Call Me "Daddy"

Chapter One

February 1988

The weather was a bit cold as I stepped out into the world, and I had my favorite red jacket on. Average February weather, nothing out of the ordinary.

The drive to the orphanage was a comfortable silence, I think everybody knew not to talk to me in my exhilarated state. I tend to drone when excited.

I almost sprinted to the door, but I remembered the body guards. Why did they have to be so slow?

"Remember Michael. ONE kid. I'll be out here talking to some people." Frank told me.

"Okay, one kid."

I walked into the orphanage. Frank must have called earlier to tell them to make reservation for me, because all of the children were dressed very nicely, girls with their hair pulled up in ribbon and boys with their hair slicked back.

"Boys and Girls, this is Mr. Jackson. He's our special visitor today. Please be on your best behavior." She turned to me. "I know you can't adopt them all, but please give them your autograph. They need something to enlighten them."

After talking and playing with all of the children, I couldn't decide which one I wanted. They were all so sweet and beautiful.

"Mr. Jackson, I do need to inform you, this isn't all of the kids. We have two upstairs."

"Why didn't they come down?"

"I think she's scared. Eileen has been through a lot for a kid her age. And Stevie  doesn't want to leave her sister, even if it means losing a chance to meet her favorite singer."

"Can I go up there to see them?"

"Of course! Third door to the left."

I ran up to see them. I knocked the third door on the left. "Come in!" I heard a little voice say.

"Hi Michael Jackson! I'm your biggest fan." The little girl said proudly.

I laughed. "Hi sweetheart. What's your name?"

"My name is Stevanna, but you can call me Stevie." She had green eyes and an even brighter smile.

"So tell me about yourself, Stevie."

"Well, I'm six years old. I have a big sister who's eleven. I don't know what her name is today though. She doesn't like to be called Eileen, even though that's her real name. Yesterday, her name was Heather. I like superheroes.  Batman is the coolest, I think. And I also read a lot. I read my sister's old books. Right now she's reading The Scarlett Letter and I want to read it when she finishes, but she says I won't understand it."

I laughed. "I doubt you will, honey. Where is your sister?"

"She's under the bed. She works in the secret service so she likes to practice when she isn't at work. Hi, sissy!" She waved under the bed, queuing Eileen, presumably, to roll from under the bed.

"Hi." She said, standing up. She had the same eyes as her sister, but I could tell she wasn't the smiling type.

"Eileen? I'm Michael."

"I know who you are. And that's not my name. It's Elizabeth. Nice to meet you though. I hear you're adopting today, good luck. I hope you have a great life."

"Um, thank you. But what makes you think I don't want to adopt you?"

"A few reasons, actually. We come as a group. If you adopt one of us, you have to adopt us both. Most people don't want to do that... Plus, we've been adopted three times. They never like us. They return us, makes me feel like property."  There is a lot of truth in what she was saying. I could never imagine, finally finding a family, then having them decide they don't want you anymore.