Part Eleven
JC smiled constantly as he flipped through the pages of his daughter's life. He spent at least a minute on each picture, taking everything in so he wouldn't forget. Maggie would talk about each picture and tell him what it was about. " That was when she first sat up," she said when she pointed of the picture of Georgia sitting up on a blanket and grinning at the TV. " She loved Teletubbies, do you remember those?"
"Unfortunately," he laughed as he turned the page and watched Georgia grow up before his eyes. It made him so sad to realize that he missed out on so much. But at the same time things would be so different if she did get in touch with him. He would probably have been with Maggie all these years instead of Riley. Things really did happen for a reason, he thought with a sigh.
He turned the page again and froze when he saw a certain picture. She looked to be about three years old in the picture, he imagined. She was sitting on the floor, her brown hair in pigtails decorated in red ribbons while watching something on TV. He squinted to see what was on the TV and his eyes widened. "Is that - is that me?"
She nodded. "Yeah, she's watching you."
He looked at her in confusion. "I don't get it. You mean she knew that.."
"That you were her daddy?" She nodded. "Yeah, she did. I never wanted to lie to her about where she came from, so I decided to tell her from the very beginning."
"What about Bailey?"
She sighed. "Me and Georgia decided it would be best not to tell her. It would have been too confusing for her, so we didn't say anything."
He nodded and then studied the picture. "Did she hate me for not being there?"
"No," she said quickly as she turned to him and put a hand on his back. "She thought it was the coolest thing ever to have a famous dad," she said and smiled when JC laughed. "She didn't tell any of her friends though, it was kind of like our little secret. She still thought of Henry, my husband, as her father, but she always had a special place for you in her heart." She looked at his profile and her heart went out to him when she saw the tear that slipped from his eye. "She loved you JC. She even tried to contact you when she was older."
JC whirled his head towards hers. "She did?"
"Yeah," she said softly. "I told her it was impossible, but she didn't care. She wrote letter after letter, but still no word."
"I never got it," he said. "We got so much fan mail back then and..."
"I know, JC, you don't have to explain. Georgia knew too."
He sighed and then turned back to the photo album and was quiet as he flipped through the pages. He saw pictures of her kneeling in the grass with a green soccer jersey on with a soccer ball at her feet. He saw pictures of her and her friends bundled together with their faces painted green and white to support their high school football team.
"That's her date for the senior prom," she said when he turned to the next page.
JC smiled and then frowned when he got a good look. "The dress shows a little TOO much."
Maggie busted out laughing. "Exactly what Henry said, just like a dad. Actually, her friends were dressed a lot LESS then her. She was a good wholesome girl in high school. Never did drugs. Never smoked. In college she drank, but did it responsibly. You would have been proud, JC."
"I am proud," he said and then smiled at her. "Got any baby pictures of my granddaughter?"
She smiled. "Sure do," she said as she got up and went to the closet to bring back another album. She sat back down and opened it to the first page where a picture of a tired Georgia laying in a hospital bed holding little baby held. "Bailey Elizabeth Winters. Born April 12th 2029. YOU'RE granddaughter was born."
He smiled softly as he looked down at the picture. "She's beautiful, just as beautiful as she is today."
"Yes, she is. She..."
She was cut off when they both heard the floor squeaked and they looked up to see Bailey standing there in shock. "Bailey?" Maggie whispered. "How long have you.."
"Long enough to know I've been living in a lie my whole life," she said softly.
"Bailey, please," JC said as he started to get up. "I know this is a shock, we were planning on telling you and..."
"Yesterday, when you ran out of the house, you found out then didn't you?"
He nodded. "Yes, I did. I was shocked and..."
"So what happened?" she asked angrily as she faced. "You slept with my Gram and walked out on her the next morning?"
"BAILEY!" Gram exclaimed. "How dare.."
"Bai, that's not how it happened, I.."
"I don't want to hear it," she said as she started to cry and started to back away from them.
"Bailey, don't go," Gram pleaded. "We'll tell you everything just..."
"There's nothing to tell," she cried. "You lied to me! Everything was a lie!"
"No, Bailey I..."
"I have to go," she said and quickly ran out and slammed the bedroom door behind her.
"Let her go," JC said quietly when Maggie was about to run after her.
"But.."
"Trust me, I know how she feels, she just needs time to think. She'll come back."
She sighed. "I hope so," she said and didn't object when JC pulled her in his arms and held her for comfort.
James focused on his task as he dapped the tip of the paintbrush onto the canvas. He flicked his wrist allowing the brush to whisk up in countless strokes until he captured exactly what he wanted. He took a step back to study his work and cocked his head to the side making sure it was running smoothly.
Not quiet happy yet, he dipped the brush in the milky water and then rubbed the brush in the dingy colored rag that was hanging over his bare shoulder. He hiked up his pain splattered jeans over his hips before he stepped up to the canvas and worked on the finishing touches.
He tapped his bare foot against the floor as he listened to the current music video that was playing on MTV. Abby was curled up on the red velvet couch where many beautiful women have laid to model for him. Strictly business of course, even though a handful of those models tried to seduce them. And of course it never worked. Well, once maybe, but hell he was human after all.
He stepped back again and repeated the steps. He studied, cleaned the brush, hiked up his jeans and was about to step back to the canvas but someone pounding on the door stopped him. "What in the world?" he asked himself when the knocking never stopped.
Abby jumped down from the couch and barked as she followed her master. "Quiet, girl," he said as he ran up the basement stairs and around to the front door where the pounding occurred.
"James?!"
His eyes widened when he recognized Bailey's voice and flung the door open. "Bailey, what's wrong?" he asked urgently when he saw her tears.
"I didn't know where else to go," she cried before she collapsed into his arms, not even noticing the only thing he wore up top were a few drops of dry paint.
"Bai, baby what's wrong?" he asked as he stroked her hair. "You scared me to death... is Pops..."
"He's my grandfather," she mumbled in the crook of his shoulder.
"Who, POPS?"
She shook her head. "No...JC."
He pulled away and grasped her shoulders so he could look at him. "Bailey, what are you talking about?"
"JC... he's my grandfather."
James shook his head in confusion. "Here... come sit down in the den," he said as he led her to the couch. She sat down and smiled softly when Abby jumped up next to her and laid her head in her lap. "Now, tell me what happened?" he asked as he sat down on the other side of her.
"I... I overheard JC and Gram talking in her room after class and.." She sniffed. "And they were looking through pictures... baby pictures of my mom. To make a long story short, it turns out that my assumptions were correct and something DID happen between Gram and JC."
"What did they say?"
"They didn't have to tell me anything," she said angrily as she stood up and started pacing the room. "JC used Gram for sex and then bailed on her. Leaving Gram pregnant with MY mom."
"Bailey... what was their version?"
Bailey sighed and stopped pacing and sat back down. "I didn't give them a chance to explain. I didn't feel it was necessary."
"Why?" he asked softly as he began to stroke her back. "Bai, I know this is a shock to you and this has got to be a shock for JC too. JC's not a bad person, baby, you know it and I know it. If JC knew about Gram being pregnant he would have taken care of it."
"God," she groaned as she covered her face with her hands. "My whole life has been a lie."
"No... No, it hasn't," he assured her. "I know it seems hard to believe that I'm sure there's a reason."
She let out a laugh. "Now I know where my passion for music came from."
He smiled softly. "Bailey, why don't you go back over there and talk things over with them. This has got to be hard on both of them, too."
She sighed and then nodded. "Will you come with me?"
He smiled. "Yeah, if you want."
"I want but... not right now. Can I hang here for awhile?"
"Sure," he said as he clasped his hands around one of hers and kissed it.
She smiled down at him and then froze when something hit her. "Oh my god."
"What?"
"I... I just realized that this means we are related?"
"Huh??" he asked in shock. "How??"
"Well, JC's my grandfather and your grandmother is JC's sister and..."
"I'm not related with the Bass' by blood, Bai," he told her before she could continue.
Her jaw dropped. "Huh?"
"My dad, Lance Jr., met my mother when she was already pregnant with me," he told her. "And when I was born my mom left and dumped me with my dad, and my dad adopted me."
"But you and Lance... you look so much ali..."
"Yeah, I know," he said with a laugh. "It freaks a lot of people out, but the truth is I really don't know where I came from, but I don't care. I'm a Bass and proud of it."
She smiled and then lifted a hand to cup the side of his face. "You should be."
He reached up and grabbed her hand only to turn his head and plant his lips in the center of her palm. He looked up at her to see her reaction and when all he saw was passion in her eyes he continued and kissed the inside of her wrists. He cupped her elbow and held her arm straight out as he ran his lips up her arm, taking in ever inch of her soft skin.
Bailey closed her eyes when she felt his warm mouth on her shoulder and shuddered when she felt him nuzzle her neck. She reached up and buried her fingers in his unruly hair and a moan escaped the back of her throat when his tongue seeked out to explore her skin for the first time. She turned her head slightly towards his, silently telling him what she wanted.
He took the hint right away and leaned back a little before pressing his lips against hers. He was completely still as he took in the pleasure of feeling of his lips on hers. She melted against him as she leaned towards him and wrapped his arms around his neck. He couldn't experience one more second without knowing how she tasted, so he turned his head to the side and slowly pried her lips with his tongue.
Bailey sighed against his mouth at the feel of his soft tongue invading her senses. Her toes actually curled at the feel of him against her. She didn't think that actually was possible. Her fingers began playing with the hairs at the nape of his neck as their kiss began to grow more passionate and aggressive.
James took one more plunge before finally making himself pull away from her inviting lips. They both breathed heavily as their eyes roamed over each other. "I've been wanting to do that since the first time I saw you peeking in Pops' room," he murmured and then kissed her softly.
"Mmm," she moaned against her lips. "What took you so long?"
"I got sidetracked," he mumbled as he began to run his lips back down her neck.
Bailey smiled softly as she began to run her hands over his bare back. "James?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"Hmm?" he mumbled as he was playing with her little silver earring with his tongue.
"You're covered in paint," she pointed out.
"Yeah, I was painting," he said.
"Really?" she asked as she pulled back to look at him. "Where?"
"In the basement," he said and was about to lean in and kiss her again, but she leaned back.
"Can I see?"
He sighed. The only thing he wanted to do was kiss her again, but when he saw the excitement in her eyes he was lost. "Sure," he said and kissed her quickly before sitting up and pulling her out of her seat. "This way."
Hand in hand, James led her down the basement stairs with Abby trudging behind them. His art studio wasn't fancy, like most artists have. Usually artists who are as successful as him design their studio like it's a shrine. But money didn't change who James was and he liked things simple.
He had paintings scattered everywhere in the studio. Some where paintings he spent months on getting it perfect and others were just something he whipped up when he was bored or frustrated. He loved to paint when he was confused about something or troubled. It always helped clear his mind.
"Oh, wow," Bailey said as she let go of his hand and walked to the canvas. "Is this what you're working on?"
James nodded. "Yeah," he said sheepishly as if he was embarrassed.
Bailey smiled when she saw him turn red. Here he was a successful painter and he just got shy when she commented on a simple painting. "You're cute when you're flustered."
"Yeah?" he asked as and then let out a nervous laugh.
Bailey just smiled at him before she turned her attention back to the painting. There was a woman sitting on a cushioned bench that was by a window sill. Her knees were tucked underneath her and her light brown hair was pulled back loosely with a white ribbon. A couple of strands fell from the loose bind and they caressed the sides of her face. Her head was bent down slightly as she read the book that was sprawled out on her lap. "She's beautiful," she finally said as she admired the woman he created.
"Really?"
She looked up at him. "You captured her so well."
He smiled. "That's my grandmother."
Bailey's eyes widened as she looked back at the painting. "That's... That's Heather??"
He nodded as he walked up next to her and looked at the painting as well. "Yeah. Pops always told me that she would sit at their windowsill every Sunday morning and read her book. He always knew never to bug her when she was by that windowsill. I even remember watching her read when I was little."
"That is so sweet," she cried as she wiped away a tear.
"I'm gonna surprise Pops," he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "That's why I have to hurry and finish it because...."
Bailey placed a hand on his hands that rested on her stomach when he stopped talking. "I know, baby."
James let out a shaky sigh as he buried his face against her neck and then kissed her skin. "I'm scared for him, Bailey."
Bailey turned around and to face him and cupped his face softly. "I know you are. I am, too. But it's going to be okay. He won't be in any more pain and he'll be with his wife and everyone else that he loved."
James nodded as he felt the tears start to fall. "I know, but....he's my family, Bai. He's all I got."
She smiled softly. "No, baby you're not alone. You have JC now and you have....." She licked her lips nervously, before leaning up and brushing her lips with his. "You have me if you will let me in."
He shut his eyes at her words, because they hit him hard. That's all he's ever wanted. Someone to be there for him. Someone to love him for the man he is and not his bank account. He's been waiting for the right woman to let into his life and he had finally found her. "I let you in a long time ago, Bailey Elizabeth," he said softly and then touched his lips to hers and right there he felt complete.
"Here you go," Maggie said to JC as she handed him the glass of lemonade.
"Thanks darlin," he said as he smiled to her and then bent over to pick up the stick that Gidgit had just brought back. "Sit." The dog cocked his head and studied his master before finally plopping his butt down. "Good boy," he said and then threw the stick across the yard.
Maggie chuckled when she watched the four legged rascal trot after the stick. "She's in heaven."
"He loves fetch," he informed her. "When we play fetch she forgets she's an old woman."
"Maybe I should start playing fetch then, huh?" she teased.
JC smiled softly at her. "You're not old, darlin. Still as beautiful as the night we met."
Maggie blushed softly and put on a shy smile as she looked away. "You don't look too shabby either."
He grinned and picked up the stick from Gigit's mouth and threw it again. "How come I'm starting to feel like I'm 24 again?"
"Maybe because you're flirting like your 24 again?"
He let out a laugh. "Maybe, but you're flirting back."
She lifted a shoulder and smiled. "It was easy flirting with you Mr. Chasez."
He lifted a brow. "Yeah, I was pretty sexy huh?" Maggie's laughter rang out and JC managed a smile. For the first time in a long time he was truly happy where things were going in his life. He then surprised her and even himself when he reached out and touched her hand softly and linked his fingers with hers.
Maggie looked down at their joint hands and then up into his eyes which were soft and caring. She was about to ask why he reached out for her hand, but held it back. It didn't matter why all that matters was that he made the first move and the feelings they had were now out in the open. She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand for reassurance and he smiled back.
Gigit trotted up to the pair and Maggie this time bent down to take the stick. Gigit's small stub that was a poor excuse for a tail wiggled back and forth as she waited for this new master she had been introduced to. "Sit," she said and smiled when she sat on her rump and then threw the stick.
"You're a pro," JC chuckled as he set the half empty glass on the patio table.
Maggie just laughed and they both stood in the yard not really saying anything. But it was a good kind of silence, it wasn't awkward. Their hands were still clasped together and the dog played in the yard. At one point JC looked over at Maggie to see a worry look in her eyes and knew that she was thinking about Bailey. JC let go of her hand only to put his arm around her and bring her to his side. "Don't worry, darlin," he breathed into her hair and then kissed it softly. "She'll be back."
Maggie sighed as she leaned into him for support. "I'm just nervous about how she will react. Will she....I mean will she see me in a different light when she hears about last night?"
"No," he said softly. "She won't judge you for anything, because you didn't do anything wrong that night. If that night didn't happen Bailey wouldn't be here with us now."
Maggie nodded as she wiped away a tear and then finally looked up at him. "Thank you, JC. For everything."
His arm still around her, he smiled softly and lifted his other arm to wipe the other tear from her cheek. "You don't have to thank me, darlin." He cupped her chin lightly and slowly moved his head towards hers.
Maggie closed her eyes and he closed his eyes shortly after and their lips touched for the first time in fifty years.
Maggie's heart ached at the feel of his lips just like it ached all those years ago. She never realized how much she loved him and how much of an affect he had on him until now. JC was still her angel.
JC finally pulled back and looked down at her to see that her eyes were still closed. He smiled and lightly ran his fingers over her soft cheek and she finally opened her eyes. She had tears in her eyes and his heart broke for her. "Oh, darlin," he rasped as he pulled her to him.
She sighed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into his welcoming arms. She closed her eyes and just took in everything she dreamed about. His scent, his warmth. Everything about him was perfect. Her eyes finally flung open when she heard someone clear their throat lightly.
Maggie leaned back from JC, but his arms never left her and they both stared at Bailey and James who were lurking outside the patio doors. "Bailey," she said with a shy smile. "I'm glad you're here."
Bailey shifted awkwardly as she stuffed her hands in her jeans. "Yeah...sorry if we interrupted anything but..."
"It's okay," JC said and smiled at her. "We're just glad you're here."
"Yeah, well....thank James because he knocked some sense into to me."
JC grinned. "Just like a Bass."
"Uh huh," he said with a wink.
Maggie cleared her throat. "Um...why don't we sit down?" she said as she held out her hand to the patio table. JC held out a chair for her and she smiled when James did the same for her granddaughter. That scored him major brownie points, she thought. "Bailey, I..."
"Before you say anything," she said as she scooted up on her seat. "I want to apologize for how I acted."
JC shook his head. "You're fine, Bai. What you overheard was shocking and it's only right that you acted the way you did."
"No, I shouldn't have been so rude to you, JC," she said as she looked at her grandfather. "I blamed you for something horrible and I know you wouldn't have done anything to harm Gram."
"I would never harm her," he said softly. "I care for her."
"I know you do," she said with an encouraging smile. "I was wrong for the way I acted." She then looked at Gram. "Tell me everything."
"It was my spring break and me my boyfriend at the time went to New York with some of our friends. Um, the last night we were there we decided to split up and Daemon and I decided to take a walk through Central Park and he was a gentleman at first, but when we got in the car we rented he took things a little too far and when I said no he got upset. Make a long story short I got out of the car and refused to get back in."
"Right," Bailey said as she nodded her head. Her Gram was always a tough one, she always loved that about her.
"Anyway, I was almost back at the hotel when I got mugged."
Bailey gasped and put a hand on her thigh. "Gram..."
"I don't know what I would have done if JC and his bodyguard didn't show up," she said.
Bailey looked at him. "You saved her?"
He blushed slightly and then nodded his head. "Yeah. I didn't want the press to get wing of this so I took her back to the hotel. Melinda, she was a woman that worked for us, helped me clean her up and well, um, me and Maggie got to talking and..."
"I told him to make love with me, Bailey," she finished for JC, because she could tell he was getting nervous. "I was scared that I was never gonna stand a man's touch and I was so comfortable with JC that I told him what I wanted."
Bailey swallowed hard. "What happened? Why didn't you guys date or anything..."
"I left," she said quietly. "I left him a note and left. I didn't know I was gonna get pregnant at the time, so when I did find out I couldn't get a hold of him."
"My God, Gram....you must have been so scared."
"I was. But my parents took me in and then I met Henry."
"Did Mom know about JC?"
"She did. It was our little secret. She would watch tapes of him all through growing up."
Bailey looked sadly over at JC and sighed as she got up and to walk over to him. JC stood up and looked down at her granddaughter. "I'm sorry, JC. I know it must be hard finding out you had a daughter that you never knew." She then surprised him by leaning up and hugging him.
"Thank you sweetie," he said as he shut his eyes and held on to his granddaughter.
"You would have been proud of my Mom," she muffled in his shoulder. "She was an incredible lady."
"Just like her mother," JC said and then leaned away to look down at her. He smiled as he reached up to wipe a tear from her face. "And just like her daughter."
She smiled softly and sniffed before hugging him again. "I just realized something," she said as JC started to rock her.
"What?"
"I can call you Papa C now."
"Would you two like to stay for dinner?" Maggie asked James and Bailey. After the heart-filled moment that was shared between JC and Bailey, they finally sat back down and the foursome visited for a good hour.
"Actually, I have a date tonight," James said with a grin as he leaned back in his chair and stretched out his legs.
"Really James?" JC asked. "Who's the lucky girl."
"Oh you know," he said with a shrug. "Just some girl I met."
Bailey responded by kicking him in the leg and James grunted out a laugh. "Ouch, that hurt?"
“I'm sorry," she said sweetly and gave her a smile.
"You're just jealous," he teased and laughed when she stuck out her tongue.
Maggie chuckled. "And what does she look like?"
"Hmm, golden blonde hair, the bluest eyes you've ever seen and..." He paused and studied Bailey. "You know Winters, she looks a little like you."
She bit her lip to try to keep from laughing, but when he started to wiggle his eyebrows she couldn't help but laugh. "Oh shut up."
He laughed and stood up. "Speaking of which I need to go on home and get ready."
"Just wait a second here," JC said with a warning tone. "Just where are you taking my granddaughter tonight?"
James raised a brow at him and then turned to Bailey who was covering her mouth to hide her chuckle. "So now we're playing protective Papa C now huh?"
"That's right," he said and then winked at Bailey who laughed in return.
"Well, I'm taking her to my art gallery if you must know."
"Hmm, what do ya think darlin?" he asked as he turned to Maggie.
"I dunno," she said as she studied James. "He seems like a nice enough kid."
"Yeah...he does," JC finally said and then sighed. "You kids have fun."
"I feel like I'm in high school again," James said and then shook his head. "I'll pick you up at 7:30."
"I'll walk you out," she said as she started to get up.
"No, that's okay sit and relax," he said and then leaned over and kissed the corner of her mouth. "I know my way out."
She was stunned that he kissed her in front of her... well, grandparents. She was gonna have to get use to that. She smiled softly and felt herself turn red. "Okay...oh wait...dress code?"
"Um...dressy casual. Nothing TOO fancy, but no jeans or anything."
"Gotcha...see you tonight."
"Bye," he said and then walked over to where Maggie was sitting. "Gram," he said with a grin as he picked up her hand. "You're absolutely stunning."
"Hey, hey," JC warned. "Knock it off."
James chuckled and then winked at her. "Okay, I'm going," he said and then leaned down and kissed Bailey one more time, but this time he kissed her fully on the lips.
Bailey watched him go and let out a sigh before turning back around and then froze when her grandparents were grinning at her. "What?" she asked as she felt herself turn red yet again.
"Nothing at all," JC finally said with a laugh. "I'm gonna go and visit Lance before visiting hours is over."
"Okay," Maggie said and then he surprised her by leaning over and kissing her softly on the lips. "Bye."
"Bye Bai," he said as he smiled at her and kissed the top of her head before walking in the house.
Maggie who was still flustered from his kiss began to fan herself with her hand but froze when she saw her granddaughter grinning at her. "What?" she asked. "It's hot out here."
"Uh huh," she said not buying it.
"Oh hush," she said as she waved a hand at her and stood up. "Come on sweetie, I want to show you something."
"Really?" she asked as she stood up. "What is it?"
"You'll see," she said with a smile.