A Selfish Kind Of Love

Rehab

~Michael's POV

"Let's start from the top." I say over the microphone. I wipe a couple of drops of sweat on my sleeve as I watched my dancers continue the sound check rehearsals for the new venue. "Are you jumping back in?" One of my dancers ask. I nod my head, still struggling to catch my breath.

I've been trying not to overwork myself, but I figured I could make it to the end of the song before taking a break. I stand back in the middle breathlessly singing. I took a spin and fell to my knees out of pure exhaustion. I felt my entire body fall limply to the floor and everything went black.

I woke up in a hospital I couldn't even pronounce the name of. "Are you ok Mike?" Frank asks. I grumble a few words still trying to figure out where I am.

"Mike." He whispers again.

"Please don't tell Rayne about this." I manage to push out.

"Michael are you ok?" Frank asked again.

I nod slowly, covering my face with my pillow. "I've got such a headache." I mutter.

"You took a pretty hard fall. What happened?"

"I don't know. One minute I was singing, next minute I was on the floor." I groan, grabbing my head. A young female doctor walks in clutching her clipboard.

"Hi, Mr. Jackson. Uh, we pumped the contents of your stomach and we saw that you had taken quite a few pain pills. We think you may have reacted to an overdose."

I frown, Karen shakes her head, "Michael this is getting to be too much. I'm calling Rayne so she can talk some sense into you"

"No please don't call her, I don't want her to worry." I say, covering my eyes from the bright lights. "Let's just get me better so I can go back on tour. I'm just a little tired, that's all."

***

A couple days after the hospital, I was back in my room, in the same predicament. I couldn't sleep. After countless conversations with Elizabeth Taylor, she decided to come visit me.

"I need those pills Liz, I can't sleep." I groan.

"Michael don't you see what is happening? You're becoming dependent on these things!" She holds up the bottle. "You don't need them. You're just ready to go home. These pills are numbing you until that time. Don't you love your girls?"

"Of course I do! More than anything."

"Don't you wanna live to see your daughter grow up?"

"What's the point I'm missing it now. I wasn't even there for her first birthday." I sigh sadly.

"Don't you wanna be there for her 2cnd? Or 10th? Or 20th? Michael, you're killing yourself with these pills. You need rehab. Now, if you agree I will not tell Rayne once I get back to the states.. You will have to tell her. But if you disagree, I'll call her right now."

Liz gave me an ultimatum, but she proved a good point. I want my daughter to see me at my best. I loved my wife and child, I couldn't imagine life without them. I'd honestly rather die. I take a deep breath, "fine. I'll go. I'll have to cancel the rest of the tour. My fans are gonna be so disappointed."

"I'm sure they'll understand, your health is more important." She smiles.

The next morning, I had Frank release a statement cancelling the rest of the tour. I knew I was privy to a phone call from Rayne at some point today once she caught wind of what was going on.

"My friends and doctors advised me to seek professional guidance immediately in order to eliminate what has become an addiction, It is time for me to acknowledge my need for treatment in order to regain my health. I realize that completing the tour is no longer possible and I must cancel the remaining dates. I know I can overcome the problem and will be stronger from the experience."