Another Part Of Me: Tales From A Childhood Lover

1. Growing Pains

August 25th, 1961  

2300 Jackson StreetGary, Indiana2:00 p.m.End of Summer

Michelle's Point of View:

"Hold my hand, Michelle." My mommy's sweet voice rings in my little eardrums as I follow her instructions. There were these beautiful red balloons outside this little white house, surrounded by grass. There were boys and girls playing in the yard and music being played.

"Hey Joe, my man..." My father's deep rough voice greets this other man as they high five and hug.

"Paul what's shaking my brother, Good to see you and the family. Hey Marian and this must be little Michelle." This man whose voice was deeper than my Daddy's says to me as he kneels down. I hide behind my mother's dress nervous to meet such a tall man.

"Hey Joseph, she's just a little shy ladybug you don't have to be shy this is Uncle Joe okay." My daddy says to me.

"Is that my girl Mari I hear?" I hear a sweeter tone of voice and I pull my head from behind my mother's dress to see this beautiful chocolate brown woman. She was holding the hand of a little boy who was dressed up in white shirt and shorts.

"Hey Katie, it's so good to see you again." My mother hugs this woman but she thankfully she doesn't let go my hand.

"Aw and this is little Michelle, hi sweetheart this is my son Michael." She shows me the little boy hand she was holding. He was hiding behind her like I was hiding behind my mom.

"Come on you two go play together, you know you both use to take baths together." My mom says as she smiles.

"Yeah, that was before you guys left back for Alabama a year ago." This woman I learn to be call Katie says.

"Katherine please don't start, you know I had to go back and help my mama." My mother says.

"Yeah, and now, I hear the old coot is living with y'all in that tiny house? How do you do it Paul?" The man's name Joe says.

"Lots of whiskey and my guitar, you remember how we were back with Luther man. Speaking of which..." My father walks off with this man as they laugh and talk.

"Oh, this present is for Michael, go on Michelle give Michael his present." My mother urged me as she handed me the box, I helped her wrapped. I place the box at his feet and dash back by my mom.

"Oh, how cute what do we say Michael?" That Katie woman says.

"Tank you..." He says softly and I poke my head out at the same time as he does. I smile as he is silly at peekaboo.

"Seems like they are warming up to each other. So where are the other children?" My mother asked as she leads me and her towards the yard back out of the front door. She was following Katie who was also holding her son Michael hand.

Soon I see a few balloons tied to the fence. My favorite color yellow was floating next to a red one. I walked towards the yellow balloon and reach out to grab it, the white string wrap around my hand and soon the bright yellow balloon was in my grasp. 

"I like the color red." I turn to see Michael standing next to me. 

"I like yellow." I say smiling at the beautiful balloon in my hand. Michael has the red on in his hand and before long he hits me on the head with it.

"Tag you're it!" He says running off faster than anyone I have ever seen run before. 

"Hey!" I yell out as I chase behind him getting close but never close enough as we ran all around the yard until it was time to eat. Later on, that night after we left Michael's birthday party, on the shoulders of my daddy we walked home. 

"Did you have fun playing with the Jackson kids baby girl?" My father asked as the sugar running through me made me tired. I smiled with thoughts of chasing Michael and Marlon in the yard. Latoya looks so pretty with her long flowy hair, and she is the coolest. 

"Yes daddy." I say yawning as I noticed Nana sitting on the porch of our house. 

"Hey mama." My mother's voice drifts a few feet away from us as she went to look in on Nana. 

"Hey baby, I see my sugar foot done wore herself out huh?" I hear my grandma says and I nod my head. 

"I am going to put Michelle down for bed, Mama do you need anything from the general mart in town? Paul is going into town with Joseph in a few." My mother says as she reaches out for me and in her arms, I felt so safe. 

Snuggled up against her chest I tried hard not to drift off to sleep, however it was impossible as I listened to my Nana and my daddy disagree with something adults disagree about like my mama says they do often. I had dreams about Michael and I running around a field with two balloons in our hands, one red and one yellow. We were laughing and running around underneath the best sunny day just like today. 

-A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this first chapter, it's shorter as I have a harder time writing from a three-year old's point of view but stay tune as we explore more of Michelle and Michael's life and how these two's relationship changes as the years goes on. 

Stay tuned Misfitgang Xoxo, 

Scorpionmisfit27