Chapter 16
Return From London
After seeing to her message and seeing that it did come from her brother, she contacted her brother quickly to talk to him. And what he had to tell her shocked the heck out of her. For hours, after talking to her brother, she started to make other phone calls to get some answers. She was grateful that she was like nine hours ahead of where she was living. This way she was able to communicate with people more. She was constantly on the phone with lawyers, police and anything she could get a hold of. She did not like what her brother had to tell her, which he did not like either. She even contacted her other brothers as well to be sure on what she had learnt.
Finally after being too exhausted to speak anymore, she collapsed on her bed. She did take a little time to take in room service and even gave her love to the children when they went off to bed, but other than those times, she was not leaving her room. She was so emotionally drained; she didn’t know what to do. Her thoughts were disturbed, as there was a knock at her door. She got up to answer the door and to her surprise and relief she was greeted with a friendly face.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I got so caught up in what Luke had to tell me that I forgot about you and the children. Though I did give them my love a short time ago.”
“May I come in?” he asked. “Or would rather me stand out here in the hallway?”
She opened the door wider and walked away, letting him in the room. He walked in and closed the door. “What was the message you received?” he asked once the door was closed.
She turned around as tears threatened to fall. “Luke got a letter that was address to father. But it was addressed the day he died.”
“That’s strange,” he inquired, noting the tears that were threatening to fall. “You said yourself he died a long time ago.”
“Yeah, I was 18, which was 17 years ago. So how would a letter that’s dated 17 years ago turn up now, after all these years?”
“Do you know what the letter said?” he asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Just mostly about being careful. Oh and there was one line that Luke is bothered by and I don’t blame him. I am too. I wrote it down.” She turned away from him, going to the desk where the phone sat. She picked up the paper, she wrote the message down on, allowing Michael to read it.
“You need to get out,” Michael read aloud of the note. “Your life and the life of your children are in danger. Lorna is your only daughter, she could get really hurt by this.”
He drew his eyes up from the paper. “That doesn’t make much sense.”
“I know,” Lorna shivered. “But it’s really creepy. Whoever wrote that letter, knew my name and knew I was the only daughter. Michael, what if my father’s death has more than I ever thought possible. I mean I feel he was murdered, but what if it goes deeper than that?”
He reached forward and pulled her into a protective embrace. “Did you want to find out? You can use my resources.”
“I can’t do that,” she protested. “You have this concert to get ready for.”
He pulled his hands up to cup her face with both hands. “Lorna, if you feel you must figure this out, I will not stop you. You are too important to me to have you just be around me because I am who I am.”
“I know that,” she answered quietly. “I just don’t want you to feel obligated to help me. You have your concerts to do and I don’t want that to interfere in possible things I have to do. I also don’t want it to disrupt our lives. We just found each other and I don’t want to ruin that.”
“Neither do I,” he answered softly. “But I don’t want to get in the way of answers.”
“I wouldn’t know where to begin,” she said. “I’ve tried contacting my parents lawyer and my other two brothers. I even called LVPD. What more can I do?”
“You already said you may have the case reopened,” he said. “Perhaps you should start there. You also have the Internet at your disposal. I may not be much for it, but I do know you can find many things.”
“But there is also that trip you want me to take you on to Canada to show you how Maple Syrup is made.”
His hands moved from her face to grasp both hands. He brought her hands to his lips and kissed both hands. “How’s this then. You find what you can over the phone and Internet. I’m not starting my rehearsals until next month. Once we get back from Canada, we’ll both start our projects.”
“My brother also told me he found a crate of things that he wants to send me. But I told him I’d rather mention it to you first.”
“Angel,” he gasped, using her middle name, but also giving the name as a nickname. “You don’t have to get my permission. That house is just as much as yours as it is mine. You live there with the children and me. My angel doesn’t cater to no one.”
The way he said her name, she knew he was using the word more as a nickname than her proper real name. There was a few times since he learnt that was her middle name he would call her that. He watched her nod.
“And there’s no sense in me arguing with you about it, I’ll lose in the end,” she said, causing him to raise an eyebrow. “When you have your mind set, you will not be persuaded to have it changed.”
“You can be too,” he added. He released her hands. “I suppose you would like to stay in tonight.”
“Yeah, I’m not really in a mood to see the sights again. When do we go home?” she asked.
“Tomorrow afternoon,” he answered. “I was planning for the day after tomorrow but the forecast is calling for a major snow storm. I would like to be out of here before the city gets hit.”
“That’s a good idea,” she said. “I remember when I was growing up, we would get snow storms so bad that it would cause school closures. Now those were fun days. I miss those days.”
“You like snow?” he asked as he wrapped his arms around her.
She nodded with a soft smile. “Did you bring the book with you?” she asked suddenly.
He smirked. He knew what she was talking about. “You stay here and I’ll get it. I had a feeling you would want to read it.”
He quickly left her room. Knowing his speed, she quickly went to her suitcase and grabbed her pyjamas and got ready for bed. She just emerged from the bathroom when he knocked and then entered her room, wearing his own red silk pyjamas and carrying her favorite book.
He smiled warmly at her as she quickly climbed onto the bed and bunched up the pillows for him. He soon lay on the bed and once he was in position, she lay on his chest and got comfortable. He read for an hour to her as she snuggled into him and listened. The two ended up falling asleep in each other’s arms after he had finished reading.
-
Being home was refreshing for Lorna. None of the staff were there as it was their day off. Everyone was tired as they had been on the plane for ten hours and it was afternoon for them once again. The children slept somewhat on the plane, but they still were tired. The moment Lorna was in the door and she had her shoes off, she could see the floors had been freshly waxed.
She dropped her purse at the door and then slid across the floor in her sock feet. Michael wasn’t completely in the door when he was forced to stop moving, while being in the middle of speaking to his guard to see Lorna slide. The children were directly in front of him as they watched.
Blanket looked at his father. “Daddy, I think Lorna is happy to be home.”
“I think so too,” Michael nodded. “Let’s get in the door so we can get our luggage in the house and unpack.”
The Jackson children and their father got completely in the house, letting the security bring in the bags. Once they were in, Grace, the Nanny went and took the children’s luggage to their rooms. What was left was Lorna and Michael’s. The children then followed Grace up the stairs to their room.
Lorna continued to slide across the floor in her socks, grateful to being home. She had seen the others leave the room. She quickly turned about and slid to Michael, stopping just a few feet from him. “I love doing that,” she said.
Michael rolled his eyes from behind his sunglasses. She couldn’t even see him roll his eyes, which at that moment, he liked.
“I’m so glad to be home,” she replied as she sobered up. “And with no staff here, I feel like jumping like an idiot and bounce like a kangaroo.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What did you eat on the plane?”
“Oh come on,” she half whined. “You know I’m not used to going somewhere and be watched at every turn. Being home, I can do things and not have to watch for my safety. I can go outside and go down town and not be followed. Yeah that may happen when your fans learn of me but until then, I have my freedom.”
“But you hardly leave the property and when you do, you never go alone.”
“Blame it on paranoia. You try living in Vegas at the strip. Not that you would. You’re too rich for that blood. And yes I know you’re not as much as you once were but you still have more money than you actually let on.”
He nodded and removed his sunglasses.
“Oh finally,” she said sarcastically. “Now I can see those handsome dark brown eyes of yours. And it’s something that I find myself a lot staring at.”
He smirked and quickly wrapped his arms around, pulling her close to him. “Well perhaps I should wear my glasses more often.”
Lorna pouted as her hands rested against his chest. “Why do you torture me so?”
He gave a high pitch giggle. He never thought that he was torturing her but just hearing the words, he could not hold his laugh. He looked at her. “Maybe I like to,” he teased.
“So I have noticed,” she frowned. “For a man who is nearly hitting 51, you sure have a childish side. I’ve never met anyone quite like you.”
“Should I be scared of that one?” he remarked.
“Take it as you will,” she smirked. “But to me, it’s a compliment. I’ve always like taking a step back and be a little silly. It helps to release tension.”
“That’s for sure. One of these days when the temperatures get a little warmer, you are going to have an adventure.”
“What type of an adventure is that?”
“Super Soakers and water balloons,” he smiled. “They are two of my favorite pastimes.”
“Water fights?” she took a deep breath. “I’ve always lost to those.”
“Well maybe I’ll get you on my team and have adults versus the children,” he grinned. “They are pretty good.”
“I don’t know,” she tried. “I always seemed to get hit.”
“Well time for you to learn how to avoid getting hit.” He was secretly vowing to himself to be sure to get her and get her good, especially if she wasn’t on his team. He looked away from Lorna to see Grace was coming down the stairs. He removed his arms.
“We better take our things to our room. For just once I’ll order in. I don’t normally like ordering out in the weekday but the staff is off today.”
Lorna nodded. She picked up her suitcase and headed towards the stairs. She past the Nanny and smiled at her.
-
After getting settled and got herself back on her normal routine, Lorna contacted her brother again to talk more to him about that letter he received and to also let him know he could send the crate to the mansion. It was decided upon by the two they would have the case reopened and he would do it. He had some vacation time coming and he was going to go to Vegas. He also decided he was going to vacation with his little sister. He would go to Vegas last and for only one night.
Lorna got really excited about that and when she informed Michael of it, he insisted that her brother stay at the mansion when they arrived. Michael was actually looking forward to meeting her brother, his wife and children. He knew the wife was a fan, but he didn’t mind.
“Are you sure about this?” Lorna had asked him for the 100th time since she asked which was three days ago.
“Lorna, I told you. I’m sure,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. Something he loved doing. The two were standing in his Den. The children were doing their home schooling.
“But my sister-in-law is a fan of yours and my brother is not completely fond of you,” she defended.
“And they are your family,” he said. “Getting a hotel here in LA can get very pricey. And why have them spend their money on that when they can just stay here. Your brother can see who I really am and perhaps their children can befriend mine.”
“Well then I hope being here, he can be persuaded to have his mind changed about you. Besides he’s going to have to get over the fact that you and I are seeing each other. Though he doesn’t know that yet.”
“Why didn’t you tell him?” he asked.
“I don’t really want to get into it with him over the phone. Besides doing it in person, he could see how much we care for each other.” She leaned her head on his shoulder. She was able to smell his cologne. “I love that scent,” she breathed out a little too loud.
The moment she heard him chuckle, she knew she said it too loud. She squeezed her eyes closed. She really wasn’t in the mood for another teasing session from him. He was always constantly teasing her. She lifted her head and moved out of his embrace.
“Well I should get back to what I was doing before,” She rushed out.
“And what would that be?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Well at the end of month we’re going to Canada. I want to stay somewhere where the media can’t follow and you can nearly feel free. I have an Uncle who lives in Northern Ontario. I’m going to see if we can have use of his cabin for a week while we stay up there.”
“Where is the cabin located?”
“In the woods,” she winked. “In complete isolation and seclusion. It’s far enough in the woods that no media would want to follow. It’s completely isolated too. The children can walk around out in the open with no masks and be like normal children.”
“They would enjoy that.” He stared intently at her. She was out of his arms reach. He could not pull her to him and kiss her. He had not been able to kiss her since returning home as she had been tired from having to prepare for their trip to Canada and of course her constantly making long distance phone calls. He knew his phone bill was going to be pretty high. He was glad for the long distance savings plan. He sometimes had his fair share of making many long distance calls.
“That should be interesting,” he finally said. “Though the children do not have anything warm to wear up there.”
“You let me worry about that. I just need to get clothing sizes and I’ll get them, which the children already have. I just need yours.”
He walked over to her with a sly smile. She saw the look and took a step back. “Michael, don’t even think about it. I know you well enough to know when you’re about to do something and it’s going to be something I’m not going to like it.”
He continued advance towards her. She continued to back up until finally she backed into wall. She was suddenly trapped. She saw once chance to escape. She had no idea what he had been planning to with that grin of his. As far as she could tell he could be ready to tickle her again. She went to make a made dash towards the door, but he grasped her and pulled her against him.
She gasped as she felt a solid body against her but at the same time a wall behind her. She looked into his brown eyes and could see herself reflecting through them. She gulped.
He did not give her a chance to say his name and she was quickly shocked to what he wanted to do. He had one arm against the wall, the other holding her hand. His lips were mashed against hers. She melted into him as he kissed her. It did not take him long to push the kiss to the next level as the two began a duel of tongues. She was more than breathless when they parted. He was even breathing quite heavily too.
While he kissed her, his hand had left her hand and wrapped around her waist where he pulled her tight against him. His other arm wrapped into her hair and settled against her back. Her arms wrapped around his neck.
He stared at her as the two controlled their breathing.
“Each time you kiss,” she whispered. “Is better than the last. How do you do that?”
“A gift,” he replied with a whisper. “And I hadn’t kissed you in a few days and it was driving me crazy. You could give a man a heart attack you know.”
“Well I certainly hope not,” she lightly gasped. “I want him to stay by my side. I love him too much.”
He lightly smiled and kissed her forehead. He then told her his size for the winter wear she needed to get. She was surprised by his size. He did not look the size he was. He gave her one more kiss, not as long as before, but it was something left to be desired. He then released her and let her go back to what she wanted to do.
-
As Michael walked into his home, returning home from speaking to the manager of the Staples Center, he felt something was out of place. But it was quiet, a little too quiet for his liking. He quickly called out for Debbie and she came into the room moments later. He knew Lorna was getting the last of the preparations ready for her brother’s arrival the next day. When her brother and his family would head back home, Michael, Lorna and his children were going to take a trip to Canada.
“Debbie what is going on?” he asked. “Usually the kids would greet me.”
“They are outside playing,” she said. “Lorna thought it would be best for them to go outside.”
“Why is that?” He removed his sunglasses and attached them to his shirt.
“She would not say. Mr. Jackson, she seems quite upset and I think she didn’t want the children to see her upset.”
“Where is she?” He handed Debbie his brief case he was carrying and removed his jacket, which Debbie took that as well.
“The last I seen her, she was heading to her room.” Debbie placed the brief case where it was suppose to sit.
Michael nodded and then went outside. “Children, I’m home,” he called.
“Daddy!” he heard Blanket yell from the slide.
He looked over to the swings to see Paris and Prince quickly stopped swinging and all three children ran to their father and hugged him.
“How was your day?” Paris asked.
“It was good. Everything is all set for me to begin my rehearsals,” Michael answered.
“Dad,” Prince said. “I think something is wrong with Lorna. She got a disturbing phone call today and since then, she became quiet and even asked for us to play outside, without her. I’m worried.”
“Would you three mind if I went and checked in on her?”
He watched as three heads shook their heads, letting him know that it was ok. Michael gave each kid a kiss on the cheek before he stood back to his normal height and headed back in. The children followed him, until they made it to the family room where they sat and decided to watch some cartoons. Michael continued up the stairs to see if Lorna was in her room.
As he approached her door, he could hear soft noises coming from the other side, so he knew she was in there. He knocked on her door and waited for her to answer. He was greeted with her answering the door and carrying around a cordless phone and she was talking in it. She gave him a smile before turning away, still speaking.
“What do you mean?” she questioned in the phone.
Michael walked in and lightly closed the door. He watched as she began to pace the room, talking.
“Let me get this straight, all this time, my parents had been holding out on me and no one ever bothered to tell!” she suddenly snapped. “No, you listen. I have just spent the last few years of my life, struggling only learn now what my father actually left me when he had been mysteriously killed. This is such BS!”
Whatever the conversation was, it was intense for her to yell like that in the phone. He had a feeling that if he weren’t in the room she would have used the full terms to the letters ‘BS’. He liked how she respected that he wasn’t into those words.
“I don’t give a damn what you say,” she continued. “If it belongs to me, I will go there and claim it!” She yelled. “Or better yet, my brother can as he’ll be going there!” And then hung up the phone, tossing it on the bed.
“That could have gone better,” he said with slightly wide eyes.
Lorna turned to Michael. “You don’t know the half of it.”
He could see tears were starting to well up in her eyes. He walked over to her, gently placing a hand on the side of her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his sweet soft voice giving the soothing nature that he knew she loved.
“Everything,” she said, as she didn’t stop the tears from coming. She looked at him and then quickly hugged him. “Hold me.”
His hands slid behind her back as she tried to control her tears. “I just found out why my father moved to Las Vegas in the first place. Oh Michael, I’m so lost right now.”
“What can I do to help?” he asked soothingly.
“Just hold me and don’t let go,” she said.
He cracked a smile and held her tightly. “That I can easily do.” He gave the side of her head a light kiss. “Why did your father move?” he asked once he knew she was ready to talk.
“My father was a drug dealer and I never knew,” she admitted quietly as she took in his quiet calm and very attracting cologne. She loved that fragrance of his.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. You remember that letter my brother received,” she cried. “Well the person who wrote that letter had a feeling my father was about to be killed and tried to warn him not to go out. With my brother’s help, we were both able to get my mother’s lawyer to talk. He was the one who wrote the letter.”
Michael pulled her away a bit so he could see her face. “And you were the only daughter therefore you…”
Lorna cut him off. “Where I’m a girl, many of my father’s enemies could have taken me as hostage and could have done nasty things.”
“Now what was that about on the phone about claiming something?” he asked.
“My father’s frozen bank account.”
“Are you saying that…”
“My family is wealthy,” she nodded. “And I can’t believe it. But in order for me to claim the money, my brother or I need to travel to Las Vegas and speak to the lawyer and then speak to the investors on where the money is being held. The money goes to me. That also explains another thing.”
“And what’s that?” he asked trying to let everything be absorbed into his mind. His girlfriend had money.
“Why I came to be here.”
“I don’t follow.” Now he was confused.
“Michael. Remember I was kidnapped. Luckily I wasn’t raped or anything but I could have been and that’s why I ran. I was kidnapped for ransom. I bet they probably thought I had the money and they wanted my money. I ran from them and into your generous arms.”
“What do you plan to do now?” he asked. “Once you get the money.”
Lorna turned her head. “I’m not sure,” she admitted, but quickly turned her head back to him. Her hand rested against his cheek. “But I know one thing is for sure. I am not leaving you.”
Michael gave a genuine smile. “I’m glad. The children would miss you too much.”
“Not just the children,” she said. “But also the handsome man who is holding me right now. I don’t care that you are a famous singer who has been down on his luck in the last four years. I don’t care that you have a room full of awards, which I have yet to see. I’m in love with the man behind the music. The one who can cheer me up when I’m sad and make me laugh. He has so much love to give and I don’t care there’s a major age gap between us. To me you are not middle aged. You a lot of the times act like you’re my age.”
“You are too kind,” he blushed.
“Do you think perhaps it’s time to let your kids know about us?” she asked with a soft smile, tears under control now. “I’m tired of this hiding and tomorrow my brother will be here.”
“Knowing that you are going to stay here with me, it might be the best,” he admitted. “I am also tired of not being able to hold you when we watch movies with the children or hold hands when the kids and I go shopping and you come with me.”
“And then we can stop those nasty rumours that keep jumping up every time I’m in public.”
He lowered his head towards her and when he was a breath away. “For sure,” he whispered before he quickly grabbing the back of her head and sealing her words with a searing kiss.