The Jacksons On Tour

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I pick up my bassguitar and give it to Joseph. He walks away, to the car. I'm done with packing my stuff, so I walk to the kitchen to get some food. It'll be a long ride to the airport, so it's nice to eat something before starting the ride. Jackie joined me walking to the kitchen and we talk for a bit. 'Are ya excited?' he asks. 'Yeah, looking forward to performing, how about the others?' I respond. 'Well, Randy is very into touring, ya know. Marlon just goes with it, he's still thinking about quitting. Tito is excited, as far as I know. I'm happy to be travelling again, I love to see the world. But Michael.. I guess that Bignose is hiding again or something. I don't get why he doesn't seem to be thankfull for all of this.'
I sigh and open the fridge, by now we've reached the kitchen. 'Yeah, I don't get that kid. He'd better get over that, 'cause Joseph will get him when he finds out.' I say while I get some random juice from the fridge and pour it in a glass. Mother will have bought this stuff I guess. Anyway, I just like it. Jackie nods and turns around when we hear Randy coming in the room. 'JERMAINE is that my juice!?' He shouts with his eyes widened. Ah, so mother wasn't the one who bought it... 'I guess.' I say, not really caring about it. 'Uhg, well anyway, we have to get in the car! We're done.' He says.
'Really? Even Bignose?' Jackie asks. I'm curious too, so we both look at Randy, waiting for an answer. 'Well, I don't know? I haven't seen Michael today... but Joseph says we have to come. So let's go!' He says. 'Okay, Come on!' Jackie shouts. He runs out of the kitchen, to the car. 'Don't you come with us?' Randy asks me noticing I haven't moved. 'Ehm, you go, I'll be there as soon as possible.' He nods and runs away.
When I'm upstairs I start to think. Where do I have to search? Where would my little brother, who nobody else seems to care about, hide? I know he isn't downstairs, I already looked there. He must be somewhere upstairs. I walk to his room and knock on the door. No answer. I try the doorknob, but it's locked. That means he must be in there. 'Yo, Mikey, it's me! Let me in, please?' I try to get in again. Then I hear some footsteps, and soon after, the door opens. I step inside and find Michael, with tears rolling down his cheeks. He doesn't say anything. 'Mike, come on, why don't you wanna go?' I ask. He now looks at me and seems to be searching for words. After a little moment of silence, he finally speaks. 'I-I don't want to! I want t-to be a.. a.. NORMAL KID! Just for once! I want to play in the park, n-not travel! Why can't my life be just NORMAL?!' He suddently shouts. 'Mike! Calm down. You should be thankfull, look at where you can be, where you are! This house, the performing.. other kids would love this! I mean you've seen so much of the world, and you're only eleven!' I hope I can get him to go with me, I rather see him happy. And besides, Joseph will get him if he isn't down there in a few moments. 'I know, I love the performing, but I want to be normal! Really, just one day...' He starts crying again and I pull him in for a tight hug. That'll hopefully make him feel better, and make him come down with me. 'Mike, we really have to go... Come on, we'll make it great fun out there!' I try to get him to go with me. 'Yeah... you go, I'll come down in a sec..' He says, wiping his last tears away. 'Okay, see ya there and don't take too long.' I say walking out of the room, hoping he really will come down. When I reach the car, everyone looks at me and mother asks where Michael is. 'He said he'll be here in a moment.' I say, still hoping he really will. Joseph is nowhere to be seen, luckily, 'cause if he'd be here he wouldn't like me being here so late too. In silence we all wait for Michael and Joseph to come, so we can finally go, on tour. 'Ehm, where's Joseph, by the way.' I ask to break the silence, I don't like silent moments that much. 'He went in the house, just before you came out. But, Mikey should be here by now, right? He takes a little long.' Mother answers. Just then I realize what could be going on inside the house right now. I want to run in, but just at that moment Michael comes walking out the house. He keeps his head down. 'Get in the car, please. We lost a lot of time already.' Joseph says, walking close after Michael. We all silently get in the car, to our places. I guess everybody is thinking the same thing; poor Michael, or more; poor Bignose, they keep calling him that. Mother stares out of the window, Joseph is driving, my other siblings are either looking out the window or reading. Michael still looks down, to his hands. A single tear drops down on his lap. It's hard for him, he wants to be "normal" so bad. Unlike me and the others, he sometimes wishes our family wasn't famous, he told me that. I think I'm one of the closest siblings to him, together with Janet. That means, of course, he will always have someone to talk to, but he still misses real friends in life. Most people only need him for fame and money, already on this young age. I stare out of the window, seeing all the trees and other cars, all the people who have all different reasons to ride here, all with a different life, different thoughts.. Sometimes I feel so unimportant here on earth, but on the same time I feel that every human being has his own special reason to be here. And that takes me back to Michael. Still sitting quietly in his carseat. He will also have a future in front of him. I guess a very bright one, he's so talented. He'll keep singing and dancing, I'm sure about that. Maybe this is all in his plan, the fame at such a young age. It'll get him ready for what's to come. I also know that I will always be there for him, to comfort him, to help him through hard times. And so will the rest of the family. Even though they keep calling him Bignose, they love him. And deep inside he knows that, he knows he'll always be loved.
And that's what life is for, to love and to be loved. Right?

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