"Pardon me, um, Ms. Williams, you have a phone call." Rose, the press secretary said as she pushed her way through the crowd. "Huh?" Jade asked as she took the cell phone from Rose. Turning her attention to the phone she answered, "Hello?" "Jade?" A voice said. "Yeah, who is this?" Jade asked, shrugging her shoulders in response to AJ's quizzical glance. "This is Howie. Are you busy?" He asked, barely audible above the noise of the press people and photographers wandering around the room. "Yeah, kind of. Right in the middle of a press conference. Why? Is everything alright?" She asked. "Everything is fine. I just wanted to know which you like better: Annabelle or Carolina?" Howie responded, trying hard not to smile. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Jade asked, confused. "Well, would a little girl be better with the name Annabelle or Carolina?" Howie asked. "A little girl? What little girl?" Jade replied distractedly as their manager began pointing to his watch worriedly in the back. "Jodie's." Howie replied, waiting for Jade to understand. "What? Jodie's little girl? I'm confused. Listen, I have to go. I have a press conference. I'll call you right back when its over. Are you on your cell phone? Ok. Good. Bye." Jade hung up the phone and smiled at the journalists sitting infront of her. Suddenly, reality set in.
"Oh my God! AJ- we have to go! We have to go home. NOW!" Jade laughed. "What? We cant. We have a conference, we- why? Whats going on?" AJ asked, shocked by her sudden giddiness. "Jodie! Her baby! A little girl! Lets go!" Jade spit out, unable to piece together a full sentence. AJ signaled to their manager that he had something to say. "Listen, a family emergency has come up, we need to leave. Can we reschedule this for later?" AJ asked politely. "Absolutely not! You have any idea what kind of terrible things would be written about us if we avoid the press??" He asked in disbelief. "Its an emergency. I wouldnt ask otherwise." AJ said calmly. "No. Absolutely not." he repeated. AJ turned to Jade and said, "Go ahead. You go to Jodie. I'll catch the first flight outta here as soon as this is over." "Oh! AJ! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Jade cried as she enveloped him in a hug. "I love you. I'll see you later." "Bye baby. I love you too." AJ replied as she ran from the room. Turning to face the press, he smiled and said, "Hello. We had a little emergency come up. Jade had to leave. So, for right now, I'm open for questions, even though I would much rather be out there with her. If you have any questions for her, you will have to wait until a later date, I'm sorry. Until then- yes- you in the front row, whats up?"
"Howie!" Jade shouted down the corridor as she ran to him. The two folded each other up in a hug as Howie swung her around. "Jay! I didnt expect to see you! What are you doing here?!" Howie asked, shocked by the fact that here she was. "I came to see Jo. Where is she? How is she? The baby?" Jade asked hurriedly. "Whoa whoa whoa! One question at a time! Jodie is in the room, but she's asleep right now. She's doing really well, though. The baby is in the nursery. Would you like to see her?" Howie laughed. "Oh, Howie, I would love to see her..." Jade replied witha grin.
They walked together to the nursery and gazed in. Reading the names on the tiny cribs, Jade searched for the baby. Howie pointed to a beautiful sleeping baby girl in the nearby corner. She had a full head of black hair and tiny full little lips. "Oh Howie..." Jade sighed. "She's beautiful..." "I know." Howie whispered. "She's mine." They stood there in silence gazing at the miracle sleeping in front of them. Jade was overwhelmed by the love Howie had for this new baby, and how much he must love Jodie. She looked down at the golden ring band on his left hand, and felt her heart ache. She and AJ had been together long enough to know that that's who she wanted to be with forever. But she had no clue if he felt the same way. "Shall we return?" Howie asked with a grand sweep of his arm. "Why not?" Jade smiled.
Returning to Jodie's room, they found her awake, watching T.V. "Good Lord. You'd think if you were in a fucking hospital, they'd atleast give ya good channels to watch! Where's the PlayGirl channel? Got Cinemax?" Jade asked loudly as she walked in. Jodie turned in shock, looking quite perturbed at whoever had just barged in. Then she saw Jade. "Oh my God..." Jodie whispered. "Jade?" "Hey girl. How ya doing?" Jade asked with a smile as she hugged her best friend. "Sore. I'm freakin' sore, but its a good sore. What are you doing here? I didn't think you'd come." Jodie asked still not believing this was Jade standing infront of her. "Well, here I am. I had a press conference but I skipped it. AJ covered for me."Jade shrugged, sadness sweeping over her. "I miss him! You'd think I'd be ok for awhile not being with him, ya know? But, I'm not. I'm miles and miles away from him and I'm going crazy." Jodie tossed Howie a knowing glance. "Well, you look great! I've seen pictures in magazines, but wow. You look like you, but not at all. You look good, though." "Yeah, well, thanks." Jade said. "I have been through a few alterations havent I?"
Jodie looked at her friend. Jade's long hair had been cut and layered. It now hung just below her shoulders while a few wispy bangs hung in her face. Her eyes were still as green as ever, but her make-up was as in-your-face as it used to be. A white silk tank top and khaki colored vest adorned her upper body. A pair of khaki colored slacks hung on her legs, making her look professional. Yet, combat boots covered her feet, multiple mis-matched earrings sat on her ears, and atleast 15 rings were on her hands. Jade grinned as she watched her friend take in her new appearance.
Jodie looked pretty much the same to Jade. Her hair was a little longer than it had been, and her stomach was a little bigger, although that would be gone soon. Other than that, Jodie looked the same. Still smiling...
