Lance shrugged without looking up. "No clue. I think Johnny just likes the idea of being able to call a meeting whenever he wants."
"I didn't do anything this time," Justin affirmed, nibbling on his thumbnail.
"Okay ..." Lance gave him a puzzled look.
"I didn't," Justin insisted.
"I didn't say that you did," Lance shook his head. "You've got issues, Just."
Justin sputtered in response as JC entered the room. "C, tell Lance that I don't have issues."
"Um ... Lance, Justin doesn't have issues?" JC said uncertainly, casting a look at Lance, who laughed. "Any idea what this meeting is about?"
"Nope, but whatever it is, Justin didn't do it." Lance smirked.
"I didn't! This time ..." Justin repeated.
"This time?" JC wondered.
"This is why Justin has issues," Lance explained as Johnny entered the room, followed closely by Chris, Shannon and a very pregnant woman.
"Dee!" Justin exclaimed, jumping up and wrapping his arms around the woman's midsection. "I knew you'd come and save me! Tell Lance that I don't have issues."
Denise Fatone extricated herself from Justin's grip and shook her head. "Sorry, sweetie. I've gotta tell the truth - the baby can hear me now."
JC and Lance's laughter drowned out Justin's squeak of protest, and Johnny called the meeting to order.
"Now, I know you're all wondering why I called this meeting, and -" Johnny looked around the room. "Does anybody know where Joey is?"
"Sorry I'm late!" Joey burst into the room, panting and looking flushed.
"And just where have you been young man?" Chris gave Joey his best 'dad' look.
Joey's eyes twinkled and his face lit up. "Wouldn't you like to know, Kirkpatrick."
"Okay, okay ... onto business." Johnny started again. "As you all know, Denise will be leaving the tour soon, so we need a temporary wardrobe mistress. Shannon will be filling that position, as well as deciding on some of your appearance wardrobe while Denise is gone. I've also decided to allow her to have an assistant to give her some help, because you all are going to be very busy the next few months ... and the way you guys are, she'll need all the help she can get."
"Tell me about it," Denise winked at Shannon, who suppressed a giggle.
"Do you have anyone in mind for your assistant?" Johnny asked Shannon, who looked at him with surprise.
"You mean I get to pick?" Shannon looked at Chris and then back to Johnny. "I have no clue ... maybe I could ask Des or Shelle ..."
"That's a great idea!" Justin and Lance exclaimed at the same moment. Slowly, they turned to look at each other, surprise, then anger crossing their faces.
"Uh oh," JC muttered, exchanging a look with Joey.
"No way, dude - if you want Destiny with you so badly, hire her yourself. She can work with you at FreeLance." Justin said seriously. "You already have half of your family there already -"
"Nice try, Justin. You know damn well that I almost never see my family, so what good would it be if I hired her at FreeLance - I'd still never see her." Lance replied.
"Guys - there's no need to argue about it." Shannon interjected, standing up between them. "I can't hire both of them, and if you keep this up, I won't hire either of them."
"Way to go, Lance. Just ruin it for both of us, why don't you." Justin sulked into his chair, glaring at him.
"What? Me?" Lance looked disbelievingly at his best friend.
"Enough!" Johnny ended the arguement, staring the two down. "The conversation is ended, and so is the meeting. Chris and Shannon, I still need to see you. Oh, and Joey? I'm glad you finally pulled your head out of your ass and finally saw what was right in front of you - tell Marki I said congratulations."
********
"So what happened? Did you really get fired?" Destiny asked as Shannon came through the apartment door, her face full of concern.
"I did ... but I have really great - amazing - news," Shannon beamed. "I'm the new wardrobe supervisor for *N SYNC."
"What?" Colin shook his head, sure he hadn't heard her right.
"Get out," Michelle exchanged a disbelieving glance with Destiny. "You so are not."
"I so am," Shannon giggled nervously. "Their current wardrobe supervisor is going on maternity leave, so while she's gone, I'm their wardrobe supervisor. I start training tonight and I'm on my own by next week in Foxboro."
"You're on your own by next week?" Destiny puzzled. "You mean you'll be on tour?"
"You'll be coming home between dates, right?" Colin asked.
Shannon sat down heavily. "I need to talk to you guys about that. After Johnny had me meet with the guys and Denise, their current wardrobe supervisor, he had a talk with me about the details of the job and everything." She looked around at her brother and two best friends. "I have to relocate to Orlando and pick one of you as an assistant."
"And?" Michelle asked. "What's so bad about that?"
"Nothing ... except that one, I have to relocate to Orlando - which is a lot further away from my family and you guys than I like - and two, that I can only have one of you guys with me on tour. I don't want to have to choose between you, and Justin and Lance are fighting over which one of you should go." Shannon sighed and rubbed her temples.
"I think you should pick Des - she's got a way better sense of style than I do - plus she's a lot more visually artistic than I am." Michelle suggested. "I'd rather stay with the hospitality industry and see where it takes me. I'm sure I can get a transfer with Marriott, there's only like, twenty properties within the Orlando city limits."
"Are you sure?" Shannon questioned her.
"Positive ... what do you think, Des?" Michelle wondered.
"I don't know what to think. Part of me is shocked and the other part of me is saying 'do you realize you'll be on tour with *N SYNC?'" She laughed. "How can I refuse?"
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