New Beginnings VIII

“Diane…Diane, where are you?” He mumbled in fear as he tried to move.

The knee in the small of his back felt like a log, and his lungs burned hotly in reaction to the wind being knocked from them when he hit the wall. Trying to breathe, his coughing racked his body, and tears filled his eyes fogging over the ski goggles he had put on while searching through Lexi’s closet for her clothes. “I told you don’t move. I promise you, I am a perfect shot.” Michael shuddered out of fear and tried to speak, “Please I am only…” “Shut up, just save it…creep.” He turned his face into the carpet and took a long deep breath, praying that something or someone would save him from the nightmare that had just invaded his life.

The slamming of the front door ricocheted through the house and he could hear the rustling of cabinets being opened and closed in the kitchen and Lexi’s television being turned on in the living room. The person on top of him shouted out to their accomplices in Spanish and he was unable to understand them, which added to his heightened state of panic. Alright Mister…I have somebody to help me now, and they are on the way.” Coughing once more, he tried to control his fear, hoping that whoever had attacked him would leave soon. Footsteps approached and soon a high pitched screech hit his ears. Among the panic he heard another step of footsteps run toward him, “Tio Michael…Tio Michael, Mommy what are you doing to Tio Michael?”

Tiny arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders and a sloppy wet mouth kissed his cheek. “Junior what are you talking abo…oh my god, it’s MICHAEL!” He felt the pressure release off of his back and the metal disappeared from his neck. “Bernadette, Que Pasa? Why are you hurting Michael, and a gun? Put it away, you have the baby here with us. This is not the barrio.” Sally Garcia knelt down beside Michael and helped him sit up, as Bernadette checked the safety and put it high in the bedroom closet where Junior couldn’t reach it.

Michael sat up and removed the goggles and wiped his eyes with his shaking hands. “Tio Michael, you OK? You don’t look so good.” Junior sat in front of Michael and patted his leg reassuringly. “I don’t know; your Mom scared me.” Michael gave Bernadette a thorough once over while she sheepishly sat down on Lexi’s bed. What he saw in front of him was a tougher version of Lexi, taller, more muscular, with dark…almost black hair. He remembered her voice in his ear being deep and strong, as strong as her body slam was.

Bernadette saw his profound eyes surveying her and she looked down quickly at the floor, “I’m sorry; this is not the way I wanted to meet you. I thought you were a burglar, I um…understood that she was single again.” Surveying the room he stood up on shaky legs, “I should go…I don’t want to be in the way. Lexi didn’t mention you were coming home. Junior, son…I will see you soon, OK?” He pulled off Lexi’s coat and ski hat and Bernadette’s mouth fell open finally seeing him standing in front of her. “Mich…Michael, she didn’t know. It is a surprise, I have leave till December and I wanted to surprise her. Please stay here with us, we brought lots of food and we just want to celebrate together. That means you too.” Pausing at the bedroom door, Michael looked around at their earnest faces. His lungs still burned and his back was killing him, but something told him to stick around and wait for Lexi. Junior’s bright smile finally won him over and he nodded slightly, “Alright, yeah….that sounds good. I have wanted to meet you, Lexi talks about you a lot.” Running to him, Junior grabbed his legs and hugged him tight. “Yay, Tio Michael…Let me show you my new movie, it has a scarecrow and a lion in it.” Michael was pulled down the hallway before he was able to finish speaking to Bernadette, but secretly he was happy to have a loving family around him. Even if Lexi’s sister could beat him up.

Shifting his aching back against the pillows of the couch, Michael watched as Junior sat enraptured by Dorothy, Toto and the Scarecrow as they set off to find a brain and a way back to Kansas. The irony that this particular movie was picked out by Lexi’s nephew was not lost on him as he tried to clear his head from all the day’s events. Like the scarecrow, his own brain was still cloudy from being unconscious and the odd flashback that had occurred during the brief time he was out. He was surprised how vivid it all had been, so real, and so sensuous. Why did he think of Diane…god that woman, still haunting him even now? Hadn’t he made it clear to her and to himself that it was over, OVER! Yet she still had some kind of magical, mesmerizing hold on him, one that seemed to keep sneaking through, even to his subconscious. He kept running over it again and again through his mind and he didn’t understand why he could so vividly remember his first time. Thinking about it now, still felt like it had just happened yesterday.

Michael came out of his daze to see Junior staring at him with the movie on pause, “Tio, Gramma says you were the scarecrow once. Is it true?” Tilting his head slightly he smiled at the young boy, “It is, it has been a long time ago now but I was lucky enough to be the scarecrow.” Junior considered the piece of information very carefully before replying, “What happened to your straw?” Smiling broadly Michael pulled him close and gave him a hug, “No…It was a movie like this one, and just as magical. We sang and danced and all my friends were there. One day we can go to The Ranch and we will watch it together, would you like that?” Junior nodded happily and scampered back in front of the television to continue watching the rest of the video and Michael stood up and glanced out the living room window. Cautiously he looked for the press or fans, but he hoped Lexi would be home soon, he really missed her.

“Mom, I thought they broke up. What is going on? I could have killed him a while ago. I am so embarrassed.” Bernadette was adding water to her chili powder, Manteca and flour while talking to her mother. “Mija, watch it…don’t let it burn. Aye, you have been in that desert too long it has made you forget how to make sauce.” Sally turned down the glass top range and handed her daughter a bigger spoon and continued, “I don’t know, I talked to her two days ago and she was all sad about him. Now today…here he is. You will have to ask her when she gets here Bernie. Look around, it must say something about the way he feels about her, que no?” Eyeing her Mother suspiciously Bernadette added the rest of the spices to the sauce. “Then why didn’t you move in here?” Moving through the kitchen Sally pulled down the plates and glasses out of the cabinets, “Let that thicken for about ten minutes then we will make the enchiladas.”

“Did you say enchiladas?” Michael stood at the kitchen entrance watching the women work. “Yes, do you like them? Bernadette asked from the stove. “Are you kidding? I LOVE them; cheese enchiladas are my favorite…right after KFC.” His face was shining and she could see why Lexi was intrigued with him as she stirred the sauce and casually took in the superstar that stood before her. “Michael, you should show Bernie the apartment, before it gets too dark out.” Michael’s eyes lit up and he moved towards Bernadette, “Here, come with me. Let me show you. You will love it.” Bernadette left the spoon resting in the sauce and allowed Michael to pull her out the patio doors and towards the pool. “Where are we going?” She asked as they walked around the new potted plants Lexi had placed around the pool. “Look, don’t you love it.” Michael stopped her in front of the converted pool house and waited for her response. “It is very cute, but I don’t understand.” Bernie looked around and then back waiting for him to clue her in on what he was talking about. “This is for you and Junior to live in when you get home. You know, so you can get on your feet again when you get out of the Air Force.” Her face turned red and she put her hand over her mouth, “What? Are you kidding me? I was planning on going back to my Mom’s!” Michael pulled on her arm again and opened the door, “Come on, and let’s go check it out. It’s great.”

Lexi spotted her Mom’s old car in the driveway and parked beside it. She momentarily rested her head against the seat knowing that her Mother and Michael had been in the same room together. Assuming it had been a shock to find him in the house, she was sure they must have had words. Sally had been so upset after they way he treated her at the hotel. Although Lexi didn’t tell her Mother all the details; she had told her that he had been sick and after taking care of him for almost a week he basically pushed her out of his life. Sally had driven over many nights talking to and comforting her daughter but decided in the long run that she wanted to stay in East LA, it was her home and where she had raised her family. She did, however, beg Lexi to not take him back if he called…and now here they were together in the same house, ALONE!

“Hi Junior, where is your Gramma?” Lexi tossed her keys and handbag on the side table by the living room and kissed Junior on the head. “In the kitchen.” He never moved from in front of the flying monkeys as they zoomed off to find Dorothy. “Mija, I am in here. Help me with this tray.” Sally was trying to balance two hot trays of enchiladas without dropping them. “Mom, what are you doing…two at a time? Mira!” Grabbing some pot holders she took one of the trays and set it on the wire rack that Sally had set out earlier. “Junior, head to the baño, lavas las manos. It’s time to eat.” Lexi washed her own hands and set the table, nervously wondering where Michael was. Finally she couldn’t wait any longer and asked her Mother, “Mom, why haven’t you said anything yet?” The long drawn out sigh could be heard across the kitchen as Sally gathered the beans and rice and brought them to the table. “Alexis, would it make a difference if I did? You are going to do want you want,. You always have.” Pausing as she set the table up she looked at her Mom, “So do you think I am making a mistake?” “I think you should probably go talk to him; he is out in the apartment. Hurry, dinner will get cold.”

Walking quickly she was excited to see him after such a long day at school. She was also worried about what happened when he confronted Jermaine at their Mother’s earlier, so she was really ready to talk to him. Seeing the door open she bounced through with a huge greeting on her lips and was caught cold in her tracks as she saw him wrapped in the arms of another woman. His back was to her but that was NO innocent looking hug she was witnessing from the arms that were wrapped around him so tightly. Incredulously she watched as he planted a tiny kiss on top of the woman’s head and gave her a tight squeeze. Clearing her throat she spoke, “Excuse me, Michael I am home.” Lexi’s acid delivery could not be missed as the two seemed to stop in mid-motion. Michael slowly turned to Lexi, “I have a surprise for you.” “Yeah apparently you do Michael, apparently you do.!” Lexi could feel the jealous fire start to build in her gut and tighten in her jaw as he reached around to pull the woman into view. “You know he is really not my type big sister, I like my men with some meat on their bones.”The look on Lexi’s face caused Michael to jump up and squeal in delight. Her mouth had fallen open and her anger was gone, and in its place was pure and utter joy.

Lexi ran into her sisters arms and hugged her as tight as she could. Grasping her face in her hands she looked her deep in the eyes, “It’s you, it’s really you!” Bernadette hugged her back tightly, “Yes, it’s me, surprise.” Michael watched on almost embarrassed at the intimate encounter he was witnessing. Bernie shook Lexi slightly, “Don’t cry Lexi, dammit, don’t cry. I swear if you make me cry I am going to beat you up.” “She can do it too.” Michael added wryly laughing at his joke. Wiping her eyes Lexi pulled away and stared at Michael wondering why he would have made such an odd statement. “Listen dinners ready, Mom sent me out here to get Michael…I had no idea. Oh my god!” “I am starving for Mom’s enchiladas, Come on…lets go!”

Bernadette walked hastily towards the house leaving Michael and Lexi behind. “You were really mad weren’t you?” Michael smiled at her and took her in his arms. “Don’t! Don’t you dare, it’s not the same as Antoine.” Lexi laid her head on his chest and breathed in his warm fragrance. “It’s not? You felt it right, all hot and twisted in your stomach?” Michael pulled her chin up and kissed her softly and continued, “Imagine watching someone kiss you like this.” Moving his lips powerfully against hers he found her eager tongue and they joined together as one. Reaching up he pulled her hair down and ran his hands through its softness. “Damn girl, I don’t want to go in there right now. You’re my all you can eat buffet, and there is dessert waiting.” Slowly he slid his fingers down the front of her pants and felt her already wet womanhood spring to life. Moving in slow circles he watched as her eyes became glazed over and her breathing rose and fell in quick bursts. “Michael, we..we, mmm. They are waiting for us.” She ground her hips against his hand and closed her eyes as he continued to touch her so pleasurably. “OK, come on girl. Let’s go eat, and then you have to find a way to be alone with me.” Michael withdrew his hand and slowly brought it to his lips and sucked it free of all her juices. “Appetizer…” he said seductively as they left the apartment and made their way into the house.

Michael excused himself to make some phone calls and take a shower after dinner while the ladies cleaned up. “Mom, go sit with Junior and we will go when the dishes are picked up.” Bernadette shooed her Mom out of the kitchen so she could talk to Lexi alone…AT LAST! “Alright so tell me everything, how did this happen?” Shaking her head Lexi scrubbed on the pans and tried to find the words to describe what had happened since her sister had been away. “I don’t know. Just one night, there he was on the freeway and well, we have been together pretty much since then.” Taking the pan from her hand Bernadette looked over her shoulder to make sure they were alone, “Does he love you Lex?” Closing the dishwasher door Lexi replied, “As much as he can, he loves me. I am not a fool Bernie.” Bernadette’s eyes widened, “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Is he with somebody else? Tell me now, I swear to god…I will go in there and kick his ass again.” “What are you talking about, what did you do to him?” Lexi’s eyes sparked with fire and she stared at her sister intently. “Well we didn’t really meet each other under the best of circumstances. Lexi please don’t be mad…promise me?” Bernie stepped forward and grabbed Lexi by the hands. “What did you do Bern, what happened.” With a sigh and a roll of her eyes Bernadette answered her, “When we came in the house, I saw him standing by your closet and I thought he was a burglar so I body slammed him. It knocked him out for a few minutes.” Lexi tried to break free of Bernadette’s grasp but she just pulled her back. “I can’t believe you did that. How can you not tell its Michael Jackson standing there? How stupid Bernie.” “Oh no, no… you don’t go blaming me for all this. That crazy boyfriend of yours was standing there wearing your ski coat and hat AND your goggles. How was I supposed to know it was him?” Lexi got a puzzled look on her face and stopped fighting, “Really? Well was he OK?” Tapping her foot slightly and not meeting Lexi in the eye she said, “Yeah, he was after I took my knee out of his back and my .38 off of his neck.” Lexi’s face turned bright red and she backed up, “You pulled a gun on him in MY house? My god he is not from the barrio Bernie, he must have been terrified. What have you done?” Bernadette shook her head and leaned against the counter, “I apologized to him Lex, that’s what you saw in the apartment. He was accepting my apology.” Looking down she noticed that her hands were shaking at the thought of Michael being on the floor like that. “I am so embarrassed; I can’t believe that happened to him. This…this house he bought it for me, for our family. He shouldn’t be attacked in it.” “I know, please forgive me. It is just hard to change gears and I saw a stranger standing in your bedroom. I just reacted. Being home, back…back here again, is strange.” Lexi looked at her Sister thoughtfully and finally reached out and gave her a hug. “I should check on him Bernie.” “Lexi, there’s one more thing.” The tone in Bernadette’s voice changed and Lexi felt a feeling of foreboding overwhelm her, “When he came around, he ah…um…he ah, was calling somebody’s name.” Lexi felt the tears form in her eyes already knowing the answer, “Was it Hunter?” She hoped against hope that she might be wrong. Sensing Lexi’s change in mood Bernie softly whispered, “No Lex…it was Diane.” “Ok, mmm hmm, ok…well I should go check on him. Can you guys let yourselves out then? Lexi didn’t wait for her answer and pushed past her sister and walked into the bedroom to wait for Michael.

Michael was wrapped in a bath towel propped up on the bed when Lexi entered the room. He greeted her with his usual generous smile and continued the conversation, “No John, I am telling you…it’s not going to be a problem. The premiere is after The Simpsons and my fans will love it.” Getting her t-shirt and panties from her drawer she left him to his conversation and took a shower. The words her sister had told her kept ringing in her head…”No Lex…it was Diane.” Unexpectedly the hot tears fell from her eyes and she buried her face in her hands, her mind raced back to the hotel and the words he spoke in anger to her while they were making love.

“How dare you leave me again, how dare you. I won’t let you Diane, I won’t let you”

How could she even fight against something or someone that was such a part of him? He had never even mentioned her in a conversation but now it seemed like she was hovering over their lives like a shadowy phantom.

Trying to pull herself together she washed her face, shampooed her hair and scrubbed down her body with her favorite cleanser that smelled of fresh berries. By the time she blow dried her hair she thought she could finally handle being alone with him.

“I don’t think there is anything else to discuss, I have plans tomorrow Landis. Just do the final edits we decided on, to the morphing and it should be good. Listen…I got to go…something just came up. I will talk to you tomorrow. Yeah….Ok, John, trust me, with this…alright. I have to go.” Michael hung up the phone as Lexi laid down with her back to him and turned off the lamp on her side of the bed. He pulled off the towel and threw it down on the floor and slid over close so he could plant a gentle kiss on the top of her shoulder. “I’m glad you came out, I didn’t think he would ever stop talking.” Lexi remained frozen in her spot not responding to his touch. Michael slowly slid his lips down her shoulder towards the back of her neck where he finally buried his face in her hair. “God you smell so good, I could devour you.” Reflexively she pulled her shoulder away from him and curled up in a ball. “Hey…what is going on with you? Lexi…look at me.” Michael rose up upon his elbow and waited for her to respond. Keeping her eyes tightly closed she silently prayed that the tears wouldn’t come but she was quickly losing hope. His long fingers found her chin and he pulled her face around to look at him, “What is wrong with you?” Her puffy red eyes met his as a lone tear spilt out towards her pillow, “Michael, it hurts me so much that you are in love with another woman.” He stared at her dumbfounded not knowing what to say or what to do…what was she even talking about? “Baby, what…what are you saying? I love you, don’t you know that?” Rolling back over to face the wall she said, “Michael, Bernadette told me what happened today. She told me what you said when you woke up.” Stacking the pillows up against the headboard he sat up and folded his arms, “Lexi, she scared the hell out of me. When I came to I didn’t know what was going on or where I was for a little while. Would you care to explain what SHE said I did that has you so upset.” Lexi could hear the annoyance in his voice so she wiped her eyes and sat up and faced him. “She said when you first woke up that you were calling out for Diane, Michael.”

A long silence filled the room as he contemplated her words, when he did not respond Lexi leapt from the bed and ran to the closet to pull on her sweats and leave. Realizing what she was doing Michael also jumped up and headed her off before she made it and got dressed, “No, it’s not like that Lexi. Please…please don’t go crazy.” Huge tears ran down her face as she tried to get around him, “Just let me go Michael, please I need to get away.” Pounding her fists on his chest, she sank to her knees gasping for air. Michael bent down and cupped her face in his hands, “Don’t, girl…I haven’t, we haven’t. It’s been over a long time…I love you.” He tried to kiss her face and she pushed him away practically slapping him, “Michael…don’t you dare tell me that. When…oh god. When you went crazy at the hotel and had your way with me on the table…Michael you called me Diane! Do you even remember? Do you even care?” Shocked he sat back on his heels and stared at Lexi, could he had been is such a state that he would have hurt her like that? “Diane, Diana…she is in my past girl, you are my future, don’t you understand. Lexi, I haven’t seen her in a year. “Did you sleep with her then Michael?” Lexi’s question hung between them unanswered, the heavy silence ticking away with the pounding of her heart. Finally he whispered, “She’s married Alexis, she is with her husband and her children.”

“You should go Michael; I think you should just go.” Lexi stood up and made her way to the bed again curling up in the same fetal position. Michael still remained where she left him except his head was resting on his hand as his own tears filled his eyes. Damn her, damn Diana. How could she reach out of nowhere and ruin such a beautiful thing. How could she keep doing it to him, she truly was a black widow but he couldn’t let her ruin this relationship like she had the others.

Walking over to her, he sat down and stroked her hair, “Lexi ever since I met you I have been faithful to you, with my body, my heart and my soul. I guess I can’t control what my mind does when I am not in command of all my faculties…but I promise you, I love you and all I can ask is for you to believe me.” He lightly traced his finger over her eyebrow and down the bridge of her nose to the line of her lips. Slowly her eyes rose up and met his as she reached up and took his hand, “Do you love her Michael?” Closing his eyes he thought about her question, “I won’t lie to you Alexis, I do….I always will, but it is over. There are not enough hours in the day to tell you about the water under that bridge.” Rolling over on her back she looked up at him beseechingly, “I don’t know what to do Michael, I want to believe you. But I can remember seeing you guys together, you adore her. It was so obvious.” Michael nodded his head, “Yes you are right, so right, but Lexi…can’t you see me looking at you the same way girl?”

“Let me hold you Alexis. I want to show you how much I care.” Michael bent down and brushed his lips down the center of her cleavage. “Do you believe me when I tell you I love you?” he softly whispered in her ear and lightly licked down her neck tempting her to respond with her desire. “I do…ah Michael, you know I do.” Her head tilted back to allow his lips free access to her neck and a tiny sigh escaped her mouth as he kissed her tenderly. Lying on top of her he found her mouth and gently kissed her. “Trust me baby, I want you…so much.” Feeling her tongue reach out, he parted his lips and felt her softness entwine with his. Instantly he felt his body come alive with passion for her, he was filled with desire and he couldn’t wait to feel her melt around him. Pulling off her tank top he couldn’t help but take a moment and gaze upon her body in wonder, “God, you’re so beautiful Lex…look at you. You are like a golden piece of art to me. Just perfect.” Their eyes met sensuously as he took her nipple between his lips and agonizingly sucked on it slowly. Bringing the swollen flat surface quickly to a hard point under his mouth, she grasped his head in her hands moaning and gasping for air. Flattening out his tongue he covered the area between her breasts eventually capturing her other nipple between his teeth, while flicking it gently. Her moans of desire began to rise and her hands searched his body, moving and searching …begging to be released from the sweet torture he was inflicting upon her. As she found his hardened shaft she felt his body jerk back and resist her, “Wait baby, not yet. I want to pleasure you. I want to prove to you…” “No Michael, prove it to me now, be inside me…all of you” Michael removed her panties, and returned to her with fresh kisses for her stomach and thighs. Waiting to feel him enter her she arched her back towards him but he only made her wait, while he took her hand and together they began to circle her center. “Look at you, god you are so sexy laying there. How could I not fall in love with you Alexis?” Her wide eyes searched his face but she begged him for more, “Michael please, make love to me.” Moving again on top of her he gradually entered her until he could no longer push forward. Her walls were so tight they squeezed him hard and he had to stop his motion to keep from instantly coming. Beginning his roll he moved up on his elbows and looked in her face, “Is this what you wanted girl, tell me? Did you think I wouldn’t want to be with you?” Nails grabbed his shoulders and dug in tightly as he pushed in to her wet chasm. “I want you; I always want…oh, yes….mmm damn.” Lexi moved against him and struggled to keep up with his passionate pace. He looked down upon her with furrowed brows as the sweat began to bead up on his forehead. Tiny loops of a figure eight pattern emerged from his body rolls as he thrust faster into her waiting arms. Rising up on his knees he pulled her towards him and wrapped her legs around his waist, and she rose to sit on top of him. Feeling him fully stretched out inside her caused her to moan and he caught her as she fell forward, “See, see how much I care girl…you have me. Right here, right now, every single inch of me. Take me, take all of me.” Thrusting up into her he could feel it was so close and he was struggling to hang on for her orgasm when suddenly he felt her rush of wetness gush down upon his manhood. Looking in her face he saw her ecstasy, her joy and her love. Unable to contain himself he pushed one final time with a giant moan of satisfaction and exploded inside of her. Thrusting over and over until he was depleted and unable to hold them both up any longer.

Falling back upon the bed he held her close until she opened her eyes and gazed into his, “I love you Michael…I always will.” Holding her close he whispered lovingly to her. “I love you too Alexis…and I always will.”

Minutes later the phone rang and Lexi handed it to Michael, “its Miko, he needs to talk to you.” With a roll of his eyes Michael took the receiver and with annoyance in his voice said, “M…I told you I was unreachable for the rest of the evening, what is so urgent? Mmm hmm, I see. I will just have to contact ‘em in the morning. Thank you for the call. Yes, that is what I want you to tell ‘em. Ok then…G’night.” He handed the receiver back to Lexi and pulled her tight. “Is everything alright babe? She asked. “Yes, it will be.” He stated emphatically…wondering why Diana had called him so late at night and nearly a year after he told her it was over for good.

To be continued…..

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Where making it passionate is what we urge you to do everyday. Life is too short...sing, dance, play and most of all L.O.V.E.