The door opened and Lynn smiled and pulled Megan into a hug. "Hi Megan."
"Hello Mrs. Harless." Megan said politely.
"Honey, call me Lynn." She noticed the uncomfortable look on Megan’s face and cleared her throat loudly. "Umm, Justin’s in the den. He’s sleeping but I know he won’t mind if you wake him up. It’s right down those stairs."
"Thank you." As Megan made her way down the stairs, Lynn called out to her.
"I - I know I haven’t always…" She sighed as she tried to figure out the right words to say. "I haven’t always been the nicest person to you. I guess in my mind, I always thought Justin could only be with Britney. But I just want you to know that I’ve never seen Justin happier than he is when he’s with you…Not even with Britney…I also wanted to tell you how happy I am that you’re in Justin’s life…I know you’ll be great parents." Megan looked down and her hand covered her ever-growing stomach.
"I can’t wait for my babies to get here." She said softly. "Justin and I are so happy."
"I know." Lynn opened her arms to Megan and they embraced in a mother-daughter like hug. "Go find him. He’s going to go crazy when he sees you."
Megan entered the den and quietly set her bag on the table. Kneeling beside his chair, she stared at him for just a minute before intruding on his precious sleeping time. From the stubble on his face, it looked as if he hadn’t shaven in days. He looked so comfortable sleeping in the over stuffed chair. She could imagine it must have felt nice to be able to sleep for a whole day and not worry about anything, and in the comfort of your parents home. Sometimes there was nothing that could compare to that feeling.
Softly, she rested her hand on the black cotton tee shirt that covered his chest, feeling it expand and contract as he breathed so peacefully. Her other hand slid through his soft curly hair, one of the rare times she could actually do that. Usually it was hard as a rock from gel and hairspray. Carefully she leaned over the arm of the chair and kissed him sweetly on the forehead, and then on his cheek, and then on his lips. Until finally his eyes opened. Contentedly, she looked into his gorgeous sapphire eyes as they widened and his jaw dropped.
"Megan?" Justin mumbled as his arm reached up to touch her face. "If I’m dreaming, I’m going to scream."
"You’re not dreaming, baby." She smiled leaning into the warmth of his hand as it cupped her face. "I’m here."
"How did you get here?" He asked pulling her to him. Before she could answer, he pressed his lips to hers. "You know what, I don’t even care!"
"Joey called and told me that you guys had a day off so I took the first plane out here." He pulled her onto the chair with him and she curled up in his lap. Her head settled comfortably in the crook of his neck. "I couldn’t get here fast enough."
"Well you’re here now and if I have anything to do with, you’re staying." His arms were wrapped tightly around her as he buried his face in her chestnut colored hair and took in the scent of her shampoo. "I missed you so much baby…I missed holding you and kissing you." She giggled as he nibbled at the soft spot behind her ear.
"Mmm, I missed that too." Megan sighed. "You know what else I missed?"
"What’s that?"
"I missed sleeping close to you with your arms wrapped around me." She said almost inaudibly. She stifled a yawn. "I don’t even sleep the same when you’re not with me."
"I haven’t really slept at all." Justin laughed lightly. "It seems like today is the first time I’ve slept for more than an hour straight since we’ve been on tour. What do you say we - Megan?" She had relaxed considerably in his arms and when he looked down at her, he saw that her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and even. She was sleeping. "Oh, well." He rested his chin on top of hers and closed his eyes, falling into a blissful sleep.
"Justin, Megan? I was wondering if you guys wanted to go out or - " Lynn stopped in her tracks at the sight before her.
Megan was resting in Justin’s lap her head tucked beneath his chin. Her hand rested on his chest; his was tangled in her curly dark hair as it rested on her back. Their other hands were laced together over her swelling stomach. A soft smile covered Lynn’s face as she grabbed a blanket from the couch and covered them with it. She placed a kiss on her son’s forehead and smoothed out some unruly curls before retreating up the stairs to make dinner.
"Mom, this is delicious!" Justin shoved more fried chicken into his mouth.
"Seriously Lynn, these are the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten." Megan added serving herself another generous helping. "And you have got to give the recipe for that gravy."
"Remind me before you leave and I’ll give it to you." Lynn smiled.
"What’s for desert?" Joey asked.
"Peach Cobbler."
"HELL YEAH!" Justin exclaimed.
"Justin Randall!"
"Sorry Mom."
"Hey, Megan’s over there eating more than Justin and Joey combined." Chris complained. "What’s wrong with this picture?"
"Woah, did you just call her fat?" Joey pointed his fork at Chris. Megan elbowed him in the ribs as a sign for him to shut up.
"Hey, I’m eating for three over here." She pointed to her stomach. "And these boys love Grandma’s mashed potatoes."
"Lance, more green beans?" Lynn passed him the bowl.
"Mmm, thank you." He gladly accepted.
"Hey, where’s JC?" Justin asked around a mouthful of Mac & Cheese.
"Justin, don’t talk with food in your mouth." His mother scolded. He gave her an apologetic smile.
"I don’t know where he is." Joey said. "He just said he had to leave the table…but that was like ten minutes ago."
"I know where he is." Megan said getting up and pulling on her jacket. Justin gave her a confused look. She kissed him quickly and smiled at the others. "Excuse me for a minute."
Megan stepped onto the back porch and looked out into the yard to find JC sitting a swing in the yard watching the sunset, just as she had expected. The shadows danced over his face making all of his handsome features sharper than they already were. Her breath came in white clouds as she made her way out to him. Having a tour in the middle of fall wasn’t the greatest idea in the world to Megan, but if it meant that Justin would be home for Christmas, she would grin and bear it. Her feet crunched over the leaves causing him to break out of his dreamlike state. He gave her a soft smile as she sat next to him on the hammock.
"Hey Joshie." She said as light-heartedly as possible.
"Hey Meg." He greeted her with a forced smile.
"How come you’re out here in the cold and not I there eating chicken an mashed potatoes? Usually you’re inhaling it. What’s wrong?" She nudged him lightly.
"Nothing really…just thinking." He shrugged.
"What about?"
"About why it’s so hard to keep a relationship in this business." His smile faded as he stared off again.
"What do you mean? Bobbee’s great. You’re going to be married soon and - "
"We’re not getting married." JC confessed looking down at his hands.
"What?"
"We broke up." He whispered.
"Oh, Jace I’m sorry." Megan put an arm around him as she saw the tears start to run down his face. "What happened?"
"She basically told me that she wasn’t in love with me anymore." His voice cracked as he told his story. "I came home from the studio one day…her bags were packed and waiting in the living room. When I asked her what was going on, she said that she couldn’t stand watching me leave to go on tour anymore and that she was leaving…she gave me her engagement ring and left."
"I don’t know what to say." Megan sat in disbelief.
The mask of suffering and grief that was on his face made Megan’s heart shatter into a million pieces. JC was the nicest person in the world but his life always seemed to bring him so many complications. He always said that you have to take the good with the bad. It just seemed to her that the bad seemed so much more severe. She didn’t understand why this was happening to him.
"I just don’t understand how someone can throw away seven years, just like that." He sighed heavily and rested his head in his hands.
"It’ll be OK honey…" It killed her to see him so dejected.
"You’re the first person I’ve told, my parents don’t even know. I just didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for me." He explained. "I’ve been acting like nothing’s wrong for almost two months now."
"You should have told somebody…the guys would have helped you through it. I would have helped you through it."
"Well everyone was excited about you being pregnant and I didn’t want to ruin the mood." He admitted.
"Joshua Scott Chasez, don’t you ever think that your life is any less important than mine." Megan’s voice rose slightly. "What in the hell were you thinking keeping all that bottled up inside?!"
"Don’t yell at me Megan!" JC exclaimed. "I just - I didn’t know what to do!"
"Alright, I’m sorry for yelling." Megan sighed and ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "OK, we make a pact right now. We don’t keep things from each other any more. If it’s important, or even if it just needs to be told, we say it. Deal?" She stuck her hand out.
"Deal." They shook hands. JC smiled and pulled her into a hug. "When did you get so pushy?"
"It’s the hormones." Megan laughed rubbing her stomach. "Now let’s get inside! I’m cold!"
"Yeah, yeah." She pulled him out of the swing and they walked inside together. Everyone in the dining room looked at them curiously.
"What’s going on?" Joey asked. JC cleared his throat and looked at Megan. Her eyes widened and she nodded towards everyone.
"Tell them." She whispered.
"Umm…I suppose you all should know that - "
"You’re pregnant!" Chris guessed.
"No Chris…Bobbee and I broke up." The silence was almost deafening.
"When?" Lance asked.
"Just before the tour started." His face scrunched up, preparing for the verbal onslaught he was about to receive.
"And you didn’t tell us?!" Justin jumped out of his chair.
"Look, I didn’t want it to be a big deal." JC explained. "We were already having problems getting the tour started I just didn’t want it to be an issue."
"But JC this wasn’t just a girlfriend that you met two months ago." Justin said. "You were supposed to get married to this woman. You were together for seven years. I can’t believe you would keep something so important from us!"
"Justin you have to understand that JC was hurting when Bobbee left." Megan defended her friend. "He was in shock."
"That’s not an excuse!" Justin’s fist hit the table.
"Justin!" Lynn gasped.
"What is your problem?!" Megan grabbed his arm.
"I just don’t get it." Justin sighed. "They were so happy together."
"But even the best of couples get unhappy together." Megan tried to rationalize the situation. "JC doesn’t need you jumping down his throat right now…he needs our support."
"You’re right. I’m sorry Jace…I guess I was just surprised." Justin offered his apology.
"It’s not totally your fault." JC said. "I should have told you - all of you - about what it…I didn’t know that this was going to happen."
Lynn cleared her throat. "Well, JC are you hungry? There’s plenty of food here, Joey hasn’t eaten it all yet." The laughter that followed seemed to ease the tension in the room.
Within minutes the room was filled with laughter again. Megan sat back and watched as the people who had become her best friends over the past few years interacted so happily with each other. She looked at Justin, the man who had become an essential element in her life. He was naturally the center of attention with his corny jokes and witty humor but wasn’t arrogant in knowing that. It sometimes mystified her how he could be so naïve to the effect he had on people.
Megan suppressed a yawn, getting Justin’s attention. "You tired baby?" He whispered.
"A little bit, it’s been a long day." She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"Alright." Justin finished his drink. "I think Megan and I are gonna hit the sack. I suggest you all do the same, we have to leave early in the morning."
"Yeah, yeah. Goodnight Dad." Joey snickered.
Justin wrapped his arm around Megan’s waist as they took the stairs up to the bedroom. He hadn’t realized how much he actually missed her until she showed up. He couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms again. As soon as they entered the room, Justin seized her face and placed his lips over hers. Her eyebrows rose in surprise but she succumbed to the kiss as he pressed her against the door.
"I’ve been wanting to do that all day." Justin said rubbing his nose with hers. "I missed being able to kiss you whenever I want to." His hands toyed with the drawstring on her track pants.
"Well Mr. Popstar…you have me all to yourself now." Megan whispered wrapping her arms around his waist.
"And…everyone is still downstairs. So…" He flashed her a fabulous smile before kissing her again. His hands disappeared under the back of her shirt and he felt her shudder as he ran his fingers up her spine.
"Justin…you know we can’t." She said disappointedly. His kisses trailed over her chin and to the sensitive spot just under her ear.
"I know baby," He moved the strap of her tank top off her shoulder and placed kisses along her collarbone. "But I just haven’t been near you in so long…I haven’t seen you or touched you since the night before I left."
"Do you think we could go somewhere that’s a little more comfortable?" Justin realized that he still had Megan pinned to the door and laughed.
"Sorry." He smiled sheepishly as he picked her up and laid her on the bed. He pulled his shirt over his head and settled next to her. "Megan?" Megan rested her head on Justin’s chest.
"Yeah?" She sighed snuggling closer to him.
"I’m glad you’re here with me." She looked up at him and smiled.
"Me too baby." She reached up and kissed him lightly before resting back next to him.
He pulled the quilt that Lynn had put on the bed over himself and Megan and fell into the most pleasant sleep he’d had in weeks. He knew that as long as Megan was with him, he’d be all right. His baby boys we’re going to be born soon and in his eyes, his life would be complete. He knew that because of the twins, Megan would be in his life forever but he wanted it to be something more than that. He wanted to marry her more than anything in the world…he just had to convince her that it was because he loved her, not because he felt obligated to. But he didn't know how.
