Cherry's Dawn || Skipper and Monty

Cherry's Dawn || Chapter 5

Author's Note: Sorry for the time jump. I just couldn't avoid the concept. This chapter will also be written in Michael's point of view, but still involve Monty and Skipper. The entry takes place during Prince's "Graffiti Bridge" era as well. Enjoy!

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1990

MICHAEL

The elevator doors to Brenda's penthouse chimed open and I welcomed myself. My eyes squinted before in the middle dim lighting all around this space. Rick James and Teena Marie crooned from a stereo not too far away.

I looked over to see the kitchen table decorated with sophisticated clothes and dimmed but romantic candlelight. My footsteps crept delicately looking for her. Despite my fallout with Baby Girl at Trump's party, I still kept faith in my heart. There was no way I'd ever forget about this woman.

In one way or another, I gathered enough common sense not to call her name. I'd clearly stepped in something, but she was nowhere to be found. Yet, jealous side of my personality wouldn't gain enough strength to actually leave this household.

Music hushed more and more as I inched closer and closer to her bedroom. My careful hand jiggled the handle softly the moment before I heard a noise from inside. My eyes narrowed and I pressed my lips together fighting every urge to barge in, despite my boiling suspicion

Brenda voice trembled from inside. Right then, I felt like nothing. Someone else made love to my baby. Tears spilled almost instantly. I never even backed away from this door. The truth of unfaithfulness rushed into my heart and soul. No matter what, I deserved this torture. Like a voice in my mind, she moaned louder and louder for a man I probably never even met before. My face turned red from even more tears than expected now.

No, no, no. Baby, no. Make love to me, not him. I'm sorry. my thoughts repeated over and over again.

__

I'd sobbed on her couch for too long when the bedroom door finally opened. Across the backway, I looked over to see Brenda standing in a silk robe. Brenda's lips met those of a man I unexpectedly recognized. My heart stopped, but my footsteps never rushed in his direction as I wheezed desperately through my nose.

There they kissed right before my eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He tangled short curls that belonged to me. He backed her up hard against the wall and moaned into her mouth as they kissed without shame.

In that moment, I'd had enough.

"Prince!" Within seconds, they both jumped at the sound of my voice across this room. Brenda rushed toward me while barefoot and I never even flinched.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Michael!" Brenda shouted at me, I folded my arms without another word.

"That's not important." I jumped up from the couch. "What is he doing here? I thought you weren't speaking to him anymore, girl. How could you do this to me?"

"It's over between us. I can see whoever I want. Stop hounding me." With every word that spewed from her, Brenda's curls shook.

"But him? Why?!" I yelled while tears came right back.

"My life is none of your business anymore, Michael. I told you!" Brenda continued. My eyes narrowed once when Prince stood right back behind my girl in total silence.

"Candlelight dinner? Romantic music? I know what's going on, Brenda!" I yelled back.

"Wow!" Brenda rolled her eyes with sarcasm. "You're smarter than I thought, bastard."

"Are you in love with him?" I questioned and folded my arms again.

"That's none of your business." Prince finally spoke up.

"Was I talking to you?" I hissed at the midget without heels. "I know her inside and out. Can you even say that?"

"Yes." Prince answered shocking me. Not once did Brenda even move or blink while she chewed her bottom lip. "I was the first person she called when her nephew came into the world. No one else bothered to check on her cause that Soul Train nonsense blinded everybody!"

Anthony. My thoughts actually gasped.

My heart sank.

"You claimed to be her friend at the time, but you of all people never bothered to call when she considered giving up her dream for some office job bullshit!" Prince continued shouting at me, but I'd turned completely numb. "How would you feel if Janet got pregnant straight of high school?"

"How old are you Brenda?" I asked suddenly while drained. My eyes narrowed yet again in confusion.

"Thirty-five. I'm actually three years older than both of you. Jazmine is thirty-three now." Brenda just shook her hand over and over again.

Dead silence had fallen with all three of us in the room. I knew that Jazmine was a single mother, but never even considering how draining this all must've been for her big sister of all people. Despite Joseph's problems with the family, I couldn't even imagine how life would be if mother raised nine children alone.

"Did you raise your little sister?" I asked Brenda concerned.

"I actually considered moving her out to California with me after Anthony was born, but my father wasn't having any of it. After Jazmine's pregnancy, he thought I was irrational for leaving New Jersey in the first place. To dad, I should've stayed home and helped out." 

Damn. I thought.

Nothing else could suffice after that.