Christi's eyes slowly drifted open as she heard the door click open. Seeing who entered, she clenches her eyes shut and tightly fist the sheets into her palms, wishing Jordan away. She gritted through her teeth, "what are you doing here, Jordan?"
"I came to see my child, of course. Why wouldn't I come see my daughter?" He smirked.
"Let's see," she pretended to think for a moment before answering, "Could it be that you left me at the restaurant after we got into an argument over you flirting with Courtney and knowing damn well that I was in pain. You left me and ‘your’ daughter when we needed you the most!"
"You're my wife and she's my daughter, Christi. Her last name is Pierce. You can't keep me from her."
"Wrong! The birth certificate says Fuentes. Oh, and news flash, I plan on filing for divorce. So, really you’re nothing to us."
"How could you?! You, bitch!" he tried to hit her, but Christi ducked out of the way just in time to avoid his fist. And, just as he was about to lounge at her, nurses came rushing in after hearing the commotion going on in the room from the hallway. They took in how distressed and frightened Christi looked and ordered security to escort
him out of the hospital.
"Ma'am, are you okay?" a doctor asked Christi.
Hesitantly, she nodded her head as a silent "okay."
After a few minutes in deep thought, Christi felt the need to go find Jessi
and to see her baby.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jessi and JC locked eyes on Kaci and nodded in agreement to Justin's statement. As they eyed Kaci, they couldn't help, but watch Justin barely tickle the baby's foot adorningly watching her smile. To Justin, the child had a lovingly calm aurora that just radiates and soothes those around her from all their problems. Maybe it was her
chocolate-colored eyes accompanied by her naturally curly eyelashes. Her chubby cheeks and limbs that contained her baby fat. Her soft skin. Her soft brown hair. Her smooth baby skin. Her small pouty lips curling up into smiles and fits of giggles. It was all of her. And there was no way around the obvious; she radiated the same way Marci did, alive.
Breaking the silence, Justin began to sing the song that always reminded him of Marci.
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
JC and Jessi turned their eyes to Justin as they heard him start to sing. The two onlookers, then, shared their own gaze into each other's piercing eyes.
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You're the one I wanna chase
You're the one I wanna hold
I wont let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
I know that you are something special
To you I'd be always faithful
I want to be what you always needed
Then I hope you'll see the heart in me
JC broke free of the trance and returned his eyes to the baby girl in front of him. He, too, began to sing, along with Justin.
I don't want another pretty face
I don't want just anyone to hold
I don't want my love to go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
You're the one I wanna chase
You're the one I wanna hold
I wont let another minute go to waste
I want you and your beautiful soul
Your beautiful soul, yeah
You might need time to think it over
But I'm just fine moving forward
I'll ease your mind
If you give me the chance
I will never make you cry c`mon lets try
The rest of the song, Jessi continued to watch JC sing lovingly to Christi's little girl. His voice amazed her in this on intimate serenade than any of his other performances. As the song ended, the three of them heard a soft praise of "wow" and a "thank you" from an unnoticed intruder. Jessi, Justin, and JC turned around to identify the intruder.
Jessi smiled and pointed to the guys, "Look who I found."
Christi smiled, still in awe by the serenading, "I see, but I think I'm dreaming."
Christi looked to the boys and noticed the boys' confusion to who she was, why she was dressed in a hospital gown, and what was up with the wheelchair. She answered their unasked questions, "You just sang to my baby girl." Looking down at Kaci, wrapped in a white baby blanket bordered by pink and blue stripes, she said, "I couldn't stay away. So, the mean doctor sent me over here in this contraption they call a wheelchair." Christi picked her up and cradled her in her arms for the second time since she was born; she softly spoke to Kaci, "I love you. Never forget that."
Jessi joked, "Now, you're nice to her."
Christi rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at her best friend while everyone but Justin laughed. Justin was just confused and still didn't know much about the girls.
Jessi noticed Justin's confusion and explained, "You should have heard the things she said on the way over here." She imitated Christi, "I swear if this kid doesn't stop kicking the hell out of me, she will not be having any siblings!"
Christi responded, looking back down at Kaci, "At least I know she'll make a great dancer slash boxer slash soccer player. Besides, Jessi, it was the Pain Christi talking and not the Mama Christi talking. You just wait until you go into labor one day. You’ll see, and I'll remember this."
Jessi just rolled her eyes at Christi, who was smirking at her victory over Jessi.
Justin, then, chimed in, "I knew I recognized you two from somewhere."
It was Jessi and Christi’s turn of confusion. "Huh?"
"You look different not screaming, Justin said, and continued, "I saw the two of you arrive and disappear into the elevator down in the emergency waiting room."
Jessi laughed at Justin's agreement with her.
Christi sarcastically spoke "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever," knowing her victory was short lived. "By the way, Jessi, you never told me how you met these guys," she motioned to Justin and JC.
Jessi ventured into the story about the cafeteria and Marci. Once the story was through, Christi settled Kaci back down to sleep as her eyelids lightly drifted asleep. Watching her daughter peacefully sleep, Christi thought back to what had just happened with Jordan.
Christi spoke up, "Jessi, can I speak to you outside for a little bit? I have some things I need to fill you in on."
Jessi nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation, and walked out into the hallway with Christi, in tow. The boys stayed in the nursery, watching the baby in her sleep-filled state.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I told Jordan I wanted a divorce and don’t want him in Kaci’s life," Christi blurted out.
"What?!"
"Something happened last night before I went into labor and right before I came to the nursery."
"What could have happened?"
"Jordan came to pick me up from Araceli's late as usual, and we got into this huge argument about him always working late and flirting with Courtney in front of me." A tear slipped from the corner of her left eye, but she continued anyway, "When I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, he yelled at me, saying that he could care less, and then,
he left me at the restaurant all by my myself. That's when I called you."
Jessi was enraged about Jordan's actions, but kept her thoughts to herself. She cleared her throat and cautiously asked, "So what happened before you came to the nursery?"
"He came by to taunt me some more and to see Kaci. But, I told him that after he abandoned Kaci and me, he had no right being here. He went off on his own little tirade of him having paternal rights to Kaci and how she’s a Pierce after all. So, I informed him how I had the nurse document her Fuentes on her birth certificate. This set him off some more. He…"
Christi trailed off as she rested her head in the wheelchair, sobbing. Jessi knelt in front of her and comforted her by pulling her into one of her infamous hugs. Jessi, further, encouraged her after a couple of minutes sniffles and compete silence, "And then, he what?"
"He swung at me," Christi muttered softly but Jessi heard it loud and clear.
Jessi froze at hearing the words that Christi whispered, and suddenly, tightened the hug on her best friend to comfort Christi but more for herself. She never felt as enraged by anyone in her life as she was at Jordan. But, at the same time, Jessi still was saddened that her best friend had to put up with Jordan’s bullshit.
"I don't even know how he found me here," she added.
Jessi sniffled, "I'm here for you always. You know that, right?"
While pulling away from the hug, Christi heard Jessi sniffle so she lifted her head which verified it. Tears were streaming down the model’s face. Christi could tell that she was having mixed emotions by the way her brows narrowed, deep in thought.
"Always and vice versa," se smiled. The somewhat genuine smile turned into a
mischievous one. Jessi could tell Christi was up to something.
"I'm afraid to even ask what you are up to."
"Jessi, afraid? No way. Impossible!" She jokingly gasped.
Both Christi and Jessi shared in a heart felt laugh.
Christi sober up, "How about we release a certain duo of pop stars, and I will fill you in? Sound like a deal to you?"
"Deal."
Walking back into the nursery, Christi and Jessi couldn't help but smile at the sight before them. JC and Justin were sleepily propped up against a wall near Kaci, watching her peacefully sleep.
Slowly turning around, Justin and JC looked to Christi and Jessi. The serious of the conversation between the two girls did not go unnoticed by the guys so JC pulled Jessi in front of him, holding her as they both watched Kaci. As did Justin to Christi. In hopes of alleviating the problems that they all had. JC and Justin were dealing with Marci's death as Jessi and Christi with Jordan.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Man, I can't believe we let them talk us out of staying," JC yawned, opening his hotel room.
"That's why. Right there. You yawned like that and blew it," Justin replied and walked into his own room, "Night."
"Morning, Justin," JC, to sleep driven to thing about the night's events, disappeared into his room, as did Justin.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So, Christi, do you plan on telling me what you're working on or what?"
"Oh, yea. First of all, I have two favors to ask you?"
"Shoot."
"First of all, will I be alright if me and Kaci moved in until I can find us a new place?"
"Duh. I wasn't gonna let you stay anywhere else. So what's the second favor?"
"LET me? Who died and made you queen?" she joked, then asked, "I don't think I will be able to face Jordan so I was kinda wondering if you can get mine and some of Kaci's stuff from the house for me?"
"I thought you knew that I run this place?" She giggled back, but quickly sobered up, "And, yeah. I’m going to make sure you're safe and that means you stay away from Jordan. So, now that the favors are out of the way, would you like to share with me what you have up that sleeve of yours?"
"Just how much trouble we can cause now that we're living together, and not to forget, all the shopping sprees we'll be having," She lied and they laughed. "You'll see. Just watch. Now, rest."
"Okay, Mom." Jessi whined playfully.
Christi just rolled her eyes but smiled, looking down at Kaci, knowing she brought her into this world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello? Anyone home?"
No answer.
"Good. Now, I can get in and out." Jessi thought as she bounded up the stairs to Jordan and Christi's old bedroom, in hopes of retrieving Christi and Kaci's stuff. Once she reached the top of the stairs, she could have sworn she heard voices. Jessi heard those voices turn into moans and groans, getting louder as she reached the door. Turning the knob, realization struck her of who those moans and groans were coming from. Shocked, Jessi stood there watching the woman on top of the man, making out.
"Puta!" was all Jessi got out.
Noticing someone else in the room besides themselves, Jordan and Courtney scattered around trying to get their clothes back on as Jessi made a mad dash for the closet and dressers, hurriedly packing Christi's possessions into a suitcase.
("Beautiful Soul" lyrics by Jesse McCartney)
Number of reviews: 101
Print:
Chapter or Story