Chapter 10

January 2, 2003,

Where do I start? The "living with Michael Jackson" documentary premiered last night and it didn't go at all like dad expected it to! He is not happy at all, some things actually ended up getting broken سے طرف کی dad because he was so angry. He made her leave the room once he got the feeling that the documentary was headed in a bad direction. Even after we left the room, we could hear dad yelling and throwing things. I had never seen my dad so mad in my life and I probably won't ever see him like this again! I came downstairs and saw dad sitting on the couch. I was debating whether یا not to go up to him after what happened last night. I walked into the living room dressed in my super Mario pajamas and sat down اگلے to him. We both looked at each other and neither of us کہا anything. Then he just reached over and hugged me as tight as he could. I asked "what was that for?" He کہا "I just want آپ to know how much I love you!" I کہا "I know آپ love me!" He looked like he was about to cry and I asked "are آپ okay daddy?" He کہا "I'm fine. Don't worry about me!"

Prince and Paris woke up and came downstairs. Grace followed behind them and passed Blanket to dad. Dad snapped out of the mood that he was in and went to the باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ to make us French toast. I could tell that he was still aggravated سے طرف کی everything that happened last night because he spent 20 منٹ rapidly stirring a few eggs in a bowl. Then he came to the میز, جدول with our food and کہا "I think all of us should go on a long vacation for a while!" I asked "where are we going to go?" He کہا "I haven't figured that out yet. I think we'll just go from place to place for a while." I asked "why all of a sudden are we going on vacation?" He کہا "I don't know; I just think we need to get out of here for a while!" I don't know what's going on… But I know something is up because dad is acting really weird!

February 6, 2003,

It was 9 o'clock at night and we were just boarding the private jet that dad rented. We are headed to London and we are staying with Mark Lester and his family. It's been a while since I've seen Kyle and I am really excited! I'm still curious as to why we are leaving so late at night

About five hours later, we pulled up in front of Mark's house in London and I jumped out of the car. Prince and Paris have fallen asleep and Grace carried them inside one سے طرف کی one. Dad brought Blanket inside and Mark greeted all of us. I was full of energy still and Mark کہا "AJ آپ have to be quiet! The children are sleeping!" I continued to run around crazily in circles and dad asked "Alanna Michael Jackson; did آپ just hear what Mark said?" I کہا "yes but; I'm so hyper!!!" Dad looked at Grace and asked "did آپ give her the ADHD medication this morning?" Grace shook her head "yes" and he sighed was exhaustion. He walked up to me and کہا "go get your pajamas on and I'll be in the guestroom in a منٹ to put a movie in." I could tell he wasn't in the mood to deal with me so; I did as I was told.

February 7, 2003,

I woke up this morning in the guestroom of Mark Lester's house and went out into the باورچی خانے, باورچی خانہ to wait for dad to get up. Grace came downstairs with Prince and Paris who had both slept in one of the other guestrooms. Dad had slept in the ماند, خلوت خانہ so he could take care of Blanket because he has been waking up in the middle of the night crying.

Grace took my bottle of ADHD medication and passed me a pill. Just as I put it in my mouth; dad came out of the ماند, خلوت خانہ carrying blanket and smiling. I ran up to him and hugged him. He کہا "good morning آپ guys!" Mark's son Kyle came running downstairs and کہا "wow: آپ really did come here!" I کہا "I can't believe it either!" The two less ran upstairs and Kyle کہا "I can't wait for آپ to see my new bedroom! We redecorated it last month!" He brought me to his bedroom and it was all سٹار, ستارہ Wars themed. Posters were on the walls, a whole bunch of سٹار, ستارہ Wars blankets, pillows, and a huge flat screen ویژن ٹیلی with a Nintendo GameCube and games. I کہا "wow; this is so cool!" He کہا "I know; the TVs best part though!"

Dad walked up the stairs and into Kyle's room. He asked "are آپ guys having fun?" I کہا as I got up to hug him "thank آپ for bringing us here!" He کہا "you don't have to thank me but; you're welcome!" I کہا "how long are we going to stay here?" He کہا "I'm not exactly sure yet." I کہا "I have an idea daddy!" He asked "what that?" I کہا "all of us should have a water balloon fight!" He کہا "okay; then that's what we'll do!"

Dad, Kyle, and I went downstairs to start filling the water balloons up. Prince and Paris walked up to dad and asked "can we play too?" Dad کہا "of course آپ can!" I brought the water balloons outside and put them in a bucket. Dad followed me and helped Paris and Prince take their shoes off. Dad had filled the water balloons up so much; I could barely pick them up without them breaking in my hands. Before I could throw one balloon; Kyle threw a balloon at the back of my head and it exploded everywhere. I کہا "I'm so going to get آپ back for that!" Dad کہا "I think we should make teams." I کہا "that wouldn't be fair though because there's an uneven amount of people." He کہا "no; it will be fair because I will be with your brother and sister! They don't have good enough aim so; I'll be there to help them! Trust me; it will be evenly matched after all!" I کہا "all right… Kyle and I; versus you, Prince, and Paris."

Knowing how good my dad is a water balloon flights; Kyle and I didn't stand a chance. I wasn't too worried about Prince and Paris because they are still little but; I knew dad would demolish us! The object of our water balloon fights is to get the other team as soaked as possible سے طرف کی the time all the balloons are gone. Whichever team is the most soaked at the end loses

20 منٹ into our water balloon Fight; Kyle was completely exhausted from dodging every balloon dad threw at him. I کہا “you don’t have to avoid each one Kyle. Just don’t get soaked!!!” He کہا "I know; but I'm trying to stop us from losing!" I had made it whole time without getting wet at all and Kyle decided that he was done because he was tired. It was down to dad and I in the end and I was still going strong because of my ADHD. There were five balloons left and dad had stayed away from every balloon that I threw at him. I was determined not to lose against him for the millionth time. سے طرف کی the time there was only one balloon left we were both getting out of breath. I don't think that dad saw that there was only one left so; I ran for it. He کہا "no, no, no, is that really the last one?" I started laughing and کہا "yes!" I started to slowly walk up to him with the balloon in my hand and he ran as fast as he could away from me. His socks started to fall off and he was stumbling. I knew that this was my one and only chance to get him. I backed him up so there was a درخت on each side of him! He laughed as I took the balloon and broke it over the سب, سب سے اوپر of his head. I shouted "finally; I beat you!" He کہا in a shock “I can't believe it!"

March 1, 2003,

We were just arriving at our hotel in Las Vegas when dad got a phone call. I stared at him the entire time and he just looked distraught. He hung up the phone and کہا "AJ; go in the other room so I can talk to Grace." I left the room but; I could still hear everything that was going on in the other room. Dad کہا "they just served a تلاش warrant on Neverland!" Grace کہا "that district lawyer is out to get آپ all over again Michael!" He کہا "they are just doing this because they want to believe that I would do something that awful! Grace; I promise آپ that I would never ever do anything like that! I guarantee آپ that those police officers will not find one single shred of proven evidence in that house! I know one thing's for sure… If they decide to prosecute me I'm not going to just settle like I did back in 1993; I'm dragging this thing all the way through a trial to prove my innocence!"

The only thing I understood from what my dad کہا was "police officers" I knew whenever was going on; it wasn't a good thing. I didn't think too much of it at the time because I didn't want to worry about him. I assured myself that everything would be better in the morning and that it wasn't that big of a deal; even though deep down that something serious is going on!

March 8, 2003,

Well; we weren't in Las Vegas for long because for some reason we have to go back to Santa Barbara California. I asked my dad several times why we were going back so soon but; all he کہا was that he couldn't tell me. Ever since we got on the plane to head ہوم dad seems really nervous and I want to know why!

We left the airport and drove to Neverland. Dad's manager Frank was standing outside the gate and the car pulled up اگلے to him. Dad rolled down his window and Frank leaned in to talk to him. Frank کہا "Mike آپ don't want to go in there!" Dad looked at him and asked "why not?" Frank کہا "those police officers absolutely DESTROYED the house! Everything is out of place; thrown everywhere and your office is a complete disaster!" Dad asked "what do آپ mean my office? They only had a warrant to تلاش my bedroom, bathrooms, and storage!" Frank کہا "I hate to tell آپ this Michael but; they searched every square inch of that house; whether they were supposed to یا not!" Dad asked "how could just a few officers do so much damage?" Frank کہا "oh; it was way مزید than just a few officers!" Dad کہا "I was informed that there would only be three یا four of them here! How many of them were there?" Frank کہا "like 20 of them." Dad کہا "this is ridiculous; absolutely ridiculous!"

Dad opened the car door and got out. Frank asked "where are آپ going?" Dad کہا "I have to see this for myself!" Frank کہا "if آپ want to but; I'm warning آپ to prepare yourself for what you're about to see!" I کہا "I want to go see too daddy!" Grace کہا "no; آپ are going to stay right here! I don't want آپ to see what's in there!" Dad came back outside 15 منٹ later and he was crying. سے طرف کی the time he got to the car; he had calmed himself down so; we didn't see him crying یا upset. He opened the door to the car and got in without saying a word. Grace asked "is it really that bad?" Dad کہا "oh yeah!" Grace asked "where are we going to go now?" Dad کہا "I don't know yet; but we'll figure it out!"


March, 10, 2003,

We are staying in a hotel for the time being until dad can find a new place for us to live. I saw dad getting ready to leave and asked "daddy; where are آپ going?" He کہا "out my little while. I'll be back soon though!" I asked "can I please, please go with you?" He کہا "yeah; as long as آپ listen to me!" I کہا "I promise that I will!" I grabbed my جیکٹ and the two of us headed out to the car that was waiting outside.

We drove to a shopping mall and got out of the car. Both of us walked inside and went into a Toys "R" Us store first. I کہا "look daddy dart guns!" He کہا "wow; I've never seen one's that look like this before!" I کہا "they have claws at the end of the darts!" اگلے to the dart guns was a سٹار, ستارہ Wars display and dad walked over to it. I followed him and picked up a talking Anakin Skywalker action figure. I کہا "Prince would love this!" He کہا "then I'll buy it for him!" I asked "can I pick something out for myself?" He asked "what do آپ say first?" I کہا "oh yeah; please?" He کہا "yes آپ can but; nothing too expensive because your birthday is coming up in a few days!"

I ran down every aisle looking for something that I have been wanting for a long time. I found the Pokémon ultimate trading card box that I wanted and took it over to dad. I passed it to him and he asked "more Pokémon cards? Really? Don't آپ have enough of these already?" I کہا "I know that I have a lot but; these ones are different and there are 500 cards in this box." He کہا "I don't see the point in those silly little cards but; if that's what آپ want then go ahead and put it in the cart." I kissed him on the cheek and کہا "thank آپ daddy!" He کہا "you're very welcome! We have to find something for Paris and Blanket so they don't feel left out."

Dad found a Disney Princess movie set for Paris and got a talking Mickey ماؤس for Blanket. As we were walking out of the store we saw a McDonald's in the food court and dad asked "do آپ want to get something to eat?" I کہا "yes please" while tying my shoes. He کہا "okay; what do آپ want because I'm going to have one of the bodyguards get it for us?" I کہا "a چیزبرگر, چیسیبرگر please!" Dad passed his wallet to our bodyguard James. He کہا "get three happy meals. Get two چیزبرگر, چیسیبرگر meals and one chicken nugget meal. Get me a medium-sized fry and a vanilla milkshake please." While James bought our food, we walked out to the car with the other bodyguard named Tim.

May, 4, 2003,

Dad was out doing something and all three of us kids were in the hotel. I was in my hotel room searching through the TV channels when something caught my eye. I was changing the channels quickly but I کہا to myself "was that daddy I just saw on TV?" I went back to that channel and could not believe what I was seeing. It was a news رپورٹ that کہا at the سب, سب سے اوپر of the screen "King of Pop: Michael Jackson arrested in Santa Barbara County today." Dad was standing with his arms behind his back and a police officer handcuffed him. Then dad was directed him into a police car!

I was absolutely mortified سے طرف کی what I just saw and jumped out of bed. I ran down the hallway as fast as I could and started hitting the door as hard as I could. Grace opened it and asked "what's wrong?" I کہا "daddy just got arrested!" I was surprised سے طرف کی her reaction because she looked like she already knew that he was going to be arrested today. I walked into their hotel room where my siblings were and sat down on one of the beds. I کہا "alright; I want to know what's been going on and I want to know now!" Grace کہا "your dad will be ہوم in less than an hour… There's nothing to worry about!" I کہا "I know there's something going on and I want to know what's happening!!!" She کہا "I'm not going to tell you; you're going to have to ask your dad when he comes back.”

A half-hour later; there was a knock on my hotel room door and dad walked in. He looked at me and I was crying. He sat down on the بستر and asked "what's wrong sweetheart?" I کہا "I wish آپ knew how scared I was. I had to watch my dad being arrested and I have no idea what's going on!" He hugged me as I cried uncontrollably into his shoulder and کہا "I know and I'm sorry that آپ had to see that!" He started to cry too and I asked "will آپ please tell me what's going on?" He کہا as he pulled away from hugging me "okay; I guess آپ should know. Just promise me that آپ won't tell your brother یا sister because they are too young!" I shook my head to دکھائیں that I agreed and he proceeded to tell me what was going on.”

He asked "do آپ remember that boy named Gavin they used to come over to Neverland all the time with his brother?" I کہا yeah; why?" He took a deep breath and کہا "well; he کہا that I did some inappropriate things to him!" I asked "inappropriate as in what آپ told me kidnappers and some strangers do to kids?" He کہا "yes but; I want آپ to know that Gavin is lying and I would never ever do that to anyone!" I کہا "I know آپ wouldn't and that's awful that he would lie about something like that!" He کہا "I'm going to have to go to court probably within the اگلے couple of years so; I can prove that I didn't do anything like that!" I asked "Will آپ promise me that آپ won't go to prison?" He کہا "I can't promise آپ that because there is a small chance that I would go to prison but; I will do everything in my power to stop that from happening… I can promise آپ that for sure!!!" He wiped the tears away from my eyes with his sleeve and کہا "I love آپ and I always will; no matter what happens!" I kissed him and کہا "I love آپ too!"