𝕷і𝗍𝗍ᥣᥱ 𝕭ᥙ𝗍𝗍ᥱr𝖿ᥣᥡ

Chapter 4: 𝕴rrᥱs⍴᥆ᥒsіᑲᥣᥱ 𝕻ᥲrᥱᥒ𝗍

{Hayvenhurst}
Encino, California
June 10, 1979

Sunjai arrived back home from work. Today was pretty slow not much happened. She loved her job and she wouldn't trade it for anything. Her goal was to become a lawyer eventually but she couldn't deny the love of music she had. Once she reached her room she lay across the bed. This bed was so comfy it felt like she was on top of a marshmallow. When she was settling in she heard someone calling her.

"Sunjai the phone is for you!" Janet yelled from outside her door. She then made her way downstairs to the living room.

"Hello?" Sunjai answered.

"Sunjai it's been a while." The woman whom Sunjai didn't care to speak to.

"Did you need something, Maxine?" Sunjai's tone had an edge to it.

"Damn I can't get a how are you?"

"For what it's not like you call much."

"I'm a busy woman Sunjai." That's her excuse for anything that has to do with Sunjai.

Sunjai's voiceover: The relationship between my mother and me is nonexistent. She made a lot of selfish decisions. I longed for a relationship with her. Watching other girls with their mothers was hard for me. I was never a priority for her. It took me so long to grasp that. I knew when I had children I wasn't going to be like her. I wanted to be the exact opposite.

"Right, you're always busy." Sunjai hugged with an eye roll. "I see you managed to fit me into your schedule today. What do you want?"

"First of all, you can lose the attitude." Sunjai had to take a deep breath. She wanted to throw the phone but she wasn't going to do it. "Your father told me you've moved in with the Jacksons."

"Yeah, Dad's in New York for his new job. He didn't want me to leave school so I'm here."

"I'm surprised he allowed it because he hates music." Maxine huffed.

"Well, maybe he wouldn't dislike it if you didn't leave him for it."

"That smart mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble."

"Maxine I have something I have to do so can we hurry this up?"

"Oh so now you're too busy to talk to me?" Maxine scoffed.

"Like I said I have something to do."

"Be quiet and listen little girl." This child pisses her off sometimes. "Anyway, I think living with Jackson's is good for you."

"Why?" She asked suspiciously.

"Now you have the chance to explore your musical gifts."

"I'm in school to be a lawyer. Music is not a career Maxine."

"Who told you that? Your father?" Maxine questioned. "You think what I do is just a hobby?"

"I didn't say that."

"I don't think Michael would feel that way now would he?" That struck a nerve in Sunjai.

"This conversation doesn't have anything to do with him. I respect Michael and how hard he works."

"That's not what you said."

Michael came downstairs into the living room. He stopped immediately seeing the look on Sunjai's face. He knew that look all too well. She was talking to her mother.

"Goodbye Maxine" She placed the phone back on the hook. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"Hey, are you okay?" Michael asked with concern.

"I'm fine it was no one." She shrugged her shoulders.

"No one?" He gave her a look. "Sunshine you can't pull that on me. What happened?"

He saw right through her. "Maxine is being her usual self. Now she'll probably call back in a few months or maybe she won't. You know what I don't care."

"It's okay to be upset."

"Why should I be upset Michael? It's not like she cares about how I'm doing. All she does is call at her convenience. What does my dumbass do? I still pick up the phone hoping that maybe one day she would care." She ranted and noticed the look on Michael's face. This came from a place of pain.

"Sunjai" He started but she stopped.

"Michael I don't wanna get into it. She's not worth my breath." She crossed her arms. He knew how stubborn she could be at times. "If I don't have expectations then..I won't be disappointed." She said lowly.

"Hey," He held her hand. "You know you have me and my family. You can talk to my mother anytime you want."

"I appreciate that." She was so fortunate to have a friend like Michael. "You know what to say all the time."

"It's a gift" He chuckled pulling her into a quick hug. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"No, I'll be okay Mike. She didn't want anything anyway. It still bothers me from time to time."

"That's understandable Sunshine. You don't have to feel ashamed of being upset." The fact that she had to experience this broke Michael's heart. He could relate to her because he longed for a relationship with his father. Something that he knew would never be obtainable. He learned to accept it but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. "How about we do something fun? We can watch a movie." He suggested. "You can pick whatever one you like."

"I'd like that." Her smile came back.

"There's the smile I know." He smiled back at her. "Are you still coming to the studio with me?"

"Yeah I'm coming but I don't know why you need me there. And I already told you I'm not going to sing."

"I know you made that clear. Your voice is still beautiful though. I want to hear your thoughts on the music."

"I don't know that much about music." He shook his head at her response.

"You know a lot more than you think. It'll be fun to have my best friend with me. You can take your mind off things for a while."

"I don't want to intrude."

"You don't trust me." He took her over to the shelf of VHS tapes. "You pick the movie and I'll get started on the popcorn." He headed to the kitchen.

"Don't forget the butter!" She shouted.

"I know!" He responded which caused her to laugh. Michael was right she had him and she could always count on him to be there for her.