Offstage || MJ

Offstage || Chapter 41

Author's Note: The outstanding Angela Bassett plays Charlene's mother Elaine. This backstory chapter will hopefully deepen everything you know about Charlene. Please get tissues.

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1989 – California

CHARLENE

I now stood in front of a hotel room door alongside Mom. When this woman glanced toward me now, I reached out to hold her hand for the millionth time. Her free knuckle soon knocked three times and I simply waited. Behind this door, Dad resided with his "girlfriend" Janice. The woman in question spoiled my college graduation in one way or another. To be honest, I remained bitter toward the cheating, especially right now. And rightfully so.

Before Mom and I could walk away for good, someone finally unlocked the door. As if these two found a lousy and dangerous apartment complex or something. As if some muggers would appear at any moment. Sadly, it was Janice. That woman peeked through the left side of this door as if to hide from us. Mom excused herself from possibly bumping into me and titled her head.

"Where's Robert?" Mom asked with a lowered voice. Her tone seeped with reasonable anger. It took everything in me not to kick in the door. Rage fumed within my heart before long. Between silence, Janice glared at me with disgust. Once again, I didn't know what to think. From the corner of my eye, Janice probably topped her hair with a scarf. No make-up. Blemishes. Exhaustion. For a moment, I sympathized with this woman.

"I'm not letting you in, Elaine. What do you want?" Janice snipped toward my mother. Mom narrowed her eyes within seconds. I completely understood the frustration once more. Janice left me puzzled by her disrespect in one way or another. One more round of silence entered the hallway.

I shook my head, drained by everything around me now. Prince didn't matter. Michael didn't matter. My career didn't matter. Right now, my heart shattered due to family issues. I somehow fought back tears now right now. This personal example showed that men would never understand why I kept up my guard up time and time again

"Are you serious, Janice? Why else would I be here? My daughter deserves to know what's going on with her father. Let me see Robert. Now." Mom clenched her teeth without even shouting. Because of her ability to stay calm regardless of the drama, I mentally bowed.

Before I could scream this time, Janice finally creaked the door open. Moments later, I completely regretted the idea. Janice hoisted a sleeping infant on her hip. Mom titled her head. I narrowed my eyes once more. My eyes dampened with approaching tears.

"Who is that precious boy?" I offered a trembling whisper to Mom. The brown eyes I'd known since children reddened now. Tears dampened Mom's entire face as this woman sniffled. A lump formed in my throat. I could've easily fainted if she didn't answer before long.

"Your baby brother..." Mom confessed.

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Dad and Janice named the child Terrance Elijah Adams. Janice gently placed my baby brother into a neighboring crib. The television wouldn't play and distract us. Janice plopped onto the front room's couch. Dad stood completely still near me. I barely hugged him beforehand. Awkward silence haunted us for the millionth time.

"Why would you keep hurting us?" Mom snipped at Dad all over again. My heart dropped as well. Janice shook her head while sitting on the couch. An approached headache reached my skull, but Mom remained alert. No matter what, I'd always this woman standing in a corner.

"Come on, Elaine. We've talked about this. I didn't leave you for no reason. I lowered both eyes and breathed through my nose. I felt small as a child all over again. I'd refused to speak while my parents disputed. Dad spewed foolishness regardless.

"What are you talking about?" Mom whispered through rage to avoid waking up my baby brother. In that moment, I looked between my parents without talking of course. Still, I didn't know what to think once more. Anything could've happened now.

"Why didn't you listen to me when I suggested those abortions, Laine? Just when I thought we were criticized enough as Black people, you raised a disabled child. My baby girl wanted to be in the damn circus because she thought those leg braces were stilts. I wanted her to wear dresses and hide that shit!" Now, I can raise a child without the mockery." Dad finally stopped his more than revealing and furious admission.

I dropped my jaw. Mom nearly walked out. Janice disappeared out of nowhere. Suddenly, I remembered certain details. Mom helped my occasionally wobbly body step into robot legs. Regardless of my movements, Dad always turned away in public. Even at my birthday, my smiled for everyone but concentrated on cooking at the grill to stop himself from fuming emotionally fuming within.

To be honest, Mom and I wanted to forget my profound truth in one way or another.

I remember dancing to improve balance at ten years old. I was the awkward and Black ballerina in class. Mom pulled me out after two years because of scorn from my coach. I'd never seen the woman so enraged before. I'd loved the class, but enough was enough.

It wasn't until my twenty-first birthday that I genuinely found a place to be myself. Studio 54 changed my life forever. Two college roommates gifted me with the visit during a summer between classes. We shared our first drinks. We danced until sweat grasped our entire bodies. My legs seemed invincible.

When music hits, you feel no pain. - Bob Marley