Part III: Celebration
August 25th, Brooklyn, 1:00 p.m.
Justin entered the arena for dress rehearsal. I can’t believe we made it here. I’ve doubted several times whether we would. He smiled to himself. Friday’s rehearsal ended on a pretty tense note. Darren tried to get the group back on track, but no one was having it. They met for another hour Saturday morning and it was more of the same. They agreed to save everything until they got to dress rehearsal in Brooklyn.
JC was already on the main stage, rehearsing his steps. “Why am I not surprised?” Justin called out.
The older guy looked stopped and smiled. “Yeah, so what if I am?”
“Just jazzing. It’s why you’re one of the best at what you do.” Timberlake climbed on the stage. “Can you believe it? We’re actually gonna do this tonight.”
JC shook his head. “Nah, man. It looked like we wanted to strangle each other sometimes this week. And you know something? We’ve been friends for 20 years.”
“No way, have we really?”
He nodded. “You started the Mouse Club in 1993.”
“Well, will you look at that? We’ve done pretty well for a couple kids show alums.”
They both laughed as the other three came in. “What’s so funny?” Chris asked.
“Nothing, Tricky. Hey, come see the stage. I think you’ll recognize one of the elements well.” Justin replied.
The others came on stage a minute later. “OMG! We got trap doors!” Joey quipped. “I hope this thing doesn’t kill me like that other one did,”
“I doubt that, Fatone.” Chris reassured him. “Although, it wouldn’t be one of our shows without a stage malfunction. It’s happened several times throughout our career.”
“Like the time the mechanism for the little elevator thing we rode during “The Two of Us” and we had to find an alternate route around the stage. That was a trip.” Joey recalled.
A light bulb went off in Chris’s head. “Oh, I remember that now. We were scrambling while the stage hands tried to direct us around. That tour was so effing fun, though.”
“This will be fun, too, guys.” Justin said. “We’re here because we want to be.”
“Are you sure that’s not your Tylenol and vodka infused body talking?” Chris quipped.
Everyone laughed. “Well, maybe a bit,” Justin conceded.” But really, it’ll be fun. We can do it.”
The dress rehearsal went relatively well. A few mess ups occurred, but they weren’t too panicked. After three run-throughs of their section, the other guys could take a break. But Justin had to do his own show. He admitted to a twinge of jealously. Regardless, he knew the performance would be fun. He’d enjoyed the past week. There was a side of himself he could only show when he was with those guys. A person who didn’t take stardom as seriously. Someone who could laugh at the stories tabloids wrote about him. Now’s not the time to get sentimental Timberlake. You have another show to rehearse.
8:50 p.m.
“Ten until show time,” Hakim, the stage manager, said.
“Thank you, sir.” Justin replied. “We’ll be out in a minute.”
The door shut again.
Justin surveyed the four men accompanying him. All the preparation had come down to this. The world was waiting for them, but the next five minutes belonged to the five souls alone.
“Wow, how did we get here?” Lance shook his head. “I never thought we’d do this again.”
“I’m glad y’all are here.” Justin said. “It’s an honor to share this stage with you tonight. No matter what anyone else says, you’re all stars in my eyes. All of you have helped mold me into the artist and man I am. And I thank you for that.”
“Awww you’re getting us all sentimental.” Chris teased. “But really, we’re glad to be here. We always talk about supporting each other and that’s what we’ll do.”
“Then, it’s show time! Let’s go!” Joey exclaimed.
“Wait, we’re forgetting something.” Chris retrieved a fraying black and blue hacky sack from his pocket.
“Is that the same one?” Lance asked.
Chris nodded. “Yes, it is. I found it while cleaning out my closest a few months ago. I almost threw it away, but something told me I might need it.”
“Game on, then. We have to do this right.” Justin said, smiling.
The guys kicked the sack around for a few minutes. It was almost refreshing that they still sucked at the game because that meant nothing changed. Time seemed to reverse itself for that moment.
At 8:55, the game ended. The quintet bowed their heads for a quiet moment. “Now, let’s go out there and have a kick ass show!” Chris exclaimed.
Everyone changed hugs with one another. As Joey, Lance and Chris started towards the stage, Justin looked over at JC. His friend had been exceptionally quiet the past half hour. “You okay, JC?”
JC sighed. “I’m nervous, J. What if they don’t like me? What if I fuck up?”
“You won’t, man. The audience loves your charisma and voice. I’ve always said you’re the best singer out of all of us and I stand by that statement. You’ll nail this, Joshua. I believe in you.”
JC smiled. “Thanks.” They hugged again for a second. “See you on stage. Go show everyone what a star you are.”
Justin smiled. “Alright. See you then.”
9:05 p.m.
A single spotlight shone on Justin while the band played jazzy chords in the background. He closed his eyes, losing himself in the music. He and his four closest friends were about to sing for the world once again.
“It’s so hard to say I’m sorry.” He began, “for all those things I’ve done. I called you on the phone and told you I thought you were the one. But you said you wanted to be alone. So what I am supposed to do when I want you…”
“BACK…” JC belted from off stage as the lights turned on. The crowd roared as he (along with Chris, Joey and Lance) approached Justin while still singing. His voice was still capable of astronomical acrobatics and his nerves were unfounded.
“Hey Brooklyn!” Joey exclaimed “Remember us?”
The crowd cheered.
“We heard our little Timberlake was getting an award.” Chris said. “So, we had to join the party.”
“You wanted us back so we’re here for you.” Joey turned to Justin. “Start us off, JT!”
“You’re all I ever wanted. You’re all I ever needed, yes. So tell me what to do now, cause…”
The guys harmonized “I…I…I…I…I….”
“I want you back!”
Adrenaline and muscle memory then kicked in. The excited crowd was behind them, singing along while grooving to the music and once again Justin was with his four brothers. When they performed together, he felt invincible. He grinned from ear to ear.
“It’s hard to say I’m sorry. It’s hard to make the things I did undone. A lesson I’ve learned to wear for sure…”
As he sang, he made sure to touch a few fan’s hands. “So don’t pick up the phone now. I’m trying to figure out just want to do. I’m going crazy without you…”
He rejoined the guys and they sang and danced through the chorus. “So tell me what to do now, when I want you back.” They turned their backs in one of their signature moves.
The lights dimmed for a moment as they rearranged into their vocal lineup for “I Thought She Knew”. They took out an ear monitor so they could hear each other during the song. JC hummed the starting note. As they sang the opening chords, the crowd’s fervor instensified. The lights illuminated as Joey sang: “A heart full of words left unspoken, now that we’re through. I’d sell my soul to have this silence broken. Oh, I thought she knew. I thought she knew.”
Wow, this is the best we’ve sung this all week. What a prime time.
Then transitioned into the Chris-lead chorus. “I thought she knew my world revolved around her. My love light burned for her alone. But she couldn’t see the flame. Only myself to blame. I should have known…I should have known” Lance’s bass came out more prominently on the second phrase.
“She was my once in a lifetime,” Justin crooned. :”A happy ending come true. OH, I guess I should have told her but I thought she knew. I thought she knew, yeah. I thought she knew. I thought that she…” The group paused and looked at each other, smiling. “knew…”
They harmonized and ended on a perfect note.
More screams and claps ensued. “That was some kick ass a cappella,” Chris said.
Everyone nodded in agreement. However, there was no time to waste. The performance wasn’t over. They still had to perform “Bye Bye Bye”. The group got into beginning formation.
“I’m doing this tonight.” JC growled as the guys harmonized on the first word of every phrase. “You’re probably gonna start a fight. I know this can’t be right. Hey baby, come on. I loved you endlessly, when you weren’t there for me. So, now it’s time to leave and make it alone.”
The whole group started. “I know that I can’t take now more. It ain’t no lie. I wanna see you see you out that door. Bye bye bye.”
Next was the dance break, reminiscent of their 2000 performance. The adrenaline kept everyone going. Lance was almost late on the ‘frozen’ pose. Only Lance, Justin chuckled to himself.
They stared the last chorus. “Don’t wanna be a fool for you. Just another player in your game for two.”
“You may hate me, but it ain’t no lie. Bye bye bye.”
“Don’t really wanna make it tough. I just wanna tell you that I’ve had enough.”
“Might sound crazy, but it ain’t no lie. Bye bye bye.” They finished, hearts pounding and out of
breath.
Chris is right; why did we do this every night? Wait, I still have ten more minutes left! “Give it up for my brothers in NSYNC, y’all. Aren’t they amazing?” Justin motioned to them.
The crowd agreed.
Joey, JC, Lance and Chris bowed to the crowd and walked to their trapdoors to descend.
Justin turned back to the crowd. “Okay. Now you’re all mine for the next 10 minutes. Let’s get to some more music, shall we?”
Justin preformed his section. It was fun, but he had a little bit more fun with the guys. Jimmy Fallon presented him the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, electing him as the ‘President of Pop’. Timberlake chuckled as he took the stage again to accept the gold plated moon man. He thanked God, his parents, his wife Jessica Biel, and his management team.
“I have one final thank you.” He said. “I dedicate this award to the four guys I shared the stage with first tonight. They are my mentors and I wouldn’t be the man I am today without their guidance. So, thank you Chris, Joey, Lance and JC. This goes out to you all.”
The aftermath was a blur. Justin was greeted by an onslaught of well-wishers and interview requests. The press room was a madhouse as well. The constant flashing cameras could blind even someone with spectacular vision. And by the end, his face muscles hurt from having to smile so much.
The next phase of the night was Eldorado, a Mexican restaurant right across the street from the Barclays Center. He’d arranged for a private room for a low key dinner with the guys, their dates and families, crew and dancers. He expected at least 200 people there. Still, he was looking forward to having a nice meal and a drink with his favorite people. He hadn’t eaten much today from nerves.
The night passed by with ease. The wait staff was friendly and the cuisine was delicious. Justin ordered an enchilada plate that he enjoyed. In between bites, he tried to make sure every guest was comfortable and having a good time. Of course, many sought him out with their congratulations anyway.
3:00 a.m.
The party had dwindled to just the five guys and their dates (except JC, who was single and Kelly had gone back to the hotel with the kids.) They all had glazed looks from overindulgence in food and drink. Chris, Karly, and Joey were going with Justin and Jessica to a club afterwards. JC, Lance and Michael had other plans.
Lance yawned. “I think I’m turning in for the night. It’s late.”
“Same here.” JC chimed in. “I’m afraid I’ll doze off on the table.”
“Y’all are lame!” Justin joshed. “Especially you, Lance. You used to stay up all night and go to parties with us.”
Lance shrugged. “You also have to remember that was 10 years ago. My system ain’t what it used to be.”
“So, I’m not getting ribbed?” JC asked.
“No, because you’re the party buzzkill.” Joey replied.
“I can party when I want to, thank you!” JC said, laughing.
“I know, JC. You’re just too easy to make fun of sometimes.” JC and Justin hugged.
“I expect nothing less. Thanks for inviting me tonight. I had a great time.”
They broke away. “Thanks for coming. I couldn’t have done this without you and your voice. Your face lights up when you’re performing. Maybe you should consider doing that more often.”
JC shrugged. “We’ll see. My focus is elsewhere right now. Have a good night.”
8:00 a.m.
Justin and the others went to the club for a while. Bored with the atmosphere, they headed back to Jessica and Justin’s penthouse apartment. They’d talked for hours even then. Joey lasted until six. At 7:30, Jessica poured some coffee and made French toast. Justin didn’t want this to end. He’d enjoyed this experience and was thrilled he got to share it with some of the ones who mattered most.
“Aren’t you tired?” He asked Chris.
The older man shook his head. “I couldn’t think a better way to spend a night: with my four brothers that I would give my life for. I rather have my life filled with moments like this one. Especially if they don’t happen as often as we’d like.”
Justin blushed. “I’m glad you feel that way. I had a great time, too. When I’m with y’all, it’s like I’m 18 again. Reminds me of a simpler time in my life and how I need to have that mindset more often.”
“You know we’ll knock that insane ego of yours of that high horse real quick.” Chris quipped.
The group laughed. “I wish you luck with him, Karly. He’s a character.”
Karly smiled. “I’ve known that since the day I met him. But I wouldn’t change him for anyone else. I think it’s really beautiful what he has with you and the other guys. You have so much history and nothing has broken that. Sure, forces have threatened but nothing has shaken that foundation. Everyone should aspire to that type of relationship, no matter what it is.”
The group smiled, especially Chris. “Now you see why I love her?”
Justin smirked. “You picked a good one, Kirkpatrick.”
“Just like I picked a talented member for the group.” He replied.
