Stay the Night

Chapter 11

March 3rd, 2002

Pat sat across from her two daughters, still in shock. Alison called earlier in the day to inform her that Alfred was in the hospital and she hurried to meet them. Though she'd divorced Alfred nearly thirty years ago, she had come to care for her former husband again in recent years. To hear that he was on his deathbed was a lot to take in. Sitting and reminiscing with her daughters about the past only served to make the moment even more surreal.

"Oh! Remember when you thought Daddy forgot your birthday?" Alison asked.

Pat smiled. "You thought you were so clever. Distracting me all day."

Mariah frowned. "I don't remember that."

"You were only two, dear." Pat explained.

"Then the other time when we went to Coney Island and Morgan was scared to go on the rollercoaster." Alison said.

Mariah glared at her sister. "Seriously Alison?"

"What? Don't be mad at me because you didn't want to be around Daddy when you were a kid." Alison retorted.

"Stop it Alison." Pat interjected.

Mariah seemed to withdraw from the conversation, while Alison continued to talk about all of the time she spent with their father. Since Alison chose to go with Alfred after he and Pat's divorce, she had the closest relationship with him. Mariah, on the other hand, barely had any memories of Alfred from her childhood--partly due to them not having much in common and partly due to Alfred's detachment. Pat always wondered if it had something to do with his family.

"Morgan!" Alison exclaimed. "You guys made it."

Pat turned around with a grin that quickly faded. Her son strolled in through the double doors with his girlfriend on one side and a tiny, stern looking, older woman on the other.

Pat sat up straight in her chair, fully aware of what was to come. The trio finally made their way over to the table.

The older woman looked Pat up and down in very much the same manner she had when they first met. "Patricia."

"Addie."

March 6th, 2002

"I got it Daddy." Elizabeth said, tugging at a disinfecting wipe in her father's hands. Michael scurried around the room, trying his damndest to disinfect everything. Of the children, Nicole and Noelle were the only two still recovering from the cold they'd contracted from Carey. Once Elizabeth got over her sickness, Michael quarantined the twins from everyone else. Whenever they changed hotels, he would get them their own room and allowed Carey and Elizabeth to either sleep in his room or Karrin's room. Still, the girls managed to slip in and out, touching whatever they could get their grubby little paws on in the process.

"No, mama, I don't want you getting sick again."

Elizabeth pouted. "But I wanna help..."

"You can help by picking up your toys from the floor. I can wipe these tables and stuff."

She shrugged and went on about her chores.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Daddy-" Elizabeth started again.

"I know, I know. I hear it baby." He interjected, taking his cell phone out of his pocket.

Ring-

"Hello?"

"Mike!" A man called out on the other end.

It was Benny Collins, Michael's long time Tour Manager.