“Michael, if this is your lame attempt at an apology, don’t bother. It means nothing to me now.”
He made eye contact with her again. His face strained with emotion. “Saying I’m sorry wouldn’t begin to describe what I feel right now or what I feel every day. I’m sorry for everything I said or did that caused you a moment of pain.”
Annie’s eyes fell to the baby. “I’m sorry I ever met you,” she said quietly.
His shoulders slouched in sadness. “Annie, you don’t really mean that.”
“Don’t be too sure of it. Sometimes you think you really know someone, and then it turns out you never knew them at all.”
“If our paths had never crossed, you wouldn’t have Sammi or Angel.” His head dropped to his lap. “We were a perfect fit.”
“Perfect for you, maybe. But I don’t call having a lying cheat for a husband, perfect domestic, bliss.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
Annie sighed heavily, bored with the conversation. “Michael, why did you come here and what exactly did you expect to gain by this unannounced visit?”
He stood abruptly and glanced toward the house. “You said I couldn’t see the kids until I got sober. Well, I’m sober now and I want to see them.”
“Fine. Have your lawyer call mine and make the necessary arrangements,” she replied, waving him off with her hand like hired help.
“I was hoping we could work this out between us without having to involve them.”
“Well, we all want things we can’t have,” she spat.
“Annie…”
“What?” she answered quickly and with annoyance.
He stood, glaring down at her, every muscle rigid in his body. Then in an act of defiance, he slid his sunglasses back onto his face. The brilliance of his eyes suddenly disappeared behind the dark lenses.
“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he muttered over his shoulder. Before she could answer, he was gone, leaving Annie in the dust of emotional turmoil.
As promised, early the next day, he returned. Annie was coming out of the baby’s room as he was stepping through the deck door.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked, resting Angel onto her hip.
“Good morning to you, too.” He was pushing his luck and he didn’t care. One way or another, he intended to spend time with his kids.
“You can't just walk in here as if you own the place. Fact is, I own it now!”
“Trust me, I’m well aware of the ownership of this place, babe. And for the record, I knocked before I entered. Maybe you should keep the door locked,” he mocked.
“Don't call me babe. I'm not your babe anymore.”
“Score one point for the home team,” he teased, removing his sunglasses and lifting Sammi from her playpen to snuggle and then lovingly kissed her chubby cheek.
“Do you think this is some sort of game, Michael? If I have to, I’ll get a restraining order against you.”
He spun to face her. “Annie, I’m not here to harm you and you know that. I only want to see my kids,” he sighed. “Any judge in this state would understand that.”
“Oh, really?” she glared at him.
Three days later, Annie felt like a tightly wound spring with the tension point exceeding the maximum limit. Jay had called twice and left messages and, for reasons only she knew, she hadn’t returned his calls. With Michael suddenly thrust back into her life, she had no room in her brain for anything else. She felt like a prisoner in her own home.
And yet, she knew all it would take was one phone call to her lawyer and Michael would be gone from her house and a regular visitation schedule put in place. Every time she heard his boots crossing the back deck, her skin began to sweat, her pulse quickened, and her mind began to ache. His presence infuriated and disgusted her. She did her best to stay out of his way, but simply knowing he was on the property kept her tense and edgy from sunup ‘til sundown.
Michael hobbled in with Sammi bouncing upon his back and eased her softly onto the couch. He grimaced in pain while swinging open the freezer door.
“Can I help you?” she asked with sarcasm.
“Yeah. Do you have an ice pack?”
“Why? What’s the problem?”
Michael rubbed at his arm and the still-healing inner wounds. “I swear, Sammi has gained a few pounds just since I’ve been on the island,” he commented.
Annie reached into the back of the freezer and pulled out a bag of frozen peas. “Here, this will work the same as an ice pack,” she said, tossing him the bag. “Frankly, I think you’re trying too hard.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, making himself comfortable on the couch and applying the frozen vegetable bag to the back of his bicep. Annie ignored his question and breezed past him to settle the girls in for their afternoon nap. When she returned he reached and grabbed her by the wrist. “Come on, Annie. Sit with me so we can talk.”
Annie jerked her hand free from his grasp and scowled at him. “Why? What would be the point?”
“Does there always have to be a point, Annie?”
She stared at him blankly. “When it comes to you, yes!”
He shook his head. “Can’t you put aside your hate and contempt for five minutes and talk with me?”
Annie rolled her eyes in irritation and dropped herself into the chair in front of the couch, folding her arms hotly across her chest. The smile that formed on his face angered her even more. “Okay, fine. You’ve got five minutes,” she hissed. “What do you want to talk about?”
“How about your career intentions, do you plan on touring?”
“That’s none of your business!”
“Sure it is. If you plan on touring, I’d like to take care of the girls while you’re on the road.”
“Well, I’m not planning on touring any time soon, if at all, so you can forget your babysitting ideas right now.”
“Why wouldn’t you tour again? I know your CD is out on the shelves and figured a tour was probably in the works to promote it.”
Annie shook her head and rubbed at her face. “Lets see. Why wouldn’t I tour?” she mocked. “Well, for starters, I’m a single mother of two little girls that depend on me. And, before you say it, I’m not leaving them with you!”
“Is that the only reason?”
Annie squinted at him. Her anger increasing by the second. “Yes, of course it is.”
“Maybe you’re just afraid. Maybe you not wanting to tour has more to do with the fact you were attacked the last time you were out on the road?”
Annie jumped to her feet and threw her arms up in the air. “Okay. Your five minutes are over. I’m done talking.”
Michael stood and stopped her exit with his body.
“Get out of my way!” she seethed through clenched teeth.
He gazed down at her flawless face. Her deep blue eyes sparkled with liquid and her mouth quivered with emotion. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to upset you,” he apologized with sincerity.
“Bullshit.” Again she attempted to step around him and he blocked her departure.
“I only mentioned the incident because I care.”
“Oh, that’s right. You cared so much about the ‘incident’ you arrived at the hospital drunk out of your mind and made such an ass out of yourself that you needed an escort from the building! Thank God I was already gone.”
His eyes remained glued to her face. He appeared wounded and at a loss for words. “What’s the matter, Michael? Now who doesn’t like the topic of conversation?”