JUNE 2012

JC pulled into his driveway, feeling good after a great session with Jimmy. Creatively, he was feeling inspired again. He planned to ride the wave as long as he could. 

Making his way to check his mail, he grabbed a couple envelopes and made his way into the house. Grabbing a beer out of the fridge, he fell back onto his couch, and looked down at an envelope. A thank you from an event he had recently attended. Reading the card quickly, he moved to the next envelope. 

He pulled out a cream colored card with gold script and detailing embossed onto the page. 

“You are cordially invited to the wedding of Justin Randall Timberlake…”

JC sighed as he looked at the date. He had known it would be in October, but the date must have slipped his mind. Weddings seemed to be happening all around him. He had heard about Jade’s engagement periodically from both his circle and the press. His brother Tyler was getting married. In fact, the date on the card in front of him looked very familiar to him. Moving back to the fridge to check the invitation he had posted on the door, he bit his lip as he compared it to the new one.

“Damn it.”

Sliding his phone out of his pocket as he moved back to the couch, he hit the contact he was looking for.

“Hey C, what’s up?” Justin picked up

“Hey man...Just got the invite...It’s really happening, huh?”

There was a chuckle on the other end. “Yeah, man. Crazy, right?”

“All grown up, dude...Listen I uh...I didn’t just wanna send the card back or whatever...Not gonna be able to make it…”

“What? Why?!”

“That’s the same day Tyler’s getting married.”

“Oh shit, really? Damn...Well...It’s ok..That’s your brother, man…”

“We’ll have to get together to celebrate. I owe you one.”

“Nah. I get it. You’re good. We’ll definitely get together, though..”

“Cool.”

“C?”

“Yeah?”

“You doing ok, otherwise?”

“Yeah I’m good...Why?”

“Well..No one’s really heard from you since...I mean you went kinda quiet in the group chat…”

“Just been busy, J...I’m fine.”

“You sure, man...I mean that night we went out.”

JC sighed “J...Can you drop it? I’m over it. Just been in the studio a lot. Just got back from there, actually.”

“Yeah? Any good stuff?”

“I think so. Don’t know if anyone else will. Don’t even know what I’m doing with it yet, to be honest.”

Justin was smiling on the other end of the phone “Sounds about right. You’ll figure it out. Glad you’re working on stuff again, man.”

“Yeah thanks. It feels good.”

“Alright..I gotta go. Hit me up soon...and get back in the chat. We miss you.”

JC chuckled “No you don’t...But alright...talk to you soon, J…”

JC shook his head as he looked down at his phone. Another one bites the dust. He hadn’t ever figured the 12 year old kid who felt like a little brother would be getting married before he did. Then again, he hadn’t ever figured he’d ever think about marriage. The older he got the more he was happy with his life as it was. At least he thought he was. 

He hadn’t been sure why he had bought that ring. He remembered the day well. He was thinking about her. She had just left his house, and it occurred to him that his day always got a little more boring every time she headed off for work or couldn’t hang out on a weekend. Call it a whim, he was smitten.

By the time he got it home, though, his nerves had gotten the better of him. Realizing he had no plan, he hadn’t considered if she would even want to get married. It’s not something she had ever talked about. They had never even hinted at forever. Their relationship had just, evolved. They were together. Everyone knew they were together. That had been enough. Hadn’t it? 

He had become so comfortable with her, and her with him. 

Glancing around his living room, he noted how quiet it was. At one point in his life, that quiet had been his sanctuary. A moment to clear his mind. A space to just be himself, with no rules.

Lately, though, there was an emptiness. Most days, he didn’t even see half the place, and when he came home from a working session, it was just him and his thoughts. 

Sighing to himself, he grabbed his beer and headed to the balcony. The view of Los Angeles from his own space was his favorite part of his home, and it never disappointed.

****

Hannah sat in a buttery soft blush chair, feeling very much like she was on the inside of a fancy bakery cake. The room was draped in soft florals, ivories, and blush furniture as far as the eye could see. So very LA, but so very mood.

She was in town to fulfill her duties as maid of honor, a role she was finally starting to settle into. Jade had been a great bride so far. No meltdowns or demanding requests. She was enjoying the ride, and Hannah had to admit she was having fun helping her plan. 

Still, being back in LA had brought up memories and feelings she hadn’t quite planned for. Being in a bridal salon, gorgeous dresses and cases of wedding jewelry, seemed a bit of a sting, even for someone who had never thought much commitment, much less  about marriage- before him. She had worked so hard to sort through her feelings. The joy she felt when she thought about him proposing. The empty disappointment she felt when he didn’t. The fear and embarrassment of realizing how badly she had wanted it. The healing she had been able to create for herself so far, and the new life she was loving every minute of.

She was thriving in San Diego. At the top of her career so far, coworkers who had become friends, and all the beach time she could stand. Having Jade around again felt like home, though, and she had promised herself she would enjoy the weekend and make it all about her special day. 

“Is this too much boob, though?” Jade squinted at herself in the mirror, squeezing the upper part of a fitted mermaid dress. 

Hannah laughed “Well when you do THAT, it is…”  

Next to her, Jade’s mom, Linda, rolled her eyes and laughed along.

“Lucky girl, these all look great on you!” the sales assistant beamed.

Hannah smirked “She’s obnoxiously gorgeous, isn’t she?”

Jade stuck her tongue out at her best friend “Coming from THIS hottie over here…”

“Are you ready for the Marchesa,” the sales assistant’s eyes lit up.

Jade looked to Hannah “I don’t know...It’s so gorgeous, I just…” she looked down. 

“Jade...You’ve been looking at that dress for months…”

Jade nodded “I know it’s just...so much money.”

“Honey...You have to let yourself celebrate more…” Linda beamed at her. 

Hannah smiled softly. Neither of them had grown up rich. Their families had worked for everything they had, and a Marchesa wedding dress was something neither of them had ever considered being able to afford. Aaron had offered to buy the dress. Neither one of them wanted their families to spend a dime on their wedding. Being the woman she was, Jade had insisted on footing at least some of the bill, also. 

“Jade,” Hannah stood up to grab her friend’s hand “You deserve this. You did it. YOU made your dreams come true...and now you get to marry the man of your dreams. SO...Take a deep breath, and try on the damn dress!”

Jade giggled. “OK….” She beamed, nodding at the sales assistant.

Hannah helped as Jade stepped into the silk mermaid sweetheart gown, the sheer silver branch embroidery sliding perfectly over her arms and down to the middle bodice. Closing her eyes, Jade waited for a veil to accent the look before she considered the dress. Back to the mirror, she opened her eyes and stared at her mom and Hannah for reaction. 

“Oh...Honey…” Linda had tears in her eyes, hand over her heart.

Jade’s eyes shifted to Hannah, whose jaw was dropped, a dreamy look on her face. “Jade...Oh my God…”

Jade’s eyes went wide. “HANNAH...I SWEAR IF YOU CRY…”

“I don’t cry…” Hannah’s voice squeaked, hand over her mouth from doing exactly that. 

“Turn around, Jade...Look at yourself,” her mom breathed.

Jade turned to face the mirror, her own face contorting as she saw her reflection. “This...This is it..” she nodded emotionally. “Ohhh...wow…” 

Hannah beamed as Jade floated on air leaving the salon. 

“Should we get some dinner?” she turned first to her mom, then to Hannah. 

Outside in fresh air, the emotional impact of the day hit Hannah harder than she had realized. 

“Ya know what? Have you two had any time alone?” Hannah asked Jade and Linda.

Linda smiled appreciatively, while maintaining her motherly concern “Oh, honey I’m here for a week, don’t you worry about me…”

Jade smiled “Yeah  Han, come on! We gotta celebrate!”

Hannah giggled “Tell you what...Let’s do dinner tomorrow...after the meeting with the planner. I’m beat...Got some work stuff to look over, anyway”

“Hannah! You are on vacation!” Jade protested.

Hannah smiled “Soorrrt of. Had to sweet talk my boss into letting me take Thursday off.” she embellished.

Jade pouted. “Fine! But tomorrow...I’ll tie you down if I have to.” 

“You won’t have to...Looking forward to it. You two go enjoy!”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetie..”Linda embraced Hannah in a hug.

Hannah sighed to herself. She needed time alone with her thoughts. She didn’t want to be cooped up in her hotel on the nice California night, though. Feeling a bit of a growl in her stomach, she decided to grab a bite to eat. But where?

Her mind landed on a familiar haunt. Some of the best food she had ever eaten in her life, though she had never been sure if it was the food itself or the comfort of it. 

It was “their” place. A habit. They could enjoy their time there, uninterrupted. It was one of the few places in town he was “just a guy.” One of the few places they didn’t have to dodge cameras. One of the few places that got him out of the house. 

She bit her lip as she considered it. It was probably a bad idea; self torture. Still, she missed that feeling. A little nostalgia was healthy, wasn’t it? It’s not like they had ended on bad terms. 

She sighed as she climbed into her car, already knowing the way.