MICHAEL:
She kind of was like our groupie I guess. Her and Lilly that is.
Lilly was kind of being like that kid in that movie, Almost Famous.
She was doing an article for Rolling Stone about upcoming bands. All
the new writers were assigned to follow up and coming bands on tour.
She obviously chose us to write about.
Before we went on stage we would all gather together, including
Lilly and Mia, and do a little pep up speech. It became tradition for
me to kiss Mia on the cheek before I went on stage with everyone.
"Break a leg," she'd say to me with a smile.
We sang most of the new songs, but every once and a while, when
I felt like Mia was feeling down about Joshua, I would play Tall Drink
of Water and then Refresher for her. I would give her a little wink
while she was just off stage.
One thing I noticed about her though, was her clothes. She
always looked so damn conservative. We had a few days off when we were
in France so I woke her up early.
"What are you doing?" she said groggily. She, the girl who would
wake up at six in the morning for horse back riding, was complaining
about a ten in the morning wake up call.
"We're going shopping. I cannot let you go to another concert
dressed like you are."
"But, Michael-"
"Ssh, get dressed."
I brought her to some really funky shops and made her buy some
jeans. The girl did not own a single pair of jeans anymore. The girl
who used to wear overalls everyday, did not own jeans.
Then I made her buy some regular shirts, not blouses, but t-
shirts that you pay thirty dollars to wear and advertise for the
company. She really seemed to enjoy all the shopping, especially since
I did not drag her into a single store for me.
"Michael, do you even KNOW how nice it is to be buying a skirt
that I do not wear nylons underneath? Or that a guy is bringing me
shopping?" she said with a giggle.
A flash went off behind us. I saw a man with a camera run off.
"You get used to it," she assured me.
We decided to get some lunch at a small café that had all
American food. "You know how nice it is to eat a real American
burger?"I asked after I bit into my food. She took a napkin and wiped
the ketchup from the corner of my mouth.
"No, and I don't want to," she replied.
"Oh right, forgot, sorry. What are you up to tonight?" I asked.
"Lilly and I are going to go to a club," she replied. "It should
be interesting. I haven't been to one in years, since before..." she
said, trailing off. She suddenly looked really guilty. I grabbed her
hand.
"It's okay, Mia. You are supposed to move on," I promised her.
It had now been two months since he had died.
"I know, but still...I feel terrible."
"Mia, have fun while you can, okay?" I said.
She nodded. "You know what I always wanted?" she asked, in a
lowered voice.
I shook my head, "Other than Ben Affleck naked?"
She laughed, "Well, other than that of course."
"I don't know then, what?"
"I'm going to get my belly button pierced."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Nope. I want to do all those kinds of rebellious things! Plus,
I want a tattoo, someday."
"I think we should go for the less permanent thing," I said,
standing up. I left some money on the table. "Let's go."
"Where are you taking me?" she asked.
"To get your belly done-"
"Oh, Michael, it's one of those things you simply SAY you are
going to do, you never really do though-"
"Mia, we are going to do it. I'll get something pierced if you
want."
"Oh? A penal piercing?" she teased.
"I don't know about that. I was thinking more along the lines of
my tongue or eyebrow."
"But won't your tongue me swollen? How would you sing?" she
asked.
"I have a few days off. If anything goes wrong I'm sure Nolan
could sing and I could just do the guitar."
"We are really going to do this?" she asked.
"Yes we are Princess," I said as I led her into the shop.
"Michael, piercing your tongue is the stupidest thing you could
do!" Lilly screamed that night at dinner.
I smiled and looked at Mia, who was sporting her new piercing as
well.
"So what?" I said, although they probably couldn't understand
me.
"You are so...childish!" Lilly hissed.
"So what?" I repeated.
Mia was smiling widely. "Lilly, he is twenty seven years old. He
clearly needs the piercing to show that he is still young. Plus, think
about it. Guys with tongue rings are supposed to be amazing kissers.
He isn't getting any younger, he needs all the help he can with the
ladies."
"Thanks, Mia, I think," I said with a laugh. My tongue was still
hurting me, but I ignored the pain. "I'm gonna go watch a movie
upstairs," I said standing up.
"I'll come with-"Mia started.
"And what ladies is he supposed to find with you always being
with him?" Lilly snapped.
"Ones that I approve of," Mia replied linking her arms with me.
"Then maybe you should take a look at People magazine," Lilly
said, raising it in the air. I grabbed it and looked at the open page.
It had a picture of Mia and I in Monaco at a beach.
I remembered that day so clearly. "Michael, I am not going to
sunbathe nude," she hissed as we got out of the car.
I came up behind her and un did her bikini top and ran off. She
grabbed her breasts in shock and ran after me. I threw her top into
the Mediterranean Sea. "Then go get that," I said with a laugh. "Oh
come on, no one will recognize you."
"It's Monaco," she started. "I have family here. I am related to
the royal family."
"So? If they have nothing better to do with their time than to
snap pictures of you naked then they really need lives," I said,
spreading out our beach blanket. I slid out of my shorts and laid
down.
"I am not taking off my bottoms," she relented.
"Prude," I teased.
"Man-whore," she teased back.
After awhile she had gotten comfortable with the lack of a top. I put
on my shorts and we built a sand castle. I didn't mind laying down
nude, but actually walking around without something to cover up my
pecker? No thanks, that ladies and gentlemen is too much.
She looked gorgeous that afternoon, so full of life. Nothing
like she did back in Genovia. Back there she was stick straight and
full of rules. She pretended to not follow them, but I knew she did.
She seemed five years younger when she was here. She didn't pay
attention to the people staring at the young princess half naked. She
would turn to me every once and a while and say something about a
large man who was naked. We had little jokes about people's sizes.
"So, if I was here on the beach, all alone and you were here,
all alone. What would you say about me?" I asked.
She had a twinkle in here eyes, "Wow, that man is really
endowed! What would you say about me?"
I had a few thoughts in my mind, but didn't verbalize them. "How
beautiful you looked," I said. That was the closest she was going to
get to an answer.
She seemed to accept that as a good answer.
"Mia, what were you thinking?" Lilly demanded.
Snap back into reality.
"Lilly, it was my fault," I started.
"No, Michael. I could have put my t-shirt on but I didn't. I
didn't want to. I have every right to be naked like everyone else."
"Mia..." Lilly said with her pug face. Man had I missed that face.
"Lilly, chill out. It happened, so what? She's an adult and can
make those decisions on her own," Tony said coming to Mia's defense.
"But-"
"Lilly, chill. Let's just go up to bed now. See ya guys."
Mia and I helped one another clean our new piercings out.
"Remember now," she started in a motherly tone, "No kissing for six
weeks," she teased.
"Because you know how I am," I joked. "I make out with every
groupie out there."
"As President of the groupies I must say that you are rather
good to us," she joked.
"Do you think Grandmere is going to flip on you? About those
pictures?"
"Goodness no. She knows that I am an adult now. As long as it
isn't a regular occurrence she doesn't care. Dad does it all the time
though so I'm sure it isn't a big deal. A little embarrassing, but
that's all. I can deal with that."
"Okay, I'm gonna go to bed," I started as I peeled off my
boxers.
"Very well, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Stay," I suggested. It came out sounding sexier than I
intended.
"Okay," she said softly.
She kind of was like our groupie I guess. Her and Lilly that is.
Lilly was kind of being like that kid in that movie, Almost Famous.
She was doing an article for Rolling Stone about upcoming bands. All
the new writers were assigned to follow up and coming bands on tour.
She obviously chose us to write about.
Before we went on stage we would all gather together, including
Lilly and Mia, and do a little pep up speech. It became tradition for
me to kiss Mia on the cheek before I went on stage with everyone.
"Break a leg," she'd say to me with a smile.
We sang most of the new songs, but every once and a while, when
I felt like Mia was feeling down about Joshua, I would play Tall Drink
of Water and then Refresher for her. I would give her a little wink
while she was just off stage.
One thing I noticed about her though, was her clothes. She
always looked so damn conservative. We had a few days off when we were
in France so I woke her up early.
"What are you doing?" she said groggily. She, the girl who would
wake up at six in the morning for horse back riding, was complaining
about a ten in the morning wake up call.
"We're going shopping. I cannot let you go to another concert
dressed like you are."
"But, Michael-"
"Ssh, get dressed."
I brought her to some really funky shops and made her buy some
jeans. The girl did not own a single pair of jeans anymore. The girl
who used to wear overalls everyday, did not own jeans.
Then I made her buy some regular shirts, not blouses, but t-
shirts that you pay thirty dollars to wear and advertise for the
company. She really seemed to enjoy all the shopping, especially since
I did not drag her into a single store for me.
"Michael, do you even KNOW how nice it is to be buying a skirt
that I do not wear nylons underneath? Or that a guy is bringing me
shopping?" she said with a giggle.
A flash went off behind us. I saw a man with a camera run off.
"You get used to it," she assured me.
We decided to get some lunch at a small café that had all
American food. "You know how nice it is to eat a real American
burger?"I asked after I bit into my food. She took a napkin and wiped
the ketchup from the corner of my mouth.
"No, and I don't want to," she replied.
"Oh right, forgot, sorry. What are you up to tonight?" I asked.
"Lilly and I are going to go to a club," she replied. "It should
be interesting. I haven't been to one in years, since before..." she
said, trailing off. She suddenly looked really guilty. I grabbed her
hand.
"It's okay, Mia. You are supposed to move on," I promised her.
It had now been two months since he had died.
"I know, but still...I feel terrible."
"Mia, have fun while you can, okay?" I said.
She nodded. "You know what I always wanted?" she asked, in a
lowered voice.
I shook my head, "Other than Ben Affleck naked?"
She laughed, "Well, other than that of course."
"I don't know then, what?"
"I'm going to get my belly button pierced."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Nope. I want to do all those kinds of rebellious things! Plus,
I want a tattoo, someday."
"I think we should go for the less permanent thing," I said,
standing up. I left some money on the table. "Let's go."
"Where are you taking me?" she asked.
"To get your belly done-"
"Oh, Michael, it's one of those things you simply SAY you are
going to do, you never really do though-"
"Mia, we are going to do it. I'll get something pierced if you
want."
"Oh? A penal piercing?" she teased.
"I don't know about that. I was thinking more along the lines of
my tongue or eyebrow."
"But won't your tongue me swollen? How would you sing?" she
asked.
"I have a few days off. If anything goes wrong I'm sure Nolan
could sing and I could just do the guitar."
"We are really going to do this?" she asked.
"Yes we are Princess," I said as I led her into the shop.
"Michael, piercing your tongue is the stupidest thing you could
do!" Lilly screamed that night at dinner.
I smiled and looked at Mia, who was sporting her new piercing as
well.
"So what?" I said, although they probably couldn't understand
me.
"You are so...childish!" Lilly hissed.
"So what?" I repeated.
Mia was smiling widely. "Lilly, he is twenty seven years old. He
clearly needs the piercing to show that he is still young. Plus, think
about it. Guys with tongue rings are supposed to be amazing kissers.
He isn't getting any younger, he needs all the help he can with the
ladies."
"Thanks, Mia, I think," I said with a laugh. My tongue was still
hurting me, but I ignored the pain. "I'm gonna go watch a movie
upstairs," I said standing up.
"I'll come with-"Mia started.
"And what ladies is he supposed to find with you always being
with him?" Lilly snapped.
"Ones that I approve of," Mia replied linking her arms with me.
"Then maybe you should take a look at People magazine," Lilly
said, raising it in the air. I grabbed it and looked at the open page.
It had a picture of Mia and I in Monaco at a beach.
I remembered that day so clearly. "Michael, I am not going to
sunbathe nude," she hissed as we got out of the car.
I came up behind her and un did her bikini top and ran off. She
grabbed her breasts in shock and ran after me. I threw her top into
the Mediterranean Sea. "Then go get that," I said with a laugh. "Oh
come on, no one will recognize you."
"It's Monaco," she started. "I have family here. I am related to
the royal family."
"So? If they have nothing better to do with their time than to
snap pictures of you naked then they really need lives," I said,
spreading out our beach blanket. I slid out of my shorts and laid
down.
"I am not taking off my bottoms," she relented.
"Prude," I teased.
"Man-whore," she teased back.
After awhile she had gotten comfortable with the lack of a top. I put
on my shorts and we built a sand castle. I didn't mind laying down
nude, but actually walking around without something to cover up my
pecker? No thanks, that ladies and gentlemen is too much.
She looked gorgeous that afternoon, so full of life. Nothing
like she did back in Genovia. Back there she was stick straight and
full of rules. She pretended to not follow them, but I knew she did.
She seemed five years younger when she was here. She didn't pay
attention to the people staring at the young princess half naked. She
would turn to me every once and a while and say something about a
large man who was naked. We had little jokes about people's sizes.
"So, if I was here on the beach, all alone and you were here,
all alone. What would you say about me?" I asked.
She had a twinkle in here eyes, "Wow, that man is really
endowed! What would you say about me?"
I had a few thoughts in my mind, but didn't verbalize them. "How
beautiful you looked," I said. That was the closest she was going to
get to an answer.
She seemed to accept that as a good answer.
"Mia, what were you thinking?" Lilly demanded.
Snap back into reality.
"Lilly, it was my fault," I started.
"No, Michael. I could have put my t-shirt on but I didn't. I
didn't want to. I have every right to be naked like everyone else."
"Mia..." Lilly said with her pug face. Man had I missed that face.
"Lilly, chill out. It happened, so what? She's an adult and can
make those decisions on her own," Tony said coming to Mia's defense.
"But-"
"Lilly, chill. Let's just go up to bed now. See ya guys."
Mia and I helped one another clean our new piercings out.
"Remember now," she started in a motherly tone, "No kissing for six
weeks," she teased.
"Because you know how I am," I joked. "I make out with every
groupie out there."
"As President of the groupies I must say that you are rather
good to us," she joked.
"Do you think Grandmere is going to flip on you? About those
pictures?"
"Goodness no. She knows that I am an adult now. As long as it
isn't a regular occurrence she doesn't care. Dad does it all the time
though so I'm sure it isn't a big deal. A little embarrassing, but
that's all. I can deal with that."
"Okay, I'm gonna go to bed," I started as I peeled off my
boxers.
"Very well, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Stay," I suggested. It came out sounding sexier than I
intended.
"Okay," she said softly.