Bound to Love

Chapter 15: Jealousy

   Michael looks so handsome tonight, and the lighting in the restaurant is creating the most beautiful atmosphere. This date is so much calmer than our one yesterday, and I'm ecstatic to taste the fresh homemade bread again. Every time I reach for a new piece, Michaels bracelet shimmers, creating sparkles on the table. Everything just feels so easy with him, and I don't have to be careful with what I say when I'm around him. There's no pressure like there is with Junior. I don't want to think about him right now though, he's consumed my thoughts all day and it wouldn't be fair to Michael if I was thinking of Junior during our time together. As if on cue, Michael asks me what I'm thinking about.

   "Why did you keep that picture of my mother?"

   "Well, I thought it might have been important to you."

   "Then why did you leave it to chance instead of giving it back to me all those years ago?"

   "I told you, you didn't really speak to anyone from what I can remember." He's avoiding the question. I can tell because he looks everywhere but at me.

   "Yes, you did tell me that. You could've just walked up to me and handed it to me couldn't you?"

   "You ask so many questions, miss. Okay, so the truth is I kept the picture because I used to pretend the woman in the photo was my mother. I never knew my real parents, but a piece of me yearned for some kind of glimpse into my past. So when I found your picture, I would make stories of the beautiful woman who would one day come back and save me. In my head, she was just too busy to take care of me, and needed time to be the perfect mother to me." His words bring tears to my eyes. We have so much more in common than I've ever imagined. I also used to make up stories of my mother, I still do sometimes.

   "I'm sorry for prodding, but I appreciate you sharing that with me." He reaches across the table and grabs my hand, giving me a small, sad smile. I yearn for his chuckle, anything to ease the ache in his heart. So I think of anything to make him laugh, and decide on funny faces. He gives me the reaction I want and laughs out loud, unapologetically, causing the other diners to stare over at us.

   "So Nastasia, what's your dream in life?" His question throws me off. It's so far from the funny faces I was just making, so much more serious. I try to think about what to tell him, but the truth is my life has changed so much in these couple of months, I don't know what I really want anymore. I've gotten so much more than I could've dreamed of.

   "Um, well..."

   Our conversation is cut short by a commotion outside. I'm not sure what's going on, but I hear a woman screaming and arguing. I look at Michael, and he looks over to the restaurant owner who has a shotgun in hand. I know this part of town isn't the best, but I think the shotgun is a bit much for what's probably an angry drunk. Michael stands up from our table and says something to the owner, who puts his gun away back under the counter and carries on with cooking. Then Michael comes up to me and says,

   "Just wait here okay, I'm going to go check it out and make sure no one's hurt." I raise my eyebrow at him, surprised by his involvement, then nod my head. I'm probably not going to listen to him, which I think he knows, but I'll stay seated for now. Michael disappears out the front door and I can hear him talking to a couple outside. I'm only picking up bits and pieces of what happened, something about a drunk man, a whore, and a gun. The husband looks pretty banged up and frail, especially next to Michael. I can see them through the big restaurant windows, and decide the situation is safe enough to make my way outside.

   "Michael, what happened?" He's not surprised to see me disobeying his orders, but he does let out a frustrated sigh.

   "Some man with a gun tried to pay his wife for sex, so her husband fought back. He ran off though right before I came out here."

   "Oh my goodness, miss, are you okay?" I look over to the wife who still has tears running down her cheeks, she just nods her head yes and clings to her husband. "Did you see the man? Maybe we should call the police."

   "No, they didn't get a good look at him. Besides, whoever he was is long gone, I watched him run down the block, he was pretty fast." Michaels stares down the street with an intensity I haven't seen in him before. Then we call a cab for the husband and wife to make sure they get home safe, and bid them goodnight. Michael leads me back into the restaurant, pays our tab, then grabs my hand and we start walking.

   "Why does something crazy happen whenever we go on a date?" I ask him playfully. He doesn't respond for a long time.

   "Nastasia, I told you to stay in the restaurant. What if that crazy man was still out here, ready to shoot anyone he saw?" Michael slows our pace until we're no longer walking, and looks me in the eyes. I don't see the anger I expect, but concern.

   "Well I can say the same thing to you, you came out here without thinking about guns. You could have been shot as well." I don't know why I get so defensive towards him, maybe it's because I'm sick of being controlled. I wait for him to explode on me for my defiance, but he doesn't. Instead he grabs me and pulls me into a hug.

   "You're right, I should've let the owner handle it. My job is to protect you though, and that's not going to change. What kind of man would I be if I put you in danger? Or if I hurt you?" I'm stunned by his calm demeanor, unsure of what to say next. Healthy communication is new to me.

   "Well, I'd say you were just like every other man in my life. You were right, I should've listened to you. It won't happen again." Michael looks at me, confused at first by my admission, then smiles at me so his dimples show.

   "How about we just listen to each other from now on? Does that sound good to you?" I nod my head yes and revel in the feeling of solving an issue without a fight.

   "That sounds amazing. I should be getting home soon though." I look around for Dominic and remember I never asked him to pick me up earlier after he dropped me off at the university. He was skeptical about leaving me there after hours, but I assured him I would be fine. I guess I just assumed he'd wait for me out here, but he's a busy man. Michael notices me looking around and offers me a ride home.

   "Come on Nastasia, I'm going to find out where you live eventually. I'm definitely not going to let you walk home alone, not after everything that just happened." Once again, he's right. The city isn't safe after dark, especially for a lone woman.

   "Okay, okay, but you have to leave me at the end of the driveway, okay?" He nods his head yes and chuckles at his victory. The whole way home we sit in silence, holding hands and enjoying each other's company. When I finally see the driveway lights, my stomach starts to coil. Thoughts of Junior start to infiltrate my brain again, and the impending conversation we'll have to have.