Stay the Night

Chapter 68

March 12th, 2005

"You saw what?"

Michael peeked at Nina through his fingers. "The girl was on her knees eating her out,"

He invited his two friends over to vent about the events at home for the last few days. It would give him a much-needed chance to blow off some steam without clashing with Mariah or dealing with Karrin's increasing neediness. Between his trial, his kids, and his women, the man needed a break.

Nina glanced at Dawn before taking a large sip from her wine glass.

"Well?" Dawn smirked at Nina. "I'm waiting,"

Nina huffed. "You were right,"

Michael raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"When we first met you guys," Dawn started. "I told Nina that Mariah was tripping my gaydar--"

"Please stop," Nina closed her eyes in irritation.

"--and I said 'babe, she's bi. I can feel it!' and Nina was like 'Oh Dawn stop it' and look, I was right,"

Michael leaned back in his chair while Nina took another swig of her drink. He was intrigued by Dawn's observations.

"So you thought Mariah was bi all this time?"

Dawn nodded. "Uh, yeah. I just never knew if I was going to see my theory come to life since you had the girl on lock all these years before you decided to fuck it all up,"

"Wouldn't be the first time I managed to fuck it all up," Michael commented bitterly.

Nina and Dawn exchanged a glance.

"Michael, how are you really?" Nina asked quietly. "I feel such a deep sadness in you. I know the trial is probably weighing on you pretty heavy, but there's something else,"

He sighed, hesitant to open up to the woman. He was still a little stung from their last encounter, but he could sense her genuine concern. "I'm not okay,"

He rested his chin in his hand. "It just feels like everything I worked for has been destroyed and it's all my fault,"

Nina rubbed his shoulder. "I mean, you were trying to help a sick kid. You didn't know he was a little shit,"

Michael shook his head, noticing that Nina didn't quite understand what he was referring to. "If you had told me that on that day in May all the way back in 1990, and I bumped into that shy girl at Sony, that we would've ended up here, I would've walked the other way,"

Dawn frowned. "You regret meeting Mariah?"

"For her sake," He added. "I ruined that woman's life. I've been seeing her walking around the house with Natalie, I don't think I've ever seen her that happy since we've been married. We were that happy once, back before she lost the baby,"

It hurt to admit it. There was so much life in her eyes, the vivacious young woman he'd met and craved to see had returned. He watched her glow under Natalie's gentle gaze. Whatever Natalie was giving, it was something he could never compete with.

"What baby?" Nina asked.

Michael sighed. "We had a son, his name was Prince. She miscarried,"

"Mike..." Dawn murmured.

Michael continued. "We haven't been happy together since that day,"

"Well, you can't blame yourself for the miscarriage," Nina reasoned. "Those things--"

"Not the miscarriage," He shook his head. "Everything after though? There are some things that she should've never forgiven, but she did. I saw it in her eyes when she tried to forgive me, that light had died. The love died. Her innocence. Dead. Her eyes were dead. She was trying for me. The best thing I can do is let her go, and that hurts like Hell,"