Chapter 2-Continued

Neverland Recording Studio
The Next Day

“Not over…not over…no, no, no! Not over! Oh! Hoo! Yeah!”
Michael cried into the overhead microphone in a light, clear falsetto.
“Oh my God--he sounds so good!” I exclaimed to Rusty who sat manning all the buttons and gadgets in the control room.
“Yeah. Michael Jackson is in rare form today.” Rusty agreed.
I looked at Michael who was spinning in a circle while vocalizing.
“Does he always do that?” I asked as Michael began to hop around, doing a full out dance to his song.
Rusty glanced up. “Yeah, no matter what he’s recording, he’ll start dancing. That’s the performer in the man.” He laughed.
Watching Michael’s lean body flapping around under the microphone, I felt a surge of heat. I tried to control myself, but I couldn’t stop an audible,
“Oh!” from escaping my lips.
Rusty’s head popped up. He stared at me.
“Did…you say something?” He questioned suspiciously.
“No…nothing. I was clearing my throat.” I said quickly. A bit too quickly.
Rusty swiveled in his chair. “Kid, don’t tell me you have the hots for Michael. Please don’t.” He begged his blue eyes growing larger by the second.
Looking down at the controls, I said, “Of course I don’t. Are you silly?” I laughed leadenly.
“Oh shit…you do like him.” Rusty put his head in his hands.
“Now wait a minute man. I never said anything. You’re putting words in my mouth!” I jumped on the defensive. “Michael and I are just friends.”
“Yeah…sure. You’re here in this huge place alone with Michael all the time. All the time. I should have known something would have happened. Damn! I told Michael that he should have bought you an apartment somewhere in a nicer neighborhood, but he insisted on you staying with him!” Rusty blurted.
“What!” I jumped up so quickly I knocked my chair over. “You didn’t want me to stay with Michael? Who the hell are you to tell him what to do! You are not his daddy! Michael has been so kind to me and you--” I pointed an accusing finger at him. “You tried to deprive me of that!”
“Hey you wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t found you in that bar.” Rusty threw his hands up.
That was true, but I never let an argument pass without having the last word.
“What the hell were you doing in that part of town anyway? Looking for someone to keep you warm at night?” I sneered.
Rusty stared at me open mouthed. I could tell I had stung him.
“Well you tell me one thing!” Rusty rose to his feet.
“What do you want to know?” I placed my hands on my hips and stared into his face defiantly.
“You’re not sleeping with him are you?” Rusty’s voice was low.
That was the straw that shattered the camel’s back.
“NO I’M NOT!” I shrieked and shoved Rusty. He lost his balance and fell on the floor.
“What kind of girl do you take me for? Just because you found me in the trashiest part of town doesn’t make me trashy!” I pulled my foot back, ready to put my pink Chuck Taylor sneakers all in the side of his head and splatter his brains all over the control room. How dare he talk to me like that?
“What is going on in here?” A pair of hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from Rusty.
I looked up into Michael’s troubled face. “Brynn what happened?” He asked a bit more softly.
“Brynn? Why are you asking her? Ask me! She knocked me down.” Rusty whined from the floor.
“Aw…shut the hell up!” I stomped at Rusty.
“Brynn!” Michael exclaimed and I realized I had cursed in front of him.
“Sorry Michael…” I whispered feeling a thorough shame. “Rusty and I had a little spat.”
“A spat? World War Two was a spat compared to what happened here.” Rusty crawled to his feet.
“You obviously said something to offend her.” Michael pushed me back and approached Rusty.
Rusty’s skin paled so much he looked grey. “You…you’re siding with her?” He was bewildered.
Michael ignored the question. “You apologize to her right now. I have been doing everything I can to make her happy and comfortable and you come in and make her upset? Apologize.” Michael ordered, his large eyes blazing.
I knew Rusty must have felt like a used tissue having Michael upbraid him like that in front of me.
“No…I won’t.” Rusty raked a hand through his hair angrily.
“You don’t apologize to this girl, I’ll fire you. I mean it.” Michael’s voice was icy cold.
That statement turned Rusty Ross into a blathering idiot. “But Michael! You’ve only known this girl a short time. I’ve been here for you for two years! You’re gonna pick her over me?” He stuttered.
“All you have to do is apologize.” Michael crossed his arms and began tapping his foot.
Rusty bit his bottom lip hard. When he released it, I saw it was bleeding.
Staring at me with pure hate, Rusty said boldly.
“Brynn, I’m sorry.”
I smiled at him sweetly. Then I said, “ I know you’re sorry.”
Rusty glared at me and Michael, then stamped out of the room.
“Are you alright?” Michael spun me so that I faced him.
“Yes, I’m fine.” I nodded.
Michael caught my face in his long hands. “Are you sure?”
I gazed into his eyes. “Yes, Michael I’m sure.”
Michael’s face, stony from anger, began to fall back into it’s normal serene expression.
“Alright. Do you want to go look at a movie or something?” He asked.
“Sure Mike.” I grinned up at him.
Michael led the way out of the room. I smiled as I followed him.
I knew Michael had to have some kind of liking for me to almost jump on Rusty for a minor argument.
And the sheer thought made me want him to be mine even more--if that was possible.
* * *
A Few Days Later

For the first time I actually got to speak to one of Michael Jackson’s children.
I was hanging around Michael’s room, waiting for him to get dressed. He had been holed up inside of his closet for almost an hour getting dressed. Who knew it would take a man who wore a button up shirt and ankle length trousers everyday so long to get dressed?
“Michael! Hurry up please! I want to go ride the Ferris wheel!” I called through the door.
“Almost done!” Michael called back.
As I waited impatiently, an idea struck me. Michael was in his closet, probably partially undressed if not completely naked. The thought of seeing Michael’s pristine white body made me dizzy. My hands trembled as I put them on the knob of the door to the closet. Ever so gently I began to turn it.
I pushed the sliding just far enough to peek my head in.
I drew in a shaky breath and bent to look at Michael.
At that moment, a polyphonic version of The Blue Danube began to play.
Michael’s cell phone, which was lying on his bed, was ringing.
“Damn.” I mumbled to myself.
“Get that for me please!” Michael called.
“Alright!” I replied and opened the phone.
“Michael Jackson’s phone. Brynn speaking.” I giggled, feeling somewhat relieved that the phone intervened.
“Can I speak to my daddy?” A child’s voice asked politely.
“Sure.” I smiled. “Who is this?” I asked.
“This is Paris (Jackson) are you the lady making the song with my daddy?” She asked.
“Yes, you know about the song?” I was a little surprised that she knew. So far I hadn’t heard Michael talk to his kids and he hadn’t really mentioned them to me either. He had been really secretive about his children.
“Yeah…my Uncle Marlon told me.” Paris chuckled.
Man, Michael was spreading the word and I had no clue!
“I’ll let you talk to your daddy. Hey Michael! It’s Paris!”
The door flung open and Michael came running out, his blue shirt half tucked into his black pants and one loafer on his feet.
He took the phone from me. “Hi Paris honey, how are you sweetie?”
I noticed that Michael was glowing like a pregnant woman, he was so happy to be talking to his child.
“You having fun at your Uncle Marlon’s house? Mmmmm. He took you to Disneyland? That’s great! Yes, I’m almost finished recording and when I am you and your brothers can come home. I promise. I love you too. Give my love to everybody. Bye-bye.” Michael hung up his phone.
“She’s nice.” I smiled.
“Thank you.” Michael smiled weakly. “She said you sounded nice too.”
“When are you going to wrap the song? I’m dying to meet them!” I hugged his arm. I hadn’t actually seen a photograph of them because I understood that Michael didn’t want his children to been by just anybody. But they could have been hidden in plain sight because he had pictures of random children all over the place.
“Soon, a few more weeks. I’m going to call Quincy and see when he’s going to have time to come listen to it. Then we’ll tweak the song and get all the promotion and stuff ready. It’s a lot of work.” Michael led me out of his room and down the hall.
“Yeah, I’m learning that. It’s a long way from singing in clubs where the roaches are bigger than the patrons.” I laughed.
“Well I played in some seedy places when I was starting out. But I’m glad where I’ve ended up.” Michael nodded and tucked a lock of his hair behind his ear.
“It’s great and I’m so happy I’m here too. I never thought in my life that I’d be here, not only recording but also enjoying Neverland. It’s like a dream.” I shook my head suddenly overcome by emotion. “I’m so happy.” I whimpered as a tears began falling.
“Aw!” Michael quickly enveloped me in a hug. “I’m glad you’re here too and I’m happy you’re happy. You have a rare thing, Brynn. You are very talented. And I intent to cultivate that talent. You deserve strictly the best.”
Michael bent and kissed my damp cheek gently. “I’m going to give you the best.” He whispered into my ear.
I ran my hands along Michael’s back, a mixture of shock from him kissing me and just sheer pleasure coursing through me. It was almost too much to be touching him. My face was planted in his chest and his cologne was doing a lovely number on my nostrils.
I leaned up and pecked Michael’s neck softly.
Michael giggled lightly. I looked up into his face and saw that he was turning pink.
“Was that okay?” I asked, a wave of nervousness rushing over me.
Michael turned his head to the side and giggled a bit harder.
“Of course it’s okay.” Michael grinned looking down at me. “May I?”
I nodded dumbly, surprised that Michael actually wanted to kiss me.
Michael pressed his lips to neck which I was sure was hot and burning from me trying to control myself.
“Michael…” Reaching over his shoulder, I put my hand to my face.
Michael continued to kiss on my neck and finally…finally…made his way around to my mouth.
Michael’s soft lips crushed mine with a delicate power.
I could actually feel my knees weakening. I placed my hands on Michael’s thin shoulders to try to maintain my balance. Michael cradled my face in his long hands as the pressure of his mouth became a little harder.
I slid my hands down to Michael’s back, over his belt buckle and gripped Michael’s buttocks.
“Oh!” Michael jerked back from me suddenly.
“What?” I exclaimed, my hands already missing the firmness of his bottom against them.
“I’m just, I’m shy.” Michael looked at his shoes and began to wring his hands. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I reached out and stroked Michael’s cheek.
“Excuse me.” Michael’s voice cracked as he ran away from me and into his room, slamming the double doors.
I stared at the doors. I felt absolutely deflated. I didn’t know what had gone wrong. It had been pure bliss, Michael holding and kissing me. I had been happier than I had ever been in my life.
I just couldn’t understand it.
Giving the doors one last glance, I retreated to my room.
I spent the rest of the afternoon in tears.

* * *

Late That Night

I emerged from my bedroom, finally dry of tears and in search of food. I had been holed up in there through dinner, replaying every second of what had happened trying to figure out what I might have done to offend Michael.
He had pulled away right as I had touched his booty. Maybe it was ultra sensitive or something.
I just didn’t know.
Mind heavy with thoughts, I made my way down the back staircase that led to the kitchen. As I reached the landing, I noticed that the light was on.
I slowly walked the last four steps and saw that Michael was seated at the island in there drinking from a large mug.
He was looking down into it, and appeared to be deep in thought.
“Hi.” I said quietly.
Michael looked up at me. “Hi.” He said just as quietly.
I made my way over to the huge refrigerator and started to open it.
“I had the chef make you a plate earlier. It’s in there, if you want it. Since you skipped dinner and all.” Michael said meekly.
I found the plate. It appeared to have a grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables on it..
Pulling the Saran Wrap off of it, I took at a seat at the other end of the island and began to slowly pick at the food.
I raised a broccoli floret to my mouth and in an instance of indignation, I tossed it back on the plate.
“Michael…why did you run away from me today?” I demanded.
Michael gazed at me sadly. “I’m very deeply sorry if I hurt your feelings today Brynn. I didn’t mean to. It’s just that as I was kissing you, I was thinking.”
“Yeah? What about?” My voice was sharp as a shard of broken glass.
“Well…” Michael stammered and his voice slipped into a low falsetto.
“I’m sure that you know I’ve be`en married twice. And divorced twice. It was bad enough to see my life with Lisa Marie fall apart and then to go through the same thing with Debbie was even worse. Brynn, I’ve been hurt so, so many times.” Michael sighed and took a deep breath.
“And I’ve had a couple of girlfriends before them, but it always ended. Always. It seemed like whenever I was just opening up to a girl, she’d leave me.” Michael stared down into his mug again. “I don’t want to be left again.”
“Michael.” I rose from the table and rushed to his side. “I’d never leave you. I owe my life to you. You’re wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.” I whispered.
“But there’s another problem.” Michael cautioned and walked towards the stairs.
“What? Tell me.” I begged following him. My anger at him was fading quickly.
He stopped at the first step and placed his hand on the banister.
“You’re only nineteen. And I’m almost forty-seven years old. I mean it’s a big age difference.”
“But Michael look at Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher!” I placed my hand on Michael’s hand. “She’s older than him!”
“Yeah, but she’s not just getting over a huge trial that involved a teenage kid. And you’re still in your teens.” Michael’s voice began shake once again. “Sure I was exonerated, but still…”
“But Michael. I’m nineteen. I’m legally an adult. And I know you wouldn’t harm me in anyway.” I assured him. “I know you didn’t hurt that kid, it was all lies. Michael…” I looked up at him. “Anything that we do, it won’t be forced. I’ll do it willingly.” I vowed.
“But Brynn.” Michael turned to me. “People have me under a microscope. They’re watching me. Everything I do, everything I say. If I go around with a young girl like you it’ll be ugly.” He lamented.
“Then if anyone asks who I am just say I’m a friend or even a cousin or something. We don’t have to say that we’re together. Michael I just want to be with you!” I cried and wrapped my arms around his tiny waist. And I meant it with every fiber of my being.
I felt Michael place his arms around me. And I knew he was mine.