Eagle's Destiny (15 page)

Michael let the conversation drop and we drove in silence after all.  When we arrived at the park, I looked for Don since I needed to warm up my arm.

Don started throwing the ball to me.  “Hey, Miss movie star, are you going to take your sunglasses off?”

I had not forgotten that I was wearing them.  I put them in my bag and knew immediately that Don could see my puffy eyes.  His face changed to concern and his arm slipped around my
shoulders
.  “There is something major wrong Elizabeth, what is it?”

“Nothing.”  I choked back a sob.

“Do you want me to get Debi?”  He led me to a bench and we sat down.

“No.  I’ll be alright.”  I was going to lose it quickly if the questions continued.

“Is it Kevin?”

I shook my head.  “No.  Really Don, I’ll be okay.”  I tried sniffing back a tear.

“I’m going to get Debi.”  He stood up before I had a chance to object and strode off looking for his wife.  Poor Don, he never did well when I cried.  Well, whenever anyone cried.  I sat on the bench waiting and was glad that the park was not full of people.

“Hey darling,” Debi came up behind me and put her arms around me.  “Don told me you’re in a world of hurt.”  She took one look at my face, “Oh damn, what has Kevin done now?”

I shook my head and started crying, “It’s not Kevin.”

“Well, those are man tears,” she said and then paused, “Michael?  Debi asked slowly, “What happened?”

I explained Michael’s change in attitude toward me.  She looked as perplexed as I felt.  “I don’t get it Elizabeth, you two were quite cozy Friday night at the bonfire.”

“And we had a great day yesterday and last night, even after I put the brakes on the make out session.  He is just not interested in me anymore because I won’t sleep with him.  So I guess that’s all he wanted.”

Debi took my hand in hers, “I just can’t believe this.  I don’t know
Michael as well as you, but he just doesn’t seem the type.  Especially with all the women around here after him, did you see his fan club is here again?  If all he wanted was to sleep with someone there are plenty of women to take him up on that offer.”

I turned to face Debi.  “What other explanation is there?  He’s turning a cold shoulder to me and he’ll pursue someone else.”  My tears were coming faster.  “Could you take me home right after the game?  I don’t want to drive home with Michael.”

“Sure.  Let me get Don so you can warm up.  Wear your sunglasses, and no one will suspect you’ve been crying.” 

The game was horrible.  I avoided Michael as much as I could; both Debi and Angel huddled around me when we were in the dugout.  My pitching was terrible and Lewis made several trips out to the mound to talk with me.  Finally, I told him that I was not well and he replaced me with Angel. 

At last, Debi drove me home.  “Did you tell Don why we were leaving?”

Debi nodded her head.  “Yes.  Let me warn you he didn’t look happy.”

Shock registered in my voice and I turned to look at her, “He wouldn’t say anything to Michael, would he?”

“You know he would do just about anything to right a wrong where it concerned you.  Both of us would.”

I turned back in my seat and was quiet the rest of the way home.  Once inside and alone, I undressed and got into bed.  Sleep took me quickly.  The knocking on the front door and the dogs barking woke me up.  The clock showed 5:30.  The only person who would knock on the front door would be Michael everyone else would go to the back door.

There was no way I was prepared to face Michael.  I lay in bed until he walked back down the front porch.  The phone rang not more than 5 minutes later.  My answering machine could take that one too.  I heard Michael’s voice over the speaker wanting to know if I was okay.  No, I was not okay, and I did not want to talk about it either.

I moved into the living room and plopped down in front of the television set.  I wasn’t in the mood to write.  After two movies, I fell asleep on the couch and woke to a dark house.  I switched on a light, it was 2:00 AM, and it was surprising I had slept so much.  The light was still flashing on my answering machine from the message that Michael had left earlier in the evening.

Going back
into my bedroom I looked out the window, Michael’s bedroom light was on.  It was strange for him to be up so late and I had the immediate urge to call him.  Truthfully, I was beginning to grow angry about the whole episode.  I had enough of the misery and thought we should get it over. 

My fingers were dialing his cell number before I thought clearly about
what I was doing.  The phone rang a few times before he picked up. 

He
answered with worry in his voice, “Elizabeth, are you okay?”

Why did everyone keep asking me if I was okay?  No, I was not okay.  I was tired of answering the question. 

“Why are you up so late?”  I asked abruptly.

“What?” he asked with surprise in his voice.  “How did you know I was up?”

“Your bedroom light is on.”  I answered, “I can see it from my bedroom window.”

“Why aren’t you asleep?” he asked me.

“Never mind about me.  Please come over here.  I want to talk to you.”

Michael hesitated, “Why do you want to talk?”

“I don’t want to talk over the phone.  Please just come over here.”

Michael sighed, his voice sounded tired.  “Why don’t you come over here Elizabeth?  I’ll make us some tea.”

“Okay, I will come over to you.”  It surprised me how determined my voice sounded.

“I’ll wait on the porch for you.”

We hung up the phone and I threw a robe on over my nightgown.  By the time I opened my back door,
he
had his porch light on and I could see him leaning against the railing.  He looked surprised to see me in my robe.  Michael followed me silently into
his
kitchen.  A kettle already heated on the stove.

I sat at his kitchen table and watched him prepare the tea.  He wore only sweat pants in that sexy way he had, slung low on his hips.  I watched the muscles move in his finely defined back and shoulders, already mourning their loss.  Molly padded into the kitchen and lay down next to my feet.  Her long tail thumped against my legs.  I bent over and petted her head.  It was deadly silent in the kitchen. 

He
finally set the mug of hot tea in front of me and took a seat on the other side of the table crossing his arms over his chest.  “Let the tea cool down first.”

I nodded. 
He
looked at me expectantly. 

“Why the change Michael, or are you just mad at me because I won’t sleep with you?”

He
grimaced
at me across the table.  “Is that was has been upsetting you today?” 

I could see evidence of a slight smile on his face as he looked at the ceiling lights shaking his head in disbelief.

“Yes.”  I replied, “What is so funny?  I don’t think this is very funny.”

He sighed, “No it’s not funny, but it is a comedy of errors.”  He stood up and took my hand, “Here, come with me.”

I stood up and followed him.  “Why?  Where are we going?”

He flipped the kitchen lights off.  “My bedroom.  We need to talk and I don’t want the girls listening in.”

“Well I don’t think we need to talk in your bedroom.  I’m being quiet.”

“The girls are very nosey when it comes to us.”  Michael led me into his bedroom.  The room was messy with clothes, papers, and his laptop strewn on the bed.  A suitcase sat open in the corner of the room on a small table
, and beyond the table, a
door leading to another room was open.  Max was lying on the folded bedspread at the end of the bed and Molly joined him as we entered.  Michael closed the door behind us.

He turned to me as I leaned back against the wall.  Both of his hands cupped the sides of my face and he tilted my face up to his.  His thumbs rubbed across my cheeks and up underneath my eyes. 

“Promise me that before I make you cry again you’ll always talk to me first?”  His voice was softer than a whisper, “I’m sorry I thought I was doing the right thing.”

His lips found mine and he gently kissed me.  One arm went around my waist as he pulled me closer.  Holding the back of my head, our kiss intensified while his fingers stroked my hair.  His back
felt strong
when I
tightly
wrapped my arms around him.

The kiss broke and we stood wrapped securely together not wanting to let go.  We both tried to slow our labored breathing.  His eyes burned as he looked at me. 

“Elizabeth, you know I want to make love with you.”  I started to interrupt but he continued, “However, I know I have to wait.  I don’t want to force you to do anything
you’re not ready
to do, and I thought I needed to step back to give you some breathing room.  It looks like I stepped too far back.”

“Is that all it was?”  I searched his face for some other sign.

“That’s all it was Elizabeth.”   

Our arms relaxed but we continued to hold each other.  “I’m glad.”  I snuggled my head against his shoulder and neck.  As I kissed his inviting neck and trailed my lips up his jaw line, I felt him shudder in my arms.

Michael cleared his throat, “Babe, I need to get ready for my trip.  Seven o’clock is going to come early.”

I stepped back nodding my head, “I’m sorry.”

He tilted up my face, “Don’t be sorry.  I love kissing you.  Do you want to stay with me and keep me company while I get ready?”

“Okay.”  I murmured.

With quick movements, he cleared off half of the bed.  I slipped off my slippers and sat cross-legged on the bed. 
His
laptop
displayed
an article on alligators.  While he packed his suitcase, I turned over on my side to watch.  Pulling out a pillow from the top of the bed, I snuggled into it and closed my eyes.

When I awoke, the room was dark.  It took me a minute to realize I was still in Michael’s bedroom.  He had pulled the bedspread up to cover us.  Michael lay sleeping on his back next to me.  I pushed the pillow away and cuddled close to him, laying my head on his chest.  He turned toward me putting his arm around me.  I felt him kiss the top of my head, and he was content with that kiss.

When I awoke again light filled the room.  I was alone in the bed.  The house was quiet.  The nightstand clock showed eight o’clock.  A folded note lay next to me on the pillow.

“Babe, I couldn’t bear to wake you this morning.  I’ll call you when I get to New Orleans.  Please keep an eye on my girls.  Michael.  P.S.  Thank you for staying with me last night.  We should do it more often!”

I refolded and tucked the note into the pocket of my robe.  I made the bed and noticed the door at the end of the bedroom was still open.  I was curious about the room behind the door.  Peeking around the corner, I found a small room with a desk, a light table, and bookshelves.  It was Michael’s office.  Had Michael left the door open on purpose?  Was it okay for me to go inside the room?  I was nosey but stood at the edge of the doorway a little afraid to cross the threshold.  The small window
was
covered with a black shade that would
block
out all the light if needed.  The desk was neat but when I turned to look at the light table, I saw the photographs Michael had taken of the girls and
me
over the past three weeks covering the entire table.  It was touching that he had printed them out.  On the bookshelves lay three worn copies of my books, I grinned and wondered if he had read them.

The sight of the room and the photographs made me feel comforted.  Not wishing to intrude into Michael’s privacy any further, I open
ed
the bedroom door quietly listening for sounds within the house.  I didn’t think either of the girls
w
as
up yet
,
so I tiptoed out to the kitchen.

Tammy was in the kitchen eating cereal.  I didn’t see her at first, but heard her voice instead.  “Good morning Elizabeth.”  Her tone was slightly disapproving.

Her voice had startled me, “Oh hi Tammy.  I didn’t think you were up.”

“I usually try to get up with Dad when he’s going on a trip.  I like to say goodbye to him.  There’s some coffee left, Dad made it for you.”  She pointed to the coffee maker.  “The mugs are in the cupboard above the coffee maker.”  Tammy didn’t make a move to get a mug for me.

I crossed into the kitchen.  Both dogs were under the kitchen table wagging their tails when they saw me.  I poured myself a cup of coffee.  Luckily, I liked it black because Tammy was not volunteering any additional instructions. 

I sat down next to Tammy.  She found her cereal bowl interesting and did not look up at me.  I touched her shoulder, “Tammy what’s wrong.”

After a pause, she looked up at me with disappointment in her eyes.  “So you and Dad had a sleep over.  You told me nothing was going on between the two of you.  You lied to me.”

My brow knitted because I was not expecting her pouty reaction.  I would have thought she would be happy to see her dad and me together.  “Tammy no, we did not have a sleep over, not in the way you think we did.”