Jessica sat on the extras couch, bored beyond belief. She was supposed to be the main girl. But what was the point of being the “main girl” if she didn’t do anything? Pop a balloon, whoo hoo. How fun.
The stage was enormous. It seemed like it was 30 feet high. On each side a 2-foot wide ramp, equipped to flash neon colors, curved around up to the high circle stage. To the left of that was another ramp, but red, curving up to a small pedestal type thing that Chris (in a harness, for he was terrified of heights) would be spinning his records on. In the center at the bottom was a red and blue turntable, where backup dancers would be rollerskating. Justin would also be shooting his scene there. In the back was a blue hall where JC would be walking through, girls against the walls, grabbing (groping) at him when he walked past. Then there was a white room where Lance would be, chairs outlining the edge. The walls were to spin. Injured Joey would be sitting on a couch, surrounded by girls. He seemed to be enjoying himself.
The guys were rehearsing their show the day before, and there was a section of the choreography where they had trapdoors. Joey had gotten ready to jump, and the trapdoor was built to stay locked, but somehow he had slipped and his right leg got caught between the door flying up and the floor. He ended up getting a 2-inch gash, pinky length deep, held together by two staples. (He also had to get a Tetanus shot on his butt) But being Joey, he was walking and enduring the pain.
Brian was sleeping soundly in her lap, finally learning not to suck on his fingers.
“Hey here are the extras,” she heard Joey relay as he came around the area.
“Agh get away from me Joey, I look horrible,” she said, covering her face.
“And that’s the life in the extra’s light.”
Jessica sighed when he left. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Then she remembered. Her box.
She dug into her knapsack and took the box out, trying not to wake her son. She put it in one hand…then the other, wondering what it could possibly be containing. Finally she was tired of wondering and started to peel off the wrapping.
“Oh is he yours?” a voice squealed.
Jessica froze and looked up. A girl about 20 wearing one of the skimpiest outfits she had ever seen was ogling at her son.
“Uh…yeah. He wouldn’t be in my lap if he wasn’t,” Jessica said, eying the woman wearily.
“He’s so adorable!” she cooed, stroking Brian’s soft blonde head.
Jessica wasn’t sure how to act. She was supposed to be polite, but she wanted more than anything to slap the woman away. So she was frozen in thought.
“How old is he?” she asked.
“What? Oh um he just turned 3 a few months ago…who are you anyway?”
Ok, it was rude. But she didn’t want a total stranger fondling over her son like a freak.
“Oh excuse me my name is Sophie,” she introduced, holding out her manicured hand.
‘Daddy’s girl’ Jessica thought, shaking her hand.
“Hey you’re the main girl, right?”
The two looked up and saw Chris’ sparkling chocolate eyes, as always hinting mischievousness.
“Um yeah.”
“Oh who do we have here?” he asked, kneeling to be at level with Brian.
“My son, Brian,” she said, playing along.
“Consorting with the enemy…”
“It was a coincidence,” she smiled.
“Yeah well, he’s cute,” Chris said. He paused and looked up. “Is he cuter than me?”
Jessica laughed, forgetting her boredom. “What if I say he is?”
“Oh pa-shh!” Chris rolled his eyes. He looked puzzled. “Is he?” The brunette looked to the faces of the other extras, “Is he?”
A few of them laughed and said no.
“Ha ha…5 to 1, I win.”
The sound obviously was loud, for Brian was waking. Jessica hoisted him up gently onto her shoulder, hoping he would fall asleep again. It wasn’t happening.
“Mommy?”
“Hey right here sweetheart,” she whispered, hugging him to her breast and caressing his back.
“Aww…” Chris smiled.
Jessica threw him a mock dirty look.
“Where are we?” the toddler asked, looking around at the gigantic stage and the women around him.
“We’re at the stage.”
“Stage? Like the one Uncle-”
“Brian sweetie, shh,” she said quickly, hoping no one heard him say “Brian”.
“What Mommy? Who are these ladies?”
Jessica could practically feel herself drowning in the sweetness of the situation. Every extra within a 5-foot radius was absolutely smitten with her son, and she was ready to scream. She wanted to open the box, and she wanted to open it now.
“They’re the extras in the video.”
“What video?”
“The one Chris is shooting.”
“Chris?”
“Hey over here. You didn’t think I was a lady did ya?”
Brian shook his head, his smile as wide as his face.
“Good. Wanna play?”
Brian was just nodding when, “Chris! Dance scene!”
“Ah sorry buddy, can’t play now, gotta work.” Chris gave Brian a pat on the head and headed off for the POP stage.
“What’s he doing Mommy?” Brian asked, tugging on his mom’s sleeve.
“He’s going to dance.”
“Dance! Yay! I wanna dance!”
“Maybe later honey, you can’t dance right now. Watch Chris dance.”
Brian pouted with the expertise of whom he was named after.
“Aw how could you resist that?” another one of the extras laughed.
“ROLL PLAYBACK!”
It doesn’t matter
The car I drive, what I wear around my neck
All that matters
Is that you recognize that’s it’s just about respect
It doesn’t matter
Bout the clothes I wear and where I go and why
All that matters
Is that you get hyped and we’ll do it to you every time
Brian was watching in awe as the 5 men danced on the high part of the stage, his green eyes glittering with all the lights. He clapped his hands with joy.
Jessica watched Lance dance and she realized how much he had changed throughout the years. Three years ago he had always talked about his dream of being a musician, but she had never believed him. But now…they were one of the biggest music groups of the century, people even comparing them to the Beatles.
But more than anything she saw how he grew as a person. He was the same confident old Lance, but he was more than that. He was living out his dream, and more than that still.
She finally snapped out of her trance when she heard Brian bawling. With abrupt fear, she searched the area for her son, and found one of the extras trying to soothe him as she came closer.
Fortunately, the music was loud enough to drown out Brian’s cries.
“He tripped over a cord,” the brunette explained. “He was dancing and he tripped.”
“Oh Brian it’s ok, it’s ok,” she whispered, cradling the toddler to her body. “What happened sweetie? Did you get hurt?”
She pulled him away for a second to examine him over, and her eyes widened when she saw the gash on the side of his head.
“Oh god where’s the bathroom?” she cried, watching in fear when drops of blood trickled out of the small wound.
“It’s over there,” a blonde said, pointing to the far back. “I think I saw a first aid kit somewhere on the table.”
“Thank you so much,” Jessica said, hoisting the sobbing boy up higher.
She hurried to the table and one-handedly found a band-aid. Then she burst into the door of the bathroom and made straight for the sink.
“It’s ok sweetie, calm down,” she said, kissing the top of his head.
His crying had cooled down a little, and was sniffling and hiccupping.
“It’s ok,” she continued to say, getting a napkin and wetting it. She gently wiped away the blood on Brian’s head. “It’s just a tiny cut…”
“The ground is hard Mommy,” he said, sniffling.
Jessica smiled. “See that’s why you don’t dance here ok? Never do that again you understand me?”
“Yes Mommy.”
“Does it hurt?” she asked, tenderly placing the band-aid on his head.
“A little.”
Jessica kissed the top of the band-aid. “Better?”
The boy grinned, his short attention span allowing him to get bored with the minor cut. “Yeah. Can I play with Chris now?”
-;- -;- -;-
“Where’s Jessica?” Lance asked, spotting her shocked expression before she left.
“Who?”
“The main girl, the one with the baby,” Lance said quickly.
The stagehand thought for a minute, then pointed to the women’s bathroom. “I think she went in there. Her kid was hurt or something.”
“Oh ok thanks,” Lance said, jogging off to the bathroom.
He got there just as the door opened and Jessica stepped out.
Brian recognized him immediately. “Hi Lance!”
“Hey buddy. What happened?”
“I was trying to dance like you and I tripped,” Brian said, not looking at all fazed by the incident. “You dance lots.”
Lance laughed. “Yeah we do. So you’re ok?”
Brian nodded. “Cool as a…what is it again Mommy?”
“Cucumber.” Jessica smiled and looked up at Lance. “He’s been listening a little too often to Brian…he’s always saying stuff like that. Personally, I think he’s better off without learning all those ‘Barney got shot by a GI Joe’ rhymes,” she whispered. “I think he’s gonna get all that violence into his head.”
“If you teach him it’s bad, then he’ll forget about it,” Lance said. Then he stooped down to Brian’s level. “How bout a hug lil man?”
Brian smiled, ran forward, and gave Lance a big hug, then laughed when Lance ended up carrying him.
“Be careful!” Jessica said worriedly, hoping her son wouldn’t get hurt again.
“Aren’t I always?”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” she said, following him just in case.
“Have a little faith,” Lance joked, leaning his head back as Brian looked around wildly at his surroundings.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing his tiny finger at things.
“That’s the video camera.”
“Camera? Cool!”
Jessica's heart skipped a beat as she overlooked this scene. Something was wrong. Just three years ago, she never wanted to see Lance again, and now, she was letting him hold her son... his son... their son. It was almost like they were a real family... almost.
Lance laughed. “I see what you mean.”
“And here is Lance, schmoozing with the main girl…” Justin said, laughing at Lance’s expression.
“Agh get away,” Lance laughed, pushing Justin’s camcorder out of his face.
“Who’s the little guy?” Justin asked, zooming in on Brian’s face.
“Who you calling little?” Brian pouted.
Justin laughed. “Ok who’s the big guy?”
The toddler beamed. “Brian.”
“Hey Brian. What happened?” Justin asked, pointing to the band-aid on Brian’s head.
“I tried to dance like you and I tripped.”
“Cute kid,” Justin laughed, turning now to Jessica. “How old is he?”
“He turned 3 a while ago. And you’re not gonna let this film be showed on national television, are you?” Jessica asked, coming closer to Lance to get Brian.
“What if I did?”
“Then you wouldn’t live to see it,” she said simply, taking her toddler and heading back to the extras area.
“Feisty,” Justin laughed as she walked away.
“You like that don’t you?” Lance joked, turning on his camera. He pointed it at Justin and asked, “So Justin, what do you think of the main girl?”
“Feistay,” he laughed.
-;- -;- -;-
“Hey how are you?”
“Simply exhausted,” Jessica groaned dropping onto the soft bed. “And you do this everyday?”
“Nearly. We don’t stay up as late for concerts though.”
“I don’t think I-er, BRIAN- could handle it,” she said, gesturing to her son, sleeping soundly next to her.
Jessica had left the shoot early, using her son for means of “escape”. She was bored, she was irritable, and she was hungry. It had been nearly midnight, so she left for the hotel Lance had given her, and used the extra key. And now, two hours later, Lance appeared.
“The guys love him,” Lance said, stripping off his shirt, his back to her.
Jessica stared at her son’s face to give Lance some privacy. “Yeah so do I.”
“Why does he look so much like me and not his beautiful mother?” Lance asked with a knowing grin.
Jessica shook her head. “He looks nothing like me, and he acts nothing like me. I have no idea how he could be my son.”
“He’s got your fire.”
“Fire? If that’s your way of putting it.”
“He’s got that…that kind of passion for life I guess.”
“Passion for life?” she scoffed. “Are you sure you’re talking to the right person?”
“I know what I’m talking about. You live life to its fullest, you don’t waste a second.” Lance sat down close to her on the comforter.
Jessica stared at Lance, unable to look anywhere but his eyes. “You’re talking to the girl who planned to jump off a cliff Lance. What are you talking about?”
“To put it short,” he shrugged. “He’s got your soul.”
“You’re so damn eloquent,” she smiled, hanging her head slightly. “You always had a way with words.”
“Actions speak louder than words,” Lance whispered, leaning forward and cupping her chin.
With one hand holding her up, she leaned towards him and held him close. And when he kissed her like that, she didn’t feel so tired anymore.
-;- -;- -;-
Jessica squinted and stirred, at last waking up. Blinking a good number of times, she looked around. She had fallen asleep quicker than she remembered. Looking down she spotted Lance holding Brian in his sleep, and she almost cooed right then and there.
Today they would have a free day, to her relief. She planned on shopping a little before leaving.
Jessica pulled back her messy hair before combing it.
RIIIING!!
She nearly had a heart attack before she realized it was her cell phone. She dashed into the main room, and found her phone. But it wasn’t ringing. Surprisingly enough, the two males were still sound asleep. So she scrambled to find Lance’s cell.
At last she found the small device and answered it, hoping neither Brian or Lance had awoken.
“Hello?” she answered softly, unprepared for her voice to be a tiny bit scratchy.
“Um sorry I must have the wrong number-”
“Who were you looking for?” Jessica asked, wondering if it was a fan, for it was a female’s voice.
“I was looking for Lance, but I guess I got the wrong number.”
“No this is Lance’s cell, he’s just not available right now may I take a message?” she asked politely, wondering how she got his number.
“Oh just tell him it’s Makena would you?”
“So no number?”
“He knows it.”
She became suspicious. “Oh…”
“Who’s this?” Makena asked.
“Oh his uh sister’s friend,” she lied.
“Oh hi. Have a great day Ms…?”
“Oh sorry how rude of me, Jessica,” she introduced.
“Have a great day Jessica.” Then she hung up.
Jessica stared at the phone in disbelief. What was going on?? She glanced up at Lance, deciding not to wake him up. He deserved the day off.
RIIING!!
“Shit,” she mumbled picking up his cell phone again. She groaned when she realized it was HER cell phone this time.
“Hello?” she asked.
“Hey J wassup?”
“Oh hey Bri…just woke up.”
“Hey what’sa matter?” he asked.
“What makes you think something’s wrong?”
“You’re not makin fun ‘o me,” he chuckled. “So tell me, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Ok now I KNOW something’s wrong. What happened?”
“NOTHING.”
“Tell me.”
“It’s stupid.”
“Ha, I knew there was somethin wrong with you.”
“You wanna know or not?”
“Tell me.”
“I woke up and someone called on Lance’s cell…it was a girl.”
“Fan.”
“But when I asked her to leave a message, she just left her name and said that he’d know who she was.”
“Oh…um…man I don’t know what to say.”
Jessica sighed and looked down on the city below. “Me neither.”
“Maybe it’s a friend.”
“Yeah…ok. I’ll give you that. I mean, WE’RE friends, aren’t we?”
“Better be…otherwise I have taken the title from Nick for no reason.”
Jessica laughed. “I’m going home today, after dinner.”
“That’s good. You got your dance classes waitin for ya!”
“Yeah I do. I really wanna get back. I think Mom missed me.”
Brian laughed. Ever since his mom had met her, she had just fallen in love with her. She was like a second mother to her. “When has she not? You go to the market and she misses you.”
“She’s not THAT paranoid.”
“Oh, but she is my friend.”
Jessica smiled. “So when ya comin home?”
“It’s only been like a week J.”
“So?”
“A little over a month.”
“Time passes by sooo slowly when you’re bored to death.”
“Aren’t you making the video?”
“Yeah…I’m supposed to be the main girl, but all I have to do is take a bunch of head shots, drop a bowl of cereal, and pop a balloon. Save me!” Jessica joked.
“I would if I could but I can’t.”
“It was a joke Bri.”
“Whatever. So how’s the set look?”
“It’s so cool…it’s got these HUGE ramps comin down from a main stage at the top, and it’s got these 2 turntables and halls and rooms…it’s so cool.”
“Wow.”
“They said it was the biggest set they’ve built. It’s like 30 feet high, if not taller.”
“Hey that’s taller than Nick!” Brian joked.
Jessica laughed and grabbed some clothes. “Don’t make fun of the giant.”
“Hey!”
“What? Nick, get off the phone!” Brian said, irritated.
“Jeez is there no privacy?” Jessica asked rhetorically.
“No, there isn’t. And it sucks like hell. Don’t become a celebrity Jess. I don’t really want your picture to be plastered all over every hate site there is.”
“Hate site?”
“You’re dating a mega star J. Don’t think that people won’t find out.”
“They won’t.”
“You don’t know…they’re everywhere. Even fans will start something. I learned that the hard way.”
“So did Justin,” Jessica said, referring to the huge dilemma with their relationship.
“Dude that kid was on the Enquirer!”
“I felt so sorry for him.”
“Obviously the press didn’t. Ah shoot gotta jet- fan conference.”
“Lata Rok.”
“Later girl,” he said, hanging up.
Sigh. “Boredom approaches,” she said softly to herself.
-;- -;- -;-
“Ok Brian, be a good boy for Chris ok?” Jessica said, her hands on his small shoulders.
“Ok Mommy! You can go now!”
Jessica laughed. “I’m never letting AJ baby sit you again, you know that?”
“But Mommy I like Uncle AJ!” Brian pouted.
“Ok, ok. Just be good until Mommy gets back ok?”
“Yes he’ll be good, now just GO,” Chris laughed, pushing the woman out the door.
“If ANYTHING happens to him, you are to blame!” she called before the door was shut.
“Your mommy worries a lot doesn’t she?”
“A LOT.”
“Maybe this’ll loosen her up. Lance does a good job of that ya know.”
“Lance?”
“Yeah. Your Dad.”
“Dad?”
When Chris saw the puzzled look on the toddler’s face, he realized what he had done.
‘Oh shit’
-;- -;- -;-
“Lance where are we going?” Jessica asked. “Is the blindfold really necessary?”
“Yeah I think it is.”
“Don’t be a Smartass on me.”
Lance glanced at her and felt a wave of déjà vu. He ignored it though- it was what he was going for. But this time…without the amusement park.
He looked at her again and smiled. She wore a purple bell-sleeved shirt and… tight jean flares. Oh was she in for it.
He stopped the car and turned off the engine.
“I can get out now right?”
“Yeah.”
She hurriedly pushed the door open as Lance came around to her side.
“Hey c’mon.”
Jessica pushed down her nausea as she was led by her lover. Somehow she knew what was coming.
Lance pulled off her blindfold and she looked around. Suddenly she felt as if she were 3 years younger. The white lights and candles…the trees lit…the horses. She could have sworn it was the same one.
The blonde pulled her towards the horse, and gestured for her to get on.
“This time, I’m not scared,” she winked, climbing onto the horse’s back.
-;- -;- -;-
“Ok you know what I’m never riding another horse with these pants on,” Jessica groaned, her butt as sore, if not worse, than the last time.
Lance laughed. “See now that’s why I said, dress casually.”
“I DID!”
“You don’t ride horses with bell sleeves and tight pants,” Lance pointed out, hanging the saddle on the hook.
She grumbled as she took a sip of water from the old water fountain. “Whatever.”
“Hungry yet?”
“Famished.”
“C’mon.”
“Oh Lance…gosh…”
Once again, memories were flashing through her head. The picnic. The blue plaid blanket was spread across the grass with the weaved basket sitting in the middle of it, waiting to be opened. Jessica dropped to her knees and opened the basket, hungry for something to eat.
“Ah hah!” she said triumphantly, pulling out a bucket of KFC. “FOOD.”
Lance laughed. “Pig.”
Jessica stopped for a second. “What’d you call me?”
“Pig.”
“I’ll give you one last chance…what’d you call me?” she asked, trying to mask her smile as she got up to face him.
“Need a hearing aid hun? A PIG,” Lance laughed.
“Ah you blew all three chances…tsk tsk Lancey.”
“Lancey? What kind of name is that?!”
“YOURS,” she laughed, jumping at him and clinging to him, her arms around his neck. Surprisingly he didn’t fall back, but forward, onto her.
“OW!” Jessica laughed. “What have you been eating?”
“McDonald’s,” Lance chuckled, getting off of her. “Tour life ya know. Don’t have time to eat healthy.”
“And JC is still as skinny as a stick? How is that possible?”
“Have you SEEN him on stage?”
“Surprised his back hasn’t been locked in a thrust,” she muttered, sipping from a Coke.
Lance let out a laugh. “That’s a good one.”
“You better not tell him that.”
“I’ll say it for myself.”
“Ok then.” She laughed and popped a grape into her mouth.
Lance sighed and sifted through the food items in the basket. He smiled and pulled out a Subway sandwich.
“Doesn’t that count as healthy?” Jessica asked, nodding at the sub.
“Oh this? Uh yeah I guess so.”
She shook her head. “Fibber.”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“What’d you call me?”
“STUPID!” she laughed, screaming when the sub came down on her head. “EEW!”
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” Lance smirked, and bit off the other end of the sub.
She stuck out her tongue.
“Blah!”
Jessica sighed and out of the blue felt concern for Brian. Was Chris taking good care of her son? She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the hotel.
“Chris Kirkpatrick, please. NO I’m not a fan…I’m a friend of his…what? What do you think I’m calling for? I’m checking on my son, who is in Chris’ care…NO that’s not an excuse what the hell are you talking about?”
Lance grabbed the phone and said, “Hey look, if she wants to talk to Chris, let her talk to Chris. Password’s Teletubbie.”
Jessica laughed at the stupidity of the password and Lance thrust the phone at her.
“It’s ringing.”
She exchanged brief words to Chris then hung up, satisfied.
“You guys have PASSWORDS?”
“Hell yeah, so fans won’t come and get us. And even Eric is out here, watching.”
“He’s HERE?”
“Yup.”
“What? Why?”
“You don’t expect me to be out here all by myself, do you?”
She sighed. “It must suck.”
“What would?” Lance asked, sipping his soda.
“Never being alone.”
The blonde man set his drink down thoughtfully and let a few moments pass before replying.
“No matter how many people are around me, I feel as if I’m always alone.”
She looked up at him in confusion. “What?”
Lance looked out at the setting sun and his eyes seemed to lose their focus. “The screaming, the clawing, autographs, concerts, disguises, secret hotel routes, interviews, the rabid fans… it’s there in here,” he pointed to his head, “but not in here,” he gestured to his heart. “I’m alone in my heart, because I have nothing else. You don’t know who’s watching you when you’re this big…anyone can jump out at you and yell out hey it’s Lance from NSync! Or whatever…you don’t have any privacy. There is no one you can really turn to. I mean, I have to see the guys every single day…I mean of course I’d get sick of them sometimes. That’s when I’d go to my bunk and sleep, because I have no one else and no where to go…” Lance licked his lips before continuing. “And then you…you were my breath of air, so to speak. You kinda helped me keep my sanity here… I swear I would have lost my mind. And the whole thing with the production company and Free Lance…I’m going crazy. I just needed the break from it. To be who I am… not Lance Bass from NSync, not Lance Bass, owner of Free Lance Entertainment…just… Lance.”
Jessica stared at him, now seeing how he was still a child. But before she could say anything, he continued.
“But hey, we all make sacrifices for what we do,” he said, closing his eyes. “It’s what we love you know…but I wonder if we could ever get more than 5 days off in a span of 5 years?
“I mean… there are websites dedicated solely to us…it’s overwhelming really. And the anti sites are even worse…I mean they take every fault we have and rip us apart… they don’t seem to know we are human. We have made mistakes…but out of hate they put us in shreds of our remaining dignity, saying JC is on crack, that Joey is fat and stupid…one little thing and they make a website about it, make a page dedicated to that one thing… it’s insane. And how much we work, they don’t care about that either. They just see what’s there- the music and our appearances…
“But what really bugs me are those fans who demand to know everything. How can they say they know everything about me? To me, knowing someone is to know how they work. Like I would know what you’d say if I said, what’s up, or do you want fries with that…I mean they think they have the very RIGHT to demand our lives… haven’t we given enough?”
Jessica stared in shock. “Oh Lance…I had no idea,” she whispered, hugging her boyfriend tight. “Now I know why Bri always told me never to become famous.” “But it was what I wanted…I can’t change what I want.”
“No Lance…you can’t change what you need. You need normalcy. Take a break Lance, come with me for a couple days, run around the house naked, it doesn’t matter…just take some time to regain your sanity,” she said, her hand stroking his cheek. “You deserve it. All you guys do.”
“But we can’t…”
“You can’t run your life depending on what the FANS want…it’s what YOU want that matters.”
“Who’s the eloquent one now?” Lance smiled, burying his face into her shoulder.
“I only speak the truth Lance.”
He sighed deeply, his breath tickling her skin. “Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Promise you’ll be here for me…to keep me from falling.” Lance looked up at her.
“I promise…” she smiled. “God knows even Angels fall.”
-;- -;- -;-
“Ok, ok I know you two love each other and all, but the least you can do is- ugh stop it already!” Chris said, disgusted as he nearly pried the kissing couple apart.
“What the fuck was that for?” Lance asked, getting close to losing his temper.
“If she doesn’t get on that plane, she’ll miss it.”
“Bad point being?”
“I’ve got classes, I can’t have too many more sick days,” Jessica said apologetically. “I’d stay, you know I would…but life isn’t fair. But I’ll call you soon ok?”
“Yeah ok.”
Jessica smiled at Lance. “Be a good boy for me,” she joked.
“Mommy you’re being silly,” Brian giggled, even as a toddler knowing the stupidity of her words.
“Amen,” Chris laughed. “I’m gonna miss ya lil buddy.”
“I miss you too big buddy.”
The guys laughed as Brian hugged Chris, and in turn received a hug from the toddler.
“Alright Brian, let’s go home.”
“Can Chris come?”
“No sweetie, ‘fraid not. He has work to do.”
“Like Uncle Brian?”
“Just like Uncle Brian.”
-;- -;- -;-
“Leave the girl alone already!”
“No way… I’m getting her, ain’t no doubt about that.” The grisly old man spit on the ground and went back to sharpening his knife.
“Please, she’s learned her lesson.”
“Shut up boy,” he growled, slapping the younger man across the face. The gleam of the knife shone in his eyes as he held it up. “I’m baaack…”