Less than a week has passed since The Mike Douglas montrer and Michael cannot get houx out of his mind. Her bold yet angelic voice is still ringing in his ears. No matter what he has been doing she somehow manages to pop back into his mind where he tries desperately to shake it off, but to no avail. He was hoping she would stop par for a visit like he suggested, but nothing. Perhaps it was too vers l'avant, vers l’avant of him? Maybe his niceness was misconstrued as creepy to Mrs. Williams. The thought has made him scratch his head multiple times. Luckily he has been working on songs to keep him occupied till the suivant event with his brothers. Plus being at accueil always is a nice distraction when his sisters are involved.

As Michael is sitting in the living room he can hear the makings of a pending argument between Janet and Latoya over a necklace. Michael can’t help but roll his eyes at the shouting of “It’s mine!” over and over again. He rubs his forehead and mutters “Oh God” at the noise. He looks up at their seconde floor “If toi two stop shouting about this collier I will buy one of toi a new necklace, does not that sound good?” Janet and Latoya emerge to the side of the railing of the seconde floor with equal scowls on their faces. Latoya places her hands on her slender hips, “Michael are toi a girl?” Michael’s face turns into a quizzical stare, “No…” “Then butt out of our business!” Latoya snaps back. The doorbell rings as Latoya and Janet go back to arguing slightly drowning out the noise. Michael goes to the door and sees houx standing there at his doorstep looking slightly uncomfortable.

“Holly! What a surprise!” Michael exclaims, his face widening with a smile. He can feel his stomach flutter with joy. “Please come in, make yourself comfortable.” He ushers her into the coolness of his accueil and shuts the California heat behind them. houx looks quickly around the living room and turns back to look at Michael, “Is it ok that I’m here?” “Of course it’s alright, I invited you. I actually wasn’t expecting you. Wanna sit down?” “Well my mom dropped me off today since I had some time today. She is going to pick me up around 5, will that be too late?” Michael shifts slightly towards her “No that’s fine! toi can stay here and have dîner if toi would like.” houx looks toward the rug; drawing the patterns on it with her shoe “I’m not sure if my mom would allow that.” “Well since toi are here, is there anything toi would like to do?” Michael is trying desperately hard not to sound too anxious. “I’m not sure…really.” houx seems different than the other jour – plus quiet and reserved. It makes Michael nervous wondering if he is making her uncomfortable. “Ok, well what do toi usually do at your Friends place?” “I can’t remember. I haven’t been over at my Friends house for a long time with chant and all.”

Boy does that take Michael back to his childhood the part he usually tries to forget. He remembers being in the studio and seeing the kids play at the park across the rue laughing and having a good time. Meanwhile, he was told to play the role of adult. While she is here at his house, he wants to give her the ultimate kid experience. houx seems to be holding back and remain proper, hopefully, he can break her out of her shell. “How about we go swimming? The weather is perfect for a swim and I never have anybody to swim with me.” houx looks down at her purple fleur haut, retour au début than back at Michael. “But I don’t have a swimsuit.” “I’m sure toi can borrow one of Latoya’s swimsuits, she has enough for the whole state of California. houx puts her hand up to her mouth to stifle her giggle.

“I heard that!” Latoya shouts leaning over the railing looking down at them. “Who’s your friend, Michael?” “Latoya, I’d like toi to meet houx Williams, houx this is my sister Latoya.” Latoya nods her head and smiles at Holly. “Nice to meet you, Holly. Now, what do toi want, Mike?” “Can toi give houx a maillot de bain of yours? We want to go swimming.” “Hmmm, I’m not sure she will fit.” “Latoya, toi never get rid of anything, I’m sure toi have something from back in the day.” “Oh alright. Holly, follow me.” houx walks up the twisted stairs of the Jackson residence and follows Latoya in her bedroom. When she enters her room, houx is overcome par its coziness of rose everywhere. “Wow, I l’amour your room!” houx exclaims as she walks further in and sees stuffed animaux lining her bed.

“Thanks, I never get rid of anything as Michael mentioned so things have been accumulating into this.” “I’d never leave this room if it was mine.” “Don’t toi have a nice room?” Latoya asks she rummages through a dresser drawer. houx shrugs as she picks up a stuffed Snoopy and pets his soft black ear. “Not really. Since we moved here my mom doesn’t encourage these types of things.” “What, stuffed animals?” “Yeah, and other things.” “A-ha!” Latoya exclaims as she holds up a One Piece coal swimsuit. “This should fit toi perfectly.” She hands it over to houx and steps back to analyze houx holding the Snoopy. “I’ll let Michael know toi are changing.” As she steps out, houx can feel pangs in her cœur, coeur as she continues to hold the Snoopy in her hand. She used to have one too – before the déplacer that is. When they moved from Long Island to California her mom told her everything had to go, a fresh start is what she called it. Her mom a dit that stuffed animaux were for children and she wasn’t a child anymore but a young singer who had no business with “child play.”

Ten minutes later Michael knocks on the door to Latoya’s bedroom. “Holly, are toi ready?” houx opens the door and stands there awkwardly in the swimsuit. She has her arms crossed in front of her chest to stop the montrer of her budding breasts. Michael looks into her eyes, not once looking at her inappropriately but friendly. Internally it makes houx feel slightly comfortable. “Yep, all ready.” “Cool. Just follow me, the pool is in the back.” As they walk down the spiral staircase, houx can’t help but notice the colossal amounts of or and platinum records on the mur beside it. “Has your family always lived here?” Michael turns his head to look back at her and shakes it. “Nah, we’ve only been here for about seven years.” As they make it to the back of the house, Michael ushers houx out of the sliding door. “Have toi always lived in California?” “Nope, just moved here about three months ago.” “Do toi like it?” “Yeah it’s ok, it’s very hot here.” “Don’t worry you’ll get used to it. Well, here we are.” Michael gestures to the in-ground pool of their backyard. houx cannot help but gape at the size. “This is no pool, this is a lake!” Michael cannot help but chuckle. “Hey, I’ll race ya, the last one to the diving board is a rotten egg!” He laughs uncontrollably as houx joins in running after him. “Hey not fair!” She shouts after him. As Michael gets on the diving board and jumps off causing a major splash, houx stops abruptly. Michael surfaces and sees houx standing on the board looking down at the water. “Aren’t toi coming in?” “Yeah…” “Can’t toi swim?” “Yes, I just don’t know how to jump in the pool.” “Why?” “Too afraid, I only walk in.” Michael swims closer to the board and smiles up at her, squinting his eyes as the sun beats down on them. “No time like the present! Jump in and I’ll catch you.” “You promise?” “Promise.” He holds out his arms to give her security. “I’m right here, now jump!” houx squints her eyes shut, fists her hands tightly together and jumps towards him with a large splash. As she surfaces and begins to wade Michael laughs and smiles “You did it! See, now was that so bad?” “No…but I’d still be afraid to do it alone.”

“So tell me something,” Michael probes as he swims around Holly. “You a dit toi don’t go to friend’s house’s and toi don’t jump in the pool than what kind of fun do toi have?” Michael jokes and splashes some water on her. “Hey!” houx whines. “Don’t toi have any fun?” houx shrugs her shoulders “No time for it I suppose.” Michael can feel his cœur, coeur drop. “There is always time for fun, especially at your age.” “I don’t feel like my age tho.” houx swims out to the other side of the pool with Michael following her. “I can see that. toi know Holly, toi don’t have to act serious when toi are on your off time. Just be a kid.” Holly’s face drops. “Then toi don’t know my mom. She expects me to act serious, especially since I’m new to this industry.” “Well, what does your dad think?” She scoffs and swims to the side in fatigue of wading in the water. “He doesn’t get involved with my singing. “Why?” “Thinks it’s too grand for our family. Can we stop talking about this now?” “Sure, if toi want…”

Hours later Michael and houx are sitting at the patio table, tableau underneath the umbrella. The sun is now beginning to shift into early evening. houx is sitting with a towel wrapped around her now dried body and is now enjoying the light breeze blowing through her blonde hair. Michael looks at the pool having ripples because of the wind. He looks over at Holly. “Did toi have a nice day?” She looks up at him and smiles and for a divisé, split moment, Michael can see a young girl and not a told to be a woman. “Yes, I did. Thank you.” “And you’re sure toi can’t stay for dinner. Mother already welcomes toi to come. She shakes her head as she looks off into the distance, “I can’t…mom will be here soon.” Deep down houx can feel the dread welling deep within her, as she knows her mom and her domineering attitude. In all honesty, houx wants to stay here because she feels comfortable here, but she can’t tell Michael that it would seem too weird.

“Well, I guess I should go get dressed before mom gets here.” Michael wants to sigh, but he knew the time was quickly approaching. “Alright, well toi know toi are welcome back anytime. And if toi need to talk about anything jour ou night, please call me. Promise me, Holly?” She looks back at him and weakly smiles. “I promise. Could I come back and visit toi suivant week if toi aren’t busy?” Michael perks up and smiles at the words, which to him are musique to his ears. Another jour he won’t have to feel lonely. “Absolutely. I’ll call you.” houx smiles and gets up to walk inside. He watches her go in and can’t help but sigh and mumble under his breath, “Why do toi tug so at my heart?”