This is a combination of a dream, a vision and my imagination. I'm not sure where one ends and the other begins, but this experience was very real and meaningful to me.
Siren and I were having dinner in a restaurant in LA. The lighting was warm and soft and we were enjoying ourselves as we always do when we are in that most special of cities. We were sitting in an alcove of the restaurant, and there was an empty booth beside us, across a small aisle with a window. I had my back to the wall, and Siren was facing the window. Some people came in, apparently through the back door, and were shown to the booth across from us. As they were getting settled, we saw that it was Michael and his children. There were two bodyguards with them. Prince and Paris sat across from me, with their backs to the wall, and Blanket and Michael sat facing the window, across the aisle from Siren. The bodyguards took their seats in the booth behind the family. The way the restaurant was set up, Siren and I were the only people who could see Michael and his children. It was very private for them, and they immediately started looking at the menus. Michael was helping Blanket choose what he would like to order, and he seemed very relaxed and comfortable.
We were frozen. My heart was stopped, I couldn't think, I couldn't talk. I could only look at him and realize that this was the one and only time I would ever get to see him. My one chance to tell him how much I love him. My one chance to touch him.
After the initial shock, we tried to act normal. We tried to talk, and pretend to eat, and sip our drinks. What should we do? We knew of course, that if we truly love him as much as we think we do, we would leave him alone and not intrude. He did not have many opportunities to be himself, out in public with his children. We were being given a glimpse of a rare moment of Michael experiencing what he wanted most. To be "normal." We had to leave him alone. We didn't even need to say it to each other, we both knew.
I tried to watch and memorize every move he made, every gesture, every soft word spoken to the kids. It was bliss and torture. He seemed to purposely not look our way. He probably was good at that, so as to avoid having to interact with every person he ever met. It was all I could do to keep from crumbling up into a heap on the floor. I could FEEL him, his energy was so beautiful. They were enjoying each other's company. The kids were telling stories and Michael was listening to them, asking questions and smiling.
After what seemed like two seconds, or an eternity, they were finished their meal and were getting ready to leave. The bodyguards stood between them and the rest of the restaurant, so that we were the only people who could see them. That was when Michael came over to our table. He smiled at each of us, and said "Hi". We didn't, couldn't, speak. We just stared at him, completely overwhelmed with emotion. He said, "Thank you for being so sweet and letting me have my family time. I saw that you recognized me, and I appreciate that you didn't attract attention to us. Would you like me to sign something for you?" Of course we would, but we didn't have anything. We started scrambling around, looking for anything to write on. We still hadn't said a word.
"How about these," Michael said, picking up a couple of paper table napkins. A bodyguard handed him a pen and he signed them. As he put the napkins back onto the table, he reached out and squeezed our hands. My right hand, Siren's left. I just had to tell him. We looked up at him and said, "I love you Michael", at exactly the same time. He smiled again, his beautiful smile, and said, "I love you more."
Then he turned, "These are my children, Prince, Paris and Blanket." The kids smiled at us politely and we said hi. Then the bodyguards ushered them quickly out the back door. They were gone. It had been a success, no one else had noticed them.
We looked down at the napkins on the table.
They said, Thank you, I love you, Michael Jackson
