A soft sigh escaped from Charisse’s lips as she took one final look around her son’s nursery. It had taken longer than she would have liked to get all the necessities together, but at last it was complete. The spacious room was painted a pastel blue that became darker as the color ascended up the walls, giving way to a ceiling decorated to resemble a brilliant night sky when the lights were shut off. Stars with friendly faces stared down from the border that ran then length of the room. The crib, changing table, and rocking chair all sported fabrics with the stellar theme. Though she wasn’t sure when Justin suggested a mural, Charisse had to admit that the depiction of the cow jumping over the moon did add a nice finishing touch.

                Now all she had to do was wait.

                It seemed like an easy task for her. After all, she had been waiting on Justin for four years now. He was always a star on the rise, the pride of their small town in Millington, TN. It made sense that the rest of the world fell in love with him too. Justin contained a sense of courage, drive and confidence that Charisse had always admired. That, along with his charm, was what made her notice the young boy who was three years her junior. And while she was proud of the amount of success he achieved, there was no denying that it had put a serious strain on their relationship.

                Charisse sighed again, rubbing her round belly absentmindedly, before her cell phone jarred her back into reality. She pulled the phone out of her pocket and flipped it open without checking the ID. It was a call she’d been expecting.

                “Go ahead, guys. I’ll catch up in a bit,” Justin’s jovial voice came from the phone, “How’s my Reese’s doing?” Charisse didn’t need to see him to envision the smile he was undoubtedly wearing as he spoke the words.

                She grinned into the reciever, “I’m doing alright. How was your rehearsal?”

                Justin chuckled lightly, “It wasn’t easy getting into character, but I think I nailed the role of myself just fine.”

                Charisse rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help laughing. “C’mon, doing Sabrina is a pretty big deal.”

                “Yeah, I guess…” his voice trailed off briefly, “It just doesn’t seem as important as other things.”

                Knowing what other things he was referring to, Charisse began stroking her stomach again. She remained quiet for a moment. It was when Justin spoke like this that she felt her heart squeeze. She’d never wanted to come between him and his career. He’d worked hard and earned everything that he had gained, but there was still so much uncharted territory for him. At one time, she could say the same for herself. But months passed and she’d decided to keep the baby. She accepted that her life was now dictated by the needs of another life. It tore her apart to think that Justin would suffer the same fate, more than the fact that everything was such a heavily guarded secret.

                As if reading her mind, Justin exhaled deeply, “Would you stop brooding already. I’m not going to throw my work to the side. I just wish that I could be there for you, especially with you being so close.”

                Charisse scoffed. “I am not brooding. I just-,” she was cut off abruptly by a sharp jab in her abdomen. Her fingers clinched into a fist around her stomach and she groaned from the sudden pain.

                “What’s wrong?” Justin’s tone was drenched with concern.

                The pain seared up through her back as Charisse attempted to inhale. “It hurts,” was all she could whimper into the receiver.  Her eyes watered and she had to grip onto the crib’s railing to remain upright. 

                And then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain receded. The effects still lingered; tears welling up in her eyes and her lungs still gasping for air. The phone had slipped from her fingers, into the crib and she could hear Justin frantically inquiring about her well being.

                “I think I’m okay,” she sniffed.

                But he wasn’t hearing it. “You’re going to the hospital and I’m catching the first flight home.”

                Before she could protest, the affliction returned more pronounced. There was no disputing it. Charisse needed a hospital a.s.a.p.

 

-

 

                It had been eight months since Justin found out he was going to be a father. The idea was as surreal to him then as it was now. Everything his mother had said about him being too young and that he shouldn’t take things so seriously with Charisse just yet came crashing down on him. Age had never mattered to him before. It was just something he teased his girlfriend about. Now, in the moments before another life was brought into the world, Justin couldn’t help feeling like his own life was coming to an untimely close.

                He would never share these feelings with Charisse. The need to prove that he was man enough to take responsibility for his actions was too great. As the hallway to her hospital room drew near, Justin swallowed the utter terror that festered inside him. He would be strong for her.

                Their moms were already seated on either side of the bed. Justin smiled at the sight of Charisse, suddenly realizing how much he’d missed her. Her caramel skin was washed out and her eyes were puffy, but she was still the most beautiful woman in his mind. She returned his smile, causing his mom to look up.

                “Honey,” she greeted, rising from her seat and opening her arms to embrace him.

                Justin pecked his mother’s cheek lightly and reciprocated the hug, his eyes trained on Charisse. “Did I miss anything?”

                Mrs. Taylor spoke up, “She’s not dilated enough just yet. Congrats, you’ll actually get to see the birth of your son.”

                The hint of resentment wasn’t lost on anyone in the room, and Justin had to gently grip his mom’s arms to prevent her from coming to his defense. He knew she was upset that her daughter had given up school over the pregnancy, while he seemingly sacrificed nothing. It was no use reminding her that he maintained his lifestyle at Charisse’s request.

                Justin took his mother’s seat beside the bed. “How are you feeling, Reese’s?” he inquired, reaching up to hold Charisse’s hand.

                “Better,” she grinned weakly, “Now that you’re here.”

                He raised her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

-

 

                Twelve hours, one epidural, and countless pushes later, Nathaniel William Taylor was born at 6 pounds, 8 ounces. It pained Charisse more to give him her name than it had to birth him. But, it was necessary. Despite promises to change it once they could come out into the open about their relationship, Mrs. Taylor had decided she could stand it no longer and left. The conversation Charisse had with her mother, however, resonated in her ears…

                “Lynn, could you give me a moment with my daughter?” Carol Taylor asked. Her old friend merely nodded in response.

                Charisse sighed deeply. The audacity her mother had in broaching a subject they’d gone over a million times right before she was to deliver a baby was astounding. “Are we really going to do this now?”

                “The final month I thought I’d have to convince you that this is wrong has become nonexistent in case you haven’t noticed,” Carol huffed.

                Charisse couldn’t resist rolling her eyes. “How can you say that about your grandchild?”

                Carol didn’t rush to answer. “I would have hoped that at twenty-one, your mother wouldn’t still be spelling things out for you. I’ve been nothing but proud of you all through your life. The only thing that has ever bothered me is the compromises you make for that boy.”

                “What are you talking about?” She didn’t bother masking the irritation in her voice. “You like Justin. You’ve been friends with Lynn since before I can even remember. Why can’t you just be happy for me?”

                “Because you are miserable!” Carol whispered shrilly. “It was one thing to keep your relationship with him a secret, but a child?! The fact that you made it this far without anyone getting any notion…And I know you think that one day everything will be out in the open, but what happens then? Can you imagine the backlash he will have? And you’ll be the girl that ruined him. I don’t want that for you and I don’t want that for my grandson. The way things are you’ll be practically raising this child alone. Why not get out now while no one suspects a thing?”

                Charisse tried not to look affected by her mother’s words, but there was nothing said that she hadn’t already thought of. She knew that they were only digging themselves into a deeper hold. A child was just the nail in the coffin.

                Carol rubbed her hand down her child’s arm. “I know it’s hard, sweetie. But one of you has to be the strong one in this situation. You aren’t just making choices for yourself. What you do affects this baby.”

                More valid points. But Charisse wasn’t ready to listen. “How is my child being fatherless a good thing?” It was a question draped with a hardness that ended the conversation.

Justin leaned over Charisse’s shoulder, beaming down at the son he’d helped create. He glanced over at her, but she didn’t seem to be present. “Where’s your head at, momma?” He prodded.

Charisse stirred slightly. “I’m here,” she insisted, “Just tired.” She motioned for Justin to take the baby, but he shook his head. “C’mon. You’re gonna have to get used to it sometime.”

There was a moment’s hesitation, in which Justin peered into his baby boy’s face. Golden brown eyes sat beneath a head covered with little blonde curls, which were currently pressed against Nathaniel’s scalp. Justin knew it wouldn’t be long before they would poke out wildly in every direction, refusing to be tamed. He was filled with an overwhelming sense of pride at the thought of teaching his little boy to walk and dance. Finally, he felt confident enough to receive the small bundle in his arms, cradling his head.


“He’s so tiny,” Justin marveled. Nathaniel cooed faintly, regarding the man holding him with eyes of wonder. “Hey there little guy. I’m your daddy.”
Charisse leaned back in her bed wearing an expression of total contentment. “I think he likes you,” she observed.

Justin’s smile lit up his whole face. “I didn’t think I could love anyone this much. I never wanna leave him.” His face fell a bit at the thought of being separated from the miracle in his arms.

“You don’t really have much of a choice…,” Charisse trailed with a soft hum.
Silence filled the space between them for a few moments, both lost in their own thoughts. Each weighing their newfound obligations and contemplating the best way to proceed.

It was Justin who spoke first. “I don’t have to-.”

“Don’t even suggest it,” Charisse interjected, “Your path is littered with opportunities to take you places that you’ve never even imagined. I wouldn’t allow it.”

He wanted to argue, but even Lynn would be opposed to him abandoning his career. Music was his lifeblood and the best way for him to support his new family.
“We could come out about everything.” It was a truly terrifying thought when considering the damage it could, and most likely would do to his reputation. But, staring down into the eyes of his son, Justin felt like he could deal with it. “He’s more than worth that,” he completed his thought aloud.

Carol’s words reverberated through Charisse’s mind again, making her cringe slightly. The thought of Justin’s popularity being flushed down the drain wasn’t her only concern. What people thought of her wasn’t even the most important thing. But, the way it would affect her son…She didn’t want a microscopic life for him. Her first instinct was to take him and hide away.

“I can’t do this,” she muttered. Justin opened his mouth to speak, but she shook her head. “Think about it J, we’ll be attacked from every angle. Ripped to shreds. And he’s the one who will suffer the most.”

Justin’s face twisted into a look of confusion. “What are you proposing we do?”
Charisse heaved a heavy sigh before she answered. “I think,” she started slowly; “I think that you should let us live a normal life…while no one knows who we are.”
The words floated around him before sinking through his skin, worming their way into his heart. It was unthinkable. Justin stared incredulously at Charisse, but she kept her gaze straight ahead.

“You aren’t serious,” he stammered. But she was. Some part of him believed she could be right. If only they would have been honest with the world a long time ago. Now, they were so far in. There wasn’t any way out without severe consequences. He knew that she was just looking for the best possible solution, the one with the least damage. But his heart shattered at his slightest attempt to fathom a world where he wasn’t in Nathaniel’s life. Anger coursed through him, and he shook trying to control himself. “He needs both of us Char. I want to be in his life. I need to be there.”

“But you won’t be there!” Charisse expressed through clenched teeth. “I’ll be alone for most of the time and if I have to be alone then I don’t want to be worrying about who might be following you when you make your way back home. It’s not fair for us.”

Us. There was that word again, but without including him. It bit at Justin like the coldest day of winter. Tears formed behind his eyes, but he sucked them down. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

“Of all the people to make decisions for me, I never thought you’d be one of them,” Justin said, bitterness hanging on every word. He leaned forward and kissed Nathaniel’s forehead gently. “My son…” He somehow managed to position the baby back into Charisse’s arms without looking directly at her. If she’d already made up her mind, there wasn’t any way he could stop her. Her tear-filled apology fell on deaf ears, as Justin walked out of the room, weighted down at the thought of never seeing them again.

Six years later…

“Mrs. Hunter,” a rather large, affluent looking man greeted, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Charisse glanced up from her desk, surveying the man who had just entered her classroom. His white shirt, crisply pressed, stretched across his broad chest and shoulders. Dark blue denim jeans fit a tad snuggly around his waistline and came down over black cowboy boots. Only the tips of the boots were visible, but were clearly made from the best leather that money could buy.

This was the parent-teacher conference she had been dreading. Yet, she kept up appearances, plastering a believable smile on her face.

Rising slightly from her seat, she held her arm up to shake his outstretched hand. “Please, sit down Mr. Whitney.”

Mr. Whitney scoffed, “There’s no need for the formalities. Call me Lyle.”

Charisse simply nodded in response. “As you know, we’re here to discuss your son’s academic progress thus far in the year. With school half over I’m afraid that he won’t make the grades to pass.”

As she’d expected, Lyle didn’t seem shocked or displeased by this news. He chuckled heartily, “It’s high school. Can’t you just…put him through,” he waved his hand for emphasis.

 “I’m afraid not,” Charisse’s fake smile tightened, “It’s unethical and, quite frankly, won’t help Dylan in the long run.”

Charisse witnessed the slight change in Mr. Whitney’s demeanor at her refusal. Because of his overly generous donations to the school, many teachers had overlooked his son’s behavior. It wasn’t often that he even attended these types of meetings because he merely purchased his son’s grades. Upon hearing the word no, Lyle’s care-free attitude become more business-like.

He sat up in his chair across from Charisse, wearing an expression that reminded her of a fox, leaning forward slightly before he spoke. “Caroline, may I call you Caroline?” he asked.

“Absolutely not,” she responded, swallowing down the twitch that almost came at the sound of her mother’s name.

Lyle continued to leer at her. “Mrs. Hunter, I make many contributions to this school every year. It brings me joy to do so. All I ask in return is your faculty’s help in guiding my son along. Is that too much to ask?” he questioned, his Texas accent thick on every word.

Charisse clasped her hands together, resting her arms on her desk. “Of course it isn’t Mr. Whitney. It’s our job to help your son. But, there’s a difference between helping him and enabling him. He has potential but he knows that he doesn’t have to do the work. I would just like to see Dylan apply himself.”

The smirk Lyle had on his face completely fell. He blinked at Charisse, as though she’d started speaking an entirely different language. “So, you’re going to fail my son?”

Charisse paused, checking her smart mouth in the work place before she answered, “It’s really up to him, Mr. Whitney.”

Lyle snorted as he stood abruptly from his chair. “We’ll see if you even have a job when school starts back up, Mrs. Hunter. I’ll be speaking to my friends on the school board about this.” He turned on his heel and stalked back out the way he came.

“The best for last,” Charisse muttered sarcastically to herself. She sighed and rolled her eyes before checking her watch. She had just enough time to make the conference scheduled for her own son.

 

-

 

HONK! HONK! Charisse’s car horn blared at the truck that had just cut in front of her. Rush hour was in full effect on the Nashville streets. Thankfully, the schools had let out early the past couple days for winter break and conferences and she didn’t have to deal with school zone traffic. She pulled into the safety of Lakeview Elementary’s parking lot with two minutes to spare.

The trek through the lot and through the halls towards her son’s classroom seemed to take less time than usual as her conference with Mr. Whitney replayed itself in her mind.  She couldn’t think of anything inappropriate that she had said. If anything, her actions were admirable. It was deplorable to even think that teachers and administrators would even take bribes, sacrificing a student’s education just to line their own pockets. But it did happen. And she was just one person.

“MOMMY!” Nathaniel’s voice jolted her back to the present. “Mommy, did you see the picture I made?” he asked, drawing her attention finally to the pictures displayed along the wall outside his class. “We had to draw the people we admire and I drew you and daddy.”

Charisse ignored the pang of guilt she felt in her chest and grinned down at her son. “Awe, you admire us?” She squeezed him tightly before glancing up at the drawing. It depicted her with schoolbooks and her husband with a computer. “That’s so sweet baby,” she said, kissing his forehead. “Speaking of daddy, why hasn’t he picked you up from school?”

Nathaniel shrugged, but didn’t seem as upset as she was about him not being picked up from school.

“C’mon sweetie,” she sighed and put her hand on his shoulder, leading him into the classroom, “Sit back here while I talk to Ms. Dixon.”

He nodded once before complying.

Ms. Dixon was a tall, slender woman. Her hair was always cropped short, framing her face, and dyed platinum blonde. She reminded Charisse of a business woman, possibly living in a fast paced city like New York, and she always had to bite back the urge to ask what made her start teaching.

“Mrs. Hunter, it’s always a pleasure to see you,” Ms. Dixon greeted cheerily, “Please, sit down.” She pulled two chairs out from a large round table not far from where Nathaniel sat.

“Thank you,” Charisse obliged. “I’m so sorry you had to play babysitter.”  

Ms. Dixon waved her hand in dismissal. “It’s not a problem. I didn’t have too many parents to meet with today and Nathan is always a delight to be around.”

Charisse couldn’t help but beam at the compliment. “So, I take it everything is going well then?”

Nathaniel’s teacher nodded while shuffling through a folder in front of her. “His grades are above average, particularly reading and math. My only concern is his anti-social behavior.”

“Anti-social behavior?” Charisse parroted, eyes narrowing slightly.

The drastic change in expression was noticed by Ms. Dixon, who immediately became a bit flustered. “Well, yes…,” she answered hesitantly, “He doesn’t seem to do well in groups. I’m wondering if, due to his speech impediment, he wouldn’t be more comfortable in the special class.”

Anger burned beneath Charisse’s skin and it was almost too much for her to contain. “My son does not have a speech impediment,” she snorted. It was true that he hadn’t spoken a word for the first two years of his life. Charisse had been worried until one day her son began to sing along with the radio to none other than Justin’s first single, “Like I Love You.” Since then, she’d used music wherever she could to help him learn.

Ms. Dixon’s indifference was worn plainly on her face. “He stutters-,”

“Because he’s nervous!” Charisse exclaimed, rising from the tiny chair faster than it could handle. It skittered across the floor a couple feet behind her.

It was then that it occurred to Ms. Dixon that there may not be a problem with Nathaniel at all, but his overprotective mother.  “There’s no need to be so defensive, Mrs. Hunter. I’m not denying Nathaniel’s intelligence. I just worry about him not associating with the other students. He doesn’t seem to have many friends.”

“And how would his being in Special Education help him?” Charisse crossed her arms tightly.

Ms. Dixon exhaled deeply. “He seems to respond better to one-on-one exercises. In a class this size, I can only provide so much of that. The only other alternative I would suggest is home schooling, but I’m not sure if that would be better for him socially…” Her look at Charisse expressed all the words Ms. Dixon wasn’t saying.

Charisse didn’t respond, but looked from Ms. Dixon to her son. Had she really gone overboard in her attempts to shield her son from the cruelties of the world? “No,” she said to herself, “No.” She shook her head and walked over to her son. “We’re going.” She heard Ms. Dixon start to protest but they were already headed out the door.

 

-

 

The drive home was silent, except for Nathaniel’s singing. Charisse was too lost in thought. It was too much to accept that she had isolated her son from the world. She kept telling herself that he was young and shy and that he had time to grow out of it. There was nothing wrong with not socializing with people who would probably just end up hurting him anyway. She blew out a sigh as she pulled into the drive, not bothering to pull into the garage.

“Daddy’s home!” Nathaniel pointed to the white Excursion parked next to Charisse’s more modest Maxima.

Charisse only grunted as she helped Nathan from his seat. She wasn’t too pleased with her husband right now. She led the way up the winding path towards the front door before asking, “Why don’t you go play in your room, kiddo? Mommy wants to talk to Daddy alone for a moment.”

Nathaniel didn’t answer, but dropped his bag in the doorway and sped off up the stairs to his room.

“What did I tell you about leaving your bag here?” she yelled half-heartedly after him. She lifted the backpack from the floor, carried it across the foyer into the living room, and set it on the couch. She moaned in relief at the chance to kick off her heels and plant her feet on the plush rug. Charisse picked up her shoes and walked back to the closet by the front door, dropping them carelessly inside it.

The answering machine blinked on the table beside the closet, alerting her that there were three unheard messages. She hit the button, barely listening to the messages.

Strong hands slid their way across her waist from behind. “Hey baby,” her husband kissed her neck softly, “What’s for dinner?”

“Don’t ‘Hey baby’ me, Bryan. You didn’t pick Nathan up from school.” She turned around so she could properly glare at her husband.

Bryan sighed and stepped back. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, looking down at his socked feet. “I was running late at the office and I knew you had to go there anyway for your conference.”

Charisse scoffed, rubbing her temples at the memory. It was then that she heard the message:

“Message three, received at 4:15 PM,” the machine announced.

“Hey Bryan…I know you told me not to call this number again but it’s important and I couldn’t reach you on your cell. Ben needs money for his football uniforms and he’s growing so fast…I can’t afford to keep buyin’ clothes for that boy. And Chelsea’s getting worse every day. I can’t raise these kids by myse-“

“Message erased.”

Bryan stood over the answering machine, index finger jamming the delete button. But the damage was done.

Charisse stared at him, questions written all over her face, but she remained utterly speechless.

“Baby, I…She…,” he started, “It isn’t what you think.”

Charisse laughed dryly. “Please, tell me what I am thinking right now because I have no idea.” She hugged herself, staring down at the hardwood floor. Her mind was racing, but couldn’t settle on any one thing to say. It was as though she had been living her life while asleep and was finally being woken up only to realize that everything had turned to shit.

“I had Ben before I even met you,” Bryan explained, as if this excused his actions. “And Chelsea…” His eyes shifted across the room.

“And you didn’t think it was important to tell me you had children because…?” Charisse finally lifted her gaze from the floor to watch Bryan.

His jaw tightened. “Well, she’s four. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t even sure if they were mine.”

Charisse could feel herself begin to shake as the events from the day kept piling on top of her. “You have a whole little family outside of this marriage! Why wouldn’t you tell me that you had kids?! Unless you’re still sleeping with her!” She hadn’t meant the last part, but when Bryan’s face fell, Charisse knew it was true. She suddenly felt dirty and rubbed her hands up and down her arms, hoping it would help. But it didn’t. “How could you do that to us?” she sobbed.

“I never wanted you to find out like this,” Bryan said, taking a bold step forward, “I just…They’re my kids, Charisse.”

“So, it’s okay because Nathan’s not really your son. You can just leave him at school and barely pay attention to him while you’re home. Did you know that he admires you?” she spat, “You’re the only father he knows!”

Bryan looked as though he might be affected by her words, but shrugged them off. “Whose fault is that, Charisse? I’m supposed to take responsibility for your son just because you don’t know who his father is?”

That was it. She couldn’t control her temper anymore. “GET OUT!” she screamed, shoving Bryan’s chest so hard he stumbled back into the wall. “GET THE FUCK OUT! I HATE YOU!” She left him, stunned against the wall. The living room was a blur as she crossed through it swiftly and climbed the stairs. “The nerve of him,” she huffed angrily, slamming her bedroom door shut.

She didn’t even bother to watch him pull out of the driveway. Exerting so much energy just to push him had drained her, and she collapsed in front of the closet. Now that she was alone, she could cry. Her head leaned against the closet door as she wept silently. She couldn’t blame her mother, Justin or even Bryan for the mess she was in. The fault rested squarely on her shoulders.

Charisse wondered if she could even be upset with Bryan when she had been keeping her own secrets from him. She pushed the closet open and moved a couple pairs of her shoes, exposing a loose floorboard. Beneath it hid a box containing letters that her mother had forwarded from Justin. She had thought that she was doing him a favor in keeping the door between them cracked open, but now it occurred to her that it was something she needed as well.

Very delicately, she picked up one of the more recent letters. She unfolded the paper and skimmed over the part where Justin thanked her for pictures of Nathaniel to the bottom where Justin had given her a number to reach him. It said for emergencies and she wasn’t sure if this qualified, but dialed the number before she could stop herself.

“Hello?” Justin’s voice came after a few rings. “Hello?”

Charisse sniffed into the receiver, her breath still short from crying. She couldn’t speak, as Justin’s voice had taken her back six years.

“Charisse? Is everything alright?” Justin inquired.

“Y-yes,” she found her voice, “It’s fine. How did you know?”

Justin chuckled softly, “I bought this line just in case.”

Of course he did. “Oh…Well, I didn’t mean to bother you. I just,” Charisse stopped. She couldn’t bring herself to admit that she had been wrong. “How would you like to see Nathan?”

It was a stupid question, but Justin seemed shocked to hear it. After a moment, he answered, “Yeah, of course. When?”

“As soon as possible,” Charisse responded a little too quickly.

“Um, okay. I’m in LA now.” She could hear Justin scratch his beard. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

Charisse sighed. Even after all this time, there was no fooling him. “I really don’t want to talk about it right now,” she croaked, “I’ll book the earliest flight out to Los Angeles.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Justin rebuffed, “I’ll fly you guys out. I’ll call you back with the details.” He paused for a moment, debating on what he should say. “Thank you,” he added finally.

Guilt washed over Charisse again. “Don’t thank me.” ‘You wouldn’t have to if I’d listened…,” she thought.

  As memories crept upon him, Justin couldn't recal a time where he had ever been more nervous. It was surreal to think that he would be seeing Charisse and Nate again. He had dreamed of this moment since the day he had walked away from the two, but each passing year had made him more doubtful that he would see them again.
 Perhaps the biggest thing that shocked Justin was the deep emotion that came flooding back when Charisse's name flased across his phone's screen. In his mind, he was over her. He even resented her at times for taking their son away. Everything he'd ever imagined saying to her flew from his mind when she called.
 However, Justin's best friend, Trace was less than forgetful. "How can you even be sure she's really coming?" he asked, clearly aggitated by Justin's naivity.
 Justin simply sighed, "If I wanted to be berated on the situation, I would've called my mother." He checked his watch for the millionth time. The flight from Nashville was scheduled to arrive on time, and he wouldn't allow himself to think that Charisse and his son would not be on the plane.
 "Don't get me wrong, J, I want this for you. But...," Trace chose his words carefully when he saw the look Justin was giving him, "Did you at least call to see if she was boarding?"
 Before Justin could respond, the moment he'd been waiting for stopped the words in his throat.
 Trace turned to see what his friend was staring at. "Well, she still looks good," he admitted quietly.
 Justin agreed by remaining speechless. He managed to return the nervous smile Charisse gave him before shifting his focus to the small child walking next to her. As if pulled by a magnet, Justin approached the little boy. He marveled at the golden brown locks and facial features he'd only ever seen in the mirror.
 "He looks just like me," Justin beamed. As Justin continued to take in every characteristic of the child, he realized that the little boy wasn't sharing in the excitement. In fact, it looked as though the kid was about to faint. Justin opened his mouth to speak, but as usual, Charisse stepped in.
 "Nathan," she spoke sweetly to her son, " This is my friend, Justin."
The word "friend" stung, but Justin did his best to hide his pain. He knew Charisse had probably felt it best for them to talk first and tell Nathan the truth together.
Trace was less understanding, scoffing loudly and muttering something about waiting in the car as he walked away.
Nate continued to stare, wide-eyed at Justin. "B-but that's...That's Justin Timberlake."
Charisse and Justin shared a laugh. "I know, baby. But, believe it or not, Justin and I grew up in the same town. We've known each other for a long time."
Excitement filled Nathan's face, and it looked as though it was going to be too much for him to contain. Still, he spoke only to Charisse, "Are we spending the whole break with him?"
His mother nodded. "If it's ok with J," she trailed off, glancing up at him expectantly.
Justin forced a smile. "There's plenty of room for all of us." He shared a look with Charisse, as if somehow she'd be able to grasp the full meaning of his statement by reading his thoughts.
If she had known, Charisse didn't let on at all. She gripped Nathan's hand and turned to Justin. "Care to show us the way?"
"Uh, yea. Let's get your bags and we'll be on our way."