Carley POV
I'm at the hotel working and sigh heavily when the door opens and I see Janet walks in and goes over to talk to Jason about something. It's been just over a week now and Leanne still hasn't come back from wherever it was Michael has taken her and her children. I've asked casually during little conversations I've had here and there with Janet, but she always ignores any questions I ask and changes the topic which is really frustrating. All I want to know it where my baby is and that she's safe, but nobody will tell me anything.
After a few minutes Janet leaves and I walk over to where Jason is standing talking to somebody and I listen in whilst pretending to be doing something.
"Looks like we won't be having Janet here much longer now their back" Jason says to Tracie one of the other cooks. "Aww. That's a shame. I'm gonna miss having her around"
"Yeah me too, but on the bright side at least we have someone who actually knows how to run a kitchen back" Jason shrugs. "True" Tracie shrugs.
"Leanne's back?" I ask casually and he nods. "Mhm. Not sure when she'll actually be back here though"
"Did Janet say if she went anywhere nice?" I ask casually. "She has Michael Jackson for a husband. Anywhere she goes with him is gonna be nice... and hot" Tracie giggles. "Seriously? Perving on your boss?" Jason chuckles at her. "I wasn't perving" she shrugs. "All I'm saying is I wouldn't say no... if you know what I mean" she winks at him. "He cheats on her!?" I frown and they both look at me confused. "Um... I was just joking" Tracie turns to me confused. "Well that's not funny. That's my...umm" I pause
"Your what?" Jason frowns confused. "Boss... it's just not funny is all" I say, trying to act casual. "Um... oooh kaaay" Jason frowns and walks off giggling with Tracie and I sigh heavily realising what I almost just said.
I wish I could have just said that, Leanne is my daughter and not to disrespect her like that, but I know Jason talks to Emma alot who Leanne is close too and the last thing I want is for Leanne to find out the truth by somebody else. I still don't know exactly how I'm going to do it or how to even approach the topic, but I need to tell her soon I can't take much more of being around her and not telling who I really am.
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Leanne's POV
"So? How does this one taste?" Michael asks as I take a bite out of the cookies he made. "It's really good" I smile and he looks at me for a moment. "It's not right is it?" He says and I shake my head. "Not enough sugar?"
"Too much. Why don't I show you again?" I smile and go back over to the counter with him. "How can you not know this stuff?" I chuckle slightly. "Because I have an amazing wife that does all the cooking and baking for me" he says wrapping his arms around me and pecks my cheek. "Then What did you do before you met me?"
"Take out and frozen food" he shrugs the starts rolling out more dough to start again.
Ever since we came back, Michael's been really eager to learn how to cook and even though it's taking along time for him to pick up even the easiest of things to make, it's been alot of fun helping learn.
Thing's have really changed alot since our talk while we were away. As hard as the conversation was for both of us that night, it was something we both really needed. I'd been trying to block things out and deal with my problems by myself for so long, but ever since I told Michael everything that's happened in the past and about my fears and worries, things between us have changed, but in a good way. Not only did me opening up to him take a huge weight of my shoulders. I've also stopped having nightmares and don't have panic attacks as much as I used too. It was also really good for Michael too. He was upset at first like I was after we talked, but since then he's seemed more content and happier.
We'd both been avoiding those topics for so long and were worried how the other would feel, but it was the best thing we could have done because now everything is out in the open we can both help each other with our problems instead of just guessing what's wrong with each other.
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Janet's POV
It's been crazy busy at the hotel today and I've barley had chance to sit down for a moment and the first chance I do get. I get a text from Michael asking me to meet him at the reception and I sigh, rolling my eyes and get up to find out what he wants.
"Can't you just go to a grocery store like a normal person?"
"I could but this place is closer and it's all cooked fresh" Michael shrugs. "Fine whatever, but I'm pretty sure Leanne's gonna be pissed off your taking food from the resturant" I roll my eyes and take his list from him.
Michael and Leanne came home from their mini vacation a few days ago, but I told them I'd keep running the hotel for them until the end of the week so they can start the week fresh instead of starting back as soon they get home. I don't mind, but Michael is a real pain in the ass and keeps making me take food from the resturant instead of him going to a store or cooking like normal people do.
I'm walking back towards the lobby and I get a text from Michael asking me to bring him some files so he can take a look at what's been going on while they've been gone and I roll my eyes an turn back to go to the office.
"What are you doing?" I frown, seeing one of the cooks walking out the office. "Oh.. um.. I was just looking for you. I um... I was just wondering if you needed help with anything while I'm on my break"
"That would be great" I smile, "could you give this stuff to Michael for me? I have some calls to make" I say handing her the food. "M-Michael?"
"Yeah and can you give him these too?" I add handing her some folders. "Thanks... He's in the lobby" I smile and go over to the desk to make some calls. "But I thought he went away with Leanne?" She frowns confused. "He did.. and now he's hungry and in the lobby. So can you just give him that stuff before he starts complaining"
After I've finished on the phone I go down to the lobby and Michael is still there and talking to one of his security guards. "Hey! What are you still doing here?" I smile and he looks at me confused. "I'm waiting for that stuff I asked you for"
"Didn't she give it you?" I frown confused. "I told her to come down here like 10 minutes ago" I frown annoyed. "Who?"
"One of the people from the kitchen. Umm... Kylie or Carley or Carrie or whatever her name is. It definitely has a C or a K anyway"
"Nobody's been down here" he shakes his head and I sigh heavily. "I'll be right back"
"It's fine. I can get myself" he smiles walking away and I go back to the office to finish off some work.
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Michael's POV
"Hey! I didn't know you guys were back" Jason says as I open the kitchen door. "Yeah, we got back a few days ago. Is there someone called Kylie in here?"
"Kylie?" He frowns confused. "It could be Carrie or something. Anyway Janet sent someone down to give me some stuff and.."
"Is this it?" He asks, handing me food I asked for along with the paperwork I wanted. "She just left it in here in the kitchen?" I frown annoyed. "I guess. I think she went to use the restroom. So how was your vacation? Did you guys go anywhere nice?" He asks. "It was good. We just went to Miami for awhile so Leanne could get some rest from work and stuff, but she's good now" I smile. "You took her to Miami because she needed some rest?" Tracie cuts in. "All my husband does when I need a rest in put his plate in the dishwasher and Leanne gets a trip to Miami? How's that fair?" She folds her arms playfully, making me chuckle slightly.
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Carley's POV
After hiding out in the restroom for a few minutes. I'm about to go back in the kitchen and as I open the door, I notice Michael standing in there, talking with Jason and I quickly close the door slightly, leaving a slight gap so I can see what's going on.
He stays there for another 10 minutes or so until finally he turns to leave and I quickly rush down the hall before he sees me.
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Michael's POV
I'm about to leave the hotel when I hear someone call my name and I turn and smile at Emma waving at the desk. "Hey! When did you get back?"
"A few days ago"
"So how did it go? Is Leanne any better now?" She asks and I nod and smile. "She's doing great. We had a really long talk about anything while we were away too. It was hard at first, but it really helped us both"
"That's great news" She smiles, but I can sense something's wrong. "What is it?" I frown confused. "I don't really wanna bring down your vibe since you guys just got back, but you'll find out eventually and umm..." she pauses and hands me a news paper.
"What the fuck?" I frown seeing a photo of officer Charles on the front cover along with his wife. "He got attacked?"
"He got more than attacked" Emma says and turns the pages to the full story, which goes into details of what happened to him.
"They don't have any suspects or leads either. Apparently a gang of people broke into his home and.. well you can read the rest" she says unconvinced. "You think it was someone he knew?" I ask and she shrugs. "Probably, I don't feel bad for him though. Sick fucker deserved everything he got" she says in unsympatheticly and I nod, not saying anything.
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Carley's POV
After hiding behind the wall for what felt like forever. I sigh in relief when Michael finally leaves and I walk over to the desk where Emma is.
"Jason asked me to get a list of room service. He said some people called down and..."
"Here you go" she smiles handing it to me then turns back to reading the paper.
"Um... was that Michael who you were just talking to?" I ask casually. "It's Mr Jackson to staff, but yeah why?"
"No reason. I just thought he and his wife were on vacation and that's why she wasn't here is all" I shrug. "They came back a few days ago, but they don't really spend much time here anyway to be honest" she shrugs. "But I thought they owned this place?"
"They do, but they only come to check up on things from time to time. I don't blame them either. If I had the money to sit a home with my super cute twins and go to fancy places all the time. I know where I'd be" she giggles slightly.
"So Michael... I mean Mr Jackson. He takes good care of her? Like treats her kindly and stuff?" I ask. "Um... yeah of course he does. Why would you ask that?" She frowns confused. "I was just making conversation" I smile at her through pursed lips. "Um.. ok" she looks at me strangely. "I should get this back to Jason" I smile at her through pursed lips and head back to the kitchen.
I've almost been caught by Michael once before, but I've never been as close as I have today and I'm praying he isn't planning on making these random appearances here a regular thing especially when all he's doing is coming here just to steal food from the resturant which pissed me off even more that he's stealing food from a place his wife runs.
Everybody in this place seems to only ever have nice things to say about Michael and Leanne and from what people have said and from what I've over heard (mainly over heard). Michael is very gentle and caring towards Leanne and her children, but regardless of what all these people think about him, I can still never forgive him for what he's done and still have a lot of hatred towards him and the only thing that's stopping me for strangling the arrogant, spoilt little brat to death is the fact that dispite what I think of him, I know my daughter and I know if any harm comes to Michael she's automatically going to defend him and the last thing I want is to risk losing her again.
It's been all over the media about what happened to Officer Charles and alot of people are still confused on why this happened. He's claiming that a random gang of people broke into his house, but he knows exactly why I was there and why it was happening to him. David and I even told him to his why we were all doing this to him, but obviously he isn't going to tell the world what he did to my baby girl or any of the other innocent girls he did that to.
I've over heard many people talking about what they read in the papers about what happened to him and alot of them are shocked and disturbed when they read all the details and think this 'Random gang of attackers' went too far during the break in, but I know we didn't and I don't feel even the slightly bit guilty for what we did to him either.
We didn't randomly break in and we didn't steal anything either. All we did was exactly the same things he and those other men did to my baby girl the day she was locked in that room with him and those other monsters during their messed up version of 'time out' as they liked to call it. I feel no petty or guilt for the trauma he's going through. Just like he felt to pitty or guilt when he was doing those things to other people. He got exactly what he deserved.
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Leanne's POV
I'm in the kitchen reading the newspaper and I hear the front door open. "I'm back!" I hear Michael call and I quickly rush to him. "Ssh.. the twins are sleeping" I whisper. "Sorry" he whispers back and follows me into the kitchen.
"What took you so long?"
"I got caught up talking to everybody"
"Did you get everything on the list?" I ask and he nods handing it to me. "I still don't see why you have to do this"
"I told you why. I need to check what my staff are doing when I'm not there and I wanna check the food is up to standard" I explain "well next time your going yourself. I'm sure the guys in the kitchen think I just go there to steal food" he chuckles slightly, making me do the same.
I get some plates and bowels from the cupboard and when I turn around Michael is sitting at the table with the newspaper I was reading.
"I was going to talk to you about this later tonight" he mumbles "You knew about this?" I frown confused. "Only just. Emma told me on my way out the hotel"
"Oh.... So which food do you wanna try first?" I ask changing the topic. "Are you ok?" He asks softly and I shrug. "Why wouldn't I be? Obviously someone wanted to get revenge on him. I seriously doubt this was just a random attack like the papers are saying"
"Well he got what he deserved anyway" Michael shrugs and I don't say anything.
"You don't actually feel bad for him do you?" He frowns confused. "I've been through that remeber?" I mumble. "Yeah... by him and you didn't deserve that and..."
"Nobody deserves that" I mutter cutting him off. "So You think they were wrong wanting to get revenge on somebody who hurt them?" He frowns confused. "No, but I think revenge is pointless"
"How do you mean?" He frowns confused and I don't say anything for a moment.
"I thought doing what I did to Mary would make everything right again and get some kind of revenge for what she did to me and my parents and so many others, but it didn't. Yeah she's gone now and she can't hurt anybody anymore, but it didn't bring my parents back or change what she did to me. I didn't get any of that. If anything all I did was make it worse for me and also do her a favour"
"Um... how is stabbing someone to death doing them a favour?" He frowns even more confused.
"Well if you think about it. If I'd told the truth in court and let her go to jail, she'd have nothing and all she'd be able to think about is all that hurt and misery she caused on inoccent people and she would have been punished for what she did, but me doing what I did, didn't help anybody. She didn't get punished and she didn't even have to think about all those people she hurt. I just gave her the easy way out. When I did it. I did it quickly and she wouldn't even have had time to register what had happened before she died. So even in the end she didn't suffer and I'm always gonna have that guilt of knowing what I did so technically she won" I shrug. "But you weren't in the right frame of mind at the time. Alot of people would have cracked if they went through what you had"
"Doesn't make what I did right though. It only made me as bad as her because I hurt someone just like she did.. just like it doesn't make what these people did to Charles right" I shrug and he nods not saying anything. "Anyway.. are we gonna eat or what? Cause all this food is gonna get cold" I smile slightly, changing the topic.
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Michael's POV
Even though we talked about alot while we were away. What Leanne did to Mary is something she didn't bring up and I didn't really wanna push her to talk about it since she'd opened up so much already while we were away. This is the first time she's mentioned Mary since Mia was sent to jail for her murder. I knew she felt guilty for what she did which is why I never brought it up.
I thought is was weird at first when I noticed she seemed sad about what happened to Officer Charles, but I'm not sure if that sadness was because of what happened to him or sadness because it brought back the memories of what happened to her. I do understand what she was getting at about revenge not solving anything, but I don't think what Leanne did to Mary makes her the same as her. Leanne did what she did to stop more people from getting hurt, where as Mary did those things to make people suffer.
Personally I don't feel bad for either Mary or Charles, but Leanne clearly does. I'm not happy about what happened to either of them, but I don't feel sorry for them either.