Being with Michael: Part 1 (Book Two)

Chapter Thirty Three

Chris rushes to her, "Paige! Hey! It's Chris. That's Mike on TV for the performance. Don't worry, he's leaving to come for you!"

Paige is still waking up, she can't move much and she's groggy.

She looks at Chris and tries to move her head in a shaking motion, but she's too weak.

Chris asks worried, "What's wrong? What's hurting you?"

Paige moves her lips around slowly before she's able to make out a whisper, "No."

Chris is confused, "No? No what? You gotta give me a clue here!"

Paige closes her eyes and opens them again.

She's still highly medicated and it's difficult to do anything, let alone talk.

She slowly lifts up her finger a little to the TV.

She can slowly make out, "He... can't... leave."

Chris looks back at the TV, "You mean Michael? Michael can't leave?"

Paige uses all her energy to make a tiny nod.

Chris understands, "You want him to finish?"

Paige closes her eyes as if to signal a yes.

Chris whips out his phone, "Katherine, Paige woke up."

He listens, "She's fine, I think. But look, she doesn't want Mike to leave. She wants him to finish the show."

Katherine isn't really surprised, "That sounds like her. Let me catch Michael."

Katherine is able to stop Michael with her arm as he's running out and he looks at her shocked.

She says, "Paige is awake, Michael."

He freezes.

He missed it.

He wasn't there for her.

Katherine hands him the phone and Michael stares at it before he's able to hold it up to his ear, "Hello?"

Chris sighs in relief, "Mike, she's awake. She's fine, I'm here with her. Look, she doesn't want you to come. She wants you to finish the show."

All Michael can hear is a blur.

He makes out in a plea, "Let me talk to her."

Chris replies, "I can't do that. She's still drugged she can barely whisper. But she can see you on TV. And she wants you to get your ass back out there and finish the show so she can watch. Can you do that, Mike?"

Michael's frozen.

He can't think straight.

He feels like he let Paige down.

He is finally able to look out onto the stage and think.

He resists the urge to ignore Chris and dart to his love's side, "Yeah... Yeah, I can do that."

Chris exclaims, "Thank God! Now get back out there and finish this show for Paige!"

Michael nods and whimpers, "Tell her I love her for me, Chris. Tell her I love her."

Michael hears Chris say, "Paige? Michael says he loves you and he's going to finish the show for you so we can watch him."

Chris says into the phone, "She gave me what she could of a smile. She probably wants me to tell you she loves you too. But that's me speaking, for all I know she hates you."

Michael chuckles, "Shut up, Chris."

Chris laughs, "Hey, I got you to laugh!"

Michael hangs up and pauses to think.

He knows Paige is waiting for him to walk out onto that stage.

He gathers himself up and looks up as he starts walking back out.