Rose Garden :: MJ

Chapter 6 - Hopeful

Hopeful

Amanda's POV

Michael took my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

We walked into the flower shop to see a very confused looking Lacey.

"Lacey, you know Michael. We made up, we both love each other very much," I said smiling at Michael.

Lacey shook out of her confused look and smiled, "I'm happy for you both. Amanda, can I talk to you in the back?"

"Yeah, sure. Be right back Michael," I said lightly kissing Michael on the lips.

I walked in the back with Lacey and she exploded in an angry whisper, "What are you thinking? After he did that to you last night you're just going to go back to him? Are you nuts?"

I smiled, "Lacey, he told that this is the first time he's ever been in love and he wanted to make sure it was real. He went to think, he would've walked in this store a few minutes later if I hadn't went over to him."

"Are you sure?" Lacey asked carefully.

I sighed, "Michael's not a liar."

Lacey smacked her hand to her forehead in frustration, "How do you know? You've only known him for like four days."

"I just know," I said.

Lacey sighed, I walked over to her, "For the first time in my life I'm listening to my heart and I love it. I'm always following the path my mom wants me to and you always tell me to live a little. Aren't you happy for me?"

"Yeah, I am happy for you, I just don't want you to get hurt. I care about you Amanda, you're my best friend," Lacey said.

"I know, but you have to trust me on this. I'm following my heart and feelings not the road my mom has paved for me," I said.

"I trust you," Lacey said, smiling.

"Thank you," I said hugging her.

We walked back out in the main store and Michael was browsing through the flowers.

"Oh, I was just looking," he said quietly.

"Its okay, keep looking," I said.

"Oh no," Lacey whispered.

I looked at her, "What?"

"Controlling mom alert," she said looking outside.

My mom was with three men who were helping her carry the flowers in.

"Michael," he turned around, "Go in that bathroom."

Michael trusted me and went into the bathroom.

"Why didn't you just ask him to go to the back?" Lacey asked.

"Because mom's taking those flowers to the back," I said wiping off the counter.

"Take those to the back," my mom said walking through the door.

"Hi mom," I said smiling.

She turned around, "Oh hi, could you and Lacey set these roses in the front display case please?"

"Sure," I said, Lacey and I took the roses from her and set them in various spots in the display case.

My mom sat down on a stool by the counter, "How was your day?"

"Nice, quiet," I replied.

"Did we have any good customers?" My mom asked as me and Lacey took a seat on two more stools.

"Yeah, quite a few," I said.

"Good," she said.

"Mom," she looked at me, "I want you meet someone."

"It's not a boy is it?" She asked, completely serious.

I got nervous, "Well, mom."

She sighed, "Amanda, it is, isn't it? What did I tell you Amanda, you can fall for someone too fast? Usually when you introduce that person to your parents, you're in love with that person."

I walked over to the bathroom door and opened it, I took Michael by the hand, "Michael, this is my mom. Mom, this is Michael Jackson."

"Hi, Ms. Thomas. Nice to meet you," Michael taking her hand and placing a kiss on it.

"Nice to meet you too. So you're the Michael Jackson?" My mom asked.

"Yeah, I'm nothing special though," Michael said blushing.

My mom sighed, "Okay, well, Amanda, can I talk to you in the back?"

The men that delivered the flowers had already left; I followed her in the back.

"A black boy? I thought you knew me by now," she said.

"Mom, can please put your racism aside? He's a really nice guy," I said.

"When I was younger white girls did not go with black boys," she said.

"Mom, this is 1987, not 1950."

"Amanda, I'm forbidding you to see him. He's a superstar; he'll take advantage of you then leave and never think about you again."

"He's not like that mom, he wasn't raised that way."

"Your not seeing him, Amanda."

"Yes I am and I don't care if you want me to or not. I'm 28, mamma, I can make my own decisions. I'm just tired of you trying to tell me how to live MY life. I love him!"

"You don't love him, you think you do, but you don't. The same thing happened to me, Amanda."

I sighed, "Mom, I'm not you. These are different times now. I know what happened to you, but that doesn't mean its going to happen to me. You've always acted like I was a mistake, I mean, I know I was, but you act like you never wanted a child."

I was now crying, my mom pulled me into her arms, "Of course, I want you. I've always loved you, Amanda. I was just very young and very stupid when I had you. You're a smart confident woman, I know that. I'm just warning you."

"You don't have to warn me mom, I know. I've known my whole life that people can stomp you down, but I know Michael loves me and I love him very much."

She sighed, "He's seems like a nice man."

"He is, mom. I'll show you, we can have dinner with him or something. You'll see how nice he is," I pleaded with her.

"Okay, Tonight I'll cook dinnner. You and Michael need to be at my house at 7:30 sharp," she said.

"Thank you so much mom. By the end of the night, I promise you'll approve of him," I said happily.

"We'll see," my mom said walking back to the main part of the store.

Now I could only hope for my mother's approval.