Best of Joy

Chapter 5: 1989

YEAH!!!! We're getting somewhere!!

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The years flew by with Michael by my side. We tried to keep our relationship as hushed as possible–even after the New Years incident–but we soon found that it just wasn’t going to work.

In fact, that plan failed so bitterly, I decided to go completely against my nature and embrace the fact that I was known now not only for my novels but for being Michael Jackson’s girlfriend.

I began excepting interviews.

And though I thought they were supposed to be mainly about my career as a novelist, the subject always seemed to go back to my relationship with Michael.

One day in early 1989, I sat down with ABC’s Diane Sawyer.

“Hello, America, and welcome to Prime Time! I’m Diane Sawyer, here with the writer of the unforgettable love story, Endless Summer. We welcome Ms. Evonne Summers,” Sawyer smiles and the camera switches to me, sitting comfortably in front of her. The audience applauds and some even stand. I blush violently and give the best smile I can.

“Welcome, Evonne.”

I nod and smile.

“So, I just want to begin by saying congratulations on such a successful book. Let me tell you, I’ve read this about 5 times and I never get to the end without crying! What inspired you, Ms. Summers?”

I fidget a little. “Well… Um… Basically my life and how I dream of it turning out. Well, for the most part. I mean, I’d like my love story to be written similar. Just…well… a little different… without the death, obviously.”

The audience chuckles and I grin.

“Yes, I’ll say. The part where Chase dies because of… oops! Sorry, viewers. That was a spoiler. I’ll say no more.” Diane cups her hand over her mouth. “But speaking of love…”

Diane raises her eyebrows and looks directly at me. The audience accompanies her gesture with a loud oooooooo!

I can’t help but blush and look down with a huge grin on my face. Ms. Sawyer laughs.

“See that? Haha, she already knows what’s next! So tell me, where did you and Michael meet?”

“Ummm… We were neighbors actually. We happened to be outside walking the streets at the same time and we sort of ran into each other.”

“Well, that’s certainly not what the tabloids have been printing–”

“Yeah, about that.” I turned to look at the camera directly. “I’d just like to ask everyone to please not read the stuff written about Michael and I. I can promise you 99.9% of it is garbage. The tabloids have to make money, just like any writer, and they tend to sensationalize things. I just wish people wouldn’t believe everything they read, you know?”

“Well, I can certainly say I have read a few crazy stories in the past few years. It does get rather out-of-hand… Speaking of which, you’ve been together since 1983, correct? A week or so after he premiered his music video for Thriller?”

I hated answering such detailed questions.

“Yes, right.”

“Quite a while! Tell me, Ms. Summers, are there any plans of marriage in the near future? Have you and Michael discussed it?”

She seemed to be on the edge of her seat.

I fidgeted uncomfortably and ran a hand through my hair.