Platonic Benevolence

Chapter Forty-One ~ Explode

 

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The atmosphere in the house became almost unbearably heavy as I went to sit down in the living room. My mind was tumbling with a ton of questions as to why Grace was so worried about Michael. She was only his nanny but she was entitled to have her say after all. She was the caregiver to his children. As to what she had heard, seen or read I didn’t have a clue. As far as I knew I was still unknown to most of the world…or so I thought.

My thoughts were interrupted by Grace grabbing her things from the entryway. My eyes adverted to the door and I saw her looking at me.

“I don’t know who you think you are…but you…you have just ruined my life.” Was all she said before she stormed out of the door. Tears welled in my eyes. How did I just ruin her life?

Michael came into the living room looking disheveled. He sat down in the vacant seat next to me. He let out a heavy breath.

“I fired Grace.”  I turned to look at him but he didn’t meet my eyes. His gaze was directed at the floor.

“Because of the things she said?”

“Of course Crys, how can she just jump to conclusions like that? She said awful things about you in front of my children and she didn’t even know you. She only assumed…” My thoughts went back and tried to see things from her point of view, but how could I do that if I hadn’t see everything that she’s seen and read? “…I never thought she would believe all the lies. I thought perhaps she was different?”

“Michael where did she get all this information from?”

“I don’t know, but whoever or whatever it is needs to quit. Grace she has good intentions but her way of going about it was just wrong…” He let another heavy breath.

“I need to talk to the kids…I’m really sorry about Grace’s behavior.”

“It’s okay you don’t need to apologize for what she did Michael…I think I’m going to go for a walk or something and clear my head.”

“Please be careful, its dark outside…please don’t be too long.” His brown eyes pleading with me.

“I won’t baby, I love you.” I said as I leaned forward and pecked his lips. I pulled away and Michael got up off the couch and began to make his way up the staircase. I got off the couch and grabbed my purse and made my was out the door.  Once outside I put up my hood and decided it was best just to take a stroll around the block. I dug out my cigarettes from my purse and lit one up as I began walking. When I had reached the gates I was pulled away and taken inside a building. I struggled against the man’s hands. I was finally let go of, and I turned around. My eyes met those of Yannick’s.

“Girl what the hell do you think you’re doing? You can’t leave…”

“Why not?”

“Because beyond this gate there are always people lurking…press, photographers, fans…its not safe.” My eyes averted to the gate that could be seen through the window next to me.

“It seems harmless…”

“Nothing is ever as it seems…when you’re famous or protecting someone famous; nothing is ever as it seems.” Yannick said, his eyes studying me for a moment before averting to the window as well.

“I’m sorry, when I get upset I tend to be careless.”

“Well, what got you that way?”

“Grace, she…” I paused to find the words that I wanted to say. “She assumed things about me that weren’t true, she said them in front of the children and the children hate me…”

“Prince, Paris and Blanket? Pfft…they couldn’t hate anyone. They were misled but Michael will get them on the right track…now Michael’s family…I don’t know about them, man. Janet, Miss. Katherine Rebbie and Marlon are probably the most accepting out of the bunch…” My heart sank at the mention of Michael’s family and it must have showed up on my face because Yannick noticed.

“Oh come on, you’ll be fine…” Yannick said, his eyes meeting mine. My heart began to pound as one name was going through my head. Joseph.

“What about Joseph…”

“What about him? That man cares only about one thing, and that’s money. If you make Michael money you’ll be fine with Joe…” Yannick said reassuringly. I took a breath and contemplated his words and let them sink in. Maybe he was right.

“Look, you need to get back to the house, Michael will be worried. Don’t worry Crystal, Michael will get his kids straightened out, you seem like a nice enough person.”

“I hope so. I can only be me.” I said as I began to make my way to the door. Yannick came to my side.

“Let me take you back to the mansion…”

“Okay…”

My mind ponder upon Yannick’s words as he walked me back to the mansion. Before I knew it we were stand on the front entrance, with Yannick looking at me.

“Are you going to be okay?”  Yannick asked. I looked up at him and nodded.

“Yeah, I think so. I just don’t know…”

“You’ll be fine Crystal. Michael loves you…”

“I know he does. This whole thing is just…more drama.”

“Yeah, Grace loves to over dramatize. Why Michael hired her…I’ll never know.” Yannick laughing a little. “But hey, if you ever need to talk I’m always a phone call away.” He finished, I looked up at him.

“I don’t even have your number…”

“Michael does…I’m sure he’ll give it to you sometime soon…but I need to get back to my post.”

“Okay. Thanks for at least hearing me…”

“No problem.” Yannick said, as he turned and began walking back to his post. I turned on my heel and walked inside the door. I let out a heavy breath as I walked into the living room to find no one there. I sat down on the couch and took out my phone…it was still on silent and I had 14 new texts mostly from Jason. I began to read through them when footsteps came down from the stairwell. I shoved my phone back into my purse and looked to the doorway to see Michael. He looked at me as he began to make his way to me.

“How’d it go?”

“Not too good. I’m glad I fired Grace.” I frowned as he sat down in the vacant seat next to me. I opened my arms up  for an embrace and Michael gladly obliged. “She said terrible things about you to the kids…” Michael said, his arms coming around my waist to hold me tightly and firmly. I held him in my arms, trying to hold on with the same intensity he was holding me. His hand came up and played with a lock of my hair as he laid a soft kiss on my neck.

“They’ll come around Michael…I know they will…I’m not a bad person.”  I said, my hands caressing the small of his back. I let out a yawn. My eyes were heavy from jetlag. Michael withdrew from me.

“Lets get you to bed…”

Michael led me to his bedroom were both of us passed out into a deep slumber.

I woke up to an empty bed the next morning. I groggily went over to grab my purse and dug my cell phone out of it. I glanced at the time. It was nearly nine. I got up and stretched my cramped muscles and drew in a deep breath and pulled my tangled hair into a pony tail. On my way out of Michael’s room I glanced at my reflection in a full length mirror. I looked like I was 40 not the youthful 20 that I really was. Shocked at first, I drew closer to the mirror to examine myself. I had bags underneath my eyes, my mouth was downturn. Although I couldn’t see any crows feet or laugh lines, my skin was blotchy, most likely due to stress. I rolled my eyes at myself. Perhaps I what I needed was a makeover.

I walked into the adjacent bathroom and began to run the cold water. Just as I was about to wash some over my face, my eye caught some bottles sitting upon the countertop. I paused, as I examined them. I reached over and grasped the top of one. My eyes ran over the prescription. It was valium. I placed it back to where it was before and grabbed the next bottle and read the description. I could barely pronounce it, but knew it was another painkiller. As I went to grab another bottle I hear the door to the bedroom open and I hastily put it back where I found it and continued to wash my face.

“Crystal…where are--oh there you are. What on earth are you--” His eyes averted to the bottles next to me on the counter. “You didn’t…”

“Didn’t what?” I asked, my eyes not meet his as I flung the water off my hands into the sink and reached for a towel.

“Don’t play stupid with me Crys, you were snooping weren’t you?” Michael asked, his voice heavy with accusation. I shook my head and rolled my eyes as I continued to dry my face off.

“I haven’t the slightest clue what you’re talking about…” I said sarcastically as I pushed my way past him to my bag on the other side of the room. Before I could get to it, I was flung around and facing a very irritated Michael.

“Don’t walk away when I’m talking to you Crystal. Did or did you not move the bottles…”

“As a matter of fact I did. But what you’re business is your business…” Michael licked his lips and muttered something like ‘Oh God’ and let go of my arm. I turned around to my bag and dug out some clean clothes, not really paying attention to what I was grabbing. “…did you though?” I finished. I was curious if he was still taking them. I knew he couldn’t have been in pain. By this time, he was sitting on the bed his head in his hands. I had clothes bunched up in a ball around my chest. I was looked at him this time.

“What would you do if I told you I did…would you leave me?” He answered back, his eyes still looking at the floor. I took in a deep breath.

“Leave you? Where would I go Michael? Back to my mother? Miles away from the man I love?” I asked, as I tried to touch his shoulder, but he pushed my hand away and stood up. His eyes looking at me with hurt.

“Crystal you should leave me. I nearly killed you with this monster…”

“Well lets get rid of the damn monster already.” I said, irritated, as I made my way to the bathroom again. I grabbed one of the bottles and screwed the cap off of it. Michael shot up after me.

“WHAT ARE YOU---” Before he could make it to the door way I had dumped the whole bottle down the sink. Before I knew it I was flung against the wall of the bathroom.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!?!?” Michael raged. I simply pushed him out of the way and grabbed another bottle off the countertop and proceeded to unscrew it. Michael arms now circled my body to prevent me from doing what I wanted to do.

“LET GO OF ME DAMN IT!”I yelled, as Michael’s hand grabbed the bottle of pills in my hand and tried to pull it away but my grip on it was strong. Michael tried to rip it out of my hand which ended with the pills all over the bathroom floor. I pushed Michael off of me, going for another bottle on the countertop.

“I’M HELPING YOU GOD DAMN IT!” I yelled turning to face him when Michael raised his hand up as if he was going to hit me. I raised my arms and turned away.

“NO! DON’T!”  I yelled, fear running rampant in my bloodstream. The hit never came. I looked at Michael, who realized what he was doing and busted into tears and slunk to the floor to gather the pills. I bent down to join him. I put his face in my hands and forced him the look at me.

“Michael look at yourself. You’re an addict. Just moments ago you were going to hit me. I mean hell…you flung me against that wall trying to stop me from getting rid of this monster.” I said pointing to the wall that Michael had flung me against. He was in hysterics. “You nearly killed me with this.” I said gathering the pills in my hand and showing them to him.

“Michael look at me…”

Michael eyes met mine. I kissed his tears lovingly away.

“Michael I love you. But I don’t love these.” I said noting the pills I had in my hand. “I want you and only you. These…these things will not help you. They nearly killed me…and from your reaction, they are killing you too. I want to help you. Let me help you…” I said, my kisses trailing down his neck. He sighed in pleasure. “So what do you say baby?”

“I-I-I don’t know…” He mumbled, as I whorled my tongue around a sensitive spot just under his chin.

“Do you want to think about it?”

“That’d be great…are you okay?” He asked. His eyes meeting mine, his hand rubbing the side that hit the wall with full impact. I flinched in pain and moved away from his touch.

“Ow…”

“I’m sorry…I don’t know what got into me.”

“I know all too well. This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten roughed up for taking the proverbial bottle away. I used to dump my mother’s bottles of vodka down the drain as my attempt to get her to stop drinking…see this?” I said, pulling up my sleeve of my sweatshirt and showing Michael a scar that I had had since 11.

“I got this when my mother pushed me away from the sink and my arm fell upon the stove burner. To this day, everyone thinks I did this to myself. They don’t really know how abusive my mother was when she would drink. That‘s why I tried to stop it.” I said, my eyes meeting his for a brief moment before picking up the pills off the floor. Michael then held his hands out.

“Give me them.” Michael said, looking at me, but I didn’t look back up at him, I hesitantly stared at his hands. “Crystal…did you hear me?” I nodded, and empty the pills in his hands. I was fully expecting him to put the pills back in the bottle that lay, tipped over on the floor next him. Instead, he emptied his hand into the toilet then cupped my face into his hands and looked deeply into my eyes.

“I don’t EVER want to put you in that situation again. You are THE most important thing in my life…understand?” Michael said, as he laid soft kisses upon my face. For the next fifteen minutes we went through his house and raided all of his hiding spots of the painkillers he possessed not including Tylenol, Ibuprofen or Aspirin. Overall we had had thrown over 15 bottles of powerful narcotics down the toilet and sink. After all we had flushed the final bottle of painkillers down the toilet, Michael enveloped me in a bear hug and we lavished kisses upon each other.

“Michael you’re taking a big step and I’ll be here any way I can…” I said in between kisses that I lavished upon Michael’s neck. His hands slid down my back where they landed on my ass, and gave it a squeeze, pressing my body up against his. I gasped as Michael’s lips immediately went for my neck, kissing, licking and sucking on the sensitive skin there. Michael began backing me towards the bed when there was a knock on the door. Michael let out a sigh of frustration.

“Who is it?” Michael asked through kisses on my neck.

“It me, Yannick. Are you ready to leave yet, Mike? You and Crystal were supposed to meet up with Ramona, speaking of Crystal, where is that girl…”

“She’s in here with me.”

“Oh, well…” Michael pulled away from me, rolling his eyes then walked over to the door and opened it.

“Yannick, we weren’t doing anything. Get that smug look off your face, you schmuck.” Michael said as I scrambled to get some clothes out of my suitcase.

“Crystal we need to go…we have no time…” Michael said, glancing at his watch.

“But I need to shower, have you looked at me lately?”

“You’re beautiful, besides, I made a doctors appointment for the both of us. So you don’t need to get all prettied up.”

“But I look like shit! At least let me change…” Yannick and Michael exchanged irritated looks. Before I knew it Yannick had me slung over his shoulder and was carrying me down the stairs toward the door.

“No time for that…you both are running an hour late as it is.” Before I knew I was in the SUV sitting between Michael and Yannick with the car in motion.

“Wait my purse…it has my information and stuff…”

“Won’t be needing it. Ramona doesn’t like her clients to be late.”

“Client? Don’t you mean patient…”

“No, client, Ramona will be your image consultant. You are meeting with her and some of her entourage. After that you have an appointment with Michael’s personal physician. For what, I dunno…” Wayne said, looking at Michael from the corner of his eye. Michael fidgeted a little.

“She’s going to be doing a tour. I want to make sure she’s in optimum shape…”

“Michael don’t play us, we were there.”

“Yeah man. You guys got a scare…cause of her playing boyfriend.”  Michael sat there silently. I spoke up.

“Yes, because of my playing boyfriend.”

“I hope he didn’t give you anything, cause Michael can’t afford to get something…” Wayne blurted.

“Wayne! God man, don’t hate on her like that. Why do you think she’s doing this? She didn’t know. Don’t you think she’s scared too?” Yannick blurted back, taken aback by his co-workers sudden lack of tact.

“Yeah I know. I’m sorry. Lets just get to Ramona’s office.” Wayne apologized, as his foot hit the accelerator.