Forever and a Half || Michael Jackson

Chapter Four - What Each Other Needs

Chapter four – What Each Other Needs

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Once we get home, Michael sets the fedora down on the side, which is still full of berries. I take a couple from the hat, and wash them under the tap before tossing them back into my mouth, and chewing. I take a couple more and wash them, before offering them to Michael.

"Want some?" I ask.

He looks at me, before cautiously taking the berries from my hand. "Thank you."

He throws them back into his mouth, and swallows them almost straight away. He eyes up the fedora, and I chuckle.

"You want more?" I ask.

"Oh, no, thank you. I was just wondering ... what do you plan to do with them?"

"Oh, well ... I was planning to use them at dinner, you know. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. What part of dinner?" he questions.

"I was thinking it would go with the dessert. I'm planning to add them to it as a sort of ... sauce."

I'm lying completely; I'm going to surprise him by making the mixed berry pie he was speaking of earlier. It'll help recreate his mother's cooking, if I manage to get it correct.

"The sauce?" he asks, his face expressing disappointment, but trying desperately to hide it, "That sounds nice."

"I'm glad you think so. Anyway, I need to start preparing dinner. It normally takes a couple hours, so it'll be ready at about five, okay?"

"Sure. Want me to help with anything?" he asks softly.

"No, no, you go and do your own thing. I'll be just fine," I assure him.

"Well," he begins to walk out the kitchen. "If you need me, I'll be ... somewhere in the house."

"Sure, thanks."

Then, he walks from the room silently, leaving the fedora behind, full of the berries. I begin to prepare dinner, and check the time: 3:12pm.

I've got to make this pie as discreetly as possible, as I don't want Michael to know that's what I'm doing. I start making pastry, and once I've done that, I place it in the pie dish, before filling it with the berries. I place it in the oven, and leave it to cook whilst I prepare dinner.

I decide on making fish, with thick potato wedges and salad as a side dish. I'm going to serve it with a choice of white wine, water or juice, depending on Michael's taste when it comes to it.

*  *  *

I've finished preparing dinner, and it's now 4:37pm. I haven't heard from Michael for a little over an hour now, so I'm going to try and find him.

I walk out of the kitchen, and through the hallway, before entering the living room.

"Michael?" I call.

I receive no answer, so I look around the entire house for him. However, when I get no signs of him anywhere, I begin to panic a little. This man is my responsibility, and I need to make sure he doesn't lose the will to live. I've grown to feel close to him now, despite only knowing him twenty-four hours.

After checking my room, I hurry down the stairs, still calling his name every five seconds. I decide to enter the living room again, and I look out the window, only to finally find him outside in the front garden.

I don't want to disturb whatever he's doing, but I want to know what he's doing. I open the living room window ajar, and try to listen to what he's saying.