You Ain't Bad || Michael Jackson

Chapter 84: Neverland?

"What do you think you're playing at, Dex, eh?!" Michael asks angrily. "You're eleven years old, and you're goin' round kissin' girls at your age? I expected way more outta you, Dex!"

"Dad! I'm sorry! I don't know what else to say! I.. we literally.. that was our first kiss, I swear! And now, I think it's gonna be our only kiss! Dad.. please believe me."

"Dexter, you don't quite realise how bad this is! You haven't even hit puberty, and you.. I can't even.. why?!"

"Dad, chances are she won't want me any more now anyway! The look on your face must have terrified her when you walked in here!"

"Michael," I say. "Maybe go a little easier on him.. I know what he did was wrong, but.. just stay calm."

"How can I be calm with this? Our eleven year old son is going round kissing girls, and you're fine with this?"

"I'm not fine with it, but it's just innocent young love, sweetheart. A simple kiss is fine, anything more, I would understand. Just leave it at that, Michael. Please?" I beg.

Michael looks at me, unsure on what to say. After a few moments of silence, he looks back at Dexter, and points a finger in his direction.

"Listen here, Dex. You're not to go near that girl for at least a month, unless you're in class together. You hear me?" he says.

Dex nods slowly and nervously.

"Yes dad.. and, I'm sorry."

Michael turns to me, and comes closer to me.

"Thought it'd be harder to sway him than that," he whispers in my ear.

I chuckle a little, and pat his shoulder.

"Let him off this time, Michael."

"Alright, but if it happens again--"

"Tell him that, not me, Mike."

"Dex," he turns back around to face Dexter. "I'll let you off this once, but if it happens again I swear it'll be worse next time for you."

"Thank you, dad!"

Dex runs to dad and hugs him. Michael hugs back, a little unsure on how to react.

"Thank you, Michael," I whisper, and Michael smiles faintly.

Dexter runs from his own room, and me, Michael and Electra leave, too. The front door slams.

"Mom, dad, I'm home!" Ryder calls, and as we walk downstairs, I see Ryder sling his bag over onto the banister of the stairs.

"Where you been, Ryder?" Electra asks.

"Just out with my mates," he replies. Electra nods, and looks over at me and Michael.

"Mom, dad, can we watch Peter Pan now?" she asks.

"Yeah, why not? We can all watch it, as a family," I reply.

"Yeah, Peter Pan's my favourite," Michael smiles.

"Dex! We're watching Peter Pan!" Electra shouts. Dexter comes running.

"Peter Pan? Awesome!" he grins, and we all walk into the living room.

Dexter and Electra literally jump on to the sofa, Ryder sits on the arm of the sofa, and me and Michael sit down normally.

I press play on the TV remote, and Peter Pan starts. We all love this film, even Ryder, who's meant to be all "cool" and all that.

Ryder really does look like Michael, totally. His eyes, his smile, and his black jheri curls, which make him stand out a lot in his class. Every other boy has spiked hair, or slicked back hair. Not our Ryder. He has his father's black jheri curls, from when I first met Michael back in college. He's nearly 16, too. He's grown up so fast.