The beeping of the machines I was linked to only increased my state of panic, as a nurse put an oxygen mask over my mouth and nose. It was hard for me to breathe at that point, as I didn't understand what was happening to me. I tried my best to iden...
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"Hello Hayley, this is June – June Schwartz. I don't know if you remember me, it's been a while, now," she chuckled a little, and this noise alone made me shiver. Even though the sound of the machine was very low so that Michael wouldn't hear anything, hearing her voice in the place I used to call home made me sick to my stomach.
"I hope everything is alright for you. I went to UCLA Medical Center with my daughter the other day, a few months ago, and I was told that you weren't working there anymore. I wanted to catch up with you and see if you were doing better since the last time we saw each other," she explained, faking concern. "Also, I wanted to congratulate you on your engagement, you secret thing! You're all over the press now! Jordan was so impressed to learn that you were engaged to the Michael Jackson. He's such a huge fan, he loves him to pieces. I was wondering if, maybe, you could ask your fiancé to meet him? In the meantime you and I could catch up. His birthday is coming up and—"
Anger was boiling in me at each word she spoke. I pushed the stop button on the answering machine without a word, and everything around the loft became silent again. I could feel the stare of my friends and my brother on me, but I didn't lift my head up to look at them.
"You need to say something, Brit," Alice encouraged me, but I couldn't speak a word.
I gazed into space, not knowing what to do or what to say. I never thought I would hear this name ever again. I couldn't believe this was real. A part of me expected this to happen with old friends and acquaintances that would want to reconnect with me just to be lucky enough to call Michael Jackson's fiancee their friends, but never in a million years did I think that the Chandlers would do the same as I barely knew them. I thought this was all over, that I would never have to hear their names again. When I had my vision about this particular phone call, I wasn't aware it was an actual vision, so I concluded this was nothing more than a dream and that everything would be alright.
I was wrong. Dead wrong.
Without a word, I left my stool and went down the hall to Faraji's bedroom. I put my ear on the door, but I didn't ear anything. Carefully, I opened it only to see my son in his father's arms, both asleep. My vision instantly got blurry because of the tears that gathered in my eyes. At that very sight, a feeling of protectiveness invaded me. I knew that I would give my life for theirs, that I would do anything to keep them safe. I would never forgive myself if I didn't do everything I could to protect them. I knew this feeling all too well as I spent years of my life thinking I pushed my parents towards their gruesome fate.
I closed the door quietly and leaned with my back on it. I closed my eyes for some long seconds as a heavy sigh escaped my trembling lips. A tear rolled down my cheek as I was overwhelmed by different emotions: anger, frustration, sadness and above all, guilt. If I had the opportunity to change anything from the past, it would probably be my encounter with the Chandlers. At the time, I didn't know how to handle the matter and keep Michael safe, but now I realized that it wasn't it.
