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Chapter 18

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Prince asks as we sit in the living room in silence. I look up from my trance and wait for my vision to refocus before answering him.

"I—I don't know. I have no words. I don't know what to say." I explain and mean every word. I have never been so anxious in my life. So nervous. I get to meet Michael Jackson. I get to meet my father.

"Well, we don't know when he will be home. We don't have permission to talk to him." Katherine explains and my mouth drops unwillingly.

"Why?" I ask and she sits up. "Because," she blinks several times before sighing and explaining. "It's too dangerous for him." 

"Exposure," I say and she nods. "Of course." I roll my eyes and throw my body back at the couch.

"Sweetie, it just takes a little patience."

"That's not what I'm worried about." I say and press my palm to my forehead. "Then what is it, babe?" Joseph asks and I shake my head. I stand from the couch and walk to the front door.

"I need some air." I say and step outside.

As I take a seat on the door step, I hear the door open. I almost assume that it's Paris, but I'm mentally corrected when Blanket takes a seat next to me.

"It's a lot, huh?" he asks and I nod and sigh. "I've never felt so. . ." I drift off, trying to find the right word to say. "Anticipated?" Blanket suggests and I look at him. "Yeah." I nod and smile. I look back out to the beautiful front yard just as he does.

"What's he like?" I ask and rest my head on my forearms which are folded across my knees.

"Normal," Blanket says and I stay silent, waiting for him to say more. "He's not this big hot shot like everyone thinks."

"I know," I say before he can continue. "you've told me all this stuff before. But what is he really like?" Blanket looks down at the sidewalk, then out in the street as he answers.

"He's a great dad. The best dad you could ask for. He always helped us with homework and he listened to us when we needed to talk. He's just an all around dad. And just because he's famous doesn't make any of his parenting skills less than that of a regular parent. If anything, he's a better parent than normal people." he explains and I smile. That was the explanation I have been dying to hear. "He also sang us to sleep sometimes."

"Really?" I ask and turn to him. He smiles at me and nods. "Yeah. It helped me sleep better. Every time he did, I'd always have dreams that I grew up and became just like him." I smile the widest smile and lean against him. "The next Michael."

"I'm sure you will someday." I say and he shakes his head and smiles. "Nobody could ever be as good as him." he says and I look down at the neatly paved sidewalk. "You're the next best thing, in my opinion." I say and he wraps his arm around me in a side hug.

When he pulls away, I look at him. "What's she like?" Blanket asks. "Mom?" I half smile and turn away from him. I never expected him to ask me about our mother. I never thought he'd be interested in knowing, considering he never got to see her.

"Just your average mom, I guess. Does laundry, cooks, helps with homework sometimes." I joke and he laughs. I can feel his eyes on me, though I'm not looking at him. "She's really supportive and loving. She's kind and. . .she's just amazing." I say and smile at the thought of her. I hadn't replied to any of her text messages or calls since last night. She must be a little worried. I figured I'd talk to her when I'm done with my conversation with Blanket. I know she'll understand.

"She sounds awesome." Blanket says and I nod. "So does dad." I say.

"Sometimes I wish we could trade lives so that we'd know more about our other parent." I say and Blanket smiles. "I never thought of it that way." he says. We turn around simultaneously when the front door clicks open and Prince and Paris step out into the sunlight.

"What'cha guys talkin' about?" Paris asks as she sits next to me. "Mom." I say and point to Blanket. "Dad." Blanket says and points to me. "Ah." Paris says and looks at Prince.

"Well, I think we should get our minds off of things for a while and spend some sibling bonding time together. What do you guys think?" Prince suggests, spinning car keys around his index finger then catching them in the palm of his hand. My face glows as I smile. I look to Paris and Blanket and they half nod, half shrug.

"Sight-seeing and ice cream," Prince says with a smile. "On me." I stand quickly after him followed by Paris and Blanket. We walk to Prince's car and I gape at the sight. "Don't say a word." Prince teases and I zip my lips with my index finger and thumb pressed together. When we are all in the car, Prince backs out of the driveway and pulls into the city.

The beauty of all the lights and people mesmerizes me and I forget about everything for a while.