The next year went on like a dream. Neverland was in magazines and newspapers like wildfire all over again. We went on TV shows, interviews, radio shows. Everyone asked us the same question, "Why?"
And we'd tell them the truth,
"We wanted to give back."
The Bed and Breakfast business made us close to 500 grand after the first year. But not one dime of the money went into any of our pockets. It went towards charities that Michael approved of. Children's organizations mostly. Under Michael's request we still brought sick children over to the house for charity banquets and to let them ride the Neverland rides. We'd read them books and let them ride the train around the property.
It was actually really fun. It was fun listening to them tell their story and to see them laugh. We'd hire magicians and puppeteers and we enjoyed every second along with them. Every day after everyone had gone from the mansion we'd sit in parlor resting and Michael would appear. Sometimes he'd be translucent and foggy, sometimes he'd be full bodied. He would sit across from us and ask us about our day. As we went on we'd see him smile at the stories and laugh at our jokes.
As I'd climb the steps heading to bed I'd wish the girls goodnight and fall onto the mattress sighing. I'd be exhausted, worn out and on the edge of passing out, But everytime I'd feel that cold yet loving ghostly presence enter the room and Michael would be sitting on the foot of the bed, and we'd talk until morning sometimes.
"What do you miss most about being alive?"
He smiled and said, "That's easy."
"I wanna know..tell me."
He looked out to the window and said,
"Standing in the sunlight. Feeling it warm my skin. It's like the ideal way to know you're alive. To feel warmth.
I'm always cold now, and when I'm outside, the sunlight just passes through me. That's what I miss the most. The reassurance I'm alive."
I smiled softly and looked down, "You're an angel. You know that don't you?"
He looked to me shyly and said,
"Angels have wings."
"One of them doesn't."
~
"Well guys. We can't stay with Neverland forever. Shouldn't we go back home?"
Shan asks and we look to each other as we sat alone outside in the meadow next to the house.
"I will cry every step away from this house. I love it here and I love Michael." Faith replies.
We didn't want to leave, even if it was out of season for the bed and breakfast business. I picked at a daisy from the ground and said, "It's Michael's home though. Not ours. We'd need his permission."
In a bout of silence we hear an echoey voice say, "Well you've got it."
We look over from our staring in the distance and saw Michael lying there on the ground next to us. Faith gasped,
"You tryna give me heart attack!?"
It did kinda make us jump. Shan sighs, "So wait did you hear what we said Mike?"
He turns over and sits into a ball, completing our triangle into a square and says,
"You guys are all silly. You know that?"
I giggled and said,
"Yeah we're pretty aware.."
Michael giggles and says holding his knees to his chest, "Of course I want you to stay. You're my family now remember. You're welcome to stay for as long as you'd like."
I smiled wide and says,
"So...our home is Neverland now?"
Michael nodded and said,
"Welcome home you guys."
We cheered fell back into the grass all four of us and we smiled looking up. "Hey guys guess what?" Shan asks
"What?" We replied and she cheers,
"Were living at Neverland!!!"
We cheered and again, I looked over to Mike smiling,
"Thank you so much. It's gonna be so fun."
Michael smiled looking back over, "Don't mention it. Neverland has never been so lively since you three pulled in."
He disappeared into his mist and we all smiled.
"That guy's never gonna realize how much he means to us will he.."
Faith asks and shan and I giggle,
"Not even a little."