“Hey, baby.” Angelica Richardson-Brown looked up to see her husband, Corey Brown, enter the kitchen of their house. She quickly closed her diary.

“Hey.” He said placing a kiss on the top of her head. “How was your day?” He placed his jacket down on the seat next to Angelica’s before sitting himself.

She sighed. “You know, the usual. Housewife duties. How was your day?”

It was his turn to sigh. “Well, you know, we have to do this big merger thing. I told you that I was up for that promotion.” Corey began to struggle to get his tie off, before Angie stepped in to help her husband. “Thank you. I have to work hard to get this new company to sign with us. It’s just been, crazy.”

Angelica nodded. “Yeah, it sounds like it.”

“Anyways, enough about work. What’s for dinner?”

“Take-out.” She simply answered. She watched her husband’s face contort into disgust. “I’m sorry, babe. I don’t feel like cooking.  I'm tired as hell. This baby has been kicking my ass today.” She said looking down, rubbing her protruding stomach.

“Aww, baby.” Corey sat up, and slowly began to rub his wife’s stomach. Then he felt the kick and chuckled. “Looks like we’ve got a kicker on our hands. Let’s say NFL or MLS (major league soccer).”

Angelica scoffed. “Is that all you men think when it comes to having kids? Who’s going to be in the NFL or NBL?”

“NBA, baby.” Corey chuckled as his wife’s lack of sports knowledge.

“Whatever. And what if this,” she placed her hands on her round stomach, “is a girl?”

He leaned in and placed a kiss on his wife’s lips. “Well, she can still play soccer. Look at Mia Hamm. Or by the time she becomes an adult, they would have a NFL for women.” He smiled and Angelica shook her head. “It was just a thought.” He leaned in and kissed his wife again.

“Angie!” Someone yelled from the front of the house.

Corey sighed and put his head down in annoyance. He knew exactly who that was at the door.

“In the kitchen, Yan.” Angie yelled to the person at the front.

Not even fifteen seconds later, Aiyanna Houston, Angelica’s old sister, was standing in the doorway of Angie and Corey’s kitchen. “I need a huge favor.” Was the first thing she said walking into the kitchen.

“Hey to you, too, Aiyanna.” Corey chimed back in.

“Hey.” She turned to Corey and quickly turned back to Angelica. “I need a huge favor.” She repeated.

“You do know that our doorbell works, right?” Corey said again, interrupting Aiyanna.

“I know.” Aiyanna snapped.

“Why don’t you try using it sometimes?” Corey snapped back.

“Well, what’s the point of using it? When Angie gave me my own key.” Aiyanna said jingling the keys in Corey’s face.

Corey then turn to look at his wife. “You gave her a key?!”

“Yeah.” Angie nodded.

“For?” He questioned her again.

“I have a key to her house. What’s the big deal, Corey?”

“Because I just don’t want anybody barging in and out of my house.”

“Corey,” Angie sighed.

“No,” Aiyanna cut her sister off and turned back to Corey, “I’m not just anybody, Corey. I am her,” she pointed to Angie, “sister. And who died and made you king. This is much as my sister’s house as it is yours. Ok. Someone needs to be here to check on my sister when you‘re at “work”. ” Aiyanna used her fingers as quotes. She then turned back to her sister. “Any way. Before I was rudely interrupted, twice, I need a huge favor.”

“What is it?” Angie asked.

“You see Marquis and I have this big dinner meeting with his boss, that I truly have forgotten until about 3 o’clock this afternoon. And I need to you to watch Simone and Shawn, tonight. Please?”

Angie looked at her sister and then at her husband who was making different kind of signs to tell her to say “no”. She then turned back to her sister. “No, problem.” Corey sighed and put his head down. “I was just going to call and order a pizza or Chinese or something.

“Thanks so much.” Aiyanna hugged her sister. “You’re a life saver.” She then turned back to Corey. “And don’t think I didn’t see your reflection in the window.” She then headed for the front door. “I’ll drop them off in about an hour or so.” Was the last thing she said before Corey and Angie heard the slam of the front door.

“A key, baby? You gave her a key?” Corey asked Angie.

Angie sighed. “She is my sister, Corey. And besides it’s for emergencies.”

“And that was an emergency?” Corey said pointing towards the front door.

“She needed a babysitter.”

Corey smacked his teeth. “You should have said no. I really didn’t want to deal with Simone’s smart ass mouth and Shawn’s obsession with sticking things in places where he shouldn’t stick them.” Angie then stood to her feet, as best way she could, and reached over and smacked Corey on his arm. “Ouch!” He screamed. “What the hell was that for?” He began to rub his sore spot.

“That was for my niece and nephew.” And then she reached over and smack his other arm. “And that was for my sister.” She then waddled out of the kitchen, with Diary in hand, and into the living room.

**

“So, are you coming with us tonight or what, Justin?” Trace Ayala, Justin Timberlake’s best friend spoke to him over the phone.

“I can’t Trace.” Justin sighed.

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Same difference.” Justin answered.

“You still thinking about that girl from Atlanta?” Justin said nothing, but Trace knew the answer. “Come on , J, it’s been six months. And it was only one time. I can understand if you were in a relationship with the woman. You banged her and got out there. Good for you.”

Justin chuckled as his friend’s insensitivity. “Thanks, Trace. It’s nice to know I can count on you.”

“You can. And it’s not like you haven’t done it before. Some groupie follows you to your hotel room, and you bang the hell out of her, and we talk about it, while getting blazed. You know I live vicariously through you.”

Justin shook his head. “You’re sick, Trace. And besides she wasn’t a groupie, ok. She was different. It wasn’t just about the sex with her, even though it was the best sex I’ve had in my entire life. She was more than that, Trace.”

“Yeah, I know. She was that someone special, right? Give me a break, JT. Didn’t you say that she was married?”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t treat her right.”

Trace sighed. “Damn, J, she’s got you pussy whipped and you may never get to hit again.” He then chuckled. “You need to move on. You should’ve stayed with Cameron, man. She was hot.”

“I didn’t want Cameron. Yeah, it was fun in the beginning, but she’s not what I need. I need something more stable.”

“You’re Justin fucking Timberlake. There’s nothing stable about you.”

Justin chuckled at that. Trace was right. Justin’s life was completely unstable. Right now he’s sitting on his couch in his living room, but tomorrow he could be over in England doing a television show . That’s how crazy and hectic his life is. At the drop of a time he could be gone. Music was his life. But after he met Angie that night, she made him realize that music wasn’t everything. That he needed something more. He got that from Angie after one night, that he never got with the three years he dated Britney.

“J, you still there?” Trace snapped Justin out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, Trace I’m still.” Then idea popped into Justin’s head. “Hey, Trace, what do you say we take a trip?”

“A trip? A trip where?” But before Justin could answer, Trace answered his own question. “A trip to Atlanta, right? Hell no, Justin. You’re not going to go chasing after a married. We’ve got plenty of single beautiful women right here in LA. Why don‘t you take your pick?”

“But they’re not her. So, pack a bag, because you’re going whether you like it or not.” Justin snapped his phone shut, but re-opened it, and dialed a specific number. “Hi, yes, I need two tickets for Atlanta. Tomorrow please? Thanks.”