i can't help it (mj fanfiction)

Chapter 46: Memories

THANK YOU FOR 1000 READS!!!
This chapter is short but a long one is coming up. It made more sense to split it up this way so bare with me!!

June 1992

Penny-

"How are your parents?" Michael asked as I played with the cord of the phone.

"They're good. My mom was so happy to see me again. It's been a long time." I sucked in air through my teeth. "So the first concert is tomorrow?" Michaels Dangerous tour starts tomorrow and he's in Europe for rehearsals.

"Yup. And you're joining me on the 17th?" He asked hopefully.

"Yep! July 17th I will meet you at your hotel. I miss you." I had decided to stay at my parents home in LA before going on the tour with Michael for I had some shoots and wanted to see my parents.

"I miss you too."

"Have you been hanging out with the crew?" I took a sip of water.

He hesitated "No I don't like to associate with them." He said quietly.

"Why not?"

"They just don't get me. And... I don't know."

"That's okay. Not a lot of people understand you."

"Yeah I know." He seemed a bit defeated.

"Well I will let you get some sleep. Say hi to the fans for me."

"Of course." He sounded disappointed, I felt awful I couldn't be there for his first concert.

July 10
Hayvenhurst

"You don't have to help me Penny." Katherine quietly said while I dried the dishes.

"No it's okay. I've been bored and I wanted to catch up with you too." I towered over her small body, a pleasant smile on her face as she scrubbed the plates. "But don't you have a dishwasher?" I giggled.

"Oh yeah, but I get bored too!" She pokes my waist. "Oh there goes TJ with the llama again." She shuffles our the door to yell at TJ who's Tito's youngest son. "I told you TJ! Not by the pool!" She yelled while TJ ran with the llama towards the pool.

I couldn't help but remember the time Michael and I took the llamas on a walk around the neighborhood and everybody's head were turning.

She shook her head and watched Taj and Taryll follow behind TJ. "One of these days," she huffed and scurried back towards the kitchen "I'm just gonna kick em out." I giggled. "No I couldn't do that. I'd get too lonely." She grabs one of the plates again.

"So it's still just as busy around here as when I was young?" I dried a fork.

"Oh yeah. That's never changed." She sighed. "They're always wanting to drown the llamas I tellin' ya!"

"Have you talked to any of the other members of the family? I've talked to Jan recently but I haven't spoken to the brothers in a long while."

"Of course. I talk to them as much as I can. They're my babies! And the next Jackson Family reunion is coming up too. Maybe you can help me cook?"

"That sounds great." I smile.

She turns to look up at me "You know I'm waiting for my next grandkids."

I blushed. "Well-"

"I told Mike that he's got to marry you one of these days but he said that he had to be completely prepared."

"I told him to surprise me." I tucked some hair behind my ear.

"Well you're definitely in for a surprise." She giggled softly "Okay I give up let's just use the dishwasher." She piled the bowls into the dishwasher as I wiped my hands on my overalls.

"I'm gonna talk to the boys." I walked out to the pool to find the boys pulling the llama into the pool. "Guys! What the hell?!"

"He likes to swim!" Taj explained.

"I- okay..." I sat on the chair next to the pool, Taryll reading a book in the other chair.

"How are you Penny?" He asked.

"I'm good I haven't seen you guys in such a long time!"

TJ approached us "We've been seeing a lot of you lately!"

"Oh really?" I pulled my hair back.

"All over the magazines." He said then took his shirt off and jumped in the pool. I smiled brightly for being here was just a big memory.

A big splash was heard as the llama was splashing around in the shallow end of the pool. Only at the Jacksons house...

Taj stared at Taryll, like they were communicating in another language. "Yup, I'll get it." Taryll stood up and walked out into the yard.

"So Penny... hows Uncle Michael?" TJ rested his head on the side of the pool.

"He's good. He's on tour now so I haven't seen him in a bit." I thought for a moment "You guys haven't been to Neverland in awhile."

"Oh Penny... sweet innocent Penny you really just don't get it." TJ cooned.

"Shut your damn mouth TJ." Taj interrupted.

"Oh whatever! Penny we are 3T we've got a lot going for us right now." TJ shrugged.

"Yeah okay, just call your Uncle when you want to use the golf carts." I got up and waltz out into the yard but was stopped by Taryll scurrying in with another llama. "I-"

"See ya later Penny!" He shut the gate.

I walked up the tall staircase to go to Michaels bedroom. I creaked open the door, and was surprised the his smell. The bed made with the same quilt we used to lay on while telling scary stories. I ran my fingers across his desk, the board hanging above it filled with drawings he created. I grabbed one of his vinyls he left here and played it.

The music filled the clean empty room as I sat at his desk. My fingers roaming through it until I found another drawing. It was on a small rectangle sheet of paper. "It's me..." I whispered. The graphite laid delicately on the white paper. It was of me by the pool. My body stretched out by the water, I was probably taking a nap. I laid the picture on the desk so I could show Michael later.

I giggled at a photo of Megan, me and Jake. I must've sent it to him when I first went to college. Jake had a red X drawn over his face, I smiled and tucked the picture back into its place in his desk.

I looked above his bed and saw a poster of me hanging there. I giggled a bit and laid on his bed. Eventually the sound of the music pulled me into a deep sleep.