Remember the Time

Chapter 15

Ring...

Just as she was about to hang up she heard her father's voice. "Hello?"

Half surprised, Mariah pushed the phone back up to her ear. "Hi dad." She said, trying to sound excited.

"How is everything?" He asked.

Mariah cringed. "Well Mike's been busy with his concerts and I've been kinda shut in up here. I haven't really left the hotel except for the first concert after the wedding."

"Are you guys still in Japan?" Her dad asked.

"Yeah--Tokyo. We're leaving here tomorrow though. We'll still be in Japan, just in a different city." She explained.

"When do you think you'll be back home?"

"Um.. Well he's closing this leg of the tour in Hawaii. The last show is January fourth so we'll probably be back in California by the sixth." She sighed. "Dad, I miss you."

He chuckled. "You miss me? I thought you'd be having fun with your husband."

"That's the thing. He's so busy and then..." She paused trying to find the right words. She didn't want her dad to worry about her. "We're just not as close as I thought we'd be at this point"

"Ahh, I see." Her father was quiet for a moment. "That takes me back to when I was still married to your mother. It was hard to be separated from her for even a little bit, but you know for us it didn't work out. It's different for you guys, you guys have been through so much already-"

"Wait, what? Mom said you couldn't stand her. She said you didn't even think I was yours at first."

"What?" He paused.

Mariah sat up, intrigued by her father's indignant response. "She said that you didn't think I was yours, that's why you didn't support us after the divorce."

"I sent money to your mother every month to support you and Morgan."

Mariah shook her head. "What? Mom said-"

"Your mother is a liar. I don't like speaking bad on Pat, but that's a damn lie. I always tried to provide for all three of my kids."

"I-I don't understand. Why would she lie about that?" She asked.

"She probably wanted to keep you away." He was quiet again. "She never really forgave me for 'taking Alison away from her'. You know she blames me for how your sister turned out."

Mariah grew quiet. "Um, I gotta to go."

She hung up the phone before her father could say anything else. Just when she thought she could forgive her mother, she had been given another reason to distrust her.

December 23rd, 1996 (December 22nd, 1996 - New York Time)

It was approaching 10pm in New York, where Tommy and Mariah's co-collaborator Walter sat watching Entertainment News over drinks. Tommy had invited Walter over earlier that evening to discuss Walter's future at Sony.

"[...] Jackson's record breaking tour, is one for the books. Despite his massive success, Jackson found time to wed his longtime lover, Mariah Carey. The pair, both recent divorcees, stood out on a hotel balcony in Japan to celebrate their union with fans," the television news anchor reported.

"I never thought those two would get back together." Walter said.

Tommy chuckled. "Me either. I'm surprised she didn't tell you."

"Well me and Mariah keep things pretty professional-"

"She told you about the abortion." He pointed out, adding. "You know there are cameras everywhere."