Streets of Gold - A Michael Jackson Story

Chapter 21 - Make That Change...

Michael

Wednesday January 7th, 1987 – Encino, Los Angeles

"Mother."

"Hello, honey," she smiles as I make way for her to come inside.

"Is something wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm alright," she says before sitting on the corner of my bed. "But you and Yonela are clearly not."

"What do you mean?" I stupefy myself, and fail. She gestures for me to sit by patting a space next to her on the bed. I follow her silent instruction.

"She told me about your fallout yesterday," she starts. "I know everything - your kiss with Brooke, the photograph and your proposal."

Oh.

"Is she mad at me?"

"No," she replies. "But she's very confused."

"Why?"

"She thinks that you asked her to marry you as a way to try and erase what happened in New York."

"She said that?"

She nods once. "Is she wrong?"

I look down nervously. "She might not be."

"Michael," she takes my hand in hers. "I know you love that girl very much. Even a blind man could see it, but you can't use something as serious as marriage to fix the past or prove yourself. I don't blame her for feeling the way she does."

"I didn't know what else to say," I shake my head. "Mother, I don't know why I didn't tell her the minute I got back home."

"Because you didn't want to hurt her," she reminds me. "What you did comes from a beautiful place, but keeping secrets is not the way to build a healthy relationship. She needed to know from you, not that card."

"I feel so stupid," I chuckle.

"Well, you're not. You're just a man in love."

"A man in love, huh?" I repeat, making Mother smile as she nods.

"You did nothing wrong, dear," she says. "You just didn't get it right this time, and it's completely normal. That's how love works – you learn, and keep learning until it's right for both of you."

Exactly – because I love her.

"Will she listen if I talk to her?" I ask, a ray of hope shining inside me.

"Of course she will," she smiles.

"Thank you, Ma," I whisper before she pulls me into her comforting arms, rubbing my back tenderly.

* * *

Thursday January 8th, 1987 – Encino, California

"Miya?" I call softly after tapping on her door a few times.

"It's open," she says loud enough for me to hear her.

I turn the doorknob and gently push it open. She's seated on the edge of her bed, lacing up her sneakers as I step closer to her.

"Hey," I greet, making her look up to meet my gaze.

"Hey," she says back before finishing with her shoes.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine," she smiles faintly. "You?"

"I'm good."

Here goes nothing...

"Listen," I start. "I want to apologize for the mess I've caused. I should've told you about the kiss when I had the chance. I guess I just... I didn't wanna hurt you."