Okay, after a loooonnnnngggggggg bout with writers block, I'm finally back with a chapter! Thanks for all of your patience, support, and comments I really appreciate it all.

Enjoy!

Rayne's POV

Another week in New York, running behind the kids." I'll be glad when this is over" I mumble to myself.

I sat Mikey's breakfast plate in front of him as he climbed to the top of the chair to eat. "Thanks mommy" he says. I'm so proud of how well he speaks just shy of his 3rd birthday.

"You're welcome baby." I smile, setting Camille's plate down as well. My daughter was never a morning person so of course her seat was empty and Michael was already gone for an early morning meeting, so I didn't even bother making him a plate.

Camille staggered from her room to the table, her fluffy hair all over her head. "Good Morning." She mumbles, her eyes barely open.

"Good morning." I chuckle, "you know you've gotta start getting used to waking up, especially when we get you back in school."

"I want school mommy!" Mikey blurts, raising his sausage in his hand.

"A couple more years and you'll be right in school with your sister." I grin, I was happy to see he was more excited about school than his sister was at that age.

"30th anniversary is finalized." Michael says opening the room door with a grin.

"Huh?" I respond, he hands me a small packet of papers with his signature lined throughout. "What's this?"

"The contract for my tribute show David Guest wants to produce. The fellas came to town this morning to sign their contracts." Michael says, pecking Camille on the top of her head as she ate.

"Oh ok. That's great Mike." I say unenthused. I sit the packet to the side, grabbing my plate to set in the kitchen sink.

He stands at the foot of the table, his eyes furrowed and his arms crossed. "What?" He says.

I shake my head, my eyes fixed on the sink.

"Babe." He followed me, his stance still the same as before.

I sigh, "I just wanna know what this means for the kids. Are we living in New York for the next year? What about their schooling?" I say in a hushed tone.

"The kids will be fine, they can always be homeschooled." He shrugs.

"I thought you wanted them to live a normal life. As normal as possible."

"I do, but that's going to be hard with me having to work all the time. Besides, Mikey isn't even in school yet." He says.

"No, but Camille is.. and she has friends and a budding social life. She's almost 9 years old most of her friends have been her friends since she started school. I don't wanna separate her from that." I explain.

"I don't either, But things happen, Ray. I don't know what else to tell you." He shrugs.

I knew he wasn't all to happy about taking Camille out of school and having her homeschooled while we were here in New York, but I didn't want to guilt him anymore than he already felt. I simply sucked my teeth and went back to the dishes. "She's not gonna be happy to hear this." I mutter.

"I know.." he groans back. He heads to the dining table and sits at the chair to the front, his eyes set on his daughter. I could tell he didn't wanna say anything just yet.

"Millie." Michael starts. "I'm gonna start doing a lot of stuff here in New York for the next year."

"I know, the album and the anniversary thing with my uncles." She says matter of factly.

"Right. So that means we'll be staying in New York for the year."

"Mmhm." She says, my daughter's a smart girl she catches on very quickly. "Wait.. but daddy what about school?"

I watch off from the kitchen as my daughter realizes she won't be with her friends this year.

"Well since we'll be here, I'll have your teacher come and teach you this year like we did when I was on tour." Michael explains.

"But I wanna be with my friends.." she sighs with a whine.

I decided to step in at that moment. Michael was a sucker for Camille, when she cried, he was like silly putty in her hands. "Well baby this year you'll have to call them on your cell daddy got you. Just until he's done."

"But this isn't fair... " she whines. "I wanna go home back to never land!" She says heading into the second bedroom of the hotel.

Michael follows her, tapping the door before opening to see Camille teary- eyed, with her face buried into her pillow.

"Millie I wish there was a way for you to be in school with your friends, I really do."

"Why do we have to stay here?" She asks.

"Well, I have things to do here. We'll be home by next year." Michael explains, trying to reason with her.

She rolls her eyes, placing her head back on her pillow and pulling the cover over her head. Small sniffles leave her mouth.

"Baby please don't cry." Michael says sympathetically.

"Leave me alone daddy..." she whimpers.

Michael walks out the room and slouches on the sofa beside me, leaning his head in my lap. "How'd it go?" I ask, running my finger through a curl.

He sighs, "I'm pretty sure she hates me."

"She's just upset.." I reply.

"Yeah I know. It's just hard when you know that this fame is hard on your kid, pulling her in and out of school. I want her to have a good life, a normal life at least."

I snicker, "well, her life won't be normal ever. But as far as a good life.. she has that. She'll appreciate it when she's older and can understand."

He sighs closing his eyes in my lap for a few seconds.

Michael's POV

Here we were a few months into 2001, and I was buried in the studio most of the time. I was starting to understand why Rayne was so annoyed with not seeing me as often. I was spending more time with Teddy Riley than I was with my own kids.

"No offense Teddy, but I am so tired of seeing you." I chuckle.

Teddy gives a light laugh, his eyes hidden behind his dark shades. "Same here Mike, you'd think this album would edit and cut itself after how long we've been working on it. Luckily there isn't much left to do before we prepare it for release."

"Yeah I know. I just miss my family. My wife resents me, my daughter is barely speaking to me cause I took her out of school for the year." I shrug. "I dunno, my son is getting older so I'm sure he'll follow the wave soon and he'll hate me too. I miss the times we'd just relax." I sigh.

"Those times will come again, we've just got work to do. But your family doesn't hate you! It's just rough right now. Once you sell those millions of copies, things will be back to normal." Teddy grins, patting my shoulder.

"Not quite, I've got a small 2 night event that I- oh shoot!" I bolt to the door. "We've gotta cut this session short, I forgot I have rehearsals today!" I say swiftly.

I get to the dance studio about 20 minutes late, walking in to jeers from my brothers. "Finally the man of the hour appears." Marlon says sarcastically. I roll my eyes.

"It's about time, I was just about to leave." Jermaine mumbles standing from sitting on a speaker.

"And go where? It's not like you had something to do." Tito clowns.

"I'm sorry guys, my time management is way off. I was in the studio finalizing the album. Let's just get started.." I explain.

We had been working on the event my friend, David Guest, had been pushing for the end of the year. 2001 was clearly going to be a busy year for me and I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with it.

My brothers and I had decided on a 30minute set and were in the rehearsal stages. Well- they called it rehearsal- I call it getting their grooves back since they've been rusty for a few years.

Soon enough they were all wheezing and out of breath placing their hands on their knees. "Seriously?" I chuckle, folding my arms looking at the breathless men around me.

"Michael, don't you start. We don't live in a dance studio like you." Jackie says waving his finger at me.

I chuckled again, tossing my hands up in a surrendering motion. "I'm not saying a word, just let me know when you guys are ready to go again." I smile sitting on top of a speaker letting my feat dangle.

***

As late as it was, I tip toed back into the hotel room where my family stayed. As I crept past Camille's room, I over heard her phone conversation. Stopping at the door, I pressed my ear softly against it.

"I'm back to being home schooled again.." she huffs.

"I know Maria, It's not fair I've gotta miss school because we have to be here. I wish daddy would just let me live with grandma. That way I could see all my friends." She continues.

I felt so bad that I had to take her out of ribafe school. I would send her to Mother's house but I'm just afraid of how she'd deal with the added protection. I also don't want my mother taking her to Kingdom Hall against Rayne's wishes, Camille's not a witness.

"I'm happy that daddy makes a lot of money and stuff  but sometimes I wished he wouldn't be famous anymore. I've always felt like that." She continued. "He's never around cause he's so busy, and we are always taking trips. Sometimes it's fun but times like this I wish I just had a normal dad like yours."

I sigh, hearing that hurt my heart more than anything. I decided to interrupt her phone call by opening the door. "Millie, it's late. You should be sleeping."

"I know but it's only 7 in California and since I can't see Maria right now she called me before bed." She explained. I guess Maria was about to go to bed anyway because she told her she'd talk to her tomorrow, causing Camille to hang up.

"Goodnight dad" Camille says before covering up.

"Wait let me talk to you for a second." I say sitting on her bed. "I heard you say you wished I wasn't famous anymore. Is that true?" I ask.

Camille drops her head with a frown, nodding slowly. "Yes, because you're never here and we don't get to see you."

"Well you know why I'm so busy?" I ask. "I work really hard to give you and your brother the lives you two deserve. I want the best for you both, you know that right?"

She nods, "but I want a normal life like Maria, her daddy gets to walk her to class, talk to teachers and stuff like that. But you can't because every time people see you they scream and lose it. That's not normal daddy."

I giggle, "no it's not normal. But we're not a normal family... listen, after this album is over. I will be here all the time. I may not be here now but as long as you know that I love you with all my heart that's all that matters. You do know that I love you. Right?"

She grins, "yes I know. I love you too daddy."

I nod, "good. Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." I kiss her forehead and shut her door.

I slip into bed with Rayne, while she adjusts herself to cuddle into my arms.