"Hi honey" Caroline answers softly over the phone.

Michael sighs heavily. The last person who he would want to speak to was on the line.

"Hi Caroline"

"Michael I am your mother. Stop referring to me as Caroline" she says sternly. He sighs again.

"Hello mother"

"Michael I realize that our relationship hasn't been as smooth as it should be. You are my son Michael and I miss you. I do not know what is going on with you. I just got off the phone with Dr. Peterson and the offer for therapy still stands."

"Mother I told you..."

"Before you say no" she interrupts "I'd like to say something. I loved your father. I always have and I always will." Mikey's stomach tightens.

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"And marrying your father gave me the most precious gift of all. You. I love you Michael and I detest seeing this rift between us. Please give me a chance Michael, I love you regardless and... and I am sorry for hurting you".

Mikey takes a moment to ponder all she has said. He still feels sick about what she did with the imposter. But he needed to remember that his father would never want him to forsake his own mother no matter how difficult she was being. He remembers in high school, when she used to pest him about doing chores around the house that were not done up to her standard. They would end up arguing. It was his father who would talk sense into both of them. At the end of it all they would both end up apologizing to each other profusely. He thought on this. Then looking at the fact that he hadn't seen Cheyenne all week and Chrissy was missing in action. Caroline was and is still is the only consistent woman in his life.

"Ca.. I mean mother. When is the therapy date again?"

......

Dr. Peterson's office is nothing like Mikey had imagined. He thought it would be cold and decorated with tints and pastels; the more common colour choices for hospitals and dental offices. But Dr. Peterson's was nothing like that. The floors were birch hardwood, compared to the usual ceramic tiles. His office was lined with dark wooden panels that gave the space an earthy feel. The furniture was a mix of dark mahogany tables and cream sofas that contrasted perfectly. It made you feel as home. Almost as at home as the warm smile Michael was greeted with at the receptionist desk.

"Hi I am here to see Dr. Peterson, I am supposed to have an..."

"An appointment at 6:30 pm. You are Michael Brooks. Correct?" the little brown skinned lady interrupted.

"Um yes" he says taken aback by her high level efficiency.

"Your mother is already inside. Follow me." Mikey follows her down the hall to a large wooden door at the end of the hall, that has an elegant sign that says on it Dr. Peterson.

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She knocks once then opens. "Michael Brooks is here" then she ushers him in, closing the door behind him.

"Please take a seat" he says in a deep husky tone that reminded him of his father's. While it was stern and authoritative, it had the ability to make you feel calm and safe.

"Hi mother" he says kissing her on the forehead. She is already teary eyed. Obviously they had started without him. "Good day Dr. Peterson" They shake his hands.

"So Michael your mother has said a lot that she has given me the permission to repeat but I want to hear things from you. How are you Michael?" Michael takes a deep breath. Where do I begin?

......

They talked and they talked. And they talked some more. They cried and even laughed a few times. They were in the office for what felt like an eternity. And it was. By the time they had finished it was 11 p.m at night. They spoke about the relationship between himself and his mother. Mikey even found himself talking about work, Cheyenne and Chrissy. When Caroline found out all that was happening with him, she broke down. She bawled, taking short breaths between sobs. They had to stop around 10 for a water break. At the end of it all, Mikey felt better about his relationship with his mother. It was as if letting her in had made him ten pounds lighter. But he wasn't walking on cloud 9 yet. He still needed Cheyenne to talk to him.

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"Michael, I am tired. Drive me home and you can have the car" she says as they are leaving Dr. Peterson's office. She hands him the keys without looking. He didn't argue. He follows her instructions because this is exactly what he needed. He would drop her off but afterwards he isn't going home. He is going to get his woman back.

....

On the way over to Cheyenne's apartment, he contemplates turning back. What if she doesn't want to see me? What if there is someone else? What if she isn't there? I should just turn around. He pulls the car over at a bus stop. He can see the Atrium in view. There are no cars in sight. The street is illuminated by yellow street lamps that seem to form a path straight to where he is headed; or wants to go. He places his head on the steering; unsure of his next move. He starts to whisper a silent prayer. God where do I go from here? I made it all this way to turn back. What if she doesn't want me? Lord, give me a sign.

HONK!! A loud horn startles him. He snaps his head up to see a large yellow bus behind him. The indicator is on suggesting that they want to stop at the bus stop. They couldn't because he is parked there.

HONK! HONK!

Mikey starts the car and pulls out into the road. A quick check of his rear view suggests that no cars were coming. He speeds down the street toward his golden promise land. Lord Thank you.

A few minutes later and he was pulling into the parking lot across the street from her building. Once inside his heart started to pound and his doubt resurfaces. The security officer at the front desk stood immediately as he saw Mikey approaching. It must be strange to have visitors these hours.

"May I help you?" the female guard asks. She was plump and short with corn rows to her shoulders. Her tone suggesting that she meant business.

"Hi I am here to visit Cheyenne Forbes from ...."

"Miss Forbes never said she was expectin' nobody"

"I know. She isn't but I am her boyfriend and she hasn't been returning my calls or showing up for work and I just need to tell her that..."

"That what?" she asks.

"That I love her" his shoulders sag as he the defeat rolls over him. This isn't going to work. He turns around to leave.

"Hol' up. Lemme call to see if she is there."

Mikey taps his fingers impatiently on the Corian counter top as the security guard calls up to the third floor.

"I have a gentleman here to visit Ms. Forbes"

"Mmhmm Name?" she directs the question to him.

"Oh uh Michael Brooks. Did you get through to her?" she holds up her hot pink manicured index finger.

"Mmhmm. Okay. I will give him the message" she holds the phone to her shoulder.

"Ms. Forbes says she ain't ready to face you"

"Is that her? Let me talk to her please."

"Ms. Forbes, he would like to speak to you."

"Mhmm. Okay. Okay. Here ya go?"

Mikey takes the phone in disbelief that he will hear her voice again. He clears his throat because suddenly a frog decided to appear in it.

"Cheyenne?"

"Michael what are you doing here?" her voice sounded groggy and tired.

"I needed to see you."

"It's late Michael. Go home." She is about to hang up when Mikey interrupts.

"No. Cheyenne. No"

"What?" she asks puzzled.

"I am not going home. I came all this way to see you, you haven't been taking my calls or messages. You haven't come to work. Cheyenne it breaks my heart to know how much I have hurt you"

The line is silent for a moment. "Cheyenne?" I hope she didn't hang up.

"Give the phone back to Trina." He hands it back to the guard. This is it. It's over he thought. He knows he should leave but something made him hold on just to hear what Trina would say.

"Mhmm, okay. Mhm. Okay Ms Forbes" She hangs up the phone. He looks at her as if Trina is his last hope for salvation.

"Press the button and the screen will indicate which elevator is going up to the third floor".

"Trina I could hug you! Thank you Thank you!"

"Don't hug me now" she says putting her hands up to block him even though he made no advances.

....

In the elevator, he contemplates what he will say to her. Should I just come out and say it? Should I hug her? Explain to her? Come on Mikey you can do this. He thinks to himself as the elevator doors open. He walks to her apartment door and knocks once before it swings open. Cheyenne is a picture of perfection in a spaghetti strapped white cotton night gown that fell mid-thigh. Her hair is a mess of dark brown around her shoulders and her eyes swollen; as if all she has been doing was cry. That broke his heart even further.

"Hi" he says softly.

"Hi" she manages a half-smile and indicates for him to come in. He steps inside looking around their tiny apartment. They had cleaned up a bit. The television was on showing an episode of Friends.

"So... " she starts "what are you doing here?" he turns to face her.

"I couldn't stay away anymore. I needed to see you. I sat by the office door waiting for you every morning. People thought I was crazy."

"Oh Michael" she starts, tears welling in her eyes.

"But I was Cheyenne. I was crazy about you. And I still am. From the moment I saw you I was crazy and It was a rocky road. At times I felt broken.."

"Michael stop... " she says not wanting to hear anymore.

He takes a step towards her. "No, I need to tell you this. You need to know"

"Know what?" He hesitates. This is it Mikey just tell her. "Cheyenne before you came along, I was a broken man. I am a Christian. A proud one too. I prayed every day for God to take me out of the darkness that I was living in. It was a long winding broken road but it all led me here to you tonight, to tell you that God answered my prayers. The answer is you."

"Michael I..."

"Shh please don't cry over me." He closes the gap between them and wipes the tear that escaped from the corner of her left eye. She places her head on his chest gently and he holds her. After a minute of her quiet sobs she lifts her head to look up at him. His eyes are watery as well.

"Michael, you were my saving grace too." Then she tips on her toes and their lips brush. It is a soft kiss for a tender moment.

"There's one more thing."

"What is it?"

He steps back to look her in her eyes but his hands don't leave her waist. He takes a deep breath as the words he has waited so long to speak finally spill out.

"I love you Cheyenne Forbes. Marry me?"