Remember the Time

Chapter 29

May 8th, 1997

Diana flounced away, leaving Mariah dumbfounded. Mariah couldn't believe what Diana said to her or what she meant by any of it. She also didn't know what having kids had to do with anything at all.

She must be drunk, gotta be drunk.

She felt fingers lightly trickle down the small of her back.

"What did you ladies talk about?" Michael asked.

With a distracted look on her face, she shrugged. "Just some girl talk."

"About what?" He asked, glancing back in Diana's direction.

Mariah looked him up and down. "You."

She turned and walked over to her mother. "Mom?"

Her mother turned away from Smokey Robinson and grinned. "Yes, dear?"

Mariah suddenly faltered, wondering if she should tell her mother about what Diana said or if she should keep it to herself.

"Um, I was just trying to tell you we're about to leave."

Pat nodded. "Okay, I'll be ready."

Mariah turned around and saw Michael staring at Diana. She rolled her eyes, picked up a mysterious half-empty glass of champagne and downed it before slamming the glass on a nearby waiter's tray.

May 8th, 1997

As she sat in her hotel room, turning the events of the night in her mind, Katherine grew desperate for any contact with her superstar son. Michael had successfully avoided his mother the entire night--and it didn't go unnoticed. Earlier that night, Katherine sat at her table silently begging her son to come speak with her, but he didn't. Instead, he flaunted around his 'other mother' like she was the one who suffered through Joseph's wrath anytime Michael would act out. The mere fact that Pat had the audacity to introduce herself as "Michael's mother" showed Katherine just how much influence Mariah had over Michael. It's not even like this was even the first time Katherine lost her son to another woman, but it would certainly be the last if she had anything to do with it.

Soon, Katherine found herself dialing Michael's cellphone number, hoping he would answer.

She heard a click and opened her mouth to speak until an operator told her to either hang up and try again or leave a message.

"Michael," She began, allowing her voice to quiver. "It's your mother speaking. You need to call me. I don't understand why you're doing this. All I want is the best for you and I just really need you to call me so we can talk. Please Michael."

Katherine hung up the phone, shaking her head. Mariah had to go.

May 10th, 1997

Mariah was walking down a long, unknown, sidewalk. It certainly wasn't in New York and it didn't feel like Southern California. She looked up and noticed a street sign: Jackson St.

She walked into a tiny, white house. Inside the house, there was nothing but a small chair, about the size of an elementary school desk chair, in the middle of the living room floor. The paint in the house was a cream color that had slowly chipped over the years.

When she stepped in the house, the door slammed behind her and she heard a child screaming from the bedroom. As she ran towards the scream, her heart hammered in her chest. Soon everything was a bright white.

That's when she saw Michael.

He couldn't have been much older than nine years old, cowering in fear from a much older woman. She couldn't see the woman's face, but the fear on Michael's face broke her heart.