Distilled

chapter 14

Alice

She never knew what it felt like to wake up in someone's arms. And when that someone likes you as much as you like them. It's like winning the lottery. Mike breathed deeply and sometimes he even purred. I thought it was cute, and I wanted to stay like that all day. After a minute Mike woke up and looked at me, his scrunched face made me want to laugh and I ran my fingers through his hair.

-Good morning, baby.

-Good morning, Mike.

-Aren't you going to tease me about my nickname anymore?

-I don't think so, I'm used to it. I even like it when you call me that.

-I have to talk to my father, he doesn't know we're together.

-You know, we even got married last week and everything.

-He doesn't know that we're really together, I have to tell him, tell everyone, actually.

-Mike, and if they don't like the idea. I have nowhere else to go.

-What makes you think they're going to take you out of this house? Davina is overjoyed that you're here, everyone loves you. Not like me, but they love you. And if there's a problem, I'll steal you for myself. Ready.

-I don't know, Mike.

-You have trust issues, but you have to start trusting us. In me. Then it won't work. We would never do anything to hurt you. And I would never let anything hurt you.

-La comes you with all these promises. We have to go slow. I've never dated anyone, I'm confused and I don't know how to do things. Nothing in the relationship aspect was normal in my life. Never. I want to make it right, start over.

- All right, let's do the following. I talk to my dad this morning and if he thinks I should, I'll tell everyone at lunch. How is everything?

-Since you're not going to give up, that's fine.

-I won't give up anyway, I'm holding back not to make an announcement with a mega phone.

-You fool.

He leaned in to kiss me and I dodged.

-What happened?

-I still haven't brushed my teeth.

-Me neither, the last time you hadn't brushed either. Don't even think it's going to stop me from kissing you.

Michael leaned down and kissed my lips. He forced his way between them with his tongue and I relented. He ran his tongue through my mouth and sucked on my bottom lip, I gasped and pulled away, he bit my cheek and kissed my neck, making me shiver. I held his face and looked into his eyes. He was so happy that it infected me.

-Go there.

-Where?

-Talk to your father.

-Now?

-Yes, before I change my mind.

I kissed his mouth once more and he left the room, I got up and went to take a shower, I put on a striped polo shirt and black denim shorts.

I was so nervous about how Francis would react to the news that I didn't even notice that I had moisturized my hands twice. When I went downstairs for breakfast, I found Davina making pancakes.

- Good morning, Davina.

-Good morning, Alice.

-How was the tour yesterday afternoon?

-It was great. There was a park on the pier and we went on the Ferris wheel twice. The view from up there was wonderful.

-London has a certain charm, doesn't it?

- Absolutely. And how are the party preparations going? Have you got the thousand white doves for me to release at midnight?

-No, that's all we need to complete the list.

We laughed and I helped her set the breakfast table. When everyone came down I looked Michael in the face and he looked normal, I tried to ask him how the conversation went but he didn't even look at me. We sat at the table and he held my hand.

-Mom, I would like to make an announcement. - I got nervous and thought "It's now"

-Then speak, my son, you don't need all this mystery.

-I would like to have a dance with Alice at the birthday party. - I relaxed.

-All right. Any in mind?

-No, not yet, but as we are dating now, I think we should dance to a slow song, which one do you think is better? I choked on my juice and stared at Davina. She wasn't surprised, she just stared at Sophie. Sophie took two pounds out of her pocket and handed it to her.

-I knew you would eventually ask her out on a date.

-And you bet? - Mike made an amused face.

-Yes, what good is knowing something if you can't take advantage of that knowledge?

-You are right.

-And Alice, you will always be considered a daughter to me, but I knew that Michael liked you since childhood. His name and his together were the stars of the school notebooks.

-Oh mom, no. Please. - Said Michael getting red with embarrassment.

-Okay, okay. I stopped. Now seriously, I wish you both all the best.

-Thank you, Davina. Never in my life have I felt special the way you make me feel. I love you. All of you.

-Now that's enough, my pancakes are getting cold, you can eat. Attack.

Davina's pancakes were the best part of Sunday coffee. After breakfast, Mike took me down the street to help him buy something. We walked into the jewelry store and I helped him choose a necklace for his mother. Davina and I had pretty much the same taste, so I picked one thing I wanted to win. It was very expensive and I would never spend money on it, but it was beautiful, yes it was. It was all white gold and small diamonds, and in the middle, a larger heart-shaped one. I went to buy a bottle of water and when I came back, Mike had a bag in his hand, and then we left the store, before we went to the car, Mike took me to a Community Garden. It was wonderfully beautiful and we sat on a stool to admire the beauty of the place.

-How did you know I would love it here?

-You've always had something with plants. Whenever I don't know where you are, I end up finding you in the garden at home, the garden was your first choice for the birthday party, I thought it would be a good place to do what I'm going to do now.

-Which would be what? - I asked laughing.

Mike got up from the bench and knelt in front of me.

-What are you doing?

- Tying your sneakers that is not. Alice, in my head it took me years to do this. But don't blame me, I was too far gone. Fate brought us together again. If I hadn't been coerced up those stairs in your house, if I hadn't walked into your room that day, we wouldn't be here. You wouldn't be here with me. And the day wouldn't be shining like that. You changed my world. He turned him upside down. She's done more in a month than other women have done in years. I love you. So Alice, will you be my Wife/Girlfriend?

-Accepted, my Husband/boyfriend. And I love you too.