November 2011
"Sissy!" Cora whined and tugged on her sister's hand. The toy store was the only place she wanted to go to in the mall and she wasn't being allowed to.
"I said no Cora." Sierra pulled the four-year old closer to her side. She had her other hand pushing the stroller in front of her. "We're here to get you some new pants."
"I want a toy," She pouted.
"Next time Cora." They walked into the department store and found the little girls section. Sierra walked over to the jeans and found a couple of pairs for her to try on.
"I like this," Cora pulled on a pair of pants that were hanging on a hanger. Sierra turned around and looked at the pair.
"Let's find your size then, and we need to go to the fitting room so you can try them on." She shuffled through the rack, pulled off the right size and set them on top of the stroller. "Come on."
"I can do it myself," Cora said before Sierra had a chance to wrestle the stroller into the fitting room.
"You have to come out though and show me," Sierra said seriously. Cora nodded and took the jeans from Sierra when she handed them to her. The little girl walked into the dressing room. Sierra checked on the baby boy who managed to stay asleep the entire time, which was good for her.
She looked up for a second and smiled seeing a man and his daughter looking at clothes for her. He didn't seem to have his hands full like she did. When her mother died two years ago she was left to care for her younger sister and then just over a year ago she found out she was pregnant with Cameron.
"Sissy?" Sierra looked up from tucking the blanket back around Cameron and smiled at her little sister.
"Come over here," Sierra said. Cora walked over and Sierra tugged on the pants to make sure they fit her right. "Those are good. Are they comfortable?" The little girl nodded. "Go try on the next pair," She patted the little girl on the butt and stood up.
"Got your hands full?" Sierra looked startled as she heard his voice. She turned around to see the man she was watching before standing behind her. He had sent, who she assumed was his daughter, into the dressing room behind Cora.
"Always," Sierra answered with a smile and looked down at her son.
"How old is he?"
"Four months."
"I'm hungry," Cora announced as she stepped out of the dressing room with the second pair of pants on.
"Well go home and have lunch when we're done here." Sierra answered as she knelt down and fussed with this pair of pants as well. "Do you like this pair?"
"Yes," Cora answered. Sierra nodded and watched her go back into the dressing room.
"My daughter and I are going to grab something to eat, would you like to join us?" He asked.
"I don't think-"
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have assumed that you are single."
"Oh I am … I just-"
"Then join us, it'll be my treat." He insisted.
"Are you sure?" She wanted to give in so badly, and it was very tempting to want to get to know him more.
"Yes," He smiled and held his hand out for her to shake, "Justin Timberlake."
"I know," Sierra nodded and shook his hand. "Sierra Stevens and this is my son, Cameron and Cora is my little sister." Justin's daughter walked out of the dressing room and handed him the clothes she had tried on.
"Do you want these?" He asked.
"Yes," She answered and looked over at Sierra. "Hi."
"Hi," Sierra said, "I'm Sierra. What is your name sweetie?"
"Olivia." The little girl answered and turned to her Dad. "Can we go eat now?"
"Sierra and her sister are going to join us," Justin said. "So we need to wait a little bit. Do you want to go look around some more?"
"No, I'm done." Olivia answered and looked into the stroller. "What's his name?"
"Cameron," Sierra answered the little girl just as Cora came out of the dressing room. "Oh sweetie those are too big." Sierra chuckled seeing the bottom of the pants drag on the floor. "Go ahead and put your pants back on and we'll go eat."
"Who are you?" Cora asked curiously.
"That's Justin and his daughter Olivia. We are going to eat lunch with them, is that okay?" Sierra asked. Cora nodded and turned to walk back into the dressing room for the final time. "How old are you Olivia?"
"Seven," She answered.
"Are you in school?"
"Yeah. Second grade."
"Do you like it?" Sierra got in a couple of more questions before Cora came back out and handed her the jeans. The little girls introduced themselves and walked in front of Justin and Sierra as they headed to a checkout.
"How's McDonalds?"
"That's fine," Sierra signed the receipt while the cashier put the new jeans in the plastic bag. "Which one?"
"The one just down the street from here. Is that okay?"
"Yeah." Sierra nodded and took the bag from the cashier's hand. "Thank you. Cora lets go okay … we're going to go to McDonalds."
"Cool." Cora said and grabbed Sierra's hand.
"See you in a few minutes." Justin said. He watched Sierra walk out of the store with the two kids while the cashier rang up the stuff that he was buying for his daughter.
They met up at McDonald's and Justin paid for their meal as promised. Sierra thanked him as they sat down in the playground area. She helped Cora get her meal situated and then got hers as well. Cameron started to fuss in his stroller and she picked him up and got out a bottle for him to drink while she ate her meal.
The two girls ran off to the playground after they had eaten, leaving Justin and Sierra by themselves.
"They seem to have hit it off," Sierra said and looked towards the playground. Cora was pulling off her shoes and put them in the little cubby holes before going after Olivia in the ball pit.
"That's good." Justin said.
"It is?" Sierra questioned. Justin nodded with a smile. Sierra smiled to and looked down at where Cameron had fallen asleep in her arms. She set the bottle on the table, but kept him in her arms instead of laying him down in his carrier. The two of them chatted while the girls played for almost thirty minutes.
Justin had to practically go inside the ball pit to get both girls to come out, and Sierra was glad that Cora listened to him when he went over there. Sierra put Cameron down in his carrier and helped Cora put her shoes on.
"Thanks for lunch." Sierra said as she stood up. She picked up her bag and the car seat that Cameron was in.
"Can I have your number?" Justin asked. Sierra found a pen in her bag and wrote down her home number on an extra napkin. Justin put it in his pocket and they said their goodbyes.
"Well you look quite happy this morning." Sierra's Aunt Carrah said as she walked into the kitchen.
"Just invite yourself in," Sierra smiled and grabbed a mug from the cabinet. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table.
"Where are the kids?" Carrah asked as she sat down at the table.
"Still asleep," Sierra answered. "I thought I would let them sleep a little late. I'm sure Cameron will wake up any minute though."
"So why are we all smiles this morning?" Carrah asked.
"I met a guy," Sierra giggled as her index finger trailed over the rim of her mug. She reached to pick it up and took a sip.
"Oh?"
"Yes," Sierra looked down at the table. "I met him at the mall. He was shopping with his daughter."
"Does he have a name?"
"Justin," She answered.
"Are you going to go out?" Carrah asked just as Cameron's cries were heard from upstairs. Sierra stood up and started to walk out of the room.
"When he calls," She disappeared up the stairs with that answer. "Hey hot stuff," Sierra smiled as she picked up the baby from his crib. She kissed his cheeks a couple of times before setting him down on the changing table to change his diaper. "Let's find something for you to wear today." Sierra picked him up and walked over to the dresser.
"Sissy!" Cora giggled as she came bouncing into the room still in her pajamas.
"Good mornin' Cora," Sierra smiled and kissed her head. "Aunt Carrah is here, see if she'll fix you something to eat while I get Cameron dressed."
"Okay," Cora left the room. Sierra heard her make her way down the stairs and chat with Carrah. She dressed Cameron quickly and then made her way downstairs where she fixed him his breakfast.
Sierra bounced Cameron on her hip as she reached to pick up the phone. Cameron put his hand in his mouth and sucked on his fingers.
"Hello?" Sierra asked as she tried to pull them from his mouth. Cameron screeched and then put his hand back.
"What is the problem over there?"
"Who's this?" Sierra asked not recognizing the male voice on the other end.
"Oh sorry, it's Justin." He said.
"Oh hi," Sierra smiled and wiggled her eyebrows at Cameron. The little boy giggled with his hand in his mouth. Sierra shook her head. "How are you?"
"I'm doing good," she could hear him laugh at something else.
"What's going on over there?" Sierra asked and sat down on the couch with Cameron in still in her arms.
"Olivia," Justin chuckled. "She's mocking me." Sierra giggled at the thought. "So I know it's short notice, but I was wondering if you would like to go out Tuesday night?"
"I would love too," Sierra answered.
