Remember the Time

Chapter 3

July 20th, 1996

Michael pulled the covers closer around him, feeling a draft before he realized he was in bed alone. He cracked open his eyes and started looking around for Mariah. He figured she may have gotten up to use the bathroom until he noticed that the bathroom door was still open and the light was off. 

The bedroom door was open so he got up and went downstairs. He rustling in the kitchen so he followed the noise and found Mariah rummaging through the cabinets.

"Caught ya!" He said, flipping the lights on.

Mariah, startled, jumped back and dropped her wine glass, causing it to shatter and spill on the floor. "I'm sorry, I'll clean it up."

He shook his head, grabbing some paper towels and putting them on the floor while Mariah was standing, frozen to the spot.

"Mimi?"

She let out a sigh. "I'm sorry Mike, seriously you can go back to bed. I'll clean it up."

He shook his head, getting the broom. "I'm wide awake now. Go  upstairs, babe."

She nodded, wide eyed. "Okay, I will."

He swept up the glass and threw it in the trash before heading back up to the bedroom. Mariah was sitting straight up when he returned to the room, as if she were expecting to him to do something to her. It pained him to realize that she was afraid of him.

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?"

She didn't answer, though her eyes began to shine with tears. It was more than her words could ever say to him.

"Am I scary to you baby?" He asked quietly.

Mariah shook her head. "I'm not scared of you."

He groaned. "Mariah, don't lie to me. I can see it in your eyes, you are scared of me. I just need to know why."

"I..." She rubbed her arms, visibly nervous under his own smoldering gaze. "Michael, it's not you. It's not."

"Then what is it?" He inquired.

She looked down, clearly unwilling to answer. "It's...I don't know."

He slowly approached the bed and when he lifted up the blanket, she flinched. "Answer this for me, Mimi: why were you up at three in the morning getting wine anyway?"

"I'm an adult, Michael." She shot back. "If I wanted a glass of wine, I can have a glass of wine. Why you'd come barging in the kitchen?"

"I was looking for you." He explained, shrugging. It was too early for them to be arguing and he just didn't feel like dealing with an argument. Between the recording for his latest album, prepping for a tour, and a wedding on his mind, he just didn't have time to be worried about Mariah being angry at him for pointing out the truth. Her drinking was becoming a problem.

She shrugged. "No one asked you to."

"You're making it about the glass being broken. I'm worried about your drinking problem." He said.

She glared at him. "I don't have a problem. I am completely functional."

"There are functional addicts." He pointed out. "You don't have to be somewhere bent over a bar to be an alcoholic, or in your case I guess I could call you a wino."

She reached over towards his face, but he was faster. "You are not about to hit me because I'm right."

Mariah froze and he noticed she was shaking. She snatched her arm away and walked out of the bedroom.