IV: The Calm Before the Storm

She'd been thinking about it all day, giddy like a school girl. She would be going on a date with Michael later that night. Her stomach fluttered with excitement and nervousness. Even at her age, Alisa had never once been on a date; she was always too shy and the boys from school always wanted something more from her. Things she was unwilling to give. This was all so new to her, but it felt right. Michael was nothing like the boys from her school; she knew his heart was kind. Since her brother and the kids were out playing with Michael, she decided to bring lunch to them, wrapping up a large blanket and setting the wrapped up food in a basket. It was nice day and Eastpine Meadow was always a wonderful place to have a picnic. She left the house, basket in hand, skipping along the street.

Crossing the bridge, she lit up at the sound of merriment. As she reached the top of one of the hills, she saw Sean, Katie and Zeke with Skipper, running away from Michael. Alisa guessed they were playing a game of tag. Zeke was the first to notice her as he scurried around the large meadow.

"'Lisa!" As he ran to her, she tried not to tumble down the hill as she met him halfway.

"Hi my little one! Thought you might not come home again for lunch so I decided to bring lunch to you..." Zeke happily took the basket from her, running off with it. "Zeke, make sure to put the blanket down first!"

Michael approached her after Zeke ran off, a smile on his face. "Hello Alisa."

"Nice to see you again Michael," she beamed, "I made sandwiches for lunch, yours included."

"Thank you." Silence came upon them, same as the day before. She didn't quite know what to say. Alisa felt like a bride, creating bad luck seeing her groom before the wedding. Or in her case, seeing her date before the actual date.

"So about our date tonight," He said, "how's 8 o'clock sound?"

"8 sounds great!" She said, giggling when she noticed the rhyme.

"I can't wait." Michael said, adding to it. The bright sun made Alisa's red cheeks glow.

"Hey!" Zeke yelled to them, "are you guys gonna eat or what?"

Alisa and Michael chuckled. "We should join them before they eat our food."

***

After eating lunch, Michael and Alisa sat on the blanket together while the kids ran around and played with Skipper. Michael observed Alisa as she closed her eyes and basked in the beauty and serenity that was Eastpine Meadow. There was a small breeze in the air and Alisa inhaled the smell of the fresh grass. She seemed so serene, Michael was afraid to speak and break her harmony.

"It's so beautiful here," she said, "My mom used to bring me here on the weekends. I remember running through this field away from my mom; she'd grab me and we'd tumble down the hill laughing." Alisa was so far way in her thoughts that she didn't notice her eyes welling up.

"Hey," Michael said, softly "no tears today. I won't allow it."

She quickly sniffed and wiped her eyes. "No tears, I promise."

"Good, now let me see a smile." The corners of her lips turned upwards, but only slightly.

"Come on, I know you can do better than that," he said, playfully poking her stomach and watching as she giggled. "Ticklish?"

"Nope." She said.

"Are you sure?" Michael smirked, tickling her.

Alisa was soon roaring with laughter as Michael's tickling increased. "Stop it!"

"Say "Michael is the best!""

"I can't breathe!"

"Say it and I'll stop!"

"Okay, okay. Michael is the best, Michael is the best!" Michael stopped, chuckling as Alisa breathed heavily.

"What's going on?" Zeke asked, approaching the two adults on the blanket, Sean and Katie beside him. Michael laughed harder when Alisa didn't speak, still catching her breath from Michael's tickle fight.

"Michael...thought it would...be funny to tickle me." As she caught her breath, she said, "I think it's time for a little revenge, don't you guys think?"

She smirked and the three preteens understood, joining Alisa in creeping up on Michael. Michael stopped his laughing and noticed them, realizing what they were up to.

"No!" Michael screamed. But as he tried to get up, he was quickly shoved back onto the blanket as Alisa, Sean, Zeke and Katie attacked him with tickles. Like Alisa minutes before, Michael howled in laughter.

"Say you're sorry!" Alisa yelled over his laughs.

"Okay, okay, I give! I'm sorry!" the four halted their tickle attack, giggling while Michael huffed, catching his breath. "You three are so gonna get it!"

Katie, Sean and Zeke screamed as Michael grabbed Zeke and tickled him.

"Hahaha...sis...'Lisa...haha help!"

"I'll save you Z!" She said dramatically, going back to tickling Michael.

"No fair!" Michael yelled.

"Life's not always fair remember?" She chortled. When she finally freed him, the two of them lied back on the blanket to stare up at the sky. Zeke, Sean and Katie joined them and for a while, all was silent. Alisa realized that the events that had occurred were the most enjoyable that she'd had in a long time. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed so much. Her eyes turned to Michael as he lay next to her. It was him; he brought happiness back into her life.

***

The sun set and the moon had taken its place in the sky. Michael gladly walked them home as the hours were finally coming close. He left to prepare their date and Alisa fed Sean, Katie and Zeke before taking a shower to prepare herself. Sean, Katie and Zeke didn't seem as surprised as she'd imagined when she explained to them that Michael had invited her out for the night. But little did she know that Michael had already explained it to them earlier before she's arrived to the meadow. She wrapped herself in her robe, her hair in a towel. The three youngsters sat on her bed, watching as she dug through her closet for something decent. Her mind was too busy in panic mode; this was different than the other outings she'd joined in with Michael. The first dress she pulled out of her closet was a blue shirt-like dress, brown belt wrapped around it.

"How about this one?" Alisa asked them. Zeke looked at Sean and Katie and together, they shook their heads no. She instantly threw the dress to the floor taking out a colorful floral ensemble and again they shook their heads. Another no.  After throwing the reject to the other side of her room, she took out two other dresses, one black and white with a stripe of red, the other was a simple teal dress, a strap crossed the collarbone area but could reveal some good amount of cleavage. The three young ones immediately pointed to the teal dress.

"You sure? Seems so simple." She said, looking over the dress.

"Trust me sis." Zeke nodded.

"Thanks loves, you're the best!" She said, scurrying to the bathroom to change.

Zeke, Sean and Katie

"Do you think she'll like what Michael did?" Katie whispered to Zeke.

"Definitely! I told him all her favorite things!" He whispered back.

"They're going a date!" She breathed excitedly. "Then they'll get married!"

"You know," Sean said to Zeke, "if Michael and ‘Lisa get married, Michael will be your brother!"

"Aw cool!" He commented.

"Are we gonna follow them?" Katie asked.

"Duh, we gotta!" Sean answered.

"We'll sneak out after ‘Lisa leaves the house." Zeke told them.

"What're you little ones whispering about?" Alisa asked coming out of the bathroom dressed in the teal garb of choice and a pair of white heels.

"Uh, nothing!" The preteens said in unison.

"Mm-hm, if you say so."

"Oh ‘Lisa, you look so pretty!" Katie awed.

"Thank you sweetie, so nice of you to say. Now, everyone in bed."

"Aw already? Come on ‘Lisa!" Zeke groaned.

"I know Z, but Michael's gonna be here any minute and-

There was a loud knock at the door.

"See there he is now! In the bed, I'll be there to tuck you in, in a second." The three darted to Zeke's room and Alisa stepped to the door, looking herself over quickly before opening the door for him. She almost trembled at the sight of him. He was dressed in a regular blue button up, white shirt underneath that was tucked into some black slacks with white socks and penny loafers. His hair was curled but instead of keeping in a ponytail in the back, kept it all out. Alisa thought he looked unbelievably handsome.

"Hi Michael right on time. Come on in, I'm just putting the little ones to sleep."

"You look beautiful tonight Alisa." He complimented, making her blush.

"You don't look so bad yourself."

He pulled a red rose from behind his back. "This is for you."

"Oh Michael, it's beautiful." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you, that was sweet."

Michael blushed but shook out of his daze when he heard snickers coming from the hall; the three adolescents poked their heads from the hall wall. Giggling at the three of them, Alisa put on a stern maternal face.

"Alright little ones," She said, "Say goodnight to Michael, and then off to bed."

"Night Michael." Sean said.

Katie approached him, hugging his waist. "Goodnight Michael."

"Goodnight Mike." Zeke winked. Michael smirked and winked back, Alisa glancing back and forth at them confused.

"I'll be back." She whispered to Michael, following the children off to Zeke's room. One by one, she tucked them in, kissing them on their foreheads.

"Sweet dreams kiddies. See you in the morning." She shut the door, heading back to Michael.

"They'll soon be asleep." She told him.

"Well then," He said, holding out his arm, "shall we?"

"I believe we shall." She smiled, taking his arm in her gentle grasp as they exited the house

***

The door shut. Their eyes opened. Sean, Katie and Zeke sprung out of their faux sleep modes and quietly waited to hear the front door shut. Michael and Alisa were on the move.

"Let's sneak on the fire escape. It's outside ‘Lisa's window." Zeke told them. Before he could open her window, Sean pushed him down, away from sight. Alisa and Michael were strolling away from the apartment now. When the two were far enough, Sean opened the window and climbed the fire escape, Katie and Zeke following after him.

"We're losing them!" Katie panicked.

"Don't worry," Zeke reassured. "I know where they're headed."

***

"I've always been curious Michael," Alisa said, "What's your last name?"

He chuckled. "Jackson."

"Michael...Jackson, I like it." She complimented. "So Mr. Jackson, what do you do when you're not being the city's guardian angel?"

"What makes you think I'm an angel?"

"Well let me see, you spend your free time playing with kids and giving them the happiest moments of their childhood, you want to help cook and clean when you're the guest and on top of that, you're an absolute gentleman; maybe the only one in this whole city. Does that not sound like an angel to you?"

"You never know, I may have another side." He smirked.

"With that tickle fest you attacked me with earlier, I might just believe that." She returned the smirk.

"How else was I supposed to keep that beautiful smile on your face?" Alisa looked away from him, cheeks deep red. Michael grinned, noticing the change of color on her face. "You're so cute when you blush."

"Michael stop, you're embarrassing me."

"But it's so much fun." He teased.

"Okay tough guy," she smirked, "let's see how you like it. I think you look awfully cute with those curls always hanging down in your face." She played with the curls in his face before saying, "I also think you look devilishly handsome tonight."

She giggled, noticing Michael's tan cheeks turning pink. "Aw, who's blushing now?"

Michael playfully bumped her on her side and she grinned seeing his shy side appearing as she nudged him back. The two young adults jauntily crashed into each other's sides as they meandered down the street. "So Michael, besides bumping into your dates, what do you like to do?"

He chuckled. "I...well, I perform at a local club."

"When you say perform, what do you mean exactly? You sing?" He nodded. "No way, show me. Sing for me!"

"Now?"

"Yes now! Why not? Pretty please?" She stuck her bottom lip out childishly pouting.

Michael laughed. "How ‘bout we save that for a little later, when we get to where we're going?"

"I'll hold you to it." Alisa said, "Where are we going anyways?"

"Ah, now that's a bit of a secret..."

"Oh come on," she groaned, "Can't you just tell me?"

"Nope, we're almost there." He retorted, "in fact, you gotta close your eyes."

"Michael-

He put his hands over her eyes instead. "Want to make sure you don't peek."

"Oh darn," she said sarcastically, "Michael this really isn't necessary, I won't peek."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart," she said, airing an X over her heart and holding out her pinky. "Wanna pinky promise?"

Alisa held in her squeal when she felt his large pinky wrap around her own; Michael grabbed her small hands in his large ones, leading the now blind Alisa to their destination.

After a few minutes, she asked, "Can I open them?"

"Not yet." Alisa gasped when she felt the ground under her change, but a squeeze from Michael's protective grasp reassured her that it was okay. The ground was hollow, no longer concrete and the sound of water was close by. Alisa tried to guess where they were, but the ground under her changed once more. The sounds of their steps was heard on the crisp surface. A familiar scent caught her nose. Grass. Alisa immediately knew where they were. Eastpine Meadow. Many questions ran through her head. Why would Michael choose the meadow for our date?

Still holding Michael's hands, Alisa feared her palms would soon grow sweaty from her excited nervous state. He'd been leading her through the meadow for some time and Alisa wondered where in the world their date was. But as her last thoughts ran, Michael slowly came to a halt.

"Now can I open them?" she asked softly.

"Alright...now." Her blurred vision faded quickly and Alisa gasped.