Chris didn’t hear Michelle come home at three
o’clock in the morning. She dropped her
bags in the hallway and went into the kitchen to get a glass of milk. She was
sitting on the sofa with it when there was a light knock on the door. Michelle
placed her glass on the table by the door and unlocked it.
“JC!” She exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“I kicked Alexandria out.”
“WHAT?”
“Can I come in?
This isn’t really a conversation that I want to have on your front
porch.”
“Oh sure, sorry.” She apologized and let him in.
“Do you want something to drink?”
“Nah, I’m cool.”
He sat down beside her and picked at the fray on his jeans. “She was in bed with someone else when I got
home. The baby isn’t even mine. She was already pregnant when she seduced me
in Toronto.” He paused and looked at her.
“And you want to know something?”
“What?”
“I don’t even care.”
Michelle grinned.
“Good, cause I was totally fighting the urge to laugh and hug you and
say congratulations.” She hugged
him. “When are you going to tell
Laurie?”
Pain entered JC’s eyes. “I’m sure she’ll find out through Lance.”
“JC…”
JC raised his hands. “It’s cool. I’m
fine. I’m glad they’re happy.”
“You’re lying.
But whatever. You…”
Michelle stopped as a sleepy Chris shuffled around
the corner into the living room. He was
rubbing his eyes and when he reached the sofa where JC and Michelle were
sitting he sat down on the other side of her, wrapped his arms around her waist
and rested his head on her shoulder.
“What’s going on?” He yawned. “Why is JC here?”
“We’re having an affair.” Michelle teased lightly
and spiked up his sleep-flattened hair with her fingers. “I’m sorry we woke you. Are you feeling better?”
“No.” Chris
pouted and snuggled closer. “And how
come you didn’t answer my question?”
“I did, JC is here because we’re having an affair.”
Chris looked up and frowned at her.
“I’m kidding baby.” She kissed his forehead and
then looked at JC. “Do you want me to
tell him?”
JC looked at Chris. “I caught Alexandria in bed with someone else when I got
home. I gave her twelve hours to pack
her shit and get out.”
Chris began to softly snore on Michelle’s shoulder.
“You’re welcome to stay here until she’s
gone.” Michelle said softly.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” JC grinned. “I’m going to head up to the guest room and
have a shower before crashing.”
“Cool. See
you in the morning.” Michelle said and
watched as JC walked up the stairs. She
kissed Chris’ forehead again. It felt
hot against her lips. “Chris.”
“Mmm.”
“Chris come on.
You need to take some Tylenol and go back up to bed.”
“’K.” He mumbled and shuffled into the kitchen with
his eyes half-closed. He swallowed the
painkiller with a glass of water and let Michelle help him up the stairs and
back into bed.
**********
(Friday October 12, 2001)
“I’m glad you decided to come back to Orlando with
me.” Lance said as he hung Laurie’s jacket up in the closet. “Even if you did fight tooth and nail
against it.”
“I realize that I work for Chris and I know that in
the last few months I’ve gotten to know him better, but I still don’t see why I
had to come to Orlando to go to his surprise party tomorrow night.”
“Because this is where the party is?” Lance
laughed.
“But JC is going to be there.”
“Yes he is.”
“It was hard enough seeing him at the premiere.”
Laurie said quietly and looked down at the floor. “He didn’t speak to me at all that night… and I didn’t see him
speak to you, except to say congratulations on the movie. I know I’m being selfish, but I want to tell
him the truth, Lance.”
“Laurie…”
“Lance, he needs to know. This is his child too.”
“I’m not disagreeing with you Laur. I just think that if you tell him now, he’s
going to leave Alexandria and then we’ll have a PR nightmare on our hands. The headlines would scream ‘Boyband Member
Leaves Pregnant Wife For Pregnant Mistress!’ Is that something you really
want?”
Laurie shook her head.
“I didn’t think so.” He checked his watch. “I
have to go and pick up Michelle, we’re going to the compound to check on the
preparation’s for Chris’ party tomorrow.
Do you want to come with us?”
“No, I think I’ll just stay here and have a nap if
that’s ok?” She asked.
“Yeah, that’s fine, make yourself at home.” He
leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“I’ll have my cell with me if you need anything. Don’t hesitate to call.”
“Thanks Lance.”
Lance winked at her before leaving. Laurie wandered around the house with
Jackson and Lexi at her heels. She had
never been to his house in Mississippi, but she had seen pictures of it and she
found the décor in Lance’s Orlando home to be quietly understated. She found the room that Lance had placed her
bags in and laid down on the bed.
Jackson and Lexi made themselves comfortable on the floor and they all
quickly fell asleep.
**********
Michelle was downstairs in the kitchen preparing
lunch when she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist and lips pressed to
her neck. She smiled and let her head
fall back on his shoulder and placed her hands over his. She had yet to tell him that she was
pregnant, but every time Chris had touched her since she found out, her stomach
fluttered a little.
“I guess you’re feeling better?” She asked.
“Mmm Hmm,” he breathed against her ear and
tightened his hold on her. “We don’t
need to have lunch right now, do we?”
“You don’t have to, but I do. Lance is picking me up in ten minutes.” She
turned around to face him and he kissed her.
“Shopping for my birthday present?”
“Maybe.”
“I guess that means I have to let you go?” He
asked.
“It might help.” She smiled.
He didn’t let her go. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being so patient and understanding with me
this week while I was sick. You
mothered me back to health.”
Michelle temporarily froze when she heard Chris say
‘mothered’, but thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice.
“So how long will the food take to be ready?”
“Not long,” she replied. “But I seem to have a growth that’s hindering me from moving.”
“Oh, would you like me to let you go?” His eyes
twinkled with amusement.
“Only if you want to eat. Otherwise, don’t let me stop you.”
He kissed the tip of her nose and let her go. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She laughed. “Now go away or there’s not going to be
anything ready to eat by the time I leave.”
**********
Laurie had been asleep for just over an hour when
the doorbell rang. It took her a moment
to remember where she was when she opened her eyes. When the doorbell rang again, Jackson and Lexi began to bark
madly and ran downstairs. A sudden
chill ran through her body and she briefly wondered if she was coming down with
something. She shuffled down the stairs
and opened the door.
“J-Josh,” she stuttered and wrapped her sweater a
little more tightly around her body.
“What are you doing here?”
JC was just as surprised to see Laurie. “I could ask you the same thing, but I don’t
think I’d want to hear the answer. I
came to see Lance… I wanted to talk to him.”
He took in her appearance for the first time. “I’m sorry if I interrupted something.”
“I was just taking a nap. Lance isn’t here.”
“Ok. Well…
tell him I stopped by.” He started to turn away.
“Josh, wait.”
JC turned back around to look at her.
“He’s gone with Michelle to the compound to check
on some stuff for tomorrow night. He
has his cell with him if you want to call him.”
“Thanks, but it umm… it can wait until
tomorrow.” He paused. “Are you going?”
Laurie nodded.
“That’s one of the reasons I came back here with him.”
“I guess I’ll see you there.” He gave a little wave
and turned away.
“I guess so.” Laurie whispered before she turned to
go back into the house. She felt like
her heart was breaking all over again.