Angel in Disguise ~ Michael Jackson

0.8

2009

"Well I guess it'd be nice if I could touch your body, I know not everybody has got a body like you!" Amir sang, shaking me out of my slumber. He skipped around with Paris giggling on his back.

"Good morning Mama." Prince said, kissing my cheek.

"Good morning sweetheart." I hugged him.

"Do you guys mean 'Good Afternoon'? Because it's like 1:00. And Mama, since when do you sleep in this late?" Zayden cut in.

I rolled my eyes, like I usually do when it comes to her, and told her "Good morning" in spite.

"The one day you sleep in is the one day you were kinda popular. TJ wanted to see you when he dropped us off, but you were asleep. And then Auntie Peyton and Miss Isabel called- she's weird, she called me 'Sugar Plum Princess'- but you were asleep. And The Artist was here too, he said he'll be back."

"Okay, thank you."

"Because I gotta have faith! I gotta have faith. Because I gotta have faith-a-faith-a-faith I gotta have faith-a-faith-a-faith!" Amir danced with Paris. Faith. I love that song, other than the ones Michael produced, it was my favorite song of 1988.

1988

The first half of 1988 belonged to Michael and me.

Michael was struggling a little bit with his vitiligo, but flourishing everywhere else. Our marriage was healthy, Bad was a game changer, and our home was beautiful. We lived so happily on our ranch, it was a magical place. It had all kinds of fun things for when nieces, nephews, cousins, siblings, and even sick children came over.

Of course, there were negative things said about us, but we were one of the most influential couples around. And Michael didn't care, but I did. I had a clothing collection out and a makeup line for dark skinned girls. I had my own status, I was finally making my mother proud. In September, We found out I was pregnant and Michael and I cried and laughed and cried for days, the thought of becoming parents was the most beautiful thought to us.

Everyone does have a fall from grace though, two months later my mother relapsed, except this time Peyton was not there to call for help, and she still blames herself.

On November 14, 1988, Chelsea Preston, my mother, died of a heroin overdose.

I was too angry with her to feel anything at first. It was her fault, if she didn't care about me or think I still needed her, why would she leave young Peyton and Kelsea like this? Peyton hates herself because she thinks it was her job to save her mommy, what kind of selfish person does something like this? Kelsea was only eight, and Peyton was eighteen but she needed her mother to guide her, how could she be so selfish?

Kelsea went to live with their father, but Peyton moved in with me. The biggest surprise was that my mother had no will. Someone as influential as she should have, but she didn't, so as her oldest heir, I got all of her properties, estates, and money. I didn't need it, I was doing fine on my own. I put all the money into savings for Peyton and Kelsea, rented out the properties,  sold her cars to invest in bonds, and put her personal belongings into storage.

It took a few weeks before the grief set it. I missed my mommy and I loved her.

I didn't get to grieve like I should have because my baby was coming in early March, and I had to be okay for him or her. I had to be okay and do things better than my mother.

2009

"Mama? Can we like, talk privately?" Amir shook me from my daze. He is so beautiful; he brought my green eyes and a smile like his father. Amir's light brown complexion was always perfect and unmarked before he started getting tattoos and piercings. He had wanted a box cut, but his loose curls did not agree.

"Of course baby. You wanna go to my room?" He nodded and we walked to my bedroom. It was very strange to me that  he wanted to talk to me privately, me and Amir hadn't had a heart to heart in years.

"Mom, well, first I wanna tell you that I love you. I haven't told you in a while but I don't want you to forget. You're still my number one girl. Also I wanted to talk to you about him."

"I love you too Amir, but who is 'him'?"

"My father, keep up mom."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously though, your father loves you Amir and he only wanted what was best for you and your sisters. He wanted to protect you. I don't want you to have any negative feelings toward him."

"Gosh, mom give me a chance!" He groaned, putting his head in his hands. "I don't want to complain about him."

"... then what do you want to talk about him for?" I had became so accustomed to Amir  complaining about Michael, I couldn't imagine him wanting to talk about anything else.

He lifted his head. "Well I was talking to TJ and I realized, I really hope Dad's gonna be okay. I miss him, before I decided to take a disliking to him. I want to talk to him and I want a relationship with him." He bit the piercing in the right corner of his bottom lip. "I love him, I owe him an apology."

I nodded my head. I had waited for this for years, and it was making me speechless.

"Well gee, thanks mom. Your silence is really assuring me of my decision. " He said dramatically.

"I'm sorry, I was at a loss for words. I'm really happy you changed your mind. He's going to be to be so happy to hear this when he wakes up. "

"But mom, are you sure... he will wake up?" He asked looking down to the floor.

I nodded my head. "Yes." No.