Chris studied the fresh tattoo on Joey's arm just on the inside where it bent. The skin was still red around the black markings. He squinted and wondered if his friend had gone crazy. “Is that even English?” he asked, watching Joey press buttons as his running back headed for the end zone against Justin's team.
“No,” Joey replied, having been silent most of the bus ride so far. He didn't feel like talking, much less explaining where he'd been for three hours. When he'd come back, Kristen had griped. Not that he'd cared, but after listening to her tell him he was acting childish and stupid, he'd decided to just keep his thoughts to himself.
“Well is it even a language?” Chris tried again, his eyes going to the screen after Joey gave him a dirty look. “You having a mid-life crisis?”
“He's not old enough for that, dude,” Justin remarked, gazing at Joey. The eyebrow ring and lip ring was something very different for his friend. Much like the perpetual frown that had been on his face since the tour started. “It's called rebellion. Our Joey's joined the dark side of the Force. That was supposed to be a joke,” he added when Joey didn't even smile.
“This is not the Joey you are looking for,” Joey told them, waving his hand at them. He glanced down at his arm, knowing that there were only two people that would know what was on his arm. Well, he guessed more, but that didn't matter. It had been the geek in him, the kindred one in Melissa that had let her drag him to all of the Lord of the Rings movies. She'd put up with his Superman and Star Wars obsession, so he went along with hers, the piece of paper she'd drawn their names on still stuck down in his wallet behind his voter registration card. The guy doing the tattoo hadn't said anything when Joey showed him what he wanted, nodding appreciatively when Joey'd just told him it was about a girl. The guy had made the symbols look harder so it didn't look un-manly but still the Elvish script that Melissa had drawn out.
“You okay to sing tomorrow night?” Chris asked Joey as he handed the controller to Justin.
“Yeah, tonight was just...a slip up. Won't happen again,” Joey told him, getting up to go make sure Kristen was alright on the couch in the back. He was exhausted, but he hated sleeping. He watched his wife sleep for a few moments and wondered if there would be the affection and love there that was supposed to come with having a significant other. He knew he wasn't acting exactly like a husband should, but it was hard when his wife acted like the only thing he was good for was a booty call and his bank account. What kept him there was the baby that was his, telling himself that he wanted to be a good father. That superceded anything else.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^
“You know we're gonna be in Los Angeles in a month and a half,” Chris said quietly, smiling when his player sacked Justin's quarterback.
“You fucking suck ass.”
“You love it, don't be a sore loser,” Chris told him, sighing. “Do you know what Mel had to eat yesterday? Frozen waffles and popcorn. That can't be healthy,” he said.
“She's not gonna move and automatically be a chef, dawg. She said she was doing okay.”
“And just how much of that do you believe?” the oldest man in NSYNC stopped pressing buttons and looked at the youngest. “I know you aren't stupid, Timberlake. You're our resident psychologist...and even I know she's not alright.”
Justin didn't want to think about the fact that his friend was hurting so bad. He wanted to convince himself she was fine while they were out touring. That he could pick up the phone and the old Melissa would be there to answer, her bubbly voice coming to him. The one who would give him smartass remarks. He took another minute to answer, looking sad. “Chica's hurting bad,” he told Chris. “I.I told her about Joey's latest antics....”
“What the fuck for?” Chris almost yelled. “What will that help? Make her feel worse...”
“She asked about how we all were doing, Chris. Did you want me to lie?” Justin questioned him, hating that he was going to lie to his friend about someone else.
Chris nodded. “As far as she's concerned, Joey's fine. He quit talking to her, so she doesn't need to know any differently.”
“She worries about him. I don't know what the fuck he does.”
Joey laid in the dark bunk, unable to sleep. He could hear Chris and Justin talking and his breath hitched. He knew what he did. Joey sang and danced and smiled. He pretended to be happy about his life while inside he was a mess. He pulled out his phone and hit a few buttons and pulled up a screen. He hit the password and it lit up with a picture of him and Melissa. He'd taken it and they were both making faces at each other. His lip was snarled up and she was pretending to look shocked. The next one showed them both smiling. And the last picture made Joey swallow a lump in his throat. JC had come by and taken it after telling them both to get a room. His hands were holding Melissa's face as he kissed her, one of her hands was combing through his hair. Looking at it a moment longer, he hit delete, tossing his phone beside him. He could still see the pictures in his mind and that placated him somewhat, even though he still felt lost.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^
“Gimme a minute,” Melissa yelled at the knock on the door, sitting on the couch watching television. Heaving herself up with one crutch, she got to the door and opened it, expecting her parents. “Can I help you?” she asked the woman who looked a few years older than her, with dark hair and green eyes, a smile on her face.
“Oh..wow, I didn't know you were hurt,” she said, making gestures with her hands as she talked. “Anyways, I'm Holly Witten and I just wanted to introduce myself. I live just next door. I just wanted to come say hi...”
Melissa's mouth twitched into half a smile. Holly reminded her of Rachel somewhat. “I'm Melissa Bass,” she told Holly, waiting to see her reaction.
“Nice to meet you,” Holly said, nodding when Melissa asked if she wanted to come in so they weren't standing there with the door open. “When did you get hurt?” she asked, looking around at the pictures and décor, sitting down on the ottoman.
“My friend Rachel and I were in a car wreck a couple weeks ago. My parents are coming this morning and I thought you were them,” Melissa sighed as she went over and looked at her pictures. “How long have you lived in Los Angeles?”
“For seven years or so,” Holly replied, watching the other girl. “It's a big place but you'll get used to it.” She got up and went over to Melissa and looked at the pictures. She recognized Lance and then noted the similarity in the features. “You must miss Florida,” she said carefully, not wanting to be rude.
“More than you know. Sucks even more not having a car yet...” Melissa looked at Holly. “You aren't going to ask if you can have Justin's number are you? Or send the paparazzi to hang out?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow at the woman, watching her start to chuckle.
“Fortunately, I'm just here as the welcoming committee. There are enough siblings and famous people living around here that you aren't as alone as you think. My cousin Jason plays football for the University of Tennessee and is looking at going in the draft. A couple people that work on the movie lots live in the condos on the other side of the lake from you,” Holly named off the other people she knew or knew of, watching the younger woman relax.
“I'm sorry. I just...it comes with the territory,” Melissa said, looking a little ashamed. “I would say you could stay for breakfast or even lunch, but you've met the one person who can't cook. I burn water,” she explained as Holly started laughing. “Let me guess, you're a chef?” She laughed as Holly laughed even harder, nodding as she wiped tears.
“Oh my...Hold on,” Melissa went and grabbed her phone and dialed a number and put it on speaker. “Listen to this,” she told Holly who was now sitting upright and shaking her head.
“Talk to me beautiful,” Chris said, walking from the bus to the gas station they'd stopped at. He was glad to see her name pop up on caller ID.
“I love you, Christopher. I made a new friend and she's a chef. No one needs to send meals on wheels or Jenny Craig.”
“Fuck...” Chris said, and the girls could hear him yelling. “Timberlake you better cancel that order to Jenny. Mel said she has a neighbor that is a chef.” They heard Chris go in a door and the background noise get louder. “So, is she hot?”
“I cook in nothing but my chef's jacket and garters,” Holly called out, rendering the man speechless.
“Bye Chris. Tell the guys hi and pick your jaw up off the ground.” Melissa hung up and laughed, pointing at Holly. “I think this is the beginning of a great relationship. I do know how to make orange juice though. It's in a carton.”
“Stick with me, kid. We'll go places,” Holly said as they talked about different topics, glad she'd decided to come see who the new neighbor was. Most of the females that lived around them were there to try and make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry. This one seemed to just want to have a friend and be as normal as she could be for having a brother in one of the biggest pop groups ever.
Melissa heard the door and got up. “Excuse me a moment,” she told Holly, going to answer the door. She was surprised when it opened to see her grandparents there and not her parents. “Hi, Grandma..Grandpa...”
Louise Raynes came in and looked around. “Well, from the way your mother talked, the world was ending in California. The house hasn't burned down...Hello dear,” the older woman said to Holly as she went into the kitchen. “Nikki, where is the coffee pot?” she hollered, opening drawers.
“Is she always like that?” Holly whispered as she, Melissa and Edgar stood in the living room.
“You should have seen her on the plane. They moved us to first class so she could tell the pilot how to fly,” he joked.
“I heard that,” her voice carried out from the kitchen. “Your parents will be here this afternoon.”
Melissa turned to Holly and made a yikes face. “I know we just met, but I may come see you later if I don't die from all the love.”
“I'll be home until six.” Holly gave Melissa a little wave after leaving, a smile coming to her face as she thought of what she'd told Chris. It wasn't because he was Chris from NSYNC, just that she was a flirt. And it had been fun. There was no harm in that.
Melissa grabbed her phone and texted Rachel. 'I hate you. Grandparents and parents both coming. Tell Lance I'm killing him and they'll have to find another guy to sing bass.'
She smiled when Rachel replied. 'At least you won't have to eat your own cooking.'
'Kiss my ass, Weatherly. Moved in next to a chef. Ask Chris about her. ;) Love you.'
'Love you too. Josh and I are together, but not together. Will explain later.' Melissa read this and smiled, shaking her head and going into the kitchen where her grandparents were sitting. “I am glad you came,” she told them, hugging them both.
“It was either come see you or move you back home. This was cheaper,” Louise told her, watching her sit down. “You can't just sit around and mope about that boy. You have to show him you're stronger than that.”
“I'm not moping about Joey,” Melissa said, shaking her head a little.
“He'll respect you more if you act like you don't need him,” her grandmother told her. “It will be hard for you, but life goes on. There are other men out there besides Joey Fatone.”
Melissa looked at them, swallowing hard. She didn't want to hear a lecture about how she needed to move on. That there were more guys out there. She didn't want more guys. It wasn't just that simple. “I thought you were here to visit..not lecture. I'm doing alright...” she got up, frowning at them. “I can't just turn it off. I want to. Believe me, if I could just go back and erase Joey from everything, I would if it would help!”
“We weren't griping, Nikki, just giving you advice.”
“I don't want advice. I want you to quit worrying about me. I'm fine!” she all but yelled and grabbed both crutches and made her way out of the kitchen through the living room and upstairs, tossing them against the door after she shut it hard. Angry tears came as Melissa tossed a picture from her nightstand onto the floor and it fell to the carpet with a flood.
“Leave her alone, Louise,” Edgar said when the older woman started to get up, sipping his coffee. “Not everything is cut and dried like you think it should be.”
“I know, I just know she's strong enough to get past all this.”
“Not all of us can be you,” he said, taking one of her hands and squeezing it. “A good fit and then a nap will probably do her some good. I'm going to go try to figure out her television while you pretend to clean even though the kitchen is spotless,” he gave her a knowing smile.
“Sometimes you're a pain.”
“That's what the girls at the doctor's office say too,” he told her, leaving her to go sit in a recliner. Edgar had come for moral support, even though he figured his granddaughter didn't particularly want them there. He wasn't a tough love type of person, but he was glad they'd come. He'd let her parents and Louise dole out the advice and he'd be the one to sit and listen, like he always was.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*
“I hate that we'll get to be so close, yet so far away,” Rachel told JC, having squeezed into his bunk after they'd stopped at the gas station. They had about an hour until they were at their destination and it had to go back to them not acting all lovey dovey, despite spending the last few hours dozing on the couch in the back except when they were talking and kissing.
“I know,” Josh replied, pulling his covers up closer around them. “It will make the time we spend together that much better,” he kissed Rachel's lips softy and smiled, running a hand over her face. “If anyone asks why I look like hell, I will just tell them you and Lance kept me up.”
Rachel chuckled, shaking her head. “You're just as bad as Chris and Joey.”
“You have no idea,” JC smirked and pulled her in to kiss her once more. He wasn't going to let Rachel go until the bus came to a stop in front of the hotel.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
“Is this all we're doing?” Kristen asked, a disdain in her voice as the SUV carrying her, Joey, Rachel and Lance followed the front one holding the other three members. They were on their way to a couple radio shows and then had the rest of the day until it was time to get ready to go on stage.
“Yes, a rare day to relax between media obligations,” Joey told her, looking over at his wife and then glancing at Rachel and Lance. Usually there would be conversation flowing back and forth but it was quiet. “What were you expecting?” he asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
“I thought we could go shopping or something,” Kristen said sweetly.
“You shopped in Seattle. The Amex card is still smoldering in my wallet,” Joey said, shaking his head a little. It wasn't that money was a big deal, but he failed to see how his wife needed more clothes or shoes. When he asked if she'd bought him anything, all he'd gotten was a dirty look and a big sigh when he'd needed some deodorant and some toothpaste.
“I thought you got paid this week,” Kristen said, looking at him. “I mean, we still haven't gone to pick out a crib. I wanted you to do that with me.”
Rachel exchanged a look with Lance and then watched Joey's body language. He was still holding his wife's hand, but he was looking out the window, the same sad look on his face that she was told he'd had since he'd come back from his honeymoon. “Have you picked out names yet?” she asked, shooting a smile at Kristen. It wasn't that she wanted to be friends with the woman, but for Lance's sake and Joey's she was going to try and make things smoother.
“Well, we wanted to wait until we knew if it was a boy or a girl,” Joey said, looking at Rachel, “but there are a couple names we liked.”
“Preston Joseph for a boy,” Kristen told her, “or Amelia Rene.”
Joey raised an eyebrow at her, “I told you we're not naming a girl after your aunt that killed herself.”
Kristen let go of Joey's hand and her lip quivered, playing the pregnancy card and watching him glare. “You told my Mom it was a nice name. Is that not what you said?” her voice was thick with tears.
“I said it was a nice name. I didn't say I wanted to name my kid that,” Joey spat, fiddling with the seat belt when the vehicle stopped. “How about we just drop the subject?”
“Oh yeah, let's not talk about it at all,” Kristen told him as he got out. “I bet you and her had names picked out already for kids.” A satisfied smirk came to her face momentarily when Joey stilled. “What would have happened if she'd have ended up pregnant?”
Joey turned and was going to take a step towards Kristen, but Rachel jumped in front of him pressing her back against his front, one of her hands moving to where it could grab his hand and squeeze it tight. He didn't care it hurt, reaching with his other hand in his pocket and getting his pack of cigarettes and lighter. She wouldn't have been able to keep him back if he'd have wanted to move since she didn't have the use of both arms..
“Lance and I picked out baby names,” Rachel told Kristen, listening to the flick of the lighter, turning her head slightly. “Don't burn my hair, Fatone,” she gave him a small smile as he nodded, his face unreadable. “I mean, it's just something you talk about, right?” Rachel smiled as Lance nodded, moving to where Rachel was.
“What were your names?” Kristen crossed her arms and stood there, looking at the two of them, trying to decide if the other woman was lying.
“Catherine Emily for a girl,” Rachel told her with a smile, letting Joey's hand go and reaching over and grabbing Lance's. “And Alexander Michael for a boy.”
Lance nodded, knowing Rachel had kid names picked out since she and his sister were in high school. “We're just waiting to see what happens. That sort of thing,” he added, leaning in to kiss Rachel. “Catfish is a good nickname, right Joe?”
Joey gave a snort, but he did smile and shake his head a little. “Catfish is awesome. Sounds like something you two would come up with...” his voice trailed off as he inhaled the last of one cigarette and went to light another. His temper was still up and he wasn't ready to quit smoking.
“Well, that's good for you,” Kristen gave them a small smile and looked at Joey. She knew he was pissed and looked at Rachel. “What were you going to do today?”
Rachel sucked in a breath, knowing she would probably regret this. It was a split second decision to give the guys a break. “I was going to say that when we get back to the hotel, we get ready and go out shopping on me. Just us girls.” She watched Kristen's face light up and she tried not to get her own devilish grin at the thought of one upping the woman who thought she had the say in all of this.
“See?” Kristen told Joey, watching him suck on nicotine, making a face. “I told you I'd find someone who was like me,” her smile widened as Joey and Lance left, leaving the two of them alone to go into the radio station, starting to autograph things as they slowly went. “I think this will be good girl bonding time.”
“I do too,” Rachel smiled at her sweetly, pulling out her phone and Lance a message. 'You owe me. Get Fatone happy. Don't care how.'
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
“Dawg, you look like you could build a house,” Justin whispered to Joey as they waited outside of the booth where the DJ was. He'd seen the girls come in and was surprised to see them talking like they were old friends. He looked questioningly at Lance who just shrugged.
“It's not been the best day ever,” Joey replied, fighting to bottle up his feelings. He wanted to ask his wife why she enjoyed pushing his buttons. Just when he thought he was at the point he could try to be a supportive husband and let his guard down, Kristen just made it that much more of a Hell he was stuck in.
“We're going out after this,” Lance told them all, getting up when they were told they could go in. “Just us guys.”
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Jim and Linda Bass knocked on the door to their daughter's condo and smiled when it opened, but then frowned when Louise Raynes appeared in front of them.
“Hi...Louise,” Linda said, giving her mother in law a hug and then going in to let Jim come in behind her and carry their bags. “We weren't expecting you here.”
“Oh I know,” the older woman told her, hugging Jim and then shutting the door behind her. “It's just that Lance called and we asked about Nikki. He sounded worried and said something about you coming up, so I told Edgar we needed to come too, make sure our granddaughter is doing alright.”
Jim sat down next to his father after hugging him and looked at the television. “So you came too?”
“I'm not feeding her to the wolves,” Edgar muttered, turning up the basketball game that was on. “She's been asleep most of the day, looked exhausted when we got here,” he told his son, watching the women talk.
“I think it's been blown a little out of proportion, but we were coming anyway for a few days,” Jim replied, watching Linda go up the stairs.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Melissa felt the weight of someone on her bed with her. She wasn't all the way awake but was enough to open her eyes a little. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, honey,” Linda looked at her daughter and at her room. It looked much like the one at Lance's house did, except there weren't pictures everywhere of Joey. She caught sight of a graduation one and saw that it was stuck in her mirror between one of her and Rachel at an early NSYNC concert and one of her and Lance. “How are you?” she watched her daughter shrug and roll back over.
“Phyllis can't get Joey to say much on the phone either. The two of you act so much alike...” Linda said with a sigh, poking Melissa's leg and listening to her groan.
“I don't want to talk about Joey,” Melissa mumbled into her pillow, “go bother the other people.”
“Melissa Nicole,” Linda said, standing up and glaring at her daughter. “I'm sorry you're hurting and think this is the end of the world, but I'm still your mother,” she tried hard not to smile when her daughter sat up and sighed. “How about a shower and something to eat?” she suggested, watching Melissa reach for the picture that had been tossed on the floor, having to almost roll off the bed to get it. She smiled when she saw it was one of Melissa and Joey and Lance, all of them smiling. “That was a great picture.”
“It sucks,” Melissa replied, putting it carefully next to some others, but where it was facing away from the bed. “I'm alright, Mom,” she tried to give her a real smile, then sighed when she couldn't. “Tomorrow's another day. Maybe I'll fall off my toilet and invent the flux capacitor so I can go back in time and keep Joey from having sex with Kristen. Of course if I see myself it will cause a rift in the time continuum. I'll either pass out or the world will blow up. Either way, we're all good... I'll go take that shower now.”
Linda sat down on the bed and sighed. From what she'd heard, 'coping' and 'healing' was a term reserved for other people's kids besides hers and the Fatone family. It was just something they would all have to deal with. She looked over the pictures and found the one from graduation where Melissa and Joey were making duck faces. Her tears came and she wiped them away quickly. It wouldn't do any good for her to be upset and got up quickly when she heard her daughter call. “Yes?” she asked at the bathroom door. Her eyes widened when her daughter thrust a piece of paper at her, the drawing from the movie on there. She heard Melissa's laugh and just shook her head. “Don't tell me you fell off the toilet...”
“No, Ma. I just thought it was funny enough to do,” Melissa looked at her mother and sighed. “Tell Dad and Grandpa we can go pick out my new car tomorrow. They can go be the muscle and get me a good deal.”
Linda nodded. “What are you thinking of getting?” She was hoping her daughter was going to say something sensible, like a Honda or Toyota.
“Another Mustang,” Melissa told her, listening to her sigh. “I'm not driving some old crappy car just because I got in a wreck. It wasn't my fault...”
“I know it wasn't but you and Rachel got hurt,” Linda started, watching the door shut. “Just think about it, honey.”
Melissa waited until her mother's footsteps faded away and took her phone and texted Rachel. 'Mom wants me to get an old lady car. Told her no. What are u doin?'
She got a picture in return and looked at it. It wasn't the Rachel Weatherly she usually saw, but the one who went to New York and schmoozed with socialites and billionaires. 'Entertaining Kristen for an afternoon. Even Lance is afraid. ;) I AM the bigger bitch.'
Melissa laughed and replied 'Have fun with that. Be nice to my brother since he won't be alive after I see him the next time.' She put her phone on the counter and reached for her shirt and pulled it off. Truth was she didn't care about getting a shower, but it was a good excuse to not have to deal with her parents and grandparents for a little while longer.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Enjoy..it is starting to get good. I am so thankful for my readers and reviewers. You all make it worth writing. Thank you for the featured story nomination as well. My bestie, jr88freak, has joined NF. Check out her stuff, she is a wonderful writer.
Story Tags: joey
