Athena Tyler and Michael Jackson are married to people they don't belong with. The history between Michael and Athena isn't complicated; they met on We Are The World, sparks flew, but they never stayed in contact.
When their respective spouses sugg...
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"Well.....I totally would take your name, and I do want to," Athena said, "But we have to ask your parents, and your brothers and sisters first. I don't want to make anyone angry."
Michael's smile softened at her words, appreciating her consideration for his family's feelings. He reached for Athena's hand and brought it to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles. "I love that you want to respect my family like that," he murmured, his eyes filled with adoration as he gazed at her, "But don't worry about them. They adore you, Athena. They'll be thrilled to have you officially join the Jackson family," he assured her with a warm smile.
"Well, we still have to ask them!" Athena insisted, "I don't need your family being mad at me."
After reviewing all the terms and conditions, Mr. Roberts handed them a document to sign. Michael picked up the pen first and signed his name boldly before passing it to Athena.
Athena took the pen from him and signed her name, hesitating when it came to her last name as she caught herself almost signing 'Jackson' instead of 'Tyler'.
Mr. Roberts caught the slip up and smiled, "Athena, you can sign Jackson if you want," he said, "Your last name is Tyler-Jackson, so it technically still applies. You could sign Jackson and it would still be valid. It's going to take a few weeks to make your new debit and credit cards, so if you plan on changing it to just Jackson at some point before then, then I would just sign Jackson now so you don't have to come back in and resign everything."
Athena hesitated, feeling the weight of the decision ahead of her. She looked over at Michael, searching his eyes for reassurance and finding nothing but unwavering support. With a deep breath, she met Mr. Roberts' gaze and nodded.
"Okay," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. With a sense of conviction settling in her heart, Athena took a deep breath and signed her name as Athena Jackson.
The pen glided smoothly across the paper, leaving behind a trail that marked a new chapter in her life. As she finished signing, a sense of liberation washed over her.
She handed the clipboard back to Mr. Roberts and grabbed her husband's hand again, "I love you, Mikey," she whispered in his ear.
He brought her hand to his lips, planting a gentle kiss on her knuckles, "I love you too, Athena Jackson," he murmured with a smile that spoke volumes of his happiness.
About an hour later, Michael was on the phone with his mother, "Hey, mother. Can we get the family together around.....say 3:00 PM today at Neverland? Athena and I have something to ask you all."
Katherine's voice was warm on the other end of the line, "Of course, Michael. We'll be there. Is everything alright?" she inquired, concern evident in her tone, "Is Athena okay?"
Michael smiled as he looked over at Athena, who was sitting across from him, her eyes reflecting a mix of nervousness and excitement.
"Everything is more than alright, Mother. It's actually wonderful news that we can't wait to share with all of you," he replied cryptically.
