I agree that he still had hopes they could work things out, or at least that's the impression I get. Anyway I decided to check out the timeline more accurately about his travelling and stuff and when they were apart etc.
According to the website MJJ Timeline, Michael left for Paris after an argument with her on July 31st, 1995.
http://mjjtimeline.blogspot.com/2009/08/1995.html
Now in the Tarraborelli book there's a whole section about how Michael wants to go on vacation with the Cascio kids to Paris and Lisa's doesn't want him to go. But Michael decides he's going anyway. Of course no one was a fly on the wall, so this is all Tarraborrelli's guess work.
After Paris, Michael travels to Cannes and is there until 12th August.
He's in New York on 17th August as he does the Simulchat for the fans and he's there to film the Earth Song video.
Next up on the timeline are the MTV Awards which we know both Lisa and Michael attended on 7th September. So if Lisa hadn't had any contact with him from 31st July to 7th September, that would be just over 6 weeks.
Another interesting thing I came across from an interview with Lisa here:-
http://www.lisamarieonline.net/lisa/interviews/GQ.php
When she mentions filming the You Are Not Alone video, she says she'd just returned from Hawaii. The YANA video was filmed on July 10th. So it looks like they were already taking separate vacations/trips before Michael went off to Paris with his friends.
Also of interest in that interview, Lisa says:-
When he wasn't working and we'd just hang out at the house it was fine. We'd go shopping and go to dinner, people would come over. Although that was only for the first six, seven months, then all that kind of dwindled away. It kind of went to hell in a handbasket.
Lisa here seems to say that things starting wrong only 7 months into the marriage -- that would be around Dec 1994. To me it's obvious she's happiest when he is around, when she'd have his full attention and they could have as "normal" a life as possible.
Now also of interest is what Michael says in the Simulchat on August 17th. Here is a quote re Lisa.
Question: How has your marriage to Lisa Marie changed your life?
Michael Jackson: I think I find it more fun to appreciate what family really means.
the fact that even though there were 10 of us Jacksons and we were always doing
things at different times and I am really learning the real meaning of love. Giving
100% of yourself all the time. Putting up with one another. So far it has been pretty
joyous.
He's also asked about divorce rumours in the Simulchat, which he completely denies.
Then he did an interview for Woman's Day magazine in Australia, which is quoted in Tarraborrelli's book. Michael says:-
‘We’re so happy,’ he added of his marriage. ‘We do it our way. I don’t know if it’s conventional. My parents have been married for forty years. Is their marriage conventional? Were Lisa’s parents in a conventional marriage? I don’t think so. I love being married, knowing that Lisa is there,’ he continued.’ She’s strong. She’s smart. She’s on my side, listens to me, understands me, understands my world.'
So from this, you'd hardly gather that the marriage was in rocky waters, though I also realize Michael wouldn't announce this publicly either. But anyway though I'd post it as I found it of interest.
Okay, back to the timeline. So after 6 weeks apart they see each other at the MTV Awards on Sept 7th. From the MJJ Timeline website it shows he's in Washington DC on Sept 23rd at the BET Awards. On November 3rd he flies to Cologne, Germany. On Nov 4th he's in Munich doing the Wetten Das performances. Dec 4th he's in New York, rehearsing for the One Night Only concert. Dec 6th he collapses during rehearsals and is taken to hospital. Lisa sees him in hospital, I am guessing either on 6th or the 7th. He is discharged from hospital on 12th December. Dec 18th he's back at Disneyland Paris with the Cascio kids.
So I could guess that maybe Lisa and Michael were together between Sept and November, before he left for Germany. Then maybe she didn't see him again till she visited him in hospital.
Yes I guess she could have. But perhaps he didn't want her to. We don't know. Maybe she didn't know where he'd gone or how to contact him. She didn't even hear directly from him about attending the MTV Awards, but from a member of his staff.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, hope I haven't bored anyone. I just found the timeline thing of interest and thought I'd post it.