Heartbreak Hotel: This Place Hotel

Chapter 46: Ache

Michael's POV
Liverpool, United Kingdom

Earlier that day...

I open my eyes to find myself submerged in total darkness. It was quiet to me. The fans were silent and no phones were ringing. It was just me and the darkness. And it made my loneliness cry out. I lifted my hand up into the darkness and began rubbing my tired eyes with my fingertips as that familiar feeling crept its way into my heart. I lifted my aching head and sat up on the bed, reaching for the telephone that sat on the nightstand beside me. I glanced at the clock realizing it was early in the morning and sun would rising very soon. I had one last show before moving on to the next country--my home country.

Gosh, I didn't want to go back.

Very slowly, I dialed the number as I slowly laid my head back on the pillow and I listened to the ring. "Hello," my mother's voice made my heart smile.

"Hi, Mother," my tone sounded very weary even though I tried to cover that up.

"Michael," she said my name very softly. "How are you feeling?"

"I need a break," I admitted with a sigh. "I've been thinking a lot about us. The family is falling apart, do you know that?" The whole entire family was falling apart. It wasn't just my brothers or my parents. It was all of us. Extended family included. And that broke my heart.

Mother told me she agreed with me and then asked. "What can I do, Michael?"

"Is Joseph around?" I asked her.

"Yeah, hold on." I played with phone cord as I waited patiently for my father come on the other end.

"Hello?"

His voice my stomach turn. "Hey, it's me."

"Yeah, um..." I searched the darkness for what I needed to say. "I just wanted to apologize for everything that was written in my book about you," I began. "I didn't write the whole thing myself. Someone else wrote the uh," --scratching the side of my nose, I cleared my throat-- "the critical part of it. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he said almost nonchalantly.

In that very moment, I hated myself for even apologizing. I knew he wouldn't care. But somewhere inside of me thought that making amends with him would rekindle my damaged family. I wrong about that, I suppose.

"Me and Katy was wondering if you ever plan to rejoin your brothers on tour."

I closed my eyes and let out a long sigh. Should have known that was coming. "Joseph, no," I said. "I don't want to rejoin them on tour. I thought I made that clear before."

"But--"

"And don't push me about it," I added.

"Look, I know you been hearing things in your circle." I rolled my eyes and tightened my grip on the phone. "I am not trying to exploit you or benefit from your profit if that's what you think."

"I know, Joseph," I said, warily.

"I don't want to be involved in your business, Michael." he finally said after rambling on and on. "I have money problems, yeah. But all I want is for us to be a family again. Don't you want that?"

"I do want that," I said. "I really do, Joseph."

"So, are you gonna do it? We miss you, man."

I hesitated for a moment while every instinct of my body was telling me 'no'. "I'll...I will think about it, Joseph."