”Hold on a sec, Justin?” JC spoke into the phone, entering Callie’s room. “Pack your bags. You’re coming with me Thursday.”
”No, I’m not”
“Yes, you are. I’m not leaving you alone in my house after what happened last week. Besides, school’s out. What’s the problem?”
”Work.” Callie responded, not lifting her head from the magazine in front of her.
“Take a week off. You haven’t missed a day for the year you’ve been working there. I’m not leaving you here. End of discussion.”
Callie mumbled something under her breath, but she knew JC could care less as he shut her door on his way out.
Leaving little to no room for discussion, JC continued down the hall to his room.
”C? You still there?”
“Yeah but I have more packing to finish up. I’ll see you in Vegas.”
“Okay. See ya.”
Despite what he told Justin, JC shut his room door behind him and flung himself back on his oh so comfy bed. He laid there, staring at the ceiling, a few minutes before press on for the TV and play for the VCR. The same and only tape that has been in his VCR for a little over a year and a half picked up from where JC last left it. It was the karaoke tape of Jessi that JC stole that night at the cabin.
For the past year and an half, JC watched the tape as some sort of self punishment. Although JC believed he had to let Jessi go for his own reasons, he still loved her more than any of the floozies he paraded around the country as some sort of sick public announcement that they were over. He didn’t need Jessi questioning the breakup, finding out the truth about Lana and her sisters, especially Callie. He just needed everyone to know that they were over. He also needed space. Lana’s death and the burden he carried of knowing the truth behind Lana being the drunk driver that almost cost Christi and Kaci their lives took a serious toll on JC. He didn’t need anyone breathing down his neck about Lana or pitying him. Again, another reason behind the random hookups following the breakup.
Not one person knew, besides JC, what was going on in his head. Not even his sister, who suspects there is more behind the breakup than what JC is telling. JC picked up on his sister’s suspicions and listened to her implied advice she gave him that day she caught him watching Jessi on TRL. But that’s all he did, listen. He just could not bring himself to explain to Jessi what happened. He was afraid. Afraid of what? He didn’t know. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it.
Instead, JC sought out Lana’s family. He needed to believe that the woman he once thought to have cared about had even a little ounce of compassion for others. Talking to her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins eased JC’s mind a little. He hadn’t talked to them, outside Lana’s funeral, in a long time, but sitting down with each of them helped somewhat. Hearing lots of good memories Lana had with her family helped him let some of the anger he held toward her go. Maybe even forgive her somewhat for some of the things she did in the past. But most of all, he remembered why he was with Lana in the first place. As hard as it was, JC was able to think about the good times, although far and few between in the end, that Lana and he had. She wasn’t all greed. Greed just got to her in the end, both when they broke up way back when and when Christi was mistaken for her and she wasn’t in the spotlight.
Anyways, JC spent a month visiting Lana’s family before he decided to wrap things up and head home. JC packed up his belongings and as he was headed out, he overheard Lana’s father and youngest sister having a heated debate about going back to college. Lana’s father could not afford to send her across country to such an expensive university and live in the type of apartment she wanted. JC, being the gentleman he is, offered to pay her tuition and let her with him. Lana’s father refused to let JC pay all of the tuition and made JC promise to look out for her while at his house.
A year later, Callie, Lana’s youngest sister was still living with JC. Despite what the media says, Callie and JC have not and will never be lovers. But then again, paparazzi knew shit about who Callie is and why she’s been with JC for so long. They were just housemates. Simple as that, minus the whole he dated her late sister drama. The two have always thought of each other as brother and sister and act like it, too. The “I hate you but no one messes with you without getting through me first” relationship accompanied by “you must accompany me to award shows and other outings so people don’t ask me about women” definitely applied to them. Callie thought JC was feeding gossip with the last part but figured she’d go along with him if it would help her parents out financially.
**
Justin rallied up Kaci from playing with her Barbie in her room to help her find Christi. They had an appointment they were gonna be late for, especially if they didn’t find the little girl’s mama, or mommy as Justin now has her calling Christi.
Justin hated to admit that he wasn’t on board with the baby new when he first found out. Yeah, he had told the interviewer Christi and him were in it for the long haul and would more than likely be the family with two point five kids. But when he arrived home, Christi nearly sent him into shock that they were adding the second child to the one she already had. Justin wasn’t expecting his words to ring true so soon.
But then there was Christi. She was a godsend, saying and sincerely believing every comforting word she told him. She understood what kind of bind he was in.
For a week, Justin sulked in his dilemma but watched Christi. Watched her be a mother to Kaci and care for herself. She tended to Kaci more than before, which is a lot. She did not want Kaci to feel neglected now or once the baby was born. Christi even went as far as to change her eating habits. Justin would not have believed this was the same woman who craved ice cream every morning and ate junk food like it would not be here tomorrow. No his girlfriend was taking her prenatal vitamins and eating plenty of fruits. Even a few vegetables here and there despite how much she despised them. Christi took her morning sickness in stride. Yeah, she was sick and felt like crap, but she did not let that ruin the days she had ahead of her. She brushes her teeth, washes her face, and lays down a bit after each wave of morning sickness; then picks her day up right where she left off.
Justin figured Christi must have picked up her new habits from her first pregnancy and he could not help but wish he was around the nine months before and not just at Kaci’s birth. With that in mind, Justin no longer watched Christi in wonderment but as an outsider. He wanted to learn all the ins and outs of Christi’s pregnancy as she did. But he did not tell Christi that. She was on a roll, taking care of both Kaci and his baby and still glowing. He didn’t want o ruin her happiness.
To Justin, Christi seemed as if she was handling this on her own much like her first pregnancy. He could not help if her ability to take things as they came was due in part to her insecurities of how Jordan was not interested in his wife and baby and was more preoccupied with his wife’s cousin. Either way, Justin was not Jordan and wants to be involved. He was determined to show Christi that she can count on him to be there for her, the baby, and Kaci to the end.
So after a week of sulking and Christi’s first doctor appointment, which he attended, Justin’s attitude did a complete turnaround. He was no longer worried about juggling his album, upcoming tour, relationship with Christi, and a baby. The idea of a baby on the way and seeing the ultrasound made him want to be more, for Christi, Kaci, and the baby.
Justin forced his way back into the picture by showing Christi he cared and was interested in how her body was changing just as much as she was. Being everything Jordan wasn’t and more. Justin knew what he did meant a lot to Christi, more than she let on. He realized he had took some of the burden off of Christi when he brought up the baby and how she was doing made her smile. People always talk about how strong Christi is with all she juggles but fail to realize she worries just as much as everyone else that she might fail. Having Justin there as someone she can lean on helped Christi open up to Justin even more. And as corny as it may sound, the baby may have brought Christi and Justin closer together.
Now, Christi had another doctor appointment just three months later. Not just any check up either. Today, Christi and Justin were finding out the sex of their baby. Needless to say, Justin was a little excited.
Justin heard the doorbell ring en route to find Christi and headed for the door. But before Justin reached the door, he heard keys jiggling and saw the front door open. Justin rolled his eyes and continued on his journey to find Christi.
”That key is for emergencies, you know?”
“Tell that to your girlfriend. She does the same thing at my house.”
“Christi?!” They both yelled, putting an end to what would be an endless conversation. They both knew Christi and Jessi will continue to barge into each others house unannounced regardless of how annoyed others may be. They had been doing it since they were little and will continue for a very long time.
Breaking the tension between Jessi and Justin, Kaci echoed, “Mommy?! Mommy?!”
Christi rounded the corner from her office, handing Justin some papers.
Justin set Kaci down and glanced at the blueprints Christi just handed him.
“You ready? It’s time to go.”
“Yeah.” Christi answered, “I just need to find my shoes. Have you seen them anywhere?”
“Got ‘em.” Jessi answered.
Justin turned around, raising an eyebrow at Jessi.
”What? She’s been asking the same question for the past four months. I saw them by the front door when I came in and thought I make life easier on you and me.
”Thanks, Jessi,” Christi responded before turning to Justin, “I talked to my dad. He has a buyer for the house and also needs us to fax him any changes we have to the floorplans so he can give it to the contractor.”
Christi finally caved and gave her father the go ahead to sell the house he bought Jordan and her when they married. Seeing how Jordan will not be using it anytime soon and Christi did not want to live in it, selling seemed like the best thing to do with the house. This way someone else can put a perfectly good house to use and not have to deal with bad memories.
Aside from selling the house, Christi also asked her father to contact the contractor who revenerated Justin and Christi planned to build a house in the wooded area across from SilverLeaf and big enough to their liking. The cabin is too small to house Christi, Kaci, Justin, the baby on the way, and guests, as Justin kept telling Christi. Jessi’s house is too big, lonely, and not hers. Christi definitely did not want to live at her parent’s home with two children. A new yet bigger home seemed like the only logical choice.
“Okay but we’ll worry about all of that when we finish up with the doctor. We need to leave now if we’re gonna make it on time.”
Jessi dropped Christi sandals, and Christi slipped her feet into them.
Returning her attention back to her best friend, Christi warned, “You will stay away from Dr. Feel Good until he done. Got it?”
Jessi rolled her eyes. The two of them talked about this over and over and over again. Yet somehow the topic always came up at least three times a week. “Got it, mom.”
”Smart ass,” Christi commented.
”Smart a--“
Covering Kaci’s tiny mouth with her hand, Justin interrupted, “Don’t copy mommy. Mommy said a bad word?”
“Yeah, baby. What Justin said,” Christi told Kaci before speaking to Jessi, “See what you made me do?”
“Whatever,” Jessi said, rolling her eyes.
Christi shook her head of the smart remarks jumbled in her head and continued where she left off, “Whatever yourself. In the office, he’s Dr. Carlson. Outside, he’s Jason and whatever ya’ll wanna do up to you.”
“I thought you said he was good for me? ‘First decent guy I’ve been with in a long time.’”
“He is. I just don’t feel comfortable thinking about your boyfriend, my doctor, down there. Get my drift?”
Both Jessi and Justin face scrunched up at Christi statement.
Justin felt like rushing them along, but knowing them, that was a huge no no. They just had to finish what they were talking about. Even if Justin wished to have not heard what Christi said. Not that he hasn’t thought about it in the three months Jessi has been dating Christi’s doctor, Justin just preferred to not think about it. Jessi’s boyfriend or not. Dr. Jason Carlson still wasn’t one of the women doctors he would have preferred Christi have.
”I won’t even go near him. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll stay in the waiting room with Kaci until ya’ll are done.”
“Good. Now, let’s go. We’re gonna be late.”
Jessie’s phone started to ring as Justin hurried the two women and little girl toward the front door. She let it go to voicemail when Justin complained once she tried to pull it out of her purse. He warning them that they were going to be late by at least ten minutes resulted in Jessie missing her father’s first phone call to her since her mother passed away almost five years ago.
