WILDFIRE
By Aysia Anderson (a.k.a. Nikki)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Price of Infidelity

Justin stood, leaning against the wall, with one arm over his stomach and the elbow of the other propped atop it with his hand rolled into a fist over his lips. He wanted to say something but he couldn’t find the right words to say. She looked so lost and helpless and his guilt was overwhelming him. It was his fault that she was in this condition and it killed him on the inside.

For a moment he turned his attention onto Nicole whom sat quietly in the middle of the bed with her naturally curly hair in a high ponytail. She was watching cartoons on the television screen seemingly without a care in the world. He wondered if she understood the magnitude of what was going on. He wondered if some man would one day walk into her life and make her as miserable as he was making her mother. He couldn’t bear the thought.

“Gabby, do we have any water-proof eye makeup?” Chelsea, one of Camille’s full time makeup artists, asked her assistant as she dabbed away the streaks of tears that seemed to be endlessly flowing from her employer’s eyes. “Cam, you have to work with me here.”

“I’m sorry.” Camille apologized and sniffled as she sat in a chair that had been set up in her hotel room as her staff worked around her busily. She had been doing her best to keep her emotions in check but the task was much more difficult than she had believed it to be. It seemed that every few minutes she would be mutedly crying all over again.

The Grammy Awards would mark her, Justin, and Nicole’s first family outing since US Weekly had published the photographs of Justin’s betrayal. They would be arriving together, as a family, to brave the questions and camera flashes. It was already hard enough to deal with the internal turmoil without having to consider the opinions of outsiders but they knew that they couldn’t hide out forever.

“Can we just…wait for five minutes?” Camille asked as she felt herself beginning to get choked up. Her hairstylist, wardrobe coordinator, and makeup artist all cleared away and allowed her to stand up to make her way to the bathroom. Nicole looked up from the television screen when her mother passed by her and slid quickly off of the bed to follow her.

Justin closed his eyes as the door closed behind them both. He could feel everyone that was left in the room watching him and passing their judgments. He had never been all that close to her glamour squad and he knew that the things running through their heads were not showing him in the best light. Taking in a deep breath, he stood up from the wall and made his way over to the bathroom, knocking lightly on the door. When he didn’t receive a response he took it upon himself to open the door and walk inside.

Camille was sitting on the edge of the porcelain tub in her sheer powder pink dress with Nicole sitting in her lap. The small girl was attached to her like a second skin, arms and legs wrapped tightly around her, as she cried. He had seen her in tears before but never like this. It was a whole new ballgame when his daughter had suddenly become his wife’s comforter, singing “God Must Have Spent” quietly to calm her down.

“Nikki, let me talk to mommy.” He cleared his throat and his daughter nodded her head compliantly. It took a few moments before Camille allowed her to go but when she did, Nicole tipping out of the bathroom and closing the door behind her, it looked as if she would crumble. “Baby, we don’t have to do this tonight.”

“What are you talking about? We’ve both been nominated for awards.” Camille stood up and moved to stand before the mirror to wipe away her tears.

“I’m not worried about the awards, Camille, I’m worried about you.”

“Excuse me for finding that very hard to believe right now.”

Justin sighed inwardly. “So what are you going to do if we win that award for best duet? You want to walk up there without me?”

“Don’t ask me stupid questions, Justin.”

“If this ceremony is so damn important to you then do it alone because I’m not going to be standing at your side making you cry. If I’m not there you’ll be alright and you know that.”

Camille turned to him incredulously. “Justin, if I go alone they’re going to think that we’re getting divorced! I’ll have to answer to what you did!”

“Baby, I want to be there with you! I want us to be able to face this together but every time I get anywhere near you you’re crying and I don’t want to be the cause of that!”

“But you are the cause of it.”

Justin nodded his head. “I know that. I know that I hurt you but I don’t want to play pretend, alright? I don’t want to pretend that we’re happy and smiling all the time when we’re the opposite.”

“Those people,” Camille pointed at the door, “they don’t need to know how I’m feeling on the inside right now because it is none of their business. They aren’t you or I. We get paid to entertain them and keep them happy and I take my job seriously. If they need to believe that it was just an accident and we’re still in love then I’m sure as hell going to put on that front.”

“So you don’t think it was a mistake and you don’t love me anymore is what you’re saying?”

“Justin, don’t do this shit with me right now.”

“No, that’s what you just said, right?”

“She’s like you’re fall-back girl or something.” She snatched a few leaves of toilet paper from the roll and dabbed her eyes. “You got pissed off when Usher invited me to dinner so you called her up to stand at your side.”

Justin shook his head and leaned back into the door. He wasn’t going to say anything to that. How could he?

“If I didn’t love you so much, despite what you’ve done, I’d tell you to call her and let he be your date tonight.”

“So every time you get mad you’re going to bring up that shit?”

“I don’t know, J. Maybe I will.” she turned around again and leaned back against the bathroom counter. “Is it cool with you if I go call him up and tell him that it hurts and I want him to make the pain go away?”

“That’s absolutely fine by me if you want to see me in prison and go visit his grave while I’m away.”

“And you still have the nerve to be jealous right now? Unbelievable.”

“You’re my wife, Camille!”

“And you’re my husband!” She pointed an accusing finger at him. “Or is that just for show too? Is that just entertainment?”

Justin licked his bottom lip and stared her down before turning around to open the door and stroll out into the room. “Yo, I need all of y’all to leave for like fifteen minutes so I can talk to my wife alone. Chelsea, can you watch Nicole for me?”

“Yeah, no problem.” The brunette nodded her head and took Nicole’s hand as they all trailed out of the room mumbling under their breaths.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves he shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it onto the side chair. Unbuttoning his shirt he went back to the bathroom to meet with her cold eyes once again. She watched him silently as he removed his shirt and wiggled his finger for her to come over to him. Spitefully she crossed her arms over her chest and stood unmoving.

“If I have to come and get you you’re going to regret it.”

“Don’t threaten me.”

“Then don’t push me.”

Rolling her eyes, she made her way over to him and whispered that she hated him.

“That’s good,” He spun her around so that her back was facing him and he could unzip her dress, “because I hate me too.”

“What do you think this will accomplish, Justin, really?” Camille swallowed.

“Number one, it will calm both of us down. Number two, we won’t be so stressed out and number three…” Justin paused as she turned to face him and ignored the soft sound that her dress made as it fell to the floor, “you need a reason to not want to go to anyone else to make the pain go away.”

As Justin moved in to kiss his wife she moved her head back to avoid his lips. He stared into her eyes, a little saddened by the act, and cupped his hand over the side of her face. When she had the same reaction to his second attempt he licked his lips and walked away, sitting down heavily on the bed.

“So we’re never going to kiss again?”

“I figure you must not have enjoyed kissing me that much since you decided to go out and kiss someone else.”

“Camille, if it makes you feel any better why don’t you go out tonight and find someone and make out with him? Will that even it up for you?” He offered desperately.

“Why does it have to be a him?” She couldn’t help but to joke before bringing herself back into the serious mode of the conversation. “Just promise me that you’ll never do anything like what you did again? Just promise.”

“I swear to you that I will never ever cheat on you again for the rest of my days.” He held up his hand with scout’s honor. “If its not a him, by the way, make sure that I’m invited. I’ve already not been included in one girl-on-girl make out session.”

“Okay, Justin, what have you not learned from this situation?” Camille shook her head with a smirk. “Don’t bring up your exes ever again in life! No Britney and Madonna make out sessions, Cameron Diaz, Alyssa Milano, Janet Jackson…”

“I didn’t hook up with Janet!”

“J, I’m your wife. I know who you boned and who you didn’t so you can’t take back information now.”

“It was worth a shot.” He shrugged.

“So do you still want to relieve some stress before we go out on the red carpet?”

“Hell, yes!”

“Hmm,” Camille shrugged her shoulders and slid back into her dress, “then it sucks to be you today.”

“Baby?” Justin began to pout.

“Besides,” she stopped him quickly, “I’m going to be pissed off when we get questioned about your little mishap on the red carpet so why don’t you save it for when it’s really going to count?”

“Alright but until then why don’t you just let me feel you up for ten minutes?”

“Justin? Get a hobby.”

////

“Everything between Justin and Camille was falling back into place because that’s just the way that they operate together. If Justin does something stupid, she’ll get mad, but after a few days or so she’ll let him weasel his way back in.” Trace explained the ongoing cycle of his friend’s relationship with his wife. “Sometimes I don’t understand why she didn’t throw a complete fit about the pictures with Alyssa but then again she still didn’t know that it hadn’t ended there. As far as Grammy night went, though, it was classic. She and Justin both gave the performance of their lives. It was like they were falling in love with each other all over again.”

////

“Just breathe.” Justin whispered into his wife’s ear as the limousine door opened and he took the first step out onto the red carpet. Nicole jumped out after him followed by his beautiful wife who immediately put on her game face. The cameras were flashing and everyone seemed to be shouting out their names to capture their attention. Anyone who had shown up on the scene before them were quickly forgotten.

“Welcome to the pit.” Camille cracked up through her smile as Justin chuckled under his breath and held her at his side while their daughter held her mother’s hand. They were the epitome of perfection as they posed together. Camille looked like an angel in her flowing powder pink dress, Nicole in a similar yet age appropriate dress, and Justin in a basic black suit with a powder pink button down shirt.

“At least we’re well dressed for out demise.” He whispered back into hear and kissed her on the cheek.

“Don’t start anything out here, J.”

“Thought we had something to prove?”

“Let’s make out then.” She challenged him.

“Open your mouth and say ‘ah’.” He wiggled his brows at her before shifting around slightly to direct her lips to his. The cameras went crazy as he kissed his wife long and slow. He wondered how long it would take the press to publish pictures of them still doing so well together. “You really should have let me work something out back at the hotel.” He kissed her one more time before taking her hand and leading their adorable little family down the carpet.

“Don’t make me have to jump you in the men’s room.” She giggled, not noticing that he paled at the mentioning of the place where he had actually done his worst, unbeknownst to her. “Are you tired?”

“Huh?” Justin turned to see that she was talking to their daughter and not him. He looked on as Nicole nodded and then quickly lifted her up into his arms so that she could catch a nap as they walked toward the auditorium. As she snoozed he kept a firm grip on the hand of his wife. He probably needed her at his side a lot more than she needed him.

“Justin! Camille! Can we get a few words?” Reporters from E! Entertainment News called out to them. Reluctantly the pair sauntered over to the cameras though not really wanting to be bothered with questions. “Tonight you’re both up for The Best Duet award as well as several individual awards between you. How does it feel to still be so prevalent in the public eye after being away for so long to begin raising your child?”

“I think I can speak for Camille as well as myself when I say that it’s a wonderful honor to be nominated this year for the work that we’ve done.” Justin took the opportunity to speak. “We both know a lot of couples that end up working together on a project don’t usually get a lot of recognition because people tend to not want to hear about all of the good times. We feel very lucky to have received such acceptance for our song.”

“You and Camille are both top selling artists so this had to have been expected that when you came together you would create a monster hit on the charts.” The reporter stated.

“No, I don’t think it was expected. Like I’ve said before, getting a hit in this industry sometimes is just the luck of the draw. I just happen to have a beautiful and talented good luck charm on my arm.” Justin winked at Camille whom smiled gently. He was just happy to see her content around him instead of broken up.

“So with the recent photos emerging of you and your ex, Alyssa Milano, things are still good between you and your wife?”

“Everyone makes mistakes.” Camille stood strongly at her husband’s side. “Relationships take a lot of work and Justin and I aren’t the type to give up on something so easily. It was just a kiss, you know? Besides, I’ve got a freebie pass on any man I want now so it’s perfect!”

“Guess who’s not messing up again?!” Justin laughed and directed her lips to his once again by tilting her chin up with his index finger. “This woman is the love of my life.” He stared deep into her soul as he spoke. “I’d do anything and everything to keep her in my life.”

“We might have to leave early tonight.” Camille whispered though they were both sure that the microphones had picked up her words.

“Maybe.” Justin agreed, unable to take his eyes off of hers. “It’s been nice talking to you guys.”

The reporters all looked on as the couple departed on their way to the front doors of the auditorium. “Wow.”

/*/*/

“You ready?” Justin called as he tampered with the tracks on the stereo’s CD deck.

“You’re still going to do this with me, right?” Camille asked, entering the room in one of his t-shirts that she had tied above her stomach, one of his trucker hats on her head, and a pair of her capris. While waiting on him to find the right track she had done her makeup and located her bangle earrings and stack bracelets.

“Yeah, baby. Let’s get this started. How many other opportunities will I have to act a fool with you?”

“Straight.” She grinned as the opening bars to The Beautiful Ones by Prince began to play. As soon as the lyrics began she and Justin stared at each other, moving slowly, and lip-synced the words.

Baby, baby, baby
What’s it gonna be?
Baby, baby, baby
Is it him or is it me?

Justin spun around and found himself dancing behind his wife. She grinned as he jutted his arms out over her shoulders brought his head down close to hers as they moved. It had been a long time since they had done one of their private performances together. It was truly a part of their dorky sides when they performed other people’s performances. Prince was a staple in their line up.

Don’t make me waste my time
Don’t make me lose my mind, baby…

Camille shimmied around in a circle and linked her arms around Justin’s shoulders and pretended to be Prince during the ending of the song. It was possibly her favorite part of the track when her idol lost his mind and screamed out his words desperately. Justin smiled, completely amused, as she moved her body like a snake and proceeded to act a complete fool.

What’s it gonna be, baby?
Do you want him or do you want me?!
‘Cause I want you!
So, I want you!
Tell me baby!
Do you want me?
I gotta know!
I gotta know!
Do you want me?!
Baby, baby, baby!
Listen to me!
I may not know where I’m going baby…!

“I can’t believe you just humped the floor!” Justin cracked up instantly as the song Darling Nikki began to play.

“All the times that you’ve humped the air in concert? Let’s not go there!”

“I’m better at it than you are though.”

“Not true!” Camille disagreed, still positioned on her knees. “You can’t do this. It’s my move.”

Justin watched as she tossed her head from side to side, his hat flipping across the room and her hair dancing wildly through the air. He was speechless as her body writhed about and she bounced up and down to the beat of the music. Once she was finished proving him wrong she stood up and danced her way out of the room.

“Don’t ever ask me why I married you!” He called after her. “Don’t do that shit on stage anymore! You’re going to have me peeling heads over your ass!”

“Promise?” His wife reappeared at the door.

/*/*/

“And the winners for best duet are…Camille Henderson and Justin Timberlake!”

The crowd stood to their feet and applauded as the couple rose from their seats. Justin held Nicole in his arms, her small legs dangling behind him, as he made his way to the stage with his wife. He wasn’t sure if the standing ovation was because of the music or because they had been brave enough to still show up together through the controversy. All he knew was that they were shinning as they came to the podium and the applause weren’t dying down.

“Wow, the last time we were on this stage together I had just arrived on the scene and had just caught this man’s attention.” Camille smiled, holding the award that was handed to her. “Two years later…”

“Magic!” Justin chimed in excitedly, rubbing his hand over her back affectionately. “I’d like to thank all of the little people we had to walk on to get here. Nah, I’m just playing.”

“Ha, ha!” Camille shook her head at him. “We’d like to thank God for blessing us with so much talent and giving us the opportunity to do what we love together. We’d like to thank the fans for supporting us and buying our records and lastly…” Camille brought her fingertips to her lips as to stop her emotions from overflowing. “I’d like to thank you for giving me something to sing about and sharing so much of your soul with me each and every day.”

Justin smiled at his wife as the audience began to applaud feverishly. “Thank you for loving me for me no matter how stupid I act and despite the obvious mistakes that I’ve made. I live for you, babe.” He smoothed his hand over the side of her face before turning back to the audience. “Thank you!”

Nicole woke suddenly as her father began to walk with her off of the stage with her mother to deafening applause. Her curious eyes took in the sight of all of the people packed into the auditorium before turning her head into her father’s neck to hide. She had never encountered such a large crowd before.

////

“Every time you turned on the television the media was throwing the whole situation into your face. Are they going to stay together? What is going to become of Hollywood’s beloved couple?” Trace shuddered just thinking about the not so distant past. “It was like it was never going to stop. They knew that they had to do something to make it go away.”

////

{Television Clips}

“It appears to me that they’re trying too hard to prove that they’re still in love with one another. I think it will only be a matter of time before this couple goes their separate ways.” Joan Rivers commented on E! Entertainment Television. “Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely adore Justin and Camille’s union but I don’t think she’s going to be able to deal with all of this negative press coming their way. She’s young and she’s beautiful. She can do better than him.”

“Mother, how can you do better than Justin Timberlake? He’s like America’s version of a prince!” Her daughter scoffed at her words.

“I’m not knocking his notoriety. He’s a beautiful man full of talent but he’s still only a man. Camille could divorce him today and still be with any man in this world which would be difficult for any other woman with a baby.”

“How adorable was their daughter when they accepted their award on the Grammy’s last night? She’s possibly more beautiful than both of her parents.”

Joan nodded her agreement. “She’s got good genes.”

-/-/-

“The names on everyone’s lips nowadays are Justin Timberlake, Camille Henderson, and Alyssa Milano. What is going on with this drama? My question is what is the dysfunction in this Hollywood marriage? Either Camille isn’t doing her part as a wife or Alyssa is irresistible. Possibly it’s a little of both?” Jay Leno posed his question to the audience. “If I could have both of those young ladies, Justin, I’d do it too, man!”

-/-/-

“Obviously some celebrities aren’t as ready to settle down as they had once believed! The Timberlake/Milano scandal is still burning brightly despite the lovey-dovey antics of Justin and his sweet little wife, Camille Henderson.” Wayne Brady commented on his daytime television talk show. “This marriage was possibly doomed from the beginning. Timberlake and Henderson were young and in love and rushed into a quickie marriage. Obviously they settled down too soon.”

-/-/-

“The main concern in this story is their daughter, Nicole.” Barbara Walters stated on 20/20. “Are they going to stay together for her or are they going to go their separate ways?”

-/-/-

{THE VIEW}

“Everyone, please give a warm welcome to the astoundingly talented and beautiful Camille Henderson!” Joy Behar, the comedic voice on ABC’s highly rated daytime talk show, The View, announced as the young starlet walked onto the stage.

Camille waved graciously looking as cute as a button and completely unfazed by the controversy swirling around her life. She exuded confidence as she stepped in her chocolate leather boots, black mini-skirt and khaki and brown colored peasant shirt. Her hair was a bundle of curls suspended by a wire headband and if the co-hosts hadn’t known any better they wouldn’t have believed for a moment that she could be as unhappy as she was.

“Sit, sit.” Star Jones pat the cushion between herself and Joy as Camille sat down lightly and crossed her legs. “Your name is on everyone’s lips nowadays, little miss.”

“For all of the wrong reasons.” She replied and shrugged her shoulders.

“How have you been recently? How are you getting through all of the controversy?”

“I’m just keeping myself grounded and keeping focus on the things that are important in my life. I’m staying in touch with my family and friends, depending a lot on my mother for advice, and just reminding myself how much my relationship with my husband means to me.”

“That’s got to be a difficult thing for you right now.” Meredith Vieira commented. “With the pictures springing up all over the place…how do you react to that.”

“It’s hard. It’s definitely not a walk in the park when you pick up a magazine or turn on the television and see your husband wrapped up with another woman. You just have to keep telling yourself that eventually it will die down and things will get back to normal.” Camille responded in the best way possible. “I’m crossing my fingers here.”

“How has this effected your relationship?” Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the newer member to the co-host team, asked with a lot of concern evident in her voice.

“I know that there are a lot of reports saying that I’m devastated and that I barely want to get out of bed most days and that is completely untrue. It was just a kiss. I’m not saying that it doesn’t hurt just the same because it does but its nothing to end a relationship over. I married this man. I’m not going to give him up over something as trivial as that.”

“So you don’t care about the opinions of outside parties when it comes to this ordeal?”

“I didn’t marry anyone but Justin. I don’t honestly feel like it’s the concern of the nation to pass their judgment even though I know that they’re going to do that anyway.”

“We’ve had Alyssa on the show recently and she said a lot of disturbing things about the relationship between you and your husband.”

“Truthfully, I’m not worried about Alyssa because if he wanted to be with her he would have married her in the first place and not wasted either of our time. At the end of the day he’s coming home to me so she can say whatever it is that she’d like to say. I’m the one with the ring and I’m the one that gave birth to his child. There’s not much competition with that.”

“Got to love that in you, girl.” Joy smiled broadly. “This girl is pure fire.”

“I just don’t understand people like that.” Camille shrugged. “I don’t hate her or anything because I think she’s a beautiful and talented actress. She can be with anyone that she wants to be with so why is she chasing after the one person that she’s not going to get?”

/*/*/

“Justin, if you bite my ass again I’ll throw you a beat down.” Camille warned as her husband crept into the kitchen and started to lean over. “You’re not slick.”

“Why you always killing my joy, woman?!” He stood erect and spun her around from the kitchen counter quickly. She squealed as he basically tossed her up into the air and into his arms.

“I miss my daughter.” She pouted as his arms locked around her waist and she attached herself to him like a second skin.

“I’m not challenging my mother for custody. Are you insane?” He laughed. “That’s her child now so you’re just going to have to deal with it. You know how long it took her to accept that you had stolen me from her?”

“Five seconds. She basically handed you over, leash and all, the second that I entered the picture!”

“You’re a foul one, Mrs. Grinch.”

“I wonder what your friend is saying in his interview with VH1 right now?” Camille asked, nibbling the end of Justin’s nose.

“Who knows? I’m not concerned with what people have to say about us anymore. Let him say whatever it is that he wants to.”

Only Words...