„Em!Em! Come quick, I need your help!" my little sisters voice is yelling through our small flat.
I put my cup down on the table and leave the kitchen to enter her room.
"What´s the matter, Sammy?" I ask and see her sitting on her bed with a newspaper in her hands. I just taught her the first letters and she tries to read anything she can find, she is such a clever girl. Next year she will hopefully enter school and she is so proud that she is able to read and write simple things.
"Here´s an article about Michael could you read it to me?" she asks and I sit down next to her on her bed. I smile to her and grab the paper, my eyes flying over the article.
Sammy always was a Michael Jackson Fan, a huge one. Her room is completely covered with posters and she has all his Records, T-Shirts and everything. She Is collecting every piece of paper and stuff she can get. She could dance the Moonwalk before she even could ride a bike on her own and she taught it to me. I like Michael too, but I am not a huge Fan as her.
"So Michael has opened the Neverland Ranch to let sick and poor children in. He wants them to have a nice time there, meet him and have fun. You need to apply with a letter where you introduce yourself and with a bit of luck you are chosen to go there. But you don't be sad if it doesn't work, he is a superstar and he will get millions of letters" I try to explain to her and try to light down her shining eyes.
"Can we have try, Em? Please! I mean I am ill and we are not rich, we are orphans since years maybe I can a have a day with Michael" she is begging and looking at me with her shining blue eyes.
"Okay…okay try to write a letter but please don't be sad if it doesn't work. Okay? He has so many fans" Sammy shakes her head and jumps from her bed to grab a pen and a paper.
With her tongue between her teeth she starts writing a letter and time to time she looks on her alphabetic list next to her. I strike over her thin, blonde hair and leave the room to let her write the letter. I decide to wirte a letter to Michael as well and put it with hers in the envelope.
I tell him that we only have the two of us and love, I hope that it will work and I can fulfill her dream to meet Michael Jackson.
Weeks later after our monthly grocery shopping we are on our way home. It´s hard to balance three heavy bags and Sammy in one piece to our home. She is jumping through the streets and Iam glad that she is so happy but, I am nevertheless worried about her health.
I can´t pay for the very expensive medics she needs. I really save money as much as I can, I work hard and have 2 jobs. I work in a supermarket at the morning and in a bar at nights. I often can´t sleep more than 4 hours a night between my work.
I try really hard to get everything we need but a few days ago I got a bill over $10.000 for her medics and health care. Where can I get so much money? I just have no chance to pay that much.
I lost my job in the bar yesterday because I came too late a third time. IEverything is going worse at the moment.
"Sammy watch out the street, please. Take the key and open the door for me please" I ask for her help and she takes my key and jumps up the stairs to our door. I open our mailbox and take the huge stack of letters, bills and advertisement with me.
I put our grocery's in the cupboard and fridge and then I give Sammy her medics. I sit down at our small table and open the letters. One leaps out pretty much and I take it. It is an expensive envelope with a handwritten address on it. The handwriting is flourished and hard to read. I open the envelope and take out two letters. One for me and one for Sammy.
I overfly the one for me and smile really hard. We are invited to spend a week with Michael Jackson on his Ranch. I can´t believe it!
I decide to tell Sammy and read her the letter and she squeaks and jumps up and down until she is exhausted.
"Em, when do we go? Soon?" she asks and I nod.
"Yes we will be picked up in 2 days and then you will meet your idol" I explain to her and she claps her hands in pure joy.
Actually I can´t spent a week away and don't go to work. But I will handle it, somehow we will have enough money for the next month.
"Aren´t you happy, Em? I mean you like his music too and now we will meet him!" she asks and I smile to her.
"Of course I am happy to meet him. Yes I like his music very much and I am a bit nervous" I confess and she jumps up in my arms. I lift her up and she kisses my cheek.
"Me too. I love you, Emmy" she whispers and I smile in her hair.
"I love you too, sweetheart"