Lissy's hand twitched to fly across Michael's face. But she found strength to hold back. "What do you mean you're seeing someone?" One half of her subconscious appreciated his blunt truth but the second half found it disheartening.
"Exactly what it sounds like it." His words may have been a bit too straightforward but he said them with a brilliant smile. "Just please don't ask who she is."
"Who is she?" she challenged.
Michael laughed at daring approach. "It doesn't matter but she's waiting for me."
"She's inside?"
He lied with a single head nod. "Yeah..."
"1995 is a long time from now." She wanted to make known the deal was still on and not changing for anyone.
"She can wait. She's patient."
Lissy forced a smile before planting a kiss on his cheek. "Call me tomorrow."
"Will do," he said as she began to walk away.
Once her car was no longer in sight, he retreated back to the Neverland Gardens.
Shakira didn't seem to have moved an inch as she was still sitting in front of the piano. She acknowledged his return with a warm smile. "Who was that? Everything okay?"
"Everything's fine. I'm very sorry." Michael got back down comfortably on the blanket. "If you could start from the top that would be great."
With no hesitation, Shakira's fingers once again danced along the white keys.
I've got my baggage
And you've got yours
I know we've been damaged
Been through it all
You know that feeling you get just before a
Beautiful disaster
Right on top
Looking down from the
Terrifying roller coaster
Oh, baby, can you hear that sound?
My broken heart is beating faster now
In your arms
I know that I'm safe here in your arms
Lay down
Lay down your head on my shoulder
Hey now
Let's just depart from the notion
That I love you too much
Now I'm here to stay
I'm not giving up, I'm not running away
So we're gonna leave it that way
That way
This is much bigger than you and I
To live without love would be suicide
I think you will soon close your pretty eyes
I like to hear you breathing
It's like the soundtrack of my life
The only memory I'm keeping
Oh, baby, can you hear that sound?
You're broken heart is beating faster now
In my arms
I promise that you're safe here in my arms
Lay down
Lay down your head on my shoulder
Hey now
Let's just depart from the notion
That I love you too much
And I'm here to stay
I'm not giving up, I'm not running away
So we're gonna leave it that way
We're gonna leave it that way
That way...
Never had a woman sang to him, so passionately, in such a beautiful setting. Shakira had created the most beautiful scene and Michael felt honored to have such a touching song written for only him. "I love it," he said from down below. Fresh tears were pooling his eyes and his overwhelming emotions caused him to sit stiff. "I don't know what to say."
Shakira stood up and made her way over to him. "There's only one thing I need you to say."
"What's that?" he asked as she pulled him up by his two hands. He secured their grip and sweetly let his lips linger against her forehead for just a few short seconds.
She then looked deeply into his eyes and thought back to the first time when she laid eyes on them in Florida, 1987. "Michael, we've been through hell." Her voice was low and intimate, as they were so close. "But I never will regret any part of it. It's all been a learning experience, a great one. I know who I am now and I could've never figured that out without you loving me and then hurting me. Losing you was the hardest thing for me. But now that I have you back in my life, it's very important that we don't lose each other again. With you touring soon and my crazy career, I was afraid that we would eventually drift apart again. I've been thinking of a way to keep you ever since we got back together. And I have an idea, but it might sound crazy."
"I'm all for crazy," he said snickering with a wicked smile.
"You sure?"
He nodded in assurance, and as Shakira lowered herself on one knee, his heart violently beat against him.
Shakira ignored the fear in his eyes and continued pouring her heart out to him. "Umm..." She looked away for a moment to gather courage. When she felt she had just enough to get her through the last stage of her surprise, she looked back up into his fearful eyes. "When you're in Switzerland and I'm in Colombia and when you're in Germany and I'm in Italy, I don't want the miles to distance our hearts. I really feel like our hearts were created for each other. Together, we can do so much good for this earth and for our aching souls. I need you and you need me." A small box was hidden under the very blanket Michael had been sitting on. Shakira's hand trembled harshly as she went looking for it. Once in her hand, she could hardly balance it in her palm. She slid her left hand from Michael's only to open the box and reveal the band that was sitting inside waiting for him. "I knew this day would come. But never did I think so soon and that I'd be asking you."
Tears were falling 100 miles per hour from his burning eyes. He stuck his hand in his mouth to keep from squealing. It had been a long time since he felt so overwhelmed in any given moment.
"But I think when you're on stage or far, far, away and unable to get to a phone, this ring will be a reminder for you. Not that you love me but that I love you and I'm always thinking of you..." It was difficult to speak as her own tears began to blind her and her mouth became distractedly dry. But she had to ask him the question. "Michael, will you marry me?"
As his eyes shut tight, the corners of his mouth descended into a frown. He nodded his head and Shakira broke out sobbing. She couldn't even bring herself to slip the ring on his finger. She was taking a big risk with her emotions. A big part of her thought he would reject her.
But he didn't.
Michael got down on his knees and kneeled in front of her. He took hold of the box and carefully took possession of the ring. "Can I put it on?" he asked her.
She looked at him with eyes so red and wet. "Yeah," she cracked.
The ring slid on his finger perfectly and he admired it for a while. He never replaced the one Lissy gave him.
He placed his jeweled hand on her knee. "Why are you crying as if I just asked you?"
"I thought you would say no."
"You're crying as if I did," he said with a small giggle. "You have no idea what I'm feeling right now. Shakira?" He called for her attention.
She controlled her sobbing and to take a good look at him and retained her focus.
"Never has anyone made me feel this...special. I don't even think special is the right word but you've made me feel important. Lucky. For someone to take the time out and actually plan all of this to ask me for my hand in marriage...I'm completely blown away and I swear to you I wasn't expecting it at all until you got down on one knee. I can't believe you would do this for me."
"Of course. I love you."
"I know. But do I really deserve this? After everything I put you through? With Lissy still lingering?"
"Just don't keep me waiting forever."
"When do we do it? Do you want a wedding?"
"No. If it was up to me we would go off and make it official tomorrow," she giggled.
"We should."
"Really?"
"Yeah. We should go somewhere. On a small vacation before I start rehearsals and you do the Central Park Concert. We should go."
She couldn't stop smiling. "Where?"
"How about the Dominican Republic? We can marry in secrecy there. I know someone who will do it."
"How do you know this person?"
Michael began to laugh. "Do you really want to know?"
She nodded.
"I'll be right back," he said standing up.
"No. Where are you going?"
"Just wait," he yelled back to her as he ran away.
The time he was away wasn't nearly as long as before to her liking. But he came back empty handed.
"What is it?" she asked laughing.
"Ok. A part of me, a very small, little, tiny part of me is upset that you've proposed to me just now."
"Why?" she asked a little afraid but her eyes lit with delight as he pulled out from his pants pocket the same shaped box she had for him. "Oh my God," she said with her hands muffling her words.
"Because I was going to ask you first."