Book 5- 1969 (Michael Jackson)

Chapter 17- Part-Time Babysitter

                Chapter 17- Part-Time Babysitter

                Date: Tuesday, September 16, 1969

                Time: 4:08PM

                DIANA ROSS'S POV

"So, the showing of the episode will be in December? That seems like a long ways off, Berry." My hand reached for a foundation brush as I carried on. "Why are they waiting two months to air a TV episode?"

"It's just what they said," he explained, shrugging his shoulders. "There's nothing we can change. I've already tried, you can trust me there. I wanted to move the date, too, and I tried, really. They were adamant about the date being delayed two months."

"Well, I don't think it's fair to any of us. Sammy Davis was really looking forward to the event, as were those Jackson 5 boys, not to mention myself." I daintily dabbed some L'Oreal on my cheeks. "It'll be those boys' first public broadcast, won't it be?"

"Nope. They did the Miss Black America Pageant a while ago. Didn't get too much publicity, though. I don't understand that." He shook his head slightly.

"Neither do I, Berry. Neither do I... Hey, speaking od the Hollywood Palace and the public, when do you figure that I make my departure from the Supremes known?"

As he opened his mouth to answer, a rather suspicious sound came from the room behind him. Out of surprise, his head whipped around only to see a blank, white wall in which had not yet been painted. The noise came again and again, almost like the whip of a ceiling fan, over and over and over.

Gradually, he turned back to my view, a new, strange expression filling his eyes. With his gaze narrowed, he asked quietly, "Do you have any idea what that could have possibly been? That didn't sound like falling equipment or anything."

I had to agree. "No, it surely didn't. Do you know if any people were in there earlier?"

"I think that Betty and Martha were in there early this morning, but they would've left by now. The only person I could assume who would be in there would be Joseph. He told me that he'd be over to pick up his paperwork."

When the noise came back another time, I questioned, "You think he might have brought some of the kids with him?" I couldn't imagine Joseph making such a raucous on his own.

His response was instantaneous. "Yep, probably. I'd say that little Michael kid is the one making the noise. He's always up, rummaging through things and crashing into objects."

I had to agree. "He's one curious soul, that's for sure."

He harrumphed behind me as I headed for the door. "Some say curious, I say rambunctious."

Holding the door open for him, I giggled, "Grumpy today, I see?"

"I just didn't get my coffee this morning, that's all." He slipped through the opening. "One moment, I'm going to see what's really goin' on in that room. Follow me."

"Yes, drill sergeant!" I joked, stifling laughs behind him. I aligned my body with his and matched his footsteps.

He stopped in his tracks. "Are you really gonna do this, Diana? I'm not that harsh."

"Mmhmm."

He rolled his eyes, but didn't tell me to stop. I eventually did for him, knowing that I was probably grinding his gears together. He swung the next door open and passed through, implying that I follow through.

Sure enough, when we entered the room, Joseph was in there, going over some papers. All of the band members were there with him. Even Jackie, who was a legal adult, had lingered in the back of the room with Tito, simply chilling out. It was undeniable that Joseph had major authority over the boys, even the older ones.