Chapter 58

Michael's POV

Maeve initially wanted to bring the children to bed but when I checked on her, I found her peacefully asleep in our bed with one of our children on each side of her body, snuggling close against their mother.

The scene in front of me made me smile as a single tear rolled down my face but I was quick to wipe the tear away, I felt guilty. Kissing her today was so wrong of me because what I've realized since she disappeared, is that ever since meeting me, her life has become miserable.

Her life is miserable because of me, I destroyed her.

If she never got involved with me, she would've never been in the accident that left her paralyzed for months and forced her back into drug addiction.

But she was strong and fought her way back into life when I made her go public with our relationship which looking back now was the perfect way of leading us into disaster. I know now that she was forced into all these public appearances by Clara and also by herself because that's what she thought was expected by my wife.

Loosing our third child wasn't my fault but I made it worse by leaving her side, forcing her to get by all by herself. And lastly, it is my fault what Jared did to her because I hired him in the first place.

All this time she was gone, I regretted not making her stay the night she was raped. I should've tried harder because then this wouldn't have happened and maybe then she wouldn't have tried to end her life.

But I cannot change anything. The only thing I can do is to release her from this bad luck that seems to surround her, ever since I met her and I did just that.

A couple days I ago, I signed these divorce papers she left for me in October, that were already signed by her at that time.

We are officially divorced and she has absolutely no clue.

That's also the reason I think kissing her today was wrong but I couldn't help it, I love her so much but sometimes when you love someone, you need to let them go in order to protect them.

As I walked back into the kitchen, I glanced over to the table where Maeve's new friends were sitting and eating some leftovers. I met them earlier, Maeve introduced us but since the party was still on, we haven't had the chance to properly talk.

Grabbing myself a plate with some food as well before I made my way towards them where I sat down across from them.

"Michael, your home is amazing! It's so big and beautiful! And the garden, it's just wow!" Ava told me while I just smiled at her.

"Tell me, how did you find Maeve?" I wondered before shoving a forkful of noodle salad into my mouth.

"Ava found her on the street" Sean told me to which I looked at Ava with worried eyes.

"Well, yes. I was delivering newspapers when I noticed her. Her clothes were completely drenched, she was dirty from head to toe and only wearing one shoe! Something seemed odd about her and I felt bad if I didn't even offer a ride but she declined. Well technically she didn't decline, she just didn't say anything... I couldn't leave her like that, she was so lost, sitting in the middle of the streets. I sat with her for a while, silently watching the sunset but I was already behind schedule so I just took her with me, you know..."

My eyes stayed at Ava as I nodded, giving her a sign that I was following her words but on the inside I felt horrible, knowing what Maeve went through before Ava found her.

"At first, I thought she was trying to escape an abusive relationship, you know, because of the bruises and scars, that's why I didn't rat her out to the police... It wasn't until later that we found out she had actually tried to take her own life..." Ava's voice became quiet and my eyes flickered to Sean who took over.

"Ava made her come along to everywhere she went. We made sure she was never alone. It took her some time to open up to us. She then started to work with us at the diner and from there she got better day by day."

A silence surrounded us as I stared down at my plate where I pretended to be busy, poking my fork into food.

"What happened to her blonde hair?" I wondered.

"Well, we got stopped by police nearly every day, Mae always hid and then she decided to dye her hair, so she wouldn't get recognized as easily. And it worked. We actually found out that she's your wife like two days ago!"

Ex-wife, unfortunately.

"Mae? Is that what you call her? Only a few people are allowed to call her that, consider yourselves lucky" I faked a smile before continuing.

"Thank you for taking care of her, I really appreciate it!" I told them while putting my hands on my heart before we continued eating.

"I feel so stupid!" Ava spoke causing both Sean's and mine attention before she continued.

"You remember the night we all were drunk and we were gossiping about our favorite celebrity crushes?" Sean quickly swallowed before he spoke with a huge grin on his face. "Mae said Michael Jackson."

"Exactly and we were making fun of her" Ava buried her head in her hands.

"No!" Sean held up his finger. "You were making fun of her!" He corrected and she nodded.

"I am a horrible friend! Michael, I am so sorry for even believing any ridiculous story they made up about you! I now know you are not as crazy as they try to make you be! You're still crazy because look at this home, that's just... wow. But you're not like crazy-crazy if you get what I mean?! "

"Didn't find the shrine to Elisabeth Taylor, did you?" Sean asked causing Ava to blush even harder than she already was as she tried to hide herself.

"No, but I found the most amazing wedding portrait, I have ever seen, it's down the corridor, the first door on the left-"

"You snooped around?" I looked at her with my arms folded in front of my chest while slightly raising an eyebrow.

"No?.... Yes, Michael, I am sorry, again, but I couldn't help it, everything's so amazing, what is this place?"

With a small grin on my face, I shook my head lightly at her. "It's Neverland!"

*****

For as long as they planned to stay, I offered them the guesthouse and like at the main house, Ava was completely amazed by even the tiniest detail which was actually adorable.

The door fell shut behind me as I just came back from showing them their place for tonight. My feet immediately carried me to my office where the portrait of Maeve and me on our wedding hung, the one that Ava was talking about earlier.

It captured the moment where I just found out she could walk again. Our lips locked into each other's as I held her bridal style with the crowd behind us cheering.

The memory held me captivated that I didn't notice I wasn't alone anymore. Only when I felt arms wrap around me from behind, I knew that Maeve was there.

I guess, I have to tell her now.

Gently I grabbed her before turning around as I held her hands in between our bodies. From the look on my face, she could already tell something was wrong.

"You are angry at me..." she stated as she pulled her hands away from mine and taking a small step back. "I knew you would... I'm sorry Michael... I needed this time, I needed to find myself again because this past year, too much happened and I thought there was no other way out of my misery but then I started to be myself again, Michael!" I listened carefully to what she had to say as I noticed her eyes tear up, I grabbed her hands again, my thumbs carefully caressing the back of her hands. This time she didn't pull away.

"Michael, I was so busy trying to please everyone else that I forgot about me! I tried to be seen as much as possible, even if I didn't want to, don't get me wrong, I loved being by your side but I preferred to be out of everybody's sight.

When we lost Esther, I couldn't even mourn in peace, I had to make sure the children were okay and I had do continue my job... Michael, I had a dream where I held our baby! Our perfect little baby girl and she's not alone" by now Maeve started crying.

"I thought she was all alone but she's with Nicole and my Grandma Mae! I thought I needed to be by her side but Nicole assured me, she'd take good care of her, for us... I'm sorry for leaving you, Michael, I really am!"

With the back of her hand, she wiped the tears without letting go of my hand before looking back at me.

"And I am sorry for destroying your red Mercedes" she apologized.

"I'm not angry at you, well not anymore" I stated which caused her to look at me in surprise.

With still teary eyes she questioned me "You're not?" to which I shook my head.

"There's something I need to tell you" my voice was low as I spoke. I was about to continue when Maeve spoke again.

"Can't it wait?" Maeve asked me, her voice desperate. "Until tomorrow?"

Initially I never thought I would have to tell her, but now that she's back, it felt heavy on my shoulders but for her, I would carry the weight a little longer and to let her know, I nodded slowly but my face kept it's worried expression.

Her hands slid up my arms and while her left arm stayed on the back of my neck, her right arm moved to my cheek. Like a reflex, I wrapped my arms around her waist, selfishly pulling her closer.

"I missed you so much" she told me as this time my eyes became teary.

"I thought, I'd never see you again" I admitted as the tears started to escape my eyes. Her thumb gently wiped them away until she pulled my head closer to lock our lips.