416: INT. HOTEL SUITE NIGHT FADE IN:
One month later. December 24th, 1992. Japan.
RACHAEL: (decorating a Christmas tree) (to herself) "Christmas Eve was finally here. Michael was doing a concert tonight at the Tokyo Dome, but I asked if I could sit this one out because I wanted to make the most of Christmas in another country special for Prince. Michael's other backup singer, Siedah Garrett, had offered to fill in for me. At the present moment, Prince and I are decorating our hotel room to make it as festive as possible while we wait for Daddy to come home." There. What do you think?
PRINCE JR.: Pretty Mommy!
RACHAEL: (laughs softly and picks him up) Yes it is.
PRINCE JR.: Santa Claus coming?
RACHAEL: Yes sweetheart. (to herself) "At first, Prince was worried that Santa may not be able to find him since we wouldn't be home for Christmas for the first time, but I explained to him that Santa can find anybody with his crystal ball, which seemed to calm him down. It was hard on us being so far away from our families. I had convinced our tour manager to let us be home for Thanksgiving, but we couldn't go back for Christmas, much to my dismay."
MICHAEL: (comes in)
RACHAEL: (looks down at Prince and gasps) Look! Daddy's home!
PRINCE JR.; (runs to him) Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!
MICHAEL: (hugs him) Oh! Hi buddy! (kisses his head) Daddy missed you! (puts him down and goes over to Rachael) Daddy also missed Mommy! (kisses her)
RACHAEL: Hi honey! How was the show?
MICHAEL: Amazing, but I'm so tired. (flops down on the couch)
RACHAEL: Would a nice hot cup of cocoa make you feel better?
MICHAEL: Yes.
RACHAEL: Coming right up!
MICHAEL: I'm so sorry we can't be home for Christmas sweetheart.
RACHAEL: (gives him a cup of cocoa) It's okay honey. It could be worse, I'd be more lonely if you weren't with us. We're just lucky we're both musicians!
MICHAEL: (laughs) I love what you've done with the room by the way.
RACHAEL: Well, I'm glad you like it! (kisses him)
PRINCE JR.: (toddles over to her with a book) Story Mama?
RACHAEL: You want Mama to read you a story? Ok. (puts him in her lap and begins reading)
"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
MICHAEL: (looks down to see Prince fast asleep) Hey, look.
RACHAEL: Awww! (carefully picks him up and puts him in a crib)
MICHAEL: (kisses her cheek) Come on, let's go to bed. (both get in bed and fall asleep)
417: INT. HOTEL SUITE DAY FADE IN:
The next day. Christmas, 1992.
PRINCE JR.: (crawls up onto their bed and starts jumping up and down) Mommy! Daddy! Wake up!
MICHAEL: (moans) Come on buddy, Daddy's tired.
PRINCE JR.: Pwease Daddyyy?
MICHAEL; (laughs softly) Ok, ok. (they both get up and go over to the tree)
PRINCE JR.: (starts opening presents to find some Spiderman dolls, a Spiderman T-shirt with sneakers, a Michael Jackson rubber duckie and a toy car powered by feet)
MICHAEL: Rachael, where did you find a rubber duck of me?
RACHAEL: At the mall, why?
MICHAEL: Why do I look so creepy and the Prince duck is cute?
RACHAEL: (laughs) Sweetheart, it's not... That creepy!
MICHAEL: (rolls his eyes) That helps. Anyway, these are for you. This one's from me. (hands her a present)
RACHAEL: (opens it up to find Brian May's album, "Back To The Light") Back To The Light? I didn't know Bri made an album!
MICHAEL: It's his first solo album! And I also got you tickets for a concert he's doing next June.
RACHAEL: Aw! Thank you sweetheart!
MICHAEL: And this one's from Prince. (hands her another one)
RACHAEL: (opens it up to find the O(+> album) What's this?
MICHAEL: That's Prince's new album, he calls it the love symbol. I guess it's a combination of the male and female symbols.
RACHAEL: I like it, it's pretty.
MICHAEL: Oh, and this is from Neil. (hands her another one)
RACHAEL: (opens it up to find "Classically Sedaka") Oh! I read about this! Neil took classical pieces and added lyrics! And there's a note. (reads it) "Rachael, please enjoy my latest collection of songs. Looking forward to working with you in the New Year. Happy Holidays, love Neil."
MICHAEL: That was sweet!
RACHAEL: Yeah! (gives him a big box) This is for you sweetheart.
MICHAEL: (opens it up) (jaw drops) I-is this?
RACHAEL: Yup! One of James Brown's stage suits! And! His boots!
MICHAEL: Rachael this is incredible! This must've cost a fortune!
RACHAEL: Sweetheart, I'm married to YOU! Money's nothing!
MICHAEL: (laughs) Good point! Oh, and I have one more little surprise for you. (gives her another box)
RACHAEL: (opens it to reveal a beautiful black cocktail dress) Michael, this is gorgeous!
MICHAEL: It belonged to Marilyn Monroe.
RACHAEL: It's so beautiful! I love it!
MICHAEL: Why don't you wear it on New Years and I'll take you out to dinner?
RACHAEL: That sounds wonderful! (kisses him) When are we leaving?
MICHAEL: (checks his watch) Two hours. Let's start packing. (both start packing)
418: INT. PRIVATE JET DAY DISSOLVE TO:
Michael and Rachael are heading home for a long break in the tour.
MICHAEL: Well, make yourself comfortable sweetie. We've got a long flight ahead of us.
RACHAEL: Wonderful. (rests her head on his shoulder and falls asleep)
Later...
MICHAEL: (plane lands) (gently nudges her) Rachael, wake up sweetheart. We're here.
RACHAEL: (wakes up) Let's go. (they all get off)
419: INT. NEVERLAND RANCH (LIVING ROOM) NIGHT CUT TO:
MICHAEL: (comes in with Rachael and Prince) Ugh! It's so good to be home. (flops down on the couch) I feel so jet lagged.
RACHAEL: Why don't you go up and lay down? I can put Prince to bed.
MICHAEL: You sure you don't mind?
RACHAEL: Not at all, go up and relax. You've earned it!
MICHAEL: You're right! (kisses her then kisses Prince) I'll see you in a little while. (goes upstairs)
420: INT. NEVERLAND RANCH (NURSERY) NIGHT CUT TO:
RACHAEL: (puts Prince in his crib) There you go baby. (kisses his head) Goodnight, Mama loves you.
PRINCE JR.: (stands up in his crib) Sing Mama!
RACHAEL: You want Mama to sing you a song? Ok. (thinks for a minute) (starts singing softly)
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?
PRINCE JR.: (falls asleep)
421: INT. NEVERLAND RANCH (BEDROOM) NIGHT CUT TO:
RACHAEL: (crawls into bed next to Michael)
MICHAEL: (rolls over and puts his arms around her) I heard you singing.
RACHAEL: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.
MICHAEL: You didn't. I love hearing you sing. Your voice is so warm and beautiful.
RACHAEL: Thank you! (falls asleep in his arms)
Next chapter will be up when I finish it. Oh and just an FYI, as we move into 1993 I'm probably gonna be doing a little more time skipping than usual just because a lot of things happened to Michael that year, so it's gonna be a lot to cover. I've been dreading entering 93 because of all that, but as I said I'm gonna do it. Anyway, thanks for reading!!