The Bad Tour(ture)

Chapter 37 - Walk Right Now

Michael

Late Night of March 3, 1988 – After concert

I sat in the van and just stared out the window, through my Ray Bans, at all the lights passing by.  I was still upset about the show.  It was going so well until Tatiana decided, on her own, to change the routine...and to change it with a kiss.  I was caught off guard completely and I want to never experience that feeling again.  It was in the middle of my show...a very important one.  All of my friends and family were there.  It was a benefit concert...I just couldn't understand what drove her to do that.  It was very bold of her and I couldn't even recollect exactly how it happened.  I overheard someone say 'it was just a peck on the lips' but it didn't feel like it.  I felt like it lingered on forever because I was in such shock.  I didn't even have time to review the tape.  I had to rush to my suite to change and calm down Shakira over the phone.  I couldn't even imagine how she must've felt.  I loved her so much.  I didn't want this to put a strain on our relationship but she seemed to understand on the phone.  As I was almost to my destination, I shut my eyes and pictured her in her room fast asleep, dreaming about me.

Shakira

Tatiana's Hotel Room (with Miko and Frank standing by)

I sat at the small table across from Tatiana.  She was within arm's reach.  I could have easily reached over and choked her if I wanted to but I was better than that.  Violence wasn't going to solve anything in this moment. 

At first as she spoke in a soft and apologetic tone, I tried to feel some type of sympathy for her but it was very difficult.  I saw a hint of liar in her eyes.  

"I honestly didn't plan it, Shakira.  It just happened because I was caught up in the moment...with a man that I truly love."

It was uncomfortable when she said she truly loved him because I knew he didn't truly love her.  If anything, she was led on by him. 

"We've shared some special moments.  On the set and when he invited me to join him when he was making his video recently.  But we were always with someone."  She glanced at Frank for a quick second.  "We were never able to be alone.  When I was on stage with him tonight, I felt like it was just us in the room."

"But there were thousands of people watching," I said bringing her back to reality.

"Yes but we were having a moment.  He was looking at me a certain way.  He was challenging me to do it."

"To kiss him in front of everyone?"

"No.  But to do something."

"Challenging you how?"  She was very annoying to me.  She was speaking of this situation like it was a fairytale. To me, it sounded more like a telenovela. 

"He looked at me, with very dreamy eyes...and then he bit his bottom lip."  She looked away and giggled.  "I'm sorry," she said looking back to me, still smirking.  Her hands began playing with each other and she looked down at them, thinking back to that moment I'm sure.

Do you know how many times Michael bit his bottom lip when we sang together???

I sighed and looked away to Frank.  He shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes.  He hated what she did.  He was totally against it like me but I begged him to keep his mouth shut and let me speak to her. 

"I felt like it was a good show," Tatiana said. 

Our eyes met again.  "He didn't like it.  Michael felt like you were very unprofessional and you had no right to change the routine.  Did you ever hear of me kissing him on stage during our duet?"

"It's different for us.  We share a special connection."

I held up both of my hands to the side of my head.  "Tatiana, I just told you this morning that we were dating.  I told you to stop this silly pursuit," I said banging my hands on the table, causing her to jump.

She pointed her finger at me.  "Yes, and I believed you for-"

"Don't point your finger at me," I said calmly, sitting back in my chair.

 She obeyed and folded her hands on the table.  "I believed you at first.  I was actually very hurt because I was frustrated with Michael.  I've been hearing so many stories of Michael being in love with me and everything but I could never hear it from him."

"Because it's not true!" I said with a small chuckle.  She was being such an airhead.  "Did you not stick to the belief that me and Michael were truly a couple?"

"Well, I talked to Jolie."

"Jolie??  And?"

"Jolie told me you weren't being honest with me and that you were deceiving me."

I laughed again.  I never even had a one on one conversation with Jolie.

"She said if Michael was dating anyone, she would know.  She assured me you were just trying to keep me away from him for your own benefits."

I heard Frank giggling behind me.  It made me smile.  "So basically, I'm just another one of...you," I said throwing my hand to her.

"No.  Michael and I have chemistry."

Could this get anymore comical?  "Tatiana, I've never had to go through Michael's personal assistant to talk to him.  Never.  If I need to speak with him, I call his phone, his direct phone line that he answers himself or I'll even go to his room if it something's imperative.  I sleep with him in his bed just about every night."

She didn't move or even blink as she stared at me.  Then I saw tears forming in her eyes.  It wasn't long before the first one fell to her cheek.

"I'm sorry that you were led on or whatever, but you made a mistake.  I don't know what it'll take for you to believe me, but at this point I don't even really care about that.  I just want you to know that what you did was very stupid.  You will regret it later because you just missed out on an opportunity to not only make some good money strutting across a stage for four minutes, but it would've been good for your exposure.  Now, what's it going to look like when people realize, that kiss you decided to plant on Michael Jackson's lips, just got you a ticket home."  It felt like I just fired her from the tour myself.  It actually felt good.  But that's not what I was saying and I didn't mean to word it that way but I was angry.

Tatiana looked at Frank.  "I understand that you don't need me for the remaining MSG shows, but I will be joining the tour later on I was told, in Atlanta I believe."

"I don't even want to look at you right now."  Frank huffed and left the room, making Tatiana produce more tears.

She looked over to Miko.  "Is this true?" she asked sobbing and weakly pointing towards me.

"I wasn't allowed to say anything," Miko said. "Michael wants their relationship to be kept secret.  It's on a needs-to-know basis thing."

She looked over to me.  "So I guess this is one of those."

"You obviously need-to-know."

"I want to talk to Michael.  Alone about this," she said to Miko.

"That's not going to happen," I answered for him.

She seemed scared to look directly at me.  "I just want to tell him my side of the story."

"You will never be alone in a room with Michael, yet alone, ever speak to him again."  I stood up from my seat.  

I could clearly see in her eyes she was calling me a bitch.  My words can tear people to pieces sometimes and I'm not proud of it but I always speak my mind.  My mouth gets me in a lot of trouble.

Tatiana threw her head down on the table and I felt uncaring when I heard her crying.

When I love, I love hard.  And I've never loved anyone as much as I loved Michael.  So being that he was upset about this whole situation, it put me even more on edge about it. 

I'm sorry I was such a bitch towards Tatiana but that's just how I was feeling in that moment.