tabloid junkie (Michael Jackson)

February 22ᶰᵈ ─ 6:00 ᵖᵐ

"Do you have a minute?" I asked from the doorway of Michael's bedroom. Since Janet had hesitatingly agreed to let me in the Neverland Ranch in the first place, I had to play it cool.

Michael had been oblivious to the fact I had been watching him struggle to get dressed for wherever he was going. He'd been grappling with his tie, trying to tie it the correct way.

He whirled at the bitter sound of my voice. "Sure."

I nodded, unhinging myself from the wall and stepping completely in the room. Michael began to excessively scratch at his shiny, dark locks.

"I want to know the truth." I blurted before I could stop myself, I was so damn angry at this beautiful man standing in this room with me but I needed to know the answers, the real answers. "The whole truth."

If he was smart enough, he'd say it was really none of my business but I knew Michael and even if it was on his mind, he wouldn't voice it.

I saw him look down at his watch and cringe a bit. Damn, he had a way of making me feel bad easily. He must have been on his way somewhere, and I am making him late right now.

Is it harsh to say I'm glad about that? That he's here with me instead of wherever he was intending on going.

"Okay." He said, at last. Sitting on the edge of his golden bed.

But I stood, waiting for the words to tumble from his life.

Michael sighed, messing his smoothed hair up. "Her name was Nadia, we met at the Mallows Museum two years ago."

I sighed, waiting for his love tale.

"She was a sweet person at first, kind, honest..." Michael sighed, shrugging as if he didn't know what to say next. "I thought I was in love with her at first." He laughed a bit, though I didn't find what was funny at all.

"One night, we'd had one two many drinks and we...you know."

I cringed, at the thought of Michael and some woman actually...ew.

"After that, she got real selfish and rude. She didn't want want to be seen in public with me. And then, suddenly. She was pregnant."

I crossed my arms over my chest and exhaled by my nose.

"She didn't want a child, never did. She would cry a lot, to me mostly. Telling me she wished she could get an abortion. And I told her no, that it was a choice to be made by the both of us.

After the birth of our child, we spent a lot of time with the baby. I was actually happy she was born, the child was beautiful-"

"This child, that child, the baby- doesn't it have a name?" I cut in angrily, wishing he never even had a child.

"Rue." He said softly. "It was my grandmother's name. Rue was beautiful, smart and sweet but not enough to make her mother stay."

I blanched, my mouth wide. "What do you mean?"

"Nadia left." He said slowly. "One morning, I heard Rue crying hysterically in her crib at the secret house we were staying in. And then I found the note, Nadia's missing clothes-you get it right?"

Michael sighed, wiping a hand over his face. "She left her own daughter and never came back. End of story." He said.

Curiosity filled me. "So, i-if Nadia abandoned the two of you, then where is Rue now?" I asked, scrunching my eyebrows.

"In a safe place."

Before I could reply to that, screams came from downstairs. Michael and I shared a worried look before zipping from his bedroom.

Michael and I descended the stairs, Janet was screaming to the person on the other side of the front door. I could barely see who was at the door because she was blocking the way.

"You can't do this! She's not going!" Janet screeched.

WTF?

Who was she talking about? I watched Michael push Janet roughly away to see who she was talking to. And his demeanor changed to a respectful one. "Hello Detective."

Immediately, my heart began to beat like hammers.

Detective?

"We're here for Diana Cartwright. We have a warrant for her arrest."

I stepped back slowly, so they wouldn't see me.

"Warrant? What is this about?" Michael asked roughly.

"Is she here?" I recognized the voice as Detective Rodgers, who shoved past Michael and was now inside the house.

She stared at me, before launching forward and seizing my wrist.

"I told you I'd get you." She said, smiling maniacally before shoving me at the wall and tightening handcuffs on my wrists.

I whimpered in pain and fear. "What is this about? Why am I being arrested?" I asked against the dusty wall.

Rodgers leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "Do you remember that diamond-shaped ring that was used to bust the teeth from Mr. Jackson's mouth? Well, let's just say we got a tip and now, you're going to jail." She grinned widely, hauling me out the house, not caring that I was in intense pain.

"Ow!" I screeched when she ducked me in the police cruiser, banging my head on the roof. "Be careful." I moaned, trying to find some comfort in the cuffs but it was no use, they were nearly cutting off my circulation.