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Chapter 9 "There’s a 3:45 flight leaving here headed for Tulsa, Oklahoma," JC whispered to Julia as Pepper handed them a table settings’ catalogue. "We could throw them off our trail if we took a flight to Kansas City before heading to Las Vegas." "We could book a suite as MGM and there’s an abundance of twenty-four hour chapels there," Julia murmured back. "Micah could be our witness, he knows how to write his name now. We could celebrate by going to Circus Circus." "Who are we kidding? No matter how many different flights we took, these two would still be waiting for us at the airport in Vegas," JC sighed. "You better believe we would," Karen Chasez spoke. "Why us?" Julia groaned. "Is it too late to hire another wedding planner, that’s not my mom?" "Yes," Pepper answered. "Just look at the table settings and forget about your imaginary trip to Las Vegas, huh?" "Fine." "Packing already?" Britney questioned poking her head into Julia’s bedroom. "It’s my eloping suitcase," Julia answered. "Sandals or tennis shoes?" "If you plan on going anywhere I say the tennis shoes, lots of walking you know," Kelly replied, humoring Julia. "That’d give you a place to wear those glow in the dark shoes you got." "Hey you’re right," Julia exclaimed. "God I wish we really were going to Las Vegas." "Why don’t you just ask them to back off a bit?" Britney suggested. "You’ve never met my mother. ‘Back off’ isn’t a part of Pepper Cobb’s vocabulary," Julia replied. "I remember when she was planning Caitlin’s wedding," Kelly said. "She nearly drove Caitlin insane." "More so than she already is," Julia remarked. "Now what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from both of you?" "The fittings, remember?" "Oh yah. What would I do without you two?" "What’s a maid of honor for?" Kelly answered. "Lets go, huh?" "Yah I know Lily’s good but if she doesn’t get at least you fitted the dresses won’t be finished in time," Britney said. "Lets go then," Julia answered grabbing her bag. "These dresses are going to look wonderful," Julia squealed, looking at the sketches. "Thank you so much for agreeing to do the dresses, Lily, on such short notice, again." "Are you kidding me? Besides the fact that you’re only my favorite cousin, this is totally what I need to get my name out there," replied the blonde, as she measure Kelly. "We’ll make sure everyone knows the wonderful Lily Dee created these amazing dresses," Britney said. "That’s all I ask," answered Lily. "Well that and a good seat at the wedding." "You got a good seat, away from all the rest of the family," Julia promised. "Thank you," Lily smiled. "Now a little birdie named Pepper told me that the flower girls’ dresses were finished," Julia stated. "When do I get to see them?" "Right now, if you want," Lily said as she finished measuring Kelly. "I’ve got the measurements I need and after you okay the fabrics, I’ll be done with you." "Wonderful," Julia smiled. "I’ll go get the dresses and fabric pieces, then," Lily said hoping down. "Oh those are darling," Julia exclaimed when she returned holding the two dresses. "Bri and Kendee will look so cute in those!!" Looking at the lavender and silver dresses, Britney agreed, "They’re gorgeous! Wonderful job, Lily Dee!" "Thank you," Lily beamed. "You’ll have to do my dresses when Justin and I get married," she continued. "Mine too, if Joey ever works up the nerve to ask," Kelly agreed. "I’ll pencil you in," Lily replied. "He’ll ask you," Julia said. "Just give him time." "He’s got all the time in the world, I ain’t goin no where," Kelly answered. - "You still haven’t told us who’s your best man," Justin pointed out as they were getting fitted for their tuxes. "Yah who’s the lucky friend?" Chris asked. "What makes you think it’s one of you four?" JC replied. "Because, duh, what other friends do you have?" Lance joked. "I’ve got other friends, you’re just not cool enough to meet them," JC retorted. "Whatever. So on with it! Who?" Chris exclaimed. "Maybe I’ve already told him," JC said looking at the tux he had on. "What do you think of this one?" "Well it’s not a zoot suit but since those have been banned from the wedding, it’s not bad," Joey replied, not being phased by JC’s statement. "Wait a minute, your best man already knows?!" Justin exclaimed. "Which of you is it?" "Not me," Chris and Lance answered together. "Joey?" Justin said looking at him. "Hmm?" "You choose Joey over me? I thought we were best friends," Justin pouted. "Dude, Joey and I have been friends way longer than I’ve even known the rest of you," JC replied. "Besides, don’t look at it like I’m picking him over you." "But you did!" "So? Look at it this way," JC asserted, "Kelly is Ju’s maid of honor, if you were my best man, you’d be her partner instead of Britney, wouldn’t you rather be with Brit and Joey be with Kel?" "I guess so," Justin answered. "At least tell me I’m not the last groom’s men." "The order is Tyler and Caitlin, Justin and Britney, Lance and Kaia, and Chris and Alyson." "How come I get stuck with the married chick?" Lance asked. "Cause Chris is much older than you, he needs to get a girlfriend soon or he may very well die alone," Justin explained. "Fuck you," Chris said, pushing Justin. "No thank you, I’m saving myself for Britney." "Isn’t it the other way around?" "Ha ha," Justin replied rolling his eyes. "Besides Lance, it’s not like you’re the last one or anything." "What’s that got to do with anything?" Chris asked. "Importance to the marrying couple, duh," Justin exclaimed. "Since when are you the wedding expert?" JC questioned. "Justin reads girlie magazines like Bride, duh," Lance said. "I do not! Brit told me cause she was telling me how she wants her maid of honor and bride’s maids to go." "So what I’m the less important to you, C?" "No! It’s not like that at all!" "How is it?" "Obviously Cait and Ty are gonna be first because they’re our siblings. Ju and Brit have gotten really close and are like sisters, and Justin goes with Britney like Barbie and Ken. Kaia is Ju’s sister-in-law so she got put next and she’s the same height as you so we couldn’t put you together. Alyson is the only bride’s maid shorter than you so it’s perfectly logically to put the two of you together." "Wow you had a real reason," Chris laughed. "I really don’t care where I am, but hey if it makes you feel better to have that big long explanation, more power to ya." "I hate you," JC replied. "Can you believe in another month we’ll all be boarding a flight to Italy that will take us to your wedding?" Joey said when they returned to his house after the fitting. "Whoa, that’s so weird," Justin exclaimed. "I always figured you and Kel would be the first two marry," JC commented. "My money was on Brit and Justin," Lance replied. "I’m with C, Joey and Kelly have been together forever," Justin said. "At one point I thought Chris and Dani but Brit and Jus were who I figured on," Joey said. "I was thinking maybe Brit and Justin if no one else got married before Brit was twenty-three," Chris answered. "Are you nervous?" Justin asked. "No," JC shook his head. "I want to spend the rest of my life with Julia." "I can’t think of anyone better for either of you," Joey said. "You weren’t too bad for her," JC pointed out. "You’re prefect for her though," Joey replied. - "You think the guys ever sit around like this and talk anymore?" Julia asked Kelly and Britney as she finished adding JC’s sign to the wall. "I’m sure they probably do," Kelly nodded. "That’s such a cute idea, Ju," Britney exclaimed looking at the wall. "Thanks. Think JC will notice?" "Uh yah? This is the same boy who noticed you changed from wearing smoke eyeliner to black, Julia," Britney answered. "And he’s the same guy who in high school noticed when you had your hair highlighted without you even pointing it out," Kelly said. "Besides if nothing else, he’ll smell the paint." "All good points," Julia replied. Looking at her watch she said, "I need to go pick up Micah from school, wanna ride a long?" "Sure," agreed the other two. "Are you gonna have baby, Mama?" Micah asked Julia as they drove back to the house. "Not right now, I’m not," Julia shook her head. "Why?" "Tabor Cook said his sister told him she heard you were and that’s why you and Daddy were getting married." "Baby, your daddy and I aren’t getting married because I’m going to have a baby. We’re getting married because we love each other," Julia answered. "Okay. Are you ever going to have a baby?" "Possibly. Would you like to have a little sister or brother?" "Yah I would," he nodded. "What about you, Aunt Britney, are you going to have a baby?" "If and when your Uncle Justin and I get married, I will," she nodded. "Why not until then? Mama and Aunt Kelly had me and Bri before they were married to Daddy and Uncle Joey," Micah questioned. "Most people want until they’re married to have babies, sweetie," Julia explained. "Aunt Kelly and I just didn’t think we could wait until that happened to have you and Bri." "Okay," he nodded again. - "Do you have to work tomorrow?" JC asked Julia when they were settling into her bed later that night. Julia nodded. "I need to get as much work done as I can before we leave for Italy because afterwards I’ll be working with the five of you while you plan your spring tour. I need to tie up all the loose ends." "I need to thank Johnny again for assigning you to the tour," JC commented. "Me too," Julia agreed. "I got an offer on my condo," he said after a while. "Yeh? Was it a good one?" JC nodded. "Much better than I was expecting, actually." "Well that’s good, right?" "Yah," he agreed. "The couple wants to move in as soon as possible." "You know you can always move in here, you’re going to anyway," she said. "Put your stuff in storage and when we get back from our honeymoon we can figure out what we’re going to do with it. You spend more time here than you do there anymore anyway." "Yah you’re right," he answered. "I’ll take to the agent tomorrow." "You don’t have a problem with moving in here, do you?" Julia asked. "Of course not, why would I?" "Well I mean like you’ve got your house in LA and everything..." "We’ve talked about this before, Ju," JC said. "Orlando has been both of our home bases for the most part for well over ten years. The house in LA just gives us a place to stay if we’re there, you know?" "I guess so. I just don’t want to force you to live somewhere you don’t want to." "There’s a lot of memories here for both us here, it’s get to be able to look around and remember them," he replied. "Yah it is," Julia agreed. "Plus all your family’s here and mine not that far away, as compared to if we were in LA." "That’s another true point." "So don’t worry about it, okay?" JC said, pulling her to him. "All that matters to me is where ever I live you and Micah are there." "Okay now you’re getting cheesy," Julia giggled. "It’s cute though and I promise not to worry anymore." "Good," JC smiled. |