Remember the Time

Chapter 59

“Or what?” Jermaine urged. “You gonna turn into a three year old again? Huh? You gonna beg her to stay this time? Get over it, Mike.”

Michael’s eyes burned holes into Jermaine’s face.

“Jermaine, that’s enough!” Jackie interrupted, walking in between his two younger brothers. “Y’all not doing this again.”

Michael glanced up at Jackie and took a step back. He nodded at Latoya and strolled out of the room.

May 3rd, 1998

Mariah was back in the studio with Walter working on a new project, after Tommy ordered her to start on her next album. Butterfly was a commercial disaster in comparison to her last projects, and she needed to recoup sales.

She stepped into the recording booth and started singing the lyrics to a new song she wrote.

She was really starting to get into it when the music abruptly stopped. She glared into the dark room and walked out of the booth.

“Walter, why would you-” Mariah froze.

Walter was nowhere to be found. Instead, she was staring into Tommy's annoyed eyes.

“Oh, it's...it's you.” She cleared her throat. “I started on the new album, and-”

Tommy laughed, shaking his head. “You must be tone deaf if you think that sounds like anything worth releasing.”

She took a step back. “I-”

“You're not that talented, I know. I've heard better at high school talent shows, but least try to make it seem like you're good for more than laying on your back and squealing like a tea kettle.” He spat.

Mariah narrowed her eyes. “I'm not gonna deal with this.”

“What?” Tommy said, rhetorically.

She lowered her voice. As strong as she was, he had a way of making her feel powerless. “You don't own me. I don't have to-”

Mariah felt the air rush out of her lungs. Tommy slammed her against the wall, a hand snaked around her neck.

“Look. I don't know who you think you are, but I can take everything you have and send your ass back to the streets, ghetto Barbie.”

Tommy snatched his hand off her throat and Mariah sucked in a much needed breath. In what seemed like a moment of pure impulse, Tommy yanked Mariah by her ponytail and dragged her into the booth, nearly throwing her at the music stand.

“Do it again, bitch.”

Mariah took a deep breath, tears of fear welling up in her eyes.

Do it again.

May 5th, 1998

It was a warm day in Aspen when Michael met with Nina for lunch. Since he missed out on their swim class in exchange for spending time with his mother on her birthday, he decided on a meeting to catch up on what he missed.

“Okay so you know how Bonnie is always like super chipper and happy all the time?” Nina asked.

Michael nodded.

“Tell me why I brought Dawn with me and Bonnie tried to talk to her-”

“Oh God.” He laughed.

Nina waved her hand. “No listen, listen. So Bonnie walks up and she's like all up in Dawn's face, right? Why does Dawn turn around and tell Bonnie, ‘If you don't get your happy self away from me’ and that was the first time Noah ever laughed. I promise you he's just like her.”