The first time they actually interacted with Justin after the accident was a few days later, and even then it didn’t seem right. They came to the hospital and saw Justin in the bed, with a bandage around his head.
“Hey J,” JC said, he was the first one on them to speak. He walked into the room, closely followed by the other three. Justin’s head tilted up as he looked around him.
“Jayce?” Justin asked and JC nodded.
“Yeah J, it’s us,” he replied walking up to the bed and motioning for the others to follow.
“Us?” Justin asked still moving his head around.
“Yeah C, Joe, Lance and I. We all came,” JC said as he approached Justin and hugged Justin. “How are you J?”
“I’m okay,” Justin whispered moving his head to his chest. JC smiled and sat on one of the empty chairs near the bed.
“You sure?” JC asked and Justin nodded. There was a brief silence before anyone spoke.
“J?” Chris asked, walking up behind JC. Justin’s head shot up as he looked around.
“C?” Justin asked and Chris nodded.
“Yeah J, it’s me. I’m just glad you’re okay,” Chris said as he moved past JC and hugged Justin.
“Me too,” Justin whispered, but they all knew he wasn’t.
“No you’re not,” Lance said stating the obvious as he walked up next to Chris.
“Lance?” Justin asked, and Lance nodded embracing his younger friend.
“Yeah J. It’s okay, you’re gonna be okay,” Lance said not letting go of his friend.
“How can you be sure?” Justin asked, his voice small.
“We just do J,” Joey added pushing Lance aside so he could hug Justin as well. “It’s in your bones man.”
“Joe?” Justin asked, and Joey nodded. “I’m glad you guys came, but you shouldn’t have to see me like this.”
“We’ve seen you look worse J,” Joey said with a soft smile, and it made Justin laugh a bit.
“Oh yeah I forgot,” Justin said with a chuckle. But then the mood turned sombre once again as they fell into a silence.
“If there’s anything you need J,” Chris said after a while. “You know we’ll be there for you right?” Justin nodded silently but didn’t say anything.
“I know,” he replied after a while.
“When will they let you out?” JC asked, hoping it would be soon. Justin shrugged and moved his head to face at JC.
“They said I’ll be ready to go in a day or so. But I won’t go home, I’ll be sent to that rehabilitation center,” Justin said in a soft voice.
“That’s good,” Joey said and Justin shrugged.
“I guess,” he mumbled, but they all could tell he didn’t want to go.
“It is J,” JC said trying to reassure him. “Isn’t that the place where they’ll help you?” Justin nodded but didn’t say a word.
“Well then that’s good right?” Chris asked, “J, this is good like Joe said.”
“Yeah you’ll be helped and brought back to your old self,” JC said and Justin nodded not believing what his friends were saying.
“Um, look guys thanks for coming but I’m getting kindda tired,” Justin said falling back onto the bed. JC nodded and motioned for the others that they should leave.
“Yeah okay. It was good to see you J,” JC said and the others agreed. “We’ll come by later ok?”
“Yeah okay,” Justin said softly. “Bye.”
“Bye,” they all said at once and began to leave. They left Justin alone, all the time knowing that the man they left behind was not the man they had become accustomed to for the past ten years.
After a while Justin left the hospital, and was sent to Bindle House and his mood hadn’t changed. He’d become extraverted and quiet. No one really knew him anymore, and for the past few days before leaving the hospital he hadn’t really spoken more than a few words to people.
“Justin?” Mike, his body guard who had been asked to escort him to Bindle House, asked. “We’re here.”
Justin nodded as he felt the car come to a stop, he had no clue where he was, and he didn’t know if it was safe or not.
“J, it’s safe,” Mike said after a few minutes and Justin felt a hand on his shoulder, “Let’s go. Take my hand.” Justin nodded and felt around for Mike’s hand, he took it and was helped out of the car.
“Okay let’s do it,” Justin mumbled and Mike nodded. He led Justin up the steps and into the building. They entered the building, with Mike leading the way, and as they entered Justin swore he felt the stares on his back. He stopped mid-way to the reception. “Mike?”
“Yeah Justin?” Mike asked stopping as well and facing his boss.
“Are people staring?” Justin asked trying to hold back his tears. Mike sighed, and Justin knew he had the right feeling.
“No Justin they aren’t,” Mike said a bit hesitantly and Justin felt a hand on his shoulder, “Now come on. It’s okay.” Justin nodded slowly, trusting his bodyguard and let him lead him more.
“Okay,” Justin whispered, although he knew people were staring. They walked a few more feet and stopped. Mike took Justin’s hand and placed it on a cold hard surface. “What’s this Mike?”
“A desk Justin, we’re at the reception,” Mike said.
“Hi, how can I help you?” A new voice asked, a female voice.
“Um, hi. My name is Mike Roland I’m here with a Mr Justin Timberlake? We’d like to check in,” Mike said.
“Ah, yes, Mr Timberlake. Welcome. I’m Marci by the way,” the lady said and reached over the counter and placed her hand on Justin’s. Justin felt the coldness of her hand on his and immediately withdrew his hand, he was never one for touchy feely.
“Thanks,” Justin mumbled and turned his head away.
“Well, um, yes,” Marci’s voice said, “Um, why don’t we get you signed in then? You’ll be staying for a maximum of three weeks, in that time you’ll learn how to live with your disability as well as have group therapy. As well as group therapy, you’ll have your family and friends come visit twice a week for therapy as well to help them understand where you’re coming form. Your counsellor will be Dr Hart, any questions?”
“Yes,” Mike said once she’d finished. “The record label asked if I could stay here with him, for security purposes of course.”
“Um, we usually don’t allow…” Marci began but she was interrupted by another voice.
“Marci? Is this my new client?” Another female voice asked.
“Yes Dr. Hart, this is Mr. Timberlake, I’m just signing him in,” Marci replied.
“Ah Mr. Timberlake, I got a call about you welcome, and you must be Mike? Yes, they informed me that you would have to stay with Mr. Timberlake and yes, it’s fine,” Dr Hart replied, and Justin felt a hand on his shoulder. He reached up and touched the hand, realizing that it wasn’t Mike’s.
“Hi,” Justin said smiling slightly, the first time in days.
“Well then Marci will get everything organized and then you can come meet me in my office,” Dr Hart said, “It was nice meeting you Mr. Timberlake.”
“Justin, you can call me Justin,” Justin replied.
“Of course Justin. You too Mike, will you make sure you guys come to my office after sign in?” Dr Hart asked and Mike nodded.
“Yes doctor, nice to meet you to,” Mike said and then there was a pause, in which time Justin presumed the doctor left because the next thing he knew they were being signed in, to the longest three weeks of his life.
Dr Hart, or Melissa as her friends called her, let herself into the small side office and pulled her hair down. She walked over to the desk and turned on the computer, and opening up the file that had been faxed over to her this morning. She decided she’d better get a good background check on her new client and his circumstances as to why he was here.
Accident, the file said, with trauma to the head and damage to the occipital lobes. She sighed and felt the pain of the young man’s heart. Yes, she had been informed prior to his arrival as to who he was, but to her it was no big deal. He was here for help and support, and that she was going to give him. She continued glancing at the file, and stopped shortly after when there was a knock at her door.
“Yes?” she called not looking up from her file, the door slightly opened and her client’s bodyguard popped his head in.
“Dr Hart?” Mike asked with a slight smile. She looked up from her file and smiled.
“Ah, Mike, come on in. I suppose you’ve been checked in okay?” She asked, Mike nodded and pushed the door open a bit more so he and Justin could walk in. He smiled as he led Justin in and helped him sit down. “Hello Justin.”
“Hi,” Justin said as Mike removed the sunglasses that covered his eyes.
“How are you?” Dr Hart asked softly, and Justin shrugged but didn’t say anything. “How was check in?”
“It was good,” Mike replied for Justin, “Sorry he’s a bit shy. Never been one to open up to people he doesn’t know.” She smiled and nodded in understanding as Justin softly blushed.
“It’s okay I understand,” she replied, she picked up a pen and opened her file. “Well why don’t we get started?” Justin nodded softly and Mike smiled.
“Sure,” Mike replied for them and Dr Hart nodded.
“So Justin, how have you been handling your new situation?” Dr Hart asked, “I mean emotionally.”
“It’s been okay,” Justin replied but she knew he was lying. She could tell by the way his hands fidgeted that he was not coping as well as he’d have liked.
“Justin, we’re here to help you,” Dr Hart replied. “Why don’t we start by you telling me what you remember about that day?” Justin shrugged and moved his head so it seemed as if he was looking straight ahead.
“I got up, went to the gym, then the accident happened,” Justin replied like he had rehearsed the speech.
“Is that all you remember?” Dr Hart softly coaxed and Justin nodded.
“Yeah,” he said, but it was obvious he was not telling the truth. She sighed and let him have the benefit of the doubt and looked at her file.
“I see here your friends and family visited you in hospital, how was that?” She asked him and again he shrugged.
“It was nice that they came,” he said with a bit of hesitation.
“Will they be the ones visiting you while you’re here?” Dr Hart asked Justin softly, he nodded.
“Yeah I guess. Right Mike?” Justin asked his bodyguard.
Mike who had been silent all this time nodded, “Yeah Justin. They’ll all be here.” Mike looked at Dr Hart and gave her an apologetic smile.
“It’s okay. Um, well then, I guess that’s all for now. Why don’t you get settled in and I’ll talk to you again tomorrow once you’ve had time to familiarize yourselves with the place?” Dr Hart asked, Mike nodded and placed a hand on Justin’s shoulder who just shrugged.
“Okay,” Mike said and looked at Justin. “Justin? Shall we go to our room?” Justin nodded and felt around for the sunglasses Mike had taken off, as he did so Dr Hart noticed that his eyes moved in the direction to where Mike was but Justin himself didn’t know where he was looking.
“Well it was nice to meet you Justin, and you too Mike. I guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow then?” Dr Hart asked.
“Yeah,” Justin mumbled as he fumbled to put the sunglasses on. “Bye doctor.” That was his cue to Mike, Mike nodded and looked at the doctor.
“Thanks doctor, see you tomorrow,” Mike said and took Justin’s hand helping him out of the chair and out into the hallway.
“Bye guys,” Dr Hart called after them, and as her door closed she knew that this would be one tough guy to break.
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