Michael and Me

After All That We've Been Thru, I'll Make It Up 2 U

I wake up to find Michael lying beside me, just in his white undershirt and jeans. He's got one arm slung over the edge of the bed.

My jeans and shirt, slung over the chair, aren't exactly clean but whatever. I run downstairs, thinking about what to make.

Dad, Matt, and Jen won't be home till tomorrow night, so I know I have one last lonely night to go.

I hear Michael's footsteps suddenly, thumping on the stairs. "Good morning," Michael's sleepy voice calls.

I run into his arms and jump, wrapping my legs around his waist.

"Someone's glad to see me," Mike chuckles.

"My father will be home tomorrow. Do you wanna stay here?"

Michael blinks his eyes in the sun. "Your dad would kill me if he found us here."

I shrug my shoulders. "You guys fought already—how can things get any worse?"

Michael swats me playfully. I jump back down.

"Do you want waffles or bagels?"

"Waffles." Mike gives a yawn. "We have to hurry up soon, Nicky. I need to go back home."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I don't say anything while Michael rambles on about how he's going to make up with his brothers. I never see me and Alessandra making up with Rebbie or LaToya, for that matter. My biggest priority now is to not get either Jennifer or Janet involved: they're too sweet for this.

I give Mike his food and we dig in.

I think for a moment. "You're gonna be a much bigger star soon, with the album and all."

Michael swallows a huge bite. "I am. I need to finish this album by next year. It's going to be my best yet. Then, after, I'll make another one, hopefully about four years from now."

"Aren't you stressed about it?"

"Nah." He continues eating but looks up. "Are you happy with what I'm doing?"

"Yeah, I am. I have no objections. Just don't kill yourself."

Silence.

"I have your back, Michael, I just don't want—" I add hastily but he cuts me off.

"Let's say—just hypothetically—that you did marry me and I went on a world tour. What would you do?"

"I would go with you."

"If you had my child?"

"Michael," I groan. "Why are we talking about this?"

"You're the one asking all the questions, and I am telling you that I have plans for the future as well!"

I huff with frustration. "Don't you have a Victory Tour first? With your brothers?"

"That's tentative. It's too early to decide."

"And you're not going?"

"I don't know."

I roll my eyes. "Well, then, how will you know what'll happen to us?"

"I'll marry you in a few years and we'll settle down. And if I go on tour, we'll just wait."

"Wait to do what?"

"Wait to have a baby!"

"Never mind the baby, Michael," I snap. "You would marry me then leave me for six months! And we're just married?"