Chapter 3 -- Wedding Proposal
That night, I stayed in the pool house with Michael. We didn't do anything but snuggle all night. All he seemed to want to do was hold me. I can only imagine what he was going through. His whole world must feel like it fell apart. I know mine did when my parents were killed. When morning came I went with him to see his mother. She was a wreck and heavily sedated. They had us sitting in some patio chairs around a table with an umbrella to keep the sun off, in a glass enclosed deck with lots of beautiful plants, trees, and flowers surrounding a cycling waterfall.
"Hi mom. How are they treating you? Do you have everything you need?" Michael said to his mother in a very non-enthusiastic voice.
"I'm fine. They are treating me much better than I deserve. I murdered your father. I can't believe you are here. Why would you want to be around me? You should hate me." Mrs. Angel wept franticly.
"It was self defense mother. He could have killed you or stuck you in the hospital again. This is why I intervened so much. I tried to prevent this from happening, but neither of you would listen. I love you mom. I loved dad too. WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE LISTENED TO ME when he was still alive? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that just now. As I said, I loved you both. You focus on getting better. By the way, this is Ellen, the girl I have been telling you and dad about that dad kept saying wasn't real that I was just making her up." he told her as he put my hand in his and his other arm around my shoulders pulling me closer. "I'm thinking of asking her to marry me, with yours and her blessing mother."
"Oh Michael. My boy. I'm so proud of you. She would be a fool to say no. You'll say yes won't you dear?"
"Michael, I didn't know you felt this strongly. I had no idea. I'm not ready to get married yet. Don't take this as a no though. I want to get to know you before I rush into marriage. We haven't even dated yet. I do love you very much. Please don't be mad at me. I'm sorry, Mrs. Angel, I must be fool, I can't marry him right now. Maybe later, if you are willing to wait Michael." Was my answer. "Excuse me. I need to go. I have somewhere I need to be. You go ahead and spend some more time with your mother, Michael. She needs you." I immediately got up and went out and called myself a taxi. I was so embarrassed. I didn't want to face him after that. I knew I would have too when he got back to the house that night. At least that is what I thought.
Michael never did come home that night. Instead, he called me and told me he was going to stay at his parents house, and keep the place up till his mother could get out of the hospital. I knew that I must have hurt him real bad, or maybe he was just as embarrassed as I was. I went upstairs to the bathroom, took all my cloths, and crawled into a sudsy hot bath.
The next morning was a beautiful clear day. I decided to work in the small vegetable garden that Michael planted right beside my house, just before you start off for the pool house, which was only about 10 yards or more away from the house. I walked through the rows and pulled the weeds out of the rows. After I was finished, I placed the water sprinkler out to water the garden. Just as I was finishing, Michael drove up on his bike.
"I said I was going to stay at my parents. I didn't think you would fire me already."
"You aren't fired. I'm not even angry with you for wanting to stay at your parents' house. I figured you were angry with me for telling you "No" to your marriage proposal."
"No. I don't know what I was thinking. I care about you. I don't want you to feel rushed into."
"I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your mother."
"No, no. You didn't embarrass me. I embarrassed me. Mom set me straight though. She told me that you are quite a catch, that you did say that you weren't exactly saying no, and that you will eventually say yes, as long as I don't make the same mistakes as my father. She said if I learned anything from her and dad, that she hopes that I learned how not to treat a woman. She said, that I need to learn patience. She also told me she wished she had learned to listen to the advice I had given before everything fell apart." Michael told me as he began looking at the ground appearing very thoughtful. "So did Vladimir try and pull off another appearance last night?"
"Nope."
"Good, because stealing these good looks is a crime."
"Oh.... so you think you are hot huh."
"Well, I don't know about hot. But I am dam good looking."
"Really... How good looking do you think you are?"
"Good enough that you gave your virginity to a ghost that you thought was me."
"I am so going to kick Vladimir's ass. Stealing your good looks wasn't the crime. The crime was taking what was originally meant for you."
"Oh, so you admit it. If he hadn't tricked you into giving it to him, you would have given it to me."
I turned so red as he flirted with me about my embarrassing mistake of identities and at how gorgeous Michael was "I admit that I wanted to have sex with you so bad that I wanted to give it to you that night. I love you with all my heart Michael, and I hate Vladimir for his deceit."
"So what do you say we make amends. Maybe you would like to come into the pool house with me"
"I have a better idea. Why don't you play tag with me?"
"What?"
"This entire estate is completely fenced in. No one is going to see us out here. If you can catch me you can have me."
"I have a better idea."
"Oh, what is that?"
"Let's go swimming. To tell the truth, I'm not an athlete by any means. I just look cool on a bike. I'm actually a flawless nerd who rides a motorcycle with dreadful bit of asthma. I would loose this race fast."
"Are you suggesting skinny dipping?"
"Yes, Yes, yes..."he repeated looking a bit like a goofy clown and a child about to unwrap a candy bar all rolled into one.
"I want to know. Have you ever been with anyone else."
"No."
