We love a good love story. And Black Love Doc, a series about the love stories of Black people, famous and not, gives us everything we didn't know we needed about the complexities of life and love. Some of the greatest love stories ever told lie here—from Tamia and Grant Hill, to Viola Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon, and our faves, DeWanda Wise and her husband, Alano Miller—they're all proud to tell their story about their love and how it works for them.
So, when Michael Beach and his wife Elisha decided to tell how their relationship began, we couldn't help but listen. And the best part is the two found their way to each other, after being casual friends with benefits.
"We met through a mutual friend that introduced us, I think really just to have a lil' fun with each other. Like, it was so not serious, I had just broken up with a guy and you were separated at the time, right?"
Michael jumps in:
"Yeah, I was separated from my first marriage, I had four kids already, and I was like 'no way am I doing that again, no way.' And I made it clear! I was like, 'you know if you wanna have fun, let's have fun but uh, I was almost forty and I was like, I already have my responsibilities, I'm taking care of them this and that. I know she's young, so there's no way you would get serious and maybe married to someone that young and without having more kids, there's just no way."
The couple laugh now at the irony, because they've since added four more to the bunch.
Things ultimately took a turn for the two when Michael offered for her to stay at his New York home so she wouldn't have to travel as much while he was away in Los Angeles with his kids.
"There was one night we were in the bed and he says to me, 'I just need you to know, this isn't going to go any further than this.' And I was like, okay...I didn't really ask. [laughs] We openly were not monogamous for a very long time. It changed much quicker for me than him, obviously. I think for me it was the coming to LA with him, it just kind of happened...somewhere in there, he was the only guy I wanted to be with. We can just be with each other and it's enjoyable. Then I was like comparing every guy that I went out on a date with, with him, and they were not living up to it. I caught on to the falling for him, much more quickly than he did."
And 19 years later, the rest is history. Love to see it!
But their lives since their non-traditional start, is also anything but traditional. Michael's ex-wife lives with them as well.
"If you would have 15 years ago—even 10 years ago—I would have been like 'nah." But it runs so smoothly, it's crazy."
Elisha adds:
"It's very odd. But with his work schedule, and never knowing what's going to happen, when it's going to happen, where's he's going to have to be...Davis was born and when Davis hit two months, he was in Australia, France, South Africa, Atlanta...he was gone for like five and a half months. If Tracy hadn't been here, I would have died or killed one of my kids, whichever one came first. There was no way I would have made it through that time without her help. At all. It just would not have happened."
Do what works for you!
Watch the full bonus clip below:
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Michael Beach/Instagram