Girls in High Places

Chapter Five

“Stacy, eh?” Jackie asked as they set up the microphones to do a sound check.

They were now in Madison Square Garden, having finished the radio interview much later than they anticipated. Many fans had called in, especially after Michael’s public declaration to ‘Stacy’. Most tried to claim they were the ones he was looking for, and it had definitely caused Michael to be at the butt end of all the jokes and teases since then.

“Whoever she is, she must be extra special to cause you do something like that,” Tito chimed in while playing a few chords on his guitar. “Joseph’s not very happy though.”

Michael muttered something that sounded eerily like ‘Fuck Joseph’ but it must have been his brothers’ imagination as he only shrugged and continued to focus on setting up his side of things. Michael rarely cursed and only did so when really pissed off and his parents weren’t around to hear it.

“Michael should be thanking me for introducing him to the luuuurve of his life,” Marlon snickered, spinning around in dance move to unheard music. “Stacy, oh Stacy,” he sang in a falsetto. “Why do I luuuurve you so?”

“I don’t love her,” Michael argued weakly, feeling his cheeks flare with heat. He tried to scowl. “Come on, guys. Let’s be serious, okay? We need to start rehearsing.”

“Michael’s right,” came the curt voice. “Stop playing around, Marlon. You’ve got to concentrate.”

The boys, as if on autopilot, straightened up as Joseph walked up to the stage. They suffered his disapproving stare for a moment, before it finally settled on Michael.

“Especially you, Michael,” Joseph said in a tightly controlled voice, not raising it so the rest of their entourage loitering about the arena wouldn’t hear him. “What’s all this about Stacy, huh? The last thing you need is to worry about some girl…”

“She’s not just some girl, Joseph,” came the low response from Michael. He wasn’t looking at Joseph as he said this or he was afraid he’d lose it completely. Ever since Jermaine decided to remain with Motown, Joe had been even more strict with he, Marlon and Randy when it came to the girls they chose to get close to.

Joseph’s jaw worked. “You can’t afford to get involved right now, Michael,” he reasoned coldly. “Think about your career…”

“Trust me,” Michael replied tightly. “I’ve been thinking about it since the day I became a part of the Jackson 5. You’ve always told me what to do and I’ve done it, but not this time. If I want Stacy to be my girl, then she’ll be my girl and that’s it.”
Marlon, Jackie, Tito and Randy exchanged glances, noticing the heavy tension that was now wound around both father and son as they glared at each other in a silent battle of wills. They knew Michael could get away with talking like this to Joseph as he was the key ingredient to making the group work. If Michael decided to walk, they could pretty much kiss the Jackson 5 away. Joseph knew this and hated it.

“Just don’t make the same mistake Jermaine did,” Joseph finally muttered as Suzanne and the rest of the band began to make their way to the stage. “You don’t need this girl. She’ll be your downfall.”

“Tito and Jackie are married,” Michael argued. “And they still sing. Why is my case so different?”

“You’re the lead singer, goddamnit! The world expects you to be…a certain way,” Joseph hissed. “Don’t ruin it by sticking to one girl! You’ll lose your appeal and you know it.”

“What’s going on here?” Suzanne asked innocently as she eyed the family with a warm smile on her visage. She knew Joseph could be a pushy s.o.b when he made up his mind and she sincerely hoped he wasn’t getting in the way again. The last thing she wanted to be was a peacemaker just hours before the big show.

“Nothing much,” Jackie chimed in as he moved into position beside Michael. “We’re ready to get started. Right, guys?”

“Right on, brother,” Tito mumbled and strummed his guitar to the opening notes of ‘Dancing Machine’.

Michael took a deep breath and turned away from his father, gritting his teeth as he forced himself to block away Joseph’s words. His father was wrong. He had to be. What was so horrible in being with only one girl? Other musicians had wives and children and they were still popular, so why was he any different?

He just keeps messing with my mind, Michael thought angrily as he opened his mouth to begin singing. But I won’t let you win this time, Joseph. I won’t.

__


“Yes! Finished!” Stacy cried out in relief. She placed her hands on her hips and eyed the now neat living room, the sparkling kitchen on the right and the bedroom that was as clean as it could be.

Wiping her brow, she eyed the clock. She had less than an hour to get ready. Kevin would be coming home by six and she had left some food for him in the fridge for him to warm up when he returned. She’d leave a note saying she was going to visit her mother, hoping he’d at least buy that lie and not bother her for a while. She had to call her mother to make sure she had a good alibi, and even though Mama hadn’t liked it, she had agreed to cover for Stacy.

Humming to herself, she walked into her closet and eyed her options…which weren’t many. She really didn’t like to wear pants, but in this case, she knew she couldn’t get away with a short dress or skirt thanks to Kevin. She settled for her really good pair of flared jeans which were quite tight at the hips, emphasizing her derriere. A puffed long-sleeve print blouse with a low cut front would be highlighted with a large coral necklace which had been given to her by grandma. Instead of boots, she decided she’d go for her brown platform shoes which made her even taller. She brought out her afro wig and combed it out lovingly, imagining what Michael would say if he noticed her with it tonight. He hadn’t laughed about her ears, and to be honest, she didn’t care about them anymore. Anita had told her they looked fine, even though Kevin seemed to insist otherwise.

But tonight was all about Michael and Kevin was going to be the least of her worries.

She giggled girlishly as she danced around her bedroom. “Eek! No time to be daydreaming,” she chided herself as she got into the shower. “Hurry, hurry, Stacy. No time to play! Michael’s waiting.”

Little did she know that Kevin had let himself into the apartment, having decided to leave work a little early today.

__


An hour to show time and the chanting crowd in the arena drifted into the dressing room where the brothers prepared for their performance.

Michael sat in his chair, eyes closed as he tried to gather his thoughts. Around him, voices rose and ebbed, laughter interjected as perfumes and hair sheens were sprayed and make-up applied. His right foot tapped restlessly. He was eager to begin and yet worried about…

“Marlon?” he asked as he opened his eyes and turned to his brother beside him. “You sure Anita went to pick her up? They should be here by now, right?”

“Don’t worry, man,” Marlon drawled lazily as he patted his hair into place. “Your girl will show up. Cool your jets, brother.”

“Thanks to you, security’s had a hard time keeping away all these Stacys showing up tonight,” Tito said with a laugh. “I’m betting they wish you never pulled that stunt today.”

“Whatever,” Michael mumbled and eyed the clock. What was taking them so long?

Stacy….where are you?

__


Stacy draped the towel around her chest and still humming the Jackson 5 tune beneath her breath, she stepped into the bedroom and promptly fought back a scream of shock as she noticed the man lying on the bed, reading a magazine.

Heartbeat racing, mind whirling and panic filling her chest, she tried to control herself as she stuttered out weakly. “Kev…Kevin? I thought you was at work?”

“Came home early, babe,” Kevin drawled as he turned over another page. “Looks like you’re having fun.” He nodded towards the clothes she had laid out on the chair. “Going someplace, babe?”

“No…” She lied quickly. “I was…I was just seeing if the clothes still fit.”

“You been adding weight, babe?” Kevin sneered. “What you checking out the size for?”

“No…no reason.” She shrugged and tried to look nonchalant about it all. “You hungry? I made you some…”

“Don’t lie to me, Stacy,” came the cold but quietly stated words that sent a sliver of fear racing down her spine. “You were going someplace, right, babe? Going to meet that guy again, huh?”

She shook her head, stepping backwards slowly in case she had to run. “I’m not going anywhere, Kevin. I’m going to make dinner for you…”

The sudden chime of the doorbell had them both looking up and towards the direction in unison.

“That your new man?” Kevin asked as he rose to his feet to push her aside. He cracked his knuckles. “I’ll deal with him first and then with you later on.”

She watched him with her heart in her throat, wondering who it could be. Either way, it was a great distraction and realizing that this was the moment she was waiting for, she dove for her clothes and stuffed them into a carryall bag she pulled from the closet. She could hear voices being raised in the living room and she felt a well of relief as she recognized Anita’s familiar shrill tone. She knew Anita wasn’t afraid of Kevin and could hold her own in a yelling match. However, Stacy couldn’t risk her best friend getting hurt at the hands of that brute she called a boyfriend.

Slipping into the first dress her hands touched, not caring that she had no shoes on, she tiptoed into the living room, watching Anita and Kevin going at it. Anita was definitely stepping up to the taller man, daring him to hit her if he had any balls or a brain.

With her heart pounding harder, Stacy’s hands wrapped around the large vase Kevin had bragged about being really expensive. She hated the ugly green thing in the shape of a seahorse, and as she lifted it carefully, she took a deep breath and promptly smashed it over Kevin’s head with as much force as she could muster.

Kevin turned around – a comical expression of surprise on his features – before the slow trickle of blood began to escape from the deep cut on his forehead. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed to the floor like a log of wood, causing the girls to stare at him in stunned silence.

Finally, Stacy whispered softly. “Is he…did I kill him?”

Anita reached out to kick Kevin’s ribs with the tip of her pumps. “Well, he sure ain’t moving, girl,” came the reply. “About time you did this too. Son of a bitch had it coming.”

Stacy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as a bubble of hysteria threatened to spill from her lips. It wasn’t until she felt Anita’s arms around her, pulling her into a warm hug did she realize she was trembling violently.

“Shsssh, it’s gonna be okay, girl,” Anita soothed her gently. “You’ve taken the first step to your freedom and the second step…?” She pulled back to grin with a knowing wink at her sobbing friend.

“….the…second step?”

“Girl, you’ve got the hottest man on the planet longing for you!” Anita said, laughing as she hugged her friend again. “Now get your stuff and let’s get out of here. The show’s about to begin and we don’t want to keep Michael waiting.”