Chapter 15 - Tweedle-Tay's Story
October 10, 1997 - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Michaela wasn't speaking to me. In all honesty I didn't blame her. I mean, had anyone in my family, our family, said or done anything when Dad said Michaela had to leave? I didn't really understand what Dad had against Michaela. In the entire time she'd been here she'd been the picture of innocence, ebullience, good humour, intelligence........ she was so much like me. Dad loved me, yet hated Michaela. Neuton hated Michaela too. He wasn't quite so blatant, but you could see it. They kept on saying that Michaela was evil but I didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Neither did Michaela. Mom knew, yet she didn't agree. Somehow I had to find out what they were talking about. I felt something rub against my leg. I looked down to see my cat Mama. I picked her up and walked into the kitchen where Mom was reading a magazine. I was on the cover. I cracked a smile. "Mom?" I asked.
She looked up, startled. "Oh, it's you....... Tweedle-Tay?" I nodded. "Come, sit down."
"Mom, what's this that Dad and Neuton keep on talking about? You know, how they keep saying that Michaela's evil........."
Mom frowned. "Darling, it's the most ludicrous story." She sighed. "On the day that you and Michaela were born, I was the happiest woman in the world. You were everything I'd ever hoped for in a child. Your father was into photography and I had been a model so I of course had no objections. He was photographing the two of you with his Polaroid camera and Michaela's eyes must have reacted badly with the flash............ You see, in the photo Michaela's eyes glowed red. Now your father, well he overreacted, my goodness, I've never seen such an absurd reaction...... Some Jehovah's Witnesses had been to the house just a couple of days previously and they'd told your father something about evil children with red eyes. He took it all in and basically said that we had to desert Michaela. If I did not leave Michaela in the hospital he would take you and Neuton and I would never be able to see any of you again."
I sat there, not quite believing what I was hearing. "I never met my twin sister because her eyes were red in a photograph?" I asked in disbelief.
My mother laughed bitterly. "That's your father for you. But you must understand, he was trying to look after your best interests. Admittedly, he got that completely wrong but -"
"No! He ruined my sister's life. Imagine what she would be like if she'd lived with us all along. Look how happy she is now...... Think about what she's had to go through in the past year. My success took away her friends but if she'd been living here she could have shared that success and -"
"And she'd be a few million dollars poorer," Mom cut in. "Your father did his best. Don't be too harsh on him."
"Don't be too harsh on him??? He's the one who's being harsh! He's leaving Michaela homeless in a few days because it would be bad for the band's image. Well FUCK the band!!! I'll leave the band unless he lets Michaela stay!"
My mother was speechless. Finally she said, "Tweedle-Tay. I'm surprised at you. I love Michaela just as much as you do, probably more, but cussing is certainly not the way to go about getting her to stay. Your father is in charge here and you may not like it but you may as well get used to it because that's the way it is. And go ahead, leave the band but the only person you're going to hurt is yourself. You are not as indispensable as you think you are."
I was close to tears. "Well at least I'm not a weak pushover!" I yelled, and stormed out of the room. Mama fell to the floor and yelped. I had to find Michaela and apologise as soon as possible. I ran up the stairs and into the room Michaela shared with Elizabeth and Kestrel. For the fist time in over twenty-four hours Michaela was not there. I looked around the room in confusion. I suddenly heard someone coming up behind me. I turned around to see Michaela. She ignored me and pushed past. "Michaela," I said. "Where have you been?"
She laughed bitterly. "I hardly think that's any of your business. Anyway, I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
"Oh, come on Kay. I'm sorry. I really want you to stay."
"Cut the crap. I heard you all yesterday, I'm not a Christian and I'm bad for Manson's image." Her eyes were brimming with tears. "How could you do this to me? I thought you loved me. I thought you were my brother...." Michaela wiped the tears away. "Anyway, in case you didn't notice, I'm not talking to you. I'd appreciate it if you left."
Michaela pushed me into the hall way and slammed the door. "Fine then!" I screamed at the door. "Be that way, don't talk to me, see if I care!" I walked slowly into my room and began to sing,"MMMpop ba do ba da ba do pop........." Such a meaningless song......... such a meaningless life.
October 10, 1997 - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Michaela wasn't speaking to me. In all honesty I didn't blame her. I mean, had anyone in my family, our family, said or done anything when Dad said Michaela had to leave? I didn't really understand what Dad had against Michaela. In the entire time she'd been here she'd been the picture of innocence, ebullience, good humour, intelligence........ she was so much like me. Dad loved me, yet hated Michaela. Neuton hated Michaela too. He wasn't quite so blatant, but you could see it. They kept on saying that Michaela was evil but I didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Neither did Michaela. Mom knew, yet she didn't agree. Somehow I had to find out what they were talking about. I felt something rub against my leg. I looked down to see my cat Mama. I picked her up and walked into the kitchen where Mom was reading a magazine. I was on the cover. I cracked a smile. "Mom?" I asked.
She looked up, startled. "Oh, it's you....... Tweedle-Tay?" I nodded. "Come, sit down."
"Mom, what's this that Dad and Neuton keep on talking about? You know, how they keep saying that Michaela's evil........."
Mom frowned. "Darling, it's the most ludicrous story." She sighed. "On the day that you and Michaela were born, I was the happiest woman in the world. You were everything I'd ever hoped for in a child. Your father was into photography and I had been a model so I of course had no objections. He was photographing the two of you with his Polaroid camera and Michaela's eyes must have reacted badly with the flash............ You see, in the photo Michaela's eyes glowed red. Now your father, well he overreacted, my goodness, I've never seen such an absurd reaction...... Some Jehovah's Witnesses had been to the house just a couple of days previously and they'd told your father something about evil children with red eyes. He took it all in and basically said that we had to desert Michaela. If I did not leave Michaela in the hospital he would take you and Neuton and I would never be able to see any of you again."
I sat there, not quite believing what I was hearing. "I never met my twin sister because her eyes were red in a photograph?" I asked in disbelief.
My mother laughed bitterly. "That's your father for you. But you must understand, he was trying to look after your best interests. Admittedly, he got that completely wrong but -"
"No! He ruined my sister's life. Imagine what she would be like if she'd lived with us all along. Look how happy she is now...... Think about what she's had to go through in the past year. My success took away her friends but if she'd been living here she could have shared that success and -"
"And she'd be a few million dollars poorer," Mom cut in. "Your father did his best. Don't be too harsh on him."
"Don't be too harsh on him??? He's the one who's being harsh! He's leaving Michaela homeless in a few days because it would be bad for the band's image. Well FUCK the band!!! I'll leave the band unless he lets Michaela stay!"
My mother was speechless. Finally she said, "Tweedle-Tay. I'm surprised at you. I love Michaela just as much as you do, probably more, but cussing is certainly not the way to go about getting her to stay. Your father is in charge here and you may not like it but you may as well get used to it because that's the way it is. And go ahead, leave the band but the only person you're going to hurt is yourself. You are not as indispensable as you think you are."
I was close to tears. "Well at least I'm not a weak pushover!" I yelled, and stormed out of the room. Mama fell to the floor and yelped. I had to find Michaela and apologise as soon as possible. I ran up the stairs and into the room Michaela shared with Elizabeth and Kestrel. For the fist time in over twenty-four hours Michaela was not there. I looked around the room in confusion. I suddenly heard someone coming up behind me. I turned around to see Michaela. She ignored me and pushed past. "Michaela," I said. "Where have you been?"
She laughed bitterly. "I hardly think that's any of your business. Anyway, I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
"Oh, come on Kay. I'm sorry. I really want you to stay."
"Cut the crap. I heard you all yesterday, I'm not a Christian and I'm bad for Manson's image." Her eyes were brimming with tears. "How could you do this to me? I thought you loved me. I thought you were my brother...." Michaela wiped the tears away. "Anyway, in case you didn't notice, I'm not talking to you. I'd appreciate it if you left."
Michaela pushed me into the hall way and slammed the door. "Fine then!" I screamed at the door. "Be that way, don't talk to me, see if I care!" I walked slowly into my room and began to sing,"MMMpop ba do ba da ba do pop........." Such a meaningless song......... such a meaningless life.
