Cherry Pie

I've Had Enough

Janet's POV

May 15th, 1985

It's the day before my birthday and I haven't made plans for anything special. Growing up, we never got the chance to celebrate birthdays or any holidays. The Jehovah religion didn't believe in things such as that. I wish it was something I had a chance to do. People I met at school would tell me about the birthday parties they threw when they were growing up. I even got invited to one of my friend's parties, but of course, I couldn't go.

Since Prince told me I need to go to Minneapolis, I haven't prepared to talk with Joe and my mother yet. I'm nervous to ask, and I know what he is gonna say when I ask him.

I walk out of my room and head to the kitchen to get a small snack to eat. I grabbed an apple and took a bite of it as I left the kitchen. I walked into the living room where Latoya was watching MTV.

"Who's playing now?"

"Wham! - Everything She Wants," she says, bobbing her head.

"Oh," I sat down next to her as I'm eating my apple. It looks like the song is almost over.

"George Michael is the cutest and very talented in the group. Look at him," she gushes over.

I shrug my shoulders, "He's okay. I like listening to their music. Interestingly, they're a British group and they became this big in the US."

"Yeah, I know," she smiles.

My mother walks into the room with Joe, "What are you guys watching?" She asks.

"Oh, just some videos that's being shown on MTV now," Latoya says as MTV plays my brother Billie Jean's music video.

She takes a seat between me and Latoya as she smiles watching the tv. Mother is very proud of the success my brother got on his own. I hope she will have the same feeling when I come out with a breaking album that may top my brother's thoughts.

"Listening to this song makes me reminisce when he was performing this on stage," she smiles as she nods to the music.

"Has anyone seen Michael around?"

"I think he went out to the studio with Quincy. I believe he is working on his next album," she answers to Latoya.

"Yeah. I want to get the boys together again and do another album and show," Joe says.

"I think Michael is ready to do his own thing. Ya know," Mother responds to Joe's comment.

I blocked out my Mother and Joe's conversation after that. I know Mike didn't want to tour with our brothers anymore, and I understand after hitting so much success on his way out. He really should be on a Thriller tour. Now that is something that can be bigger than Victory Tour, and I only mean this from a business standpoint. But whatever he has in store, I will still support him regardless.

After Billie Jean goes off, MTV cuts to the announcement of the World Premiere.

"Now, here is the World Premiere of Prince's new video of his latest single, Raspberry Beret!" Uh oh.

My heart started beating quickly. I didn't get a chance to tell my parents that I'm in Prince's video either. Fidgeting with the core of the apple in my hand, I was praying and hoping they wouldn't see my face there. I wasn't listening to anything my father was saying about Prince. I am too worried about my face being shown in the video. Then it happened. Not only it showed once, but it showed about just 4 more times in the video.

My cheeks were turning red as I felt like I was closed in a corner. Mother and Joe looked at me confused. Well, Joe was not looking too happy about what he just saw on tv. Latoya sitting on the other side looking a little innocent and nervous about what's about to happen.