I See Your Soul [An Original Michael Jackson Love Story] ✔

Chapter 35: The Hawk

Friday, December 21, 1979

Jackson family meetings were a ritual in the home when the kids were young. They'd discuss school, and business, and chores. Now as everyone was older with families of their own, the meetings were scheduled only as needed. Still to discuss business, but also now used to get everyone together and clear whatever animosity was lingering. Jermaine once called a meeting after his wife apparently overheard LaToya and Katherine making jokes about her poor cooking skills. The rest of the family was there, not just as a sounding board, but also the jury. In this case, Katherine and LaToya were deemed guilty, and sentenced to dinner at Jermaine's home, where Hazel would cook and no one could complain.

With so many hands in the family business now, it was impossible to please everyone. But if Michael were being honest with himself, he knew, it was just a matter of time before someone took issue with him. Today Joseph would be making an example out of him.

Michael laid in bed until the very last moment, mentally preparing for his upcoming defense. Normally, he would call Nicole, she would make him laugh to ease his mind. But that wasn't an option now. He tried calling a dozen times over the past two days, but was always grateful she never answered. He had no idea what to say. He wanted things to be normal between them again, but they'd never fought like this before. They'd never been cruel to each other in this way. Yelling like animals. He knew they were better than that. Being away from her made him sad, but he feared that being with her would only make him angry all over again. Everything was so perfect before, why did she have to go run her mouth and ruin it!? If she could talk so freely after one drink, how could he trust she wouldn't go sell their story to the press?

Michael rolled to his side, then closed his eyes. He could see her there, clear as day, wearing his oversized sweater. Nicole's eyes were still closed as she struggled to wake up. It was the morning after their first argument, just moments before he confessed his love for her. He remembered the patience he had with her that night after she was being unkind for reasons he hadn't yet been told. He remembered pacing the grass endlessly while Nicole was sleeping until he realized he would do anything to make her happy. Anything to see her smile and make her bitterness sweet again. In Michael's mind, that's what it meant to be in love. They moved on from that, stronger than ever. Now, he wondered if it was possible to recover from this.

Randy: Hey, Mike! You up!? Let's go!

Shit. 

He jumped at the sounds of Randy's knocking and with a deep breath and straight back, he opened the door. Together they walked wordlessly down the hall to the living room where everyone had already gathered. Michael didn't look up. He'd been a hermit in his room since his fight with Nicole. And though no one acknowledged it with him directly, outside his conversation with Janet, it was no secret what this meeting was really about.

Joseph stood at the back wall, seething as he watched his son slump into an armchair. It was obvious that Michael had been avoiding him since he missed those Thanksgiving shows, but Joseph tried being understanding. Even a workhorse like him would agree that if the boy was sick, it's better to cancel the whole thing than perform a shit show.