Careless Mistake
by Kelli
Part 33
Late November 2004...
"Happy Thanksgiving," Justin said as he and Britney walked into his aunt's house in Memphis.
"Happy Thanksgiving," Britney repeated.
"There they are," Justin's grandpa announced. "It's about time, we were about to start chewing on our knuckles."
"Heyyyyy, we're not that late. We have to pack up the whole house when we take her anywhere," Justin said, nodding toward Mackenzie who was being taken from Britney by Justin's mom.
"You've been doing this for about nine months now, you think you'd have gotten the hang of lugging everything everywhere," Lynn teased as she bounced Mackenzie up and down and placed kisses all over her face.
"Mommm," Justin said. "Stop, you'll spoil her and she'll expect us to do that all the time," he laughed.
Britney swatted at Justin's arm. "She's a grandma, it's what they're supposed to do."
"Amen," Lynn said.
"Well, I guess we won't have to worry about her for awhile today, huh?" Britney asked Justin as she watched Lynn passing the baby to Paul.
"I'm thinking not...."
They set the stuff for the baby down in the living room and found a seat available for the two of them on the couch next to one of his aunts.
"So did the two of you decide on a time for your wedding?" his aunt asks them.
"We're hoping for next spring," Justin said.
"Any ideas where?"
"That's still being decided," Britney laughed. "There's too many options. It's so hard to choose."
"Yes and believe me, we're weighing ALL the options," Justin added.
"It's a very important decision. It's something you need to choose carefully because you don't want to look back one day and think, hmmm, I should have done it this way or that way...." his aunt said.
Justin nodded and Britney frowned. When Justin noticed the look on Britney's face he rubbed her back.
"Oh no, now Brit's worried."
"Well, it is such a big deal. I'm already stressed out about it," she said, rubbing her temple.
Justin moved her fingers and kissed the spot she was rubbing.
"Just remember....it doesn't really matter, what matters is that we're together and happy with our beautiful daughter," he whispered to her.
She smiled at that and patted his leg.
"I'm just so happy to see them together," Lisa, Justin's step-mother said to Lynn across the room. It was now Lisa's turn to hold Mackenzie.
"There were times when I didn't think I'd see the day," Lynn said, shaking her head as she glanced over at the couple in question. "But then this little angel came along and changed all of that," she said gently pinching Mackenzie's cheek.
"She is a little angel, isn't she? Look at these beautiful blue eyes...."
Mackenzie smiled up at Lisa.
"And she's so good with strangers. I hate to admit I'm a stranger to her...." she said sadly.
"Once in awhile I feel that way too," Lynn said. "It's hard because they travel so much."
Lisa nodded in agreement.
"My turn to hold my grandbaby," Randy said as he stood next to his wife.
"I don't think my time is up," Lisa teased.
"You want to come to grandpa?" Randy asked Mackenzie as he held his arms out to her.
She giggled and held her arms out so he'd take her.
"She looks like Justin so much, doesn't she Lynn?" he asked as he stared down at his granddaughter in his arms.
"Yeah, she does," Lynne said, peaking over Mackenzie's head to get a good look at her face. "The hair, of course. Her eyes....when she smiles she has that cute little dimple thing Justin used to get when he was little. Remember that?"
"Of course I do," Randy chuckled.
Britney was staring at her future in-laws across the room while Justin rested his head on her shoulder and would occasionally kiss her neck. Their arms and hands were entwined.
"What do you think they're talking about?" she asked, jerking his hand a little as she nodded their way.
He glanced up at his parents.
"Who knows," he chuckled.
He saw his mom point to Mackenzie's cheek and he groaned.
"They're probably talking about how much she "looks like me"," he said.
Britney put her other hand up to her mouth and giggled. "She really does sweetie. I don't know why you keep acting like she doesn't."
"She looks like you," he said looking at her.
Their faces were a couple inches apart.
"She has a few Spears' qualities but right now, she's mostly Timberlake. Ain't no denying she's yours," she said before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
He put his hand over his heart. "Oh God...don't even joke about that," he teased.
"Never," she said, her face still close to his.
He smiled and leaned into her again so he could kiss her some more. They sort of forgot where they were until someone cleared their throat behind Justin so he slowly pulled away.
"There's a spare bedroom upstairs," his aunt told them.
Justin chuckled while Britney hid her face in the crook of his neck as she giggled.
"Aunt Betty.....we can keep our hands off of each other long enough," Justin started.
"Didn't look like it to me," she winked at him. "Britney, you want to help me set the food on the table?"
Britney looked up. "Sure," she said happily as she stood up. Before she walked away she bent down and gave Justin one more kiss.
After she walked away he stretched his legs out in front of him and smiled while looking around at his family. His dad still was holding Mackenzie and she looked like she was about ready to fall asleep.
"Uh, Justin," Randy said.
"Yeah, dad?" he asked, sitting up.
"I think she needs to be changed," he said, scrunching up his nose.
"Well the diaper bag is in the foyer," Justin said, pointing to the hallway.
Lynn laughed. "Justin, he never changed your diaper once, what makes you think he's gonna change your baby's?"
"Actually I changed Jonathon's and Stephen's, thank you very much," he said, looking at his ex-wife.
Lynn glanced and Lisa and she nodded.
"It's okay, I'm teasing," Justin said, now standing next to his dad.
When Mackenzie caught a glimpse of him she smiled and held out her arms so he picked her up.
"Come on, angel, let's go change you so your grandparents' can fuss over you some more," he said walking into the foyer.
He grabbed the diaper bag and threw it over his shoulder and then grabbed the portable play pen and tucked it under his free arm and headed upstairs to the bedrooms. He found the spare room and changed her diaper. When he was finished, her eyes were getting heavy as he cradled her against his shoulder.
"You just need to take a nap, don't you baby?" he asked.
He set her back down on the bed and quickly set up the play pen. Her eyes were already closed when he placed her in the makeshift crib.
They forgot the monitor so he closed the door, leaving it cracked open a little bit so he could hear her if she started to cry.
When he went back downstairs he joined his aunt, mom and Britney in the dining room.
"I don't want to have any more children for quite a few years," he heard Britney say so he stopped right outside the room so they couldn't see him.
"I don't blame you. You two have so much going on with your careers. There's plenty of time to have more kids," his aunt said.
"Shoot, there goes my dream for more babies to bounce on my knee soon," Lynn said, which made Justin smile and Britney giggle.
"Well, sorry."
"How does Justin feel?"
There was silence.
"We haven't really discussed timing. I mean I know he wants more children, we just haven't talked about when...."
"It might be a good thing to discuss before the wedding," Lynn said.
"Yeah," Britney replied.
Justin waited a few seconds before entering the room.
"You ladies need any help?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.
"I think we're just about ready to eat," his aunt said before heading back toward the kitchen.
"I'll go get the water," Lynn said, leaving Justin and Britney in the dining room alone.
"This is nice....I'm glad we came here for Thanksgiving," Britney smiled at him. "Your dad still have Mackenzie?"
Justin shook his head. "No, she needed to be changed so I took her upstairs, changed her and then laid her in the play pen. She fell asleep before I even laid her down," he said.
"Good. We can have a peaceful dinner."
Justin nodded and looked at the table.
"You okay?" she asked, walking around the table to stand in front of him.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired...."
"Okay," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"You seemed nervous that Britney hasn't talked to Justin about children," Betty said to Lynn while they were both in the kitchen.
"It's just that after their breakup a couple of years ago, it makes me nervous when I see them keeping things from each other," she said, filling the water pitcher.
Betty nodded.
"I mean....they are young. They're younger than I would have wished for them to become parents because of what Randy and I went through. Hell, Britney's parents went through the same thing. But, they are parents and they have a wonderful child and thank God they seem to be head over heels in love again."
She set the pitcher on the counter and stared at her sister.
"They're strong. I've never seen anything like it," Betty said, shaking her head.
Lynn chuckled. "Neither have I. And they had this....this magic when they were dating at eighteen and nineteen years old, just think of how I feel about it now? What they have is special and I think the breakup made them realize that. Hopefully they learned and grew from that experience."
Britney looked up at Justin, their arms were still around each other.
"Was that your stomach?" she asked.
He laughed. "I think so. I guess I'm pretty hungry."
"Guess so," she agreed.
"Oh and from what you said before....I'm glad we're here too. I always feel this sort of peace when I'm with my family here in Millington."
"I know you do. I can feel it."
"You can? How so?" he asked in a surprised tone.
She shrugged and released her grip. "I don't know. There's just something more calm about your aura."
"My aura?" he chuckled.
She winked at him and nodded. "Yes....you have one."
"What's my aura doing now?" he asked, pulling her closer and touching his lips to hers.
She responded when he pulled away slightly. "It's saying something that we should hold off on until later," she whispered.
He chuckled and kissed her one more time.
Lynn and Betty returned to the room with their arms full.
"You sure you don't need help?" Justin asked.
"Your uncle is carving the turkey now and I think we've got everything," Betty said, looking at the table.
"Pour the water....I think you can handle that," Lynn told him, handing him the water pitcher.
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, mom," he said.
"That pumpkin pie just did me in," Britney said, hobbling over to the couch to sit next to Justin. She was holding her stomach.
"Oof," he said when she sat down next to him and jabbed his stomach with her elbow. "God, do you want me to explode?" he asked, rubbing his stomach.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said leaning into his side and closing her eyes. "I'm so sleepy now," she yawned.
"Don't start," he said, yawning along with her.
They sat there like that for a few minutes when Britney lifted her head.
"How long has Mackenzie been napping?" she asked.
Justin opened his eyes and looked at the clock. "I don't know.....a couple of hours maybe?"
"I should go check on her. Her naps don't last this long usually," she said, starting to get up but she stopped when it hurt her stomach.
"She's just tired, Brit. Let her sleep a little longer then we'll feed her," he said, pulling her back on the couch and wrapping his arm around her.
"You're probably right," she sighed, closing her eyes again.
Next thing Britney knew she was in a silent room. She lifted her head and rubbed her neck. Justin was still dozed off next to her. She looked around and wondered where everyone was so she stood up and followed the faint noise coming from the kitchen.
When she walked into the room she found about ten people sitting around the kitchen table playing cards.
"Hey....care to join us?" one of Justin's uncles asked.
Britney smiled. "Um, no thanks," she chuckled. "Mackenzie didn't wake up, did she?" she asked Lynn.
Lynn looked up at the clock and shook her head. "I haven't heard her sweetie."
When Britney realized what time it was her eyes got big and her heart started to race. "She doesn't sleep this long.....something's wrong," she said racing out of the room to go upstairs.
Lynn stood up and followed her to the spare bedroom.
"Oh my God," Britney said, covering her mouth when she entered the room and looked in the play pen.
