EPILOGUE
October 2, 2002 (Mt. Vernon, New York)
Ladies and Gentleman, huh, it's my pleasure to introduce to you--he's a friend of mine. Yes, I--yes, I am. And he goes by the name...Justin. Whoa...all the way from Memphis, Tennessee and he's got something special for ya'll tonight, he's going to sing a song to ya'll about this girl...come in right here? Yeah, come on.
Opening the front door to her apartment, Cathy couldn't help but smile to herself as the beginning words to Senorita were heard coming from her kitchen.
It looks like somebodies in a good mood....
With that thought in mind, without even bothering to remover her jacket or her gloves from her hands, Cathy set her shopping bags down on the ground beside the door and made her way towards the direction in which the music was coming from; finding her boyfriend of two months standing in front of her stove cooking, what smelt like, Spaghetti and Meatballs.
Mm, my favorite.
Senorita, I feel for you...you deal with things that you don't have to. He doesn't love you, I can tell by his charm, but you can feel this real love if you just lay in my--
Waiting until Justin had turned around, during one of his dance moves, to get his attention, Cathy couldn't help but laugh a little as Justin jumped slightly after being caught. "Jesus, Cat, you scared the hell out of me...I didn't hear you come in."
While turning the CD player that was situated on the kitchen counter down a little, Cathy replied, "I'm not surprised. You were in your own little world there for a minute..show me that move you just did again. I haven't seen that one before."
"Hardy, har, har..." Justin sarcastically replied back, before closing the distance between himself and Cathy; giving the older woman a kiss on the lips before after wards asking her how her day went.
"Same ole, same ole...but we'll talk about that later. Right now, I just want to taste what you're cooking." Cathy replied, before side stepping Justin and grabbing the mixing spoon that was sitting beside the stove; after wards moaning in pleasure as she taste-tested her favorite meal. "Perfect...but what's the special occasion? You never cook."
Waiting until after he had successfully wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's stomach, Justin let a small smile drift across his face while replying: "Oh nothing...I just thought we could celebrate the fact that I got my review back from Jive today and come November second, Justified will be in stores everywhere."
Oh my God.
Turning around, Cathy couldn't help but throw her arms around Justin's neck--pulling him into a tight embrace. "Are you serious? I'm so happy for you. Why didn't you call me earlier? I would've taken off early and we could have gone out to dinner. My treat."
After chuckling slightly at his girlfriend's enthusiasm, Justin replied: "I figured I'd surprise you here with dinner after my meeting with Johnny. I even dropped Kayla off at Joey's mom's house so we could have the whole house to ourselves tonight--I hope you don't mind."
Having no idea why she would mind the least bit caused Cathy to furrow her eyebrows in confusion for a second, but then not wanting to spoil the evening by questioning his words, Cathy instead replied that she wanted to hear all about his meeting at Jive, but only after she took a shower first. "I've been running around all day and I just want to relax for a second."
"Mind if I join you?" Justin half-joked, causing Cathy to think to herself that's how we got in this predicament in the first place. But knowing she'd have to wait before exposing that bit of information to the younger man, she playfully swatted him on his arm before telling Justin that she'd be out in a second.
"All right..don't take too long."
~*~
"God, I feel full."
"As you should be." Justin commented almost an hour after Cathy and him had sit down at the dinner table to enjoy a romantic dinner of Spaghetti and Meatballs, Garlic bread and red wine--none for Cathy, who said she had to get up early in the morning for work--with strawberry cheesecake for dessert. "That's the first time I've ever seen you kill two servings in one setting. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were eating for two."
As Justin chuckled at that statement while making his way back into the kitchen to load up the dish washer, Cathy couldn't help but tense up slightly while casting a look at the shopping bags that were still seated by the front door.
I guess now would be a better time than any to bring up my news.
With that thought in mind, Cathy yelled out: "Hey J, why don't you just put the dishes in the sink for right now. I want to show you something."
"Does this have anything to do with the bags that are seated by the door?" Justin yelled back, from in the kitchen; causing Cathy to roll her eyes in amusement, knowing the younger man never missed a beat.
"Just come back here." Cathy replied; a second later smiling slightly when Justin re-appeared with a paper towel in his hands, cleaning out the little bit of spaghetti sauce that he had somehow got stuck in between his finger nails.
Now I see why Kayla is such a messy eater...her father is too.
"So, what did you want to show me?"
After absentmindedly telling Justin to take a seat on the couch in the living room, Cathy picked up the small bags that were by the front door before joining her boyfriend in the other room.
"Please let it be lingerie."
"You wish." Cathy jokingly replied, before handing Justin the first bag--after wards telling him she hoped he liked it.
"Damn, I've been looking for this everywhere. Where did you find this?" Justin asked, after reaching into the bag and pulling out a framed photo of the picture that had been shown of him and Kayla during his BET interview a few months ago.
"A friend of a friend of mine pulled a couple of strings for me--I figured that now since the cat's out of the bag you should definitely start putting up more pictures of you and Kay around the house--this one first since it's your favorite."
After nodding his head in response, as if to say will do, Justin read out loud the inscription that was on top of the photograph: "Daddy's Lil Angel...I like it."
Figuring he would, Cathy took a deep breath in before reaching for the other bag that was sitting on the floor beside her and handing this article to Justin.
Now, for the big surprise of the evening..
"More gifts for me...? You shouldn't have!" Justin joked, even though Cathy could tell by the way he excitedly reached inside the bag that he was amused at the thought of someone spoiling him for a change.
"Mommy's Lil angel...?" Justin asked, after pulling out another small frame from the second bag Cathy had handed him, this one holding--instead of a picture of Kayla--a digital image from the doctor's office. "Are you serious?"
Not really sure by the tone of his voice or the expression on Justin's face if this was a happy are you serious or an angry are you serious caused Cathy to slightly bite her lip in worry while replying: "Yes...I'm pregnant. I found out this morning."
After almost a full minute of silence between the two of them--silence in which Justin continued to study the image in his hand during--Cathy wasn't surprised when fear began to take over her entire body.
This can't be happening again...
Fortunately for her...it wasn't.
"I'm going to be a father again." Justin commented, while adverting his now teary-eyed gaze towards Cathy; a hint of a smile playing across his face. "I'm going to be a father again."
Before Cathy knew what was happening, Justin had dropped the picture that he was holding onto the couch and stood up--bringing her with him; after wards quickly wrapping his arms around the older woman, bringing their lips together in an excited fashion; one which left Cathy breathless after only a couple of seconds.
"So, I take it you're okay with this?" Cathy asked, in amusement, after Justin had finally let her breathe for a second; only to drop down to his knees in a dramatic fashion to study Cathy's hidden belly.
"What? Don't get me wrong, I'm still in shock over this...but I'm more than okay with this...we're going to be a family."
A family?
Until Justin had said the world out-loud, Cathy hadn't realized that by having Justin's child this would really make her part of a family.
The only family I've ever known is Robert...
Now feeling tears start to come to her eyes caused Cathy to have to suck in a small breath at this information; a fact which Justin picked up on.
"Aw, don't cry, Cat...everything's going to be fine. We're going to get through this together, and you wont even have to worry about a commute...me and Kayla will just move here to be near you, if that's okay with you."
Having not even thought that far ahead yet caused Cathy to shake her head at Justin's response, before replying: "I don't want you to have to do that..I want to go back to Orlando. I want to be near you, Robert and the rest of the guys. I want to come home."
Not believing what she was saying caused Justin to slowly stand up from where he was kneeling down in front of her, and then after taking Cathy's hands in his, he hesistantly asked her if she was sure or not.
Without even bothering to think about it for a second, Cathy replied that she had never been more sure about anything in her life. "I want our baby to be raised near family, and all of you are my family. I love you and I want to be with you--that is, if you'll have me."
After slightly chuckling at this comment, Justin replied that he wouldn't have it any other way. And then after another brief second, in which his excitement came back to him full throttle, Justin picked up Cathy and spun her around; causing the older woman to squeal in surprise.
"Justin, put me down before I throw up."
Quickly putting her down at this comment, Justin had to roll his eyes as he realized his girlfriend was just kidding. "Sorry, I'm just so excited..I have to call my mom, and the rest of the guys. They don't know yet, do they?"
After shaking her head in response, Cathy watched on as Justin quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket and then began dialing a random number.
"Hey C, guess what...?"
While watching Justin tell friend after friend his good news--all of them wishing both him and Cathy congratulations and good luck in response--Cathy couldn't help but think to herself that this was the complete opposite of how Keith had reacted a year ago.
It just goes to show you that when you find someone who loves you for you, anything can happen--you might even find the one.
*****
What did you think? Sequel coming soon!!
Completed
AANIKITA is the author of 2 other stories.
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