I get into a cab and pull out my cell phone. I press Brian’s number and my composure evaporates. I start to cry as his voice fills the line.
“Hello?” he answers. “Jade, are you ok?”
“Where are you?” I manage to ask.
“Where you left me. What’s wrong baby?”
“I’m coming back,” I say. “We need to talk.”
I hang up and sit back in the seat. I don’t believe Laura’s story but there’s still that tiny little piece of me that’s saying “well, why not? You did it to him”. It’s the devil in me that’s making me so upset. I mean, I’m upset that she’s lying about my husband. I know he will be pretty upset too when he finds out. But I need to look into his eyes when I tell him cos that will totally wipe out that little shred of doubt I have. Or it might just bring my world crashing down on me. I wipe my eyes as the car pulls up outside the hotel. I can see Brian standing just within the doors and I pay the driver and climb out.
“JADE!” Brian runs over to me and reaches for my hands. “What’s happened?”
“Uh, can we go to our room?” I look away from his eyes and walk into the hotel ahead of him.
“Sure baby,” he catches up and rests his hand on the small of my back. It makes my eyes fill with tears again. I love this man so much.
When we reach our room, I lean against the door and look at him. He’s looking pretty scared I guess.
“I had an interview this morning for People,” I start off. “It was one of those kiss and tells.” Brian pulls a face and sits on the bed. “She was about four months pregnant and she said the baby was yours Brian.”
“What?!” he stands up quickly and walks over to look at me in the eyes. His blue eyes are shocked and pained, and afraid all at once. I put my hands on his arms and kiss his lips. I have seen what I needed to see to dispel the demon on my shoulder.
“I know she was lying baby. I just wanted you to know. I can’t believe she would do that to you.”
“You know?” he asks and his eyes fill with tears. “Thank God,” he murmurs as he pulls me into his arms. He kisses my head, “The way you sounded on the phone, I was so scared… I didn’t know what had happened to you.”
“I’m sorry,” I lean back and look at him. “I really tried not to cry but then I heard your voice and all my anger just…”
“Yeah,” he lets go of me and sits down again in shock. “What did this girl say?”
“It’s all on the tape,” I pull the recorder out of my bag and play it to him.
I sit beside him as he listens to the tape and reach for his hand. When it’s over he stands up angrily and paces the room, his face getting redder by the second.
“God, why does she have to LIE like that?! I mean, I would never do any of that stuff! I’m in the best relationship of my life and even if I was dumb enough to risk that, I would never pay somebody to murder my baby! I wasn’t even IN fuckin’ Florida the last seven months!”
“Hey, calm down,” I walk over to him and stop him. “Just take some deep breaths honey. We’ll sort this out…”
“Damn right we will!”
“Sit down,” I tell him. “I don’t want you passing out or something.”
“I’m FINE,” he yells and then sighs. “Sorry Jade,” he sits down and takes my hand in his. “I just can’t believe somebody hates me so much…”
“She doesn’t hate you baby. She doesn’t even KNOW you,” I tell him. “All she wants is to make a fast buck and unfortunately you were the name she pulled out of her celebrity hat.”
“Well she sure made a mistake,” Brian looked at me. “Gotta say I loved the way you told her your name at the end.”
“Yeah,” I laughed. “It sure made her speechless.”
“Guys, I need to talk something through,” says Brian as the other four sit around a table in the arena.
“Shoot,” says Kevin, leaning back in his chair.
“Ok, Jade got sent to interview this woman for People magazine. She’s claiming that I got her pregnant a few months back in Florida.”
“What?!” all four yell simultaneously and Brian laughs angrily.
“Exactly.”
“Fuck. Have you called People?” asks Howie.
“So ya think I should?” Brian asks. “I mean, or do I get our lawyers onto it?”
“I would call People and tell them not to run the story and go from there,” says Kevin slowly. “I mean, you got TONS of proof that you weren’t even IN Florida the past few months. Then I guess I’d contact this girl through our lawyers. Make her admit the truth.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” Brian sighs. “I’ll call People now.”
“If they give ya any crap, hand the phone right over dude!” Nick exclaims.
“Ok,” Brian chuckles and pulls out his cell phone. He dials the number Jade had given him for Andy, People’s editor and listens to it ring.
“Hello, Andy Kennedy at People magazine speaking.”
“Hello Andy, this is Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys.”
“Oh yes,” Andy sounds nervous. “Uh, I’ve already spoken with Jade Greene on the matter. I presume it’s about the pregnancy allegation?”
“You presume correctly,” Brian says coldly.
“I’ve been informed by Jade that you were nowhere near Florida at the time the girl alleges. Furthermore, I have contacted the girl in question and she has admitted to lying.”
“She has?”
“Yes, she’s claiming it was Justin from *NSync now,” he adds lightly and Brian laughs in spite of himself.
“Poor fuck,” he mutters. “So that’s the last I’ll hear of it? I don’t need to inform my lawyers?”
“Absolutely not. I am extremely sorry about this but we DO have to follow these things up. You guys are BIG news.”
“I know that,” Brian says. “Unfortunately that makes us a prime target for these kind of allegations. I’m gonna hang up now. Bye.” He hangs up and turns to the other guys with a grin, “Jade called him and this girl has withdrawn her lies.”
“Cool,” grins Howie.
“Apparently it’s Justin Timberlake’s baby now…”
The four guys stare at him for a second and then all five bust up laughing.
“Hey you,” Brian pulls Jade closer to him as she tries to walk by him to the bathroom. He has just got back to the hotel after the guys’ meeting. “I called that Andy guy at People.”
“Ya did?”
“Yup. He said you already called.”
“I’m sorry if I stepped on ya toes but I was just so mad,” she tells him and he smiles.
“It’s cool. You sorted it out. Apparently the baby is Justin Timberlake’s now.”
“Justin’s?!” she giggles. “I better warn him.”
“Yup,” he laughs and kisses her. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“I wouldn’t be much of a wife if I didn’t,” she says.
“And I love that you called him and gave him hell,” he chuckles. “Ya DID give him hell?”
“Oh yeah!” she laughs. “I told him I would never write for People again and that he’d be lucky if you guys ever agreed to appear in People again.”
“Damn right!” he grins and strokes her hair back. “So, where are you goin’?”
“Ali’s gonna show me round Brooklyn,” Jade smiles. “Show me all her old hangouts and stuff.”
“Uh huh,” Brian raises an eyebrow.
“Nothin’ too seedy,” Jade pushes him gently and laughs.
“That’s good.”