The next night...
He wanted to just sink into the couch and blend in. He didn't want to be there...at all. Hearing him, with her made him want to cringe. And it shouldn't have been that way. He should be happy they were talking and giggling over the Dr. Suess book she had bought for him. He tried paying attention to the channels he was flipping through, but he couldn't.
"Dat book is funny mommy."
"I think so too, Hunter."
There was a moment of pause.
Justin heard Hunter say softly. "I missed you..."
"Oh..I..I missed you too."
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. He kept scolding himself. She was his damn mother. They had every right to miss each other. It all came down to one thing, selfishness. He wanted all of Hunter's love. He had been the one to give up a career, a life in the spotlight, his home in Orlando. She had done what SHE wanted, and given up their son in the process. She didn't deserve Hunter's love.
But in the back of Justin's mind he knew that was untrue. She just wasn't ready for a family. It didn't mean that she didn't love Hunter as much as he did, or she was a horrible person, she just wasn't ready.
In the middle of his thoughts the door burst open in the small dressing room where they were in. Justin was sprawled out on the couch, trying to seem uninterested in whatever else was going on, and Hunter and Britney were close together reading a book in a loveseat on the other side of the room.
Justin wasn't startled by the door when it swugn open and hit the wall with a bang, he just calmly moved his head to the doorway. There was a guy standing there he had never seen before with a smile on his face.
"B, Surprise!" Justin watched as the man locked eyes with Britney and Hunter and his smile faded and his eyes got round. He then turned his head to Justin, and stared at him for a while before saying "oh."
Justin shrugged, uninterested in who he was and turned back to the TV. His eyes were on the screen, but all of his other senses were with Britney and this young man and who he was.
"Oh, Rick...hey...what are you doing here?"
The guy stuttered and finally focused all his attention on Britney. "I..I came in from LA to surprise you, I guess I came at a bad time."
She chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
He pointed to the door and turned slightly. "I can leave if you..."
"No, its ok. Come on, I want you to meet some people."
Soon Justin's view was being blocked by Britney who was pulling on his young mans arm. "Justin, I want you to meet Rick. Rick, this is Justin."
Rick looked as if he was about stick his hand out for Justin to shake, but with a nod and a cocked eyebrow at Britney, Justin acknowledged his presence and challenged his ex-wife at the same time. Rick just cleared his throat and stook his hands in his pockets.
He wasn't meaning to be cold, he just didn't want to deal with Britney and one of her knew flings. He wanted to be home, with his son. He had forgotten how hectic tour life was, and now back in it, he could barely remember why he liked it so much.
Britney pulled the guy towards where Hunter was looking at them wide eyed, sitting on the loveseat. "And, Rick I want you to meet someone very special. This is Hunter, my son."
Rick smiled and squatted a little to become eye level with the child. "Well hey there Hunter. Ya know your mommy here sure does talk about you a lot."
"Who are you?"
"I'm her boy-"
Britney cut him off before he could say any more. She didn't want to have to explain that to her child at this point. "He is a really good friend of mine."
"Do you like him better than daddy?"
As if by miracle Justin laughed and pointed to the screen with the remote. "Hey, lil buddy. Look its the Wizards."
Hunter hopped out of his seat and ran over in front of his dad and sat on the couch. "MJ!!!"
Justin smiled and watched his son watch the TV. "Watch...here he goes..."
At the same time the two Timberlakes rooted at Micheal Jordan made a slam dunk. "Whoosh!!!!!!!"
As Hunter cheered, Justin caught Britney's relieved expression and saw her mouth "Thank you" for distracting Hunter enough so that they wouldn't have to discuss what he was questioning. Justin nodded and grinned at her.
Justin had no idea she was seeing someone knew. But what shocked him more than that, was that he really didn't care. Before, he would have cried and whined that she had moved on, she had stole his heart, and his soul. But now he was just tired, and ready to leave. HE didn't care that there was some other guy standing there, practically clueless to the whole situation.
"Daddy..."
Justin looked back at Hunter and smiled. "What, kid?"
The 5 year old whispered. "Who that.."
"That's your mommy's friend."
"oh..oh kay.."
Britney cleared her throat and asked. "Hey, is everyone hungry? Wanna go get something to eat before I have to go get dressed?"
Justin's eyes traveled to Hunter. "Hungry?"
The boy nodded.
Justin grabbed him and sat up. "Ok, lets go..."
----
She waited...and waited...and waited.
It was a little after 3 in the morning, and she was waiting for him. This was getting unhealthy. Listening to some Miles Davis with the lights dimmed, sitting in front of her computer...WAITING for HIM was unhealthy.
She wasn't in love. She was...infatuated.. Yes, that's it. infatuated with this LakeJ/Randall dude. He was...charming..and sweet..and cute..and funny..and...
..and it was past 3 am. She needed to be in bed.
Her eyes were droopy and her breathing deep and even. She made the slightest of movements to take the mouse to the X button and exit out of AOL.
But then a name appeared on her buddy list and all of her movements stopped. A sharp breath was taken, and she waited until HE made a move. She waited and waited, and was about to give up when he IMed her.
LakeJ0321: It's been one hell of a day...and why are you still up?
Drliztn: Cant sleep.
LakeJ0321: Me either. Me and Hunter got back 4 hours ago, I tried sleeping..but I gave up on it a few minutes ago.
Drliztn: I'm sorry. How was...ex wifey?
LakeJ0321: Exwifey was ok. I'm glad Hunter got to see her. I just, I didn't want to be there ya know? It was just weird.
Drliztn: Why was she in town anyway? just to visit?
LakeJ0321: Oh..no. business.
Drliztn: Oh ok.
Moments passed and neither had said anything.
LakeJ0321: I thought about you a lot today.
She stared at the screen, a little shocked at what was sent her way. Why did he think about her when he was with ..whatever his ex wife's name was?
Drliztn: You did?
LakeJ0321: Yeah, weird eh? I dont know why. I guess it just eased my mind. It was just so hectic being with her, and her new boy toy came in while she and H were talking. AWKWARD to say the least.
Drliztn: I can imagine...
LakeJ0321: But it wasn't even like I minded the Rick guy. It was just weird, with Hunter there. I don't know. But you were right. It was a test. And I think I passed, because I wasn't even thinking about her. I mean, yeah I'll always love her. But its just changed...
Drliztn: What's changed?
LakeJ0321: 3 months ago I would have been bawling my eyes out right now at the thought of her with someone else, hell at just the thought of her. And now...its like..whatever, i dont even care about that.
Drliztn: How did Hunter take it?
LakeJ0321: Good. It was clear he was missing her. But he didn't cry or anything when we left and he was just curious as to who the Rick dude was.
Drliztn: oh ok
LakeJ0321: so..uh...
Drliztn: I thought about you a lot today, too.
LakeJ0321: You...you did?
Drliztn: Yeah...believe me, its not something I'm proud of.
LakeJ0321: What's that supposed to mean?
She was tired and cranky. Her ability to be witty and sarcastic had left her in the late hour and all she really wanted to do was be a complete bitch to someone. So she just began typing, saying the words in a quite bitter tone as her fingers punched the keyboard.
Drliztn: Well, I'm 28 years old and here I am getting happy everytime I get an email or an IM from you. It's not healthy that I'm getting this worked up over some dude over the Internet. I should be out and about on my nights off, clubbing, dating, doing something to find me a guy. And yet here I am, sitting, waiting for YOU to get online. I SHOULDNT be doing this.
Before she had a time to realize what she had done she had pressed send on instinct. Her eyes widened and she gasped.
She jumped outta her chair and poitned at her computer. "Oh God. Oh oh no no no no. Don't, oh FUCK! You idiot. You just sent that..oh dammit!!!"
There was only one solution, sign off...now.
But something kept her from doing that. Something pulled her back. Or more like, someone...
LakeJ0321: ditto
-----
"Jackpot." Justin mumbled under his breath with a smile as he leaned back in his computer chair and rocked a bit. He had got her. Even if it was just the beginning, he had gotten her wrapped around his finger, he had charmed her enough to where she was now thinking about his little Randall/LakeJ character. He had right where he wanted her, and this time he wasn't going to let her go.
And he wasn't going to let go so easily.