“So, we have you scheduled for Ellen on the 20th, two radio interviews by phone. Then you are on the tonight show with Jay Leno on the 21st.”

“We have the phone interviews in between time on 20th. You also have an appearance at Make A Wish foundation as well on the 21st, right Melanie?”

Melanie nodded as she looked over at Rachel as she was going over e-mails in her phone as they sat across from Justin. Justin nodded in acknowledgement as he bit down into his sub sandwich. They were out in Venice having lunch, enjoying the sun by request of Justin after being stuck in the studio before the sun came up. Melanie had a small salad in front of her while she laid her tablet in her lap. It was such a nice day out; the air was warm, but not too hot.

They sat a local pub area outside under the umbrella covered tables. Justin sat back in his chair wiping his fingers from the vinegar and oil that was dripping from his meat packed sandwich, before taking a sip of his draft beer.

“It looks like we will be on the east coast for your birthday. We got a couple of show lined up and studio time booked as well, so you can get some studio time in.” Rachel added as she sipped on her own beer.

Rachel did inform Melanie while booking his schedule of his birthday, which for the following weekend he vacationed with his closest friends and family. It probably meant that Melanie would either have a few days off and will be allowed to go back home, or vacation wherever they were headed next that way she would already be there.

“Great, I’m going to call Drake for this song I’ll have him on. He should be there around the time. That’s perfect.”

“Okay, well that’s all for this month. Where is Trace I thought he was supposed to be coming?” Rachel placed down her phone and began to dig into her own sandwich.

Justin looked at his watch and out into the crowd of people that walked up and down the Venice Beach strip and shrugged,” He said he would meet up with us, guess he is running a little late.”

“So, Melanie aren’t you from New York?” Rachel turned her attention to Melanie, who sat quietly dug her fork into her salad. She wiped her mouth and nodded.

“Yeah, Syracuse.”

“So, about how far is that from New York City?” Justin asked.

“It’s about 4 and a half hours give or take, right outside of Rochester.”

“I bet you miss home.” Rachel smiled swirling her straw in her classic mojito. Melanie stuck to her water since she had taken her anxiety pill an hour ago. Melanie shrugged her shoulders at the statement while sipping down her water before replying.

“I miss my parents, but that’s about it.”

“Aw, no special guy?”

Melanie stuffed some salad into her mouth and chewed slowly only shaking her head no. She really didn’t want this conversation to turn around and become about her. She wasn’t ready to give her life’s story, not yet. She could feel the sweat begin to form along her forehead and the heat rising from the back of her neck. As Rachel was about to open her mouth and ask another question Justin interjected.

“Hey Rach, call Trace and see where he is at. My phone is about to die.”

Rachel grabbed her phone from her purse and excused herself from the table while placing the call. As she walked off, Justin smiled gingerly at Melanie.

“Sorry about that. Rach can sometimes be noisy.”

Melanie just waved it off,” It’s all just general questions it’s fine.”

“So tell me how Josh and Sanaa wedding planning going?”

“It’s going well actually. I think she set up a day for the bridesmaids to try on dresses at the home.”

Justin shook his head with snicker sitting back in his chair and throwing his arm on the back of the empty chair beside him,” I can’t believe they are getting married. I never really pictured them together. You would think.”

Melanie chuckled a bit, placing her arms on table folded over each other,” Yeah, but they are great together. They really complement each other well. He really treats her well. I’m happy for the both of them. Marriage is a beautiful thing, when you meet the right person….”

She trailed off zoning out of her plate, marriage was once a beautiful for thing, but she didn’t end up with the right person, so she thought.

“You are right, she definitely deserves it. She is a beautiful and brilliant woman.”

Melanie just smiled,” As she always been.”

Justin took a few gulps of his beer, looking over Melanie’s head spotting Rachel headed towards the table with Trace on her heels.

“About damn time you showed up.” Justin said with a roll of his eyes, but with a smirk.

“Oh shut it shit face.” Trace dismissed him with a shove of his shoulder as they need their handshake and took a seat beside Justin.

“Trace, I want you to meet Melanie she is going to be taking over Rachel officially within the next coming weeks. Melanie this is my best friend from basically child birth, Trace.”

Trace grinned holding out his hand as he shook hands with her,” We practically came out of the womb together. Expect we had different Mom’s.”

Melanie giggled nodding,” Nice to meet you.”

“You are Sanaa’s cousin right? Justin told me her cousin was working for him.”

“Yes she’s my cousin.”

Trace nodded

“So you are taking over for old bag lady over here? Trace teased winking at Rachel only to receive a finger in return.

“Yes, she is because I got other shit to do besides deal with Justin and his obnoxious sidetrack.” Rachel answered with a bit of playfully attitude.

Trace waved her off and turning his attention back to Melanie placing his hand up to guard his mouth loudly whispering,” Maybe now she can get laid.”

She scoffed,” Oh please, that’s not a problem over here. You should be talking midget. When is the last time someone wanted to climb a stump?”

Justin sat up straight taking to hold back laughing with a mouth full of beer and Melanie eyes widen as she watched their playful banter biting down on her bottom lip to conceal her own laughter.

Trace flipped the bird with an evil glare and Rachel snickered in victory.

“Alright, alright guys lets show some kind of manners in front of Melanie. We have to ease her into the horse play.”

They nodded in agreement before Trace spoke,” Justin’s great guy to work with and I’m not just saying that because he is my best friend cause he gets on my nerves. But I love the guy. I come and take along every now and then when Justin’s travel so you will be seeing me frequently.”

“You pray you don’t.” Rachel added.

Trace and Rachel continued on bickering for a few minutes before they all quiet time to a simple conversation. Afterwards, they went out a few stores down and grabbed some ice cream along the way Justin stopped and signed a few autographs and took a few pictures. Once they grabbed their ice cream they just walked the pier.

Rachel and Trace walked on a few feet in front of them as Melanie walked beside Justin quietly eating her cup of ice cream with sprinkles.

“I have a question.” Melanie asked licking the back of her spoon.

“I got an answer.” Justin replied dipping into his hot fudge sundae.

“How are you able to be out like this without any fans mauling you down?”

Justin smiled and shrugged his shoulders,” It’s very different from my younger days in Nsync. My fan base now is much older now most of them grew up with me. Most of them have families and kids. So, they’ve learned to respect my distance. I’m not the young teenage boy no more. I’m a grown man, who likes this have his space now. I enjoy meeting fans, but don’t enjoy having to run from them cause their chasing me.”

“What about the paparazzi?” She stared out in front of them noticing some off in the distance snapping pictures.

“They are everywhere, but they are bad when I’m out shopping in LA. Some keep their distance and ac like adults and others act like complete ass because it’s more money to get a picture of me flicking them off, with a woman, angry than just walking down the side walk.”

With a woman?

“What do you mean with a woman?”

Justin smiled at Melanie’s perk of interest,” Yeah, it’s mostly when I am alone. The woman could be anybody if she is my age or younger also pretty. They will automatically assume it must be some kind of love interest. Let’s say for interest you and I were to go to like a grocery store together and they happen to catch us out when in minutes. A picture of us shopping would be posted all over the internet assuming that you were a potential girlfriend. It’s pretty crazy.”

Melanie shook her head eating another scoop of her ice cream. It was definitely crazy, she couldn’t imagine being posted all over the internet as being linked in a romance to Justin Timberlake. She could only imagine what would happen to that type of thing got out and Reggie came across it.

“I have a question for you.”

Melanie broke out of her thought,” and I may have an answer.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is your ethnicity? You and Sanaa how can I say this...”

“Different.”

Justin scrounged up his face for a moment,” I was going to say foreign?”

“Foreign?”

Justin shook his head holding a hand in defense,” I didn’t mean foreign. More ethnic. Wait no.”

Melanie raised her eyebrow, trying not a crack a smile,” Um, excuse me.”

“Oh shit, I didn’t mean that I promise.” Justin panicked as he tried to search for the right word to say, but couldn’t because each one he thought of after that was even worse.

Melanie giggled a bit had his panicked state, reaching over a touching his arm,” I know what you mean. You mean to say that I looked as though I’m mixed with a little more than her.”

Justin sighed running his hand over his face with a light laugh,” Yeah.”

“Well my parents are half Guyanese; my mom is a sister to Sanaa’s mom. My mom was adopted before from my understanding my mom has Indian and Portuguese in her line and my father have African ancestors. So I have a good mix of a lot thing plus….”

Justin nodded as she continued on telling him about her ethnicity. He honestly didn’t know much about any of the ethnic groups expect for Indian and African. He assumed the Indian in her blood line was what gave her the waist long jet black hair and her defined cheek bloods and long slender nose, which he loved for some reason. He had been trying to figure out who she reminded him of.

As the continued to talk and walk, they ended up walking up onto the beach joining alongside Rachel and Trace before they end up heading back to their respectable cars.

After getting home at a decent hour, Melanie sat stretched out on a lounge chair on the deck area with Sanaa. The breeze from the ocean was perfect even the air a crisp coolness to it, which made them bring their individual blankets to wrap up in. A bottle of white wine and a plate with an array of cheeses and fruit was sitting on the little table between them as they watched the night sky.

“It’s so nice out. I’m glad we decided to come out here. These are one of the few times I have to just enjoy my house.” She looks over at Melanie and smiles as she tips her glass back against her lips, sipping her wine.

Melanie nodded while biting into a strawberry,” Beautiful view.”

Placing her glass on her thigh Sanaa turned her body a bit towards,” So, tell me how’s everything going on at work? “

Melanie ran her fingers through her hair and shrugged,” It’s going good. I am just learning my way around scheduling things for Justin. We mostly spend our time in the studio with him or in the conference room with him working on his promotions difference stores, radio stations and on his website.”

“How you like working with Justin?”

Melanie grinned a bit,” He is a really great guy very passionate about his work, it’s contagious almost. He is very much the gentleman, been trying to make me feel real comfortable working him and his cousin Rachel the whole group. He’s just nice.”

Sanaa chuckled taking another sip and tightening her blanket around her body tighter,” Yeah he is. I remember the first time officially meeting Justin at the Oscar award a few years ago. I think he just started seeing Jessica Biel. I just remember him being really sweet and extremely funny...”

Melanie noticed a glee in her cousin’s eye as she continued telling a story about the first time she met Justin and how their friendship formed and how she soon met Josh and everything was just wonderful from there. But Melanie couldn’t help, but think…

As Melanie was about to ask, her phone went off. She pulled it from underneath her blanket and looked at the screen and pressed the button to answer,” Hey Mom.”

“Hey sweetheart, how you doing?”

“I’m doing well. How are you and Daddy?”

“We are good. We just got back from dinner with some old friends. How is Sanaa and Josh?”

 She glanced over at Sanaa, who was in her own phone.

“They are good, Josh is actually working right now and Sanaa and I are outside enjoying the ocean view.”

“That’s great dear. Do you have a moment to talk in private? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Ohm, yeah give me a second.”

“Okay. I’ll wait.”

Melanie frowned a moment, hoping everything was alright with her parents. She sat up straight and scooted out of the chair and stood up,” I’ll be right back. I need to run inside for a second.”

Sanaa looked up at her,” Everything alright?”

Melanie waved her off and smiled,” Yeah just can’t hear her that well with the wind blowing.”

Sanaa nodded with a smile, “Okay.”

Melanie dropped her blanket on the seat and made her way through the sliding door and upstairs until she reached her bedroom, closing the door behind.

She pressed the phone against her ear as she sat down on the edge of the bed,” Okay Mom, what’s going on?

“I’m just going to go ahead and say it. Reggie came by the house earlier this week.”

She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath before replying,” What did he want?”

“He came over to apologize to the family. He said he was really beat up about all he put you through and that he never meant to hurt you. He regrets everything and that has been trying to reach out to you to reconcile, but have refused him. Melanie, now you know I am not the type to get into grown peoples business, but he really seem serious about wanting to patch things up with you.”

She sighed into the phone,” Mom, I don’t want anything to do with Reggie and you know how much I love Reggie, but right now I can’t. It’s not good for me mentally and emotionally. I am a basket case Mom--.”

“No, you’re not Melanie honey. This is just a rough patch. All married people go through it.” Her mom cut her off.

“We are not married anymore Mom.”

“Which is another thing honey, why divorce so suddenly?” You guys have been happy for eight years until this point.”

“You have no idea Mom, if we were happy or not. You and Daddy have been vacationing for half of those years.

Her mother sighed,” All I’m saying Melanie, you could have tried.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing out of her own mother’s mouth. She accused her of nothing tiring to fix a broken marriage, which what she wanted to do more than anything. Melanie could feel her blood began to boil. She could feel the tears welling up in corners of her eyes.

“I’ve tried Mom, believe me I’ve tried.” She whispered into the phone as she tried her best to contain herself from crying.

“Melanie, I know Reggie is not perfect and I know he has made some pretty awful mistakes, but you have to learn to forgive and forget.”

“No Mom.” Melanie deadpanned.

“Melanie come on, at least talk to him.”

 The tears began to fall freely down her face as her voice filter through the phone shakily.

“Mom, Reggie cheated on me, but that’s not the deal breaker as it may be for many. Reggie manipulated me into giving up a part of me that I could never get back. How could I forgive him for that? How could I forgive myself for that? You know I loved Reggie with all my heart, you know how much I loved that man, but how can I come back and forgive a man who could so carelessly talk his wife into giving up a baby they made together, without much of a bat of his eye.”

“Melanie---“

She shook her head standing up onto her feet and began to pace the floor as anger began to boil up from the pit of her stomach and her lips began to tremble as she tried to remain composed,” No, mother listen to what I’m saying. I cannot love someone like that. I can’t come back to someone like that. It wasn’t just my baby it was his as well. The blood that coursed through that child’s vein coursed through his. Could you imagine Daddy asking you to do such a thing?”

Her mother sighed through the phone,” No baby I can’t.”

“Then why would you want your own daughter to reconcile with a man that asked the same thing of her?”

“I’m so sorry sweet heart; I don’t know what I’m thinking. I just want to see you happy. I hate knowing you’re like this. It breaks my heart. I just want to see my child happy again. In all your life, I’ve never known you to have no more than two off days. It hurts my heart to hear you are having to therapy and take medication. You are like a different person.”

Melanie wiped the tears from her face, but they continued to fall as she could hear the tears in her own mother’s voice.” I know Mom. I know. I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again Mom, but I’m trying.”

“Hold on your Daddy wants to talk to you.”

Melanie remained quiet as she heard the ruffling of the phone being passed before she heard her Dad’s deep, soothing voice in her ear.

“Mel Bell.”

She stopped pacing the floor and a smile crept across her lips and she cradled her phone against her ear,” Hey Daddy.”

“Hey sweet baby, how you doing?” He asked with a concern.

“I’m alright Daddy, I’m alright.

“Did ya Mama tell you about Reggie coming over here?”

Melanie sighed,” Yeah she did.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t home when he came, his ass knew better than to show his face while I’m here.”

She cracked a bigger smile,” I know daddy.”

“Now, I overheard what your Mama was saying to you and she means well, but I want you to listen to your Daddy. You stay there and you get well out there you have no distractions. You continue to live your life baby. I know it’s hard seeing beyond this pain right now, but it will get better. I know you got something regrets that is hard to let go off, but know you have to learn to forgive yourself. You thought you were doing the right thing for your marriage, so you are not at fault here—“

She sighed deeply and began to sniff as the tears began to flow once again,” But Daddy--.”

“No buts Melanie, you know the baby is in a better place and will be waiting for you on God’s appointed time, but right now. You have a life to continue to live take everything day by day. Moment by moment, but seize the day the best that you can. Everything happens for a reason whether we realize it or not, but something greater will come out of this. I know it will.”

She remained quiet as she sniffled as she wrap an arm around her stomach, hugging herself.

“I love you Mel Bell.”

“I love you too Daddy.” She managed to whisper out through the tears.

“Go lay down and we will talk to you later. It will get better.”

“Thank you again daddy. Tell Mama I love her.”

“Okay I will. See you soon and tell Sanaa and Josh we send our love.”

“Okay, bye.”

“Bye.”

She hung up the phone and turned around tossing it on her bed while crawling into the bed and underneath the covers as she cried out her pain.

“Oh, Josh!”

 “MMM, Shit.”

“Shh baby.”

“Baby, right there.”

Melanie groaned as she wrapped a pillow around her head. She had been woken up for the past thirty minutes as Sanaa and Josh went at it when he arrived home later in the night. They had been outside in the deck area, which was faint but enough for her to hear now they had finally made it inside into their bedroom, which made the sound more audible. She would have thought that since her bed room was farther down the hall that she couldn’t hear them having sex in her bedroom, but the house being big, it echoed a bit.

“Ohhh!!”

Melanie didn’t know whether or not that they were just naturally loud at have sex, or maybe it was because Sanaa had a couple of glasses of wine after she left from down stairs, or that they completely forgotten that she was in the house.

It was probably the latter. She threw back the covers and slipped out the bed grabbing a pair of her gray sweat pants and her pink sweat jacket, zipping it up and throwing her hair into a ponytail then sliding into a pair of her flip flops.

She snatched her phone from the end table along with her wrist wallet before creeping out of her bedroom and down the stairs until she reached the garage door, grabbing the keys off the wall and closing the door behind her. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew she couldn’t lay there for another thirty minutes listening to her cousin getting pounded by her fiancé. It was a long time coming she did know.

They were close, but not that close.

She hopped into the car and soon pulled out of the driveway. She looked at the dashboard clock as it read 2:30 a.m. She had no idea where she was going at this time, but maybe she could get something to eat or maybe find a bar that she could go to and have a couple of drinks. Either way she didn’t want to roam the streets in a city she didn’t know.

After stopping to grab a few tacos and drink from Taco Bell, she flicked through her phone at a red light. She opened up an app tweeter and began to go through her news feed and the first thing that came up was a tweet from Justin fifteen minutes ago

Night session, just me, my pad, guitar and an empty room.

A picture attached to his tweet was indeed all described along with his feet propped up. Melanie continued on out east until she pulled in through the gates of the disclosed studio with Justin car parked in the empty lot. She pulled up beside it and hopped out with fresh new bag of food and made her way to the door with the bag in between her teeth and the drink tucked under one arm while she pressed in the code.

She made her way through the building until she searched for the room with lights streaming from the cracks in the door. She knocked quietly and stood there until the rattling of the door handle was heard and the door opened.

Justin appeared on the other side with a surprised look,” Oh hey. What are you doing here?”

She shrugged nervously,” I was out and saw your tweet and thought maybe you were hungry.”

He chuckled and nodded while reaching for the food she had dangling in her head along with her other stuff,” Yeah, yeah, come on in. I definitely could eat.”

She stepped inside as he let the door close behind them. She walked over to the couch and sat down as he came a long side her and placing the food on the coffee table in front of them,” So, what are you doing out this late by yourself?”

“I couldn’t really sleep.” Melanie put it as simple as possible.

Justin gave her a look of amusement before emptying the bag of food,” When people usually can’t sleep they find something productive to do inside the house, maybe go out for a drive around the block, but you drove an hour from the house.”

Melanie just smirked and nodded in response.

Justin let out a laugh completely not buying what she told him,” Well I can say thank God for twitter. I was actually starving, but didn’t feel like running out trying to get some work done plus I couldn’t sleep either.”

Melanie nodded as she watched him quietly hunched over taking a bite of his unwrapped burger. They sat in quiet for a while as he ate his food talking in between bites. Melanie sat back on the couch with her legs drawn up against her chest. She took in his appearance. He wore a simple black shirt and a pair of comfortable worn jeans with his hair tucked under a black baseball cap. He had a beard growing on his face, giving his face an older look without it he still looked as if he was in his mid-20.  She could see the aging lines underneath his eye and laugh lines around his mouth.

He looked like a regular guy as if you could pick him up off the street. It wasn’t the only thing that kept Melanie secretly admiring him. It was his presence. It wasn’t exactly what she may have pictured. She was at absolute calm around him, he didn’t give off his status you could almost forget he was one of the most talented male artist and still one of the most wanted.

He was just a regular man living his dreams. He wasn’t different from anyone else; he definitely ate like a man. Melanie cringed up her face a bit as ketchup dripped from the ends of his burger as he took another bite. He sucked his fingers clean instead of using his napkin and popped off the lid of his drink, discarding it and the straw.

She knew he could feel her eyes on him, he would occasionally look back before she would quickly look off around the room pretending to be looking at something over his head or around him. He would chuckle a little and continue on eating.

After he finished eating and disposed of his trash. He grabbed his guitar and sat in a chair by the sound booth as he leaned back in it and began to play out a melody. She listened as he hummed to it quietly. She watched as he plucked at the strings, watching his fingers as he continued to hum.

“That sounds beautiful.” Melanie spoke softly as he continued on. He looked over at her and smiled without being distracted. She dropped down her legs and made herself comfortable on the couch, stretching out as she continued to watch and listen. She kept her eyes on him while he opened he opened his mouth to sing quietly.

If I had a pair of wings

I'd pick you up and fly you far away from here

And you'd put your worries upon my shoulders, my dear

Justin watched her as she lay across the couch, her long slender body stretching out her locks framing her face from underneath her hoodie. He thought she was simply beautiful. She was quiet for most of the time, but it wasn’t awkward he was comfortable. It wasn’t much you could say when a person like that was around you didn’t have a need to talk. Just having them there was enough.

It was strange.

He barely knew her, but oddly enough he felt as if he knew her already. She was just one of those rare people who came into your life without much of a notice, but it was as if they had been there all along. She was so different from Sanaa. The Sanaa he use to remember, but that was years ago.

He was taken by surprise when she appeared at the studio door. He knew why she had been up, this time it wasn’t from Sanaa heads up, but from the look in her face. Her face was redder than the usual kiss from the sun seeing as it was so early in the morning, around her eyes were a bit puffy. She had a dry sniffle a few times.

He could just sense she had a lot on her mind and needed to get away.

He was perfectly content with her showing up.

He had a lot on his mine as well and it was her.

Now I know I can't save you

From the troubles of the world

And this sounds like such a silly thing

But if I could I'd fly you away

On a big old pair of wings