Slipping Away

Chapter 24

September 9th, 1994

Mariah picked herself up from the floor, feeling a dull ache between her legs and throughout her body. She had very faint memories of the night before, though she could easily piece together everything once she realized that she was completely nude. 

"No..." She pinched the bridge of her nose to keep herself from sobbing.

She reached for her dress and used it to cover her body, feeling exposed. She felt more than exposed, she felt used, dirty and by her husband, someone who had claimed to love her. She may not have felt exactly the same about him, but she expected to be loved by Tommy. She had some vain hope that maybe she could've fell for Tommy if she was going to be married to him, but she couldn't even try to convince herself anymore.

She grabbed on to the couch to help herself stand and made her way to one of the guest rooms, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes. She closed her eyes, trying to remember a time when she wasn't so pathetic and miserable.

Mariah and Michael were laying in the bed watching The Simpsons, Michael laying on Mariah's chest while she ate grapes from a bowl on the nightstand. They had many nights where they wouldn't speak to one another, just enjoying each other's company. 

Michael lazily glanced out of the window before settling back into his original position. "It's raining."

Mariah looked out of the window. "I love the rain."

"You wanna go outside?" He asked with eyes that shined like those of a child.

Mariah nodded. "Let's go."

Michael hopped out of the bed, slipping on his penny loafers faster than Mariah could with her gym shoes. He noticed her putting them on and pulled her out of the bedroom.

"Michael, I need my shoes." She exclaimed.

He picked her up, shaking his head. "No you don't."

She laughed as he opened the door to the backyard and the rain started falling on them. Michael set her down and she ran off with her arms outstretched. Michael met her, laughing as his hair started curling up from the rain.

"Karen is going to get you." Mariah said.

"So?" He shrugged, picking her up and spinning her around. "I love you."

Mariah smiled. "I love you too."

Michael pulled her into a passionate kiss, before moving to her neck. She could feel the bulge in his pants and put her hands on his chest to stop him. "Michael, we can't."

"Do you want to go back inside?" He asked.

Mariah shook her head. "No, let's dance."

"Dance?" He raised an eyebrow. "You can't dance."

"Shut up. Let's do it."

Michael obliged her and set her on the ground so that they could slow dance to some imaginary beat in his head.  She rested her head against his chest and smiled, knowing she had found the place she wanted to be.

Mariah rolled over in bed, remembering the times where it had simply been her and Michael, before the Chandlers, before the drugs, before her mother and Tommy. When she had been happy.

October 15th, 1994

"Lisa do you have any aspirin?" Michael asked. "My head is killing me."

"Check the medicine cabinet." She called back from downstairs.

Michael sighed and got up to check the medicine cabinet. He had tried to abstain from taking an aspirin, but his head was pounding. He opened the medicine cabinet and out fell a package with the days of the week marked on them. He put them back in the cabinet and picked up the aspirin before pausing and pulling the package back out of the cabinet.