Human Nature

Chapter 40

February 17th, 1993

Mariah was in the studio at Neverland, working on a new song she had written about Michael, called Dreamlover. It was the only way she could describe him, but she worried Tommy would make her change some of the more sultry lyrics. 

Michael had invited the Chandler family to Neverland, along with the Culkin and Cascio families. Debbie Rowe was also present so she was using her time in the studio as a way to mentally prepare herself for the guests. She still had a bad feeling about that Jordan kid, but Michael was ignoring her fears.

As she left the studio, she could see cars bringing people from the front gates so she picked up her pace so that she could be a proper hostess to theirs guests. She figured she would have to start acting more like a wife now that they were engaged.

Michael was already outside with Mac once she got to the house and he was talking to an Italian looking man while a woman was helping her kids out of the car.

Cascio family.

Mariah had met the Cascio family briefly while she in Michael were in New York, but had never really sat down to talk to them, but Michael loved them and called them his second family, so Mariah figured she'd better get herself align herself with them. 

"There you are. I couldn't find you all morning." Michael said once he saw her.

She gave him a peck on the lips. "I told you I was going to be in the studio."

"I wasn't paying attention, I was half-sleep." He shrugged.

Mariah playfully nudged him and went to help get the kids out of the car.

"Remember me?" Mariah joked as she tapped Connie on the shoulder.

"Mariah, how are you? What am I asking? You're glowing." She laughed.

Mariah hugged her. "I'm great Connie. How are the kids?"

Connie laughed. "Driving me and Dominic crazy as usual. Let me see the ring, Janet said it was to die for."

"She would say that considering she picked it out." Mariah showed her hand.

Connie's eyes widened and she looked over at Michael. "Michael, this ring is a beauty."

He grinned in response and went back to talking to Dominic and the boys. Their daughter, Marie Nicole was still sleeping in her car seat.

"Do you want to lay her down upstairs?" Mariah asked.

Connie shook her head. "Nah, she'll be mad if she misses out on all the fun."

She shook her daughter awake and Marie Nicole immediately ran over to Michael and hugged him.

"He's got a way with kids." Mariah mused quietly.

Connie nodded. "Get ready. Soon as you two are on the honeymoon he's going to want to start on a family."

"I know and that's fine with me."

Another car came with Debbie Rowe and the woman Mariah recognized as June Chandler-Schwartz. Michael greeted them and a boy around Mac's age got out of the backseat as well as a little girl.

"So that's the new family?" Connie asked.

Mariah nodded. "Yeah, I don't trust them though."

Connie raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"The vibe is all wrong. There's something about them and it's scaring me." Mariah confessed.

Connie narrowed her eyes at June as if she were trying to see what Mariah was talking about. "Did you mention it to Michael?"