Chapter 4

Don Corleone's home
6:07 p.m.

Micheal starts leading Jarod into the living room, "Wait! What did you just say?" Jarod asks pulling Micheal's hand stopping her. "My father wants to talk to you."

"No, the first thing." "Oh, did you bring the ring?"

"Does that mean, what I think it means?"

"I don't know. What do you think it means?" Jarod didn't even get a chance to answer before Vincent slaps him on the shoulder, making him spin around, coming face to face, with her father. "Micheal honey, would you mind leaving us alone. You have some things to do, don't you?" Micheal leans over kissing her father's cheek,"Of course I do. Busy, busy, busy. Now you two play nice. I'll be in your office, I need to check in with Rome." Micheal leans over kissing Jarod, stroking his cheek.

Vincent and Jarod watch as Micheal walks out, leaving them alone. Vincent squeezes Jarod's shoulder pulling him with him as he walks further into the living room. He shoves Jarod down into an armchair. Jarod silently watches as Vincent paces the living room."So, Micheal told me you asked her to marry you." Vincent comments, looking at the floor while he paces. Jarod starts to relax a little, thinking he was going to ask about last night again. "Jarod, I asked you a question."

"Yes, yes I did."

"Now, that wasn't very smart. She told me that she hasn't given you an answer yet, which I'm surprised at."

"Why was that not a smart thing to do?" he asks confused.

Vincent walks over and sits in an armchair across from him, shaking his head. "Jarod, Jarod, Jarod. You're suppose to ask the father's permission first but, I'll let that slide. Do you have any idea what you're going to do, for a profession I mean."

"No, not yet. I mean, I don't exactly have what anyone would consider an education and I don't think the Center will be giving me a recommendation any time soon."

"Well Micheal needs help with Immobarlarie, you could always work with her. Or you could go to college or something."

"What exactly is Immobarlarie?"

"It's an international conglomerate, different companies, doing different things, mostly what Micheal does is handle all the charities the company has."

Jarod leans over closer to Vincent, intrigued, "What type of Charities?"

"Well, the new one is Hospitals for children who's parents can't afford treatment for their illnesses. The others are mostly grants for different types of research like, AIDS, cancer. I know that you've been a doctor in your... travels, you could be one again in the Hospitals that Micheal has started across the country, or in Europe if you'd prefer."

"I'll have to think about this. I'm still getting used to being able to do anything I want without Center involvement."

Vincent rises out of his seat leaning over to an end table. He picks up a legal sized manila envelope then hands it to Jarod. "I'm sorry about this but, I'm only thinking of Micheal. I hope you'll understand." Jarod opens the envelope and reads the legal papers. "A pre-nup?" "I'm sorry Jarod but, Micheal is worth allot of money since her 25th birthday. I'm not saying I think your marriage will fail but, in case. Micheal has already begun wedding plans." "But she hasn't even said yes yet. And I'd like her to meet my parents and family first." "Well then, you'd better get moving, because the wedding, by her plans, is in 5 months, and let me tell you, she's going to put me in the poor house with what this thing is going to cost me." "What do you mean? We're just getting married."

"No son, you're having a WEDDING, an Italian one at that."

"Why am I suddenly very scared." Jarod leans back, sighing heavily.

Micheal walks in seeing Jarod's face as well as her father's, "What did you do? Scare him half to death? Daddy stop scaring him." Micheal walks over and sits Jarod's lap, "Don't let him scare you. He's just a big teddy bear once you get to know him. Right?" she asks looking back to her father. Vincent steps over to her and kisses the top of her head, "Whatever you say." he answers smiling down at her, "I'm going into the city, to the bank." He teases. "How funny, You should be a stand up comic." she comments dryly, rolling her eyes.

Micheal leans her head on Jarod's shoulder, yawning, wrapping her arms around his neck. Jarod wraps his arms around her waist, rubbing her back, "you tired?"

"Someone kept me up all night." "Any one I know?" he teases, kissing her forehead. "I don't know, he's really cute and kinda smart, but his timing stinks."

"Oh really, well maybe it's your timing and not his. Did you ever think of that?"

"Who? Me? My timing is impeccable. I am perfect." Micheal says flipping her hair with her hand, smiling at him. "Yeah, you're perfect all right."

Micheal watches as Jarod eats another canoli, bringing the count up to 6, "God Jarod, where do you put it all?" Jarod's tongue sweeps the corner of his mouth, licking the creme filling that smeared, "These are really good. The center never let me have anything like ice cream, donuts, and certainly not homemade canolies, only wheat grass and tomato juice for breakfast and usually some kind of nutrient enriched drink for dinner. I guess I've kind of gone a little nuts with what I eat since I got out." he explains smiling. Micheal leans across the kitchen table kissing the creme off his lips, "Well I didn't think it tasted that good but, maybe I was wrong." She kisses him again, sucking his bottom lip. Jarod opens his mouth returning her kiss, holding the back of her head.

Micheal pulls back smiling, breathing heavily, "So, do you have plans for tonight?" she asks sitting back down in her chair across from him. "Nothing set in stone, why?"

"I thought we could go out. Ya' know dancing or something."

"That sounds good but, no more dancing with other people for you! I've seen how you dance." he answers pushing his chair away from the table. Micheal gets a wicked gleam in her eye as she gets up and sits on Jarod's lap back- wards, straddling him. She starts grinding her ass against him hard. "I think you're starting something I can finish." Jarod starts kissing her neck, wrapping one hand around her waist the other holding her hair up so he can kiss the back of her neck.

Micheal hops up, turning around quickly, smiling, "Well, if we're going out then I have to take a bath" she looks down in his lap,"and you need to take a cold shower." she teases walking out of the kitchen, leaving him alone. Jarod groans, adjusting his erection, trying to come up with a revenge plan, he smiles as one pops into his head.

Jarod walks around the house, looking at the artwork, sculptures, he makes his way back to the living room and picks up the pre-nup. He sits in an armchair really reading it this time. It's your basic prenuptial agreement, he thinks, if they were to ever get a divorce she leaves with what she came to the marriage with and so does he, all community property to be divided equally and shared custody of any or all children with alternating holidays and summers. Jarod leans down and signs the last page and initials ever page at the bottom. He hears music playing and decides to follow it.

Jarod gets up in search of where the music is emanating. He follows it all the way upstairs and into Micheal's bedroom. He stands in the doorway watching Micheal sitting in the tub, singing along with Don Henley, shaving her legs. Jarod licks his lips absently, watching her hands running slowly along her now hairless leg, searching for hairs that she missed. Micheal reaches over skipping the song that's started, to start the next song on the cd player. Micheal sweeps away a few stray tendrils of hair that has fallen out of the clip, that's holding up her hair. Micheal starts singing along with Don Henley's 'Dirty Laundry', bobbing her head in time with the music as she shaves the other leg slowly, in long strokes, trying not to miss any hairs. Jarod watches as she leans over turning it up a little louder.

Micheal finishes her leg and lets her hair down, running her hands threw it, shaking it out, swinging her head a little. She pulls the plug out then stands up, turning the water back on. She picks up the hand held sprayer, rinsing her body off, running her free hand over her leg that's braced up on the side of the Jacuzzi tub, she gives her other leg the same treatment then holds the sprayer up over her head letting the hot water hit her face and wet her hair. She leans over starting 'Boys of Summer' again, as she grabs the shampoo, singing along. Jarod just leans against the door frame watching as she washes her hair, rinsing it. Micheal leans over starting the whole cd over again with, 'Dirty laundry' then grabs a towel, patting dry her legs, her back still to the door. She wraps the towel around her body, leaning over squeezing the excess water out of her long hair. Micheal flips her head up, her hair slapping against her back, still singing. Jarod smiles, trying not to laugh, afraid she might hurt him for watching her.

Micheal steps out of the tub, walking over to the mirror, picking up her brush. She sees Jarod smiling in the mirror at her, "Hey! You want to take a shower?"

"I will when we go back to the hotel."

"OK, suit yourself." Micheal shrugs her shoulders, brushing her hair. She walks over to him, giving him a quick kiss as she passes him heading for the closet. Micheal stands with her arms crossed looking at her wardrobe choices, quirking her lips at a few things she pulls out, inspecting the possible then shoving them back in the closet, disgusted. She finally chooses a navy blue, sleeveless blouse tossing it on her bed, next to where Jarod's sitting. Micheal turns back to the closet looking for the matching skirt, finally finding it she tosses it on top of the blouse.

Jarod gulps as she drops her towel opening up a drawer. Micheal puts on a navy bra and lacey g-string panties to match. Micheal turns back to Jarod, "Are you sure you wouldn't rather take a shower here?" she asks again, walking by him heading back for the bathroom. "I'm sure." he breathes out watching her walking away from him. Jarod takes out the black leather box that has 'Carrier' engraved in gold across the top thinking, I've definitely got to have her.

He walks into the bathroom and sits on the side of the tub watching as she brushes her hair, leaning over, her hair hanging down almost touching the floor. Micheal stays leaning, groping for the hair dryer on the counter. She finds it and starts blow drying and brushing her hair. Jarod sits there fascinated at what women do to get ready to go out, their rituals. Micheal flips her hair back as she stands up straight. She goes to lay to the blow dryer down and sees a black leather jewelry box sitting there waiting for her. Micheal quickly looks at Jarod then the box then Jarod again. "I'm not asking again. I've asked twice already and still have yet to get answer. I don't think I could take it if I asked again and still didn't get at least a yes or no." Micheal slowly opens the snap closure opening the box. She gasps, looking at the huge diamond ring, the princess cut diamond with 2 long baguettes on each side, covering the gold band, safely nestled in black silk, making the diamond look as if it's exploding.

Jarod stands up taking the ring out of it's box, slipping it on her ringer finger. "Will you marry me?" he asks smiling as he slips it on. Micheal looks up from the ring, into his eyes, smiling, "Yes, I will." she answers softly, a tear falling down her cheek. Jarod wipes her tear away with his thumb holding her face in his hands. He leans over and kisses her lips tenderly. Micheal lays her hands on his back, pressing her body against his, kissing him back just as lovingly. Jarod pulls back smiling at her, happy he finally got an answer. Micheal runs into her bedroom and grabs the phone, dialing as she walks back into the bathroom. "Who are you calling?" Micheal raises a finger at his question, motioning to give her a second. "Hey it's Mikey is I there?... Tell her it's important... I? It's on. Yes, I finally answered." she says smiling, laughing lightly, "Listen, do you have a shoot tomorrow?... Good, meet us at the club tonight... I'll ask hold on." she moves the phone away from mouth looking at Jarod, "My friend wants to know if you have a friend you can hook her up with?"

"Well... the only single person that I can think of is Broots." he says shrugging. Micheal covers the phone, laughing hard,"Oh, she'll love him. Can you call him?"

"I guess. Who is this 'I', anyways?"

"She's my best friend, more like a sister, we went threw school together." Micheal raises the phone back to her mouth, "I'm back, yes he's got a friend... Oh yeah, he's real successful at his job... I don't know, I'd say 35 or 36... He's divorced actually."