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 発言しました "there's going to be someone coming here today to talk to あなた guys about some things." I 発言しました "I already know what they are going to talk to us about and I think it is so stupid!" He 発言しました "I know あなた do but; あなた 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 発言しました "nothing Prince; just make sure that あなた tell this man または woman the truth, no matter what 質問 he または she asks you!" I 発言しました "you don't have to worry about that; even if we wanted too, we have no reason to lie!"

About 20 分 later, a woman walked into the room wearing a badge that 発言しました "Child protective services" on it. She looked around the hotel room and 発言しました "okay; I think I will 質問 the two younger children first and then come back to 質問 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 発言しました as the woman shut the door "don't talk like that to anyone! Especially; someone with a job like hers!" I 発言しました with my arms crossed and feet propped up on the coffee 表, テーブル "I'm just trying to make it very clear that I don't want her here!" He 発言しました "I don't care! あなた 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 時 later and 発言しました "all right it's your turn." I 発言しました 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 発言しました "my name is Andrea; what's yours?" I 発言しました "AJ" and sat down in the chair across from her." She asked "do あなた know why I'm here today?" I 発言しました "because someone lied." She 発言しました "how do あなた know that they lied?" I 発言しました "because my father would never ever do anything like that!" She 発言しました "I'm not here to get your dad in trouble in any way; I just want to make sure that あなた kids are 安全, 安全です here!" I 発言しました "yeah; that's what あなた say now but; I know what all of あなた are really after… Don't act like you're not either! I know もっと見る than あなた think I do!"

She asked me a series of absolutely disgusting 質問 and I answered each one with a "no." As time went by; the 質問 got harder and harder to listen to. At one point, I 発言しました "every answer to these 質問 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 もっと見る detailed types of questions.

Almost an 時 later she 発言しました "okay I think I've asked あなた everything that I need to know. I'll give あなた my number and あなた call it if あなた ever feel in danger!" I took it and the two of us walked out room. She 発言しました "alright Mr. Jackson; I have all the information that I need and I'd like to thank あなた for allowing me to interview her children!" He 発言しました 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 あなた okay?" I stood up and 発言しました "daddy; あなた can't ever make me be interviewed like that again!" He 発言しました 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 発言しました "it was so gross daddy! The 質問 she asked me are things I hope I never hear again for as long as I live!" He 発言しました "I knew that they would ask あなた the hardest 質問 because あなた understand もっと見る than Prince and Paris do! That's why I tried to get all three of あなた out of it! I only went along with it because I had no other choice! I'm sorry that あなた had to go through all of that and I don't think anyone will have to 質問 あなた again." I 発言しました "I hope you're right because that made me physically sick… Hearing her ask me if I ever saw anything wrong going on between あなた 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 発言しました 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 発言しました "happy birthday Prince!" He 発言しました "thanks; is daddy awake yet?" I 発言しました "yeah; he just woke up about five 分 ago." Prince got out of ベッド and walked into the corner kitchen. He looked at the pancake batter and チョコレート chips on the counter and 発言しました "yes!" I 発言しました while laughing "I know; I 発言しました 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 発言しました "happy birthday 林檎, アップル head!" Prince 発言しました "thank あなた daddy!" Dad 発言しました "that pancake batter on the counter is extra just in case we need it. I had Grace start making パンケーキ 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 発言しました "I just think it's one of those days where everything is funny; right Blanket?" Blanket 発言しました "I get down?" Dad 発言しました "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 あなた want to do today for your birthday?" Prince 発言しました "I want to ride go carts!" Dad 発言しました "alright; I'll try to find a place. If I can't; what else would あなた want to do?" I asked "why would we not be able to go to the go カート track?" Dad 発言しました "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 あなた 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 発言しました that he would want to go to the 映画 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 お気に入り 表示する on TV called "this suite life of Zack and Cody" on ディズニー channel. Dad came into my hotel bedroom and looked at the TV. He 発言しました "oh my gosh… I can't believe you're watching this again!" I 発言しました "this is a new episode; I haven't seen it yet!" He sat down 次 to me and 発言しました "after this, あなた have to take a シャワー and go to bed." I asked "can I watch TV until I fall asleep?" He 発言しました "as long as you're not up until three in the morning and あなた take your ADHD medication!" I 発言しました "I promise that I'll do what あなた 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 発言しました "nothing; nothing at all!" He asked "who is that guy?" I 発言しました "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 発言しました "no… I don't know where あなた got that idea from!" He 発言しました "I don't know, maybe it's because your bright red and あなた 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 枕 and 発言しました "I do not have a crush on him!" He 発言しました "yes あなた do! I can tell because あなた can't even look at him without blushing!" I 発言しました "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 発言しました "I know that and I don't think that will ever change! I think I worked with that boy on "what もっと見る 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 次 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 日 after Paris's six birthday; all he has done is sleep and every once in a while come into the キッチン area to eat something.

It was the middle of the 日 and I was sitting at the 表, テーブル 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 次 to me. He asked "how's it going?" I 発言しました "it's going alright; why do あなた ask?" He 発言しました 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 あなた to know that I really am trying to get us out of here." I 発言しました "I know あなた are daddy and I'm not mad at you! I just can't take being stuck in here were too much longer!" He 発言しました "well; I'm going to check out some rental houses for us to use until after the trial ends. Do あなた want to go with me? It will get あなた out of this hotel for a while!" I 発言しました "okay… Is it just going to be the two of us?" He 発言しました "yes; we will be able to see もっと見る 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 または 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 移動する 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 あなた so happy for?" He 発言しました "we have a place to live!" I 発言しました while smiling "where?" He 発言しました "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 発言しました "yes; right on the ビーチ too!" I 発言しました "that's going to be so awesome daddy! How are あなた going to be back here in Los Angeles for the trial when it starts 次 year?" He 発言しました "I will just travel back and forth until it's over and あなた guys will come with me! Oh my gosh; I'm so excited! I'll help あなた pack your bags because were leaving in a few hours on a private jet."

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

April 11, 2004,

We are finally here in Bahrain and it is もっと見る 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 ベッド looking around my new bedroom. My お気に入り part によって far is that I have my own bathroom for the first time! Then when あなた look out the ベイ, 湾 window あなた can see the perfect view of the shore. My room is pretty much a disaster because I haven't had time to decorate または put things away due to the fact that we got here so late last night.

I got out of ベッド and decided to put my new Jesse McCartney poster up on the ウォール 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 発言しました "I knew あなた would put it up!" Blanket came into my room with my dog ドレイク, ドレーク (yes, I am aware that I haven't talked about the dog in a long time!) And ドレイク, ドレーク climbed on my bed. Dad 発言しました "after we eat, Prince Al-KhalifaI coming over to welcome us to Bahrain. Don't worry, あなた 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 分 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 発言しました "they are for the gate to the outdoor バスケットボール, バスケット ボール court! Your father told me that that's your お気に入り American sport." I 発言しました "that's so cool; I didn't even notice that there was a バスケットボール, バスケット ボール court outside! Daddy; can I go play basketball?" Dad 発言しました "sure あなた can; just make sure that あなた lock the door when あなた leave so Blanket can't get out! “Al laughed at how excited I was and dad 発言しました "I can't even begin to tell あなた how thankful I am to あなた for letting us stay here!" Al 発言しました "of course Michael; I enjoy having あなた here and I hope this will be the first place あなた perform when あなた stage あなた come back!" Dad 発言しました "without a doubt; I will! I am loving it here already and as あなた 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 もっと見る 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 ホーム again!

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

After we all at lunch, I helped dad and Prince clear the table. Paris 発言しました "I don't need to find my シンデレラ dress anymore daddy!" He 発言しました "okay; but that's not going to get あなた out of cleaning your bedroom." Paris 発言しました "why do I have to clean it?" He 発言しました "because I saw it a few 分 前 when I went upstairs to get something out of my bedroom and there is everything from puzzle pieces to videotapes all over the floor! あなた 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.

ドレイク, ドレーク jumped on the ソファー, ソファ and lay his head on my lap. I looked for the remote and found it underneath one of the ソファー, ソファ cushions. I noticed something blue underneath the other one so; I lifted it up! It was the シンデレラ dress that Paris wanted and just as I grabbed it dad 発言しました "you found it! I wonder what it was doing under there?" I 発言しました "Paris is lucky that I had to look for the remote-control." He 発言しました "please watch something other than that Zack and Cody 表示する on the ディズニー channel. I 発言しました "that's my お気に入り 表示する though!" He 発言しました "I know it is; practically everyone that knows あなた knows that that's your お気に入り show! I know for a fact that あなた 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 発言しました "you have seen that one about seven times! Why don't あなた just buy the DVD with that episode on it?" I 発言しました while laughing "fine; if あなた don't want to watch this then I will go to my room and watch it によって myself on my TV!"

May 12, 2004,

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

Blanket came into my room and dad picked him up. I walked up to him and 発言しました "look at his hair daddy; it's sticking up all over the place!" He 発言しました "I think we should go comb your hair Blanket!" Dad took him out of my room and I turned on the desktop 林檎, アップル Computer that was in my room. I stared at my Jesse McCartney 壁紙 for a few 分 and then clicked on the "Firefox" icon. I went on YouTube.com and searched "Jesse McCartney コンサート 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 発言しました 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 コンサート 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 コンサート due to a 日 in court!