20th of July, 1994
Brooklyn and Janet are 28, Michael is 35

Michael: "Mike, come on! You have to get down from there!" Frank yelled.

I took a glimpse down at him and rolled my eyes.

"I am not going to that meeting." I told him.

"You'll have to get down from that tree eventually, Michael!"

I closed my eyes and pulled my knees closer to my chest.

How did my life get to this? Why was it so complicated?

I never cheated on Brooklyn. I could never, she's the only woman for me.

But when I met Lisa a few days after my wife left to stay at her brother's home, we connected.
She became a great friend in less than a week. She listened, she cared.

I hated to admit I was attracted to her. Lisa replaced a hole in my heart that Brooke made when she left.

You hurt her too, you dick.

She had every reason not to see Janet, and when I took all my anger over losing another baby on her, she collapsed inside.

"Michael!" Brandon called.

Ugh, great. Just the guy I needed right now.

I've been begging him to take me to Janet's house for the last two months, so I could explain to Brooke what happened.

But he refused, saying he didn't want neither her or Janet mad.

"What do you want?!" I asked him.

"Get down from there. You're gonna be late." he said.

"Well, fuck it. My life is a mess already, I don't think a meeting with Sony could make it better."

Brandon groaned and disappeared under the giving tree.

A few minutes later I saw his head pop up from in between the branches.

"I said I'm not going." I mumbled.

"And I'm saying you are. Get your ass down from here." he ordered.

I flipped him off and turned my head away.

"If you do, I'll take you to see them."

I turned my attention back to him.

"Don't play games with me, Brandon. This is my marriage we're talking about." I said, sternly.

"I'm not. Tomorrow, I'll take you over there." he promised.

"Why can't it be today?" I questioned.

"Because Janet and I have a labor and birth class. I'm not gonna let her or Brooklyn get pissed off. I've got enough hormones around me as it is."

"Fine."

~

Janet: "Great, honey. Just like that." Brooke's aunt, Rose, guided me.

Rose apparently was a pregnancy expert. She had pregnancy classes all over California.

So when Brooke offered to have her as my personal guide, I didn't hesitate.

Brandon rubbed my almost nine months pregnant belly as I practiced my breathing.

I leaned back on him a bit more, immediately regretting it. My back couldn't hurt more.

"Ugh," I groaned and tried to get up. "Can we call it a day?"

"You sure?" Brandon asked.

"Yeah, my back is killing me." I answered.

Brooklyn hurried to help me and smiled sympathetically.

"Thank you, Rose." I told her aunt.

"Of course, I'm always happy to do this." she smiled and hugged me.

I went up the stairs with the help of my best friend, sighing when my head hit the soft pillows of my bed.

I was dreading to finish with this pregnancy already, even though I did have the help of my loving boyfriend, Brooke, and my mother.

My best friend was staying with us for the last two months. Brandon graciously let her sleep with me in my bed every night, knowing we both needed that kind of closure. Like he would even have a say in it, anyways. He was so wrapped up around me and this baby that he'd do anything for us.

I could see Brooke was hiding something as she sat on the other side of the bed, her legs crossed.

Letting my eyes travel to her left hand, I frowned. She took off her rings not too long ago.

"What's on your mind?"

She closed her eyes and sighed, "I'm thinking of asking Michael for a divorce."

~

Brooklyn: There was no point of continuing our marriage anymore.

I loved Michael more than anything, but it was obvious he wasn't committed to me.

And I understood that completely. With losing another baby, our fights, and his new girlfriend, it made sense that divorce was the next step.

I already hired a lawyer, a great one, and told her to print out papers.

Janet was pacing back and forth in her room, still taking what I told her in.

"Janet, get back to bed." I said.

"You'll break his heart." she mumbled.

"Then we'll be even, because he broke mine." I whispered.

She wasn't talking to her brother either, but I guess she wanted us to work things out.

I just couldn't do it. He didn't love me anymore.

"Is that why you've been disappearing when you said you had somewhere to go?" she asked.

I nodded, "I have papers and everything ready. My lawyer will send them after this baby girl is born, I don't want you in the middle of this whole thing when you're ready to burst. It's gonna be ugly."

I knew what to expect. With Michael's temper and probably shark of a lawyer, the divorce process is going to take months, if not years.

"You can't divorce him, Brooke. That's not how- You just can't." my best friend breathed heavily.

She was getting worked up on it.

"Hey, Jan, you need to relax, okay? Deep breaths." I told her, getting up from the bed to help her.

"How can you tell me to relax after you say you're gonna divorce Michael?!" she screamed, throwing her arms in the air.

Tears stung my eyes. Why does it matter? She's not losing me.

"He doesn't love me anymore, Janet. There's no reason for this marriage to continue without his love."

"Yes he does, he could never stop. You can't do that to him."

I saw all the power drain from her body all of a sudden. It made me quickly pull her back to bed.

I shut the lights off and lay next to her.

"Please, don't do this. For me." her voice cracked.

I sighed and looked away.

~

21st of July, 1994
Brooklyn and Janet are 28, Michael is 35

Brooklyn: "I really need new clothes. Nothing fits." Janet sighed, walking shirtless back to her room.

Her bump was so big I really thought she'd explode any second.

"Do you wanna go shopping?" I suggested.

"Yes, please."

"Put on something, I'll go get ready." I told her.

Even though it wasn't talked about, we consciously agreed not to remind each other of the previous day.

"Where are you two going without protection?" Brandon asked.

"I need new clothes, babe." Janet told him, pointing at her rounded stomach.

"Okay, fine. You go, I'll catch up later, I have to do something first. But I'm calling Bill to take you." he said.

~

"We all miss you, Mrs. Jackson." Bill smiled as he guarded the changing room.

The maternity shop was already cleared out of people, but he still needed to do his job.

"I miss all of you, too." I smiled sadly.

I was going to miss the staff calling me 'Mrs. Jackson'.

"How about this one?" Janet asked, coming out the door.

The shirt she wore was a few sizes bigger, probably so it could last for the rest of her pregnancy.

"I like it." I answered.

She looked satisfied and went back in to the room.

She already decided on a dozen new tops, so I knew we would finish soon, after she'd try on some pants.

I heard the screams of the fans who were already waiting for Janet and I outside the shop get louder.

Only one man could make them go crazier. Oh, no.

Michael looked awful.

Brandon followed close behind him.

"Baby..." my husband said barely over a whisper as he approached me.

I ignored him, turning to Brandon, "What is he doing here?"

"Just hear him out, Brooke." he pleaded.

I shook my head and entered the changing room Janet was in.

"What is it?" she said, confused when she saw my teary eyes.

"Your boyfriend brought Michael." I murmured.

"Damn it."

~

Michael: "You can't stay in there forever." Brandon knocked on the changing room door again.

I knew it was useless for him to try.

"I don't want to talk to him, Brandon. Now take him home before he gets mobbed by fans." Brooke said.

"Please just hear him out. He just wants you to listen."

I can talk for myself.

I walked up to Brandon, signaling him to move.

"Brooklyn, I'm asking as simply Michael. Just please open up, I need you to listen to me."

It was quiet.

Suddenly Janet opened the door, "You have five minutes."

She cleared the way and let me in.

I closed the door and saw my wife sitting on a little couch in the luxury changing room.

"Talk." she ordered.

I took in a deep breath, "When you left after I treated you the way I did, I had such a big hole in my heart. You leaving and the loss of another baby was just too much for me.
I was introduced to Lisa Marie in a business party held by Sony... We talked for a while, then she gave me her number and told me to call her.
I thought she could mend the broken part of my heart, and I hate to admit she did. We talked on the phone every day. She made me smile for the first time since we lost the baby.
I told her about us, why you weren't home, about our unfortunate fails for having a child.
Out of the blue she showed up at our home, telling me she would carry my children for me. She said she would do it with pride-"

"Please don't tell me you considered it." Brooke said with watery eyes.

"I can't lie to you." I put my head down in shame.

She broke into tears.

What am I doing? I'm just making everything worse. Fix this.

I took a seat next to her, and pulled her into my arms. She didn't fight me, which was surprising.

"But I told her that I'm married to the love of my life, who will give me children one day, even if it takes a lifetime. I also told her I'd rather never have children if I get to have you in my life. There's no point in living without you by my side, Brooke. I love you way too much to let you go." I whispered.

"That does not explain why you let her be all over you."

"I know, and I don't have an excuse for that. I don't know why I didn't pull away. My heart kept telling me to stop, but my body wouldn't budge. Just know that I'm sorry and I love you."

Brooke sniffled, wrapping her arms around me.

Pulling away, I immediately noticed she wasn't wearing her rings.

"Brooke?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Mmhm?"

"Where are your rings?"

She hugged me again, "Don't worry about that. I'll put them back."

"Why'd you take them off in the first place?" I asked.

"I- I was planning to file a divorce. I thought you didn't love me anymore." she answered.

My heart sank at her words. She really thought I could stop loving her?

"God, baby. Never," I kissed her forehead. "Just come home."

"I can't, I have to stay with Janet. You know she's going into her last month, she could give birth any day. And... It's gonna take me a while to forgive you, Mike. You broke my heart."

What an awful person I am.

"I'll give my everything to fix it."

It was only fair that I'd do just that.

~

18th of August, 1994
Brooklyn and Janet are 28, Michael is 35

Janet: I kissed Brandon again, never wanting to let go.

Michael had an urgent meeting in London, with Princess Diana, and Brandon being his head of security, had to go.

Brooklyn hugged my brother tightly. They were still working on mending their relationship, but they seemed happy again.

"Call if anything happens." my boyfriend said, giving my giant belly a kiss.

"Don't worry." Brooke reassured.

I smiled tiredly and hugged him.

My best friend and I waved to their car as they drove off.

I sighed. I was exhausted. Being thirty-nine weeks pregnant could really take you out. All I wanted to do was sleep. And my body hurt the entire day.

"Help me upstairs." I told Brooklyn.

She nodded, slowly helping me go up each step.

I fell asleep almost immediately when I lay down on my soft bed.

~

It was dark when I woke up from a horrible pain.

I sat up, clutching the sheets.

I breathed in and out. Pressure was building up in my lower abdomen, making me moan.

Brooke was sleeping peacefully next to me as I rocked my body.

The pain just didn't fade away. Deciding to try and walk it off, I stood up.

A gush of water came running down my thighs.

Shit. No, why now?

The pressure seemed to disappear, instantly making me feel a little relieved.

I waddled over to my best friend, "Brooke, wake up. My water broke."

She groaned and opened her eyes.

"Huh?"

"My water broke."

She sprung up.

"Baby's coming?!" she asked frantically.

I nodded quickly.

"Oh, God! Baby's coming!" she hurried to get out of bed to help me change into new clothes.

Brooke took my hospital bag, and we got in the car.

~

19th of August, 1994
Brooklyn and Janet are 28, Michael is 35

Brooklyn: "Looks like it's going good," Janet's nurse said, removing the plastic glove off her hand. "You're at five centimeters."

Janet nodded and closed her legs.

"Do you want epidural?"

"No."

The nurse did a few more tests, then left.

My best friend groaned and leaned back on the hospital bed.

She made sure this birthing suite was secured for her, without having any interruptions from fans.

"Did you call Brandon?" she asked.

"I tried, it went straight to voicemail. They're probably still on the plane." I rubbed her arm.

"And mother?"

"She's on her way with Rebbie and La Toya."

Janet clutched my hand tightly as another contraction went through her body.

"Shit. FUCK. I'm gonna kill him!" she cussed.

"Jan, breathe like you learned." I smiled.

"Swear you'll never put yourself through this kind of pain." she gritted her teeth.

I rolled my eyes.

~

Janet sat on an exercise ball and held her stomach as I put pressure on her lower back.

"Try again." she said.

I sighed and took out my phone to call Brandon.

Surprisingly, it rang.

"Ten missed calls?! Did she go into labor?!" he yelled in my ear.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I'm trying to calm her down as we speak."

"Let me talk to her."

I handed the phone to Janet.

"I know... No, I can't, my water broke already. I'm at six- DAMN IT!"

She rocked herself on the ball while moaning and cursing into the phone.

"I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW!"

I took the device from her.

"Hello? Dunk?" Michael's voice said.

"It's me." I bit my lip.

"Babe. How is she?"

Sighing, I looked at Janet who was now leaning against Rebbie.

"She'll be fine," I said. "How's Brandon?"

"Freaking the hell out." he mumbled.

I let out a chuckle.

"How fast can you get back?" I questioned.

"If we take off now, maybe in ten hours. But we won't make it anyways."

I looked at the clock that read 3 AM.

"At least try. It's taking her slower for some reason. When we got here, she was at five. Nurse said she might be finished in an hour. It's been four hours since, and she's only at six."

Janet groaned, "Thank you for being so positive about me ending this hell."

Michael laughed in my ear.

"Oh, Dunk. Tell her we love her."

With that, he hung up, and I returned to help my best friend.