Chapter 3

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May 18th, 1990

"Where ya goin', Daddy?"

Michael chuckled at his daughter as he finished buttoning his shirt. "I'm going to go meet a friend,"

"Oh," Rosslyn looked down for a moment before looking back at her father. "Is it your girlfriend?"

"My girlfriend?" He inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Who told you that?"

He already had his suspicions.

"Bill," Rosslyn answered. 

He shook his head. "She's a girl, yes, but she's not my girlfriend,"

"How not? She's your friend and she's a girl," She responded put her hands up in confusion, not quite understanding the difference.

"You'll understand when you're older," He replied. "Now, I need you to be real good for Ms. Blanca while I'm gone, okay?"

"I'm always good," Rosslyn shrugged.

Michael furrowed his brow. "Last time I came home you weren't eating your vegetables, remember?"

"But I was good," Rosslyn insisted. "Veg-ah-tub-als are just nasty,"

She scrunched up her face to further her point. 

"Well, you still need to eat them," He reasoned, ruffling her hair.

Michael glanced at the clock and noticed he was already running late so he planted a kiss on his daughter's forehead and hurried out the door to meet Mariah.

May 18th, 1990

Mariah hurried up the stairs of the subway. She was supposed to meet Michael at three, but it was nearly three-thirty. She hoped he hadn't left, but if he had she couldn't blame him. She had decided to take an early nap and woke up late. She entered the studio and saw Michael. He looked annoyed and that made her feel worse.

"You're late." He said as she approached.

Mariah nodded. "I know, I'm really sorry Michael. My neighbors were fighting and then the cops got called at like 4 in the morning, then I took a nap and-"

He started laughing and Mariah titled her head. "What's funny?"

"I'm just messing with you, I just got here about ten minutes ago myself. Last minute business call." He grinned at her cheekily.

Mariah crossed her arms. "That was not funny. I thought you were actually mad."

I'm gonna get him back for that.

"Lighten up, Mimi." He said.

"Mimi?"

"Yeah, I think that's what I'll call you from now on. Mimi."

Mariah nodded. "Mimi."

"So let's get started. First of all, do you have any songs that are more...upbeat?" He asked as he stood up and stretched.

Mariah frowned. "Like dancing music?"

"Exactly. I think it would be best for me to teach you with your own music. Actually, show me what you can do already."

Mariah closed her eyes for a second. "I guess I'll sing Someday, that's the closest thing I have to dance music."

She started with the chorus in an attempt to remember the beat, walking in circles. She was trying to avoid looking at Michael. Occasionally she would sway her hips in tune with the beat in her head, while Michael nodded his head. He was tapping his foot, keeping time with her singing. She hit the whistle at the end of the song and turned back to Michael who was wearing a grimace on his face.

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