Shouts from the other side of the chain link fence mix with Jonah’s cries as Justin struggles to balance his keys, wallet, notes for his meeting and the stroller he is currently wrestling with to open. Jonah hits a particularly high note and Justin look over apologetically. This shouldn’t be happening. When he thought out the whole situation there was a long list of people who were willing to help out when and if situations like this arose, but when he called around this morning looking to pick up a favor, the list became very short very fast.
Standing in the parking lot of his agents building and fighting with a piece of metal that somehow managed to cost more than his rims, Justin feels his frustration at the breaking point. Jonah’s cries begin to transition into hiccups the surest sign that he has also met his limit and the stroller finally licks into place.
The mixed laughter and gabs coming from the unwelcome audience on the other side of the fence aren’t helping. Justin reaches into the car to pull out his son and the voices are silenced, all vultures now hidden behind the lenses of overly enormous cameras trying to a get a good shot of the two together.
Using his body as a shield, Justin tries his best to get in the way of anything that would help these bastards live off of his child. Jonah’s cheeks are wet with tears and like so many times lately Justin feels like an inadequate father.
“Its ok bubba,” he soothes the baby. The cries slow down to broken sobs as the baby wipes his tears and snotty nose on his father’s shirt. A chubby thumb enters Jonah’s mouth and Justin lets out a heavy sigh.
It all sounded a lot easier in theory. Having Jonah full time has been anything but the uplifting experience Justin thought it would be. Not that he would ever consider not having him with him, but he just didn’t quite understand all Kate’s bitching until he became the sole parent.
The fact that Jonah is currently teething doesn’t help the situation in the least. Last night alone he woke up four times needing to be soothed and given a teething ring. It got to the point that Justin was resigned to put up the port-a-crib in the living room and camp out on the couch just waiting for the next wail.
Jonah’s eyes flutter a little and Justin takes the opportunity to lay him in his already reclines stroller. Not that Justin reclined it, that’s how it ended up and luckily for him it worked in his benefit. He pulls on the shield so that the only part of Jonah that is visible is his tiny sneakers.
The shouts get louder when Justin has to move along the fence to get inside. He grits his teeth as they press themselves against the metal a few even try reaching through.
“I swear to God if you all wake him there will be hell to pay,” he seethes. It was meant mostly for his own sanity and he wasn’t even sure any of them heard it. But then the leers and yells get a little louder and he realizes he should have just kept his mouth shut. Jonah’s own cries break through the noise and its all Justin can do to rush into the building and look for a little peace.
The secretary looks in disgust at the stroller and crying baby as he walks by. The same woman who was shoving her tits in his face a couple of months ago. He can see the nasty words forming on her tongue and then she sees him.
“Hey Sara. How have you been?” he asks. He’s sure to slather on the smile and accent just to make it that much clearer. She plasters on a smile, but can’t keep her eyes from darting back to the stroller. The cries get louder, but he’s determined to make her suck it up.
“It’s just great Mr. Timberlake. What can I do for you today?” she asks. The sarcasm it inching its way out in her words. Justin feels his heart constrict when he can hear Jonah’s tears. He grits his teeth and rolls the stroller towards the stiff couches in the corner while mumbling a response.
As soon as he sits he pushes the screen back and pulls Jonah out of the stroller. He can see Sara on the phone, probably bitching to someone else in the building about the ‘nerve of Justin Timberlake’.
He immediately begins the regimen of repeating commercials and rubbing his back in circles. It’s amazing what you can learn about your baby at two in the morning, Like the fact that Jonah loves the Mac vs. PC commercials. He’s in the middle of reciting the one about ‘cancel or allow’ when Stuart his agent enters the room.
“Justin Timberlake, say it ain’t so,” Stuart calls. His voice bounces of walls and jars Jonah back awake. It’s all Justin can do to not groan. Stuart stops and his group of minions stop dead in their tracks when they spot Justin’s entourage, or rather Jonah’s.
Justin side steps the stroller and holds Jonah to his chest with one arm.
“Stu! How are you man?” He extends his free hand and Stuart takes it a distance.
“I’m good. I didn’t know you were going to bring your kid with you today man. I planned a couple of conference calls to talk about some movie work,” Stu sighs. Justin shifts Jonah’s weight to the opposite side and struggles to call forward the confident business man he knows they were all hoping would come.
“Listen. I know it may have not been the most professional thing to do and I’m sorry about that. But he’s a good kid and I am here to work so lets get on with it,” Justin states. Stu nods before leading the way to a conference room. Justin rushes back to the stroller and struggles to get everything together before the group leaves his site.
“You need help?” Justin looks up at one of the minions, so young she’s probably an intern. He nods desperately before shoving the diaper bag at her. She takes the bag and then follows as Justin rushes past. Jonah continues to whimper in the stroller, arching his head back to reach for his father.
When they reach the room Justin looks desperately between his son and the waiting room of suits.
“They don’t really need me in there. If you want I could watch him out here?” Justin feels his chest tighten. This is everything he got all over Kate’s ass for. Letting someone he doesn’t know watch Jonah, but at this point he doesn’t feel he has much of a choice.
“Listen…..” he trails off waiting for her to interject her name.
“Jessica”
“Jessica, I don’t want this to sound harsh because I really appreciate the offer, but I need you to stay close to this window at all times, if I can’t see him, I’m coming out,” he warns. She nods earnestly and eases forward to take a hold of the stroller. Justin pulls away slowly, and keeps his eyes on the pair as he walks backwards into the room.
The meeting is a complete waste. Justin can’t keep his eyes off Jonah through the glass, who despite Jessica’s best efforts has not stopped crying. His agent is beyond angry at him, but he could fucking care less. They make it through one call before he’s at his wits end.
“This was a mistake. I’m not ready to get back into all of this yet. Just call me with any more offers,” Justin relents as he pushes himself back from the table. Most of the people in the room watch him open mouthed disbelieving, but he couldn’t care less what they all think.
He doesn’t wait for anyone to try to talk him into staying and when he opens the doors and hears the slow tired sobs, he feels utterly defeated. He reaches for the baby and Jessica hands him over willing.
“I’m sorry about this. I really do appreciate it,” he offers. She smiles slightly, but he can tell she’s frazzled. Jonah has that effect on people. Everyone except….as soon as the thought crosses his mind he pushes it out.
“It’s ok, but if you don’t mind me saying, maybe you should look into getting a nanny?” she presses. Justin’s shoulders slump. So much for pushing that thought from his mind. The fact that she was obviously so good with Jonah makes it harder to keep up his ‘I can do it alone front’. Mae. There he though it. She was fantastic with him and was becoming mildly amusing to have around towards the end.
“I don’t mind you saying. I do have a nanny. Today was just her day off,” he lies. She nods and hands him the diaper bag before scurrying off to the security and quiet of her desk job.
As if he can sense his own father’s exhaustion, Jonah’s eyes slip shut as he nestles himself into Justin’s chest. Justin hoists the bag up on this shoulder and pushes the stroller with his free hand. He avoids all goodbyes and smiles on the way out.
This defeat, even if only in his mind is huge. Luckily the crowd outside has died down and he gets Jonah into his seat without much eventfulness. When he shuts himself into the car he slumps against the leather interior. He glances down at the cell phone gripped in his hand and ponders who to call.
Normally the obvious choice would be his mother. Get some much needed support and sympathy, but she’s back in Tennessee headed up some kind of fundraiser and any support would only be verbal and he needs something more substantial right now. His finger graze the keys and for a fleeting moment he thinks of Kate. Kate who is filming in Fucking Mexico while he is quickly becoming a single father.
He lets his head roll back against the seat and holds down the 3 on speed dial. He pulls the phone harshly away from his ear when Trace’s ring back tone blares through the speakers. Worst idea ever in his opinion.
“Yeah?”
“Is that how you answering you phone now dickhead?” Justin asks. Trace laughs on the other end.
“Only when it’s you limp dick. What the hell do you want?” even though the words are harsh Justin couldn’t find more comfort in the bantering. Brings him back to center.
“Do you have Mae’s number?” He’s not surprised by the silence on the other line. He hasn’t exactly said the nicest things about the girl, even if they were mostly directed at Kate rather then Mae specifically.
“Why the hell would you want that? And more importantly why would I give it to you?” Trace demands. Justin hears a distinctive laugh in the background and almost swallows his gum.
“Holy fuck. You’re with her?” he gasps. Trace says something to her before answering and Justin feels himself go white. Why the hell this bothers him so much he doesn’t know.
“We were exploring the better parts of Huntington Beach. Now what do you want to talk to her about?” Justin turns on the car and immediately switches the AC on.
“I’m not going to do anything shitty, just put her on the phone,” he orders. There is a breif pause as the phone is passed.
“Hello?” Justin takes a deep breath. He can already feel the extra sleep this decision is going to bring him.
“Mae?” he asks.
“I would hope so,” she laughs. The sound when directed at him puts him at ease.
“Listen I know I was an ass about the whole firing deal I would completely understand if you had no desire to work for me again, but I was hoping, praying actually that you would consider coming back to work for me?” It all comes out in one poorly enunciated sentence, but its better that way. Like a band aid.
“You want me to be Jonah’s nanny again?” she clarifies.
“I swear to God I will double your pay if you could be at my place tomorrow. You can even live in the guest house if you want. My cousin just found her own place.” Another too fast sentence.
“As sad as it sounds I need the money, but I don’t know about the moving in thing,” she replies. Justin pumps his fist in the air in silent celebration. He wouldn’t dare risk waking Jonah.
“You are my fucking hero Mae.” She laughs at the comment.
“Just remember that tomorrow Justin.”
Justin flips the phone shut before Trace can get back on. Things are looking better already.
Author's Chapter Notes:
this one forced itself out. thanks agian for the reviews! keep em coming :)
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