Sold #3 - A Haunting Hope

Chapter 19

Darcy was happy to snuggle up to Michael just a little while after they had made love and settled down to sleep for the night. She decided it was time to confront a problem that Michael looked like he was trying to avoid at all costs, but it had to be talked about. They had shared the news of the deaths of both their parents, it was about time they moved on to another tricky topic, which was altogether much nicer to talk about. She waited until he let out a yawn and nudged his head against hers as if ready to drift off to sleep before even attempting to speak. "Michael...there's something I'd like to talk about and I know you probably don't want to talk about it now...being that you've just managed to solve two cases in one day but I think it's important." Darcy began softly, smiling up at him innocently in a way that made Michael wonder what she wanted to talk about that was so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning and that she thought he wouldn't want to talk about it. He wasn't surprised at all that she had the guts to bring it up even thought she was worried he wouldn't approve of the matter or want to talk about it and he couldn't help but be curious and ask her what it was she wanted to talk about.

"Well...I thought it was about time to talk about where we're going to live and where you're going to put your business interests. If you choose the investment firm then we'll have to move here. If you want to keep with the law firm then we'll be going back to your house with Tai and your father." Michael couldn't help but make a short protest, that he would go in whichever direction and wherever she wanted to go. He was trying to leave it entirely up to her but she just smiled, knowing fine well that he was trying to get out of having to make the real decisions. But she wasn't going to let him do that. He had to make the choice as to where he wanted to work and where he wanted them to live as a couple, a married couple and she wasn't going to let him avoid it. "But it's got to be what you want and what you're interested in. And I have a feeling your interest doesn't lie back home. And if that's the case then we should be spending our spare time house hunting." She reasoned with a shy, but happy smile.

"I enjoy the legal cases and I like living with Tai in my family home..." Michael sighed, trying to be logical about things and think about what would be good for Darcy and their new life together as a married couple. It was difficult for him to make the decision himself without even consulting her on it, even though she was now asking him to do such a thing. But before he could say much else, she stopped him.

"Michael, be honest. You hate the hours, you hate the unpredictability and you don't like living there." When he complained that he never said that with a smile that said he had meant it whether or not he had said it out loud, she decided to call him on it and be as frank as possible. He wasn't getting away with a thing as long as they were alone long enough to talk about it openly and honestly. "You don't have to. I can see it in you. And to be perfectly honest, I don't much care about going back. I think I'd rather like living here, on the other side of the world." She shrugged at her admission, trying to make light of it but it was the one thing that really got Michael's attention and made him smile. He had been worried about her opinion and how his decision would affect her life and their life together, but as long as she had her mind made up about what she wanted, it made it easier for him to admit to his thoughts on the matter as well. But he wouldn't have done it without knowing how she felt.

"You would? To be honest darling, I was a little afraid of bringing it up. I wasn't sure you'd want to leave on a permanent basis since you've only just got to know what it's like here and meet new people. You've just started making friends back home." He tried to remind her of how difficult it was for her to move on to her life with him away from her friends and the life she had known before. He had been afraid that it would destroy her if he suddenly decided to move them to Tokyo. It would be a lifelong move for them, they probably wouldn't return to America if they decided to stay in Tokyo so he could recapture the hold of his investment company. He had built it from the ground, from absolutely nothing and it was his life, his dream to stick with it and make as good a name for himself as his father had done by building up the law firm. But he didn't expect the news Darcy had for him, looking up at him sadly.