Yet again, Sara found herself unsure of how to respond. Michael’s pain was plain on his face. Of course he was upset about Paul. How could he not be? If she knew he was there…
But how could she know Lincoln and Michael were about to walk up on their conversation at the exact moment she was telling Paul she’d marry him?
Paul grinned. “Thanks, Linc, but your congratulations are a little premature.”
“They are?” Lincoln cocked his head to the side. “Did I imagine Sara agreeing to marry you?”
She met Lincoln’s gaze and then locked eyes with Michael, who hadn’t moved since dropping his coffee mug. “It was a hypothetical question. He just wanted to know what I would have said if he’d proposed.”
Michael’s mouth opened and closed twice before he found the words he needed. “And you would have said yes.” His voice was so soft, Sara might have imagined she heard him at all if she didn’t see his lips move when he spoke.
Lincoln ignored his brother and smacked Paul on the shoulder again. “That sounds like an engagement about to happen so my congratulations stand. But, dude…Are you 12? You had to ask her before you asked her?”
“No. It just happened.” Paul rolled his eyes and glanced at his watch. “Look, I have to get back to the table, but you’re welcome to continue making fun of me for it while I work.”
No…no…no…bad. If Lincoln left with Paul then she’d be alone with Michael again. She didn’t want to be alone with him anymore than necessary. Sara was tired of him alternating between making advances and making hateful comments.
Would the ice on the roads ever melt?
“Sounds good. I might even help you while I’m at it.”
Paul nodded and turned his attention back to Sara. “So…I think you know I need to ask you something.”
“Another hypothetical question?”
He pulled her into his arms. “I think you know the answer to that.”
“And I think you know the answer you’re going to get.” Her lips curved into a smile. And for the first time, Sara knew without a doubt how she really felt.
Paul Kellerman was the right man for her.
He brushed his lips over hers before heading off with Lincoln. After they were gone, she turned her attention back to Michael. He was still and quiet as a marble statue.
Michael shook himself out of it and knelt to pick up the broken bits of glass. Sara retrieved a towel to sop up the coffee. He didn’t say a word. In fact, silence settled around them as though they were alone in the house.
“So, uh, where is everyone?”
“Jane’s in her room. Nika and Veronica went for a walk in the snow.” He kept his gaze locked on the jagged glass. “You’re getting married.”
“Looks that way.”
“You’re making a mistake, Sara.”
No more arguments. Rather than responding, Sara gathered what glass she could into the towel and moved to the kitchen to shake the glass into the garbage. There was no point in continuing to fight with Michael about it. Soon enough they would both marry someone else and their past could stay buried in the past.
Michael joined her in the kitchen a moment later. Once he dealt with the broken glass, he touched her arm to make her turn to him. “Please rethink this. Please.”
“Stop it, Michael.” She pulled her arm away from his touch. “Please just let me be happy.”
“Are you happy? Really happy?”
“For the first time in a long time…yeah. I really am. Paul’s good for me.”
“You haven’t been with him long enough to know that.”
“I’ve known him for years. He’s always been there for me.” She dropped her gaze to her feet. “He was the one who was there for me when I needed someone the most.”
“Sara…I’m sorry. I fucked up back then. I fucked up bad. I know that, but…” He paused long enough for her to look at him. “Don’t marry someone else to punish me.”
Punish him? For the first time in a long time, Sara was doing what she wanted to do without thinking about Michael. Punishing him for what he did was the last thing on her mind.
“Is that what you think I’m doing?” She placed a hand on each of his shoulders. “I’m going to marry Paul because I love him and he makes me happy. Nothing about this has anything to do with you.”
“But you don’t know everything. You can’t get married until you know…”
“Whatever it is, I don’t care. Nothing you can say will make a difference.”
“Sara…” His eyes glazed with forming tears. “I love you. I always have.” He gathered her hands in his and brought them to his lips. “Don’t marry Paul. Marry me instead.”
© 2010, Sydney Katt. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of content will result in dragon attacks.
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Jen – you have a wicked evil [good] talent at connecting the end of the previous chapter to the start of the next all while bouncing between past and present! I admit I keep getting a little lost keeping track of which timeline I’m in, however – overriding a bit of re-reading is a fascination with your ability to so smoothly tie these chapters together over different threads!
Did it happen naturally or did you have to finesse it quite a bit to get the success?
It really throws me – how well they meld, and paragraph two I realize I’m in the other timeline and then go back and read again, with my head in the proper timeline!
Really cool skills here!
Well, I have a lot to be in a good mood for this week.
I can also confirm that Michael will tell Sara what he knows by the end of the story’s Saturday night. So answers are coming…and soon!
Me too, Me too!!!!!! lol
I love when you are in good mood! lol!
I can’t wait to find out what he knows
Michael definitely knows something perhaps on the death of Sucre, Paul may not be as saint
I don’t normally do this, but I’m in an exceptionally good mood today…
I can’t confirm if what Michael knows is about Sucre or not, but I will say that it’s BIG. In fact, what he knows is pivotal for the story.
Michael asked her to marry him! she cannot be rational! come on!
and in the middle of the kitchen is EXACTLY where it have to happen!
I’m looking forward this Saturday night.. keep hoping could be good for MiSa
I guess we’ll see…
Hmm…a bonus chapter I can do, but serious MiSa action in the middle of the kitchen where anyone could walk in on them…? I guess we’ll see. It’s not like Sara’s exactly rational around Michael.
Just a quick story note for anyone who happens to read this comment…We’re on Saturday in the fic. By the end of Saturday night a LOT is going to change. A lot of lives are about to be turned upside-down. Could be good for KeSa. Could be good for MiSa. Could be horrible for everyone.
All I can say…
Yes Sara! Marry Michael not Paul! Please! XD
I hope in the next chapter you go on on this marriage thing.. and I hope nobody interupted them.. so maybe we can have some serius action MiSa.. you know what I mean
I agree with Debbie.. a bonus chapter would be great! Maybe we’ll be lucky???
bye, bye
Uh Oh!!!! Yet another marriage proposal from Michael……
The poor guy is obviously still in love with her (or so it seems to me), even though he has been with Nika for…..longer than I thought that relationship would last!!!
Michael is also obviously trying to tell her something which I guess he figures will change Saras perspective???
But……in your own wonderful angsty way…..they either get interupted, or Sara ‘cracks the shits’ over the past and stops him. I know she has told him she is really happy, and on some level, I think she thinks she has moved on and THINKS she IS happy, but I think the underlying tension between them is what is true….she is not as over him as she thinks!!
Loving this as usual….feel free to post a bonus chapter should that thought cross your mind…lol…xxxx
Ps: Re: When Angels Weep. Should you need a readers perspective, I am happy to give it a go. Grammar I can do, but not structure etc…….xxxx
At least in Michael’s head, whatever he has to say makes a difference. Whether Sara will see it that way or not is anyone’s guess.
A bonus chapter, you say? Hmm….
PS: Already got you on my list for When Angels Weep. I’m just posting the final reminders in case anyone else is interested. I’m looking to start posting that one for feedback later this month.