With Michael

Chapter 59 - Will You Be There

3rd of April, 1998
Brooklyn is 32, Janet is 31, and Michael is 39

Janet: Michael's head snapped to the phone once it rang loudly.

"Are you gonna answer it?" I asked.

"No. I don't want to talk to her if she's the one calling." he said.

He was so mad, anyone could see it.

"What if something happened?"

"I don't fucking care."

"Now we both know that's just the anger talking." I sighed.

His face muscles softened, and he took another glance at the phone before he picked it up.

I watched him, scared of what his reaction might be.

"Damn it, Brooklyn! I knew this would happen! Why can't you fucking listen to me for once in your life?!" he screamed.

"Mommy, why is uncle Mike yelling?" Kate whispered in my ear.

"Because your daddy and Brooke made him mad," I told her. "Why don't you take Prince to play in his room? The nanny's there."

"Okay, mommy. Let's go, Prince!"

She took his hand and they slowly walked out of the living room.

"Take it, I'm done with her. Let her have the baby without me, I don't even care anymore." Michael mumbled, handing me the phone.

I put it to my ear, "Brooke?"

She sniffled. Uh oh.

"Are you crying?"

"N- no." she sniffled, again.

"You know he didn't mean it." I said.

Brooke groaned loudly. "Oh, believe me, there was a lot of meaning in his voice. Listen, my water broke, and my contractions are pretty close. We're heading to UCLA Medical Center right now, so if he wants to be there, just tell him where we are."

She hung up. I looked up at my brother's glaring face, "They're at UCLA. It sounded like it's happening fast."

He shook his head, and went up the stairs.

~

Brooklyn: I wiped my tears and gave Brandon his phone.

"Hey, it'll be okay. We're almost there." he cooed.

"He's not coming." I said.

"Of course he is. You really think he'll miss his daughter's birth?"

"You heard the way he screamed. He's furious, and he has every right to be. I messed up badly."

Brandon sighed, taking my hand.

I squeezed it tightly as I felt another contraction hit.

"We're here, hang in there."

~

"Hey, hun," Dr. James smiled as she walked into the birthing suite. "How are you?"

"I could be better."

"Where's Michael?" she asked, spotting Brandon.

I didn't answer. Instead, I looked away and started crying.

"He's just being held up a bit... He'll be here soon." Brandon told her.