“Lance, I hate to tell you man but I didn’t have anything arrive,” JC frowned.

“That’s because it’s being delivered,” Lance stated, undeterred. He began to type on his phone as Colleen and JC exchanged looks. “Now, this is either genius or I’ve crossed a line.”

“Please don’t tell me it’s a “swing”,” JC air quoted, “or anything else of that nature.”

“It’s not but damn that would’ve been funny,” Lance shucked his arm at the missed opportunity. Suddenly, there was a knock at JC’s door. “Colleen, you should probably get that,” Lance winked.

Colleen turned to JC as they both shrugged then she went for the door. “Lance…?” JC questioned.

“Just trust me…and follow her with the laptop,” Lance told him. JC reluctantly acquiesced and unplugged the computer, turning it so the camera was facing Colleen.

“Michael?!” Colleen exclaimed in utter shock. “How are you…?” She caught a glimpse of the driveway behind him. “Holy hell!”

“Come on,” Michael grabbed Colleen’s hand and pulled her out the door. JC followed and turned to reveal snow falling onto his driveway, the ground and cars already having a thin coating. Colleen was laughing and looking around in awe.

“Lance, what is going on?” JC laughed as he ventured outside, “and who is watching your kids?”

“Michael’s Mom is visiting and she definitely knows how to handle twins,” Lance chuckled. 

“So this was a ruse and you have slept since October?” Chris teased.

“The location of Michael, yes. The tiredness is definitely not an exaggeration. In fact, I want extra points for pulling this off in our sleep deprived states,” Lance argued.

“I mean, yeah, but I’m still not entirely sure what’s going on,” JC told him.

“Have Colleen come over and I’ll explain.” JC waved Colleen over as they looked at the screen, their backs now toward Michael as he frantically ran around to set up everything. Lance let out a long breath. “Ok, so, Michael and I thought really hard about this and, maybe it’s the baby brains talking but…”

“You’re fine, keep going,” Michael popped between the couple to encourage his husband.

“JC, you and I have had a lot of heart to hearts over the years but this year especially…I mean, you’ve opened up to all of us so much this year, but most importantly to yourself. Colleen, I don’t think any of us can find the right words to express how grateful we are that you are in JC’s life. You are everything we hoped for him to find in a partner and more than we ever dreamed existed.”

“Lance,” Colleen gave a sad smile, “you’re gonna make me cry.”

“Probably,” Lance chuckled. “Here’s the thing and I’ve been wracking my brain for days trying to think how to phrase this so, it’s not pretty but here it goes: All of us here are in relationships…”

“Well…” Joey squeaked out. “I wouldn’t put a label like that or anything on it.”

“Joey, can you not?!” Lance tried not to snap. “This is hard enough.”

“Jesus, ok,” Joey sat back, exchanging looks with everyone else as to what exactly was going on.

“We…I…” Lance attempted to continue. “You two have made it very clear to each other and to the rest of us that you’re in this for the long haul, and I for one couldn’t be happier with that news. Traditional in any sense of the word never suited you, JC. I love that about you and I’m sure that’s part of why Colleen loves you too. However, some of us still should have traditional things, even if they aren’t done in traditional ways.”

“Lance, what the hell are you talking about?” JC laughed.

“Dammit,” Lance hung his head and scratched the back of it, now doubting this plan but far too deep to turn back. When he looked up, he saw Michael jumping and waving in the background, signaling him. “Just…turn around and know this was done with the best of intentions.

JC and Colleen both turned to find a small table and two chairs set up in the snow, a blanket on the back of both of them and a hot drink sitting before each. A fake snow covered mountain backdrop completed the scene. JC looked on in confusion but Colleen gasped loudly and covered her mouth in shock. “Michael…no…” she got out.

“You deserve it,” he smiled back and held his hand out to her.

Colleen turned to her boyfriend. “Did you…did you do this?”

“Judging by your reaction, I wish I had but I have no idea what’s going on,” JC confessed.

“Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me,” Lance put his head in his hands.

“Stop freaking out, this’ll be great,” Michael chided as he tucked Colleen into a chair and came to retrieve JC. He sat JC down in the opposite chair and placed the computer back on the table so everyone could still see. “Be right back,” Michael stated and ran into JC’s house.

“Ok, Colleen’s crying. What are you doing, Lance?” JC asked again, this time worry creeping into his voice.

Lance once again fumbled for the words as Colleen reached out for JC’s hand. “Remember when we first went over to Lance and Michael’s to meet the twins? Michael and I got to talking, you know, just about life, how crazy and amazing our lives turned out to be and what we had imagined our lives would have been like.”

“Ok…” JC said skeptically.

“And, um, you know, life doesn’t always turn out how we thought it would and that’s not necessarily a bad thing just…” Now it was Colleen’s turn to let out a long breath. “When I was thirteen, my parents took my brother and I on a skiing vacation up to Park City. One night, we went to this really fancy resort for dinner and as we were leaving, it started to snow. It felt like magic and as I was looking around at it all, I caught this couple sitting on a balcony, wrapped up in a blanket together, drinking hot chocolate or coffee or something and just watching the beautiful moment like I was. I thought…I told Michael I…always wanted something like that.”

“Colleen, don’t lie,” Michael re-emerged.

“Why are you wearing my jacket?” JC asked Michael as he zipped up his neon floral Nike track jacket.

“All will be revealed,” Michael smirked and gestured to Colleen to keep going.

“I always imagined that’s how I’d get proposed to, ok?” she confessed, slightly annoyed at being put on the spot. “I wasn’t complaining or regretting or anything, I just…we were talking about how some dreams come true and some…don’t and that’s ok cuz as long as you're happy at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you got there.”

JC wasn’t sure how to take all this. They’d both agreed to this relationship but he couldn’t fault her for having a tough time letting go of some of the expectations she had for her life. Hell, he was just figuring out how to do that himself. He lamented that there were certain things he couldn’t give Colleen and hoped the things he could would make up for it in small part. He remembered that visit as well as he sat with Lance and cradled Lance’s infant daughter in his arms; how he couldn’t give Colleen the joy of being a mother, or a bride. He couldn’t even give her a propos…

“Remember, I’m a father now and you wouldn’t want these children to grow up in a one parent household,” Lance said as he saw the lightbulb go off from JC’s expression.

“Especially without the parent that makes most of the money,” Michael chimed in.

“Lance, I can’t…” JC started to choke out.

“I know, JC,” Lance cut him off. “This isn’t a set up. Ok, it is but not like that. Relationships involve compromise and sometimes you have friends who are hopeless romantics that try to find the compromise neither of you can see.”

“Or we have just completely lost our minds,” Michael added.

“Can someone please get to the point? It’s been like ten minutes of set up!” Chris yelled.

“I got this,” Michael said as he held out his hand to Colleen. She hesitantly grabbed it and he led her to a spot so they were in full view of the computer camera. “Oh, hang on,” Michael said as he reached in his back pocket and pulled out JC’s knit pink beanie and affixed it on his head.

“Really?!” JC yelled as everyone laughed.

“What are you doing? Cos-playing a proposal?” Colleen laughed in disbelief.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Michael told her. Colleen quickly grew serious as her eyes went wide. “This is actually pretty fun for me too cuz I wasn’t the one to propose so check this off my list as well,” Michael stated as he grabbed Colleen’s hand again and dropped to one knee.

“Dad, what is happening?” Silas whispered.

“I honestly have no idea,” Justin whispered back.

“Colleen…ummm…crap. I don’t know your middle name,” Michael scratched his head.

“Cecilia,” Colleen laughed and it broke a bit of the tension within her.

“Two C names…that’s weird. Anyways,” Michael got himself back on track, “Colleen Cecilia Lasota, would you make that man,” he pointed to JC, “the second happiest man in the world…because I’m actually the happiest with a tremendous husband and two so cute I can’t stand it twins and…”

“Michael!” Lance yelled from the screen.

“Right,” Michael tried again. “Basically, would you like to spent the rest of your life with the most indecisive man I know and put up with ALL of his shit, which I know the pile is slowly working it’s way down but, come on, there’s like a lot there if we’re being honest…”

“Michael!” everyone now yelled.

“OK!” Michael cleared his throat. “Colleen, would you like to continue having every day be a new adventure with a man who loves you for everything you are and supports you in being everything you hope to become?”

Colleen smiled down at Michael then turned to address JC with the answer. “Yes, I would like that very much.” Cheers erupted from the computer screen as JC smiled back, wiping away his tears. He had to admit, he was pissed when he figured out what Lance and Michael had planned but the surprise and joy on Colleen’s face quickly dissipated it. They had yet to do anything by conventional social norms with their relationship so his friend’s husband proposing to his girlfriend but dressed up as him was so much nonsense that it made complete sense.

Michael smiled as he pulled a little black velvet box out of his back pocket. “If it doesn’t fit, let me know, we can get it resized.”

“There better be a ring pop in there, this is already too much,” Colleen laughed through budding tears. The tears completely fell as Michael opened the box and she saw the delicate ring inside.

“You did not buy a ring,” JC said in disbelief. 

“We did. It’s from our jeweler Kyle and we went simple, something he already had on hand. Didn’t want it to look too much like an engagement ring since it’s technically not,” Lance explained as Michael grabbed Colleen’s right hand and slid the piece onto her ring finger. Colleen stared at the gold ring, shocked at how well the guys knew her style. Pave white diamonds were set half way down the band and flowed up to a single baguette diamond placed horizontally. It was simple, clean, modern…positively perfect.

“Are Uncle Michael and Aunt Colleen getting married?” Nash scratched his head and asked his parents.

“I think that makes JC the twins’ fairy Godmother now, if my math is correct,” Joey made himself laugh.

“How about we just applaud and figure it out later?” Justin offered as everyone broke out into cheers.

“Let’s see the ring!” Jess shouted.

Colleen came closer to the camera and showed off the new accessory to a chorus of ohhs and awws. She pulled her chair over to sit in front of the camera as JC scooted his to join her and clasped their hands, sharing a quick kiss. Michael knelt between the two as JC gave him a look for still wearing his clothes. Michael gave him a wide smile. “Ok, we’re done over here. I have no clue where we are in the order,” Michael stated.

“Well, my gift completely pales in comparison so sorry, Justin,” JC shook his head with a laugh.

“All good, man,” Justin smiled and turned to Silas. “Alright, you’re on,” he said and handed his son the slim gift wrapped box.

“Finally!” Silas exclaimed as he tore into the package. The paper was off in record time and Silas excitedly pulled off the lid, only for his face to fall in disappointment. “What is that?”

Justin looked down at the gift and stared dead into the computer screen. “I hate you.” JC was fighting hard to hold in his laughter and didn’t answer. Justin shut his eyes momentarily and breathed before grabbing the chain out of the box. “It’s a watch, but an old fashioned kind. You put this watch part in your pocket and you clip the chain to your pants so you don’t lose it.”

Hysterical laughter soon came through the computer screen as Joey clutched his stomach and fell out of his chair. Chris simply stood and applauded. Lance’s mouth fell open in shock. “JC, you never do the joke gift. This is fantastic,” Lance began laughing.

“Open it up to see the inscription,” JC managed to say through his own inevitable laughter.

Justin gave his friend a harsh look before carefully clicking the cover open. His own resolve broke as he smiled and turned the watch to face the camera for everyone to read “Joshtin Forever” etched on the inside.

“I knew it!” Joey shouted as his head peaked over the table as Brihana just shook her head at her father’s antics.

“I rode the bus with them. I could have told you that,” Chris added.

“Clearly I’m missing some kind of inside joke,” Jess smiled softly.

“You’re missing like five but you don’t want to know any of them,” Justin grinned. “Thanks C, this is, uhhh, this is unique…to say the least.”

Justin went to place the watch back in it’s case but Phin’s hand quickly reached out and grabbed it. “Mine,” he declared.

“Oh no, this is definitely not for you,” Justin tugged back.

“Mine,” Phin protested, getting his other hand on the trinket.

“Phin, no. That is Daddy’s, not yours,” Jess scolded him. 

“Mine!!!” Phin screeched at that decibel that only toddlers are capable of reaching. Justin relented purely to stop the noise as Phin held the circular watch firmly in his tiny hands. “Shiny,” he smiled.

It was JC’s turn now to fall fully out of his seat and into the snow below as he wheezed and tried to catch his breath. Joey was back up in his seat, pointing and laughing while Lance just shook his head. “That literally could not have worked out any better,” Chris shouted.

“If this turns into “a thing”, I’m sending him to you to deal with when he’s of age,” Justin threatened JC. “Wait, you’d encourage him. Never mind.”

“Send him to me if he ends up liking boys,” Lance told him.

“Send him to me if he ends up liking girls,” Joey added.

“Send him to me if he likes drinking and wants to waste five years of his life,” Chris cracked the joke at his own expense.

“You guys are the literal worst,” Justin couldn’t hide his smile.

“Ok, no, there’s a real gift as well, I promise,” JC pulled himself back up into his chair, his eyes still glistening from laughter.

“Thank goodness!” Silas exclaimed as Jess produced another box for him to rip into. Inside were a few wrapped items with tags for each family member on them.

“See Joey!” Justin tilted the box to show the camera. “This is how you send presents.”

“YES!!!!” Silas screamed in triumph as he found his package and revealed the latest version of Little Big Planet. “Thanks Uncle JC and Aunt Colleen,” he blurted out quickly before running to the living room to start playing.

“Thank God that worked out,” JC laughed.

“Phin, if you want your present, you have to give Daddy back the watch,” Justin told his youngest. Phin looked between the two and debated long before giving up and reaching for his present. “And now to hide this forever,” Justin said as he put the watch back while Phin was distracted.

“I don’t get it. It’s a watch, what’s the big deal?” Jess questioned.

Justin leaned into the camera. “You did this to yourself, C. I’m gonna have to explain now.”

“Fish!” Phin yelled excitedly. 

Jess looked over at the package her son was holding. “Musical Drumfish?”

“Yeah, you can bang it like a drum but you can hold the tail and shake it like a tambourine. The fins make sound too. Wouldn’t be the Timberlake household without music,” JC smiled.

“Thanks man,” Justin beamed as he watched Phin start to bang on the toy.

“JC, you didn’t have to get me anything,” Jess said in surprise as she pulled out a small square box with her name on it.

“It’s not much but wanted to get you something,” JC told her. She unwrapped and opened the box and showed something that looked like a cross between a bracelet and a wristwatch. “It’s an essential oil diffuser bracelet,” JC explained as he noted the confusion on her face. “If you look underneath, it’s got eight inserts with different scents. I didn’t know what you liked so I just got a variety.”

Jess took a deep inhale of the one currently loaded in the bracelet. “Ohhh, lemongrass. Thanks JC, this is really cool.”

“Alright, I’m not so worried about mine now,” Justin chuckled as he began to unwrap a slightly larger box than Jess had. He removed the tissue paper inside and pulled out a coffee mug. An outline of California with a heart over Los Angeles had a line connecting it to an outline of Tennessee and the heart over Memphis. The other side stated “Friends forever, never apart. Maybe in distance but never in heart.” The crowd erupted in a harmony of awwws at the gift.

“Man, I love you guys but that’s the gayest thing I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen Lance and Michael have sex,” Joey broke in.

Joey sat satisfied with himself as everyone scolded him for the inappropriate comment, his own daughter yelling at him for being a jackass, which made his smile widen.

“Joey, if you want to join in, you just have to ask, it’s ok,” Michael’s voice cut through.

“No it’s not!” Lance yelled. “He already tries to ball tap me every time I see him. I want him farther away from my penis, not closer.”

“Ok, this is devolving quickly,” Karly announced. “Nash, go check on Lennon. I’ll make sure you get to say goodbye before we hang up.” Nash wanted to stay but could tell by the tone in his Mother’s voice to not fight it so he ran off as told.

“Sorry, I tend to forget kids are present,” Joey admitted.

“Clearly,” Brihana rolled her eyes. “I’m surprised you all haven’t fucked each other at this point the way you all act.”

“If I had known that was an option when I was younger, it would have made my life a LOT easier,” Lance laughed.

“I was only a bunk away,” Joey batted his eyelashes.

“Exactly,” Lance huffed. “Couldn’t have shared a bus with Justin.”

“Wait, what?” Justin’s eyes grew wide. “Yeah, no Lance. Flattered, but no.”

“Just saying,” Lance shrugged and grinned, enjoying making Justin uncomfortable. 

“Ok, let’s wrap this up on a high note, I hope,” JC laughed. “One more thing in the mug, J.”

“I hope it’s half of a best friends forever necklace,” Joey crossed his fingers.

Justin reached in and pulled out a check made out to Stax Music Academy. “I read that’s how much it costs the school just to have one student attend each year so maybe one more kid could sign up if it’s covered.”

“Shit JC,” Justin spoke softly, clearly touched by the gesture. “Thanks man, that…that’s really gonna help someone who needs it.”

“Just don’t put my name in some list of donors program,” JC laughed.

“I’ll do my best,” Justin said back.

“Another successful Christmas in the books, if I do say so,” Chris exhaled and sat back in his chair.

“Actually, can I say something before we hang up?” Lance asked.

“If you’re proposing to someone else, it had better be me,” Joey argued.

Lance ignored him and continued talking. “Since the twins have arrived, Michael and I have been doing a lot of talking.”

“Normally at 3am,” Michael interjected.

“I thought you guys got a night nurse?” Chris asked,

“We did however we neglected to install soundproofing,” Lance stated. “Anyway, it took us so long to have these babies and I’m forever thankful for them but I also realize I am too old to be waiting for the things in life I want if there is anything I can do about it.”

“This proposal speech is weirder than the first one,” Joey told him.

“I guess it is a proposal, in a way,” Lance gave a small laugh. “I don’t want to wait on this album or this tour or whatever it is we want to do. I know you all are giving us time with the twins but being with them made me think about how much time I spent waiting for them to arrive. I’m tired of waiting. After the new year, I want us to sit down and figure out what we’re doing. I’m not trying to pressure any of you into committing to something you don’t feel comfortable with but we need to sit down and talk. Really talk. We keep using this line on our fans and need to actually follow through and do it. Even if nothing comes out of it, that’s ok, but let’s really actually discuss.”

The other four band mates looked at each other. “I’m good once we get back from my parents,” JC offered.

“New Year’s Eve gig then my schedule’s clear,” Chris added.

“Ditto,” Joey echoed.

All eyes turned to Justin. “I’ll figure out a few days, I promise,” he told them.

“Well damn, guess the band really is getting back together,” Joey breathed.

“Tis a Christmas miracle,” Chris declared.

A short round of small talk commenced as Silas and Nash were summoned back in to say goodbye to everyone.

“Nash, this game is SO cool! You gotta come over and play,” Silas told his friend.

“Can we?!” Nash pleaded to his parents.

“After the holidays, we’ll figure something out,” Karly promised him.

“Michael, I love you but get back home and help me with these children,” Lance told his husband.

“Want me to keep the clothes and do a little bit of role play tonight?” Michael wriggled his eyebrows.

JC quickly snatched his hat off Michael’s head. “Enough pretending to be me for one evening.”

“What he doesn’t know can’t hurt us,” Michael winked at the screen.

“Want some tips?” Colleen suggested.

“Uh…yes!” Michael answered enthusiastically.

“Ok, now I’m officially ending this call,” Justin laughed.

“Now you went and made Justin jealous,” Joey threw his hands up.

“Please, we know who’s actually jealous,” Chris cocked an excusing eyebrow at Joey.

“Goodbye!” Justin yelled with a laugh and a wave, his family joining in the sign off.

“Glad his marriage is going better but he’s still gotta work on not being so much of a prude,” Joey snickered after Justin disconnected himself from the call.

“He’ll get there,” JC piped up in support.

“Alright guys, I hear screaming and not from the babies,” Lance joked. “Michael…”

“I’ll head out in a minute, promise,” Michael assured him.

“Fun as always with you idiots,” Chris smirked. “Let’s connect next week and see if we can’t nail down a date to talk.” Everyone shared their goodbyes as the call ended.