30th of September, 1996
Brooklyn is 30, Michael is 38

Michael: "I love you!" I screamed into the microphone.

My fans in the audience went wild and I ran backstage.

"Yo, Mike! That was so great!" Brandon complimented.

"Thanks," I said, wiping my face with a towel I was given. "What time is it?"

"Uh, exactly 11:30."

"Do you think I can call the girls?" I asked.

"Why not? You think they're still asleep? Isn't it noon back home?" my brother-in-law raised his eyebrows.

I laughed, "I think my wife is pregnant, tired, and cranky. And I'm sure your own wife isn't in the best mood when taking care of a small daughter and a pregnant woman."

"It's worth the risk." he shrugged.

"I'll take it later, then. Now, excuse me while I go change."

As I walked to my dressing room I got more compliments on tonight's performance.

"Michael!" Frank called, making me groan. I just wanted to get back to the hotel as soon as possible so I could call my wife to check on her.

"What?" I murmured when I saw him approach.

"Lisa Marie Presley is here. She wants to speak with you."

No, why would she be here? And right now?

"Where is she? Might as well get it over with."

"She's in there." he nodded towards my dressing room.

"Ugh."

I saw Lisa sit patiently on the couch inside, playing with her fingers.

"Michael." she beamed and attacked me in a hug.

"Lisa," I said. I pushed her back from me a bit. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you... Is it true? Is she really pregnant?"

I nodded, "We're expecting a baby boy in February."

"Well, in that case, congratulations."

She sat back down and sighed heavily.

"I really need you, Michael. I need someone to talk to... I'm so lost. My marriage is falling apart and Danny wants custody over the kids..."

The tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"Lisa, I can't help you. I'm very sorry about your marriage, but I can't do this." I told her.

"You're such a hypocrite." she snapped.

"What?"

"I helped you when your marriage was crumbling down. And when I need you, you say you can't even sit and talk to me?"

"I'm afraid you'll do something inappropriate. May I refresh your memory? You almost cost me my marriage!" I unintentionally raised my voice.

"You tricked me into falling in love with you, Michael!" she yelled.

"Are you going to keep throwing that at me? I already apologized for that! I have a woman I love, Lisa. And now she's giving me a child, everything is falling into place. I can't have you ruining things again."

Lisa Marie wiped her face, "Stop blaming me for your fucking mistakes! Your marriage was fucked up way before I arrived!"

"Get out, Lisa. Before I do something I'll regret." I threatened.

"What are you gonna do, hit me? I'm already used to it."

Woah, what?

"Is- Did Danny hurt you?" I asked, a bit shocked.

"Why are you so surprised?" she sniffled, pulling her long sleeves up. The bruises on her arms made me flinch. "I told you, my marriage is falling apart. He gets very mad lately, and he takes it out on me."

"Oh, Lisa... If I knew-"

She cut me off, "If you knew, you wouldn't have yelled? Save it."

Lisa stood up and covered her arms. She took her purse, making her way to the door.

"Lisa, wait..." I called. "Come with me back to the hotel. I'll listen to everything you have to say. I promise."

"I don't need your pity, Michael." she rolled her eyes.

"Please, I want to help." I begged.

"My kids are waiting with their nanny, I can't just come with you."

I hurried to stop her, "Tell them to come with us. And you could all sleep in my hotel room afterwards."

She nodded.

I knew that after tonight I'll be getting in trouble, but my heart broke.

~

Brooklyn: "Oh, my God," I moaned. "Jan, you are the greatest best friend anyone could wish for."

She laughed and let out a sigh.

Gabriel and Pablo worked on our backs, their hands pressing thoroughly into it.

Janet called for them all the way from Rio. I started complaining about back aches lately, and this was her way of relieving me from my pain.

"Janet, could you come out here?" Katherine called.

"Mother, I'm getting a massage!" my best friend whined.

The door opened, revealing my mother-in-law who held Kate in her arms.

"I need you, right now." she said sternly.

Janet groaned and got up from the massage table, wrapping the towel around her.

I closed my eyes shut as I tried focusing on Gabriel's hands.

It was weird to me that Michael didn't call today. The show ended a couple of hours ago.

I reminded myself that he was on tour, and maybe was just worn out from the performance.

"THAT BITCH!" Janet's screech made my eyes shoot open. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!"

I was curious what ticked her off like that, so I asked Gabriel to help me up.

My baby bump got bigger with every passing day. I absolutely loved watching it grow.

Walking to where I heard Katherine trying to calm down her daughter, I entered the living room.

They were both sitting on the couch, and some story blared from the TV.

"Michael Jackson has been seen earlier today leaving the Amsterdam Arena hand in hand with Lisa Marie Presley. Both of them seemed to be in a hurry - could Michael be cheating?"

Pictures showed on the screen, giving me proof. A closeup on Lisa Marie's face told me she did a lot of crying.

No, he's not cheating. So what is he doing with her?

"Oh, Brooke..." Katherine said.

"I, uh, I have a phone call to make." I excused myself and quickly went to our bedroom.

I grabbed the phone and dialed Brandon's number.

"Hello?" he asked in a tired voice.

"Give me my husband." I ordered.

"Brooke-"

"Now, Brandon."

I started pacing as I waited, but remembered I wasn't allowed to be on my feet too much.

"He's sleeping." Brandon sighed.

"Wake him up." I mumbled.

While I was waiting for him to wake up my husband, I put some clothes on, then went to lay down.

Baby Michael kicked and kicked, making me pull up my shirt. I rubbed my skin in hopes it would calm the baby.

No stress, Brooke. He probably has a good explanation for this.

~

Michael: Someone shook my shoulder, interrupting my sleep.

"Mike, get up. Brooke is on the phone." Brandon said.

It took me a few seconds to realize what he said. I snatched the phone from him, praying she wasn't calling to give me bad news.

"Babe? Is everything okay?" I asked frantically.

"Yeah, relax," she answered, sounding a bit too calm. "Can you explain why I saw pictures of you and Lisa Marie Presley holding hands?"

"Can you promise me you won't get mad?"

"Pinky promise." she said.

I sighed, "She showed up backstage after the concert... She said she needed to talk to me. I told her I wanted nothing to do with her, but then I found out her husband, Danny, is beating her. I couldn't just leave her like that. She came with her kids."

"Did you take her with you to the hotel?"

"Yes. She cried and let all her feelings out on me. Her and the kids are sleeping in my bed."

"Please tell me you're not sleeping on the floor." my wife said.

"I'm not sleeping at all, thanks to you," I smiled. "But no, there's a sofa bed here."

"Good."

"How're my babies?" I asked.

"We're good. He won't stop kicking." Brooke giggled.

"Watch out, I'm preparing my hands to feel him." I smirked.

"I'm ready, daddy. And I miss you so much." she said in a baby voice.

I laughed, but shut up as soon as I remembered I had three other people in the suite.

"I'm coming home in a week." I reminded her.

I could feel her smile, "And until you do, I have Gabriel here to give me the best massages in the world."

"What? Why is he there?"

"Because Janet is such a good best friend. She hired both of our masseurs from Rio to stay here for a week and send us into paradise."

I scoffed. No other man is allowed to touch my pregnant wife, ever.

"Stop being so jealous, Mike." Brooklyn mumbled.

"I don't like the idea of another man touching you." I said.

"Yet you have another woman in your bed."

"That's not the same!" I exclaimed.

"Whatever. You should get some sleep... Goodnight, I love you." she made a kissing noise and hung up.

Brandon, who had fallen back asleep on a couch across from me, snored.

I rolled my eyes and placed his phone next to him.

~

1st of October, 1996
Brooklyn and Janet are 30, Michael is 38

Brooklyn: After the call with Michael, I fell asleep.

I probably slept through the whole day and night, because when I woke up it was 7 AM.

As I washed my face I remembered what happened a year ago. Cynthia made the decision to take Chris off life support. It was the day he died.

I promised myself that I wouldn't cry. But as expected, that didn't last very long. Soon I found myself bawling.

I missed him so much. I was missing the feeling of him being the protective older brother. The brother I always looked up to.

The baby inside me kicked, making me cry harder. He wanted to be an uncle so bad and it hurt me to know he never got to be one.

The phone rang loudly. I picked it up, expecting it to be Michael.

"Brooklyn?" Jermaine's voice asked.

"Hey, Jermy." I smiled. 'Jermy' was a nickname Janet and I gave him when we were kids, because every time he came home he was sick.

Out of all Michael's and Janet's siblings, Jermaine was the closest to me.

He groaned, "I am a grown man and I refuse to be called that."

"Sorry, rules are rules."

"Anyway, I called to ask if it's okay to come over... I thought it would be good for you to be surrounded by family today." he said.

"I'd love that. I've been crying for the last twenty minutes and I need a distraction."

"Well, I'm on my way. Randy and Rebbie are also coming." my brother-in-law informed.

"Thank you, Jermy." I sniffled.

"Of course. Call your dad."

I sighed as he hung up, and dialed my dad's number.

He was feeling a lot better. The chemo was working, and he returned home a few months ago. Yet he still didn't let us find a donor.

Marie stayed. And since Cynthia has seen my dad more than I did, she updated me with everything that was going on with my parents.

Apparently, they were "working on their relationship". So she leaves for twenty six years, comes back when he gets sick, and suddenly wants to stay?

I could understand why my dad let her stay, but this was too much.

"Hello?" Dad's voice echoed through the receiver. He sounded like he cried.

"Hey, daddy." I said.

"Sweetheart, how's it going?" his tone changed to a cheerful one.

"I'm good... The baby's good. We're good."

"That's wonderful, sweetheart."

"I, uh, wanted to ask if you'd like to come over... I think it's best we spend this day together." I told him.

"Sounds good to me," my dad said. "Can Marie come, too?"

I groaned in annoyance, "Does she have to?"

"No, but I asked nicely. She wants to see you."

"Well I don't, but whatever. She can come." I sighed.

"Thank you, sweetheart. We'll get there soon."

This is just terrific. Not only my husband has that whore with him, but now I have to see my mother. Could this day get any worse?

~

Jermaine hugged me tightly.

"Would you look at that." he said, admiring my baby bump.

Rebbie and Randy waited patiently behind him.

"Jermaine," Rebbie whined. "I want to feel my nephew, so move it."

He rolled his eyes and hugged me tighter.

"She shouldn't be on her feet too much." Janet said from behind me.

Rebbie waved her off when Jermaine finally let me go. I hugged my sister-in-law and felt her hands travel to my stomach.

"Wow, what a kicker." her smile widened.

"Brooke." Janet said with seriousness in her voice.

"Okay, I'll go sit down." I murmured

"Why you gotta be so annoying, Dunk?" Randy asked as they all followed us to the living room.

"You're the annoying one." she scoffed.

As we sat down, everyone fell silent. I could easily sense the elephant in the room when Rebbie looked at a picture of Michael and I on the wall and sighed.

"He isn't cheating, if that's what you're thinking." I said.

"You talked to him?" Janet questioned.

"Of course I did, Jan. It's a long story and it's not mine to tell."

The doorbell rang, letting me know my dad had arrived.

~

Michael: I woke up earlier than I usually do, and got ready to leave.

I left Lisa a note that said I'd be back before my show tonight.

Just as Brandon opened the door, I heard a little voice say, "Michael, don't go."

Lisa's daughter, Riley, stood there with a teddy bear in her arms.

"Why can't I go?" I asked as I crouched down in front of her.

"Because my mommy needs you." she said.

"I have to go to work, Riley."

She wrapped her arms around my neck, making the teddy bear fall on the floor.

"Please don't go." Riley begged.

My heart broke even more.

"Riley, go back to bed." I heard Lisa's voice.

As I looked up Riley let go of me and went back to the bedroom.

Her mother watched her leave quietly.
"I'm sorry about that... She stayed up last night and listened to everything I told you."

"Maybe it's best you go home, Lisa. Work out things with Danny, for your kids." I told her.

"I can't. I'm scared to go back, I really am," she whispered so her kids wouldn't hear. "Please, Michael. Let me stay with you just a little longer."

I looked her in the eyes, and actually saw fear in them.

"Okay." I gave up.

She pulled me into a hug which surprisingly I returned.