June 2001

Sophie awoke in Michael's bed buried in all the warm covers, she guessed Michael had placed there for her comfort.

She stretched making almost every bone in her body to pop and relaxed again.

She looked around, not only noticing that she was alone, but there was a white robe on Michael's pillow and note on top of it.

She sat up and noticed Michael's initials on the breast pocket of the white robe.

She picked up the note, it read, 'Good Morning, I know this isn't your robe, but I didn't want to dig through your stuff. Please put on this robe and follow the rose petals for a surprise. I love you. Michael.'

She smiled and only then did she notice the rose petals on the bed leading out the double doors of his room.

She got up quickly and put the soft robe on, she tiptoed across the rose petals in the room and left through the doors.

The rose petals lead her downstairs and outside to a beautiful garden over looking a stream.

Michael was seated at a white table in his silk pajamas reading a newspaper.

The table had beautiful daisies in a vase in the center and a butler came walking up to her and lead her to the table.

She sat and looked around a the beautiful surroundings, Michael put his paper down and stared at her through his glasses.

"Good Morning," he said taking off his glasses and handing them along with the newspaper to the butler.

"Michael, this is absolutely gorgeous. But, you didn't have to do this for me," Sophie said looking in Michael's deep brown eyes.

"I wanted to, besides, its breakfast time anyway," he said as the butler sat down two cups of coffee.

"The food will be ready in a few moments," the butler said.

"Thank you," Sophie said to the butler as he started to walk away.

"I sorry I came on to you like that last night," Sophie said turning back to face Michael.

"It really okay. You know, your right, ever since you came back I've been telling Chris how much I'm beginning to like you, but I thought you were kind of out of my league," Michael said smiling.

Sophie swallowed the coffee she had in her mouth, "Chris?"

"Chris Tucker, he's super funny and he's also one of my best friends," Michael said taking a drink of his coffee.

"Oh," she said looking around mesmerized, again.

"You'll meet him pretty soon, that is if you want to do the short film," Michael said getting her attention.

"What short film?" Sophie knew when Michael said short film he was referring to a music video.

"The 'You Rock My World' short film. Its off my new album coming out this fall. We were gonna film it next month and release it in September, I needed a girl that could dance and I figured I could use you, that is if your up to it," he said.

Sophie smiled, "I'd loved to."

Right then the butler and Michael's cook brought out breakfast and sat it on the table in front of them.

"Enjoy," the butler said setting down two glasses of orange juice.

"Thank you," Sophie said, she bowed down her head and then said a quick prayer to bless the food.

When she looked up Michael was staring at her, "What?"

"Nothing, What were you doing?" Michael asked with his fork in his hand.

"Praying, to bless the food," Sophie said.

"That's right, I forgot you were Catholic," he said taking a bite of the scrambled eggs on his plate.

"Yeah, I always say a prayer before I eat," she said taking a bite of the eggs that matched his.

Michael put his fork down and took of drink his orange juice, "You didn't before college."

"Well, Jake kind of got me in the habit of it," she said noticing a weird hurt flood in her body.

She forgotten that Jake's funeral was yesterday, he was dead, gone, never was she going to see him again.

Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she got hot, really hot.

"Sophie, are you okay?" Michael said running over to her and putting his arms around her, she blacked out.

Sophie woke up a day later on the couch with a little blonde headed boy right in her face.

She jumped and he spoke, "Sorry I scared you."

"Its okay Prince," she said sitting up to find Michael sitting in the chair beside the couch.

"Prince go play in your room with Paris," he said quietly looking at the floor.

"Okay daddy. See you later Sophie," he said, Sophie smiled and he left the room and climbed up the stairs.

When she was sure he was gone, she climbed in Michael's lap and kissed him, he remained silent.

"I'm sorry, Sophie. This is wrong," he said still looking at the floor.

"What's wrong?" Sophie asked confused.

"Us. You loved Jake so much. Sophie," he took a deep breath, "I'm 23 years older than you, it'll look weird, you know."

At Jake's name she flinched, but she understood what Michael was saying.

She was 20 and he was going to be 43 in two months, she thought about it then knew that what Michael was saying was wrong.

"Michael, age doesn't matter, I love you," she said.

"That's it. I feel like you using me as a cover up for your loss," he said still keeping voice low.

"Michael I've always had a crush on you, I mean, who wouldn't. I just know how to use my feelings now and I'm pulling out some hidden feelings I didn't know I had until I came to visit you. Michael, those few weeks when I was first here I was falling for you, but I pushed it away because I was going to marry Jake. Now he's gone I don't have to hide anymore," she realized how awful she sounded saying that about Jake, but it was true.

Michael looked up at her, "Your my best friend, Sophie. I don't want to have that messed up like with you and Mac."

She hadn't thought about Mac in a long time, she had kept her promise to herself and hadn't spoken to Mac since 1997.

"Mac and I, it was just teenage love. I'm adult and your an adult, we know how to control our feelings," Sophie said kissing Michael.

He kissed back and pulled away, "Then what are we waiting for."

He picked Sophie up and headed passed the Nanny, who was coming into the living room.

"Grace, can you watch the kids? We'll be busy, uh, all day," Michael said and I blushed.

Grace came to a realization and before she could wipe the weird look off her face and say okay, Michael had Sophie halfway up the stairs.

He took her into his bedroom and sat her down on the bed, she was laughing hysterically remembering Grace's face.

Michael kissed her and Sophie they were meant to be together.