I See Your Soul [An Original Michael Jackson Love Story] ✔

Chapter 23: Debussy

Friday, November 23, 1979

The next morning came quickly. Nicole's parents were up early making breakfast, filling the house with aromas of bacon and eggs to lure them awake. As a special gesture, they even picked up a half dozen donuts from their favorite local shop, just for Michael. He was blown away by their kindness.

After a short breakfast and a long goodbye, they packed their bags and loaded into the car. The roads were quiet and so was the car as Michael drove. They spoke softly of the trip and plans once they got back to California, gently petting each other and smiling sheepishly. It was a long 7 hours, but this time Bill found and booked a hotel for them more in-line with Michael's typical standards of quality and security.

This was a gorgeous, secluded building buried deep into the desert mountains just 20 miles from Tucson. Their suite was the most beautiful hotel room Nicole had ever seen. She pulled Michael's hand through each space, touching and admiring the smallest details. There was a long foyer leading into a spacious living room centered on the ornate wooden fireplace. A baby grand piano sat in one corner opposite the bar and dining room for six. French doors opened to the bedroom. The king bed dressed perfectly in all white duvets a mile high. From the bedroom, another set of French doors led out to a balcony. With a view from the top of the 8th floor, all you could see were mountains. The bathroom was covered in white marble and featured the largest jacuzzi tub Nicole had ever seen. She was giddy as she kissed Michael's cheek and shooed him out.

Nicole: Okay, bye! I'm going to take a bubble bath!

Michael: But what am I supposed to do?

Nicole: Aren't you hungry? You can order dinner.

Michael: But... Are you sure you don't want some company?

Nicole completely ignored his offer as she closed the door in his face, grinning all the way. Michael turned to the bedroom again with his arms crossed over his chest.

Another hotel.

After a while, they were all pretty much the same. He missed being home, not that he didn't love being on this trip, this was all just a little more work than he expected. Michael didn't like pumping his own gas or packing his own luggage or ordering his own dinner. How exhausting! But on the other hand, it was nice to see what regular people do on vacation. Michael paced the bedroom surveying everything again. Then opened the nightstand, already knowing what he would find.

1 Corinthians 13:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.