I walked out of the room carrying Christian in my arms and could see that Melissa was arguing with the judge. Christian started crying and 発言しました "mean mommy; mean mommy!" I hugged him tighter and 発言しました "don't worry; you're not going with her!" Melissa shouted "I can't believe you're going to let my son be raised によって Michael Jackson!" She shouted swear words at me as we walked out the door and I couldn't believe that she would use that kind of language around a 2 1/2-year-old!
John had to run back inside the courthouse to get Christian's file with his birth certificate; so I quickly snuck back to the hotel just across the street. We barely made it inside the door before an ambush of ファン pressed up against the front entrance. I shouted "security" and thankfully a few of them were standing right there. While they held the doors shut, I ran upstairs to my hotel room and locked the door behind me.
I sat down on the edge of the ベッド with Christian on my lap and that was the first time I really realized how awful he looked. He was absolutely filthy and was wearing clothes that were at least three sizes too small for him! My ハート, 心 was aching for Christian so much and I felt horrible for giving him back to his mother. I know I couldn't have kept him then but I still regret letting any of this happen to him.
Christian looked at me and 発言しました "mean mommy!" He started to cry and I 発言しました "it's okay; あなた NEVER have to go back there again!" Someone knocked on the hotel room door and I answered it. My lawyer John walked inside and passed me a folder. I opened the folder and it was all of Christian's documents. I put the folder down on the 表, テーブル and John 発言しました "if あなた don't need me I'm going to catch the flight back to LA! It leaves in 15 minutes! Are あなた going to come with me?" I 発言しました "no; Christian and I will just catch the flight at 9 AM tomorrow. Thank あなた for all your help John!" He 発言しました "you're welcome Michael; I'm glad I could help!"
I shut the door behind him and picked up the phone to order some food. Once the 食 got there, I brought it to the 表, テーブル and Christian sat on my lap. Before I could even take the plastic lid off of the chicken fingers and French fries I had ordered him, Christian was trying to grab it. I quickly pulled the lid off and I couldn't believe how hungry Christian was! I asked "did あなた eat breakfast this morning?" He 発言しました "no; mommy only gives me lunch sometimes." I didn't know what to say at first and then I asked "you haven't had anything to eat since yesterday?" He 発言しました "no 食 yesterday!" I shook my head in disbelief and 発言しました "I'm so sorry!" He responded "she's a mean mommy!" I 発言しました "I believe you." Christian asked "I'm going to have a new family?" I smiled and 発言しました "actually; あなた have a new family." He looked at me confused and I 発言しました "you're part of my family now buddy!" He asked "am I going back to your house Mike?" I 発言しました "no; we're going back to our house!" I whispered "you don't have to call me Mike anymore if あなた don't want to!" Christian asked "why not?" I 発言しました "because I'm your daddy now!" He asked "can I call あなた daddy?" I 発言しました "of course あなた can; if あなた want to!"
I cleared the 表, テーブル and 発言しました "okay buddy; let's get あなた cleaned up!" Christian asked "bath?" I picked him up and 発言しました "yup." Afterwards, I got him dressed in the 火災, 火 truck pajamas that I bought him a while ago. I covered him with the blankets and knelt down 次 to the bed. I kissed his forehead and he asked "what did あなた do that for?" I 発言しました "I kissed your forehead." He asked "what's a kiss?" I looked at him confused and asked "you're mommy never gave あなた kisses?" He 発言しました "no; why did あなた do that?" I didn't really have any other answer that I could come up with off the 上, ページのトップへ of my head; so I 発言しました "parents are supposed to give their children kisses and hugs." Christian asked "oh; can I give あなた a kiss?" I pointed to my cheek and 発言しました "right there." He pecked my cheek and I 発言しました "you're so sweet." I lay down 次 to him and 発言しました "good night Christian." He 発言しました "good night daddy; I 愛 you!" I responded "I 愛 あなた more!!!"
***
We are on our flight back to California from ロンドン and it'll be about an 時 before we get to the airport. I had already woken up for the day; but Christian was still sleeping and I was bored. I decided to start looking at the folder with all of Christian's documents inside it. I opened it and saw his birth certificate. It read "Christian Levi Carthage; 日付 of birth October, sixth, 1984." Christian's third birthday is 次 月 and I'm glad that he's with me to celebrate it.
I put the birth certificate back inside the folder and something accidentally fell out. I picked it up and noticed that it was a picture of a man. I looked at the back of the photograph and written on it was the words "Alexander Benton." I took the birth certificate out and realized that the person in the picture must be Christian's biological father because the names matched.
Christian started to wake up; so I quickly stuffed the picture back inside the folder and put it away. He opened his eyes and I 発言しました "good morning." He responded "good morning daddy." I 発言しました "were almost ready to land. Then I'm going to take あなた home." Just as I was saying that, the private jet pulled onto the landing strip and into the docking station of the airport. I picked Christian up and grabbed the luggage with my other hand. When we got off the plane, my bodyguards James and Tim were waiting for us. James looked at Christian and 発言しました "hi; do あなた remember me?" Christian hid his face in my shoulder and I 発言しました "oh; you're back to usual shyness now!"
We walked down to the parking ガレージ where the SUV was and I buckled Christian into his car シート, 座席 次 to me. As Tim started the car, he 発言しました "your mother's waiting for あなた at the house Michael." I 発言しました "she didn't tell me she was going to come over." James 発言しました "we just assumed that あなた knew that she was going to come over because when we let her inside she was carrying a whole bunch of bags with her." I 発言しました "I want to see her; I just didn't know she was planning on coming over today."
We pulled into the driveway and I carried Christian up to the front door. I took my keys out to unlock the door and when I opened it I noticed the lights were off. I flipped the light switch and all of a sudden a whole bunch of people shouted "welcome home!" Christian immediately started crying and I looked around the room to see my entire family standing there; even my father Joseph!" I tried to soothe Christian によって saying "it's okay; I wasn't expecting that either. Mother looked at Christian sympathetically and asked "what's the matter?" I responded "he's shy mother; あなた know that!" She 発言しました "I'm so sorry Michael; I completely forgot." I whispered "will あなた just get all them out of here? Christian is too shy for all of this right now! This is way too many people to introduce him to at once; we have to slowly do it over time! I don't want him to be overwhelmed." She asked "if I get them to leave can I stay for an hour?" I 発言しました "yes just get them out of here; especially Joseph!!!"
After a few minutes, everyone had left and I followed mother into the living room with Christian in my arms. I looked at the coffee 表, テーブル and noticed two gift bags. I asked "what's all of this mother?" She 発言しました "just a few things I bought for Christian." She took him out of my arms and sat him on her lap with one of the bags. Christian hesitated to open it as I 発言しました "it's okay buddy. Maybe he won't be as scared if he sitting on my lap instead of yours." I took him out of her arms and sat him back down on my lap with the gift. He opened the bag and pulled out a remote-control car." I excitedly 発言しました "wow; look at that!" I grabbed the other bag off the 表, テーブル and he must've taken out at least 30 different ディズニー movies." I 発言しました "he's definitely going to have plenty to watch for a while. Can あなた say thank あなた to grandma?" He whispered "thank you" very quietly and mother responded "you're welcome; I'm glad あなた like them."
I carried Christian into the キッチン and mother 発言しました "I also went grocery shopping for あなた while あなた were gone Michael and I bought supplies for Christian." I 発言しました "thank あなた mother; it's much appreciated!" She 発言しました "you're welcome and if あなた ever need my help for anything don't hesitate to ask." I 発言しました "I should be okay for a few weeks until I have to go back to work. Will あなた watch him during the 日 for me when I do have to go back to work?" She 発言しました "of course I will." I 発言しました "anytime あなた want to come over here あなた can." She 発言しました "I'm sure that I'll be visiting quite often; goodbye Michael." I 発言しました "I 愛 あなた mother" as I shut the door. I turned around to look at Christian sitting on the floor and asked "do あなた want to go see your new room?" He reached for me to grab him and I carried him upstairs.
I opened the bedroom door and Christian was so excited. He 発言しました "Mickey Mouse" and couldn't get out of my arms fast enough. He asked "this is my own room?" I 発言しました "yup; all yours!" He stared at the Mickey マウス mural I painted on one of the walls in his room and I asked "do あなた like it? I painted it just for you!" He 発言しました "yeah; you're a good painter daddy!"
I got him ready for ベッド and 発言しました "I'll go get your 映画 downstairs; so あなた can pick one out to watch tonight." I came back upstairs with the bag of 映画 and dumped them out on the floor. After about 15 minutes, he still seemed undecided; so I 発言しました "or あなた can watch カートゥーン because I have cable hooked up in your room." He 発言しました "yeah; I want to watch cartoons."
I picked him up and put him underneath the covers as I turned the TV on. I knelt down 次 to the ベッド and kissed his forehead. I got up and shut off the light as I was about to walk out of the room. He asked "where are あなた going?" I 発言しました "just to my room right across the hall. All あなた have to do is call my name and I'll be in here faster than あなた could imagine." His eyes started to water and I walked back into the room. I knelt down 次 to the ベッド and asked him "what's wrong?" He 発言しました "I don't want to sleep in here alone! Will あなた please stay with me daddy?" I remembered that there is a ベッド that pulls out from underneath the twin size bed; so I decided to lie on that.
I 発言しました "good night Christian" and he 発言しました "good night daddy; thank you." I asked "for what?" He 発言しました "for giving me 食 every day, my own toys, my room, hugs, kisses, loving me, and for being my daddy!" I had to force back tears as I 発言しました "you don't have to thank me for that! I'm supposed to provide those things for あなた and I do that for あなた because I 愛 you!"
***
I opened my eyes and rolled over. The first thing I saw was Christian rolling right off his ベッド and he landed on my stomach. I groaned in pain and he opened his eyes. He looked around the room and rubbed his eyes. I 発言しました "morning buddy" and he seemed confused as he asked "what happened?" I 発言しました "you fell off your bed. Don't worry; あなた landed on me!" He looked at me and 発言しました "oh; good morning daddy." I yawned as I asked "would あなた like some breakfast?" He responded "yes please" and I picked him up to bring him downstairs.
I brought him into the キッチン and sat him down on the counter as I opened up the fridge. I took out some eggs and milk. I took Christian off of the counter and asked "can あなた go get your sippy cup for daddy?" I chuckled at how adorable he looked as he ran into the living room to go find his cup. A few 分 later, he came back into the キッチン carrying his cup and 発言しました "here あなた go daddy!" I grabbed it from him and 発言しました "thanks Christian."
Before I started to cook the scrambled eggs, I walked into the living room and Christian was climbing on the couch. He sat down and I passed him his cup as I turned the TV on. I went off into the キッチン to make breakfast while he watched Mickey マウス cartoons.
Once the 食 was done, I went back into the living room and picked him up. I brought him to the 表, テーブル and sat down in the chair 次 to him as I passed him his plate. He asked "what are we going to do today daddy?" I asked "what do あなた want to do?" He 発言しました "I don't know." I asked "do あなた want to go swimming in the pool? It's too hot inside and it's really nice outside today." He 発言しました "I'm scared of the water." I 発言しました "you don't have to if あなた don't want to; but I promise あなた that I won't let anything happen." He 発言しました "no; I don't want to." I grabbed his plate and 発言しました "okay then; I'm not going to make you." I washed his face and helped him down from the chair.
Christian walked up to the toy box downstairs in the living room and I sat down 次 to him on the floor. He took a plastic alligator out of the toy box and passed it to me. I asked "do あなた know what animal this is?" He 発言しました "a crocodile" and I responded "no; this is an alligator." He 発言しました "oh an alligator" but instead he pronounced it "aldergater" and that made me laugh. I 発言しました "not aldergater; alligator." He grabbed a bag of dinosaur figurines and dumped it out on the floor. He gave me a dinosaur and I lay down on the floor on my stomach to play with him. The 分 I lie down on the floor, he climbed onto my back and wrapped his arms around my neck. I looked up at him and he gave me a kiss. He 発言しました "I 愛 it here daddy and I 愛 you!" I 発言しました "I 愛 あなた more!"
***
Christian sat on the counter in the キッチン as he watched me start to gather things to prepare ディナー with. I softly sang the alphabet because I have been working on letters and numbers with Christian. He 発言しました "A, B, C, D, E, F, J" and I 発言しました "G; we have to work on this." I picked him up off of the counter and brought him over to the table.
I had cooked a スパゲッティ ディナー and I wasn't prepared for the mess that was involved. He had sauce in his hair, all over his face, all over the 表, テーブル in front of him, and I don't know how he managed to do this; but he got it in my ear! I looked at him and 発言しました "look at this mess!" I picked him up and wiped his face off with a napkin.
I took him upstairs, gave him a bath, and tucked him into bed. He asked "can あなた read me a story?" I 発言しました "sure" and grabbed a book from the bookshelf in his room. After I was done 読書 him a story, I asked "do あなた think あなた can sleep in here によって yourself tonight?" He looked at me and 発言しました "no." I asked "why are あなた afraid to sleep in here によって yourself?" He 発言しました "the monsters will get me!" I smiled and asked "monsters; where?" He pointed to the closet and I walked inside. I 発言しました "I don't see any monsters in here" and he 発言しました "under my bed!" I walked out of the closet and knelt down to look underneath his bed. I 発言しました "I don't see anything under here either Christian." I stood up and 発言しました "I promise there's no monsters in your room. If あなた find any then I'll beat them up for you; okay?"
He reached out for me to hug him and I 発言しました "I'm just going to be in my room! All あなた have to do is call for daddy and I'll hear you! I just can't keep sleeping on that little ベッド on the floor because it's going to end up hurting my back." I gave him a キッス and a hug before turning on the TV. I shut off the light and 発言しました "night – night buddy; see あなた in the morning."
I walked into my bedroom and climbed into my huge king-sized bed. I looked out the doorway and into Christian's room. He was already fast asleep and I have to say that it feels weird not having him in the same room as me. I walked back into his room because he was rolling out of the ベッド again and I had to catch him. I covered him back up with the blankets and kissed his cheek before I made my way back into my bedroom.
***
There was a knock at the front door while Christian and I were eating breakfast. I answered it and saw that it was my mother. I offered her some 食 and she agreed to sit down and eat with us. She asked "how are あなた adjusting to fatherhood Michael?" I 発言しました "I 愛 it! We've established a routine and I think he's pretty used to waking up and having me be there. I finally got him to sleep in his own bed." She 発言しました "that's great Michael; did あなた find out when you're going back to work yet?" I 発言しました "in about a week; I'll make sure I call あなた ahead of time."
Mother helped me clear the 表, テーブル and Christian went off into the living room to play. While the two of us were washing dishes, I 発言しました "I'm glad あなた came over today because I think it's a good idea to start getting Christian used to being around you. I don't want him to be scared to be with あなた when あなた have to watch him during the 日 while I'm working." She 発言しました "I agree with あなた Michael; it's probably a good idea to get him used to me while you're here so he will be less afraid."
Mother and I went into the living room and sat down 次 to Christian on the floor. He immediately climbed into my lap and I suggested "do あなた want to sit in grandma's lap?" He looked at her and then at me because he didn't know what to think. Mother reached out her hands to grab him and 発言しました "it's okay; I'm not going to do anything to you." He slowly let her put him on her lap.
I smiled and 発言しました "maybe I should tell grandma your secret!" He smiled and I whispered "his feet are ticklish." She tickled his feet and he started hysterically laughing. I tickled his other foot and 発言しました "uh-oh; now あなた have two people that know you're ticklish!" He shrieked with laughter as he forced out the words "stop it." I 発言しました "give grandma a キッス and we'll stop!" I was shocked beyond belief that he actually kissed her because I thought it would take a lot もっと見る time to get him warmed up enough to her for him to do that.
I grabbed Christian off of her lap and we went into the kitchen. I took his sippy cup off the counter and gave it to him. Mother looked at her watch and 発言しました "I'm supposed to meet up with your brother's for lunch; would あなた like to come?" I thought about it for a 秒 and 発言しました "no; I think that will be too many people for Christian to meet at one time; but could あなた tell them that they should stop によって one at a time over the 次 week?" She 発言しました "I can try to tell them; but あなた know that they don't listen to me most of the time Michael." I 発言しました "I know mother; あなた don't have to tell them if あなた don't want to. I know anything to do with me has to be with money または else they don't want any part of it. He'll meet them eventually; but I'm not going to pay them to come over here! Basically that's what will happen because it soon as they come over here they're going to tell me that they need money for something." She 発言しました "I'll tell them that if they do decide to come over あなた don't want to be askied for any money! I didn't raise them to be like that Michael. I'll insist that they come over here at least for a few 分 to meet Christian. Before I forget; what are あなた working on 次 since the tour is over?" I 発言しました "filming for my 'moonwalker' starts soon!" She 発言しました "that's good; あなた must be really excited! I know あなた can morning to get もっと見る involved with 芝居 and producing. I can't wait to see it!"
***
I was downstairs going over the rough copy of the script for my "Moonwalker" movie when I heard Christian walking downstairs and looked over at him. I 発言しました "good morning Christian" and went into the living room to turn the TV on for him. I was about to walk back into the キッチン when Christian followed behind me. He sat down 次 to me at the 表, テーブル and asked "what's that?" I 発言しました "this is for my job and I have to read it." He asked "what's your job daddy?" I 発言しました "I usually sing; but I'm going to be in my own movie!" He 発言しました "that's cool; I can't wait to see あなた do your job!" I 発言しました "I will let あなた go with me one of the days when I'm not so busy; but you're going to be staying here with grandma a lot of the time while I'm working."
I couldn't really tell; but I don't think he like the idea of that because he walked out of the キッチン and into the living room without saying a word to me. I closed the script and followed him into the living room. I sat down 次 to him on the ソファー, ソファ and 発言しました "don't worry; I don't have to look for another week." He smiled after that and started watching cartoons.
