Black Rose || The Outtakes

Black Rose || Outtake 132

1987 – The Penthouse, California

BRENDA

After cleansing in white suds, my body somehow removed itself from a long moment of peace and solitude. Following such a normal day, I found myself exhausted from the strains of vocals and couldn't help drifting back to this morning. I didn't even miss Michael, but our argument crossed my mind repeatedly. There was no other choice as I remember his distance right now. Another late day, or night of rehearsal.

Candles glowed near almost every single corner of the bathroom. I then exerted the stretched but needed effort to halt all flames with soft exhales of my breath. By now, the room had become completely dark, but still proved heavenly in one way or another. Mixing scents wafted toward my nostrils with every passing moment as I dried off. A faint gleam from one light switch now prompted my brown complexion to shine, regardless of this evening hour.

As my nude physique chilled from a draft surrounding the bedroom, I hurried to find an outfit. A sly grin reached my face when silk gently fell onto the pads of my fingertips. I'd wear the dark bathrobe for no one this evening. Whenever this one garment draped onto my skin, I felt almost powerful. Sexy without a man.

The elevator doors chimed opened as usual. A frown reached my face within seconds and I dreaded the view of Michael possibly begging. When I turned on my bare heels and looked out the living room, nothing seemed to appear. I then peeked out even further and dropped my jaw.

Prince had been standing only feet away from the elevator. My eyes narrowed and I quickly rushed out to address. A nearly concerned expression reached his face by now. I quickly looked to adjust the loose robe before this old flame observed my nearly unfitting appearance

"What's wrong? It's almost ten at night, Skipper." I questioned him openly. My bare feet moved along the cold wooden floor. On the other hand, Prince barely stepped closer and closer toward me in his usual heels. I didn't know what to think and a nervous lump formed in my throat by now.

"Could we sit down?" he gestured toward the leather couch. I nodded almost feverishly and planned to sit down, but quickly paused my actions. Even then, he refused his usual drink of water and I moved straight back toward the couch. My legs almost prompted the couch to squeak just before I finally sat down.

"What's going on? You're really scaring me, Prince." I repeated the question and unraveled this messy bun on my head. The wild curls Skip knew far too well shook right out as I nearly trembled my head into oblivion. There was only silence between us and I waited impatiently for him to respond. Rare glasses framed his nearly perfect but somehow miserable eyes.

He reached into his pocket and exposed out a medium-sized folded paper. An expression of puzzlement ran across my face as I failed to understand his idea. Another bout of silence fell between us when Prince hadn't even explained himself What could I do right now? Quietly, I gently took this mysterious paper away from his hand, opening up the document before long.

A trip to Miami.

For two.

"What?" I struggled to answer in the beginning. Prince looked up at me without a smile. "Are you serious? Thank you, Prince. We've been extremely swamped these days, but Michael's gonna be so..." My voice trailed within seconds of Prince taking right now. I completely understood and silenced myself.

"No." Prince instantly shook his head. He scooted even closer and held both of my hands. Our foreheads bumped together and I instantly recognized when nostalgia coursed through my veins. His nose brushed against mine just before Prince gently offered a kiss for only the top of my head.

"What do you mean?" I shivered through another question. My body just froze within this strong but intimate moment. Even his hand held the back of my curls. His fingers nearly tangled through my ringlets, but hadn't yanked or jerked to bring me pain. I fought every urge to smile against his lips and peck the mouth I devotedly hadn't touched in almost a year.

"You're not happy, Mama. I know you aren't." Prince kissed my hands, but I gradually dreaded the chance of Michael seeing us together. I knew so much better than to cross that sacred line between happiness of destruction of love. In fact, I'd left Prince for someone else anyway. Someone still I cared about. Even on the worst days of an emotional storm.

"I'm not going with you, Prince. I don't care if Michael's acting crazy. I've never cheated myself and don't plan to start. I'll be just as mean as him if I ended up sleeping with another man. Don't you dare trap me. Not only that, you'll just screw Cat or Shelia, or whoever else, later. Both you and Michael know damn well that I'm not stupid." I quickly scooted away from Prince and stood my ground with words. He froze this time as I continued speaking. Prince then shook his head, but I could've cared less by now.

__

Michael finally returned around two in the morning. I didn't know what to think, but stayed up regardless. Meanwhile, my angry hands already ripped that flight confirmation document. Prince left out in huff, but I knew his heart still crushed piece by piece. I sat comfortably on my side of this bed without soft blankets. A familiar weight then shifted right onto the mattress.

"Hey." Michael answered. I could feel when he scooted and leaned to kiss the side of my neck. I barely avoid the peck of his lips as I scribbled more and more in my notebook. Another silence fell between in what used to be other bedroom, but I always knew exactly why.

"Where were you?" I finally clenched my teeth and dropped the pen in one hand. Anger fumed inside of me with every second that passed by. On the other hand, Michael almost trembled through words again. I shook down my curls and picked up the ballpoint, my hand scrawled my ballpoint almost furiously toward the notebook lines.

"I can't say." Michael lowered his voice.