FicWad

Changing Destiny
Chapter 2 - Voicing Opinions

As the days began to pass by, Lorna’s voice was slowly returning and she was now able to get out of bed and begin to exercise her legs from resting so long. When her voice finally fully returned, Lorna couldn’t help but feel excited. The ache in her ribs was nearly gone and her wrists were no longer showing purple marks. There was no only a dull yellowish tinge to her skin with small scab that was healing nicely as well.

With her now well enough, Lorna decided to take a walk around the mansion to build her strength back up. Michael had told her a few days prior she could go where she would like when she was feeling up to walking. There was always staff around to help her if she got lost.

As Lorna looked around, she was able to see paintings of Michael in his youth, including pictures and paintings before his skin disease happened. She could never really say what the technical term was, but she did understand what happened to his skin from turning chocolate brown to a pale white. Before long, Lorna came upon a closed door. She quietly opened it not knowing what to expect and to her surprise, she came across a nice size room that had books and a desk. Sitting on the other side of the desk was the man himself.

Michael looked up as he noted the door open. He knew the kids wouldn’t disturb him when he was in deep concentration like this so he wondered who it was. His wondering was quickly answered as the person behind the door was revealed.

“Lorna,” he called as he set his papers he was reading, down on the desk.

Lorna gasped. She did not mean to intrude. The desk had an elegant look to it but that wasn’t what drew her attention. It was what was on top of it. There was a jar of pens and pencils on one side with some folders beside it. The other side had a phone that looked to have somewhat of a switchboard. She assumed it was to be able to call anywhere in the mansion as she noticed many rooms had a phone. What got her attention most was no computer. She guessed the room was his private den and since there was no computer, he probably wasn’t a computer hog.

“I’m sorry to intrude,” she said in a light feminine tone.

Michael smiled. Now that she could speak, her voice was lovely. “You are not intruding, please come in and sit.” He gestured with his hand.

Lorna nodded and did as suggested.

“So what brings you here?”

“I was just looking around the place. I didn’t realize this was your den. Again, I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” he said. “You look well.”

“No thanks to your hospitality and medical care,” Lorna answered. “I was wondering if you would mind if I used your phone to call the ones who are worried for me so I can tell them I’m ok. I know you have been doing it but it’s not the same when coming from someone else.”

Michael nodded and hand gestured to his phone. “Go right ahead, but please don’t tell them where you are staying.”

“I wouldn’t dream of that. You are too nice to me to alert the media.” She stood and walked over to the desk. She picked up the phone and dialed the number to her work place. It took several moments for her to get through the automated message service to speak to the manager.

“Hi,” she said finally after getting through.

“Lorna! Is that you?” the manager blurted.

“Yes, sir. It’s me.”

“Where the hell are you?”

“I’m staying with a friend in Los Angles,” she answered as she looked at Michael. “I have so much to tell. I was kidnapped when I got off work and I was later able to escape.”

“How did you wind up in California?” he asked.

“Running from my would be rapist. I was running so much; I didn’t know where I was going. And before I knew it I found myself here in Los Angles.”

“And you are safe now?” he asked in a rush.

“Yes. I would have called sooner but the injures I sustained while trying to escape, prevented me. For some stupid reason I had lost my voice. And only officially got it back today.”

“When will you be home?”

“I don’t know. First I will need money.”

During the whole conversation, Michael was doing his best not to listen. He was taught at a young age not to listen in on phone calls. But his attention was drawn to the conversation the moment he heard her speak ‘money’.

“I’m glad you’re safe. But I need you here and now. If you do not return I will have no choice but to replace you.”

“What!” Lorna snapped, causing Michael to slightly jump, startled at her outburst. “Are you telling me that all this time, you’ve been worried about me and now that you know I am safe, you want me back home immediately or I’m fired!”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” he said. “It’s business.”

“Business my ass! You no good for nothing of a boss. Go ahead fire me for all I care! I hate working for you anyway. See if I care. I nearly could have been killed and all you care about is your damn stupid business.”

“Now you listen here young lady!” he demanded.

“No! You listen,” she nearly yelled, getting Michael’s full attention. “You want to fire me go right ahead you stupid pumpis. I don’t need this BS.”

“Lorna, you’re driving my patience,” he warned.

“Screw you!” She slammed the phone down and walked away as tears began to well up in her eyes. What a way to rejoice of getting one’s voice back.

Michael was stunned at what just happened over the phone. He had heard of people yelling and saying such vulgar words while on the phone, but he never really witnessed them doing it. Though he remembered when his ex-wife gave birth to his kids, she was throwing out every colorful word under the sun like there was no tomorrow. He stood up and walked over to her.

“Are you alright?” he asked in his soft, sweet voice.

Hot tears were tracking on her cheeks as she realized she was not in the room alone. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “The only person who really cared about me now demands for me to return home, with no regard what could have happened to me. It’s back to business as usual.”

Michael didn’t know what to say or do so he did the first thing that came natural for him. He rested a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around. “It’s ok to cry,” he said softly.

She looked at him with a blurry vision before she suddenly pushed herself forward and cried in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to cry. He didn’t care at that moment that his navy blue silk shirt was getting wet. All he cared about was the fact she was emotionally hurting and he really didn’t know what the full story was behind that.

When her tears were spent, she took a step back and rubbed her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said sadly. “Mr. Jackson.”

“Please, you have nothing to be sorry for,” he answered. “And please call me Michael. ‘Mr. Jackson’ is just so formal and we are way beyond that. I get enough of that from my staff.”

Lorna nodded. “If you please excuse me, I have some things to think about.” She turned away from him before he could give the chance to let her and was out of his office in a hurry. He felt sorry for her, but what could he do? He was concerned for her, but until she would say something, there wasn’t anything more he could do for the moment. With a sigh, he walked back to his desk to try and focus on what he was doing before. When realizing he couldn’t focus on his task, he quickly called for Debbie. Minutes later she walked in. She wondered what he wanted.

“Debbie, can you please keep on the look out for Lorna?”

“Is there a problem?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I just allowed her to call her place of work and she was speaking to her boss. She got pretty upset on the phone and I just wanted to make sure she’s all right. But I feel I may have frighten her.”

Debbie nodded. “I’ll keep a look out for her. Will you be eating dinner with the children this evening?”

Michael sighed. “Yes, I would very much like to dine with my children tonight. I don’t often dine with them and I should.”

Debbie nodded again and walked out of the room to inform Faye, the chef who was hired since Michael and his family moved in, to prepare dinner. She was an African American woman from California. She knew it was still a bit early yet, but sometimes preparing a meal could take a long time and she wanted to have a nice meal prepared since Mr. Jackson was going to dine with the children.

-

Time continued to move on and Michael was beginning to get more worried for Lorna as she had gone quiet since her argument with her boss. She didn’t even want to visit with his kids either and that bothered them as well. They thought she was a nice lady. Michael had an idea what was on her mind and he was going to need for her to open up. It had been two weeks since she had phoned her boss. And since that time, she began to get distant from everyone, however she was eating and that was one thing he hated to see, people not eat.

One evening, after the children went to bed, Michael decided to check in on Lorna. He knocked at her door and waited until she opened the door.

“Mr. …Michael,” she gasped, a little surprised to see him. “What brings you here at this time of night?”

“I was hoping I could speak with you,” he answered. “May I come in?”

Lorna nodded and walked away from the door. Michael walked in and lightly closed the door. “Lorna, I was wondering if there is something wrong. You have been very quiet for the past while.”

“I’m sorry,” she said as she sat on the bed. “I have been busy thinking of what to do with my life now, now that I don’t have a job. Unlike you, you have money at your disposal. Maybe not as much as you once had, but a lot more than me.”

“And have you come to a decision?” he asked.

“Yes, I have. With my last check deposited in the back account. I now have enough money to return back home.”

“Return home? I thought you lost your job. Not that I was listening that day but it was sort of hard to not listen.”

“I know.” Lorna felt a blush lightly tinge her cheeks. She had remembered yelling into the phone in front of the King of Pop. In the time she’s known him, she never once heard him raise his voice. He had much patience, more than what she had, that was for sure.

“I’m not originally American,” she admitted. “I’m Canadian, from a small town in Ontario. When I was sixteen, we moved to Vegas and I’ve hated living there since. I’ve always wanted to move back home.”

“And you hadn’t had the money to do so,” Michael concluded.

“That is until now,” she said. “I’ve already called my bank in Vegas and informed them of what has happened. They have agreed to allow a bank branch here to re issue me a new bankcard. Did the same with my credit cards. I’ll be picking them up at the branches that they are from.”

“So you are leaving?” he asked.

Lorna nodded. “It’s not right of me to stay here in this wonderful house. You are a very nice person and I have more respect for you than I already had.”

Michael tilted his head a little. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

Lorna loved that soft voice of his. It was so soft and sweet. He was such a gentleman. “I’m going to be honest. I have liked some of your music, but I never really been a big fan of your music. Yes, I liked your ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’ albums and the odd the song from your ‘Dangerous’ album.”

“Well not everyone is a fan and that was even before the allegations,” Michael replied in understanding.

“But you’re a kind and a very understanding man. You’re gentle and love those kids of yours very dearly.”

Michael smiled. “Yes, I do.”

“And I am so glad I have finally got to meet the man who made the Moonwalk famous. I love that move.”

“It takes practice. So when do you plan on leaving?” he asked.

“Perhaps in another couple days,” Lorna said a little sadly, which Michael noted. “I will miss you,” she admitted.

“I will as well,” he said gently. “You are nice enough to be like a friend.”

“Thank you. You are as well.”

Michael nodded. “Well I better be off to my room. I will let my children know in the morning.” He started to turn around.

“Michael,” she started, causing him to stop and turn. “I was wondering why doesn’t their mother have anything to do with them.”

“Paris and Prince’s mother doesn’t want anything to do with the media and Blanket’s, well she…” he trailed off. “Let’s just say there was an arrangement. Please, leave it at that.”

Lorna wanted to know what he meant by Blanket’s mother, but she had enough respect for his wishes not to press the matter further. There needed to be things in an entertainer’s life that would need remain quiet.

“Well have a good night Michael,” Lorna called as he turned back around.

“Have a good night,” Michael answered back.

-

The next morning, Lorna went down stairs for breakfast only to come face to face with three sad looking faces and Michael all sitting at the breakfast table. It wasn’t often he sat with his children, but this time he did. The breakfast was quiet as everyone ate their meals. Michael had a low diet so he could keep his weight down for his dancing. Though his kids on the other hand, he wanted them to have a more range of food. Lorna often ate what the kids were eating.

Once breakfast was over, Michael gave each of his kids a light kiss on the forehead and told them to have a good day while he went off towards his den to continue working on his plans for his concerts he was planning on doing, which was decided to be held in Europe. He was going to call it the ‘This is It’.

Once he was out of the room, Lorna stood. “Now, what is with the long faces?”

Prince looked at the woman. “We don’t want you to leave,” he said.

Paris stood up and ran over to her, hugging her tightly. “Please don’t go,” she nearly cried in the woman’s shirt, which was fairly new since Michael did give Lorna some money to go shopping for some clothes. Lorna was able to buy a whole new wardrobe and gave he remaining amount back to Michael as she was used to buying clothes at bargain prices.

Lorna hugged Paris back. “I’m sorry,” she said. “But I really don’t belong here.”

“Don’t go,” Blanket said from his seat. “You’re too nice.”

Lorna breathed. “Ok. How is this for a deal then? I promise I will stay for another week and play with you guys. Once I go home, I’ll promise to write to you guys and even call. Will that make you feel better?”

Paris looked up. “You promise?”

“Scouts honor,” she grinned, giving the peace sign.

“Excuse me?” Paris said.

“It’s an expression,” Lorna said. “You see there are groups of kids who go out into the world and learn to how to survive, with adult supervision that is. There are Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.”

“Were you ever in these scouts?” Prince asked.

“Unfortunately, no. My parents weren’t making enough money for me to go.”

“We’re not aloud to do things with many other kids, but there are some kids we can play with,” Paris said.

“Do you guys understand why?” Lorna asked as Paris let her go.

“Daddy says it’s because of the media,” Blanket said.

“You’re right Blanket,” Lorna answered. “You were too young to know this but your Daddy had a lot of hard times the last few years.”

“We know,” Blanket answered. “Daddy keeps saying they are not true.”

“It makes me sad to think people will hurt Daddy like that,” Paris said. “He’s a good man and good with us.”

“I know he is,” Lorna smiled. “How about we go outside and play?”

“Ok,” Prince said.

Lorna walked over to Blanket. “Is that ok with you?” She held out her hand for Blanket to take.

The small boy smiled and took her hand, getting out of his chair. Paris came up to her Lorna’s other side and grasped her other hand and the three kids escorted Lorna to the playing area.