let me love you ~ michael jackson & ariana grande

mortified and distraught

November 19th, 2002

Ariana

"Why are we here again?" Dede questions as we settle into our suite.

"Your dad has an award ceremony to go to." I say.

"And this ones real this time, right?" Her face looks weary and I know she's concerned for her father.

The memory of the night MTV made a mockery of Michael dances around in my mind, I shake it off with an eye roll.

"Yes, Dede. This ones real this time."

The sound of the balcony door open clicks and I look over at Michael bringing Prince out with a mask on.

"What are you doing?"

"Just showing the fans Prince." Michael picks him up into his arms. "Be careful." I shout out.

I hear the booming screams of the fans outside which lets me know that they're all freaking out over the sight of Prince. Michael brings Prince back in the room who sits himself down beside his sisters.

"You guys hungry?" I ask Dede, Paris and now Prince who are all sat on the bed.

"I'm starving." The 13 year old girl states. "Me too." Paris's small voice adds. "Me three." Prince smiles.

"Okay, I'll order some room service." I search the drawers for a hotel directory book and eventually find one. I skim through the pages until I find the room service number, pushing in a few buttons and waiting for the voice of a worker to start speaking.

Someone eventually answers and I tell them the different foods I'd like, before I know it, I hear screams of horror which snaps my attention to the balcony.

I see Michael, who's clearly relishing in the attention he's receiving and Blanket in his arms with a sheet over his head, swung over the balcony. The phone slips out of my hand but I don't pay any mind to it.

My eyes almost pop out of their sockets but it all happens so fast. Michael steps back inside and it's like mom mode took over me.

I grab Blanket from his arms and Michael looks too high on fame to even realize my flustered self. He has the sheet that was once thrown over Blanket and goes back outside, tossing it over the balcony.

He comes inside, shutting the door for good. The rest of the kids watch in anxiousness.

Michael tries nearing me but I stand back. "What the hell, Michael?"

He doesn't seem to have gotten that I'm upset at him so he just playfully laughs. "What?"

"Let's go out in the hall, I don't want to fight in front of the children."

Michael obliges so we step out into the hall.

"Dangling Blanket over the balcony, Michael? Really?" I'm not even in a state of anger, more so shock.

"Oh, Ariana. He's fine." Michael gestures to the quiet baby in my arms.

"That doesn't matter, Michael! You could have dropped him."

"But I didn't." He reasons.

"But you could have!" I'm usually always able to defend Michael and understand where he's coming from but with this...there's really no excuse.

"Do you really think I'd put him in danger...or any of our children for that matter?"

My lips part slightly but I'm not quite done processing my answer. If Michael asked me that 10 years ago, I'd say no in a heartbeat but I don't know anymore.