Three days later, Morgan was in bed when she heard the door to her bedroom ease open. She kept still, hoping whoever was coming to check on her would think she was still asleep and leave. She heard someone walk to the bed and felt them peering at her carefully. Apparently satisfied that she was still asleep, they walked to the desk. After a few more seconds, Morgan�s wish was granted, and the door was shut again. She waited a few minutes more, making absolutely sure that her visitor wasn�t coming back before getting up to see why they had moved to the desk. Quietly, she padded over and sat down in her chair. Morgan looked at her desk, where two envelopes now rested with her name on the front.
Morgan warily picked one and turned it over in her hands. She didn�t recognize the handwriting on it, nor on the other. Opening it up, she pulled a thick bundle of papers out and began reading:
Dear Morgan,
We know that we�ve treated you badly over the last week, and we would like to apologize for that. We�ve had to leave suddenly for some unexpected promotional work that cut our vacation short, or we would have made our apologies to you in person as we should have. We each wanted to write a short message to you personally, and we�ll talk to you soon.
Love,
*N Sync
PS ~ We�ve included our cell and pager numbers after our personal letters. Call or page any of us whenever you need to.
Flipping over to the next pages, Morgan saw that each *N Syncer had written a personal message to her on a sheet of paper. She felt a small smile form as she began reading the notes.
Hey Morgan! It�s Chris. I just wanted to say that I�m sorry for ignoring you last week like I did. You didn�t deserve that. I hope you�re feeling better, and that you are back to your old self soon. I know I speak for the others when I say that we�ll be looking forward to seeing you again as soon as possible. Take care!
Chris Kirkpatrick
*****
Dear Morgan,
Well, I don�t know you too well, but I wanted to apologize personally for treating you badly. I can promise that won�t happen again. I hope you feel better soon, and we�ll keep in touch.
JC Chasez
*****
Morgan,
I hope you�re feeling better and that Phyllis and Joe are taking care of you. I don�t have much else to say other than I�m sorry about last week, and I�ll try to make it up to you the next time I see you. Feel free to call if you want to talk; I�m always here to help a friend. I also wanted to say that I know how much it must have taken for you to ask for help from me like you did. Morgan, don�t ever be afraid or ashamed to ask for help, because we all need it sometimes. Take care of yourself, and I�ll talk to you soon.
Lance Bass
*****
Morgan,
Well, sweetie, I hope you�re feeling better and you don�t mind that I just called you sweetie. Phyllis is going to take good care of you, so take it easy for a while. Like we said earlier, I�m leaving my number at the bottom of this letter. Call me if you ever need anything...even if it�s just to talk about carpet at three in the morning. I�m your friend, and I�ll be there for you anytime. Morgan, I know you�re going through some tough times right now, and I wanted to tell you that if there�s anything you need to talk about, I�ll listen with an open mind. I hate to think that you keep everything that�s bothering you locked up inside. It�s not healthy, sweetie. You can tell me anything, anytime. I hope that you�ll eventually trust me enough to tell me what was going on the other day with those two guys, and why they were so angry that you didn�t go with them. I promise you that I�ll help you in any way I can, but you have to tell me what�s going on before I can. Anyway, now that I�ve written a book and JC�s yelling at me to hurry, I�ll end this letter. Take care of yourself and stay away from trouble. I�ll be in touch.
Love,
Justin
*****
Morgan,
Hey. I hope you feel better soon, and I apologize for getting mad at you last week.
Joey
Morgan was puzzled and hurt by Joey�s exceptionally brief note, but tried not to let it bother her. She was touched that they all had taken the time to write to her, especially Justin. She knew that she would be calling him very soon, and that he would be a good friend to her, unless he found out the truth about her. She gave Joey�s extremely brief note one last hurt glance before picking up the second envelope. Morgan was about to open it when she again noticed the handwriting. She picked up Joey�s letter and compared the two, gasping when she realized they were the same. Now curious as to what Joey had written her privately, she turned back to the second envelope and opened it carefully. Peeking inside, she was surprised to see only a single post-it note. She pulled it out and looked at it curiously.
Look in the green wooden box in my closet.
Joey
Morgan sat frozen, wondering what it was that Joey wanted her to see. Since it was still early and Morgan didn�t want to talk to Phyllis about the note, she crept back to bed, deciding to wait until after nightfall when Phyllis and Joe would be asleep. Since the guys had left, Morgan hadn�t felt much like talking to anyone. She�d stayed in her room, diving to the bed when she heard somebody coming to check on her. Depression had set in quickly this time. She had been so close to having real friends and trusting again, and she had let it slip away.
That night came quickly for Morgan. At two o�clock, she cautiously made her way to the room she knew was Joey�s. Looking around to make sure no one had seen her, she quietly eased the door open and tip-toed inside. She paused for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dark. She pulled out her flashlight and walked swiftly to the closet. She saw what she was looking for immediately. It lay on the floor directly in front of her, a piece of paper taped to it with her name printed on it. Morgan crouched down and quickly lifted the box up, creeping back to her room before looking at the box more closely.
Turning on her desk lamp, Morgan peered at the box curiously. It was dark green with dark blue edging. There was a spot on it for a lock, but no lock was present. It had been treasured, Morgan could sense that, and its battered appearance betrayed its age. Opening it carefully, she saw a variety of things that she knew Joey must have treasured with all his heart.
She saw three mint condition Superman comic books in protective wrappers. Picking them up carefully and setting them aside, she looked back inside with her excitement building. Next, she found a small photo album, which she set aside to look through later. There was some old �N Sync memorabilia from when they were first starting in Europe. Morgan had to smile at how young they all looked, and how much they�d changed, especially Joey. Finally, she picked up a single video tape with no label to identify it. Carefully, she put the comic books back into the box, along with the �N Sync pictures.
She picked up the video and stuck it in the VCR, but she waited to hit �play� until after she looked through the album. Morgan sat down on her bed, Indian-style and got comfortable. She pulled the album onto her lap and opened it slowly. The first pictures were of Phyllis and Joe proudly holding a tiny baby Joey in their arms. The family pictures continued for a few pages, then she began to see pictures of Joey with his childhood friends.
About mid-way through the album, Morgan received the shock of her life. Turning a page, she saw pictures of Joey�s eighth birthday party. Joey�s smiling face was bright with happiness as he gazed down at his Superman cake, his right arm slung around a girl that was an obvious close friend. That in itself wasn�t a shock to her, but the face of the girl whom Joey�s arm was around did. It was her.
Morgan closed her eyes as waves of pain and sorrow flooded through her. So this was why he had been so hurt. They had been friends--best friends from the looks of these pictures--and she hadn�t remembered him at all. She struggled to remember something, anything about Joey when he was little, but nothing came back to her. As she looked through the rest of the album, she realized the pictures were solely her and Joey. She saw pictures from when her arm had been broken. Morgan thought it odd; she knew she�d broken her arm, but couldn�t remember any of it, or any of her time with Joey. The pictures ended abruptly when she was about twelve and Joey, thirteen. Morgan knew that it was around the time she had been sent to live with the Parkers.
Sighing, she placed the album back into the box and flipped on the TV, turning the volume on low. Tears coursed down already wet cheeks as she was faced with images of herself and Joey, holding hairbrush microphones and singing for the camera. Morgan stared at the screen in amazement, unable to believe that the girl singing with Joey was her. If she hadn�t been able to hear the sound, she would have been certain she was simply looking at her double. Turning up the volume, Morgan watched the video silently, not even trying to control the tears streaming down her face.
�Joey, come here!� the girl on the screen shouted, laughing. Joey�s smiling face appeared on the screen, his brown eyes twinkling. Laughing even harder, the girl quickly scooped up what she had been holding and threw it at him.
Joey screamed loudly. �Morgan Carpenter!� he yelled. �You are so dead!�
Morgan shrieked and took off running, Joey right on her heels. Phyllis came onto the screen, laughing at her son�s antics as he played with his best friend.
�Morgan! Joey!� she called. �Guys, come inside. Dinner is ready and on the table.�
Morgan�s smiling face entered the screen. �What are we having, Momma Phyllis?�
Phyllis smiled at the little girl. �Well, I don�t know if you�ll like it or not, Morgan. I�m sorry, but we�re having chicken tonight.�
�Yea!� Morgan yelled. �Race ya, Teddy!� Both kids took off towards the house and disappeared inside. Phyllis laughed, and Joe Sr.�s deep chuckle was heard from behind the camera.
Phyllis looked at the camera. �Joe, turn that thing off and wash up for dinner. You can get it out again later.�
Hours passed in what seemed like seconds for Morgan. She watched Joey as he grew up, growing from a mischievous eight year old to a cheerful young man of thirteen. Finally, the tape was nearing its end. Her tears had long since stopped running down her face when she noticed a heavy, unsettling feeling creeping into her stomach. She knew the time she left was approaching quickly.
She felt tears welling up again as Joey�s face appeared once more on the screen. Morgan immediately saw that Joey�s ever-present smile was gone, replaced with a sad frown and tear-streaked face. She knew it was her last day--they were wearing the same clothes that they had in the photos. It was obvious that both children were very upset that Morgan was leaving. Tears flowed down her face unrelentingly as she watched the tearful on-screen goodbye. She felt a tiny tugging of remembrance at her heart as she watched Joey hug her goodbye. Morgan closed her eyes and could almost feel his arms around her again.
�I remember that day.� Phyllis�s voice startled Morgan, making her jump. �It was terrible. Joey was devastated for weeks after you left. Every time the phone rang, he jumped to answer it. He met the postman every day; he was so sure he�d get a letter from you.� Phyllis sighed and sat down next to Morgan on the bed. �When I told him you were living with us again, he was ready to hop on the first place to see you. He was looking forward to spending time with you again.�
�And I treated him like a leper.� Morgan whispered. �Phyllis, I basically told him that I didn�t remember him!�
�Does he know?� Phyllis asked quietly.
�No.� she murmured. She looked up at Phyllis with tears in her eyes. �Phyllis, how close were we?�
�For all intents and purposed, you guys were brother and sister. You were part of the family, Morgan.� she answered.
Frustrated tears spilled over. �Why can�t I remember, Phyllis? He was my best friend, and I have no memory of him at all! He must hate me now.�
�Hate you?� Phyllis echoed. �Morgan, Joey could never hate you. He was hurt when you didn�t remember him, I won�t lie to you. But if he just knew what happened...�
�He won�t.� Morgan announced quietly. �I�m not going to tell him, and I don�t want you to, either. I don�t want anyone to know.�
�Morgan,� Phyllis began.
Phyllis, please.� Morgan begged. �You don�t understand. I don�t want him, or any of the other guys, to know. They�ll just feel sorry for me. I just want to be left alone.�
�Morgan, sweetie, look at me. As much as I hate to say this, you need to tell them, Joey at least. He loves you, and he deserves to know the truth. You can�t keep running from things, honey. Eventually, you have to face your problems, and when you do, you�ll need friends beside you. Joey and the guys will be those friends, I can guarantee you.�
�I�m scared.�
Phyllis leaned over and gave her a hug. �Oh, baby, I know. But do you want to miss out on five really great friendships because you�re scared?�
�No, I don�t want to. I just don�t know if I can help it.�
�You can always help it, Morgan.� Phyllis replied quietly. �I�m going to make breakfast and get ready for work. I have the feeling you haven�t gotten much sleep tonight, if any, so I suggest you go back to bed for a while. I�ll see you tonight.�
Phyllis softly shut the door behind her as she left. Morgan sighed and turned off the VCR and TV and lay back down, but sleep did not come. She kept thinking about what Phyllis had said and the things she had seen in the video. She was torn between wanting to pick up the phone and call Joey or Justin and packing her things and leaving. Friends were dangerous ground as far as Morgan was concerned. Knowing how close she and Joey had been as children both relieved and frightened her. She was relieved because she knew now that it was possible for her to form a strong friendship, but she was frightened because the other guys knew that too. That must be why JC and Justin had looked so confused when I told them I�d never met Joey before. Morgan thought to herself. Joey had told them about our friendship.
She sighed again and glanced at the clock. It was only seven o�clock, and Morgan knew the guys needed whatever sleep they could get. Deciding to follow Phyllis�s advice, Morgan lie down on her bed and quickly fell asleep.