The Life I Want To Live With You

The Truth Chapter 7

"Mother?" Lisa exclaimed in complete shock.

"Hello, Lisa," her mother said with a slight smile.

Michael looked at Lisa and whispered, "It's your mother?" Lisa nodded slightly, and Michael gestured for the woman to come in.

"Wow, you really have a great apartment. And you are?" Priscilla inquired, her gaze directed at Michael, who stood behind Lisa with a cold expression. Michael gently held Lisa by the waist and smiled kindly. "I'm Michael, Lisa's boyfriend," they shook hands.

"I'm Priscilla, as Lisa mentioned," Lisa gave her mother a strange look after the way she emphasized 'mother.'

"Well, Mother, may I ask what brings you here? You shouldn't be in California, perhaps?" Lisa asked.

Priscilla looked at Michael for a moment, and then at Lisa as they walked to the living room and sat on the couch. "I couldn't resist the chance to see how you're doing."

Lisa continued to regard her mother oddly. "For five years, you weren't interested in seeing me. Every time I called you, you rejected my calls," Michael took the opportunity to walk to the kitchen.

"Mrs. Presley, would you like something to drink?" he tried to change the topic, not wanting to engage in an argument after a long day of work.

Priscilla simply requested, "Water, please," before returning to her conversation with her daughter. "You know how demanding my business can be. If you had taken over your father's business, it would have been easier for us to stay in touch."

Michael returned with a glass and gave Lisa a surprised look when he saw her expression. She looked away, swallowing the lump in her throat. Priscilla noticed that he seemed unaware of the tension, so she smiled and glanced around the place.

"And you, Michael? What's your profession, what do you do for a living?" Priscilla took a sip from her glass. Michael sat beside Lisa, keeping a distance.

"I'm in the same line of business as Lisa's father was. I have my own company, and for now, we sponsor various firms, and everything is running smoothly," Michael replied coolly, still somewhat miffed that Lisa hadn't shared her father's background with him.

Priscilla was surprised by the response. "That's impressive. I thought Lisa wanted to be independent and self-reliant."

Lisa sighed, feeling a bit hurt by Michael's comment, but she played along. "Well, Michael and I met at the same place, and that hasn't changed. I still value my independence, Mother," she said while looking at Michael.

Priscilla appeared stunned. "I initially thought you might want to return to California, help with your father's business, and lead a carefree life, just as you told me when you were 19."

Lisa bit her tongue to avoid making an offensive remark. "My stance hasn't changed, but for now, I prefer to forge my own path and work for someone else."

Michael muttered quietly to himself, "Or a pervert." Lisa overheard this and pursed her lips, feeling irritated.

Priscilla stood up. "Well, if that's what you say." She shook Michael's hand. "It was nice to meet you, Michael." She then turned to Lisa. "I'll be staying here for a month, so we can spend some time together if you'd like."

Lisa felt her anger rise but decided to be diplomatic. "We can." Just then, her mother's phone rang, and she said she had to go. Michael escorted her to the front door and closed it behind her.

When Michael returned, Lisa was sitting on the couch, visibly upset. "How did it feel to be an ass?" she mumbled.

"How could you lie to me?" Michael's voice was sharp.

Lisa stood up, her anger evident. "I didn't lie, I just didn't tell you the whole story," she retorted.

An annoyed Michael rolled his eyes. "It's the same thing. I thought you trusted me, but it seems like I always end up with someone who—"

Lisa interrupted him, her frustration boiling over. "Someone who what? Say it. Tell me who!"

Michael couldn't hold back his anger any longer. "Someone who lies to me because they don't see a future with me, who doesn't want to build a life with me!"

Lisa shot him a furious look, her hurt concealed beneath her anger. "I can't believe you just said that," she muttered as she walked away. Michael watched her, rage in his eyes. She turned and walked back towards him, her voice trembling. "When was I supposed to answer your question? When I was almost assaulted? I didn't tell you about my father because I didn't want you to see me the way everyone did when I lived a wealthy life that I never asked for. That's why! It doesn't mean I don't see a future with you; I just wanted to test the ground between us!"

Michael's anger turned into regret, his face softening. He tried to approach her and hold her gently by the hips. "Lisa..."

"No, don't touch me. Stop," she pushed him away. "I wanted to tell you the whole story the moment she knocked on the door. I wanted to tell you so many times. I wanted to see your genuine reaction because I trust you more than anyone in my whole life." Lisa looked him in the eyes, trying to appear strong, and then took a step back. "But by what you just said, it made me doubt trust of yours."

He approached her slowly. "It's not like that. I just... I thought you didn't think about us the way I do." Michael paused when he saw her tears. "We never talked about the future, marriage, or kids. I never wanted to pressure you into anything, and you know that." Gently, he wiped away her unexpected tears.

Lisa sighed and looked at him, her expression softening. "How can we talk about things like that when you're always at work? I know you love your job and everything, but you need to understand that if we want to be together and create a family, we need to be close. It's hard sometimes when you're not at home."

**********

"I truly understood how much I loved him during that moment. I wanted to leave after he lashed out at me, but something inside me told me to stay. It would have been foolish to walk away after a minor argument, even though his words hurt me deeply, especially after what had happened," she said, wiping her tears from her face.

The man listened empathetically, nodding in understanding.

"I understand that very well, Lisa. My wife and I had our fair share of heated arguments too. Even at the age of 66, I still remember the sound of things flying near my ears during those moments," he said, reflecting on a memory. "But with time, nothing changed the fact that I truly loved her, and we tried to spend every moment together. Cancer may have taken a toll on her, but it certainly did not diminish our love." The man smiled and placed his hand on hers. "Tell me, what happened next?"