Chapter 7*~

Justin walked down the stairs and wondered where Aaliyah was. He walked into the living room and smiled. “Good morning you all.” Justin said and smiled at Issabell, Ashleigh, and Katherine.

“Good morning Mr. Timberlake.” Katherine said and smiled.

“Good morning Daddy.” Issabell and Ashleigh said and smiled.

“Hey Katie, hey girls.” He smiled. “Have you seen Aaliyah?” He asked her.

Katherine nodded, “Yeah she went out back..”

Justin smiled, “Thanks Katie.” He walked to the back door and closed it behind him. He instantly spotted Aaliyah lying on a blanket playing with the dogs.

“Ariel, see the Frisbee? Catch.” She said and threw it and smiled when the dog brought it back.

“Good girl.” Justin said and laughed as he sat down next to her, “Where’s Courtie?” He asked and looked at her.

“Down for a nap.” She said and smiled, “Belle, catch.” She threw the Frisbee and watched her catch it. “Good girl.” She said and rubbed her. “I now see why I love these dogs.” She laughed, “Can you hand me that brush?”

Justin laughed and handed her the brush, “Here ya go.” He watched as the dogs laid down and fell asleep as she brushed them. He was always amazed by how much those dogs loved her, and by how much she loved them back. “So I see Katie has stolen your kids again.”

Aaliyah laughed, “Yeah she stole my children.” She smiled and stood up, “It’s about time I go check on Courtney.”

“I’m coming with you, I have nothing better to do than follow you around.” Justin laughed.

“Lucky me,” She smiled as they walked in the house. She looked down the hall, “You go first, because I have no idea what toy or something I’ll trip over so I’m sacrificing you first.”

Justin laughed, “Oh so if I fall and die you’ll know that it’s not safe to go that way.”

“Right.” She laughed and grabbed his hand, “Come on.” They walked down the hall and into Courtney’s room, where she was sitting up obviously waiting for them to get her.

“Hey Courtie.” Justin smiled and picked her up. “You know she reminds me of your baby pictures.”

Aaliyah smiled, “I hope that’s a good thing.” She laughed and looked at Justin’s face. “It smells like someone needs to be changed.” She looked at him, “Well daddy dearest I think you should change her, it’s your turn.”

“You know, you are a evil woman.”

“Thanks, I love you too.” She laughed and walked out of the room.

“Your mother is so mean, I hope you remember this when you get older.” Justin smiled. “Alright let’s clean you up so I can brag to your mother that I actually did something right in my life.”

~*30 minutes later*~

“Say mommy I’m all clean.” Justin smiled and handed Courtney to Aaliyah.

“Wow, someone’s nice and clean.” She smiled and kissed Justin. “Good job pretty boy.”

“Hey I’m not a pretty boy.” Justin smiled, “I’m just really cute.”

Aaliyah rolled her eyes and looked at Courtney. “Say daddy you’re so full of yourself.”

“Courtie don’t listen to your mother, she’s just in denial.” He smiled and sat down next to her on the couch. “Where are Ashleigh and Izzy?”

“With Katie, she just keeps taking my children away from me.” She laughed, “Darn her.”

“Awe is someone a little jealous?” Justin grinned and looked at Courtney, “This is your how your mother acts when she thinks someone’s not paying enough attention to her.” He tickled Courtney on her sides and smiled. “I think someone’s ticklish in the same spot as her mother.”

Aaliyah smiled and looked at Justin and Courtney. She could tell he loved the girls as much as she did and maybe she under estimated him a bit, or maybe not. She loved him a lot and that’s all that mattered to her.

~*4:00 p.m.*~

“Lili, can we take a break?” Justin asked and looked at Aaliyah.

“Oh come on Justin.” Aaliyah rolled her eyes and sighed, “This is why I don’t let you go shopping with me.”

“You’re a fast walker, I mean we’ve already been to like every store on the east side of the mall, can we finally take a break?”

“Fine,” Aaliyah stopped and sat at a bench, “Cry baby.”

“Excuse me?” Justin looked at her, “What did you just say?”

“Nothing.” Aaliyah rolled her eyes.

“You want to repeat what you said?”

“I said you’re a cry baby, you make the kids seem like adults sometimes.”

Justin looked at her, “I’m not even going to get into this with you right now.” He rolled his eyes, “Come on we’re going home you can come back later by yourself but I’m going home and you better come on or your going to be calling someone to come get you.”

“I hate you,” She pouted all the way home and half the afternoon. She didn’t even want to talk to him. God he was a freakin’ cry baby. She should have said it’s my car so you can walk home but she wasn’t even going to get that low.

“Aren’t you even going to say something to me?” Justin watched her walk past him and into the bathroom and slam the door closed. “I take that as a no.” He rolled his eyes and opened the door. “You can’t accuse me of being a cry baby when you’re pouting because you had to leave the mall.” He knew she wasn’t listening to him when she started singing in the shower. “Aaliyah you are nothing but a cry baby yourself because you know if your not getting your way you’re going to say something to my mother. To tell you the truth I wonder why we are married because sometimes it seems that we have nothing in common.”

“You know what fine! I’m glad to know you feel that way. That means that I don’t have to worry about anything anymore because obviously we have no reason to be married right?” She grabbed a towel and walked out the bathroom. “If you feel that way then there is no reason for me to be here correct? Well if it makes you happy I’ve been waiting for the right time to take off from work and go on a trip.” She put on her shirt and the rest of her clothing and brushed her hair. “So I’m going to Paris, I was supposed to go for an interview anyway, but I think this time I’ll take the kids with me and stay a little longer.”

Justin’s eyes widened as he listened to what she had to say. “Aaliyah I swear I didn’t mean to say that, it was an accident really.”

“Was it really? It seemed like you were really serious.” She glared at him.

“It was an accident I swear. Aaliyah honey I love you soo much, more than you’ll ever know but sometimes you aggravate the heck out of me.” He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed down her neck. “I love you.”

Aaliyah sighed, “Fine I believe you.” She turned and looked at him and sighed. “Is it just me or is it really quiet?”

Justin shrugged, “I don’t know but it is really quiet.”

Aaliyah opened the bedroom door and ran down the hall. She opened the door to the girls playroom and sighed in relief when she saw them lying on the floor asleep. She picked up Courtney and tapped Ashleigh and Issabell on the shoulders. “Hey go to bed you two.” She sighed as they yawned and looked at her for a second before going back to sleep. “Justin…”

“I’m way ahead of you.” He picked up Ashleigh and Issabell and walked out of the room. “I think this means they had a good day huh?”

“Yeah I guess it does.” Aaliyah yawned and put Courtney in her bed before walking out of the room and going into her room and plopping down on her own bed. “Katie is pretty good at tiring them out.”