Joshua and Christine were building a sand castle on the beach when a shrill whistle pierced the evening air. The twins heads shot up to see their father beckoning for them to join him and their mother in the water.
"Last one there is a rotten egg," Josh shouted as he sprang to his feet and started running towards their parents. Not to be beat, Chrissy was right behind him and soon overtook him.
"You're a rotten egg!" she giggled as her mother picked her up. Josh responded by sticking his tongue out as he gestured to his dad that he also wanted to be picked up. Their parents, JC and Lisa, just laughed and enjoyed the kids' six year old antics.
"Who wants to go searching for sea shells?" Lisa asked after ten minutes of splashing around in the ocean's surf. Without answering her, Josh and Chrissy squirmed out of their parents' arms and ran off in search of the colored prizes.
On the other hand, JC and Lisa took their time coming out of the water. They sat at the water's edge to watch the sun setting in the western sky.
"Thank you for a wonderful birthday," Lisa said turning her head to look in her soulmate's vivid blue eyes allowing herself to get lost in the orbs.
"And anniversary," JC murmured while running his hand through her luxurious brown hair. He couldn't believe that this beautiful woman had agreed to become his wife and then had put up with ten years of his hectic schedule. Finally, he had gotten a month and a half long vacation from touring and recording to bring her and the kids on this month long vacation. JC had contemplated retiring, but Lisa had not wanted him to give up something he loved so much. Somehow they had made it work.
He was glad that he had insisted that Josh and Chrissy have a private tutor for kindergarten; next year when they entered public school, these excursions would not be possible. But for now the family had celebrated JC's and Lisa's tenth wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day and now Lisa's birthday. The beach stay would be over in four days and a week after that JC would leave on another set of appearances to promote NSYNC's lastest album.
They certainly had proven all the critics wrong. This would be their ninth release and it seemed that they were still going strong. JC smirked at the thought of Backstreet, LFO, and others that had gone the way of NKOTB. The fans that had been twelve when the original NSYNC album came out were still loyal and a new generation loved them as well even though all the guys were married with children.
"Penny for your thoughts," Lisa whispered bringing him out of his reverie. She was smiling that enigmatic smile that let him know she already knew the answer.
"Just how lucky I am to have you for my wife," he said before kissing her. They were interrupted by Josh and Chrissy shouting that they wanted to go back to the house. JC stood and then reached out to help his wife up. Then he was practically tackled from behind by his kids who were trying to scamper up so they could be carried.
�I'm free," Lisa said laughing as JC tried to balance the twins.
"We want Daddy," Josh and Chrissy said simultaneously as they clung tenaciously to their father.
"Okay then," she replied feeling a little hurt. She then turned to lead the way back to the beach house. A couple of times she looked over her shoulder because she thought she heard whispering, but every time they had stopped talking. Finally they reached the house. Lisa had walked at a slower pace than usual because JC was slowed by the two monkeys attached to him. She opened the back door leading to the enormous kitchen and flipped the lights on oblivious to the fact that those three were hanging back.
The instant the lights came on, it registered in Lisa's brain that something had changed.
"SURPRISE!!!" people shouted as they jumped out from behind furniture and walls. Lisa couldn't help but let her jaw drop.
"C'mon, Lise, you're over the hill now," her sister and best friend said with a twinkle in her eye as she embraced Lisa. "It called for a special occasion."
"I should have known YOU would do this," Lisa said unable to wipe the smile off her face as they separated.
"Blame your husband," Lance said coming to Rissa's rescue as he wrapped his arms around her. Lisa turned to look at her husband who had an idiotic grin plastered to his face.
"Happy Birthday Mommy!" the twins screamed as they jumped out of JC's arms and wrapped themselves around Lisa's legs. Then they moved aside so JC could kiss Lisa.
"Awwww..." the other NSYNC members said which led to all being hit by their wives.
"Who wants cake?" Virginia asked as soon as she was certain Joey's arm was bruised.
"I DO!" Chris shouted rallying all the offspring towards the cake.
"Oh dear lord," Justin muttered as Nicole tried to light the thirty candles on the cake before Chris and the fifteen other children reached it.
"Wait, we have to sing to Aunt Lisa first," Nicole tried explaining to the disappointed children. Then she took a moment to glare at Chris.
The kids promptly broke out singing happy birthday for Lisa and then the adults joined in. Lisa blushed at all the attention and tried to hide her face in JC's neck. After the singing stopped, she watched as Chris and the other kids decimated her cake.
"We didn't tell Chris," Dani said in a quiet voice, "but there's another cake so you can get a bite."
A round of laughter followed. As Lisa looked around the room at her friends and their children she was glad JC had planned this surprise.
"I love you," she whispered to him.