Chapter 3

THEY WERE GOING BACK TO THEIR HOME IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE AFTER SPENDING PRACTICALLY THE WHOLE DAY WITH JUSTIN'S MOTHER, IT WAS LATE ALREADY AND WHILE JUSTIN WAS DRIVING MARIAM WAS DYING TO GET HOME AND TAKE THOSE BEAUTIFUL BUT UNCOMFORTABLE NEW SHOES THAT JUSTIN HAD BOUGHT FOR HER, HE LOOKED TO HIS RIGHT AND SMILED AT HIS WIFE, HE TURNED BACK HIS HEAD TO FIND A VERY BRIGHT LIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, JUSTIN TRIED TO AVOID THE HUGE TRUCK BUT LOST CONTROL OF THE WHEEL, WHEN MARIAM OPENED HER EYES SHE FOUND HERSELF LAYING ON A HOSPITAL BED AND LISTENING TO THE DOCTOR'S CONVERSATION

DOCTOR: SHE IS GOING TO BE OK BUT IS THE YOUNG MAN WHO I'M WORRY ABOUT

NURSE: YEAH, HE LOST WAY TOO MUCH BLOOD

MARIAM JUST CLOSED HER EYES AND STARTED CRYING

SHE WOKE UP TO FIND JUSTIN STARING AT HER

Justin: good morning

SHE SMILED AT HIM

Justin: you were dreaming, about what?

Mariam: how do you know I was dreaming?

Justin: I don't know but I just know

Mariam: I was dreaming about the accident

Justin: the accident was 2 years ago

Mariam: I know, but every time I think or dream about it I realize that I could've lost you

Justin: well I'm here and I'm not going anywhere

JUSTIN SMILED AND MARIAM GOT CLOSER TO HIM AND HUGGED HIM

Justin:I know the sex was good last night and you wanna say thank you but you don't have to hold me so tight

Mariam: you are so full of it but I still love you

JUSTIN GOT OUT OF BED WEARING NOTHING, EXPOSING HIS PERFECT BODY AND LEAVING MARIAM BREATHLESS, IT HAPPENED EVERYTIME SHE SAW HIM LIKE THAT, SHE LOOKED AT HIM AGAIN AND NOTICED HOW TIRED AND PALE HE LOOKED, IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME SHE SAW HIM THAT WAY, HE'S BEEN LOOKING LIKE THAT FOR A FEW DAYS NOW

Mariam: are you feeling ok?

Justin: yeah why?

Mariam: I don't know, you look tired, sick maybe?

Justin: well I feel fine

Mariam: are you sure?

Justin: I promise

HE LOOKED AT HER AND SMILED

Justin: come on, I'll make breakfast for both of us

Mariam: ok but some clothes on, looking at all that whiteness is not my idea of having a perfect breakfast

Justin: whatever, you know you want all this whiteness

Mariam: unfortunately I do

Justin: of course you do, let's go eat some breakfast

Mariam: alright, cause you know how much I love those burned waffles you always make

Justin: is that what everybody call sarcasm?

MARIAM SMILED AND GOT OUT OF BED HERSELF

Mariam: sarcasm? what's that?

Justin: hey, it's not my fault the toaster doesn't like me

Mariam: right

Justin: come on, we have to hurry, we don't want to be late

Mariam: late? for what? we have to go to work today? what day is today?

Justin: no, we don't work today, it's Saturday and if we don't hurry we are not gonna make it in time to the hospital to pick up Natalia

Mariam: oh yeah

Justin: oh honey don't worry I still love you even though you are slow

Mariam: shut up, are you making fun of me?

JUSTIN STARTED LAUGHING

Justin: me? making fun of you? never!!!

Mariam: fine, I'll remember that next time you want to have sex

MARIAM LEFT THE ROOM AND TO GO DOWNSTAIRS, 3 SECONDS LATER JUSTIN WENT RUNNING AFTER HER

Justin: wait, you don't mean that right?

Mariam: you know I'm just gonna go take a shower before I eat breakfast, now go and make those burned waffles you know I love so much

Justin: whatever, they don't come out that burn

Mariam: sure sweetie, whatever you say

MARIAM AND JUSTIN WENT TO DOMINICK'S HOUSE WHERE MARIAM STAYED MAKING SURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY FOR NATA AND VERONICA'S HOMECOMING, DJ AND JT WERE THE ONES WHO WENT TO PICK UP THE MOTHER AND BABY FROM THE HOSPITAL

Justin: so aren't you happy you are going home?

Natalia: you have no idea

NATALIA LOOKED AT JUSTIN AND NOTICED THERE WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT HIM

Natalia: are you ok?

Justin: yeah why?

Natalia: you seem kind of pale, right honey?

DJ LOOKED AT HIS BESTFRIEND AND AGREED WITH HIS WIFE, JUSTIN LOOKED PALE, SOMEWHAT SICK

Dominick: are you sick or something?

Justin: why does everybody keeps asking me that?, I'm fine

Natalia: who is everybody?

Justin: your friend mariam

Dominick: well you do look sick

Justin: I'm fine, just get in the car

ALL OF THEM GOT IN THE CAR AND HEADED TOWARDS DOMINICK'S HOME

A FEW DAYS LATER JUSTIN FOUND HIMSELF IN THE STUDIO STILL WORKING EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AFTER 10PM, HE HEARD SOMEONE'S FOOTSTEPS AND SAW THE STUDIO'S DOOR OPEN

Justin: hey Allison

Allison: Mr. Timberlake I didn't know you were still here, I just came because Mr. Weiss forgot some papers here and he called and asked me to get them and put them in his office

Justin: oh yeah, they are right there on top of that table

THE ASSISTANT TOOK THE PAPERS AND GAVE HIM A THANK YOU, HE GOT UP AND SUDDENLY FELT WEAK, FIRST HIS KNEES THEN HIS ENTIRE BODY, HE WAS HOLDING ON TO THE BIG, LEATHER CHAIR WHEN ALLISON WENT TO HELP HIM

Allison: oh my god Mr. Timberlake are you ok?

Justin: yeah don't worry, I'm just really tired

Allison: well you look sick and tired, maybe you should go home

Justin: yeah you are right

Allison: do you want me to call Mrs. Mariam and tell her to come pick you up?

Justin: no, I'm fine Allison, I can drive don't worry

Allison: ok, don't worry I'll close the studio, just go home

Justin: and Allison?

Allison: yes?

Justin: I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell Mariam what happened here

Allison: ok

Justin: thanks

WHEN HE GOT HOME MARIAM WAS ALREADY IN DEEP SLEEP, HE TOOK HIS SHOES AND CLOTHES OFF LEAVING ONLY HIS BOXERS ON, A FEW MINUTES AFTER THAT HE WAS ASLEEP.

THE PAIN WOKE HIM UP, IT WAS ALMOST TOO MUCH TO HANDLE, JUSTIN TRIED HIS BEST TO GET OUT OF THE BED WITHOUT DISTURBING MARIAM'S SLEEP, HIS STUPID LEFT KNEE WAS HURTING AGAIN, AFTER WHO KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS, 5? 6 YEARS? OK SO MAYBE IT WAS LESS THAN THAT, MORE LIKE 2 MONTHS AGO BUT EVEN IF HIS KNEE WOULD HURT FROM TIME TO TIME IT NEVER HURT LIKE TONIGHT, HE FELT HORRIBLE, THE PAIN WAS GOING THROUGH HIS ENTIRE BODY, YEAH HE WAS SURE THE PAIN WAS NEVER LIKE TONIGHT, IT WAS KILLING HIM.

AFTER WHAT SEEMS LIKE HOURS OF MISERY HE FINALLY GOT TO THE BATHROOM WHERE HE FOUND THOSE PAINKILLERS, HE TOOK 2 OF THEM AND PRAYED THE PAIN WOULD GO AWAY, AFTER 3 HOURS HE WENT BACK TO BED AND FELL ASLEEP

THE NEXT DAY HE FELT A LOT BETTER EVEN THOUGH HE STILL LOOKED PALE AND SICK, HE WAS MAKING HIMSELF A SANDWICH WHEN THE PHONE STARTED RINGING

Justin: yes?

Mariam: hey, Barry told me you called him and told him you weren't coming, are you ok?

Justin: yeah I just, I really don't have much to do today and I figured whatever I had to do I could just do it in the studio here

Mariam: yeah try to rest

Justin: Barry said it was ok, he said I should get some sleep cause I look tired but I feel fine, really!

Mariam: fine, anyway I have bad news

Justin: what is it?

Mariam: I have a meeting with the guys from Outkast about the promotion of their new album but unfortunately they are really busy doing a TRL special in New York so I'm flying to New York today

Justin: for how long?

Mariam: well I'm leaving in about an hour, the meeting is tomorrow morning, I'm coming back right after the meeting is over so I should be here tomorrow night

Justin: ok baby

Mariam: I don't really have a lot of time so can you please send me some clothes? I'm sending Ana to get them

Justin: sure

Mariam: thanks baby, you are the best

Justin: I know

Mariam: I love you

Justin: I love you more

20 MINUTES LATER MARIAM'S ASSISTANT WAS IN THE HOUSE WAITING FOR THE CLOTHES

2 HOURS LATER MARIAM WAS ON HER WAY TO NEW YORK CITY AND JUSTIN FOUND HIMSELF TAKING MORE PAINKILLERS TO GET RID OF THE HORRIBLE PAIN ON HIS KNEE

AN HOUR AFTER THAT HE LOOKED AT HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR, HE DID LOOK SICK, HE GOT WORRY AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PHONE CALL

THE NEXT NIGHT HE IMPATIENTLY WAITED FOR MARIAM TO GET HOME, SHE FINALLY ARRIVED AT 10:45 PM

Mariam: hey

SHE WALKED UP TO HIM AND KISSED HIS LIPS

Justin: god I missed you

Mariam: baby I was only out one night

Justin: that's enough for a man to go crazy

SHE SMILED AND KISSED HIM AGAIN

Mariam: so how much did you miss me?

Justin: I plan to take the whole night to show you how much I missed you

Mariam: I'm kind of tired

Justin: I don't care, take some energy pills or something, I'm having sex tonight

SHE DID NOTHING BUT LAUGHED

Mariam: I just love how considerate you are with me!

Justin: I know

Mariam: well can I at least take a shower?

IN THAT INSTANT THE PHONE RANG

Justin: you shower, me phone

Mariam: ok

Justin: and girl you better be ready when I get upstairs

Mariam: just answer the phone

MARIAM RAN UPSTAIRS WHILE JUSTIN ANSWERED THE CALL HOPING IT WOULDN'T TAKE FOREVER

Justin: hello?

Dr. Nicoletti: Mr. Justin Timberlake?

Justin: yes it's him

Dr. Nicoletti: this is doctor Nicoletti

Justin: hello doctor how you are doing?

Dr. Nicoletti: good thank you

Justin: so doctor how can I help you?

Dr. Nicoletti: look Mr. Timberlake I usually don't call patients at this time but in your case I just thought I should

Justin: in my case?

Dr. Nicoletti: look, I think you should come to see me tomorrow, first thing in the morning