Growing Up Nelson

I WOULD A-DOPT U Part One

The night Prince left Joey and I ate a mountain of candy before we had to go to sleep. I missed him so much since my weekends were being spent in Chanhassen with Prince. So I took this time before bed checks to do a little catching up with my favorite little man.

  "So what's it like going to Prince's house? Is everything purple? Does he have millions of doves everywhere?"

Joey was going a mile a minute with his questions about Paisley Park that I could barely keep up with what he was even asking anymore. I thin it was the candy that got him all hyper.

  "Whoa Joe! Slow mo! You're like speedy Gonzales right now dude!" I giggled as I ran my hands through that soft blond hair.

His eyes were full of excitement.

  "You're so lucky Carly. I wish I could have gone." He said with a sad little voice.

  "I wish I could have taken you. Tell you what when Prince comes back I'll ask him if you can tag along with us! Maybe he might even show you his Telecaster.....personally."

  "REALLY????"

Joey was really excited about that idea.

  "I'll call him at his hotel tomorrow night when he finishes his show and I'll see what I can do."

  "Carly?"

  "Yeah Joey?"

  "I love you!"

Joey gave me a hug so tightly that I thought he could snap me in half. This was the happiest he's ever been. You would have thought that he had found out he was being adopted.

  "When will he be back Carly?"

  "Well he said on my birthday. Why?"

  "But that's adopting day! Carly what if we get adopted before he comes back?"

Suddenly I began to worry. There's another adoption day before then too. The one at the end of September. Lucky for me my chances of getting adopted are pretty slim to none but Joey has a greater chance of getting adopted than me. What happens if I make him a promise that I can't deliver on? I didn't want to show Joey that I was worried but I really was. I wanted him to spend at least one day with his idol so he can have something he can remember for the rest of his life.

  "Well kid it's almost bed check so get to your room before the warden catches you. I'll see you after school tomorrow." I sad giving him a final hug.

  "Bye Carly! See you tomorrow!"

Joey ran across the floor and out the door quickly. Now I had time to panic. I worried most of the night. After the warden checked the rooms I made the decision to sneak out the window and go to The Avenue where I knew Prince would be. I wasted no time and walked the 12 blocks. Thank god I got there when I did. His car was parked right where I expected it would be. I darted across the street having a few near misses with traffic than I had liked but to me this was important. I went around the back of the building and went in through the back door. I didn't care if I got caught by staff or not. I had to find him. I had to find Prince for Joey's sake. I had already broken his heart once before by stealing Prince's guitar I didn't want to hurt him again this time by telling him that he could spend the day with Prince and it never happen.

When I rounded the corner to the dance floor a mans voice shouted out to me.

  "HEY! What are you doing in here?!?!?"

I panicked so bad that I fell into two tables trying to get away. The man soon caught up with me and gripped me by my collar and snatched me from the floor.

  "HELP! HELP! PRINCE! WHERE ARE YOU????" I screamed as I flailed to get free.

Suddenly the voice that yelled at me sounded awfully familiar.

  "Carly?" The man said.

I opened my eyes and the man who grabbed me up all crazy was Tony.

  "Tony?"

He put me back down on the floor and fixed my jacket.

  "Sorry kid! What are you doing here?" Tony asked concerned.

  "Where's Prince? I need to see him before he leaves tomorrow morning. Where is he?"

  "He's out on his tour bus out front getting ready for his flight tonight."

  "TONIGHT!?!? I thought he was leaving in the morning? Why tonight?"

  "Well he has to be in LA by tomorrow afternoon for the first show. It was a last minute decision so-"

  "TONY! What's going on? You're supposed to be helping me load th- Carlyn?"

Prince came from behind Tony as he noticed my face. He looked confused and a little upset.

  "Carlyn what are you doing here!?!? You know that you're not supposed to sneak out! When will you learn-"

  "Prince I know I'm sorry! But I had to see you it's important! Please just come back to the orphanage with me before you have to go please!" I begged.

Prince was very confused as to why I was asking him to come back to Caring Hearts before his flight had to leave but I was doing this for Joey. I couldn't let him down.

  "Prince! Please! I made a promise to someone and I can't break it!" I said nearly in tears.

He didn't say anything at first. He looked over at Tony and told him to give us a few minutes to talk. Tony went off to load up the bus. Prince sat down at the table and waved to me to sit down across from him.

  "What's going on Carlyn? You know you can't just leave late at night like this it's dangerous! You could have gotten hurt!"

  "Prince that's a chance I'd rather take than to break Joey's heart!"

Prince's eyes got wide as his mouth fell open a little.

  "What about Joey?"

I let out a sigh and I told him everything.

  "Prince....I promised Joey that I could get you to spend a day with him before he got adopted. There's an adoption day this month. He might get adopted before you come back. I can't.....I can't let him down. Please Prince! Please help me! Please!"

He leaned over the table and put his hand on my face wiping my tears away with his thumb.

  "Come here sweetheart." He said to me softly as he stood up.

I stood up from the table and ran into his arms crying.

  "Please Prince! I'm asking you! Can you help me? Please?"

He let go and looked me in my face as he said one word.

  "Ok."

I looked up at him still teary eyed but with a smile on my face.

"You mean it?" I asked.

"I'll have the guys go without me and we'll postpone tomorrow's concert."

"Thank you! Thank you so much! Joey's gonna be so happy!" I said hugging him tightly.

Prince laughed and hugged me back.

"You're welcome! Now let's get you back before you get into more trouble." He said.

We went out back to his car and he drove me back to the orphanage. I climbed back through my window and when I got to the top I gave him the signal to go. The very next day as promised Prince showed up at the orphanage after Joey got out of school. He was so surprised to find Prince standing outside waiting for him that he nearly cried. Prince had taken him out for a few hours and brought him back just before bed checks. Joey was so excited about his day that he was up all night long. His room was down the hall but I could still hear him jumping up and down on his bed saying that this was the best day ever. I listened as the sound of his excitement soothed me to sleep.