29th of August, 2007
Michael is 49, Angela is 43

Angela: The hot water washed Michael and I as my arms were wrapped around his neck.

"Just three more days 'til I can make the sweetest love to you..." he said and kissed me.

"I know," I sighed into the kiss. "I wish I could give you a special birthday present..."

He frowned before we heard AJ crying from the baby monitor on the bathroom counter.

My husband pulled away. "I'll go."

I kissed him again, then he left with a towel around his waist.

I quickly finished up and got dressed before looking at my phone.

My dad texted me. "Got the cake."

I texted him back, saying the party starts at 4.

Just as I was about to go into the kitchen to ask the chef to make some appetizers, I heard Michael's raised voice coming from his office.

"She can't do that! They're my children... I don't care if she is their birth mother, she doesn't know the first thing about being a parent!" he yelled into his phone while holding AJ against his shoulder.

"Everything okay?" I mouthed.

"Just take care of it, Rob, I'm not paying you to go over papers."

Michael hung up and groaned.

"What happened?"

"It's Debbie," he rolled his eyes. "She wants shared custody over Prince and Paris."

"What?" I widened my eyes.

"Yeah."

"Can she even do that?"

"Apparently, she can," he said. "Since she's their birth mother. She has a strong case, my attorney says since I'm taking away her right to see them once a year, she can ask for shared custody, maybe even more..."

"Well we have a strong case, too. She pushed me and caused me to go into labor. Not to mention she deceived you into thinking you're having another child together. I don't think any judge would give her kids after they hear our side of the story."

"I don't know, Ange... You know what this means? I can lose Prince and Paris. Gosh, I can't lose them..."

"You won't," I wrapped my arms around his torso. "They're yours, and now they're mine, too, and I won't go through this without a fight. We won't."

Michael smiled down at me before attaching our lips. AJ stirred against him.

He kissed me again, "She didn't want to eat when I tried, maybe she will now... I just need some time alone to think, okay?"

I nodded and took our daughter. "Just don't let this ruin your special day, Mike. Prince and Paris are staying here, got it?"

My husband looked at his feet before sitting down.

"Come on, baby girl, let's feed you." I said to AJ, and although I didn't want to leave Michael alone at probably the worst time ever, I went to the nursery to feed my daughter.

~

Michael: "Dad, Angie, we're home!" Prince's voice was heard through the house.

I got up quickly and ran outside my office, then went to the front door to see the kids take off their school bags.

"Daddy!" Paris ran to me, wrapping her arms around me. "Happy birthday!"

I hugged her back tightly. "Thank you, baby girl..."

My eyes stung with tears. I can't believe Debbie would do something as cruel as try to take my kids away from me.

"Are you okay, dad?" Prince asked.

"Yeah..." I sighed and pulled away from Paris. "Hey, you guys, could you all do me a favor and go get ready? Your mom invited everyone to celebrate and they should be here soon."

All the kids came and wished me a happy birthday, then skipped upstairs.

I felt angry, and hurt. The picture of Prince and Paris being taken away from me just kept playing in my head.

With that horrible picture still going through my mind, I took out my phone. I searched for Debbie's name in my contacts and pressed the green button.

"Hello?" she said.

"Debbie," I growled. "How could you do this to me?! Prince and Paris are MY children! You haven't been in their life, ever, and all of a sudden you want shared custody?!"

"Oh, Michael, hi. Happy birthday."

I rolled my eyes, "Seriously?! You want to take my kids away from me, and all you have to say is 'happy birthday'?!"

"Someone wants to take us away?" I suddenly heard Prince behind me.

"I'll call you back." I said into my phone and hung up.

"Who's taking us away, dad?" my son examined my face. "Who was on the phone?"

"No one you should worry about."

"Dad, come on, I can see you're upset."

"Prince," Angela showed up behind him with AJ in her arms. "Honey, Blanket could use some help, and I need to talk to your dad for a second. Can you help him?"

My son nodded and went upstairs again.

"Are you alright?" she asked once he was gone.

I shook my head and she hurried to hug me, careful about our baby that was in the middle of all of this.

"I'm sorry she's doing this to you, Michael..." Angela rubbed my back.

"I don't know what's gotten into her," I sniffled into her shoulder. "She used to be my friend, she wanted to give me Prince and Paris so I could raise them myself. Just the thought of them being taken away breaks my heart, I don't know what'll I do once it actually happens..."

"It won't, we'll fight for them. They are going to stay here, in our care. Debbie won't win."

"You can't know that."

She sighed when the doorbell rang, letting us know our guests are here. "Go wash your face, I'll open the door."

Angela kissed me and headed towards the door, while I listened to her and found the nearest bathroom.

I wish I was as optimistic about this like she is, but I can't be...

~

Angela: "There's my beautiful granddaughter," Katherine gasped and before I knew it, AJ was in her arms. "Joe, look, she has your eyes..."

Joseph smiled down at her, "Green eyes?"

I nodded, "She inherited a lot from the Jackson side of the family."

My two in-laws walked inside our house, along with Jermaine.

"You okay, Angela?" he asked worriedly. "You're looking a little pale."

Yeah, your niece and nephew might be taken away from their loving father because their birth mother is a thriving bitch that doesn't know when enough is enough.

"I'm good, I just fed AJ and it makes me a little dizzy sometimes, that's all." I lied.

"Where are Michael and the kids?" Joseph said while holding AJ's little hand.

"They should be here any minute, the kids just got back from school, and Michael..."

Just got the worst news of his life.

"Is right here." my husband came behind me and placed both hands on my shoulders.

He was shaking a little.

"Happy birthday, Mikey!" Jermaine opened his arms wide and Michael hugged him.

His eyes were still a little glossy, making me wish his lawyer didn't make that stupid call.

~

Everyone has arrived, and Michael roamed the house with that fake smile on his face as he greeted them all.

"Angie," Prince walked up to me as I was talking to my mother. "Can we talk, please?"

"Why aren't you playing with the other kids, sweetheart?" I asked, hoping to avoid this conversation.

"Because..."

I sighed and told my mom I'll be back soon.

Once Prince and I were in a place where no one would hear us.

"Why was dad upset earlier?" he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for an answer.

"Honey, it's nothing you should worry about now. When the time comes, he'll tell you everything. But it's not my place to do that..."

"You're my mom now, you can tell me things."

I knew he wouldn't let this go unless I told him, so I took him to sit.

"Someone wants to take you and Paris away from your dad." I told him.

"Someone?" he questioned.

"Your birth mother, Debbie. She wants time with you guys, too, so she's doing this... It made your dad really sad, you know, because he loves you both so much..."

"What if I want time with Debbie, too?"

My face fell, "What?"

"I never got to know my mom... And Paris never had a mommy..." Prince mumbled.

My heart broke. I'm your mom, I know you better than anyone. Debbie doesn't love you, I do. She's just doing this to get back at me for adopting you.

Then I thought about Michael. He'll completely lose it when he hears what Prince has to say.

"Just... Don't talk to your daddy about this today, alright? I don't want him more upset than he already is." I said, pulling my step son into a hug.

He nodded into my shoulder, "I love you, Angie."

"Me too, sweetheart. Let's go celebrate your dad's birthday, I think he needs a little happiness right now." I kissed his hair.

~

Michael: Angela slipped into bed, and wrapped her arms around me.

"Thank you for today, I had fun, despite what's happening..." I told her, running my hand through her hair.

"I'm glad," she said. "Did you talk to your attorney?"

"Yeah, there's no way to change Debbie's mind, she's taking this to court... I even tried talking to her personally, but all I could do was yell at her and I think I made it worse."

"You yelled at her?"

"I couldn't control myself, she wished me a happy birthday after trying to take my kids away, I lost it..."

"Oh, Mike..." she sighed. "Maybe she won't used that against you, if we're lucky... I just wish you never hired her in the first place."

"You're not the only one, babe."

Angela kissed my bear chest then put her head against it. "We'll sort out everything tomorrow, I promise, but now we could both use some rest because I'm not getting up when AJ starts crying."

I rolled my eyes and pulled her closer.

~

30th of August, 2007
Michael is 49, Angela is 43

Angela: "Mike, I'm heading out with AJ! I'll be back soon!" I said, putting AJ's bag over my shoulder and grabbing my keys.

I heard Michael climb up the stairs before he appeared inside the nursery.

"What for?" he asked.

"My aunt Jane is in town and she wants to see AJ." I answered.

"Oh, maybe I can finally meet her! She didn't come to our wedding, right?"

"No!" I hurried to refuse. "You can't come, she just really wants to see me, alone, and I'd rather not make a scene. You know that happens when we go out."

"Fine, I gotta take care of business, anyways... I'll see you later." he kissed me and AJ before leaving.

I sighed. I hate lying to him, but he doesn't need to know that I'm going to see Debbie.

~

"I think we found her, baby girl... I'll just find a parking spot and we'll be out of this car in no time." I said to AJ who was probably asleep.

I decided to see Debbie personally and talk some sense into her.

Quickly, I found a spot in front of what Javon said was Debbie's house and turned the engine off.

I took a sleeping AJ in my arms before locking the car, then headed towards the nice-looking house.

I knocked on the door and waited impatiently.

Mark opened it, a surprised look on his face.

"Angela?" he raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"Is Debbie home? I need to talk to her." I told him.

"Um, yeah, come in..." he opened the door wider. "I see you had your baby."

"I did. Your girlfriend pushed me and I went into labor three weeks prior her planned due date."

"Oh..."

"So where is she?" I asked

"In the bedroom, up the stairs, first door on the left." Mark answered, pointing at the staircase.

"Thanks."

With AJ still sleeping against me, I went up the stairs and followed his instructions. The door was wide open.

Debbie was in bed, her big bump sticking out from underneath the blanket. She was reading a magazine as she rubbed her stomach with a smile on her face.

I slightly knocked on the door frame and she looked at me, surprised. "Can I come in?"

"If you're here to talk about the whole custody thing, just know that I'm not letting it go."

"I am." I said.

"Then you are wasting your time, Angela. I won't change my mind, I want Prince and Paris to live with me, too."

AJ let out a small whimper, making me look at the clock. "Do you mind if I feed her? It's her meal time."

"Sure."

I noticed Debbie's stares as I sat on the bed across from her and helped AJ find my nipple.

"What?" I looked at her.

"You know I never got to breastfeed my kids? My milk never came in since Michael took them home right after they were born." she told me.

"Debbie," I reached out a hand to take hers. "Please don't take them away from him. He'll be devastated if you do. Imagine the look on his face when he hears the judge say you have shared custody."

Debbie looked down, "I just realized that I want time with my kids. I've been out of their lives for too long, and since he married you, it seems like Prince and Paris just completely forgot they have a real mother."

She saw my hurt expression and hurried to correct herself. "I didn't mean it like that, you are a real mother to them, but I want to know them like you know them. And I want this baby boy to have an older brother and sister. When Michael said he wouldn't let me see them, ever, I just... I got so mad...  Then you decided to butt in and I'm sorry for pushing you. How old is your baby?"

"She's almost six weeks old," I smiled. "How many weeks in are you?"

"33 weeks."

"That's great. You know, maybe I can talk to Michael and you two can discuss this out of court. I'm sure that if you two talk about it, he'll let you see Prince and Paris."

"That... That actually sounds good. Thank you, Angela." Debbie sighed.

"I'm glad we agreed on something," I said before my phone rang. "It's probably Michael, but I could always call him later."

"Would you like to stay for lunch? I know Mark's making something."

"I'd love to."

~

When I came back home, Michael waited for me, an angry look on his face.

"Where were you?" he asked.

"What do you mean? I ate with my aunt." I answered, putting AJ in his arms.

"I called your parents and they said your aunt doesn't even plan on coming to California anytime soon."

"You're checking on me through my parents, Mike? What am I, a child?"

He crossed his arms, "Where were you, Angie?"

"At Debbie's," I said. "And before you get mad, I talked to her, very calmly, and she's willing to drop the request for shared custody if you let her see Prince and Paris once in a while. I'm sure that if you talk to her you'll agree on something."

"No, the whole reason she gave me them in the first place was so I'd raise them on my own."

"Well, that is no longer relevant since you married me, okay? So you better compromise with her or she will take this court."

He sighed and I knew he didn't want to admit I was right.

"Just talk to her, Michael. She wants some time with her kids so she could get to know them, that's all."

I kissed him lightly before going to the kitchen to start dinner. I haven't cooked in ages.

"Fine," Michael followed me. "I'll talk to her, but I can't make any promises about coming to a solution for this. They are my kids and they are staying with me."

"Of course they are." I smiled at him.

He smiled back and placed a loving kiss on my lips. He avoided me from pulling away by holding the back of my neck.

"I need to make dinner, Mike..." I said against his lips.

"Shhh..." he whispered. "I love you, so much. Thank you for going to see Debbie."

He pulled away but our foreheads were still touching.

"So are you going to help me or...?"

"I'm gonna go give my ex wife a call."

I sighed in relief as he left with AJ. Maybe this will work out okay.