"Don’t worry Johnny, we aren’t going to be late." Justin said to him as he watched Johnny checking his watch once again.
"It’s that hair of yours Justin, I swear you’re worse than a woman."
Lance and J.C. laugh. "Man, you could be right. But, don’t let Dianne hear you talking like that. I think that would be considered a sexist remark, Johnny." J.C. said.
"Why aren’t Chris and Joey coming along?" Lance asked. Justin looked at him startled.
"I thought we called you Scoop for a reason."
"I don’t know why Joey wasn’t invited, Lance. But, like I told you guys a few days ago, TEEN PEOPLE is doing an article on eligible guys under the age of 25...so that leaves Chris out."
Lance turned to J.C., " Did you know about this?"
"Yeah."
"I’m sorry guys, if I had been listening I don’t remember this."
"It’s tough keeping track of everything." Johnny offered.
"He only has one thing on his mind lately." Justin said under his breath.
Lance looked at Justin, "I DID hear that."
Justin looked at Lance and smirked, "Good."
"Am I going to have to call Chris to get you two to play nice?" J.C. asked.
"Listen, Johnny, now’s as good a time as any." Lance began. "If I had been paying attention earlier this week I would’ve asked if there was any way to have Joey take my place...but, I can’t do this interview."
"Oh, man." Justin groaned.
"Lance, this is a good way to set the record straight for the fans and let them know you’re still a single guy. Still available, you know." said Johnny.
"You mean, mess with their heads and lie to them."
"It ain’t no lie!" Justin yelled, "You’re not married for Christ’s sake."
"I have asked Mercedes to marry me, Justin."
"What?" J.C. spoke first.
Justin simply cringed. "Shit."
"Lance, are you serious?" asked Johnny.
"That’s my man." said Wes, smiling.
"I don’t expect any of you to be thrilled about it. At least, not right away until you get used to the idea. But, it’s gonna happen. So I cannot, in good conscience, do this interview."
"This is fucking GREAT. Can’t you SEE how happy I am for you? I’m thrilled to fucking pieces." said Justin.
"Shut up, Justin. Think before you say another damn word." warned J.C.
"Can I ask, what made you decide to ask Mercedes?" asked Johnny.
"It’s very simple, I love her."
"Man, she must be REAL good. You’d throw everything away for a piece of..."
J.C. grabbed Justin by his arm roughly.
"SHUT UP."
"Leave me alone." Justin pulled his shirt sleeve back from J.C.’s grasp.
"I’m not through saying what I want to say to Romeo here."
"I think you are through, Justin. You need to calm down before you say something I know you’ll regret later." advised J.C.
Lance glared at him and said, "What is up with you? You know this whole world doesn’t just revolve around what you want and what’s in your comfort zone. Deal with it, it has NOTHING to do with you. I’m not getting married just to piss off Justin Timberlake. And for the life of me, Justin, I cannot imagine why it should. You’ve been pissed off at me since the whole betting incident. It’s time you got over it."
"You think that this is just about ME? I’ve got news for you, Romeo, we’ve all worked to get where we are and no chick, friend or no friend, is gonna screw that up, figuratively or literally. You listening now Scoop? You wanna know what happened to the Back Street Boys? Marriage ended their sky rocket ride. They ain’t dead yet, but the main reason we’re winning this horse race is because those guys were stupid enough to let some chick..."
"This ISN’T about the business, ass hole, this is about my LIFE."
"Guys. Come on. Let’s not forget we’re friends." J.C. tried, but both of them were steaming so much they couldn’t listen to him. At least not right now.
"Let me out." Lance yelled, "Stop the damn car, Johnny."
"Lance, we’re like no where here. Don’t leave mad at J, come on, you two are friends."
Lance looked at Johnny and said with total honesty, "I THOUGHT we were friends." Wes quickly jumped out with him, and they went from the limo to hailing a taxi cab.
Mercedes was taking a bubble bath and listening to Meredith’s demo tape. She heard the door open and keys being thrown onto the bed. A jacket being thrown across the room and shoes hitting the wall.
"Hello?" Mercedes called out. Mercedes heard muffled curse words.
Then, "THAT PRICK!"
"Lance?"
Lance stood in the doorway to the bathroom unbuttoning his shirt.
"Sorry, I guess you heard that."
"What’s wrong?"
"Justin and I, we’re just not getting along lately."
"I thought you had an interview."
"We did, Justin, J.C. and myself. But, I had second thoughts about doing it." Lance said sounding subdued.
"I’d really like to listen to whatever it is that is eating away at you right now. It’s not like you to back out of an interview."
She looked even more beautiful to Lance with her hair damp from the moisture in the tub. The water in the tub still putting forth steam. Lance threw his shirt back towards his luggage, walked over to the bathtub and sat on the stair below the tub. He had such a puppy dog face! Mercedes reached out and touched his cheek.
"Are you alright?"
Lance folded his arms on the edge of the bathtub and placed his head down on top of them. "Can I come in?"
Mercedes smiled, "I think you‘d better."
Before Lance could unfasten his khakis there was a loud BANG on his door. Lance closed his eyes. The banging was next accompanied by yelling.
"LANCE!"
Lance reached up and kissed Mercedes before he left the bathroom and went to see who was at the door.
"Why are you HERE and not at LUNCH?" Chris asked.
"Come on in. Don’t worry about interrupting me and Mercedes in the bathtub or anything." Lance left the door open and walked further into the suite to grab a t-shirt.
"Justin called and said you two had one hell of an argument and you actually screamed at Johnny to have him stop the limo and let you out! What gives?"
Lance pulled the t-shirt over his head. "Justin’s a prick. That’s basically all there is to it."
"Well, he said you were a dick head, so at least you both have one basic similarity. You should be over at the lunch, Dude."
"I’m sure Justin told you why I didn’t want to be included."
"Yes, he said you told him you were planning on getting married. Okay, that’s something totally separate and we will discuss that later."
"How can you say it’s something totally SEPARATE?" Lance asked stunned.
"The truth is the truth, Chris. I’m getting married, so I can’t be featured in some article on bachelors."
"You aren’t married yet, Dude. You probably won’t be married until WAY after the article is published."
"You and Justin friggin’ amaze me. How you two can think the way you do. As if the personal and professional lives were two totally unrelated things." Lance sat on the couch shaking his head.
Chris sat down next to him. "Don’t get me wrong, I understand your moral dilemma here. What I am saying to you is for you to just consider, just for a moment here, consider marrying Mercedes and keeping it a secret."
"Sweet Jesus, you and Justin are out of your minds."
"Hear me out. Janet Jackson did it. She married this Dude and they were married for seven years and...like NO ONE knew about it. It protected her privacy, Lance. And in your case, it would make life a whole lot easier and safer for Mercedes. You don’t need all the questions and raised eyebrows."
"Good afternoon Chris."
Lance and Chris turn to see Mercedes in a bathrobe standing in the archway between the bedroom and the sitting room area.
"Hey Mermaid." Chris said while acting a little nervous.
"Wait until you hear the insane plot Chris has cooked up." Lance began.
"I did hear it, Be...and I think you ought to consider it."
"Mercedes, that would be dishonest."
"We wouldn’t lie, Lance. We just wouldn’t announce it. If anyone did ask you a direct question about being married, then yes, you’d have to be truthful. But, if someone asked if you had a girlfriend, I hope you’d say no...because you can’t have a girlfriend if you’re married to me." Mercedes smiled.
Chris was obviously pleased that he had Mercedes on his side.
"Darlin’ I’m not convinced." Lance said.
"That’s okay. Let’s just think it over. I don’t want you to make any hasty decisions. Not about this or about getting married."
"Mercedes..."
"Lance..."
"...we are getting married."
"Be, if you’re sure you want to, then I’m definitely for it. But, we ought to consider Chris’ idea."
"Why?" Lance stepped closer to her.
"Because, Be, then I..." she places her lips against Lance’s ear, "I won’t have the responsibility of the group’s future resting with me."
Lance put his arms around her, and said softly. "I want to marry you no matter what consequence it may bring."
Mercedes rested her head on Lance’s chest. "How could I let you risk everything? Loving you, as I do, my concern is how this will affect all your plans. Your friendships are already affected. You never said so, but I think your argument with Justin had to do with me indirectly."
"You are not responsible for Justin’s temper tantrum." Lance told her.
"Lance, I love you. I want what’s in your best interest."
"You are. You complete me."
"You have me. I’m not going away, Lance." Mercedes smiled up at him, "There’s no chance of that happening."
Lance paused and ran his hand across his chin. Then he rested it upon Mercedes’ shoulders. "Baby, I want us to be married."
Mercedes never took her eyes away from him, "And I appreciate that."
Lance shook his head. "If I had to chose, there’s no contest Mercedes! I cannot lose you and I cannot turn my back on God."
"You are NOT going to lose me, Mister." Mercedes smirked.
"We should be married, Mercedes."
"Lance, you may be willing to sacrifice your career for the sake of you and Mercedes getting married, but it’s not just your career. It may, in fact, affect us all. And that’s probably why J is acting the way he is, cause he’s scared of that." Chris said.
Lance held Mercedes tightly, and kissed her curly head. "What makes you think it would even be possible to keep something as monumental as a marriage secret, for heaven’s sake."
"Easy, you just don’t tell anyone." Chris grinned. Mercedes whispers into Lance’s ear, "I’m here for you no matter what decision you make."
"We need some time to think about this Chris." Lance said, his eyes never leaving Mercedes.
"Ok, but in the meantime, would you please go over and do that interview? Man, you will need to keep the wolves from howling at your door, Scoop. There’s going to be a feeding frenzy if the Press gets wind of you bailing on that bachelor thing. Especially after the MTV Movie Award photo op."
"What do you think I should do, Darlin’ ?" Lance asks Mercedes.
"Ohh, please don’t ask me. I am the woman who loves you. I naturally feel a certain possessiveness."
"Then, screw them. I won’t go."
"But, if we do go ahead with Chris’ suggestion...it might be good to throw the Press off the trail. The fans can have you in their fantasies, Be. I’d rather have you keeping me warm at night." Mercedes shyly smiles.
Lance kisses her lips tenderly, "Me too." Then he turns to Chris, "Ok. This time I’ll do it because I did commit to it originally. I just have to pay more attention to what I’m committing to next time. There will be no more articles on being single. One way or another, Mercedes and I ARE getting married."
Lance got on the phone to Johnny, and Chris opened the door to return to his room. "Chris?" Mercedes said. He stopped in the doorway.
"Yeah, Mermaid?"
"How does Dani really feel about this?"
Chris gave her a puzzled look, "I haven’t told her about Lance bailing on TEEN PEOPLE. I’m sure she’ll be glad he changed his mind."
"I wasn’t talking about that, Chris. How does Dani feel about keeping your marriage a secret?"
Chris’ eyes widened and he quickly closed the door. "Are you out of your mind? I’m not married."
Mercedes looked at him as if she didn’t believe him. They stared at each other for a moment. Chris pursed his lips and sighed. "Some days she feels a little abandoned. Some days she giggles like we’ve got the best secret in the whole world. It’s kind of sexy actually. Like you’re cheating on your wife with this woman who is your wife. Does that sound off the wall?"
"For you, Chris? No." Mercedes laughed.
"What gave us away?"
"Nothing. I just guessed. But, don’t any of the guys know?"
Chris answered, "No. Just my Mom, and Dani’s parents. They stood up for us. And a local priest. Those guys can’t say anything, it’s in their contract with the Big Guy."
Mercedes smiled at him, she wanted to ask him more questions, but Lance came breezing through the sitting room and she turned her attention to him.
"There’s suppose to be a car waiting for me downstairs." Lance is searching for the shoes he tossed a half hour ago. "Found them! I’ll put them on in the car."
There was a knock at the door, "That should be Wes." Lance turned to Mercedes, "Darlin’ I gotta go, I’ll see you at the venue, okay?"
Mercedes nodded with a smile. Chris answered the door. Lance put his arms around her and squeezed her whispering, "After the concert, a rain check on the bath?"
"Absolutely."
Lance leaned in and kissed her, "I’m still not 100% sure about this interview. But, I’ll go and make Johnny happy nonetheless." He held her in his arms a little awkwardly because of the shoes, but she felt the strength and love in his embrace just the same.
"You get your hugging and kissing in later, lover boy, you are LATE." Wes said to Lance.
Wes practically pulled Lance and Mercedes apart and then he and Lance hustled down the hall where another member of security had an elevator waiting.
Chris turned to Mercedes. "I know how much you love him. You love him like Dani loves me. You’re both aces. It’s a huge sacrifice to keep something like that a secret. You know I’d love to shout it out during a concert some nights. But, I’ve got to think about how I asked these other four guys to put their all into something and work their asses off. I feel like *N SYNC is my first born child and I don’t want to do anything to mess up all the plans we have for it. But, you know if there’s any way to avoid putting your relationship with Lance in the public spot light, that has to be a good thing. There’s some stuff in there that could be used to attack both of you.
Especially you, Mermaid. None of us wants to see you crucified in the paper or magazines. Anyway, maybe later you’d like to talk with Dani. She’ll be happy, I think, to share this with someone."
"Good afternoon, Lance. I’m glad you could make it," the journalist said shaking his hand as Lance joined them at the table.
Justin had a solemn look on his face, but nodded at Lance when they saw each other. J.C. slapped Lance’s hand.
"Sorry to be late."
"Want to order anything?" the journalist asked.
"No, I’m fine."
"I have already started asking your fellow band mates some questions. Do you mind if I just go over a few with you?"
"Not at all." Lance said graciously.
As the journalist began, Lance could see Justin smile. And for some reason that bugged him.
