Careless Mistake
by Kelli
Part 30
Early October 2004...
"Mama? We're back," Britney yelled when she walked into the foyer of the Kentwood mansion.
Justin set their bags down behind her and she took his hand and led him to the great room.
"I smell good cooking," Justin said.
"This way," Britney said, turning them around and walking toward the kitchen.
The radio was playing and Jamie Lynn and Lynne were both doing something at the counter singing their heart out with the radio. Mackenzie was in her swing over by the table, babbling away with them. When she saw her mommy and daddy she squealed with delight. This sound made Lynne turn around and she got a big smile on her face.
"Welcome home you two," she said.
Britney rushed over to her mom and gave her a big hug while Justin walked over to the swing and took Mackenzie out. He held her up and then acted like he was going to let her drop but instead brought her to his face and he kissed her while Jamie Lynn turned the radio down.
"How was the trip?" Lynne asked.
Justin walked over to where the three women were now standing.
"The trip was amazing," Britney said.
She gave a hug and a kiss to her sister and then took Mackenzie from Justin.
"How's my big girl? You looked like you were having fun.....yes you did," she said, bouncing her up and down a little.
Justin gave both Lynne and Jamie Lynn a hug.
"So the trip was successful?"
"I'd say," Britney said, holding out her left hand for her mom and sister to see.
Lynne gasped and Jamie Lynn smiled. Both women hugged Britney and the baby while Justin stood by and laughed. When Lynne realized that Justin was just standing there she opened her arm so he could join the circle. He placed one arm around Britney's back and the other around Lynne's.
"I'm so happy for you two....well, you three," Lynne said, looking down at Mackenzie who was wondering why she was being smothered.
The circle broke apart and Justin took Mackenzie again while Lynne and Jamie Lynn looked at Britney's ring.
"So tell us all about the proposal," Jamie Lynn said.
Britney chuckled.
"Well it's a funny story actually...." Britney started.
She explained how she asked Justin at dinner and then how he asked her on the beach.
"Well at least you two were on the same page," Lynne said, smiling. "Go call your daddy and then call Bryan and Lauren."
Britney laughed. "Is daddy home? If it's okay I'd like him to join us for dinner."
"Of course it's okay....I think he's in town," she said, looking at Jamie Lynn who nodded.
"What about your mama, Justin? Have you gotten to tell her yet?" Lynne asked Justin while Britney dialed her father's number.
"We're going to tell her in person. I think we'll swing by Memphis on the way back to LA," he said smiling.
"She'll be just as happy as I am."
Britney hung up the phone. "He said he'll come over. I didn't tell him why," she giggled.
She walked back over to Justin while Lynne made sure dinner wasn't burning on the stove and she reached up and gave him a kiss as she took Mackenzie again. She held her daughter tight and kissed her again and again.
"I missed you so much," she told her.
"Why don't you two go sit down with her and I'll call you when dinner's ready," Lynne suggested.
"You sure you don't need help?" Justin offered.
"We're fine....now scoot. Go spend time with that precious angel."
"Thanks, mama," Britney said, walking over to her mom and kissing her cheek before following Justin into the great room.
He sat down on the couch and stretched out. Britney sat down next to him and snuggled against his side as she held Mackenzie on her lap. They kept staring at their daughter.
"She's perfect, you know that?" Justin asked as he rubbed the baby's cheek.
"I think so too," she giggled. Suddenly she sat up straight. "Oh speaking of creating perfection," she said as she handed Justin the baby and stood up.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"I'm going to go find my birth control pills," she said softly before leaving the room.
He bounced Mackenzie on his lap while Britney went upstairs.
"Brit I....." Lynne stopped when she realized Britney wasn't in the room. "Oh...now where did she go?" she asked.
"She ran upstairs real quick," Justin said, looking back at her.
"Jamie Lynn make sure that pasta doesn't burn please," she yelled into the kitchen.
She ran upstairs and found her daughter looking under her bed.
"What are you doing?"
The sudden noise startled Britney so much she banged her head on the mattress.
"Ow," she said, rubbing the spot she hit. "I'm looking for my birth control pills," she said.
Lynne put her hands on her hips. "They're not in your suitcase?"
Britney got up and sat down on the bed, wiping her hair away from her face. "No....the second day we were there I realized I forgot them when I went to take one."
Lynne's eyes got big. "So what did you do?"
Britney shrugged. "I counted the days on my calendar and figured that we'd probably be okay....."
"Oh Brit," Lynne said, sitting down next to her daughter. "You know you took a big chance....."
"I know mama. Justin and I talked about it. We didn't want it to spoil our time together. We'll accept the consequences whatever they are."
Lynne nodded. "So you can't find them now, though?"
"No, I thought I remember setting them on the bed before packing. I'm going to go check the bathroom."
The doorbell rang. "I'll get that and you find the pills."
"Okay," Britney said.
When Britney came back down her father was already in the great room with Justin and Jamie Lynn. He was holding Mackenzie.
"Hey daddy," she said walking over to him.
He leaned down and gave her a kiss.
"Hey there sweetie. I was just telling Justin how much this little beauty looks like you."
"And I was agreeing," Justin said as he placed his hand on Britney's back.
"I think you'd be surprised at how much she favors Justin as a baby too," Britney said.
"I keep telling you, don't wish that on her," Justin teased.
"Ha ha....Daddy, we have something to tell you," Britney started.
"Should I be sitting down for this?" he asked, looking at them.
Justin chuckled while Britney blushed. "No....well you can if you want but it's good news...."
"Okay, I'll stand."
"Justin and I are getting married," she said, holding her hand out for him to see the ring.
He took her hand with his free hand and looked at the diamond ring. "And you said yes?" he teased.
"Daddy!"
He chuckled. "I'm just kidding. Congratulations you two," he said as he leaned down for a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks."
"Justin," he said, holding his hand out for Justin to shake. "I couldn't be happier, I think you know that...."
Justin shook his hand and nodded. "I know sir, thank you."
Britney looked between the two men. "Wait a minute....did you know about this?" Britney asked, pointing at her father.
"I had to do the proper thing," Justin said before leaning down and kissing her cheek.
Britney gasped. "Ah, so you knew? Did mama know too?"
"Did mama know what?" Lynne asked as she re-entered the room.
"That Justin was going to ask me to marry him this weekend?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"I didn't know. I mean I hoped.....why?"
"Justin did the traditional thing and asked me for my blessing.....so I gave it to him," Jamie said.
Lynne's mouth dropped open. "And you didn't tell me?"
"Oh God," Jamie said under his breath. "Justin, lesson number one....having two Spears' women mad at you is not a good thing," he said quietly to Justin.
Justin chuckled.
"It's all good, right?" Justin asked, wrapping Britney in his arms.
She held onto his shoulders. "I don't know. I can't believe you two were scheming behind my back," she playfully pouted.
"Scheming?" Justin laughed.
"Well, I came in here to tell you that dinner's ready. I have the table set out on the patio. Justin would you mind taking Mackenzie's high chair out there?" Lynne asked.
"Of course not," he said, letting Britney go.
A few hours later Britney yawned. She and Justin were the only ones up and they were watching TV in the great room.
"Why don't you go get some sleep? We have to get up pretty early tomorrow to get to the airport," Justin said.
She snuggled into his side a little bit and nodded. "You're right. You coming up soon?" she asked, sitting up straight.
"I'll be up in a minute."
She leaned over and kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you too," he replied.
Britney made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. She took a peak in on Mackenzie, who was sleeping like a rock.
When she made it to the bedroom, Justin was already there, changing for bed.
"So you never told me if you found your pills," he said, removing his pants.
"Yeah, they were in the bathroom. Lord knows how they got there," she said. "My mom knows...."
"That you forgot your pills?" he asked as he sat down on the bed to remove his socks.
She nodded. "Yeah. She saw me searching for them."
"Are you going to take a pregnancy test now or wait until your next period?"
She walked over to him and sat down next to him on the bed.
"I don't know. I guess we can buy a test when we get to Memphis..."
"Good, because when we get back to LA we need to look at our schedules. Johnny asked me about doing another solo album...."
"Already?"
He nodded.
"You just got done with the group's stuff. Can't you take a minute off?"
He stared at her. "I am. That's what this weekend was about."
She tried to see if he was kidding her at all. He wasn't.
"I mean more than a weekend, Justin. Take a couple of months to just be with me and Mackenzie in LA. We'll plan our wedding together," she said, wrapping her arm through his and resting her cheek against his shoulder.
"I.....well...." He wasn't sure what to say to that. "It's just that I have all these ideas floating around my head. I wanted to take advantage of that."
She unwrapped her arm, stood up and went into the bathroom to wash her face.
He sighed and crawled under the sheets.
"Challenge number one," he said under his breath.
They stayed in Memphis for one day, spending it with a lot of Justin's family. Everyone was very excited about the engagement news for the young family.
Finally after dinner when most everyone had left the Harless house, Britney snuck into the bathroom to take the pregnancy test.
"Is Britney okay? She seemed distracted tonight," Lynn asked her son.
Justin nodded as he played patty-cake with Mackenzie, who was sitting on his lap.
"Yeah....." he sighed and glanced behind him to make sure no one was around. "We didn't have any birth control on the trip."
Lynn's eyes got big. "Why?"
"She thought she had packed her birth control but she didn't. So we decided to take the chance," he shrugged.
"So she's worried about it now?"
"She's taking a pregnancy test right now. I should go up there in a minute."
"Here, let me take Mackenzie and you go be with her," she said, reaching for her granddaughter.
He gave the baby over and kissed his mom's cheek before retreating upstairs. He knocked on the bedroom door which was shut.
"It's me," he said before opening the door.
Britney was laying back on the bed, with her feet planted on the ground. He noticed the pregnancy test stick was sitting on the nightstand.
"Is it time to look at it yet?" he asked, closing the door behind him and walking into the room.
She shook her head. "No, a couple more minutes."
He laid down on his side next to her, so he was facing her.
"You ready for any answer?" he asked.
She glanced up at him and nodded. "I think so....what about you?"
"More ready this time than I was last time," he teased.
She giggled. "Yeah, that's true...."
They sat there another minute.
"Should we look?" he asked, glancing over at the stick.
"Okay," Britney said, taking a deep breath.
