| Chapter 2 |
| Joey Fatone stared unblinking into his cup of coffee, watching the swirls of cream and sugar sink to the bottom. He sighed and picked up his spoon, wiping off the grease from breakfast before stirring his coffee. In the small diner, couples and truckers sat in booths and stools, drinking their morning coffee and eating breakfast. At this time in the morning most of the customers were regulars, people who stopped in pretty much every morning and had a healthy tab running, and the waiters and waitresses called them by name. Still, with all of the hustle and bustle going around Joey just couldn't concentrate on anything but his own thoughts. Pregnant. She's pregant. He had just found out last night, much to his shock and partial dismay, that his on and off girlfriend of two years Kelly was pregnant with his child. He just couldn't believe it. They had always used condoms, hadn't they? Joey bit his lip and fiddled with the coffee straw. Of course, there was that one time at a mutual friend's Christmas party when they had both had a little too much egg nog. And there was that incident in the backseat of Joey's pick-up truck about a month ago... Joey groaned and slammed his head down on the counter, his body slumping on his stool. A week ago he was just a care free guy, buzzing around town without anything holding him down, and now he was going to be a father. A father! Him! The same guy who had killed his sister's goldfish growing up because he thought it needed a bath. And now he was going to be responsible for another human life? Joey rolled his eyes and sighed. Life was an ironic bitch sometimes. "Hey stranger. Need a refill?" Joey lifted his head, his tired brown eyes meeting soft blue ones, and he nodded slightly, holding out his coffee cup to the waitress. "Please." She gave him an encouraging smile and took his cup, dumping the cold contents into the sink and refilling it with steaming hot coffee. "There you are stranger," she said again, her southern accent very apparent when she spoke. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, and her cheeks were rouge when she smiled. Wiping her hands on her apron, she stuck one out in front of Joey. "I'm Meredith," she drawled. "Joey," said Joey, trying to smile a little. "Joey Fatone." Meredith nodded, grabbing a washcloth from behind her and using it to wipe down the counter. "Well Joey Fatone, what brings you to Deliah's Diner?" "I live around here actually," Joey said, not wanting to spill any secrets of his life to this woman he just met, "I usually don't come here in the mornings because I work. I have a friend who works here though so I'm waiting for him." "Oh? And who's this friend of yours?" Joey took a sip of his coffee, wincing at the taste and grabbing the cream and a few sugar packets. "Lance Bass," he answered as he dumped one of the small pink bags of sugar in his coffee. "Oh I know him," Meredith grinned, "He sure is a cutie." Joey laughed. "I'll take your word for it." Outside the diner, the loud breaks of the city bus could be heard, and Meredith nodded towards the window. "Well there's his bus. Have a nice day Joey," she smiled, "and enjoy your coffee." Joey smiled and raised his cup to her. "Thanks. You too." Grabbing a napkin, he began to idly fold it, once again becoming lost in his thoughts as he waited for Lance to come inside. ~*~ "Wow, this is beautiful baby. I can't believe you did all of this for me." Britney spun around her boyfriend's apartment, taking in the soft music, beautiful dining area all set up for a romantic dinner, and a few lit candles. She turned to Justin and grinned happily, running to hug him where he stood nervously in the doorway of the kitchen. "Thanks for doing all this for me," she beamed. "You really didn't have to." Oh, yes I did, Justin thought, believe me, it was the least I could do. Pasting on a pleased smile, Justin hugged his girlfriend of two years and long time friend of ten, and kissed her on the cheek. "Aww, it's no big deal Brit," he lied, touching her nose and making her giggle. "I want you to be happy." Liar, liar, liar! Ignoring his own taunting thoughts, he pulled out a polished oak chair at the table and gave Britney a charming smile. "Shall we eat, m'lady?" Britney giggled and nodded, sitting down in the chair and allowing Justin to push her in. Giving the top of Britney's head one more worried look, Justin rushed into the kitchen to finish dinner. He wondered if roast beef, potatoes, corn, and his famous Ceasar salad would be enough to convey his message. He bit his lip as he took the roast out of the oven. He wasn't hoping for much, just something along the lines of How can you hate my guts when I just put all of my time and effort into making this lovely dinner for you? It would be followed, of course, by a well worked out pout and hopefully not dessert in his lap. Dinner was calm. Justin and Britney talked back and forth about random things; work, family, friends, anything besides their relationship. Justin made sure of that. He figured he better save his announcement until after dessert. Strawberry shortcake was a bitch to clean out of a white carpet. After they finished eating, Justin told Britney to go wait for him on the couch while he cleared the table. It seemed like a good idea. He could run through his presentation for a few more minutes, and she could relax and sit around a cushion of leather, far away from any sharp obects. Justin stalled as long as he could, but when Britney started asking if he needed any help, he knew it was time. Wiping his sweaty palms on his pants, he shoved his hands in his pockets and pasted on a smile, shuffling slowly into the living room where his girlfriend sat. Britney looked up at him and laughed, patting the spot next to her. "Come on baby, I don't bite," she grinned, "unless you ask nicely." He tried to laugh casually but the sound came out more like a choked gasp. Sitting down on the couch, he left a cushion of space between their bodies. Britney rolled her eyes and scooted over by Justin, wrapping her arms around him. "Silly boy," she giggled, "what's wrong with you? You look absolutely terrified of me." She laughed and kissed his cheek. Justin laughed nervously. Not terrified of you, just your right hook. Clearing his throat and adjusting his tie, Justin sighed and turned to face Britney. "Brit," he began, resting a hand on her knee, "I um, I kind of have something I need to tell you." She gave him a confused smile and patted his hand. "Okay sweetie. What is it?" "Well uh, you see it's... um." His mind was going blank, and he could feel his nerve washing away as the seconds ticked by. "Justin, what ever it is just say it," said Britney, trying to sound encouraging. "You don't have to be nervous around me. Unless," she gasped, sitting up and looking at him, "Are you sick? Oh god Justin are you? I knew you looked a little pale lately." Justin shook his head the best he could with her hands all over his face, feeling his forehead and checking his eyes with slight panic. "No Brit, I-" "Shh don't speak sweetie," she mumbled, stroking his cheek. She bit her lip and looked at him. "What is it?" she asked seriously. "Is it the flu? Mumps? Malaria?" "No, I-" She gasped, gripping his chin tightly in her hands. "You don't have an STD do you?" Justin would have laughed in her face had she not looked so serious just then. "Britney," he said slowly, "I-" "Oh so it's true!" she said loudly, once again interrupting him speaking. "I knew you had been with others before me but god Justin that's just stupid! Having sex with no protection what-so-ever?" Her eyes went wide and she pointed at him. "Is that why you wouldn't sleep with me?" He couldn't help it. Throwing his head back enough to give himself whiplash, Justin laughed out loud. Britney's face was a mixture of panic, worry and confusion, and when he looked at her he burst into another round of laughter. "I don't see what's so funny Justin," she huffed. "I only-" "No, Britney, stop," he said, wiping his eyes and putting a hand over her mouth. "It's my turn to talk now. Please. I need to say this." When he felt her relax beneath his palm, he started talking. "First of all, I am not sick, and I sure as hell don't have an STD." He saw a question form in her eyes and he grinned. "Yes I'm sure." Shaking his head, he bit his lip and looked at her forehead. "There um, is a reason I wouldn't sleep with you though." She mumbled under his hand, but he didn't move it. Taking a deep breath and meeting her curious brown eyes, Justin dropped the bomb. "I'm gay." |