The Remasking

Chapter 14 (Sentimental Warning)

Thursday

June 25, 2009

It was around 7 p.m. in London and Liliana was still working in her studio despite the fact that she got no sleep on the plane and all her employees had left for the day.

Being that London was 8 hours ahead of Los Angeles time, once she arrived to the city, she got dressed, kissed her babies goodbye and went straight to work.

Ever since 5 p.m., the kids had been calling her and asking her to come home.

"I'm almost done," is the same response that she kept giving them. She was too absorbed in her project to go home and get some rest.

She even held a small bit of desire to call Michael but she was too delirious to calculate the time difference and if he'd be awake by then.

But it was a subtle knock on her opened door that got her to turn away from Michael's jacket. "Oh my God!" she screamed jumping out of her seat. "Navi?" She quickly made her way over to fall into his arms. "What are you doing here in London?"

"I never left," he said beaming at her.

Navi worked for Michael-as a decoy. He was known internationally to be the number one Michael Jackson impersonator and once Michael met him years before, he asked Navi to work for him on a few occasions. At first it was simple shopping trips he would accompany Michael on but bigger things soon came after.

"You've been here since March?" The last time Liliana saw Navi was at the O2 arena when Michael had his This is It speech. Navi was working for him then at that event as well.

"Yeah. How was Los Angeles?"

She nudged the air with her shoulder. "It was great, I guess," she said smirking.

"Great?"

"Have you been decoying in London? To make people think Michael's here?"

Navi shook his head. "No. I've been doing regular shows. As the impersonator," he said laughing. "Why are you here so late? I went to the house and they told me you were here."

"How did you know I'd be in London?"

"Um..." He tumbled over his words a bit. "Well-uh, Michael told me."

Liliana just nodded with a twinkle hitting her eye. "Okay." She always thought Navi was so handsome when not dressed as her ex-husband.

"Let me take you home," he offered kindly.

"Fine." She didn't want to go against him. It was getting late and her body was beginning to weaken as it was ready for slumber. "Let me just finish something up really quick," she said walking back to her chair. She glanced up at him as she sat back down. She noticed Navi staring past her at the clock on the wall. "Everything okay?" she asked casually.

"I'm fine," he said snapping out of it. "But no."

She began giggling as he walked closer to her. They gripped hands and he pulled her out of her seat and away from the table.

"What?"

"We have to go now," he said smiling. "I heard you're running on 'E.' You need food and rest."

"I ate earlier," she whined.

"Then you need rest."

As the elevator brought them down to the main floor, Liliana noticed Navi checking his watch periodically. "Do you have a hot date or something?"

"Not really," he said.

"So then why do you keep checking that thing?" she said as her French tip tapped the face of his watch.