Remember the Time

Chapter 30

May 31st, 1997

Mariah was sitting at the kitchen table with her planner and a cup of ginger ale, cloaked in one of Michael's red button downs. He left a fews days ago, and Mariah called him almost constantly. She wished he could've stayed home so she could keep an eye on him, but there was no way to get him out of his tour.

She picked up her phone to call her assistant. "Mary?"

"Hi Mariah. What do you need?"

"I need you to book me a flight to New York."

Mariah noticed her mother come in the house out of the corner of her eye.

"Okay. Anything else you need?"

Mariah shook her head as if Mary could see her. "No. Thanks."

She hung up the phone as her mother took a seat next to her with a bowl of cereal.

"Somebody misses her husband." Pat said, pulling at the shirt sleeve.

Mariah smirked. "I do. Hopefully he's alright."

"Why wouldn't he be?" Pat asked, munching on her cereal.

Mariah shrugged. "I guess I meant to say I wonder if he misses me as much as I miss him."

"I'm sure he does." Pat paused. "So, I overheard you saying you're going to New York?"

Mariah nodded. "Yeah, my manager called me and told me I need to finish up with recording."

"When you're finish up with work do you think you could fly me to New York?"

"Sure, I can do that."

May 31st, 1997

Earlier that week Mariah made plans with Janet to go out for lunch, and even though she was feeling a little queasy, she maintained her resolve to go and see her big sister.

As Mariah and Wayne pulled up to Janet's new Malibu home, Janet, wearing a revealing black tank top and loose black cargo pants, ran out of the house to greet her.

"Hey girl!" Janet yelled as Wayne helped Mariah out of the car.

Mariah smiled and hugged Janet. "Hey."

The two made small talk as Janet took Mariah's hand and escorted her inside the house where they toured the place.

"So what do you think?" Janet asked as they finished up their tour.

"Jan it's amazing." Mariah replied, wonderment filling her eyes. "It screams 'Queen of Pop', okay!"

Janet laughed heartily and jokingly curtsied. "Why thank you."

"So how does Rene feel about this?" Mariah asked.

Janet rolled her eyes. "Girl I don't know and I don't care."

Mariah placed her hand over her mouth. "Oop!"

"Do you know he had the nerve to call me the other night asking me where I was? 'Where are you? What are you doing?' he says to me. What does that matter to you?" Janet explained.

Mariah's eyes grew wide in shock. Lately, she was so caught up in her own marriage she hadn't had a chance to speak with Janet about her issues.

"Girl what? What does he care, it's not like he comes home anyway."

"I know! And I told him months ago, I don't see myself doing this much longer. I can't keep putting my heart on the line for someone who just wants to play with it. I'm not a damn chew toy for his bitch ass." Janet spat.