Over the next few weeks, Michael and April's friendship was getting bigger and better each passing day with an adventure waiting to happen. One Saturday afternoon, The guys and girls had went to the carnival where April saw a cute teddy bear so Michael volunteered to play ring toss as a present for her. After many attempts he finally got all 3 rings on the block and just as he promised, he won the bear.
Later that afternoon, they had all went to the Arcade playing video games and so forth. Kids from all over gathered into a group watching the 11 and 9 year old competing neck-and -neck at a sumo wrestling match. April did a little dance for she had won while Michael shrugged it off and clapped anyway very happy to see her very proud of herself.
On Monday, April invited the whole clan to her cooking contest that was being held at the Pasadena Auditorium. She concentrated very hard making sure that she had all the ingredients that she needed to make an apple cobbler. Michael watched her filled with poise and grace taking her time as he prayed she would win. Soon, the ovens dinged off as the judges tasted her dessert and the other contestants. Hearing April's name through the loud speakers, Michael jumped up and down seeing her smiling face accepting the blue ribbon. Through the 11 years of his life, Michael had finally found what his heart was yearning for.
"And this is the Recording Studio" Michael said as he and the others were showing the girls around Encino. "Wow, it's so big! is this where you all come to record your songs?" April asked with the boys nodding and smiling. "Yep, you want to see what it looks like on the inside?" "Sure!" All girls said in unison.
"Good afternoon boys, what are you all doing here? today is your day off" Barry Gordy said said with Michael nodding. "We know, but we were just showing April and her friends around." "Well that's good, so you must be Ms. April Thompson am I correct?" Barry asked her while she smiled shaking hands. "Yes sir, and these are my friends." Tiffany and Rachel shook hands with the Motown Manager. "It's very nice to meet you all 3, Michael has told me alot about you" April blushed a deep shade of crimson and looked over at him who blushed also. "Oh really? what things?" "That you are a very good cook and baker and that you were in cooking contests? and I must say that is very incredible" "Why thank you Mr. Gordy thank you very much."
The crackling of wood could be heard as The Jacksons, and the girls were around a big campfire in the backyard of Hayvenhurst. Michael had invited the 3 9-years-olds for an outdoor sleepover, they had just finished their dinner and now having dessert.
"Mmm... these smores are the bomb! where did you make these?" Jermaine asked between mouthfulls while April giggled. "Joshua taught me when he and the twins would go camping sometimes." "Well I could sure use another one" Marlon said gobbling up the second one taking a third as everyone started to laugh.
April stared at the full moon shining it's brightest light in the sky. She smiled warmly as the light wind picked up a little bit as she closed her eyes. Just then, Michael came up from behind startling her as he sat sat down indian-style watching her staring intensely at the moon. "It's a beautiful full moon out tonight isn't it?" He asked while she nodded as she brought her knees to her chin. "Back at home, before I go to bed, I always stare at it as a prayer to know what the next day will bring" Michael turned his head slowly towards her. "Really?" She nodded. "Yeah, when my mom was a little girl, her mother who is my grandmother, would tell her that before she goes to sleep, to always do that knowing that tomorrow will be a great day. Besides, don't you do it too?" Michael looked at her and stared down at his bare feet that was on the cool grass.
"Well, I actually don't do that. We have to be in bed by a certain hour because of all the concerts, and photoshoots, or other crazy stuff that we have to do just to survive. April scooted closer to the little boy feeling each other's warm touch. "Wow, that sure is a life to have." Michael nodded and sighed. "Yeah but I'm pretty sure that what you have right now is easy." April studied herself for a good 10 minutes." "Not necessarily, what you see is not all peaches and cream, I wanted to prove to my parents especially my dad, that I wanted to be who I am right now even though his words would sometimes get on my nerves." "Your dad? what do you mean by that?"
April took a deep breath and studied Michael for at least 5 minutes. "Okay, but before I tell you, just promise me that we will still be friends?" "Of course we will April, cross my heart and hope to die." Michael said putting his hand on his heart seeing April smiled warmly.
"Alright, it had all started when my dad was a young boy growing up in the southern part of Dublin Ireland in the early 1930's times back then were hard where people had to work two jobs just so they could put food on the table. He was the eldest of 6 boys and 2 girls his mother who is my paternal grandmother, was a housekeeper and his father was a shepherd." April held down her head not wanting to continue, but Michael put his hand into her's letting her know to go on and that it was okay.
"Anyway, when he got to 12 years old, he dropped out of school to go work in his uncle's sheep farm where he had to do from sunrise to sunset. He was beaten, and abused by him there were times when he would secretly cry but not too loud or he would get it again and that's when he had enough so one night when his uncle would be asleep, he would have his backpack and run as far as he could just to get away from it all. His uncle would say some things like: "You're never going to turn out to be nothing, you are just going to herd sheep for the rest of your life, the grass is not always greener on the other side." "Wow, so is that why you work so hard just to make your parents happy?" Michael asked as she nodded slowly with her head down very low not wanting for him to see her tears.
"Yes, but sometimes I wish I was like everybody else sure it's fun doing what you love to do but there's more than that. Do you know how it feels to wake up on Christmas morning and not seeing a tree or even presents and no stockings just because your father was and still is a Jehovah's Witness?" Michael gasped after hearing what she had just said. "You're a Jehovah's Witness?" April nodded shaking her head with hot tears running down her tanned rosy pink cheeks. "Yeah oh Michael I'm so sorry it's all my fault I was hiding it in for so long that I just couldn't take it anymore you are the first person that I told my past to and you must not like me anymore."
Michael's heart felt like someone had tored it in half watching the little brunette sob. Soon, he brought her close to her smelling her hair which smelt like strawberries as he took her chin lifting her head up wiping the remaining tears. "April, I don't hate you. You are very nice, sweet, and unselfish that it would be wrong of me to turn you away. I know how it feels to not celebrate any holidays I am also a Jehovah's Witness too on Mother's side and there are times that I cry too but I can't do anything about it. I try to make my life the best in every which way I can. I have my brothers to hang out with and I have you and your friends too if I haven't met you, I would still be lonely right now. April wiped away her eye water as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."