Encino-M.J

It's His Party

A new addition to the Jackson family was not all there was to celebrate at Hayvenhurst. When she glanced at the bedside calendar that morning, Althea felt like a bad wife when she had just realized there were a mere twenty-four hours left until her husband celebrated another year around the sun.

Michael's twenty-fifth birthday would be the first they'd celebrate as a married couple, and she wanted to make sure it was a birthday he'd remember.

The bathroom faucet ran steadily when she'd finally slipped out of bed, and she giggled to herself when she discovered Michael preening in front of the mirror attempting to shave the stubble Althea had been complaining about that had accumulated on his cheeks and chin.

"Good morning, honey," she cooed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Michael grinned when she kissed his neck, careful not to get shaving cream on her nose.

Althea sauntered over to her side of the double sink and wet her toothbrush under the faucet before speaking.

"So, someone's having a special day tomorrow,"

Her husband raised an eyebrow playfully as he wiped the excess cream away from his face.

"Hmm, I wonder who that could be?" Michael quipped.

Althea giggled as she squeezed toothpaste on her toothbrush.

"C'mon, Michael, you're not old enough to start dreading birthdays. Besides, it'll be our first as a married couple. Certainly, there must be something special you'd like to have or wanna do?"

She batted her eyelashes in that bewitching way and Michael smiled as he dipped his razor in water.

"Everything I could ever want is standing right here beside me," he replied, concentrating on the last bit of remaining stubble. "I don't need anything else,"

Althea smiled and stretched on her toes to kiss his clean-shaven cheek.

"You're so sweet but you're not getting off that easy. I'm buying you a gift,"

"But-"

She jammed the toothbrush in her mouth as she placed a silencing finger on his lips.

Michael knew her word was final.

After getting ready for the day, they joined the family for breakfast. When Michael and Althea had settled at the table, she couldn't help but notice that their typical breakfast of sausage, bacon, and eggs had been replaced with pancakes, fresh fruit, and hashbrowns and Hazel was sitting in her usual spot next to Jermaine.

"Katie, where is my meat?" Joseph asked, staring at his plate perplexed.

Kathrine smiled as she sipped her coffee.

"I didn't want to make Hazel sick with the smells, so I asked Opal to make something a little more austere," she replied.

Hazel gave her mother-in-law an appreciative, tight-light-lipped smile.

"Thank you, Ms. Katie. This fruit is amazing,"

Althea nodded in agreement.

"I think fruit's a nice change too," She smiled.

Kathrine smiled at her daughter-in-laws, happy that someone was taking her side.

"See, the ladies agree,"

Joseph rolled his eyes as he poked at a grape on his plate.

"I'm a man, Katie," he huffed. "Fruit can't do a damn thing for me,"

Jermaine sat down his cup of coffee.

"I agree with Joseph. Besides, I'll be glad when this morning sickness ends. She's keeping me up all night,"