Chapter 11,

February 1, 2004,

I was sitting in our huge four-bedroom hotel room when dad woke up and came into the sitting area. He took a piece of gum out of his pocket and put it in his mouth. Prince and Paris walked over and sat down in between the two of us. Dad đã đưa ý kiến "there's going to be someone coming here today to talk to bạn guys about some things." I đã đưa ý kiến "I already know what they are going to talk to us about and I think it is so stupid!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I know bạn do but; bạn have to talk to them… There's no way around it, trust me… I tried to negotiate a deal but it didn't work." Prince asked "what's AJ talking about daddy?" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "nothing Prince; just make sure that bạn tell this man hoặc woman the truth, no matter what các câu hỏi he hoặc she asks you!" I đã đưa ý kiến "you don't have to worry about that; even if we wanted too, we have no reason to lie!"

About 20 phút later, a woman walked into the room wearing a badge that đã đưa ý kiến "Child protective services" on it. She looked around the hotel room and đã đưa ý kiến "okay; I think I will câu hỏi the two younger children first and then come back to câu hỏi the oldest one." I arrogantly asked "you do know that I have a name; right?" Dad gave me a look of shock because he couldn't believe what had just come out of my mouth. The woman didn't say anything as she directed Prince and Paris into a separate room. Dad đã đưa ý kiến as the woman shut the door "don't talk like that to anyone! Especially; someone with a job like hers!" I đã đưa ý kiến with my arms crossed and feet propped up on the coffee bàn "I'm just trying to make it very clear that I don't want her here!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I don't care! bạn are digging me into a deeper and deeper hole that's going to be really hard for me to get out of!"

The woman came back a half an giờ later and đã đưa ý kiến "all right it's your turn." I đã đưa ý kiến as I got up and followed her into the other room "alright; I just want to get this over with!" She shut the door and sat down. She đã đưa ý kiến "my name is Andrea; what's yours?" I đã đưa ý kiến "AJ" and sat down in the chair across from her." She asked "do bạn know why I'm here today?" I đã đưa ý kiến "because someone lied." She đã đưa ý kiến "how do bạn know that they lied?" I đã đưa ý kiến "because my father would never ever do anything like that!" She đã đưa ý kiến "I'm not here to get your dad in trouble in any way; I just want to make sure that bạn kids are an toàn, két an toàn here!" I đã đưa ý kiến "yeah; that's what bạn say now but; I know what all of bạn are really after… Don't act like you're not either! I know thêm than bạn think I do!"

She asked me a series of absolutely disgusting các câu hỏi and I answered each one with a "no." As time went by; the các câu hỏi got harder and harder to listen to. At one point, I đã đưa ý kiến "every answer to these các câu hỏi will be a no so; can I be done here!" She wouldn't let me leave and it was getting point where I couldn't handle listening to anything coming out of her mouth anymore. She kept me in the longest; I'm assuming because I am the oldest and she could asked me thêm detailed types of questions.

Almost an giờ later she đã đưa ý kiến "okay I think I've asked bạn everything that I need to know. I'll give bạn my number and bạn call it if bạn ever feel in danger!" I took it and the two of us walked out room. She đã đưa ý kiến "alright Mr. Jackson; I have all the information that I need and I'd like to thank bạn for allowing me to interview her children!" He đã đưa ý kiến as he shook her hand "you're welcome and I hope this clears everything up!" She shut the door and I felt so relieved that she was finally gone!

Dad looked at me and I was all shaken up. He asked "how did it go?" Before I could answer him; I ran to the bathroom and started violently throwing up. He ran after me and asked "are bạn okay?" I stood up and đã đưa ý kiến "daddy; bạn can't ever make me be interviewed like that again!" He đã đưa ý kiến as we walked into one of the bedrooms that were in our hotel room "let's talk about it then." We both sat down in the recliners and I đã đưa ý kiến "it was so gross daddy! The các câu hỏi she asked me are things I hope I never hear again for as long as I live!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I knew that they would ask bạn the hardest các câu hỏi because bạn understand thêm than Prince and Paris do! That's why I tried to get all three of bạn out of it! I only went along with it because I had no other choice! I'm sorry that bạn had to go through all of that and I don't think anyone will have to câu hỏi bạn again." I đã đưa ý kiến "I hope you're right because that made me physically sick… Hearing her ask me if I ever saw anything wrong going on between bạn and Gavin. I tried to get her to stop going into so much detail about specifics but; she wouldn't listen to me!" He hugged me and đã đưa ý kiến while trying not to cry "I'm so sorry!!!"

February 13, 2004,

Today is Prince's 7th birthday and I'm curious to see what dad has planned since we are not at home. I woke up this morning and went out to Prince's bedroom in our hotel room and woke him up. When he opened his eyes I đã đưa ý kiến "happy birthday Prince!" He đã đưa ý kiến "thanks; is daddy awake yet?" I đã đưa ý kiến "yeah; he just woke up about five phút ago." Prince got out of giường and walked into the corner kitchen. He looked at the pancake batter and Sô cô la chips on the counter and đã đưa ý kiến "yes!" I đã đưa ý kiến while laughing "I know; I đã đưa ý kiến the same thing when I saw that!"

Dad walked over to us and put his hands on each of our shoulders. We turned around and dad đã đưa ý kiến "happy birthday táo, apple head!" Prince đã đưa ý kiến "thank bạn daddy!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "that pancake batter on the counter is extra just in case we need it. I had Grace start making bánh xèo, bánh kếp and their almost done! I'm going to wake up Paris and Blanket, I'll be right back!"


Dad came back into the room carrying Blanket in one arm and holding hands with Paris with the other arm. Blanket stared at me and started laughing. Dad asked while smiling at him "what's so funny?" I đã đưa ý kiến "I just think it's one of those days where everything is funny; right Blanket?" Blanket đã đưa ý kiến "I get down?" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "no buddy; we're going to eat breakfast!" Dad put Blanket in his high chair and set the table. All of us sat down and started eating. Dad asked "Prince what bạn want to do today for your birthday?" Prince đã đưa ý kiến "I want to ride go carts!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "alright; I'll try to find a place. If I can't; what else would bạn want to do?" I asked "why would we not be able to go to the go xe đẩy, giỏ hàng track?" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "it's not that we can't go but; it would be hard to find a place that is willing to shut their doors so I could go with bạn guys without anyone else finding out."

Unfortunately, dad was unable to find a go kart track that would shut their doors so he could go with us. Prince had đã đưa ý kiến that he would want to go to the phim chiếu rạp to see "are we there yet?" Dad was able to go in disguise and he surprisingly pulled it off!"

February, 19, 2004,

I was watching my new yêu thích hiển thị on TV called "this suite life of Zack and Cody" on Disney channel. Dad came into my hotel bedroom and looked at the TV. He đã đưa ý kiến "oh my gosh… I can't believe you're watching this again!" I đã đưa ý kiến "this is a new episode; I haven't seen it yet!" He sat down tiếp theo to me and đã đưa ý kiến "after this, bạn have to take a vòi hoa sen and go to bed." I asked "can I watch TV until I fall asleep?" He đã đưa ý kiến "as long as you're not up until three in the morning and bạn take your ADHD medication!" I đã đưa ý kiến "I promise that I'll do what bạn say."

During the episode a boy came on screen and started singing. I tried my hardest not to blush but; dad caught me." He started laughing and asked "what's wrong?" I đã đưa ý kiến "nothing; nothing at all!" He asked "who is that guy?" I đã đưa ý kiến "Jesse McCartney!" I started blushing even worse than before and dad asked "you'll like him; don't you?" I didn't answer him at first because I was trying to come up with an excuse. I đã đưa ý kiến "no… I don't know where bạn got that idea from!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I don't know, maybe it's because your bright red and bạn can't even say his name without smiling! I think my tomboys got a little celebrity crush on this Jesse kid!" I covered my face with a throw cái gối, gối and đã đưa ý kiến "I do not have a crush on him!" He đã đưa ý kiến "yes bạn do! I can tell because bạn can't even look at him without blushing!" I đã đưa ý kiến "okay; maybe I have a crush on him but; that doesn't mean I'm going to be a girlie girl; I'm tomboy all the way!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I know that and I don't think that will ever change! I think I worked with that boy on "what thêm can I give?” When he was still in Dream Street!"

April 9, 2004,

I'm starting to get sick of living in one hotel room to the tiếp theo and that's how it's been for a while now. The boredom is driving me insane and I think dad is starting to notice it as well. He has no clue where to live because he has not bought a permanent residence since Neverland Ranch back in the 1980s. I can definitely tell that dad is really stressed out because all he has done since the ngày after Paris's six birthday; all he has done is sleep and every once in a while come into the phòng bếp, nhà bếp area to eat something.

It was the middle of the ngày and I was sitting at the bàn in our hotel room doing my schoolwork. Grace was playing with Blanket, Prince, and Paris when dad finally came out of his bedroom. He was dressed in his pajamas and his hair wasn't brushed yet. One of the things that I've always loved about him is that he never let us see how much he was struggling but; I'm old enough now to where it harder for him to hide it from me. He came over and sat down tiếp theo to me. He asked "how's it going?" I đã đưa ý kiến "it's going alright; why do bạn ask?" He đã đưa ý kiến as he rubbed his eyes "I know you're not happy with the fact that we are staying in a hotel for so long! I just want bạn to know that I really am trying to get us out of here." I đã đưa ý kiến "I know bạn are daddy and I'm not mad at you! I just can't take being stuck in here were too much longer!" He đã đưa ý kiến "well; I'm going to check out some rental houses for us to use until after the trial ends. Do bạn want to go with me? It will get bạn out of this hotel for a while!" I đã đưa ý kiến "okay… Is it just going to be the two of us?" He đã đưa ý kiến "yes; we will be able to see thêm houses that way.”

After I finished my last page of school work, dad and I headed out into central Los Angeles to look at rental houses. A realtor brought us to house after house but; nothing seemed like a perfect fit. He always made sure wherever we were that each of us has our own bedrooms no matter what. Either the houses we visited were too small hoặc dad thought that the rent was way too high.


April 10, 2004,

After not being able to find a temporary place for us to rent, dad is obviously frustrated and hates the fact we have to di chuyển in the first place. I was sitting in my hotel room and could hear dad cheering down the hall. I opened the door and asked "what the heck are bạn so happy for?" He đã đưa ý kiến "we have a place to live!" I đã đưa ý kiến while smiling "where?" He đã đưa ý kiến "the Prince of Bahrain who is a good friend of mine just offered to let us use one of his mansions for as long as we need to." I looked at him confused and asked "so we're moving to Bahrain?" He đã đưa ý kiến "yes; right on the bờ biển, bãi biển too!" I đã đưa ý kiến "that's going to be so awesome daddy! How are bạn going to be back here in Los Angeles for the trial when it starts tiếp theo year?" He đã đưa ý kiến "I will just travel back and forth until it's over and bạn guys will come with me! Oh my gosh; I'm so excited! I'll help bạn pack your bags because were leaving in a few hours on a private jet."

Prince and Paris came running into my room and đã đưa ý kiến "we are moving to the beach!" Grace came into and asked "what is this rolled up piece of paper that was in your room Michael?" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "oh yeah; I forgot to give that to bạn AJ! I meant to give bạn on your birthday but; I Mất tích it when we were switching hotels!" I took it from Grace and unraveled it. It was a poster of Jesse McCartney and I đã đưa ý kiến "thank bạn daddy; even though I told bạn that I only have a little crush on him!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "you've been listening to his CD that I got bạn for your birthday over and over again. For someone that only has only has a little crush on him; bạn sure do talk about him a lot!" Grace started laughing and đã đưa ý kiến "I never thought I would see Alanna blushing over a boy!"

April 11, 2004,

We are finally here in Bahrain and it is thêm amazing than I could have ever imagined! Our bedrooms are three times as big as the ones we had back in Neverland. I woke up this morning and just lay in giường looking around my new bedroom. My yêu thích part bởi far is that I have my own bathroom for the first time! Then when bạn look out the vịnh, bay window bạn can see the perfect view of the shore. My room is pretty much a disaster because I haven't had time to decorate hoặc put things away due to the fact that we got here so late last night.

I got out of giường and decided to put my new Jesse McCartney poster up on the tường because I knew it would make dad happy. I grabbed a roll of tape out of one of the cardboard boxes in my room hung the poster on the wall. Dad walked in and đã đưa ý kiến "I knew bạn would put it up!" Blanket came into my room with my dog vịt đực, drake (yes, I am aware that I haven't talked about the dog in a long time!) And vịt đực, drake climbed on my bed. Dad đã đưa ý kiến "after we eat, Prince Al-KhalifaI coming over to welcome us to Bahrain. Don't worry, bạn don't have to call him that; just call him Al. That's what I call him because I always forget his name."

Just as dad said; Prince Al showed up phút after we had finished eating breakfast and he seemed like such a nice person. He took the time to get to know each of us and he actually told me a few jokes that were really funny. He passed a set of keys to me and I asked "what are these for?" He đã đưa ý kiến "they are for the gate to the outdoor bóng rổ court! Your father told me that that's your yêu thích American sport." I đã đưa ý kiến "that's so cool; I didn't even notice that there was a bóng rổ court outside! Daddy; can I go play basketball?" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "sure bạn can; just make sure that bạn lock the door when bạn leave so Blanket can't get out! “Al laughed at how excited I was and dad đã đưa ý kiến "I can't even begin to tell bạn how thankful I am to bạn for letting us stay here!" Al đã đưa ý kiến "of course Michael; I enjoy having bạn here and I hope this will be the first place bạn perform when bạn stage bạn come back!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "without a doubt; I will! I am loving it here already and as bạn can tell, so are the children! Maybe if all goes well; I will stay here and live here permanently after the trial is over!"

May 7, 2004

I'm definitely getting thêm comfortable here in Bahrain and my typical attitude is getting back to normal. I'm not the only one who seems back to themselves because dad hasn't been depressed since we moved here and he's back to laughing and having fun. Whenever we need something, Prince Al is always willing to get it for us and for the first time in a long time I finally feel like we have our trang chủ again!

I was chasing Prince around and pinned him down on the ground. Dad đã đưa ý kiến "Alanna; be careful because bạn are stronger than he is!" I looked down at Prince and đã đưa ý kiến "say uncle, say it, say it!" He đã đưa ý kiến "okay; uncle! Please let me go now!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "AJ; that's enough now!" I got up and Paris came into the kitchen. She asked "daddy; I want to find my Princess dress!" He asked "where was the last place bạn saw it?" Paris đã đưa ý kiến as she shrugged her shoulders "I don't know." He đã đưa ý kiến "that doesn't help me out at all; are bạn sure bạn don't know where it is? Did bạn even look for it?" Paris đã đưa ý kiến "yes; all over my room!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "as soon as I'm done making lunch for everyone I will help bạn look for it." She đã đưa ý kiến "I need it now though!" Dad looked at me and smiled. I đã đưa ý kiến "oh no; if bạn think I'm helping her look for that bạn are out of your mind!" He laughed and asked "please Alanna, for me?" I would my eyes and went upstairs with Paris to her bedroom.

I looked around Paris's bedroom and toys were scattered everywhere. I could barely see the carpet and đã đưa ý kiến "no wonder why bạn can't find it in here! It's a disaster!" She đã đưa ý kiến "it's not my fault; I was looking all over for my Lọ lem dress!" I đã đưa ý kiến as I picked up a few T-shirts "yeah but; did bạn really need to take all the clothes out of your dresser and closet? Why would it be in there? I've never seen any of your dress-up stuff in there!" She đã đưa ý kiến "I've put it in there before because Prince đã đưa ý kiến he was going to rip it when he was mad at me one time!" I asked "how do bạn expect me to find it in all this mess?" She đã đưa ý kiến "daddy always finds stuff when it's missing!" I đã đưa ý kiến "yeah well; I'm not daddy. I'm a 10-year-old with a very short attention span! I don't know what he was thinking when he sent me up here to look for a dress!"

Dad yelled from downstairs "lunch is ready." Paris and I went downstairs and sat down at the bàn with everyone else. Dad asked as he took a bite of his sandwich, bánh sandwich "how did the tìm kiếm for the Lọ lem dress go?" Paris đã đưa ý kiến "AJ wouldn't help me find it!" I đã đưa ý kiến "I tried to help you! Daddy; bạn have to see her room! There has to be every one of her toys on the floor in there! There's no way I would be able to find that dress. I don't even think bạn could find it in there! He đã đưa ý kiến "Paris; if I go up there to help bạn find your dress and your room is a mess bạn will have to clean it!" She đã đưa ý kiến "I don't think it's a mess in there at all." I đã đưa ý kiến "you're kidding me Paris! I stepped on at least 50 of those little Polly pocket doll pieces!" Dad đã đưa ý kiến "you're going to end up losing all of those if bạn don't keep them all in the same place and picked up off the floor because they are so small." I đã đưa ý kiến "I bet bạn if bạn clean your room bạn would find that Lọ lem dress!" Dad looked at Paris and đã đưa ý kiến "AJ's right!"

After we all at lunch, I helped dad and Prince clear the table. Paris đã đưa ý kiến "I don't need to find my Lọ lem dress anymore daddy!" He đã đưa ý kiến "okay; but that's not going to get bạn out of cleaning your bedroom." Paris đã đưa ý kiến "why do I have to clean it?" He đã đưa ý kiến "because I saw it a few phút cách đây when I went upstairs to get something out of my bedroom and there is everything from puzzle pieces to videotapes all over the floor! bạn need to go clean it; right now please!" Paris reluctantly went upstairs to clean her room and I went into the living room to watch TV.

vịt đực, drake jumped on the đi văng and lay his head on my lap. I looked for the remote and found it underneath one of the đi văng cushions. I noticed something blue underneath the other one so; I lifted it up! It was the Lọ lem dress that Paris wanted and just as I grabbed it dad đã đưa ý kiến "you found it! I wonder what it was doing under there?" I đã đưa ý kiến "Paris is lucky that I had to look for the remote-control." He đã đưa ý kiến "please watch something other than that Zack and Cody hiển thị on the Disney channel. I đã đưa ý kiến "that's my yêu thích hiển thị though!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I know it is; practically everyone that knows bạn knows that that's your yêu thích show! I know for a fact that bạn have seen the episode that's on right now because I've seen it!" I asked "what if the episode with Jesse McCartney comes on after this one?" He đã đưa ý kiến "you have seen that one about seven times! Why don't bạn just buy the DVD with that episode on it?" I đã đưa ý kiến while laughing "fine; if bạn don't want to watch this then I will go to my room and watch it bởi myself on my TV!"

May 12, 2004,

I was listening to my Jesse McCartney CD in my room and hát along to the words when dad came. He asked "is that bạn singing? Wow; you've gotten really good at singing!" I asked "do bạn really think that I'm a good singer hoặc are bạn just saying that because bạn are my dad?" He đã đưa ý kiến "no I mean it; you're really good AJ!" I đã đưa ý kiến "thanks!" He đã đưa ý kiến "you sound a lot like me when I sing! It's actually uncanny how much we sound alike!" I đã đưa ý kiến "I still want to be a famous singer like bạn when I grow up! Dad đã đưa ý kiến "wow; bạn đã đưa ý kiến that when bạn were only three years old and that's still what bạn want to be when bạn grow up!"

Blanket came into my room and dad picked him up. I walked up to him and đã đưa ý kiến "look at his hair daddy; it's sticking up all over the place!" He đã đưa ý kiến "I think we should go comb your hair Blanket!" Dad took him out of my room and I turned on the desktop táo, apple Computer that was in my room. I stared at my Jesse McCartney hình nền for a few phút and then clicked on the "Firefox" icon. I went on YouTube.com and searched "Jesse McCartney buổi hòa nhạc 2004." Jesse has been performing a few concerts at city fairs and charity benefits. I obviously really want to go to one of his concerts but; I haven't đã đưa ý kiến anything to dad about it and I don't plan to! I don't feel that now is the right time for me to ask for buổi hòa nhạc tickets because dad has his trial starting soon and I don't want him to be worried that he would not be able to take me to the buổi hòa nhạc due to a ngày in court!