"Johnny, I'm not going to be in LA then. No, I can't do a promo tour then. No, I have other engagements. No, I can't. I'm not in LA now and I'm not leaving where I am. I'll send you a picture message and I want you to leave me alone for the next 9 months," JC tells his manager. Until he and Leilei found out they're expecting, he was gung-ho on recording and touring, but has since slowed it down to remain at her side. She's still asleep. He and I disappeared to be hidden in Clinton, Mississippi till the babies are 6 months old, sometime around the end of January or the beginning of February. "I'll send it in five," he says, hanging up to find the most recent ultrasound picture in his cell. He loves the shit out of his Blackberry, but his priorities have changed in the past year or so. "There, sent. Now we just hope he gets it."
My cell rings and I see it's Johnny. I sigh, answering it and feel a touch of annoyance rise in my mind. "Yes, Johnny?"
"Why won't JC answer his cell?"
I look for him to find he's left the room, hearing him talking softly with Minny. "He's helping a very pregnant Leilei right now and yes, the baby is his."
"How pregnant?!" he screams at me.
I notice the anger rise in my chest. "First off, I have never disrespected you so you've got to respect me. As far as I'm concerned, it's up to her or JC to tell you."
"It's alright, James. Tell Johnny," she whispers in my free ear, brushing her lips on my cheek.
"How far?" he asks a little calmer.
"Six months and she's down here with our families," I inform him.
"Mississippi?"
"Yes, JC is very adamant about not leaving her side and highly supportive of her for the next 9 months, when the babies are 6 months old is when he plans on wrapping up the album and taking his family on the road with him."
"He agreed to have it done by the end of 2013."
"The album will be done by then, he's working on it here."
I watch JC help her sit and rub her belly once they're situated side by side on my couch. They're staying with me until the contractors complete the nursery room JC's set up and surprising her with. "What other surprises could there be?" he sarcastically remarks.
"JC, should I tell him?" I ask him.
"Tell me what?" Johnny wearily asks.
"Whatever, have it on speaker and I'll tell him," JC replies, his eyes focused on hers and places a sweet kind of kiss on her lips.
"Alright," I say, putting Johnny on speaker.
"Johnny," JC says.
"Hello, Johnny," Leilei warmly greets him, almost too sweet.
"JC, it was ok that I found out you were dating my best manager and now you've knocked her up. What more is there?"
"Johnny, we plan on getting married," she tells him.
"What?"
"I proposed a few months ago, she said 'yes' and it's going to happen after the babies." He rubs her pregnant belly, relaxing her.
"What do you mean 'months ago'?"
"Around the time we celebrated Justin and Joey's birthdays. They were there. Hey, you can even ask Aaron, four of the Backstreet Boys, and NKOTB."
"Dammit, JC! You haven't been with her that long!"
"So? My heart, my choice."
"Johnny, keep yelling at him and I can get him signed pronto with another label. I have made plenty of necessary connections to achieve it," Leilei promises.
"Like who?"
"Arista, Virgin, RCA, Sony, Justin, Usher, mine," she rattles off.
"You have a record label?"
"Yes, push me."
"Name of it?"
"Lei Down Records. It's produced and supported many new artists before they got to major producers like Dallas and Usher. Justin Beiber was involved with me and I got word to Scooter Braun, via anonymous email with the link to his YouTube videos. I continue to keep in touch with the kid and Usher, ensuring his safety and I do get 1/20th of what he gets. You taught me well. Usher cuts me a check for each song I produce, mix and allow him to release."
"What about Aaron?"
"I get paid for working with him via a personal contract with our lawyers as witnesses."
"JC?"
"I get paid when I produce, write or mix any of the tracks he's recorded and you pay me for them." She's smiling evilly because she knows she's right, she does more than Johnny and it's evident from BSB's 'Black & Blue' album through to Justin Beiber's latest album. She's worked with us as a group, JC, Justin, Beiber, Christina, Britney, Mariah, Ciara, Bow Wow, Paris, BSB, NKOTB, Aaron, Nigels 11, Nickelback, and a few others I can't think of at this particular moment. She's paid by the managers or labels according to the contract with that specific artist. She's been a manager for ten years, since she turned 18 and producing since the summer she was 15. That's why Johnny picked her up-her talent. She reads her contracts thoroughly after how Lou had fucked us over, her included because her first one was with him. She quickly resigned a contract that Jive and Johnny had offered her when we got our offer with Jive, I had informed the record label we wouldn't record anything new until she got a contract there too.
"Fine, but this is insane! Something else for me to cover up! Nothing has changed!" Johnny screams at her and JC, hanging up after.
"Fuck you too, Johnny," JC mutters, eliciting boisterous laughter from her.
She jumps for an unseen reason and he smiles in a way I haven't seen in a long time, his hand still on her protruding abdomen. "Why'd you jump?" I ask, a quizzical look etched into my features.
"The baby moved and I'm still not used to it."
"Can I feel?" I inquire, feeling like a little kid.
"Of course, James," she responds, smiling gently.
I look at JC and he nods his approval. I walk over and put my hand on her stomach, greeted with a foot or hand against my hand. "Which twin is this?"
"We don't know."
"How can you tell which body part is what?"
"Is it skinny and long with bumps on the end or kind of circular?"
"Long and skinny," I report, tracing it with my thumb.
"It's a foot against your hand." She giggles at my enthusiasm and excitement. "You're so cute, you should see your face. You will be a great uncle."
I smile at her and wish her and JC the best as parents. "You'll be great parents," I compliment them.
"Thanks."
JC sits back, sighing and pushes a hand through his growing hair. It's almost as long as it had been during the PopOdyssey tour, the way she loves it and she's letting her hair grow as well to hold up her end of the compromise. "I'm still scared, Minna."
"Josh, you'll be a great dad. Between Joey, your dad, Howie, Brian, Kevin and a few others to turn to for help and support. You'll get through this just like I will."
"For the first six months you'll have all our help," I remind them.
"Man, sometimes I wonder how sane you really are," JC jokes.
We all laugh for a minute, sitting down to relax and she scoots her butt to the edge of the couch to get up. JC sits up to help her and she kisses his lips, convincing him she can do whatever she's thinking of doing. She grabs a small book bag of tapes from near my shelves, bringing them in the living room and looks through them before popping one into my old as sin VCR. She adjusts the tracking on it while squatting in front of it, pushing on the entertainment center to stand up and waddling over to the couch between he and I. She picks up my remote, clicks on the tv and adjusts the volume.
JC and I glance at each other, worried about what's on the tape. "Minna, should we be afraid of what's on that tape?"
"Nope," she answers tersely.
The video pops on and it's an old video, one from when we first met the other four guys. I'm looking at a 17 year old me and an 11 year old Min. "Did you find pictures of that Josh kid?" I ask her. "Turn that thing off," I demand, putting my hand in front of the lens.
"Yes, I found it and it's the cute one on MMC."
"You mean the blonde with curly hair?" I shove my hands in my pockets and smugly grin at her. I think my mom was recording it.
Min lightly backhands my arm, shoving me and holding a paper to my chest. I look at it and she puts her hands behind her back. "Their basic info is under their photos."
"Are you James?" a much younger Justin asks, clearly impatient.
I just stare at him and she shoots her arm out, offering her hand to him. "He's James, I'm Min and this is his mom, Diane."
Justin looks down at her and grasps her fingertips, kissing the back of her hand. "I'm Justin, nice to meet you," he says sweetly to her. "JC, Chris, Joey and my momma are this way," he informs us, still holding her hand.
He guides us over to a curly haired woman and three guys in their twenties; younger versions of Lynn, JC, Joey and Chris. "Momma! I found 'em!" he excitedly hollers, stopping in front of them. "This is Minny, James and his mom, Diane."
Lynn laughs as the camera is handed down. "I apologize if Justin was anything but polite," she says, shaking my mom's hand.
"He had been polite and very enthused at our arrival," Diane tells her, light chuckles coming from her.
"That's good to hear. Why don't we head out?"
We follow her a van and load the bags we came down here with, having checked them as on board luggage. Justin, Chris and Joey take the middle row as JC climbs in and sits on the back bench. Min follows, camera shaking and sits between he and I. The camera turns on me and I see her smiling in my mind. "Is maith liom é. Tá sé gleoite agus ba mhaith liom dáta air! Ba mhaith liom a póg dó ceart anois," she tells me, a groan following after.
"Min! Tá tú ró-óg chun smaoineamh ar an mbealach sin! Le mé thart, geallaim NACH tharlóidh sé! Tá tú ach 11!"
"Jaaaaaaammmmeeeeessss!" she whines from behind the camera, bouncing in place and the camera shakes.
"Turn that thing off!" I shout.
"Maybe we could get to know each other better without that bouncing between us all," JC adds, nervous as she puts the camera on him.
"Uhm, okay. Just for you," she says, agreeing and shutting it off.
When it pops back on, it's my audition and I've already been accepted by the other guys in the group. "Fuck what the label heads say, it's all of us or none," JC says, clapping a hand to my shoulder.
I know it's Min filming cuz it's aimed upward, she's mini size. Ha, mini size Minny! They held a personal rehearsal and I had a great deal of trouble learning the steps, but they had faith in me for some reason or another. "You'll do fine!" Justin exclaims, flirting with Min. He mouths that she's cute.
It fades out on his smile. Maybe the battery died?
"Your love is like a candle
It flickers in the dark
You came into my life
And brightened up my heart
With you by my side
I see the love that I wanna feel
Show me your lovin', baby
Show me that it's real
Just take my hand
I'll make you understand
I want you
You want me
And that's the way it's got to be
Now that you're here
I'm gonna make it clear
Give me the love I need, give in to me
Just give me the love I need
Hold me, caress me, give in to me
Hold me, caress me, give in to me
Give me the love I need, give in to me
Just give in to me
Your love is like a whisper (whisper)
Saying what I want to hear
Your eyes cry secrets
My heart will dry your tears
Girl, I need to have you near me
Loving I would find
Girl, I would hold your heart
Inside, embrace your mind
Just take my hand
I'll make you understand
I want you
You want me
And that's the way it's got to be
Now that you're here
I'm gonna make it clear..." we sing as we practice the moves for the Treasure Island showcase, drenched in sweat and Joey drops onto his ass in the warehouse to signal his exhaustion.
"I'm not an energizer bunny," he groans.
"The showcase is next week!" JC shouts, looking at the camera. "Seriously? Min, you're worse than Joey," he says, shaking his head for a second.
"JC, I have to agree with Joey. We are not energizer bunnies," Justin interjects, breathing heavy.
"It's a big deal though. Lou said if we do this and nail it, it might change the managers' minds at the record label in Germany."
"Just let 'em eat and get an hour break, bet they'll do better after. Maybe they could use showers cuz they's pretty stinky," Min comments.
"Yeah, maybe you're right, small fry," he says, sliding a hand through his hair and feeling how gross his hair is.
"You guys all work or go to school all week; by the time we get here, y'all are tired and Josh, ya gots ta chill on pushin' 'em so darn hard."
Next is the last part, the camera focused on Min as she sits down in front of it. "Ok, I admit it, I've got a huge crush on Josh. He's probably never gonna notice me, but hey, a girl can dream, right? Josh, if you're watching this, I'm not gonna lie. I blush cuza you, I get nervous around you. I hope Nikki realizes how lucky she is and if I ever get my chance, please don't laugh at me..." She pauses to glance at the camera and fiddle with her shirt hem. "I really am proud of you for landing the deal and I hope to visit you soon! Auntie Diane said I can spend vacations with you guys, doin' whatcha do! Christmas vacation is next week!"
"Wow, Minna," JC says.
"Huh?"
"You've liked me that long? Did you really believe you didn't have a chance?"
"Erm, yup. Now I know otherwise."
He smiles, kissing her lips and holding her close, hand slowly caressing her belly. "There's no reason for me to even try denying it, Minna."
Min and JC are watching the video with me and we laugh at some of the shit that's happened, mostly at how we've always been. Now I recall where the restaurant bit of our home video release had come from, not counting some other bits that were pretty funny and completely random like her.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I know it's been a long while since an update has happened, so I gave you one. I'll also be honest enough to say I'm working on at least five stories at one time- two new characters, two continuations and a rewrite at the bare minimum if not more. Reviews are awesome. Happy St. Valentine's Day!
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