Destiny

Part 18

AN: I have a feeling that you're not going to like this, but hey, things get boring without a little bit more drama.

~

"What the hell?" Karen whispered. "Is this all it takes to get shit happen? I said, you needed to talk to him, out loud and he's here?"

Stevie didn't have a response for that. She'd always been a strong believer in those kind of things, but she wouldn't have had a problem if Karen's words didn't come true this time. She wasn't ready. She was completely caught off guard.

Michael lingered by the front door for a minute. He listened and looked around, but it seemed like Stevie wasn't around. She appeared a second later at the top of the stairs, their eyes locked. Stevie tried to read his face, get a feeling of his mood, as she slowly came down, but it gave her nothing.

"Hi." Michael was the first to speak up.

"Hi." Stevie replied and folded her arms over her chest. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I wasn't planning on coming." Michael shrugged weakly, his hands by his sides. 

Stevie noticed his slightly messy hair, he had a stubble of at least a couple of days. It was unusual for him not to be clean shaven and well dressed. She couldn't smell his cologne, which she had to admit, she had gotten quite used to, either.

"Why did you then?" Stevie asked and relaxed her arms. She didn't think, he was there to fight with her.

Michael paused to breathe for a moment and gave another shrug of his shoulders. "I've missed you."

"So, you woke up today and decided that nearly two weeks after you left, you missed me?" Stevie cocked her head to one side, her eyebrow slightly raised.

"Don't, please." Michael sighed. "I wanted to come back as soon as the door slammed shut on my way out."

"Why didn't you?" If he had, maybe she wouldn't have run off to Lindsey. Maybe things could still be different.

"Because I wanted to give you time to miss me." Michael answered and she didn't expect him to say anything like that, he could tell. "Did you? Even a little bit?"

"Of course, I've missed you, too, Michael." Stevie sighed, sounding frustrated. She turned and went into the living room, he followed behind. "We've been together for years. You honestly thought that I'd just forget all about you the second you walked out."

"I didn't just walk out." Michael emphasized, slumping down on the couch beside her. "I needed some time to think."

"And? You've got it all figured out now?" Stevie sat back, a glaring distance between them.

Michael closed his eyes briefly pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why are you being so hostile? It seems like it was a mistake coming here."

"I'm angry." Stevie said though she sounded nothing like it. "I'm not saying I'm not taking any of the blame, but you left and I had no idea what was going on. During all this time, you called me for no more than three minutes and we barely spoke. You show up out of the blue and I still don't know what's happening here."

"I love you." Michael said, ignoring everything that came from her. "I really do."

"Well, just love alone has never worked out for me before." Stevie scoffed, hugging her knees to her chest.

"I don't want to lose you." Michael straightened up and faced her. "I admit, I may have overreacted, but you have to understand where I'm coming from, Stevie. I've never been in a relationship like this before. I've never had to watch the woman I love work alongside two of her ex boyfriends. I've never had to deal with other men sending her huge bouquet of roses and expensive jewelry for her birthday. I've never had to stand back and watch everyone's eyes on her all the time, wherever we go." He placed a hand over his heart and leaned in a little closer. "I'm sorry that it makes me jealous and insecure. I'm sorry that I raised my voice. I'm sorry that I left. It's the fear of losing you."

No, she'd never tried to look at it from his point of view and everything Michael said made a lot of sense. "I'm sorry too." Stevie spoke up after a moment of silence. "But if you still expect me to cut everyone I'm close to out of my life, then... I won't do that."

"I understand." Michael nodded. "And it was wrong of me to ask you to do that. I realize now that I have to trust you and I have to believe what you tell me." Stevie swallowed uneasily and cast her eyes down, when he reached to take her hand. "I don't want to end things between us. I still want to love you and make you my wife." Michael gave her a small, hopeful smile. "If-" He paused to take a deep breath. "If there's anything you have to say, then say it and let's start again from here."

"There's..." Stevie began, but she closed her mouth and shook her head. "There's nothing I have to say." A smile tugged at her lips and while Michael seemed to think it was completely sincere as he leaned in for a kiss, she finally felt the guilt of cheating on him with Lindsey come over her.