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The next morning Mike woke up and turned over expecting to find Micky snoring away peacefully in his bed but to his surprise the drummers bed was empty
"At least some one is keepin' to their usual mornin' routine" Mike said to himself as he started down the stairs.
"Morning Michael, sleep well?" The bassist asked in his usual cheery morning tone.
"G'mornin buddy yes I did thanks, you?" he added and let out a small yawn.
"Yeah I did" Peter answered. Mike took up his customary morning chair at the kitchen table and poured himself some cereal and thanked Peter when he handed him some coffee.
"Is Micky around?" Mike asked suddenly remembering the drummer's vacant bed.
"Don't be silly Michael it's not past 12 0 clock yet Micky won't be up for hours" Peter told him. Alarm bells began ringing in Mike's head. He stared at Peter.
"He's not in bed"
"He's not?"
"No" Mike replied. Now Peter was starting to worry as well.
"Are you sure? Maybe he fell out again?"
"No he was defiantly not in the bedroom"
"Well where can he be, he must've stayed out all night!"
"Yeah and usually he'd call if he knew he wasn't comin' home," Mike said. The two boys started to panic.
"I'll go wake up Davy and we can go and look for him," Peter suggested. So Mike went upstairs and got dressed while Peter woke up Davy and informed him of the situation. Ten minutes later the three boys, and Mr Schneider, were seated around the kitchen table after Mike had called an emergency meeting.
"Alright men and er, dummy, welcome to operation find Micky Dolenz. As we know Mr Dolenz is missin' in action and it's our job to find him. Here's the plan, Tork you visit Tyler and Tork see if he has turned up there," Mike instructed.
"Yes sir" Peter replied.
"Jones, you search the beach"
"Yes sir"
"Schneider, you stay here in case he comes back" The dummy nodded once and Mike was about to speak again when there was a loud thumping on the front door.
"That's it boys I AM KICKING YOU OUT!!!" Came the all too familiar roar of their landlord, Mr Babbit. The three boys groaned.
"Just what we need, Jones get rid of him" Mike ordered.
"Yes sir" Davy rose and went and opened the front door "What can we do for you Mr Babbit?" He asked. Mr Babbit was a tall podgy man with black hair, thick black glasses and a stern face.
"Well you can pay me for a start!" He yelled. The Monkees didn't think Mr Babbit knew how to speak quietly he was always overly loud.
"We understand we still owe you some rent money and we will get round to sending you a cheque very soon thank you for your patients and understanding on the subject matter, goodbye" Davy closed the door on a stunned Mr Babbit and rejoined his friends.
"Good work Jones, now back to the mission. I'll search the local areas Mr Dolenz is known to frequent and we'll meet back here in an hour for a progress report, do we all have an assignment?" Mike asked.
"Yes sir" Peter and Davy chorused and Mr Schneider nodded.
"Ok let's go, good luck men and god speed," Mike said. Davy disappeared out the back door only to reappear again a few seconds later.
"Er Mike I found him," He reported.
"You did? Well where is he?" Just as Davy was about to speak Micky came in the back door.
"Hi guys what's going on?" He asked. Peter had been in his bedroom and came out just in time to hear Micky's question.
"We're going to look for you Mick, you didn't come home last night and we're worried about you" He said. Davy rolled his eyes and Peter was about to leave the pad when Mike said.
"Er Pete he's back"
"He is?" Peter turned around "Oh hi Micky when did you get back we were just about to go look for you" Micky looked at Davy.
"Isn't that dumb!" He whispered to the Englishman.
"Where have you been man, we were just about to send out a search party" Davy asked Micky.
"I've been on the beach," Micky told them like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"All night?" Mike asked
"Uh-huh"
"Alone?" Davy added.
"No I was with Lori," He told them matter-of-factly.
"Again I say.all night?" Mike repeated.
"Yeah" Micky said and he went and sat at the table and poured himself some cereal he could feel the other three Monkees gawking at him so he looked up "What?" He asked feeling a little uncomfortable.
"You were out all night on the beach with Lori Tyler?" Mike asked, finding it a little hard to believe.
"Yeah, I thought about what you guys said at the meeting and decided to go and talk to Lori and she took me to her university thing, after that we went and got some thing to eat then ended up on the beach" Micky explained. Peter was grinning from ear to ear.
"That's so great Mick, are you guys together now?" He asked and he sat on a chair next to Micky.
"No I don't think so big Peter we just had a really nice evening"
"You had a date that's what you had," Davy told him as he came over to join them at the table.
"It was not a date!" Micky protested.
"It was too, for example, who paid for dinner?" Davy asked.
"Well I did of course"
"There, I rest my case"
"Just because I paid doesn't make it a date it wasn't even dinner really just a snack and any way Lori wanted to go dutch but I wouldn't let her" Micky told them.
"I have to agree with Davy on this one Micky" Peter said. Mike was still in a state of shock but he snapped out of it and came over to the table. Mr Schneider took up the remaining chair so Mike tossed him out of it and sat down.
"Hay careful man you'll hurt his feelings" Peter said he picked up Mr Schneider and set him down on the sofa and then rejoined his friends "And you wonder why he's not talking to you" He added but Mike ignored him.
"So what exactly did you guys do all night anyway?" He asked Micky
"Just talked mostly got to know each other"
"What did you talk about?" Peter asked.
"The band, the music, our family's, growing up, she told me what it was like for her growing up after he mother died"
"Her mother died? I didn't know that" Davy said.
"Yeah when she was two" Mike told him.
"You knew!" Davy said Peter put his hand up and smiled sheepishly, “you knew as well!"
"Lana told me," Peter said defensively.
"Oh that's charming that is I'm always the last to know any thing around here"
"Davy!" Mike warned.
"Sorry, any way you defiantly had a date" Davy said. Micky was starting to get a little annoyed.
"Why can't two people of the opposite sex spend time together just as friends huh? Mike and Lori spend a lot of time together and you've never insinuated that they are going on dates," Micky told them in his defence.
"Yeah but I'm not in love with her" Mike said. Micky slumped back in his chair.
"I guess you're right, I've got this really strong urge to call her as well, jeez this is so hard" He confessed.
From the Monkees pad to her own pad it usually took Lori half an hour to walk, but today it took her forty five minutes, due to tiredness slowing her down and the fact that she was deliberately walking a little slow because she wanted some time to think over the previous nights events. She couldn't believe she and Micky had stayed out all night not even realising how late, or early! It had gotten. She thought about how at the beginning of the night, she had tried so hard to get rid of Micky but by the end of the night was trying so hard to find ways to stay with him longer. Maybe she liked him a little more then she first realised. She chuckled at the thought a little. She reached her front door and slipped the key in the lock and turned it, letting out a small yawn. As she pushed the door open some one grabbed her arms and pulled her inside. After she had gotten over the initial shock she realised the hands around her arms belonged to Lana.
"Where the hell have you been!? I've been worried sick!!" Lana shouted. Lori giggled a little.
"Sorry mom!" She said.
"I'm glad you find it so funny, anything could've happened to you and I'd have no idea" Lana told her. Lori could see the Lana was generally worried.
"I'm sorry Lan I didn't realise I'd be out so late and I just forgot I am sorry"
"Well I suppose your back safely so apology accepted, now gimme a hug" Lana said and the two girls embraced.
"Thank you" Lori said.
"Just don't do it again ok"
"Yeah ok, Lana I'm sorry for the way I've been acting towards you the past couple of weeks you didn't deserve to be treated that way after you have done so much for me since I returned to America"
"It's ok I understand I just wish you'd let me know what went on in that head of yours" Lana replied. They dispersed and Lori looked at her friend and sighed.
"Ok, something did happen to me in my past which is causing me to think twice about starting something with Micky, but I'm not ready to talk about it yet it still hurts quite a lot so just be patient with me ok I promise as soon as I'm ready I'll tell you everything" Lori explained.
"Ok well take your time, I'm not going any where" Lana told her.
"Thank you"
"So where were you last night any way?"
"Down the beach mostly we kinda ended up there after my university thing" Lori told her. Lana was a little confused.
"We? Whose we?"
"Myself and Micky" Lana's face broke out in to a wide grin.
"You were out all night with Micky! Really?"
"Yeah he came over to see me yesterday night I invited him to come with me to the open evening, after that we got something to eat then ended up on the beach where we stayed until about an hour ago"
"Wait this is the same Micky you've been avoiding over the past two weeks?"
"Yeah I know, that kinda surprised me too"
"So are you seeing him again?"
"I dunno we didn't make any plans although I am gonna go see Mike later he deserves an apology as well, so Micky will probably be there, don't get too excited ok Lan Micky and I are not a couple you realise that don't you"
"Yeah of course I do, but you're on your way though this is so exciting. What made you change your mind about him any way?"
"I dunno really. I woke up yesterday morning feeling the same as every morning since Micky told me how he felt. I was scared of the way he felt but then we went and talked you know, really talked and I realised how lucky I was to have some one feel that way about me, and I do like Micky I always have you know that so I told myself to stop being stupid the past is the past and I can't do any thing about it I just have to move on right?"
"Exactly, here's to the future" Lana said and she and Lori clinked imaginary glasses.
"I'm gonna go to bed I'm really tired" Lori said and with that she disappeared upstairs.
Later that afternoon Lori had gotten up and decided to go and see Mike. She felt a little nervous and hoped the Texan would forgive her because she really valued his friendship. She arrived at the Monkees pad and knocked on the door, Davy opened it. "Hello luv"
"Hi Davy is Mike around?"
"Yeah sure come on in," He said and stepped aside so Lori could enter. As she came in she saw Peter sitting on the edge of the bandstand concentrating as he strummed away on his bass, Mike was busy cooking something in the kitchen and she couldn't see Micky at all "Mike visitor" Davy said. Mike turned around and when he saw Lori his face lit up and he grinned.
"Hello you! come and sit down" He told her. As she walked to the table she turned to Peter.
"Afternoon Peter" She called. Peter looked up a big dimple grin covering his face.
"Afternoon Lori, how are you today?"
"I'm a little tired but apart from that I'm fine, how are you?"
"Better now you're here we've missed you around these parts" He replied putting on a Texan accent and earning a playful scowl from Mike.
"I've missed you guys too," Lori told him. Davy had sat himself on the sofa next to Mr Schneider and Lori joined Mike at the kitchen table "Hi Mike"
"Hi Lolo it's so good to see you I've missed you" Mike said he stopped whatever he was doing and sat on a chair next to her.
"I've missed you too I've come to apologise to you"
"Whatever for?"
"Walking out the other day, it was unfair and I should not have done it" Lori told him.
"Well I guess I was a little out of order as well so I don't blame you I probably would have done the same thing if the situation was reversed so you are forgiven" He told her.
"Thank you kind sir" Lori said, "Actually Mike there is something I wanted to say to you"
"Oh yeah what's that?"
"Well I can't tell you yet" She said Mike was a little confused.
"What? Why not?"
"Because I'm not ready yet but what a can tell you is that you and Lana were right there's some thing I haven't told you, some thing that happened in my past and like I told Lana I will tell you just give me time, it's a little difficult for me to talk about right now but when I'm ready I promise I'll tell you every thing"
"Ok should I be worried" Mike asked already feeling worried.
"No not at all I'm fine really you don't have to worry," She told him.
"Ok although I am already worried but I won't tell you that" Mike said and Lori giggled a little.
"Thank you, so are we friends again?"
"Of course we are, we never stopped" Mike told her and he gave her a hug
"I know you may find this hard to believe but I actually think of you now as my best friend, I know we haven't known each other very long but I feel like I've known you forever" Lori confessed.
"I do believe it Lolo because I feel exactly the same way. I think of you as more then a friend more like the baby sister I never had, I kinda love you"
"I love you too," Lori told him then they let go of each other.
"So how about we have that dinner date we missed, my treat," Lori suggested "Yeah that'll great when were you thinkin' of?"
"Well I can't do it tonight because I've got a stack of work I need to catch up on but how about tomorrow?"
"Yeah that's fine, so do you wanna stay for lunch?"
"I'd love too if you have enough" Lori really wanted to ask where Micky was but she didn't want to seem to eager.
"Of course I do I always make way too much anyway" Mike told her. He got up and started preparing some more food.
"Can I help at all?"
"No it's ok I've got it all under control, I'm glad you're here actually because I wanted to talk to you about Micky" Mike told her. Lori felt herself blush and was glad Mike had his back to her do he couldn't see.
"Oh yeah what about him?" She asked trying to sound as calm as possible. "I hear you guys spent the night together"
"You make it sound so dirty" Lori said with a grin "We didn't spend the night together, we just spent the night together"
"Ok---" Mike couldn't help but feel confused "---so what's the difference?"
"It wasn't a sexual thing we just got to know each other a little better that's all"
"Right, so did you want it to be a sexual thing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Did you want to have sex?" Mike asked bluntly. Lori looked offended.
"Why Mr Nesmith I do believe you do not no me well enough to ask me something that personal"
"I know I'm sorry"
"It's ok I didn't want to have sex with him last night no. A lot of stuff has happened in my life that has made me quite unhappy, but coming back to America and meeting you guys and Lana well that had made it a lot easier to move on. Micky had made me believe in love again and I will always be grateful to him for that" Lori explained.
"So you do want to be with him" Mike said, it wasn't a question Mike was just proving how much he really had gotten to her, like he could read the inner most thoughts of her soul just like any best friend should.
"Yeah I do" Lori agreed. Micky had heard Lori and Mike's entire conversation. He had been in bed ever since he had gotten back to the pad that morning but when he heard Lori's voice he had crept out on to the balcony to listen to what she had to say and he had liked what he had heard. He went back into his bedroom, got dressed and waited for Mike to call him for lunch. He was glad Lori was staying for lunch and maybe now he could work up the courage to ask her out on a proper date! When Mike called him he waited a few minutes then walked down the spiral staircase as calmly as possible and tried to act casual because he wasn't suppose to know Lori was there, but he was finding it really difficult because he was so excited about seeing her again. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he saw her sitting on the edge of the bandstand with Peter, they were laughing hysterically at something and Micky watched them for a few moments, a small smile tugging at his lips, then he turned and headed to the kitchen. Davy was setting the table and Mike was busy making final preparations to the meal. Davy had moved the chair from Mr Schneider's desk and put it at the table so Lori had somewhere to sit.
"What's up with those two?" Micky asked jerking his thumb in Peter and Lori's direction.
"I dunno, but it must be pretty funny they haven't stopped giggling for the past twenty minutes" Davy told him.
"Ok guys dinner is served" Mike called. Lori and Peter came over to the table.
"Hello Micky" Lori said.
"Hi Lori" They smiled at each other Lori could feel her cheeks turn a little pink. Micky really wanted to ask her out there and then but he would've been too embarrassed with the guys there as well. They sat at the table and Mike served the food.
Lunch lasted a little over an hour. Lori found it a lot easier to talk to Micky this time and they had quite a long conversation just the two of them. When lunch was over Peter and Lori returned to their spot on the bandstand while Davy helped Mike with the dishes. Micky wasn't quite sure what to do with himself so he ended up out on the veranda. Lori used this time alone with Peter to ask him a question that had been bothering her for a while now.
"Pete what happened between Lana and Mike? Why did they break up? Whenever I ask them they go all quiet and change the subject," Lori asked quietly so that Mike would no hear.
"I'm Sorry Lor I can't tell you that," Peter said.
"Oh right yeah I'm sorry she's your sister and it's none of my business" Lori said although she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
"No it's not that, I can't tell you because I don't know myself neither one of them will tell me either, none of us know"
"Why are they keeping it such a big secret?"
"I dunno but it must have been pretty serious if Lana won't tell me she usually tells me every thing" Peter explained.
"What were they like before they split?"
"They were really close and very much in love we all thought they'd get married but about three or four months before they split some thing changed they started acting differently toward each other which came as a bit of a shock to us they had been fine one minute and then suddenly they lost interest in each other almost over night then they told us they'd split up"
"What were they like after?"
"Well Mike kinda with drew from us for a while he'd spent a lot of time in his room and hardly ever came out we were really worried about him" Peter explained.
"And Lana?"
"Lana was a total mess, she cried a lot of the time almost non stop for ages. I ended up moving in with her for a while because she wasn't taking care of herself, she stopped going to work and eventually lost her job, it was a really difficult time for them both and defiantly not a way I'd like to see them again"
"They seem like pretty good friends now though"
"Yeah they are, that's Mine Davy and Micky's fault we wouldn't let them go on ignoring each other so we made up scams of ways for them to accidentally run into each other, they found us out in the end though but we didn't care because our plan half worked"
"Why only half?" Lori questioned.
"Our original plan was to get them back together but when we realised that would never happen we just let them get on and be friends and I think it worked out quite nicely" Peter said obviously proud of himself and his friends.
"So do you think they'll ever get back together?"
"Who knows, I hope so because they were great together but I suppose only time will tell" Peter told her.
Micky had been sitting on the veranda alone for ten minutes watching the waves roll up and then away from the sand.
"It's a beautiful view isn't it" Came a voice from behind him. He turned around and saw Lori standing in the doorway. She had left Peter and noticed Micky sitting out side by himself.
"Yeah it really is" He said talking more about Lori then the sea view which Lori picked up on and smiled and blushed a little.
"May I join you?"
"Of course I'd love you to" Micky replied, so Lori came out and sat on the wall next to him.
"Thank you for the last night Micky, or rather this morning, I had a really great time"
"Me too, we'll have to do it again some time, well except the staying out all night part 'cos I'm pretty tired today" He confessed.
I know what you mean so am I I've never done that before not even when I was with---, Lori cut herself off, ---you know what never mind" Micky was a little intrigued. Lori had almost mentioned something she clearly didn't want him to know about and he couldn't help but wonder what it was. Lori seemed to have gone some where in her memory her eyes were fixed on at the ocean thinking of some thing that obviously caused her pain because a small tear trickled down her cheek.
"Is every thing ok Lori? Is there any thing you want to talk about?" He asked her concern etched on his face.
"Yeah I'm ok thank you there's nothing I want to talk about, you're probably sick of talking to me today" She told him, he caressed her cheek with his finger.
"I don't think I could ever be sick of you" He told her. Lori smiled and ran the back of her hand down the side of his face. Micky leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. Lori was a little surprised at first and they gazed at each other for a few moments before melting into each other and kissed more passionately this time, they stood up and Micky pulled her close and they wrapped there arms around each other, it was a kiss filled with hunger and wanting. The other three Monkees hadn't realised what was going on until Mike walked out and saw them.
"Oh...I...er sorry guys but there's a phone call for you Micky" He said. Micky reluctantly pulled away from Lori but kept his eyes closed.
"I'm a little busy here Mike" He replied.
"I know I'm sorry but it's your mom" Mike told him he was clearly embarrassed Micky sighed heavily.
"Sorry about this" Micky told Lori.
"It's ok," She said. He kissed her gently again and let it linger before going back inside. Lori was smiling from ear to ear she watched Micky leave then noticed Mike grinning at her.
"So....." he said and came over to her.
"What?" She asked acting innocent but she couldn't stop smiling.
"You guys have come along way since you ran out on him"
"Hay that's a bit below the belt.and also completely true my heart's all a flutter"
"Aw true love's first kiss" Mike teased.
"Well I wouldn't say that but it was....nice"
"Nice! Is that it just nice?"
"It was....intense in a very very good way my knees went weak and my brain stopped functioning for a moment I've never felt that way before"
"Why do I feel a 'but' comin' along" Mike asked.
"I can't be in love again it only causes hurt and pain and heartache and I can't do that again Mike I just can't" Lori told him. Mike was a little confused.
"Again?"
"I'm gonna go, tell Micky I'll see him later" She said she stood up and walked to the door.
"Hay Lolo you still wanna meet up for dinner tomorrow?" Mike called. Lori turned around, considered him for a moment then smiled.
"Yeah of course"
"Great I'll pick you up from your pad at seven?" He asked Lori only merely nodded turned on her heels and left. Mike really couldn't figure out what was going on in her head one minute she wanted to be with Micky then the next she didn't but he was determined to find out what was wrong and help her out in whatever way he could. Micky didn't notice Lori leave and when he got off the phone with his mum he went back to the veranda. Mike was still out there, alone. "Where'd Lori go?" Micky asked.
"She left a few minutes ago" Mike informed him.
"Oh god I did it again I made her run out on me again" Micky dropped down on the wall and put his head in his hands.
"No shotgun I think it was my fault this time"
"Your fault? Why what happened?" He asked looking up at Mike.
"You know, I'm not really sure" Mike confessed he was genuinely concerned about his new friend he faced the drummer "Micky if things go any further with Lori you will be gentle and honest with her, won't you?"
"Of course I will Mike no question, why did you ask me that?"
"Well, I've gotten the feelin' Lori has been hurt real bad in the past, just some stuff she has said have lead me to believe it" Mike said.
"Yeah I got the same feeling when we were talking last night" Micky told him. Mike was quiet for a moment.
"Take care of her ok I'm not sure what's goin' on with her but I don't want her to be unhappy" He said finally.
"No neither do I, I promise you Mike if Lori and I do get together I will look after her" Micky reassured him. When Lori arrived home she went straight to her bedroom and burst into tears. She could feel herself falling in love with Micky and she thought she was ready for that, until he kissed her and then her talk with Mike afterwards and she realised she didn't want that to happen not this time not just as she was finally starting to get her life back together. Lana had seen her come in and flee to her bedroom she followed her and knocked lightly on the door.
"Lor you ok?" She asked. Lori sat up and wiped her eyes.
"Yeah I'm fine Lan" She lied.
"It sounds like you're crying" Lori could hear the concern in Lana voice.
"No I'm not I'm fine I promise"
"Oh ok sorry, what do you fancy for dinner tonight?"
"Nothing for me thanks I'm not really that hungry tonight" Lori told her. "Ok are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes I told you I was, I'm fine but I'd really like to be alone right now if you don't mind"
"Yeah of course no problem sorry" Lana said. Lana couldn't help but worry about her roommate. Ever since she had introduced Lori to Micky something in Lori had changed she seemed really unhappy. Lana really wanted to know what had happened in Lori's past to make her so frightened of falling in love with Micky.
The next evening Mike arrived at Lana and Lori's pad. Lori had not emerged form her room since she had arrived home the previous afternoon, she had spent the whole time crying.
"See if you can find out what's going on with her, she's been in her room since yesterday afternoon I'm pretty sure she's been crying, she says she isn't but I can hear her" Lana told him.
"I'll try my best Lan but I can't make her tell me anythin' she's not ready to tell me"
"Yeah I know but you have to try I'm really worried about her"
"I know I am too she seemed fine until Micky kissed her"
"Micky kissed her? Did she kiss him back?"
"From where I was standin' she was defiantly kissin' him back, but after wards she told me she couldn't fall in love again it caused her too much pain"
"She's been in love before? Maybe that's why she's so afraid of falling in love with Micky, this other guy must've caused her heart to brake"
"Must've been a pretty intense relationship if it's keepin' her from givin' in to her feelins" Mike thought for a moment then faced Lana "I will find out what's goin' on with her Lan I promise" Mike said.
"I hope so I really want to see her and Micky together I know they'd be so happy" Lana replied. Mike went over and knocked on Lori's door.
"Hi Shotgun are you ready?" He called through the closed door. Lori hadn't realised what time it was, she jumped up from her bed.
"Just a minute Mike I'll be out in a second" she dried her eyes changed her clothes and fixed her make up she took a deep breath and opened the door "Hi sweetheart let's go" She said walking past the Texan. Mike followed "Bye Lana" Lori called as she disappeared out the front door.
"Bye"
"Bye Lana, I'll try and talk to her I really will" Mike told her and he followed Lori out the door. Lori was already seated in the passenger seat of the Monkee mobile so Mike hoped in the driving seat and started the engine "So where do you fancy goin' to eat?" He asked. Lori shrugged.
"I don't mind really wherever you chose will be fine" She replied Mike gave a silent sigh and put the car into gear. "Ok well there's this Chinese place Mic--" He cut himself off mid- word "--Er someone, had been beggin' me to try so we can go there," He said. He wasn't sure whether or not he should mention Micky's name at the moment so he made a mental note to himself to remember not to just yet. Lana watched them drive off and silently prayed Mike could figure out what was bothering Lori.
At dinner Lori hardly said two words and Mike couldn't help but feel a little irritated. He had tried so hard to get a conversation fired up but Lori had only given him one or two word answers. The fact that he was struggling to keep any food on his chopsticks made it worse. Finally he admitted defeat and with a loud irritated growl he threw them down and the wood thumped against his china bowl. Lori couldn't help but giggle a little
"Wanna try using a folk there Mike?" She asked and picked one up. "I'm glad you find it so....wait a minute that was a whole sentence! You feeling ok?"
"Ha ha such a comedian just take the damn folk" Lori told him with a smile and he reached over and grabbed the fork form her "Can I ask you some thing?" She added.
"Sure you can go ahead," He said finally happy that his food was reaching his mouth and that Lori had decided to say more then two words to him.
"Just one thing I have noticed about Peter, he's the only one who calls you Michael every one else calls you Mike" Lori said.
"Yeah I don't think he's ever called me Mike I'm not really sure why, I've never asked"
"Does it bother you?"
"No, it would bother me more if he called me Robert"
"Robert? Why Robert?" Lori asked a little confused.
"Robert is my first name, Michael is my middle name but I hate it so every one calls me Mike, except Peter and Aunt Kate, they called me Michael"
"Oh, that's why Davy called you Robert M the other day" Lori said realisation filling he features.
"I've tried to get him out of that habit and thankfully he's almost lost it now it's very rare he'll call me that any more" Mike explained.
"Oh" Lori replied simply. Mike looked at her for a moment then decided that since she had just participated in a whole conversation he would try playing the Micky card.
"So Micky's been kinda freaked today" he said matter-of-factly, taking a sip from his soda then setting the glass back on the table.
"Oh yeah" Lori said suddenly finding her bowl very interesting.
"Yeah he's tried callin' you like a bazillion times today"
"Has he? Well I told Lana I didn't want to talk to any one so she's been taking messages for me" Lori told him. Mike put down his folk.
"So you gonna tell me what's been goin' on with you lately?" He asked putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin in his hands.
"Nothing's been going on with me I'm fine" Lori lied.
"Really? Look Lori I know we haven't known each other very long but like I told you before I think of you as my baby sister and I can tell when you're in pain and I can tell when you're lyin' so quit playin' games and tell me the truth" Mike told her.
"I don't have to sit here and listen to this" Lori told him getting very annoyed and standing up.
"What are you goin' to do then? Run out again? Well you've had a lot of practice lately so I guess you're getting' good at it by now" Mike said. Lori could feel the anger rising in her body.
"What is your problem?" She blurted out.
"What's yours? I don't understand why fallin' in love is such a problem for you"
"That's because you don't know what happened to me in my past" She shouted.
"So tell me!" Mike shouted back. The whole restaurant had stopped eating now and was watching them fight.
"I told you I can't"
"Why not? You trust me don't you? I want to help you, just let me please it can't be doin' you any good to be keepin' it all bottled up just let me help you" He told her and Lori sat back down again.
"I do trust you but you can't help me you don't know what it was like"
"So again I say tell me, you're not just thinkin' of yourself here you have to think about Micky too this is killin' him he's goin' through hell"
"Yeah well so did I! My daughter died for Christ sake so I don't think the hell Micky is going through can be worse then mine" She screamed then realising what she said, burst into tears. Mike was shocked into silence he stared at her unable to speak or think or even blink, he snapped out of it when he realised the whole restaurant was watching them looking just as shocked as he was.
"What!" He shouted, every one went back to their meals and Mike, who had been sitting opposite Lori, moved so he was sitting next to her. She was crying really hard now and Mike realised that they couldn't stay there anymore so he put some money on the table for the food, pulled Lori up from her chair guided her out of the building and helped her into the Monkee mobile. They drove in silence the only sound was the sobbing coming from Lori. Finally Mike found somewhere isolated and he stopped the car. He pulled Lori into a comforting hug.
"We've got all the time you need Lolo let it all out I'm here so when you're ready, talk to me" He said and whispered other words of comfort into her ear until she was ready to talk. Finally she pulled away and looked him in the eyes. Mike could see the pain and hurt she was going though and he felt so bad for not seeing it sooner.
"I'm sorry Mike I'm so sorry"
"Hay don't be silly you don't have to apologise you've done nothin' wrong" The Texan told her, wiping away some tears that still streamed down her face.
"I should've been honest with you from the beginning I had no right to lie I should've told you the truth, you've all been so good to me and now this thing with Micky, I should never of lied"
"What did you lie about?" Mike wasn't sure if she'd answer and at first it seemed like she wasn't going to but suddenly she just blurted it all out.
"I didn't leave England because I was home sick, I was never home sick I loved England I could have stayed there the rest of my life, I left because my daughter died, my marriage failed and then I had a nervous breakdown" She confessed, she was still sobbing and Mike was having trouble taking it all in.
"You were married?" He asked unable to hid the stunned tone of his voice. Lori nodded and her crying became worse. Mike pulled her into another comforting embrace.
"I didn't want to leave I had to leave I couldn't stay there any more it was too hard and it hurt too much" Lori told him.
"Take you're time, start from the beginnin' and tell me what happened but only when you feel ready I'm not goin' any where I promise just take you're time" Mike told her, stroking her hair. Lori wiped the tears away and gradually stopped crying she rested in Mike's arms trying to figure out where to start. She sat up again and faced the Texan.
"When I moved to England I met Ben pretty much straight away. I was fourteen and had just discovered the wonder of boys. He was my best friend and he made me feel so loved. We had been dating for two years when I discovered that I was pregnant, my dad got very angry and ordered that I marry Ben as soon as possible. I didn't mind I was in love with him he had been my first you know, first kiss, first boyfriend, first love we lost our virginity together and I wanted to marry him and he wanted to marry me. The wedding was kinda quick and not the most fancy ceremony in the world but I didn't care. Once we were married and Annie came along I knew I'd done the right thing I was so happy my life was perfect, except for the whole having to live with Ben's parents thing but we were too young to get our own place but I had my own family and every thing was perfect, until that day" Lori stopped as more tears streamed down her face.
"It's ok you don't have to go on if you don't want too" Mike told her but Lori ignored him and continued.
"Ben's mom took Annie to the park one day so Ben and I could have some time alone together it never even crossed my mind that that would be the last time I would ever see my daughter alive. They were gone a couple of hours and I was starting to worry. Ben told me to calm down because I always worried too much" Lori said and managed a weak smile "When the phone rang Ben answered it and I could tell by the tone of his voice something was wrong. He looked at me and burst into tears. He never even replaced the receiver he just fell to his knees sobbing uncontrollably. I went over to him and hugged him I asked him what was wrong he couldn't tell me for a long while because he was crying so much. Finally he said 'Annie's dead' just like that those two little words and my world collapsed I didn't believe him at first I couldn't believe him but I'd never seen him cry before and it frightened me so much. She was only eighteen months old Mike that was all, just eighteen months old" Lori told him. Mike was crying as well now he hadn't realised how much Lori had been through at such a young age.
"I'm so sorry Lolo I had no idea"
"She had fallen in the duck pond and drowned and nobody saw her until it was too late, I mean what where they all doing to not notice my little girl trying to get out, scared and crying. Why didn't any one see her? I don't understand! Why didn't any one see!" Lori told him she was so angry now and crying again.
"I'm so sorry" It was all Mike could say he didn't know how to comfort her, he didn't know how to make her feel better.
"Ben and I never recovered after that" Lori continued "Our marriage broke down completely six months later but it died really the same day Annie did. I couldn't handle it any more and the pain and hurt and anger got the better of me and I sunk into a deep depression, which ended in a breakdown. It took a year for me to recover enough to go home but I couldn't stand being in that place any more I had to get away so I talked to my dad, he wasn't pleased with the idea of my leaving but he wanted me to carry on getting better so he called my uncle and asked him to look for apartments for me, that took forever as well but eventually on my twentieth birthday he found Lana so I came here and tried to get on with living my life and I was doing really well I had you guys but now I'm starting to fall in love with Micky and I'm so scared I haven't got the strength to through all that again it's too hard I can't do it" Lori explained. She sunk back into Mike's arms the crying completely talking her over now. Mike cradled her in his arms he wanted so badly to help her to some how stop the pain she was feeling but he didn't know how and he cried as well.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I had no idea," He told her. Lori couldn't speak she was crying so much. They sat in the Monkee mobile for a couple of hours never letting go of each other. It got dark and Lori was able to stop crying, she stared in front of her unable to form a thought, she was resting against Mike. Mike held her and stroked her hair he wanted to sat some thing, any thing, to try and make her feel a little better but he couldn't find the words and it was a surprise to him when Lori spoke first.
"Can you take me home now please" She asked.
"Yeah of course I can, how are you? Do you feel any better?"
"No not really I've got a bit of a headache and I'm a little tired," She confessed. So Mike started the engine and drove her home they didn't speak during the journey and when they arrived at Lori's pad Mike went in with her. Mike had his arm around her and Lori was leaning against him as they walked. She didn't think she'd be able to stand with out some support.
"Lana must be in bed already" he whispered when they saw the lounge was empty "Come on let's get you into bed" He took over to her bedroom and they went in. Mike turned around so she could change into her night clothes then he helped her into bed.
"Mike will you stay with me I don't want to be alone tonight" Lori asked. Her voice was so quiet he had to strain to here her.
"Of course I can, let me just make a quick call ok, you get some rest" He told her and kissed her forehead "Goodnight Lolo" He whispered. He went into the lounge and closed Lori's door and picked up the phone and dialled the number for his pad. He should've known Micky would be the last up.
"Hay Mike what's up?" Micky asked.
"I'm stayin' over at Lori's tonight I just wanted to check in so you would know where I was," He told the drummer.
"Oh ok. Is every thing ok did something happen with Lori?" Mike knew Micky would never leave it at that and instead would want a full explanation he quietly sighed.
"No don't worry nothin' has happened between us we're just friends and that is what she needs right now I'll explain in the mornin'"
"Is Lori alright?" Micky asked. Mike could here the concern and worry in the drummers voice.
"Not really but like I said I'll explain in the mornin'"
"I'm coming over"
"No shotgun don't, the last thing she needs is people fussin' over her so just stay at home for now" Mike told him. "I can't Mike if she's in trouble I want to be there for her I want to help her" Micky argued.
"Listen to me Mick and listen good, you have to stay at home if you come over it will just upset her even more and I don't think you'd want that, promise me you'll stay away at least for tonight" Mike sounded calm but really he was pleading with the drummer. The last thing Micky wanted was to stay away but he understood why he had too. With an irritated sigh he agreed.
"Yeah ok but you promise you'll tell me what's going on as soon as you get home?"
"I can't promise to tell you everythin' because it's not my place to that's up to Lori but I will tell you what I can," Mike explained. Micky couldn't help but feel a little confused, he couldn't help but feel worried by Mike's words he wondered what was going on with Lori and he desperately wanted to see her to hold her in his arms and tell her every thing would be alright but she had chosen to find solace in Mike and all he could do was wait.
"Ok then, I guess I'll see you in the morning" he told the Texan.
"Good night buddy" They both replaced the receivers. Mike walked back over to Lori's bedroom and opened the door quietly and peered in to find her sound asleep. He came in and closed the door again and smiled as he watched Lori sleep then settled on a chair next to her bed. It took a while because he was not used to sleeping in a sitting position but finally his conscious mind shut off and he sunk into a deep sleep. Back at the Monkees pad Micky could not sleep at all he spent all night tossing and turning he could not get comfortable he was far too worried about Lori. He saw the sun light start to stream through his window as dawn broke and he couldn't stay in bed any longer. He left his bedroom and went downstairs he knew it would be way to early even for Peter so the bassist would not be up yet. He got himself a glass of water and slumped into one of the kitchen table chairs. He couldn't wait for Mike to get home and explain what the hell was going on.