A few weeks later, Cheryl pulled up outside the gates of Neverland in her car. She pulled out her phone to check what time Athena said she would be coming outside. The two women had been coordinating details for the last month or so, making sure they were both on the same page.
Cheryl jumped upon hearing the passenger door slam shut, looking up only to see Athena Tyler herself sitting right next to her, "Surprise!"
"AHHH!" Cheryl screamed, clutching her heart, "Where did you come from?!"
"Well, I'm originally from Texas, but..."
"Oh my Gosh!" Cheryl squealed again before pulling Athena into a big hug.
"It's so nice to meet you," Athena smiled as she returned the hug, "We should go before security realizes I slipped passed them again."
Cheryl nodded and started the car again, driving away from Neverland's gates. Once they were out of sight, she couldn't help but ask, "So you sneak passed them all the time, girl?"
"Eh," Athena shrugged with a laugh, "I like to scare them once in a while."
"Well, you definitely scared me back there!" Cheryl chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief, "So, where are we headed?" she asked eagerly.
"Anywhere," Athena said, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "I'm expecting a call from Michael at some point for disappearing like this!" she laughed.
"You like to scare him too?!" Cheryl giggled.
Athena chuckled mischievously as she replied, "Oh, Michael's used to my disappearing acts by now. Keeps him on his toes!"
The two women laughed together as they drove down the open road, enjoying the freedom of the moment. As the wind tousled their hair and the sun began to set in the distance, Athena's phone rang, signaling Michael's call.
With a grin, she answered, knowing that her husband would be both exasperated and amused by her latest vanishing act.
"Hello?" Athena greeted Michael cheerfully.
Michael's voice came through the phone with a mix of concern and amusement and annoyance, "Where on earth have you disappeared to this time, baby? You know security is going crazy looking for you."
"Um...." Athena said with an 'oops!' face at Cheryl, "I don't know!" she replied, trying to contain her laughter.
"Don't give me that, Athena," Michael chided playfully, "You know you can't just disappear like that. It worries me."
Athena glanced over at Cheryl, who was trying hard not to burst into laughter at the playful scolding happening on the other end of the call, "Mikey?" she said sweetly in her most innocent voice, "Baby?"
Michael sighed on the other end of the line, knowing all too well the effect Athena's playful innocence had on him, "Yes, baby?"
Athena's eyes twinkled mischievously as she turned to Cheryl and winked before replying, "I love you."
"Really, Athena?!" Michael sounded exasperated, knowing all too well the effect her playful antics had on him, "You can't keep disappearing like this. I'm going to send out a search party next time!"
"I love you," Athena repeated innocently, hoping it would get her out of trouble.
Cheryl could see the corners of Athena's lips twitching, trying hard not to break into a grin. She knew that Athena was enjoying pushing Michael's buttons, reveling in the playful banter between them. As the conversation continued, Cheryl couldn't help but admire the easy dynamic between Athena and Michael. It was clear that their love was not only deep but also filled with laughter and joy.
"Alright, alright," Michael said with a hint of surrender in his voice, "Just promise me you won't give me a heart attack with your disappearing acts, okay? Because I don't think my heart can take it! You know how much I worry about you."
Athena beamed with triumph at successfully diffusing the situation, sharing a secret grin with Cheryl as she listened in on the conversation. "See, Cheryl? Works like a charm every time," she whispered with a wink.
Cheryl chuckled softly at Athena's playful antics, admiring the way she effortlessly handled Michael's concerns with a mix of love and mischief.
"Mikey, baby?" Athena smiled innocently again.
"Oh, no," Michael shook his head from the other end of the phone, though he was desperately trying to stay mad, "You're not off the hook that easily!"
"Baby," Athena smiled softly, "I love you." she muttered.
Michael sighed with contentment, "You win this time, Mrs. Jackson," he conceded with a hint of laughter in his tone, "I love you too. And the next time you make me panic about your location, I am sending a search party after you!"
Athena chuckled, knowing she had won this round of their playful banter, "Deal, Mr. Jackson," she replied with a smile, feeling the warmth of his love even from miles away, "I promise not to give you any more heart attacks.....at least for today."
"Alright, baby. Now tell me where you are," Michael sighed, "Please."
"I'm filming that collaboration with Cheryl in her car," Athena answered, "So we're driving around."
Cheryl couldn't help but silently admire how adorable their banter was. When the phone call ended, she turned to the pop star with a grin, "You two are impossibly adorable together!"
"He keeps me in line," Athena laughed, "Even when I constantly pull the disappearing act."
"Oh, I'm sure you keep him on his toes too!" Cheryl teased as she continued to drive down the winding road. The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange, casting a warm glow over the landscape.
Athena chuckled at Cheryl's remark. "Oh, you have no idea," she replied with a wink. "But that's what keeps things interesting, right?"
An hour later, and Cheryl was screaming in laughter and shock.
"How did you just do the hardest vocal exercise I have without a problem?!"
"Years and years and years," Athena paused, "Of practice and singing on stages."
"Okay, you ready to sing for real?" Cheryl asked, "I found a song online that you actually wrote, but another artist sang it."
"Yeah, I stuck to songwriting for a while there." Athena nodded, pulling her legs up to sit crisscross on the passenger seat, "Oh, is it okay if I sit like this?"
"Of course, make yourself comfortable," Cheryl replied with a smile.
"Okay, cool," Athena sighed in relief, "Some people are real stingy about the interior of their cars."
After their vocal session, Athena breathed a sigh of relief, "That was exciting!"
Cheryl grinned, her eyes reflecting genuine excitement. "You're amazing, Athena! Your voice is just...wow," she gushed. "I can't believe I'm sitting here singing with you!"
Cheryl beamed with pride at Athena's performance, impressed by her talent and professionalism. As they drove, the air filled with the soft melodies of their impromptu duets.
"You know," Cheryl said softly, breaking the comfortable silence between them, "I can see why Michael adores you so much. You have this light about you that's just...so infectious."
Athena smiled, touched by Cheryl's words, "Thank you," she replied sincerely, "Michael is my rock. He's always been there."
"Now about this voice of yours," Cheryl said, a nagging question in her head, "What's this I hear about you not singing any more? And how you're not planning solo music?"
"Honestly, I've been....compared to my sisters all my life," Athena said, "Everyone always said I was better than they were, and it was causing a rift in Sorelle with my sisters, so I stopped singing and started focusing more on dance."
Athena's smile wavered as she thought back to the complicated dynamics within her family band. The pressures of constantly being compared to her sisters had taken a toll on her self-esteem and their relationships. Taking a deep breath, she opened up to Cheryl about the struggles she faced within Sorelle, the band she had formed with her sisters at a young age.
"It was just...always this unspoken competition between us," Athena began, her voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and pain, "People would praise me for my vocals, but it would create tension with my sisters. It was almost like they were trying to one-up me, and I was the only one that didn't know there was a competition."
Cheryl listened attentively, her gaze filled with empathy for Athena's inner turmoil. She could sense the weight of familial expectations that had burdened Athena for so long, "It must have been incredibly tough to navigate that kind of pressure," Cheryl responded softly.
"It was," Athena admitted, "My family has always had a complicated dynamic. But we always come back together eventually."
"Well, have you thought about releasing a solo album?" Cheryl asked.
"I was thinking about it," Athena shrugged, "There's a producer I worked with in Sorelle, Melody McCarthy, I was thinking about calling her."
"Call her!" Cheryl exclaimed, "Call her right now!"
"She's probably busy," Athena said hesitantly.
"Athena," Cheryl playfully scolded, "Melody will drop everything when she hears it's you calling. I watched one of her interviews and she said if you were to call her, she'd drop whatever she was doing and work with you without hesitation."
Athena's heart raced at the thought of reigniting her music career with a potential solo album. Cheryl's enthusiasm was contagious, and she reached for her phone, fingers trembling slightly as she dialed Melody McCarthy's number. With each ring, Athena's pulse quickened until a familiar voice answered on the other end.
"Hello?" Melody's voice was brisk but warm, carrying a hint of curiosity.
"Hi, Ms. McCarthy," Athena said, trying to keep her voice steady, "I know, it's been a while. It's Athena Tyler."
Melody's sharp intake of breath was audible through the phone, followed by a stunned silence. After a heartbeat, she finally spoke, her voice laced with incredulity, "Athena Tyler?! As in the Athena Tyler from Sorelle?!"
Athena couldn't help but chuckle at Melody's reaction, the familiarity of her old persona washing over her like a tidal wave of memories, "The one and only," she confirmed with a smile in her voice.
Melody's excitement was palpable as she practically shouted into the phone, "Athena, where on earth have you been hiding? I've been waiting for this call for years!"
Athena felt a rush of relief flood through her at Melody's enthusiastic response. It was as though a missing piece of herself had finally clicked back into place, "I've been...taking a break, exploring other passions," she explained.
"Oh, my gosh! I've been waiting for this call forever!" Melody exclaimed happily, "Does this mean you're ready to make music solo?!"
"You know what? I think I am," Athena smiled, "You're the first person I thought of."
"Get ready, Athena. We're going to shake up the music industry with your talent," Melody said confidently, "This is fantastic news! I can't wait to work with you again. Your talent is undeniable, and I have no doubt that we can create something truly magical together. I just got home! Can we meet up now?"
"I'm with Cheryl Portor at the moment," Athena said, "But I suppose I could bring her with me if you're okay with that?"
Melody's response was immediate and enthusiastic, "Of course! The more, the merrier. Bring Cheryl along, I'd love to meet her too! Let's meet at my house in an hour. We have so much catching up to do! I have a studio in my house!"
Cheryl couldn't contain her excitement at being included in the impromptu reunion. As they made their way to Melody's house, the anticipation bubbled within her like a pot on the verge of boiling over. The car ride was filled with chatter and laughter, the air buzzing with newfound possibilities and old memories being shared between Athena and Cheryl.