~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Year Later*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
JC entered a diner just off Broadway. It was around 9am on a beautiful Saturday morning in New York City. For the last month or so, he’d been coming to this very diner every Saturday morning for breakfast. Almost every Saturday he saw her there. She was almost always there any time he passed. She was always bright and cheerful every time he saw her, but he couldn’t help but wonder who or what caused the sadness that always lurked just beneath the surface of her bright hazel eyes. He walked in and took a seat at his usual booth.
She looked up from the counter when she heard the door open and smiled brightly when she saw him come in. For the last month or so, he was always here on Saturday mornings. He always ordered the same breakfast while he read the New York Times. Of course anyone would be blind not to see just how attractive he was. When he first started coming in, his dark brown hair was about shoulder length and cut kind of choppy. Since then, he’d decided to change the style, opting for the clean-cut look. His blue eyes always sparkled when he smiled, but like her own they always held just a hint of sadness. She grabbed a fresh pot of coffee and headed to his table.
“Good morning,” she smiled down at him as she poured his coffee. “How are you this morning?”
“I’m good,” he smiled back. She had the cutest accent. “How are you?”
“Oh,” Kelly sighed. “I’m hanging in there. I’m pretty tired from all the shifts I’ve been working lately.”
“I bet. Every time I pass by here I see you. I bet your husband doesn’t like you working so much.”
Kelly laughed, “I’m not married.”
“Oh, well your boyfriend then.”
“Nope, I don’t have one of those at the moment either.”
“I’m sorry,” he laughed nervously. “I haven’t had much luck in that department either. Last night I went out with someone one of my coworkers set me up with.” JC shuttered visibly, “It was horrible.”
Kelly laughed again, “I can imagine. I hate blind dates. My friends are always trying to set me up too.”
“It’s really disheartening. It makes you wonder if you’re ever going to find that one, you know?”
“Of course, but you can’t give up. You never know when you’re going to meet that right person. She could be someone you pass on the street or in an elevator. You just never know.”
JC smiled, “I suppose you’re right.” Kelly looked over and saw she was getting an evil look from her boss.
“I guess I better take your order. My boss is giving me an evil look and she’s always looking for me to make a mistake so she can get rid of me.” JC looked over his shoulder towards the woman she was talking about. “Don’t look!” JC laughed at her.
“She’s probably just jealous.”
“Of what?” she asked, confused.
“Because you’re much prettier than she is. You probably make a lot more in tips than she does.” Kelly blushed.
“That’s sweet of you to say. Thank you,” she smiled bashfully. “So, will it be your usual this morning?”
“I have a usual?”
Kelly laughed, “You order the same breakfast every time you come in here.”
“You remember every customer you wait on?”
“Not every one,” she said quietly as she took his order.
At a diner down on Broadway they make small talk,
When she brings his eggs and fills his coffee cup,
He jokes about his love life,
And tells her he's about ready to give up,
That's when she says "I've been there before,
But keep on looking cause maybe who you're looking for is"
Somebody in the next car
Somebody on the morning train
Somebody in the coffee shop that you walk right by everyday
Somebody that you look at but never really see
Somewhere out there is somebody
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After he ate his breakfast and said goodbye to the kind waitress, he made his way back to his apartment building. He climbed into the elevator and pressed the button for his floor when suddenly a hand appeared out of no where and the elevator doors opened once again. He recognized her right away as the beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed neighbor from a couple of floors up. She gave him a shy smile as she stepped inside.
“Hi,” she said as she pressed the button for her floor.
“Good morning,” he smiled down at her. Suddenly he remembered the words of the waitress. Maybe she was right. You never know when you’re going to run into the one that you are meant to be with for the rest of your life. He looked over at his pretty neighbor and smiled when he saw she was looking at him from the corner of her eye. He smiled again, “I don’t believe we’ve ever been introduced, but I’m JC Chasez. I live on the 10th floor.” He extended his hand and was relieved when she took it with a smile.
“Hi, I’m Andrea Martin from the 12th floor. It’s nice to meet you.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Across town in a crowded elevator
He can't forget the things that waitress said
He usually reads the paper
But today he reads a strangers face instead
It's that blue eyed girl from two floors up
Maybe she's the one,
Maybe he could fall in love with
Somebody in the next car
Somebody on the morning train
Somebody in the coffee shop that you walk right by everyday
Somebody that you look at but never really see
Somewhere out there is somebody
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
JC and Andrea dated for a few weeks, but it really didn’t take them long to realize what was between them wasn’t meant to last. They parted amicably, but JC was disappointed that he was once again left alone. For the first time in a month, he decided to head back to that diner off Broadway for the Saturday breakfast he missed.
Kelly sat behind the counter, waiting for her order. She tried not to think about the fact that it was another Saturday without him, but she couldn’t help it. She hadn’t seen him in over a month, and every time the door opened, she couldn’t help but look to see if it was him finally walking back through those doors.
“Order up, Kel” the cook called from the kitchen. She quickly picked up the plates and headed out to the floor to give the customers their breakfast.
“Here you go,” she smiled as she sat down their plates in front of them. “Let me know if you need anything.” She stopped at the next table over to pick up the dirty plates from her last customer. Her mind was on her work, so she didn’t hear the door open. He smiled when he saw her cleaning off one of her tables. He started towards her when she stood to walk back behind the counter with three dirty plates in her arms. Before she knew what was happening, she ran smack into someone, sending the dishes crashing to the floor. Her eyes never made it to the person’s face, she just saw a huge splatter of food all over their shirt and hurriedly began to wipe at it. “I’m so sorry, sir.” She finally looked up at him, and realized who it was. A smile slowly began to grow across her beautiful face. “It’s you.”
“It’s me,” he laughed as he took her towel and wiped the food splatter from her face. She blushed slightly, but her gaze never left his. In that moment as he looked down at her, he felt something stir deep within him. It was something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. Somehow in that instant he knew what it was that he saw when he looked into her beautiful hazel eyes. It was forever.
“I’m so sorry,” she finally said when she found her voice. “Please let me pay to have your shirt cleaned. It’s all my fault.”
“Please, Kelly.” She looked up at him surprised. It was the first time he actually called her by her name, and she liked the way it sounded coming from his lips. “Don’t worry about my shirt. It’s fine.”
“But it might be ruined…” she began when suddenly she heard her boss’ voice yelling at her from behind the counter.
“Kelly! What’s going on here?”
“I’m sorry Helen, I’ll pay for the damaged plates.”
“You’re damned right you will. I’ll take them out of your last check. You’re fired.”
“But Helen…” she began to protest but JC cut her off.
“You can’t fire her for this. It was an accident.”
“Oh I can’t? Who says?”
“I do. It’s not right and you know it.” JC continued to argue with the older woman. “Here,” he took out his wallet and handed her a $100 bill. “I’m sure this will more than cover the damaged dishes.” Helen quickly took the money from his hand and looked at Kelly with her cold eyes.
“Fine you can stay, but if this happens again you’re gone.” She quickly turned on her heels and headed back to the back of the diner. Kelly rolled her eyes and began to pick up the pieces of broken dishes.
“I’ll pay you back.”
“No you won’t. Please, I wanted to help you.”
“But why? You don’t even know me.” JC smiled as he helped her clean up her mess.
“Maybe that’s something we can change?” He extended his hand to her, “I’m JC Chasez.” Kelly smiled as she took his hand.
“Kelly Clarkson.”
“See, now we know each other.”
Kelly laughed, “I suppose so.” She threw the broken plates in the garbage and turned back to him. “So, will you be staying for breakfast Mr. Chasez?”
“Please, call me JC.”
“JC,” Kelly nodded with a smile. “Will you?”
“I think I might better head home to change. I don’t think blueberry pancakes flatter me all that much,” he joked at the huge stain on the front of his white t-shirt. Kelly tried to hide her disappointment.
“Okay, well I guess I’ll see you around.”
“How about tonight?”
“What? Are you asking me out?” she asked with a small smile.
“Yes I am. Will you go out with me?”
“Really?”
“Yes,” JC laughed. “Is it so hard to believe?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just been a while.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you’re beautiful, sweet, funny, intelligent. Those are pretty rare qualities to find all in one package.” Kelly blushed again. “Well, how about we meet here around 7pm tonight?”
Kelly thought about it for a moment, “Okay. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Great,” JC leaned forward and kissed her cheek softly. “See you tonight.”
“Bye,” she whispered as he left, her heart beating so fast she thought it might leap from her chest and run away from her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“…and that was it. Your mother and I fell madly in love with each other, got married, and had you.” JC smiled down at his five year old daughter, Sarah as he tickled her belly. She giggled uncontrollably as he continued to tickle her.
“What’s going on here?” Kelly asked as she entered her daughter’s room. “I thought Daddy was going to tuck you in.”
“He was telling me a story,” Sarah smiled up at her mother. Kelly sat on the other side of her bed.
“What story might that be?”
“Our story,” JC smiled lovingly at his wife, still amazed that he was able to find someone as perfect as her.
“Our story? Honey,” she looked down at her daughter. “Aren’t you tired of hearing that story?”
“No. I like hearing how you and Daddy met and fell in love.”
“Can I tell you a secret?” Kelly asked her daughter who nodded enthusiastically. “That’s my favorite story too,” she smiled as she leaned forward and kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Now, it’s time for you to get some sleep young lady.” She pulled her covers up, “Goodnight baby.”
“Goodnight Mommy, goodnight Daddy. I love you.”
“We love you too, sweetheart” JC kissed his daughter goodnight, then followed his wife out of her room. He followed her to their room where she was beginning to get undressed. JC wrapped his arms around her small waist from behind and placed a soft kiss on her shoulder. Kelly laughed softly, then turned around to face him. She kissed his lips softly before pulling away from him.
“It amazes me how wonderful she is. I think I fall more in love with her every day.”
“I know. She’s our angel.”
“I wonder if things will change.”
“Change? Change how?”
“When the new baby gets here…” she let her voice trail off as she looked into her husband’s shocked face. His shock slowly melted away and was replaced by pure happiness. He picked Kelly up off the ground and spun her around and around.
“Another baby?” Kelly nodded through her laughter. “Oh, Kelly. I love you so much.”
“I love you too Jace. More than anyone I’ve ever loved in my life.” JC pressed his lips to his wife’s. They tumbled back onto their bed to show each other just how much they loved each other, both happy that their broken roads had finally led them where they belonged…in each other’s arms.
Now they laugh about the moment that it happened
The moment they'd both missed until that day
When he saw his future in her eyes
Instead of just another friendly face
And he wonders why he searched so long
When she was always there at that diner waiting on
Somebody in the next car
Somebody on the morning train
Somebody in the coffee shop that you walk right by everyday
Somebody that you look at but never really see
Somewhere out there is somebody
Song Credit: "Somebody" by: Reba
Bless The Broken Road by: Rascal Flatts
The song that inspired this series.
I set out on a narrow way, many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushin' through
I couldn't see how every sign, pointed straight to you
That every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there, you understand
It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
Now I'm just rollin' home, into my lovers arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
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