Chapter 28

July 1993 - LA

Maeve's POV

This past months have been crazy. Ever since the public found out about Michael, me and our family, they've been haunting us, day and night. But although that's nothing we wouldn't have expected, it was so much worse than I would have ever imagined.

To my joy the attention seemed to finally settle down and the fans started to accept me as Michael's wife. It was a hard time though. We tried to give them everything they asked for, I joined more of Michael's interviews, we did photoshoots and even published a family picture to shut down any rumors about our children's skin color.

When it comes to our children, Michael is very strict when the public is involved. He doesn't want their faces in magazines unless it's a picture he approved of beforehand. Because we can't really avoid the paparazzi, especially while traveling the world, he makes them wear masks, anything to cover their faces.

The public does make fun of him for doing that but in my eyes he's trying to protect them in the best way he can and because he's been dealing with the press his whole life I trust him one hundred percent.

Whenever Michael attended an award show or any other event, I was there following him around like a puppy as I made myself visible to the public eye like they wanted me to.

Like expected from a celebrity's wife.

However, I'll never get used to it though. These endless seeming nights started to exhaust me and I was sick to my bones to always smile, like this is the happiest day in my life, talk but not really telling anything and just pretending to fit in when I clearly didn't.

Don't get me wrong, I loved accompanying Michael to everything that was important to him, to his career, but I preferred to stay backstage where I didn't have to keep a happy face all the time or watch my mouth because people could interpret my every word the wrong way and where I could bring the kids and we'd watch Michael perform together.

But that's not what Michael Jackson's wife is supposed to do. If they don't see you, you weren't there.

And despite the fact that I hate cameras pointing into my face, being interviewed and being swarmed by way too many people, I do understand that that's what's expected by the King of Pop's wife.

For Michael.

I'd do anything for him and if that meant I'd have to bring myself in situations that are uncomfortable for me, so be it.

Whenever Michael's busy schedule allowed it, he invited children and their families into our home to spent some time there. It was a refreshing change from all the hectic appointments we were rushed to and the many meetings I had to squeeze in between Michael's tight schedule.

We've met and befriended so many families this year and it was great for our own children to socialize as well.

Michael even invited a family to go to Disneyland with us because our kids did get along very well and their eldest, Jordan, is a huge fan of Michael.

However, their father Evan, always made me feel uncomfortable, he was giving me strange vibes and I did not trust him at all. He always wanted to talk to Michael about some idea he had for a movie or was it a screenplay? I don't know but Michael wasn't interested anyway.

That's also the reason why Michael enjoys being surrounded by children, they never ask him about anything business related, they like him just the way he is.

*****

With a paper bag in my hand, I walked the empty corridors to where the music was playing.

The stage came into view, Michael with his band were rehearsing while some of the dancers took a break and gathered in front of the stage, peacefully watching.

Some sitting on chairs, some on the floor with bottles of water laying everywhere as I walked closer, getting a better view of Michael, he was singing Billie Jean.

One of the dancers offered me his chair, which I gladly accepted since by now I was heavily pregnant. I had only about a month left and I couldn't wait for this pregnancy to be over, I am so done.

However, the more I watched Michael, the more I got the feeling that something was off. He was known to be a perfectionist but today his mind seemed to be occupied by something else.

As soon as I walked in he noticed me but I always try to be patient since I don't want to interrupt and to be honest, I don't mind watching him rehearse, I'm his biggest fan after all.

After about half an hour they finally took a break and Michael sat down at the edge of the stage, his feet tangling down as I walked up to him. When I was just about to reach the stage he jumped down, immediately wrapping his arms around me. I closed my eyes while he held me close, not caring about anyone else in the room.

He kissed the top of my head before letting go. "I missed you" I told him. The past days I spent in New York with our children since I had to do some business there. We did extend the trip to do some sightseeing as well.

"Not as much as I missed you, where are Nicolas and Charlotte?" he wondered.

"They're with your mother, we had lunch together and they fell asleep on her couch..." his lips turned into a frown, he does miss them a lot when we are away, which does not happen often but since he was busy with rehearsing, it was better for me to take them.

"But I brought you a snack" I held up the paper bag for him to see. "It's a donut" I smiled at him, knowing him, he probably didn't eat well while we were gone.

His hand reached inside the paper bag, pulling out the sweet treat and taking a bite before holding it in front of my mouth.

"Open" he instructed but I hesitated because initially I wanted him to eat. Now that he held the delicious looking donut covered in chocolate glaze in front of me, it was very hard to resist.

"I know you want it..."

My mouth opened and I took a small bite.

"It's yours" I told him after swallowing.

"What kind of man doesn't share with his pregnant wife?"

My hands wrapped around his waist, he had his hand around my shoulder. My head rested on his chest, listening to his heart beat.

Safe.

Every now and then he'd feed me and before I realized it, I ate the whole donut, whereas he had one single bite.

"Is something bothering you?" I asked before he again kissed the top of my head and his large hand wandered to my bump, softly stroking it.

"How is our little one? Is she letting you sleep at night?" Michael tried to avoid my question.

"How do you know it's a girl?" I questioned with my arms crossed in front of my chest. The doctors didn't tell us the gender, just like we did with Charlotte, we, as in Michael, wanted to be surprised at birth.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just a feelin-"

"Michael, we're ready to continue" someone called and Michael nodded.

"If you don't want to eat, can you at least drink some water?" I grabbed a nearby water bottle and held it in front of him.

His lips curled into a weak smile as he accepted the bottle. My strict eyes watched him drink half of it before closing it again and placing it on the stage behind us.

Before he went back on stage he put his arm around me, pulling me closer again. Michael looked down at me before softly pressing his lips on mine.

I missed this.