Stay the Night

Chapter 48

January 27th, 2004

Jermaine could see Mariah gulp. 

"W-What about him?" She asked, her eyes quickly finding the floor. 

He grabbed her shoulder. "Let's go in here."

He gently pulled her into the adjacent, empty studio and they both took a seat the soundboard. Mariah eyed him carefully, clearly unsure of how to proceed. 

"What do you want to know?" She asked, taking a more resigned position.

Her face read, 'what do I really have to lose?' 

Jermaine bit his lip, thinking about the best way to ask his sister-in-law why she cheated on his brother. It was an interesting position to be in. Michael didn't ask him to have the conversation with Mariah, he was too preoccupied with his new flame, Jermaine was genuinely curious. Sure, he wasn't Mariah's biggest fan throughout the years, but it was so unexpected that he couldn't help but ask.

"Why'd you do it?" He asked.

Mariah took a deep sigh, tears welling in her eyes. "Honestly? I was desperate. Michael beat up Tommy that day in the studio-"

"Wait, come again?" Jermaine raised an eyebrow. Michael didn't tell the family much of anything anymore, so his personal dealings were a mystery to everyone outside of Randy. 

Mariah nodded, sniffling. "Yeah, that was...I think it was back in '98. I was working on an album, Michael was at home with the twins. Yeah, it had to be '98 because Lizzie was born in '99--"

I did not need all these details, but alright.

"--Michael was working on his last album, but I went to New York to record and then Michael popped up. I threw a radio at him--"

What the fuck? This bitch is crazy...oh wait, she really is crazy. I ain't forgot she had us up in the psych ward.

"--and then he came with me to the studio and I got in the booth. He left, or at least I thought he left, but he was standing behind that two-way mirror. I was recording and Tommy came in. He-he called me out of the booth and he slapped me. Next thing I know, Michael runs out and he beat that man within an inch of his life."

Well, we are from Gary.

"Wait, Tommy hit you. After the divorce?"

Mariah nodded innocently, her eyes like that of a child. Jermaine couldn't help but have a little sympathy for the devil.

"Yeah, so then after he recovered, of course, he cut off all funding for me and Michael. Michael was upset because of the money situation and it felt like he was taking it out on me. He was really irritable and he wouldn't talk to me. It was like he completely shut me out. So then I told him, 'hey, I'll go talk to Tommy for you and see if I can get him to give you more money or something' so then I flew back out to New York--"

Now we're getting to the nitty-gritty. 

Jermaine grabbed a bowl of popcorn in his head.

"--so then I get there and Tommy is being himself, you know, calling me names and stuff, I was terrified so I'm trying to get it out then I just blurted it out, you know? 'Tommy, I need you to give Michael that money and then--"

She froze, her eyes growing distant. Jermaine gently rested a hand on her shoulder. 

"Why'd you stop?"

Jermaine tried to follow her gaze, but there was nothing apparent that she was staring at. 

She took a deep breath. "So then he got up and he grabbed me by the shoulder and pushed me down on my knees and then he goes, 'it ain't gonna suck itself' so I did what he asked me to and by the time I made it back to the condo Michael called me and said Sony gave him the money. Then next thing I know, I'm pregnant with Elizabeth."