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.