Heaven

By:  Stacey

 

Justin Timberlake sighed as he ran his hands over the cold unmoving marble of the headstone. He was 21, and he’d just lost the love of his life. Leigh Williams was his best friend, his love, and his companion. She was the only constant thing over the years besides his family. She’d supported him in his ventures with *NSYNC, had congratulated him when he went solo, had been there for him throughout it all. And now she was gone. Gone from his life because of one brainless drunken fool who’d decided to drive. Justin choked back a sob as he felt his four friends behind him.

 

“C’mon Justin,” Lance Bass said softly. “It’s okay to cry.” Tears came to his own as he watched his friend cry. He looked to the other three for help. JC began to sing softly, one of Leigh’s favorite songs.

 

“Where, oh where, can my baby be/ the Lord took her away from me/ She’s gone to heaven, so I’ve got to be good/ So I can see my baby when I leave this world/ We were out on a date in my daddy’s car/ We hadn’t driven very far/ There in the road, straight ahead/ A car was stalled, the engine was dead/ I couldn’t stop, so I swerved to the right/ I’ll never forget the sound that night/ The screamin tires, the bustin glass/The painful scream that I heard last,” JC drew a breath and the others join him, tears streaming down Justin’s face as he sang. “Oh where, oh where, can my baby be/ The Lord took her away from me/ She’s gone to heaven, so I’ve got to be good/ So I can see my baby when I leave this world.” Justin took the lead after the chorus, his voice strangled and full of emotion.

 

“Well, when I woke up, the rain was pourin’ down/ there were people standing all around/ Something warm running in my eyes/ But somehow I found my baby that night/ I raised her head, and when she smiled, and said, ‘Hold me darling for a little while’/ I held her close. I kissed her our last kiss/ I found the love that I knew I would miss/ But now she’s gone, even though I hold her tight/ I lost my love ... my life, that night.” The four men sang as one, like they used to, but a note of sorrow in their collective voice made the song keener. If any passerby had heard it, they would have cried.

 

“Well, where oh where can my baby be/ The Lord took her away from me/ She’s gone to heaven, so I got to be good/ so I can see my baby when I leave this world.” They finished the song and Justin broke out into a fresh sob, leaning against Joey’s shoulder for support.

 

Later that night, Justin sat alone thinking on times when his angel had been around, watching aver him. He wondered how Leigh was doing up in Heaven, and if she was looking down on him now. He sighed and gave way to the tumble of memories that threatened to wash him away.

 

 

 

“Justin,” Leigh Williams said through her giggles as she and her best friend Justin Timberlake chased each other by the creek bank where they lived. They were both only eight and had been best friends all their lives.

 

“You ain’t gonna catch me.” Her voice had a thick accent that was distinctly Tennessee. Justin grinned and ran after her.

 

“I am so,” he said indignantly. Leigh giggled again. She tossed her long black hair out o her crystal green eyes and grinned.

 

“No you ain’t. I’m taller than you, I can run faster.” Justin stuck his tongue out at her as she made a swipe at him. “So!” he shouted. “So,” she shouted back grabbing the back of his shirt. “Caught ya!” She quickly let go and ran to the edge of the bank. “Let’s go swimmin’.” They were about to jump in the lake when another girl came up to them.

 

“Justin, your mama wants you to get home,” Britney Spears said. “An’ she said you can walk me home.” Britney gave Justin her best smile and he grimaced. Then she looked at Leigh, taking in the dirty t-shirt and jeans with holes in the knees. “Oh hello, Leigh,” she said mockingly. “You look like a boy.” Justin looked at Leigh and grinned.

 

“Well,” at least she doesn’t look like a slug like you Britney,” he said. Leigh started laughing as Britney ‘huffed’ and began walking back up the slope from the creek bed.

 

“Thanks Justin,” Leigh said. “I really hate her. She so snobby.” Justin nodded. “She asked me to be her boyfriend,” he said scrunching his face in disgust. “Like I'd ever go out with a girl like her. I'd much rather go out with a girl like you, Leigh.” Leigh blushed and kissed Justin on the cheek. Justin stuck his tongue out again and started running up the hill. “Race ya!”

 

 

 

Justin smiled at the memory. It was the first time he realized in his young eight-year-old mind how much Leigh meant to him. Another memory took its place and Justin sat back, thinking,

 

 

“JUSTIN,” Leigh said as they sat in the movie theater. “Pay attention to the movie.” Justin sighed. “It’s stupid anyway,” he said smiling. They were fourteen and they were celebrating the fact that they were allowed to go to the movies alone for the first time. Leigh giggled. “So,” she said smugly. “You picked it!” Justin smiled and shook his head at her. “NU-UH, you’re the one that wanted to see this,” he said gesturing to the screen. The door opened beside them and light filtered into the dark movie theater as two young people tiptoed in and sat down two rows below Leigh and Justin.

 

“Justin, look,” Leigh whispered. “It’s Britney and Nick Carter, the new kid.” Justin looked down and scowled. “Why’s she here with him?” Leigh tried to hide her hurt at the jealous look on Justin’s face as he watched Britney snuggle close to Nick.

 

“If you wanted to go to the movies with her, Justin Timberlake, you could have asked her,” she snapped. “I certainly wouldn’t’ve cared.” Justin looked at his best friend, pouting. “I wanted to go with you an’ I did, so why are you mad?” Leigh sighed.

 

“Do you like Britney, Justin?” She asked instead of answering him. He shook his head vehemently. “No,” he whispered loudly. “I still think she’s a slug, but still, she can do better than him.” Justin continued to watch the two throughout the movie. When it was over Leigh got up and practically ran out of the theater before Justin could catch up. She was halfway home when he caught up, panting.

 

“Leigh, what’s wrong?” Leigh wiped her eyes angrily. “Leigh,” Justin said pleadingly, turning Leigh around to face him. He mentally slapped himself when he realized that she’d been crying. “Do you think I like Britney?” he asked softly. Leigh nodded, sniffing, not meeting Justin’s eyes. Justin laughed. “Leigh, I DO NOT like Britney. She’s a snob and thinks she’s better than everyone else.” Leigh laughed slightly and Justin’s face softened. “Do you like me?” Leigh’s eyes widened.

 

“N-no,” she stammered. “No.” Justin smiled. “It’s okay if you do,” he said smiling. Leigh blushed. “Do you like me?” She asked softly. Justin smiled his dazzling smile and Leigh was surprised to see a blush along his cheeks. He nodded. Leigh’s face broke out into a grin and she nodded too. “Then I do like you Justin.” Justin laughed and asked seriously, “Leigh Williams, will you be my girlfriend?” Leigh grinned widely and nodded.

 

“Yes, Justin Timberlake I will.”

 

 

Justin’s grin faded. Soon after that, he’d joined *NSYNC and went gallivanting across Europe. He’d called Leigh every night, just to talk to her, to hear her voice for almost half a year. When he got to come home, she was there. When *NSYNC’s manager decided to force them to go to Europe again, she was reassuring him that everything would be alright. He was young then, only sixteen, but he knew when she called him one night when he was stuck by himself at a hotel while JC, Joey, and Chris went out partying and Lance had a cold and he was instantly cheered by the sound of her voice, that he loved her. Justin felt a stab of pain in his heart as the memory of that night came to him.

 

 

“Justin,” Leigh whined into the phone. “Can’t you come back, Superstar?” Leigh smiled at Justin’s laugh, even though he sounded a million miles away. Really he was halfway across the world in Europe. Justin sighed and Leigh could practically hear him pout. “I really, really, really want to, Leigh, you know that. But I can’t. We have a concert tonight and I’m not allowed to fly anywhere except our next destination until June.” Leigh gasped.

 

“June! But that’s a whole month away!” Justin sighed and ran a hand through his curls. “I’m going to miss you,” Leigh said softly. Justin smiled. “I’ll miss you too but it’s only four weeks, you’ll still be in school, so the days will fly by.” Justin tried his best to be reassuring. “Not without you here they won’t.” Justin smiled and he knew she was pouting. “Justin I’m miserable when you’re not around. I miss your happiness, your warmth, and your smile and, oh God, Justin I just miss you!” Justin had a sudden idea.

 

“Why don’t you fly out to us? We could get tutored together and you can meet the guys and we can hang out, it’d be great.” Justin heard Leigh sigh into the phone.

 

“Justin, I can’t just leave home. I can’t quit school and go halfway across the world for you, no matter how much I want to. What would I do while you’re out performing? What would I do when you go to interviews and autograph signings? Promotional things like that?” Justin’s hope fell to the floor.

 

“But I want you here,” he whined. He could hear the smile in her words and pictured her face when she smiled, so peaceful looking. Someone knocked on Justin’s door and Joey walked in. He looked at Justin in disbelief.

 

“Dude, it’s two in the morning. Get your ass off the phone.” Justin sighed. He didn’t want to go.

 

“Leigh, I have to go. I’ll call you tomorrow, and the day after that, and the next day and…” Leigh stopped him.

 

“Goodnight, Justin.” Justin smiled.

 

“Goodnight, sweetheart. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

 

Justin replayed the memories in his head. The first time he’d told Leigh that he loved her, the first time she’d said it back, the last concert the guys did as a band, his first solo concert, the night Justin finally got up enough courage to ask Leigh to marry him and she’d accepted. That was the best night of his life. It was just barely four months ago. That memory stuck in Justin’s mind. It was a cold December night in New York City, and they were at a little café away from the main street, overlooking the Statue of Liberty at a close distance. The moon was full and Justin was so nervous. He wearily wiped away the tears that fell unheeded from his eyes as he remembered.

 

 

 

“Justin,” Leigh said softly. “This place is beautiful. How’d you even know it existed?” Justin smiled. “Joey took us here a few years ago. For some reason I'd always remembered it.” Leigh smiled back at him. Justin took her gloved hand and turned it over, lightly making shapes against the fabric. Justin was nervous, he knew Leigh could tell. She always knew him better almost than he knew himself. He sighed and though, ‘now or never.’ He took her hand and smiled nervously as he stood up and got down on one knee. Her eyes widened and he smiled. If anything, he was going to so this properly. He took off her gloves and held both of her hands with both of his. He looked deeply into her green eyes, seeing only love.

 

“Leigh,” he croaked his throat suddenly dry. He licked his lips and tried again. “Leigh, you know I’ve loved you since I was sixteen and I haven’t stopped loving you yet. I want to let the whole world know how I feel.” He fished around in his coat pocket until he found the ring. “Leigh Williams,” He asked holding up the ring, “will you marry me?” Leigh had tears in her eyes and for a spit second Justin thought she was going to say no, but then she hugged him and kissed him joyfully and whispered in his ear a whisper soft, “yes.” He put the ring on her finger and they kissed happily.

 

 

 

Justin fell asleep late that night without dreaming. The next morning was bright and cheerful looking, not at all like the day before when it was dreary and bleak and the Heavens had opened up and cried with Justin. Because he’d lost his love too soon, because now he was alone, because he didn’t know how to live without Leigh. Justin scowled at the sun and, knowing that Leigh would not want him to just give up and rot in his sorrow, called the only person he could think of calling.

 

“Hello?” Justin smiled at JC’s sleepy voice.

 

“Hey JC. Did I wake you?” JC sat up in his bed in alarm.

 

“Justin? What’s wrong?” Justin laughed for the first time in a week.

 

“Nothing’s wrong. I just thought maybe you’d like to hang out for a while, like we used to,” Justin said while fixing a bowl of cereal. “If you’re not busy,” he added.

 

“No, I’m not busy. What did you have in mind?” Justin told him where to meet him and got off the phone, finishing his cereal. He walked down the hallway to his bedroom and stopped to look at the pictures. He smiled sadly and briefly touched the glass over Leigh’s face. No, Leigh wouldn’t want him to give up on life. She’d want him to move on, to finish what they’d started together.

 

Justin walked out of the door, not at all healed, but on the mend. He looked up at the clear blue sky and imagined Leigh smiling down at him from Heaven.

 

The End

 

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