Girls in High Places

Chapter Four

He let himself into the hotel room, hissing in a sharp breath as he bumped into a chair in the semi-darkness. Frustrated and angry, he kicked at it and then flopped onto his bed, not caring if he woke up Marlon and Anita – not that he should have been concerned anyway. The couple was dead to the world and Michael was now too wired to sleep.

4:58am.

He had less than two hours before getting ready for the day, which would kick off with a quick breakfast and then practice for the next four or five hours at Madison Square garden for their show later on tonight.

He really did need his rest, but unfortunately, his body still thrummed from the adrenaline rush experienced at the bar. He could still hear the infectious beat…could still feel the crush of writhing bodies pressed all around him…could definitely still feel the sensation of Stacy’s body against his and how close he had been to breaking his commitment of waiting until the ‘right girl’ showed up in his life. In fact, it was a good thing her boyfriend had showed up. Goodness knows what would have happened if the situation had gotten out of control. Desire and lust were quite interchangeable and in the throes of their passionate dance, it was clear the ‘lust’ side of things would have taken over easily.

I’m so sorry…

Groaning, he turned to his side restlessly, the image of Stacy crying now filling his mind. He wanted to remain upset with her, to brush her aside and chuck her into the bin of ‘groupie trash’, but yet…something about the way she had acted had him going through the sequence of events again.
She had actually looked terrified at the sight of the other man.

One would have expected complete guilt at the notion of cheating on a boyfriend, but Michael had felt the girl literally trembling in his arms – a clear sign that Stacy’s relationship with the other man wasn’t all it appeared to be. Michael frowned in thought, wondering if she was involved in an abusive relationship. He hadn’t noticed any bruises on her skin, but then again…he had no bruises either. His brand of abuse came with an emotional and mental baggage – a baggage he could release through his music. If Stacy was going through the same thing…what was her release? Lying? Cheating on ‘precious’ boyfriend? Acting like someone she really wasn’t?

“…lies…all lies…trying to make you see…that I’m not all I appear to be…” he whispered beneath his breath as a beat began to form in his mind. He tapped his feet subconsciously, the words and tune echoing within his heart as inspiration came forth from above. Without thinking twice about it, he sat up and turned on the bedside lamp, pulling out his notebook and a pencil to begin writing.

The words came out in a rush and by the time he was done, the clock showed 5:32 and he was mentally spent. His hastily scribbled words danced before his wavering gaze, and tucking his book away, he sank back against the pillows and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure when the song would be used, but he hoped when he kicked off his solo career, it would come in handy. He yawned as he felt the first pangs of sleep overwhelm him and idly wondered if she’d show up at the concert tonight.

He really hoped she would…after all…there was still so much he had to ask and learn from the beautiful girl with the lovely patois accent.


__


Stacy said nothing as she was dragged down the street. Her upper arm hurt as Kevin, for that was her boyfriend’s name, squeezed even harder while still cursing her out as loud as he could. So used to this by now, she blocked it out and tried to focus her energy on the memory of those precious few moments with Michael on the dance floor. She captured her lower lip between her teeth as she remembered how good he had felt against her…the sensation of that strong and wiry body forcing her to move in ways she never thought possible. Goodness knows what would have happened if Kevin hadn’t shown up. She knew Michael had been getting excited, and so had she. Nothing would have stopped her from going all the way if he asked right then and there.

“Who was he, huh?!”

She gave a light grunt of pain as she was shoved through the door which led into his apartment. Stumbling, she fell to the dirty floor, sliding backwards while covering her face in an attempt to protect it from being hit. She waited for the blow, wondering how long this particular bruise would heal. Kevin was no dummy. He was careful to hit her in places that wouldn’t be noticeable. It was one of the reasons she wore a lot of long-sleeve dresses. He had confessed he liked her legs and wouldn’t hurt them, but if she did cross the line, he was more than willing to break them. Stacy wondered if tonight would be the time it happened.

“Answer me, bitch!” he roared, lifting his arm in readiness to strike. “You better tell me who he is or you know what will happen. Who was he?!”

She wondered what he would say if she said “Michael Jackson of the Jackson 5”, but to her horror, she found herself giggling at how stupid that sounded even to her. No one would believe she had spent just a few hours in the presence of such a huge superstar…even she couldn’t believe it now as reality came crashing down all around her. This was her life. Anita was the one who always wanted to make it big and almost always dragged Stacy into her whacky plans. Tonight, Anita’s plan had finally worked and Stacy had been privy to a world of luxury and fantasy.

It was uncontrollable laughter and although she would rather not do it, she couldn’t help it. She was hurting deep inside and yet the mirth was mixed with tears that now cascaded her cheeks. Unfortunately, this only did more to infuriate Kevin, who believed she was laughing at him, and as he began to unbuckle his belt, Stacy closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate.
She only hoped and prayed she’d survive the beating this time around.


__



“Where the hell did you go with Stacy last night?” Marlon asked as they got dressed in preparation to meet the others waiting outside their hotel room.

Michael, still slightly groggy, combed his afro into shape, while staring at his reflection in the mirror. He mumbled something that Marlon couldn’t hear, but noticed the bathroom door opening and Anita coming out, looking as fresh as a daisy and obviously pleased that Marlon was inviting her to watch them during rehearsal. For her to still be around, she must have really made an impression on his older brother. Usually the girls that slept with his brothers were gone by the time Joseph or their managers could notice.

Anita sank gracelessly onto the bed and eyed Michael with curiosity. She was pretty as well, but Michael couldn’t help comparing her to Stacy. Like her friend, Anita was dressed in the short dress that showed off her legs, but unlike the knee-high boots Stacy had worn, Anita had on simple black pumps. Also, unlike Stacy’s straight hair, Anita had an afro that looked rich and thick. Large hoop earrings complimented her heavy makeup and she smacked loudly on her bubble gum, grinning and preening a little as she noticed Michael staring at her.

“Don’t you want to know where Stacy is?” Michael finally asked incredulously, wondering how Anita could consider herself a friend if she didn’t care about the other girl.

“You didn’t kill her, did you?” came the teasing question.

“Michael couldn’t kill a bug much less a human,” Marlon said with a laugh as he laced up his boots. “He must have taken her home last night, eh? The good Samaritan my lil’ bro is.”

“Actually, we went out,” Michael replied, trying not to look too smug. “We went to a place called ‘The Voice.’”

Anita raised a brow. “No jive?”

“No jive girl,” Michael said, smirking a little. He finished his toilette with hairspray, coughing as the fumes affected his eyes. “Unfortunately, her boyfriend decided to show up before we could really get our groove on.”

This had Anita sitting up with a look of surprise on her features. “Her boyfriend? Big guy about six feet with a scar on his cheek?”

“Didn’t notice the scar,” Michael muttered, now remembering how big the other man had been. “But yeah, he was huge. “

“Oh, shit.”

Michael was quick to notice. “What?” he asked slowly.

Anita shook her head, now biting a finger in thought. “Oh man, she’s gonna be in trouble.”

“Is he abusive to her?” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that as Anita’s eyes flickered with something akin to worry before she rose to her feet.

“I shouldn’t have brought her here…but damn…he ain’t even supposed to be in town,” the girl muttered to herself. “He said he was going to Jersey.”

“Why does she remain with him if he’s such a horrible person?” Michael asked, although a part of him realized he was asking a question he had posed to himself ever since he knew that Joseph was cheating on their mother. Unfortunately, his mom didn’t know the dark secret yet, but Michael had a feeling it was only a matter of time, and when that time came, he sincerely hoped she’d divorce him.

“You think I haven’t told her lots of times to leave him?” Anita retorted back, looking upset at the notion that she wasn’t being a good friend. “But every time she keeps saying ‘he’ll change. I know he’ll change.’ Damn bastard almost broke her arm one time.”

Marlon, who had been listening, exchanged a knowing look with Michael over Anita’s head. Both knew the feeling of being physically abused by an overbearing father and Michael unconsciously placed a hand against his side – a reminder of the time Joseph had hit him so hard, he had broken a rib as a result.

“We should do something,” Michael finally said, as he tried to think of what he could possibly do anyway. “Call the cops…?”

“That ain’t gonna work,” Anita interrupted with a shake of head. “He been locked up plenty of times already and he always gets out and makes it bad for her after. “

The door to their hotel room opened suddenly and Jackie and Tito walked in, not before eyeing Anita in appreciation, and then noticing the tension in the room.

“What’s going on?” Tito asked as he noticed his brothers’ pensive features. “She giving you trouble?”

Michael tried to explain, but Joseph walked in along with Suzanne and two other tour managers. Before he knew what was happening, he found himself dragged into the whirlpool of activity that was his life. They were ushered out the room and into the elevators with Suzanne chatting at a mile-a-minute of all their events planned for the morning before rehearsals even began. First, they had an interview with a popular New York radio station and that would last for at least an hour.

“Does the radio station go all over the city?” Michael asked as they made their way to the station.

Suzanne nodded. “Yep. It’s going to be broadcast live and you get to speak to the fans…I think.”

Michael thought fast. If he got to speak on the radio, then there was the likelihood that Stacy would be listening. He had to find a way to reach her…to get her to at least show up tonight at the concert.

“Ah damn,” Suzanne mumbled as the limo pulled up to the building. “I thought they said there would be no fans waiting.”

“Looks like they were lying,” Marlon muttered as they noticed the screeching throng of seemingly hundreds of fan girls being held back by police…just barely. The poor guys were likely to be knocked down if the boys didn’t run into the building fast enough.

“Everyone ready?” one of the bodyguards asked. Michael took a deep breath and counting slowly, he dashed out after Tito, barely managing to escape the clutches of the excited fans as their screams magnified tenfold. It seemed like an eternity to get to the doors, but eventually they found themselves safely inside and led towards the broadcast room where the famous DJ bellowed out an enthusiastic greeting.
Pictures were taken, and a few lucky fans were allowed in for a meet and greet where autographs were signed and even more pictures taken.

“All right, aaaaall right,” DJ Sam the Man boomed as he urged the boys to slip on their headphones and move closer to the microphones. “This is W-N-Y-E – Sam in the Morning! And we’re live with the Jackson 5! Who will be performing tonight at Madison Square Garden. I hope you fans already have your tickets ‘cause this show’s gonna groove your socks off. Let’s have the boys introduce themselves, okay?”

“Hello, I’m Jackie…”


__


It was hot in the apartment and even though the windows were wide open, Stacy could feel the sweat trickling down her neck and into the sleeveless t-shirt she wore. She tied her hair into a ponytail and sighed as she stared at the overflowing basket of clothes she had to iron. Kevin had left for work with the threat of hurting her again if the laundry wasn’t taken care of or the place kept clean by the time he returned. Her buttocks and upper thighs still hurt from the lashes she had received last night as Kevin had gunned for those areas the most. As expected, her upper arm now had an ugly purple bruise which she would have to cover up when she left to get some grocery later on.

Anita hadn’t called her yet, which would mean that she was either still at the hotel or hadn’t come home yet. Either way, Stacy was envious of her friend’s carefree life. She knew Anita had tried to talk her out of remaining with Kevin, and there were definitely times when she felt she ought to just walk away. Yet, Stacy couldn’t explain the emotional stranglehold Kevin held on her. She was too afraid to leave, too worried that her family and friends would be hurt if she dared do anything without his knowledge. Last night had definitely been a departure from the norm, and only because she had thought he would be spending the night in Jersey.

So much for that.

Sighing, she reached for the radio to place it on the window sill, switching to her favorite radio station and then turning up the volume as she waited for the booming voice of Sam the Man to keep her company. However, what she heard next caused her heartbeat to quicken, a trembling hand moving to her throat as that oh-so-familiar voice filled the airwaves.

“…and my name is Michael.”

Michael.

Michael…Jackson…

Oh…Michael…

As if punched in the gut, she sank to the floor, feeling her eyes well up with tears as she listened to him and his brothers answering questions and laughing at the jokes that were made. She raised her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, closing her eyes and allowing herself to be transported to last night and her moments with him.

Out there, he was superstar Michael. Out there, he was untouchable and unapproachable. Out there, everyone wanted a piece of him. And for a few precious hours, she had had him all to herself.

How lucky had she been?

“Is there anything you want to say to your fans, Michael?” Sam the Man asked after a song from their latest album was played.

“Uh…yeah, actually,” came the soothing voice that warmed Stacy’s heart. “I just want to give a shout out to a very special fan out there.”

“Oooh, you have a special fan, eh?” Sam teased, as his brothers laughed softly. Stacy could almost imagine
Michael blushing and wondered who this lucky fan was.

“What you got to say to this fan, Michael? Let him or her hear it.”

“Okay…uh…this is to Stacy.”

Her lashes shot open.

It couldn’t possibly be her…could it? There were tons of Stacys out there, so why…?

“Stacy? Girl? I know you’re out there,” Michael was saying and for Stacy, whose heart was pounding so hard and fast within her chest, she was worried she’d end up getting a heart attack, seemed to move even closer to the radio as if hoping to draw strength from it…from him. His voice.

“I want you to come to the show tonight,” Michael continued with blatant warmth and sincerity in his voice. “I don’t want you to be afraid, okay? I need you to come to the show. I’m dedicating a song to you and I want you to hear it.”

It’s not me…It can’t be me, she thought wildly. It has to be someone else…

“Last night was fun, Stacy,” Michael added quietly, and the teasing ‘oooooohs!’ from his brothers and even Sam the Man, was more than enough to have the teen stuttering in embarrassment. “No…nothing happened!” he tried to deny in the background as Sam the Man took over the reigns again.

“You heard the man Stacy,” Sam bellowed. “And Mike knows the particular Stacy he wants, so we don’t need every girl in New York city showing up and claiming to be her, you dig? And now let’s hear the latest grooooovy tune from the boys…”

“Oh…oh my God…Oh my God!” Stacy slapped her hands over her face, trembling with the enormity of what was happening. It was her. It was actually for her! Michael had actually spoken to her over the radio!

“Oh my God!” she squealed and bound to her feet, ignoring the bolts of pain that raced up her body from the punishment she had received last night. She ran around the tiny apartment, dancing in time to the music, reaching for a pillow and hugging it to her chest as she imagined it to be Michael. She was going to meet him tonight after all. He wasn’t upset with her and wanted to see her again. She couldn’t believe it!

However…

Reality returned as she eyed the laundry to be ironed, the dishes to be washed, the living room to the vacuumed, the bed to be made and the bathroom to be cleaned. She glanced at the clock and then back to her world – her brief moment of light now filling with dark clouds.

Would she be able to make it? And if so, how could she escape the clutches of Kevin if he returned too early?

Oh dear Father…what do I do?