You Are My Life

For All Time Prt 2

2007 (35 years old)

"I don't get it, if all we have to do is remaster the songs why do I need to be here?" Michael sighs twirling around in the office chair childishly. "Well, we're not exactly here to remaster your songs... We want to remix them, with your approval, of course." Todd, the music director, explains. I sit opposite Michael in another office chair and watch for his reaction. Michael looked at his Thriller album as close to perfection as he could possibly get, and seeing as how nobody could touch his record, including himself, it was completely understandable. Michaels face scrunched and he closed his eyes in thought. "No." He says shortly. "Absolutely not." "But Michael, your album is considered a classic, and with it's 25th anniversary coming up next year... This is a big deal. " Todd pleads. "Yes it is considered a classic, and do you know what to do with classics? Nothing, You don't touch them." Michael says talking over Todd. I sit there, shifting my eyes back and forth watching this disagreement unfold. Todd sighs, "can we at least explain the idea?" Michael mutters, "I'm still gonna say if it ain't broke, don't fix it but go ahead." "Ok, we know Thriller is the biggest selling album of all time, created by the greatest entertainer who ever lived. How about the greatest entertainer of all time, promote the artists of our new generation? We can remix you're songs, throw in a verse of a new hot artist, and even throw in some of your older work to introduce the youth to you in a whole new light?" Todd says passionately. I nod, "you know what, that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all Mike. This will introduce younger kids to you, it can bring you back in the light." Michael strokes his chin. "I didn't need James Brown to collaborate with newer artists when I was younger, in order to listen to his music. I don't know..." "I really think it's a good idea." I shrug. He shifts his eyes to me and gives a small smile. "I'd have to think about it..." "Well think quickly Mr. Jackson, because we need to get this album started and gather a list to get in contact with our new artists, if we're gonna release this by next year. Not to mention your contracted for another album..." Todd says standing to exit. Michael rolls his eyes. After Todd exits, it's just Michael and I. He puts his face in his hands and shakes his head. "You really think this is a good idea Jay?" I nod, "yeah. This will give you a broader fan base after its done. I think this will be an awesome project." He sighs again. "Would you remix a song? You're the only one I trust with my music.." I laugh, "if you want me to Michael, Of course. Which song?" "Maybe you and I can re-record For All Time." He says. My heart thumps a little louder and I could swear he heard it. I haven't even listened to that song since our second break up. He knows the song means a lot to me, I let a weak smirk play on my face. "Michael... You know there's a lot of emotional ties to that song between you and I." "I know, that's why I think it'd be great for us to record! Come on Jay. Don't let old emotions get in the way of a good thing." He says, flashing a cheeky smile my direction. I raise my eyebrow and giggle, "fine...". My inward thoughts began to haunt me. Brian would not be too happy about me remaking a song with an ex, especially a love song that was originally about me. Michael and I get up to leave after arranging our schedules for another meeting to begin recording.

I walk in to see Angel and her vocal teacher practicing their scales. She's decided she wants to be a singer, like me. I told her she needs to work hard at it, and keep her grades up and we'll talk about it, but because she's my only kid, I spoiled her and gave her vocal lessons anyway. I smile and wave at her, trying not to disturb her. "Mommy, mommy!" She exclaims running up to my arms tugging at the sleeve. "Hi baby" I smile. "Mommy, listen to what the teacher taught me today." She says excitedly. I grab a seat in the living room while I watch her. She sings her scales fluently forwards and then backwards. I clap proudly and beam, I've always been proud of my little girl. "Very good Angel! I'm proud of you." She playfully bows as her teacher grabs her things to leave. "Where is your dad?" I ask her. Angel points upstairs and goes into the kitchen for a snack. I run upstairs into Brian and I's room putting my hand over his eyes. "Guess who." I giggle in the deepest voice I can manage. He laughs and pulls me in front of him, tossing me on the bed. He leans on top of me pecking my lips. "Hi." I smile. "Hi." He responds an equally broad smile on his face. "How was the meeting today?" He asks. I nod, picking with his goatee, "it was ok. I may start recording again soon." "Really? that's great! With who?" He says. I scrunch my face, my tone heightening a little. "With Michael..." Brian's eyes grow slightly stern, he fixes his mouth in a line. "Oh." He groans, he begins lifting from being on top of me, but I pull him back down. "Don't be that way, baby." I whine. Even though Michael explained that the feelings between us were pretty much done and he and I were friends, Brian had a hard time believing it. Brian rolls his eyes. "Baby I thought we were good with all of this Michael stuff." I whine again. He sighs, stroking a hair from my forehead. "I know, it's not you. It's him. I just have to get myself right with it. I don't want you to le-" "Hey Hey... Who did I marry?" I interject. He smirks, "me but-" "so why do you think I would leave you for him after that great, extravagant wedding?" I laugh. He laughs and nods. "Point taken. I trust you." "You better, or else." I playfully curl a lip, displaying a fist in his face. He chuckles, rubbing his nose against mine. "Well, I've got good news. I've gotten cast for a tv show as a regular." He beams. "Aww babe that's great congratulations!" I enthuse, kissing him. "Bad news, I'll be in Detroit for 6 months." My mood drops. "6 months?" I pout, pushing him off of me. The thought of him being gone for 6 months bothered me. I sit on the edge of the bed and sulk, folding my arms. "Aw come on, that's not too bad. It's not a whole year." He smiles, sitting next to me. His arm wraps tightly around my shoulder. "It's still pretty long." I mutter. "How about I make you a little happier tonight?" He grins, lightly placing kisses on my neck. I giggle at him, "we'll see."

With just Angel and I in the house, Michael did a lot more visits and brought Prince, Paris and Blanket along to be with Angel. Paris was about 3 years older than Angel but she loved her like a sister. Once they came over, the four of them would disappear in Angel's room for hours. "So, have you worked on anything yet?" He asks resting on the couch. "Umm..." I groan. It's honestly been pretty hard to listen to the song, it brings back old feelings and memories that have been buried for years. "I take that as a no." He chuckles. "Maybe if we listen to it together?" I smile. I pop in the old cassette and hit play. My mind instantly goes to rewind, reverting back to the days Michael and I were deeply in love with each other. Thoughts hit me, what if these feelings were still there? You don't just get rid of things like that. I abruptly shut off the music. "I don't know about this Mike." Michael looks confused, "what's wrong?" I look at him and I think to myself, what if I'm the only one that still feels this way about him? Maybe he's really over me and us. I shift my eyes around and release the alternative thought. "Never mind..." I say, playing the music. He and I spent hours re creating this love song, he changed a few words and I added verses. The song was completed within a few hours.

We meet at the studio to start recording. Lyric after lyric my heart wrenched, my mind wished that this was real again, but my heart was no longer in it. I could feel Michael felt the same way each time we recorded a verse. Michael and I sat at the engineers table listening to certain lyrics, tweaking the instruments and background vocals. "It sounds pretty good." He smiles. I nod, quietly watching our mic levels. I feel his eyes burning into my face. "What's wrong Jay? You're so quiet." He asks. "....Jay" "huh?" I say snapping out of my thoughts. "Are you ok?" He asks. "Yeah...does this song give you any feelings?" I ask. "It's probably just me, never mind, forget I said anything..." "What do you mean?" Michael says resting his arms behind his head. "I don't know, I just look back at the original reason this song was created, and I just get these thoughts rushing back to me. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking of it like that." I shrug. Michael chuckles "I understand what you mean. The sentiment brings old feelings back into play. Not for me at least. I've never hid how I felt about you." He looks at me with all sincerity in his eyes. Our eye contact brings a spark into the studio with little space between us. "I know you haven't, and I appreciate that. At least one of us stayed honest, right?" Our vocals play softly in the background causing this to feel too much like a movie and no longer like real life. "You could've been honest, I don't know what stopped you." he says softly. "Good thing we're friends..." I say inadvertently, breaking our contact. "Yeah, friends.." He responds awkwardly, a smirk on his face. We both knew where that was going. I knew this song would bring us there. I should've disagreed when I got the chance.