Chapter 7

January 13, 2000,

I was hanging out with dad in his recording studio at the ranch. He paused the track that he was working on and had the chef bring us some food. The chef knocked on the door and dad let him inside. He brought us each an egg সালাদ স্যান্ডউইচ and went back to the main house. Dad came over and sat down across from me at the small টেবিল that was there.

I ব্যক্ত "daddy I want to be just like আপনি when I grow up!" He asked "you do? In what way do আপনি want to be like me?" I ব্যক্ত "well; I want to be a singer and a dancer who is famous just like you!" He ব্যক্ত "yeah; it can be awesome but; there are a lot of hard things that go along with it!" I asked "like what?" He ব্যক্ত "I don't want to say too much right now because you're still too young to understand but; I will say that there are a lot of sneaky people out there that will take advantage of what আপনি do!" I ব্যক্ত "I also want to be a good person like আপনি are and give money to people in need!" He ব্যক্ত "you need to make sure that আপনি always put others before yourself." I ব্যক্ত "I will try not to be selfish!"

I remember that দিন like it was yesterday, I remember just staring at dad as he stood in the sound booth recording a song. I think the song he was recording was "butterflies." I just thought of how cool and amazing dad was in that moment. I knew that that was exactly what I wanted to do for a career. I also know that there is no possible way that dad is going to let me become a musician before my childhood is over so; I'll have to wait quite a few years before I get my chance in the spotlight. I'm fine with that right now because I'm enjoying being a kid. If and when dad does give me the chance to prove myself as a valid artist… I don't think I could've ended up with a better mentor than my dad himself because he's been doing this for years!

January 31, 2000,

Dad was just walking through the door after having a meeting about when to launch his new album "invincible." Grace, Prince, and Paris were in the living room when dad asked "where's AJ at?" Grace ব্যক্ত "I think she's upstairs in her room." He walked upstairs and into my bedroom. I was sitting on the বিছানা looking down and ব্যক্ত "oh no daddy!" He asked "what's wrong sweetheart?" I ব্যক্ত frantically "I brush my teeth every দিন I promise!" He asked with a puzzled look on his face "what are আপনি talking about?" I looked up at him and smiled. One of my teeth had fallen out and dad ব্যক্ত "that's okay; they're supposed to fall out!" I asked "they are?" He ব্যক্ত "yes; they fall out so your adult ones can come in. After those come in; if they start to fall out then আপনি can worry!" I ব্যক্ত "I can put it under my বালিশ and the tooth fairy will come!"

Later that night that's exactly what I did and when I woke up in the morning there was five dollars under my pillow. I was so excited that I kept trying to make my other teeth fall out so I could get the money faster. Dad was laughing so hard because I even tried to tie a string around my tooth and pull it out দ্বারা slamming a door on the string!

February 10, 2000,

Yesterday we flew all the way to Monte Carlo because dad is accepting an award at the world সঙ্গীত awards. We plan on staying here at least a week because Prince's third birthday is only a few days away. Dad rented সৈকত house and if আপনি look out the window আপনি can see the most perfect view of the beach.

Dad was getting ready to leave to go to the award প্রদর্শনী and I walked into his bedroom to talk to him. I asked "can I go with আপনি daddy?" He ব্যক্ত "no I'm sorry আপনি can't because they don't allow kids there." I ব্যক্ত "but; I haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with আপনি because you've been working on your new album!" He ব্যক্ত "I know and am sorry it has to be that way! Since we're here it will kind of be like a vacation from me working! I promise as soon as I get back we will all do something together!"

Later on, Prince, Paris, and I watched dad except the artist of the millennium award on TV. দ্বারা the time he got back I had already fallen asleep. Dad smiled as he looked at Prince and I peacefully hugging each other in our sleep. He chuckled as he stared at me wearing my SpongeBob SquarePants slippers and Prince wearing my old Spiderman slippers. He kissed my head and my eyes opened slightly. He whispered "good night AJ; I প্রণয় you." I closed my eyes and Prince rested his head on my shoulder.

February 13, 2000,

I woke up this morning and Paris was jumping on my বিছানা saying "AJ!" I got up and looked around at dad sitting on the floor. I asked "where's Prince daddy?" He ব্যক্ত "I'm just waiting for him to wake up. Don't forget that today is his third birthday." I ব্যক্ত "I won't; I can't believe he's three already!" He ব্যক্ত "yeah I know; all my শিশুরা are growing up way too fast!"

Prince came running into the room and the three of us ব্যক্ত "happy birthday Prince!" I laughed because his hair was sticking up all over the place. Prince walked over to me and gave me a kiss. Dad asked "Prince, what আপনি want to do today, I didn't have time to plan anything!" Prince ব্যক্ত "I want to go down to the beach!" Dad ব্যক্ত "yeah, we can do that! As soon as we get back to the ranch we can have a real party for you!"

I got dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of swim trunks. As we were coming down the stairs grace ব্যক্ত "I will watch Paris for আপনি Michael, so আপনি can spend time with them without having to worry about her running off!" Dad ব্যক্ত "thank you; I don't want her getting sand in her eyes either." He passed Paris to her and I grabbed some সৈকত toys.

Prince, dad, and I walked down to the সৈকত and sat in the sand. Dad started to build a sand দুর্গ and decided to help him. After a few মিনিট though my ADHD kicked in and I didn't have any interest in it anymore. Dad ব্যক্ত "hey; do আপনি guys want to bury me with sand." I got excited and ব্যক্ত "yeah!!!" He laid down in the sand and Prince and I covered him with sand all the way up to his neck. His toes were the only thing that wasn't covered in sand and he started to poke me with them. Then dad ব্যক্ত "okay; I think that's enough! Hang on I don't think I can get up. I'm stuck!!! আপনি buried me too well!" I ব্যক্ত laughing "yeah right daddy! It's only sand!" He started to laugh and ব্যক্ত "I'm not joking; I really am stuck!" I ব্যক্ত as I grabbed Prince's arm and ব্যক্ত "come on Prince; let's go back to the house!" Dad ব্যক্ত as we walked away "wait AJ; আপনি can't just leave me here stuck in the sand!"

Prince and I walked through the front door the সৈকত house and Grace asked "where's your dad?" I ব্যক্ত "we buried him up to his neck in sand and now he says that he stuck but; I think he's joking!" Grace looked out the window and started cracking up. She ব্যক্ত "oh my God; the tide is getting worse! I don't think he's joking! He would've gotten up দ্বারা now because the water is getting closer to him!" She ran out and helped him get up out of the sand and I was laughing the entire time!

After dad and her got back inside, dad ব্যক্ত while laughing "thanks for leaving me down there AJ!" I ব্যক্ত "sorry daddy, I really thought আপনি were joking!" He ব্যক্ত as he picked up Prince "that's okay; I was laughing the whole time, hoping that someone would come along and rescue me before the water got too close!" Grace pointed down and ব্যক্ত "umm, Michael!" He looked down and there was a piece of seaweed wrapped around his foot. We all started laughing and he ব্যক্ত "I probably would've been walking around with that wrapped around my foot all দিন if আপনি didn't say anything!"

April 22, 2000,

I think dad has been feeling a little overwhelmed lately. With me age 6, Prince age 3, and Paris age two. Other than working on his album "invincible" he has been spending a lot of time with us without Grace there because he wants to be the parent that his father never was to him.

We were in dad's library/office and Prince walked over to the chess set and ব্যক্ত "I want to play this!" Dad ব্যক্ত as he pretended to teach him the rules "I don't think আপনি really understand it but; we can just play with the pieces." I walked over and sat পরবর্তি to dad. Prince and Paris were sitting across from us on the other bench. Prince ব্যক্ত "daddy, I see a baby" dad asked "where?" Prince ব্যক্ত "right here" as he passed dad one of the স্বর্ণ chess pieces that was shaped like a baby. Dad ব্যক্ত "let me see" as he took it from him and placed it on the table. Dad asked "Prince; what আপনি want to do today?" As Prince reached for another piece, he ব্যক্ত "I'm going to go to school today!" Dad asked "you are? What do আপনি learn in school?" Prince ব্যক্ত "I learned my ABCs!" Dad asked "you did? Can আপনি sing them? Prince sang a disorganized scrambled version of ABCs and dad ব্যক্ত "very good আপেল head!" I climbed onto dad's lap and dad asked "do আপনি learn anything else in school?" Prince ব্যক্ত while looking down at the tower shaped piece "no." Dad asked "really? আপনি don't learn anything about geography, north, west, south, east?" Prince ব্যক্ত "the sun goes to the east and then to the West!" Prince looked at the tower piece again and ব্যক্ত "daddy I like this Castle!" Dad ব্যক্ত "me too! Do আপনি think we could fit in there?" Prince ব্যক্ত "no; it's too small! We need it!"

Dad asked as he got up "Paris; what do আপনি want to do?" Paris just looked at him and didn't say a word. Prince asked "Paris; do আপনি want to play a game?" I ব্যক্ত "daddy I want to go somewhere!" He ব্যক্ত "if it was just me and আপনি we could go somewhere but; I don't think I can handle going somewhere with all three of আপনি দ্বারা myself." I ব্যক্ত "I want to go to the চলচ্চিত্র with আপনি and Prince." He ব্যক্ত as he knelt down to my level "I know আপনি do and the first chance I get the three of us will go; I promise!" I ব্যক্ত "I wonder if the সেকেন্ড toy story movie is still in theaters?" He ব্যক্ত "it might be but; I doubt it. That came out around Thanksgiving and I don't think it will still be there!" I ব্যক্ত "that's too bad because I really wanted to see that movie. When it comes out on DVD আপনি have to go get it so we can watch it together!" He ব্যক্ত "listen; Grace will be back পরবর্তি week so until then we have to hang around here. I promise আপনি that I'm going to make it fun for all of us!"

If আপনি haven't noticed; dad has been giving Grace a lot of time off lately because her sister has cancer and isn't doing very well. She had a long time where she was doing pretty good but, in these last few months her health has taken a turn for the worst! As আপনি can imagine; dad feels absolutely terrible about the whole situation and wants to help out as much is possible! Grace needs to be with her sister just in case she doesn't make it because grace is the only one who can decide whether অথবা not to resuscitate her sister if her হৃদয় stops. Her sister has told her that there if her হৃদয় does stop she doesn't want to be brought back to life. Dad even told Grace that he would pay for the medical bills so; her sister has everything that she needs." Even though dad ব্যক্ত she will be back পরবর্তি week; I think it's going to be at least a মাস before she is back! I don't mind that though because dad in my opinion does a better job taking care of us. Not that Grace doesn't do a good job because she does but; let's face it, dad is just আরো laid-back and fun to be around! I'm definitely looking অগ্রবর্তী to this time with him!

April 23, 2000,

I woke up this morning and realized that today was a Monday. I have to work on my school work today and this will be the first time that dad will have to help me with it since I started school last year. I technically should be in the first grade now but; I'm really advanced for my age! I actually do school work at a সেকেন্ড grade level in all my classes. I used to just be ahead in পাঠ করা but; now I've gained skills to do everything before my time. It just so happens that two days পূর্বে Grace started teaching me multiplication before she left. I'm curious to see how dad handles pretty much playing teacher and taking care of my younger siblings.

I walked downstairs with a packet of worksheets that Grace have put together for me to do while she's gone. Normally, I would just do five worksheets in my school book without even having to tell anyone that I was doing them. I would just go in order দিন দ্বারা দিন until the entire book was finished but; since I'm just learning about multiplication it will be easier for dad to teach me this way. I think it's going to be funny because he hasn't had to do multiplication in years অথবা any other type of school work.

I put packet down on the টেবিল and dad came downstairs. It was about 8 o'clock in the morning and dad wanted to help me with my school work a few hours before Prince and Paris wake up because he wants it to be quite enough for me to think. While I was waiting for him to get settled in I filled out the multiplication problems that had obvious answers. Like 8×0 অথবা 1×1, I really didn't have to think too much about those.

Dad came over and sat পরবর্তি to me at the table. He asked "how's it going? Do আপনি need my help with anything?" I ব্যক্ত "no; I'm fine right now." He watched as I wrote eight underneath the problem 6×4. He ব্যক্ত "wait up; that's not right. Look at it again AJ. I asked puzzled "are আপনি sure it's not right? It looks right to me!" He ব্যক্ত "think about it. What's 6+6?" I ব্যক্ত "what are আপনি talking about? This is multiplication not the addition." He ব্যক্ত "just answer the question; trust me I know what I'm doing." I ব্যক্ত "6+6 = 12." He asked "so we already know the answer isn't eight! So if there's four sixes in the problem that means there's two 12's." I ব্যক্ত "oh I get what আপনি saying now!" He asked "so what's 12+12?" I counted on my fingers and ব্যক্ত "24!" He got rid of the eight that I originally wrote on the paper and ব্যক্ত "then that's your answer!"

May 9, 2000,

I got up this morning and ran downstairs full of energy. Dad was just waking up and still rubbing his eyes. I ran up to him and gave him a hug. Soon after, Prince had woke up and came downstairs with Paris holding his hand. Dad ব্যক্ত "good morning আপনি guys." I asked "what are we going to do today?" He ব্যক্ত "I have a lot of stuff planned since আপনি don't have to do school work today!" I প্রণয় it when it's just dad, me, and my siblings because dad cuts me a little slack. Whereas if it was Grace she jumps at any chance when I mess up."

After breakfast, dad ব্যক্ত "I want আপনি to go get dressed because were going somewhere!" I asked "we are? Where are we going?" He ব্যক্ত "I can't to আপনি because it's a surprise!" I ran upstairs and got dressed as quickly as I possibly could. Then all four of us shuffled into the SUV and one of the bodyguards drove us somewhere. I quickly put my mask on and was dying to see where we were.

I opened up the door and saw that we were at the movie theater. He ব্যক্ত "I think you're going to be excited AJ" I asked "why?" We walked over to the building with dad holding Prince and Paris's hands. He looked up and pointed to one of the framed movie posters hanging on the wall. It was the সেকেন্ড toy story movie and underneath it, it ব্যক্ত now playing. I ব্যক্ত "no way daddy! I definitely thought it wouldn't be in theaters anymore!" He ব্যক্ত "it's the very last showing; so we have to hurry up because we don't want to miss it." I hugged dad and ব্যক্ত "thank আপনি so much daddy!" He ব্যক্ত "you're welcome sweetheart."

After the movie was over, we went প্রথমপাতা and hung out together. All of us were in the play room and dad was watching us. Prince and Paris started fighting over a toy and dad got up to break it up. He ব্যক্ত "Prince, Paris had it first!" Prince ব্যক্ত "no; I did!" Dad ব্যক্ত "Prince I was watching আপনি guys the entire time, I know who had it first." Prince angularly through the toy on the floor and started to cry. Dad ব্যক্ত "I don't want to hear it Prince; that's enough." He kept crying for no reason and dad asked "do আপনি want to go stand in the corner?" Prince ব্যক্ত "no!" Dad ব্যক্ত "well; then that's enough!" Prince quickly quieted himself and started playing with something else.

When we sat down for dinner, dad ব্যক্ত grace and we started to eat. আপনি could definitely tell that dad was exhausted but; still had a few hours before it was time for us to go to bed. Dad ব্যক্ত "Alanna; I can't believe how well behaved you've been these past few days, I'm so proud of you!" All the sudden dad had a worried look on his face. I asked "what's wrong daddy?" He ব্যক্ত "I just realized that I have to give Prince and Paris a bath দ্বারা myself. I'm so tired, that's going to take everything out of me!" I ব্যক্ত "well I could help you!" He ব্যক্ত "yeah I guess now that আপনি little bit older আপনি can help."

About 45 মিনিট later, I helped dad wash Paris his hair while he washed princes. Then we walked downstairs and sat on the পালঙ্ক in the living room. I had already taken a ঝরনা before we had dinner. I was dressed in SpongeBob SquarePants pajamas with the matching slippers. My short boyish haircut was sticking up all over the place because it was still wet. Paris was wearing a সিন্ড্রেলা night শার্ট and পরাকাষ্ঠা pants, with the ডিজনি princesses on the front. Prince was wearing my old পছন্দ Spiderman pajamas, even though he had plenty of new Spiderman pajamas of his own. I don't blame him though because when I was three that was my পছন্দ Pajamas also. We all slept downstairs on a big blowup mattress, eating ভুট্টার খই and watching movies. These are the memories that I'll never forget!

November 4, 2000,

Unfortunately, dad got a call from Grace and her sister passed away last night. She asked dad if he would mind if she didn't come back to work until the first of the year. He ended up agreeing with her because he felt terrible but; I don't think he knows what he's getting himself into. Prince is getting to the age where he likes to argue, especially with me! I think he doesn't like the fact that I'm older than he is. I get to stay up a ঘন্টা later than he does and for the most part I am allowed to be outside দ্বারা myself as long as I'm somewhere dad can see me through the window. I think it bothers Prince that I'm allowed to do stuff that he isn't allowed to do yet.



Dad was in his recording studio and I was with him. He had just put Prince and Paris down for a nap about 20 মিনিট ago. He was putting a few last-minute touches on his new album "invincible" and I was one of the only people that got to hear it before anyone else. I just stared at him with a big smile on my face as he saying into the microphone in the sound booth. He was recording "butterflies" and I am so amazed দ্বারা his voice.

I ব্যক্ত as dad shut the door "how old do I have to be to be a celebrity like you?" He ব্যক্ত "I want আপনি to wait until your 18 before আপনি decide that that's what আপনি want to do with your life!" I looked down at the floor, clearly disappointed দ্বারা his answer. He sat down in a chair and ব্যক্ত "come here AJ." He ব্যক্ত "I'll make a deal with you; if something were to happen to me I will make sure that someone signs আপনি to my record label. I'm not saying that anything will happen before আপনি turn 18 but, I promise if something does; আপনি can have your chance in the spotlight." I asked "when did আপনি know that আপনি wanted to be a famous singer?" He ব্যক্ত "I was right around your age." I ব্যক্ত "daddy I wish আপনি knew how bad I want to do this. আপনি have no clue!" He ব্যক্ত "I completely understand how আপনি feel because I felt the same আপনি when I was your age! I truly believe they আপনি want to be famous one দিন but; I want আপনি to have a childhood. Something I never got growing up!" Once আপনি turn 18, everything is up to you. And I'll be there to help আপনি as much as I can!"