“Daddy, you have to go? Who made you have a concert on our birthday, on Valentine’s Day?” Barb whined.
“I don’t always get that option, sweetheart. I had to sing on my birthday, though that was rescheduled because of my vocal rest. Which THAT was difficult, being a dad and not being able to talk…”
“It made things interesting, for sure,” Jackie smiled. “I’ll be with you, and JC and Jen will be around, you’ll be ok. A couple more months and then he’s done with the tour, so not much longer without him. You guys FaceTime all the time when he’s away, you just won’t be able to hug him.”
“Daddy’s a good hugger,” Joshy smiled, latching onto Justin’s leg.
“Hey there, kiddo. You’re almost 7, you’re gonna tackle me to the floor soon enough when you do that. I’m gonna miss you guys, but YOU need to get to school. I’ll be here tonight, I leave first thing in the morning. They don’t like me squeezing travel in so last minute, but I told them I need as much time with my twins before their birthday as possible.”
“We can’t go with you?” Barb asked.
“Nice try, but no. That reminds me, we need to update their passports, they look nothing like their photos anymore. Stop growing, you two…” he said, ruffling their hair.
“Hey! Jackie worked hard to get it perfect!” Barb said, frowning as she tried to fix her hair. “I don’t want you to go, you should be here for Valentine’s Day…”
“Why? I know it’s your birthday, but why because it’s Valentine’s Day?”
“To tell people you love them…”
“I can do that any time, not just one day. Who should I tell that to? You, Joshy?”
Barb leaned in close. “Jackie…”
Justin’s eyes widened. “Oh… yeah? You think so?” he asked, looking at Jackie. “What makes you say that?”
“I pay attention to things, the movies we watch, you see how they show they like each other. Jackie falls asleep on you when we have movie nights, like Jen does with JC, sometimes you and Jackie hold hands when you don’t think we’re looking.”
“Very perceptive for an almost 7 year old,” Justin smiled. He looked at the twins. “How would you feel if I WAS in love with Jackie?”
“You’re happy, right Daddy?” Joshy asked.
“Yeah, buddy, of course I am…”
“Would being in love with her make you more happy?”
He looked at Jackie, standing there silent, watching the scene unfold before her. “Yeah, I think that would.”
“You should be happy, Daddy. If being in love with Jackie makes you happy, then that makes us happy.”
“Well, you made this very easy. As it so happens, I am definitely in love with Jackie, and Jackie is in love with me. She’ll never take Mommy’s place, but I love her, a lot.” He looked at Jackie, knowing she heard every word. “I guess the secret’s out…”
“You really love Daddy?” Barb asked, practically giddy.
“I do, very much,” Jackie smiled.
“Good. Are you gonna get MARRIED?!” Barb was almost bouncing in anticipation.
“Maybe at some point, but not right away.”
“But you love each other, what else is there to know?”
Jackie crouched down. “Honey, it’s more complicated than that. For one, I don’t want to make it look like I’m wanting to replace your Mommy. She loved you more than I ever could, but I’m glad you’re ok that Daddy and I love each other. It also takes time to get the dress made, get everything ready.”
“Oh,” Barb’s face deflated, upset that there wouldn’t be a wedding in the next 5 minutes.
“We’ll talk tonight, you’re gonna be late for school,” Justin sighed, Jackie getting the twins out the door.
“Now,” he said aloud, “to prep for a romantic night before Valentine’s Day…”
…
The door opened, the twins running into the house, stopping dead in their tracks. Paper hearts in different sizes and colors were everywhere; all over the walls, down the hall, everywhere. The family room had streamers of red, white, and pink strung around.
“Daddy, what did you DO?!” Barb shouted, excited by the decorations.
“I thought I’d go all out for Valentine’s Day,” Justin smiled.
“What about our birthdays?” Joshy asked, less enthused about everything.
“I’ve got that handled too, bud. Barb, you got me thinking. Jackie and I love each other, why don’t we get married?”
“Justin, WHAT?! You didn't tell me any of this when I helped you decorate…” Jackie gasped.
“Surprise,” he shrugged with a smile. “Barb, you’ll be the maid of honor, you make sure Jackie doesn’t cry, and Joshy you’re my best man, you make sure I don’t mess up.”
Justin stood under the streamers in the center of the room, Jackie across from him. She smiled at the lengths he was taking to make Barb happy, and at how happy the twins were that they were together. Barb stood next to Jackie, and Joshy stood next to Justin.
“Ok, Barb, ask me if I will love Jackie forever and ever,” Justin directed.
“Daddy, will you love Jackie forever and ever?” Barb asked, her voice excited in the moment.
“Forever and ever,” he smiled. “Joshy, ask Jackie if she’ll love me forever and ever.”
“Jackie, will you love Daddy forever and ever?” Joshy asked, barely paying attention.
“I will, forever and ever.”
“Now what? Are you married? No, no you’re not.”
“What’s missing?” Justin asked.
“You have to kiss her!” Barb shouted excitedly, Joshy making a face before looking away.
“You heard the girl, I gotta kiss you, or we aren’t married…” Justin laughed. He pulled Jackie into his arms, kissing her softly. Barb stood in amazement, Joshy already moving on to something else.
“Barb, you gotta keep this secret. No one can know, just us…”
‘Why?”
“Well, I think grandma and grandpa and Nana and everyone else would be really mad if they weren’t invited, so we’ll do another big wedding someday with all of them, ok?” Justin smiled.
“Ok. Our little secret.”
“Is it over yet?” Joshy whined.
“Yes, Joshy. I’m making mac n cheese and dino nuggets for dinner, ok?” Jackie offered. Joshy’s face lit up in a smile. “And, between a wedding and birthdays, I bet there’s cake for dessert…”
“CAKE!” Joshy yelled, jumping up and down.
…
“Justin, you didn't have to cook for me,” Jackie said.
“Cooking for us isn’t in your job description, well, wasn’t…”
“Now I’m your girlfriend, I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to cook for you if I want,” she smiled.
“This is my Valentine’s gift to you, making you dinner, this big gesture. It’s our first one together, you only get one first with someone. It’s also goodbye until I’m back from shows in Sacramento and Oakland, otherwise I’m gone 2 months solid. I mean, I guess…”
“What?” she giggled, seeing the look on his face.
“Flew in on a 3AM just to show up and hear your sounds,” he sang quietly.
“I’m not opposed, but I think we’ll also make up for it when we’re finally back together again. Reunited and it feels so good,” she began to sing.
“See, you’re jumping right from dinner to getting me all turned on…” Justin smirked.
“Like it’s difficult,” she laughed.
“For a while, yeah. It was at least 6 months before I could… you know… just by myself.”
“Justin,” she sighed. “I mean, I get it, she was your wife, nothing else felt right.”
“This does,” he said firmly. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box.
“Justin,” she gasped.
“Just open it,” he smiled.
She opened the box, staring at a platinum ring with tiny diamonds over half of it. “It’s beautiful.”
“You don’t HAVE to wear it on that finger, but it’s up to you. Not an engagement ring, by the way, just so we’re clear. But I think we’ve had that discussion enough times to tell you I am working on one. Think of this as like a promise ring, that I promise to give you another one and spend the rest of my life with you. When I’m back from tour, I want all of your things to be in OUR bedroom…”
“Is it bad I wish that wedding earlier was real? You deserve all the happiness in the world, Justin, you’ve been through so much.”
“We can finish dinner and start practicing for the honeymoon…”
…
Justin sat on the plane, thinking about the last 24 hours. He grabbed his phone.
“Hey J, what’s up?”
“What are your plans tonight?”
“You have a concert, and I’m taking Jen out to Firefly.”
“Of course,” Justin smiled. “It’s a perfect night for that, romantic, private…”
“What’s this about, Justin?” JC asked, admittedly a little annoyed.
“We did Valentine’s last night, Jackie and I got married.”
“WHAT?!”
“Fake married, but the kids know Jackie and I are together, no more hiding it. We did a cute little mock ceremony, but I told Jackie during our dinner, after the kids went to bed, that I’m working on an engagement ring for her. Not asking if you’re doing the same, but do you see Jen filling that part of you that Mikayla did?” Tears formed in Justin’s eyes. The thought of replacing Mikayla made him feel guilty, but he also knew how much he loved Jackie, wanting the kids to have a full family again, as much as they could with Mikayla gone.
“You know no one will ever fill that spot, but pretty damn close, yeah,” JC sighed. “I think it’s time, J.”
