The Surrogate (A Michael Jackson Fanfiction)

Father vs Stepfather II

Saturday April 2nd, 2005

Nina Sofia Jackson:

I stood by the dresser, staring into the mirror as I took a small make-up brush and dusted it into my eyebrows, darkening them. It was quiet in the dimly lit guest room save for the combination of Michael's soft snoring, the occasional soft sigh or whine from the girls', and Maddox's extra heavy breathing. I think he is coming down with some sort of sinus problem... I raked a brush through my hair, taming it into soft waves down my back. I gathered it up and placed it in a neat ponytail at the back of my head, pulling some strings out on the edges to hang loose by my ears and a chunk of bangs.

I heard Michael cough and the bed creak. I turned around and looked at him. He had rolled over on his side away from me. I glanced down at my phone. It was still seven in the morning. Marcus was due in by nine and I hadn't mentioned to Michael that he would need to be picked up. I'm sure he'd tell me to make him take a cab or something, but it wouldn't be that easy for him now that he'd made a name for himself. I needed to convince him to allow some of his security detail to go and pick him up and it was now or never...

"Baby? Are you awake?" I called softly.

"No." he groaned.

I rolled my eyes and smirked as I slipped back into the bed. "I have a small request."

"No." he repeated in the same groggy moan.

"Do you think you could have Bill and your guys pick Marcus up from the airport at nine?" I said as I gently ran a hand along his shoulder. He rolled over towards me and looked at me with one eye open, the eyebrow over it raised high.

"No."

"Ok... go back to sleep. I'll ask you again when you wake up in a better mood." I smiled at him and patted his shoulder gently. He closed his eyes again and sighed heavily. Paris whined a little louder and Priya began to cry softly. I got up and hurried over to their cribs.

Priya was frowning up at me with her bottom lip quivering. "You wake up grouchy just like your daddy, don't you?" I reached down and tickled her under her chin. Her pout turned into a smile and she giggled. Her laughter spread to her sister Paris and just like that they were both on their feet with their arms reaching out to me happily. I picked them up one by one and let them down. They scrambled over to the full sized bed and climbed up almost effortlessly. Michael jolted awake as he felt his girls begin to crawl up on him. He chuckled softly and accepted their cute little snuggles graciously.

"My angels... God... daddy missed you so much. Did you miss daddy?"

"Daddy!" Priya cheered saying his name fully for the first time. He'd been purely dada thus far. "Daddy, daddy..." she repeated, covering him with her puppy dog like loving. Paris was nuzzling his arm pit. Maddox sat up, and rubbed his eyes. They were looking a little puffy, another indication of a sinus problem. Instead of piling into the bed with his sisters and stepfather, he slowly made his way over to me.

"Am I gonna see my daddy today?" he asked politely. I ran my hand through his short hair and got down to his level. "Yes, baby. Go get in your bag and get out your clothes for the day." I smiled at him, kissing him on the cheek. Michael helped get the girls dressed while Maddox dressed himself and then we all went downstairs to greet Jisela's family properly. Michael was still in his pajamas. The only effort he made was taming his hair and touching up the foundation on his face. He wore a long sleeved navy blue robe over his white T-shirt and red cartoon printed pants. Jisela's mother, father, grandmother, brother, her brother's wife and their boys Santi and Daniel, and Marisa were all there.