Have Faith In Me
Parts 7-8
By Kelly
Maureen Bauer's funeral was 2 days ago. It was a beautiful service, Ray did a wonderful job, and I am greatly saddened to know that I will never meet the woman who raised the amazing woman I have fallen completely in love with. Michelle, she has been through hell, but she is incredibly strong, and has more grace than any woman I have ever known. The only times she as allowed herself to completely let go and feel her grief is when she is alone with me. She comforted everyone else at Maureen's service, and the dinner afterwards, everyone, that is except Ed Bauer, and he deserves no comfort.
Michelle and I are at her father's home getting her things. She is still staying with me at my mother's house, but she wants to get her things and get her apartment set up, so that when she starts work next week she won't have to bother with it. Dr. Bauer is not here, Michelle made sure to pick a time when she knew he would be gone, so that she didn't have to deal with him, and that's fine with me, I don't want to deal with him either, because if I have to I'm afraid things would get very ugly.
Michelle left about a half an hour ago, she had to go pick up more boxes. I offered to do it for her, but she wanted to go, I think it's too hard for her to be here, so I let her go, and I'm still packing her things. I'm packing up things in her closet when I hear someone enter the room.
"Hey, that was fast! How many speed records did you break in my car getting back here," I say laughing as I come out of the closet. My laughter fades when I see it's not Michelle in the room but her father.
"Would you mind explaining what you are doing with Michelle's things, Santos?"
My temper is already starting to come to the surface, but I don't want to cause a scene, so I simply answer his question. "Well, I think it's called packing. Michelle wanted to get her things while she knew you were gone, she had to run an errand, but should be back soon. I think it would be much easier on her if you left, so she didn't have to see you."
"You'd like that wouldn't you? You are some piece of work, Santos. Preying on my daughter when she is weak and vulnerable. What, run out of easy woman, so you thought you'd try something new, with a bit more class? I can't believe you, you pretend to want to help her through the ordeal of losing her mother, you stand by her side, hold her hand, hold her when she cries, then when in a fit of anger, she wants to run away from home, you give her a job, and conveniently an apartment right above your club! You think spending almost every hour of every day with you will somehow get her into your bed?! I know that's all you're after, you miserable son of a bitch, you just want to bed my daughter for a while and then move on. Look at you, your rich, you own a fancy nightclub, I guess women consider you handsome, you have probably had more woman than you can remember, but now you want to use my daughter. I won't let that happen."
"Shut up! You have no idea what you are talking about! I think the man you just described sounds more like you than me. I am Michelle's friend, I care about her."
"Oh spare me, I know better, next you'll be telling me you love her and want to take care of her."
"You are one sorry bastard," my voice is raising, and I feel my fists clenching, "Not that it's any of your business but I do love..."
He starts to laugh in my face, "You know what it's not me you are trying to bed so save your lines, and stay away from my daughter!"
I can't control my temper any longer, I feel my right fist connect with Ed Bauer's jaw, and he falls flat on the floor, looking at me in shock.
"I do love Michelle, more than my own life! I do intend to spend every minute of every day for the rest of my life with her. I am going to erase every ounce of pain she has ever felt. For your information, YES, I do want her in my bed. I want to make love to her, not have sex with her, MAKE LOVE TO HER, but I also just want to be able to hold her in my arms when I go to sleep and have her face be the first thing I see when I wake up every morning, and if I have to wait a lifetime to make that happen, I will. If Michelle doesn't feel the same about me, then I will spend the rest of my life just being her friend, but never loving another. So, don't you tell me to stay away from her, she's my heart, and I'm not going anywhere."
I fling open the door to Michelle's room and run right into Michelle.
_____________________________________________________________________
I feel like my feet are rooted to the floor. When I got back from my errands and approached my room I heard my father asking Danny what he was doing with my things. Danny tried so hard to just answer his question and get him out of the house so that I didn't have to face him. My heart again swelled with feelings for this amazing man, my protector. I am trying to fight it because I can't be hurt again, but I have fallen hard for Danny Santos. Then I heard the things my father said to him, about Danny only taking care me and pretending to care about me, so that he could get me in his bed. That little voice in my head took over yet again, "See Michelle, he's just like every other man, he will break your heart." I don't want to listen, but some of the things my father said made sense. Danny is wealthy, handsome, what could he possibly see in someone like me? Then I heard Danny's response, and the pain in his voice broke my heart. My father wouldn't even let him finish when he started in again. This time, I pushed the little voice away. Then I heard Danny's fist making contact with some part of my father's anatomy, and then the sound of my father hitting the floor. I knew I should be angry, but I'm so happy. Danny gave my father exactly what he deserved, I only wish it had been me that decked him. The next words I heard from Danny made my heart sing! He loves me, wants to spend every minute of his life with me, he wants to make love to me, but more importantly he wants to be able to hold me in his arms at night and have my face be the first thing he sees every morning. He is willing to spend his entire life waiting for me. I resolve right then that I will fight the demons in my head, that try to stamp out the love in my heart. Danny will not have to wait a lifetime for me.
I reach my hand for the door as it flies open, there he is, my Danny, the man who loves me more than his own life. I can read every emotion on his face, anger, hurt, pain, fear, then when he sees me, I see the love shining in his eyes.
"Oh, God, Michelle, I'm sorry," he says as he runs past me
"Danny, wait, please, don't go."
He looks back at me, and I see a bit of relief was over his face, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, please, wait for me, I'll be down in a minute, I have some unfinished business with my father, then I'll be down."
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Very sure."
He gives me a soft smile, that is full of the love I now know he feels for me. "I'll be downstairs."
"OK," I say softly giving him the same soft smile, "I'll be fine."
I draw a deep breath and step into my room. My father is pulling himself up off the floor, gingerly touching his lip.
"Michelle, we have to talk, about this so called friend of yours."
"Save it, Ed. I will be doing the talking here."
"Michelle, I don't like tone you are taking with me, and I really don't like you calling me Ed, young lady, now you will listen..."
"NO, Ed", my voice dripping with sarcasm, "You will listen to me, and your lucky I'm even calling you Ed. After what you have done, you don't deserve to be called Dad. As for Danny, I heard everything, that was said between the two of you. Frankly, you got what you deserved! I only wish I had been the one to deck you."
"Danny Santos, is a wonderful man. He loves me, for me, and no other reason. You know after I found out what you did, compounded with what happened to me in the past, I had made the decision, that all men were scum, only out for one thing. Thank God, that I found Danny the night Mom died. Did you know, I threw myself at him? And do you know what he did? Instead of doing what most men, including you Ed, would have done, he stopped me, he held me while I cried for over an hour, and then when I fell asleep in sitting in his lap, he held me again. When I woke up, he tucked me in bed and was prepared to sleep in the window seat at the lighthouse, but I needed him, and he knew it, he didn't make me beg, he just lay down beside me and held me all night long. He quieted me, when I had nightmare, and held me when I cried. He has been nothing but good and kind and understanding during this horrible nightmare. When I heard him telling you how he felt about me, my heart sang. The little voice that had been playing inside my head was quiet. I have fallen in love with Danny, and I know that with his love and patience, my heart will heal, and I will build a life with him."
"As for you, I never want to speak to you again. Do not come to Millennium, do not call me, do not write me! If and it's a big IF, I ever decide to speak to you again, I will contact you. If you come near me, I will have you thrown out of the club, and if you continue to harass me, I will file a complaint against you. Have I made myself perfectly clear?!"
"Michelle, you don't know what you are saying. You don't know this man, I'm your father, I love you, I need you."
"No, Ed, you lost the right to be my father, when you killed Mom, because you couldn't keep your pants zipped. I do know Danny. Now, remember what I just said. I will send for my things. Good Bye, Ed!"
I turn and walk out the door without a second look, and head downstairs to Danny, to talk to him, to tell him I want him to help me heal my battered heart, and to build my future.