FOR ALL TIME

5. Dirty Diana

   The sweet feel of Michael's lips woke Jasmine early the next morning.  It was a quick bid goodbye as he went off to take care of some Bad Tour business.  As she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep, she could only remember his last words, "Stay as long as you like."

     But Janet was in town and waiting desperately to spend some time with her new best friend.  About an hour after waking up, Jasmine was out and about with Janet, on their way to Encino, California.  Janet wanted her mother Katherine to meet Jasmine.

     Of course Jasmine was filled with nerves.  She was meeting the mother of the man she had just fallen in love with.  But it wasn't Michael who was introducing them, it was his sister.  So she went into the situation as just a friend of the lovely woman's daughter.

     The sun was beaming down on the patio of the Jackson family's Hayvenhurst home.  Katherine Jackson, the matriarch of the bunch dubbed The First Family of Music, sat alone under the umbrella waiting for her daughter.

     "Mother," Janet sang as Katherine turned to reach out for a hug.  "This is my girlfriend, Jasmine Devereux," she said over her shoulder.

     "Hi, it's so nice to meet you." Jasmine followed with her own embrace.

     "It's nice to finally meet you too. Janet's always talkin' about you," Katherine said grinning.

     "Aww." The news melted Jasmine's heart, causing her to pinch Janet's cheek.

     "And you are pretty," Katherine added to top off Jasmine's satisfaction.  "Janet was telling me how gorgeous you are."

     Jasmine giggled and gave Janet another pinch, that time resulting with a yelp from her.  Jasmine quickly turned her attention back to Katherine. "Well, so are you, honey.  No wonder why your kids are all so beautiful."

     After they were done over-complimenting each other, Jasmine and Janet joined Katherine at the table to dive into more casual conversation.

     "So, is your last name French?"  Katherine asked Jasmine.

     "Yes.  My father is half French, half African-American and my mother is Puerto Rican and Cuban."

     "Wow, very nice."

     "Yeah, it's a spicy little mix."

     Katherine quickly fell in love with Jasmine's bubbly personality and contagious laugh.  She was very much enjoying her company.  "So where are your parents from?  Where do they live?" Katherine asked before crunching into a butter cookie.

     "My dad lives here in Los Angeles and my mother lives nearby me in New York.  I never really got along with my mom though so I don't see her much. I speak to her on occasion but only when she wants me to babysit my little sister, which I don't mind," Jasmine stressed. "But personally, my relationship with her was never stable."

     "Aww, I'm sorry to hear that, honey."  Katherine wanted to ask more but she didn't want to pry.

     "No, it's fine because I've always been a daddy's girl," Jasmine laughed.  "I'm his only child."

     "Well, that's good then.  What about the rest of your mother's family? Are they in your life?"

     "Yes, I'm close with my grandmother, sister and cousins and my aunties too.  My mom's just irritable."

     After talk about Jasmine's family situation died down, Katherine began asking about Jasmine and Michael.  "Are you staying with Michael while you're here?"