Whitney's POV
January 5, 1998
1:15 PM
Michael and I were in the recording studio recording a new duet that was to be featured on my upcoming album, My Love Is Your Love and Michael's next album Invincible while our children and Leolah were watching, with our producer, Rodney Jerkins.
The song was called, If I Told You That.
While I Just Can't Stop Loving You will forever be our true love duet, If I Told You That is not only our first official duet together, it's also a duet that both me and Michael can bop out to, let loose, and have fun with!
And I could tell our children were enjoying the music too, as they all were dancing throughout the song! MJ himself has definitely got some moves. While my baby boy can sing like the rest of his siblings, he definitely inherited his father's abilities to dance like a machine!
Once the session was through, Michael asked our producer,
"Was it good Rodney?"
Rodney answered, "Yeah! That run-through was perfect! I loved the added high notes that were combined with Whitney's. It definitely gave the song the kick that it needed. I'm telling you, this is the duet that's going to go platinum within minutes!"
Michael chuckled happily as I responded while we both proceeded to take off our headphones,
"Thanks Rodney!"
Knowing he was finished for the day, Rodney said as he started to pack up his stuff,
"Hey listen, I'm gonna get going! But great stuff today Michael and Whitney!"
Michael said, "Thanks Rodney!"
I told him, "You take care now!"
Rodney said as he bid farewell to our children,
"Goodbye children!"
All of them said in unison, "Bye Mr. Rodney!"
And with that, Rodney left the recording studio and made his way out of Neverland.
Walking out of the recording booth, the children came running towards us and Bobbi Kristina said,
"Mommy! Daddy! That was awesome!"
MJ exclaimed, "Yeah! That was the best boppin' beat I've heard in a long time!"
Michael chuckled, "I could tell you were enjoying yourself! I saw you with those dance moves, MJ."
I clapped excitedly, "Mhmm! Michael, you know my baby boy's got moves for days! Dancing like the real Prince of Pop!"
Hearing himself being called a baby, MJ whined as he started to blush,
"Mama! Quit calling me a baby! I'm not a baby!"
I shook my head and responded, bending down to my little boy's level as I gently grabbed his face and placed a kiss onto his forehead,
"No! No! I don't want to hear that kind of talk! You're my baby boy, and you always will be."
Keep it going and someday, you might just outshine your old man!"
Stepping toward us, Michaela asked, "Mommy? Can we ask you and Daddy something?"
I responded, "Of course you can, baby. What is it?"
Michaela timidly looked to the rest of her siblings for approval as they all nodded to her in support. The one thing that I found adorable about the twins was that MJ is nearly an exact copy of Michael but is brave and bold like me, while Michaela was directly my mini-me while inheriting MIchael's shy and sweet nature.
Having the rest of her siblings approval, Michaela went on to ask,
"Krissi, MJ, Harmony and I were all talking, and we all wanted to ask you... Could we sing a song in the booth with you and Mommy?"
Our children have been asking us a lot lately about singing in the recording studio and going on stage to sing with us, and Michael and I have been very adamant in discussing how to approach this. Although they've been on stage with us before, both Michael and I wanted to preserve our children's youth for as long as we could.
Considering how Michael himself never really got much of a chance to have a childhood, one of the things that mattered the most to us is that our children were given as much normality as possible. And even I knew that traveling overseas 24/7 could be too overbearing for a child.
We knew due to our star power however, that our children wouldn't be able to do the things that normal children would do, like go to a public school, go to the park, or really anywhere by themselves. And even if they were with us, they would still get mobbed by the paparazzi or other fans as they were also the talk of the tabloids and any other media outlet that gossiped about us. And nowhere was that more adamant at the Cinderella premiere.
After what happened with Michaela in her near kidnapping incident, we've had to double down on our security. So pretty much anywhere we went, we now had to require security around us and our children at all times. But at the same time, if our children really wanted to join us and be on stage, Michael and I both agreed that while we wouldn't always keep them away from it, we would lay some ground rules for them to follow.
After a moment of thought, I said,
"Well, actually guys, there is a song in my album that I might need all y'all's help with singing on. It's called My Love Is Your Love, and I've had it written to make sure all of you could be a part of it!"
Michael added, "And although it will take some time before my next album comes out, there is also another song that I've been considering having you guys sing along with me.
Bobbi Kristina exclaimed excitedly, "Woah! Really?!"
Michaela asked, "You mean we can sing with you?!"
MJ asked, "And on stage too?!"
Laughing at our children's reactions, Michael said as he gestured for them to settle down,
"Hold on now! Hold on! You can record the song with your mother and with me when my song is ready to go. Going on the stage however, is something completely different."
MJ complained, "Aw! Why can't we go on stage?"
Bobbi Kristina said, "Yeah! We've been on stage with you before!"
Michael responded, "Now! Now! I never said you all couldn't go on stage with us... But if we take you on stage, your mother and I have a few ground rules and a few things to go over with all of you."
I had to hush them as all four of them started to whine and complain, as Michael continued to say,
"Number one, stay close to each other at all times. Number two, stay close to your mother and I at all times. Number three, if you're backstage, stay where the bodyguards and Leolah can see you. And number four, don't talk to anyone you don't know without talking to us first."
I stepped in and said, "We know these are a lot of rules. But they're important to know to make sure y'all stay safe when you're with us on stage. Now do you think you can follow these rules if we take you on stage with us?"
All four of them nodded in response and Michael said with a grin,
"Alright then."
All four of our children cheered happily as they jumped for joy, knowing they were gonna go perform with us.
While Michael and I happily watched our children celebrate, we suddenly saw Robyn come into the recording studio with a phone in her hand, saying,
"Hey Nip? Mike? can I speak to you for a second?"
We nodded and Michael asked as we came up to her, "Sure Robyn! What's up?"
Robyn replied, "Bobby's on the phone, he won't stop calling the house. He keeps trying to reach Whitney."
Looking to her with a raised brow, I asked,
"Bobby? Are you serious?! What does that fool want?"
Robyn replied, "Girl, I don't know! He wouldn't tell me anything! He says he's only willing to talk to you and that he won't stop calling until you do."
I honestly couldn't help but roll my eyes in both anger and annoyance.
It has been a little over two months since the whole red-carpet incident. How can Bobby expect me to talk to him after all of the hell he's put me and my family through? Especially Michaela? That motherfucker was still in jail, so what did he even expect to get from me in this phone call? My word that I would bail him out or drop the restraining order that I placed on him? He wasn't even supposed to me calling me right now!
My thoughts were soon interrupted when Bobbi Kristina came up to me and asked,
"Who's Bobby?"
Considering how involved and how loving of a father Michael was, and how Bobby himself never really made much of an effort to be there for our child, I never really bothered telling Bobbi Kristina that Bobby was her biological father and that Michael was her step-father.
Although that's probably not the wisest thing to do, if Bobby hasn't or isn't even willing to try and step up to be a better father to Bobbi Kristina, then what's the point?
While I remained initially stunned, Leolah soon deflected the question and said while changing the subject,
"Say! Who wants to go to the park?"
Michaela, MJ, and Harmony cheered for joy while Bobbi Kristina still asked,
"But wait! No one answered my question, who's Bobby?"
Michael responded, "He's no one that you need to worry about, Kristina. You all go to the park, and Mommy and I will meet you there soon."
The children nodded and I told him, "Michael, why don't you go with the children and Leolah while I talk to Bobby on the phone?"
Michael asked with concern, "Whitney, are you sure?"
I responded to him reassuringly, "Yeah, I'll be fine Baby. I just want to get through this as quickly as possible."
Michael nodded and said as he grabbed his umbrella,
"Alright, if that's what you really want. But I won't go far, I'll just be standing outside of the recording studio if you need me at all."
Knowing how protective my man was, I gave him an understanding nod and a brief kiss on the lips, saying,
"Thank you, Applehead."
Michael replied with a nod, "No worries, Nippy."
And with that, Michael left the recording studio and Robyn handed me the phone. Leaving me alone to have a conversation with my crazy ex-husband as I asked,
"What the hell do you want, Bobby?"
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Hey guys! Here's another update! Stay tuned for the next one because it's gonna get a little intense!
Also a little fun-fact:
Whitney Houston was originally set to record If I Told You That with Michael Jackson, but it sadly fell through and George Michael was eventually chosen as Whitney's duet partner.