runnin’ around.” He chewed on his thumbnail as he paced back and forth. “Did she say where he was from? What he did for a livin’?”
“No, I don’t think we talked about that.”
“I need to find out.”
“Well, your mother gave me a cell number where we could reach her.”
“What’s she even doin’ here?” he asked. “How’d she get away from Hank long enough to talk to you?”
“She left him. She told me that she had no reason to stay with him any longer now that Brooke was no longer with them.”
“She left him? As in intending to file for divorce, left him?”
“It seemed pretty final, yeah.”
“I don’t even know what to think about that,” he admitted.
Maria let her head rest in her hands. “I can’t tell you how wretched I’ve felt the last two days for not tellin’ you right away,” she admitted. Finally it was all out and it felt good that there was no longer such a big secret between them.
Michael stared at her, taking in the dejected slump to her shoulders and the obvious weight she had been carrying around since his mother had laid all that information on her. He crossed the room and crouched down in front of her, reaching up to take her hands in his. He nudged her chin up so he could meet her worried eyes. “It’s not your fault, baby. She came to you because the rest of us refused to talk to her.”
“There aren’t any secrets left between us, right?” Maria asked with a wary smirk. “’Cause if there are, then let’s get them out now because I’m sick of them.”
“Well, there is one thing...” Michael sighed deeply and looked up at her.
Maria held her breath. No, no, no, she couldn’t handle another one.
“Yeah,” he muttered, letting it build up. “When I was little I used to stuff marshmallows up my nose.”
Maria laughed, relieved. “I think I can live with that.”
“Okay, but it’s a secret... you can’t tell anyone about that.”
“I’ll keep it to myself,” she swore.
“Seriously though, Maria...” He leaned in closer as his big hands came up to frame her face in his rough palms. “We’re done with any secrets between us because I don’t think my heart could take anything else after all this. Other than the goofy, ridiculous, and absurd shit that I pulled when I was a kid I can’t think of a single secret I’ve got left.”
He shook his head as he met her gaze and he gave her a slight smile. “I’m gonna have to talk to her; I can’t just let this go, not if my real father’s out there somewhere. I need to find this guy, meet him, and maybe it’ll give me some of the answers I need... and I need you to be with me for this.”
She nodded slightly. “I’ll be there whenever you need me, baby.” She was glad that he was no longer denying that she was a part of his life.
“How d’you think this’s gonna affect my family? Brooke’s still dealin’ with what my father... No, not my father,” he said. “She’s still dealin’ with what Hank did to her.”
“You have to make sure that Brooke never thinks you’re no longer connected just because you have a different father. I know it doesn’t seem like that’s possible, but she might think that anyway.”
“I don’t think this could come at a worse time as far as she’s concerned,” he said, thinking. “Especially now that I know about Alex an’ Isabel havin’ a kid of their own.”
“Yeah. Look, Michael, I’ll understand if you need to take some extra time alone with your sister in the near future.”
“I think it’s just gonna be important for her to understand that while things are changin’ she’s not gonna lose her family.”
“Neither are you, baby,” she said as she caressed his cheek.
“You don’t think findin’ out that Brendan and I have a different father will cause a... I don’t know... will it create distance between us and Alex and Brooke?”
“No,” Maria shook her head, “you’ve lived together as siblings for most of your lives and you still know each other like no one else does.”
He nodded at her positive answer and hoped that she was right. “What do I do now, Maria? Do I go talk to my mother? Do I go talk to my brothers and sister? What do I do?”
Why don’t you start with takin’ me in your arms? Maria thought. “Maybe you should try talkin’ to Brendan first.”
Michael glanced up at her and he dropped his hands to her knees again. “Yeah, maybe,” he said slowly. “Later, though. First, you think maybe I could just wrap my arms around you and hang on for a while?”
She smiled softly, still surprised that he seemed to know her so well. “I was hoping you would say that.”
He shifted to settle on his knees and let his hands slide up over her thighs and hips, pulling her closer as he wrapped his arms around her tightly and let the side of his face rest against her breast. “I’ve missed you,” he admitted quietly.
She reached up to drive her fingers through his hair and over his neck. “I’ve missed you more.”
“Can’t imagine that’s possible,” he muttered.
“It hurts to not be with you. I never would’ve survived really breaking up with you.”
Michael sighed and his grip around her momentarily tightened. “You’re not alone there.”
It felt good to be honest with him; she needed him to know how much she felt. She just couldn’t get those three words out yet. I love you. In her head it was so easy to say.
“You said that out on the field, and fuck, Maria... I swear it felt like I couldn’t breathe. You took my legs out from under me with that... don’t ever do it again.”
“I’m sorry.” She placed a kiss on top of his head.
“I know we pushed each other and that’s how we ended up at that point, and I know we’re both stubborn, passionate people, but can we at least try to talk things out before they reach that point again?”
“Sounds good to me. And, baby, trust me when I tell you, I would never cheat on you; I couldn’t do that.”
“Ah, hell, Maria, I know that... I should’ve stopped to consult my brain before letting my mouth loose.” He shook his head as he looked up at her. “Forgive me for that?”
She let her finger trail over the cut on his lip and nodded. “Think Lance will ever dare to talk about me again?”
“I think he’ll think twice next time.”
“Well, I don’t want you to ruin your beautiful face and I should say that it was wrong to get into a fight with him, but I guess he deserved it.”
“Don’t waste your breath tellin’ me it was wrong, Maria... he was talkin’ shit about you so he deserved every hit he got.”
“You know what I’m still wondering? How the hell did he know about my tattoo? No one knows except for you and the girls.” She shrugged. “Oh, and my Mom.”
“Uh-huh, and one of those girls has the same tat and happens to be dating Kyle... he was talkin’ about tats with some of the guys the other day an’ he thinks Lance probably overheard the conversation.”
“Of course it has somethin’ to do with Tess,” Maria said.
“Indirectly, yeah.” He turned his head so he could nuzzle her neck. “Wanna show me that troublesome little tat?” he growled.
“Why, you can’t remember it?” Maria teased.
“No, I seem to be havin’ a case of temporary amnesia...” He gave her a teasing grin. “I’m thinkin’ I really need to get a look at it, and all the surrounding parts, to kick my memory back into gear.” He leaned up to kiss her fast and hard. “Chances are good that it’ll kick some other things into gear, too.”
“Uh-huh, okay, let’s see...” She leaned back, putting her weight on her arms as she rested her hands behind her on the coffee table. “You think you can find it by yourself?”
“I can give it a shot... think I should just start at the top and work my way down. How’s that for a plan?”
“Sounds good to me,” Maria whispered.
“Yeah?” His heartbeat started to shift into a faster rhythm. “It might take me a while to find it y’know... might require a pretty extensive investigation.” He lifted her top over her head and slung it over his shoulder. “I’m thinkin’ we’re gonna need a lot more room.”
“You’ve got somethin’ in mind?”
“Well, my California king’s a lot bigger than your bed, but your bed has the advantage of bein’ a lot closer... and if one of your roommates were to come in right now I don’t think I could be held responsible for my actions.”
“Good point,” Maria said, getting up from the table.
Michael scrambled to his feet and chased after Maria, scooping her up in his arms and running down the hall to her bedroom and she slung her arms around him, holding onto him tightly. He kicked her door shut behind him and carried her over to the bed, carefully lowering her and following her down. He reached for her phone, turning it off before tossing it back on the nightstand and then doing the same with his. “No interruptions today,” he promised as he took her mouth in a long, slow kiss.
She let her hands trail down his back. “Get rid of your shirt, baby,” she begged, needing to feel his skin on hers.
“Bra,” he panted as he reared up on his knees and ripped his shirt over his head. God, it felt like he hadn’t touched her in forever!
Maria ripped her bra away with one quick move and lay down on the bed again.
Michael tossed his shirt over his shoulder and despite the pressing need to feel her skin against his he rested his palms on his thighs and just looked at her. He couldn’t imagine a more perfect woman; she was everything he had never known he was waiting for... and she was his. Most days he still couldn’t wrap his mind around that. He leaned down and braced his weight on his forearms as he stretched out over her, groaning when his skin brushed against hers.
She reached up to take his face in her hands. How was I able to break up with him? she wondered as she stared into his eyes.
Michael couldn’t describe the feeling that hit him when her eyes met his, seeing so deeply into his soul that it should make him nervous, but for some reason it just made him feel connected to her on a level that he had never expected to want. He had never been this involved, had never wanted to let anyone in the way he had let her in, and now that she had accomplished it he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.
“What’re you thinkin’ about, baby?” she asked when she noticed his absent-minded gaze.
Michael lowered his head to kiss her slow and deep before answering her. “Just that I can’t see me without you anymore.” He nipped her chin before meeting her gaze again. “And I don’t really want to.”
Her heart pounded with his confession and there it was again. Her mind told him I love you over and over again, but her mouth wouldn’t say the words.
“Wanna tell me what you’re thinkin’ now?” he asked, positive that she had something on her mind.
“Pretty much the same,” she replied quietly. “I can’t think of spending too much time without you.”
Michael shifted back, wiggling around until he was comfortably cradled between her thighs and his hands moved until they were teasing the sides of her breasts. “Did you ever think we’d get to this point?”
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t expect that. Especially not after what we talked about in Alex’s kitchen during the storm, you remember?”
Michael chuckled and shook his head. “Kinda hard to forget a blowjob that just about melted my brain,” he said. “Seriously though, we should’ve known better than to strike a deal like that.” He snorted. “Can you believe we thought we could do what we were doin’ and not get involved?”
She shook her head. “I think I knew that I’d get involved anyway – I already was I guess, but I wasn’t sure about you.”
“Girl, I knew you were gonna be trouble the first time I laid eyes on you.” He grinned to let her know he was teasing. “But you’re the kinda trouble I need, baby, so don’t ever think of leavin’ me again.”
“I won’t. What would I do without you?” She gestured to her bedroom door. “All my friends have gotten involved with your brothers or friends; I’m practically living on my own here, ya know. ‘Cause everybody’s gone most of the time.”
He raised one eyebrow as he scowled at her. “So, you’re stayin’ with me ‘cause your apartment’s empty?” he growled.
She chuckled. “No. I wouldn’t fight so much for someone just because my apartment’s quiet, baby.”
“Just don’t ever stop fightin’ for me, Maria.” He slid his right arm under her and reversed their positions so that she was lying on top of him.
She let her head rest on his chest and trailed circles on his skin. “I would do anything for you,” she mumbled.
“Why don’t you do somethin’ to me since you’ve got Mike Jr. all riled up down there?”
“Uh-huh,” she raised her upper body to look at him, “you want it a special way?”
He wanted her to know that even though things had gotten a little out of control with them that he still trusted her so he nodded and held his arms out to his sides. “Whatever you want’s good with me... I’m easy.” He grinned. “Easy to please, that is.”
She grinned and lowered her head to place soft kisses along his chest and down to his belly while her hands started to undo his jeans. Her hand slid down into his boxers to caress his length after she had opened the zipper on his pants.
Michael’s eyes rolled back in his head when she touched him. Her touch never failed to arouse and it amazed him that his reaction to her was always so strong.
Maria crawled down his body to the edge of the bed to take his jeans and boxers off of him. “Ya know I never expected that football players had such well-toned bodies under their jerseys. Her gaze roamed from his legs up to his eyes.
“Spent much time starin’ at football players?” he asked, lifting himself up on his elbows so he could watch her.
“Only one of them.” She let her hands trail up and down his thighs. “The best of them,” she added grinning.
“Uh-huh,” he said doubtfully.
“There’s no need to look around for anyone else with you in my bed.”
“And when we’re not in bed?”
“Then you’re still with me, right?”
“I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
“Good.” She bent down to place a single kiss on the tip of his cock.
“Think we’re finished with the conversation for now,” he growled.
She pretended to think about it for a while. “Um... yes.”
“Good thing you agreed.”
“You think so?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she trailed her tongue along his length.
Michael completely forgot whatever he had been about to say when she took him into her mouth completely, sliding her lips up and down while her hands lay on either side of his hips to still his movements. His hands fisted in the sheets at his sides as he fought the urge to thrust. She was taking her sweet time and he knew it would be worth it, but the build-up was killing him.
She knew that her slow movements were torture for him, but she loved to tease him like this and shivers ran down her spine each time he groaned softly.
“Just remember this when your turn comes around,” he muttered. “Because payback’s a bitch and you know I can keep you on the edge for a very loooong time.” Apparently that wasn’t enough incentive to make her speed things up, he mused when she ignored him and continued to take her time.
Maria continued her actions for quite a while until she noticed that he was coming close to the edge. And she decided that it was too soon for that. She raised her head up to look at him.
Michael’s hooded gaze locked on her when she lifted her head and his mouth dropped open when she just watched him. “Uh, Maria?” He gestured at his erection. “Forget somethin’?”
She crawled up his body again, well aware that her bare skin brushed against his erection. “No, I just don’t wanna finish it like this.”
He growled low in his throat as his hands settled at her hips. “Whatcha got in mind? And does it include you getting totally naked anytime soon?”
“Hmmm... depends on whether or not you’re gonna help me with that.”
He shifted so he could get his hands between them and he made quick work of the button and zipper on her shorts, shoving them down far enough that he could grab the hem with his toes and pull them the rest of the way off. “I’m very inventive,” he said, waggling his eyebrows playfully. “Now... about what you’ve got in mind?”
“Touch me,” she breathed into his ear.
“Anything specific you’re in the mood for?”
“No, I know you’re good in every way.”
“Guess that means you want it slow?”
“I just want to be as close to you as possible. That’s what I want.”
Michael let his hands trail over every inch of perfect bare skin he could reach as he debated what would give her the most pleasure.
Maria closer her eyes when his hands traveled over her body.
He rolled them over again and pressed small kisses to her breasts before trailing his lips down her stomach and pausing at her belly button. “How ‘bout a preview?” he asked with a wicked grin.
“Uh-huh.”
He wasted no time as he went to work between her legs, his tongue setting up a fast rhythm that quickly had her balanced on the edge. He felt her body start to quiver as his teeth gently scraped her clit and he glanced up at her as she went over the edge.
Maria had trouble controlling her breathing. She hadn’t expected that.
He didn’t give her any time to recover as he surged up to take her mouth in a hard kiss, entering her in one smooth thrust at the same moment. She groaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He slowed his movements down, keeping his thrusting at a maddening pace that he knew was driving her crazy and his hands came up to frame her face and he looked into her eyes. “I never expected this,” he admitted breathlessly.
“I’m glad you decided to give us a chance,” she told him honestly.
“How could I not give us a chance?” He shook his head and blinked against the sweat dripping off of his forehead. “Denying us would be like tellin’ the sun to stop shinin’... it would’ve taken all the light and warmth right out of my world.”
“Remember when you told me I should never expect you to be the perfect boyfriend? Well, you might not be perfect, but you’re perfect for me, baby.”
He kissed her, his tongue dueling lazily with hers as his palms slid across hers on the pillow next to her head, fingers interlocking and holding tight as he began to move faster.
Maria could feel her next orgasm building and she groaned into his mouth when the tension in her body became overwhelming.
Michael angled his hips so that he was giving her the stimulation she needed and he felt his rhythm stutter as she broke the kiss to scream his name at the same moment that his own orgasm broke free.
“You’re incredible, baby,” she mumbled after she had caught her breath again.
Michael grunted and used what energy he had left to roll to the side so he didn’t collapse on top of her and squash her.
“Y’know, I should’ve been in class a few minutes ago,” she admitted when she glanced at the clock.
“You were in class... Out of this World Sex with Professor Guerin,” he joked.
“Best class I ever joined.”
His expression was smug as he shifted onto his side and drew designs on her stomach with his forefinger. “It’s a very special class, y’know... limited enrollment, too.”
“Limited to only one I hope.”
“There’s only one that matters,” he said, sincerity taking the place of his teasing tone.
“Good, ‘cause I’m not willing to share you with anyone.”
“No argument from me.”
“And I’m gonna kick Courtney’s ass if she dares to flirt with you again,” she added,
“I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about there.”
“You think so? Looked to me like she didn’t care that you’re taken.”
“I think I made it pretty clear that I’m not interested in her.”
“Um, can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything.”
“I know you said you’d come home to Roswell with me around Christmas, but, uh... I know you want to find your father and you have to tell you family about it, so if you don’t want to come anymore...”
“You gonna be with me when I tell my family?”
“Of course, if you want me to be there.”
“Um-hmm. And you’re gonna be with me when I look for my father?”
“Yeah.”
“Then why would you think I wouldn’t be with you when you go home to visit your mom at Christmas?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. And technically,” she added, “we’re not staying with my mom over Christmas. I talked to her yesterday and she said it was definite that she has to work during the holidays again.”
He rolled his eyes. “I know what you meant, and stop avoiding the question.”
“I just thought that you might wanna stay here with your own family.”
“My family knows where they are on my list of priorities, Maria, but they understand that my relationship with you is growing and that means you take priority... you understand what I’m sayin’?”
She nodded and shifted closer against him. “Thank you. I don’t wanna spend the holidays alone ‘cause there won’t be a real family dinner or anything with my mom at work.”
“Okay, so that actually brings us around to a question that I wanted to ask you.”
“Which one?”
“Well, if you can’t spend Christmas with your mom... what about spendin’ it with me?”
“Of course I’m gonna spend it with you. No question about it.”
“What would you say if everyone was gonna be there?”
“Who’s everyone?”
“My brothers, my friends, their girlfriends, and Brooke. Think you could handle that group for a few days? Cabin up in the mountains, lots of snow... me to keep ya warm.”
“Are you serious?” Maria asked, excited.
“Pretty excited about me keepin’ ya warm, huh?”
“Yeah... and the snow, too.”
“The snow, huh? And what is it about the snow that gets you excited?”
“The fact that you’ll have to warm me up after bein’ out in it.”
“Oh, you think I’m plannin’ to let you go outside while we’re up there,” he teased.
“You’re not?”
“Nah, I’m thinkin’ we can do everything right from bed.”
“Oh, no, you’re gonna go outside with me, buddy!”
Michael sighed and shook his head. “Just knew you weren’t gonna let me get away with that one... obviously you’ve already forgotten just how good I am in bed.”
She made a face at him. “Hey, Michael, about any Christmas presents… I just want you to know that I’m not expectin’ you to buy me one, okay?”
He frowned at her. “What?”
“I just...” she sighed, “I don’t want you to feel pressured and think that you have to buy me a present or anything.”
He snorted at the ability of the female brain to over-think everything. “I think we’ve been together long enough that you should know by now that I don’t do anything because I’m pressured into it.”
“Well, you know, my last boyfriend gave me an electric toothbrush...”
“Okay, first, your last boyfriend should have his nuts served to him on a silver platter because he’s about as stupid as they come, and second, I’m a helluva lot smarter than that.” He moved so that he was braced on his forearms above her and he leaned down to kiss her gently. “I can think of plenty of things that I could get you and none of them have anything to do with dental hygiene.”
“Uh-huh, okay, I trust you here.”
“Besides, in a lot of ways this’ll kinda be like a first Christmas for me, my brothers, and Brooke; growin’ up it was all about makin’ it appear that we were a happy family and posin’ for the company newsletters... I wouldn’t say we ever really celebrated the holidays growin’ up. We had professionals who came in and put the tree up and did all the decorating... it was never about us as a family.”
“My mom and me got a tree every year and we used to decorate it in the morning on Christmas Eve.” She looked up to meet his eyes. “We’re gonna make our own Christmas traditions from now on, baby.”
Michael’s eyes lit up despite his best intentions to remain unaffected by her words. “Yeah? That mean I’m gonna get a Christmas present?”
“Yeah.” She smiled. “Probably more then one.”
“More than one?” He reached up to scratch his eyebrow. “Holy shit! Christmas is just a few weeks away.”
“My mom is kinda really good at pickin’ out presents, so I think she’s gonna get you something.”
“No, but... wait, you think your mom’s gonna get me somethin’?”
“Yeah, she’s really lookin’ forward to seeing you again. You kinda made a good first impression on her! I know, it’s crazy, but it’s true.”
“Oh, wow... well... okay, you know your mom so you can help me find somethin’ for her, right?”
“We can give her a present together. How about that?”
“Okay, well, that’s one down... and a lot to go.”
“You already know what you’re gonna get me?” Maria asked, excited.
He snorted. “Yeah, I’m not gonna have a problem with you.” He ignored the little voice calling him a liar before it could push him into a panic because he had no idea what to get for her. “No, the problem is my family; like I said we’ve never really done the Christmas thing... well, not when it’s ever meant anything, and this Christmas we’re gonna all be together, so it’s actually gonna mean somethin’.”
“I’m gonna help you find something. Don’t worry.”
“But, it’s gotta be perfect... you don’t understand, Maria.” He shook his head as he met her gaze. “This’s gonna be our first real family holiday thing... I can’t screw this up.”
“Well, y’know, Michael, I don’t think your presents will play the biggest role here. You’re gonna be all together, that’s the only thing that matters.”
“How d’you know that?”
“’Cause it’s all that matters to me, too.”
“I hate shoppin’,” he grumbled. “I mean, I know it’s for a good cause an’ all, an’ I know you said the presents aren’t the most important thing, but I don’t want ‘em to suck either, so I can’t just grab somethin’ quick an’ get out.”
“Just think of somethin’ personal, baby. Chocolate for Brendan, maybe a pair of baby shoes for Alex…”
“Yeah, that’s true... just kinda keep it simple.”
“Yeah, maybe before we worry about that we should concentrate on how we’re gonna tell them the news...” Maria said thoughtfully. “You wanna talk to your mother first? Or your brothers and Brooke?”
Michael sighed when the conversation went back to the newest problematic event in his life and he decided he’d rather panic over Christmas presents than deal with that. One glance at her told him that she wasn’t going to be letting him off the hook that easily though. “I don’t know.” He shifted to the side and propped himself up on his elbow, chin in hand as he watched her. “What d’you think?”
“Maybe we should go talk to your mom first. To get all the information you need, ya know?”
Was he ready for that? Ready to face the woman who had lied to him his whole life? “Go with me?”
“I said we, didn’t I?” she answered, smiling. “I’ll go with you wherever you want me to go.”
“I don’t know what to say to her.”
“Just ask her what you need to know, baby.”
“I need to know why she lied to me.”
“And she is the only one who can give you the answers.” Maria sighed. “I know it’s going to be hard for you and we can leave whenever you want, okay?”
“When should we go see her?”
“I don’t know. We should probably just call her.”
“I’d rather stay here an’ play naked games all day.” He wondered if he could get his way if he pouted.
“Yeah, but we probably should get it over with fast.”
Damn, the pout wasn’t gonna work! Which just didn’t make sense to him because it always worked when she did it. “Okay, then you call her while I go take a shower,” he said, rolling out of bed.
“Yeah, just gonna leave it to me, huh?” she mumbled when he disappeared. Maria grabbed her cell from the nightstand and turned in on again. She dialed the number Maureen had given to her and waited for the other woman to pick up.
Maureen stood at the window overlooking the ocean, her mind tumbling over her uncertain future. She had left her husband, her children wanted nothing to do with her... she was alone and she had no idea what to do next.
She turned away from the picturesque scene when the telephone on the nightstand rang and she stared at it as it rang once more. She ran her hands over her slacks before crossing the room and picking the receiver up. “Hello?”
“It’s Maria.”
She nearly asked the young woman to identify herself again before she remembered that it was the name of Michael’s girlfriend. The only person who had taken the time and been willing to listen to what she had to say. “Maria, hello! What can I do for you?” She wanted to ask about Michael but she was scared to.
“We want to talk to you.” Maria didn’t feel any need to be polite or make small talk. Maureen still wasn’t mother of the year.
“You’ve talked to Michael... how did he take the news?”
“Well, how do you think he’d take it after 20 years of bein’ lied to?” What a stupid question to ask, Maria thought.
Maureen bit back the tears and simply nodded even though Maria couldn’t see it. “Of course,” she whispered. “When would you like to meet?”
“As soon as possible, I guess.”
“I don’t suppose you’d like to meet over dinner?” she offered timidly.
Maria glanced at the clock. It was nearly 11am already so it was doubtful that either of them would make it to any classes today anyway. “What about lunch?”
Maureen’s heart skipped a beat even though she knew the young woman’s suggestion had nothing to do with her. “Lunch would be lovely. I’m not very familiar with the area, but if you’ll suggest someplace I would be happy to meet you both there.”
“There’s a little restaurant near Belmont Pier. It’s called the Pacific Grill. You can’t miss it; it’s the one with the blue roof.”
“Alright. Did you have a time in mind?”
“In an hour,” Maria decided.
“Very well, I’ll see you then. And, Maria? Thank you,” she said softly.
“Uh-huh, don’t thank me too soon,” she replied.
“I’m not expecting miracles, but to be honest, this is already more than I had dared to hope for.”
Maria sighed. “Just promise me you’ll be honest no matter what he asks you. He deserves the truth,” she whispered into the phone to make sure Michael wouldn’t overhear it.
Maureen swallowed with difficulty. “I’ll be as honest as possible,” she promised.
“Okay, talk to ya soon,” she hung up the phone.
Michael came out of the bathroom in time to see Maria place her phone on the nightstand. “You talkin’ to her?” he asked hesitantly.
She nodded. “Yeah. We’ll meet her in an hour at the pier.”
“Why the pier?”
She shrugged. “She doesn’t know any of the places around here, so I didn’t wanna make it too difficult.”
Michael nodded. “Okay. I guess I’ll go find somethin’ to do while you shower ‘cause if I don’t I’m gonna join you an’ then we’ll never make it.”
She stood up from her bed and walked over to him to take his hands. “The sooner we talk to her the better.”
“Yeah, I know... just not lookin’ forward to it.”
She lifted up onto her tiptoes and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Michael watched her as she walked to the bathroom without a stitch on and he shook his head with a grin and forced himself to go to the kitchen to find something cold to drink.
Happy New Year!!!
