Family Ties

Rilley's First Birthday

Roberta's POV
April 30,1999

As I'm picking out something for Rilley to wear today I'm almost in tears. A whole year ago I looked into the eyes of my son. They say that nothing is stronger than the bond of a mother and son. Well that is totally true. This whole year has been so chaotic but what has always been the same is the bond between my boy and my little girl who is also growing up on me. Today is his birthday party. He will also get to meet Say'ri. She will be coming to his party along with so, many others. He is having a Thomas the train party. That boy is definitely like his father. Speaking of his father he is going to be a bit late to the party because of meeting of course. I'm telling you Sony and I are going to, have major problems later on down the line. I can feel it. Anyways Grace brings me my birthday boy who comes running in his room. My bouncing baby boy.

Me: hey baby boy!

Rilley: Mommy !

Me: hey dumpling . Happy birthday !!,

Rilley: * just looks around*

I get him smelling good and dressed and then i send for his sister who was too busy playing with Demi who has also grown so much too. Then I realized.... My sister is here!!!

Micah: Oh Roberta!!!!,

Me: Oh Micah!!!!

We talk as I get lyn smelling good and dressed too. I do her hair and off we go. Once we get down stairs everybody is here and then there's a knock on the door I opened it and there in front of me stands a little bit mature say'ri.

Say'ri : hey roberta!

Me: hey girly. I missed you soo much.

Say'ri : I've missed you more.

I let her in and the important part. Time to meet rilley.

Say'ri : so it's somebody birthday I'm told. His name is rilley. Right?

Me: yeah it is.

We go to where he is and I pick him up and introduce them to each other.

Me: rilley this is say'ri. Say'ri this is rilley.

Say'ri : hey cute fella. He looks like Mike too. Hahaha.

Me: I know right.

Rilley instantly reaches for her and now she's made a new friend in a baby. Hahaha. We are now in the middle of games and I'm still waiting for me husband. I don't want him to miss an important day messing around with Sony.

Michael's POV
I've been in meetings during my career so I'm use to how long it would take to, end but I've never been in one where it literally takes most of my day . I wouldn't mind if it was an ordinary day where nothing in my family is happening. Nothing special is going on. Today is my son's birthday and of course they wanted me here. I've tried believe me. I've tried to get out this one but I couldn't. Well guess who walked out and told them I'll be here another time but not today. Me. I'm soo, tired of this company . I'm not an artist to then. I'm more like a money making human machine. Well I'm walking to the door now and I hear what I call God children.

Lyn: daddy!!!!

Me: hi baby girl.

I picked her up and walked to where the rest of the kids are and here loud screams because of me. You guys I'm honored. Deeply touched. I see my boy who has the widest smile on his face and runs to me and I also pick him up. This is what I'm suppose to be here for. Roberta gets up and gives me a kiss and we continue another birthday party. I also see say'ri and my she has gotten bigger. I see micah, sapp, and many of my brothers and their children. We continue playing the game they we're playing which was pin the donkey.

Roberta's POV
We we're having soo much fun that I kinda forgot that most of the children here we're babies and they get sleepy fast including my son who let me know he had missed his nap time. So, here we are surrounding a ice cream cake . With Happy 1st Birthday Rilley on it. It makes me wanna cry all over again. .. Yes I cried earlier hahaha... Time really flies by super fast. It seems like yesterday when I went into labor with him and lyn thought I peed on myself hahaha. With gifts to open we decided to open it while they ate cake and my he got a lot of toys. I think I went a bit over board on the clothes. Mike brought him a microphone hahaha that's cute. It's his size and it came with a stand. He already got his eyes on it so I think all the other toys might have to take a back seat for now. We bussed a pinata and now after all the 188 people have left and made it home safely thanks to our security team we helped the staff clean up and they helped us get all his gift in their respectful places. As we sit in the movie theater with a sleeping 3 year old and a sleeping 1 year old I realized that life isn't always sweet and nice but we make it what we want too. My sweet and nice happens to be right here in this beautiful home of Neverland. Oh and I had a recent doctor's appointment and she blew me away with something special. Dr. Kiles did as she usually do during my appointments and ran test. When they came back she said everything look good except one thing so of course I'm scared. It wasn't all bad. I guess seeing that I'm a month pregnant... I know when she told me I dropped the phone. Nobody don't know the kind of embarrassment I felt. I really just had a son and how can I be so careless. I told Mike and I made him swear he wouldn't tell. He told anyways but he told his mother and his siblings. I told my mom and my brother. I think that's all that needs to, know for right now. I'm still digesting all this in so I'm all over the place really. I honestly didn't know. I didn't have any symptoms . I didn't change anything physically. But now mentally I'm shocked. How do I, go about this and I'll be 38 next month... I have no idea but I have to think about something soon because with contracts to fulfill, two children to take care of, a group I have to rehearsed, and a husband to support a baby might not be in the mix... Right now....

I just don't know what to do. We put the kiddies to bed and as I climb in bed Mike comforts me physically but again mentally I'm far from calm...

Happy 1st birthday Rilley....