A couple of days later, JC had arranged for Brandon to stay with Joey for a week or so.  He was taking Laura on a long overdue honeymoon up the coast where they could be totally alone.  The suitcases were on the bed almost ready to go when Laura had a sudden thought.

“Hey baby, I’ve a question for you.”

“Sure, anything.  You know that.”  JC responded distractedly as he headed into the closet to grab some more clothes. 

“If it’s ‘not 99, not 98’, how many ways are there to make love to your wife?”  She called out. 

There was complete silence for a moment from the closet, then heavy, deliberate footsteps headed her way.  When he emerged, his eyes were dark with need.  Laura was biting her lip to keep from smiling while a brow rose questioningly. 

“Well?”  She prompted.  “I was just curious.”

Grabbing her hand, he pulled her in the direction of the bathroom.  “Let’s count them, shall we.”

“Oh, are we going to ‘drip through the hallway, cause we started in the shower’?”  She laughed as he pressed her against the door he just closed.  “Hey if you close that, how are we going to ‘hit the kitchen counter’ and finish?”

“‘Turn off the cell phone and crack out the Gatorade, cause it’s time to get to business and there’s nothing left to say.’”  JC sang jokingly before laughter rang out – it was a good thing Brandon had already left as their laughter rang through the house before silence fell over the bathroom and the hallway and the kitchen, just to get started. 

***

Several months later, their marriage was as real as they could make it.  They loved each other passionately, argued occasionally, and joked constantly with both each other and Brandon.  Brandon had settled in very well, finding several different sports to fill his time with.  For the moment, he was still being homeschooled, but had made so many friends he didn’t miss attending a real school.  The adoption had been finalized so they were a true family.  JC was busy filming ABDC so for right now the family was living in LA, with frequent trips back to Laura’s hometown and Florida. 

Laura skipped down the stairs and entered the kitchen.  JC was standing on the opposite side of the island, reading the morning paper with a cup of coffee in his hand. 

“Morning,” she sang out as she leaned on her elbows and reached her hands across the counter for his. 

“Hmm…”  He finished his sip of coffee before setting it and the paper down and grabbing her outstretched hands.  “Good morning,” he replied as he leaned over for a kiss.  “You must have been really tired, it’s not very often I get up before you.”  When he would have straightened back up and grabbed his mug again, she tightened her grip so he couldn’t. 

As they leaned over the island, Laura taunted him.  “I know it’s your birthday next week and since you’re getting so old, you may not remember, but…” She drew out the last word as he got a playful, threatening look on his face.  “Can you remember back to the week or so before we got married?”

“Well, let’s see…that was what about 100 years ago so my mind is a little fuzzy, but for the most part, yeah, why?”

“Funny, do you remember me being upset about something?”  She said with a smirk.

Looking up toward the ceiling, he could remember her being upset and rubbing her shoulders, but couldn’t remember the reason.  “I remember what happened after, but not the reason.”  He shifted a little on the counter, making himself more comfortable since he wasn’t sure what she was leading toward. 

“It was because someone had given me a gift…”  She paused, waiting for him to remember.

“Oh, yeah – a couple of baby bibs, now I remember, so?”

He still didn’t get it.  Laura lowered her voice and spoke in an intimate tone.  “Well, in just a few months, we are going to have an occasion to use them.”

Understanding slowly dawned in his eyes.  Pulling away from her grip, he flattened his palms on the counter, jumped up and kicked off with one foot on the island, swinging himself over and firmly onto his feet in front of Laura.  Throwing her head back, she laughed in delight as he immediately sank to his knees.  With an awed look on his face, he meticulously unbuttoned the bottom buttons on her blouse as her hands smoothed the hair back from his face.  He spread his hands over her stomach where even now their child grew. 

“How long have you known?”  He demanded, looking up into her eyes. 

“About five minutes, I just took a test this morning.  I thought about waiting and telling you on your birthday, but two seconds later I decided I couldn’t keep it a secret from you for that long!”

Rising to his feet, he wrapped his arms around her.  “Who cares, this is an amazing birthday present!  I don’t need another one ever!”  He was flying high on life at the news he was to be a father. 

Playfully, she remarked, “So does this mean I never have to get you another birthday, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day present ever again?”

“Absolutely!”

Wrinkling her nose, she told him, “I’m going to remind you of that next week on your actual birthday.”

“A baby!!  Seriously, this is the best gift I could ever hope to receive.”

“It’s mutual, you know.  I hope you know this will be the most loved baby on the earth with the best brother in the world.”

“We have to tell Brandon!”

“Let’s wait until the news sinks in for us before we tell Brandon.  Then maybe we should tell everyone next week when they are all here for your birthday, what do you think?  If you don’t mind sharing the limelight.”

“Who said anything about sharing, everyone is going to know how much of a man I am!”

“Oh yeah baby, you’re a stud!”  She whispered against his lips, “At least until I hate you for making me fat and I can’t see my swollen feet, and am going through the agonizing process of labor and delivery.” 

“Oh, you know you are so much stronger than I ever will be in handling pain.”

With a gleam in her eye, she agreed.  “True.”

“I am amazed at what women go through to bring life to this world and if I could switch places, I’d like to say I would, but…”  He exhaled sharply when her fist hit his stomach.  “No, seriously, I would if I could, but the next best thing is getting you whatever you want whenever you want it.”

“Oh really,” she said coyly.  “Well, I’m thinking about taking this celebration upstairs, think you can handle that?”

“Baby, that’s what I do best!” 

He laughed at her response whispered in his ear as he swung her up into his arms and rushed up the stairs.  No time to waste. 

***

Katie, JC’s assistant and cousin, absentmindedly answered JC’s cell.  It was on vibrate and she just happened to feel it in the pocket of his coat.  He was in the middle of taping ABDC and had left his phone with her as he always did. 

“Hey, Laura, how’s it going?”

The connection must have been bad.  She could hardly hear her.  “I’m sorry, what did you say?”  Getting up, Katie walked toward a window, hoping to hear her better. 

“Tell JC….I’m so sorry…don’t know how…gone…didn’t mean it…sorry…home”  And the connection dropped off.  That was odd, but Katie shrugged, she would tell JC at the next break.  They must have had a fight or something. 

Swinging back around to see how long until the next break, she was distracted when one of the production assistants tripped over a cord on the floor and spilled a cup of coffee over her laptop keyboard before knocking it to the ground where it broke in half.  She slid JC’s cell back into his pocket as she yelled at the production assistant.  Laura’s phone call had already been forgotten. 

**Song - 100 ways by JC Chasez **