Upside Down

Chapter 3

October 23rd, 1985

Diana stared out of the window on the plane as she stroked her pregnant belly. Barbara was sitting across from her, watching her with quiet disapproval. Diana could feel her elder sister's eyes burning holes into her, the guilt her sister was trying to project on her felt like a weight. 

Diana huffed and turned to look at Barbara. "What?"

"You know you're wrong," Barbara commented. "What are you thinking? Getting married behind his back?"

Diana frowned. "You wouldn't understand. My child needs a father--"

"Your child has a father!" Barbara shot back. "Just because  you're not willing to accept that you fucked up doesn't mean you get to keep that boy away from his baby!"

"Who's to say he'll even be there?" Diana inquired sharply. "Huh? He's not just a boy, he's the same man who was just selling a million albums a week! He's got gigs at Disney, studio time, tours! He ain't gonna time and I'm not willing to let my child miss out on having a father!"

"She wouldn't be missing out if you would just be with her father," Barbara replied quietly. "But you're too vain to let anyone find out you got knocked up by the boy whose virginity you took,"

Diana took a deep breath as she felt the child moving inside of her. Barbara watched her coolly. 

"I'm just saying, Diane." She continued. "Going across the world to go marry some man in Norway--"

"I'm doing this for my daughter's sake," Diana retorted. "Arne is a good man. He already knows the situation--"

"But Michael doesn't know," Barbara interjected. "That's not fair to him,"

Diana bit her lip, peering at Barbara through her eyelashes. 

"I can't fix this one for you, Diane." Barbara shook her head. "You knew it was gonna be hard--"

"I just wish it wasn't him," Diana whispered.

She turned away and resumed staring out her window, looking down over the Norweigan countryside. 

It just had to be him.

October 27th, 1985

Michael hurried up the stairs to Diana's penthouse. He hadn't seen or heard from her since their argument at the studio. He reached into his pocket and slipped out the key she'd given him and walked into the foyer.

"Diane!" He called.

The woman walked out of the kitchen dressed in a loose t-shirt and sweatpants. His eyes immediately went to the bump that they'd both been so desperate to hide.

"You know you're supposed to knock before you come in," Diana commented.

Michael pursed his lips, wanting to scream at her for how she so callously ignored him and put herself and their daughter at risk. They both knew how delicate her condition was.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, I was just worried about you,"

Diana chuckled. "You don't need to worry about me,"

He looked up from her stomach into her eyes. "I want to make sure you're safe. Both of you,"

She shifted from one foot to the other, folding her arms across her chest. "Don't. Just focus on yourself and your career,"

Michael took a step back, his eyes scanning Diana's appearance until a silver glint caught his eye. 

"When'd you get that?"