FOR ALL TIME & ETERNITY

4. The Bright Idea

Jasmine and Michael were tired of going back and forth with each other but they said they had to do things differently this time.  They went back in the house and cuddled in bed while listening to love songs and talked.

"We have to take things slow this time," she said playing with his hand as she rest her head on his chest.

"How slow?"

She hit his stomach and he laughed.  "I'm being serious."

"Let's just maybe not tell anyone this time.  Keep it to ourselves until we know we're really ready for the world again."

"That's what I tried to tell you.  Once the world knows, we were gonna fall apart.  I knew it."

"Oh hush. You did not say that."

"Yes, I did."

Jasmine started thinking of Shawn and then she thought of Michael's new friend.  "So what about Tee?"

"She's just a friend.  She'll be happy for me."

"Are you sure?" she asked raising her eyebrows.

"Mh-mm."

"Is Tee Tatum?"

Michael laughed.  "Why would you think that??"

"Wow," she looked up at him.  "It really is."

"No, it's not Tatum."

"Yes, it is."

"Baby, it's not.  It doesn't matter though. Come here."  He guided Jasmine to his lips for a goodnight kiss.

They said they were going to take things slow but a better word for it was "quiet". Because after their goodnight kiss, the made sweet love until the break of dawn.

~*~

1999

Jasmine was officially a choreographer.  She was doing music videos and she even won an award for her work on Janet's Velvet Rope Tour.  She got an idea though while on the tour.  It was an idea she always had but she could never get it to happen.  But she thought maybe now since she was a choreographer, she could make it work. 

Michael's family all came over to his home one day.  It was February of 1999 and Janet's tour was finally over.  Jasmine was staying with Michael again in Neverland and their little secret seemed to be working.  They were very happy together and he and Debbie were getting divorced.  It would soon be finalized. Debbie knew why and she was happy for him.  

Michael's family knew about him and Jasmine too and couldn't be happier for them. Since moving back in with Michael, Jasmine even started treating Prince and Paris as her own. She couldn't be any happier with her life but this idea she was about to propose to Michael, Janet and his brothers could make her even happier. 

She had them all sit down in the living room as she stood in front of them. "Thank you all for coming here.  It's very abnormal nowadays to have all of you here at the same time."

"Yeah and I actually have things to do Jasmine so what is this about?" Jermaine said looking at his watch as his brothers giggled at him.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at him.  "Where the hell you got to rush to?"

"Business.  I have to take care of business."

"Okay, well this is a business meeting."

"My question is, where's Randy?" Marlon asked.

"She hates Randy," Tito said.

"I don't hate him.  But this isn't his concern.  He wouldn't be interested.  I actually invited him in here but he didn't want to come."