Family Man

Family Man: Prologue

Prologue

Summer, finally had crept in the door and Michael had been home for several weeks now. He sat out on the balcony thinking about his wife and how to put the love back in their relationship. But suddenly his smile changed when a text message came through on his phone. He looked down, read it silently and typed rather quickly, slipping the phone back in his pocket, as his wife approached him. She hugged the back of his neck and kissed him slowly. After a kiss on his neck a smile soon adorned his lips as he turned around holding the small of her back.

"What are you doing out here? I've been waiting on you forever." Teesha exclaimed.

He smiled, brushed her hair back and kissed her lips." Babe, I'm just doing a lot of thinking that's all." Michael replied.

"Baby, you're stressing again." Teesha said stroking his cheek.

"It's the job, babe. I... I have been meaning to tell you." He said, hesitantly staring at his feet. "I'm going back out again" Michael explained.

"Michael." Teesha pulled away. "You promised me that was the last time. We almost lost you before. I can't..." She shook her head." When you go undercover, it's like you served in a war when you come home. I'm just getting you back... I don't know what we would do if you never came home." She said then pulled away walking to the edge of the balcony holding the railing.

"Babe." He exhaled sharply wrapping his arms around her. "This is my job you knew this going in and said you could handle it. Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise. I'm never leaving you. Okay?" He held both sides of her face and pressed his lips to hers.

"Michael" She sighed as tears fellm

Michael held her closer enveloping his lips with hers pulling her closer picking her up carrying her to their bedroom laying her in the bed...

After a morning of passionate love making, Michael lay back in bed with his arms behind his head. So many things were running through his head, but making Teesha happy was his top priority. It was quite impossible at this point though, living the life he led, being undercover for the better part of their marriage had damn near ruined them. Out of the two years they've been married. They lived in harmony for about six months and his career basically took over his life. Things spiraled out of control so quickly and he was lost within a instant, it was hard to turn the other cheek. But he'd come to terms with what had to be done. He decided that his life... his family meant more to him than anything else.

Michael pulled into the garage, took out his brief case and headed for the elevators. As he adjusted his aviators and approached to enter the elevator, gloved hands covered his eyes and pulled him beside a dark car.

"Surprise! Guess who?" A tiny voice exhaled with a giggle. He pulled her hands away and stared.

" Kimbra!" He said in a shocked tone." What are you doing here?"

"Mikey. That message you left didn't sit too well with me, so I showed up." She explained.

"But. You can't just do that. Look I'm late as is. I gotta go." He exclaimed attempting to walk away.

"Baby. What's the matter? You act as if you don't love me anymore." She sort of pouted moving closer to him.

"Kimbra." He shook his head. "Look. What happened between us...I wasn't myself? Hell I wasn't even me. I was Dr. Black at the time." He stared at her.

"Mikey. I knew you weren't who you said. Don't you know that by now? That's why I gave you Jarvis and so many other leads, baby. That's why I clung to your every move. Michael what we had was real whether you choose to believe that or not. I gave you Jarvis because I loved you." She said, giving him a stern look.

"Look. I gotta go." He sighed, trying to walk away.

"And I know you're going undercover again. You will need my help. I'll make dinner tonight. Stop by, please?" Kimbra said with a smirk straightening up his collar then kissing his lips.

He blew out air as his lips parted. The summer heat had profused sweat on his forehead, but he wiped in vain as more sweat profused."I...I no promises I'll try." He exclaimed, as he walked away from her grasp entering the elevator.

In those few seconds, Michael had relived being Dr. Steven Black. Once upon a time... A time when his career had taken over his life. He presumed himself in the life as someone he tried his entire life not to become. But with the role he played; consequences soon would follow. Though the question remains. Would he suffer those consequences or become just another statistic? As he left the elevator his thoughts ran wild remembering that night...

Walking into the smoky club as the piano played, a chord struck his ear drums as he turned to the left. There she was the woman in red. Her sleek curvy form, red lips and her darkened roots flowing from her shoulders. From the moment he laid eyes on her she would be the venom in his veins. She was his weakness, the pimple that wasn't quite ready to be popped, Dr. Black that is, anyway. His ears burned with each lyric she sung. His body tingled at her tender voice singing an old sultry classic. That was the night his life changed. That was the night his identity changed.