Slipping Away

Chapter 18

January 4th, 1994

Mariah was sitting across from her mother at a small cafe in the Hamptons, sipping on her water. Her mother was tight-lipped and so was she. It was a stand off of sorts as neither of the women wanted to say anything to other. They were having a semi-private lunch, as Tommy had hired two bodyguards to go out with her at all times to protect her from fans. At least that's what he told her.

"So, Tommy told me he apologized to you." Pat said.

Mariah nodded. "He did."

"He also said he'd never do it again." Pat raised an eyebrow. "Right?"

"Yes, that's what he said." Mariah conceded.

That doesn't take away from the fact that living with him is Hell.

Pat frowned. "You need to get rid of this baby."

"Mom, how could you say that about your own grandchild?" Mariah inquired.

Her mother patted her hand, a patronizing gesture. "This could ruin everything. Are you willing to give up everything for a child? It's not like Michael's going to be involved at all. Why bring a child into this world when nobody wants it?"

"I want my baby." Mariah said. "And Michael would too if he knew."

"How would you know? He probably wouldn't even think the baby's his." Pat reasoned. 

Mariah shrugged. "Then we'd do a DNA test or whatever. Michael needs to know-"

"That's enough Mariah. You are married now, and you need to respect your husband's wishes." Pat chided.

"I don't want him to be my husband." Mariah whimpered. "I want Michael."

"Get over it. You're in a much more stable environment and now I don't have to see my daughter being referred to as 'Jacko's Keeper'" Pat sipped her coffee

"Don't call him Jacko, his name is Jackson." Mariah retorted.

Pat shrugged. "It's not your problem anymore."

Mariah wiped a few tears from her eyes. "I'm not aborting this baby."

"Mariah-"

"No, I'm not doing it and that's final."

January 5th, 1994

Michael was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Larry Feldman, the Chandlers' lawyer, was requesting that Michael either turn over the photos from the strip search or submit to another one. Lisa was trying to persuade him to settle the suit altogether, but he was going to prove his innocence to a jury. Mariah had been adamant about going to court and considered herself his best witness, which she was. 

He hated that Mariah had left him for Tommy without so much as an explanation. They had made promise to each other, loved each other so he thought. Yet she had run off with someone else when he needed her the most. Maybe she couldn't handle the pressure of his fame and the allegations against him, maybe it was the rehab that had frightened her. Maybe Tommy had appeared to be her protector while he was the drug addict threatening to tear her down. He just wished she had given him the chance to prove himself to her before she walked away.

So much had changed and yet, one thing had stayed the same: he was alone. It was hard for him to imagine that if things had gone right, he would've still been on tour with a wife and a three month old son.

His mind wandered to Mariah's last call. She had proclaimed that he would regret not taking her call, which was more confusing than her sudden marriage to Tommy. 

What did she have to tell me?

He had searched his mind for possibilities, but nothing came to mind. Any explanation she had for running off and getting married was irrelevant to him.

The phone ringing shocked him out of his thoughts. "Hello?"

"Hey, Mike"

Jermaine...

"What's up?" 

"Did you get my letter about the show?"

Michael rolled his eyes. Jermaine was putting together a show called the Jackson Family Honors and he wanted Michael to come to help with the ratings.

"Yes, Jermaine I got the letter. I'll come, but only for Mother." He said.

"Alright, good. It'll be good for everybody to be there for Mother. See you next month."

"Bye"

He shook his head as he hung up the phone. His brothers were always there when he was down to convince him to go along with their schemes and their mother was often right next to them cosigning so she could see her boys together. Michael figured he owed her that at least.

January 6th, 1994

"I made the appointment and you're going!"

Mariah folded her arms. "You can't make me! Now let me call Michael so I-"

"You're never speaking to him again if I have anything to say about." Tommy snapped.

"You're not my father. You can't tell me what to do!" She got up from the dinner table and started towards the bedroom.

She felt a hand pulling her back and turned to see Tommy's furious face. "I made you! You're going to do what I tell you to."

She snatched her arm away. "Just let me have my baby and we'll give the baby to Michael and he can say he had it with a surrogate or whatever. Don't make me do this."

"You're going to do what I tell you to do. This is going to ruin your career, you don't have time to be pregnant." Tommy barked. "Tomorrow you're going and that's the last we're speaking of this."

"You're going to have to kill me first." Mariah shot back.

After losing Prince, she refused to part with the baby she carried in her womb. The baby was her and Michael, she couldn't live with herself if she aborted their baby.

Tommy grabbed her by the arm and threw her on the ground, causing her to land hardly on to the hard wood floor. "Either you go or I'll beat that baby out of you. Now you make your decision."

Mariah scurried to the corner and stared up at Tommy trying to find the man that had befriended her and supported her through her relationship with Michael. Instead, she saw a cold man and it made her shiver,  wondering if she'd ever be happy again.

"I-I...you win."