Motion (Sequel to "Collide")

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

A/N: two updates in no time, phew! This chapter is lengthy, but I couldn't split it in two parts. I'm trying to put some little reminders of the past chapters here and there to refresh you guys' memory, so it's a little longer than usual. I hope you still like cliffhangers and that you'll enjoy this one! <3

PS: I think Wattpad is punishing me for going MIA for a few years because it's acting up again 🙃

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I was thirty minutes late for my meeting with Michael's team at the foundation's headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. Being late was never an habit of mine, but this was a recurrent theme for me since I met Michael Jackson. My husband couldn't be on time to save his own life, and this trait of his personality visibly rubbed off on me.

I came in the large conference room where Michael's team was waiting patiently for me. Matt opened the door for me, and I stepped in. I waved awkwardly at the four people around the table, giving them an uncomfortable smile.

"I'm so sorry for being late," I told them, as I shook hands with them. "Hi, I'm Hayley Jackson," I introduced myself, even though they perfectly knew who I was. It was just simple curtesy. "It's nice to meet you all."

"Likewise, Mrs Jackson. I'm Shonda Curtis, I'm one of the project managers of the foundation," she let me know with a warm smile. "This is Michelle, that's Tom and here's Mike," she presented her group of coworkers.

"It's nice to meet you all. You're doing an amazing job," I sincerely said, giving them a warm smile. "Why don't we all take a seat so that you can tell me more about your work? Just like a regular interview."

I noticed the staff was somehow nervous to have me there with them, as most of them were rather silent. I was aware that they probably saw me as their boss, being Michael's wife. But I was not, and I intended to make that clear.

I broke the ice right away, asking them to call me by my first name instead of Mrs. Jackson, which they agreed to without much difficulty. I explained to them that I was probably as nervous as they were, because this meeting would define my career objectives, and the more I spoke, the more they started to relax.

"You're a pediatrician, am I correct?" Tom, who I learned was in charge of the foundation's communication team, asked. I nodded proudly, a smile touching my lips. People tended to use past tense when talking about my job, but Tom didn't. This was refreshing. "You'll fit right in, then. We don't have any doctors working here, and I think it could be a nice added-value for the foundation if you worked among us."

"We have yet to discuss how your work would fit in the foundation, but I totally agree," Shonda added with a grin, holding a pen in her hands. She rummaged through the different papers that were scattered before her, and she looked back at me. "This is normally the moment where we go through our main missions and the foundation's background. I imagine you already know most–"

"Please, tell me," I cut her off, giving her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure I'll learn something."

Shonda nodded, and I sat back to listen intensively what she was saying. Michael mentioned the work they were doing many times, but I found it enriching to be told the same story from another point of view, with more technical details. I found that fascinating.

The Heal The World Foundation represented everything Michael was as a humanitarian. The main missions of the foundation was to provide food and medicine to children and fight homelessness, child exploitation, and abuse.

The more they spoke about the foundation's missions, the prouder I felt of my husband. Michael was truly one of a kind. Right before the first leg of the tour kicked off, he mentioned how heartbreaking the situation in Sarajevo was, and that he was desperate to do something to help the kids there, that were nothing but collateral damage.