Human Nature

Chapter 51

June 1st, 1993

Mariah stepped out of the booth, a pensive expression on her face. She had been working overtime to get her songs to her standard, but she was worried about Prince. Since she had felt him kick for the first time, she knew he was very active and she'd often be up late at night wishing for him to settle down. However, today Prince had been eerily quiet.

She sat down with Walter. "So how was your Memorial Day?"

"Mine was great. What about you?" He asked.

Mariah flipped her hair. "Let's not talk about it."

"No, I wanna know how your weekend with the demons went." Walter pressed.

Mariah sighed, rubbing her belly. "The dad was acting normal I guess, but there were two things that were weird to me."

"What happened?" Walter asked.

"Well, the second day we were there Mike had this really bad headache so he called up a friend of his and then they gave him some drug, I forgot what it was called and Mike was high as a kite. I was in the bathroom, but when I came out this person had put him back to bed and was asking him questions."

Walter laughed. "You never refer to him by name, do you? But anyway, what kind of questions?"

"Well when I walked in he was asking if Mike was gay and I'll admit Mike's response was the sweetest thing ever." Mariah bit back a smile.

"What did he say?"

Mariah continued. "He said 'No, I'm not gay. How could you even think that, haven't you seen my gorgeous fiance.'"

"Well you did say he was high."

Mariah punched him in the arm. "Shut up! Anyway, so I walked in and old dude looks like he 'oh I got caught' so he walks out and I stay with Mike for the rest of the day because I don't trust them at all. I kept dozing off, but every time the dad came in the room I'd wake up. So the third time he came in the room I saw that the little boy had got in the bed with me and Mike so Mike has on arm around me and the other around him. the dad just walked out and left."

Walter raised an eyebrow. "How old is the kid again?" 

"He's thirteen. He's weird though, like when we all went to Monaco. At the award show he wanted to sit in Michael's lap."

"Did Michael let him?" Walter inquired.

Mariah rolled her eyes. "You know he did until the boy's sister wanted to sit in his lap so then he sat in his seat, but what twelve, thirteen year old wants to sit in someone's lap?"

"You know, between the dad questioning Michael's sexuality and the boy seeming like he's forcing himself on him, I'd say the family is trying to pimp their son out to Michael." Walter surmised.

Mariah sucked on her lip. "Now that you mention it, the dad did say he was trying to go into screenwriting."

Walter nodded. "There you go."

"I never trusted them, never have, never will. I just wish Michael could see what I see." Mariah rolled eyes. "Idiot."

"He's your idiot." Walter pointed out.

Mariah giggled. "That he is."

Walter put his hand on her belly. "So how's the heir to the pop throne doing?"

"He's quiet today. I'm a little worried, actually." She said, turning her attention back to her belly.

Walter leaned down. "Hey, Prince are you in there? We're going to need you to carry on the Jackson legacy in fifteen to twenty years."

Mariah swatted at Walter. "Oh hush."

There was still no movement and she poked at the side of her stomach which was met with a slight prod back.

"There he is."

June 2nd, 1993

Michael was rehearsing for his second leg of the Dangerous tour while Marlon watched from one of the seats in the theater. Janet was at the condo with Mariah while he was rehearsing because he couldn't bring himself to leave Mariah at home and she didn't want to watch him rehearse.

"Can we run that again?" He asked his team, referring to the Dangerous choreography.

The music started again and Michael was dancing along until Marlon jumped up on stage.

"Mike, phone." He pointed to Bill, who was standing in the back of the auditorium.

Michael nodded. "I'll be back in a minute."

He jumped down and took the phone. "Hello?"

It was Janet.

"Michael, Mariah's in the hospital."

He almost dropped the phone. "What? Why? What happened?"

He could tell Janet was trying not to cry. "I don't know. She said she had cramps-there was so much blood, so much blood."

"Blood?" He felt himself shaking. "Where are you guys?"

"UCLA."

"I'll be there." He hung up the phone. "Marlon, Bill we have to go, now."

"What happened?" Marlon asked.

"Mariah's in the hospital. We have to go, now."

He ran out of the building, not caring to see if Marlon and Bill were following him. Mariah and Prince were the only two people on his mind in that moment. Bill got into the driver's seat, while Marlon and Michael were sitting in the back. 

Marlon had a pensive expression. "Everything will be fine, Mike."

"I really hope so. She's been working so hard, then Alison's been stressing her out and- I really hope she's okay."

Marlon sighed, shaking his head. "It will, Mike. God has a plan, you know he does."

"Janet sounded terrified on the phone." Michael said, looking down at his hands.

Marlon put an arm around him. "Well you've got your family and we've got your back. Well, maybe not Jermaine, but most of us."

Michael ran into the hospital with Marlon and Bill right behind him. He stopped at the receptionist desk, but he was bouncing on his toes.

"Can you tell me where Mariah Carey's room is?" Michael asked.

The nurse looked through a few papers. "And you are?"

"The fiance." Michael replied.

She nodded. "Room 345."

Michael nodded. "Thank you."

He power walked though the hallway until he saw Janet sitting down, biting her nails. She ran to Michael and hugged him as he approached.

"Michael, I'm so glad you're here. She needs you."

Michael took a deep breath. "What happened?"

"Just go see her, I'll explain when you come back out." Janet whispered.

Michael went into the room and the first thing he noticed was how pale and helpless Mariah was. She appeared tiny against the hospital bed, her eyes seemed lifeless. She turned her head slight and she seemed to tremble as she laid eyes on him.

"I am so sorry."

Shout out to NicsLilSis, DestiniGravely17, MichaelandMariah, and AmethystHazelEyes for commenting/voting last chapter.