A Selfish Kind Of Love

Joh'Vonnie Jackson

~Michael's POV

We decided to just take a portion of the dangerous concert and perform it for the Super Bowl. "Is Camille's bag packed? Do we have enough diapers?" Rayne says running around the house. Camille hangs on to the crook of my neck as we waited at the door. "Baby, it's a 4 hour ride... I think we'll be ok." I assure her.

"Are you sure Mike, because we won't be home for two days. I just wanna make sure." She stops, holding on to an unopened packet of diapers.

I chuckle at how frantic she's being. "If it makes you feel better, bring the extra diapers. But we have to go... The car is running." I say walking out to the truck.

I strap Camille in as she giggles. "Your mommy is going crazy over you." I tease. "I can't wait for you to see daddy perform."

"I brought extra diapers and a couple extra juice boxes. Don't judge me. I just wanna be prepared." She says in response to my subtle eye roll.

As we drove down the long road to Pasadena, the radio station we were listening to decided to play 2300 Jackson Street, out of all things. I groan at Rayne's reaction.

"Bill turn it up!" She says excitedly.

"Oh please don't." I sigh, placing my hand in my head. "Why do you enjoy this song so much?" I ask.

"This is the only song where you and all of your siblings sing together."

"Everyone except Latoya.." I say.

"That's your Uncle Jermaine singing, That's Uncle Jackie! That's Uncle Tito.. Uncle Randy and Aunt Rebbie..." Rayne points out to Camille.

"Daddy!" Camille yells out when she hears my small line. I chuckle "She knows her daddy."

"Clearly." Rayne laughs. "And that's Auntie Janet singing." She continues.

I started laughing louder as I recalled Jermaine and I battling over the adlibs. "He wanted to sing over me so bad, I wasn't even putting in effort."

"You were just being a pain in the butt." Rayne giggles.

"2300 Jackson street. Always hoooome." I sing along, snapping. "You know I always wonder what life would've been like had we not been famous. Who knows where we'd be. Would we still be in Gary?"

"You guys were destined to be famous. There were too many of you for at least one of you to make it big." Rayne giggles. "Just so happens all of you have talent" she shrugs.

"You're right about that, 10 kids...well 9. One of us had to be talented." I agree. "Maybe when 'Millie' gets older, I'll take her down there. When she's old enough to understand."

***
Finally we get to the hotel in Pasadena, California. Rayne grabs Camille while Bill and Leroy grab our bags to bring inside. I meet in one of the other rooms with Kenny Ortega and the rest of the production team for the show.

"Kenny, I had an idea for the show. It'll give the crowd some participation. We'll give the audience a card to hold up before 'Heal The World' it will show drawings from the children of the world. I'll do a small speech and we'll start."

"That seems doable." Kenny agrees.

I finished up the meeting and headed back to my room with Rayne and 'Millie'. Camille sat in front of the television eating and watching a kids show quietly while Rayne went through her suitcase.