Laura sighed as she finished wiping the table off.  The kitchen and the rest of the house were finally clean.  Perhaps now she would take the dogs, Kasey and Freddie, for a quick walk in the snow.  The snow had been falling gently for the past hour and was beautiful on the fields overlooking the farmhouse where she lived.  Kasey loved rolling around in the snow and plowing through the large snowdrifts that were sure to accumulate overnight.  The meteorologists were calling for a large snowstorm to occur over the next 72 hours. 

 

“Come on, Kasey and Freddie,” Laura called as she put on her boots and warm winter coat.  Both dogs came running from the living room as she opened the back door and stepped into the cold.  The dogs took off running toward the barn, there had probably been a raccoon or a groundhog out there, and the dogs were trying their best to scare it off. 

 

“You guys are crazy,” Laura remarked as she watched the dogs run in circles playing the dog version of tag.  She lifted the digital camera she had brought with her and snapped a couple of pictures of the dogs cute faces covered in snow. 

 

“I absolutely love it here,” she said softly to herself as she walked around the barn and down to the brook.  The water in the brook was just beginning to freeze as the temperature dropped.  That didn’t stop the dogs from sniffing around the edge and crossing the ice to get to the other side and explore. 

 

Laura called for the dogs to come as she headed up the hill back to the house.  It was starting to get dark and she was getting hungry. 

 

 

JC looked around at the snow falling in the glow of his headlights as he slowed down the car he was driving.  He had no idea where he was and the snow was coming down harder and harder.  There was so much snow on the road he couldn’t even see where the lines were. 

 

“This is another one of your brilliant ideas, JC,” he said in disgust to himself.  He had spent Christmas in Chicago with his parents and had decided to take off by himself for a couple of days.  The stress of his life was getting to him.  Even though JC was not yet 35, he felt much, much older.  All his friends had someone important in their life and yet JC was struggling to find his match. 

 

JC had struck out on his own; he didn’t have to be back to work until February so he was trying to get his head straight before he went back to his busy lifestyle.  JC had made no plans, taking only his luggage and a map, deciding to leave his GPS system at home.  His cell phone was turned off so the outside world would be unable to reach him. 

 

JC had been listening to cd’s all day as he drove and hadn’t been listening to the weather forecast.  He flipped on the radio and tried to find a station that came in clear enough to listen to some weather.  He had no idea where he was, somewhere in Ohio he thought. 

 

“Why didn’t I stop at that last town?  I could be sitting in a nice warm hotel room and have room service bring me whatever I wanted.  But noooo, I’m driving in the middle of who knows where, on who knows what road, with who knows how many inches on snow already on the road!  JC you are an idiot!”  He felt a little better after his rant. 

 

JC slowed down even more, he was barely crawling now in the car.  “Ok, look, just make it a little further, surely there has to be a town coming up somewhere and I can check into a hotel until the storm lets up.” 

 

Unfortunately as he finished his sentence, he hit a large snowdrift in the middle of the road and lost control of the car.  JC felt his breath catch in his throat as his car started spinning toward several very large trees. 

 

“Nooooo,” he yelled as his car hit a tree and everything went black. 

 

 

Laura looked up from her book to the dog whining at her feet and smiled.  “Alright, let’s go outside one more time tonight and then we are going to bed.”  It was already 10:30 p.m., normally she would be in bed by now, but since she was on vacation had decided to finish the book before she went to bed. 

 

Laura grabbed a coat and slipped on a pair of shoes to let the dogs out.  She didn’t want the dogs to run off after an animal tonight.  She just wanted to go back into the nice warm house. 

 

But as she opened the door to let the dogs back in, Laura thought she heard a voice.  She paused before she went into the house, listening again. 

 

This time she heard a faint voice crying for help.  Glancing across her yard, she gasped as she saw a man in the faint light of the night light coming towards here stumbling with blood running down his face.  He was struggling to make it through the large snowdrifts.  Over the past several hours, snow had steadily fallen and the snowplows were unable to keep up with it, even emergency vehicles were unable to get out until the snow abated some. 

 

Laura quickly stepped off the back porch and ran as fast as she could toward the man.  Several of the drifts were already up to her waist.  The man collapsed just as she reached him.  Laura grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulder as she struggled to get him back on his feet. 

 

“Ok, sir, can you make it just a few more steps?  We’re almost to the house where we can get you nice and warm.” 

 

 

JC groaned as he stumbled back on his feet, every movement was a jarring reminder of his head injury.  “My head hurts,” he said softly to the woman who was trying to help him through the drifts that appeared to grow before his eyes.

 

“I know,” the woman remarked in sympathy, “but just a few more steps to the house.”  All of a sudden, the woman gasped as JC stumbled and took them both down.

 

“I’m sorry,” JC cried out. 

 

“Trust me, it’ll be alright.”

 

 

Laura was somehow able to get them back on their feet and into the back door.  She closed the door behind them as she guided JC through the kitchen to sit him down on the couch in the living room.  The dogs were jumping all around as they discovered someone new in their home.  Laura quickly grabbed them and shut them into the bedroom, so she could get a better look at the man’s injuries. 

 

As she reentered the living room, she noticed the man shaking uncontrollably. 

 

“I’m s-s-s-oooo c-c-c-ooold.”  He stammered.  “I can’t feel my hands and feet.”

 

Laura quickly grabbed a couple of blankets from the couch and placed them over the man’s body.  “Here start warming up; I’m more concerned about your head right now.” 

 

Laura brushed the hair back from his face as she tried to locate the bleeding.  She tried not to notice how the soft wavy hair felt against her fingers or the chiseled face that was just inches away.  He looked very familiar.  “I’m going to grab a cloth so I can wash the blood off real quick.  I’ll be right back.  What’s your name?”  She asked as she left to quickly grab a wet cloth. 

 

“JC.”

 

“Well, JC it’s nice to meet you, I’m Laura.”  She replied as she stepped back into the room and sat down next to him. 

 

“Let’s see what we have here.”  Laura gently washed away the majority of the blood and discovered a large bump near his temple.  The bleeding was slowly stopping so Laura lightly bandaged the cut before turning her attention to getting him warm. 

 

“How long have you been out in the cold?”

 

“Ummm….the last thing I remember was 6:15 on the clock.”

 

Laura’s eyes shot to the clock, noting it was now almost 11 p.m., before meeting his startling blue eyes.  He had been outside for hours!

 

“So where are you coming from or where are you going?”  She asked lightly, trying to calm him down and keep him talking as she reached under the blanket for his bare hand.  He hadn’t been wearing any gloves and Laura could see that he could barely move his fingers.  Laura was praying that there was no frostbite as she felt how cold his hand was. 

 

“Ummm….I spent Christmas in Chicago and was just taking a road trip,” he muttered still shaking. 

 

“Ahhh..  I see.  Just seeing the sights around the booming metropolis that is here, right?”  Laura laughed lightly trying to keep the stress out of her voice as she rubbed his hand gently between her hands trying to put some warmth back into his body.    

 

 

JC couldn’t stop shaking.  He had never been so cold in his life. 

 

“Where is that?”  He asked through chattering teeth. 

 

“It’s a little town in northwest Ohio.  Blink and you’ll miss it, we’re north of Columbus.  Did you have a particular destination in mind?”

 

“N-not r-really.”  JC tried to get his mind off how cold he was, but all he could concentrate on was the feel of her hands on his. 

 

Laura kept rubbing warmth into his hands as she asked him what had happened if he could remember. 

 

JC paused before answering trying to remember.  “I think I was lost, I was yelling at myself for not stopping at the last town and getting a room.  Then I hit a snowdrift or something and started spinning out of control.  I hit a tree I think and when I woke up the car was off and all I could see were the lights from your house.  It was like a beacon in the darkness calling me home.”  JC finished softly, almost to himself. 

 

Laura laughed nervously, she must have caught the last line, but didn’t comment on it. 

 

“I’m glad I’m not the only one who talks to myself or yells at myself.  I do it all the time, sometimes I think that’s the only way to have an intelligent conversation.  If I do it at work, I tell the people to just smile and nod to agree with me!”

 

JC laughed, he was beginning to feel slightly warmer.  “I tell people that all the time too!”

 

“I don’t want to put ice on your head until you are warm, but would you like some Tylenol or Advil to help with your headache?”

 

“Anything would be great to help with the pounding right now.”

 

Laura walked into the kitchen and grabbed two pills and filled a glass with water before returning to the couch next to JC.  “Can you hold these or do you want me to hold them?”  Laura asked. 

 

JC tried to grab the pills, but found his hands were still not working.  Laura smiled at him gently and told him to open his mouth.  She placed a pill on his tongue careful not to touch more of him than necessary.  She placed the glass of water at his lips and carefully tipped it so his could swallow the pill.  Then she repeated it with the second pill. 

 

“While that kicks in, do you mind if I take off your shoes and socks to check for frostbite?”

 

“Ya know…that’s actually the first time I’ve ever heard that line used before, but no I don’t mind, they actually feel like they are going to fall off.”

 

“Well, I know that if my feet are cold then I’m freezing, but get my feet warm and then I’m good,” Laura said as she sat on the floor in front of him. 

 

JC moaned as she eased the shoe and sock off his right foot, he hoped they didn’t smell too bad, but decided that didn’t matter as much as it felt as if thousands of pins were stabbing him in his foot as she lightly rubbed it to get warm. 

 

“I’m sorry,” Laura said and she turned her attention to the other foot.

 

“It’s alright,” JC breathed through the pain. 

 

“Look I don’t want this to come out the wrong way but,” Laura said hurriedly as she blushed, “I think you’ll warm up faster if you take a shower.  I have some really warm pajamas that you can put on after and then while you take a shower, I’ll make you some hot chocolate to warm up the inside.  Plus it will get all the blood out of your hair.”

 

JC smiled as he realized she was truly embarrassed talking about him in the shower. 

 

“That actually sounds good, I have to warm up somehow, right?”

 

“Alright, just wait here, I’ll get the pajamas and everything.”  Laura said as she jumped up to get them. 

 

 

Laura ran upstairs to get the pajamas out of a plastic tub, she didn’t use them herself, just dressed up in them for fun when she chaperoned at a kids camp. 

 

“You are so stupid, Laura,” she said to herself as she took them out of the tub.  “You have JC Chasez down there and you just asked him to take a shower.  Ahhhh….snap out of it and help him, he’s injured and he needs your help.”  After her pep talk, she went back down the stairs, but detoured to the bathroom to turn on the water. 

 

Laura turned the water on, it was almost cold, but she knew once he got in it would feel like it was burning him.  Then she laid out towels and the pajamas she had retrieved.  She was so thankful she had just cleaned the bathroom earlier in the day.  Once she finished, she walked back into the living room to see JC try and stand. 

 

“Whoa,” JC said as he swayed on his feet.  Laura rushed over and put his arm around her shoulder to steady him. 

 

“Are you alright,” Laura asked as she supported his taller frame. 

 

“Yeah, I think I just stood up too fast.”

 

“Ok,” Laura said doubtfully.  “The water is running, it’s not very hot, but I think it will feel much hotter to you, just adjust it to whatever temperature feels right.  Just throw your clothes in the hamper and I’ll get them washed for you.”  Laura rushed through the instructions as she led him to the bathroom. 

 

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”  Laura looked at him as he rested his weight on the counter of the sink.  His face had paled considerably over the last few moments. 

 

“Yeah……..  I’ll be fine once I’m warmed up.” 

 

“Just don’t pass out or drown or anything alright?”  Laura said lightly.  “If you need anything, let me know.  Do you want some hot chocolate?”

 

“Ummm…no, what I want more than anything is to lie down and get rid of this pounding in my head.”

 

“That can be arranged,” Laura said as she shut the door to the bathroom behind her. 

 

 

JC sighed as he stepped out of the shower, which had been the most painful shower in his life.  It felt as if he were being stabbed with needles on every inch of his body.  And although the water hadn’t been that warm to start with, he had barely turned it hotter than lukewarm.  He grabbed a towel, dried off, and tried to get some of the moisture out of his hair. 

 

He was trying to figure out how he got into these situations.  Here he was stranded, no car, no one knew where he was, alone with a woman that he hoped wasn’t a crazy fan who would go public with the situation.  Trust was hard to give, especially in his situation.  So many people had already broken the trust he had given.  JC had become somewhat jaded in his life.  Everyone wanted something from him in exchange for his time or money.  He just had to wait and see what Laura wanted from him in exchange for giving him shelter. 

 

JC grabbed the pajamas Laura had left for him and gasped in shock.  “What the heck?  So she’s going to get a picture of me in these pajamas and sell it.”  He glanced around the small bathroom, right now he had no choice but to put them on.  The pajamas were like an adult’s version of footy pajamas, only without the feet in them.

 

“They look absolutely ridiculous!” 

 

JC hesitantly opened the door, subconsciously waiting for a flash of a camera.  No flash came.  He saw Laura sitting on the couch reading a book that she put down when she saw him out of the corner of her eye. 

 

“Do you feel better?”

 

“Yeah, I actually do.  My head is just killing me right now though.  Is there a place where I can lay down?”

 

Laura got up and went through a door just off the bathroom.  He followed her into the room, noticing the covers had already been pulled down on the bed.  “Here, I grabbed some socks for you to put on.  Is there anything else that you need?”

 

“No, not that I can think of…thank you for helping me.”

 

“Anyone would do the same.”  Laura looked into his deep blue eyes in what he could only assume was an innocent face.  “Anyway, if you need anything, my room is right over there,” she said pointing back towards her bedroom.  “I have two dogs that I’ll try and keep quiet, but you’ll want to keep the door shut so they don’t jump on you.”

 

Laura walked back out the door, but with her hand on the doorknob, she stopped and turned around.  “I mean it, if you feel sick or need anything in the night, don’t hesitate to yell or come get me.”  She looked deep into his eyes, the look burned into him.  It was as if she was looking at his soul.  He felt short of breath as he sat heavily on the bed. 

 

Laura started to walk out the door, but stopped when JC called out softly.  “Laura??   Could you help me put the socks on…my hands still aren’t working great.”

 

“Sure,” Laura came back into the room and grabbed the socks from beside him.  “Why don’t you go ahead and lay down,” she suggested.  He slowly lay down and lifted his feet up to the bed.  She carefully sat down on the bed near his feet. 

 

Laura gently lifted his right foot and placed a sock on.  “Well, at least your feet feel warmer,” she said nervously as she placed his foot back on the bed and grabbed his left foot, repeating the motion. 

 

She stood back up and grabbed the covers before pulling them up to his neck.  I can’t believe it, JC thought, she’s tucking me in.  I haven’t had a woman ever tuck me in that didn’t want something more. 

 

 

Laura straightened up, clearing her throat.  “Are you warm enough, do you want more blankets?”

 

“No, I’m fine.” 

 

“Alright, good night then.”  Laura turned the light out as she walked out of the room.  But before she closed the door, she heard a whisper “Good night, thank you.”

 

Laura softly closed the door behind her then walked over to the couch and sat down, putting her face into her hands.  Was there a connection there?  Am I just dreaming?  Could this all be in my mind?  Then she slowly smiled as she heard JC cough as she realized it was real. 

 

Laura stood up and went into the bathroom, picking up his clothes before she took them to the laundry room and stuck them in the washer so he would have clean clothes to put on the next day.  After putting detergent in and turning the washer on, she quietly walked back to her bedroom, hushing the dogs as she opened her bedroom door. 

 

Closing the door behind her, she walked to the side of the bed and sat down, getting under the covers.  She stared up at the ceiling above her bed as she tried to understand what had happened that day, what had started at a completely ordinary day.  Laura had a feeling that everything in her life had just taken a change, she just wasn’t sure if it would be a good change yet. 

 

Her hand reached out to shut off the light by her bed as she prepared for a long a sleepless night. 

The morning light slowly fell over the handsome features of the man lying in the bed in an old farmhouse bringing him to wakefulness.  He opened his eyes and glanced around the room, trying to place where he was.  His hand came up to rub his eyes, but instead met the bump on his head and everything from the previous night came rushing back.

 

The accident…the cold…the house and lights…the woman…the heat…the pajamas!

 

JC looked at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed.  10:09. He sat up and groaned, his head pounded with each heartbeat.  He swung his legs off the bed and prepared to stand up. 

 

Once standing, he swayed a bit before he got his balance back.  He opened the bedroom door and headed to the bathroom.  After closing the bathroom door behind him, he noticed a stack of clean clothes on the counter.  It was his clean clothes from the night before and on top was a toothbrush in a new package, toothpaste, and a hairbrush.  She has thought of everything. 

 

Finishing in the bathroom, JC walked past the door where he slept and tossed the pajamas on the bed before heading to where he someone singing softly to the radio. 

 

 

Laura was quietly singing along with a song on the radio, her back to the living room door as she stirred a pot of chili on the stove.  She was nodding her head and swaying quickly to the beat.  I just love a good bass beat in a song. 

 

She didn’t pause a step when her cell phone made a sound that meant a text message had just come through.  She kept up with the beat as she opened the phone, read the message, and sent a reply, still not looking up.  Once sending the message, she turned around and glanced up quickly at the clock.  But before she could note the time, she caught JC’s eyes.  Laura stopped dancing instantly, blushing as she realized from his stance he had been there for a while. 

 

Laura walked over to turn the radio down as she asked, “Good morning, did you sleep well?” 

 

“Off and on.  You don’t have to stop singing on my account.”

 

“I’m sure you’ve heard better in your day and done much better than what you just heard.”

 

“No, I’m serious, as long as you sing for fun or enjoyment, that’s all that matters.”

 

Laura decided a change in subject was necessary.  “Sit down, are you hungry?  Do you want something for your head?”

 

JC pulled out a chair at the table and sat down.  “Yes to both, cereal is just fine though.  I don’t usually eat much in the morning.”  He had taken note of the boxes of cereal on top of the fridge.

 

Laura grabbed the pills out of the cupboard and quickly filled a glass with water.  She placed both in front of him before getting the supplies for his cereal breakfast.  After grabbing a bowl and spoon, Laura noticed JC’s hands were shaking as he tried to open the pill bottle. 

 

“Here, let me do that,” she said as she brushed his hands out of the way. 

 

“I don’t know why I’m so weak,” JC said in frustration. 

 

“What do you mean you don’t know why you’re so weak?  Don’t you suppose that being in the cold for 5 hours could do that?  Or having a bump on the head and being unconscious?  You were in shock.  Speaking of which, how’s your head doing this morning?”

 

Laura placed the pills in front of him and before she could think, reached up and pushed his hair off his forehead to get a better look at his head.  During her sleepless night, she had convinced herself that his hair had not been as soft as she had remembered. 

 

She needed no more convincing.  The longer strands twisted around her fingers as she gently moved them aside.  Focus on the injury.  Just put all your attention on the injury. 

 

“Ummm…I don’t think it’s gone down much since last night.  After you eat, you can lie down on the couch and we’ll put some ice on it.”  Laura finished getting his breakfast ready and placed it in front of him.   

 

“My head feels like it’s barely attached and the only reason I know it is is because of the constant pounding.”

 

“I just hope that you don’t have a concussion or anything serious,” Laura said as she sat down at the table across from him. 

 

JC waited until he finished chewing before he said, “I don’t think I do, I think rest will do wonders.”

 

Laura laughed, “You can certainly get that here, especially with the snow still coming down. 

 

JC decided that he liked her laugh; it was full of joy as she looked at him.  Laura got back up to stir the soup in the pot.  “You must have put a spell on my dogs; they usually don’t behave so well around strangers.”

 

JC realized he had barely looked at the dogs since he had gotten up, he had been so focused on Laura he hadn’t even looked around. 

 

“Well who do we have here,” JC asked as he called the dogs over. 

 

“The big one is Kasey and the little one is Freddie.”  Laura said as they started jumping up on JC.  “No, no, get down.”  Laura grabbed their collars and pulled them back. 

 

“Oh, they’re alright.”

 

“Not if they jar your head and disconnect it from your body!  I’ll put them on the back porch until they calm down a little.”  Laura took the dogs to the enclosed back porch and shut the door. 

 

JC quietly finished his breakfast before picking his bowl and spoon up to place them in the sink. 

 

Laura noticed what he was doing and smiled to herself.  She certainly hadn’t expected a huge star like JC to pick up after himself. 

 

“Are you ready for the ice pack now?”

 

“Yeah, I think I am.”

 

“Go ahead and get comfortable on the couch,” Laura said as she turned and grabbed a bag of frozen peas from the freezer behind her before she walked into the living room and carefully placed it on JC’s head.

 

“Does that feel better?” 

 

“Yeah, it does,” JC said as Laura looked deep into his eyes.  She cleared her throat before grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch and covering him up.  She grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table in front of the couch and handed it to him. 

 

“I should have asked last night, but do you want to use the phone to call someone to let them know you’re ok?  Parents, friends, girlfriend?” 

 

“Yeah, I’d better, I told my mom that I’d text her last night, she’s probablyfreaking out right about now.”

 

Laura walked back into the kitchen and grabbed her phone before handing it to JC. 

 

“Make yourself at home; if you need anything else just ask.”  Laura looked into his eyes once more before returning to the kitchen. 

 

 

JC looked around the house for the first time as he laid on the couch after leaving a message for his parents.  It was warm and inviting, not at all like his own mansion.  The furniture didn’t match, but it was comfortable and you could tell that someone lived in the house and didn’t use it as a stopping place.  The pictures on the wall were beautiful scenes of flowers and landscapes.  From his place on the couch he could hear the radio being turned back up and Laura start to sing along again as she worked in the kitchen.  The soft singing lulled him to sleep. 

 

 

As JC tried to roll over on the couch, he realized he couldn’t.  That fact more than anything jolted him awake.  He looked down toward his feet and realized he had two dogs lying on his legs.  When they realized he was awake, they jumped up and came towards his hands to be petted. 

 

“Kasey, Freddie, get down,” he heard in a whisper from the kitchen. 

 

“No, they’re ok, I’m awake.”

 

Laura came into the room and sat down in the loveseat across from the couch.  “I hope they didn’t wake you.”

 

“No, they were perfect angels,” JC stretched and swung his feet to the floor as he sat up. 

 

“Ha, I know better than that,” Laura said sarcastically.  “They are very rarely angels, but they are interactive.”

 

“Interactive?”

 

“Yeah, they don’t sit much.  Not like my parents dogs, who do pretty much nothing.  Give Kasey a ball or Freddie a Frisbee and they will play all day, especially if you are trying to do something else.”

 

“I love dogs,” JC said as he picked Freddie up and put him on his lap, while Kasey plopped down on the cushion beside him. 

 

“They certainly like you.”  Then after a pause, Laura said, “Would you like some more medication and the ice pack again?”

 

JC looked around and realized the ice pack was indeed gone; Laura must have removed it while he was sleeping. 

 

“Yeah, but I can get it,” JC said as he started to get up. 

 

“No, don’t worry about it, I’ll get it, you just stay there.”

 

“Well, I’ll at least use the restroom really quick.”

 

Both JC and Laura smiled to themselves as they each left the room in different directions. 

 

 

Later than night

 

Laura laughed as JC finished his story over their shared meal at the kitchen table. 

 

“Aren’t siblings great – always good for some blackmail or telling embarrassing moments?” 

 

Laura and JC had had a great time eating together.  They had completely forgotten about the snow that continued to fall, time had gotten away from them.  They had finished eating their supper almost 2 hours ago, but had stayed at the table to talk and share stories about each others lives.  Time had flown by and they got to know the real person across the table – not a superstar or a façade. 

 

Laura looked down as Kasey whined at her feet with a desperate look on her face. 

 

“I’d better let the dogs out real quick before we have an accident,” Laura said as she got up from the table.  She went outside with the dogs so JC decided to take the opportunity to start cleaning off the table. 

 

He loaded the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and started wiping down the counters with a wet soapy cloth. 

 

“It is freezing out there, brrrr,” Laura shivered as she came back into the kitchen.  “Thank you so much for clearing the table.”

 

“I would put the leftovers away, but wasn’t sure where you kept containers or anything.”

 

“I think I can handle that.  Care to watch a movie tonight?  If you want, go ahead and pick one out.”

 

“Sure, what do you want to watch?”

 

“Anything, pick something you want to watch.”

 

JC walked into the living room and over to the bookcase where Laura kept her movies.  Looking over the selection, he wasn’t sure what to pick.  Do I go with romantic, comedy, action?  Action, definitely action, JC decided quickly.  While he was drawn to Laura, he wasn’t sure he was ready for any romantic attachments to her. 

 

“How’s Sherlock Holmes, Laura?”

 

“One of my favorites,” she called back from the kitchen.  JC put it into the DVD player and got comfortable on the couch. 

 

Laura walked into the living room and stepped over JC’s feet to grab a blanket and pillow from the seat beside him before she sat down on the loveseat across the room. 

 

“Hit it,” she grinned from across the room at him.  JC felt his heart take a leap as he pushed the play button on the remote.  “Can you turn the light off, it’s much better if you watch it in the dark.”

 

JC turned the overhead light off and adjusted the pillow behind his back.  “I live to serve, milady.”

 

Laura chuckled from her place across the room.  JC decided to take a chance and a leap of faith.  “Why don’t you come over here so you can really stretch out and we can share the blanket?  I’m still a little cold and my head hurts a little.”  JC felt a little guilty when he saw the look of concern cross Laura’s face in the flickering light of the TV. 

 

“I’ve got a better idea, why don’t you lie down and I’ll hold the ice pack on for you.”  Laura quickly grabbed the same frozen bag of peas from the freezer as JC made room for Laura sit down on the cushion at his head. 

 

Once Laura sat down, she placed a pillow in her lap and patted it to suggest to JC to place his head down.  Once he was in place, she gently placed the cold pack on his temple. 

 

“How’s that?”

 

“Perfect,” JC said looking up into her eyes. 

 

Laura jumped a little when the music increased in volume on the TV to signify the start of the movie.  “Oh, look, the movie is starting.”  Laura let out a shaky breath as JC turned his attention to the movie. 

 

Then it was JC’s turn to release a breath as Laura’s hand settled into his hair, normally she was not so forward.  He held his breath as her hand began to massage his scalp.  He couldn’t stop himself as a moan of pure satisfaction escaped his lips. 

 

Laura giggled when she heard that.  “Are you in pain, should I stop,” she said jokingly. 

 

“Ahhh…don’t ever stop.  That feels so good.”

 

“You know, what goes around comes around.  I’ll be expecting my scalp massage later.”

 

JC grabbed her hand that held the ice pack, neither noticing when the pack fell to the floor, and looked up into her eyes, saying seriously, “Name the place and time and I’ll be there.”

 

Laura found she couldn’t look away from the honesty in his eyes.  Her eyes roamed over his facial features as he raised his head up toward hers.  With his free hand, JC reached up and placed it behind Laura’s head to guide it toward his approaching lips.  Their eyes closed as their lips touched so very lightly.  Even at the light touch, fireworks seemed to explode around them both, Laura sucked in a breath, and JC took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.  Neither of them had ever experienced anything like what was happening between them.  Their souls connected and nothing else existed but the two of them.  JC slowly pulled back and took the hand from behind Laura’s head to brush the hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear.  He let out a shaky breath, looked deep into Laura’s eyes, smiled, and turned back to the movie that neither of them were paying attention to. 

 

Laura’s hand came up to rest against her still tingling lips as her other resumed massaging JC’s head.  Her entire world had shifted and she knew that nothing would be the same again. 

 

JC had the same thoughts running through his mind.  He had felt as if he had found what he had spent his life looking for.  His eyes brightened as he felt the trembling in her hand that was running through his hair. 

 

Not much was said during the rest of the movie.  Each of them was concentrating on how they were feeling.  JC couldn’t get over how cared for he felt as Laura ran her fingers through his hair.  And Laura was trying to get over the sparks she was experiencing after JC had pulled her hand to hold on his chest, occasionally brushing his thumb over her fingers.  Nothing would be the same again. 

 

After silently finishing the movie that neither paid much attention to, each went to their separate bedrooms to prepare for bed.  They each faced a sleepless night, tossing and turning and trying to understand what was happening between them. 

The next morning, Laura woke to absolute silence and darkness in the house.  No furnace, no humming from the appliances, no lights from the clock, complete total silence, and darkness. 

 

“Nooooo!”  Laura moaned to herself as she realized there was no electricity.  “Well this will make for an interesting day, won’t it?”

 

Laura hopped out of bed and quickly dressed in warm clothes.  The house was already starting to have a chill.  She let the dogs out and watching them from the window dialed the power company to hopefully get an estimate on when the power would be restored.  Laura wasn’t going to hold her breath for the power to be restored anytime soon as the roads were still impassable and snow was still coming down. 

 

That thought was confirmed when the recording told her that it could be days before the power was restored to all the homes in the area. 

 

Laura decided to make the best of it, eating a bowl of cereal before she started gathering up all the oil lamps, candles, and flashlights she could find.  But as she finished eating, the phone rang.  Chewing quickly, she grabbed the phone before it could wake up JC.

 

“Lo.”  Laura said into the receiver.  She had seen on the caller id it was her parents. 

 

“Nice,” her father said.  “Do you have power?”

 

“Nope and I called it in and it could be a couple of days before it comes back on.”

 

“Are you staying warm enough?”

 

“Yeah, I think we’ll be fine.”

 

“What do you mean we?”  Her father asked slowly.

 

“Oh, I didn’t talk to you yesterday; there was an accident out by the tree line, the night before last.  The guy didn’t wake up until hours later and is now snowed in with me.”  Laura rushed quickly through the explanation, leaving a few key details out like how attractive he was. 

 

“Laura, are you alright?”

 

“Yes, father I’m fine,” after sharing a few more details and wishes to stay warm, both hung up. 

 

Getting up from the table, she placed her bowl in the sink and went about gathering up the necessary supplies to get them through this power outage. 

 

 

During the day, JC and Laura played board games, put a puzzle together, and just talked, sharing information with each other that no one else knew.  They were normally both so busy with their respective jobs that they didn’t often get to know someone on such a deep level.  And not having the distraction of TV or cell phones or computers was another plus to getting to know one another. 

 

They had closed off the living room as best as they could, tacking blankets over the doorways.  There was a kerosene heater warming the room and the lit candles were sending a flickering light over their features.  The other rooms in the house were a different story.  With no heat all day the temperature had dropped rapidly.  Now that night had fallen, if you left the living room you did what you left to do and came back immediately. 

 

“I think I’ll pull my mattress in here on the floor.  It’s too cold to sleep in the bedrooms and I don’t want to leave the kerosene heater on all night.”  Laura said.  “If the blankets are piled on, I think we’ll be warm enough.”

 

JC wasn’t sure if she was implying what he thought.  “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

 

“You don’t have to; I don’t mind sharing a bed as long as nothing happens.”

 

“Are you sure?  I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

 

“I know and that’s why I’m offering.  I trust you.”

 

JC was amazed.  He had a hard time trusting in people and this woman whom he had just met was trusting in him.  He had never met someone like Laura before.  He had been running from commitment for so long.  JC had longed for normalcy since he had become a superstar and now it was staring him in the face.  Could this be real?  Could this be continued after the snow ended and the real world surfaced again?  Did he even want this?  He had said repeatedly in interviews that he didn’t ever see himself settling down and getting married, but in this instance, in this farmhouse in Ohio, he longed for it.  He longed for love and commitment and marriage and normalcy.  Laura didn’t treat him like the superstar.  He was free to be JC.  He was free to express himself and he trusted that Laura would keep his secrets and not share them with the rest of the world.  He felt like he was finally home. 

 

 

JC was finding it hard to sleep.  Laura was softly breathing in her sleep next to him and being close but not touching was very hard on JC.  He didn’t know what it was about Laura that affected him so.  He had never felt this way before and not being able to get away from her was confusing him.  JC groaned softly and rolled over on his back, but as he did the mattress jostled and Laura rolled over in her sleep.  She put her right arm across his chest and her leg across both of his, sighing softly as she did so.  JC was not going to let this opportunity go.  He carefully stretched his arm that was beneath her head and put it around her shoulder, pulling her closer into his chest.  His left hand came up and locked their hands together on his chest, right over his heart.  Laura’s head nestled closer on his shoulder as he turned his head and gave her a light kiss on her forehead.  JC’s breathing deepened as he finally fell into a deep, peaceful, restful sleep. 

 

 

Kasey whined as she climbed up on the mattress behind Laura.  Laura groaned and nestled her head deeper into the pillow. 

 

“5 more minutes, Kasey,” she said in a sleepy voice.  I’m too warm and comfortable to get up right now.  Laura slowly became aware that her pillow was hard and her hand was trapped.  She was putting it altogether when…

 

“Mmmm…what Laura,” her pillow asked under her ear.

 

Laura gasped as she sat up quickly, jerking her hand from his.  “I’m so sorry!  I just made you into my personal body pillow.  You should have gotten me up and told me to move.  I’m sorry.” 

 

“I’m not,” JC said in a sexy morning voice, fixing his intense blue gaze directly on her.  “That’s the best sleep I’ve had in quite a while.”  Laura’s face turned red as she tried to get off the mattress before making an even bigger embarrassment of herself. 

 

“I have to let the dogs out, I’ll be back.”  Laura said as she finally made it off the mattress and rushed out of the room.

 

JC stretched his arms above his head and smiled to himself at her flustered tone.  He was used to women throwing themselves at him wherever he went.  It was very refreshing to find someone who wanted to get to know him and not the superstar and to know that he affected her as much as she did him. 

Laura was glad to be outside in the cold air.  Maybe the air will cool me down.  My face feels like it’s on fire.  She reached up and touched her burning cheeks.  She had never felt like this before.  Why did it have to be JC that is causing these feelings?  He’s going to go back to his own superstar life and I’ll have no place in it.  Guard your heart Laura.

 

Laura called the dogs to come back to the house.  Though they had not gone far because of the large snowdrifts everywhere. 

 

She shivered as she came back into the cold house.  JC called to her as she entered the kitchen. 

 

“Hurry up and get in here, your breakfast is gonna freeze!”  Laura quickly joined him in the living room.  He had cereal bowls all ready for them and had the kerosene heater going to take the chill off the room.  He really was thoughtful. 

 

“The snow is slowing down, but it is so cold out there.”  Laura said as she dived under the blankets on the couch.  “Thanks for fixing breakfast.”

 

“No problem, not everyone gets to enjoy my gourmet cooking skills!  You should consider yourself very lucky.”  He chuckled as he handed her a bowl of cereal. 

 

“Gourmet, huh, what else fits into this gourmet category?” 

 

“Well, let’s see, cereal, obviously.  Popcorn, spaghetti, I heat up a mean pizza and of course I am a professional at calling for take out.”

 

“Wow, can you teach me some of these gourmet skills?”  Laura giggled as she took another bite of cereal. 

 

“I don’t know.  These skills have taken years to perfect and some of them are just deep family secrets and if I told you I’d have to, well who cares.”  JC started out with a straight face, but was soon laughing along side Laura as he finished his sentence. 

 

“Oh my goodness, a world famous chef staying in my house, I feel so embarrassed, all I served you was homemade tomato soup and who knows what else that I’m sure offended your palette.”  They both fell against the back of the couch as they laughed together. 

 

“Actually, I’m a pretty good cook, I don’t fix like Thanksgiving or anything, but I can grill a great steak and make just regular food, nothing fancy.”  He said after the laughter died down.    

 

“Oh, I love to make the Thanksgiving meal!  I take the day before off work and just make pies and cook all day.  I love to fix the turkey.  It’s the best meal of the year!”

 

“And you make it by yourself?”

 

“You betcha!”

 

“I know where I’m gonna be next Thanksgiving.  I’ve tasted your food; you put my gourmet meals to shame.  I’ll never cook again!”  He heaved a dramatic sigh as he threw an arm over his face.

 

“Oh no, you don’t get off that easy!  I want to try one of these great steaks you claim to make.”

 

“I see how it is – you haven’t even had one yet and you’re insulting my cooking.”

 

“Alright, I’ll make you a deal, you make me one of your supposed great steaks and I will make you the best Thanksgiving meal you’ve ever had!”

 

“Deal, let’s shake on it.”  They shook briefly, with JC holding on to Laura’s hand longer than necessary.  Her hand was tingling in reaction to JC.  Reluctantly he released her hand so they could both finish their cereal. 

 

Their day was much like the one before – talking, puzzles, and games.  Later in the evening though the power came back on and they knew it wouldn’t be much longer that they would be trapped together.  Plows were slowly moving the snow aside. 

 

“I don’t think you’ll be able to get your car out until spring,” Laura joked, she knew their time together would be closing. 

 

“Ahh, that’s alright, there’s nothing in there that I need right now anyway.  I can get a new phone and I have plenty of other clothes.” 

 

“Oh really?  You mean you don’t want to continue to wear the absolutely fabulous clothes that I have loaned you?  I am heartbroken!”  She said sarcastically. 

 

“Yeah, I can see the publicity now – ‘Worst dressed tonight is JC Chasez, sporting a hideous pair of footie pajamas.  He’s walking around like a penguin, what was he thinking?’”

 

She laughed and said, “Come on now, don’t knock those pajamas, they kept you warm!  If you’re going to drive in the snow maybe you should get yourself a pair in case you get stuck again!”

 

“Hey, I’m a good driver!”

 

“Yeah, that’s why your car is buried under 3 feet of snow and in the ditch!”

 

“Well, I met you so I’d say that more than makes up for it.”  JC’s tone turned serious.  “I’m going to miss you after I leave.  I can’t thank you enough for taking me in and caring for me, a perfect stranger, you didn’t care who I was, but you fixed me up and gave me a warm place to stay.  I can’t tell you how good it feels that I got to know you and I hope we can continue to see each other after this storm ends.”

 

“Anyone would have taken someone in during the storm, that’s no big deal.  Don’t make promises you can’t keep, you’ll forget about me when you leave.”  Laura grabbed a cup from the coffee table and moved into the kitchen so he couldn’t see the pain his leaving would cause. 

 

That didn’t stop JC, he got up and followed her into the kitchen, coming to a stop close behind her, watching her reflection in the window as she stood at the sink. 

 

He dropped his head to rest on her shoulder as he whispered, “I could never, I will never forget you.  I have never met anyone like you in my life, you confuse me, but I promise you, we will see each other again.”

 

Laura shivered as the breath from his words brushed over her ear and blew the loose strands of her hair.  She turned to face him as he lifted his head from her shoulder. 

 

Looking deep into his eyes, she simply said, “Then I’d like that.”

 

“Good,” he replied before placing a light kiss on her cheek and moving back into the living room.  “What movie do you want to watch tonight?”

 

“Does this mean it’s my turn for my scalp massage now?”  She joked to hide her true feelings, keeping her face averted as she came back into the living room. 

 

They were both remembering what had happened the last time they had watched a movie on the couch. 

 

He cleared his throat before answering in a rough voice, “Absolutely.”

 

“Then I’m gonna choose the longest movie I have,” Laura laughed. 

 

After choosing a light drama, Laura placed in the dvd player and turned around.  JC was already sitting at one end of the couch with a pillow on his lap and a blanket ready to cover up with.  He patted the cushion next to him.  She moved to the couch and sat down, his hand reaching up to pull the hair tie from her ponytail.  Her long hair fell in a cascade around her face before JC moved his attention from her eyes to the soft long hair.  His fingers running gently through the long strands.  Tenderly he pulled her down to rest against his chest as he continued running his hand through her hair. 

 

All she could concentrate on was the feel his hands running through her hair and rubbing her arm.  This man had already worked his way into her heart.  She knew when he left, it would be hard to continue a relationship; he could make his promises, but she knew deep down his career would get in the way and it would become too difficult. 

 

She closed her eyes as she truly relaxed in his arms. 

Halfway through the movie, JC realized that Laura was asleep.   He twisted a little to reach the remote and turn the volume down.  He nestled deeper into the couch, resting his head on the back and closing his eyes. 

*****************************************************

 

 

Laura awoke to a wet nose in her face.  She blinked slowly as she realized that she was asleep on the couch.  Lifting her head up, she realized she had fallen asleep and again used JC as a pillow.  He’ll be glad to leave just to be able to sleep without me using him as a pillow, Laura thought wryly. 

 

She carefully lifted up, trying not to wake him, moving his arm that was wrapped around her.  Glancing up at him, she noticed him staring at her with an amused smile on his face. 

 

“Were you gonna tell me you were awake or just lay there?”

 

“I was just enjoying the show, you trying to get out of this.”

 

“Ha ha ha, you’re a funny guy, funny, funny guy.  Especially this early in the morning.  I thought you were the one who slept all the time and was hard to wake up.”  She said as she finally extricated herself. 

“You can’t believe everything you read, I like to sleep, but I wake up easily.   But I have to tell you, that’s the second night in a row that I have slept great and woke rested.  I haven’t slept like that in a long, long time.”

 

“I know, I don’t usually sleep through the night, but for some reason the past couple of nights I’ve slept really great too.  What do you suppose that means?”  She said as she went to let the dogs out, not expecting an answer.

 

“It means that I am definitely not going to forget you, I don’t know what this is going to turn into, but we will be seeing each other again.”  He said to himself as he stretched before getting up to prepare breakfast. 

*************************************

 

 

Not long after breakfast, they heard a tractor pull into the driveway.  Her cousin was there, plowing the snow so Laura could get her car out.  The snowplows had worked through the night and had the roads clear enough to travel. 

 

Now that the driveway was being cleared, there was no reason to delay the inevitable. 

 

“What do you want me to do about your car?  It will be awhile, before anyone can get to it, especially since the plows just piled up another couple of feet of snow around it.  Do you want to catch a flight out or what?”

 

“Do you mind looking after the car?  When it’s clear I’ll come back and get it, but there is nothing in there that I need right away.  If I can get to the airport, I’ll catch a flight back to LA, where it’s probably 80 degrees with the sun shining.”  He was trying to lighten the mood.  Neither wanted the real world to come back in. 

 

“Sure, no problem.  I’ll get your car out of the ditch you put it in and into the nice warm garage.  Do you want to head to the airport now or see what flights are available?”

 

“If you don’t mind just heading to the airport, I’m sure I can get a flight.”

 

“Yeah, we can do that.  This is your last chance to get anything out of your car though.”

 

“Nah, I’m alright, I’m just gonna change back into my clothes real quick.”

 

A short while later, they were in the car heading toward the airport.  On their way, they stopped for their last meal together for a while.  This whole trip was bittersweet.  Neither wanted their time together to end, but both needed some distance to figure out what was happening between them. 

Laura pulled into the parking garage at the airport and shut the car off.  

“You don’t have to come in.”

 

“I want to make sure you get on a flight.”  They both exited the car and met at the front.  JC grabbing her hand and interlacing their fingers together tightly. 

 

The couple quietly made their way to a ticket counter, where JC found a flight that was leaving in an hour.  After buying his ticket, they made their way to a private corner in the airport.  They faced a window, looking out at the planes coming and going. 

 

Ultimately JC leaned against the pole and pulled Laura into his arms, hugging her closely against him.  Her head was tucked into his neck, breathing in his scent. 

 

“I’m gonna miss you,” he said.  “Now you have all my numbers right and I have yours.  I’m gonna call you as soon as I land and get another phone.”

 

“Yeah, let me know that you made it back alright.  It’s been great getting to know you these past few days.  Thank you for being there through the storm with me.”

 

“Thank you for taking me in and opening your home to me.  I love spending time with you and I’ll be back before you know it.”

 

He bent his head to her mouth and let their lips say their own goodbyes.  The world disappeared around them.  For JC, this was a beginning, to what he didn’t know, but he didn’t want to let her out of his life.  For Laura, this was an ending, she was convinced that other that communicating about his car, she would never see him again. 

 

 

With one last kiss, JC tore himself away and with a final look, strode to security.  Laura turned around and leaned against the pole and watched him walk through security and with a final wave, walk out of her life.  

Joey watched from his place on the couch as JC paced back and forth, smiling to himself.  He knew that when JC fell, he would fall hard.  It was quite the sight to see. 

“Not that I don’t enjoy your stimulating conversation, JC, but it would help if you told me what the problem was.”

 

“What makes you think that I have a problem?”

 

“Let’s see – one, you flew all the way out here; two, you haven’t said a word after you said hi to the family; and three, you’re pacing and the JC I know doesn’t pace.  Tell me about her.”

 

JC threw himself down beside Joey on the couch and moaned as he put his hands over his face.  “How do you know it’s a woman,” he mumbled.

 

“Because that’s the only way you would be acting like this.  And can I just say, it’s about time!!”

 

JC didn’t say a word, just kept his hands over his face and Joey realized it might be more serious that he thought. 

 

“Talk to me, JC.”

 

JC heaved himself off the couch and began pacing again.  “I don’t even know where to start.”

 

Joey waited patiently.

 

“Joey, she’s the most amazing…she’s wonderful…she’s completely normal and I don’t know what to do about it!”

 

“Normal when compared to an alien or what?”

 

JC turned a nasty look Joey’s way.  “You know what I mean.  She has absolutely no connection to this world.  She took me in during the snowstorm and didn’t care that I’m famous.  I sent her a check to cover expenses and she sent it back to me in pieces and I know she doesn’t have a lot of money.  She’s not like anyone I’ve ever known or dated before and I am completely lost.  I’m almost 35 for crying out loud and I feel like one of those teenyboppers who cried and screamed when they got to meet us.  What do I do????”  JC flopped back down on the couch beside Joey.

 

Joey hid a smirk behind his hand.  “Ahem…well… for one thing, why aren’t you telling her this instead of me?”

 

JC glared at Joey when he coughed to cover his laugh.  “I’m here asking for advice.  You’re married.  I truly believe this is THE ONE.”

 

Joey leapt out of his seat and demanded, “What do you mean the one?”

 

“I mean the one.  How did you know Kelly was the one?”  JC softly replied looking up at Joey who was now pacing. 

 

“I knew that she was the only one who completely understood me, she was the other half of my heart, and she completed me!  How can you feel like that about this girl when you just met her?”

 

“I don’t know, man.  All I know is that she is perfect and I feel like I can’t breathe without her.  I would give up everything for her if she asked me.  She lives on a farm and I would happily spend every waking moment of the rest of my life on that place.  No more singing, no more acting, nothing,” JC finished passionately. 

 

Joey let out a deep breath and sat back down.  “Are you sure it’s not something that you can get out of your system?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, sleep with her, and get her out of your system.”

 

“What,” JC shouted in Joey’s face.  “How can you insult her like that?  It’s not something I can get out of my system.  I would never insult her like that.”

 

“What do you mean insult her?  How is that an insult?  Everyone wants to get with you and your pretty face.”

 

“She’s a virgin.”

 

“A virgin?”

 

“Yeah, she’s saving herself for marriage.”

 

“How old is this girl?”

 

“29.”

 

“29!!!!????  How do you get to be 29 and still a virgin?  She’s ugly isn’t she or a man, that’s it isn’t it?”

 

“No, she made a promise to God that she would save herself for marriage.  Her faith is such a part of her.  She’s the most beautiful and amazing creature to walk this planet.”

 

“JC, I’m just concerned about you and how you’re talking.  You are ready to give up your entire life for a woman you just met!”

 

“I know.  Help me!!”

 

“Man, this is a decision that you have to make yourself.  If you feel this strongly about a woman that you just met, I say get to know her and see where it goes, but don’t, don’t, don’t make any rash decisions yet.  Get to know her and let her into your world.”

 

“I can do that, Ohio’s not that far from L.A.  I’ll just swing by and see her every night on my way home from the studio!  Come on, Joey!” JC said sarcastically. 

 

“Invite her out, send her an airline ticket.  Tell her that you are dying to see her again and want to show her the same hospitality that she showed you.  Or one better deliver the ticket in person, it’s harder to say no in person.  Then fly out with her.” 

 

“You know…that may actually work.”

“I know, that’s why I’m the genius,” Joey said with a smile.  “If she’s truly the woman for you, she won’t make you give up your world, just adjust it to fit her.  And ask you to do the same.”

 

“Thanks, man, I’m gonna call her right now!”  JC said as he dug his phone out of his pocket to dial. 

The morning sun slowly rose in the horizon turning the world a beautiful golden color.  Laura had been awake for hours; she and JC had flown into LA the evening before, he had brought her out to visit him for the first time.  JC had been back to visit her several times over the past few months and now Laura had arranged her schedule so she could fly out and spend time in his turf and in his world.  They had become closer than ever, talking almost every night on the phone and texting occasionally during the day.  Laura had thought he would forget about her, but the complete opposite was true. 

 

He had dropped her off late last night at her hotel, promising to call first thing this morning to make plans for their day together.  Unfortunately, she was awake at her normal time of 6:30, which happened to be 3:30 a.m. in LA. 

 

Laura had tossed and turned refusing to get out of bed so early, flipping channels on the television and unsuccessfully trying to convince herself to go back to sleep. 

 

Now it was finally 8:00 a.m. LA time and JC should be calling at any time.  She was anticipating his call, but with a different reaction that she should have. 

 

Her cell phone finally rang and Laura reached to grab it off the nightstand. 

 

“Good morning.”

 

“Morning,” he said with a smile in his voice.  “I’m pulling out of my driveway now I should be there in 10 minutes.”

 

“Ummmm…do you think we could postpone your plans for a couple of hours?”

 

“Why?  What’s the matter?”  He asked catching the tone in her voice.

 

Laura moaned.  “This is so embarrassing!”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“I can’t believe I’m telling you this.”

 

“Laura?”  He prompted when the phone got quiet.

 

“I’ve…I’ve got cramps.  Really bad cramps.”  She said in a rush, falling back on the bed and covering her burning face with a pillow. 

 

“Cramps?” 

 

“Yes!  I’m sorry.  See this is so completely embarrassing!  Just forget me for a couple of hours and let me suffer in peace!”

 

JC tried to cover his chuckle with a cough.  “Ahem, do you need me to stop and get something for you?”

 

“No, just let me die quietly in embarrassment.”  She mumbled through the phone. 

 

“I’m not going to let my girl die, especially not of embarrassment.  I’m going to make a quick stop and be there in a few minutes.” 

 

“You don’t have to.”

 

“I want to.”  He said in a serious tone.  “See you in a few minutes.”

 

Laura ended the call and brought her phone to lie on the bed beside her.  What have I done to deserve a guy like this, let alone JC Chasez? 

 

She spent the next minutes lying on the bed, trying not to move, but before she knew it, there was a knock on her door.  Gingerly getting up, she made her way to the door, pulled it open, and stared directly into the blue eyes of the man looking back at her. 

 

He ran his gaze over her features, smiling slightly when he noticed the redness of her cheeks.  Leaning down he gave her a lingering morning kiss.  “Now it’s a good morning,” he mumbled against her lips. 

 

Pulling back, he grabbed her hand and tugged her back toward her bed, shutting the door behind them. 

 

“Good for you, maybe.”  Laura said as she flopped carefully onto the bed, once again pulling a pillow over her reddening face. 

 

“It will be for you too shortly.  It’s a beautiful morning, my girlfriend flew out to see me, and most importantly, we have two whole weeks together.  Once we get these cramps taken care of, you’ll see.”  He opened the bag that he brought with him and taking out the supplies, started to move around the room. 

 

Slowly the pillow came off her face as she wondered what he was doing.  He had brought a heating pad, a stack of movies, and was now moving around the room setting up and lighting candles! 

 

Tearing up, she watched him hum a song under his breath as he moved around the room again wondering how she deserved this man. 

 

 

Lighting the last candle, JC turned back to grab a movie off the dresser and pop it into the DVD player.  After inserting the movie, he looked over at Laura and noticed the tears in her eyes as she watched him. 

 

“Baby, do they hurt that bad?  What do you need?”  He strode quickly over to sit on the bed next to her.  Reaching his hands up, he lightly cradled her face, smoothing his thumbs over her cheeks and wiping away a stray tear.

 

“Nothing, you’re just …perfect!!  Why are you doing this for me?”

 

Resting their foreheads together, he spoke from his heart.  “Because I love you.”

 

Laura drew in a quick breath.  Pulling slightly back so she could look into those passionate blue eyes, she questioned.  “You-you love me?”

 

“Yeah, I do.  I’ve never felt this way before.  You are the most amazing woman I have ever met.  Your heart and soul are the reasons I was put on this earth.  I LOVE YOU!”

 

“Oh, JC, I love you too!”  As she finished the words, she pulled his head down so their lips could meet.  JC wondered, no prayed, that the chemistry between them would never die.  Every time their eyes met across the room, everything else faded away.  When their lips met, it was heaven.  He knew that when they were finally married and intimate, he would probably die from the emotions and feelings that would consume them. 

 

The kiss was starting to get heated and JC knew he had to do something before he lost control.  Lightening the kiss, he moved his lips from hers to place soft kisses on her nose and closed eyelids before pulling back completely. 

 

Moving over her body, he leaned back against the headboard and brought her over to lean against his chest.  Laura adjusted the heating pad that JC had set up as she bonelessly relaxed against him.  Grabbing the remote off the stand, he hit play as the fingers from his other hand played with her hair. 

 

Laura played with the lion medallion that JC wore around his neck.  Sliding her hand from his medallion, she rested it against his heart.  Feeling his heart pick up speed, she moved her head so she could place light kisses along his jaw line. 

 

“You know…this is…the best…set of…cramps…I’ve ever had.”  Laura said between kisses as she worked her way up to meet his mouth.  I need to go ring shopping this week!!  I’m not letting her leave without my ring on her finger.  JC chuckled against her lips, as he quickly got lost in the kiss. 

Over the next several days, JC showed Laura around LA, the places that meant the most to him.  He took her through the studio he was currently working in.  They spent a lot of time outside, hiking and exploring the countryside nearby.  The weather was perfect.  They also spent quite a bit of time at JC’s home on the beach.  Many nights Laura and JC fixed supper together before eating outside on his balcony.  She finally got to taste the great steak he said he could grill.  After eating, they would walk or sit on the beach as the sun set, enjoying each other’s company. 

 

One night, halfway through their time together, they were walking along the beach.  The weather was perfect.  Occasionally Laura would bend to pick up a shell that JC would place in his pocket. 

 

Laura noticed that JC was unusually quiet this evening, but attributed it to their busy day.  She liked the fact that they didn’t have to spend every moment talking.  They knew each other so well, they could communicate with a look or simply just enjoy each others company in the quiet. 

 

He tugged her hand to turn them back around to head back to his house.  The sun was almost ready to sink into the ocean as they started up the stairs to his balcony.  JC was leading the way.  Laura didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary as she kept looking back toward the sunset, until she took the final step onto the balcony.  She gasped in shock. 

 

The balcony had been transformed from their supper table into a gorgeous, magical, candle lit land.  There were hundreds of flickering candles intermixed with large bouquets of tulips, roses, and hydrangeas; all of Laura’s favorite flowers.  In the background, romantic music was playing through the speakers.  Covering the floor were more rose petals, creating a wonderful aroma filtering through the air. 

 

Laura’s feet felt like they were stuck to the floor.  JC placed a gentle hand on the small of her back and guided her toward the bench in the middle of the balcony.  He helped her into her seat as he knelt down on one knee in front of her.  He kept her hands tightly clasped in his own as he took a deep breath and looked deeply into her eyes. 

 

“Laura, the day that I met you was the best day of my life.  You took me in and cared for me without caring who I was.  That was so refreshing to me, not many people could look at me and see the man that I am inside.  You did that with just one look.  The time we have spent together over the last several months has been the most amazing time ever.  When we are apart, I don’t feel whole.  You are the breath in my lungs; the music in my heart.  Without you, I am nothing.  I love you Laura, with my whole heart and soul and being.  I want to grow old with you and see you grow as you nurture our children in your body.  There is no one else in the world that I want to share my days and nights with, be the mother of my children, and fall deeper in love with you all the rest of my life.  Laura, will you marry me?”

 

By the time he finished, both of them had tears in their eyes.  Laura choked out an emphatic “Yes!” as they reached for each other and shared their first kiss as an engaged couple.  If Laura could have crawled into JC’s chest, she would have as neither felt they could get close enough. 

 

At last they pulled back as their lungs were screaming for air, both breathing deeply, foreheads touching. 

 

JC laughed in complete and utter joy as he pulled out a velvet box.  Laura held out her left hand as he placed the simple gold and diamond band on the hand that signified that she was now his. 

 

“I love you so much, JC!  I will never take this ring off.  You are my knight in shining armor, my hero, and my true love.  You are the other half of me and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life as your wife.”

 

They stayed up the rest of the night, talking, laughing, and dancing in each others arms to the romantic music that never stopped playing.  They reveled in the others company as they celebrated finding their soul mate.     

The next morning after cleaning up their breakfast dishes, JC turned to Laura with a sparkle in his eye.  Both were still flying high from their engagement even though neither had slept all night. 

“What if we change our plans a little bit?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been thinking…”  Wrapping his arms around her waist, he finished his thought.  “What if we left LA a couple days early and head back through Chicago so you can meet my parents and Tyler and Heather?  And I can meet your brother?”

Laura pretended to think about that for a minute, wrinkling her nose.  “I think that is a wonderful idea, when did you have in mind?”

“Well…I thought we could get some sleep this morning then spend a little time talking about dates and other important wedding stuff, then,”  he paused placing a kiss on her lips.  “then, tonight I want to take you out to celebrate, and tomorrow catch a flight back to Chicago and spend a couple days there.  Then I would fly home with you and spend some time with your parents.”

“Hmmm…”  She nibbled on his Adam’s apple, lips curling up when it bobbed as he swallowed hard.  “Sounds perfect, I am getting a little tired and need a shower.”  He chuckled as she yawned against his neck. 

Reaching down he took one of her hands in his and pulled her behind him up the stairs.  “Just crash here for a couple of hours, then we can get busy planning our wedding.  Do you know how nice that sounds – our wedding?”

“Are you sure?  I don’t have anything to wear.”

“I’ll find you something.”  He stopped at the closet in the guest room, pulling out a couple of items.  “These are Heather’s when she stays here, she won’t mind a bit.”

Tossing them on the bed, he turned back to Laura and pulled her into his arms.  He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, “Thank you for saying yes, you have made me the happiest man on this earth.  I love you so much!”

“I love you.  I keep thinking this is a dream, one that I don’t want to wake up from.”

“No, sweetheart, this is what dreams are made of.  This is real life and I can’t imagine it getting any better.”  He captured her lips with his, deepening the pressure that she returned wholeheartedly.  Her fingers twisted in the locks at the nape of his neck before she pulled back and tucked her face into his neck.  Taking a shuddering breath, she stepped back and out of his arms. 

Smiling at his dazed expression, she gathered the clothes from the bed and went into the attached bath.  “Good night.”  She called as she shut the door behind her, leaving him standing there staring at the closed door. 

***

Several hours later, Laura was awakened by a knock on the door and JC calling out, “Come on sleepyhead, you need to get up or you won’t sleep tonight.”  Moaning, she pulled the covers over her head.  When JC heard no response, he cracked open the door and peeked in.  Seeing her buried under the covers, he walked to the side of the bed and sat down.  Curling his fingers around the covers, he slowly pulled them down until he could see her face. 

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she finally opened her eyes to look up at his smiling face.  Trying to hide a smile, she said, “Is this going to be how you treat me after we get married?  Waking me up all the time?”

“I figured you wouldn’t mind especially if I wake you up to do this.”  His last words were whispered against her mouth. 

She wound her arms around his neck and said after he pulled back, “I don’t mind a bit actually, you can wake me up anytime to do that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind…Are you hungry?  Get up, we have wedding plans to discuss!  I’ll meet you in the living room so hurry!”  Patting her leg, he stood and walked out of the room, leaving her alone to get dressed. 

After washing up, Laura padded down the stairs to see JC sitting on the leather couch in the living room.  He had soup bowls filled with something that smelled delicious beside a computer and notepad. 

Curling up next to him, she accepted the bowl he offered.  “Did you sleep at all?”

“Yeah, for a couple of hours, but I’m on top of the world right now so I was just doing some research.  I know a lot of brides say hands off and if that’s what you want, it’s all yours, but if you want help just know that I’m there for you.”

“I love how you are so into this, most guys would run away from all the planning.  I would love to have your help, but your schedule coming up looks terrible.”

“You let me worry about that.  This is our life and future together and nothing will come before that.”

They finished their soup in silence.  And depositing their bowls on the table in front of them, they turned their attention to the wedding.

“First things first, we need to pick a date.”

“I’ve always wanted to get married in December, between Christmas and New Years.  That way our families could spend Christmas together and then we could disappear for a while.  Start our own New Year’s tradition alone together.”  She said with a blush. 

“Perfect…does that give us enough time?  I mean it’s already the middle of August, is 4 months enough time to plan the kind of wedding you’ve always dreamed of?”

“It doesn’t matter what kind of wedding it is as long as you are there.”

He groaned as he leaned over to kiss her, “This wedding can’t get here fast enough for me.  Our wedding night,”  he left out a long slow breath.  “Wow!”

“Wedding night!  Is that all you think about?”

“No, baby, but I can’t wait until we never have to be apart again, when I can fall asleep with you in my arms, wake up with you in my arms, and in my life forever.”

“How did I get so lucky to have found you?”

“God had a hand in it for sure!  Now back to these wedding plans…”

Just before lunch the next day, Laura and JC were on the plane that was taxiing back from the gate, on their way to Chicago to meet his parents.  Laura tucked her hand into his before she turned to look out the window and watch them takeoff.  JC’s head was back, well on his way to falling asleep.  But Laura’s thoughts were going too fast to fall asleep.  Last night had been perfect.  They had had a limo for the evening, gone to dine at one of the fabulous private restaurants LA had to offer, before ending their evening at the theater seeing a show that Laura had been dying to watch. 

She was nervous about meeting his family.  He had talked a lot about them, but he hadn’t seen them in a while.  While they supported JC, they hadn’t liked many of the decisions that he had made, so much drinking and women, so it had been easy for JC to push them aside, but now JC was a completely different man – ready to settle down and start a family.

The flight passed quickly with Laura alternatively reading and looking out the window at world passing by beneath them.  JC slept the entire flight waking only when the flight attendant announced the descent instructions.  Blinking slowly, he looked around, rolling his neck to loosen his stiff muscles, before turning to look at his fiancée. 

“Have a nice nap?”

“Yeah, I did.  Someone hasn’t let me sleep much the past couple of days.  Did you sleep?”

“Nah, I don’t like to have people stare at me while I’m sleeping.”  She lowered her voice and leaned in as JC tilted his head down to listen.  “There were a couple of women who walked by so many times I’m sure there is a path worn in the aisle just from them gawking at you.  Either that or they ate something that didn’t agree with them, if you know what I mean.”

He threw his head back and laughed.  “Oh, you are so good for me!”

They laughed together while the plane landed, exiting the plane quickly after grabbing their carryon luggage.  Entering the airport, he grabbed her hand to avoid being separated in the sea of people.  They hadn’t walked far, when they heard someone calling JC’s name.

“5 bucks says it’s the women from the plane.”

“I never bet against a sure thing.”  The person was getting closer, still calling out JC’s name.  “I’ll make this as quick as I can.”  He handed her the bag he carried over his shoulder and turned to face whomever was calling his name.

“Oh, my gosh it IS you!  I am such a huge fan.  Can we get an autograph and picture?”  One of the women grabbed JC’s arm and hung on it like she was never letting go. 

“Sure.  Laura, would you mind snapping a quick picture?”  He asked with apologetic eyes.    

“I can do that.”  One of the women handed Laura a camera and grabbed onto JC’s other arm.  Snapping a couple of pictures, she handed the camera back as JC expertly escaped the grasp of the two women. 

“Can you sign something?"  Laura had to turn away and stifle a laugh as these two professionally dressed business women fumbled all over themselves to find something for JC to sign. 

After signing whatever scrap of paper the women dug up, JC bid them goodbye and retrieved his bag from Laura, again throwing it over his shoulder and taking her hand in his as they continued to baggage claim. 

“Do you ever get tired of that?  I don’t mean autographs and pictures, but people you don’t even know coming up and touching and grabbing on to you?  I’ve thought about that before, but never asked you.” 

JC sighed before answering, “I love my fans.  I love that they support me and everything, but yeah, when women like that come up to me and start hanging on, especially when I’m with my fiancée, then I have a problem with it.  But if I handle it the wrong way or say something wrong, then all of a sudden I have an attitude problem.  Sometimes I just have a bad day and need my space.  You know?  And unfortunately, you as my fiancée and wife will have to deal with it, and if you see something that really bothers you, let me know.”  He navigated them over to a quiet corner and turned to face her, cupping her face in his hands.  “But you need to know, here and here,” touching her head and heart, “that I am yours forever.  No matter what the fans have to say or what they do, it’s you who holds my heart and it’s you who I will come home to every night.  I love you!” 

“I love you so much!  You always know the right thing to say.  I can’t say that it doesn’t bother me when they do that, but I would never ask you to change anything.  You are the man I fell in love with and that is part of what makes you the wonderful man that you are.  I trust you and believe me if you ever do anything to break my trust, my father and brother will hunt you down and break every bone in your body!”

JC laughed lightly, but spoke from his heart.  “If I ever hurt you or break your trust, they won’t have to hunt me down, I’ll show up at their doorstop deserving everything that they dish out.  I can’t promise never to hurt you, but I’ll do my best not to, it’s inevitable that there will be misunderstandings between us, but we will talk them out and make everything right again.”  He leaned down and kissed her quickly, ever mindful that they were in the airport and fans were close by.  “Now we need to get out of here, before anyone else approaches us.”

Once again they started hand in hand to collect the rest of the luggage.  “I never asked, is someone from your family picking us up or are we renting a car?”

“It’ll be kind of hard for anyone to pick us up when they don’t know we’re in town.”

Laura stopped in her tracks forcing JC to stumble before turning back to her.  “What do you mean, they don’t know we’re in town?  You didn’t call and tell them?”

“No, I usually don’t.  Why?”

“JC, you they will be happy to see!  Me – I can’t just show up out of the blue.  What are they going to think?!?  Have you even told them about me?”

“You’re so cute when you’re nervous.”

“I’m not nervous, I’m mad at you.  How could you bring me here to meet your parents and not tell them?”

“It will be alright, I…”  He noticed the stares coming their way.  “Let’s continue this conversation in the car.  You get in line for a car and I’ll grab the bags and meet you there.” 

After getting JC’s standard SUV and placing their bags in the back, he opened the passenger door and helped Laura get settled before closing it and getting in the drivers seat.  She turned to stare at him, not saying a word, waiting for him to finish their conversation. 

“What?”  He glanced at her as he pulled into traffic. 

“Don’t what me!  You’d better use your smooth talking to explain this one – fast!  How could we fly all the way back here, when they don’t even know I exist?”

“Laura, Laura, they know you exist.  I couldn’t hide the love of my life from my parents.  I’ve called them more often since we’ve been together than I have over the past year.  They are used to me popping in and out and bringing you, well I’ll redeem myself because it means I’m settling down and they will be getting grandchildren eventually.  I didn’t want to tell them we are engaged until we saw them face to face and they could see for themselves how perfect you are for me.  It’s the same reason you haven’t told your parents we’re engaged, you wanted to tell them in person.”

“Yeah, but I at least told them I was coming home early.”

“And you think they don’t know that something is up, especially when you told them that I was coming home with you?”

“You’ve been back to see me several times before so that shouldn’t tip them off.”

“Uh huh.”  JC said doubtfully.  He smiled to himself, watching traffic as he drove.  He had called and asked her father for her hand in marriage before asking Laura herself.  He was surprised that Laura’s parents hadn’t spilled the bag that they already knew. 

He pointed out the sights as they made their way through the city.  Getting off the expressway, they drove through a beautiful, upscale neighborhood.  He turned into a two story brick home with flowers throughout the small yard. 

“Here we are.  Are you ready for this?”

“As ready as I ever will be.  Will everyone be here?”

“No, just my parents.  We’ll work through this slowly.”  He joked.

“That’s not funny.”

He squeezed her hand before opening his door and walking around to grab her by the waist.  He pressed his body into hers and leaned her back up against the vehicle.  “They will love you just as much as I do.”  Her arms worked under his and up around his shoulders.  “We can leave whenever you’re ready and check into our hotel.”

“We’re not staying here?”

“No, I don’t always and I figured you would be more comfortable in a hotel.”

“Have I told you how thoughtful you are and how much I love you lately?”

JC pretended to think about it.  “I think the last time was in the airport actually.”

“I’ll have to remedy that then, huh?”  She asked with a laugh as their lips met. 

Neither heard the front door open behind them or saw his parents stand on the front porch watching them. 

A masculine voice called out, “JC, quit mauling that poor girl and get up here and give us a hug.”  He pulled back from the kiss with a laugh, locking their hands together, and leading Laura to the porch to greet her future in-laws.  Releasing her hand, he wrapped his arms around both of his parents

***

Laura stood back watching the happy family reunion.  She could tell his parents were so excited to have JC home.  His mom, Karen, had closed her eyes against the tears she hadn’t been able to hide and his dad, Roy, had the biggest smile on his face as he pounded his hand on JC’s back. 

Too soon for Karen, JC pulled back and placed his arm around Laura.  “Let’s go inside away from prying eyes and I’ll introduce you to this beautiful woman here.”

Karen led the way into the house and the simple but elegant living room. 

JC pulled Laura closed to his side as he announced with great pride, “Mom, Dad, this is Laura, the love of my life and the woman who has made me the happiest man on earth, my fiancée!”  He pressed his lips tenderly against her temple as his parents stood there stunned. 

“You’re…you’re getting married?”  “My baby is finally getting married?”  His parents talked over one another. 

His mom was the first one to move toward the couple.  She opened her arms and hugged Laura before pulling JC in as well.  They all laughed as Roy gently moved his wife to the side so he could hug Laura as well. 

Karen couldn’t believe it.  She was at a loss for words.  She finally settled on pulling Laura to sit on the sofa next to her, leaving Roy to settle back into his chair and JC to slide in beside Laura.  JC tucked Laura’s hair behind her ear so he could see her face before leaning against the back and drawing her back to rest against him.

Karen kept a hold of Laura’s hand, holding it in both of hers.  With tears in her eyes, she said, “Thank you for bringing my son back to me.”  Laura reached out and gathered Karen into her arms as she broke down and sobbed.  Rubbing her back, she let Karen cry as tears came into her own eyes.  As Karen started to get control of her tears, Laura whispered in her ear, “Thank you for raising such an amazing and wonderful son.  He’s been gone for a while, but now he’s back for good.”  Now they were both crying.  JC sat forward in concern placing one hand on his mother’s head that was resting on Laura’s shoulder and the other hand gently rubbing Laura’s back.  Looking across the room at his father, they shared a questioning look as the tears turned to jubilant laughter. 

Pulling away, they wiped their eyes, the bond between them already in place. 

“We have heard so much about you already Laura, I feel like we already know you.  JC has called and talked about you so often.”

Laura laughed.  “Don’t believe everything you hear.  He tends to exaggerate!”

“The truth isn’t an exaggeration, sweetheart.”  They shared a look and a smile. 

“I just can’t believe that my baby is getting married.  I had just about given up hope on Josh ever settling down.  How did he propose?” His mom asked. 

Laura turned to JC with a question in her eyes.  He laughed and said, “Go ahead,” leaning back again as he clasped her hand in his. 

“It was so romantic.  We had gone for a walk on the beach, like we had for most of the evenings before and I had noticed that he had been more quiet than usual, but didn’t think any of it.”

Roy chuckled from his place across the room, “You have to be careful when he gets quiet!”

“So I’ve learned,” she said shooting glance toward JC who had a look of innocence on his face.  “Anyway, the sun was beginning to set when we got back to his balcony.  I honestly wasn’t paying any attention, I kept turning around to watch the sunset and he was dragging me up the stairs.  But when we got to the balcony, it took my breath away.  He had hundreds of candles lit and bouquets of flowers and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  And I of course had to think about it and left him kneeling there while I considered it for a couple of hours.”

“Hey, I’m quite a catch, you know.  No one here appreciates me.”  JC said with a mock scowl. 

“You were quite a catch.  You’re caught now, don’t you forget it.”  Laura said as she playfully punched him in the stomach. 

“Baby, I don’t want to forget it.”  He leaned over and gave her a kiss, forgetting his parents were there until his mom said, “Awww…you two are just too cute!  And so perfect for each other.”

Breaking apart, Laura had a blush on her cheeks as JC relaxed and watched the love of his life interact with his parents.  JC was happier than he had ever been and was at peace. 

JC couldn’t be happier with the way his parents had accepted Laura.  Her nerves were completely gone now, especially after his parents started telling embarrassing stories about his childhood. 

“I just want you to know that when I meet your brother, I’m going to take him aside and get the most embarrassing story of your childhood.” 

 “Wow, look at how late it is.  Are you getting hungry? I can whip something up real quick.”  His mom suddenly asked in the middle of the conversation that hadn’t stopped flowing between the couples. 

“Oh no, mom, let’s go out to eat.  Laura can call her brother and see if he can meet us.  I was thinking about taking everyone for some authentic Chicago style pizza.  How does that sound?” 

“Sounds good, if you’ll excuse me I’ll give Dave a call and see if he’s free.”  Laura stepped out of the room to place the call to her brother as Karen turned to JC and whispered, “She is perfect for you, JC.  Don’t ever let her go.”

Roy agreed wholeheartedly.  “A woman’s heart is a precious thing, son.  It needs to be treasured and loved and protected.  You can lose everything, but don’t ever lose her heart.”

“I don’t plan to, I…”  He stopped as Laura came back into the room, the phone held slightly away from her mouth. 

“Dave says yes, do you mind stopping and picking him up at his apartment?”

“Not at all, maybe I’ll pick him up and take him out to eat and leave you at his place so I can get all the embarrassing stories about you.” 

“Haha!”  Laura said sarcastically, before putting the phone back to her mouth.  “JC says it’s a huge inconvenience, but now he feels obligated because -.”  She stopped talking and everyone could hear laughter from the phone.

“I will not and just for that you can buy supper!”  Laura laughed as she said, “We’re not far from you, we’ll be by in about 20 minutes?”  Looking at JC’s confirming nod, she said her good byes and hung up. 

“Let’s go, then.  Rush hour should be over by now, but you never know.”  JC stood and waited for his parents to gather what they needed to go.  His parents just exchanged a look.

Karen went and hugged Laura as she said, “You’ve never met Dave have you, JC?”

“No, not yet, why?”

“Then you two go and have a good time with Dave.  Why don’t you plan on coming here for supper tomorrow and bringing him with you?”

“You don’t want to come with us?”  Laura asked.  “I want you to meet my brother.”

“You take this time and let him get to know JC.  If he’s like the typical brother, he’ll have to size him up and make sure that JC is good enough for you.”  Everyone laughed at that.  “Bring him by tomorrow for supper.  I know we will have a chance to get to know your whole family very well these next few months.”   

“If you’re sure.”  Laura said hesitantly.  JC knew his mom had her mind made up and there would be no changing it so he hugged his parents one more time before opening the door for Laura. 

“We’ll see you guys tomorrow, make something good mom!  Have a nice evening.”

“Good night, welcome to the family Laura!”  Roy called just before the door closed. 

JC used the remote to unlock the vehicle as they made their way down the sidewalk. 

“You have the nicest parents, JC.  I just love them!”

He flashed a grin her way, before moving to the drivers side.  “They loved you too, you could tell.  I was lectured by my own parents not to let you go.”  Once they were both in the car, he said, “If my parents lectured me, I can’t imagine what yours are going to do to me!”

She laughed, “Just wait until you meet Dave, he’s a very scary person!  I should know, he used to torment me terribly.”

“You probably deserved every minute of it!  I know my siblings did!”

She gasped in mock offense.  “I can see tonight is going to be fun, I’m already being made fun of!” 

“Well, I’ve gotta do something to get on your brothers good side so he won’t beat me up for marrying his sister.”

“That is true, he could snap you like a twig.”  Laura looked him up and down in the dim light of the car.

“Stop, now you’re making me nervous.”

“Turnabout is fair play.”  They chuckled lightly.

Laura gave quiet directions to Dave’s apartment building. 

Pulling into a parking spot, Laura hopped out as soon as JC turned the car off.  Alone in the car, JC took a steadying breath before opening his own door.  He knew he had to give a good first impression, this was a man who could make his life miserable if he felt JC wasn’t the right one for Laura. 

Laura grabbed his hand as she led him up the stairs and knocked on a door, giving him a reassuring smile as the door opened.  From Laura’s description, he pictured Dave as very studious, he was currently in grad school, close to finishing his degree then one he graduated he was going back home to Ohio.  But the man, who opened the door and grabbed and picked Laura up in a hug was far from what he expected. 

Dave was at least 5 inches taller than JC, broad shouldered, and even hugging Laura he was already sizing up JC.

Laura was laughing as she kept asking Dave to put her down.  JC swallowed hard as he finally got the full stare from Dave.  The intensity in Dave’s eyes made JC nervous, but grateful that Laura had such a support system. 

Stepping back, Laura linked her right arm through JC’s tugging him a step forward.  “Dave, I would like you to meet someone very special, my soul mate, and fiancé, JC.”

Dave must have liked what he saw, because his gaze softened and he reached out a hand to shake JC’s.  Giving a silent sigh of relief, JC’s hand was nearly swallowed by Dave’s.  His grip was firm, but not crushing.    

“Congratulations, I wondered if you would stop here while you were in Chicago.”

“How did you know we were in Chicago, and come to think of it why aren’t you surprised?”

“Mom told me you were coming to Chicago and dad asked me to check out JC if we met and size him up since you’re getting married.”  JC’s eyes narrowed, the surprise was about to be ruined. 

“Wait, how do they know we’re getting married?”  Dave merely turned his attention to JC.

“Umm…I actually called and talked to your dad before I asked you to marry me.  I wanted to get his blessing first.”  Laura’s hand came up to her mouth as JC blushed.

“Awww…you did?  That is so sweet!”  She reached up and brushed her lips with his.

Dave groaned as he stepped into the hall and shut the door behind him.  “None of that now, you’re my sister.  I don’t need to see that.”

The couple broke apart, but kept staring into each other’s eyes.  “Be quiet, Dave, someday you’ll meet the perfect woman and I’ll make sure she knows that you are far from perfect!”

“Whatever, I thought you were taking me out to eat.  Let’s go, I’m starving.”

***

The evening had gone perfectly, JC and Dave found a common bond over sharing a deep dish pizza and conversation that revolved around many topics including embarrassing stories of Laura.  At the evenings end, Dave and Laura stepped out of the car to exchange a hug.  During the hug, Dave gave his approval of JC.  “He’s so right for you Laura, he’ll make you so happy.  And if he ever hurts you, I’ll hunt him down and beat him up!”

Supper the next evening included Karen and Roy, Laura and JC, Dave, Heather, and Tyler.  Never had two families clicked so well so fast.  It was as if they had known each other for years. 

Now that the cat was out of the bag and Laura’s parents knew about the engagement, even before she had, Laura called them up and they were able to spend time talking with the Chasez family over the speaker phone.  Wedding plans were well on their way as Laura and her mom invited Karen to go dress shopping with them in a couple of weeks.  Plans had even been made for the Chasez family to spend Thanksgiving at Laura’s house with her family.  That way everyone could see the church and reception hall for the wedding and finalize any plans that needed it.

The pressure was off when JC met her parents again.  He had previously met them on one of his trips to visit Laura and then officially gained their approval when he had formally asked for Laura’s hand in marriage.  Their time together with Ken and Mary, Laura’s parents passed easily as everyone could see the love between the couple. 

A couple weeks later, Laura flew back out to LA to spend her birthday with JC and make some final decisions about the wedding.  JC had picked her up at the airport and delivered her safely to her hotel.  Laura had said she didn’t want anything fancy or special to celebrate her birthday and was hoping JC didn’t go too over the top. 

She had strict instructions to change into something ultra comfortable and be ready at promptly 7:00 p.m. Skipping down the stairs to the first floor, she walked outside and sat on a bench in the sunshine to wait for her fiancé.  At times Laura couldn’t believe her good luck in finding JC.  He was perfect for her, balancing out her strengths with his own.  She had always known the man who won her heart would have to be strong enough to handle her own personality and not be threatened by her own ideas and opinions.  Both were old enough and mature enough to go for what they wanted and they each knew that they belonged together forever.  Laura knew they would have challenges ahead especially with JC’s career.  He would forever be in the spotlight.  It was such a part of him and where he felt at home.  Laura had no qualms about supporting him as she had no desire to take over the spotlight that surrounded him.  He could get lost in his work, but so could Laura.  She was secure enough in her own right, that she didn’t need him to be around 24/7 and would have no problems calling him on the excessive time he spent at the studio if something else important was happening. 

Her head was tilted back soaking in the sun when JC pulled to a stop in front of her.  Rolling down the passenger side window he called out, “Hurry and get in before my fiancée comes down.  We have time for a quick spin before that old woman gets through the lobby.”

Giving him a glare through her lowered lashed, she moved to open the door.  “I’d be careful if I were you, there is someone else here who is even older than I am.  I’d hate to have to take his walker away and watch him fall.”

Before buckling her seat belt, she leaned over and accepted a kiss from his smiling lips.  “This had better be worth all the abuse I’m taking today!”

 “It’s always worth it because even if you hate what we are going to do, you get to spend the next several hours staring at my beautiful face.”

“You are really too shy, do you know that?  You should come out of your shell.”  Laura said with a laugh. “You’re modest too, if nothing else, you are the most modest person I’ve ever known.”

“Yeah, baby, and don’t you forget it!”

“So what are we doing this evening to celebrate me being another year older?”

“It’s a surprise, now close your eyes and lay back.  It’s a little bit of a drive so you can take a nap if you want to.”

Laura yawned.  “I wasn’t the least bit tired until you said that.  I don’t really want to sleep yet.  I’ve missed you these past couple of weeks.”

“I’ve missed you too.”  Grabbing her hand, he gave it a light squeeze watching traffic  so he could enter the freeway.  “That’s why tonight is going to be so special.  There is to be no wedding talk tonight, I feel like that’s all we talk about any more.  Tonight is just about you and I and our future together.”

“That sounds wonderful.”  They fell silent as traffic picked up so JC could concentrate on his driving.  When he glanced over several minutes later, he smiled when he saw her asleep, head resting on the window. 

Half an hour later, JC pulled into a hidden driveway that led down to a private beach.  Here they would be away from cameras and spying eyes and could be alone. 

Parking as close to the beach as he could, he turned off the engine and watched as Laura woke and stretched.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep like that.”

“You’re beautiful when you sleep, even if you do snore.”  He exited the car quickly at his statement, looking back at the shocked look on her face.

“Maybe so, but have you ever listened to yourself?  That first night at my house I couldn’t sleep because I was afraid the house would fall down from the noise.”

“Ha – you couldn’t sleep because you knew JC Chasez was in the next room!”  He said in a high voice with his hands pressed against his chest like a teenage girl would do.

Getting out of the car, she walked around to his side and shoved his chest, “Like I’ve said before you really are too shy and not arrogant at all.”

Grabbing her by the waist, he pulled her body against his and lowered his head.  Their lips met in a passionate kiss, one hand moving to the back of her head, tilting it for deeper access.  The other hand was pressing firmly against her lower back so she could feel his desire for her plainly.  One of her arms wrapped around his waist to steady the world that was spinning so deliciously, the other hand tangling in the locks at the back of his head.  Moving away from her lips, he placed open mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her neck until he met the barrier of material at her shoulder.  Taking his hand from the back of her head, he shoved the material aside so he could taste her skin. 

Laura’s heart was racing, the sensations she was feeling were wonderful, but a little voice told her she needed to stop this before it went much further.  She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out as JC’s lips found the delicate spot just below her ear. 

“J – JC, we- um- we need to ohhhh,” she tried again.

“Hmm?”  He hummed against her ear as she shivered from the feeling, he was using those magical lips to nibble on her earlobe. 

“Stop, we…need …to …stop.”

He pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, his were almost black from the desire he had for Laura.  Hers were glazed as she tried to focus on him. 

“Why?”  He said shortly, moving away from her so abruptly she had to reach back to the car for support.

“Why what?”  She asked in confusion.

“Why can’t I love you?  We’re going to be married in 3 months.”

“Exactly, we’re going to be married in 3 months, it’s not like you didn’t know this beforehand.  I want to wait until after we’re married.  I made a promise to myself and God to wait until marriage.”

“I know I just…never mind.”  He opened the trunk of the SUV and started gathering supplies.  Laura wrapped her arms around his waist as leaned her head against his back.

He paused as he enjoyed the feeling.  “I love you JC, just think of all the love we can make on our honeymoon.  Hmmm.  I hope we’re going some place secluded, we may not be leaving the room at all.  I’m not doing this to punish you, I’m really not.”

His large hands rubbed her crossed arms that rested against his stomach.  “I know, I just got caught up in the moment.  I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”  Twisting in her arms, he dropped a kiss on her nose.  “I promise.”

“I trust you JC, more than anyone I’ve ever known, it’s just as hard for me.  Our wedding night will be spectacular!  Our love will be one that will go down in history as being one of the greatest love stories ever!”  She said lightening the mood.  “Now about my birthday, where are we and what are we doing here?”

“We are at a friend’s private beach.  I wanted to come somewhere that we can be alone and just talk.  I know you don’t like crowds and this is the complete opposite of crowds.  But tomorrow a friend of mine is having a small birthday party we’re going to so they can finally meet you.  I’ve told them everything about you, but they are convinced that I’ve made you up, so I have to prove them wrong.”

“I love you, JC.  You are the other half of me.  I’ve waited for you all my life.”  Laura said out of the blue.

“I love you too, more than life itself.  Now let’s get this party started!”

***

The next morning, Laura woke up with a throbbing headache and an upset stomach. Groaning she thought to herself, I can’t be sick, I’m in LA, and am going to a party tonight.  Several of the people in her office had been sick the last few days, but Laura had hoped to avoid it. 

Maybe a shower and getting something to eat would make her feel better.  After showering and dressing, she headed downstairs to the breakfast buffet.  Looking over the options made her stomach rebel and she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep anything down.  So she grabbed a glass of juice and drank it slowly as she walked to the drug store next to the hotel.  Quickly grabbing some cold and flu tablets, she paid and hurried back to her room, just in time to lose the juice she had had. 

Flushing the toilet, she stood to brush her teeth, but as she was putting the toothbrush in her mouth, JC’s special knock told her he was at the door.  Leaving the toothbrush in her mouth, she opened the door and ducked back into the bathroom, leaning on the counter. 

“I thought you would be up by now,” he said giving her a kiss on the temple.  Then getting a good look at her in the mirror, his forehead crinkled with concern.  “What’s the matter, are you sick?”  He put the back of his hand on her forehead to check for a temperature. 

Spitting the toothpaste out, she rinsed her mouth before sagging against him.  “Yeah, I think I caught that flu that’s been going around the office.  You might want to stay away, you don’t need to get sick.”

“Get back into bed and I’ll get you some medicine.”

“I just got some from the store next door, but haven’t taken it yet.”

Pulling the covers back, Laura laid down in bed, while JC opened the packet and took out a couple of pills.  Filling a glass with water, he sat on the bed and handed her the pills and water.  After she drained the glass, he took it and refilled it, placing it on the nightstand next to her.  Climbing behind her, JC laid down and pulled her back to his front, soothingly rubbing her stomach as he hummed a song in her ear. 

Several hours later, JC awoke with a start as Laura shoved his arms aside and jumped out of bed, closing the door of the bathroom behind her.  Apparently the medicine hadn’t worked.  A few minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom and lay down next to him again. 

“I’m sorry you’re sick,” he said.

“Me too,” she sighed.  “What time is your party tonight?”

“I’m not going to the party.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re sick.”

“Thank you for the sentiment, but I’ll be fine, go to your party, and have a good time.  I’m just going to lay here and go to bed early.  Not that I’ve gotten out of the bed today anyway.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone while you’re sick.”

“I’ll be fine, could you get me some soup and crackers, then get going to your party.  They’ll still think I’m a figment of your imagination though.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Positive, hopefully, I’ll feel 100% better by tomorrow.  Everyone else has only had this for 24 hours.  Give them my apologies and maybe we can plan another time to meet.”

“Ok, but first you need to take some more medicine.”  The process was repeated again before JC left to scrounge up some soup to make Laura feel better. 

JC brought the soup back and waited while Laura ate as much as she could, before kissing her on the forehead, extracting a promise from her to call if she needed anything, and heading out the door.         

Laura planned to make it an early night.  She had no idea how wrong she was. 

The pounding on the hotel room door woke Laura from a sound sleep.  Glancing at the clock, she noted it was almost three in the morning.  Not quite awake, she stumbled over to look out the peephole before throwing the door open.

“JC, what’s going on?”

JC didn’t answer, just grabbed her by the arms, using his body weight to press her hard against the wall as his mouth descended to hers and roughly kissed her lips.  The smell and taste of alcohol overwhelmed her as she struggled to catch her breath.  Shoving his chest, Laura tried to put some space in between them.  But a drunk and determined JC was difficult to overcome.

Finally able to break away from his lips, she gasped.  “JC stop, what are you doing!?”

“I need you and I’m going to have you tonight.  I’m sick and tired of my friends making fun for being with a virgin, so we are going to fix that now.”  He said as his hands slid under her shirt to roughly grab her breasts.

Using all of her strength, Laura pushed him back several steps.  Her eyes were flashing with anger now as she said, “You talk to your friends about our private life?”

JC caught himself on the dresser before he fell to the floor and came back at Laura.  Grabbing her by the arms, he pulled her over and threw her down on the bed as he climbed on top of her.  Gripping her shirt, he ripped it in two and they wrestled for control on the bed.

Laura was starting to get scared.  This was a side of JC she had never seen before.
“Please, please stop!”  She cried as tears started falling.

“Aww...  baby, it’s gonna be good.  So good.  I just wanna prove to Jake that you’re not cold inside.  That you stay with me because you love me, not for my money.  You’re the first girlfriend I’ve never slept with.  Besides, you owe me for all the plane tickets and hotel stays.  Please don’t tease me baby, don’t be a tease.”  JC rambled as he kissed up and down her neck.

He now had her hands pinned in one of his above her head.  His other hand was fumbling to pull his shirt over his head.  Laura was sobbing now as she struggled to free herself.  His hands were like a band of steel holding her in place.

In a panic now, Laura did the only thing she could think of; she brought her knee up sharply as she caught him between his legs.  He groaned as he fell to the side, curling up into a ball.

Laura rolled off the bed, grabbing the shirt she had laid out to wear the next day.  Pulling her shirt over her head, she tugged her engagement ring off and placed it on the dresser.  Having left most of her items in her suitcase, she grabbed it and her purse, stepping quickly into her shoes; she left everything else behind and ran out the door.

Barely being able to see through the tears, she pushed the elevator button as she prayed it would come quickly before JC could get up and come after her.  The doors had just opened and she was on, pressing the lobby and door close buttons.

Walking quickly through the deserted lobby, she got into a cab that had just pulled up to the door.  She would be on the first flight home.

Her world had just collapsed around her.  The man she trusted above all had severely broken her trust.  Her future now uncertain.  Happiness had eluded her once again. 

The man in the bed moaned as the phone beside the bed went off.  He tried not to move too much as he searched for it.  It finally stopped ringing, but the phone was on the wrong side of the bed.  Opening his eyes, he looked around the unfamiliar room. Where was he?

His whole body ached and the urge to vomit quickly overcame his need to lay still.  Rushing into the bathroom, he emptied the contents of his stomach.  After flushing the toilet, he leaned over the sink and splashed his face with cold water.  Drying his face, he noticed a hairbrush, toothbrush, and other cosmetics lying on the bathroom counter.
Stumbling back into the bedroom, he tripped over a familiar shirt.  Sitting down on the bed, he bent over and picked it up.  His heart leapt to his throat as he noticed the rip and memories of the night before came back to him.

“What have I done?  Oh, please God, what have I done?”  Now frantically looking around the room, he noticed the lack of suitcase and her familiar purse.  As his eyes flew around the room, they froze on something that caused his heart to stop.

Laura’s engagement ring was lying on the dresser.  The one she had promised never to take off.

Getting up like an old man, he faltered as he crossed to the dresser.  Grabbing the ring, he clutched it tight in his fist.  He looked at himself in the mirror, not recognizing the face staring back at him.  The face of a broken man.  He had ruined the best thing to ever happen in his life.  He was nothing without her.

The pain in his chest threatened to destroy him.  How could he fix this?  Could it be fixed?

He had to fix this.  Without her, he wasn’t complete; he wasn’t a man; he was nothing.

Determined now, he formulated a plan to quickly stop by his house and grab some clothes before catching the first flight.  He wasn’t going to return until he had earned her forgiveness.  If he had to search the world over, he would never stop until his ring was back on her finger.  If he had to give up everything to have her back in his life, he would.  He only prayed that it wasn’t too late.

***

Laura’s heart was breaking; ever since she had gotten home, the tears had come and not stopped.  She knew she shouldn’t be at the house; it would be the first place JC would come to search for her.  And she knew he would come searching, she was surprised he hadn’t shown up yet.  He must have had a heck of a hangover to have waited this long to show up.

But right now, she couldn’t make herself care.  She needed the comfort of home, even though it came with its own painful memories.  The guest bedroom where JC had stayed, the couch where they had shared their first kiss, the mattress she slept on where she woke up wrapped around him like a body pillow.

Why had he done this?  Life had been perfect.  Maybe it had all been an illusion, but if it had then why was her heart in pieces?

Her phone rang; it’s was JC’s mom, Karen.  Before Laura could think twice, she had picked up the phone.

“Hello.”

“Hey Sweetie, its Karen.  I found the cutest dress today.  I think it would be perfect for me to wear for the wedding, but I wanted to get your opinion before I bought it.  I’m getting ready to send a picture to you right now.”

“Karen, there’s not going to be a wedding.”  Laura said in a voice rough from sobbing.

“What do you mean?  What’s happened?”

Letting out a shaky breath over the phone, she said, “You need to ask your son.”

“Laura – what’s wrong?  Surely this is a misunderstanding and can be remedied.”

“I’m not so sure it can, just – just ask your son.”  Laura needed to get off the phone before she started sobbing again.  “I’m sorry, I really need to go.  Goodbye, Karen.”

“No, Laura wait…” but it was too late, the phones had already been disconnected.
***

Seconds after hanging up with Laura, JC’s phone was ringing.  He was stuck in the Denver airport for a layover; the earliest he could get to Laura was a whole day after she left him in the hotel room.  Pulling it out, he started to answer.

“Hel’”

“Joshua Scott, what have you done?”  His mom yelled in his ear.

“Mom, now is not the time, ok?”

“It most certainly is the time!  What have you done?  Laura is so upset and crying and says that the wedding is off!”

“Wait, you-you’ve talked to Laura.”  JC nearly shouted in her ear.

“Yes, but –“

“Is she alright?  Where is she?  What did she say?”  He sputtered in a rush.

“Why would she not be alright?”  Karen asked slowly.

“Mom, just – is she okay?”

“I don’t know, we didn’t talk long.  I could tell she had been crying and she rushed to get off the phone.”  Karen paused.  “JC, what happened?”

“I – I…I did something stupid.  I was drunk and did and said some things I shouldn’t have.”

“JC, you may be 35, but you are still my son and you were raised better than that!”

“I know…I know.”  JC said as he ran his hand through his hair.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“I’m flying in as soon as I can and not leaving till my ring is back on her finger.  I’ve tried calling her cell and house and texting, she won’t answer me.”

“Oh, she gave the ring back?”  Karen asked cautiously.  This was much more serious than a misunderstanding.

“Yeah, mom, I don’t know what to do.”  JC tried to talk around the lump in his throat, his head down, his free hand rubbing his forehead.  “I can’t lose her.  She’s my everything!  I am so stupid!  I can’t believe that I got drunk and listened to Jake.”  He finished softly almost to himself.

“Isn’t Jake the one that you don’t like?  The one who you always say is vulgar and rude to women.”

“Yeah.”

“JC, I don’t know what happened, and I don’t need to know everything, but you need to do everything you can do get Laura back.  She is perfect for you.  I’ve never seen you as happy as when she is with you.  Just remember that if you hurt her as badly as you think, words mean very little, actions are what she’s going to believe.  Forgiveness doesn’t happen overnight, you have to show her that you are worth forgiving.”

“I just hope I’m not too late.  Pray that she’ll listen to me.  I’m such a jerk.  I don’t know how I can ever make it up to her.  I just hope that I can earn her trust back.”

“Trust is hard to regain once losing it.”

“I know, mom, but I’m going to do whatever it takes to get her trust back!”

JC approached Laura looking as if all the weight of the heavens were resting on his shoulders.  He knew she wouldn’t be in the house.  Laura would need to be outside so she could think and pray.  She would go to sit under her favorite tree.  JC could see her from the driveway so he slowly walked towards her

He looked defeated.  Much like Laura looked, she was sitting on the ground, her head resting on her bent knees.  Anyone observing the two of them would assume that Laura had no idea that JC was nearby.  She hadn’t moved or acknowledged his presence in any way.  But unfortunately, Laura knew the instant that JC had pulled in.  Her entire being hummed with awareness that he was close by.

He stopped several feet away, just absorbing her back into his soul, looking his fill.  He had done this, made her this way… beaten.  His foolish mistake, one he prayed she would forgive him for making.

“Why are you here?”  Laura asked suddenly, her voice weak from crying and muffled from being against her knees.

“You know why I’m here.  I love you with all my heart and soul.  I am so sorry for everything that happened that night.”

“Everything that happened that night.”  Laura scoffed as she brought her head up to look JC in the eyes.  “If I hadn’t kneed you, you would have raped me!”

His heart shattered into pieces as he took in Laura’s face.  Her eyes were swollen and red from crying.  But what brought him to his knees next to her were the bruises she had on her arms.  They were fingerprints – his fingerprints – from grabbing her that fateful night.  He didn’t even notice when the tears started running down his face.  His hand slowly came up to cover the bruises, but before he could touch them, Laura moved away rapidly.

“Don’t touch me!”  She said furiously.

“I – I wo-won’t, baby.”  He stammered.

“Don’t call me that, that’s what you called me when …” Her voice trailed off as she once again buried her head against her knees, rocking back and forth to try to erase the memories.

“I trusted you…I trusted you more than anything!”

“I know and I’m going to do whatever it takes to regain your trust in me.  I will never drink again.”

“How do I know that?  You said all those things so they must have been something you had thought about before, oh by the way,” Laura moved so she could reach into her pocket.  Pulling out an envelope, she tossed it toward JC.  It fell on the ground between them; he could see his name and address written on the front.

“That’s part of the money that I owe you, you’ll get the rest as soon as I have it.”

He stopped breathing for a moment, he didn’t know that he could sink any lower, but apparently, he could.

“Laura, I don’t want your money.  I didn’t know what I was saying; I paid for all of those things so that we could be together.  To get to know each other, fall in love, we are going to be married.  My money is your money.  Money means nothing without you.  I would give it all up if you asked me.  I love you!  You are my everything! ”

“You have a funny way of showing it.”  She paused looking off at the horizon.  “I don’t know anything any more.  I’m so tired, but I can’t sleep.  I keep seeing you throw me on the bed and hold me down.”

His voice broke, “Laura do you remember that second evening that we were snowed in together, we put the movie in and I tricked you into sitting on the couch with me?”

There was a soft noise of agreement.

“Remember our first kiss.  Your lips were so soft and perfect; I lost myself in you at that moment and haven’t been the same since.  Our souls united and I started to fall in love with you that day.  You are the other half of me.  Remember that day; remember the night where you slept in my arms.  I knew right then that we would spend the rest of our lives together.  That was me Laura, that’s still who I am.  The man who is going to cherish you for the rest of our lives.”

During his declaration, JC had slid over next to Laura, their eyes locking.  His hand coming up to lightly caress her hair.

Her eyes filled with tears and a sob broke from her throat.  He gathered her into his arms, holding her as if he would never let her go; her hands coming up to tightly grip the soft cotton of his shirt.  His tears fell into her hair and hers soaked the front of his shirt.  They were tightly pressed together; neither knowing where one ended nor the other began.  They shared each others pain.  Forgiveness had not yet come, but was on its way.

Much later, Laura took a deep breath before releasing her hold on JC’s shirt.  Without raising her head, she tried to get her balance to get to her feet.  JC reluctantly loosened his hold on her and supported her hand as she stood.  Once standing, Laura wobbled as she tried to get the world to stop spinning.

He quickly jumped to his feet as well and placed his arm around her waist to support her before she fell.  She still wouldn’t look up at him.  They started slowly toward the house, Laura leading with JC’s support.

Once they reached the house, JC didn’t hesitate to lead Laura straight to her bedroom. Pulling back the covers, he gently pushed Laura down to sit on the bed before kneeling in front of her.  Removing her shoes, he brushed the hair that blanketed her face behind her ear.  She still wouldn’t look at him; her eyes were almost swollen shut from being on a nonstop crying jag.

He stroked her cheek with his thumb before getting to his feet.  Walking to the bathroom, he retrieved a washcloth from the cupboard and wet it with warm water.  Going back into the bedroom, he noticed that Laura still hadn’t moved.  He leaned down and picked her feet up, forcing her to twist her body so it was easier to press her shoulders down to the mattress.  He then placed the washcloth over her eyes before he whispered, “Just rest, Laura, just rest.”

After shutting the curtains, he quietly closed the door behind him on his way out.  Making his way to the living room, he sank down on the couch, resting his head on the back and closing his eyes.  He thanked God that he was here, in the house, with Laura.  Sighing he swung his legs up and laid down on the couch.  Throwing an arm over his eyes, he fell into an exhausted sleep.  He wasn’t leaving until he mended their relationship and Laura was all right.
***

The next morning JC was in the kitchen preparing a meal that could be ready anytime that Laura was ready to eat.  He had checked on her several times during the evening and night hours.  She was dead to the world.

Finishing all he could for the moment in the kitchen, he sat down in the living room, mindlessly flipping channels.  Another hour went by, with another check on Laura, before he finally heard her get up and wander into the bathroom.  Then the shower came on.

JC prayed he could find the words to say to her when she came out.
***

Laura woke confused as to what day it was.  The clock said it was after nine.  She never slept that late and she couldn’t remember going to bed.  She sat up on the bed and noticed that she still wore clothes and not her pajamas.  Her head ached terribly; maybe a shower would help her wake up and understand what had happened.

Then all of a sudden she heard the television in the living room, JC was here.  He had apologized and they had cried together.  He had put her to bed and stayed all night.

“I must have been really tired – I had to have slept 15 hours.  No wonder my head hurts.”

After showering and dressing, Laura emerged from her bedroom and headed straight to the kitchen.  Without meeting JC’s eyes, who was standing at the stove, she opened a cabinet and grabbed the Advil bottle.  Shaking a pill into her hand, she filled a glass with water and swallowed the pill.

“Good morning, how are you feeling this morning?”  He asked in compassion.

She drained the glass of water, looking out the window over the sink before she answered, “Fine.”

“Why are you still here?”  She asked finally turning to lean against the sink.

“Because I love you and I’m going to make this right between us.”

“How can this be made right, JC?  I really don’t know how anything can be right again.  How can I reconcile the man that I fell in love with, the man I thought I knew with the man that you were that night?  How do you explain that, JC?”

“Let’s sit down Laura.”  He pulled out a chair for her, but she instead chose a chair across the table.

“I cannot tell you how sorry I am that I acted that way.  And I have no excuse other than the alcohol.  I knew I was drinking way too much, but I found out yesterday that Jake slipped something in one of my drinks which doesn’t excuse anything, but I had no idea what was going on.  I can promise you that I will never drink again.”

“But for you to have said those things, you had to have thought about them.  Is that how you see me, as someone only after your money?”

“No, never.  I can remember going to talk to Joey in frustration after you sent that check back to me in pieces.  All I want to do is take care of you.  The money that I have in the bank is an assurance that I can give you the life you deserve and that we will never have to worry about money as long as we live.  Heck our kids will never have to worry about money problems.  You are the first woman to want me for me and not for my money.”

“You’re assuming we will have kids.”

“No, Laura just stating a fact.  If we can’t have kids of our own then we will adopt, just like we talked about.  The love between us is the real deal, Laura.  We found each other against all odds.”

“What about waiting to be intimate until we are married?  That’s the reason this whole thing happened.”

“No, it’s not.  That night happened because I had too much to drink and listened to an idiot friend who has turned out not to be a friend.  Laura, the passion that we have between us…I can’t imagine anything better than after we are married.  Your kiss sets me aflame.  No one else in the world can turn me on with just a look or a brush of your fingers.  Your being a virgin is something that I am humbled by.  That you have spent your life waiting for me, for us to be married, that is a gift that I wish I could give to you.  If I could, I would take back every woman, every kiss, every thought that I had before I met you.  You are trusting me with the most precious gift a woman has to give a man and you have to believe me when I say that I treasure you and will do everything, EVERYTHING in my power to be the man that you want and need me to be.”  JC swallowed hard as he finished his passionate plea.

Laura’s eyes had not left his during his speech.  Her heart was certain he was telling the truth.  She slowly got up from the table and circled around to him, where he quickly jumped to his feet.  Her arms came up and encircled his neck.  His arms closed around her waist pulling her as close as he could as she rested her head on his chest.  His cheek rested on the side of her head, just breathing in the smell that was Laura, clean and sweet.  They slowly swayed back and forth in each others arms, letting their hearts speak.

Finally, JC drew back enough to reach into his pocket.  He pulled out an item that he would never take for granted.  Looking into Laura’s eyes, his own eyes asked the question that his lips wouldn’t.  Smiling slightly, she lifted her left hand and JC once again placed the ring on her finger, kissing her hand before kissing her lips.

As the kiss ended, JC let out a deep breath, praying in thanks as the tension finally left his body.

JC was grateful that his ring was back on Laura’s finger, but was desperate to get things back to where they had been previously.  She was wary around him, but trying to hide it.  If he brushed against her or casually touched her arm, she tensed up or jumped before he felt her force herself to relax.  Subconsciously she didn’t trust him.

Conversation had always flowed between the two of them, even the first days they were snowed in together.  When there was silence, it was a comfortable silence.  But now…now conversation was stilted and Laura left the room more often than not to avoid JC. 

A couple of days had passed and JC was frantic, Laura was pulling away from him slowly.  He could sense it.  She was avoiding him by spending time away from the house.  Until one evening during their supper together, JC had had enough. 

He reached across the table and grasped her hands lightly in his to get her attention. 

“How can I help you be more comfortable around me?”  His intense blue eyes pleaded with her. 

“I don’t know what you mean.”  She tried to avoid his eyes, but found she couldn’t look away. 

“I can feel you pulling away from me.  I love you with everything I have in me, I will get down on my knees, walk over hot coals, get a shot every day for the rest of my life, anything to get you to forgive me completely.  I’m sorrier than you can ever know.  Sweetheart, if I could turn back time I would, but I can’t.  We just have to get through this.  So what can I do?”

Laura inhaled deeply as she thought before she answered honestly.  “I really don’t know.  My heart says it’s okay to trust you, but my head is taking a little convincing.  I’m trying, I really am, I just need some time and space.  I can’t get any distance from you here.  I didn’t want to tell you yet, but tomorrow I’m going to take off for a day or two and just get some perspective.  I love you, but I need to figure this out on my own.”

His heart ached at the pain he had caused her.  “I understand.  Will you promise me that you will be careful and tell me what you need from me?”

She squeezed his hands, “I promise I will.  How can you be here for so many days?  What about ABDC?”

“You are the most important thing in my life, they can wait or find someone else.”

“I will get past this, I just need time,” Laura replied as she got up to clear the table. 

***

Early the next morning, JC loaded her suitcase in the back of the car.  He had arrived early from the hotel where he was staying to see her off.  He tucked his hands in his front pockets to keep from reaching for her. 

Laura’s heart softened a little bit when she saw that.  Moving over to him, she slid her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest.  Pulling his hands out of his pockets, he enfolded her in his arms.  She breathed in deeply, feeling comforted by his unique scent, purely masculine.  Leaning her head back, she lightly touched her lips to his before stepping back and over to the side of the car.  A hand reached around her to open the door. 

“Drive safe,” he admonished, “and send me a text just to let me know you get wherever you are going safely, please.  I love you so much.”

“I will and I love you too.  See you later.”  After shutting the door and starting the car, she slowly pulled out of the driveway, watching JC’s slumped posture in her rearview mirror until she drove out of sight.    

***

Later that morning, Laura sped back into her driveway, hoping JC would still be at the house and hadn’t gone back to his hotel.  His car was still parked there as she jumped out, barely remembering to shut the car door behind her.  Running through the house, she called his name.  He wasn’t there.  Passing the kitchen window, she looked out and saw him walking in the lane behind the house.  A solitary figure in the distance. 

Running out the back door and toward him, Laura saw that he was lost in his thoughts, gazing over the fields, not knowing she was nearby.  She got within 50 feet of him before she called his name.  Startled he turned toward her, barely able to get his hands out of his pockets before she collided with him.  Wrapping his arms around her, he had to take a couple steps backward to keep their balance.

Tipping her head back she met his lips with hers, trying to express all she was feeling in their kiss.  JC couldn’t believe she was back in his arms so soon and it took him a moment to respond to her kiss.  After some time, she pulled back and looked deep into his eyes as she brought her hands from around his back to cradle his face. 

“I’m so sorry I left.  I got halfway there and thought about how stupid this was.  I don’t want to be apart from you anymore.  I love you and know that you would never do anything to hurt me on purpose.  You made a mistake and I know you didn’t mean it.  I shouldn’t have left and I promise I will never run away from you again.  If we are going to make this work, we have to talk it out and yell and scream if that’s what it takes, but we each have to know that no matter what happens we will be there for each other.  There is enough nastiness out in the world that we can’t bring it into our relationship.  I will always run to you when there is a problem.  I love you so much!”  She finished in a rush and pressed her lips to his, softer this time. 

He leaned their foreheads together as he answered.  “You had every right to get some distance.  I was worried that you wouldn’t come back to me – that I had scared you off forever.  I promise to always run to you, my true love.”

They were oblivious to the world around them as they finally put the horrible incident behind them.    

Wedding plans were officially back on, not that many people had known that the plans had been questionable for a while.  Karen had called Laura’s parents to talk to them about the situation, but none of them knew what the real problem was or how serious it had been.  JC and Laura had agreed that the “situation” was between the two of them and was now in the past, never to be remembered again. 

JC had always treated Laura like a lady, but now after “the incident” everyone could see that they were closer than ever.  He was so tender with her, he was constantly pulling her close to him when she was near and following her with his eyes when she wasn’t.  Laura was the same way.  If someone happened upon them, that person felt as if they were intruding as the world the couple was in was only big enough for the two of them. Laura had always dreamed of a love like that and could hardly believe that it had happened to her. 

***

Laura and Mary flew to Chicago one weekend to be with Karen and go dress shopping.  Karen was thrilled be included and to finally meet Mary in person.  She was also able to show Laura the dress she had mentioned in that phone call many days ago.  Laura deemed it perfect for her.  After looking at many different dresses, none seemed just right.  They decided to try one last shop before calling it quits for the day. 

They entered the dress shop and Laura gasped.  There it was – the perfect dress, she immediately asked to try it on. 

When Laura stepped out in “her” dress, both mothers were speechless.  It was satin and tulle, with detailed crystal and silver beading.  The tulle overlay for the skirt had a scalloped edge that also had elaborate beading.  It fit her as if it had been made for her, falling to the floor in a graceful cascade.  She appeared as if she were floating as she moved around the room.         

Later that evening, back at Karen and Roy’s house, Laura excused herself and went to the room where she was staying, where JC stayed when he was there.  Laying on the bed, she thought of how soon it would be when she would be sharing one with JC, not just dreaming of it as she breathed in the scent of his pillow.  Soon they would be united forever. 

Rolling on her back, she pressed a button on the phone then put it to her ear. 

“Hey sweetheart,” JC answered in a tired voice, but she could tell he was smiling. 

“Hi, how was your day?”

“Long and miserable without you.  I miss you so much.”

“I’m sorry, I miss you too.”

They fell silent for a moment, just enjoying the sound of the others breathing. 

“I’ve got some news that will make you feel better.”

“What’s that?”  He asked.

“I found my dress today,” she exclaimed excitedly, moving so she could lean against the headboard and clutch a pillow to her chest and breathe in his smell. 

“Really?”  His voice turned tender, “What does it look like?”

“Well, it’s white and long and beautiful.”

His cheery chuckle warmed her heart, “That narrows it down, doesn’t it?”

She giggled lightheartedly, “And that’s all you’re getting until the big day.”

“I’m counting the hours.”

“Me too, I’m sitting here on your bed, hugging your pillow.  It smells just like you, you know.”

A soft tapping came at the bedroom door, “What if you didn’t have to hug a pillow?”

“What do you mean?”  She asked as she got off the bed and walked to the door absentmindedly. 

A huge smile came over her face as she opened the door and noticed who was standing there.  Dropping the phone on the dresser next to the doorway, she leapt into his arms. 

After spending a few minutes alone, they headed back downstairs talking about their evening plans. 

“Joey came with me to deal with some business and would love to see you.”

“Well, mom and I are planning to head to Dave’s, why don’t you have a boys’ night out with Joey?”

“You don’t mind?”

“Why would I mind?  What are you going to do?”  She asked as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Probably just grab a bite to eat and hang out a while.  When you get done at Dave’s give me a call and join us.”

“Ok,” she said as she brushed her lips against his and called to her mom so they could get going, “Have fun.”

***

A couple hours later, Laura’s phone rang as they were leaving the restaurant from supper.  Glancing at the screen, she answered cheerfully, “Hey honey, are you bored already?”

“Laura, it’s Joey, there’s been a small accident.  JC’s mostly ok, but we think his leg is broken.  Can you meet us at the hospital?”

“What??  What happened?”  Covering the mouthpiece quickly, she told her brother to head to the hospital.

“He fell, he should really tell you the story, it’s a great story.  He’ll be fine, he just wants you to meet us at the hospital.”

“I’m on my way,” she hung up and urged Dave to go faster. 

Walking quickly into the ER, she scanned the lobby for Joey.  He was just exiting the back and came over to her immediately, “We like just got here too, they just took him back, come on I’ll take you to his room.”

Joey explained to the nurse at the desk who they were and she buzzed them through the door.  He led her to the door of JC’s room and told her if she needed anything to come get him, he would be waiting in the lobby.  As he walked away, he mumbled an “I’m sorry” as he appeared to be laughing. 

Pushing the curtain aside, she stepped inside, not sure what she was going to see.  She certainly wasn’t prepared to see JC laughing with the older nurse who was taking his blood pressure.  He was lying on the hospital bed, with his leg propped up and covered with an ice pack. 

“Ahh, there she is, the love of my life.”  He reached out a hand to her as she took in the scene before her. 

“This one is trouble I think, you must be a saint to put up with him.”  The nurse said before turning back to the patient.  “Someone will be in shortly to take you to x-ray.”

“Thank you,” they replied in unison as the nurse starting entering notes in her computer.    

“Are you alright?  What happened?”  She took his hand in hers as she stepped closer to the bed. 

“Just a slight accident, I’ll be fine.  I…uh…I… this is embarrassing.”  She merely raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to finish. 

“Ok, I can…I can do this.  You see, Joey and I had just finished eating and were walking back to his hotel when we saw these kids with skateboards and …”

“JC you didn’t!”  She choked out, bringing her hand up to cover the laughter, while her eyes were dancing with hilarity. 

“Yeah, yeah I did.  We were talking about how it had been so long and Joey said he thought I was too old and had lost all my skills so we borrowed the boards and,” he motioned to his leg.

JC hadn’t looked her in the eyes during his confession, so he was surprised when she yanked her hand out of his and used both hands to cover her face as she sank into the chair next to the bed.  She was gasping for breath as she rocked back and forth. 

“Laura, honey, I didn’t mean it.  I’m not hurt really bad.  I’m sure it will all be fine and even if it’s broken I should be out of the cast before the wedding.  Please don’t cry.  It’s okay.”  He reached out a hand to try to move her closer as the nurse turned back to them in concern. 

She lifted her head and he realized she was laughing.  Her laughter was contagious and soon even the nurse was smiling. 

Pretending to be insulted, JC pouted.  “I’m hurt and all you can do is laugh.  Is this how you’re going to treat me after we’re married?” 

In a voice filled with mirth, she replied as she leaned over him and pressed a kiss to his forehead, “Aww honey, I’m sorry for laughing, but you’ve gotta come up with a better story than that to tell everyone once you’re out of here.  I mean you’re my knight in shining armor so maybe you climbed to the top of the highest tower to rescue me and you fell while you were slaying the dragon.”  She dissolved in laughter again and this time JC couldn’t hold back his.    

Just as they were starting to get their laughter under control, an aide walked into the room to take JC for his x-ray.  With laughter just under the surface, Laura told JC she was going out and tell everyone how he was doing and try and get Joey back for the accident.

Before entering the lobby, she composed her face into a very depressed look.  With her head down, she looked through lowered lashes for Joey and her family.  Spotting them sitting in a corner, she walked over to them before they saw her.  Sitting down next to Joey, she put her head in her hands and shook her head when Joey asked how JC was doing.

“He…he is in so much pain, it’s such a bad break, they aren’t sure they can fix it correctly.  He may never walk without a limp again.  It could be months of therapy.  What are we going to do?”  She asked sobbing on Joey’s shoulder. 

“What???!!!”  Joey exclaimed in a panic.  He had never thought it was this serious.  “Laura I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault, I can’t believe this!”

She raised her head to look at him, laughter again bubbling out.  It took a few moments for him to realize it had been a joke.  Her mom and brother had caught the joke when she winked at them before sitting down. 

“You…you… that was so mean.”  Joey stammered.

“Yeah, well, how could you diss his ‘skills’?”

“So he’s going to be fine?”  Her mom asked.

“Yeah, I think so.  He was laughing when I walked in.  They just came and took him back for an x-ray.  I told him I wouldn’t be gone long, so I’d better get back, but I just had to deal with Joey.”

***

It turned out that his leg was broken, a simple fracture and he would need to wear a cast for a few weeks until his leg was healed.  By the time he was ready to leave, JC had been poked and prodded and his face now showed the pain he was in. 

Wheeling him out of the ER to the car in a wheelchair, Laura leaned over and whispered in his ear.  “I would just like to point out that you who called me old a few weeks ago is now being pushed around by me, your much younger, gorgeous girlfriend.”

JC smiled in response, as he carefully maneuvered with Joey and Dave’s assistance into the passenger seat.  Resting his head against the back of the seat, he hoped the pain medication they had given him would kick in soon. 

Laura and her mom hopped in the back of Joey’s car after bidding Dave a good night.  The ride back to his parents was quiet so JC could rest.  Once there, Joey and Roy carefully helped JC up the steps into the house and into the guest bedroom on the first floor.  After helping him change into warm up pants and a t-shirt, they left him alone.  A few moments later, Laura tapped softly on the door, before cracking it open to see if he was awake. 

Seeing his eyes open and his hand beckoning her in, she pushed the door the rest of the way open and turned to grab a tray with water and more pain meds. 

“Are you ok?”

“I’ll be fine.  I just have to remember I’m not as young as I thought.”

“I’m sorry, I know this wasn’t in your plans for the next few weeks, but maybe you’re going too fast and you need to slow down.”

“Maybe.  Come here.”

She climbed up on the bed next to him and leaned against the headboard.  He turned towards her careful not to bump his injured leg and rested his head on her stomach and an arm across her waist.  Her hand settled automatically in his hair and rubbed soothingly while the other massaged his back and neck.  It didn’t take long before he was asleep. 

Laura sat there for a while longer before she tried to get up and leave him to sleep, but as she tried to extricate herself, he tightened his arm around her and mumbled in his sleep.  Giving up, she grabbed a pillow from behind him and settled in for the night. 

In the middle of the night, Karen got out of bed to use the bathroom and decided to check on JC.  See if he was sleeping okay or if he needed anything.  She flipped on the light in the hallway rather than risk waking JC if he was asleep. 

Pushing the partially opened door, she looked in and her heart warmed.  To see her son in such a loving relationship was good for her soul.  She knew that Laura would take good care of her son, love him, care for him, and balance his life with laughter and joy.  And he would do the same for her. 

Hearing the bathroom door close and then reopen, she quietly and quickly walked to see who it was.  Seeing Mary there, she put her fingers to her lips in a gesture of silence and motioned her to walk down the hall.  Gesturing to the opened bedroom door, she stepped out of the way to let Mary observe the couple sleeping wrapped in each others arms. 

Pulling the door halfway closed again, both women went into the kitchen where they could be a little louder. 

“I’ve prayed for years that Laura would find a man that would love her and take care of her and I thank God every day that she has found an amazing love in JC.  They were made for each other.” 

“I’ve done the same for JC.  Laura is so good for him.  He was off track for a while, but Laura brought him back into the light and made him whole and himself again.  I’m so glad they found each other.”

“Those two are going to last forever.”

In camaraderie, the two women talked mother to mother for a while before they both went back to bed.

***

JC woke the next morning with his leg throbbing.  Laura had been awake for a few minutes and was now again rubbing a hand over his back and through his hair.  She could tell the instant JC awoke as he started rolling his neck and she could feel the stubble from his face rub against her stomach, even through the cotton of her shirt. 

“How’s your leg this morning?”

He yawned before answering, “Like it’s broken.”  Her slight chuckle caused him to tip his head back at her and reply, “So I’m your knight in shining armor, huh?”

“Well at the moment, I would say that you are more like a knight in shining Velcro and metal,” referring to his walking cast. 

Laura brushed the hair away from his eyes, noticing a look of pain that was subtle but evident.  “Are you ready for another pain pill?”

“In a minute, right now I want the best medicine on earth,” he pushed himself up so he was sitting next to her before leaning in for a good morning kiss.  Before he could deepen the pressure, a voice caused them to separate. 

“I thought I heard voices in here.”  Karen walked in asking if they were ready for breakfast. 

Their day had begun.

***

The next morning, Laura and JC were sitting on the couch in the living room.  Laura and Mary’s flight left later that day and she was having a hard time leaving JC while he was hurt. 

“I wish I didn’t have to leave you while you are hurt.”

“Sweetheart, I understand, I really do.  You’ve got a big week at work and you’re needed there.  It’s just a broken leg and I’m sure mom will take care of me until I head back to LA.  And I’m going to guilt Joey into helping as well.  He got me into this mess after all.”

“He may have issued the challenge but you were the one that actually performed the deed.”

“Don’t remind me.”  He groaned, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.  “When are you going to quit anyway?”  He had decided a change in subject was necessary.

“Soon and then you’re going to have to support me.  Are you alright with that?”  She asked in a playful tone.

“Absolutely… you’ll be a kept woman, my kept woman.  At my beck and call, all hours of the day and night, seeing to my every need and want, doing my bidding, umpf!”  She poked him in the stomach to stop his tirade. 

“Well since you’re laid up for the next few weeks, I’ll just send you all the invitations and addresses to stuff into envelopes and send to our guests then.”

“Oh man…that’ll teach me to never accept a challenge again.”  He teased with a twinkle in his eye. 

Just then the doorbell rang and Karen answered it as she walked by.  Dave had arrived to take Laura and Mary to the airport. 

Goodbyes were bittersweet between the couple; it would be a couple of weeks before they saw each other again.  Everyone left them alone in the living room for their private goodbyes. 

Much too soon for JC, he was hobbling to the door to wave one last time as the car drove out of sight. 

Plans came together and were changed a time or two before they were finalized for the wedding.  JC’s leg healed and he was released from his walking boot but not before he got to address and send out the invitations, although Laura flew to LA to surprise him and help. 

Before they knew it, the wedding was only a week away.  JC and Laura were calm and confident in a sea of chaos of plans and the flurry of activity.  JC and his parents had arrived and were staying at a local hotel until after the wedding.  Christmas with the two families was a wonderful affair.  Everyone got along and the wedding plans were pushed aside for the day.    

They were getting married at the church where Laura had grown up, a small country church on a Friday night at 7:00 p.m.  The wedding planner that JC had hired was making sure that Laura’s vision of the perfect wedding came to reality while keeping the news quiet so as to not gain the attention of the press. 

The rehearsal went off without a hitch, the wedding party was small and intimate, only their closest friends and family were involved.  Once the rehearsal dinner had broken up, JC drove Laura back to her house, holding her hand the entire journey. 

Neither was ready to part ways so by mutual consent, even without talking, they exited the vehicle at Laura’s house and linked hands and hearts together walking in the moonlight together, their last night of singleness. 

“Any lingering doubts?”  He asked her as they walked, their breath warming the air around them. 

“None whatsoever, do you have cold feet?”  She asked in return. 

He turned to face her, grabbing her other hand in his, “My feet are the warmest they have ever been.  I have been waiting for this day for my entire life, you are the other half of me, and I love you so much.”

“You know, nothing in my dreams has ever prepared me for this.  I’ve dreamed of you my whole life, but the dreams can’t hold a candle to the man that you are.  You make me feel complete and so feminine.  I am going to love spending the rest of my life with you.  I love you with all my heart.”

Their lips met as their future laid itself out in front of them with a glorious moon beam from heaven shining down on them. 

***

Much later, they headed back to the house, the evening was getting late, and they both needed to rest before their big day.  As they walked, JC asked about the next day’s plans. 

“Well, I’m sure I won’t sleep much tonight so I’ll be up early, then pampering myself tomorrow morning before the busyness begins.  Then my mom, your mom, Heather, and my bridesmaids are coming over for a nice lunch.  Then we need to be at the church by 2 or so and get our hair and makeup done for pictures at 5:30 or so, whenever you guys get done and then waiting for 7 to get here.  How about you?”

“I actually plan on sleeping quite well, since I don’t anticipate getting much the next few nights.”  He raised his eyebrows suggestively as she blushed.  “Then our dads and the guys and I are having lunch someplace.  There was talk of finding a basketball court somewhere, but I don’t know about that then I have pictures at 5 so I have to be all prettied up before that and counting the seconds until 7.”

“Hmmm…”  She whispered against his lips.  “You’d better get going so you can stock up on sleep since you won’t be getting much.  Where are we going on our honeymoon by the way?”

“No way, I haven’t kept it a secret this long, just to tell you the night before.  You’ll have to wait.  Now kiss me the last kiss as a single woman.  Our next kiss will be the kiss of a married couple.” 

“You’d better make it count then, huh?”  They both fell silent as they said goodbye to their single lives.  But saying hello the next night would make everything that much sweeter. 

***

True to her word, Laura didn’t sleep much in anticipation of her big day, the man she had prayed her life for never far from her thoughts.  After trying unsuccessfully to eat breakfast, she settled in for a few minutes to spend by herself before everyone arrived.  Picking up a book, she found she was unable to concentrate on anything but JC. 

Then a knock came at the door.  Glancing at the clock, she realized it was way too early for lunch.  Opening the door, she was greeted with a huge bouquet of flowers. 

“Laura?”  A voice asked from behind the flowers.

“Yes!”  She exclaimed excitedly. 

“Congratulations, where do you want them?”

“I’ll take them, thank you so much.”

“Have a great day.”  The woman walked quickly backed to her car, the delivery complete. 

Laura stopped to smell the fragrant flowers, yellow tulips and pink roses.  Pulling the card out of the envelope, she melted as she read his distinctive script. 

The pink roses are for the friendship on which our relationship is based. 
Our bond will only get stronger as the years pass. 
The red tulips are my declaration of love that I can’t imagine my life without you.  JC

Grabbing her phone from the counter, she decided she didn’t care if he was asleep, she needed to talk to him. 

“Good morning, my beautiful bride.”  He said in a sleepy voice.

“The flowers are amazing and the card – JC there are no words for how sweet you are.”

“Ahh, the flowers arrived.  Since I can’t see you until tonight, I thought I would let you know that I’m thinking of you.”

“They are perfect, thank you!”

***

The women arrived bearing delicious smelling food and lots of chatter, but as they were sitting down to eat, there was another knock at the door. 

Mary was the closest so she opened it to another large bouquet.  All the women were amazed at how beautiful it was. 

Placing the flowers on a nearby table, Laura once again dove into the card. 

Yellow tulips mean hopelessly in love, which I think should be hopefully
in love as our future plans and lives are full of hope and promise. 
Pink tulips stand for the caring that you show me, for you took me in, a stranger, and now look at what we share. 
And purple tulips are for you, my royal princess bride. 
I love you, JC.

Everyone was clamoring to read over Laura’s shoulder, then with a shaking in her voice she read it aloud.  There was not a dry eye in the kitchen. 

After sharing another loving conversation with JC and eating a small amount of lunch, just because it was forced upon her, the women left in a rush of dresses and other necessities. 

Once at the church, hair and makeup was immediately started.  The women talked and laughed and tried to give Laura advice on what to expect in her marriage.  The stories ranged from humorous to serious and everything in between. 

Karen excused herself when JC arrived to go speak to him and the other women were all busy with other tasks so Laura had a moment alone with her matron of honor.  Beth had been her best friend since high school.

“Are you nervous?”  Beth asked.

“Surprisingly I’m not, I had expected to be, but I am just feeling excited you know?  I can’t wait to be married to this amazing wonderful man.  He is perfect for me, my soul mate, you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I do.  I was so nervous on my wedding day, you remember?”  Laura nodded.  “I was convinced that I was making a huge mistake.  Marriage is hard work, but the way he looks at you…Whew…makes even me sizzle.”  They laughed together. 

Laura opened her mouth to reply, before someone called her name and turning she noticed more flowers headed her way.

White roses are a symbol of purity, my bride, I will treasure the gift that you are giving to me and I pray that you know that my passion burns only for you. 
Red roses are a symbol of the passionate love we will make tonight, our wedding night!  And of the love that will carry us through the rest of our lives. 
Together the white and the red mean unity, we will be united forever.  Marry me, Laura, on this our wedding day. 
Yours forever, JC.

“Read it,” someone called out. 

“Actually this one is just for me.  Can someone take a message back to him for me?”

Quickly Laura found a blank card and thoughtfully and lovingly wrote a response. 

JC, the love of my life and shortly my husband,
I thank God for you everyday.  Now that you are in my life, the world is brighter and complete.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity amaze me at every turn.  You constantly surprise me, my love.  The flowers are beautiful, but even more so are the words that you carefully and lovingly wrote and shared with me.  So yes, JC, my soul mate, true love, and husband, I will marry you on this our wedding day!
Always yours, Laura

The guests all murmured at the beauty of the church.  Hundred of candles glowed from every available surface.  Laura had requested to be married in candlelight, preferring the romantic glow of candles to the harsh fluorescents of the overhead lights.  The florists had created magnificent cascades of flowers matching the bridesmaids dresses perfectly. 

An arbor at the front of the church was where JC and Laura would stand under to take their vows.  The arbor was covered in tulle that had been wrapped around thousands of white Christmas lights. 

The music started to signal the groomsmen and the groom to take their places.  JC took a deep breath before stepping in front of the congregation filled with their friends and families.  JC and Laura’s mothers had already lit the candles in the front that would be used to light their unity candle. 

Looking out over the crowd gathered to celebrate their big day, he noticed many smiles turned his way.  The bridesmaids and matron of honor entered as JC straightened and locked his gaze on the door at the back where his bride would enter.  The changing of the music prompted the people to rise as one and turn their attention to the rear of the church. 

JC heart literally skipped a beat when he saw his bride, framed in the doorway she was a perfect picture of happiness as she glowed in the candlelight. 

***

Laura’s breath caught in her throat as she caught sight of JC for the first time in his tuxedo and in the glow of the candles.  His features were perfectly complemented by the pure black of his tuxedo and the striking white of his dress shirt.  Her father had a supporting hand under hers as he walked her down the aisle.  The walk was both the shortest and the longest walk of her life. 

The ceremony was a blur as the two looked deep into each others eyes.  The minister prayed and the charge was given to the couple.  Then too soon and yet not soon enough the vows were ready to be spoken. 

JC and Laura each spoke from the heart and repeated after the minister.  Their eyes and hearts communicated what they were unable to say.  Rings were exchanged, gently placed on hands that would were them proudly forever. 

The covenant that the two had made was not taken lightly.  The promises were made before God and their family and friends in total devotion to the other.  The moment the minister announced that JC could kiss his bride, he reverently lifted the veil and looked deep into Laura’s eyes.  Sweetly he bent down and caressed her lips with his, tender yet forceful to celebrate their marriage.  Too soon he pulled away as they were announced and celebrated as Mr. and Mrs. Chasez. 

Tucking her arm under his, he helped her down the steps and they walked back up the aisle as their guests cheered. 

Stopping in the narthex, she reached up and kissed him as she whispered, “No turning back now, you’re stuck with me for life.”

“I love you, you are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen.”

After finishing up pictures, they hopped into a limo that JC had arranged for the day to head to the reception.  They both laughed as they tried to maneuver around her dress.  Giving up, she settled back against his shoulder.  Grabbing his left head in hers, she studied their wedding rings closer. 

Moving his arm from around her back he pulled her wedding ring off her finger. 

“You need to read the inscription.  Mine is the same thing.”

Reading aloud, she said, “Breath in my lungs, music in my heart.  Oh, JC, it’s what you said when you proposed!  That is perfect.”

With a huge smile on his face, he responded as he placed the ring back on her finger and kissed it.  “I am quite the poet you know.  Now that’s the last time it will ever be off your finger.”

“How long do we have to stay at the reception?”  Laura wondered. 

Groaning, JC replaced his arm around her shoulders.  “No longer than we have to.  That’s my plan anyway.  Why don’t we go in, grab a plate, eat, first and last dance, and grab a piece of cake to go?  Or actually we’ll just tell the driver to turn around.”

“That sounds wonderful, but I think if we did that, people would come looking for us and we would never be alone.”  She brushed her lips against his smooth jaw. 

“Well in that case, I’ll do whatever I have to so that can be very alone later.”  His voice trailed off as their lips met.  Just as they were beginning to lose themselves in the kiss, the limo stopped.  They were at the reception. 

***

“For the first time, I want to present Mr. and Mrs. Chasez!”  Their guests all stood and cheered as the newlyweds entered arm in arm. 

Briefly blinded by the flashes, they stopped.  It took forever for the happy couple to make it to the head table.  People had tried to get the couple to move in separate directions, but they refused to split, greeting each guest together.

Sitting down at the table, surrounded by their bridal party, the waiters were finally given the signal to start the meal.  Beautiful toasts were given by the best man and the matron of honor, the cake was cut, and then it was time for the first dance as husband and wife. 

But JC had yet another surprise up his sleeve. 

Kissing her on the cheek, he excused himself from the table.  Laura assumed nothing of it, believing he was just going to use the restroom.  Then the lights dimmed and familiar music started.  Cutting off in the middle of a sentence to Beth, her eyes widened as she turned to the stage in time to see a spotlight rest on her new husband. 

Stepping up to the microphone, he began to sing as four more spotlights rested on the men surrounding him.  He took over the lead in the song and as he started the first verse, he lifted the microphone out of the stand and started down the steps.    

"This I Promise You"
Sung by NSYNC

Ohh ohh...

When the visions around you,
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surround you,
Are secrets and lies
I'll be your strength,
I'll give you hope,
Keeping your faith when it's gone
The one you should call,
Was standing here all along..

JC had made it to the table where Laura was sitting by this point in the song.  And as he sang the next line, he did as the song prompted and took her into his arms as they began to sway back and forth as he sang. 

And I will take
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong
Till the day my life is through
This I promise you
This I promise you

I've loved you forever,
In lifetimes before
And I promise you never...
Will you hurt anymore
I give you my word
I give you my heart (give you my heart)
This is a battle we've won
And with this vow,
Forever has now begun...

Just close your eyes (close your eyes)
Each loving day (each loving day)
I know this feeling won't go away (no..)
Till the day my life is through
This I promise you..
This I promise you..

Over and over I fall (over and over I fall)
When I hear you call
Without you in my life baby
I just wouldn't be living at all...

And I will take (I will take you in my arms)
You in my arms
And hold you right where you belong (right where you belong)
Till the day my life is through
This I promise you baby

Just close your eyes
Each loving day (each loving day)
I know this feeling won't go away (no..)
Every word I say is true
This I promise you

Every word I say is true
This I promise you
Ooh, I promise you...

They looked deeply into the others eyes as tears shimmered in hers.  The last words of the song were whispered to only Laura as he dropped his head to meet her lips.

***

The evening was winding down, much to the relief of JC and Laura, the bouquet and garter had been tossed.  The father-daughter and mother-son dances had occurred.  And the guests had partied, all having a wonderful time. 

JC was given the nod from the wedding planner that it was time to make their exit and he quickly looked around for Laura, who had needed to use the restroom.  Locating her in the crowd, he moved in that direction, waving to those who tried to stop him.  Coming up next to her, he grabbed her hand and whispered something in her ear. 

Her eyes brightened as she turned to him with a questioning look.  He nodded and led her in the opposite direction, to the laughter of the people she had been talking with.  An announcement had just been made that the newlyweds were leaving and it was time to see them off. 

They were ushered into the limo under a shower of rose petals and well wishes.  Falling onto the rear seat of the limo, they laughed as they brushed petals off their clothes.  She cupped his face in her hand and brushed a thumb over his soft lips. 

“Happily ever after started today and there is no one I would rather share it with.”

“You are absolutely correct, Mrs. Chasez.”

She froze as reality set in and a smile crossed her face.  “Say that again and again and again.”

“Mrs. Chasez…Mrs. Chasez…Mrs. Chasez.”  The length between words grew as the kiss  went on.

Knowing they would be able to finally fulfill the unspoken promises between them, she pulled back and rested her head on his chest.  Taking an unsteady breath, she tried to form words. 

“So…Um…where…uh…where are we going?”

“Home.”

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean we are going back to our house to spend out first night together there.  What better place than to begin our lives together than in the house we will live in?  Then tomorrow we are… well it’s a surprise.”

The limo pulled to a stop in their driveway and JC carefully helped her out, mindful of her beautiful dress.  Neither noticed the driver getting back in the limo and leaving.  Unlocking and pushing the door open, he turned back to his bride.  Bending over, he swept her off her feet as he walked into the house before placing her back on her feet in the kitchen. 

He turned back so he could shut and lock the doors behind them, not wanting any visitors.  The phone had been unplugged earlier when he had stopped before the wedding.  His bride waited for him and after coming back to her, she reached up and kissed him deeply, before drawing back and leading him by the hand to the bedroom. 

Coming to a stop just inside the doorway, she realized she had married the most romantic man on earth.  Their bedroom had been transformed.  When JC had stopped by, he had put satin sheets on the bed, pulled back the covers, and scattered more rose petals. 

She turned and had no words.  She didn’t need any.  He explained it all simply.  “I wanted our first time to be special.”

And no more words were needed. 

Laura lay on her side with her head propped on her bended arm.  In the quietness of the morning, she studied her husband’s profile.  He lay on his back next to her, one arm laying over his stomach the other remained where Laura had placed it after moving it from around her, when she had gotten up to use the bathroom. 

Suddenly, she jumped as the silence was broken.  “You know, I can’t sleep if someone is staring at me.”  His voice was rough from sleep as he spoke in a sexy morning growl.

She giggled.  “I know that’s not true, besides I didn’t think you were going to get much sleep after we were married.  That’s why you were going to store up beforehand.”

Without warning, he exploded into a flurry of movement, sheets flying as he pressed her onto her back and hovered over her before she knew what was happening. 

“Those are fighting words, my darling bride.”

“I’m shaking in my boots,” she sighed.

“I’ll show you shaking…”  His lips covered hers as he lowered his delicious warmth onto her. 

*** 

Their honeymoon was spent quietly with just the two of them in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.  They cooked together, talked together, walked together, and made love, settling easily into their new marriage. 

The real world was kept at bay.  After a week of seclusion, they flew to JC’s, no – their house in Florida.  Laura had never seen the house and no one was expecting them there so they shouldn’t be bothered. 

“I’ll call and get someone to deliver some groceries or food.”  He moved over to grab the phone off the wall. 

“I thought you didn’t want anyone to know we were here?”

He paused before dialing, “I don’t, why?”

“Well, if you have someone deliver something, doesn’t that say that ‘Hey, JC Chasez is in town?’  I’ll go out and get something.”

“No, I don’t want you to have to go out either.”

“Then what do you suggest, I’m getting hungry.”

A suggestive gleam snuck into his eyes, “Oh, if you’re hungry, I’m sure I can fill you up.”  He stalked around the island toward her, arms outstretched and fingers wiggling.

Squealing she quickly ran to the other side.  “Food first!”

He stopped, his eyes narrowing.  “Food, I’ll make you forget all about food.”  He again started after her. 

She took off running, sliding on the hardwood in her socks.  Getting her balance back she ran through the living room before heading toward the back door.  Unfortunately, she missed the door, forgetting which one it was when JC had given her a quick tour earlier.  Skidding to a halt, she assessed her options and found she was trapped. 

Turning around, she saw JC leaning against the door jamb, casually surveying his fingernails. 

“Now what?”  He asked still checking out his fingernails. 

In a seductive walk, she approached him, gaining his full attention.  “Now…this.”  She paused in the doorway, raising slightly on her toes as if she was going to kiss him, then took off running back the way she had come.  An arm snaked around her waist as she reached the stairs.  Laughing, he tossed her over his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs.

***

Later that evening, JC awoke from his nap to the sound of voices downstairs.  Dressing quickly he tugged his shirt on as he reached the bottom of the stairs.  Seeing no one in the living room, he headed toward the kitchen.  Freezing in the doorway, his eyes widened at the mess in the kitchen. 

Every inch of space on the counters was covered with dirty dishes and a light coating of flour.  There was a young child standing on a chair that had been pulled up to the island.  His wife was standing behind the little girl and they both had their hands in the bowl mixing the contents. 

Taking in a deep breath, he asked aloud, “Wow, how long was I asleep?”

Without taking her attention away from the bowl, she responded following his train of thought.  “Oh, about 8 years.  Leslie here is 7 so you know…”  She flashed him a quick grin. “Leslie, this is JC.  Leslie lives next door.”

He climbed up on a stool, far away from the mess.  “Hi Leslie, how did you two meet?”

Looking up bashfully, “Mommy had a ‘mergency so Laura said she’d watch me.”

“I ran to the grocery store while you were sleeping and when I got back, I met Leslie here and invited her to hang out with us for a while until her mom and dad get back.”

“We’re making cookies.”

“Yes, we are.  And pizza, don’t forget about the pizza in the oven.”

“Oh yeah,” Leslie hopped off the chair and went to peer into the window in the oven.  “It’s almost done.”

“Great, why don’t you go wash your hands in the bathroom right over there, while I finish up the cookies and then we can eat.”

Leslie rushed out of the kitchen and closed the bathroom door behind her. 

“I sleep for a couple of hours and you’re babysitting?”

“It’s not like that.  I pulled in the drive and met her parents rushing to their car.  Her mom is pregnant and thinks something is wrong with the baby so they needed to get to the hospital.  I asked if there was anything I could do and offered to watch Leslie.    Leslie’s not sure what was happening and so I’m trying to keep her mind off of it.”  She placed the last cookie on the sheet and stuck it in the oven.  

“You are going to make a wonderful mother someday,” Laura blushed as he complimented her. 

“Yeah, well your daddy skills are still questionable, I saw the look on your face when you saw the mess!”  Moving to his side of the island, she reached out her cookie dough covered hands to him.  “Let me give you a hug and kiss!”

“The kiss I’ll accept, but I’ll wait on the hug, thanks.”  Jumping off, he put the stool in between them. 

“Ah, ah, ah, can’t get one without the other.”  Just as she was reaching for him, Leslie emerged from the bathroom with clean hands.

“Is the pizza done?”  Leslie asked as JC smiled in triumph.  Laura simply mouthed next time.  

“Ask JC to please check on it, while I wash my hands.”

Leslie turned and looked up at JC, who was smiling down at her.  “Will you please check on the pizza?”

“Only if you’ll help me.”  He extended a hand to her, which she looked at cautiously before gingerly taking it. 

They walked over to lean over and check the pizza together.  Laura grinned at the picture they made.  “I think it needs another minute or two, what do you think?”  He asked the little girl. 

She thought about it, “Yeah, maybe a minute or two.”

“Why don’t we pick out a movie to watch while we eat?”

“Okay,” she trustingly tucked her hand back into his as they walked into the family room together. 

A few minutes later, JC came back into the kitchen without her.  Laura had just removed the pizza from the oven and was checking the cookies.  Deciding they were done as well, she pulled the sheet and set it on the counter as JC sliced the pizza. 

Side by side at the counter, Laura turned her body to face her husbands’, “I know this wasn’t in your plans for the day, but –“

He stopped her.  “I don’t mind at all, this is who you are and who I fell in love with.”

“I lied earlier,” He turned a questioning look her way.  “You will be a wonderful daddy someday.”

“Well until then, I think we can use all the practice we can get, right?”

Leslie came running back into the kitchen.  “Is the pizza ready?”

“Yes, Miss Leslie it is.”  JC handed her a plate with a slice of pizza on it and a napkin.  “I’ll bring your drink; you get settled so we can start the movie.”

“Okay,” holding her plate with two hands she carefully walked out of the kitchen, followed closely by Laura with two more plates of pizza and JC with three drinks. 

Their evening went by quickly.  Leslie had settled in between them on the couch as they watched a couple of Disney movies.  Finally, toward the beginning of the third, she lost the battle for sleep.  Sometime during the movies, she had moved so her head was on Laura’s lap and her feet were on JC’s.  More than once, they had shared a conspiring look and smirk over Leslie’s head at her comments during the movies. 

JC reached for the ringing phone hoping to grab it before it woke the sleeping little girl.  He shot a look at Laura, nodding that it was Leslie’s parents, before carefully moving her legs so he could step into the hall and take the phone call. 

Hanging up, he sat back down on the couch.  “They are keeping her overnight for observation, but Jim, Leslie’s dad, is coming to pick her up and take her home for the night.”

“She could stay here if Jim wants to stay at the hospital.”

“I offered that, but he says he is coming home.  He should be here in a few minutes.  I’ll carry her over there, hopefully without waking her up.”  Laura skimmed a hand over the baby soft hair as JC lifted Leslie to his shoulder.  Getting up Laura opened the door for them, as a car pulled into the driveway next to theirs. 

Falling into step beside him, they made their way to Jim. 

Jim looked very tired and stressed as he greeted them.  “JC, man, thank you so much for taking care of Leslie.”  They made the transfer to dad without waking the girl up. 

“I did very little, my wife did all the hard work.  Jim, this is my beautiful bride Laura.”  Laura smiled as JC slid an arm around her back. 

“Congratulations, I didn’t know you were getting married.  When did that happen?”

“9 days,” he looked at his watch.  “3 hours and 23 minutes ago.”

Shock showed on Jim’s face, “Aw, we ruined your honeymoon.  I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it, Leslie is a delight.”  Laura responded.  “How is your wife?”

“They are keeping her overnight to make sure the baby is stable.  It looks like she’s going to be on bed rest for the next month until the baby is born.  I wanted to stay with her tonight, but she didn’t want to bother you guys and leave Leslie with you.”

“It’s no bother at all, do you want to go back?”  Jim hesitated long enough that JC reached again for Leslie.  “Go, we’ll take care of Leslie and whatever else you need.”

“Are you sure?”  Jim asked as turned toward his car.

“Go, give us a call in the morning, and let us know what’s happening.”

“I’m so sorry to do this to you on your honeymoon.”

“It’s not a problem.  I was getting sick of being around JC all the time anyway.”  Laura said with a wink towards JC.

“Thanks you guys, I owe you one.”

Husband and wife made their way back with their temporary charge so they could tuck her into bed. 

***

In the middle of the night, Laura heard a small voice calling for her mom.  Throwing the covers off, she slid out of bed, just in time to see Leslie appear in their open doorway. 

“What’s the matter, sweetie?” 

“Where’re my mom and dad?”  She was crying. 

Striding over and picking the little girl up, Laura headed downstairs so they wouldn’t wake JC.  “Your mom is staying in the hospital tonight so they can make sure your little brother or sister is okay.  And your dad came home to make sure you were okay then he went back so she wasn’t alone.”

“When are they going to be home?” 

“In the morning, we hope.  Your dad is going to call and let us know.  But for now you get to stay with JC and I and have a good time.  What do you say I read you a story?”

On one of the bookshelves in JC’s study was a collection of children’s books that Joey’s daughter would read when they stayed at the house.  Leslie picked out one of the Little House on the Prairie books and they both settled into JC’s recliner to rock and read. 

***

In the morning, JC groggily made his way down the stairs in search of his wife.  He was still tired, but selfishly wanted his wife next to him while he slept.  He wanted her warm body pressed against his. 

He checked the kitchen – no wife, the bathrooms – nope, the cars were still in the garage so she hadn’t gone anywhere.  Then he noticed the study door open. 

He peeked in to see a sight that he hoped would be very familiar to them once they had children of their own.  Leslie had fallen asleep on Laura’s lap, Laura’s head was leaning against the back of the recliner, but JC must have made a noise because her eyes flew to his. 

Gingerly maneuvering, Laura picked Leslie up to move her to the couch where she could lay down.  JC brought a blanket from the next room to cover her up.  Laura walked into the kitchen, stretching and opened the refrigerator to get some juice.  She grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and headed to the island to pour herself a glass.  Taking a long swallow, she refilled the glass, and went to put the container back in the fridge. 

However, she found herself trapped before she could turn around.  His arms went to the counter on both sides of her waist, his long, lean body pressed against hers.  Moving one hand from the counter, he shifted her hair so he could have access to the side of her neck.  Nuzzling, he felt her shiver and smiled in response. 

“That was something, seeing you caring for that little girl.  I can’t wait until we have a houseful of our own.”

“I know the feeling, you will make a wonderful daddy.  But if we have a little girl, she’s going to have you wrapped so tight around her finger.”

“So?  You are a daddy’s girl and you turned out just perfect.”

She turned in his arms to wrap hers around his waist.  She merely kissed him in response.  “You know, I thought the sleeplessness was going to be caused by you, isn’t that what you promised?”

He stopped to think about what she meant, but she answered before he could ask.  “Right now, someone has been catching up on their sleep, but I’ve been slaving away taking care of house and home and child.  You haven’t caused any sleeplessness for almost 18 hours.”

“Mmmm…you’re right.  I have been neglectful.  I can fix that.  Tell you what, I’ll make sure you don’t get any sleep today or even tonight, how does that sound?”

“Like heaven.”

His senses were beginning to swim when a voice penetrated his consciousness.

“Laura?  JC?”  Groaning he put his head on Laura’s shoulder. 

She patted him on the back as she answered, “In the kitchen, sweetie.”  JC moved away just as Leslie entered.  He grabbed Laura’s cup of juice and drank deeply as Laura greeted Leslie and asked what she wanted for breakfast. 

After inhaling breakfast, getting dressed, and playing a couple of board games, JC answered a knock at the door.  Jim stood on the porch, disheveled and beaming. 

“Where is Leslie?”  Leslie heard her dad’s voice and came running, jumping into his arms. 

“You have a new baby sister.  Would you like to go meet her?”

“A sister?”

“Yep.  It’s a good thing I went back last night.  Just before I got back, she went into labor and they decided the baby was far enough along so they let it progress.  She’s small but perfect.”

“Congratulations,” husband and wife said in unison.

“Thank you so much for taking care of my little princess here, my mom is almost here to help with the baby and watch Leslie.  I hope she wasn’t any trouble.”

“Not at all, Leslie is a delight and we would watch her anytime.”  Laura said. 

“I appreciate it and thank you again.  I’m so sorry that we interrupted your honeymoon.”

“You didn’t, you take care of that new baby and if you need anything let us know.”  JC said as Jim and Leslie backed out the door. 

Waving goodbye, they heard Leslie ask, “Daddy, what’s a honeymoon?”

Bursting into laughter, JC shut the door and reached for Laura, but found she had already climbed halfway up the stairs.  “I think you have some promises to keep, oh husband of mine.”

He took the stairs two at a time, before tossing her over his shoulder.  “Gladly!  I always keep my promises!”

The next few days passed in a quiet fashion.  He kept up with all the promises he had made and a few more besides.  They had seen Leslie a couple of times and taken a baby present over for her new sister and her.   

Then one morning Laura awoke alone in their bed.  She was surprised; it hadn’t been often that he was up before her.  Yawning she quickly dressed and went looking for some breakfast.  Pouring herself a bowl of cereal, she added the milk and starting wandering around looking for JC. 

She found him sitting behind his desk in the study on the phone.  From the tone in his voice, she could tell it was a business call. 

“I appreciate the thought, but I’m not sure now is the right time for me personally…Yeah, I’ll give it some thought and talk it over with my wife.”  He sent a smile her way.  “Alright, thank you for the phone call…You too, goodbye.”

JC sighed loudly as he hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair.  Laura kept eating her cereal as she waited for JC to gather his thoughts. 

“They want me to record another album.”  Laura had just taken a bite when he said that and choked.  In a coughing fit, she put the bowl on his desk as he offered her his bottle of water. 

Taking a long swallow, she coughed once more before exclaiming, “JC, that’s great, why is that a problem?”

“We just got married.  If I record an album, it will mean long days and nights in the studio, for months at a time.”

“So?” 

“So, I don’t want to be running off here and there all the time.”

“Would you take me with you?”

He looked at her like she was crazy.  “What kind of question is that?  You go where I go and vice versa.”

“Then I repeat, what’s the problem?”

“I get kind of obsessed when I’m in the studio; I’m a perfectionist when it comes to that stuff.  All my attention will be on the music.”

Laura got up and rounded the desk to sit on JC’s lap.  “Do you remember when we were snowed in and just getting to know one another?”  He nodded his head as she ran her fingers through his hair.  “What did you tell me was your dream?”

“To record another album, but –“  He stopped when she put her fingers to his lips.

“This is your dream, how can you even think of not going after it?  I promise I will be there every step of the way, supporting you and cheering you on.”

“After recording, though, comes a tour – at least a 3 month tour.”

“So we get to travel around on a bus?” 

He nodded in response.  “I know you want to start a family and if I start this I won’t be around for that.  I don’t want to raise my kids on a tour bus.  I want to be settled and be there for them and for you.”

She rested her forehead against his.  “And you will be.  I don’t want to start a family until we are both ready for it.  I’m not yet.  I’m having too much fun being with you and only you.  We are still getting to know each other on a deeper level, having a child right away will change that dynamic quickly.”  She paused to think a moment.  “If you do this – your dream – I’ll support you.  I will be behind you 200%.  Just think traveling around in a tour bus will give us a lot of time together, maybe too much.  I may get sick of you.”  He grinned in response.  “But I do have one request.”  She leaned back to look into his eyes.  “This is your decision, but if you decide to go for it and I think you should, you have to give me a real job to do because otherwise I will go crazy just following you around all day.”

“You really think I should do this?”

“Honey, music is what makes you - you.  It’s what makes you tick.  I would never come to you and say you have to give up music for the rest of your life.  Just like you would never come to me and say that I would have to give up something I dearly loved.  I want to share in your dreams, just like you share in mine.”

“Have I told you lately that you are an amazing, thoughtful, kind, considerate, passionate, beautiful woman and I am the luckiest man alive that you chose me?”

“The feelings are mutual, believe me.”

***

Being so close to the action over the next few months gave Laura an appreciation for all the hard work that goes into putting together an album.  After celebrating their 3-month anniversary, Laura and JC headed to LA from Ohio, where they had been living once their honeymoon was over. 

JC was spending more time writing at the moment so he could start recording sooner rather than later.  Many of the songs he was writing were love songs that were inspired by none other than his lovely wife.  Laura had even tried her hand at writing a song though she never assumed that JC would use it.  She had just written it for fun and to say that she had done it. 

By the time recording started, Laura was amazed at JC’s stamina.  He was running on nothing but adrenaline currently.  Getting up early to be in the studio and listening to him sing the same line over and over until he felt it was just right was exhausting for Laura and all she was doing was keeping in touch with his fans and rewriting his website while watching him in action. 

Now it was after 11 p.m. and they had been at the studio since 7 a.m.  She finished her thought, typing an response to a fan before closing her laptop and putting it away.  She thought JC was almost done, but you never knew so she stretched out on the leather sofa, making herself comfortable yet still being close to the action. 

The next thing she knew, prince charming was kissing her out of a deep sleep. 

“Come on sleepyhead, time to go home.”

Blinking, she tried to focus on the body leaning over her.  “Time’s it?”

“Almost 2, let’s go home.  Everybody’s taking a couple days off so it’s just me and you for the next 3 days.”  He pulled her up and tucked her under his arm.

“’K” She snuggled deeper into his warm embrace as he led her out to the car.

By the time they made it home, JC’s adrenaline had run out while Laura was wide-awake from the drive.  Walking into the house from the attached garage, JC kept rolling his neck and shoulders.

“Put your pajamas on and I’ll try and get some of those knots out of your neck that are bothering you.”  He gave her a grateful look as they both prepared for bed.  Lying down on his stomach in the middle of the bed, he groaned as her hands worked their magic, releasing the tension that had built up over that past few days of recording. 

Long after he fell asleep, she kept up the soothing motions on his stressed muscles.  She supported JC in everything that he was doing, but hoped the recording would be finished soon so she could have her husband back.  He had a very public life in the spotlight, but he kept his personal life private.  She was trying to imagine how their lives would change when everyone found out he was off the market.  JC had tried to prepare her as best he could, but Laura knew enough that it wouldn’t be easy or simple adjusting to this new way of life, especially while on tour. 

With one final caress, she climbed under the covers next to him, tucking them both in.  She chuckled when he emitted a light snore.  As she shifted closer to his warmth, he opened his arms and tucked her close against his chest in his sleep.  And she knew at that moment that no matter what happened their love would endure forever. 

Laura was constantly amazed at the talent of her husband.  His new album was finished and each song was a work of art.  The passion he had in his voice and the many late nights showed his dedication and love for what he was doing.  He had been rehearsing for the tour for weeks now and the tour was set to start next week.  The first half of his tour had been sold out, due largely in part to the stir Laura had created on the Internet about him, and the second part was close behind in sales. 

For JC, this album and tour was a way to redeem himself after the low sales from his last one.  This album was very different from the last.  The music was catchy but didn’t have the heavy suggestive words from previously.  The pressure he placed on himself was incredible.  He had many people counting on him, not the least of which he didn’t want to let his wife down, who was being so supportive. 

Laura was a nervous wreck about heading out on tour for three months.  What to pack, how much to pack, what if she forgot something?  JC was an old pro at this and knew that even if he did forget something, someone else would have it or he could send someone to buy it. 

Had JC been home, he would have been able to soothe her fears, but he left early every morning and didn’t return until way after dark, just falling into bed when he got there.  Finally, three days before they left on tour, rehearsals were finished and called a great success, and everyone was released in order to go home and prepare themselves for the road. 

After falling into bed the afternoon following rehearsals, JC didn’t surface until the next morning.  Even after hours of needed sleep and a hot shower, his back muscles were rebelling.  He wasn’t as young as he had been when he had toured previously.  Padding down the stairs, he hoped he could talk Laura into one of her massages.  But what he found made him want to run as fast as he could in the other direction. 

Laura had turned the living room into a staging area and had clothes, shoes, and other necessities spread on every available surface.  

“What the – what are you doing?”  He shouted.

“What does it look like I’m doing?”  She responded curtly, not looking up from the suitcase in front of her. 

“How hard is it to pack some clothes in a couple of suitcases?  Why did you drag it all down here?”  His voice got louder. 

“Because I don’t know what to pack, let alone how much to pack, and before you even think of suggesting that I ask you, need I remind you I asked you last week and again two days ago in which you responded you would get to it as you fell asleep.  I haven’t seen my husband in weeks and yet just magically I’m supposed to know what to take to live on a tour bus for the next three months!”  During her rant, she had turned to face him, eyes flashing her rage, but finished she turned back and starting attacking the clothes she was packing. 

JC inhaled deeply before rubbing a hand over his eyes then down to his jaw, feeling the whiskers he hadn’t taken the time to shave yet.  He had caught the stress and hint of tears in her eyes and the bags underneath.  He had forgotten to give her the list everyone on the tour received to help them pack.  Tony, the tour manager, had passed them out to the crew weeks ago and JC could picture it still sitting on the backseat of his car.

Stepping behind her, he pressed against her back and ran his hands down her arms until he could grab her hands, which she clenched into fists as she tensed.  “I’m sorry,” he whispered into her ear.  “I’ve been a horrible husband expecting you to take care of everything here and not helping at all.  Come lay down with me and we can pack after we take a nap.”

“I’m not tired,” she said.

“Yes, you are and even if you’re not, I want you next to me, please?  Please?  I’m sorry.”  He slowly turned her in his arms.  She knew if she met his eyes she would be lost, but he tipped her chin up so she had to look at him. 

She saw the sincerity and apology in his eyes.  She took a deep breath as she relaxed into his arms.  “I’m sorry too, I know how busy you are, and instead of talking to you, I kept it to myself and let it build.”

 “I get so focused sometimes that I don’t know what I’m missing.  Feel free to hit me over the head and say “hey, we need to talk.’  I’ve never been married and on tour before so it’s going to be an adjustment for both of us.  But I’m going to try to make it as easy as possible on you.  If there is anything you want or need, just tell me and I’ll do my best to make it happen.”

“I just need you, for the rest of my life I just need you.”

*** 

Being on tour was very stressful for Laura.  Staying in a different hotel every night or sleeping on the bus when they couldn’t, different venues with the same people with different faces catering to her husbands every whim was also a strain.  She tried to hide the stress from JC, but he was too perceptive.  He struggled with what he could do to make her feel more comfortable. 

She stayed in the background the majority of the time and watched the people around her.  Everyone on tour knew JC was married, but many didn’t know what she looked like so Laura blended in with the rest of the staff.  She preferred it that way, and then she didn’t get any special treatment.  When JC was busy, she helped where she could, running errands, or keeping up with fan mail.  When JC wasn’t busy, they spent all of their time together on the bus or in his dressing room so he could feel out how she was doing.  Laura was also the one that helped him with costume changes, ripping off one set and helping him into the next. 

One day everyone’s emotions came to a boiling point. 

Laura had offered to help put together more press packets for the tour.  It wasn’t a hard job so a couple of the other errand girls sat down together to work on them.  Laura was tired and wasn’t in the mood to talk to these young girls when all they wanted to do was gossip.  She knew they were jealous of her, being married to JC (even though they didn’t know it was her), but they had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they started talking. 

They didn’t even attempt to include Laura in their conversation.  They knew she had special privileges but weren’t sure why.  So after discussing whom they liked and didn’t like on the tour, they moved on to the headliner. 

“I just took this job to be closer to JC.”

“You know he’s married, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t think they get along very well.  I mean you never see them together.”

“Supposedly, she’s on tour with us, though.”

“She’s probably so stuck up she won’t associate with the common people.”

Laura’s ears were tuned to every word.  By this point, they had forgotten she was even in the room and had stopped working so they could talk. 

“I bet she’s so ugly that JC doesn’t want to show her off in public.”

“She’s from Ohio, who meets and marries someone from Ohio?”

“I’m sure she tricked him into marrying her.  Why else would he still be with her when he’s got me waiting on the sidelines?”  They both laughed. 

“She’s probably never worked a day in her life.”

“Exactly right and being from Ohio, doesn’t that make her like uneducated?”

“Yeah, and a hick!”

“Who knows what he sees in her?  She’s probably missing some teeth too.”

“Excuse me,” Laura interrupted their gossip session.  “Could you pass me a couple more folders?”

She kept stuffing as she said in a conversational tone, not knowing JC had stopped outside the door and had been listening to the conversation.  He hadn’t known she was in there until she spoke.  Now his blood was boiling as he waited to hear what Laura would say.

“So you think JC’s wife is an uneducated hick from Ohio who’s never worked a day in her life?”

“Yeah, I mean, have you seen her working on anything?  I’ve never seen her around.  She probably sleeps all day and eats bon bons!”  Both girls laughed hysterically at that. 

Laura nodded.  “That’s good to know.”  Standing, she declared, “I’m done here, do you think you can handle the rest?”  Her stack was three times as big as the other two put together.  She paused before saying, “You know girls, it’s best to know who are talking about before you start spreading rumors.”

They froze as JC appeared behind Laura and drew her back against his chest.  She hadn’t been expecting him and jumped when he touched her.  “Sweetheart, they think you married an uneducated hick from Ohio who doesn’t know what work is.”

“I heard,” his voice was tense from anger and his eyes were flashing.  She started to pull him away as the two girls started hyperventilating.  But JC stood his ground.  “Let me tell you something, my wife is the most beautiful, thoughtful, caring woman I have ever met and in fact has several college degrees.  And as for never working a day in her life…”  He glanced at the pile Laura had put together and then looked at their short stack.  “Well, she seems to have worked circles around you and still maintained her classiness while I can’t say the same for you.  You are no longer needed on the tour.”

JC latched onto her hand and pulled her behind him until they reached his dressing room.  He slammed the door behind them and ran his fingers through his hair.  Laura tried to catch her breath; she had had to sprint to keep up with him as he raced through the halls.  Sinking down on a chair, she watched him pace back and forth, muttering to himself.

Suddenly he stopped abruptly, turned, and sank down on his knees in front on her.  “I am so sorry about that.  Is that how you are treated on this tour?”

She averted her eyes, not wanting to admit the truth, but he grabbed her chin firmly and forced her to look at him.  He saw the truth in her eyes and swore. 

“JC, it’s just a few people, the majority are very nice, but there are the women who think they are going to steal you from me.  It’s never been quite so hostile as today though.”

“Why haven’t you said anything?”

“Because you need to concentrate on giving your best every night.  It’s not worth the breath to mention that there are very ignorant people who don’t like that you are married and not to them.  They are just jealous that I am the one that has you.  It’s alright.”

He saw the hurt in her eyes that she had tried so desperately to hide.  This woman had been dealing with this for the past few weeks completely on her own.  Had he really been so involved that he hadn’t taken the chance to show her off or claim her as his to the people on his tour?  What kind of a husband was he?  He remembered all the times she had sat in his dressing room waiting on him, not interacting with anyone else.  In her own way, she was trying to protect him from the harshness of her world, but no longer.  This was something he could fix and fix very easily.  He was the headliner, but didn’t throw his weight around as many others did.  However, that was about to change.  If someone didn’t accept his wife or respect her, they would be off the tour, no questions asked.  He didn’t share these thoughts with his wife though, she would have protested greatly. 

His onstage performance was about to change tonight as well.

Halfway through his set that night, he paused to take a long drink of water as the applause died down.  Speaking to the crowd, he said.  “We are going to change things up tonight.  You see I got married last December to-“  He had to stop due to the cheers from the crowd.  “Thank you, thank you, yeah; I married the most amazing woman on earth.  She is my soul mate – someone I never thought I would find, she’s actually on tour with me right now.  She’s there for me every step of the way and tonight I realized I haven’t been there for her like she needs.”  He motioned for Laura to step out on stage with him.  She shook her head emphatically at him from where she stood backstage.  “She’s a little shy, let’s give her some encouragement.”  The crowd screamed as JC ran over and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him. 

“JC, what are you doing?”  She said quietly.

“What I should have been doing all along!”  Then putting the microphone back up to his mouth, he addressed the audience.  “I want you all to meet my beautiful, amazing wife Laura.  There are days when I wonder why she puts up with me, but I’m so grateful that she does…  This song is for you, my bride.”

As the band started to play, JC sat Laura on the stool that had been placed on stage for him.  Gradually her red face calmed and she forgot the crowd was even there as she listened to this passionate man, her husband singing to her. 

"Music Of My Heart"
Sung by Gloria Estefan and NSYNC

You'll never know
What you've done for me
What your faith in me
Has done for my soul...

You'll never know
The gift you've given me..
I'll carry it with me (yeah...yeah...)

Through the days ahead
I think of days before
You made me hope for something better (yes you did)
And made me reach for something more

You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door
To something I've never known before
And your love...
(love)
Is the music of my heart.. (music of my heart)

You were the one
Always on my side (always on my side)
Always standing by (always standing by)
Seeing me through

You were the song that always made me sing
I'm singing this for you (singing this for you baby)

Everywhere I go
I think of where I've been (think of where I've been)
And of the one who knew me better
Than anyone ever will again

You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door (you opened the door)
To something I've never known before...
And your love...(your love)
Is the music of my heart

What you taught me
Only your love could ever teach me
You got through when no one could reach me
Ohh...ohh...ohh

Cause you always saw in me
All the best that I could be
It was you who set me free...

You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside (me inside)
Help me hear the music of my heart
Help me hear the music of my heart

You taught me to run
You taught me to fly
Helped me to free the me inside (me inside)
Help me hear the music of my heart (music of my heart)
Help me hear the music of my heart
You've opened my eyes
You've opened the door (opened the door)
To something I've never known before (never, never, felt before)
And your love...
Is the music of my heart..

Music of my heart
Music of my heart
Is the music of my heart...

The applause was overwhelming at the end of the song, a standing ovation that the couple on stage never noticed as they shared an embrace.  Eventually they pulled apart and with one final kiss, JC sent her back stage after a bow to the audience.  Now everyone knew without a doubt that JC was taken and that anyone who hurt her would be dealing with the wrath of JC Chasez.

JC noticed that Laura seemed more comfortable now as the tour headed into its second month.  People really respected Laura for herself and not just as the headliners wife.  Laura filled in wherever necessary, never complaining about the jobs she was asked to do, helping in whatever way she could.  The staff on tour fell in love with Laura, especially the more they got to know her. 

She also still kept up with the fan mail and website, letting everyone know what was happening with the tour and posting great pictures.  The true fans expressed their happiness at the fact that JC was married.  They only wanted the best for him and thought Laura was it.  She tried to write as many fans back as she could, always posing as JC. 

She was also able to keep up with what was happening to the people on tour and their families.  She endeared herself even further to them and to JC by sending cards and flowers on special occasions.  A staff birthday did not go by without recognition from the Chasez’s.  Even though JC was always the one leading the singing, the entire staff knew who had made the effort to remember.  They became a family in those first months of touring. 

Being a family was even more important around the holidays.  Most people were unable to leave to head home for Thanksgiving, there was going to be a show Friday night so most were just planning to stay.  The tour would be wrapping up about two weeks after Thanksgiving, letting everyone go home for Christmas, so this prompted Laura into planning something special. 

JC was in a bad mood this afternoon, nothing had gone right during sound check, a woman had dumped her entire ice filled drink on him while taking a picture at the meet and greet, and he was tired and ready for a break.  He just wanted to lie down and rest for a while before the show started.  Thanksgiving was two days away and this was the last show before having two days off. 

He was stomping down the hall, when he heard his wife’s voice.  She was on her cell phone talking.

“No, Tony, we don’t need any help…  JC and I will handle everything. ..  Yeah, as long as he follows my instructions nothing will get burned…It’s no problem, I love to make Thanksgiving dinner.  I’ll make JC my willing slave…Yeah, I know but just tell people that –“  Her voice trailed off as she went into another room. 

Now his mood had gone from bad to worse.  There was no way he was helping fix Thanksgiving for whatever Laura had planned.  He was about to go find her and fight it out right then, when he got the call to come back to stage, something had happened to his microphone and they needed to check it again. 

After dealing with that, there was no time for a nap; he had to get his hair and makeup done before rushing into wardrobe.  Laura was busy with other duties that night and wasn’t backstage to help with his wardrobe changes either.  Which was probably a good thing considering JC’s mood. 

His performance was good, but not great that night and he knew it.  That just made him even madder and unfortunately, Laura was going to bear the brunt of his fury. 

Everyone was avoiding him after the show; no eye contact was made even as people scurried to fulfill his barked orders.  No one thought to warn Laura of his bad mood though. 

Stomping down the hall of the hotel, he waited as someone unlocked the door to the room he shared with his wife.  He slammed the door behind him as Laura looked up from her place on the bed, where she was surrounded by cookbooks.  She had been organizing her menu for Thanksgiving dinner. 

“What’s wrong?”  She asked noticing his tightly clenched jaw. 

“Why would you think something is wrong?”  He asked through gritted teeth.

“Look at you…how did the show go?”

“It went.”

“Did you have problems with fans?”

“No.”

“JC, I can’t help you unless you tell me what is wrong.”  She exclaimed in frustration.

“Well let’s see, a woman dumped a drink all over me during the meet and greet, someone screwed with my mike so I had to do sound check twice, oh and then I find out that my wife has told everyone that I’ll make Thanksgiving dinner for them on my only day off!  That’s what wrong with me.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me; I’m the headliner for crying out loud, I don’t cook for the people around me.  That’s what they are paid to do.”

“Really and as ‘your wife’ what am I ‘paid to do’ exactly?”  She was now standing in front of him, eyes flashing. 

He simply glared at her as he undressed. 

“I see, well if the headliner had bothered to get the facts…  You know what…never mind… think what you will, but before you start taking it out on the people who help you look good up there every night, you might want to get a hold of yourself.  I didn’t marry a headliner, but here lately you have turned into such a diva.  I don’t know what your problem is but you’d better take a step back and take a good look at yourself before they leave you in the dust.”

“Whatever.”  He mumbled as he slammed the door to the bathroom behind him.

***

Laura grabbed a sweatshirt, some money, her laptop, and her room key before she left the room.  She was going to find a quiet corner and let JC calm down for a while.  She wasn’t sure if the pressures of the tour were getting to him or if he was worried about something he hadn’t yet shared with her, but she couldn’t take being the scapegoat any longer. 

She went down the hall and found an empty conference room that had comfortable chairs and Wi-Fi.  She made sure to close the door behind her so she could listen to some music.  At least if she wasn’t going to sleep tonight, she might as well get some work done and the grocery list for her meal shopping. 

If only the fans could have seen his little temper tantrum.

JC had only slightly calmed down by the time he had gotten out of the shower.  He knew he had been wrong to take it out on Laura, but maybe if he played his cards right she would offer to rub his aching shoulders. 

Opening the door, he started, “Look, I didn’t mean to-“  He stopped when he realized the room was empty.  She probably stepped out to get a drink or a snack.  He made himself comfortable on the bed, flipping through the channels while he waited on her to come back.  Several minutes passed and she hadn’t returned.  He found something on TV and was so engrossed that the next time he checked the clock almost 2 hours had passed since he had emerged from the bathroom.

His anger had cooled by now and was being replaced by concern.  Maybe she had decided to sleep on the bus.  He tried calling her, but found she had left her phone on the dresser across the room.  Decisively he stepped into his shoes planning to see if she was on the bus.  He would rather sleep in their cramped bed there with her than up here by himself. 

Taking the stairs rather than running the risk of meeting fans in the lobby, he descended quickly.  He kept his head down as he walked through the deserted parking lot to reach his bus.  Using his key, he unlocked it, calling out her name as he entered. 

“Laura, I’m sorry, can you please just-“  She wasn’t on the bus either.  He checked their bedroom, bathroom, nothing. 

Where was she?

Heading back to the hotel, he decided to check with his security to find out if they knew where she had been.  No one had.  Waking up Tony, he was now in a panic, thinking a crazed fan had his wife. 

“I was so mad at her earlier, she volunteered me to fix dinner for everyone, did you know that?  Of course you knew that, you were the one she was talking to.” JC was pacing back and forth, as security checked each staff room looking for her. 

Tony had a puzzled look on his face, “What are you talking about man?”

“She was on the phone with you earlier; I overheard her talking to you about Thanksgiving and me becoming her ‘willing slave’.”

“Oh, that.  No way, you are mad at her about that?”  He laughed while JC’s face turned stony.  “If you’d have eavesdropped on the rest of the conversation, you would have realized that the next words out of her mouth were that she would give you credit for coming up with the idea and helping, but she didn’t expect you to do a thing.  It was supposed to be a surprise to you, a home cooked meal on your day off.  JC man, you are an idiot.  If I had a wife like that, I would treat her like a precious jewel.”

Groaning, he realized he should have known better.  “I’m so stupid.  If I hadn’t been in such a bad mood to start with, I never would have flown off the handle like that.”  He stopped to consider what Laura had said earlier.  “Do you think I’m turning into a diva?”

“Am I going to lose my job?”  Tony joked with a smirk.  JC just sent a look his way.  “Alright honestly, today, yes!  What was going on with you today?  But no usually, you are one of the normal ones and I give credit to Laura for keeping you grounded.  Don’t lose her.”

The sun was beginning to rise and still no sign of Laura when a member of the security team, knocked on the doorjamb.  “JC, we found her.”  JC jumped up and followed him down the hall.  “She was in the conference room, with music playing, which is why she never heard us calling.  We saw her just run out of there and into the bathroom across the hall.  We think she’s sick.”

JC shoved open the door to the women’s restroom and followed the sound of retching.  She was struggling to hold her hair back from her face.  JC rubbed her back as she continued to be sick.  Getting up he moistened some paper towels before once again kneeling behind her. 

She wiped her mouth with a piece of toilet paper while JC ran the cool cloth over her forehead.  Getting up she flushed the toilet and staggered to a sink, where she ran warm water to splash against her face and rinse her mouth.  JC supported her as he looked on in concern. 

She took a deep wavering breath as she took in her bloodshot eyes and pale face in the mirror. 

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.”  He placed a gentle guiding hand at her back and pulled open the restroom door.  She started to head back into the conference room, but was stopped. 

“I need my stuff from in there.”  She said in a weak voice. 

“Tony will get it for you,” JC looked at Tony and got a confirming nod. 

He led her down the hall to their room, pulling back the covers, and tucking them around her tightly.  Tony came in and quietly set her items on the dresser before closing the door behind him. 

“Why did you leave if you were sick?”

“I wasn’t sick; it just hit me all of a sudden.  I figured you needed a chance to calm down, before one of us said something we would regret.”

“I didn’t mean to take my bad mood out on you and Tony set the record straight about Thanksgiving.”

“JC when have I ever volunteered you for something without checking first?”

“Never.”

“Exactly, so why would this be any different?”

“I know and now that I’ve calmed down from our fight and thinking you had been kidnapped,” Laura rose a brow at that.  “I realize I was totally irrational.  I’m sorry.”

She coughed for a moment and took a drink of water before reclining again. 

Suddenly they spoke over one another.

“Do you really think I’m a diva?”

“You thought I had been kidnapped?”

They shared a laugh before they both explained.

***

After a few hours of sleep, Laura awoke refreshed and ready to head out and do some grocery shopping.  Tony had arranged for her to have use of a nearby kitchen where she could prepare three turkeys and all the fixings that went along with it.  Today she planned to get all the supplies and make pies and rolls so she didn’t have to worry about that tomorrow on Thanksgiving. 

As she finished getting ready, JC grumbled about why she was up so early. 

“I’m going to get groceries.”

He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  “I don’t think so, you were just sick.  You shouldn’t be running around like that.  Get someone else to get them.” 

“No, I’m picky about what I want; I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“Wait and I’ll go with you.”

“No, you’re exhausted and you need all the sleep you can get on your days off.”

He fixed a stern look on her.  “Either I go with you or you don’t go at all.”  She could tell he was serious so with a roll of her eyes, she said “Fine, but hurry up, I have a bunch of pies to make this afternoon.”

In the grocery store a short while later, JC saw that she was starting to feel a little queasy and tried to use that to help her.  “Look, just get the premade pie crusts and rolls.  I’ll help make the pies; no one will be able to tell the difference.”

He knew she was still feeling sick when she agreed so fast.  His gaze narrowed on her pale face, normally she would have argued about making homemade crusts and if she had been feeling herself would have gotten the ingredients no matter what JC said. 

He rushed them through the rest of the list and headed out to get the car while Laura picked up one final item she didn’t want him to see yet.  She had a feeling about what was causing this queasiness, but wanted to confirm it before she told anyone her suspicions. 

She tucked the item into her purse after the clerk had rung it up, and just in time.  JC came striding back in to help carry the groceries to the car. 

With the two of them working together, it didn’t take long to get 14 pies made.  The rolls were ready and after getting the turkeys in the oven the next morning, the rest of the meal would be a breeze. 

The next morning dawned with Laura again getting sick, but this time JC didn’t stir from his deep slumber.  Climbing back into bed again, she thought about the item in her purse but decided to wait until the next morning when they weren’t rushing around preparing a big meal for everyone.  On Friday, JC didn’t have to be at the venue until sound check at three.  So if the answer was what she thought it was going to be, they could celebrate all morning, just the two of them. 

Not many minutes later, the alarm went off and JC stirred under the covers.  She started to get out of bed, but was pulled back in giggling. 

“JC, I have to get the turkeys in the oven.  Let me go.” 

“Nobody wants turkey on Thanksgiving, we’ll drive through and get fast food for everyone to eat, stay in bed.”

He reluctantly released her and stretched before lazily sitting up.

“Do you feel better this morning?”

“Yeah, I do and even better its Thanksgiving.”  She hurried into the bathroom to avoid any more questions. 

The meal was a wonderful success.  JC had helped prepare it every step of the way and by the silence while people were devouring it, it was being very well received.  It may not have been his idea or even how he wanted to spend his day, but he was grateful that Laura had enough insight to know that this was exactly what they had needed. 

Grabbing a plate for himself, he looked around wondering where his wife had gone.  He scanned the room once, nothing, then looked a little closer, still no sign of her.  Then his hair and makeup woman gestured to the bathroom down the hall. 

Smiling and accepting compliments for the meal, he walked through the throng of people until he reached the bathroom.  Reaching his hand up to tap on the door, he heard someone getting sick.  Cautiously opening the door in case it was anyone other than his wife, he peered in and recognized her shoes. 

She sat back and sighed, not knowing anyone was in the room with her. 

“You said you were feeling better,” JC accused in a gentle tone as he handed her a wet paper towel. 

“I was and now I’m not.”  She repeated the motions of washing her face and rinsing her mouth, before she asked if he had any gum. 

Digging a piece out of his pocket, he handed it to her as he studied the lines of stress in her forehead and the bags under her eyes.  “Were you sick this morning too?”

She rolled her neck before answering.  “Yeah.”

“And you still came in here and fixed all these people lunch?” 

“I didn’t breathe on anything and washed my hands over and over.”  She stood there shaking, trying to get up the energy to walk back out.

He noticed this and offered her his arm.  “Let’s go back to the hotel and you can lie down.”

“There’s a recliner in the next room, I’ll sit there while you eat, then we can go.”  He looked at her with doubt in his eyes.  “Go eat, I know you’re hungry and they want to see you.”

“They want to see you too,” he argued.

“Make my excuses.”

He reluctantly left her in the recliner to grab a couple of take out containers before quietly telling Tony where they were going and asking someone else to see to clean up. 

“Do you want me to call a doctor?”  Tony asked in concern.

“Not yet, she won’t want that yet, but if she’s not better by tomorrow then I’m going to have to do something.”  And with that, he slipped out unnoticed to retrieve his wife and put her to bed.

***

They cuddled in bed the rest of the afternoon and evening, watching movie after movie.  When Laura felt as though she could keep something down, she ate a little of the food that JC had brought back with them.  Many times during the day, she felt JC studying her, trying to see how she was feeling or what she was hiding. 

Several people had knocked on their door during the evening hours to thank them for a wonderful lunch and to wish Laura better. 

“You know, it really is like a family here on tour.  People look out for you, it doesn’t matter what your job is, they do it because they care.  That’s so refreshing to see.”  Laura remarked. 

“Uh huh,” JC mumbled.  Laura looked over at him to see his eyes drooping closed and a snore starting.

She snuggled deeper into his embrace as she too let herself fall asleep.

***

The next morning, Laura crept out of bed and retrieved the pregnancy test from her purse.  She quietly closed the bathroom door behind her, knowing JC was still asleep.  She nervously took the test and set it on the counter.  Biting her nails and pacing in the small confines of the bathroom, she anxiously waited for the five minutes to elapse. 

“This is agony, never has five minutes gone by so slowly!”  She moaned to herself. 

Then with a shuddering breath, she realized the time was up.  Digging deep down for strength, she crossed to the test on the bathroom counter. 

***

JC awoke when he had the breath knocked out of him.  Laura had landed hard on his chest and was sobbing into his t-shirt. 

“What the – what’s the matter?”  He exclaimed.  “Are you hurt?  Talk to me, Laura!”

Her only response was to cling to him tighter.  He pulled her so she sat on his lap, with her face buried into his neck.  “Please Laura, what’s wrong; I can’t do anything if you won’t talk to me.  Do you need an ambulance?”  She cried harder.  “That’s it, I’m calling 911.”  He shifted her so he could reach the phone on the stand next to him. 

“No, I’m alright; I’m more alright than ever.”  Wiping the tears from her eyes, she handed him something.  Taking it, he was puzzled, and then shock filled his eyes as they flew to hers. 

“I’m pregnant!  You’re going to be a daddy!”

“What??  How??  When??”  He stuttered. 

“Well, what - is a baby, JC, our baby!  How - if you don’t know that then we have problems and when - I think about 6 weeks ago.  Do you remember that night after your performance; you said it was the best one ever?”  He nodded his head in amazement as tears came to his eyes. 

“A baby?”  He laid his hands against her still flat stomach.  “My baby is in there?” 

“Yeah, it is.”

“Oh my gosh, Laura, just when I think life is perfect, you come in and make it better than I could ever have imagined.”  He pulled her close and deeply kissed her before abruptly breaking away.  “That’s why you’ve been sick lately!”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t suspect until just before grocery shopping.  Do you remember when you went to get the car?”  She waited for his nod before continuing, “I snuck back in and got a test.  But I didn’t take it until this morning; I didn’t know that smelling the food yesterday would make me so sick.  But anyway, I knew if I took the test, I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret and I didn’t want to be around people like we were yesterday so I waited until this morning.”

“A baby, you are giving me a baby!”  Standing he swung her around in his arms as she laughed.    

“I know this is a little sooner than we talked about, but it must be the right time!”

“No, it’s perfect, just perfect, the tour will be over in a couple of weeks, and things will calm down.  I was thinking that this will be the last tour.”  Laura cradled his face in her hands. 

“Because of the baby?”

“No, no, never – I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and while I love the crowds and people and everything, I’m getting tired of traveling all the time.  And us starting a family, it just seems like the right time.”

“But you’re giving up on your dream?”

“No I don’t ever want you to think that!  I will still be very involved in music, producing, writing, doing stuff on my own, but this,” he laid his hands on her stomach.  “This is my dream, a future with you and this little person in here.”

Their lips met in excitement before Laura pulled back.

With a gleam in her eye, she had to ask.  “Are you still going to feel that way when you have to rub my back and feet and go get strange food in the middle of the night?”

“Absolutely!”

“What about when I get fat and cry all the time?”

“Definitely!”

“And 1 a.m., 2 a.m., and 3 a.m. feedings and diaper changes?”  He paused to think about it before dissolving into laughter when she punched him in the stomach.

“Laura, I promise I will be there every step of the way and you can even yell and scream at me in the delivery room and tell me that I can never touch you again, even though we both know that won’t be true.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see about that!  Labor might be so bad, you’ll be sleeping on the couch for the rest of your life!”  Laura joked. 

“Well then, I’d better get all the time I can in bed before I get kicked out of it!”  He swung her carefully up into his arms and laid her gently down on the bed.  Kneeling beside her, he bent over her stomach and gently caressed it before pulling up the t-shirt she slept in.  He pressed kisses over where even now his child grew.  And with tears in both their eyes, he pressed his lips to hers, both rejoicing in sharing their lives together, and the promise of a new life they had created. 

Over lunch that they had delivered to their room, the discussion revolved completely around their baby. 

“We need to tell our parents, should we fly back through Chicago, before heading to Ohio?”

Laura swallowed before answering, “I was thinking we would wait for a while.  Make sure everything is okay and then get them a really great present that says I love my grandparents or something like that for Christmas.”

“Hmm.”

“By then we should have an actual due date too.”

“And you expect me to keep this a secret for the next month?  You know I don’t do well with that!”

“Ha!  Have you met yourself?  You are one of the most private people I know!”

“Not with my friends, with the public, with my fans – yes, but not the people closest to me.”

Laura got up from the table and circled around to sit on his lap when he pushed back to give her room.  JC wrapped one arm around her waist and the other went automatically to her stomach.

“Will you do this for me?  Please?  I don’t want to be treated differently these last weeks of the tour and I want to get used to the idea myself before we start telling the world.”

“How can I not treat you differently?  You’re pregnant with my baby.”

“I didn’t say anything about you!  From you I expect pampering like you wouldn’t believe.  Back rubs, foot massages, catering to my every whim, fixing food for my weird cravings, tender loving care every day from now for the rest of my life.  Can you do that?”

He lightly stroked where his baby was growing before grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips.  He kissed her fingertips as he spoke thoughtfully.  “Catering to your every whim, huh?”

“Yep.”  She nibbled on his earlobe.

“What about my cravings?”

Her lips traveled down his jaw line to hover over his.  “What did you have in mind?”

“Let me show you.”  He whispered.

***

The performances the last two weeks of the tour were phenomenal.  The audiences and staff didn’t know why, but they readily accepted the new JC.  He was giving his all every night, digging down deep inside himself, going above and beyond anything he had ever done.  Laura knew it was a combination of the excitement of the baby and the fact that he knew this would probably be his last tour; his last chance to hold audiences in the palm of his hand. 

The last night was bittersweet for JC.  He was insanely happy about the new chapter in his life that was opening, but loved the passion from the people in a live audience and would dearly miss it.  Since they hadn’t told people about the baby, no one knew that this was the last tour for him.  Many were joking around about how much bigger the next one would be.  JC simply smiled and went on his way. 

After several encores, JC brought Laura out on stage with him as he savored the applause.  He held tightly to her hand as she gripped his and rubbed her thumb back and forth.  She didn’t know how to help him get through this.  Just be there for him she guessed. 

Finally, he gave one last bow and they ran off the stage, not stopping until they were on their bus headed toward the hotel where he could shower and change.  They would be up early the next day, going to the airport to fly home. 

He sank down onto the couch, resting his head against the back, and closed his eyes.  His heart was racing from adrenaline and sadness.

Laura sat down next to him and just gazed on his profile for a while, debating on what to say.  She decided words weren’t necessary and grabbed on to the front of his costume to pull him over to rest against her.  His head nestled on her shoulder, absorbing the comfort she offered. 

Almost in a daze, he realized Laura was helping him stand and leading him to their room.  She helped him undress and into the shower, before leaving him alone. 

Much, much later JC exited and headed for the balcony outside their room.  After showering herself, she decided JC had had enough time alone and made her way to sit next to him.  She didn’t need words, but she wanted JC to know she was there for him. 

Sliding the door open, she stepped outside.  He glanced over at her with a smile and motioned for her to sit on his lap.  Making herself comfortable, she snuggled into his chest. 

He ran a hand up her leg before settling it over her stomach, her hand rested over his.  “Now onto the future…”

JC reached for Laura in his sleep, but quickly awoke when he realized she wasn’t in their bed.  Rolling over he checked for a light in the bathroom, but frowned when he noticed there was no light on and no sign of his wife.  Something didn’t feel right. 

He walked through the house in the dark to get to the nursery.  Looking in, he saw Laura sitting in the glider rocker in the corner holding a stuffed animal. 

“Are you alright?”

Laura glanced up in surprise.  She hadn’t heard him come in.  “Yeah, just thinking.”

“About what?”  JC said as he walked over to sit on the footstool in front of her, pulling the stuffed animal out of her hands and placing it on the floor before putting his hands on top of hers as they stroked her swollen belly together. 

“Are we ready for this?  To become parents?  What if I’m a terrible mother?”
 

JC stilled their hands, raising hers up to his mouth.  With his lips against her fingers, and his eyes looking deep into hers, he said.  “Laura, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.  You will be the most amazing mother that has ever been on this earth.  You are so nurturing, loving, and caring.  This baby will be the luckiest baby ever to have you as a mother.”

He released one her hands to reach up and touch the tear sliding down her cheek. Rubbing it away with his thumb, he pulled gently on the hand he still held until she came forward into his arms.  JC soothingly rubbed her back as he asked softly into her ear.  “That’s not the reason you were up.  What’s the real reason?”

Laura took an unsteady breath as she said.  “I was trying to mentally prepare for everything that’s going to happen to us soon.  The pain of labor and delivery…bringing our baby home…being parents for the rest of our lives…Our lives are going to change forever when this little one makes an appearance.”

JC drew back far enough to see into Laura’s eyes.  “Everything will change for the better though.  This baby is a permanent reminder of how much we love each other. Our lives will become so much better after this little one comes.  Now….come back to bed, I’ll rub your back until you fall asleep and we can talk about this more in the morning.  You need all the sleep you can get right now.”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that.”  Laura said with a light laugh. 

“What do you mean?”

“I’m in labor.”  Laura said simply. 

JC jumped to his feet in shock his hands automatically running through his hair.  “What do you mean ‘you’re in labor!’?”

“I mean that we are going to have this baby soon.”

“How long have you been in labor?”  He exclaimed.

Just then, Laura’s face tensed and her hands rubbed her belly slowly as she felt another contraction. 

“Oh, my gosh,” JC said as he sat back down and grabbed Laura’s hands.  “Tell me what to do.”

Laura released a breath as the contraction eased.  Her hand came up to the side of JC’s face as she smiled.  “I think you need to call the hospital then we need to get on our way.  It’s time to have our baby!”
***

JC’s hand came up to run through his hair again for the thousandth time since they got to the hospital.  This was torture for him, watching Laura in so much pain.  He wished she would yell or scream at him, but she got through each contraction silently.  She had turned town the epidural, preferring to give birth naturally. 

Laura whimpered a little as the contraction finally ended.  She looked up at JC with pain in her eyes as he ran a cool cloth over her face.  “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”  She said quietly. 

He placed a kiss on her forehead as he said with a wavering voice, “You are doing amazing.  You are so unbelievably strong.  I couldn’t do this in a hundred years.”

Just then, another contraction came and Laura gripped JC’s hand tighter, her nails digging into his skin.  The doctor came into the room and noticing Laura was in the middle of a contraction, checked her progress.  

“Well, are we ready to have this baby?  Laura, with the next contraction, I need you to push, alright?”

Laura moaned as the contraction ended.  “How much longer?”

But just that soon the next contraction came and her body was no longer hers to control. Instinct had her body off the bed and bearing down with all her might.  Her hand was crushing JC’s as she put her whole body into pushing the baby out. 

Nothing else existed in the hospital room; Laura could hear nothing, concentrating only on what her body was experiencing in bringing forth the baby.  She finally let out a scream as the baby’s head began to emerge. 

Laura gasped in a breath before pushing one more time and feeling a great sense of relief.  She collapsed back on the bed, feeling JC’s head come close, his tears mingling with hers as the doctor placed the crying baby on her stomach. 

“Congratulations, it’s a girl!”

JC and Laura each took a trembling hand and placed it on their baby.  JC brought his lips to Laura’s ear and whispered a heartfelt “Thank you” through his tears. 

A nurse came and picked up the baby saying, “We’re going to get her cleaned and checked up, then you’ll get her back.”

Laura turned her head so that their foreheads were touching.  Neither could see much through their tears but the love they had for each other needed no words.

Laura was fighting a losing battle for sleep.  She had finally been left alone in her private room and was waiting for JC to come back after calling their parents with the wondrous news.  JC came in quietly but was grinning from ear to ear.  When he saw she was awake, he immediately came and leaned over her bed, giving her a soft lingering kiss. 

“I love you so much.  My parents will be on the next flight and yours are going to pick them up at the airport so they can all come together.  Why aren’t you sleeping?  You’ve certainly earned it.”

“I was waiting for you and they said they would be bringing Mackenzie back soon.  Can you climb in here with me?”

“Laura, you need to rest.”

“I just want you to hold me right now.”

JC brushed the hair out of her face and smiled.  She could ask for the moon and he would find a rope to lasso it in and give it to her.  Holding her in his arms was never a hardship. 

“I don’t want to hurt you, you must ache all over.”

“I do, but I just want to fall asleep in your arms.”

Who could argue with that?

Stepping out of his shoes, JC lifted the blanket off her, getting into the bed as carefully as he could.  Laura lifted up a little so JC could put his arm behind her back, pulling her lovingly onto his chest.  He brought the blanket back up and covered them both with it as the nurse brought their daughter into the room.  The nurse checked the tags on both Mackenzie’s and Laura’s wrists to make sure they matched before handing the baby to JC. 

JC placed Mackenzie on his chest, breathing in the scent of his newborn baby.  His hand covered most of her back.  Laura brought her hand to Mackenzie’s head as she leaned over and kissed her baby’s forehead.  Mackenzie whimpered in her sleep as her parents turned to each other to share a kiss before JC started humming a lullaby and Laura fell into a much-deserved sleep. 

***

The nurse opened the door to Laura’s room to see if they wanted the baby to go back to the nursery for a while.  She stopped in her tracks when she stepped in the room.  The new family was adorable.  Grabbing the camera that was sitting on the bedside table, she quickly snapped a few pictures of them sleeping together.  This would be a picture that they would treasure forever.  Dad holding mom with the newborn wrapped in the arms of them both.  Putting the camera down she stepped back towards the door, but before she could reach the threshold, four excited people appeared at the door.  The grandparents had arrived. 

***

Excited whispers penetrated into JC’s sleep.  He opened his eyes to see his parents and in-laws around the bed looking at the baby he and Laura held in their arms.  They had yet to notice that he was awake; they were so focused on the precious baby.  Both moms had cameras out and were taking pictures while they had tears running down their faces.  The dads were grinning from ear to ear. 

JC wondered how long he could lay here before they noticed he was awake. 

Apparently, not long.  “Oh, JC is awake!”  His mom exclaimed in a stage whisper.  “Can we hold her?”

“How is Laura doing?”  Her mom asked as she was already reaching for the baby. 

“Sure you can and Laura did great, no painkillers or anything.”  JC said with a huge grin on his face.  But as he shifted his arm so that Mary could move Laura’s arm to pick Mackenzie up, Laura awoke with a start. 

It took her a moment to get her bearings especially with so many people crowded around their bed.  “Mackenzie Rose, I want you to meet your grandparents.”  JC rubbed Laura’s back comfortingly as he introduced their daughter before pressing a kiss on Laura’s brow.

“Oh, she is so precious and tiny.”

“This is most beautiful baby in the world.”

“She looks like me.”

“Our first grandchild.”

“The 2 of you must be so proud.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t call us when you started labor.”

“Laura, you did an amazing job.”

“JC, did you pass out?”

The grandparents talked over one another as each had their turn holding this new bundle of joy.  Laura and JC just sat back and watched with pride, they couldn’t get a word in edgewise. 

“I think we ceased to exist the minute we gave them a grandchild.”  Laura remarked quietly in JC’s ear.  All JC could do was nod his head in agreement.  Soon though Mackenzie started crying and was passed back to her mother. 

A nurse came in and asked the grandparents to leave so Mackenzie could nurse. 

“We’ll leave and get something to eat, is there anything you want us to bring back for you?”  JC’s mom asked the couple.

JC removed his arm from behind Laura as he rolled off the bed.  “I’ll walk out with you.”

Before leaving, all the grandparents gave Laura and Mackenzie a hug and a kiss, again proclaiming her the most adorable baby ever born.

JC stopped his father in the hall, leaning over to quietly ask him to stop by a florist on their way to eat.  JC whispered his order in his father’s ear before handing him a handful of bills.  JC’s father nodded in understanding before grabbing his son in a hard hug.  

Exchanging congratulations and hugs, the grandparents left as quickly as they had arrived as JC smiled and headed back to his wife and new daughter. 

***

The evening that the new parents brought their special bundle home found Laura hovering over the bassinet as she looked with loving eyes at her daughter.  She knew she should be sleeping herself, but couldn’t bring herself to leave her baby’s side just yet.  JC was carrying in the last of items from the car before he would be coming to bed as well. 

JC carefully wrapped his arms around her much thinner waist, she was still very sore, as he rested his chin on her shoulder.  She leaned her head against his as they studied their baby, memorizing every feature. 

“We made a beautiful baby, didn’t we?”  Laura whispered. 

“She takes after her mother, you know.”

“I hope she has your wavy hair.”

“I hope she has your loving personality.”

They both fell silent as Mackenzie kicked her legs in her sleep. 

“She is perfect, I don’t know how to thank you for her.”  JC said as Laura turned in his arms. 

“Just love me for the rest of my life, that’s all I ask.” 

“Gladly, every day of my life.  You know if I hadn’t been so tired of my life I would have never been driving on that snowy day and wrecked my car.  You took me in and became such a frustration to me.  I didn’t know how to handle you or the feelings you created in me.  You opened my eyes to the world around me and made me believe in myself again.  And now look at us…very happily married with a new daughter.  Without that storm…well I don’t even want to think about it.  My life is perfect and complete with the two of you.”

“I love you, JC.  And all I can say is thank God for the storms in our life, without them I would never have met my soul mate!” 

Their eyes met and their souls connected once again before they turned their attention to their now fussing baby.  The storms of their lives had brought them both to the future they longed for. 

The End