Part 178
Everyone gathered in Kevin’s living room while Kevin was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. It was going to be one of the last times the guys and their girls would be able to kick back before hitting the road again and plans had been made for after the video shoot to just hang out there for the evening.
Howie had talked to Jesse before going to breakfast and she’d apologized to Sarah but she was still sulking in true four-year-old fashion as they joined the others. Each of the guys greeted her by calling her the pet name they’d pinned her with upon meeting her.
Jesse stood in the middle of the group, hands on her hips, and screamed, "MY NAME IS JESSICA PAIGE FULLWOOD…CALL ME JESSE!"
All the guys looked down at her starting to laugh but were cut short by Jesse’s tears. Sarah moved quickly scooping her up in her arms and headed up to the their bedroom.
As she left, Becca asked, "What was all that about?"
Howie shook his head, "She doesn’t want to go with Sarah today. We’ve already had a taste of this earlier when she yelled that she hated Sarah."
"I’d hate to be Jesse right now," said Nick. "Man, Sarah looked ticked."
Becca asked, "What did Sarah do to her the first time?"
"Nothing. I handled it and she apologized."
Kevin asked from the kitchen, "What does Jesse want to do if she doesn’t want to go with Sarah?"
"Come with me and I was going to take her but Sarah put her foot down. She’s right though. I can’t watch her while we’re at the studio."
They continued to talk waiting for Sarah and breakfast. Sarah returned about ten minutes later looking much calmer with Jesse in her arms. Jesse had her face buried in Sarah’s hair obviously trying to hide her tears but they could all tell she was crying. Sarah had to pry her off to set her on the floor in front of her.
"Okay, young lady. I think you have something to say to everyone."
Sniffling, Jesse wiped her tears. "I…I’m…sor…sor…sorry for yelling."
All their hearts melted seeing her tears and Brian knelt down in front of her. "We’re sorry too, Jesse. You’re right. Your name is Jesse and it’s a very pretty name for a very pretty little girl."
"Thank you, Uncle Brian," whispered Jesse as she hugged him.
Brian stood up and Jesse turned back into Sarah’s legs to hide. "No…you’re not done. You’ve got one more."
Jesse turned to look for Howie and then went to him. Taking his hand in hers, she looked up at him and he knelt down. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and she said, "Daddy, I’m sorry. I’m a Dorough…not a Fullwood and I’m proud of my name."
"It’s okay, Jesse…"
"I’m not your ‘Princess’?" she asked beginning to cry anew.
Howie smiled, "Of course you are. Princess, you’ve had so much to take in lately. Just remember one thing. We ALL love you very much."
Howie took her in his arms again and held on tight as she hugged him.
Becca whispered to Sarah as Jesse was talking to Howie. "How did you
explain the name thing?"
"Just told her that Jim had let her use his name while she was with him," answered Sarah. "It’s legal now though. She is a Dorough…the adoption papers were signed before we left Orlando." Seeing that Jesse was finished with her apology, Sarah said, "Jesse, go find a seat while I get your plate ready."
"Yes ma’am," said Jesse obediently and headed to the table.
Sarah handed Raoul a coloring book and crayons for her and he followed Jesse.
Howie slipped his arm around Sarah’s waist and kissed her. "You okay, Mama?" he asked softly.
Sarah looked into his eyes, "I’m fine. She’s just tired. We kept her out too late last night."
Becca spoke up hearing Sarah. "We can stay here instead of going shopping if you want."
Sarah shook her head, "No, I need to go get Howie’s birthday presents.
I’m gonna leave her here with Raoul so she can take a nap. We’ll swing by
before we go to the studio to get her."
"What about you?" asked Kevin as they moved to get their plates ready. "Raoul should be with you."
Sarah shook her head. "I’ll be okay. Billy will be with us."
The guys piled their plates full of food knowing it would be a long day with the video as they all talked. The conversation centered on the new video they were about to do with the guys telling Ali, Nessa, and Sonja what was planned.
Ali said, "It sounds like the one you did for ‘Quit Playing Games’."
A soft whimper escaped from Becca at the mention of the old video and Sarah laughed hysterically. "Oh god! We can’t let Becca watch y’all."
"Why not?" asked Brian not knowing how Becca reacted to seeing Nick wet.
Howie, Kevin, Nick, and Sonja were laughing with Sarah knowing exactly what she meant. Becca of course was a brilliant shade of red as Sarah explained, "That’s the first video she ever saw and let’s just say…you five weren’t the only ones wet."
In Becca’s defense, Nick said, "I seem to recall it having a similar affect on you too, Sarah."
Sarah grinned as she took Howie’s hand. "Yeah…a wet Howie is a good thing!! But I think THIS video will be SO much better."
"Why do you say that?" asked Vanessa.
"Well, in the other one, his hair was SO SHORT….this time, it’ll be longer and will curl… which I love."
The other four guys eyed Howie knowing his plans but he ignored them. In his thoughts, he was saying a silent prayer that Sarah wouldn’t completely hate what he did.
Sonja asked, "Sarah, how many videos have you seen them do?"
Sarah looked at Howie as she said, "All of them since ‘Millenium’."
Howie added, "She’s been in several of them…’I Want It That Way’…’The Call’…"
"She should have been in the one for ‘Larger Than Life’ but SOMEONE didn’t think she was good enough to do the steps," said Kevin teasing Sarah.
Everyone laughed and Sarah said, "Kevin, you really shouldn’t tease Howie like that."
Nick said, "She was in ‘The One’ too but it’s so fast you have to really be looking to see that it’s her."
"She was also in the video we did for Burger King," said Brian.
Becca said, "That’s YOU dancing with Kevin, isn’t it?"
Sarah laughed, "Backstage, yeah!! Talk about dorky though. ‘I am the Whopper King’…GOD….I thought only blondie was THAT dorky."
Howie threw his napkin at her as everyone laughed and he said, "I thought you were on MY side."
Kevin looked at his watch and said, "We need to get going, guys. We’re gonna be late."
"We’ll get the kitchen cleaned for you, Kevin," said Sarah.
The guys kissed their respective wives/girlfriends, said their good-byes to Jesse, and headed out to the waiting limos to head to the studios while the girls went back to get ready for their morning shopping trip.