“Aren’t those the sweetest eyes you ever saw? And such gorgeous necks, too!”

“When you talk that way, Sheri, one would presume you were in love.”

“Can you blame me? From the moment I first read about them in my big baby book of animals, I’ve been positively infatuated with giraffes.”

Joey shook his head, but he had to smile anyway.

At that time, with the sun shining in a cloudless sky, the zoo bustling, the animals out and about, and an animated Sheri by his side, nothing could have spoiled his good mood.

Not once had Sheri presented the smallest qualm about using a wheelchair in public, and with her plaid blanket wrapped around her like a skirt, almost no one took notice of her absent leg. For this occasion, the girl sported a navy-blue top with cap sleeves and a scoop neck, a jaunty gray cap that looked almost too big for her head, and (Joey wasn’t the least surprised) her butterfly pendant. Not for the first time, Joey longed to ask about that pendant but never found the nerve.

On Sheri’s other side, Lance stood with Ann and Tami; this day marked Joey’s first official acquaintance with Sheri’s sister.

Tami resembled Sheri in many ways, but Joey could see the differences, too. For one thing, aside from having a full head of hair and both legs intact, Tami was much taller—she even topped her mother—and had a little more meat on her bones. Also, in contrast to Sheri’s modest elegance, Tami’s style leaned closer to punk. Her attire for that day consisted of black high-heeled boots, black jeans and a plain white shirt under a short black jacket, and her light brown hair held a bright red streak on one side and a vivid purple streak on the other.

Despite her tough-girl façade, however, Joey found her surprisingly quiet and withdrawn. She’d barely spoken two words all morning, though Sheri had assured Joey earlier that, upon hearing that Joey Fatone and Lance Bass were coming with them to the zoo, Tami had almost had a cardiac arrest. “I kid you not, Joey, I could almost hear her heart cease its beating, then and there.”

Even now, at the feeding station, Tami couldn’t seem to stop stealing quick looks at Lance and Joey, particularly Lance.

Sheri kept her eyes fixed mostly on the giraffes, and Joey had to admire them as well, with their almost regal gait, copper patches, long and handsome necks, and the way their petal-shaped ears twitched back and forth.

Upon their arrival, Lance had purchased a good number of fresh acacia shoots. Now he passed them around, giving the first few to Sheri, telling her with a wink as he did, “Ladies first.”

It was all Sheri could do to keep her hand steady while one of the giraffes slowly advanced on her, stretched its decorative neck over the wooden rail and put forth its long grayish tongue. When it snatched the treat completely out of her hand, Sheri laughed out loud while her mother snapped a picture.

“This—is—awesome!” the girl virtually squealed.

“Here you go, big guy,” Joey smiled, holding out his own stalk to another giraffe, who snatched it every bit as eagerly.

Even Tami got excited when her giraffe gobbled her leafy tidbit.

The feeding lasted a good fifteen minutes or so; the way the giraffes chewed their food reminded Joey of a cow or goat, and he couldn’t repress a smirk. Most of the creatures turned away as soon as they were fed, but two or three hung around for at least a few minutes, and Sheri and her group took advantage of the opportunity to pet them, to fondle their necks and scratch their ears. When one giraffe poked its big head close enough to Sheri’s face, she went so far as to kiss its nose. Some onlookers made some sounds of disgust, but Joey had never beheld a more endearing sight and Ann managed to capture a shot before the giraffe moved.

Later, after a thorough cleansing at the hand-washing section—the zoo people were very explicit about washing after feeding a giraffe and Sheri was no exception—they browsed the neighboring gift shop, with Lance steering Sheri’s chair. Sheri oohed and ahhed over just about everything her eyes fell on, and Joey couldn’t resist picking up some mementos here and there, including a lifelike giraffe figurine and a cuddly eighteen-inch plush giraffe. When he gave the stuffed giraffe to Sheri, she was like a little kid on Christmas morning; she hugged the toy as tightly as she could and would only let it out of her grasp after they had grabbed some lunch.

Though she didn’t have much of an appetite these days, she managed to down half a pastrami sandwich along with several French fries and a small Diet Coke.

Joey, remembering his doctors’ advice about avoiding overly rich or fatty foods, stuck to a mozzarella tuna melt with baked potato chips and a medium soda, though he still allowed himself the dessert of a sumptuous chocolate lava cake with ice cream.

Ann, with only a little hesitation at first, agreed to a grilled chicken wrap and a small sundae, and Tami and Lance easily ate the most of anyone with their triple-decker burgers and cheese fry towers and ice cream boats.

If Joey had ever eaten a better lunch, he could not remember now.

While they ate, Tami became much more open and talkative, and Joey knew before the end of the meal that he had made a new friend.

“This is too cool!” Tami said between gooey mouthfuls of ice cream. “Who knew I’d one day be sharing lunch with two guys from ‘N Sync? None of my friends will ever believe me, not in a million years.”

“So, you’re an old-time fan, too, eh?” Lance remarked, raising his brows above the rim of his dark shades.

“She used to dream for ages of the day she would become Mrs. Justin Timberlake,” said Sheri with a giggle.

“Oh, shut up,” said Tami, flicking her crumpled straw wrapper in her sister’s direction. But she was smiling all the same, and Joey realized this kind of teasing must be typical for the two girls.

After their food had settled some, the gang headed for the tiger exhibit, where Sheri lived her dream of petting a full-sized tiger. Due to her wheelchair, one of the attendants was kind enough to bring a tiger to her on a strong leash and Sheri fussed over the big beast as she would a new puppy. They even got to feed and cuddle some of the cubs; no one could stop laughing at the way the little frisky things attacked the milk bottles, and when it came to petting, the cubs would roll right onto their backs and allow their tummies to be rubbed. Tami sat quietly on the cool concrete with one cub between her legs, caressing its massive paws while Lance held the bottle, and the cub lay perfectly still and half-dozed while it sucked away.

Joey found himself going, “Awww,” more than once.

“They’re just a bunch of big kitties, aren’t they?” Sheri cooed as one cub rubbed its head against her arm and rumbled as steadily as an ongoing motor.

Ann, being more timid around the tigers, kept her distance, though she continued to put her camera to good use.

After they left the exhibit (with considerable reluctance), Ann sought Joey out for a quiet talk. While Lance stayed with the girls, Joey willingly joined Ann on a concrete bench in the shade of a small tree. “I really can’t thank you enough for doing this for Sheri, Joey,” she said in a soft voice, tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear. “You have no idea how much this means to her…to all of us. I haven’t seen my girl this happy in ages.”

Joey nodded amiably. “It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Cooper.”

With a light chuckle, she gently corrected him, “Ann, if you please. I’m not so formal about these things.”

“Okay, Ann. I’ll try to remember that.” After a minute’s pause, Joey asked, “Sheri got her middle name from you, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she did.”

“I like her name. And I like her, too. She’s a really great girl.”

“One of the best girls in the whole world.” Ann sighed. “Too good to have had so many bad things happen to her in such a short time.”

“Well, I’m glad I can help bring a bit of goodness into that little wedge of time.”

Ann’s eyes fairly sparkled as she informed him, “You and your band have always been outstanding role models to her over the years. When her father took off, when some of her dearest friends turned cold, when she struggled with her cancer…” She faltered for just a moment, then went on as softly as ever, “More than once, I didn’t think she was going to make it. But you, with your music, with your charm, your generosity, your sheer vivacity…you gave her something to hold onto, a reason to go on living. She always kept her eyes peeled for you on TV, and she would play your music so often that, once or twice, I would have sworn I heard her singing ‘Bye Bye Bye’ in her sleep.”

Hearing this humbled Joey to his roots and gutted him at the same time. He wondered, as he had with Sheri, if Ann would speak so fondly of his group if she could see and hear their true attitudes for herself. He was just glad Lance was there, that Lance was officially over his misgivings about Sheri—or acted like he was, anyway—and treated her as he would anyone else.

Why can’t the guys be more like Lance?

He pushed the thought aside. He flat-out refused to let anything, including his band mates, put a damper on this special day.

Besides, they’d shunned him first, so he could do the same to them every bit as easily.

Aloud, he said, “That’s quite an honor, Ann. It makes the time and work all worthwhile.”

“I understand you’ve been grappling with cancer yourself lately,” she said. “I’m truly sorry about that.”

He stared at her in surprise. “How did you know…?”

“Sheri never told me, but I figured it out. Besides, when you’ve lived with cancer long enough, you learn to recognize the signs.”

“Oh,” was all Joey could say as he found an odd interest in the shadowy pavement.

“Sheri’s reason for putting that black hat together makes perfect sense now,” Ann continued. “You’re very kind to wear it in front of her, even on a day like today.”

An inevitable smile crept across Joey’s face, and he managed to lift his head a bit. “She was very kind to put it together for me. I’ll keep it forever.”

“That’s the only true comfort in this world, I believe—to comfort someone else.”

“I believe it. Sheri comforts me and I do my best to comfort her. In this way, we both benefit.”

Ann sighed again and shook her head. Her voice grew softer, more nostalgic. “Ah, my dear Sheri…she’s always been the world’s biggest sweetheart. Even before she became ill, her heart was twice the size of Texas. She believed that a hug, a kiss, or a present could make just about anything better. I remember when one of her friends was going through a hard time; Sheri put together a beautiful bead bracelet just for her, using every color you can think of. Her friend wore that bracelet every day for over a year. Another time, when another friend came to school without lunch, Sheri gave half her lunch to him, including half her treat. It was one of her favorite treats, too, but she never thought once about keeping it for herself.”

Waves of tingling warmth swept through Joey’s entire system. Now he was truly convinced JC couldn’t be any more wrong about Sheri than if JC had said day was night.

If the girl’s own mother couldn’t vouch for her, who could?

“That makes me like her all the more,” he said.

For the first time, Ann reached out to him and placed her hand over his. “And again, I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful generosity in return. I hope the happiness you’re providing now comes back to you at least tenfold.”

“Thank you, Ann,” said Joey, and prayed he wouldn’t start bawling in the woman’s presence.

“I also hope you make a complete recovery. I pray it’s the good Lord’s will that you live a long, healthy and rich life. You deserve nothing less.”

“Again, thank you.”

As Joey followed Ann back to the others, he couldn’t help going over her last words, and he couldn’t help wondering, Why wasn’t it the good Lord’s will that Sheri live a long, healthy and rich life, too? She deserved nothing less, either. How is it that I still stand a chance for survival? Guess I can’t complain about that, but still—

Once more, he cut off the thought. Already it was bringing him down, and he resolved to not let it drag him too low.

This was not about him, he reminded himself sternly.

Right now, he was the last person in the world who mattered.

The rest of the day was smooth sailing, and when Lance and Joey took the women home sometime around ten o’ clock, it seemed almost a shame to go home. Sheri fell asleep during the drive, with her toy giraffe nestled snugly in her arms, and Joey was glad to have Lance for the designated driver because he could barely keep his own eyes open.

When Lance and Joey were alone in the van, Lance asked gently, “Do you feel up to going back to the condo?”

“Mind if we stop somewhere for coffee first? I’m not ready to se…set foot in the condo yet.” Joey just barely stopped himself from blurting, “to see the other guys yet.”

So Lance drove to the nearest café with no further questions. Only a handful of other people were there at that time of night, and Joey and Lance sat opposite each other by one of the giant windows. As they sipped their coffee, Lance said at length, “That was a lot of fun, wasn’t it?”

Joey nodded. “Oh, yeah. Definitely one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. I could tell Sheri had a ball, too, and that makes it even better.”

“I’m glad.”

“Hey, listen, man, I really, really appreciate you doing this. You’ve been a tremendous help today.”

“You’re welcome,” said Lance with a smile as warm as the steam curling from their mugs. “I’m happy to help.”

“It means the world to me. I owe you big-time.”

“I didn’t do this just for you. I did it for Sheri as well.”

“Oh?”

“I know my first meeting with her was…less than ideal. But now I understand what it is about her that appeals to you so much. I love her, too.”

“Love?” Joey repeated the word like it was foreign.

“Of course. Don’t tell me you don’t feel the same way, man. It’s written all over your face every time you so much as mention the girl’s name.”

Staring at his floating blob of whipped cream, Joey mumbled, “I…guess that’s one way to put it.”

“Come, now, Joey,” said Lance, sounding like a kid trying to coax a secret from another kid. “No need to be so coy. You don’t guess; you know. And there’s no better way to put it that I know of.”

“If you say so.” Before Joey realized it, he blurted, “Too bad the rest of the crew doesn’t hold her in the same regard.”

Lance was quiet for some time. He used a misplaced straw to stir his coffee around and around, watching the brown and white swirls with a faraway expression. When he spoke, he said so softly that Joey almost had to lean across the table to hear him, “I talked with JC this morning.”

“You did?”

“Just before we left. That’s why I took so long to join you in the parking lot.”

“I thought it was because you were doing a final check on your hair.”

“No. Well, yeah, I did want to make sure I looked decent, but then JC held me up right when I was about to walk out the door.”

Joey didn’t want to ask, but he asked anyway. “What did he say?”

“Not much. Mostly he asked me to try to talk some sense into you, told me that I had a much better standing with you and you’d listen to me.”

“And what did you tell him?”

Looking Joey dead in the eye, Lance answered in his gravest tone, “I told him, ‘JC, anything that’s this important to Joey ought to be important to all of us, too. I don’t know why you’re so quick to judge Sheri, but I’ve gotten to know her a little better myself, and until you do the same, you have no right to stick any labels on her. You have no right to even think anything about her, either.’ Then I left him standing there in the doorway.”

It was a long time before Joey could speak again, and even then his voice was scarcely a whisper. “I could kiss you for that.”

“I meant it, too. Don’t know if it will make any difference, but at any rate, you can have the assurance that JC will not be hounding you so much about Sheri anymore. I shall personally see to that. If he so much as looks at you funny, I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, Lance Bass,” said Joey, unaware at that moment of anyone in the world apart from the man sitting in front of him. “Thank you…so much.”