Motion (Sequel to "Collide")

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE

A/N: since I have a soft spot for you guys, I decided to update sooner than I had planned 🤭 I bawled my eyes out writing this, so I apologize in advance for the tears. Enjoy this one before the drama begins!

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The car came to a stop, and I immediately recognized the loft's driveway through the window. My stomach turned in knots as we stepped out of the car to the loft's big metallic door. The car drive had been a nice distraction, but the return to reality was harsh.

I was frightened by whatever was waiting for me.

The day had already been an emotional roller coaster, and I was certain whatever this was about would drain whatever strength I had left. The mere mention of my parents on this particular day was enough to bring memories rushing back—some beautiful, some painful, but all of them impossible to escape.

Whatever was waiting for me inside, I needed to brace myself for it.

The large door opened, and Alice greeted us with a soft smile.

"Hey, fancy asses," she said in an attempt to lighten up the mood, but I barely reacted. "Come on in."

I stepped inside, and Alice pulled me into a warm embrace. She had been there for me since day one. She grieved with me, she stuck by my side through the darkest moments of my life. She had seen me at my worst and never once made me feel like I was too much to handle.

I was grateful to have her there today.

Grateful to have her.

"You've got this," she whispered to me, as she rubbed my back gently. "We're here," she added, pulling away from me.

I gave her a small nod, and walked further inside the loft.

When I noticed Specter sitting by the bar, my steps faltered. His presence in the loft felt almost ghostly, as though someone had reached into the past and dragged a piece of it into the present.

Suddenly, I didn't know how to function.

He quickly rose from the stool and walked in our direction.

"Mr. Jackson. Mrs. Jackson. Thank you for coming," he greeted politely.

The look in his eyes gave him away. Having Michael Jackson standing in front of him was clearly a little overwhelming. The slightly widened eyes, the nervous smile... I knew that look by now.

"Of course," Michael answered for me, placing a reassuring hand on the small of my back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, probably coming off as rude. I just couldn't take the stress anymore. I needed to know. "Is there something wrong with my parents' will?"

Specter looked at me, his expression softening as if he remembered the reason why he was here in the first place.

"Mrs. Jackson, there's nothing wrong with the will or the inheritance you've received," he spoke reassuringly, but somehow it didn't quite work on me. "This concerns something else."

He reached into the leather briefcase he was carrying and pulled out two envelopes. My heart dropped at the very sight of them.

"Ten years ago, your father entrusted me with the task of giving these to you on this particular date," he added.

"W—What?"

That's all I could manage.

I looked at the couple of envelopes he was holding out to me and then back at him. I didn't want to take them. I was frightened to take them. Whatever was inside those envelopes had been waiting for me for ten years, and I knew it was going to crush me.