When he opened the doors, my heart beating faster and faster, I looked around at everyone. As I glanced around, I saw Jermaine with his wife, Tito, Marlon, Jackie and Randy. I looked on the other side of the room to see Janet, Rebbie, and LaToya.

"Mikey!" Janet called as she came rushing over to give her big brother a warm hug. 

"Hey Dunk!" he called back. I thought his nickname for his little sister was adorable. "How are you?" 

"I'm doing great! And is this the famous Autumn I've heard so much about?" I looked to Michael and saw him blushing. 

"Yes, Dunk, this is my baby girl whom I love very much." Michael smiled at me. 

"Nice to meet you." I said as I stretched my hand out but found myself embraced in Janet's arms.

"It's nice to finally meet you!" she smiled. "Welcome to the Jackson family!" I turned around to find Michael rough-housing with his brothers. So much for being right there next to me. I couldn't help but smile though because I loved to see him like this, so happy and energized. 

"Oh, well looks like Mikey is doing a great job of introducing you." Janet giggled. She took me by the hand and led me farther into the living room. "Girls, this is Mike's girlfriend, Autumn." I shook Rebbie's hand and LaToya embraced me with a hug. 

"Wow, you are a pretty young thing, aren't you?" LaToya giggled. 

"Well, thank you." I smiled. 

"So where are you from?" Rebbie asked.

"A small town in Nevada, maybe about six hours from here."

"How did you and Mike meet?" asked LaToya.

"Well, I went to his concert about three years ago and met him, but we didn't start talking until about two months ago. Our one month anniversary is next week." I said with a huge grin on my face.

"Come on sweetie, let me introduce you to the boys." Janet took my hand and whisked me away to the other side of the living room. 

"Mikey! You wanna introduce Autumn to the boys or shall I?" Janet smiled as she approached him. Michael gave her a look and took my hand. 

"Guys, this is Autumn, my girl." Again he looked at me and smiled. Jermaine whistled and took a good look at me. I'm very self-conscious and could feel my face reddening. 

"Hi." I squeaked. 

"Woo-wee, Mike. She sure is pretty." Tito commented. I blushed. "So how did you two meet up?" And again I told my story of how I met Michael. Michael and I linked arms and he took me in the kitchen. I saw his mother as he gave her a huge hug. 

"How are you Mama?" 

"Oh I'm fine, dear." I looked at Mrs. Jackson. Her graceful aging could not hide the beauty of her youth. "And this must be Autumn?" she smiled at me.

"Yes, this is my girl, Autumn. Peach, this is the woman who gave me life, my rock, my mother, Katherine." I loved how highly Michael thought of his mother.

"Hello, it's so nice to meet you." I said and shook her hand. 

"It's nice to meet you too dear. Michael, baby, how are you?"

"I'm fine, Mama, really."

"Are you sure? You just haven't seemed yourself since-"

Michael cut her off, "I'm serious, Ma, I'm fine." I questioned the look on Michael's face. For the rest of the evening, we all chatted, laughed and had a great time. Michael's family was sweet, kind and caring and I couldn't have asked for a better time.

       At around eleven pm, after Katherine and the sisters had already gone to bed, Michael announced he was tired. "Oh come on, Mike, that's the oldest trick in the book!" Jermaine called.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Dude, it's only eleven, don't you stay up like til four in the morning? We all know you're ready to heat up the sheets with this girl." Jermaine winked at me. I could feel my face getting hot again.

"I do not." Michael shot back. "Watch your mouth, Jermaine."

He lost his grin and said, "Sorry dude, I didn't know you were still so hung up about this." Now I was interested. 

Michael took me by the hand, gruffly said goodnight to the others and walked out of the room. I was too afraid to ask when I saw the weird look on his face. I had to know what Jermaine was talking about. I contemplated on asking him after Michael had gone to sleep, but I figured he would tell me himself sometime. 

     Days went by, still without Michael telling me what happened the other night. I was worried about him because he wasn't himself. He wasn't eating right and he tossed and turned during the night. He barely spoke to me which of course broke my heart even more. I needed to find out somehow. Tonight, I thought. I'll ask him tonight.

     I had everything in order. As Michael walked in the room, he asked, "Why are the lights off? Peach, are you home?" I turned on the lamp, sexily staring at him. I was wearing some red underwear with bows on the sides and one of my tank tops. 

"Peach...?" 

"Shhh, don't talk," I said seductively. "I've noticed you haven't been yourself lately, and I want you to unwind." I smiled at him.

"But I...mmmm." he sighed as I rubbed his back. He started caressing me with his hands as I started to take off my bra. He was kissing me, telling me I was beautiful. Oh, I wanted him so bad. I could feel his hot breath on my neck. He made a grunting noise and stopped. "Peach, not now." And my excitement faded. I looked up at him disappointed and said, "Baby, please. I want you to forget what's been going on lately."

"What's been going on?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Well, about what Jermaine said the other night, you haven't been yourself." I said timidly. Michael looked at me questioningly. 

"I haven't?" his anger started to rise. "I've been just fine!" he shouted. "There's not a damn thing wrong with me!" 

I looked away, hot tears forming in my eyes. He has never raised his voice with me. He brushed past me and locked himself in the bathroom. I slowly walked to the closet and put on my pajamas, the tears coming fast now. I sat in the lawn chairs on our balcony and thought of what just happened. I was still confused, shocked, and scared. I loved Michael, but when he shouted at me, it made me scared and angry as well.

     I turned around to see he was still in the bathroom, even after fifteen minutes. I thought I should knock on the door, but what if he was still mad? So I sat in the chair looking over Neverland lit up. It's like a dream living here. I felt a hand take mine and looked up to find Michael, his eyes red from crying. He stood me upright and wrapped his arms around me. I collapsed into his chest and put my arms around him, tears running down my cheeks again. We stood there in each other's embrace for about five minutes. He looked down at me and said softly, "Peach, I am so sorry I shouted at you. I should've never..."

I put my finger up to his lips and said, "Babe, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have approached it that way. I should've let you tell me on your own, when you were ready." He only looked at me. He took my face in his hands and gave me the most passionate kiss I've ever experienced. He took my hands and led me to the bed. He sat me down and started to explain.

"I was ten years old. We had just started to get big, after being signed to Motown. After a concert we did in downtown Gary, we went to an after party. When I was there, I saw this girl and thought she was so beautiful. But just when I got the courage to talk to her, my mother took me by the hand. It was after our bedtime and she said we had to go home. I thought I would never see her again. I didn't know her name, or where she was from, but I knew I loved her. It turned out that I saw her at a concert sitting in the front row. I remember I was so nervous. I got the chance to talk to her afterwards and she asked for my number. We were bestfriends and did everything together. We ended up dating when I was nineteen. She told me I was her best friend and nothing more. Afterwards, she took me back to her house and in her bedroom. She eventually seduced me and we had sex. For an entire month, I didn't hear from her. I was so ashamed and felt it was all my fault. But she called me one night and told me she was pregnant. I was excited but also scared. For the next five months, I did everything for her. I made a baby room at her new apartment, complete with crib, toys, clothes, and diapers. One night when I was home, she called me again. She broke the news to me that I wasn't the father. It broke my heart because I was ready. We had already picked out a name and I had decorated the room myself. I was speechless as I hung up the phone. I never talked to her again."

     By this time, I was crying. I felt sorry for him. I felt angry with myself for trying to force it out of him by seducing him. Oh how I could just kick myself. I held him in my arms as he cried silently. I was silent also. I didn't know what to say, what could I say? We lay on the bed with his head on my chest as I held him and rubbed his back. 

     After about ten minutes he looked at me with red eyes and said, "I really hope you understand."

"Of course, baby. I'll never try to be that way anymore. I could never, ever do that to you. Just thinking of hurting you kills me inside."

"Thank you so much. I love you, Peach."

"I love you too Michael." 

And then we fell asleep in each other's arms.