They went up to the suite where all the guys were hanging out waiting for JC to get back from his day of shopping.
“Hey finally you’re home! We’re all starving! Hey Emma!” Joey shouted from his seat on the couch.
“Hello, boys.” She said happily. Chants of hellos came from the rest of the guys,
“Sorry didn’t know we were gone that long.” JC apologized,
“You were gone for nine hours!” Justin said.
“Well it certainly didn’t feel like nine hours.” JC said smiling at Emma who smiled back at him.
“You’re right, it didn’t.” She agreed,
“Oh geez, gag me!” Chris said rolling his eyes; “Now that we’re all here, can we go?”
“Sure, let’s go.” JC said and they all left the suite in search of food. They boys were exactly as she remembered them. Chris with his crazy antics, Lance being the sweet southerner, Joey being all flirty with the waitresses and cracking jokes and Justin, just being Justin. It was comfortable place to be, especially with her and JC.
After dinner they were back at the suite hanging around and relaxing. Emma decided that she had to break the news to Tommy, the gang and Stuart. She figured she’d tell Stuart over Sunday dinner, she was leaving anyways, right? Therefore, what did it matter if she left and went to California or on tour with JC? She told herself that over and over because she knew that they were not going to be happy about it. Emma made the first call to Kitty. She excused herself to JC’s room and picked up her cell phone. She quickly dialed up Kitty’s number. Kitty picked up,
“Hello, Kitty’s Persian Palace!” She chimed making Emma laugh.
“Hey it’s Emma what’s going on?”
“Ahh, girl, I’m great. How’s Atlanta?”
“It’s absolutely fabulous. How’s everything at home?”
“Just dandy! I was just going over to Tommy’s. We’re celebrating the school’s second victory over East Victor’s Karate Academy.”
“Really? That’s great, give the guys my congratulations. Are you working tonight?”
“Yes, mom, and no I’m not drinking that much.” Kitty said sarcastically.
“I didn’t say anything, did I?” Emma said innocently as possible.
“Right, so spill how was the concert, did you see him?”
“The concert was great, no, I lie. It was fabulous. And before you ask; yes, I did see him at the meet and greet that the girls went to before the concert.”
“Ahh!” Kitty screeched, “Tell me, I’m dying from the suspense. Did he rush to you and tell you that he was madly in love with you?” She asked excitedly and Emma laughed even more,
“Kitty you watch too many soap operas. Actually, I was too involved with the girls to talk to him. So I stared at him from across the room.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. Did he stare back?” She asked hopefully.
“Yes, he did.”
“Then you should go and find him to talk to him. Obviously he remembers you. Go storm into his hotel and demand that you speak to him.”
“Or, I could have found out where he was staying and spoke to him last night.”
“Oh my god you didn’t!!!”
“Yes, I did and I need a huge favor from you.”
“What? Anything, oh my God I am so excited for you.”
“I need you to cover for me at the club for two or three weeks because he asked me to go on tour with him.” Emma had to hold the phone away from her ear because Kitty was screaming so much. “Kitty! Calm down!”
“I can’t believe that you are going on tour with Nsync! So you think that you could introduce me to the guys? Could you?” Emma thought a minute and said,
“Hold on Kitty.” Emma put down the phone and went out into the living room to talk to the guys. JC rushed up to her,
“Is everything okay with your friend?”
“I have a huge favor to ask.”
“Anything what?”
“Can my best friend, Kitty come along with me? It’ll be a little easier for me to get my brother to let me go if another girl is going too. And I’ll pay for our rooms and everything, so it won’t compromise you guys at all.” JC looked at the guys who all nodded and he turned back,
“Sure sounds great.”
“Fabulous!” Emma ran back into JC’s room, “Hey Kitty, how would you like to come along with me on tour for-” Emma didn’t get anything more out because she was screaming,
“Yes! Yes! OH MY GOD! YES! AHHHHH!” She screeched and Emma held the phone back to keep from going deaf. JC walked into the room and saw her face and heard the screaming,
“What’s going on? Sounds like she’s having an orgasm.”
“She just found out that she’s going on tour with us, so basically she is having an orgasm.” Emma joked and finally Kitty calmed down. “Are you normal now?”
“You are the bestest friend that I could have ever asked for!”
“I know, you can kiss my feet when you fly out.”
“I can’t believe that I am going to be hanging out with NSYNC!! This is going to be soooo cool! Wait Emma what about the club? We can’t run it on two bartenders. Kim, Tasha and Jules can’t work both of our shifts!”
“Tell them to close the club on Monday or Wednesday to give everyone a break, it shouldn’t be a problem for two or three weeks.” Another round of screaming came from Kitty, which made Emma laugh. JC looked at her with a puzzled look and she smiled at him. “Kitty? Sweetie I’ll call you later to make arrangements for everything okay? Bye!” Emma hung up hoping that Kitty had heard her through all of her screaming.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, she’s really excited, I just hope she doesn’t maul all of you when she meets you, she’s a huge fan of yours.”
“That’s cool. Was that the only person you have to call?” He asked and Emma shook her head,
“No, I have to call my brother.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “I can do this.” She said to herself.
“Do you want me to leave?” He asked gently and she looked up at him,
“No could you stay, please?”
“Sure anything you want.” JC went over and sat down next to her on the bed and held her hand. Emma nervously dialed up Tommy’s number and squeezed JC hand, happy that he was there. The phone rang and she prayed for the answering machine, but Tommy picked up out of breath,
“Tommy speak to me.” Loud music was playing in the background.
“Thomas Michael are you throwing a loud party?”
“Uh, no, Mom, not at all.” He said jokingly, “What’s up Emma? We’re celebrating our victory before heading over to the club!” Emma smiled,
“I heard, I knew that you would kick their asses, congratulations!”
“Thank you! How’s Atlanta? How's Stuart and the fam?”
“Great, great, they all send their love.”
“Great, tell them I say hi. Did Connie get her present?”
“Oh, yeah she loved the sun catcher. She put it right up in her window.”
“Good I’m glad that she liked it.” There was a slight pause between the twins and Tommy picked up on it. “Emma, what’s wrong, you didn’t call to talk did you?” He could always see right through her and Emma didn’t answer right away.
“I just wanted to stay on vacation a little longer.” She said unsurely and Tommy let out a deep breath,
“Really is that all? Of course you can stay out in Atlanta a while longer. Whew! I thought that you were gonna tell me that you were running off with some rock star again.” Emma bit her lip unable to say anything as Tommy continued to chatter on, “So, is Stuart working you like a dog? It’s probably not going to be much of a vacation if you’re working, Emma. So what do you have to do?” Emma knew that she couldn’t lie to Tommy, he would know, so she spit it out,
“Well actually, I met up with that guy I met in Las Vegas, you know Josh and-" Tommy didn’t let her finish.
“What?!! No, Emma, don’t you do that to me. You’re not going away on me, you promised that you wouldn’t leave! What makes this guy so special that you would break your promise to me, your own brother! The only real brother you have!” He yelled at Emma who sat there speechless with tears trickling down her cheeks. JC rubbed her back concerned with what was going on. “I’m sick and tired of when things get hard for you, you run away and I’m left to pick up the pieces. Do you remember what happened the last time you left? I almost died, Emma! Do you want that to happen again? God why don’t you care about anyone but yourself? You have a life here in Lyre Cove, and you have responsibilities that you can’t dump on other people every time you feel like being some pop star’s whore!” Tommy was so angry that he didn’t realize what he was saying. Emma was shattered and sobbing,
“Tom-,” She started, but he went on again,
“Don’t even start, Emma. How could you do this to me! You never think of anyone but yourself, do you?! Well you need to decide him or me! If you choose him, don’t you ever think of speaking to me again.” He finished and hung up the phone. Emma hung up her phone and just let it slip from her hands. JC tried to comfort her but she just pulled herself into a tight ball on his bed.
“Emma what happened? What did he say to you?” He asked her but she couldn’t say anything, she could only sob. “Baby, please, talk to me. What can I do?” Emma finally calmed down a bit and said,
“I have to leave.” She got up slowly, tears still streaming down her face. “I've got to go home, now. Where’s my coat?” She said stoically as if in a trance and JC panicked.
“What? No, don’t go Emma. You’re in no shape to go anywhere. Please stay, tell me what happen. What did he say to you?” JC held Emma’s hand and tried to pull her toward him but she resisted and took her hand back,
“Everything that was right, this, I mean us, isn’t a good idea, I don’t want to see you anymore, Josh.” She said still in her stoic-like trance. JC began to panic, he couldn't lose her again. He blocked her way to the door.
“I’m not letting you leave, Emma. I don’t want to lose you again. I refuse to let it happen. I love you, Emma.” JC confessed and his words made something in Emma snap,
“Love me? Love me?!" She yelled at him, "Why is it that when people say that they love me, they think it gives them the right to tell me what to do! I am twenty-three years old and I don’t need you, I don’t need anybody telling me how to live my life!!” Emma found her coat and stalked out of JC’s room. He tried to stop her but to no avail. She left the suite slamming the door and leaving quickly. JC ran after her but she was already gone. JC dejectedly went back into the suite. The boys were sitting there waiting for him to explain.
“Are you okay?” Lance asked JC.
“I don’t know, I’m so confused. One minute she’s on the phone with her brother, then she starts crying and then gives me the cold shoulder and then starts yelling at me saying that she doesn’t want to see me anymore and then she left. I don’t know what to do.” JC put his head in his hands.
“Maybe she’s just too complicated for you, JC.” Justin said quietly. JC snapped his head up and glared at Justin,
“Maybe you just need to shut up.” JC got up and pushed through his friends,
“Jace…” Joey started.
“Leave me alone!” JC said coldly into his room and slammed the door behind him.
“Hello old JC, it’s so nice to see you again.” Chris grumbled as he sat back down on the couch.
“I can’t deal with this! I refuse to have that girl on this tour if this is how it’s gonna be!” Justin said miserably.
“I don’t think you’re going to have to worry about that, Justin.” Joey said turning away.
“Poor JC.” Lance said quietly.