July 1st, 2000
“So where’s your charming brother?” Nina asked, sipping her Iced Tea. Michael and Mariah wanted to have a playdate for Twizzie and decided to invite Nina, Dawn, Noah, and Ava, since they just lived twenty minutes away. While the twins ran around in the yard with Noah, little Elizabeth sat up in her outside high chair wearing a gorgeous white midi dress and one of her signature sun hats. Baby Ava looked equally as fabulous with her yellow halter-neck shirt, white leggings, and large white hair bow. The two little girls stunted on their drab parents--Michael in his dad jeans and white long-sleeved shirt; Mariah in an old purple velvet sweatsuit that exposed her belly button; Nina in gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt; and Dawn in mom jeans and a red t-shirt.
Mariah smiled. “He’s looking for a job.”
“I wonder...where does a man like that find a job?” Michael questioned.
Mariah raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean- A man in his condition.”
Dawn chuckled. “What does that mean?”
Mariah suppressed an eyeroll. “It don’t mean nothing. Michael’s just being ridiculous.”
“Mommy!” Noelle cried out. She came hurling toward her father.
“Woah! Slow down there.” Michael instructed. “I’m Daddy, not Mommy.”
“Oh!” Noelle replied.
Michael giggled at the two-year-old. Her glasses had been yanked down, so he had to adjust them for her.
“Can you see now?” Michael asked.
She smiled, showing her tiny teeth, and went running back toward Noah and her sister.
“That must be tough.” Dawn commented. “How did y’all even find out she had vision problems?”
“Well, she could never really see that well.” Michael replied. “It’s one of those things where you don’t even realize it until you know, too.”
Dawn started waving her hand in front of Ava’s face, as if to see if her eyes would follow.
Nina popped her partner’s hand. “Dawn!” Nina rolled her eyes--eliciting a chuckle from both Michael and Mariah.
“You two are so cute.” Mariah noted. “And Ava’s honestly an angel.”
Dawn nodded in gratitude. She glanced over at Elizabeth, who was slowly falling asleep. “So is this one.”
Mariah plastered a grin on her face.
Elizabeth stretched her little arms, yawning all the same.
Michael stroked her cheek. “You falling asleep, Donut?”
Elizabeth kicked her leg up.
Mariah chuckled. “Look at that lil foot. That’s how you know she sleepy. Mommy baby is tired!”
Michael smiled. “Maybe we should take them for a walk.” He suggested, gesturing between the two infants. “I don’t want Lizzie going to sleep right now and then turn around and be up all night.”
As Mariah set up her stroller, Michael scooped Elizabeth out of her high chair. Her disgruntled expression was enough for him to know he’d ruined her vibe.
Michael gave her cheek a nibble before walking her over to her stroller. Dawn did the same for Ava.
“Noah!” Dawn called out.
Noah shot his head up.
“Grab Nicki and Noni and let’s go!” She instructed.
Noah turned toward the twins and took one in each hand. The three skipped toward their parents as best as they could.
“Oop! Noni, your glasses, baby.” Mariah noted. “Can’t see with them half off your eyes.”
Mariah adjusted Noelle’s glasses and started on the pathway around the main house.
While they circled the main house, the older kids walked out in front, periodically stopping under trees to explore.
Nina was beginning to get winded at all the activity, and suggested they stop at the bench adjacent to the main house to take a short break. Michael took the time to play games with his daughter. He hid behind Elizabeth’s stroller and would pop around to surprise her. She giggled every time. He swooped in to sneak a kiss, but she went for his face. She bit his cheek like she was some sort of Vampire--leaving her own slobber all over his face.
“Ow!” He shouted. She grabbed him by the neck and suckled on his cheek.
He giggled. “Okay baby, I love you too. But that hurts.”
She gripped his neck harder until he could barely breathe past her airspace. He hurried to unlock her tiny hands from around his neck and pull away from her. When he finally did, she had slobber all down her dress.
Michael shook his head, wiping his cheek with his shirt.
“Nicki! Noni!” Mariah shouted. “Don’t y’all go over there!”
Michael shot his head around to see why his wife was yelling and spotted Noah standing by, while Nicole and Noelle circled the memorials of he and Mariah’s eldest children.
“Oh, god.” He said under his breath, taking a seat on the bench next to Elizabeth’s stroller.
“What’s going on?” Nina asked. “What is that?”
“Uhh- It’s uh-” He started on a reply, but he was too busy trying to monitor the twins.
Mariah turned around, walking back toward the group. “Them kids are a mess. I told them to stay over here.”
Nina raised an eyebrow. “What is that.”
Out of the side of his eye, Michael could see Noelle standing near one of the crosses.
“Noni!” He shouted. “Stay over here, okay?” He said, gesturing toward an area nearer the bench.
Noelle complied, running back to where her father instructed.
Nina turned to Mariah, likely realizing Michael was too distracted to answer her.
“Mariah what’s-”
“Nicole! Stop it! If I have to tell you one more time-” Mariah started, glaring at her daughter.
“Mommy, I-” Nicole began to plead her case with her mother, though Michael could barely understand what she was trying to say.
“Okay, well you need to do what I tell you! You can’t play over there!” Mariah shouted. She swiftly turned her attention back to Nina. “I’m sorry girl. Nicole is just trying me right now. What did you say?”
“I was asking, what’s over there?”
Michael turned his head toward Nina, who was looking toward he and Mariah for an answer.
“That’s uhh- That’s where we placed the memorial for our kids.” Mariah explained.
“Memorial?” Dawn asked. “Y’all had other kids?”
Michael nodded, solemnly. “It’s not something we really want to talk about.”
Mariah shot a glare at her husband, but he couldn’t understand why. In his mind, there was no point in reliving such a tragedy.
“Well, I mean, it’s good to vent sometimes.” Mariah commented.
“Oh- Noah! No baby! Y’all have to get away from there!” Nina exclaimed, watching as their play range migrated toward the memorial again.
Michael and Mariah shot their heads around.
Noah ran back toward the bench, Noelle all the same.
“Maybe we should go in the house.” Dawn suggested, pointing her thumb at the main house.
Michael nodded in agreement, but was fixated on Nicole, who wouldn’t come back with the other kids.
“Nicki!” Michael shouted. “Come on, baby, we’re going inside!”
Nicole, glancing back and forth between her mother and father ran the other direction--back toward the memorial. This time, she stood right in front of the cross furthest away.
Mariah, looking like she was about to explode, called out again. “Nicole! Get the hell away from there!”
Nicole gave her mother a snarky grin and reached out to touch the cross. Michael watched as Mariah hurled over toward their daughter, who’d already started running back toward the bench.
Oh shit.
Michael shot up and grabbed Elizabeth’s stroller, Noelle latching onto it.
“Nicole!” Mariah shouted in a blind fury. As she approached her daughter, Michael gathered Nina, Dawn, and the other children, and started heading back toward the main house--all parties still staring at the scene between Mariah and Nicole.
Mariah vigorously grasped Nicole’s arm, nearly dragging her toward the house.
“I told your little ass four times not to go over there!” She started.
Michael started to sweat, as he frantically tried to open the door to let everyone in.
“And you decided you were going to do whatever the hell you wanted to do anyway!”
Michael finally got the door open and rushed everyone into the living room--still able to hear Mariah shouting at their daughter from a ways away.
“It’s bad enough you did what I told you not to do, but you keep doing it?”
Michael felt his mouth go dry as he watched Mariah drag their daughter into the foyer. She left the little girl standing in the middle of the hallway as she stormed away.
“You stay your ass right here. I got something for you!”
He glanced through the doorway and saw Nicole’s exasperation turn into a deep fear. She glanced at her dad with sad eyes, only to look up and find her mother had returned.
Michael tried to maneuver so he could see what Nicole was seeing. But before he could make it, Mariah had already struck their daughter’s behind with a leather belt.
Nicole hollered out in pain.
Michael flinched at the sound, opting to close his eyes.
“I told you! Four times, Nicole!” Mariah screamed.
Whip.
Nicole sent out a howl that sent shivers down Michael’s spine.
“And you still-”
Whip.
“Disrespected me!”
Whip.
Nicole’s screams grew more and more agonizing, everyone in the room looking down at the ground.
Michael clenched his fists, his teeth trembling and tears threatening his eyes.
“And now-” Mariah started again.
Whip.
“I’ma beat you till you feel disrespected!”
Jesus Christ.
The whipping persisted and Nicole started to holler out for her mother to stop.
“No, Mommy!” She shouted between muffled tears and snivels. “I sorry, I sorry!”
Michael slowly opened his teary eyes to see Noelle, sitting cross-legged on the ground, in wretched fear.
He reached out his arms for his baby and pulled her in for a deep hug. She started to cry out--like she could feel her sister’s pain.
“Stop crying before I give you something to cry about!” Mariah shouted, taking a pause.
Nicole screamed louder, so Mariah struck her again.
“Okay, Mariah, that’s enough!” Michael exclaimed, his voice somehow weak and commanding all at once. “Just stop it!”
Mariah ignored him, and he noticed her grab Nicole’s arm forcefully. He placed Noelle back down on the ground and stormed into the foyer--his wet face matching his daughter’s.
“Mariah! You’re hurting her.”
He loosed Mariah’s grip on the toddler and pulled her as far away from his daughter as the room permitted.
Michael squatted down to the ground. Nicole’s pained expression was too much for him to look at, so he closed his eyes and pulled her in for a hug.
She held onto him, tightly, her pleas and cries slowly fading out into snivels and soft mutterings of incoherent words.
Mariah, seemingly back to her senses, shot her head down in shame and ran into the master bedroom, where she stayed the rest of the day.
July 7th, 2000
Ring.
Ring.
Mariah picked up her phone out of her purse. “Hello?”
“Hey baby.”
Mariah perked up. “Hey dad. What's up?”
“Alison's about to walk down the aisle in twenty minutes. Where are you guys?” He asked.
Mariah awkwardly leaned over Michael to look out of the window. “We should be there in the next ten minutes.”
“Alright, see you then.”
“Bye.” She closed her phone.
Mariah, Michael, and Morgan were in New York on their way to Alison's wedding. The trio were sitting in traffic, which turned what should've been a thirty minute ride into an hour and a half. Twizzie were back at Neverland with Janet and Latoya. Michael figured it would be best to continue to separate Mariah and Nicole after her outburst a few days prior.
“Hey Wayne do you think you drive any faster?” Mariah questioned.
Wayne turned around in his seat. “Do you see this traffic? Y'all could honestly get out right here and walk there quicker.”
“Or we could turn around and not go.” Michael suggested.
Mariah and Morgan turned around to shoot a glare at him.
Michael shrugged. “It was just a suggestion.”
“We can't just miss her wedding, Mike. She’s already mad at me for not being involved in it.” Mariah said.
Michael crossed his eyes. “I just don't think we should've came.”
“Well that's what you do when you're family.” Morgan replied snarkily.
Michael bit his tongue to stop himself from saying something he might regret. He instead looked to Mariah to handle her brother.
She looked ahead. “We're moving. Finally.”
Michael turned his attention back the road. He could see the large Cathedral coming into view. He had to admit that the venue was impressive, it was certainly gaudier than Michael and Mariah's backyard wedding.
Wayne pulled over to the front of the church. “Here we are people. Tell Alison I said congrats.”
Mariah took off her seatbelt. “We will.”
Morgan got out of the car and walked into the church.
“Mike, don't forget to get her gift out of the trunk.” Mariah said.
Michael nodded and went around to the trunk to get the box. He carried it back around to the front and followed Mariah into the church.
“Wow.” Michael whispered into his wife’s ear. “This is a lot more extravagant than I imagined.”
The pair strolled into the large church, late--Michael with his straightened hair down brushing up against his white gas station suit, and Mariah, with her hair in a Post Road ponytail wearing a white tailored bedsheet.
Mariah gawked at the sight. “This almost makes me wish I would’ve worn something a little more…nice?”
“I told you we shoulda took this crackhead wedding seriously.”
She frowned. “You’re the one that didn’t even want to go shopping for this! Now we in here looking like the only people who didn’t care and shit.”
Michael, taking notice of his mother approaching them, shushed his wife.
“Michael!” Katherine exclaimed. “You came!”
Michael tried to smile. “Oh, Mother, heeeeey.”
Katherine snatched him in for a hug.
He stood there and let himself be squeezed to death.
“Mariah, hi.” Katherine said, letting go of Michael and reaching for his wife.
“Hi.” Mariah reluctantly replied.
Katherine took a step back from the couple. She looked like she was looking for someone.
“Have you seen your father?” Katherine asked, shifting her eyes between Mariah and the room around her.
“Uhh- No. We just got here. Why?”
Katherine clutched her chest. “Well because-”
Katherine paused, taking Michael and Mariah’s hands and escorting them into the sanctuary. They had special seats near the exit. The sanctuary was abnormally full with guests--all dressed rather elegantly compared to Mariah and Michael.
“Mother, what’s going on?” Michael questioned.
“I just wanted to warn you-”
“If everyone could please rise for the introduction of the bride.” The officiator announced.
Everybody rose.
“Katherine, what did you want to warn us about?” Mariah asked in a harsh whisper as the wedding singer began.
Katherine, eyes wide, took a deep breath as the doors swung open. “It’s too late now.”
Through the doors came Alfred. He looked absolutely dapper in his black slacks and white suit jacket--like something out of a 1940s film noir.
Then, there was Alison. For the first time in years, she looked showered. Her hair was pinned to the back and her dress--a timeless piece.
And then there was-
“Pat?” Mariah questioned, her face reddened with fury. “What is she doing here?”
Michael raised his eyebrows, he had to know what was coming next.
“Uh uh, I’m leaving!” Mariah exclaimed.
“Oh god.” Katherine muttered.
“Mariah, baby calm down.”
“No! You calm down!” Mariah shouted, beginning to make a scene. Disgruntled family members and friends of Alison kept turning around to see what was going on.
Michael rubbed Mariah’s back to soothe her, but she was heated.
Mariah shook her head vigorously and stormed out of the exit door, causing the alarm to go off momentarily.
Shit.
Everyone looked around in confusion, trying to understand what just happened. At the same time, the wedding singer tried to get her vibe going again so that Alison, Alfred, and Pat could resume their walk.
Alison looked like she could kill someone.
Feeling uncomfortable, Michael darted out of the room behind his wife. He felt he needed to talk her down from her explosive anger. And based on what happened the last time she’d gotten that angry, he knew it was best to calm the waters before the rage of the storm.
July 7th, 2000
Michael rubbed Mariah's shoulders in an attempt to calm her. “Baby, calm down.”
Mariah pulled away from Michael and started to pace the floor. “No! She got that bitch-”
“Baby, quit cussing! We in church!” Michael exclaimed.
Mariah rolled her eyes. “That woman up in here like she hasn't done anything. She is evil. Why am I the only person who sees this?”
Pat may be a scammer, but evil is a bit of a stretch.
Michael watched as his wife grew more and more agitated. They were in another part of the church where the reception was to be held while the ceremony went on in the sanctuary. He'd been trying to calm her down for the last fifteen minutes--to no avail.
I knew we should've stayed home.
He grabbed one of Mariah's wrists. “Come here. Take a deep breath.”
He expected her to snatch away again, but instead she closed her eyes and followed his instructions.
Michael gripped her other arm. “Look, we only have to be here a couple more hours. You don't have to talk to her or even be near her. It's like she's not even here, okay?”
Mariah nodded, eyes still closed.
Michael could hear voices in the hallway and figured the ceremony had ended. He pulled Mariah to the side as people started filing in to take their seats.
Soon, the Master of Ceremonies hopped on the mic.
“If everyone could rise.” She waited for the guests to take their places. “And now, presenting Mr. and Mrs. Washington.”
Alison and her husband entered through an entrance at the front of the room. Alison waved to all of her guests. She looked princess-like. The bride finished greeting her guests and leaned over to whisper something in her new husband’s ear. In a flash, she was walking off--off in the very same direction as Michael and Mariah.
Aw hell.
Alison grabbed her younger sister's arm and pulled her into a corner. He followed the two women, hoping that Alison would keep it civil.
Alison glared at Mariah. “I could kill you right now.”
Mariah folded her arms. “How could you have her here?”
Morgan, noticing the situation, joined them in the corner. “What's going on now?”
Mariah ignored him. “Can't you see she's tearing our family apart?”
“The only one ‘tearing our family apart’ is you. We're all good here, even Ms. Katie is good.” Alison argued.
Mariah huffed. “After everything she did to me and-”
Alison chuckled. “And here I was thinking you could go one day without it being all about you.”
“All about me how? After what she did to Morgan.” Mariah snapped. “He went to prison because of her.”
Michael watched as his wife looked to her brother for help.
Morgan spoke up. “Don't look at me. I can put all of that aside for Alison. It's her day and if she wants mom involved so be it. You're being really childish Mariah.”
Well he has a point.
Mariah folded her arms. “So I'm supposed to just pretend like everything's okay when it's not?”
Alison bunched her fists. “If I wasn't wearing this dress I'd-”
Michael pulled Mariah away from Alison. “Everybody just calm down.”
Alison turned her attention to Michael. “Of course you're defending her.”
Michael sighed. “I'm not-”
He felt Mariah's glare from the side of him.
“...We shouldn't be fighting, we're in church.”
“We wouldn't even be here if it were up to you.” Morgan retorted. “You always acted like you were better than us.”
Michael didn't even look at Morgan. “Well excuse me if I don't wanna be around two convicts all the time.”
Morgan stepped closer to Michael. “Say something else and we can go out to the parking lot.”
Before Michael could respond, the conversation was intercepted.
“What y'all over here arguing for?”
Michael stepped away from Morgan as Alfred and Katherine approached their children.
Alison pointed at Mariah. “She started all of this trying to ruin my wedding.”
“I didn't try to ruin anything. I really don't care that much.” Mariah scoffed. “All I wanna know is why that woman is here.”
Alfred and Katherine exchanged a look, letting it linger in tense silence.
Alfred sighed. “Mariah, I'm sorry. Your mother's been living with us. That's why she's here.”
Wait, what?
Mariah stared at her father in horror. “What?”
Katherine looked down. “Just until she gets on her feet.”
Don't you hate her…?
Michael tilted his head to the side. “Mother, I-”
“I can't believe y'all would do this!” Mariah exclaimed. “Why? After all the lying and the scheming? Why?”
She looked close to tears. “You know what- Don't even answer that.”
Mariah stormed out of the room, presumably to the car.
Michael cleared his throat. “Well, I guess I'll be going. Have a nice evening.”
He turned to Alison, handed her their wedding gift, awkwardly noted, “Congratulations, we got you a toaster,” and walked out of the church, behind his wife.
July 15th, 2000
Mariah and Michael were in the process of clearing out the guest house. After Alison's wedding, Morgan decided to move back to New York to stay with their parents. Mariah was glad to see him gone since he didn't back her up when Alison attacked her.
Michael, sitting on the couch, taped a box. “This is the last one.”
“Good.”
Michael got up and rubbed her shoulders. “I know you're mad-”
“I'm not mad.” Mariah said, pulling his hand off her shoulder. “If they wanna all play house, then fine.”
Michael pulled her closer. “You're not fine, though. Talk to me.”
“There's nothing to say.” She shrugged, going to sit on the couch. “They don't care about any of the shit she's done. It's like she's got this hold over people. It's sick.”
“I know how you feel.” Michael said.
She remained quiet for a moment. “How?”
“Well…” He stopped, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I mean...I just get it.”
What is he hiding…?
Michael looked down at his shoes before looking at her again. “You know, I'm cutting Mother off. I'm not going to support her if she's gonna be taking care of Pat with my money.”
Mariah raised an eyebrow, her head cocked to the side. “Oh? Denise never told me we’re still giving her an allowance. Where is the money coming from?”
He nodded his head. “My album. In installments.”
“Which album?”
“The remix album. I had it set up to where all the proceeds would go to her.” Michael explained.
And you decided to keep this from me for...what reason exactly?
“Wait, didn’t you cut her off the last time you guys got into it?”
“For awhile. But then she moved in with us and needed help.” He replied.
Mariah furrowed her eyebrows. “Wasn’t she still getting checks from all those ‘Jacksons’ albums?”
“Kinda, but not really. Really, the money from that album was more of a gesture than anything.”
A gesture?
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“Well that album meant something for me. It was my letter to the world after all the shit that went down: my fans, my friends, Mother-”
“I don’t understand? What does that mean?” She interjected.
“Well...it's sort of like a confessional. I mean that's how it is with anything I write. But much more so with this.” He explained.
“Oh, I mean, I kind of figured that's what you meant... But I guess now I really don't understand why she left like that. If you poured your heart out to her.”
He eyed her. “We all have our moments of poor judgment. I mean you had one not too long ago.”
She swallowed. “That was an isolated incident.”
“I don't know that it was, though…”
She slumped down in her seat. What do you even say to that?
“I love my kids.”
“I'm not doubting you.” He reassured. But something in his tone was still guilting her--shaming her for her actions.
“Do you think you would forgive me for that?”
“Mariah, stop asking me dumb questions.” He shot back, his tone despondent and head clearly somewhere else.
“I'm serious though.”
“I am too. I know you love our kids, Mariah.”
His tone didn't sound convincing.
She sat up in her seat, resting her chin on her hand.
“Have you talked to your mother at least since the wedding?” She asked, trying to redirect the conversation.
“You're really concerned about Katherine.”
“Well, yeah. Nothing she's doing is adding up. You yourself said you'd cut her off.” Mariah replied.
He didn't say anything.
“She has to know that those songs were a cry for help-”
“Do you even know any of those songs?” He questioned, leaning back on the table behind him.
Mariah raised her eyebrows in thought, bringing her knees up to her chest.
“I'm guessing that's a ‘no’.” He answered for her.
Standing across from his wife with his arms folded, he chewed his lip.
She opened her mouth to speak. “I know what you just told me. And it's not like I haven't heard the songs before.”
“Yeah, but you don't know, Mariah.” He exclaimed, his pitch heightening. “Sometimes I wonder if you ever actually listened to me.”
Mariah shot her eyes down to the ground, contemplating his words. Why are we suddenly turning this back on me?
Michael took a deep breath and approached his wife. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, before promptly leaving the room.
Mariah turned around to make sure he was gone, then shot up from her seat to go looking for their copy of Blood on the Dancefloor. She figured there must've been some clues in the music about he and Katherine’s complicated relationship, and that maybe if she understood their relationship more, she could finally link Katherine to Tommy.
July 27th, 2000
Michael was sitting in the living room doing laundry while the twins played dress up in the corner. Elizabeth was crawling around inside her play gates, observing her older sisters. He put one pile of clothes in the laundry basket and started on another.
“Mike!”
The front door slammed, signalling Janet's return from filming.
“Upstairs.” He called, still folding his clothes.
A minute later, Janet skipped into the play room and flopped down on the couch. “I'm so tired, I hope you making dinner tonight.”
Michael chuckled. “It's definitely your turn to make dinner.”
“But I'm tired. I'm filming a movie and recording an album. You ain't been doing nothing all day.” Janet protested.
Michael rolled his eyes. “You think running after these three is easy? Plus I've been writing for a new album.”
Janet smacked her lips. “Still, you should make dinner tonight and I'll do it tomorrow night.”
“Fine, I'll do it. Lazy self.”
“You play with us?” Noelle said suddenly, looking off into space.
Michael paused, watching his daughters.
Nicole was looking at the same spot, grinning. “Come on, play.”
“Uh oh--here they go.” Janet commented. “Don’t make any sudden movements.”
Michael raised an eyebrow. “Janet...it’s not that deep.”
“Do you not see your kids talking to air, Michael?”
Michael chuckled. “I see them. I’m just not worried about them.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s perfectly normal. I read a book that talked all about how kids will make imaginary friends when they’re lonely or in distress. And with their momma being so aggressive lately, I can understand why they feel like they need someone outside of us.” He explained.
“There are so many flaws in the explanation-”
“How?” He questioned, tilting his head to the side in disbelief.
“Well, one, they got friends. They got cousins, and Nina’s kids, and Chris’ son. I could go on and on. I doubt they feel ‘lonely’. Two, Joseph was more than aggressive with us and we never had any imaginary friends. Three, imaginary friends are not at all common in kids with siblings--let alone kids with twins! And on top of all that, when have you ever heard of kids having the same imaginary friend? That ain’t normal, Mike, something is wrong!” Janet explained.
Michael stared in blank space. His eyes were fixed to a certain spot in the room, though he was still focused in the conversation.
Michael smirked. “Janet, I think you’re paranoid. They’re kids trying to build a fantasy world for themselves. I mean look at them-” He held his hand out toward Twizzie--Nicole and Noelle a bit further away and Elizabeth wallowing on the ground. “-They’re playing princess dress-up or something. That’s not a sign of an unhealthy child.”
Janet shook her head. “They’re playing princess dress-up with an invisible person, Michael! Joseph would institutionalize us if we did that shit!”
Michael broke his stare. “Well good thing that never happened then, right? Joseph ain’t they daddy.”
Janet frowned at her brother. “Now you know I don’t mean it like that.”
“I didn’t say you did… Why is everyone around me reading more deeply into my words and actions than what I’m actually saying and doing?”
Janet rolled her eyes. “Anyway...I’m starting to worry about them. It’s just so crazy.”
“It’s not though. It was probably bound to happen.”
“Yeah, yeah, but it’s like- They didn’t start this until your little thing a few months ago.” She replied.
Michael narrowed one of his eyes, nearly grimacing at his sister. “What?”
“I mean- Maybe seeing you like that took a toll on them...Maybe this is their way of coping-”
“Or maybe this is just something all kids do and you can stop with your armchair psychology.” He retorted.
July 27th, 2000
Janet could feel her brother leer at her. “You know what, you can calm down with all that. I’m just giving you a suggestion. Y’all need counseling!”
“Did Katherine tell you to say that?” He bit.
“I’ma just ignore that. Your damn mommy issues won’t even let you see the situation for what it is.”
Michael rolled his eyes, playing with a loose hair from his bangs.
“You need to stop straightening your hair too.” She commented.
“Here you go…” He stood up and walked in front of the twins, ignoring Janet bad-mouthing him in the background.
“Noni.” He said.
Noelle cheesed at her father. “Daddy, wanna play?”
“Aw baby, that’s okay. What are you playing?”
“Castle!” Nicole shouted.
“Castle? That sounds like a fun game. What’s it about?”
Soon, Mariah came waltzing into the room. She took a seat next to Janet.
“What are they talking about?” She asked.
“The twins talking to they ‘friend’ again.”
“Oh, not that shit.” Mariah said with an eyeroll.
“Thank you! That’s what I said!” Janet replied.
“So do you wanna tell me about your friend?” Michael asked, playing along with the girls’ fantasy.
“Iss my friend!” Nicole exclaimed, sticking her tongue out to her chin.
“What’s your friend’s name?” Michael asked.
“Whuhs name?”
“Yeah, what’s she called?” Michael pressed.
“We playing Castles!”
He chuckled. “I know baby. What’s your friend doing in the castle?”
“Prince!”
Michael nodded, flashing his eyebrows in understanding. “Ohhh. It’s a boy. So are you two the princesses, then?”
Neither twin answered.
Mariah and Janet listened intently. The twins never told them anything about their friend, so they were interested in possibly finally hearing about him.
“Noni, baby, can you tell Daddy?”
Noelle looked up. “He said ‘hi’.”
Michael smiled. “Oh, uh- Greetings your highness.”
Nicole chuckled. “Whuhs that?”
“Um, it’s the proper way to address a Prince. And you two, too. Princesses!”
“Me?” Nicole asked.
Michael tapped her nose with the tip of his finger. “Yes, you.”
She giggled. “Daddy, you gonna play!”
Suddenly, Mariah jumped up, approaching her family. “Can Mommy play?”
Without making eye contact with her mother, Nicole announced, “No.”
Mariah sat back down.
Janet almost couldn't control her laughter, causing Mariah to pop her leg.
Michael glided back over to the two women, plopping down on the couch between them.
Mariah clung onto his arm. “What did they tell you?”
Michael backed away from her. “Relax, girl. They didn't tell me nothing.”
Janet narrowed her eyes. “I just heard them tell you who their friend was.”
“No, they didn't really tell me. They just said it was a boy and that they were playing in a castle. He was a prince.”
Mariah raised an eyebrow. “So they've got a little boyfriend?”
Michael glared at his wife. Janet grimaced in disgust.
“Sharing a man, Mariah?” Janet questioned.
Mariah frowned. “You know that's not what I meant. I don't know which one of them invented this little boy so I'm just assuming.”
“Can y'all relax with all this ‘man’ shit? My babies are not thinking about no lil stankin’ ass boys.” He glanced at Elizabeth, who just crawled around on the floor, going from one end of the gate to another. “Ain't that right, Donut?”
“Michael, please stop calling that child Donut. She don't need to be a victim of your ridiculous ass nicknames.”
Michael frowned. “My nicknames are a treasure to this world, Dunkie Fried Chicken.”
Mariah snorted laughing. “Dunkie Fried what?”
Michael giggled, pulling Janet in for an awkward hug. “Dunkie Fried Chicken.” He kissed her cheek.
Janet pushed him away. “Stop perming your hair and I'll love you back.”
He groaned. “I don't even perm it. It's straightened.”
“I have a hard time believing you're sitting in the mirror flat ironing your hair every damn day.”
He shrugged. “I have a hair stylist.”
Mariah raised an eyebrow. “You do?”
“Why wouldn't I…”
“I've never met her.” Mariah noted.
“You never asked, either.”
She shoved him so hard he fell over onto Janet.
“Damn, girl!” Janet shouted. “Yo heavy handed ass!”
Michael stroked his arm, an uncomfortable smile on his face. He looked like he was holding back a snarky comment.
“TT!” Noelle called out.
Janet jerked her head up. “What's up, baby?”
“We hungry!”
Janet raised an eyebrow. “Who ‘we’?”
“Me. And sister. And prince.”
“I don't know who that is, sis!” Janet exclaimed, speaking slowly and deliberately.
Noelle cackled.
Janet shook her head. “Why you telling me you hungry anyway? You got a whole momma right here.” She explained, pointing to Mariah.
Noelle grinned. “Please, TT?”
Janet took a deep breath. “She must be tired of eating burnt food all the time.”
“Uhp!” Mariah shouted. “Bye, Dunkie Fried Chicken.”
Janet flicked her off, not turning around to gauge her sister in law’s reaction.
“Alright babies, let's go. But leave your little invisible friend here. I don't feed delusions.” She explained, taking Nicole and Noelle’s hands.
Michael threw a pillow at Janet.
As far as she was concerned, though, her brother was in denial. And his denial only fueled the twins’ psychological issues.
July 27th, 2000
“Baby, I think we should let the twins hang out with more kids.” Mariah suggested.
Michael nodded. The incidents with the twins’ mysteriously royal friend were becoming more and more frequent. He couldn't deny that they probably needed more time with other kids.
“That sounds good to me.”
“Yeah, because it's not really good for them to be having imaginary friends. I don't even know why they would, considering their situation.” She explained.
“Situation?”
“Yeah. They have each other. And Lizzie. I don't get why they'd have these friends.” She noted.
Michael rubbed his bottom lip, his eyes distant. “That's what Janet was saying earlier...I mean, I definitely agree that they need some friends. But I'm not sure that's why they have this imaginary friend. I'm not even sure I can think of a reason for that.”
Mariah flashed her eyebrows, almost condescendingly.
“I bet I could think of one good reason…”
Hi everybody!
First, I wanna say thanks to everybody who's been reading the story and if you haven't commented before feel free to do so, I like knowing who's reading. I see you lurkers.
Second, I have a trivia question: What is the significance of Michael and Mariah's wedding gift to Alison.