Living With The Enemy

Chapter Thirteen

February 20, 1990

Over the past few days, things had been okay, which was great for both men. They ate breakfast together in the morning, and dinner at night with gut-busting jokes going around to keep the merriment in the air. Prince called Xendrea regularly, Dan and Amir came by every three days to make sure everything was going in check, and the music process was growing between both Prince and Michael from all of the positive influences around them. Today was different, because instead of having breakfast being between just the two of them, Sony threw a breakfast conference for Michael to announce his achievements from the eighties. Kurt Loder was to cover the event, and Michael's representatives from Sony - along with Prince, Dan, and Amir - were to attend.

      Being piled into a limousine wasn't exactly what everyone had in mind, but it was too late to call another before they had to leave. But there was a bright side to it: it was being held in Santa Barbara, so it wasn't like they had to drive across the country.

    Everyone was seated inside of the auditorium, chatting away. News stations surrounded the outside, and film critic and MTV veejay, Kurt Loder, was with them to cover the whole affair. Prince was currently speaking with Dan on some details of the non-disclosure agreement, while Michael and Amir spoke about the collaborative project between both him and Prince. A few hundred more attendees entered the building, and were immediately brought to the tables that had their name on a folded card. While laughing with Dan, Prince felt warm skin on his hand. He excused himself from the conversation and looked down at it.

      There, he saw a light palm, then looked up. It was Michael's. He raised his eyebrows and gave a light smile. "Yes, Michael?"

      He leaned in closer to Prince and whispered, "I want to thank you for coming with me today. I know we kind of got off on a bad start the first day-and-a-half, but we got through it. Thank you, Prince. No one has to know what happened between us but us, and I hope you keep it a secret between friends." He moved his head back and smiled wider when he saw Prince turn his whole body to him and wink. Though Michael had sunglasses on, Prince knew his eyes were agleam. Prince turned back around when he heard Tommy Mattola in the background. Everyone grew quiet.

      "Everyone enjoying the breakfast so far?" Tommy asked. Crowded responses filled the air, and all were pleased. "As you all know and can see, Sony Entertainment had decided to honor a very special artist that is well in his prime: Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. That is a well-given title that was given to him by dear friend Elizabeth Taylor a little over a year, an earned name that will live with him, even in death." There was scattered laughter, even from Michael, himself. Prince threw a hand over his mouth as he laughed in spite of himself. "The largest selling album in the history of recorded music, the two largest selling albums of the 1980s. The only album ever to produce five number one singles, is 'Bad.' Without further ado, please give a warm welcome to the one, the only...Michael Jackson!"

      Loud applause and cheers and whistles filled the arena as Michael smiled even harder and stood from his chair. He acknowledged everyone around him with a head nod in gratitude and made his way to the podium that Tommy was now standing beside. People gave him a standing ovation before he could actually reach the stand. When he got to the podium, he gripped a side with one hand and used his other to signal the rumbling audience to quiet down.  Once they did, they sat and awaited for Michael to speak, because everyone present knew that he would keep it short, but speak with volumes.