If you're reading this, then it means you've already read chapter seventeen and as I always do, I want to extend my complete and heartfelt thanks to you. Writing for my readers and the MJ fan population is an honor to me and I cherish every time I can use my talent to help keep Michael's memory alive and entertain my brothers and sisters in the fandom.
That being said, let's get down to the nitty-gritty shall we?
Now I have to be completely honest. This chapter went in a direction I didn't intend for it to go at all. In the first two drafts, the story was supposed to pick up Saturday morning at the Landmark the day of the Cavendish Gala. I couldn't seem to make it fly. As a writer I write my stories like I expect to put in Michael Jackson's gloved hand and have his big browns reading it!
Although, I think he'd be more comfy in an armchair, than squatting in a bookstore.
My next idea was to start it the day before and it still didn't pan out. Some people may feel it's excessive, but I have had times where chapters take up to ten tries and I have thrown out up to 100 pages of writing if I don't feel something is as good as I think it should be. (You should see me writing my novel I've thrown out the entire document and will start from scratch next month.)
Finally, I got my act together and the chapter began with cousins Vylette and Lorraine sparring about the story Hannah had Povah had shared in which she alleged her mother Mary had been the sweetheart of Joe Jackson before Katherine Dauphine has swooped in and snatched him away.
I particularly wanted to have this scene included because I wanted to again show just how much hatred pretty little Lorraine carried around for Mary. And don't worry, before the story is over the two will have their day.
In the midst of a profanity-filled rant, Winston Pelant, who is the unofficial errand boy now, summons Vylette to her father's office.
I added the scene where Michael receives a supplement shot from Dr. Meraux mainly because it's known in the story he has Chronic Anemia. And I'm trying as hard as I can to be true to life. Because this was back when people didn't really get all the nutrients they needed and Anemia and vitamin-deficiencies were common. (Even though Michael eats heavily and lavishly in the story, he obviously doesn't gain any weight it seems...)
For the trip out to Dr. Meraux's office, I put Vylette in a simple, yet eye-catching dress:
This article gave no indication of the color of her dress, so I just made it pale blue...mainly because I like the color blue.
As the child and grandchild of diabetics, I am familiar with modern syringes and vials of insulin, but I had to actually go look up what a 1930s syringe looked like. And when I saw it, I instantly regretted I made it where Michael's character had to get a shot monthly to build up his system.
Not the most fun thing to see getting mashed into your arm, right? Sorry Michael.
Someone's already asked me what it was I had Vylette's father inject Michael with, and I have to be honest, I can't come up with a straight answer other than a mixture of liquid vitamins. As a kid I grew up eating Flintstones Vitamins (10 million strong...and growing!) and as an adult I take a Vitamin D3. (I'm supposed to take a multivitamin, but I got so hungry with it, after 3 days I threw the bottle out the window!) I just made it up. I made the mixture green because frankly, isn't that pretty damn scary? Michael took it like a champ and did NOT break the needle off in his arm again.
Here's a sucker Michael!
While Michael was out putting the rest of his clothing on, Dr. Meraux informs his daughter that they've all been invited to dinner up at the Manor. I wanted to this--for chapter 18--because I did realize that Michael and Marlon are running around with the girls and literally have never had their soon-to-be in-laws in for even a glass of tea! So, just expect alot of food and drama to jump off in chapter 18!
Dr, Meraux gives his daughter money and asks her to buy her mother a dress for the occasion.
This is what a five dollar bill in the 1930s looked like, And Abe looks like he needs a vitamin shot himself!
Of course, I know everyone wants to see just what Kathleen will think of the Dauphine/Jackson home once she sets foot in it. I'm working on it.
The story picks up at Goldie's Department Store in New Orleans where Michael Jackson is giving away money like it's cursed. While Vylette had been pulled along to only buy her mother a dress, Michael was making a point of purchasing everything out of his pocket.
A bottle of White Gardenia perfume. I invented the scent and found this cool bottle on Google. By Lalique.
A monogrammed hanky. I hope Google never shuts down!
And a dress. This is actually a sequinned dress on actress Marie Dressler (with Jean Harlow, Jean's just told her she's read a book!) but for the story, it's made of black lace with no huge sparkle like that. It was hard finding this dress. Finding a stout/heavyset person in 1930s Hollywood is like finding a Black person in the A&F catalog.
Michael and Vylette took lunch in the restaurant on the fifth floor of the store.
I wanted them to eat in a much more relaxed setting as opposed to the more formal ones I had indicated before. Every meal doesn't call for a fur and tails.
I wanted to show Michael's protectiveness and temper about Vylette where he almost sent a drunkard to the morgue for pawing her as they walked in. Michael does control himself better than Marlon though.
After she's seated, Vylette is left alone where a young boy nearly gives himself a heart attack while mistaking her for someone else.
This is Chubby. He's actually one of the original Little Rascals and the actor's name is actually CHUBBY which I did not know until I looked him up. I think he was the cutest thing. Unfortunately, Chubby wasn't fat ,his roundness came from a glandular disorder and he died at the tender age of 21. You will see Chubby again, later in the story.
Poor Chubby. He saw Vylette and mistook the beautiful brunette for Myrna Loy. (This is turning into a running joke for the story and I'm enjoying it!) Of course the little guy was a bit let down by his mistake, but I felt it made for a funny little anecdote.
Every time I look at Myrna, I do backflips because I can't imagine a more beautiful woman for Michael Jackson in the story. I'll always love how she doesn't look "white-white" but much more exotic, which lends itself to her being a light-skinned Colored woman of mixed heritage.
I keep kicking myself every time I think of how I almost modeled Vylette after a young Joan Crawford...
Joan was pretty, but just too damn hard looking to me. She and Myrna have basically the same facial shape, and hair do, and even in real life, both were redheads with light eyes, but you can see the difference in the two. Plus I didn't want Michael being beaten with a wire hanger.
I do give nods to Joan throughout the story, most of the articles you see Vylette reading are about her. But thank God I paired Michael with Myrna!
Proof you can find anything on Google. Myrna and Joan.
But I digress. The chapter ends with Michael divulging a great secret to Vylette: Marlon plans to pop "THE" question to Lorraine at the dinner the following night! Of course, Vylette is pleased for her cousin, but a bit crushed that it's not yet her time to hear those blessed words a girls seems to wait an eternity to hear.
Chapter 18 is being worked on right now and trust me, it's going to be a wang-dang-doodle! Let's hope poor Lorraine doesn't faint dead away when Marlon asks the big question! Chapter 18 is being written NOW, stay tuned and thanks for reading!
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