CHAPTER 13…
LOVE IS A LONG WAY
After they got yelled at for about 30 minutes about sanitation and how people can get sick by doing that, and how they were too young to be kissing, they finally went to sleep.
************
A week later, Mike was finally reunited with his 3 children and Kathy. He was on crutches and had some stitches in his head.
"I don't get you." Kathy said. Mike looked at her.
"Huh?"
"Your 50, yet you're still alive after all of this? You are one tough cookie!" They laughed and went on their way. Prince and the others had filled Mike in with the details on their week with Debbie and about how Prince and Kathy decided they were going to try to go out. Mike was hesitant for it at first, but allowed it. To celebrate their reunion, Mike's family was all going out to a restaurant. A fancy one too. So, when they got there, Kathy never really had been to a really fancy restaurant, so she was wowed.
"OMG!! This is the most coolest place ever! Besides, Walt Disney World, and Bass Pro Shop."
"One, it's 'coolest place ever', two Bass Pro Shop?" Prince said.
"Have you ever been there?"
"No."
"We should go one day, it's cool." They finally got seated and got their menus, of course, they had to have a private booth so no fans would go and mob them. Kathy tried to find the cheapest food there, but all the cheap stuff was still $40. They told her not to worry about it. Kathy's parents always taught her to get the cheapest thing, and you'll always be rewarded, so she stuck with that. I mean, who doesn't like rewards? They finally ordered. Screaming fans could be heard outside and one even tried to break through the window, but her face just went splat against it. Kathy sighed and put her hand on her chin. "Why can't people go away?"
"Fans and go away in the same sentence? What world are you from?" Blanket asked.
"Apparently a sane world. I mean, can't they tell that we are trying to just be a family for once?"
"No." They all said.
"Oh." She looked out the window, she was right next to it. SPLAT! There went another face. She jumped at the sight of them banging against it. She giggled at it, and then made a funny face at them. People on the other side stared at her. What was she doing? They never had seen this before. Everyone that was inside stared at her. She made another face and stuck her tongue out and laughed at it again. She could see that they were all wondering about this, but taking photos of it.
"What are you doing?" Jermaine asked.
"Making faces." She replied.
"Why?" Tito asked.
"Because it's funny to watch their expressions." Just then, She heard some other people giggling a little too. "Ah ha! I heard laughing!" She turned to see the kids and some of the sibling laughing at it. "I was correct, si?"
"Si." Rebbie answered. Kathy smiled, she made another face at them, and they took more pictures, so, they siblings and the kids started to make faces as well, and more photos were taken.
"You know, this is probably going to bite us in the back later on." Janet said. Janet, Kathy's mothers name.
"So the publicity will make rude comments about it, we know it ain't true. And the fans know it ain't true, so who cares?" They were stunned. Jackie smiled.
"You're absolutely right." He said, and he joined in making the faces. Everyone was soon laughing and making the faces, well, everyone except Joe. Finally, the food came and they all started to eat. Kathy, of course was from the country and had lived on a farm for all of her life, so, when it came to eating, she chewed down. The others stared at her as she stuffed the food into her mouth and would drink the Dr. Pepper at the same time. She looked up to see them looking at her.
"What?" She asked.
"You don't have to eat so fast." Latoya answered. Kathy gulped down her bite and looked at everyone.
"Sorry, usually I'm at school right now and we have to eat fast."
"School?" Paris asked. "You mean like, Public School?" Kathy nodded.
"Yeah, I'm in 8th grade. You would probably be in 6th, Prince would be in 7th, and Blanket would be in 2cd." She looked at her with amazement.
"But, aren't you bullied?" Kathy stared at her.
"Well of course! I get called fat, ugly, pimple face, no talent, redneck, hippie, crack demon,"
"Crack Demon?"
"Because my crack showed one time and I've been called that since the 7th grade."
"Oh."
"Anyways, hillbilly, lowlife loser, stupid face, gay wad, horse lover which is gay, a guy, stupid, the b word, the a word, the mf word, the words that mean you like guys a lot, and I look like a horse." Paris was stunned at all the names she had been called. "And yeah I've cried myself to sleep, and I've been by myself, and I've felt like no one cared, but I always got over it. Because I know who I am. And to tell you the truth, I have a really low self-esteem, that's why before AGT, I threatened all the people that made fun of me and I backlashed on them." They were all stunned. "I don't like cussing by the way. It makes me feel bad." Mike smiled, she was a brave girl.
"So, why don't you get home schooled if you don't like getting called names?" Kathy looked at her.
"Believe it or not, although I hate the bullies there, and I don't have many friends, I actually like school." They all stared at her.
"Like school? We're home schooled and I hate it!" Blanket said. Kathy giggled.
"Yeah well, I think public school is good though, I mean, you might get bullied, but you can always find a friend there."
"Did you?" Kathy looked up from her food to see them all wondering.
"It doesn't matter what I did."
"Yes it does, otherwise you'd be a hippocrit." She stared at him.
"A hippocrit? Do you even know what that word means?"
"No, but it sounded cool." She shook her head. "So, did you?"
"Well, I-"
"Alrighty now! We are having a free stage tonight! Now, who would like to come up and show us their talent?" A man on the stage with a microphone said, interrupting her. Kathy looked at her new friends and smiled. She leaned over to them and whispered lowly.
"How about we go up there and show these people what we got?" She asked. They smiled.
"You read our minds." Prince answered. While the others were busy eating, Kathy, Prince, Paris, and Blanket snuck off saying they were going to the Bathroom, well, Blanket and Paris needed to go anyways, so they did sort of go. But after a couple got done humiliating their selves by telling non-funny jokes, they went up there, without any of the Jackson's noticing. What they didn't know is that they had been practicing a song, just for this very day. Kathy knew how to play a guitar, so she started out with some notes. Then started to sing…
1)(Kathy): AAAAHHHH, aaahhh, have you heard of freedom? Have you heard of Success? Have you had that feeling, that you were the best? Have you seen the children? Have you seen families? Have you ever thought that you could amount to the greatest thing on earth?
-Chorus-
(All 4): You got to Dream it big. You have to believe. You gotta dream it big and you'll amount to something great. Then nothing will stop you once you get a good grasp. You gotta make the steps to do it. You gotta dream it big!
2)(Prince): Don't let people get to you; it's just a matter of time before you beat them all. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, male or female, it doesn't make a difference. You just got to know watcha you're doing. You just have to believe and it'll come true! Because…
-Repeat chorus-
3)(Paris): Do you want to be like the Jackson's, Elvis Presley, or even Madonna? Do you want to be like Michael Jordan? Or maybe even like Kenny Ortega? Do you want to be famous or do you want to be regular? Just take a chance and make it right. Just step up to the plate and hope you'll do well. Just Step up and be brave, just do it!
-Repeat Chorus-
4)(Blanket): Got to take a chance, got to make a choice. Got to do what's truly in your heart. Just think of all you've dreamed and bring it to life. Just remember what you've done and live to it! Got to finally make a dream come true!
-Repeat Chorus-
(Kathy): Then you'll se what you've got,
(Prince): Then you'll know what you have,
(Paris): You got it in you.
(Blanket): Just got to…
(All 4): DREAM IT BIG!
Everyone applauded. The Jackson's on the other hand were listening to the song, but had no clue they were the one's singing it. So they clapped as well.
"And that was uh," The guy leaned over to them. "What do you call yourselves?" The 4 gathered in a huddle and quickly came up with a name. They whispered it into his ear and he spoke, "Kathy and the Jackson 3!" The Jackson's stopped in their tracks as they looked to the stage. They were dumbfounded that it was those 4. The 4 got off the stage as a man approached them.
"Yes, I'm Derek with Epic Records. I heard you all singing, and well, I want to offer you 4 a contract about having some albums." They all turned to each other.
"Us?" Kathy asked.
"Have albums?" Paris finished.
"Sure!" Derek said. "What do you say?" Kathy looked at them.
"Group huddle." They got in a group. "What do we say?"
"I think we should go for it!" Prince said.
"Me too!" Blanket yelped.
"I'm in it!" Paris said.
"Alright, let's go for it!" They clapped their hands together and turned to the man. "We'll take it!"
"Great! I just need guardian consent and we'll be done!" Kathy was excited but the others stopped. Kathy looked at them.
"Problem?" She asked.
"Yeah, our Dad." Paris replied.
"What about him?"
"He won't sign it! Remember…" Kathy thought.
"Oh, that whole 'growing up in the spotlight' thing."
"Yeah, and Blanket is only 7." Prince said. Kathy thought.
"Well, we can at least try."
"Try what?" Mike said behind them. They all jumped.
"Mike! Oh, well, um, we were wondering…"
"Maybe," Prince said.
"Just maybe," Paris said.
"We could join Epic records?" Kathy finished. They all smiled at him. He stared at them.
"1. I'm very upset that you lied to me,"
"Well actually, we did have to go to the bathroom-"
"Besides the point! 2. You should've told me that you were going to be singing. And 3. NO!"
"Oh but Please!"
"Please! Please, Please, Please!" They all said.
"No! I'm not letting you all grow up…"
"In the spotlight and be surrounded by cameras like I was." They all said, well, except for Kathy.
"Look dad, we know you just want to protect us, but you got to lighten up a little. I mean, we really want to do this!" Prince said.
"And it's not like it's going to be your scenario. You're not your father, are you?" Kathy finished. Mike stared at them.
"Kathy, you already won AGT, you can do what you want but,"
"We'll be fine Dad," Paris said.
"We cross pinky promise!" Blanket finished. Mike finally sighed and gave in.
"Alright, but only if I watch you all day." They all jumped!
"We're going to be singers!" They said over and over going in a circle. Mike laughed at them. They all celebrated.
