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 сказал(-а) "there's going to be someone coming here today to talk to Ты guys about some things." I сказал(-а) "I already know what they are going to talk to us about and I think it is so stupid!" He сказал(-а) "I know Ты do but; Ты 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 сказал(-а) "nothing Prince; just make sure that Ты tell this man или woman the truth, no matter what Вопросы he или she asks you!" I сказал(-а) "you don't have to worry about that; even if we wanted too, we have no reason to lie!"

About 20 минуты later, a woman walked into the room wearing a badge that сказал(-а) "Child protective services" on it. She looked around the hotel room and сказал(-а) "okay; I think I will Вопрос the two younger children first and then come back to Вопрос 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 сказал(-а) as the woman shut the door "don't talk like that to anyone! Especially; someone with a job like hers!" I сказал(-а) with my arms crossed and feet propped up on the coffee таблица "I'm just trying to make it very clear that I don't want her here!" He сказал(-а) "I don't care! Ты 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 час later and сказал(-а) "all right it's your turn." I сказал(-а) 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 сказал(-а) "my name is Andrea; what's yours?" I сказал(-а) "AJ" and sat down in the chair across from her." She asked "do Ты know why I'm here today?" I сказал(-а) "because someone lied." She сказал(-а) "how do Ты know that they lied?" I сказал(-а) "because my father would never ever do anything like that!" She сказал(-а) "I'm not here to get your dad in trouble in any way; I just want to make sure that Ты kids are безопасно, сейф here!" I сказал(-а) "yeah; that's what Ты say now but; I know what all of Ты are really after… Don't act like you're not either! I know еще than Ты think I do!"

She asked me a series of absolutely disgusting Вопросы and I answered each one with a "no." As time went by; the Вопросы got harder and harder to listen to. At one point, I сказал(-а) "every answer to these Вопросы 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 еще detailed types of questions.

Almost an час later she сказал(-а) "okay I think I've asked Ты everything that I need to know. I'll give Ты my number and Ты call it if Ты ever feel in danger!" I took it and the two of us walked out room. She сказал(-а) "alright Mr. Jackson; I have all the information that I need and I'd like to thank Ты for allowing me to interview her children!" He сказал(-а) 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 Ты okay?" I stood up and сказал(-а) "daddy; Ты can't ever make me be interviewed like that again!" He сказал(-а) 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 сказал(-а) "it was so gross daddy! The Вопросы she asked me are things I hope I never hear again for as long as I live!" He сказал(-а) "I knew that they would ask Ты the hardest Вопросы because Ты understand еще than Prince and Paris do! That's why I tried to get all three of Ты out of it! I only went along with it because I had no other choice! I'm sorry that Ты had to go through all of that and I don't think anyone will have to Вопрос Ты again." I сказал(-а) "I hope you're right because that made me physically sick… Hearing her ask me if I ever saw anything wrong going on between Ты 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 сказал(-а) 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 сказал(-а) "happy birthday Prince!" He сказал(-а) "thanks; is daddy awake yet?" I сказал(-а) "yeah; he just woke up about five минуты ago." Prince got out of постель, кровати and walked into the corner kitchen. He looked at the pancake batter and Шоколад chips on the counter and сказал(-а) "yes!" I сказал(-а) while laughing "I know; I сказал(-а) 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 сказал(-а) "happy birthday яблоко head!" Prince сказал(-а) "thank Ты daddy!" Dad сказал(-а) "that pancake batter on the counter is extra just in case we need it. I had Grace start making блины 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 сказал(-а) "I just think it's one of those days where everything is funny; right Blanket?" Blanket сказал(-а) "I get down?" Dad сказал(-а) "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 Ты want to do today for your birthday?" Prince сказал(-а) "I want to ride go carts!" Dad сказал(-а) "alright; I'll try to find a place. If I can't; what else would Ты want to do?" I asked "why would we not be able to go to the go тележка, корзина track?" Dad сказал(-а) "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 Ты 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 сказал(-а) that he would want to go to the Фильмы 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 Избранное Показать on TV called "this suite life of Zack and Cody" on Дисней channel. Dad came into my hotel bedroom and looked at the TV. He сказал(-а) "oh my gosh… I can't believe you're watching this again!" I сказал(-а) "this is a new episode; I haven't seen it yet!" He sat down Далее to me and сказал(-а) "after this, Ты have to take a душ and go to bed." I asked "can I watch TV until I fall asleep?" He сказал(-а) "as long as you're not up until three in the morning and Ты take your ADHD medication!" I сказал(-а) "I promise that I'll do what Ты 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 сказал(-а) "nothing; nothing at all!" He asked "who is that guy?" I сказал(-а) "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 сказал(-а) "no… I don't know where Ты got that idea from!" He сказал(-а) "I don't know, maybe it's because your bright red and Ты 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 подушка and сказал(-а) "I do not have a crush on him!" He сказал(-а) "yes Ты do! I can tell because Ты can't even look at him without blushing!" I сказал(-а) "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 сказал(-а) "I know that and I don't think that will ever change! I think I worked with that boy on "what еще 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 Далее 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 день after Paris's six birthday; all he has done is sleep and every once in a while come into the кухня area to eat something.

It was the middle of the день and I was sitting at the таблица 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 Далее to me. He asked "how's it going?" I сказал(-а) "it's going alright; why do Ты ask?" He сказал(-а) 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 Ты to know that I really am trying to get us out of here." I сказал(-а) "I know Ты are daddy and I'm not mad at you! I just can't take being stuck in here were too much longer!" He сказал(-а) "well; I'm going to check out some rental houses for us to use until after the trial ends. Do Ты want to go with me? It will get Ты out of this hotel for a while!" I сказал(-а) "okay… Is it just going to be the two of us?" He сказал(-а) "yes; we will be able to see еще 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 или 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 Переместить 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 Ты so happy for?" He сказал(-а) "we have a place to live!" I сказал(-а) while smiling "where?" He сказал(-а) "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 сказал(-а) "yes; right on the пляж, пляжный too!" I сказал(-а) "that's going to be so awesome daddy! How are Ты going to be back here in Los Angeles for the trial when it starts Далее year?" He сказал(-а) "I will just travel back and forth until it's over and Ты guys will come with me! Oh my gosh; I'm so excited! I'll help Ты pack your bags because were leaving in a few hours on a private jet."

Prince and Paris came running into my room and сказал(-а) "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 сказал(-а) "oh yeah; I forgot to give that to Ты AJ! I meant to give Ты on your birthday but; I Остаться в живых it when we were switching hotels!" I took it from Grace and unraveled it. It was a poster of Jesse McCartney and I сказал(-а) "thank Ты daddy; even though I told Ты that I only have a little crush on him!" Dad сказал(-а) "you've been listening to his CD that I got Ты for your birthday over and over again. For someone that only has only has a little crush on him; Ты sure do talk about him a lot!" Grace started laughing and сказал(-а) "I never thought I would see Alanna blushing over a boy!"

April 11, 2004,

We are finally here in Bahrain and it is еще 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 постель, кровати looking around my new bedroom. My Избранное part by far is that I have my own bathroom for the first time! Then when Ты look out the бухта, залив window Ты can see the perfect view of the shore. My room is pretty much a disaster because I haven't had time to decorate или put things away due to the fact that we got here so late last night.

I got out of постель, кровати and decided to put my new Jesse McCartney poster up on the Стена 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 сказал(-а) "I knew Ты would put it up!" Blanket came into my room with my dog селезень, дрейк (yes, I am aware that I haven't talked about the dog in a long time!) And селезень, дрейк climbed on my bed. Dad сказал(-а) "after we eat, Prince Al-KhalifaI coming over to welcome us to Bahrain. Don't worry, Ты 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 минуты 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 сказал(-а) "they are for the gate to the outdoor баскетбол court! Your father told me that that's your Избранное American sport." I сказал(-а) "that's so cool; I didn't even notice that there was a баскетбол court outside! Daddy; can I go play basketball?" Dad сказал(-а) "sure Ты can; just make sure that Ты lock the door when Ты leave so Blanket can't get out! “Al laughed at how excited I was and dad сказал(-а) "I can't even begin to tell Ты how thankful I am to Ты for letting us stay here!" Al сказал(-а) "of course Michael; I enjoy having Ты here and I hope this will be the first place Ты perform when Ты stage Ты come back!" Dad сказал(-а) "without a doubt; I will! I am loving it here already and as Ты 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 еще 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 Главная again!

I was chasing Prince around and pinned him down on the ground. Dad сказал(-а) "Alanna; be careful because Ты are stronger than he is!" I looked down at Prince and сказал(-а) "say uncle, say it, say it!" He сказал(-а) "okay; uncle! Please let me go now!" Dad сказал(-а) "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 Ты saw it?" Paris сказал(-а) as she shrugged her shoulders "I don't know." He сказал(-а) "that doesn't help me out at all; are Ты sure Ты don't know where it is? Did Ты even look for it?" Paris сказал(-а) "yes; all over my room!" Dad сказал(-а) "as soon as I'm done making lunch for everyone I will help Ты look for it." She сказал(-а) "I need it now though!" Dad looked at me and smiled. I сказал(-а) "oh no; if Ты think I'm helping her look for that Ты 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 сказал(-а) "no wonder why Ты can't find it in here! It's a disaster!" She сказал(-а) "it's not my fault; I was looking all over for my Золушка dress!" I сказал(-а) as I picked up a few T-shirts "yeah but; did Ты 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 сказал(-а) "I've put it in there before because Prince сказал(-а) he was going to rip it when he was mad at me one time!" I asked "how do Ты expect me to find it in all this mess?" She сказал(-а) "daddy always finds stuff when it's missing!" I сказал(-а) "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 таблица with everyone else. Dad asked as he took a bite of his сэндвич, бутерброд "how did the Поиск for the Золушка dress go?" Paris сказал(-а) "AJ wouldn't help me find it!" I сказал(-а) "I tried to help you! Daddy; Ты 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 Ты could find it in there! He сказал(-а) "Paris; if I go up there to help Ты find your dress and your room is a mess Ты will have to clean it!" She сказал(-а) "I don't think it's a mess in there at all." I сказал(-а) "you're kidding me Paris! I stepped on at least 50 of those little Polly pocket doll pieces!" Dad сказал(-а) "you're going to end up losing all of those if Ты don't keep them all in the same place and picked up off the floor because they are so small." I сказал(-а) "I bet Ты if Ты clean your room Ты would find that Золушка dress!" Dad looked at Paris and сказал(-а) "AJ's right!"

After we all at lunch, I helped dad and Prince clear the table. Paris сказал(-а) "I don't need to find my Золушка dress anymore daddy!" He сказал(-а) "okay; but that's not going to get Ты out of cleaning your bedroom." Paris сказал(-а) "why do I have to clean it?" He сказал(-а) "because I saw it a few минуты назад when I went upstairs to get something out of my bedroom and there is everything from puzzle pieces to videotapes all over the floor! Ты 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.

селезень, дрейк jumped on the диван, мягкий уголок and lay his head on my lap. I looked for the remote and found it underneath one of the диван, мягкий уголок cushions. I noticed something blue underneath the other one so; I lifted it up! It was the Золушка dress that Paris wanted and just as I grabbed it dad сказал(-а) "you found it! I wonder what it was doing under there?" I сказал(-а) "Paris is lucky that I had to look for the remote-control." He сказал(-а) "please watch something other than that Zack and Cody Показать on the Дисней channel. I сказал(-а) "that's my Избранное Показать though!" He сказал(-а) "I know it is; practically everyone that knows Ты knows that that's your Избранное show! I know for a fact that Ты 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 сказал(-а) "you have seen that one about seven times! Why don't Ты just buy the DVD with that episode on it?" I сказал(-а) while laughing "fine; if Ты don't want to watch this then I will go to my room and watch it by myself on my TV!"

May 12, 2004,

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

Blanket came into my room and dad picked him up. I walked up to him and сказал(-а) "look at his hair daddy; it's sticking up all over the place!" He сказал(-а) "I think we should go comb your hair Blanket!" Dad took him out of my room and I turned on the desktop яблоко Computer that was in my room. I stared at my Jesse McCartney Обои for a few минуты and then clicked on the "Firefox" icon. I went on YouTube.com and searched "Jesse McCartney концерт 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 сказал(-а) 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 концерт 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 концерт due to a день in court!