Mercedes opened her eyes slowly. She heard the soft whimpering of the baby, and feeding noises. She heard the tender encouragement of a parent, and knew, right then, that Lance had Ellie in his arms. The sheets were still warm on Lance’s side of the bed as Mercedes rolled over, underneath the covers, to reach the floor on his side of the bed for her teddy or robe.
"How’s this, Sweet Cheeks?" There was another whimper, "Come on, Daddy’s girl, let’s let momma sleep. You like your bottle...Umm you know it’s good!" He spoke quietly and lovingly to the baby.
As she tied the sash of her red robe around her, Mercedes tiptoed silently to the doorway to watch the two people she loved the most in this world interact. She leaned against the door frame happily.
Lance was holding Ellie on his good side, and feeding her from the bottle that he held in the hand of the arm that was in a cast. He would lean over and kiss her head, her face, and the hand that already was beginning to reach up to him. "Are you trying to hit me? Ouch, ouch!" Lance smiled. "You’re so tough!"
"Just wait until your Granny Bass comes for a visit. You’re going to be sp-oiled!" Lance began to sing a lullaby and Ellie was asleep before he even finished burping her.
Mercedes turned away, and went back into their room. She opened the drawer to her dresser and pulled out an old photo album, she had found the other day. She sat in a loveseat at the foot of the bed, curled up and turned the pages.
When Lance had returned Ellie to her crib, he came back into the bedroom to find Mercedes deeply engrossed in her photo album. He crawled over the bed and reached her from behind putting his hands over her eyes, "Guess Who?" Mercedes giggled. "Good morning." Lance said hugging her somewhat awkwardly from behind. She leaned back into his arms and smiled. Lance kissed the back of her head. "Thanks for the midnight snack, Baby." He grinned. "I hope you didn’t mind me waking you when I came upstairs."
Mercedes smiled, "You made it worth my wild."
"Wild being the operative word, I’d say." Lance wiggled his eyebrows, and chuckled.
"What’s this?" He asked.
"An old family photo album."
"Let me see the baby pictures of Mercedes McKenzie." Lance demanded, with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. She made room beside her and they spread the album over their laps.
"This one is at Victoria‘s 16th birthday party."
"Oooh I see why the term ‘Sweet Sixteen’ has gone out of fashion over the years. She was a little chubby as a teenager."
"Be nice." Mercedes playfully slapped his hand away from the photo as Lance pointed at it.
"Where were you?"
"That was the year I was born, Lance. Poor Victoria was no longer an only child."
"Why do you say, ‘poor Victoria’ it’s nice when a child can have a brother or sister to share a history with and have an ally to deal with their parents with." Lance laughed. "Anyway, I hope Ellie doesn’t have to wait 16 years for a sibling. That’s a LONG time between children. Your parents didn’t do that on purpose I take it."
"My mother said that I was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise."
"Is this your Mother?" Lance asked. Mercedes nodded. "She’s beautiful, Mercedes. You have her eyes."
"Thank you." She said, snuggling closer to him.
"Was this taken at your sister’s party? When was that?"
Mercedes straightened up, and looked at the picture again. "Victoria’s birthday was April 12th and I was born July 10." Lance was going to say something about how he missed being with her on her birthday last year because she had been in Ireland at the time, but he was too fascinated by the photo of her Mom. That woman was slender! Lance took the photo out of the album and turned it over. Sure enough, it was the right date.
"Well, now I know how you managed to look so good even up through your seventh month. Darlin’, it must be genetics. Your Mom doesn’t even look pregnant here!" Lance laughed.
Mercedes stared at the photo. "Maybe this picture was put in the wrong order."
"It says April 1973 Mercedes." Lance turns the photo over to show the Kodak markings. He grins. "She’s looking good." Mercedes gave him a disapproving glance. "Oops! Sorry, wrong thing to say?" Lance began to laugh. Mercedes face fell. "Lance. You were telling Ellie about her Granny coming for a visit and...your parents called last night. I think they’ll be out for Super Bowl weekend."
Lance placed his lips against her forehead, "That’s alright, isn’t it?"
Mercedes brightened, "Of course it is! I love your family. And I want them to spend lots of time with Ellie. Ellie is so lucky to have such young Grandparents who fuss over her."
"OUR family, Mercedes. It‘s not just my family anymore."
"Lance...I need to tell you something. Before you go nutzoid on me, promise you‘ll try not to freak until you‘ve honestly tried to understand my point of view."
He made a funny face and took a deep breath. "Whatever it is, Mercedes you have to know that I respect your opinion. I will always hear you out. I promise."
"I am going to go visit Victoria in the..."
"WHAT? Like hell. No way." Lance jumped up off the loveseat and started pacing the floor. Mercedes went and closed the bedroom door so he wouldn’t wake up the baby. "Mercedes! That woman tried to KILL you. If that doesn’t make an impression on you...she tried to KILL Eleanor Faith! And let’s not overlook the fact that she tried to poison me at our wedding reception. Do you honestly expect me to wish you a bon voyage as you go walking right into the lioness’ den? No damn way. Absolutely, no way!"
Mercedes just sat quietly as Lance ranted for a while. When he calmed down sufficiently, she smiled. "Are you through?"
"Mercedes you can’t go visit her. Why would you even consider going?"
"She’s my sister."
"Stacey is your sister now." Lance sat beside Mercedes and placed his hand on her head, lovingly playing with her hair. "THIS is our family. My family is OUR extended family. We don’t need anything else."
"Please Lance, all I remember of my life with Victoria is good. When our parents’ died she left Ithaca to live with me in Boston and take care of me."
"She tried to control your life. She cut you off from all your friends. Until you went away to college you didn’t have your own life. Even after you finished school, you couldn’t take an internship far enough away. You ran away to Florida."
"I eventually ran into YOU." Mercedes smiled. "Everything has a reason Lance."
"Mercedes, I can’t even stand the thought of you being in the same room as Victoria." Lance got up from the loveseat to take his shower. He had to be in early to tape a commercial with the guys for the Super Bowl. "Please don’t ask this of me. I have to take my shower now. Come on. Let’s not talk about Victoria. You know I think she’s behind the shooting."
"We don’t really know that."
"I DO. I KNOW THAT." Lance sighed, "Darlin’ I love you. I don’t want us to have an argument."
"I promise I’ll take LuAnn and Drew with us."
Lance spun around, "What’s this US shit? Are you implying that Ellie would go visit Victoria with you? I may not be able to convince you not to go, but I’m telling you that you ARE NOT taking OUR DAUGHTER to Boston. There will be NO DISCUSSION on that. She IS NOT going. PERIOD."
"Lance, I am nursing Ellie. Wherever I go, she HAS to come with me."
He looks at her and answers callously, "Then, I guess you’ll just have to stay in Orlando."
Wes stared at the brooding man sitting next to him in the car. It couldn’t possibly be the same guy he drove into Orlando yesterday. Lance was slumped against the window, sunglasses on, frown on his face, and biting on his fingers nervously. The bodyguard couldn’t help but overhear portions of the argument that morning.
"I JUST want to SEE her! It’s certainly going to be a controlled situation. There are doctors and nurses there, and Drew and LuAnn would be there with us." Mercedes was pleading with her husband.
"NO DAMN WAY. Do you understand? I will NOT ALLOW you to take Ellie ANYWHERE NEAR THAT WOMAN!" Lance was livid. "How can you even CONSIDER going to Boston?"
"She’s my SISTER." Mercedes stated. "She’s all I have left of my parents."
Wes thought that pitiful statement might move Lance, to at least soften a bit, but instead his fear for her safety overwhelmed his compassion and he snarled.
"Ellie is what you have left of your parents. Can’t you see that? Victoria is no longer your sister, as far as I am concerned. Put her out of your mind, Mercedes. Just pretend she died. Like you almost died. Like Ellie almost died, like I could’ve died...and all because of HER."
"Heard your parents called last night."
"Yep." Lance answered while staring out of the window.
"When’s the last time you spoke to Stacey?" Wes inquired.
Lance tilted his head, pulled down his sunglasses with his index finger, and with a sarcastic look on his face said, "What’s your point?"
"Well, how long do you go between visits or conversations with your sister?"
"My sister hasn’t tried to kill me lately."
"Imagine then if the only memory you had of her was when you were a small boy and she was always beating on your ass." Wes laughed. "I bet you’d think twice about calling her...every stinking day."
"I do not call her every day." Lance was irritated. "You’re not going to make me feel bad about this. I am right here. Mercedes isn’t going to Boston. She has no business considering a trip up there, especially not if it means bringing Ellie with her."
Wes glanced over to him and said, "Lance, does Mercedes realize how scared you are?"
"Give me a break." Lance said annoyingly.
"She certainly knows you’re angry. At the moment, she is well aware that you are angry with HER. But, does she realize that you’re worried about her safety? Does she understand that YOU remember everything that’s happened and it scares the shit outta you that Victoria might still try to kill her, or the baby? That you’re not an overbearing, insensitive clod that isn’t conscious of the fact that Mercedes feels lost whenever she sees how close you are to your family and your sister. Mercedes wants to connect to the past that she DOES remember."
Lance was silent.
After a few minutes, he fidgeted nervously in his seat. He rubbed his face, twitched his nose, and checked the time. Wes started looking for a place where he could turn around.
"Shit." Lance said, then he paused. "Can we turn around?"
"I’m on it." Wes told him. "Should I stop at that florist?"
Lance tilted his head, and for the first time Wes saw Lance smile that morning. "Don’t go thinking you know me so well...but, yes please."
"You’re LATE!" Johnny yelled.
"Yeah, I’m sorry." Lance was hustling onto the Universal Studios set. The rest of the guys were already out of wardrobe. The first thing Lance noticed was that Chris looked like crap. "Hey, didn’t you sleep last night?" Lance asked him.
Chris mumbled. "...and maybe I’d be in a better mood, if you weren’t still acting like this is your honeymoon, Bass."
Lance threw his hands in the air. "I can’t help it...she LOVES me!" That old chuckle was back and the spring in his step.
They had come to an understanding, Mercedes and Lance. He was going to figure out a time when he could accompany his wife and daughter to Boston. To visit the evil wicked witch, who also happened to be Mercedes only other living relative. A sister that she remembered fondly.
Lance could almost roll his eyes at what a sap he was, but he loved Mercedes and Wes was right. His wife needed to connect not only with Victoria, but perhaps the home she knew as a child. He HAD promised to help her regain her memory. And as long as he and a couple dozen bodyguards were there...
"LANCE. Come on." Johnny warned him, "Steve Tyler and Aerosmith are here already."
The hairstylist was still busy dealing with Justin, but she told Lance to take a seat. The make-up woman started applying liquid powder.
"Are you still going with your natural brown?"
"I think I’ll have you lighten it some more. Just not as blonde as before."
"We’re going to do spikes?"
"Yeah, but I want to keep it shorter." Lance told her.
"Lance this is Steve." J.C. introduced them.
"Hi. Great to meet you! Sorry I‘m holding everyone up." Lance stuck out his hand.
"Ought to be a kick ass show." Steve said to him, shaking his hand. Lance nodded affirmatively. "You know your band mates here told me you’ve been late a lot lately. Getting a lot of action at home, huh?" Steve grinned and poked J.C. in the side. Lance gave J.C. a raised eyebrow. J.C. smirked. "Listen, you gotta hold some in reserve for the chicks backstage. Don’t want them to go and tell tales about how you drag your ass and can’t get it up for them."
Lance started to color just a bit. "I think we can dispense with the blush today." Lance joked with the make-up woman. Steve knew he had gotten to Lance. He had heard that Lance was shy and he wanted to see if he could embarrass him. As Steve and J.C. laugh and turn to leave, Lance calls out, "I’ll get you for this C."
BeaconHill57: What’s the status?
Shrink69__2001: Everyone’s in place. No telling when opportunity may knock. So, if you’re serious about being here when it does, you’d better make arrangements soon.
BeaconHill57: Good.
Lance was waiting he overheard Justin’s conversation with the hairstylist. They were discussing pink tips on Brit’s hair for Valentine’s Day.
"Well, J she can wash it out the very same night. I mean there’s nothing permanent about color these days."
"I knew that." Lance said. "I KNEW THAT." Lance reached for his cell phone. Justin and the hairstylist look at Lance as if he’s really lost his mind.
"Rob? Lance. Listen, the guy in the car with the purple hair? He could be anyone! That hair color was probably temporary. Am I the only idiot that didn’t think of that? I need to think about people associated with Victoria and look at them in a whole new light here. Yeah, fax them to me will you? And Rob, Mercedes wants to visit her sister. We need to set something up and I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve figured out my schedule here. Probably not until after the Super Bowl. (pause) Oh, yeah I know. Had that conversation with her already. (pause) Yep. (pause) Ok. Talk to you later."
No sooner than Lance clicked off, then his cell phone rang. "Yeah. Lance."
"Lance? It’s me Darren."
"Hey Darren. What’s up?" Lance smiled. This was a call Lance had been waiting for. Now, the question was...how long to let him squirm?
"Lance, you’re not still mad about me telling Paul...ya know...that Mercedes lost her memory...are you?"
"Oh man, I had almost forgotten about that and now you had to call me up and remind me?" Lance pretended to be extremely annoyed.
"Lance, you know I feel really bad about what happened that night at Poet’s." Darren said cautiously.
"Well, yeah you should." (pause) "I tell ya what. You get over me having a hush-hush wedding and I’ll forgive you this."
Darren laughed, "It’s a deal, Bass."
"You still coming to the Super Bowl?"
"Am I still invited?"
"You know you are."
"Then, I’ll be there."
"Call me and let me know your flight times, k?"
"Ok Bass. How’s the wife and daughter?"
"Really good, thanks." Lance smiled, and then grinned. "See you soon, Darren."
Wednesday January 24
"Ellie, it’s French Toast! Oh WOW!" Lance was carrying his daughter into the kitchen smelling the wonderful aroma. He kissed Mercedes and let his lips linger on hers. "Good morning, again. Full house, Saturday night, huh?"
"Darren and your Mom are flying into Tampa Friday. We have extra rooms at the hotel. Then Saturday night here. I think we’ll be able to make everyone comfortable." Lance put Ellie in her seat and kissed her little fist.
As he put his arm around her waist, he commented, "OOooo, no late night snacks in the kitchen?" Lance grinned, "That sucks."
"Well, you’ll just have to build a guest house, Mr. Bass." Mercedes smiled as Lance squeezed her tighter. "That reminds me, the real estate agent says there’s been an offer made on the other house. I think I’ll take a ride over there this afternoon to see the place before the deal closes."
"Tampa." Lance said, kissing her. "You ARE driving over to Tampa this afternoon, right?" He took a plate of French toast and started for the table.
"Yes." Mercedes smiled. "Ellie and the nurse in one room. You and I in another. All the various and assorted bodyguards placed in rooms on the same floor of the hotel."
"Obviously, I have been over the plan with you." Lance smirked. "I hope it won’t be too exhausting for you. I know it’ll be a late dress rehearsal."
"Exhausting for ME?" Mercedes laughed and put her arms around his neck.She started smothering him with kisses, "You just better be ready for me, Mister." Lance grabbed her and pulled her into the chair with him.
"Hey, not today! We ain’t being late today! We have a two hour drive ahead of us!" Wes growled.
"But, she looks so cute this morning!" Lance grins. "And you know, I haven’t been able to spend much time with her this week."
"I am not crying for you, boy. I know you’ll find a way to make up for lost time." Wes said. He pulled Mercedes off Lance’s lap.
"Oh, you are sooo mean, Wes." Lance said. Mercedes pretended to pout. "Alright, alright, I love you." Lance kissed her dramatically. "I’ll see you during the rehearsal tonight. SOMEHOW!"
"You take care of my man, Wes." Mercedes says hugging Lance goodbye.
"Yes, Mercedes." Wes said.
"A little privacy, please?" Lance asks, as he tells Wes to turn his head discreetly.
"I’ll miss you." Lance says. As he goes in for a deep, wet kiss he suddenly positions his hand on her tush. As he does so, she jumps a little in surprise and squeals.
"You are just full of surprises." Mercedes says coyly.
Lance moves his eyebrows expressively and winks, "If you’re ready for me, then I’ll be ready for you."
"Be careful with the pyrotechnics." Mercedes says. "I don’t want anything singed."
"Lance, the marshmallow man! Char-boiled?" He laughed as he kissed her neck and bit her earlobe. "Um tasty." Then he looks up at Wes looming over him, "Oops, gotta go!" Another quick kiss and he’s out the door.
(Robert James Stadium ~Tampa~ Somewhere close to Midnight)
Justin is blowing on his hands, "DAMN it’s cold!" The guys, Aerosmith and a few thousand extras had been at it all day, and now half the night. This was their last chance to go over everything on the actual Super Bowl field.
Everyone was tired. Everyone was cold. To top it off, MTV had been following them around all week and in their faces tonight filming a special on the Making of The Super Bowl Half-time.
"Geez, give it a rest, can ya?" Chris asked a cameraman. Lance had noticed that Chris was a little bit more short-tempered than usual and Dani hadn’t come in to Tampa yet. Mercedes had spoken to Dani a couple of times over the past week and a half and each time, Dani told her that everything was fine.
Lance had seen Mercedes for all of a half hour during a break around 6. He noticed that she seemed a little frazzled by all the commotion surrounding the Super Bowl hype. The people, the extra security, the intensity...it was a little overwhelming. Lance also wondered if there was something bothering her after having seen the house she and Liam once lived in. The episode between Mercedes and himself in the Barn loft was a whole year ago. He hoped he’d never have to tell her about THAT again. Lance closed his eyes and sighed.
Mercedes must be back to the Stadium by now. She had planned to see Ellie and stay with her at the hotel until she nursed and fell asleep. He took a deep breath and wished he had gloves.
"What the hell is taking so long?" Justin whined. Britney said something to him and Justin, uncharacteristically, gave her a snotty look. Lance looked away. After the unsettling argument he and Mercedes had a week ago, he hated disagreements.
Lance rubbed his hands together and thought about HEAT. Then, he couldn’t help it, he got this big ole grin on his face.
That RED Teddy. DAyUM. I’m feeling warmer already. After feeling so beat that night and so angry at Drew and LuAnn. All my fears and all that guilt I felt just washed away when I laid down next to her. I put my arm around her waist and breathed her in. She smelled SO good. Her hair was still damp. Ellie must have kept her busy after her bath or shower, because Mercedes obviously hadn’t had time to blow dry her hair and straighten it out. I can take the curls and scrunch them up in my fingers. I LOVE THAT. Maybe I could’ve let her sleep, but those curls brought back so many sexy memories.
I know I shouldn’t have, but I put my hand on her hip and rubbed down her thigh, then up over her tush. Mercedes stirred. I felt a smile come to my lips. Then, I placed my hand on her shoulder, lifted her hair, scrunched it up and kissed her neck. SWEET. She turned. "You’re home." She smiled. A sleepy-eyed, delicious smile. "I missed you."
Oooh Man. She missed ME? Lord, you’re too good to me! How’d I ever get so lucky?
"Let me make it up to you." I said. Cheezy? Perhaps. But, DAyUM...PLEASE...let me. Her lips tasted like cherries. Cherry cheesecake, I thought. My hand touched her soft skin. I patiently waited for her to move closer to me. I knew that she would when she woke up a little more. When she cuddled closer I reached around her and pulled her in tight. Then my hand roamed over the smooth silky robe pressing firmly against her back. Have I ever been this close to her and not WANTED her?
Mercedes reached down and untied the strings on my pants. "Baby, are you aware of how much...I love you?" I...touched her. Naturally, I had an immediate reaction. A HEM. Sometimes I think I feel sorry for Mercedes. I waited 21 years to be intimate with a woman and I’m nothing but a big kid in a candy store. I gotta have it.
That red teddy with it’s ribbon ties in the front. Each one I had the joy of painstakingly untying. It was a slow and tedious task, which only added to my already heightened physical excitement. It gave me the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy those moments that lead up to a total and complete oneness.
I’m a GUY. Since when do guys feel such mundane emotions of intimacy and commitment? Why is it that the years I spent while we built this *N SYNC pop machine, I was never able to allow myself to bed some chick on the road? How did I avoid the pitfalls of casual sex? I had the same needs and desires. I noticed a cute butt and a healthy curve. I had plenty of opportunity, mainly unsolicited. Was I so afraid that someone was after me for all the wrong reasons? Was I so committed to my Christian upbringing ? Was it that every woman I met was merely a girl and a poor substitute for Mercedes? What must have been going through MY MIND? What ever made me think I’d ever have a chance of ending up with her?
"Ready Lance?" J.C. nudged him. "They’re ready to do another run through." Lance nodded. He rubbed his eyes and tried to stay focused.
There she was, completely disrobed. I had slowly kissed and caressed each space underneath each red ribbon tie. Now Mercedes pulled at my PJ bottoms stroking me and pushing at my behind. I rocked against her. I kissed her forehead and felt the beads of sweat that started to form. I heard her short, rapid breathing. And I touched her. The soft womanliness of her.
I slipped inside of her, and she moaned. Sometimes I worry that it might be painful. And was it painful for a woman during intercourse in much the same way as it’s painful for a man to be denied?
What was it about that night? Her eager open mouth and her hungry eyes that begged me to keep touching her. Everything was hot and moist and satisfying. As slowly as I approached our lovemaking, Mercedes seemed to attack the main event with gusto. I thought she’d be finished with me after the studio and worn out after an evening of cooking and taking care of Ellie. But, she was as insatiable as I was that night. I held her face in between my hands and kissed her mouth. Over and over again I entered her.
The signal! "Shit!" Lance swore under his breath. Chris is sending Lance dirty looks because Chris KNOWS Lance wasn’t paying attention.
"Damn it Bass!" He practically trips over Lance. When they finally get on stage, Justin’s mike isn’t working. That just clinched it. Now, everybody was cold, tired AND in a foul mood.
"What were you THINKING about back in the tunnel?" Chris yells. "Oh never mind, I know the answer to THAT." Lance watched Justin rip his mike off and heard him swear. Joey had to go over and calm him down. Then, Chris got his second wind and started in on Lance again. "LISTEN, NSync comes FIRST! Before your marriage, your kid, your other business ventures. First! GOT IT?"
He couldn’t help it, Lance knew that Chris hadn’t been himself for the past week and he didn’t know why, but what was that crap all about?
Steve Tyler and Aerosmith walked right past them and off the field."You’re so full of SHIT." Lance yelled back at Chris. He had been walking away, but getting a reaction out of easy-going, mild-mannered Lance was the last thing Chris expected.
Chris ran back over to him. "Because I think this group should come first? Well, that just SHOWS!"
Lance poked Chris in the chest. "What’s been eating you? You’ve been a pain in the ass ever since we got back into the studio!"
Chris got right up into Lance’s face and hissed, "Well, you know, not everything comes so easily to the rest of us!"
Lance couldn’t imagine what had Chris so pissed off! "What is wrong with you?" He asks Chris, angrily. Chris just kept walking away and left Lance standing there confused. What in the hell was Chris talking about? Lance couldn’t imagine what it was Chris was referring to! HELLO? Nothing about Lance’s personal life has been easy ! Was there something wrong with Chris’ business?
The booming voice from bull horns from the field coordinators informed the half-time participants not to leave. They were going to set it up and try again.
"This is going to take a while." J.C. told Lance. "Let’s go see the ladies and get some coffee, ok?"
Lance was happy to get a chance to warm up with Mercedes inside.
"Are you with the band?" Steve Tyler asked Mercedes and Bobbie as they stood with their warm beverages under the stadium outside the dressing rooms.
"Yeah, you could say we’re with *N SYNC." Bobbie answered him, grinning.
"Man, I had no idea that boybands made out so well." Steve snickered. He flipped Mercedes security tag over and smiled at her. "If you’re looking for a man..."
"I’m married." Mercedes told him.
"Sweetie, so am I. But, hey, she isn’t here right now. Where’s your husband?" Steve leaned against the wall, closer to her.
Mercedes pointed down the hallway. "He’s on his way in from the field."
"Oh? He’s working the front of the stage and you’re working the backstage?" Steve laughed. "You guys got it covered. What’s he do?" Steve puts his hand over her lips smiling he says, "Wait, let me guess." Mercedes moves back a little.
Bobbie is thoroughly enjoying this. "Something tells me you’re not going to get this."
"Lighting?" Mercedes shakes her head, ’no’. "Sound? Wait. No, huh? Cause his ass would be in a sling from Timberlake if it was that. He’s not part of the crowd yelling out in the audience is he?"
"No. Listen, maybe I should just tell you..." Mercedes begins.
"Sweetheart, I seriously don’t care what he does. I only want to know what you do." Steve draped his arm over Mercedes’ shoulder and gives her the once over. "You...are HOT."
"Oh My God." Bobbie explodes in a fit of laughter.
Chris brushes past them, followed by Joey, Justin and Britney. Joey says, "Hey Mermaid." gives her and Steve a double-take and all the while he’s keeping a short leash on Justin. Mercedes makes an attempt to back away from Steve. She even lifts his arm off of her shoulder.
"Come on. My dressing room is down this way." Steve put his arm around her waist.
Mercedes smiles. "No thanks. I’m waiting for my husband."
"Sweetheart, time’s wasting." Steve makes an attempt to pull her along. He smiles as he grabs her butt. Mercedes stiffens and pushes his hands away.
Steve raises his hands and backs off. "OK. I’m telling you it could’ve been a lot of fun." As he turns and joins his bodyguard as they head down to their own dressing room.
"Are you going to tell Lance about that?" Bobbie asks as she continues to laugh her butt off.
"No. That would be a ridiculous thing to do." Mercedes replied.
Soon, J.C. and Lance were spotted coming down the hall. As soon as she saw him, she forgot the incident with Steve Tyler. She could see how tired Lance was, but his eyes smiled when he spied her.
"Ahhhh!" Lance quickened his steps to her. "I just want this rehearsal to be over with!" He embraces her tightly and rests his head against hers.
"Coffee?" Mercedes offered Lance her Styrofoam cup.
"Yes, thank you!" His cold lips kiss hers, as he takes the cup and warms his fingers. Then he takes a sip. "Oh yeah, I needed this." Lance closed his eyes appreciatively. When he opened them, he gazed upon Mercedes lovely face and smiled.
"What?" She moved closer and said softly.
Lance just smiled, leaned over and kissed her again. "Nothing. I had just been thinking about you out on the field and I missed you." He shook his head slowly, "I am very lucky to have such a patient and beautiful wife."
"OOooo. Now, you just keep thinking that Mister." Mercedes kidded him. "You just earned yourself a body rub, you sweet talker you."
Lance grinned widely, "Oh good , then it had the desired affect." Another long, lingering kiss later, Joey came out of the dressing room.
"Hey, Lance. We’ve been summoned to Aerosmith’s dressing room for a meeting."
Lance sighed and tilted his head towards Mercedes. "Sorry. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait for me at the hotel?" Lance touched her face with his hand and kissed her ear, whispering, "I promise I’ll wake you when I get in."
"You enjoy your meeting and I’ll think about that."
"Enjoy the meeting?" Lance smirked, "Yeah, I’ll do that."
"Ok. *N SYNC you guys were late on that cue." The half-time director was raising his voice ever so slightly as Lance entered the room. From the look Chris gave him, Lance wondered if anyone else thought he was to blame.
"That wasn’t the problem! It was my DAMN mike!" Justin yelled.
"Well, it wasn’t plugged back in after the pyro check."
"Hey, man you know it’s not going to help anybody at this hour sitting here bitching about who did what wrong. How much more time is it going to take before we’re set for another run through?" Steve Tyler asked.
"Within 20 minutes or so." The director promised.
"Which means WHAT? A half hour? 45 minutes?" Tyler laughed. Joe Perry said something about it being a shame that Steve had struck out with the chick waiting back stage. "Hey, I could’ve made good use of this down time." Then he chuckled, "Man, I could’ve enjoyed going down on her."
Lance closed his eyes and rubbed his face. He kept reminding himself to focus on the task at hand. But, as he reopened his eyes, he noticed Joey looking over at him. "What?" Lance mouthed. Joey just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
"Let me tell you she reminded me of the first car I ever had." Steve snickered. "That Benz was a beauty. We just got our first record deal, man I thought I had ARRIVED. So I bought this Benz...not a sports car, mind you, not something flashy. My old man always wanted a Mercedes Benz and I was going to rub his face into it. He never thought I’d ever make a dime off of my music."
The guys were all sitting around while the director on his head set with the other half time coordinators, argued whether or not they were going to go again.
Joey came over and sat by Lance. He wasn’t sure WHAT he had seen in the hall earlier, but he had a feeling that Steve Tyler was talking about THEIR Mermaid.
"Course, there is a chick in the story." Steve winked. "If she was 16, I’d be surprised. MAN, I was soooo BAD back then." His band mates laugh. "No, shit I mean it! I’ve gotten a lot more careful." He flung his scarf around his neck again.
"Ok, but how did this local groupie out in the hallway remind you of some 16 year old? I saw that chick, she was legal." Joe Perry asked.
"I don’t know. She just did." Steve scratched his head, "I haven’t thought about that sweet little thing in FOREVER. She was a great fuck in the back of that Benz, man."
"What was her name?" Lance asked. Aerosmith collectively paused and tried to stifle their laughter.
"The jail bait?" Steve tried to clarify. Lance shook his head, ‘yes’.
"Sweet little thing." Steve laughed, "Hell, I don’t remember."
Joey shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Lance rubbed his eyes again, trying not to be judgmental, but that was difficult. He imagined how this girl must have felt being one of a whole line of nameless conquests.
As the director got off the phone, the word was given that there would not be another run through. Lance had a hard time masking his delight. Within minutes Lance had Mercedes in an embrace, in the back of the car being driven to the hotel.
Wes walked them through the lobby and tried to act nonchalant as he stood in the front of the elevator as they made out behind him. "Call me before you go anywhere in the morning, alright?" They were old. "Are y’all listening to me?" Wes asked.
Wes heard Lance pant, "Yeah. Yeah." as he took a breath and returned to Mercedes’ arms.
"Was that for my benefit?" Wes asked. Lance moaned. Wes got a push from behind. "Ok, I’m going to take that as my cue to shut up." said Wes laughing.
Quickly Lance and Mercedes hurried down the hallway to their room. "Should I knock on the Nurse’s door to check on..." Lance grabbed her impatiently, "Okay, NOT." Mercedes giggled quietly. They made it to their room and Lance stuck the card key in the door without difficulty.
Once inside the hotel room, and without turning on the light, he inched her towards the bed. Stopping to step around furniture and groping at each other’s clothes.
"OOooo, Baby I’ve been thinking about this all day!" Lance put his lips to her neck and lightly bit her. Mercedes pulled up his shirt from his pants and slipped her hands up his back. He slid his hands up her arms and placed the palms of his hands under her hair, tilting his head for a wet, hungry kiss.
Lance leaned her over the long table behind the couch in the sitting area.
"Not gonna make it to the bed, Baby." He told her.
Mercedes went to push aside the fruit basket and flowers the hotel had sent up earlier. She remembered they were there from being in the room earlier that evening and seeing them there. But, as she swished her hand along the table behind her, and Lance pressed against her urgently, there were no baskets, no flowers! It felt moist and there were chunks of plastic or something. "Eeewww." Mercedes said.
"Huh?" said Lance. Then, he made a chuckle, "I’ll try not to take that personally." He straightened up. "What’s wrong?"
Mercedes gave him a kiss, "Sorry honey, but there’s something on this table. It's all wet here." As Lance backed up, Mercedes brought her hand around and simultaneously Lance put on a nearby lamp.
Mercedes screamed! It was an ear piercing scream. Lance’s heart jumped in his chest and he rushed to her.
There was what appeared to be blood splattered all over the sitting room area and a few plastic baby dolls, all broken in pieces scattered over the table.
"Oh my God, Lance...Ellie!" They both headed for the door, Lance grabbed his cell phone and dialed 911 as they dashed down the hall.
