Carousel {Michael Jackson Love Story} [with NEW, additional chapter 6]

Chapter 2 - Neverland

When Tuesday came, I left the address with my colleague in case I went missing. I felt a bit uneasy about the whole thing. Famous though he was, he was still a stranger.

I drove up to the Neverland gate, drove all the way up to it so the nose of the car almost touched the brown wood, making clear that I had all intentions to pass through. As I got out I could see the gate keeper leaving the guard house.

"Good afternoon, sir," I said politely. Then I gave my name, extending my Consulate's ID card through the gate. "I'm expected." That sounded good, a lot better than I actually felt. No need to be confident as long as you can pretend to be.

"I know, ma'am. Good afternoon. I won't need that." The last part was directed at my ID.

I shrugged my shoulders, "As you please," and withdrew my arm.

"I'll open the gate for you. Be careful, please. I've been told you have never been here before? Just follow the road over the hill ahead, then you'll be able to look down into the valley. Keep following the road. There will be a fork. Just keep to your left and stay on the main road. There's going to be green grass and trees and a lake and a second gate. The valet will tell you were to go from there. I'll call and say you are on your way. You think, you'll be alright, ma'am?" He smiled friendly.

I nodded. "Thank you."

"Have a nice day, ma'am,"

It wasn't half as difficult as it had sounded. Once I was over the hill, I could indeed see the valley and the main house among the trees lying below me. I followed the paved way. The tall, iron gate stood open when I got there, a man waiting politely by its side. I cranked down the window.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Welcome to Neverland. Please go ahead and follow the road's right turn over there. You will see a building on your left with a huge clock in front of it. That's the station. And opposite the station to your left you will find the entrance to the front yard of the main house. Drive onto the yard and just park your car anywhere you like."

"Yes, sir, thank you."

I cranked the window closed again and drove ahead, crossing some small railway tracks that ran right behind the gate.

I drew into the yard and parked my car politely opposite what I expected to be the entrance to the house, wondering for a moment if I was to knock or look for a bell somewhere. But when I was getting out, I noticed a figure moving in the shadow of the entrance and Michael coming towards me. In the corner of my eye I saw him run his hands over his head as if smoothing his hair as he stepped out into the sunlight. He was dressed simple but proper; black pants and a crisp, ironed, white buttoned up shirt orderly tucked into the waistband. In the sunlight, the t-shirt he wore underneath could be seen through the fabric, hugging his lean body. His hair was tied back in a ponytail by the nape of his neck. He wore no sun glasses. The curls of his perm were fairly voluminous around his head, but it looked as if he'd made an effort to restrain them. He walked across the yard to the passenger side of my car.

"Hello," he said politely across the top. "Good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation."

"Thank you for coming. I thought maybe you wouldn't."

I had had my head in my car picking up my purse. Now I emerged surprised from under my roof. "You thought I'd stand you up?"

"No, maybe not that. But I thought you would maybe decline the invitation in the first place. I mean, that you wouldn't come to the house of a stranger." His hands were stroking the car roof. "That you would think it strange."