Chapter 10
His four brothers awaited him. Flashbacks of the last time they were together came to mind. It was Chris’s 40th birthday last year. The other four conspired with Karly, Chris’s girlfriend, to surprise him at his house in Orlando. They’d stayed up until dawn reminiscing about group adventures and catching up on one another’s lives. JC strained a muscle in his side from laughing so hard. “Wh-what you are you guys doing here?”
“To support you, of course.” Chris replied before wrapping him in a hug.
Wow, are you sure this is happening right now? He figured times like last year would happen like most reunions: enjoyable but 10 years pass after the empty promise to get together again. And they were all here now, for him. Tears formed in the back of his eyes. He hugged each guy with the same soul crushing intensity.
Next, the quintet stood in a circle group hug, just like they used to before every show. “It means so much that you’re here.” JC whispered. “I didn’t expect this.”
“This,” Lance motioned to everyone. “is brotherhood. We will always take care of one of our own.”
“We’re here for you, Sizzle.” Joey replied and patted his friend on the back.
JC smiled. Joey always the ‘touchiest’ of the group and it was nice to know he hadn’t changed. “Thank you. You all can make yourselves at home. Can I get you anything to eat or drink?”
A few moments later, the group situated at a table on JC’s back patio. The sun was shining with a light breeze and a clear view of the valley below.
“So, how are you feeling?” Justin asked.
Which kind? I could talk for hours on end about either. “Okay. Throat’s a little sore, but I haven’t had any coughing fits.”
“Like a cold?” Chris asked.
JC shook his head. “Oh, no. These are much worse. It’s like a machine gun coming from my gut. I almost can’t breathe. It’s a helpless feeling because I’m trying to control it, but can’t. It usually has to die on its own.”
Lance furrowed his brow. “That’s terrible. How long have you had these episodes?”
“A month, maybe two. I had no idea it was cancer. It was a shock to the system, to say the least."
“It’s not fair. I was always in awe in your voice. Like, damn, where did this freak of nature come from? Remember those finishes from the Celebrity tour?” Lance whistled. “They were something else.”
JC did remember. He and Kevin Antunes remixed “I Want You Back” into a blues ballad, which included a 20 second riff by JC at the end. Even as an experienced professional with a few years under his belt, these made him nervous. He wanted to please the fans and that each crowd got the same results. “Yeah. One night you guys told me to pretend the audience was in their underwear. Or, heaven forbid, Chris in his skivvies.”
Everyone laughed as Chris rolled his eyes, “Dude, I was trying make you relax and give you a funny visual. Come on, I know I’m not George Clooney.”
JC smiled. “I know. It worked, though. I’m just giving you a hard time, Tricky.”
Chris shrugged with a smile. “Fair enough. I did more than your fair share of jokes at your expense back in the day.”
“That you did. I was the buzzkill the majority of time.”
Justin nodded. “God love you, C, but you did. Especially if I whispered something to your ear and you’d blurt out your response.”
If only I could go back to that time. “I don’t do that as much anymore.”
“Says who?” Chris teased. “We haven’t seen you in the last 10 years to know.”
“Just take my word for it. I’ve hardened in a way I’ve never thought possible.” JC sighed.
“We all have changed” Joey said. “So, did your doctor say it’s a surefire thing you’ll never sing again?”
“No. The tumor is in my throat near my chords but not on the chords themselves. He said that irreparable damage could happen, but that’s not a guarantee. I could also be cancer free after the surgery. It could swing either way.”
“Could is the operative word here” Joey replied. “Let’s try to look on the positive side.”
JC groaned. “After the hellish few years I’ve had, I’m not sure I can.”
“Come on JC! please? for me?” Joey batted his eyelashes and flashed a cheesy grin.
The quintet broke into laughter again. JC was thankful for his brothers’ presence. They always knew how to cheer him up.
A minute later, Justin stated into the back window, which showcased the kitchen. "Uh, someone's coming and they look pissed."
Shit. JC knew it could only be one person. Eric must have found out about his disease second hand and was coming to confront him about it. Now he regretted keeping Eric in the dark because this excursion was about to escalate. "Excuse me a moment," he mumbled and rose to enter the house.
His manager blocked the doorway. "What the hell is this about?" He demanded.
"Look, Eric..."
Eric stomped over to his client. "Don't 'look' me, you bastard. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew you would berate me and blame me for having cancer." JC stated in a matter of fact tone.
Eric put his hands on his hips. "Since when have I done that? I've done nothing but help you, even though your ass puts me into millions in debt every year."
I doubt that. And your definitions of helping must be in another world than mine."I have surgery tomorrow and guests over. Can we talk about this later privately?"
"No. I won't take your wussy ways anymore." Eric pushed JC; a second later, Chris and Joey pinned Eric to the wall.
"Let me go," the assailant grumbled.
"Like hell I will," Chris snarled. "Don't you dare treat my brother like that. If you don't leave within the next minute, I'll call the cops on your ass."
The restrained nodded curtly and they let him go. Eric left without another word.
Roy stepped out of the kitchen. "Everything okay here, guys?"
JC, who had been watching in horror, choked back tears as he nodded. "Yeah. Eric pushed me but Chris and Joey stopped him."
"Is he gone?"
"Yes, sir. He is. I said we'd call the police I'd he didn't leave in the next minute," Chris answered.
"Good job. I tried to get him to leave but he pushed me aside. Anyway, there's chili on the stove that'll be ready any minute now. Lets get back to enjoying our afternoon, shall we?"
"Amen, Roy" Lance replied. "We'll be in shortly."
“Okay.” Roy closed the door.
JC was shaken and severely embarrassed his manager had burst in like that. “I’m…I’m so sorry guys. You shouldn’t have had to do that.”
“Look at me Joshua,” Chris instructed firmly.
Joshua? He couldn’t remember any of them calling him by his given name. It was either JC or any litany of nicknames they made up. His azure gaze met Chris’s concerned dark brown. “We’re here to support you and protect you from douchebags like him. You have a lot to deal with right now and we’ll make it a little easier to bear. We’re here for anything you need. You got me?”
JC nodded feebly. “Yeah. Let’s go inside. I could use some lunch and water.”
Within a few minutes, the relaxed mood returned. JC calmed down, surrounded by his biological and surrogate families. He hadn’t realized until then how much he missed times like this. He could let his guard down and had no worries for the moment. The group laughed and exchanged stories of times past. JC found himself smiling more than he had in months. This is fantastic. I wish I could feel like this more often.
A few hours later, the guys cited other obligations they had to take care of. One by one, JC hugged each one and thanked them for their support and coming over. Even so, he knew words couldn’t do justice to his feelings of gratitude. Finally, only Justin was left.
“I’m not ready to go home just yet,” the younger man said.
“You don’t have to stay Justin. You’ve done more than enough,” JC replied.
“I want to, though. Can we talk some more or do you want to rest your voice?”
Mainly his throat hurt at the end of the day when everyone was gone. But now that Justin mentioned it, he did have some long suppressed thoughts he might as well express while he could. “Yeah, we can talk some more. You want to go back outside?"
"Sure"
The duo sat back down in the same two chairs they had been in during the group chat. "I'm sorry he treated you like shit."
JC shrugged. "It's okay. I'm used to being second best."
"No, it's not right!" Justin exclaimed. "You deserve better than that. You deserve to succeed just as much, if not more so, than I do. We both know you could sing circles around anyone out there if you tried."
He snorted. "Try telling that to the Jive executives. I was always the ugly step child compared to you, their golden boy who could do no wrong." JC knew he sounded harsh, but it was the truth.
Justin frowned. "I should've tried to help you more... tried to get them to see what a talent you are."
"Were, Justin. This cancer will probably rob me of my voice."
"You don't know that for sure," his friend countered. "Like Joey said, lets try to stay positive."
JC sighed. "You guys make it sound so easy. Try always hearing that you're second best, not good enough as someone else and they rather believe in that person. Try throwing your heart and soul into two straight albums that no one thinks will do jack. And the second one didn't even leave the office. That fucking hurts, man. As much as I love singing, I want nothing to do with the business anymore."
Awkward silence ensued for several minutes. This is the reason I've kept my mouth shut. I don't want him to feel bad for his success. He's talented in his own right and has legions of fans that will come back, no matter how long he's been away from music. I'm probably an afterthought. As it should be.
"Today reminded me of the old days." Justin finally said. How we focused on being friends first, who just happened to be a talented group. I shouldn't have turned my back on that and I'm sorry I did. I missed the person I was with you guys and it was nice to be him again."
"You think he could show up more often?" JC teased.
He smiled. "I think so. It just boggles my mind how the same group of people can be so nice to one person and such jackasses to another."
JC shrugged. "I don't know what goes through their minds. Whatever helps them sleep at night."
"Was anyone there nice to you?"
"Jenna Timbrook. She worked for the PR department. She was there while I worked on 'Kate'. We had some great conversations about the music."
"I met her a few times. She always had a notebook with her."
"Yeah. She still up for me a few times and believed in me when no one else did." He sipped some water. "I ran into her at an event recently and we've gone out to coffee a few times."
"Are y'all dating?"
JC shook his head. "Oh no. That's the last thing I need to worry about right now."
"You like her, though. I can tell by your expression. You had a certain face you'd make when you were feeling a girl."
"I do enjoy her company. You might see her tomorrow; I don't know." He paused. "I'm glad we had this talk, J."
"So am I. It doesn't feel as tense."
"I don't want you to thinking mad at you or something."
"Hey, it's okay. I understand. Let's put it behind us and concentrate on our next obstacle: beating cancer."
"Gee, no pressure Timberlake" JC replied sarcastically before they both laughed.
Justin put his hand on JC's."You can do this, C. I believe in you."
JC smiled. "Thanks, bro. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Author's Chapter Notes:
Story is fiction. I only own originals.
Sorry about the first upload! I didn't think it would be so screwy. But it's in the correct format now.
Story Tags: postsync jc cancer tearjerker
