Justin stood in front of the mirror admiring himself. He ran a hand through his mass of curly hair. At 28 years old he was still a teen idol. He grinned at his reflection.
Maggie opened the door to find Justin standing in a baby blue towel thoroughly absorbed with himself.
"Justin." She said quietly.
Justin blinked his eyes, but didn't show any other sign that he acknowledged her.
"Justin." Maggie said again, this time more insistent.
He cocked his head and looked at her. She wasn't the flaming beauty he'd married three years ago. "Mags, why don't you do something with you hair?"
Her hair had lost its original luster and hung limply around her face.
Maggie rolled her eyes. "Are you going to take Justice to the park?"
"Huh?" Justin asked as he slathered shaving cream on his face.
"Are you going to take Justice to the park?"
"Uhh... probably not. Maybe tomorrow."
"Justin Timberlake! You promised your son you would take him to the park today. Today is the last day they'll be having the petting zoo." Maggie cried, outraged.
"I'll buy him his own petting zoo. Hey Mags, what color should I dye my hair?" Platinum blonde or rich auburn?"
Maggie threw her hands up in frustration. "Dye it purple!" She cried as she slammed the door.
"Does that mean you'll take Justice to the park for me?" Justin called.
"Yes!" Maggie yelled. "But I'm not doing it for you! I'm doing it for him!"
.................. "Where's Daddy?" Little Justice asked from his car-seat.
"Oh Daddy's gotta work today. He says he's sorry he couldn't make it but he promised he'd buy you your own petting zoo to make up for it."
Squeals of delight came from the backseat. "Really?" Justice asked.
Maggie grinned and was about to reply when the car was struck head on by another car.
................ "Will they be ok?" Justin asked the nurse.
"You'll have to ask the doctor. Now please sit down, sir, you're bothering the other people."
Justin sat in a chair his head in his hands.
"Justin Timberlake, please report to reception area 242. Justin Timberlake, please report to reception area 242." A woman's voice resounded over the loudspeaker.
Justin hurried down the hall to the other reception room. The whole time he was thinking: They're ok. They're both ok. They'll live. It isn't anything serious.
But somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this couldn't be true. He'd seen the totaled car.
A doctor was standing by the desk. He was older with a kindly face but it held some other hidden emotion. "Justin Timberlake?" he asked.
Justin nodded. His throat had gone dry and he was afraid to ask anything.
"I'm sorry, son. Maggie didn't make it."
"No!" Justin, cried, his voice suddenly returned to him. "No! She's got to be ok!"
"I'm sorry." The doctor repeated sympathetically.
Justin dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together. "Please God," he began, "Please don't take her away from me. Please, please, please..." Justin became overwhelmed with sobs.
.................... "Are you sure you're going to be ok? Cuz you know, Bobbi and I wouldn't mind if you and Justice stayed with us for awhile." JC asked through the phone.
Justin managed a weak smile. "We'll be ok. Thanks for the offer though."
"Well alright. Don't hesitate to calal for anything or if you change your mind."
"I'll do that."
"See ya."
"Wait! JC?" Justin said suddenly.
"Yeah? I'm still here."
"Thanks for being so nice and stuff."
"Hey, man, what are friends for?"
Justin grinned genuinely. "Yeah. Thanks. Bye."
"Bye." JC replied.
Justin placed the phone back on the reciever. Everyone had been calling once they found out. People kept calling to offer their condolences. And every one of the the guys, Chris, Lance and & Joey, had made the same offer JC just had.
When Justin turned the ringer off it wasn't because he didn't appreciate the calls. He was just exhausted and wanted to get some rest before Justice woke up.
................... Justin was still sleeping when Justice woke up. Justice walked timidly into his parents' room. He scanned it for any sign of his mother but didn't see any. He checked every room in the house, well he didn't go completely in the basement. He just stood at the top of the stairs and called, "Mommy! Hey Mommy! Are you down there?"
After not getting any answers he went into the living room and sat down. What do you do when you need to know something? Oh yeah! Be like Winnie-the-Pooh! "Think, think, think. Oh bother!"
"Oh bother what?" Justin asked as he walked in the room.
"Daddy! Hey Daddy, is it true you're going to buy me my own petting zoo? Huh? Is it?" Justice cried, hugging his father's leg.
"Jus, where did you get that idea?" Justin scooped up his son and together they sat on the couch.
"Mommy said you would to make up for workin' and not taking me to the park." Justice replied innocently.
Justin winced. "Mommy sure knows how to spoil a surprise, doesn't she?"
"I'm getting one? Yea!!!" Justice screeched.
Justin didn't say anything for a long time. He just sat there staring at his son. Their son. His and Maggie's son.
"Daddy? Is something wrong? Hey Daddy, where's Mommy?" Justice squirmed out of Justin's lap and peered into the kitchen. "I looked all over for her, Daddy. I think she's playing hide and seek! Hey, yeah! That's it! Olly-olly-oxen-free! Come out come out wherever you are!"
Justin's eyes brimmed with tears. He wished it were that simple. That he could just call out 'olly olly oxen free' and she'd reappear just as if it were all a game.
Justice turned to look at his dad. "Hey, Daddy. Are you ok?" He asked quietly.
Justin shook his head. Tears were threatening to fall any moment. "Come here, Justice. I've got to tell you something."
Justice scurries onto his lap and looked up at him with such a concerned face, Justin almost wanted to laugh.
"Jus about Mommy..."
"Yeah?"
Oh God! How do you explain this to a 3 year old? "Remember when your goldfish died?"
"Yeah. We flushed 'em down the toilet." Now his little face was looking confused.
"Right. UhMmmm... Remember how Mommy explained how the fish died?"
***FLASHBACK*** "What's 'died' mean?" Justice asked his mommy while staring into his fish-bowl.
"Well baby, it means that they aren't alive anymore. God decided it was their time to go live in Heaven."
"Will I ever see them again?"
Maggie smiled. "Someday when you go to Heaven you'll see everyone that you knew before they died."
"I will?"
"Yes. And there are angels in Heaven, too." Maggie seemed off in her own world. "There are different types of angels. Seraphim angels, cherubs, and even gaurdian angels."
"What's a gaurdian angel?" Justice asked as he dumped the contents of the fish-bowl into the toilet.
"A gaurdian angel is like your own personal angel while you are living. They take care of you, watch over you, keep you safe and love you."
"Are you my gaurdian angel?" Justice asked wide eyed.
Maggie looked stunned but she quickly covered it up with a smile. "No. A person can't be an angel while they are living."
"Oh."
"Enough angel talk you two. Flush the fish and then lets go grab some ice-cream." Justin had said. The only thing he had said.
***END FLASHBACK*** "Did Mommy get flushed?"
"No, no." Justin had thought that might have explained it. Apparently not.
Justice was quite for awhile. When he spoke his voice trembled, "Mommy died, didn't she? She's in Heaven, right?"
Justin nodded his head and blinked to hold the tears off. "Mommy is in Heaven now. And I bet she's looking down on us and wishing we'd be brave."
Justice buried his head in Justin's chest. "Why did Mommy die, Daddy? Why was it her time? Why?"
Justin didn't know how to respond to that so he just held his son and told him everything would be ok.
................... That night Justin couldn't sleep. The entire day kept running replaying in his head.
- The arguement with her. If I'd taken Justice, would Maggie still believe? Oh why can't I just keep my promises? Why did I fight with her over that?
- Finding out she didn't live through it. The car was totatled. I'm lucky Justice survived. Maggie. Oh God, why did this happen. Why?
- Explaining to Justice. That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Explain to my son that his mommy died. His mother will never see him play sports, she'll never have to give him "the talk", she'll never get to see go to prom, get married, or have kids of his own.
For the first time that day, Justin broke down and completely bawled. How am I going to live without her?
.................. The funeral was scheduled for Saturday. Only family and close friends were invited. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly, no clouds in site, and it was just right for flying kites.
Justin almost forgot he was attending a funeral. It almost seemed like a famly reunion. Justice was playing with his uncles, Jonathon and Steven, and Lance's daughter, Kayla. His grandparents were talking to JC and Bobbi, Joey was flirting with his cousin, silly ole Joe, Chris & Danielle were playing with Busta and Korea.
But reality slapped him in the face when the minister began the ceremony. This was not a time to be happy. He'd lost the only woman he had ever loved. He never even got to say goodbye.
Justin didn't care in anyone saw him cry now. Tears rolled down his cheeks like an endless river.
When Justin did stop crying the cakset was being lowered into the grave and people were paying their last respects.
Justin took Justice by the hand led them over to the grave. They were the last to pass by.
"Goodbye Mags. You know I'm sorry and I love you with all my heart." He dropped a boquet (bo-kay) of her favorite flowers, lilacs, into the casket.
Justice looked up at his father then back down to the casket.
"Goodbye Mommy. I'm sorry you had to go. I'll miss you. I have one thing to ask though."
Justin looked at him curiously.
Justice took a deep breath and continued. "Be Daddy's gaurdian angel. Take care of him, watch over him, keep him safe, and love him. I love you Mommy. Oh and Mommy? Tell my goldfish 'hi' for me!"
Justin grinned. He'd make it afterall. He had Justice to take care of now, and he was such a cute kid. He looked up at the sky. And I know you're watching us and smiling. I love you, Mags, with all my heart. Please be our gaurdian angel.
THE END