Chapter 19

I am so happy that Michael was able to do that interview with Oprah Winfrey. Michael certainly boosted her career with this interview and she's lucky that he chose her out of the many other journalists out there, but she allowed him the opportunity to open up and dispel any rumors about him. He was finally able to tell the world that who they see on tv or all over the media is not the Michael Jackson that he's portrayed to be. I'm sure the world felt like they met a whole new Michael Jackson within that hour and thirty minutes. They found out that he was unhappy growing up despite him putting out hit singles at the tender age of nine. They finally heard from his lips why he created Neverland. The endless rumors about him were finally debunked. His skin disorder was finally talked about. Now they can stop saying that my husband wants to be white. He discussed me to the entire world, so this ought to get more interesting than before. Elizabeth's arrival was certainly a surprise, I'm sure to Michael as well. The interview went well. We both trusted Oprah to do a good job and she did. I can see us being great friends for years to come. As I picked up the phone to call Michael, I looked over at the clock to find that it was ten-thirty. Oprah and her crew should be about cleared out by now. I know Michael will be so excited to talk about how well the interview went and I'm just as excited to talk about it with him.

"Shayla...?" he answered as soon as he picked up.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"Who else would be calling after I just gave the most-watched interview nationwide?"

I laughed, "don't get cocky now. Who told you that the whole nation watched your interview?"

"Don't act like you forgot my name now," he teased.

"Oh, Ima act like I forgot. Just because you gave a good interview, don't mean squat."

He laughed, "what'd you think, babe?"

"You know I loved it. Oprah asked all the right questions and you gave all the right answers. For a person who hasn't done an interview in fourteen years, I'd say you did pretty well."

"You think so? She was throwing out questions I honestly didn't even have an answer for."

"You were quick on your feet and answered with a class and dignity that the world will never forget."

"You're right..." he sighed happily. "This interview went really well. I'm glad I was able to dispel all the rumors about me. I'm glad I was able to tell the world why I created Neverland and I'm not as weird as they perceive me to be. I've been through things just like everyone else. And I was really glad that I was able to finally talk about us to the entire world."

I blushed, "you handled those questions about me pretty smooth."

"Yeah... I just really want to announce it with you, you know?"

"I don't know how we're going to do that..."

"Don't worry about it. We've got it."

"We can't just say, 'hey! We're married?'"

"Nooo! It has to be more magical than that."

"If you say so... What is it with you and the whole announcing it in the right way? Is there a wrong way to do it?"

"Yes. We're not gonna be like every other couple and just say it."

"Baby, we've been married for ten years... What other way is there to say it?"

"We both have our own careers. Announcing it to the public in an extravagant way to all of our fans and everyone else out there is the only way to do it."

I sighed. I don't understand it, but if he likes it, I love it. "Anyway... I had one teeny tiny issue with that interview."

"And what was that?"

"When she felt it okay to ask you about your sex life in front of the whole world," I rolled my eyes at the thought.

"Oh yeah," he sighed. "I didn't like that question."

"Who asks a grown man on national television if he's a virgin or not? I bet she wouldn't have asked anyone else that, but because it was you, she felt it okay."

"Before she left, she did express how embarrassing it was to ask that question."

"Did she even apologize for asking you such a personal question?"

"...no, actually. She didn't."

"Mmm," I pressed my lips together.

"Did you see how embarrassed I was when she asked it though?"

"The whole world saw it. You handled that question with class though. You actually looked pretty cute answering it. But she asked the right one because my face would have told it all."

"Oh, trust me, I know."

I sighed, "I just felt like at that moment she reduced you to a child. It felt belittling. Did you get that vibe from her?"

"In that moment, yes. I honestly thought to myself that that's the kind of question you ask a child, not a grown man."

"Exactly. And not even just that though, but the fact that she thought I was one of your family members???"

He sucked his teeth, "yeah... I tried to control my facial expression when she asked that. That one was just as weird if not more than the 'virgin' question."

"Like, where did she even get that from? We don't even look alike!"

"Eh... I don't know, babe. You know after being married for so long they say couples begin to look alike."

I rolled my eyes, "even if that, I don't look like your sister or cousin. That's for sure."

"Hey... I've got some beautiful family members now."

"Quit it. That was a weird question, Michael."

He laughed, "how did the people of New Orleans treat you today?"

"Wonderfully, actually. I think we should get a house here."

"In Louisiana?"

"Sure," I shrugged. "Why not?"

"I'm not saying I have a problem with it. It has a rich southern black and French culture. I wouldn't mind it."

"Yeah?"

"It'd be different."

"We should do it! I already know how I'd decorate the house down here. We'd-"

"Hold it, hold it. What time is it over there?"

I looked at the clock beside my bed, "eleven-fifteen."

"Wait, aren't you going to Miami?"

"Yeah. My flight doesn't leave until eight tomorrow mornin'."

"Babe... You've gotta go to sleep."

"Okay, well... We really need to talk about how great the interview went. And you didn't even let me tell you how the meet and greet went here in NOLA."

"How'd it go?"

"The people down here are so friendly. And their accents?" I swooned. "Don't get me started. I almost feel like I'm in a whole new world down here. You know I had to walk the streets. It's taking so much in me not to leave this place."

"Did you get anyone like Mr. Baker?"

"Nope. Everyone was just glad to see me and hear my story."

"You know what makes me happy?"

"What's that, babe?"

"That everything is coming together for both of us. It's not just me. It's not just you. We're both doing well in our careers. We're both setting records. Both of our dreams are coming true. I'm mostly happy for you. You deserve every bit of this. I'm proud of you, babe."

I smiled, "I'm proud of you too."

"No, really. I'm proud of us. We've come a long way."

"Pssh... It's only been ten years."

"Ten wonderful years. I'm more than happy that I get to spend the rest of my life with you and I can't wait to finally tell the world who you really are to me." The more he says that the more I wonder how he plans on announcing our union. It's not as big a deal to me as it is to him. It all stems from his showbiz mindset though. Everything has to be extravagant. I guess it's just up to me to find out how extravagant he plans for this whole announcement to be.