http://alexandrarpgstories.blogspot.ca/2017/01/end-of-era-part-1-death-and-lady.html
Michael blows out a breath. "Yea. I'll call in and figure out what's going to happen. I'll be there this afternoon." he blows out a breath. "See you then, John." There's nothing to do now but cut the connection and turn to Stephanie. "Um ... yea ... my ... um ... yea ... Dad's dead...."
Stephanie runs her fingers through Micheal's hair and then pulls his head to her shoulder, hugging him tighter "I know."
Michael leans into her. "I'm really trying to be sad." he repeats what he said earlier. "But .... I'm only sad for mom. I'm not sure if she loved him, but she was with him for more than 40 years." he tightens his jaw. "She might have got out if it weren't for me."
Steph shakes her head "All kinds of women stay in bad relationships, kids or no kids. She was in it after you moved out so it was about more than you. Just be there for each other now."
Michael nods slowly. "Maybe." it was a lot of guilt carried by both he and his brother for a long time. He rests his head against her. "While this is NOT how I planned to ask this question ... I am glad my father died before I asked it...." he pauses and looks up at her with his olive green eyes. "Would you like to meet my mother?"
Stephanie lets her fingers stroke his cheek and down his neck, snuggling into him. When he starts his sentence and then question she silently gasp with a little growing smile. When she hears the words meet my mother she exhales into a little laugh "Damn.....and...uh yes..." she giggles a bit more as it dawns on her how much she was suddenly thinking and hoping it was an entirely different question.
Micheal nods and offers her a small kiss. "Let me grab a shower and get dressed and call this all in. Then we'll go." he moves to get out of bed. "Stephanie...." he begins. "Thanks ... for everything..." he hurries out of the bedroom and a moment later she will hear the shower and perhaps, underneath it, her big strong man sobbing.
Stephanie kisses him back and sighs. This is not the time for her own concerns. She can't even answer his thank you before he's running the shower. Then she hears the crying and frowns. Now her dilemma begins. Is Mike the sort of guy who needs this time alone, or will he want her in there? He did exit, suggesting a choice, but she can't bear it. She quietly walks to the shower and steps in with him, holding him as he sobs with the water soaking them both. If he really wants her to go he can ask and she'll give him the space.
Michael is actually quite shocked when the curtain opens and he is caught by his woman crying in the shower. Then he pulls her close and holds her, hot water beating on his back as he cries himself out. And then he looks at her, sheepishly and reaches for the soap. "Um ... thanks." he scoffs derisively at himself. "You know what I need better than I do." he looks at her for a long time, both of them naked and dripping wet and takes a moment to marvel at how close he is with this woman.
Steph kisses at his face and murmurs "I try...and I promise to keep trying. I'm here for you Mike...and I love you more than anything."
Michael begins to bathe them. A very simple thing ... nothing sexual. "I love you too." he tells her glancing down at her with a half a grin. "Someday I'm going to test that." he warns her. He finishes the shower as fast as he can, then gets out and looks at his face. "I might get in trouble ... but I'm betting John hasn't shaved either." he runs his hand across his beard.
Stephanie can't help but giggle "Well you know my pinching already and you've survived one round...so test away. And you're cute with stubble....I won't comment on your brother that way though." She still in and now quickly conditioning her hair "Do you want me to come with you? I can try and make it work if you do..."
Michael combs his hair as she conditions hers. "I'm cuter than he is with a beard. No contest." he finds his humor. Then he looks towards the shower. "I'd love if you could." he admits. "My mom needs me, but I need you."
Stephanie smiles a bit as she rinsed. She wasn't happy about the situation Mike was in but his saying he needed her made hr heart swell. She steps out of the shower and rings out her hair and then wraps a towel around her head followed by one around her body, taking almost all the towels in the bathroom as was her slightly annoying habit "Ok, I'll make some calls too." She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and makes to walk out of the bathroom.
Michael straightens from the sink and turns to look at her. He never forgot that she was a towel thief, but was adjusting to it. It was one of the reasons he made sure he got out of the shower first and wrapped one around his hips. He grins and heads into the bedroom, putting the sheets and blankets back on the bed, but not making it. Then he sits in the edge of the bed and considers who to call, deciding on India first. He didn't want to NOT tell Ryan, but he also didn't know if he could handle the sympathy of his partner right now. That was a quick convo, with India promising to fees April if she had to. And then he called the Cedar Point Police Department, praying to any god that cared to listen that he was right and Cody had the day off.
Stephanie was on the phone with her mother in the kitchen speaking in Japanese. She had remembered her phone was still down in her purse and decided to make the call down there so she wasn't interrupting Mike and whoever he was talking to. She pulled the towel off her head, drying her hair. Often she would even take a third towel but Micheal had already wrapped it around him. There were never enough towels for her liking anywhere. He home bathroom has at least 6 at all times. She had a hall closet stuffed full of them too, big fluffy glorious towels. Her work and childcare arrangements were easily made with the one call to her mother and she quietly padded back upstairs to look for clothes.
Michael calls it in, taking that day and, he says, possibly the next, depending. Then he starts to dress and, when Stephanie comes back in, he looks at her with a small grin. "OK, India is going to feed April and I am using my personal days." he pauses and slips into a pair of jeans. "You ready for the great adventure?"
Stephanie smiles back, nodding "I'm set for a few days too. I'll just bring the clothes I leave here...should work...." She drops her towel and starts dressing from the small stash she leaves here, pulling on black cotton panties and a black lace bra. She turns to look up at Micheal as she's doing it up in the back "I'll bring the stuff back of course...to sleep here again.."
Michael nods and blinks as Stephanie catches him staring at her as she dresses. "You better." he reaches for a thick sweater. "Cause I'm not taking my clothes back from your place." he puts the sweater on and sits to get his socks on his feet.
Stephanie beams and pulls on a t shirt and a sort of tunic style loose dress over a pair of black leggings. She sits down beside him to pull on her socks as well and says casually "You know one day...we could....live together and have all our stuff in the same place...." She shrugs a bit like she's trying to make it out not to be a big deal even though it really is.
Michael he leaning over to get his socks on and almost topples at Stephanie's words. He saves himself with one hand. "We .... could ...." he speaks very slowly. "But live where?" he waggles his eyebrows and gets the other sock on. "Your place or mine?"
Stephanie smiles and shrugs "I dunno yet. Maybe mine because of Tris.....your place is so nice though. I'd hate to ask you to leave it.....anyways we'll drive and think about it....not a decision for today. I probably shouldn't even be getting into it right now with you."
Michael gets up and moves to her side, siting beside her and taking her hand. "Yours because of Tris." he agrees. "And ... today is the PERFECT day to get into it, Stephanie. Maybe no other man in the world, but me? Hell yea!" he chuckles. "As a matter of fact ... I was thinking of something myself ... he leans back and gets his wallet. "Now hear me out." he warns, going inside of it. "I designed this and I want it tattooed over my heart. Granted, it's no engagement ring, but ... for me, it means a lot. Maybe even more permanent than a piece of jewelry. I was going to bring it up like Valentines day cause its kinds sappy of me ... but ... I could have it done in Alexandra just as well...." he hands her a folded sheet of paper. On it is a Japanese bridge and red maple drawing.
Stephanie looks touched and takes the drawing and then looks completely taken aback "This looks like....." She exhales in a breathy laugh and then meets his eyes again blinking back tears "Our bridge....Mike I love you...."
Michael nods and looks sheepish. "Well .. that's cause it is. The first place I told you I loved you." he strokes her cheek. "And I love you more now, than I did then." he leans in to kiss her.
Stephanie kisses him tearily, sobbing softly into the kiss and throwing her arms around his neck. When she breaks the kiss finally she says "Likewise. We should go...stop being so fucking sappy and awesome or we'll never get out of here." It's only a half joke.
Michael chuckles and hugs her, then stands, putting his wallet in his back pocket. "Yes, dear." he intones. "I'll wait for you downstairs and then we can go. He heads for the door and then turns back. "Oh, by the way .... I'm not giving up the apartment JUST yet. I can keep renting it as our childless escape for a while if you'd like ...." he lets her mull that over, heading downstairs and cuddling April a bit.
Steph does ponder it and packs up her things, heading down to join him "Aww look at you two, so sweet. I don't know why Ryan doesn't like her." Steph scratches April under the chin "You're just a big furry baby....he needs to like those soon." She coos.
Michael watches April eat it up. "I think April adopted India's baby and doesn't want to share with Ryan ... there may be a custody battle." he jokes. "Alright April. No wild parties. No sneaking downstairs. You're only a year and a half old." he slips into his shoes and opens the door to head down to his car for the drive.
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