What More Can I Give?

September 12, 1987...5:20 P.M.

"Girls? What are you doing?" I asked, watching them lay in their separate beds, watching something called, 'Captain EO'.

My sister quickly, but painfully, turned the TV off and sat there staring at me with a small smile.

"Nothing, just watching something," She replied. I rolled my eyes and left the room, finished packing the girls' stuff into their suitcase. Kaleb and Malina sat on the floor of the girl's room, playing with their teddies.

"Chelsea? Is your mom home?" I asked Kayliee's friend.
"She should be. Do you need her phone number?" Came her weak response.
"Did she change her number again?"
"Yeah. For some reason, she's scared Dad will find out what her number is, so she's changing it every few weeks."

I sighed when I thought about being in the same shoe as Chelsea's mother. Would the twins have to deal with what Chelsea's dealing with later on in their life? Will they become angry teenagers who want nothing to do with their parents? Will they hate us?

"Kat!" Kayliee yelled. My head shot towards her as she gave me a look.
"Stop spacing out! I've been calling you for three minutes now," She told me.
"Sorry, it's just..."
"You miss him. Yeah I get it."
"Miss who?" I was confused.
"Michael, duh! We both know he's having a concert tonight at the KoraKuen Stadium," Chelsea replied.
"How did you know about..." I trailed my sentence off, glaring at Kayliee.
"I didn't tell her! Her sister found her old magazines and Chelsea was looking in one of them and she found you and Michael in it," Kayliee defended.
I shook my head at the two as they both started to snicker at me.
"Shut up," I poked my tongue out at them.

"Stop doing that!" I demanded as I watched the two behave like total monkeys, trying to scratch at their armpits. "I know it itches, but it'll only worsen if you keep on!"
"But it hurts," They complained.
"Here, put this ointment on." I threw a bottle of cream at them and watched in amusement as they fought over it.

'Wow, they're worse than the twins,' I thought. I walked away from the two when the hotel phone rang. I answered it after the third ring.

"Hello?"
"Um yes? Is Miss Nakia-Simmons there?"
"This is she."
"Miss, there is a man here who wants to see you. Would you like me to send him up?"
"May I ask who it is, please?"
"Mr. Jackson," I heard her sigh of admiration. I stayed silent for a moment until she spoke up again.
"Would you like me to send him up, Miss?"
"Uh, no. Tell him I can't be bothered with right now. I'm terribly busy," I replied as I rubbed my temples in frustration.
"Yes, ma'am."
I heard the dial tone and I quickly hung up.

"Stupid arrogant son of a bi-" I stopped when I entered the girl's room.
"Who was that?" Kayliee asked, rubbing the ointment onto her skin. Chelsea lay in her bed with a winning smile on her face.
"The lady at the front desk. She just wanted to know how long we would be staying here," I lied. Kayliee nodded her head, throwing the bottle back to me.
"I think you girls need to sleep a bit, okay? You need rest." I told them. They agreed and I shut off the lights and walked out of the room with the twins following.

"What do you guys say about going out and exploring a bit, huh? I could call up George and he could drive us around. But that's only if he'll agree to," I began to talk to the twins as they smiled up at me. "What do you say? Do you guys want to?"
Kaleb cooed up at me and Malina sat there playing with the hem of her dress.
"I'll take that as a yes."

I walked over to the phone and dialed George's number. On the second ring he picked up.
"Hey George, um you wouldn't mind taking the twins and I around for sight-seeing, would you?"
"No, of course not. I'd love to. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Thanks. You're a great help," I hung up and I went to get the twin's stroller. I placed them in one by one and by the time I got Kaleb in, I heard a knock on the door. I went to open the door, thinking it was George, when the phone rang again.

"Hold on!" I yelled towards the door. I quickly ran to pick up the phone and I answered it, walking towards the door slowly.
"Hello?" I asked into the receiver.
"Uh, yes ma'am. There's a man named George here to pick you up. Would you like me to send him up to you?"
I had a confused expression implanted on my face when my hands made contact with the door handle and I slowly opened it.
"Wha-" I paused in surprised when Michael pushed passed me, into the room.

"Michael?" I stared at him dumbfounded for a moment when I was pulled away from my state of shock by Malina's cry. I looked towards her and walked over to her. I picked her up and cradled in my arms as she stared at Michael.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him with a glare.
"Just give me ten minutes, Katrina."

I sighed and nodded towards him to continue. For a while he didn't speak, but watched carefully as Malina held on tightly to me with her head rested in the crook of my neck. His eyes traveled down to Kaleb who was still in his stroller. They both stared at each other and Kaleb smiled up at him with a small giggle. I could see that Michael was trying hard not to break down, but he was losing it. I sighed getting Michael's attention.

"How did you get up here? I told that woman not to bring you up," I said, but then my eyes got big when I remembered about the phone that was still in my hand. I held it up to my ear, but I only heard the dial tone. I turned the phone off and set it down on a coffee table.
"Well?" I urged.

"I asked her to let me up," He replied.
"Right. Are you sure you didn't kiss her to change her mind?" I asked through gritted teeth. Michael took a deep breath, shaking his head in frustration.
"It didn't mean anything, Katrina. Please. Believe me. I would never lie to you, would I?" His eyes pleaded with mine for my trust. I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted when George knocked on the open door.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting? I could always come back later," George turned to walk away, but I stopped him.
"No! Uh, We're finished." I gave a look towards Michael and he hung his head in disappointment. "Can you wait outside while I get the twins ready? It'll only take a second."
George nodded and closed the door behind him.

"I suggest you leave, Michael. I really have no desire to wake up the girls in their room since their sick. I don't feel like yelling either," I whispered to him as I placed Malina back in her side of the stroller. Malina copied Kaleb's actions by placing her thumb in her mouth. She started to suckle on it and I walked over to get their bottles that were set on the counter.

I walked back to the twins and handed it to them. They held the bottles and stared on, watching me and Michael carefully. I stood in front of him and I heard a sniffle come from his direction.

A feeling of guilt settled in me, but I pushed it away, letting my anger for him set in.
"Crying won't get your way," I said softly. He looked up with tears streaming down his beautiful face. He looked different from the last time I saw him. His skin was lighter, he was skinnier, his wardrobe definitely changed, and it was just simply his physical features that surprised me. On the inside, I knew he couldn't of changed. No matter how much he changed on the outside, he still seemed to be that man that I had fallen for not too long ago.
I shook my head of such thoughts and I looked at him again with a blank expression.

"Katrina, please believe me. I miss you like hell." He started.
'His language certainly changed,' I thought to myself as I listened to him.
"I miss you and the twins. I've been a wreck since you've left. I regret what I did," Michael whispered softly.
"Michael, you shouldn't be missing me. You have more than a thousand fans out there that worship the ground you walk on, and they want you, Michael. Why do you have to make this so difficult for us and them. You have so many to choose from and yet you're here. Why is that?" I choked out.

Michael didn't hesitate with his response. "Because I love you, Katrina. Only you. No one can ever replace you. You have this effect on me that's so addictive. You're addictive, Katrina. You're my drug that I can't get enough of, and if I can't have you, then I'll be nothing."

"Aren't drugs bad for you, though?" I retorted.
"Not if they make you better," He answered.
"And how do I make you better?" I asked. Michael stepped forward to place his hands on my cheek.
"You just do," He leaned down towards me, but I pulled away.

"I have to go. I promised the twins a day of sight-seeing while we're here," I said.
"Let me take you three," He whispered into my ears. I opened my mouth to agree, but mentally slapped myself.
"No, George is already here."

I walked away from Michael's grasp and pushed the stroller towards the door. I opened it to see George leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He smiled at me and stared as Michael walked out with a frown on his face. I watched as he disappeared around the corner.

"Everything alright?" George asked, closing the door to the room. I nodded and followed George into the elevator. We made our way out of the elevator and my eyes found Michael's who stood with his friends in the lobby. I saw a few people I recognized and they gasped as they saw me. I stared at them with no emotion and walked out of the hotel and into the limo.

I was desperately hoping that would be my last encounter with Michael, but little did I know that God had a different plan in mind.