My phone rang and I answered it. It was my manager Frank and he कहा "I have some bad news Michael; I can't get आप on a flight back to California until two days after your concert." I कहा "that's fine Frank; I don't mind. It'll give me some time to visit some of the orphanages here in London!" Frank कहा "I hope you're excited to have two months off Michael! I know how much आप hate touring; but eight और shows after your break until it's over." I कहा "I know; I'm just looking आगे to getting settled back in at Neverland! Alright; I've got to get some sleep." Frank कहा "sorry for keeping आप up Michael; Rest up for your संगीत कार्यक्रम tomorrow."

***

I woke up and looked at the alarm clock अगला to the बिस्तर and noticed that it was 9 AM. I sat up on the edge of the बिस्तर and rubbed my eyes; before picking out something to wear for the day. I opened up the door to my hotel room and went अगला door to wake up my bodyguards. They opened the door and were already waiting for me to arrive there. James asked "where would आप like to go today Mr. Jackson?" I looked at my other bodyguard Tim and asked "did आप find an orphanage for me to visit?" He कहा "yes I did Sir and it's called 'Angels awaiting love.’" I कहा "okay; I would like to go there right now please. Did आप pick up the coloring पुस्तकें and crayons that I want to pass out to the children at the orphanage?" James कहा "yes we did Sir; we picked them up about 15 मिनटों पूर्व when the toy store opened." I कहा "I can't wait to bring some joy to children in need!"

About a half घंटा later, we arrived in front of a small house with a sign that read "Angels awaiting प्यार orphanage” and I कहा "I don't think I'm going to need आप guys to go inside with me; so just wait out here in the car. I'll come get आप if I need आप for anything." They both कहा in unison "okay Michael; we'll be here!" I got out of the car and couldn't help but look at how pathetic the state of this orphanage was. All the घास was practically dead and the toys looked like they were purchased 35 years ago!

I knocked on the door and a woman answered it. She looked to be about 40 years old and has red curly hair that goes down to her shoulders. She was stunned as she कहा "oh my God; you're Michael Jackson!" I smiled and कहा "yes I am." She asked "why are आप here if आप don't mind me asking?" I responded "oh; I'm not able to leave to go back to California until tomorrow and I thought it would be a good idea to visit an orphanage. May I come in?" She कहा "of course आप can Mr. Jackson; my name is Rosemary." I shook her hand and कहा "nice to meet you; आप can call me Michael!"

I followed her inside and saw a whole bunch of older children playing board games. I knelt down in front of them and one of them कहा "you're Michael Jackson!" I gave each of them a coloring book and crayons as I कहा "yes I am; it's nice to meet you! I signed each of their coloring पुस्तकें and stood back up. I suggested "I would प्यार for आप to give me a tour!" Rosemary कहा "sure thing Michael; anything for you!"

The two of us went upstairs and passed द्वारा five empty bedrooms with four beds inside each of them. I asked "where are the other children?" She कहा "the four children downstairs are the only ones that haven't been adopted yet. There is one और child; but he's really shy and I don't think you'll be seeing him today. I can try to find out where he is." I followed her into the last bedroom at the end of the hallway and she कहा "well; he must be hiding." I कहा "okay then; if he's shy I don't want to frighten him द्वारा being in here.

The सेकंड I कहा those words a toddler came up to me and reached for me to pick him up. I lifted him up into my arms and कहा "hi there!" Rosemary's mouth dropped open and she कहा "wow; I can't believe he let आप pick him up! I can't believe he wanted आप to pick him up! He normally doesn't want anything to do with me because I think his mother had a negative effect on him. He's terrified of all females. We've never really had a man come here before unless he is the father of a child that is going to be adopted from the orphanage." I asked "what's his name?" She कहा "his name is Christian." I asked "how old is he?" She कहा "he's two and a half as of last week." I कहा "you're a cutie!"

I went to put him down on the ground; but he didn't want to let go. I picked him back up and कहा "I guess I can hold आप for a few और minutes!" He rested his head on my shoulder and Rosemary कहा "he's been at the orphanage for a महीना now and I can honestly say that I've never seen him like this before! I've been having such a hard time finding him a foster घर because of how shy he is and his fear of women! The only option I have right now is to keep him here with the older children and hope that his mother puts her life back on track within the अगला two months; so she can have custody of him again."

She looked at me as I walked back and forth with him in my arms and patted his back. She had a suspicious gleam in her eye and I asked "what?" She excitedly asked "will आप take him back to the states with you; just until I can find him a home?" I was hesitant at first and कहा "I've never really looked after a child before." She कहा "but you're so good with him Michael; please? Maybe a little time in a घर setting will break him out of his shyness! He's also terrified of pretty much anything. The other children take up a lot of my time and I won't be able to give him the attention that he needs!"

I looked down at him as he stared at me with his deep brown eyes and कहा "alright; आप got me! I'll foster him until आप can find him a home." Rosemary कहा "thank you, thank you, thank आप Michael! I'll go get the paperwork and then आप can take him with you! She came back into the room with a HUGE stack of paper and कहा "all आप have to do is fill this stuff out and then आप can leave." My eyes widened and I sighed as I कहा "this is going to take a while!!!"

I sat there for over an घंटा and a half filling out the paperwork and Christian was on my lap the entire time; patiently observing what I was doing. When I finally reached the last page, Rosemary कहा "just sign your name on that dotted line and you're done!" I scribbled my signature at the bottom of the page and passed the pile of papers back to her. I stood up with Christian in my arms and Rosemary कहा "thank आप so much Michael! I'll start looking for potential adoptive families immediately!" She hugged me and I कहा "no problem; the two of us will have fun together!" Rosemary stroked Christian’s head and कहा "you be good for Michael okay!"

I walked out to the car with Christian in my arms and I could tell my bodyguards were not amused. I got into the back सीट and buckled Christian onto my lap because there wasn't a car सीट for him. Tim asked "who's this Michael?" I responded "this is Christian! I'm going to foster him until the woman who owns the orphanage can find him an adequate home." Both Tim and James had worried expressions on their faces and I कहा "I'd like to go back to the hotel now; if आप don't mind." James started the car and the ride back to the hotel was awkwardly silent.

As we pulled up in front of the hotel, a gigantic crowd of प्रशंसकों was waiting to greet me and I didn't know how Christian was going to react to them. I hid his face inside my जैकेट and Tim practically had to drag me through the crowd because the प्रशंसकों were being so pushy. Thankfully, I rented out the whole सेकंड floor of the hotel so I wouldn't get interrupted द्वारा प्रशंसकों and we snuck into the elevator before anyone noticed us. I looked at Christian and he looked at me as he started to shake. He started crying and I felt terrible that he was so scared. I कहा "it's okay buddy!!! We're सुरक्षित now!"

We made it up to the hotel rooms and I took Christian into my master suite while the bodyguards went to their room अगला door. As I walked into the room, my manager Frank was sitting there and कहा "hi Michael; who is this?" I कहा "this is Christian; I met him at the orphanage and I'm going to foster him until he's matched with a family." Frank whispered "are आप crazy Michael? What were आप thinking?" I kind of expected that kind of reaction from Frank and asked "can we talk about this later tonight; after he goes to bed? I just don't want to end up arguing in front of him because he's been through a lot and I don't think that would be good for him!" Frank walked out of the room and कहा "fine Michael; but this isn't over!"

I shut the door behind him and looked at Christian who was still sobbing in my arms. I कहा sympathetically "it's okay; we don't have to worry about those loud प्रशंसकों anymore!" I went over to the रसोई, रसोईघर area and asked "would आप like some juice?" He just looked at me and didn't say a thing. I कहा "I'll take that as a yes then!" I took some सेब रस out of the fridge and poured it into a glass. I set the glass down on the तालिका, टेबल and tried to sit Christian in a chair; but he still didn't want to let go of me. I sat down in the chair with him on my lap as he struggled to pick up the glass. I picked it up for him and let him take a sip from it as I कहा "there आप go little guy!"

I asked "what do आप want to do?" He didn't say anything again and I asked "you don't talk much do you?" I took him over to the सोफ़ा, सोफे and कहा "I bet you'd like to watch cartoons!" I turned the TV on and put it on "Tom and Jerry." He was perfectly content watching कार्टून on my lap; but I don't think he was used to having someone who would give him their full attention. I laughed at the different scenes in the कार्टून and looked down as Christian started playing with my fingers. I smiled as I asked "are आप having fun?" He immediately stopped and I कहा "that's okay; it doesn't bother me!" I gripped his tiny little hands in mine and he leaned his head on my shoulder.

After about two hours of watching cartoons, I कहा "uh – oh; I think it's time for me to learn how to change a diaper." I went अगला door to the hotel room and asked Tim "will आप run to the store and get some things for me?" He कहा "yeah Michael; what do आप need?" I कहा "sippy cups, diapers, wipes, a few pairs of pajamas for toddler boys, and an outfit for him to wear tomorrow." James walked over अगला to Tim and कहा "we'll do our best Michael; be right back!"

15 मिनटों later, they came and knocked on the door to my hotel room. I let them inside and they put the bags on the couch. I कहा "thank आप guys! आप can take the rest of the night off because I'm not going anywhere!" Tim कहा "thank आप Michael; James and I are going to go to the bar downtown if आप need us." I chuckled and कहा "don't have too much fun आप guys!" James laughed and कहा "you know we will Michael" as he shut the door behind him.

I grabbed a few things out of the shopping bags and asked "are आप ready for this?" Christian of course didn't say anything as he looked at me and just blinked his eyes. Thank God Christian is such an easy going kid because that diaper change must've taken me 20 मिनटों to do. I reached into one of the bags and pulled out two different pairs of pajamas. One racecar themed and one आग truck themed. I held them both up in front of him and asked "which one do आप want to wear buddy?" He stared at both of them and didn't say a thing. I asked excitedly "race cars या firetrucks?" I still didn't get an answer; so I कहा "I don't know about आप but I like the firetrucks!"

After I had gotten him dressed, we went out into the living room area and I कहा "you must be hungry! I suppose I should order आप some खाना from room service." I grabbed the menu off the coffee तालिका, टेबल and कहा "let's see; what do two-year-olds like to eat?" I ordered him some macaroni and cheese and waited for it to be brought up to the room. As I was about to give the waiter a tip, he asked "actually Michael; can I get your autograph instead?" I grabbed a piece of paper from off of the डेस्क and quickly scribbled my name onto it. I passed it to him and कहा "thanks for bringing our खाना up here!" He कहा "anytime Michael" and shut the door as he left the room.

I brought the खाना to the तालिका, टेबल with my other arm because Christian still wouldn't let me put him down and asked "are आप ready to eat?" He shook his head yes and I was surprised that he actually kind of responded to me that time. I fed him a bite and asked "is it good?" Christian was back to giving me the silent treatment; but I didn't mind because I know he's probably been through a lot; even though I really don't know anything about his past yet.

When he was finished eating, he yawned and I asked "is someone getting sleepy?" He rubbed his eyes as I carried him into the bedroom and covered him up with the blankets. I turned the TV on and put on cartoons. I moved away from the बिस्तर to shut off the light and Christian started screaming. I turned the light back on and asked "what's wrong? Do आप want me to keep the light on?" He reached his arms out for me to grab him and I knelt down अगला to the bed. I gave him a hug and कहा "I have to go back out there for a little while; but I'll be back!" I tried getting up again and walking out of the room; but he started to cry. I कहा "alright; I guess Frank is going to have to wait until tomorrow to talk to me!" I climbed into the बिस्तर and the सेकंड his head hit the तकिया he was asleep.

***

I opened my eyes and noticed that the sun was just starting to come up. I looked at the clock on the nightstand and it was only 6 AM. I got out of बिस्तर because there was no use in falling back asleep since we have to be at the airport in four hours. I looked over at Christian and he was still fast asleep; so I went over to Frank's hotel room. I knocked on the door and he was already wide awake when he answered it. He invited me inside and I कहा "you wanted to talk to me." He gestured for me to sit down in the chair across from him and he asked "what were आप thinking Michael?" I कहा "you should've seen that orphanage Frank! Christian is so much younger than the other children that are there." Frank कहा "I don't care Michael; this is one of those times when आप should've just walked away!" I कहा "he's the sweetest little boy in the world Frank! I couldn't leave him there to run away and hide all day! It's only temporary; I just want him to be matched with a family!" Frank कहा "you just turned 29 years old last महीना Michael! आप should be enjoying the best years of your life; instead of looking after a two-year-old for God only knows how long!!!"

I stood up from the chair I was sitting in and कहा "to be completely honest Frank, you're being ridiculous right now! It's not like me being a foster parent is going to affect आप in any way! He'll probably have a family before my break is over! You're just going to have to get over it because he's not going back to the orphanage now!" Frank rolled his eyes and कहा "I hope आप know what you're doing Michael!" I कहा "just let it go Frank!"

I walked back to my hotel suite and into the bedroom to check on Christian. He opened his eyes and I कहा "good morning; did आप sleep okay?" He reached his arms out for me to pick him up and I lifted him into my arms. I कहा "we're going to ride on an airplane today! We have to eat breakfast so we're not late for our flight."

After making sure he was fed, changed, and dressed in daytime clothes, we had to run to catch a flight. When we made it to the airport, I was worried because there was a huge crowd of प्रशंसकों waiting outside to catch a glimpse of me. I picked up Christian and कहा "don't be scared buddy!" I felt so awful because there were also photographers outside trying to get pictures of me and the flash was bothering Christian's eyes. My जैकेट helped a little bit; but not enough to lessen his fear.

I rented a private jet to take us back to California because of how shy Christian is and it was a 23 घंटा flight. Frank, James, Tim, Christian, and I boarded the plane. I was surprised that Christian wasn't afraid of the airplane and I think that was because he didn't know that we were in the air. He didn't even cry the entire flight and I can't believe how calm he was!

.***
When we finally landed, it was already the अगला afternoon and we were just waking up. I picked Christian up and he yawned. We snuck out of a hidden passageway that led to the parking garage. I was glad that we wouldn't have to bring Christian out in front of another group of प्रशंसकों because I don't want to make him feel terrified to go anywhere with me. We got into the car and I कहा "I can't wait for आप to see my home! I think you're going to प्यार it!"

We drove back to Neverland ranch and I dismissed my bodyguards because they are due for a vacation. They won't be coming back until my break is over because they’ve been with me for the past six months while I've been on tour. I walked inside the main house and was greeted द्वारा my gardener Justin. He asked "is this the little guy आप were telling me about yesterday when आप called me to check in?" I chuckled and कहा "he sure is!" Justin looked at Christian and कहा "Mike's a cool guy; isn't he?" Christian hid his face in my shoulder and I कहा "he's extremely shy! It'll probably take him a while to be comfortable enough with all of us! I still haven't heard him talk yet!"

I wanted to दिखाना Christian the backyard; so I carried him outside. I walked over to the amusement park rides and कहा "you're a bit too young to ride these; but they're really fun!" I walked over to the zoo area and up to the fenced in enclosure where the giraffes were. Christian took one look at them and was terrified. I had totally forgotten that Rosemary had कहा that Christian is terrified of almost anything. I कहा sympathetically "oh; it's okay buddy! They aren't mean; they won't do anything to you!"

I took him inside because I don't think he wanted to see any और जानवर and I कहा "we're going to have to go to the toy store tomorrow so आप have some age-appropriate toys to play with." For a few मिनटों I was able to put him down and I came back downstairs with a teddy भालू that I had found. I knelt down in front of him and कहा "look what I found!" He took it from me and walked up to give me a hug. I कहा "you're such a sweet little guy!"

Someone knocked on the door and I noticed that it was my mother; so I didn't think twice about letting her in. She कहा excitedly "I'm so happy you're घर Michael! I've missed आप so much!" I hugged her and कहा "I missed आप too mother! I have someone that I want आप to meet!" She followed me into the living room and I कहा "mother; this is Christian!" She कहा "hi there Christian!" Christian immediately ran out of the room and I didn't know where he was going to go because I haven't shown him around the inside of the house yet. I knew there wasn't far for him to go because my bedroom was at the end of the hallway.

Mother asked "why is he here Michael?" I कहा "I visited and orphanage a couple of days पूर्व while I was in लंडन and saw him there. He was the only young child there and the owner of the orphanage told me that he's painfully shy. She was amazed when he came up to me and wanted me to pick him up. He didn't want to let go of me and she begged me to foster him until she can find him a home. Obviously I agreed to do so and I guess it's going to be just him and me for a few months!" Mother didn't look happy at all and कहा "I don't know about this Michael! Are आप sure आप can handle this? आप have to remember that you're a 29-year-old man without a wife या girlfriend to help you! You've never even babysat any children before! Do आप even know how to change a diaper?" I कहा "yes mother; it took me forever the first few times. I've gotten the hang of it द्वारा now though! Have a little faith in me mother! I may be 29 and Hollywood's most eligible bachelor; but I'm not clueless! I should probably go see where he is and I don't think he's going to come back out here if you're here because he has a terrible fear of women!" She कहा "okay; I'll give the benefit of the doubt with this foster parent thing. I'm just glad it's only temporary because I don't think you're ready for any of this! आप should find yourself a nice wife and settle down Michael! I've always wanted that for you!"

She hugged me and I कहा "I प्यार आप mother" as she walked out the door. I walked down the hallway and into my bedroom. I looked around for Christian and started to get worried because I couldn't find him! As I walked past bed, I saw tiny feet sticking out from underneath it. I crawled underneath the बिस्तर and कहा "there आप are! What are आप doing under here silly goose?" He blinked his eyes at me and I कहा "it's dirty under here. It's getting dark; let's get आप something to eat."

I playfully pulled him out from underneath the बिस्तर द्वारा his feet and he started laughing. I asked "what's so funny?" I sat down on the floor and smiled as I asked "your feet aren't ticklish; are they?" I think he knew that I was going to tickle him because he covered his feet with his hands. I कहा "I can still tickle them!" I tickled his feet and he started hysterically laughing. I laughed and teased "ha- ha; I know you're ticklish!" I jokingly कहा "I know you're ticklish; you're in trouble now!"

The सेकंड I कहा that, his look of laughter turned to fear and he ran to the corner of the room. I walked up to him to see what was wrong and when I knelt down to his level he flinched! I whispered "what the matter? You're not really in trouble; I was just joking." I picked him up and he was shaking. I कहा "it's okay buddy! आप don't have to worry about me! I don't have a mean bone in my body! What do आप say I get आप something आप eat?"

I took him into the रसोई, रसोईघर and realized that I didn't have anything that I could make him that wouldn't take hours to cook. I looked in the freezer and कहा "it's probably not the best idea; but I have some ice cream!" He gave me a confused look and I knew exactly what he was thinking! "Is he really going to let me have ice cream for dinner?" I brought him over to the तालिका, टेबल and passed him a bowl of ice cream.

I think I officially won him over with the ice cream for रात का खाना thing! I still don't think he can believe that he actually had ice cream for dinner. After he was done eating, I कहा "maybe I should give आप a bath!" I picked him up and brought him upstairs. He seemed a little disappointed that I didn't have anything for him to play with. I कहा "hey; wait a second!" I ran to my bedroom and came back with a small "super soaker" water gun. Let's just say the entire bathroom was covered with water द्वारा the time he was ready to go to bed!

We went into my bedroom because I obviously didn't have a room set up for him. I turned the TV on and put him under the covers. I कहा "good night Christian." He responded "night Mike!" I smiled because I couldn't believe that he actually कहा something to me! I hope my mother's right! I hope I can handle this!