Moments with Michael

The story of I Just Can't Stop Loving You part 2

It's two days after part 1. It's 7 PM, and you just finished doing the dishes together.

"Michael?" I ask. He's all gone in his own thoughts, I don't even think he heard me. He have been like this since he finished his new song a few days ago; always deep into his thoughts, and he often seems frustrated about something.

"Michael!" I say again, and this time he hears me. He quickly looks up at me. "What are you thinking about, baby?"

He looks at me like he doesn't understand, and I explain:

"You have been so distant the last days, you are all gone in your thoughts and you seem frustrated. What is it that you're thinking about?" I goes close to him and strokes one of his soft, black curls behind his ear. I look him in the eyes, and I think he can see that I'm worried for him.

"It's nothing bad, sweetheart, don't worry" he says with a calming smile. "It's just that song, I can't get it out of my head. It's like... Like it lacks something. It doesn't feel like it's done, but I don't know how to finish it! I don't know what it misses!" He continues, his voice clearly showing how frustrating he finds it.

"Oh... I don't know." I reply, not knowing what else to say. I don't know what I expected to hear, but not this. I think the song is beautiful, and I really don't see that it lacks something. But well, he's the expert here. And of course an incurable perfectionist!

"Do you think I can help?" I ask

"I'm sure you can in some way. Maybe you can come up with something genius, maybe you can inspire me to do it." He says with a little smile, causing me to smile too.

"Then let's go take a look at it!" I say and pecks him shortly on the lips before taking his hand and leading him to the recording-room.

When we get there, I start the song, and we both sit in silence and listen. I can almost see Michael's brain working, he's thinking really hard about it! I just sit here, listening, trying to hear what he hears. To see what it is that this song needs to be complete. When it ends, Michael immediately starts it over, and we listen once more.

When it ends the second time, he just sits there. He looks like he's close to an idea, but can't really get a grip on it.

"Maybe... Maybe there should be some kind of intro..." He mumbles, before starting the song over once again. This time though, he just listens to the first 20 seconds before starting it from the beginning again. He does this three times, while I just sit in my chair, as quiet as possible to not break his concentration.

"Yes. Yes, I think that's what it needs. An intro of some kind!" He says, looking to me with a big smile.

"Good idea" I answer, smiling back at him. I really didn't hear anything wrong with the song, but a good intro would certainly suit it.

"You could... You could make it like a message. You know, to your fans." I say.

"Not a bad idea... But it gotta match the song!" He replies

"I have... Well, I have read some of the things they say about you" I tell him, blushing a bit. Most of it was really cute and sweet, but I came by some pretty naughty stuff too. He looks questioning at me, asking me to continue. "You know how much they love you, and it seems like every one of them feels a personal connection to you. They write stories about you, Michael. You and them. It's very cute, and very often love stories."

"Yes, I know. I have seen a bit of it too" He answers, his face not showing if any of what he has seen was... inappropriate... "And I love them too, you know that"

"Yes, I do. But my point is: Why don't you give them a love story!" I say with an excited smile. An idea is taking form in my head, and I think he will like it.

"What do you mean?" He asks, looking like he has a pretty good idea of what I mean.

"I mean that you should make it like a message to someone you love, and let them all hear it like you're talking to them. Make it a message of love from you to them!"

"And with love you of course means like, romantic love. Matching the song" He thinks out loud, before adding enthusiastic: "I like this! It's gonna be good!"

"Yes, it is" I say, laughing at his excitement. He grabs a piece of paper and starts writing something, but just a moment after he crosses it out and starts over again. After writing about four lines, he crosses that over too.

"No. It doesn't work like this" he mumbles. "It has to come from the heart". He turns over to look at me. "Gry, do you remember the most romantic thing I have said to you?"

"Uhm..." I just say, all of sudden totally blank. I hate that, but unfortunately it happens to me a lot. That thing where you of course have a thousand things to say, but then when someone asks, you suddenly don't remember a single one of them. I try to think systematically through my memories with Michael, when one suddenly pops into my head.

"Yes! I actually think I do!" I exclaim happily. He looks at me with curiosity, gesturing to me to continue:

"It was shortly after I moved in with you here." I begin, closing my eyes to imagine to story. "I had had a really bad day, and I was pretty down about my appearance and stuff. You hadn't had the best day either, someone had said something rude, I think. But you just helped me, told me that I was perfect just as me. It got me feeling so much better! But it was only when we went to bed that night, sleeping beside each other for one of the first times, that you said it. You were really tired, but you just looked at me with this look of happiness in your eyes. You seemed so happy, so satisfied with just looking at me. You were caressing my cheek with one of your hands, playing with my hair with the other. And then... then you said it. Do you remember?" I open my eyes and ask him the last.

"Yes, I think I do..." He says, not sounding very sure about it. I smile at him, for then to recite his exact words from that day:

I just want to lay next to you for a while

Y

ou look so beautiful tonight!

Your eyes are so lovely

Your mouth is so sweet

A lot of people misunderstand me

That's because they don't know me at all

I just wanna touch you

And hold you

I need you!

God, I need you

I love you so much!

After the first line, I can see that he remembers. After three, I know he knows the words. At line six he starts saying it with me. He takes my hand and kisses it, just like he had done that night.

"Yeah. I think that's one of the most romantic things you've ever said to me." I say, and he just smiles.

"Then we're gonna use that. It matches the song really good too!" He answers.

"It sure does" I say

"And... They are gonna be happy to hear it, don't you think?" He asks me

"Oh yes they are! Just like me"