I Need You

Part 8

Placing two bowls of cereal on the table, Michael moved on to making a cup of coffee for himself. Gabi and Maria came into the kitchen, saying good morning to their father and sat down to eat their breakfast, while he stared through the window at nothing in particular. While Maria wasn't so observant yet, Gabi knew something was going through her father's mind. 

"Are you going somewhere?... Dad?"

"What is it, sweetheart?" Michael turned around to face his daughter. 

"I ask if you were going somewhere?"

"What makes you say that?"

"You're all dressed up."

It was early in the morning and he was wearing dress pants and a white shirt, instead of his usual attire of jeans and a sweater to bring his daughters to school. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't want them to know about his meeting with Stevie the night before either. When he came home, he felt bad. He knew better than to visit unannounced, when Stevie was working on something. He also hated that he jumped to conclusions, when he found out Lindsey was at the house too. Waking up today, he decided he would dress up nicely, buy a huge bouquet of roses and drive over to Stevie's again and apologize.

"Um... I have a meeting." That technically wasn't a lie, because he really did have to be somewhere, but later in the day. "I thought, maybe I'd get back into management." This was also how Michael and Stevie met. He was a manager for bands and when she decided to start a solo career, she started meeting with different people; one of them was Michael. Although, they didn't exactly see eye to eye when it came to her career, they did however, enjoy each other's company. 

"That's cool." Gabi said. "You've been cooped up in the house for far too long."

"Yeah, well excuse me if I like being a father to you two." Again, that was a decision he and Stevie made, when the first of their two girls was born. She wasn't going to give up her music and he was okay with sacrificing his career.

When breakfast time was over, the three of them headed outside and into the car. Michael drove the girls to school, told them he would come pick them up, which he always did and then turned the car around to start his little plan he had thought of.

Michael knew that Stevie should be alone until around 1 pm, after that, Dave, her backing singers and everyone else involved with the making of her album, came barging in. He knew he risked waking her up, which meant she would be in one hell of a mood for the rest of the day, but he had to say he was sorry. 

Turning off the engine of the car, once he stopped in the driveway, Michael reached for the flowers on the backseat and got out. Running a hand through his hair, he took a few deep breaths walking up to the front door. He was going to press the doorbell, but then he stopped, thinking maybe he should surprise Stevie. He still owned a key.

As expected, it was completely silent inside, as Michael made his way up the stairs and towards the bedroom. Placing his hand on the handle, he carefully opened the door...

He instantly wished he hadn't. He wanted to turn back time and not think of this, to just leave it all be, but no, he was sure he was doing the right thing. Sighing heavily, he tossed the roses, which landed next to Stevie, who got startled and woke up instantly. Her heart started beating fast, once she saw Michael standing at the foot of the bed. 

"Is this how you're making your mind up?" He showed with his hand at Lindsey, who sleepily opened his eyes too. "I felt horrible about yesterday, I wanted to apologized and this is what I fucking find?!"

"Michael, this is-"

"What? This is not what it looks like, huh? Is that what you're going to say?" 

"We haven't-" Lindsey tried, but got cut off too. 

"Don't think I'm stupid." 

There really was no point in lying as the evidence was right in front of Michael. Clothes were scattered on the floor from the night before, the two, not so ex lovers anymore, lying in bed together, all wrapped up in each other.

"I knew something was up. I knew the two of you couldn't just be friends!"

Stevie grabbed her top from yesterday, which thankfully stopped just above knees, put it on and ushered Michael out of the room. She didn't feel very comfortable, feeling entirely too exposed, but keeping the two men around each other for a minute longer was a horrible choice.

"Why do you keep on doing this to me?" Michael asked. "Couldn't you just stick to your decision? You filed for divorce, you moved out. Why did you have to get back to me and feed me lies? You knew how madly in love I still am with you..."

"I know you probably won't believe it, but I am sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm just so confused and so mixed up, I... I don't know what's the right thing to do anymore."

He hated seeing her upset, but he couldn't give in either. Every time he did, she bought herself a couple more days of leading him on. Instead, he listened, but avoided looking at her. 

"You know, as sick as this sounds... anyone, literally, anyone but him, I could forgive. You two were in love, hell, what do I know, probably still are! Has our whole marriage been a sham? Did you ever love me at all? Or was I just a safe choice?"

"Of course I did, Michael! I do!"

"Then what the fuck is wrong with you?!" He couldn't keep from yelling. "Is this fun for you somehow? Seeing how you have the power of destroying me?"

"There's nothing I can say that will make sense of this. I can't defend myself." She shook her head. "But I can't let you go either." She tried touching him, but he pushed her hand away.

"Why? Because you know you can count on me? If whatever this is doesn't work out with him, you know I will be there to pick up the pieces?"

This probably was the most truthful answer she couldn't say out loud herself.

"You know what? This time, I'm saying that we're over." Michael finally faced her. "We are done." He repeated, then added. "And since you're not around our children anyway, so it doesn't come as a shock to you, I will be fighting for sole custody."