Spotlight || MJ/Prince

Spotlight || Chapter 11

1992

Prince

"I have something to tell you." Angela offered the most beautiful smile, but her words seemed odd and unexpected in one way or another. Like anyone else stuck in the situation, I didn't even know what to believe as we met up once more.

Uh oh. My thoughts had questioned instantly.

"Is something wrong?" I had learned that when many folks in my life expressed anything close to what Angel said, there was usually bad news that came along right afterward. Sitting backstage with her like we always had, I soon turned to face my longtime friend, ready for her details. We held hands, even interlocking fingers.

"No. This is great news." Angela told me. Silence fell between us for the umpteeth occasion, but tears now reached her pretty brown eyes. The award show actually wouldn't begin for quite a while, but I didn't care if we sat here all night together.

"What?" I smiled, squeezing her palm. Angel rocked a dark and sleeveless maxi dress on that particular night. Her previously straightened hair now changed into this locs ponytail. Those same dreads cascaded down towards the back of her neck.

"I'm pregnant." Angela smiled, squealing quietly like the cutest little girl. I almost didn't believe what had been revealed until she stood up from this couch and angeled herself towards the left-hand wall. Her hand reached out to rub her belly.

Now, I knew why she wore that dress.

Before I could reach out for one of our famous hugs and congratulate Angel, Troy Beyer stood in the doorway. She cleared her throat to remind me that it was time to leave for this show. "Soul Train" would honor me with the Heritage Award.

If curious fans ever wondered why I would ever tear up on camera during my acceptance speech, Angela Powell had been one of the reasons why. I didn't care. There was still no better feeling in the world than to know that she was happy.

_____

"If anything happens to me, I want you to be her godfather." Angela still sat on the couch to "hide" this news of her baby bump. I could only imagine how the press reacted, especially knowing she had changed the course of her life right now.

I returned backstage as soon as that show ended, not caring if I looked crazy to anyone else around me. The crew quickly understood, leaving me alone to speak with Angel again. Many questions raced and jumbled through my mind all at once.

"Of course. Thank you so much." I smiled, finally stopped those tears from earlier. She reached out to hold my hands again, revealing a bracelet that etched initials of her future daughter's name. We had squeezed palms again and I soon whispered.

"You're welcome. I've thought a lot about this and there's no one else I trust more than you. Family already agreed, too." Angel detailed her explanation just a bit more. I nodded, knowing that her cousins must've wondered about everything.

"I see the letters, but what's your daughter's name?" I asked, keeping eye contact. Another round of comfortable silence fell around us. Asking about the father of her child didn't mean anything to me. If Angel wanted to reveal him, I would've known.

"Jamie Denise Powell."

Angela now used one of my musical pseudonyms for the first name of her daughter, but I couldn't stop smiling. Another tinge of happiness washed over my own heart. On the other hand, only diehard fans and people in my camp would've known these facts about me. I had even noticed that she paid tribute to Vanity, but didn't say anything at the time. We both knew so much better than to fuss, especially here.

To be honest, Denise had long since left music behind and changed her life around for Christ. All the same, I still realized that Angel wasn't disrespectful at all. She wasn't foul enough to trash anyone, not even herself. Self-esteem aside, she knew.

"Hey." As if on cue this evening, someone else had interrupted us again, all out of nowhere. It wasn't Troy again, though. I stood up as soon once we noticed each other and folded both arms, even then tilting my curly head for good measure.

"Hey, Mike. What are you doing here?" I stopped folding both arms like some and walked my heels towards him, reaching to shake hands. To be honest, we didn't always cross paths, but I never hated him as the media sometimes claimed then.

"Earlier, Angela told me to swing by and visit you after the show." Michael cornered himself away from Angela and I returned to my spot on the couch. Tension in this backstage area seemed to build more and more. Questions soon returned to me.

"What is this about?" I turned to question Angel then, squinting for a moment while Angela cleared her throat. I didn't know what to think before she spoke up. Michael had even closed the door behind him, leaving bodyguards alone to still look out.

"Michael is the father of my child, Prince." Angela revealed one form of truth that now showed up. I glanced between her and Michael. Out of nowhere, this backstage room and the entire world seemed to crumble around me, even if I was all right.

For the first time in my life, I wanted to faint.