Moments with Michael

Katherines accident

It's the year 1994, and you and Michael have been together for three years. You live together at Neverland, but you aren't married yet. You are pretty much a part of his family, and you know all the Jackson-kids.

It's 5 PM when I finally drive up the driveway to Neverland. I have been working since 8 in the morning, and I'm really tired! I park the car in the garage, gets out, and goes to the door. Right before I can open it, the door handle is pressed down from the other side, causing the door to open suddenly and me to quickly step back.

Out of the door comes Janet, Michaels younger sister. She looks very sad, very concerned. In less than a second my mood changes from tired to scared. Has anything happened to Michael?? Is my first thought.

"Oh, hey Gry" she says when she sees me, but without the happiness and enthusiasm that she normally radiates.

"Hey Janet." I reply "What's wrong?"

For a moment she just stands there, with that sad expression that's just so not her. Then I see a single tear roll down her cheek. With my heart beating faster than ever, I take her arm and leads her inside. When we get in, I see Michael sitting at the table, seemingly okay, but with the same expression of sorrow on his face as his sister. He's looking straight down at the table, not indicating in any way that he have heard me come home.

I sit down beside Michael, and Janet sits on his other side. I put my arm around Michael, in an attempt to comfort him. He takes my hand and holds it so hard it almost hurts.

"So... what's happened?" I ask.

"It's... It's..." Michael tries, but he stops as a new wave of tears starts falling from his eyes. I tries to hug him, tries to caress him, just tries to let him know that I'm here. That I will always be here for him.

"It's mom" Janet says, clearly trying to stay strong. She don't cry. Well, tears roll from her eyes. But she don't sob, her voice don't shake. She's strong. But you can see the extreme pain in her eyes. She takes a deep breath and continues.

"There was an accident earlier today. She was just crossing the road like normally, and... and there was a car, and... it - it hit her. She was rushed to the hospital, and..." She stops for a moment, taking a deep breath and wipes away the new tears that starts falling. And in a voice that's not much more than a whisper, she continues the sentence: "They're not sure if... if she will make it."

I gasp. No, no this can't be true. My eyes are wide open, and locked on Janet, with an irrational hope that she's just joking. But of course she's not. She's clearly in pain, and... I can hear Michael sobbing beside me. I cover my mouth with my hands when I realize that it must be real. Katherine... Michaels mother, who welcomed me to the family the very first time I visited with Michael. Who always smiles and asks how I am. Who gave me a hand-knit pair of gloves for Christmas. And who I secretly know have been telling Michael to propose to me for almost half a year.

Tears starts falling from my eyes, and I squeeze Michaels hand back just as hard as him.

"Can we go there? Can we see her?" I ask, and once again it's Janet that answers:
"We can at 6. And it takes about half an hour to drive there. So..." she checks her watch "in 7 minutes."

"Okay" I say, breathing in deeply. "Okay." I wipe my tears, but I never loosen my take in Michaels hand. I turn to him, but he just keeps looking down at the table.

"Michael" I say softly. "Michael, please look at me"

He slowly lifts his head, shaking uncontrollable.

"She will be okay! Your mom is a tough lady!" I tell him, trying to encourage him. He have always been very close to his mother. All the Jackson-kids have, but I think it's especially him, Janet and Randy, given that they are the youngest. And Michael is such a sensitive and caring soul. All those ridiculous accusations have already made the last time very hard for him. If Katherine goes to heaven now... I'm deeply afraid that Michael will too.