"LEXI GRACE ADAMS!"

Sunlight beamed through the large kitchen windows, and glancing out of my corner of my eye towards the doorway I heard the crinkle of the newspaper as I tightened my fists against the paper and slumped down, sinking my head lower into the paper.

"Lex, WHERE exactly are you at?"

Michael's voice rang down from upstairs, and nervously my heart pounded in my chest as I jiggled my pump under the counter, the silver charms on my anklet jingling against the black barstool.

"Ahaha, there you are."

My eyes wide, my ponytail bobbed against my neck as I slumped my shoulders and leaned in towards the counter.   Surprised, I peeked over my paper and saw him standing in the doorway in a pair of blue athletic pants and a white tank.  Michael's hair pulled back in a clip, I saw the frustration and amusement etched into his eyes. Coming in from the entryway, Michael must have raced down since I had heard his voice from upstairs only moments ago.

Which meant...he had found...

"Lex, what is this?"

"Hmm?"

Innocently, I shifted my eyes back down to the paper and kept my head down.  Footsteps indicated Michael was moving closer, but I tried not to notice.  Tried to appear like I was absorbed in the paper.

"Lexi"

Keeping my eyes trained in front of me, I pretended I hadn't heard him.

"Lexi I know you aren't actually reading that."

Ignoring him, I sunk further against the counter.

"Lexi!"

Startled  I felt Michael's arms swoop around my waist from behind.  Surprised, my body jolted back towards Michael.  My feet shifted underneath me, and I felt my ankle make contact with the cool steel chair leg as it clamored to the floor.  Letting out a shriek of surprise, Michael's arms tightened around my waist, and my yellow tunic flew up exposing my belly as I collided against him and we went tumbling, backwards, towards the floor.

"Umph!"

Hands and arms flew wildly in the air, and tendrils of blonde hair flew into my face as I smashed against him on the hard wood flooring.  The scent of Michael's cologne filled my senses, and I felt the warmth of his fingertips against my skin as he grumbled a low groan underneath me.  Breathless, I moved wildly against him and tried to find my balance. Shifting my hands against the cool floor I quickly straightened my legs and tried to shoot to my feet.

"I don't think so Lex"

Michael's soft laugh behind me made me cringe, and I let out a small shriek as his arms wrapped around my waist and tugged me back down to the ground.

Grimacing, I lowered my arms to my lap and tugged my jean skirt down.  Michael's fingers slid across my stomach, and I felt his palms rest against my belly button as he locked his arms tightly around me.  My heart pounding wildly, I closed my eyes tightly anticipating that Michael was about to show me the last thing I wanted to see.

"Lex, what is this?"

Locking my jaw, I heard jingling and my resolve strengthened to keep my eyes closed.  Michael's head moved underneath me, and I felt him lodge his face in the side of my neck to see my face.

"Lexi, are your eyes closed?"

Ignoring him, I bit my lower lip and tilted my head away from the direction I knew he was looking.

"Lexi!"

I remained quiet.

"Lexi, open your eyes."

Stubbornly, I shook my head no.

"Lexi Grace. "

Ignoring him again, I heard Michael chuckle and I let out a loud squeal when I felt his hands tighten around my waist.  Moving quickly, Michael slid out from underneath me and moved his hands to my head to keep it from slamming against the floor.

Shifting against him was useless, and Michael moved quickly settling his legs on either side of me.  I felt the soft cotton of his athletic pants as he locked me in, and my eyes wide in surprise I watched him eyeing me in amusement.

"Lexi..."

Tilting my head to the side, I held back a chuckle and reached forward to brush a curl from his eyes. 

"Hey baby..."

Michael's mocha brown eyes peered down at me in amusement.  Smiling innocently, I batted my eyelashes and feigned innocence.

"Lexi.  Where are my keys?"

Glancing towards his hand, I bit my lip again when I saw his key ring void of his car keys.  I looked at them for a moment, the light bouncing off the metal, and my heart pounding in my ears I glanced back towards him and let out an awkward cough.

"I don't know sweetie.  Weird huh?"

Michael gave me a smirk, and his eyes softened as he leaned in towards me, curls brushing against the tip of my nose as he leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips.

"Mhmm, what'd you do with them?" Michael mumbled, pulling back slightly to look at me.

Quickly I tried to glance away, but Michael was quick and moved his hands to my face.  Gripping my hair on both sides, Michael buried his hands in my hair and leaned in, locking my head in his direction.

"Lex, you know I have to go" Michael chuckled, his breath tickling against my neck as he leaned forward and kissed my chin.

Grimacing, I blew a breath between my teeth and looked up at him. 

"You always have to go though" I sighed, crinkling my nose.  Michael's lips parted slightly, and I grimaced and glanced to his chest.   Letting out a small sigh, I moved my hands from my his face down to his shirt.  Moving my fingers slowly, I swallowed back my frustration.   "I feel like I barely see you anymore" I whispered softly, the soft cotton brushing against my fingertips.

"I know...But Lexi you knew what my career was like when we got together."

My eyes widening in surprise, I glanced up at Michael and arched my eyebrows.  "Michael that's unfair and you know it.  I grew up with your schedule.  Lately you've been gone more than normal though and we both know it."

Michael's brow furrowed together, and reluctantly he let out a small sigh and nodded his head, a tendril escaping his ponytail and falling over his brow.

"Your right Lex, I'm sorry that was unfair."

"Michael" I whispered, a lump in my throat.  "You were gone all last week on promotional tours, the week before that visiting the children's hospitals."  Gently Michael nodded, and lowered his eyes.  "Before that you spent a month abroad working on new material, visiting fans.  And the month before that you were locked up almost daily, writing.  When you are home, you get home hours later than normal.  What gives?" I asked softly, voicing my deepest fear.  "Are you having second thoughts about the wedding?  Do you want me to move out and give you some space?"

Michael's eyes shot open, and I felt tears swell up in my own as he looked at me, and released my hair to caress my face.  Gently his fingers moved against my cheeks, against my nose and my chin, and I held my tears at bay waiting for him to answer. 

"I made you think that?"

Reluctantly letting out a small sniffle, I nodded my head.

"Aww Lexi.  Sweetheart is that why you hid my keys?" 

Nodding my head again, Michael sighed and glanced down.  Biting my lip I waited for him to speak. 

"Lex, I know I haven't made you a priority lately." Michael started, glancing back up into my eyes.  "But that's going to change."  Slowly his fingers rested on my lips, and I watched his eyes wash over with pain and regret.  "Lexi your just as important to me as you ever were. How about you, and me, tomorrow have a movie night?"

Taking a small breath, I tilted my head to the side and looked at him questioningly. 

"I thought you had plans tomorrow night."

"They just changed."

Smiling softly, Michael leaned in towards me and cupped my face into his hands.  I melted into him as he moved in closer to me, and I felt electricity spark and course within me as Michael's lips brushed against my own tenderly.

"I love you" I mumbled, moving my hands around him and up to his hair.

"I love you too Lex. Even though you hid my keys."

Rolling my eyes, i swatted him playfully and wrapped my arms back around his neck.

"Your a jerk Jackson."

Michael snorted, pulling back to look at me.

"A jerk your stuck with.  You better get used to it baby.  It's only down hill from here."

Cocking an eyebrow unamused, I gave him a sarcastic smirk and pointed towards the cookie jar.

"Over there."

Michael grinned, and in the blink of an eye moved in, pecked me on the cheek, and hopped off me towards the counter.

"See ya Lex.  Have fun with Janet today."

Nodding my head, I leaned up on my elbows.  Michael's feet pounded against the floor as he raced out the door.

I watched him, his curls bouncing wildly, and biting my lip I felt the ache of his absence once again.  Something that had begun to feel all to familar.

Still, he'd promised we'd spent tomorrow together.

Blowing a frustrated breath, I pushed myself up off the ground and straightened my clothes.

Glancing around the empty room, I closed my eyes and tried to fight off the strands of panic i sometimes felt when I was alone.

I was safe, everything was back to normal.

Still, something never felt right. 

It was probably just the ache of missing Michael.  Forcing myself to shake off the eerily feeling, I walked back to the counter and grabbed my newspaper.  Looking towards the ground I smiled seeing the chair that had toppled over earlier and, hair grazing my neck, i bent down and clasped the metal with my fingers.

"Lexi! Someone here wants to see you!"

Janet's voice rang from the front door, and I heard the sound of tiny steps echo through the hallway as I turned towards the entry way to see Nahla, Janet's daughter, racing towards me in a red and white plaid sundress.

"Aunt Lele!"

My face transformed into a smile, and the paper fell from my hands and slipped against the floor as I bent down, my arms open wide.

"Hey gorgeous."

Squealing, Kylie hopped up in my arms.  Wrapping her up tightly against me, I straightened and rubbed my nose against hers.

"How's my favorite girl?"

"I caught a cricket!"

Crinkling my nose, I watched in horror as Nahla whipped an arm in front of me and opened her palm, exposing a squashed insect. 

"Oh...that's..." 

"Disgusting, Nahla!"

Nahla's eyes shot open wide hearing Janet's voice, and the insect slid from Nahla's fingertips and tumbled down my shirt.

"Ahh!"

Squealing I lowered Nahla to the floor. 

"Nahla, what did i tell you about hiding insects in your pockets?"

"To...not...do...it?"

Nahla's voice rose a pitch with every word, and I shook the front of my shirt wildly waiting for the bug to drop to the ground.

"Nahla, no more."

Janet and Nahla bickered back and forth about her multitude of tiny friends, and finally getting the cricket out of my shirt i glanced towards them and cleared my throat to interupt.

"Uh, Janet"

Frustration evident in her eyes, Janet glanced over at me.  "Yes?"

"We better get going."

Janet nodded her head, and glanced down at Nahla.

"You ready to rock kiddo?"

"I'm setting next to Auntie Lele!"

Smiling, I reached a hand out and moved my fingers. 

"Grab on and let's go."

Grinning, Nahla's soft browl curls bounced as she raced forward and manuevered her warm sticky fingers through mine.


"To the car!"