McKayla Malone rounded the corner into her master bedroom at the end of the hall and plopped face down on the King sized bed. Her eyes closed with a sigh as all the muscles in her torso relaxed at once. Having a child was much more work than she and Justin had ever anticipated. Sure they'd heard the horror stories from their parents and close friends, but they figured that with the schedules they'd both been dealing with over their years in the business that they knew hardwork and would be able to handle demands of a small child easily.
They were wrong. Having a child was nothing like working in the entertainment industry. Then add, working in the entertainment industry while having a child. It wasn't the schedules and seperation that made things difficult. Dorian was two years old now, they had long since worked out any kinks in the 'we won't be apart for more than 48 hours' system. The issues came with photographers and magazines trying to get the scoop on their marriage and trying to get pictures of Dorian. Justin and McKayla had gone through great lengths to keep Dorian's face out of the tabloids. They'd been successful for the past two years, but everyday it got harder to keep out the of peeking long-distance lens and reporters posing as shoppers in stores or valets at resturants.
Her thoughts were interupted by a loud smack and a stinging pain on her behind, compliments of Justin's hand.
"You're close but you're not quite in bed. Don't fall asleep," he said making his way to his side and pulling back the blankets.
McKayla glared at him as he climbed up and turned off the lights before flopping down on his back with a sigh. Then she climbed up on the bed herself, threw a leg over his torso, and laid down on top of him. His hands came up, craddling her butt. Somewhere in her mind she protested his fingers pressing into her deriere, but she was too tired to voice it.
"Well, you haven't laid with me like this in awhile."
"Yeah," she sounded half asleep already.
His arms moved up, encircling her waist and squeezing as tightly as his exhausted body could, "Day 97 down-."
"The rest of ours lives to go," she turned her head and watched him for a moment before sitting up, straddling his waist, "Think we'll make it?"
"I'm positive," he brushed her hair back and let his hand linger on her face. It was odd not being able to make out the features in her face through the darkness, so he started to study her with his fingertips, feeling gently from one side to the other. Her hand held his arm, her nails scratching him softly. It was strangely erotic sitting with her this way. It had been awhile since they had been intimate with eachother. Their sex life hadn't completely deminished, but in Justin's opinion it had taken a dramatic nose dive since Dorian was born. They were either tired, or seperated because of work. It never seemed like the right time. But now, with her sitting in his lap, and the way that he could feel her every move but wasn't able to feel her, he was thinking it was exactly the right time.
Using her features as a map, he guided his hand down her neck and over her shoulder.
"Remember when we used to just strap Dorian in that carrier thing and put a blanket over him? We could go anywhere and no one could see a thing."
"You always strapped him to me," Justin smiled affectionately as his hand smoothed down her side and over her hip.
"I carried him for nine months straight. I figured it was your turn. Mmm, but things were so much easier. They were fun."
"It was fun," he sat up as well, and he could see her eyes reflecting in the dim moonlight, "Remember when we went to the Hard Rock concert for Childhood Diabetes?"
"You wore Dorian as a shirt."
"Personaly I think it was one of my best outfits of all time," because it was his baby, his little boy.
"In comparison to your matching demin suit and dress attire you wore with Claire Marie, I'd have to agree."
His response was a pinch on her side before his hands settled momentarily on her thighs, "I told you, no mentioning that name in this house. It will not be tainted. We're talkin about fun things," no longer content with exploring her with his hands, he instead leaned forward and placed his lips on her soft shoulder, kissing centimeter by centimeter towards her neck.
"Sorry Randall," she smirked to herself, "Tell me some more fun things."
He made a noise as he pretended to think thoughtully. Well, he was thinking, just not the same topic as McKayla was.
"We had fun when we took him to Millington for Christmas."
"Yes, giving him a bath in anti-tich lotion because of the mosquitos. Fun fun."
Justin ignored her sarcasm, "He also learned to walk there."
"I remember. Good 'ol Trace."
"And his first time seeing the ocean in North Carolina," he paused in his secret seduction work to reminise with her. He opted instead to slide his hands under her behind and hold her that way instead.
"He screamed when he picked up a dollar and it started breathing against his hand."
"And you wouldn't touch it, so he was stuck holding it until I grabbed it from him."
"Shut up," he could tell by the way she said it she was blushing, "It was gross. Everyone knows gross stuff is boy stuff."
"Yeah, but when he's yelling, 'Mommy Mommy get it-."
"Alright I get the point, I'm a horrible Mother," she dropped her head onto his shoulder, hugging him closer.
"Not a horrible Mommy. Damn good one if I do say so from Baby's Daddy's point of view."
Her head lifted and she tried to pin point his eyes, "Baby Daddy," she muttered with a pout. McKayla had always shown great distaste for that word. It sounded so unemotional and distant. Something a woman on Jerry Springer would say. The last thing she ever wanted in her life, was a Baby Daddy.
"Know what else was alot of fun?" He asked.
"What?"
"Knocking you up."
Her hand came down on his shoulder with a loud pop and he exclaimed, "What'd I do?"
"You're so inconsiderate."
"Baby," he chuckled, "Kay? It was a joke. I'm kidding, come on. You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
"Well, you can't say it wasn't fun."
She bit her lip hesitantly, "Yeah. It was fine."
"I know," he said confidently, as if he'd had the answer all along, "I still remember exactly how it happened too."
"Really now?"
"Yep," he again resumed his sercret seduction mission, this time starting with the sensitive hollow at the base of her neck.
"And I'm assuming this is how it started?" she asked, her voice already beginning to change as one of her hands weaved into his hair.
He made another noise, this time letting her know her assumption was infact correct.
"And I'm also assuming that you're going to continue showing me how things progressed."
Her answer was silence as his lips moved farther South to the spot he'd discovered the first time they were intimate together. The sensitive stretch of skin between her breast that always made her lose her breathe. This time was no different and as he began his assault she dipped her head back. She knew what he was after, and she was dreading having to disappoint him, but she had no intent on getting busy tonight. The only intense cuddling she felt like doing was with her pillow in the next 5 minutes. But until the 5 minutes was up and she was ready to pass out, she was going to use Justin's lips to their full advantage.
He continued his kisses, raising both her pulse and her bloodpressure. And as McKayla had been expecting, his hands moved her hips, pulling them down and against himself so she could feel a certain bodypart pressing against her. And she'd even been counting on him slipping his hands under her shirt and massaging her skin. Everything that happened after that however, she wasn't betting on.
Justin had spent years working on getting into McKayla's heart, and along with that, in her pants. He knew what to say to tick her off, and to get himself out of the doghouse. He knew her idea of romance, and her favorite characteristics of his. He also knew how to play her body, and how to work her pleasure points against her. He kept her finely tuned to him, like his most precious instrument... regularly playing his favorite cords so they started in perfect condition. But because they'd been together for so long, he knew she was holding back on him, or even thinking of holding back on him. This was one of those times. He knew exactly which string to pull to make his instrument sing the way he wanted.
One of his hands left the warm confinds of the back of her shirt and slid around to the front. He slowly pulled her sweat shorts away from her body, and slipped his hand inside. She seemed so wrapped up in his mouth that she didn't notice, or she didn't really care. He continued on his way, seeminglu unnoticedly slipping his hand between her thighs until he found what he was looking for.
He was sure of that, because as soon as he tested it, his instrument sang the way he'd intended. McKayla jumped and grabbed his arm as his hand continued moving and she struggled to catch his breath. With her attention now on his fingers, he stopped his original distraction of kissing her chest, and focused on the expressions he could make out on her face in the dark. His arm pulled her against him tighter, locking her in position incase his instrument had any plans of disappearing. McKayla, completely caught off guard, had no choice but too hold on and be consumed by the feelings and thoughts overtaking her.
When he finally stopped, removing his hand and holding her face, there were no words left to be spoken. Her lips claimed his, and he said back on the bed with a sigh.
It was definately the right time.
* * *
Two Weeks Later
"What did you get me?"
"I'm not telling."
"Come on. Just tell me."
"It's not even dinnertime yet... God, you're worse than a woman."
Justin pouted at his wife and stalked into the living room where Dorian was rolling a toy car over the sofa cushions. It was Valentine's Day, "Only the most romantic day of the year!" As Justin kept saying. He was all excited over what McKayla's surprise for him was. They'd agreed on a $20 limit for presents. They had alot of Valentine's Days and Anniversaries and Christmas' and Birthdays to come over the next 60 years of their lives and they didn't want to run out of big expensive presents too fast, so they were reserved for Anniversaries and Christmas' only. All Valentines and other gift-exchanging holidays where now subject to limitations.
"Problem is, what the hell do you get your husband for under $20?" McKayla asked out loud.
Shannon shrugged. It was three days before Valentines Day and somehow the girls had ended up in the Target parkinglot, still brainstorming over what to get Justin. It was easy to think Plasma TV or new MP3 gaget etc, but all of those were over the money limit. She couldn't even get him the right type of sneakers he'd like what that. Either things were incredibly over priced in their society, or her husband was one spoiled brat. Things were made even more complicated by the fact that McKayla wasn't feeling well and had spent a few minutes hugging the toilet bowl before they'd left that morning. Stupid flu going around again.
"Look!" Shannon's face lit up with excitement as she rushed to an isle, "How cute!" She held up a little white Dog scarf with little black doggies sew onto the ends.
After Athena's passing, Trace had given Shannon an expesive little yapping dog to cheer her up. It worked wonders on Shannon, and now she was obessed with little outfits and accessories. Sometimes McKayla wanted to remind her it was a dog and it wanted to sit around licking it's butt all day, not be out getting a manicure. But Shannon's inability to chose between the black and the white scarf gave McKayla a chance to look around.
"Look! It's a Nemo loofa!"
Shannon gave McKayla a look as she crouched down to pick one up. But her look changed to one of amusement when she looked at the item McKayla had picked up. It really was an orange loofa, in the shape of Nemo. It even had one abnormally small fin.
"Cute," she amused.
"I'm getting it. I can't leave this behind. Justin will love it."
"I'm getting it for Lady," Shannon held up the white scarf.
That's what she'd named the yapper, Lady, precious right?
"How much is it?" She looked for a price tag on the shelf, but there wasn't one.
"I don't know. I don't see prices on anything," McKayla turned around to check the shelves behind her. There was a large 'The $1 Spot' sign.
"It's a buck. Everything over here is a buck."
"Oh. Then I'm getting the black one and the white one."
Ignoring Shannon's comments around the dollar scarf's and apparently leashes, McKayla's eyes continued to wander, "It's an entire Nemo bath set over here. Look at this, bubble bath with little fizzy's in the shape of Dory."
Shannon laughed out loud at that, "I should get some for Trace."
"You're almost thinking what I'm thinking."
Ten minutes later, after McKayla had assembled what she believed to be the best Nemo bathroom gift set for Justin, complete with towles and a bucket to carry it all in, McKayla began to complain about stomach pains and wanted to go home.
"Whatever flu you've got certainly came on quick," Shannon commented as they moved into one of the lines.
"You're telling me."
"Is it a stomach thing? I mean you're not coughing or sneezing." The girls switched places, McKayla now facing the magainze and cady rack and Shannon keeping an eye on the small group of employees and shoppers with disposable cameras that were gather a few checkout stands away.
"It's not a head cold. Or chest or respiratory or anything. It's got my body temp all up and down, and the not being able to keep anything down. Dizziness sometimes. And I'm really tired and just not in the mood to do much. I was taking Nyquil and Dayquil, but I threw most of it up and what I did keep down didn't do much."
"Hmm," Shannon looked intreged, "Interesting. You know it almost sounds like you did when you...." she stopped midsentence, drawing McKayla's eyesight from the magazine rack.
"What?"
"I'll be right back," she rushed away and down another isle
"Where are you going?"
"I forgot to buy you your Valentines present. Stay right there."
The girls returned almost 4 hours later, all smiles and secret looks. Justin had met them at the door and all the excitement that he wasn't allowed to be let in on only sparked his curiosity, which was why he was so impatient tonight, Valentine's Day night, to know what he had been bought. He figured that if all they'd done was shop for him, then it must have been something really cool that McKayla couldn't wait for him to have. And if she thought it was cool, then chances were he was going to think it was incredibly cool too.
"Can I have it now?"
"After dinner Randall."
McKayla served fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Something Justin ate by the pound, that Dorian could feed to himself, and she had a realistic possibility of keeping down. Turns out her chances of keeping it down were alot better than Dorian's chances of feeding himself. He'd gotten food everywhere but in his mouth and had to be given a bath by Daddy before being put to bed. McKayla slowly cleaned up the mess she'd made in the kitchen before slowly trotting up the stairs, expecting to see Dorian sitting on Justin's shoulder pulling his hair.
Instead the room was all quiet and dimly lit by a Sponge Bob nightlight in the corner. Justin was standing a foot away from the bed, watching Dorian unsuccessfully try to fight off the Sandman. His arms were crossed and there was a proud look on his face. McKayla's face made a proud expression as she watched her husband watch her son. She was thankful that Dorian had a Dad like Justin. So many children were growning up with less active fathers, or with a father at all like McKayla had. But Justin had been there for his first word, crawl, step, tooth, and remembered them with better clarity than she did. Padding her way over to stand beside him, she slipped an arm around his waist.
"Spitting image of the gene pool he came from isn't he?" She looked for curly head to curly head.
"What can I say? We Timberlakes are fine men."
"I'm not inflating your ego anymore Randall," she smiled.
He nodded, and remained quiet for a minute, "Presents now?"
McKayla snorted and her eyes rolled, "Yes Justin, presents now."
Before she finished the sentence he was out of the bedroom and down the stairs into the family room. By the time McKayla got there, the presents were laid out on the coffeetable, along with the box of candy and roses he'd given her earlier in the day. Her present was in pink paper and her present for him in red.
"Me first," he said. She was expecting him to pick up the red box and tear into it, but instead he handed her the pink one.
"For me?"
"No, the chick behind you."
McKayla made a face at his sarcastic reply, "Lemme alone." She opened the car first, a typical yet very beautful 'I love you. You're my life' poem was inside. She read it and smiled gratefully, the way any wife would. Then she pulled the white bow off the box and undid the paper to reveal a mini keychain digital camera.
"My Mini-cami!"
"I know how much you liked Mike's so... Is is okay? Is that alright."
"No it's awesome. This was under the $20?"
"Barely. I think they pulled some strings for the Timberlake but, I couldn't think of anything else."
"I love it. Thank you baby."
He pecked her on the lips and waited impatiently for McKayla to hand him his present. As soon as he got it he wasted no time removing the card and tryin to speed read so he could get to the gift. He couldn't however, because her card was filled with pre-typed words of devotion.
Justin,
These words are my own
From my heart flown
I love you
I love you
I love you
I love you
There's no other way
To better say
I love you
I love you
The lyrics to one of McKayla's favorite songs, but Natasha Bedingfield. A song she'd often sing quietly to Dorian Austin as well.
"I figured the words pretty much spoke for themselves."
They did. He kissed her sentimentally and brushed her hair behind her ear.
"Just open the present. You know you wanna."
He didn't have to be told twice. Justin tore open the paper and into the white box, pausing a moment before laughing hysterically.
"Where the fuck did you find a Nemo loofa sponge?"
"See, I told Shannon yu'd understand. It was at Target. I've been informed that it is the bargain shoppers secret weapon."
"Soap in the shape of Crush and Squirt?" she barely understood the question through his giggling.
"Not as classy as a digi cam I know..."
"No, it's great Kay," he kissed her forehead, "I always wanted to wash my ass with Nemo."
McKayla's jaw dropped at his words, "You perve!"
"What? It's a sponge. What do you think I'm gonna do with it?"
She glared at him and she admitted to herself that he had a point. She might be stealing Nemo back in the middle of the night tonight.
"There's more in there," she told him, as he entertained himself, making the Nemo loofa battle the shark loofa.
"Oh." He dug through the tissue paper, until he felt a long slender item wrapped up. He undid all the paper, expecting a Dory toothbrush, but was instead met with a white stick.His brow furrowed in confusion as he examined it.
"Kay, what is...?" His words paused in his throat as he zeroed in on the little blue + on the screen of the test. His eyes dashed rapidly from the stick to McKayla to the stick to McKayla.
"I'm pregnant Randall," she supplied with a hesitant smile.
Pregnant. Pregnant. His Kayla was pregnant, again. Months and months of what he thought was a suffering sex life had somehow resulted in another little bun in the oven. Justin thought back to the moments he'd shared with Dorian. Watching him being born, bringing him home, watching him get older. He couldn't contain himself any longer. Without a thought he pounced on his wife, effectively knocking her onto her back on the sofa. She landed with a shriek and immediately he climbed off of her, putting a hand on her tummy.
"Oh my God, are you okay? I'm so sorry."
"I'm fine," she smiled, "Sadly enough I was expecting it and it still got me off guard."
Justin helped her sit up and watched her with dancing eyes, "Pregnant huh?"
"Pregnant huh," she nodded.
He took her hand and let out a squeel before cupping her face, "Have I told you today how absolutely beautiful you are?"
"No, but if my telling you I was pregnant was what was needed to make that happen then... I don't think I like that."
Justin ignored her comment, instead turning back to the test, "When did you take this? When did you find out?"
"A couple days ago, when I went shopping with Shannon."
"Is that what you two were so giggly about when you got back?" Realization came over his face.
"Yep."
"Man. I knew something was up. I thought it was because you got me something good."
"Oh I see how it is. Your presents not good enough," she teased.
"No it's good," he moved towards her, lifting her shirt and kissing her belly button repeatedly, "It's better than good, it's great. Almost as great as the one you got me two years ago, which is currently upstairs, " there was a thump on the floor above them, "climbing out of his bed."
"Mommy? Daddy?" a little voice echoed down the stairs.
Justin sat up, looking at McKayla. She shook her head, "I'm with child remember? I don't have the energy to try to make him sleep."
He made a face, which quickly faded and was replaced by the smile he'd been wearing for the past 5 minutes, before he stood and headed out of the room. On his way by McKayla reached out and smacked his butt through his demin Diesel jeans.
"Hey Mama, watch that, it's what's got you into trouble with this one," he motioned to her stomach.
"No it's what got me trouble with that one, " she jerked her thumb in Dorian's direction, "What got me trouble with this one was you doing it to me."
