Wasted Time By Lumien @ Spiral Bound Fiction

"No, come on. What floor?" she asked rather shortly, waving him in.
He stepped in with the doors closing on them, trapping them together in
such a small space.

"Penthouse." He said.

"Figures." She sighed, pushing her own floor, the 24th.

They both had their eyes peeled to the numbers above the door, but he
saw her head lower and look back at him shortly after they started their ascent.

"What's that noise?" she asked.

"What noise?" he asked, looking at the carpeted floor beneath his designer
shoes as she had.

"Can't you hear that?" she quizzed.

"No…"

"There it is again. I don't think this is very safe…." She said, turning to stop the elevator.

No sooner had she said it when the elevator stopped of it's own volition and then lurched up one last time before it dropped suddenly 4 floors.

She watched in slow motion as he was lifted off his feet and seemingly floated for a moment beside her. His heavier body hit the floor with a sickening thud she hoped she'd never have to hear again, until her own body hit.

Michelle shook her head clear and tried to get her bearings. Howie lay splayed on his stomach on the elevator floor beside her. His eyes didn't open and he didn't look at her.

"Howie? How? Are you okay?" she asked gently, not reaching to touch him. "Howie?" Her small hand finally reached for his broad shoulder and she gave him a quick shake and snatched her hand away. "Howie, this isn't funny. Get up." It took her nearly a full minute to realize he wasn't messing around. He was out cold, having hit his head during the fall.

She gently rolled him to his back, finally seeing the lump at his temple. She checked for a pulse and his breathing and they seemed okay to her. She slipped her hands into his hair, checking for other injuries and then chuckled when she left his hair a mess. That will piss him off for sure, she thought.

She reached for the emergency phone and called for help. They told her that the entire power grid for the hotel had gone down and they were trying to rescue everyone. She told them of Howie's condition, but they told her they had worse injuries and to keep them informed.

She stood up and brushed herself off after hanging up the phone. She removed her painful dress shoes and figured she might as well be comfortable. The elevator lurched down another half a floor and Michelle decided it was best to just remain seated.

God, this was not how she had planned to spend her divorce. Trapped in an elevator with him. They had chosen New York as a neutral backdrop for meetings of their settlement. Their lawyers had decided that New York was the best point between his native Florida and her native Massacuettes.

She couldn't have imagined she would ever need a lawyer to talk to Howie. They had always had that one thing, until the end. She couldn't hide her resentment anymore of him leaving her behind on tours, being gone such long hours and shutting her out. She figured she shouldn't complain, he provided her with everything she would ever need or want. He just didn't seem to understand in those last months of their marriage, although she had tried to explain it to him.

Twelve years and it come to this; a divorce settlement, money exchanging hands for time earned and making sure that the girls got to see their Daddy as much as possible. The girls. Eleven year old Kimberly and eight year old Caroline. Kimmie was Michelle's spitting image in spite of her father's dark looks. Caroline? She looks so much like Howie's family it wasn't even funny. Then there was little Paula Marie who Howie never got the chance to know. He had been gone on tour when Michelle grew sick and lost the baby at 6 months.

The bastard! He didn't even care enough to come home! Her heart screamed at his unconscious form.

Michelle wasn't sure when she finally nodded off, but she woke to his groaning. She opened her eyes to see him touching his head, trying to figure out what had happened.

"What happened?" he stammered, sitting up slowly.

"The elevator crashed, we're stuck between floors." She said. He looked startled to hear her voice and he turned his eyes quickly away when they locked with hers. He brought his knees up and put his elbows on them.

Vanity had kept Howie Dorough's hair as dark as the day he was born. Michelle had encouraged him to let it go a little gray, like Kevin's but he said no. He was nearly 40; it's not like it was the end of the world.

"You okay?" she asked.

"How long was I out?" he asked. She reached over, grabbed his wrist, and looked at his Rolex watch.

"About 45 minutes."

"It's been that's long?" he asked. She only nodded 'yes'. He stood up slowly, gripping the railings.

"You'd better sit down, the lift isn't stable…" Michelle said and with that, it wobbled from his shifting weight. He took her advice and hunkered down in the corner farthest from her. Silence ate at them for nearly an hour before he finally spoke.

"How have you been?" he asked softly.

"Okay." She replied.

"How are the girls?"

"They miss their Daddy."

"I know, I'm sorry…"

"What else is new?" She snapped.

"God, Mickey, don't start on me." He moaned.

"Don't ever call me that again." She growled at him.

"Fine." He snapped. Silence clawed at them again for another 15.

"God they better hurry up." She groaned. "I've gotta go to work tomorrow."

"What's your hurry? Don't you want to see your settlement?" he snarled.

"Fuck you!" she snapped.

"You've already done that." His hateful word flew at her.

"Don't remind me…" she snapped.

"Goddamn it!" he suddenly said, kicking out at the nearest wall. "Can't we stop fighting for two seconds!" He buried his head between his drawn up knees, locking his fingers behind his head. "I never wanted this. God, I swear, Michelle, I don't understand how it came to this." He groaned.

"You don't understand anything…"

"Then explain it to me!" he demanded, lifting his head to face her.

"I've spent the last two years trying to explain it to you! You just won't listen to me! I'm tired of talking about it, Howie!" she said, her voice suddenly cracking and giving away her emotions.

"Please don't start crying." He said softly.

"What do you care?" she said, giving in to a few sobs. She began to hit the elevator panel willing it to light up and take her away from him. "Can't they hurry up! I've gotta go to work tomorrow…"

"You don't have to work." Howie said.

"See?! See?! You haven't heard a goddamn word I've said to you in the whole 12 years we were married!" she said, giving into the tears.

"Mickey, please don't…" he said from his safe haven across the way.

He always hated to hear her cry, especially when he knew he was the cause. Michelle's tears gave way to anger and she pointed a sharp finger in his direction although she couldn't see him for her own tears.

"I'll cry if I want to! My goddamn marriage is coming to an end, I've lost a baby and I've lost you!" she screamed at him. Damn him! Damn him straight to hell for how he got to her, for how he got under her skin.

He crawled to her to take her in his arms, but he had to deftly avoid colliding with her flying fists. She finally struggled until all the fight was gone and simply lay in his arms, sobbing to him, for him and eventually with him. He tucked her neatly under his chin, right as she had always fit as though her body was made for his. His arms held so close he could feel her heart beating in his own chest. He couldn't hold back his own tears either. He had lost her as well.

She seemed to calm down and gently removed herself from his arms without looking up. She crawled away, but was still in arms reach for him. He wiped his face and looked down at the damp salt on his fingertips. He tipped his head back against the wall and looked up at the dark ceiling.

"I've always loved you, Michelle. No matter what happens or how far away you run from me or if I never see you again, I'm afraid I will always love you."

His softly spoken confession stilled her heart. She hadn't expected that. She didn't believe the Howie Dorough she married was the same man she was married to now. She knew that, because the Howie of her youth had loved her and would have never abandoned her like this man had.

"It's not enough." She replied.

He lowered his gaze at her, that same puzzled look on his face he had had the last two years she had known him.

"What else can I do?"

"You really don't understand, do you?"

"No, please Michelle, please explain it to me." He groaned.

"Maybe you just don't believe me." She sighed.

"Believe what?"

"I never wanted your fame. I never wanted your money. I never wanted the three houses or all the cars or the jewelry." Michelle said, blinking back a new flood of tears. God please let me reach him, she silently prayed. "All I ever wanted was you. Howie. All I wanted when I lost the baby was you. All I wanted was you to come home and be with us." It's all she wanted now, too!

"It was so hard…."

"It wasn't impossible."

"All I ever wanted was to come home." He said and Michelle wasn't expecting the sob that broke his voice in two. "I just didn't know how, Mick. The band was touring and the guys were so happy and it just kept going and going and going and the next thing I knew you were gone…" He quickly wiped his eyes, but still refused to look at her. "I had a daughter I never even got to see, or hold or anything. I was so jealous of you because you got everything."

"Me?" she choked.

"Every day you wake up in the same bed, you see the girls and our families while I was gone. I couldn't understand why you weren't happy…."

"The only thing I ever wanted was you." She said quietly. "You weren't in that bed with me, you weren't there with the girls and me. Your mother would call and ask how you were and I wanted so much to just go over there like we used to and eat her enchiladas."

"I'm sorry." He whispered and Michelle felt as though it was the most honest thing he had said to her in years.

"I know." She nodded.

She reached for him and as her hand touched his, he looked up at her, meeting her eyes. His dark fingers laced with hers ever so slowly and she followed his lead when his hand tugged her closer. His hands captured her face and drew her to him until his lips met hers. So cautious, so leery, so full of fear was their kiss.

"Please Howie, please don't hurt me again." She whispered.

"Can you ever forgive me? Can I ever hope for you to believe in me again?" he whispered back.

"I have always believed in you." She whispered back.

He took her mouth this time with determination to win her heart back. His hands slipped down to the front of her blouse and he felt her begin to tremble. How sweet! How he remember what she was like! How could he have been so stupid?!

Howie rose to his knees, taking her into his arms and laying her back across the elevator floor. He levered himself up to have her hands go quickly to his own dress shirt and peel backs the layers. He removed his tie with a jerk as she sat up and pulled his shirt from his slacks. Her hands ran the length of his still firm chest and chiseled abs. He tore at the pins in her hair until the honey colored bun spilled over his hands.

His lips kissed her over and over until he had removed her blouse. Her scent entombed him as he trailed his lips down between her breast to take each nipple with his mouth. She had loosened his hair and was freely running her fingers through it. He looked up into her face and he looked like a wild man. He looked, as he had loved her 12 years ago.

"Howie?" she asked.

"Yes?" he said with surprise.

"Is that really you?"

"Yes, baby. It's really me. I've come home, baby. I've come home to stay." He smiled.

"Don't stop what you're doing…I've missed you so much." She said a cry escaping her.

"No crying any more." He said, kissing her nose. "I won't hurt you Michelle. Not again, I swear."

"I love you, Howie. I never stopped…"

"Me either. Never, Michelle, never." He whispered.

"Make love to me." She moaned. He didn't utter another word as she reached down and began to undo his suit pants. He gasped so loudly; he was surprised he didn't cum right then and there at her simple touch. He kicked off his shoes and they both removed what clothing they had left.

He laid her back down on his jacket and has he lifted himself to leave her arms, she grabbed at his arms.

"Howie…"

"Sh, baby. This is for you…" he said, slipping his fingers between her wet legs and listening to her gasp. His tongue quickly followed and he coaxed her to a climax he knew was coming. She abandoned herself to it and Howie could barely contain himself until she calmed.

"Now, now, don't wait." She panted.

He slipped his hips between her legs and her fingers dove into his hair, pulling him down to her for a kiss. When he entered her it far harder and quicker than he had ever wanted, but she welcomed him for all he was worth. Her groans met his and they found their perfect rhythm.

Perfection.

Everything about him was perfection. The fit of his body to hers, the movements that they shared and even the songs both of their souls sang. She had had years of total emptiness without him and she remembered all of that pain as he made love to her.

She had missed him so much. She could barely believe the man whom she had married 12 years ago was holding her and loving her in ways she could have hoped she hadn't dreamed. There was no cordialness to his movements, no anger, no hostility only a spark of hope lay between them and she could almost hear his prayers that he could rekindle the fire.

"I've waited so long for you to come back…" she moaned.

"I'm here baby. I'll never leave you again, I swear. I'm so sorry, baby. Oh my God Michelle, I'm so sorry." He cried out as he pushed forward feeling his body surrender to his will. "Please forgive me…!"

"Yes! I forgive you, baby! Please don't ever leave me…"

"I swear it! " he moaned as she shuttered beneath him and he finally let go. He dropped his head until his forehead was touching hers. Matching smiles fell on touching lips. Even by the dim illumination of the emergency lights, he could see that old laughing sparkle in her eyes.

Words were on his lips, she could tell. He wanted to say something.

God, please don't let him say he regretted it. Please don't make me his fool again. She prayed.

"I have to ask." He said seriously.

"What?" she said hoarsely.

"Will you marry me?" he smiled. "Again, Michelle. Marry me again."

"Yes." She blushed. "I'll marry you. Again."

The End