***Chapter 17
Justin stood beside the ladder while watching Christi do laps around the hotel pool. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask her floating around in his head. For one, why was she up at seven in the morning after partying all night? Once her nightmares disappeared he learned that she's as late of a sleeper as he is. Where’d she find a swimming suit in the middle of winter? When did she start swimming? Last time he checked, Christi only went as far as dipping her feet and hands in water. But here she was, as fast as a shark. Did she used to always just get up and go swimming right when the sun was coming up?
“Hey, fish!” He hollered after deciding against asking her tons of questions.
Christi looked up from where she was in the deep end and floated on her back. “You found me.”
“How is it that you can find a swim suit in the middle of winter?”
“Did you forget that we’re in Miami? How is it that you can walk around the hotel in pajamas like you own the place?”
“Well when I got up to use the restroom, the person next to me was replaced by a piece of paper. So I decided to come check on you. Make sure you’re okay because it’s too early to be up and much less swimming around and shit.”
Justin pulled on Christi’s outstretched hand to helped her out of the pool. After reaching for her towel that was hung over a chair, he wrapped her up in it and began rubbing her arms up and down to dry her off.
Christi looked up at him, “I had a lot on my mind so I thought I’d go for a quick swim.”
Justin raised his eyebrows, “Oh really. Anything I should know about?”
“Yes but I kinda don’t want to tell you.”
“Why’s that? Does it have to do with the kiss? Because if it does-”
Before he could finish his sentence, Christi interrupted, “It has nothing to do with the kiss. But since you brought it up, we should probably talk about it.”
Justin nodded his head in agreement, “So what do you think?”
Christi looked down as she spoke, “It was nice, but…”
“But what?”
“What are we now?“
“I don’t know. What do you want?”
Christi looked back up at him and smiled, “Another kiss.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
Christi sighed, “I know I don’t want to lose you, but other than that I don’t know what want.”
“How about we continue on as we are? If we want more, we take it to the next level. If we don’t, we cool everything down. This way, you don’t lose me, and I don’t lose you.”
“Okay.”
“Good. Now what is it that you don’t want to tell me but should?”
“You should probably sit down for this.”
“No, I’m fine standing.”
“Jordan’s back.”
“Maybe I should sit down,” Justin sat in the chair that once held her towel. “What do you mean he’s back? Is that why you don’t know what you want?”
Christi shrugged her arms out of the towel and wrapped it back around her before walking over to Justin and sitting in his lap, “Jordan is not the reason I don’t know where I want our relationship to go. He’s back for Kaci. I received a letter yesterday about how he’s been getting help with his anger management and wants to be apart of her life.”
Justin wrapped his arms around Christi’s waist, pulling her back to lean against him. “But he can’t do that.”
“Yes, he can. And it scares the shit out me.”
Knowing how hard this was on Christi, Justin gave her a comforting squeeze. “So how does this all work? Can you take him to court?”
“Actually, he’s taking me to court. There’s already a court date set and everything.”
“When?”
Christi mumbled, “January 31st”
“You have got to be kidding me?!! Of all days!”
“I know. Your birthday.”
Justin sighed, “Yeah, 'happy birthday' to me.”
“So I was thinking that we could spend today celebrating, just you and me.”
“It wouldn’t be able to be for the full day since we have to be at the airport at six.”
“Well it’s either today or not at all, because once I go back to work, I don’t know when the next time I have off will be.”
**
“Catch!”
Christi laughed as she turned around just in time to catch the ball that Justin had thrown at her. “Now, tell me again why we’re shopping for Kaci on the day that we’re suppose to be celebrating your birthday?”
“Because I don’t need anything else and you refuse to let me buy Kaci too many presents. This way you can get a say in what she gets from me.”
“You’re not the only one that has a limit. So does Brian, Ana, Jessi, the rest of the guys, and my family. You people have a tendency to go overboard, and I don’t think I’ll have the space to put all the stuff she’ll get for her first birthday. I hardly have enough room for the gifts that she gets now for no reason at all.”
“What can we say? She’s a lovable baby.”
“I know,” Christi looked down in the shopping cart, “You’re almost at you’re limit.”
Justin too looked in the cart, “No, I’m not. I can fit at least five more things,depending on size, in there.”
Christi challenged him, “Try.”
And with that Justin disappeared on a mission. Christi continued to aimlessly look around the Toys’ R Us for an idea of what she wanted to get her daughter for her first birthday. She’s Kaci’s mother, and she still hadn’t bought her anything. Yet, everyone else seemed to max out on his or her limit two months before Kaci’s birthday.
Along with birthday gifts, Christi had yet to think of the day alone. She knew February 16th was a bittersweet day, well night really. That night changed the lives of just about everyone she knows with Kaci’s unexpected arrival and Marci's death. Although the night was miraculous for Christi and her family, she knew the time was devastating for Justin and the guys. She wanted to be respectful of everyone. Being the multi-tasker that she’s always been, Christi thought about how she would celebrate her daughter’s first birthday, without stepping on the toes of those still grieving, as she grabbed an extra cart to throw whatever caught her attention into.
Deep in thought and shopping, Christi didn’t any hear Justin sneak up from behind and grab her waist. “Boo!”
Christi jumped but didn’t scream because she realized it was just Justin.
Justin kept his arm around her as he began peaking over her shoulder into the new, yet filled, cart. “What do we have here?”
“Ariel, Jasmine, and Cinderella things for Kaci’s party.”
“So you decided on a theme?”
“Yeah, Disney Princesses. It’s perfect for a little girl.”
“Mhmm. It’s matches my gift perfectly.”
“The deal was five, not one. What happened to that, huh?”
“I have five. See.” With that said, Justin pulled his other arm from behind his back, and low and behold, there were five items. A small stuffed animal, a miniature snow globe, a nice outfit, a pair of angel wings, and a tiara.
Baffled by his accomplishment, Christi just smiled, “Justin, what in world?”
“I got five items. I win. Wait, what do I win?”
Christi turned around to give him a short but sweet kiss. “How about that?”
Justin stole a quick peck and smiled back, leaning his forehead against hers, “I deserved two. One of my gifts matches the theme of the party.”
“How do they match the whole Disney Princesses theme?”
“Every princess has to have a tiara, so she could wear it at the party. The angel wings she can wear whenever. I just got them because of the nickname I’d given her. The rest is just random stuff I saw and thought would be nice for her to have.”
“Great minds think alike. Now let’s go. It’s almost time to head over to the airport.”
**
As soon as the weekend ended, Christi caught her flight back to Houston alone while Jessi, JC, and Justin headed for LA. JC and Jessi busied themselves with the business aspect of Jessi’s debut album. Christi threw herself back into work and parenting, and Justin continued to do his little side projects he had going on at the time.
The following month went by slowly. The anticipation for the custody hearing to come and go was eating away at both Justin and Christi. They just needed to hear that they were worrying over nothing. When the day of the hearing and Justin’s birthday arrived, everyone and their mama became anxious. It was almost as if no one could sit down. Ana took over Christi’s job for her because Christi was too much of a bundle of nerves. She couldn’t help thinking about the 'what if's. Justin was just as bad. He wanted to be there but knew he couldn’t just blow off the plans his mother had made for his birthday. Ever since he woke up, he was side tracked in everything he did. He was awaiting the one phone call that would determine if he had a happy birthday or not.
At about two o’clock in the afternoon, Justin smelled something good in his kitchen and decided to go check it out. When he got there, he gaped at the kitchen full of some home-cooked southern food. In the middle of the kitchen island, a note was placed. “Karr, I know I can’t be there right now but I sent all of this in my place. Now everyone knows that I only cook when something’s on my mind. So you better appreciate this as my gift and dig in. OXOX, Christi. PS: There’s some cobbler in the oven. Thank your grandma for that.” Justin dialed Christi’s number on his house phone but only got voicemail. He looked at the time and remembered that she must have been in court. The thought of her being in court brought all his anxiousness back. He didn’t have to wait long though because an hour later he got the dreaded phone call from Christi. Jordan was granted shared custody over Kaci on a trial basis.
After hearing the outcome of the court ruling, Jessi, JC, and Justin flew back to Houston. All three of them knew that Jordan being around would be a huge blow to Christi. They wanted to be there for her but it turned out that Christi and Jessi were the backbone for both Justin and JC in the following two weeks. The girls chalked up the root of Justin and JC’s depression to the upcoming anniversary of Marci’s death. One year ago on February 16th, a drunk driver crashed his car into Marci’s and killed her.
The day had finally arrived and Christi was running around Jessi’s house makig sure she had everything before it was time to leave. She had stayed the night over at Jessi’s for an overdue girl’s night. But now, it was time to get the show on the road. She had a "Princess" party to host and everyone else was already waiting at Silver Leaf, the location of the party. Everyone except for Justin and JC that is. They had a cemetery to visit.
Christi practically rushed out of the house with Kaci on her hip and her cell phone in her hand, “Jessi, tell everyone that I’m on my way. I just stepped out the door and should be there in thirty minutes, tops. I know that’s a long time but can you stall that long? Good. I have to go. Bye.”
**
With so much rage, the mysterious brunette stared her target down as she reached over into her passenger seat for whichever bottle of whiskey or vodka she happened to pick up. "They just had to go and mess with me. Not just once but twice, they've dragged my career, reputation, and life through the mud. I'll admit to bringing it on myself the first time. But, the second time was all their doing. I didn't ask for the bitch to resemble me or dye her hair. Did I? I think not. And now, they've got everybody thinking I'm some horrible monster. Humph. I'll show them a monster alright."
Lana watched on as Christi strapped her “precious” little baby into the car seat, hopped into the front seat, and turned on the car. She continued to watch the blonde pull out of the driveway and started down the street. Seeing that Christi was far enough down the road, Lana followed behind her. Once they were side-by-side on the freeway and driving fast enough, Lana decided it was time that Christi and the rest of her little gang got what had been coming to them. She push the gas all the way down to the floor. Before Christi could actually comprehend what was happening, Lana crashed her car into Christi’s.
SHIT.
**
Something wasn’t right. She could feel it. Jessi had been calling Christi every five minutes for the past twenty minutes, and her best friend had yet to answer the phone. Jessi didn’t understand. The last thing she remembered Christi saying was that she was on her way forty minutes ago. She should have been there ten minutes ago. Especially with the way Christi speeds when she’s running late or in a hurry.
Serena’s cell ringing on the desk in front of Jessi broke through her state of confusion as she reached to pick it up. Something in the woman's voice didn’t sit right with Jessi. She spoke professionally as she was asking to speak with “Serena, Christi’s mom” as she put it. The fact that the woman also told her that it was urgent didn’t calm Jessi’s gut feeling that something wasn’t right. So Jessi walked over to the car Serena was taking a gift out of and handed her the phone. Jessi watched as Serena confirmed that she was Christi mother and dropped the gift on the ground as she listened to the woman on the other end.
Tomas, Chris, Adriana, Brian, Ana, Justin, JC, and the rest of NSYNC all came running Jessi and Serena’s way as they heard the glass, which was in the gift box, shatter. The rest was a blur to everyone as they all tried to figure out the muffled words Serena was relaying to them, while crying, and take in what had actually happened. Christi’s father took control by arranging who would be in what car and arranging for Ana’s dad to take care of the kids that had already arrived for the party. Afterwards, they were on their way to Ben Taub hospital much like they did exactly a year ago.
Upon reaching the hospital, Tomas, Serena, and Chris were taken aside by the operating doctor and briefed about both Christi and Kaci’s conditions as everyone else waited in the waiting room. The mood was somber to say the least. Things got a little more interesting when in walked the one person that many of the waiting room’s occupants were not expecting.
Jordan.
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