It’s been 3 years and I finally released a new album, Usher and various other artists talking about the recording process and album. I’m in New York today and tomorrow is Boston for signings, noting the people lined up around the block at the least. “What’s the head count so far, Kailey?” I ask my personal assistant and best friend. I met her through Justin and James. She’s fresh out of college and I personally looked over her credentials, Jive confirming her remarkable internship. I told Usher to hire her to work under me.

She glances at her phone and shock washes over her face, a text message coming from our survey team of fans. “Over 5700 people lined up over a 9 block radius, patiently waiting for your chicken scratch to be added to their albums.”

I bob my head for a moment. “Decent. I thought people would have forgotten about me.”

She eyes me as if I’d lost my mind and should be thrown into an asylum. “You’re one of the hardest people to forget musically, never mind personally,” she quips, her hands on her hips.

I shrug and Usher taps my shoulder. I look over my shoulder with a grin. “Ready, ghetto?”

“As always, Playa Maja.”

He nods at the store’s personnel, the doors opening and fans begin pouring in somewhat calmly. I chose to do the signing at an FYE location because of my childhood being spent wishing that a big name in music coming to the one in Leominster, Massachusetts. I greet each one and Kailey had kept track of the number of fans that had come to purchase and request my signature on their copy.

A five week and 35 location signing tour, performing a couple songs live during some of them before I go back home to my five beautiful children and loving boyfriend. Tyler scoops me from LAX and I sigh as I allow my head to fall back on the seat’s head rest in his 2009 Chevy Camero. “Tired?” he questions, climbing behind the wheel and starting the car.

“Exhausted,” I confirm.

“Get some sleep. You might have jet lag and us guys can handle the spazzoids for a few more days if you want,” he offers.

“That sounds heavenly.”

“Josh wouldn’t mind carrying you in if you pass out on the way home.”

I feel someone lift me from the passenger seat, transporting me from the car to a soft surface with cool air surrounding it before pressing a kiss to my forehead and cuddling up behind me for awhile. I wake up to soft music playing from the radio, my own voice echoing from around me. “Wake up, beautiful,” his sweet tone tells me, his fingers lightly scratching my head.

“Nah,” I tease.

“Yes, it’s been three straight days of sleep.”

I crack open one eye and look at him, half asleep still. I smack my lips and look at him. “Food? Shower? Juice? Kids?”

He chuckles lightly. “You get in the shower and I’ll get you breakfast, juice included. The kids are with Justin, Chris and Lance.”

I pretend to consider it, getting up to grab some clothes and traipse into the bathroom to do as he requested. I hear the radio personalities announce that the KCAs are in a couple days and that I’ve been nominated for best pop album, best solo album and best video. I smile contently to myself as I dress. I head downstairs and grin at Josh. “Another #1.”

“For the past 4 weeks,” he informs me.

“Coolio.”

“He’s in town.”

He’s such a dork. “So isn’t Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger.”

We joke like this often. “We’re actually going to have dinner with Chad and his wife, Keleishya.”

Chad has become a great friend and awesome mentor to me, a good friend of Josh’s over the past few years. “Cool beans.”

“Some are hot.”

“Corn ball,” I remind him.

“I know. Makes you smile.”

“It does,” I agree with a grin.

He slides banana and strawberry stuffed French toast over the counter to me, maple syrup following after with OJ. “Eat up, we have a relaxing day alone to relish.”

I ate and we more than enjoyed a very relaxing day, it was spent lounging around. I just zipped my dress onto my body, Josh tying his dress shoe and the house phone rings. He answers and tells Nick that he, AJ, Rochelle and Kiasha can join us. I giggle quietly.

When did Nick and Lauren break up? It happened a few weeks after we found out Josh and I were having twins when she confessed to her true sexuality, a lesbian. They remain good friends and he literally run into Kiasha 5 months ago when he was chasing the football Aaron had thrown past Brent during their game of keep away from Brent. She’s Creole and of Swahili descent, stands 5’11”, is multilingual, has soft tight curls that fall between her shoulder blades and bright jade eyes. She doesn’t have a perfect body, but she does have some of the most beautiful curves any woman could wish for and look like a real person. I love her personality and food. She’s sweet, selfless and understanding of our professions. She’s supportive and I couldn’t dream of a more perfectly imperfect woman for my cousin. He’s always smiling and jovial thanks to her. She lent me her voice for background vocals for a few tracks on my new record. My favorite song we worked on together had been a remake of Nick’s Just What I Needed. It fit perfectly because we had recorded it three weeks into her relationship with him, the two of them having been so jaded from their previous relationships. She has a daughter from her ex-scuzzband who is just as beautiful as she is, hazel eyes being the only difference between their features.

I slip into my heels and smooth the fabric of my dress out of habit, feeling refreshed. “Ready, mami?”

“I need one thing first,” I confess, his eyes curious as he grins and pulls me into his arms. “I need a kiss.” He obliges without hesitation and we get into his scissor door Spyder. He got it for our three year anniversary, more than aware that I had wanted one in a metallic green.

One more thing you should know is that the anniversary was for our proposal date, but now we’ve decided. We have a large dinner planned for our families and friends, we even invited their families to the dinner as well. We pull up to our favorite restaurant and the valet parks our car, a manager greeting us at the door. “Right this way, JC and Sam,” she politely informs us.

We scoot into the booth and the chef personally comes out to take all our orders, disappearing moments later to make our 6 dishes personally. “What’s up?” AJ asks, impatient to find out later.

“You’ll find out tomorrow night at Josh’s, 6:30,” I tell them.

“Another cliff hanger?” Nick playfully whines, laughter coming from all of us.

I laugh wholeheartedly at one of Chris’ bad jokes about Justin’s choice to grow out his Ramenhead again. “Okay, okay!” Justin jokes.

“Why are we all here again?” Aaron asks impatiently, knowing we have all arrived by now.

Josh and I smile at each other, knowing all eyes are on us. “You’re not pregnant again, are you?” Joey teases.

“Not until after March 23, 2017,” I coyly remark with a smirk.

“Is that the day?” Nick asks excitedly, becoming giddy like a small child in a store after seeing the sought after item.

“Yes.”

They all shriek and bombard me with hugs, inquiring about their roles in the ceremony. The children begin chattering happily about our impending nuptials.