Chapter 0

April 1990 - LA

Maeve's POV

My feet slowly dragged me down the aisle. Every few steps I passed an empty row of seats that waited for the guests to arrive. But it was still early, another hour or so until the first mourners would show up.

I couldn't sleep.

I needed to see him.

It's been a while since I left the grounds of Neverland Ranch. Years, where I couldn't bring myself to leave, I was scared, but not anymore.

As I stepped in front of the open coffin, I stared down at him. He was dressed in one of his best suits, his hair was styled slightly different than how he would've done it but it did look ok though. From where I was standing I noticed that he was also wearing make-up but I guess that's something they do to make the dead look a little more alive. However, to me he looked like he was sleeping peacefully.

My gaze wandered to the beautiful flowers next to the coffin and although I don't really know much about flowers, I know that the calla symbolizes immortality. I always thought it was way too beautiful to be associated with death and funerals but now that I'm older I realize that it's not about being immortal but more about being remembered.

We all wanna be remembered when we leave this earth, don't we?

Reminding myself why I was here in the first place, I brought my attention back to the corpse in front of me. My hand was only a few inches away from touching him when I stopped for a second and looked around in the empty room to check if I really was alone.

Back to him, I put my hand down on his chest while I studied his face for any kind of reaction.

Nothing.

His chest was hard and not moving but for me this wasn't proof enough and I put my hand on his throat to check for a pulse but as my warm soft skin met his cold rough one I quickly pulled away.

He is dead for sure.

I didn't know what I expected a dead body to feel like against my skin but I definitely thought it still would feel... like him. But it didn't.

Instead it felt like a stranger lying in front of me but that's what we've become over the past few years and in the end it's all his fault.

"Mrs. Jackson?" I heard the security who brought me here, Jared, speak before his footsteps echoed through the room.

"I'm coming, just give me one more minute" I answered without even turning away from the man that made my life so miserable.

After the sound of his footsteps disappeared, meaning he's gone, I was about to leave as well when I turned back around.

"I needed you" I whispered and immediately my eyes became watery.

"I needed you and you weren't there."

I promised myself I wouldn't cry because I've already cried too much. But a tear found its way down my cheek and as it was about to fall down my face I caught it.

And as I looked down at the tear on the back of my hand I remembered all the pain this man made me go through.

"You weren't there!" my voice became a little louder as the tears started the escape quicker and quicker.

I shook my head. At first slowly but then faster. My hair flew down. I initially had it pinned to the back of my head.

"YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU MADE EVERYTHING WORSE! YOU EVEN TRIED TO KILL ME! YOU-"

My vision became red and I couldn't control myself anymore. I felt my body move rapidly to the rhythm of rage while words of reproach left my mouth. My hands banged against something hard, over and over again.

"MRS. JACKSON!" I felt strong arms wrapped around me as Jared pulled me away from the coffin. Apparently I started hitting my dead father's chest but my mind was unable to process what was happening.

My vision was still clouded due to the tears that streamed down my face like a faucet that never stops.

"We need to leave now. Guests will arrive soon, do you understand?" He gripped my arms tightly but through my vision I only saw his silhouette. However, I trust him, thats why I let him take me here in the first place.

His large hands started pulling on mine, leading us outside, while I tried controlling my heavy breathing, fearing I might get a panic attack. As the chill april air hit me, I finally calmed down a little and the tears stopped.

We were about to reach the car when I felt the urge to turn back around one last time.

At the entry I locked eyes with very familiar ones. My mother's.

She just stared at us blankly and I stared at her while being dragged across the parking lot. We were too far away from the entry to speak to one another but I felt the urge to at least say 'hi' but before I got the chance to I was pushed into the backseat of an SUV.