Remember the Time

Chapter 32

June 29th, 1997 (June 30th, 1997 - Vienna)

Mariah was panicking again. It had been a little over a day since she last heard from Michael, which was unlike him. She had called Michael, Kenny Ortega, and now Bill trying to track him down.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Bill answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Bill, where's Michael?"

Bill hesitated. "He fainted in rehearsals today. I'm at the hospital with him now."

Mariah felt her stomach turn. She felt like it was her fault, if she hadn't started an argument with him the other night he wouldn't have worked himself so hard.

She gagged.

"Bill, can you hold on?"

She sat the phone down and ran into the bathroom, retching into the toilet. She stood up, wiped her mouth, went back into the bedroom, and picked up the phone.

"Bill?"

"Yeah, everything alright?"

"How is he?" Mariah asked frantically.

"He's stable and everything. He just sleeping right now." Bill explained.

"I'm flying out there. If something else happens to him-"

"Mariah," Bill interjected. "I'm keeping an eye on him. You don't need to fly out."

"Bill, I just need to see him."

"He's fine, Mariah. Don't worry yourself about him. I'll have him call you when he wakes up. Okay?"

She sighed. "Okay."

June 30th, 1997 (June 30th, 1997 - Vienna)

Michael was still feeling weak when he woke up, but after an hour, he was released from the hospital and went back to his hotel room.

Bill told him that Mariah had called earlier that day, upset because she hadn't heard from him.

How ironic.

He decided to make her wait for awhile before he got bored and called the condo. She answered on the first ring.

"Michael?" She said into the phone nervously.

"Hey." He mumbled.

"Are you okay? Bill told me-"

"I'm fine."

Mariah was quiet for a moment. "Well I'm glad to hear from you. I was so worried."

"I heard." He said flatly.

"What happened? Where are you?"

"I'm in Vienna. I was just tired so I passed out, all I needed was some sleep." He explained.

Part of him wanted Mariah to feel guilty for snapping at him the other night. He felt like asking her to sing to him was a reasonable request.

Even if she was tired she could've just said that instead of yelling at me.

"Do you want me to come out there and see you?" She asked.

"Not really." Michael said. "I'm gonna try to go back to sleep after the nurse checks my vitals."

"Oh...well good night sweetheart. I love you."

"Mhm."

June 30th, 1997 (July 1st, 1997 - Vienna)

Michael and Mariah had been on the phone for a few minutes, awkwardly filling the silence. He was recently discharged from a hospital in Vienna, where he'd been after collapsing on stage during rehearsal.