Footsteps for a Bride-to-Be

August 11th, 2011

My birthday was a few days away, I could even count it on my fingers, and that made me feel so out of it.
I was halfway through my twenties, and if I had to think about it, I had a lot of things happen during my early twenties. I wouldn't complain about any of it though because I spent most of those years with the love of my life, Michael Phelps, and during that time, I started dating, fell in love, tried long distance relationship, moved in with my loving boyfriend, found out I had a problem with my fertility, but then I got pregnant, then I got engaged, and earlier this year, I gave birth to a healthy and adorable Baby Mitchell Phelps, who was already at six months old. There were more, but at the moment, I thought that maybe I really shouldn't complain about all that's happened.

10:30am - Debbie Phelps's Home

Michael's Mom invited us for breakfast, and Michael thought that since we were there, we may as well use it as a chance to wash his precious black SUV. In other words, he wanted me to do it for his perverted purposes. I figured it was a boy thing, since 'babes' washing cars were an attraction. I was lucky that Debbie wasn't home. She and Baby Phelps went to get Hilary from the Airport and then go grocery shopping for lunch, and to think that we just ate breakfast an hour ago.

"This is very inappropriate, Mr Phelps," I complained as I placed the bucket full of soapy water on the concrete of the driveway. I pulled out the soaked yellow sponge and sighed. "We're at your Mom's house, and you're making me wash your car." I turned to him, my eyes slightly glared as I saw my husband-to-be walking out of the garage while taking off his blue shirt. He tossed his shirt to the side, by the lawn chair where he also tossed his phone and other contents of his pocket. My bag things were there too, pretty much covered by his shirt. I eyed his body and stared at the tattoo right on his left chest.
"Anne, we're only washing the car," He laughed as he walked closer to me, bent down briefly to pick up the other sponge. "I don't want to go to the carwash, and since we're here, we might as well do it."
"No, you're taking advantage of the situation so you can be a pervert," I commented, reminding him of those times when he made me wash his old car back in Ann Arbor. He had motives to making me certain things.
"Why would I do that? I see you naked nearly every night anyway," Michael teased as he began to scrub the upper side of his car. I did follow him, starting to scrub the window and down to the wheels, which meant I had to crouch down. "I like what I see," He suddenly said as I looked up at him with a cocked eyebrow, then I looked down to realize he could see my cleavage and returned my gaze back up to his grinning expression.
"I expected Ryan Lochte to say such things, but you?" I shook my head. "Oh Sweetie Pie, I knew being around him so much would influence so badly." I pushed myself up and reached to give him a playful smack on his cheek with the sponge, causing the soapy foam to drip down from his face to his body.
"Is that how it is?" The competitive tone seeping out his voice as he squeezed the sponge, catching it with his other hand and splashed the water back at me, and it was quite a lot of water and soap that it soaked my tank top and I felt the cold water against my skin. I gasped as he looked at me with a smug grin.
I moved towards the bucket, forcefully pushing the sponge into the water, making sure I had more than enough and lifted my hand from the grey bucket. I smirked as I felt the water drizzle down from between my fingers and to the ground, and I saw Michael's eyes trailing the drops of water. His hand even moved in front of him as he shook my head, telling me over and over it was a bad idea.
"Bad idea," I grunted and threw it towards him. It hit him right on his chest, the water and the foam splashed all over him, which made him close his eyes and purse his mouth shut.

I knew I was doomed.

I gulped the moment the sponge touched the concrete driveway, and I braced myself from getting grabbed off my feet by Michael. He was stronger and taller, and sometimes, he took that to his advantage when it came to goofing around with me. I took a few steps back and watched him put the sponge in his hand on the roof of the black SUV, his other hand swept the foam from his nose, lips, chin and neck, and flicked it to the side. His eyes opened, his brown eyes had targeted me already.
"We have to wash the-" I couldn't finish the sentence as I turned and ran away from him. Around the back of the car to the other side, but he was already there. I let out nervous giggles as I said, "Hon, we can't play around, you know that I have to be- Ah!" I squealed at the end when he began to get closer to me so fast, and I had to make a run for it.
Michael was already fast in the water, so with him being also faster than me on land was really unfair on me.
"Got'cha!" He exclaimed as his arms were wrapped around me, pulling me to a halt. I could feel his soaked body press against me, drenching the back of my tank top. We both laughed as my constant wriggling and fight to be free made him lose balance and we both rolled on top of the grass.

Okay, to the people who saw the whole thing or caught glimpse of what went on, well, we probably looked like a couple of teenagers having a childish fight with water and soap. But really, we were both in our 20s, way passed high school and college, yet there we were, soaked and laughing on top of Debbie Phelps's front lawn. If Baby Phelps was a bit older and saw all of what had just happened between his Parents, well, imagine how embarrassed he would've been!

I rolled off of Michael, lying next to him with little giggles still coming out from time to time. I swept the loose tears from my eyes and turned my head to the side to look at the man who I was going to marry in a couple of months. He was staring at the sky though, a smile still on his face as he asked, "Do you think we'll lose this side of ourselves once we get married?"
My head turned to the sky, my eyes closed as I thought the same thing. Would we lose ourselves once we get married? Would we turn into those couples who lose touch?
"Hell no," I heard Michael grunt to himself. "I plan to retire next year, by then, all those times I couldn't be with you and Mitch, I'll make it up to you too," He continued on as I kept quiet, my eyes still closed, and unsure if I wanted to say anything to any of the things he said. It wasn't until I reopened my eyes that I met with his warm brown ones, and he was leaning against his arm, his body turned towards him as his other arm flung over me and tugged me gently to roll to me side.
We probably looked really comfortable. To be honest, it wasn't, because we were on the grass.
"Everyone could see us."
He shrugged. "Let them watch," He replied. "I don't care if anyone can see me, see us." He caressed my cheek, a smile on his face as he added, "What are your plans for your birthday?"
"Party," I quickly answered, and nipped at my lower lip. "I'm turning 25, not 30, like you, honey," I teased and gave him a slight nudge on his shoulder, moving him to his back, but he tugged him with him so that I landed atop of him.
"Are you calling me old?" Michael laughed.
I nodded. "You're very old, Mr Phelps," I continued and tried to get off of him, but he wouldn't let me. He held onto my arms and kept me in place. "I'm marrying a retiree."
"Hah! Is that how it is, baby?" He was about to pull me into a kiss, but...

"I thought you two were washing the car?"

Michael and I both looked to the side and saw Debbie with her arms crossed.
"Look at the two of you, looking like you two don't even have a son!" We overheard another voice. We looked land saw Hilary walking from the other end of the car, Baby Phelps in her hold, looking half asleep as though the car ride was making him drowsy.
"Yeah, we should finish this," I responded before Michael did and pushed myself off of him, then walking closer to Debbie and Hilary. "He looks exhausted," I said as I gave Baby Phelps a pinch on the cheek.
"He actually fell asleep while sitting in the trolley, then he woke up when we moved him into his car seat and he was battling his sleep on the way home," Debbie explained as she took the baby off Hilary's grasp and beckoned us to the boot where all the grocery bags were. "Michael, stop lounging around there and come help your Sister and Bride-to-be get the bags."
"She can handle it, besides, she's leaving me and Mitch here anyway," He lazily muttered as he stretched.
"Where are you going after this?" His Sister asked me as she handed me two bags.
I weakly smiled. I didn't tell Michael where I was going, so there was no way I'd tell his Sister too. Not yet anyway. "Lia invited me to go for lunch and catch up. I thought Michael and Mitchie could stay here for a while, since the two of them had nothing else planned." There were loop holes behind my explanation, but I didn't want to reveal anything at all. I walked passed Michael and glared down at him. "Are you going to help or are you just going to stay there and watch?" I asked him.
"Well, the second option sounds nice," He laughed. He didn't really budge at all, he was still on top of the grass, on his back, arms behind his head and just watched Hilary and I wander back and forth with the grocery bags. However, he was forced to wash the car himself, afterwards.

We were sometimes childish towards each other, I know that, but I loved it. I wanted to keep it that way.

2:30pm - Tattoo Charlie's Place

"Lia, we're in this together, right?" I gulped as we both sat in the allocated seats, waiting on the tattoo artists who were going to do the whole inking process. To be honest, it was my idea to get it done, Lia only went along with it because she couldn't get over the fact Derek got one with her name on it. She even sent me a long text just to express her frustration on not declaring her love for her husband, while I was doing this for Michael, and I really wanted one done since he showed me his one. I wanted a matching one, but I thought that it'd be weird for me to have it on my left chest, and I didn't think Michael would've appreciated hearing that the tattoo artist had a sight of my chest, so, I decided, I'd put it on my left rib, so that during the whole tattoo thing, I'd still be able to cover certain parts of my body.
"Anne, we're here now, so we can't back out," Lia sounded a bit shaky. Her voice was shaky and she seemed really nervous while she sat there. She planned to get a big one too, but then a few hours ago, when I picked her up from her home, she decided that she'd go with a more subtle one and place Derek's name on her left wrist, which was - in a way - still close to her heart, since the main vein was there and all.
I gave her a nod and looked around the whole shop. There were designs all around the wall, there were some pictures of other tattoos, and one that caught my eye was right in front of me, just beside the mirror, which was a picture of Michael and Derek. "Lia, look!" I pointed and she was really surprised.

Michael and Derek were posing beside the owner of the shop, and they were proudly showing their new ink and their red skin, and both of them with goofy grins. The two Olympians also signed on both sides of the photograph with a black marker. I wasn't surprised that they'd have to give out autographs. I even looked towards Lia and wondered if it'd be the same with her, although, I was a bit thankful that I wasn't a recognized figure, because I didn't want the extra attention placed on them.

"Well, I'd figure that their significant others would turn up," A male voice spoke with such deep tone that made me shudder. Lia and I both turned around at the same time and met eye to eye with an older man, who introduced himself as Dennis, and the other behind him was a bit younger, his name was Scott. The two shook our hands and gave us the whole instruction process before splitting up.
I was with Dennis, who seemed more experienced and decided to give Scott the easier job of Lia's wrist. I didn't understand, since I thought the wrist was hard considering a slip may result to a slit of the vein right? I hope that didn't happen though, not at all. But the man knew what he was doing. Lia and I just had to put some trust into the two men who were going to etch ink permanently on our skins.
"Don't be nervous, Roxanne," The man told me. He gave me a weak smile as he arranged the equipment in front of him, on a mini cart, which reminded me of a hair dresser.
"I'd be hell-a nervous," I mumbled as I took off my tank top without a second thought, and that left me in my plain black bra. "What does it feel like?" I naively asked.
"Have you ever written on yourself with a pointed pen?"
I nodded.
"Like that, but it's more of a scratchy effect. Uh, another way to put it would be like when you scratch yourself on something, not thinking it'd actually cut you, but it did and it only started to hurt when you took notice of it," He went on to explain. It slightly eased up my heart beat, but I didn't think it was enough to actually say that I was soothed and calm throughout the whole process. Dennis pulled a wheelie chair from beneath the counter and sat down, and his eyes focused on my side as he took a pen from the cart and told me he had to outline the whole thing, even though it was just writing. "Your fish of a partner came here two months back, he and his other fish friend. The two of them were really confident with their decision, and then we asked them if their partners were okay with it. That was when the confidence disappeared," He chuckled at the end of his talk. "What did you think of it?"
"I was surprised, to be honest, and rather disapproving. But I can't stop him from doing those things, and I grew to accept it as some sort of love declaration," I answered.
"Then, there's one thing I'd like to comment on."
My right eyebrow cocked upwards as I asked him what it was, and from time to time, holding back on my giggles as the pen touched certain points of my side that really made me laugh when tickled.
"It's about time you came in here and got yourself a matching ink."
I couldn't help but laugh. "He wouldn't know about this until my birthday. It's a week away."
"You're really going to hold off sex from your man for a week?" Dennis's tone of voice sounded both joking and a bit sympathetic. "Poor fella," He added as he placed the pen down and held a mirror out to show me what the tattoo may look like.
It looked exactly like Michael's. "I love it!" I grinned, very pleased with the sketch and allowed him to go further on. I watched as he placed the pen on top of the cart, just beside the electronic needle thing that was going to be scraping my skin. I gulped one more time. All I thought about was one thing...

This was worth it.



August 18th, 2011

Hiding a new tattoo was quite hard. Especially when Michael preferred to cuddle during sleep, so his arm was wrapped around me and would press against the tattoo. I had to hide the pain, and I tried so hard not to say anything because I didn't want to tell him that I got the ink. I actually had to make sure that doors were locked whenever I had to take off my clothes so that he wouldn't see, and I thought one week didn't fly as fast as I thought. It was dull. Well, not until my birthday arrived.

7:00am - Our Love Nest

"Ah, I don't want to wake up!" I groaned, pulling the pillow over my head and trying to wriggle off the man who placed his weight on top of me. His hand slid beneath my body, wrapped his arms around me tight, and luckily, the tattoo wasn't as sore anymore. I felt his lips peck my sides, occasionally nipping at my clothing.
"Come on Birthday Girl, I got a whole day planned for you." Michael arrived at my chin, lightly biting along my jawlines and up to my bottom lip. The pillow was pushed away from my face and I met with his brown eyes, staring at me so strongly.
"What do you have planned for me?" I giggled followed by a yawn, my arms stretched towards the headboard, which I lightly tapped my fingers against, and then lazy let them droop them down onto the back of Michael's body. "Is it something with you or are you sending me to Vegas like what I did for you?"
He shook his head, shrugged and rubbed the stubbles that were growing out from the sides of his face against my cheek. "I'm not letting you go to those kinds of things," He grumbled against the pillow.
"Let's put it this way," I wrapped my left leg around his torso, my foot tapped on his butt to distract him and I pushed him to roll on his back with me on top of him. His hand trailing up my thigh, slightly at the hem of my silk purple night dress, but I slapped his hand away, grasping onto his wrist and pulled them away from any touch of my skin. He looked at me with a grin. I then leaned down, closer to his face as I asked, "While you have free time for a few hours, can you watch Mitchie while I go out with the girls?"
Michael chuckled as he sat up, which made me droop down to his lap, and we sat there eye to eye.
"That was my plan anyway," He revealed. "I was going to tell you that I called Lia to tell you closest friends to get rid of you while I stay home and babysit." His wrists escaped from my hold, his hands were placed flat on my bad as he pulled me closer. Our noses touched and I could feel his breath against my skin. "But you have to get home by 10, because then it's my turn. Mitch will be at Mom's."
"Ooh, when did Mr Phelps get all possessive?" I teased while I placed both hands on the sides of his face, caressing his cheeks and continued to stare deep into his eyes.
"Um, I don't know? Maybe when you became my girlfriend and stopped paying attention to me?"
I really couldn't hold in a giggle.
"Or, when I realized that you were going to be around for quite a long time."
"Oh? So you're not expecting me to be around so long?"
"Just get home by 10, okay?"
"Alright, alright, I'll be home by 10," I agreed and pecked his lips and prepared to push myself off of him, but as soon as lifted my leg to roll off the bed, he tugged me back and placed me back on the bad, both of us grinning like dummies as we had some time to spare.

Or so we thought.

Baby Phelps cried on cue. Gotta love that boy, he knew exactly when to cry, especially since I wasn't ready to show Michael that tattoo just yet.

5:30pm - Alexander's Tavern

Seriously, a day at the spa was what I actually needed for my birthday. I had a manicure and pedicure, a nice long massage, and a bath in those mud things. Lia, Janet, Tiffany and Jessica were my lovely ladies, and the others had work, so they decided to join at the tavern. Technically it was my bridal party for my wedding - minus Janet though. She understood, considering we've only become closer since her baby Joy was born. I actually cried this morning, when I met with Lia and Janet for lunch. It was because Tiffany and Jessica flew into Baltimore for the sake of my birthday - seriously - I thought Brunette A and Brunette B wouldn't do that for me at all. They've seriously become more mature.

Brunette B wrapped her arm around me as we sat in the booth, and opposite us was Brunette A while Lia and Janet went to go and get some more drinks. It was early, to say, but since Michael insisted for me to head home by 10, all five of us decided to get some alcohol in our system. She lifted the bottle of beer up and asked, "So, I'm guessing future Mrs Phelps is happy with her sex life?"
Okay, so I really thought that they'd been a bit mature.
"Well, obviously, why would she be with him for a long time?" Brunette A laughed.
I gulped down the beer in my hand, and then wriggled it about, eying to see if there were any more inside. I shook my head and replied, "Hey, can't a woman be with a man because of love and not just sex?"
Both Brunettes looked at each other, giving each other a wink and giggling. The tapped the butt of their bottles and Brunette B shook my shoulders, saying, "Same old Anne, turning away our conversation. But clearly you're very pleased with your bedroom activities."
"You know what makes me hate you a bit, Anne?" Brunette A grunted. I mouthed, what, as she continued, "I don't like the fact that you don't look like you had a baby."
"Hah, you don't know how annoying it was putting up with the work out," I complained.
"And how much of a nag she was too," Lia butted in as she slid into the booth and placed five shot glasses filled with tequila in the middle of the table. Janet arrived not long after with a vodka bottle.

Heck, I don't know what happened for the rest of the night.



August 19th, 2011

10:30am - Our Love Nest

Damn, I don't know what happened last night. I swear I got home by 10. I don't know! Gah, and thinking more about it, I seriously felt like I disappointed Michael.
I woke up around 10. I heard nothing in the room, and the baby monitor wasn't even turned on. I knew that Baby Phelps wasn't home, but I didn't have a clue where my husband-to-be disappeared to. I rolled onto my back, both hands over my face as a long groan escaped from my dry lips. I even had to lick them to moisten them up a bit. I grumbled about how I didn't have a clue what went on, and I hoped so much that there was no big commotion or-

"Oh shit."

I sat up and stared down. I realized I was in my blue dress that I wore last night, all accessories were intact and my shoes looked like they were tossed to the side. I kicked off the blanket away from my body, slowly turning and wobbled up to my feet. My head throbbed the whole time. It really felt like it was beating on its own, and I hated that feeling.
I slowly wandered to the door, my feet dragged across the carpet and caused some friction that when I touched the door knob and it gave static electricity through my fingers. I mouthed a cuss as I reached forward towards the knob, twisting it to open the door. Oh the light was horrible. It was bright and I squinted my eyes just a little bit to see where I was going.
"Ooh, look who finally woke up." I heard Michael's voice from behind me. I even did a little jump on the spot from the fright of his deep voice.
I turned my head and met eye to eye with his. My expression so apologetic that it countered my hangover... Hmm, actually... ]Maybe not.
"I am so sorry, baby! I had drinks and then-"
Michael's laugh interrupted me. "You needed it," He smiled as he walked to me and wrapped his arms around me. I leaned my head against his chest as he added, "I didn't even expect you home, because if you weren't having fun, you would've been home by nine."
"But I ruined my surprise."
"I didn't have any surprises for you, babe."
"I did," I sighed as I pulled away from him and turned away. I pointed to my zipper and felt it slither down not a moment later. I turned back to face him, my body slight turned to the side as my left rib area was exposed the moment I dropped my dress to the floor. I was in my undergarments, and I wasn't shy about it, since that man in front of me already saw what was needed to be seen.
"What is- Oh!" He bent over, his fingers lightly touched over the permanent ink of his name and our son's. "I can't believe you actually got it done."
"Well, duh," I replied and pulled him to his feet. "Well then, did you buy me anything for my birthday?"
"Your entire day was charged to my card," Michael revealed. He didn't sound too happy. "Lia abused it."
"Aw, so you didn't have anything planned after?" I wrapped my arms around his neck, tugging him closer to my face, which he had to lean forward a bit. His arms wrapped their way around my waist.
"Not really, just planned to get kinky in the bedroom, the usual."
I couldn't help but laugh at his comment.
"But that could wait though, because we need to pack for next week."
"What's next week?"
"Uh, we're going back to Maui for more planning and celebrate, um, I don't know, six years together?"
I narrowed my eyes. I was speechless.

Wow, I nearly forgot all about it. In a couple of days, I've been with Michael Phelps for Six Years!