Saving Michael Jackson

Visiting Children's Hospital

I need everything to stop!" I shouted as my eyes flew open. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. I was in Michael's bedroom. The familiar space surrounded me—soft lighting, quiet atmosphere, everything exactly where it should have been. But nothing inside me felt right. My thoughts lagged behind reality, like I was trying to catch up to something I had already lost. How did I get here? A sharp, disturbing thought pushed through the confusion. Did I pass out in Jeffrey's apartment? My chest tightened instantly. I pressed my fingers against my face, trying to steady myself.

"I need everything to stop," I whispered again, but my voice came out weaker this time.

The door opened. Michael stepped inside.

"Cindy?" Michael said immediately, his tone shifting into concern. "What happened?"

I didn't answer right away. I sat up too quickly, and the room spun slightly around me. I pressed my palms against my face, trying to ground myself.

"I can't do this anymore," I said, my voice breaking. "Please, Michael... I can't take this."

Michael came closer. I reached for him instantly, grabbing his hands as if I might fall apart without them.

"Please," I said desperately. "I swear on everything I have. I can't... this is too hard."

Michael held my hands firmly. "Hey," Michael said softly. "I told you we can go to the therapist."

The word hit me hard. "No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "No more therapists. Not after yesterday. How can you even say that? After Jeffrey?"

"Who... who is Jeffrey?" Michael asked.

Silence fell heavily between us. My mind suddenly filled with fragments—distorted, unclear, violent. An old man.,A moment I couldn't fully grasp but couldn't forget either.,My breath shook.

"That wasn't real," I whispered, almost to myself. "It can't have been real." Then, louder, more broken: "I saw an old man die in front of me."

Michael looked at me in confusion. Then, unexpectedly, his expression shifted. He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms.

"Oh?" Michael said, a faint smirk appearing. "So you're cheating on me with a Jeffrey?"

I blinked, completely thrown off.

"What?" I said.

Michael tilted his head. "Who is he?" He continued. "Is he better at dancing to classical music than me? Can he cook better than me?"

Despite everything, a small laugh escaped me. Michael stepped closer again, his tone softening.

"Tell me," Michael said gently. "Can he kiss you better than me?"mBefore I could respond, he kissed my cheek. "Like this," Michael whispered. Then he moved slowly, brushing his lips from my cheek to my neck. "And this?" Michael asked quietly, pulling back just enough to look at me. Then he kissed me on the lips. The tension inside me eased slightly. I exhaled shakily.

"Okay," I whispered. "I feel better now."

Michael smiled faintly. "Good," Michael said. Then he pulled back slightly. "We're surprising Wanda today," Michael said.

I rubbed my eyes. "With what?" I asked.

Michael smiled again. "You know how she always says she hates children... even babies," Michael said. "I think she just hasn't seen the right side of it yet."

I looked at him. "What are we doing?" I asked.

Michael's expression softened. "We're going to a children's hospital," he said.